Recorded at the Vedanta Society of Western Washington on June 19, 2011.
In this talk, Swami Bhaskarananda continues his series on meditation by examining the hazards that can arise as the mind becomes more concentrated. He begins by reviewing meditation as intense, guided thinking on what is real—our divine nature beyond body, senses, mind, and ego. Using examples from dreams and the Vedantic teaching of the “fourth state,” he explains that our true identity is the Atman, or divinity, which is beyond pleasure and pain, and that a highly focused mind can pierce the “wall of ignorance” that hides this truth.
Swami Bhaskarananda then turns to dangers that accompany progress in meditation. Concentration sharpens the mind; if turned outward it can lead to strong, critical, and negative thoughts about others, which in turn damage one’s own mind. He describes how meditation stirs up deep impressions from the subconscious, bringing old anger, fear, or lust to the surface, and stresses that these should be allowed to arise and pass rather than acted upon. Citing traditional teachings, he also warns against attachment to occult or miraculous powers (siddhis) that may appear with advanced practice, listing several such abilities and noting that great teachers like the Buddha and Sri Krishna advised disciples not to use them. The talk concludes by emphasizing that these hazards are natural but must be carefully handled under proper guidance so that meditation remains directed toward the realization of our inherent divinity.
