Yoga Sutras, Meditation on OM

Continuing with the study of the Yoga Sutras (Y.S.) of Patanjali.

Sutra 1.28:Tat japah tat artha bhavanam, To repeat it (Om) in a meditative way reveals its meaning.

Quoting I.K. Taimni from his commentary on the same sutra, "How can the power of a Mantra like the Pranava (Om) be developed? For, it has to be remembered that this power is potential, not active. It is the power of a seed which needs to be developed gradually by providing certain essential conditions, not the power of an electric motor which is available on merely pressing a button. This is a fact frequently lost sight of by many people. They think that by merely repeating a Mantra a few times they can obtain the desired result. They cannot. A Mantra can no more give in this way the result for which it is devised than a seed of a mango tree can satisfy a man who is hungry. The seed must be sown, watered and the tender plant tended for years before it can bear fruit and satisfy the hungry. In the same way the potential power which resides in a Mantra must be developed slowly by the application of the right methods before it can become available for the spiritual advancement of the Sadhaka (spiritual aspirant)." He continues, "The two principal means of developing the power which is latent in Pranava which are equally applicable to other similar Mantras are given in the Sutra we are considering. The first means is Japa. This is a well-known technique of Mantra-Yoga in which the Mantra is repeated again and again in a prescribed manner until the desired results begin to appear. The repetition of the Mantra is necessary and sometimes the Sadhakas are required to repeat it such an enormous number of times that it becomes a test of their patience and endurance. But though generally this number is great the number by itself is not the most important factor. The other conditions-mental and emotional-are equally important. Japa begins in a mechanical repetition but it should pass by stages into a form of meditation and unfoldment of the deeper layers of consciousness. ....The other means of utilizing the power which is latent in Pranava is Bhavana. This word literally means 'dwelling upon in mind'. Let us try to understand its significance in the present context. The object of the dual practice prescribed in this Sutra is to contact the Divine Consciousness of Ishwara (God). The Japa has the effect of attuning the vehicles. But something more is necessary in order to bring down the Divine influence and establish contact with the Divine Consciousness. If an electric current is to flow into a mechanism we need not only conductance or capacity to transmit the current but also voltage, pressure to make the current flow. ...In Mantra-Yoga it takes the form of Bhavana or intense meditation on the significance of the Mantra and object which is sought to be gained. This Bhavana is not merely an intellectual process like the one we employ in finding the solution of a mathematical problem. It is a joint action of all our faculties in the pursuit of a common goal."

I got carried away with his commentary, not much to add here. The practice of meditation is an age old practice yet somewhat uncommon and in its infancy in the west. For someone to be successful in anything they usually need some instruction and guidance. To learn a physical skill one can rely on observation to begin the process. In meditation there is no such advantage. I recommend learning first hand from someone well versed that has practiced for a substantial amount of time. The most common reason people stop meditating is that they don't have adequate training. They fail because they have unreasonable expectations and feel like they are unable to meditate. "I tried but couldn't quiet my mind" is a common comment I hear. This would be similar to quitting tooth brushing because when you rinse your mouth out after a brushing you judge it a failure because there are a lot of food particles that come out! Practice and all is coming.