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Swami Ramakrishnananda

Meditation means complete self-abandonment. Meditation requires complete annihilation of self-consciousness. You know before a great light, lesser lights disappear; so before the effulgent glory of God, the little glory of the ego will completely vanish, as stars vanish when the sun rises. You must therefore practise the Presence of God inside you.

You may say, 'I cannot see Him with these eyes of mine. I cannot hear Him with these ears. How then, am I to perceive Him?' You can never perceive Him in this way. To go to the Creator you must throw aside these instruments which take you directly to the creation. You must go beyond your mind and senses, then meditation will come of itself. This is the only way to get inner vision. These senses are made for the creation, not for the creator. (Days p.93, Ded. Life p. 188)

God is always supposed to be perceived more clearly at the point of meeting between the two opposite poles. He is neither light nor darkness, but He is beyond both. He is to be found just where they meet. Hence the twilight hour, morning and evening — the meeting place of day and night — is considered the best time for meditation. Also at noon-time, just when the sun reaches its highest point and begins to drop down towards night. The voice rises to its highest pitch at that hour and even the cries of the street-vendors grow shriller. As sound and mind are inseparably connected, sound being the primary expression of mind, so the mind also reaches its greatest height at noontime. (Days p.94, Ded. Life p.188)

To see God everywhere is the highest worship; meditation is the next best; prayer and repetition of the Divine Name are lower than that; and external worship is the lowest. (Ded. Life p.97)

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