Keeping quiet mentally | In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Babaji, No.220

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Keeping quiet mentally | In Quest of Truth - Q&A with Babaji, No.220
Recorded on 15 March 2025 with worldwide participants.

0:00 Intro
0:14 Why does Babaji recommend that we put in efforts to become quiet in the mind?
5:55 Is the concentration of the mind the same as the quietening of the mind?
7:40 Why has it become so difficult for the mind to be quiet?
10:11 Do we need to let go of desires and expectations in order to become quiet?
13:39 Is the recommendation not to be too attached to things?
17:54 What should we be doing in the meditation for the mind to become quiet?
26:37 So during meditation we should not worry about whether we are quiet or not, just apply the method?
27:06 A Yogi may appear to be acting in a normal way but inside is totally different?
32:36 Outside meditation, when active in the world, how can we be quiet?
34:28 When staring off into space and not thinking, is that laziness or something else?
35:52 Can we use the mind in the same way we use a switch to turn a light on whenever we need it?
37:19 While reading Ashtavakra Samhita, I experience an attachment to god for a short while, is that ok?
38:13 If 100 people in the world become Self Realised and the world collapses, what about the rest of humanity - what will happen to them?
38:45 How is the Ultimate Truth of the mind and the Divinity the same thing?
40:09 At the end of the meditation, how do I know whether my attention slipped off during the meditation?
41:46 How to achieve being mentally quiet through Bhakti yoga and Karma yoga?
42:53 I experience short periods of silence during meditation, how to prolong the silence and reduce the chatter?
43:48 When getting up in the morning, the mind starts overthinking and gives discomfort to the body in meditation.
45:00 Until we perfect holding the eyeballs in between eyebrows, the eyes are still active in meditation - is purification still happening?

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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.220
 Keeping Quiet Mentally
You tube Link: https://youtu.be/Cczj969sUYI   
Recorded: 15 March 2025

Start of Questions and Answers

Facilitator:   So, Baba, the topic today is keeping quiet mentally.  

Babaji Maharaj:   Fine.  Wonderful.  

Question:   The first question, Babaji.  Often people in the world may not realize that it's important to keep the mind quiet.  They may go the other way; keep the mind very busy.  Why does Babaji recommend that we put in efforts to become quiet in the mind? 

Babaji Maharaj:   One thing one needs to understand, if the mind is peaceful – peaceful means it is quiet.  Only when it is quiet, it is peaceful.  If it is not quiet, it is not peaceful.  It is like a chatterbox giving stress, tension; all such things happen.  To achieve peace, one should be able to keep the mind quiet when it is not necessary to think.  By achieving this, they are not destroying the mind.  Mind is always available.  If they want to think, they can think.  Mind is meant for that only, the power.  When you want to think, you should be able to think.  When you don't want to think, you should be able to keep quiet and have peace.  But if you are not practiced, used to this, it doesn't happen.  

Like many times I have told the example, whole day you are working and you are stressed out so much.  You want peace, you want to relax.  When you come home, you can relax physically.  You can put your physical body on a sofa or a bed and just relax, “Ah, God.”  But the mind won't listen to you like that.  It is spinning.  It is working; the same whole day’s stress is there, it is playing in the mind.  So, you don't have peace.  You have stress.  

So, that is where you need that along with the physical body…  Like you understand, if the physical body is tired after a whole day's work, you would like to keep it to rest and at peace.  In the same way you need to understand after so much of work mentally, you need to have the ability to keep it quiet so that it is relaxing, at peace.  So that is why this silence of the mind is recommended.  This is one reason.  

   There is another reason.  I have told the mind is made up of consciousness and energy.  Consciousness means wherever you apply your consciousness.  Just like when I am talking, if you apply your mind, that means you are applying your consciousness, then you can become aware of what I am trying to convey.  Otherwise, mentally, you would have run somewhere else.  Your mind might have gone to a shopping complex or somewhere on the roads, aimlessly roaming.  So, then you are unable to put your full attention to me.  Thus, you may not be able to follow or understand what I am trying to convey.  That is the effect of consciousness power.  Consciousness has this ability.  

So, when this consciousness, you are paying attention to its thoughts and visions or this world.  Let us say now, you are paying too much attention, more than that is necessary.  Thus, the mind is totally preoccupied paying attention to its own imaginations which creates thoughts and visions and also to this world more than that is necessary.  So, thus you must understand, I am not prohibiting you to pay attention to the world, to think or to be in this world, to work and to attend to your business.  No problem.  Simply, you should be able to bring it to a halt when you don't want to think.  That is what is the effect of the consciousness control.  

So, thus when you make it quiet, now its attention will go to itself.  Thus, helping you to become aware of yourself, you as the eternal soul, how you exist as the infinite eternal soul.  For this, during meditation you have to hold consciousness of existence and concentrate on that.  That is what is important.  Thus, in both ways, silencing the mind is so useful.  One is to achieve peace, to be able to be stress free and relaxing, at peace.  And also to be able to know your real self, how you exist as the eternal soul.  So, thus these two ways, it is so useful.  That is why to achieve silence of the mind.  That means, you are taking control of your own mind, your own ability to think and not to think.  That is very necessary.  That's what we recommend.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Babaji, is the concentration of the mind the same thing as the quietening of the mind or are they different? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, in a way, whenever the mind becomes quiet, it concentrates.  If it is into thinking all the time like a chatterbox, it gets scattered, spins into layers and millions and millions of layers, thought after thought, thought after thought; it all gets split.  But if it decreases, the thoughts decrease…  When you practice concentration also, thoughts decrease.  If you can decrease the thoughts also, your mind becomes concentrated – either way.  So, that is the practice of concentration; single pointedness, single pointed mind.  

Like if you need to achieve something in this world, you want to be a champion, you want to be a genius; you are working in a laboratory or you are working in any field, you want to achieve expertise, top in that field, you need to concentrate on your work.  That is so essential.  If you don't have concentration, you get distracted.  You are unable to collect your work, achieve anything in that field, mastery.  Whether in sports or any job, anything, you need concentration of the mind.  That means you are serious.  You need to be serious to achieve results.  So, that is what the mind's silencing and concentration, both are same.  

Question:   Why has it become so difficult for the mind to become quiet? We may tell our mind “Be quiet,” but it doesn't listen to us.  

Babaji Maharaj:   Habits.  It has become habitual to the opposite.  Since time immemorial, this mind has become habitual to remain as a chatterbox, consistently thinking and chattering with itself, thinking and chattering with itself.  It cannot keep quiet; “Why is this?  Why not this?  I need to be like this.  I wanted more.  I wanted this.”  Like that, it is happening.  Since childhood also, your mind recognizes a thing, analyzes and makes judgment.  So, in that process, it absorbs imprints.  That becomes the attitude of the mind.  Based on that, the mind keeps thinking like a chatterbox all the time.  Either good or bad.  Either way, it can get stressed out.  You are unable to stop it.  

So, since time immemorial, this has happened, that is why we advise in meditation the mantras of dedication, discipline and patience to achieve the reverse of this.  To make it quiet, to give it a habit to remain quiet.  It takes time.  It requires practice; to understand the technique of meditation is very important.  Then you can achieve both.  Like as a yogi, if needed I can think; when I don't need I can keep quiet for a long time.  So, that has helped me.  So, thus, I don't lose my peace.  I don't lose relaxing in the mind.  Anything that might happen to the body is a different thing.  Through food or any such things, weather conditions or the body might get fatigued.  But I do not get tired.  I am always at peace.  So, this is what one can achieve through long, long meditations.  When you want to think, you can think.  But you will not lose control over yourself.  You will not get sucked into this world or thinking all the time.  Immediately once the job is done, you become quiet.  You stop it.  

Question:   Babaji, it seems that we build this world inside our mind.  And we have so many expectations as well, “I want this to be like this.  I want it to be like this.”  So, ultimately, do we need to let go of those expectations, Babaji, in order to become quiet? 

Babaji Maharaj:   See, the problem is having a desire itself is not a problem in my opinion.  But that need not get converted into anxiousness and stress.  Then only the problem arises.  You have a desire; you need to put in effort to achieve that, fulfil that desire.  Once the work is done, then keep quiet until the result comes, because the result is not in your hands.  You have to wait for that.  If it happens, it happens; if it does not happen, it does not happen.  Like that, you are ready to accept the things as it happens.  Then you will not have the stress.  

Otherwise, one after another in succession the thinkings follow and then it gives stress.  So, you can plan for your future.  You can work for your future.  But the problem is, when you become mentally anxious whether it happens or doesn't happen, “What if it doesn't happen?  Oh, it must happen.  If it doesn't happen, what will happen to me?”  All these things give rise to anxiousness and stress unnecessarily, which is not necessary.  That's why I tell, a future you can always plan, but need not be anxious.  Need not be stressful always.  Just do your work.  Whenever it has to happen, it will happen.  Once you have done your job, remain at peace.  

So, like once I have taught you all “This is what is meditation”; once I have answered the question, “This is the answer for your question”, I remain at peace.  I don't go on bothering about 180 people who are gathered here whether they will understand me or not, “What if they don’t understand?  What if they accuse me?  What if they find faults?  What if they are unable to learn?”  All these worries I don't take into mind.  Nothing comes to me.  I am at peace.  Once I have done this job of question and answer, you ask the question, that is your job.  And I have to answer.  Then once I answer, that is done.  Before then, I would appeal that you all pay attention to this question and answers.  It is for your sake that we are holding this session so that you can learn.  These types of doubts might occur in your mind.  So, this is the answer.  This is my opinion.  This is my experience.  You learn.  This is an opportunity for you to learn.  Then it is up to you.  I cannot go on worrying because otherwise I will become mad.  That is not needed.  Like that we have to go in this world.  

Question:   Babaji, the recommendation therefore is not to be too attached with things?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, in other words, not to be attached to the result.  Means, ready to accept as it comes.  That is the meaning actually of ‘not to be attached.’  ‘Without getting attached’ – many people misunderstand.  “Without having any expectations, without getting attached to the result, how can we work with inspiration and enthusiasm?” You work with all enthusiasm.  You consider that it is possible.  Like many people ask, “Is it possible to achieve Self-realization and not to be reborn again in this life?”  Think that it is possible.  Why don't you?  If you work it out, it might be possible.  It can be.  But don't have to worry or become anxious.  

Without putting effort, many people end up simply worrying.  They don't put in efforts.  That is the wrong thing, we advise.  If you want to get rid of being reborn, if you want Self-realization, put in efforts.  Every day is there.  Put in effort for one hour, then slowly several hours.  But many people are in a rush to achieve.  They sit for one hour meditation today, tomorrow they want to sit for three hours, day after they want Self-realization.  Things don't work out like that.  And they are confused.  They try to claim, “My kundalini has risen.  I am feeling here.  I am doing this one.”  But they are nowhere.  They don't know what kundalini is.  They never try to control the mind.  So, they don't have peace.  They want me to endorse them.  They try to force me to endorse.  They think they are already at a higher level.  They don't want to sit for meditation with others.  So, this type of ego only occurs.  But they are nowhere to achieve.  

So, instead of this, if anybody wants to achieve, put in efforts and then it will be possible to achieve.  It is not a thing that the world had to certify us.  It is not a thing that two horns will be grown if we become Self-realized.  Not necessary that everywhere on everybody's head a matted hair has to come.  This has nothing to do with Self-realization.  Simply, if you don't attend to your hair for long time, it will get matted.  That is all the significance.  Traditionally, it is tradition also.  

But to quieten your mind, you have to become quiet and practice.  For this only the technique is said.  If you watch in between eyebrows, if you watch where the consciousness of existence is there, from where the ‘I’ is arising, watch there, observe there.  So, that much of a job you have to do.  Nobody else can do it for you.  Even the great Gurus, even great sages like Ramana Maharishi, Ramakrishna, they all said, “You have to do this.  Sit down and do it.”  Ramana Maharishi said, “You inquire “Who am I?” and then observe from where the ‘I’ is coming.”  So, that is your job.  Otherwise, He could have told, “I will observe from where the ‘I’ is coming and you all can get Self-realized.  You don't have to do anything.”  Things don't work out like that.  Nobody has done like that.  Nobody has given Self-realizations like that.  Even if whoever has claimed also, they haven't been able to give Self-realization like that.  They have simply cheated themselves, they have cheated the followers and have gone from this world.  So, instead of wasting our time and cheating, we have to get into the job.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Could Babaji just explain the meditation technique and how that enables the mind to become quiet?  What should we be doing in the meditation? 

Babaji Maharaj:   See, our Guru was a very unique Master.  He did not want anybody to give an excuse that they cannot do this one, they cannot sit like this, they cannot…  So that is why He simply removed the particular posture sitting rule at all.  That's why He told, “You can sit in any comfortable posture.  Sit on a chair, sit on the ground, anywhere.”  So, we added, “Keep your back and neck straight,” otherwise, people start sleeping also.  To avoid that I have added “Keep your back and neck straight” so that you are alert always.  Mentally, the brain also needs to be alert.  Physically, you are able to stay erect.  Then “Gently close your eyes,” I tell.  ‘Gently’ means remain relaxed.  Don't have to rush.  Don't have to push yourself to the wall.  Many people, they try to do this.  They try to “Aarrrgh!” like hitting their head on to the wall.  They want to close the eyes and concentrate here.  Where it is they are unable to locate and they lose patience.  They feel like banging their head on to the wall.  

All these things are not necessary.  Relax, relax.  Gently close your eyes.  Once you close your eyes, try to concentrate your mind and sight in between eyebrows here.  Fix the eyeballs here.  Just if you watch, it becomes possible.  Many people, eyeballs may not come easily into one direction.  It moves parallelly.  No problem.  You just watch the front portion.  Forget about the in-between eyebrows also for a while.  If you steadily watch at one place, don't keep watching here and there like that.  Don't allow the eyeballs to move.  That is important; that you have to achieve, that you have to do.  Don't allow the eyeballs to move.  That's what is fixing of eyeballs.  Means fix your sight.  Then with that help, you will be able to withhold the mind also there easily.  Slowly, the eyeballs will come towards the in-between eyebrows on its own.  Then the mind also will come there.  Like that you practice with all the patience.  It runs and you just keep watching.  It runs, you just keep watching.  Don't bother into any thoughts or visions, experiences.  Even after advancing also, people get attracted to visions and thoughts, “O, I had this vision.  What does this mean?”  They want the Guru to endorse, “O, you are advanced.  You are now into the university.”  No need of all this.  Forget about all stages and all advancements.  Just watch.  Watch in between eyebrows.  

Don't get involved with any thoughts or visions that come.  It is all garbage being thrown out.  Good and bad, everything is being thrown out; all pus is being removed.  That is what is happening in the mind.  Just watch them.  Don't take any importance of experience with them.  The real experience is peace when the mind becomes quiet.  The rest is all your own creations.  Your own creations where you get involved and you get sucked and you get carried away.  Don't do that one.  Don't get carried away.  Don't get sucked into any experience.  Just keep quiet and watch.  

So, this is important.  For that reason, we tell “Do not repeat any mantra or name.”  No need to repeat anything.  Because if the mind becomes quiet, it goes to its God only, for those people who love God.  It goes to its Ultimate Truth for the scientific people who love to understand the terminology of Ultimate Truth.  Both Ultimate Truth and God are same actually.  Different people may use different terminologies.  That is no problem.  So, like that, mind's Ultimate Truth is recognized as Divinity.  Or just you call it Ultimate Truth.  The mind will go to its Ultimate Truth only automatically.  That is the worship.  That is why worship is taught also.  

So, that is why the chant of mantra is taught so that you can concentrate on the mantra; your mind becomes single pointed.  No need, without that you just watch and the mind will go to its source only eventually.  And “Do not imagine,” third instruction is given.  ‘Do not imagine’ means I've been explaining; if you get to see thoughts and visions coming in the mind, thousands might come, millions might come, no problem.  Stand alone as the lone soldier with all your courage and boldness, determination, come what may be.  Nothing to bother.  You don't get involved with them.  Don't try to analyze.  Don't make any judgment at all.  Let it be good or bad.  “Bye, bye.  Please, bye, bye.  Both of you please go.  No need for me.  I just want to be quiet in my own Self.”  Then the mind becomes quiet.  

Once the mind becomes quiet, its attention turns introvert.  This can be as simple as this.  If you don't allow your mind to go into so many puzzle solving unnecessarily, mathematics; simply you become quiet.  If you don't bother any thoughts and visions, if you don't analyze and get involved into judgments, you can become quiet as soon as possible.  And then it goes introvert.  Then you allow it to happen.  Go on doing it with all the patience, determination.  Don't give up, let anything happen.  Then it will merge to its Ultimate Source, then Self-realization happens.  

You will see the wonder of Supreme Peace at all times when you are up also in this body.  You can move in this world enjoying the Supreme Peace all the time.  You can work anywhere you want.  So, this is the explanation that you need to understand.  No matter whether you are a scientist, no matter whether you are a religious person, no matter whether you are a dhyana yogi, whether you are a bhakti yogi, whether you are a karma yogi, anybody you are, you have to become quiet, that is important.  The rule is same for all.  Examination is there.  For all the students sitting, the rule is same; you have to get through the examination.  That is one rule.  

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  So, we need to understand what examination to take, I suppose, that we need to become quiet?

Babaji Maharaj:   This is all the examination I have been talking.  You have to close the eyes.  The examination is in your mind.  When thoughts and visions come, that which you had become habitual since time immemorial, now it is time; enough is enough – you have to become quiet.  You don't bother about those thoughts and visions; firmly believe that you had imagined, that is why it is there, that is all.  Nobody else had sent anything to you.  You had imagined and that is why it is there; firmly believe, trust me!

Question:   So, as Babaji says, when you are meditating, you shouldn't think about whether my mind is becoming quiet or not.  We should just simply put in efforts.  

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes.  Your efforts should be to keep quiet.  ‘Just watch’ means you keep quiet.  When you are watching, you are quiet, actually.  Both are same.  

Question:   Could Babaji talk about how a yogi appears to be like a normal person acting in a normal way, but inside is totally different.  Could Babaji talk about this a little bit, please? 

Babaji Maharaj:   See, one thing is important, definitely a yogi will not be that much active like a worldly person.  He won't like to win an emperorship, conquer an empire and become an emperor, he won't have such interest.  He doesn't want to have the whole world for himself; he won't have such interest.  He will be active a little bit to take care of the body, he may eat some food.  He may talk to his students, whoever is spiritually interested, he may talk about such things to create an awareness.  Like, I am taking interest to come on to the Zoom, making you all to sit for one hour meditation and then answer questions for your sake, like that. 

So, these are minimum activities we try to do.  If an institution, my Guru's institution is there, we try to be active to take care of that, my Guru's institution so that devotees can come and sit and meditate here.  And in addition, for all your sake we try to keep this physical body as long as possible.  But this has limitations.  Beyond my capability if this goes one day, that's it; for that I cannot do anything.  But however, I will try to keep this body.  But in all this, mentally I don't get involved.  Means I am not anxious that this should be like this.  If I am trying to keep the body alive, I am not anxious that at all costs this body must not die.  We are well aware that this will have to go one day.  

We are aware that Zoom class can happen, but we cannot bang our head onto the wall if suddenly internet goes, if suddenly electricity goes.  Because these things, technical things depend on many other things.  Electricity has to be there.  Then an internet has to be there.  It needs to be powerful.  Then only we can converse with each other.  You can ask a question, I can answer the question.  So, technology always depends.  It can go off anytime.  So, we have to be ready.  So, like that, we are active, but minimum, we are not like a worldly person.  Too active; we don't go into a big business.  I don't want to earn millions of rupees for this Ashram.  Whatever devotees give a little bit, that's enough to run this Ashram.  

Like that, a yogi is not very active in this world.  His activity will be very less.  I cannot go on dancing like a disco dancer to please devotees and attract 50,000 devotees.  That is not a yogi.  So, I talk to them smilingly.  I crack jokes sometimes a little bit to make the children laugh and everything.  I behave like a normal person, like this.  As much as possible, we try to behave like a normal person.  But however, at all times my mind is the ever silent one.  It doesn't jump.  So, nothing reverberates.  Whatever is going on outside in the world, it doesn't reverberate as the same picture; as a copying machine it is no more active there.  My mind is not copying anything.  It doesn't take anything seriously.  So, nothing happens there.  It is quiet, at peace.  Neither good nor bad is there.  I don't make any judgment about this world or the people of this world.  I don't call anybody as very good, I don't call anybody as very bad so that my mind doesn't get involved.  So, that is important.  

That's what Sri Ramana Maharishi said also very beautifully in one sentence, “Even if a yogi is gossiping a lot, He is the ever silent one.”  Very true, this one; wonderfully said.  Inside I am totally silent, at peace.  Always it is supremely peaceful.  That's how a yogi would be, a real yogi would be.  He would not be a big organizer or a collective of big people.  Even a great organizer like Adi Shankaracharya, He Himself did not remain in the midst of public for a long time.  As soon as possible, He entrusted to His disciples and He left, He went alone.  He didn't stay in the body for a long time.  So, it's not easy to understand a yogi.  That's why Swamiji used to tell “You can get to see a mahatma, a monk, a sage, anybody, but not easy to see a yogi.  Not everybody will be attracted to a yogi.”  

Question:   Namaste Babaji.  I am confused.  I understand being quiet during meditation.  But when you’ve come out of meditation and you have to carry on with the worldly chores, how can we be quiet? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Not at all times.  If you need to, one thing what happens, you will become a matured person.  You will get involved only wherever it is absolutely necessary.  You won't get involved in unnecessary gossip and such sessions which are not useful at all, which are simply time killing.  Such places you don't have to think anything.  Whatever that is very much needed, you can always think a little bit.  Once the job is done, you can become quiet and you always enjoy the peace and happiness until you are able to do tapas.  After tapas, you will be able to mechanically do through the physical body.  Still, you will see that your mind doesn't reverberate and doesn't lose its peace and quietness.  Still mechanically it will be possible.  That’s such a skill that gradually you will be able to practice.  

But even now also when you practice meditation, if one hour meditation also if you seriously do, then when you are active in this world, very little you will have to think, and very little you will have to get involved wherever it is necessary for you.  Most of the time you will understand, “This was not necessary, this was not necessary for me.  It would be nice for me if I can just keep quiet.”  Like that, it will be possible.  

Same Questioner:   So, there were times when I would...  it's not happening all the time, but there are times when I just sit and my mind is spaced out.  I'm just looking into the sky, the space and not reacting, not thinking.  I don't know what that is.  Am I being lazy or...  

Babaji Maharaj:   No…

Same Questioner:   … is it something natural? 

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, at that time, a peace descends.  You are totally at peace.  If any other experience comes, that means the brain is lazy.  That's why the brain produces such things.  If the mind is quiet, it doesn't produce any other thought at all; it is at peace.  That is the symptom.  

Same Questioner:   I don't feel any interest in what's going on in front of me.  So I'm not involved, but I'm also not actively thinking.  

Babaji Maharaj:   So, you have your peace, just be at peace.  What else do you need? 

Same Questioner:   Okay, because I was wondering if I'm being normal or not.  

Babaji Maharaj:   Let you be abnormal to the worldly people.  The world is abnormal to you.  That is all.  

Question:   Namaste Babaji.  Well, it is said to silence the mind and use it when required.  And be quiet otherwise.  Like, electrical energy is given to the bulb, it glows constantly.  But a switch is added to it.  We can do the switching off and on whenever we need the light.  At the same time, we can save the energy too when we add a switch.  Then how easy is it for a human mind to adapt that kind of scenario? 

Babaji Maharaj:   You have to do sadhana.  Not just by reading scriptures can you adopt such a scenario.  If you seriously practice meditation for longer hours, it will be possible.  You can keep your mind as if it is switched off.  And you can think whenever it is necessary.  So, you will not be stressed out.  You will not lose your peace.  Because you will not allow the mind to go further out of control with anxiousness or any stressed out things.  That will be possible provided you do sadhana only.  It is important.  Without practicing meditation seriously, it will not be possible.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You, Babaji.  

Question:   Pranaam Babaji.  I read the Ashtavakra Samhita for around 25 to 40 minutes.  And for a second, micro second, I felt attached to God, or consciousness, whatever other word is for God for a micro second.  So, is it the right feeling for that small second attachment with God?  Is it the right thing? 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah.  It is no problem.  It is okay to have such an attachment for a short while.  Slowly as your practice meditation, it will all get balanced.  That is very important.

Same Questioner:   Yes, my second question is if we have a kind of a condition where hundred people are Self-realized and the world collapses, so those Self-realized people will go to God, but what about the rest of the people?  They will come back when the new earth will form or they will remain with God?  

 Babaji Maharaj:   Do you want to be one with the hundred people who are Self-realized? Or do you want to be...  So, then keep quiet.  Don't bother about these things.  Quietly meditate.  

Question:   Namaskaar Babaji.  Can You please elaborate on how the Ultimate Truth of the mind and Divinity are the same thing?  I am a bit confused about what You mean by these terms and what You are pointing to.  

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, mind is infinite.  I have told on and off that nobody has seen mind in naked eyes, what it is exactly.  Only based on thoughts and visions everybody recognizes the mind, “My mind wants to do this.  I want to go there.”  Other than that, what is its shape, what is its color, where is it located, nobody knows.  But there is a consciousness of existence in your mind.  That is the source of the mind that you can recognize.  In meditation, when you concentrate on that one, slowly you will experience that consciousness of existence will merge to its Ultimate Truth, which is recognized as the Divinity.  That is what is recognized as Self-realization.  That will happen for a yogi who can do long term of meditation and tapas.  It is not as easy as we are talking.  Just for your sake of understanding, I am trying to explain in a simple way.   

Question:   Vanakkam Babaji.  During meditation in a course of one hour, when there is a thought or imagination comes, I suddenly realize, “Okay, I slipped off,” and again I try to focus.  But at the end of one hour, how do I know that the other time it is done correctly, or I slipped off?  I am a little afraid of that.  

 Babaji Maharaj:   You see, when you sit for one hour trying to do with this technique, definitely some amount of cleansing of the mind happens.  Even you may not notice sometimes in the beginning.  Because in the beginning, mind has the upper hand and you as the underdog, you are trying to bring the mind under control.  Mind is strong with full… since time immemorial, it is habitual to bring in thoughts.  For six months, one year like that, if you do like this seriously every day, then you will be able to notice some changes in your personality, in your thinking, in your mind; means more peace descends.  Mind doesn't get hurt easily, quickly.  It will be more mature.  It is able to remain quiet, better understanding, a mature personality; all these changes you will be able to notice.  So, with that one hour you don't have to worry.  It would have happened once you have sat for one hour, that is important.  Definitely some improvement is there.  

Same Questioner:   Thanks, Babaji.

Question:   How to achieve being mentally quiet, following the path of bhakti yoga and karma yoga other than meditation?

Babaji Maharaj:   In karma yoga, without any expectations, do your karma as a duty.  Don't bother about results.  Whatever result comes, whether it is according to your expectation or not, accept it.  When you accept, your mind recedes and becomes quiet, then also yoga happens.  In bhakti yoga also, if you have an attachment to a deity in a particular form, always your mind has to be remembering.  The maximum that you are able to remember, a yoga happens; your union with the Divinity through that form can also happen when you really fall in love unconditionally.  Through this bhakti marga this will be possible.  

Question:   Pranaam Babaji.  My question was that while doing meditation for one hour, there are short periods of silence and quietness that I experience.  But the chattering keeps coming back.  How can I prolong the silence and reduce the chattering? 

Babaji Maharaj:   It is very good at least you are able to get to this experience.  When that experience comes don't get excited, be patient.  Then you can continue for some more time, will be possible.  If the mind becomes excited, it jumps back into thoughts and visions.  Take care of this.  So, exercise more patience then you will be able to advance much better.  You are doing good.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You, Babaji.  

Question:   Namaste, Babaji.  When I am doing meditation, my mind gets quieter after 30 to 40 minutes.  But what happens is that when I am waking up in the morning next time, again the mind goes back to the loop and tries to do overthinking.  And during that overthinking, going back to the meditation it gives me a kind of a disturbance to the body.  It means that I am trying to focus my mind in the middle of the eyebrows, but still there’s some kind of discomfort there for the first 20 or 30 minutes.  Is there a way to quieten the mind? Does it take time? How do we deal with this kind of thing? 

Babaji Maharaj:   One thing is, you can try to do a few pranayama exercises, taking long inhale and long exhale slowly.  Then the restlessness of the mind can be brought down easily.  Then try to meditate; very quickly you can achieve that thoughtlessness state, it can come back to you easily.  You practice like this.  

Same Questioner:   Thank You, Babaji.  

Question:   Pranaams Babaji.  Till we perfect the technique of holding the eyeballs in the center – as You mentioned, the eyes have the tendency to go sideways.  So that means the mind is still active and we are unknowingly engaging our mind.  So, during this process, are we building further layers of impressions?  And You just mentioned, during this process unknowingly some amount of purification is taking place.  So, do we need a greater amount of force to break through those layers of impressions by trying to remain absolutely quiet?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, of course.  Everyday practice; a greater amount of practice is required to break through that one.  Though a little amount of purification definitely happens – that is the first thing, so don't worry about it whether it is happening or not.  That adds further.  So, without worrying, you just try to prolong the meditation.  Practice every day.  Then one day you will be able to achieve.  

Same Questioner:   Pranaams Babaji.  Thanks.  

End of Questions and Answers

Babaji Maharaj now concludes:

   Wonderful.  We had a very nice session today.

End of Session