The Four Stages of Meditation

Thus throughout the centuries masters have taught that there are four stages of spiritual progress. The first is the stage of difficulty, when one has to exert much effort to calm and control the agitated, scattered waves of the mind. Many people at this stage become restless and impatient, and abandon their spiritual practice.

The second is the stage of attainment when the mind achieves complete concentration and experiences a higher state of consciousness. Those who taste that supreme bliss, even for a moment, realize that it is the highest experience of human life, and dedicate all their energies to remain merged in the state forever.

In the third stage, by regular and intense concentration, the mind becomes coherent and psychic powers develop. This is the most dangerous stage, when even great yogis have fallen from the path. If one's psychic energies are prematurely released into the external world, one will never achieve perfection. It is rather like trying to pump water to the top floor of a building through a pipe with many holes in it - the water will never reach the top.

The saint Ramakrishna once told his beloved disciple Vivekananda, "Through severe spiritual discipline, I have acquired certain powers. I am giving them to you - you may use them when necessary. What do you say to that?" Vivekananda reflected a moment and asked, "Sir, will these powers help me towards self-realization?" "No", answered his master. Vivekananda said, "Then I don't want them. Let me first realize God and afterwards I shall decide whether I want them or not. If I accept these wonderful powers now, I may forget my ideal. And if I use them for any selfish purpose, it may lead to my ruin. So please, master, you keep them!

Those who do not let their minds be diverted by psychic powers and channel all their energies in yearning for the Supreme are like a child who caries repeatedly for her mother. To distract her, the mother gives the child a toy. But when the child is not satisfied with the toy and flings it aside, shouting "I don't want the toy, I want you!" then the mother has to come and take the child on her lap. Spiritual aspirants should be like such a child. They should cry to the Supreme, "I don't want your occult powers, I want you!" Then they are sure to attain their goal.

And when they reach the fourth stage, and that indescribable bliss surges through every fibre of their being, they will know that, in comparison to the ecstasy of divine union psychic powers are very cheap.

Two brothers started practicing yoga together, but while one was a sincere seeker of truth, the other was enamored of occult powers. After many years of separation, they met beside a river. One brother used his occult powers to walk across the water, while the other paid one rupee to the boatman to ferry him across. When they reached the opposite bank, the first brother proudly asked what has brother thought of his feat. He answered, "I see that after all these years of effort, and your spiritual achievement is worth only one rupee".