Excerpts Chapter 22
THE MEDITATION BOOK:
COLLECTIVE MEDITATION
Inspiration from group meditations
Question: Is there any value in associating with spiritual people?
Sri Chinmoy: When you are with spiritual people, you get inspiration. You are a swimmer. You want to swim, so you go to the swimming pool. But you see that the water is cold and nobody is there. Then it is very difficult for you to jump into the water. But when you see other people are swimming in the swimming pool, it is easier for you to jump into the water.
In the spiritual life also, if you see that your determination, your sincerity, is not strong enough, you should try to meditate with others collectively. Today you are inspired to meditate, but tomorrow you are not at all inspired. What can you do? If you are not inspired, immediately you go to others who are following the spiritual path and meditate with them beside them. They are already inspired. Then you will see that your meditation becomes most valuable, most soulful. You will have a most powerful meditation. Today your will-power is weak and they will inspire you; tomorrow their will-power is weak and you will inspire them. So it is always better to have spiritual company. Birds of a feather flock together. Spiritual seekers, sincere seekers, should remain together.
Also, you have to know about regularity. When you take exercise regularly, your muscles become strong. It is in group meditation, collective meditation, that you can easily strengthen your will-power. Then, when you become an expert in meditation, you can meditate alone. When one becomes a good swimmer, an expert swimmer, one does not need other swimmers. When you are advanced, you will not need others to inspire you. But until then, it is advisable to meditate regularly with other sincere seekers.
Maximum benefit during collective meditation
Question: How may a disciple receive the maximum benefit during collective meditation in a group?
Sri Chinmoy: When you meditate with a group, feel that the seekers sitting together are not separate entities but only one entity. Do not think of each individual disciple. Feel that you are the only person meditating and you are entirely responsible for the meditation. Collective meditation is meditation with the feeling of inseparable oneness, absolute oneness. You are the only person meditating and you are the one who is watching yourself; there is nobody else. You are the observer and you are the seeker, not because of your ego, but because of your inseparable oneness.
Otherwise you may look to one side and think, “What have I done today that I cannot meditate as well as she?” Or, “Why do I have to meditate beside him? His consciousness is so low.” Or, “Why did I come here? Let me go home and meditate.” This way you will think that somebody is meditating better than you or that somebody is dragging you down and it is beneath your dignity to meditate with him. When you start meditating collectively, if you take everyone as your own, then you will have a good meditation. When all have entered into you, when everyone is flowing in you and through you, then you will get the maximum benefit.