Can you explain meditation, step by step please?

Step 1. 

When we close our eyes – the first reaction of almost all of us is – “ I have so many thoughts.”

Most of people walk back, come out of meditation, and give it up.

Their future is sealed – the path is closed.

Step 2. 

Some persist ( because they have been told that meditation is good, it brings peace, etc ) and struggle for a while and many of them also give up eventually, because for them meditation is not peaceful, but it is stressful.

Why meditation becomes stressful for them?

Before taking the spiritual path, we have divided the Sansar into GOOD and BAD.

Good, we have liked and even loved, and evil, we have hated.

So, our mind is saturated with a duality of GOOD and BAD – resulting in millions of thoughts of various tones – GOOD, BAD, UGLY – whatever, and we have been living with them in our own home ( mind ).

Everybody wants only good in life, including thoughts.

So, when bad thoughts or thoughts about bad things come, these bother them.

They are almost RE-living those moments, which is painful.

And they have no control over such thoughts.

They just keep coming.

Most people can’t take this, and they give up.

For such people also – the path is closed forever sadly.

Finally, by now, a few brave persist, continue their journey and face all the thoughts to see what happens.

Step 3.

In this step –

Thoughts begin to subside.. become lesser and lesser in number.

It’s almost like walking into a room, and you find it full of furniture with no room to walk; you do not see any clear path in such a situation, and you come out. – that’s one approach.

But if you spend some time there and realize there is room to stand, you decide to stay and wait. – that’s the second approach.

In meditation, the same thing happens.

After staying for a while, you discover some room ( emptiness ) from where you can look at the thoughts.

This takes some practice, though.

And eventually, it becomes YOUR truth that, yes, there ARE thoughts, but at the same time, there is some emptiness where there are no thoughts, and from that emptiness, you are observing the thoughts.

In this stage –

Some people also like to chant Aum ( internally ), think of their favorite deity, focus on Sun, focus on a lighted-up lamp, listen to meditative music, and follow their breath (Vipassana technique ), etc.

This is a stage of Dharna – as per Patanjali.

These are techniques to slow down the mind.

They now have only a few thoughts from millions of thoughts.

Step 4.

After observing every thought, one question should arise for all sincere sadhaks ( spiritual seekers ).

And that question will become revolutionary.

( It has to arise from your within. )

( The spiritual path requires absolute honesty. )

And that question is –

Thoughts are there, and they are being observed, but –

WHO IS OBSERVING?

This curiosity will lead you to the next step.

Step 5. 

This is a step where your inward journey starts.

You start wondering, ” There is pitch dark inside, which has no shape, size, or color, just emptiness. But one thing is for sure; this emptiness has the POWER TO OBSERVE – it KNOWS that there are thoughts ( it doesn’t matter how many ).

This emptiness is your soul, the consciousness.

It is not readily perceivable or definable because it is the spirit, and that’s why it is formless.

After repetitive meditations, the soul ( consciousness ) becomes a real entity.

Step 6.

In this step – one has to start “folding” their awareness onto itself. Be aware of awareness.

This is a very crucial step and is available only to a few sincere seekers.

This is a stage of Dhyan – as per Patanjali.

Step 7.

In this step – the soul becomes the sole entity. It exists by itself without relying on Sansar.

This step is where the soul is in its full glory.

This is the step of Samadhi.

The spiritual journey starts from Sansar and ends in the soul.

Meditation is the path.