What is Preksha meditation
(Preksha Dhyan)? Preksha for Stress Management.
Preksha is a process of awakening ones
own reasoning mind (Viveka) and thereby control ones passions and
emotions. It is based on the principle of engaging ones mind by
concentrating on the perception rather than on thought. The
perception, again, is that of internal phenomena of consciousness
and not that of external objects.
It is a technique of seeing ones inner self. It consists of:
Regulation and ultimate control of (a) respiratory and other
physiological functions, (b) Nervous system, and (c) endocrine
(ductless glands) system.
Age of Tension:
Today we are living in a world of
tensions. Even routine chores like buying ones daily necessities or
traveling by public transport produce enormous mental tensions.
Technology, industrialization and over-urbanization have created
unbearable tensions. Unavoidable result is unprecedented increase in
diseases like hypertensions, asthma, arthritis, high blood pressure
and many others.
In desperation people take to
smoking, drinking and Gutkaas, which give temporary relief but create more serious
problems ultimately leading not only to psychosomatic or psychiatric
illnesses but to self destruction.
Obviously then the solution is neither escapism nor fantasy but a
technique of catharsis. A cure more potent than the most powerful
drugs exists within our own self, waiting to become your own doctor,
psychiatrist and even your best friend.
To develop and utilize your
inherent powers all that you have to do is to learn and practice the
scientific meditation technique called PREKSHA.
Preksha means 'to
perceive carefully and profoundly'.
Here, 'seeing' does not mean external
vision, but careful concentration on subtle consciousness by mental
insight. Preksha meditation (Dhyan) is the system of meditation
engaging one's mind fully in the perception of subtle internal and
innate phenomena of consciousness.
The word Preksha is derived from the root iksa, which means 'to
see'. When the prefix 'pra' is added, it becomes pra + iksha=Preksha.
Basic principle of this very scientific system is: See you thyself -
Perceive and realize the most subtle aspects of consciousness by
your conscious mind. Hence, " to see" is the fundamental principle
of meditation. The name Preksha Dhyan was therefore assigned to the
present technique; thus, this technique is not concentration of
'thought' but concentration of 'perception'.
The term Dhyan (meditation) is usually defined as the concentration
of thinking on a particular subject for a length of time. Now the
mind is the instrument of 'thinking' as well as 'perception'. In
addition, therefore when linked with Preksha Dhyan becomes
'concentration of perception and not of thought'. While it is
conceded that both thinking (conception) as well as seeing
(perception) assist in ascertaining and knowing the truth, the
latter is more potent than the former.
In Preksha, 'perceive and know' is given more prominence than
'think' contemplate and know. This is because perception is strictly
concerned with the phenomenon of the present. It is neither a memory
of the past nor an imagination of the future. Whatever is happening
- at the moment - of perception must necessarily be a reality. The
process of perception therefore excludes a mere 'appearance'.
'Breathing' is a part of the body and essence of life. To breathe is
to live; and so breath is naturally qualified to be the first object
of perception, while the body itself would become the next one. The
vibrations, sensations and other physiological events are worthy of
our attention. Our conscious mind becomes sharpened to perceive
these internal realities in due course, and then it will be able to
focus itself on the minutest and the most subtle occurrences within
the body. The direct perception of emotions, urges and other
psychological events will then be possible.
As stated above our conscious mind is capable of two categories of
functions viz. thinking and perceiving - conception and perception.
Nevertheless, it is incapable of being engaged in both categories
simultaneously. One either thinks or perceives. Exclusive perception
of a single object can thus become an efficient tool for steadying
in the ever-wandering mind. If one concentrates in perceiving any
external object, he finds that his mind has steadied and his train
of thoughts has almost halted.
In Preksha, perception always means experience bereft of the duality
of like and dislike. When the experience is contaminated with
pleasure and pain, like and dislike, perception loses its primary
position and becomes secondary.
Impartiality and equanimity are synonymous with Preksha. Preksha is
impartial perception, where there is neither the emotion of
attachment nor aversion, neither pleasure nor displeasure. Both
these states of emotion are closely and carefully perceived but not
experienced. In addition, because both are perceived from close
quarters, it is not difficult to reject both of them and assume a
neutral position. Thus, equanimity is essentially associated with
Preksha.
