Meditation is not an Escape

If we enter into the life of meditation in order to escape from the world and forget our sufferings, then we are doing it for the wrong reason. If we enter into the spiritual life because of outer frustration or dissatisfaction, then we may not remain in the spiritual life. Today I have failed to satisfy my desires; so I am dissatisfied with the world. But tomorrow I will say, "Let me try again. Perhaps this time I will get satisfaction." But eventually we will feel that the desire-life will never satisfy us; we will feel the need to enter into the inner life. This is aspiration.

What is meditation? Meditation is man's self-awakening and God's Self-offering. When man's self-awakening and God's Self-offering meet together, man becomes immortal in the inner world and God becomes fulfilled in the outer world.

In the life of aspiration, we want only God. If we sincerely want God, then naturally He will give Himself to us. But He will do it in His own way and at His own time. If we pray and meditate with sincere aspiration for certain qualities, even if God does not grant them to us, still we will be satisfied. We will simply say, "He knows best. Right now I am not ready for these things. But He will definitely give them to me the day I am ready." In the life of aspiration it is not our achievement that gives us satisfaction; it is our aspiration. Aspiration itself is our satisfaction.