Man either performs action or he sleeps. Seldom or never does he relax. That which is between activity and sleep is called relaxation. When the senses are at work, the whole body is at work. Here I mean that all organs, muscles and nerves are in motion. The mind is the motor which drives the senses and through them the whole metabolism. Relaxation comes when the mind is completely at rest without any mental activity. It can reach a state where all waves not only subside but are transformed into a purer state that will invigorate the whole metabolism, thus enabling them to function without exertion. When the mind thinks unceasingly, it loses energy and through thinking, the brain becomes tired. Thus, when the brain, which is the instrument of the mind for directing the senses, is tired, stress arises and creates a lot of disorder in the bodily function.
Through certain techniques, it is possible to stop the activities of the mind and thus create a state of perfect well-being that will rejuvenate the whole being. In that state, the mind will be found to be of the nature of Pure Consciousness. That is a state of being. In that state, the mind is always in the present moment without carrying the germs of the past or the dreams of the future, which lead the mind otherwise??. This, however, does not mean that one will become dead, lifeless and uncreative. On the contrary, man will be a master of his thoughts and dreams; he will be more creative as he will be more serene, placid and aware. The mental faculties will still be there, but they will not be out of control as in the ordinary state of mind. In the actual state of mind, man is not a master of his mind; his talking, thinking, emotion, memory, reason and comprehension faculties are not fulfilling their duties faithfully. They are out of control. Meditation or deep relaxation will avoid this problem by making one become a master of the mind, not a slave as in the present situation.
Disordered thoughts and emotions that drown the mind have become such a deep-rooted habit that now one finds it difficult or impossible to relax. One does not relax even after a whole night of sleep as dreams are there to torment us. Fortunately, there have been in the past and there still are in the present time, people who have known the science of meditation or the science that leads to profound relaxation. These people have devised means that suit the temperament of different individuals. They have been given names such as guru, master, prophet, incarnation and others.
Jesus has said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.” One needs peace, love and bliss more than a kingdom. No doubt, there is a kingdom inside us, but is it made of solid materials like brick, stone and other things? The depth of any human being is infinite, unsurpassable peace, love, bliss and well-being. For what can be more valuable than inner peace? “What avails a man if he loses his own soul and gains the whole world?”
One who is deeply relaxed cannot hate, he cannot be violent. Love and other virtues can spring only from a silent and pure heart. A mind in turmoil, a sad heart cannot give love and compassion. How to achieve the inner kingdom of peace, love and other virtues? Let us dig inside ourselves, for the Kingdom of God is like a hidden treasure. One has to dig and remove the inner dirt so as to achieve it. The digging is not to be done outside, but inside. The meditation techniques, done properly, represent this digging.
