Truth and beauty through meditation

K VIJAYARAGHAVAN

MEDITATION that works in real life through its cleansing impact upon all accumulated opinions, prejudices, notions and perceptions opens the mind to see matters and things as they truly are. This is the working of the ancient Sanskrit prayer seeking to be cleansed of ignorance by the instrument of true knowledge. When truth dawns, things and issues also assume a different meaning and appearance. Integrating oneself with the wide and vast world of men and matter and with the breaking of one’s narrow world and his own sense of ego and self righteousness, the aspirant observes to his sheer delight the practical working of these words of Norman Vincent Peale: “When people get rid of fear, anxiety and self-centredness, they develop a kind of ecstatic joy and delight in living. The world seems so different and newly wonderful that they tend to love everybody and everything.” This is also the translation into actual reality of John Keats’ concept: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty.” Indeed, there comes about a ‘paradigm shift’ in all aspects! Truly, relaxation confers an altered state of perception. In this state of harmony of all things within and without, subtle and sublime messages spring to real life. These further soothe, gladden and enrich the inner spirit, adding to the quality of meditation within. This process further inspires the mind to absorb fully the spirit of sublime exhortations, which abound all over — a virtuous cycle indeed! This is the working concept of the Rig Vedic prayer, “May noble thoughts come to us from all over” and that of the Biblical exhortation (Philippians, 4, 8): “Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely…. think on these things.” It is also in this state of inner power that acceptance and faith take over where doubts, grudges and anxieties had been. Even the apparently stressful, trying and difficult past would assume a new dimension — storehouse of didactic experiences, like adversity, which, “like the toad though ugly and venomous, Wears yet a precious jewel in his head”. In this state of clarity, the natural outcome of simple and true meditation, sublime messages, benefits of inspiring company and every aspect of life and living — these become endearingly and enduringly rooted to the spirit. Naturally, these flower forth for the benefit of oneself and all others too!