Jangama Dhyana - the method | In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Babaji, No.218

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Jangama Dhyana - the method | In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Babaji, No.218
Recorded on 22 February 2025 with worldwide participants.

0:00 Intro
0:18 1st instruction: to sit comfortably and keep the back and neck straight
1:10 2nd instruction: to close the eyes
2:44 Focusing the eyes and sight in between the eyebrows
6:02 When we are watching in meditation, is it the same as watching an object with eyes open?
8:52 Difference between watching in everyday life and watching in meditation
13:08 As our mind becomes quiet in meditation, do we start to become aware of our real existence?
15:28 What is the meaning of Jangama Dhyana?
16:32 The importance of a gentle approach in meditation
26:42 The thoughts are not separate from you
29:59 Why is this one method taught to advanced meditators and beginners alike?
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Register your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang

Website: http://www.srby.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmission
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/

Transcript

Discourse: In Quest of Truth – online Q&A no.218
 Jangama Dhyana - the Method
You tube Link: https://youtu.be/gcXrbtQGVNo
Recorded: 22 February 2025

Start of Questions and Answers

Question:   Babaji, the theme this week is ‘Jangama Dhyana - the Method.’  So, we thought we'd look a little bit more at the technique of Jangama Dhyana.  So, the first instruction, Babaji, in the technique is to “Sit comfortably keeping the back and neck straight”.  Can Babaji just explain the importance of keeping the back and neck straight when we sit? 

Babaji Maharaj:   One thing is you would be able to keep the brain alert and you will not feel sleepy and you can keep the body stabilized.  Stability of the physical body, the first most important thing; it must not move.  And eventually when you go into deeper meditations, when the mind is concentrated, when it lifts the body consciousness also, it will be smooth and energetic.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  And the second instruction is to “Close the eyes”.  Some meditation techniques require the eyes to be partially open.  But why, Babaji, in this technique is it important to close the eyes? 

Babaji Maharaj:   One is this was how our Guru Shivabalayogi was instructed by the appearance of Jangama Deva, to keep the eyes closed.  This is the technique.  When the Guru passes on the technique, we totally, faithfully follow that command.  This is one thing.  Another thing, what Swamiji told me, or my experience was – already there is a big world within your mind.  If you keep the eyes open, the sensory organ might attract you.  The outside world might suck you.  A much more absorption of the world might happen.  So, to avoid that, you close the eyes and try to attend the world that is inside your mind.  So, this is very important.  Like the next instruction we tell, “Just keep watching in between eyebrows.”  So, if you come with that question, we can elaborate more.  

Question:   Yes, Babaji, Thank You.  So, yes, Babaji, the next thing is for the mind and sight to be focused in the point in between the eyebrows.  So, Babaji, we are keeping the eyes in a locked position, focusing on the single point.  Is this why that instruction is there to keep the eyes stationary? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, it's very important that the eyelids and eyeballs do not move.  You do not allow them to move.  Because they can give a jerk to the mind and it will not be able to lock the mind thoroughly, gently and thoroughly.  This is very important.  Even we try to help the newcomers, the newly practicing people, when they are unable to locate the in between eyebrows, which is because the eyeballs move parallelly, they don't come into one direction easily.  So, that we tell just watch the front portion by fixing the eyeballs.  And that's why gently closing the eyes will help you to practice not to move the eyelids also.  Otherwise, you see, when you keep the eyes open when you are active in the world, the eyelids keep closing.  That is nature's gift also.  It keeps the eyes clean always, free from any foreign particles and so on.  But during meditation, you need to keep these eyelids closed and not to move.  Because they can give a jerk to the eyeballs, to the vision, and then that in turn to the mind itself.  

So, that's why these two instructions are important.  While reading also, do not move eyeballs and eyelids.  This is very important.  So, steadily, if you are fixed into the front portion, gradually in due course of time, they will start coming into one direction.  So, they can strongly hold and lock the mind into single-pointedness.  Just to give a meaning, I am using the word ‘locking.’  The locking happens with the help of the eyelids and eyeballs.  Then the mind stabilizes there.  Single-pointedly you will be able to watch or look into that one.  Because, along with the eyeballs, it is the mind which needs to watch.  Then only mind can stop its thinking effects.  If you successfully watch through the mind, then it won't think.  When it stops thinking, all thoughts and visions will automatically disappear.  This may happen in a progressive way, slowly as you practice, as you gain the ability to lock the eyeballs and also lock the mind also.  This is a very important point, the beginning of the technique of this meditation.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  When we are watching with the eyes in meditation, is it really just the same as when we are watching or concentrating on an object?  When we are opening the eyes, we are concentrating on objects without moving the eyes, completely single-pointedly watching.  Is it the same thing what we are doing when we are closing the eyes? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Exactly.  I have given the example; like if I am holding an object like a microphone or something and will ask you to watch it.  I tell also that you just watch it; do not think about that, whether it is a microphone, black in color, Babaji is holding, to whom it belongs to, all these things are not necessary.  Just use it to remain focused as an anchor, that is all.  More than that, there is no other target given because mind itself is the truth for which you are trying to search.  But just now, it is preoccupied with its own imaginations.  It is unable to remember about itself.  So, that is the truth; this will be revealed when you are able to achieve the silence, quietness of the mind and get rid of all thoughts and visions by this watching method.  

This is a very great technical method, probably practiced in ancient times also as one of the highest methods.  But amazing thing was, Lord Shiva who came as a Jangama Rishi, Jangama Deva, and appeared before our Guru Shivabalayogi in 1949 when Swamiji was a fourteen-year-old boy, this was how He instructed.  And Swamiji simply followed.  Swamiji used to say, “I just went on watching and the samadhi came.”  It can happen.  If only all participants can follow this as a command and just watch, then gradually they will forget to think.  When they forget to think, thoughts and visions all disappear.  They are all there because the mind keeps thinking about them.  Then it holds on to that one.  It enables the vision to be there.  The illusion is created by our own mind, by us eventually.  When we imagine, when we consider that as a true existence and a fundamental reality, we have created an illusion for ourselves.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Baba, just to clarify a little bit more about this watching – when we watch in everyday life, usually when we are watching a computer screen or anything, we are usually watching and then thinking about what it is we are watching.  But the difference in meditation is that we are just simply watching, not getting involved.  

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, in this world, when you are active in some work, you need to concentrate your mind and sight also there.  But there, you won't simply watch.  You will be active with what you are going to see.  If you are working on a computer, you will be active with that one.  You won't simply watch the computer.  That point doesn't occur to you at all.  Watching means, once you watch, the mind starts thinking, it has to think, “O, I need to type here, I need to type this sentence.  This is what it is.  This has to be deleted.”  Like this, it goes on, gets involved.  Then that also stays.  Instead, sometimes if you remember, you have come across a beautiful scene which can make you dumb-found type.  You get attracted to that.  You see that, that becomes inexplicable, “What a beauty.”  But, further, you don't find any words or sentences to explain what it is.  Simply, you enjoy.  Means, your mind has been stopped there.  

So, that is the technique here.  In meditation, the same technique is taught that you watch so that you stop thinking.  So, that is why no activity or no target is given.  There is no such thing that “God is in this form, you have to call Him like this”.  There is no such instructions at all.  That Divinity you will come to know only when your mind totally stops, that is later stage.  But first, you are just asked to watch in between eyebrows.  Though, “in between eyebrows” is used, what you are supposed to do there is not told.  You are supposed only to watch.  No further instructions are given.  “Just watch and then work on that in between eyebrows”; there are no such instructions.  Just watch and it stops there.  So, that is all you have to do.  When you simply watch, you will not be involving with the front portion of the in between eyebrows also.  You won't think also that “I am watching in between eyebrows.”  That's what is important.  You just watch, but don't think that you are watching – where and why you are watching also don't bother.  Just watch.  

Have faith in the Guru's instructions as a command.  The commander has told you to just watch and just watch.  Then your mind will stop.  It will stop thinking.  Then already created thoughts and visions, they will all disappear.  When you do not hold onto them, thoughts and visions, they have no stand.  They will simply disappear because they were created.  They have only appearance value.  Your own mind had created.  You had created.  Once you stop creating them, they will disappear.  Means when you stop thinking, that means you stop creating also.  So, this process has to happen.  For that you have to totally faithfully with the Guru's instructions just start watching to begin with in the meditation, is so important.  And do not do anything else.  Nothing else.  During meditation, when you close the eyes, you have no other job, just to watch.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  And as the mind starts to stop when we are watching in meditation, we start to become aware of our own real existence – is that right, Babaji? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Exactly.  When mind or you, either; both are same – listen to me now – you will realize this in deeper meditations.  When mind stops thinking, you will realize “It is me who was thinking.”  And now as I have stopped, the attention of you goes to yourself.  I repeat: attention of you goes to yourself.  Because you are made up of consciousness, automatically it is there.  You don't have to do anything.  Simply, you have to become quiet.  And that attention of your consciousness or you will go to yourself.  That you become aware that you exist in that quietness, in that silence.  Such amazing experiences all will come which is so difficult to explain here, inexplicable; it's beyond any expressions, no language, no expressions, no words, no imaginations.  The words you use, you will end up simply imagining; you have to become quiet.  That's what dumbfound means.  Amazing experience about yourself, you will be dumbfound.  Your thinking is over, your imagination is over, your understanding, everything stops.  There is nothing else to understand.  You are there in yourself.  Like that you practice for longer time which is called deeper meditations or tapas, to make it natural.  Naturally, effortlessly, you remain like that in yourself.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Following on from this, could Baba give the actual literal meaning of Jangama Dhyana, please?  

Babaji Maharaj:   What Swamiji explained to me, jangama means eternal existence.  That is the Self.  So, you pay attention and become aware of the Self is Jangama Dhyana.  You pay attention to the eternal existence that which you are actually.  So, that is what Jangama Dhyana means.  Meditation on the eternal existence is another explanation.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Baba, when people start out with meditation, they can often be in a bit of a rush to try and achieve that quietness in the mind, to try and achieve the focus, and they might force themselves to try and get that concentration.  But Babaji always says to “Gently and politely watch.”  Can Babaji explain the importance of a gentle approach?  

Babaji Maharaj:   Exactly.  In my opinion, you see, mind; you who have become a mind now, always chatterbox thinking, analyzing, making judgments, twenty-four hours cannot keep quiet – you have become that.  But you are the most infinite.  You on one side, the entire matter or universe, everything is on one side.  Matter cannot catch hold of you ever.  Through meditation, only you can become aware of yourself.  This is what everybody, everything needs to understand.  Even science and scientists need to understand.  Till then, the root cause will never be found or understood.  Because you cannot be caught by any other matter at all in any way.  Through the help of brain, you can be in touch with the universe.  But the universe cannot come in touch with you.  That is why here, another point to understand.  Always in spirituality, this important point is taught.  Apply the mind and do any exercise, any spiritual exercise that you undertake or has been recommended to you, right from meditation to any worship, any singing, music or any chant of the names or mantras, anything – it is your mind.  The idea is to make the mind single-pointed and then eventually quiet.  

Only then, such a consciousness can catch hold of itself.  Catch hold here means become aware of itself, settle into itself.  So, that is why it is so infinite.  By rushing in an urgency, you cannot tie yourself in any way.  It is not an object that you just take a rope and tie it to a pillar, and you exclaim, “O, I have done it.  I have tied it.”  Locking here doesn't happen like that.  No object of this universe can be helpful to tie your mind.  Your mind has to become quiet on its own.  For that, this amazing technique of using a sensory organ that is in the body.  This body is a wonderful gem that you have obtained, because you have a well-developed brain that which helps you to discriminate and understand the power of observation.  Perhaps that was how the ancient sages evolved this method of meditation or from the Divine inspiration.  Whatever has happened, time immemorial; you cannot just count a time, “This was founded on this date”; no such thing is there.  Very, very ancient technique this is.  

See, whoever did it or Divine did it, Divine graced upon us, imagine, we are using the body here – from the brain with the application of the brain, we try to analyze and understand.  To know anything, keenly observing is very important.  When you keenly observe, then you come to know of that.  But here, what is it that you have to keenly observe?  In the beginning that was another doubt or confusion or bewilderment.  “Where is that that I have to observe?”  Then you realize, this consciousness of existence is there.  That is how they went on, “neti, neti.”  This body cannot be giving this feeling of the ‘I’-ness; impossible.  If it was the body then we could have caught hold of and controlled these thoughts, that's how they thought.  All thoughts and visions, we could have simply controlled it.  People might ask that by controlling the brain by drugs or alcohol, we control the mind.  That doesn't happen really.  Only for a short while, as long as that medicine's suppressing quality is on the brain it appears; an illusion occurs as if you have controlled the mind.  

Instead, what process happens there is when that medicine has suppressed the brain's reflections, brain appears to be unconscious.  So, that gives the mind also an unconsciousness.  The mind has nothing to catch from the brain now.  So, temporarily mind gets into the illusion that it is happy, “Ah, wonderful, I am so happy.”  They start thinking the happiness is coming because “I have done this magic on the brain.”  But unfortunately, the brain loses its health eventually.  And you are unable to live, you are unable to die.  That's what happens to drug addicts.  And they lose every control over themselves, they become like mad people.  But meditation is a natural process where they understood it is necessary to observe, but then which is the object we have to observe?  Somehow, probably, they realized, the one that needs to be observed is to be observed by that one only.  You have to observe and you have to observe yourself.  So, you are the object or Infinite or Divinity or Self, whatever it is.  You are the one which needs to be observed.  By whom?  By you only.  Because nothing else can observe.  For the rest of the thing, it appears only a void space.  Nobody will believe if you tell “This is Supreme Consciousness.  This is God.”  They will only call you mad.  

So, this is what the truth is.  This is how great sages, they were great giants of science, I would say for them.  They understood these finer points of meditation.  So, once you understand, this goes in the inner layers of your mind, then you will be able to apply the right technique for meditation, understanding “This is what I am supposed to do, I just have to keep quiet”, then the secret will be revealed, then you will feel your attention goes to yourself.  That is why this importantly is said, “You just watch.”  The beginning itself, there are other techniques also: “Watch from where the ‘I’ is arising.”  That is also a great thing, no problem.  But here also it is the same thing you are doing.  Without thinking that “I have to watch myself”, you are trying to watch yourself.  When you just watch in between eyebrows, I assure you, you are trying to watch yourself only.  

But first you need to get rid of the thoughts.  That is the technical immediate point there.  That thing, if you need to rectify, you need to find, diagnose the fault, where the fault is.  The fault is there that you have become preoccupied with your own imaginations, and you continue to imagine further.  And you get affected by your own imagination.  Sometimes you experience happiness, sometimes you experience unhappiness, sometimes you are stressful, sometimes you are strained.  Everything keeps happening.  All this is happening simply by your own habit of imagining.  By being creative, by losing control over yourself, your creativity has lost its path and has started creating all sorts of nonsense that is not necessary for you.  This all you will know eventually when you realize yourself and when you settle into yourself.  “It was me who was doing all sorts of nonsense.  Now, thank God I have become quiet and here it is, the Self is there.  That's it.  There is no more nonsense is there.”  And this, no need to bother about this world.  It will be taken care of by the higher consciousness; when you reach there, it will happen.  But now this is what is important.  This is why first to get rid of your own mental imaginations.  

Question:   Thank You.  So, Babaji, when we are watching in meditation, it seems like these thoughts are separate to us, but Babaji is explaining that actually it is nothing but ourselves, really, which is generating the thoughts.  So, as we continue watching, we lose that separation.  It just becomes a oneness.  Is that what eventually happens? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Exactly.  Though in the beginning you might feel as if the thoughts are separate from you, slowly as the concentration improves in meditation, your observation continues, you will realize all those thoughts and visions are in you only, in your own mind only.  You see? You cannot take out, like you open the eyes and take out any thought from your mind and show it to somebody, “See, this thought was in my mind.  Can you see this thought?”  Nobody can show like that one.  It doesn't happen.  Simply if you say, “I had this thought in the mind”, others will have to believe and have the faith.  But you only know what thoughts were there, and that was within you only.  Like, Lord Vishwanatha told Adi Shankara, “If there is any place beyond the Brahmanda, show me. I will go away there.”  Means any object, any person, anything of this universe, can they go out of space?  Wherever you go, space is there.  You cannot say, “O God, now here there is no space.  I have come out of that space.  I have come away.  The space cannot do anything to me.”  It's not possible.  The space is binding you.  Your physical body, this world, this universe, these galaxies, this Milky Way and so on and on and on and on.  Everything is there.  

So, in the same way, you will discover all thoughts and visions that are in your mind, that mind is binding them.  And the mind itself has become bewildered by its own imaginations.  It doesn't know how to get rid of that.  It has binded within itself.  It is there.  If it was somewhere else, it could have driven it away by taking a cane, but it doesn't happen like that.  The thoughts are in your mind; because of your imagination it is there.  No need of any caning.  You just have to become quiet.  This realization must occur in the mind, “It's me who is holding.”  See, those thoughts and visions, you cannot take it out of your mind.  You lose location, you don't know where all is your mind, first thing.  If at all you come to know “This is my mind”, you cannot take out the thoughts and visions out of your body and show it to somebody.  Just like the computer things, it happens when you put your finger and the things come.  It doesn't happen like that here.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Babaji and Swamiji only give one method for beginners and experienced meditators alike, whereas some other teachers, they give different methods according to the level of the student.  Why is only one method taught in this lineage? 

Babaji Maharaj:   First thing, again I would repeat the same as my Guru said.  Jangama Deva appeared.  He made Satyaraju to sit for Tapas and He gave this technique.  Before that, Satyaraju did not study about this technique anywhere, He did not know anything.  He was told to do this one.  He went on watching and the samadhi came.  ‘Samadhi came’ means He achieved the quietness, silenced the mind and He became aware of His Self.  That's how Self-Realization occurred; that’s what it means.  So, then the same thing He taught.  Simply, He told, went on telling the same thing.  Hundreds and millions He would have initiated into this technique of meditation; to everyone the same technique.  He gave the same technique to us.  So, in our lineage we are continuing the same technique.  This is a rediscovery that our Guru gave to us.  [Internet interruption]

So, this is the thing how this technique was given to us.  That is how we continue the same technique.  You see, always what happens, though Swamiji respected all methods, He never objected to anyone.  He told, “Even if you have been initiated into any other type of sadhana or meditation, you can continue with that also.  In addition you try to do this meditation.  But slowly, slowly if you single out, narrow into one thing, just like you study in primary school, middle school, high school college, you come and then as you are trying to cross the university, you go to specialization things.  The same subject what you were studying earlier, now you go into a specialization and a super specialization; these things are all coming in any field, medical or any field, engineering, anything.  

Like that, here also, you practice anything in the beginning, no problem; if you want to chant a mantra, you do this.  But in addition, try to do this also.  As you pick up the technique, slowly try to increase.  One hour is definitely recommended.  Swamiji used to insist upon.  We use the word recommend.  Because first thirty, forty minutes mind struggles, then ten minutes it may warm up to remain focused.  Like that you practice in that one hour.  As you achieve expertise in that one hour to remain quiet, you can narrow down slowly.  That means you are ready to achieve specialization in that field and increase the duration of meditation.  When you increase, you should be able to remain focused all the time.  

Simply, some people are urgent.  They come to me, “Today, I want to do two hours of meditation.  Tomorrow, my target is four hours of meditation.”  After some time, they got tired and gave up everything.  And then suddenly disappeared also.  So, like this, things happen.  You are neither here nor there.  So, that's why slowly if you take the Master's instructions and guidance and proceed accordingly.  We always listen to our Master.  I never try to overstep, overrule, or go on my own, nothing.  I am the horse.  Let Him have the saddle, control.  Then He knows how to drive you properly, how to utilize your talents, how to guide you, how to give you instructions.  Then when He instructed, this occurred, “O God, this is what I have to do.  It's all my fault.  And I have to rectify.  There is nobody else that I have to accuse or say is wrong or anything.  It is me who was not understanding, who was not trying to put an effort in the right direction.”  Like that, you will be able to understand.  

So, that's how if you listen to the Master, slowly narrow down, then you can achieve expertise.  Then you go for a specialization, super specialization.  Until you first achieve this one-hour expertise.  See that in this one-hour, the day when you achieve that you can remain totally silent for one-hour and just watch, then know that you are ready to increase your duration of time.  This will be possible.  Understanding the technique is so important.  Then it smoothens your practice and your efforts, everything.  All this you have to achieve with enormous patience, not in a rush.  Today you come to the Master and tomorrow you want to get Self-Realized and you try to learn one or two techniques from the Master and try to overrule the Master and try to think that “Now I am ready to do this one.  Now I am doing these many hours of meditation.”  You just want the Master to endorse; “Okay, you do it” and it is going, it is getting…aah, God… fattening, fattening, fattening in the mind.  Finally, nothing happens.  

So, patience, enormous patience and to go according to the Master's teaching and instructions is very important.  That is why Guru-disciple relationship is such a vital thing, which many, many miss because they don't have patience.  They just want to learn one technique, just like going to the market, go to a shop, buy the product and that's it, “We don't need this shop anymore,” type.  This is not a marketing commodity.  A Guru is like your mother.  We need our mother throughout our life.  So, this is what a Guru and disciple relationship that you take; again and again listen to the Master.  Pay attention when the Master talks.  These answers are all Upanishads that our Master taught us, that came in our Tapas.  All you have to do is listen carefully.  Pay your attention.  Absorb into the inner layers of your mind and then adopting the technique you practice and achieve.  That's what Sri Krishna told Arjuna.         

End of Questions and Answers

Babaji Maharaj now concludes:

   So, wonderful.  This was a wonderful subject that you had selected today.  This is so important.  This is the first thing, if people understand, if it can penetrate the inner layers of the mind then their meditation can become so smooth and beautiful.  They can do it in the right direction.  We hope that everybody listened and enjoyed and understood this one.  And I pray to our beloved Master to bless you all participants to be the most fortunate and to practice, able to practice this technique.  And that may your minds understand this technique and adopt it, then practice and achieve the truth to yourself.

End of Session