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It is hard to control mind. More difficult it is to concentrate and to meditate. To meditate continuously on the chosen ideal is perhaps the most difficult. It is meditation when the concentrated mind flows persistently on the chosen ideal.
Unless the unnecessary thoughts are removed or weeded out and emptied, mind cannot be pure. Unless it is pure, it cannot be concentrated. Unless we have love and devotion for the ideal, we cannot meditate on the ideal. The persistent and ceaseless flow of the concentrated mind of purity towards the chosen ideal is meditation.
All yogic sadhana is to purify and concentrate our minds. If our mind is impure and uncontrolled, it will be like any wild beast such as an elephant running towards the banana grove of this world's prosperity. We have to pull it back. We have to withdraw the mind from the world and worldly objects. Let us resist all temptations, whims and fancies.
Yoga has a discipline of its own from yama -- through niyama, asana pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana to samadhi.
Sri Ramakrishna is able to attain the highest state. And he wants everybody else also to reach the same height.
Once, Rani Rasmani was listening to Sri Ramakrishna's divine expressions. But in between, her mind was wandering hither and thither. Looking at her absent-mindedness, Sri Ramakrishna slapped her. An indisciplined mind is incapacitated to concentrate or meditate.
We have to bestow attention on our sadhana, not wander about amidst the things around.
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