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Hey James!Good question!That’s hard to say, but that’s not the point is it? Here’s a little graphic for you:Number of recipients in each state that are in danger of losing SNAP benefitsUSDA’s stricter work requirements could cause hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. to lose their nutritional benefits.Source: Fiscal year 2017 SNAP QC dataGraphic: Jiachuan Wu / NBC NewsHere’s the link to the graphic: Nearly 700,000 will lose food stamps with USDA work requirement change if you want to see for yourselves…So as you can see, CA will be affected the most by the new rules with around 300K households targeted, but then again CA is the most populous state in our country.But Republican strongholds are also heavily affected with Kentucky; 32,000, Tennessee; 69,000 and Georgia with 91,000 people who will lose their food stamps.My point is, it doesn’t matter if they vote Democratic or Republican because these are real people who need help and are about to lose that because of an evil and cruel Trump administration who don’t care about regular people but only about big corporations and the wealthy. But I will give you a stellar example that perfectly exemplifies just that later in my answer…So the Trump administration is doing to this to encourage people to work and that work requirement rule would save the government $5.5 billion over five years, the USDA said. but this rule would do little to help anyone find work. All the rule change does is strip people from accessing the benefit.This is what Senator Debbie Stabenow said about this:"This Administration is out of touch with families who are struggling to make ends meet by working seasonal jobs or part time jobs with unreliable hours," Stabenow said. "Seasonal holiday workers, workers in Northern Michigan’s tourism industry, and workers with unreliable hours like waiters and waitresses are the kinds of workers hurt by this proposal."The senator also noted that an attempt to add work requirements to SNAP had failed in Congress when they had considered the Farm Bill last year. The House rejected it in a bipartisan vote of 330-83, and the Senate voted down a similar amendment 68-30."There’s a reason Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly rejected this callous proposal in the Farm Bill and instead focused on bipartisan job training opportunities that actually help families find good paying jobs,” she said.So those affected are impoverished, tend to live in rural areas, often face mental health issues and disabilities. Black and Hispanic households, women and LGBTQ people would be disproportionately affected by the change.“The policy targets very poor people struggling to work — some of whom are homeless or living with health conditions,” said Stacy Dean, the food assistance policy vice president at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. "Taking away basic food assistance from these individuals will only increase hardship and hunger, while doing nothing to help them find steady full-time work.”The original waivers tended to help severely economically disadvantaged people, a Mathematica Policy Research and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation study from earlier this year concluded. Ninety-seven percent of the SNAP participants who would be affected by this change live in poverty, and 88 percent have household incomes at or below 50 percent of the poverty level or less than $600 a month — a much larger portion than the overall average — the study said.To conclude: Let me end with that example of how cruel and indifferent Trump is towards average people. As I mentioned in my answer that the government will save about $1billion per year with this new, ghoulish, cynical, nonsensical and disgusting rule in cutting food stamps for 700,000 people, it bears further examination and I found this not so fun fact.Trump’s new rule makes 700,000 AMERICAN CITIZENS less food secure, a necessity to live (or over 233 times the amount of people who died on 9/11). Well, the Trump Admin has given 28 billion dollars to farmers, specifically to not grow certain crops due to his tariffs. What makes this more abhorrent, of that 28 billion, nearly half went to the top 0.1% of farmer extrapolating from government reports made availableBasically, the trade off of 1 billion dollars for 700,000 people that he is saving in food stamps went to between 8-12 corporate farm conglomerates (not even necessarily US based) in the form of farm aid. You read that right, we are risking the lives and food security of 700,000 people due to prioritizing the money to 8-12, some possibly foreign corporations. Anyone who doesn’t find this gross just lacks humanity.I just can’t believe the mainstream media don’t do their job and plaster this info all over your tv screen and newspapers to shame these abhorrent practices. To give you an example, the top 1 percent of recipients of trade relief received, on average, $183,331. The bottom 80 percent received, on average, less than $5,000, EWG said.Proof you say, Trump supporters? By all means, here you go: Bulk of Trump's U.S. farm aid goes to biggest and wealthiest farmers: advocacy group or this link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/07/31/trumps-billion-farm-bailout-will-make-rich-farmers-richer-hasten-small-farm-failure-study-says/Sources: Everyone linked in the tekst.

International NGO Shri Ram Chandra Mission also named SRCM founded in India in the year 1945, due to its simple and unique methods to approach God it is largely known as Sahaj Marg The Natural Path; and as this great System is increasingly becoming famous for its unique feature Pranahuti (Yogic Transmission), Inner-Cleaning and heart based Meditation/Training to learn the Divine, subtle language of the Heart, it has got its symbolic name: Heartfulness.From around a decade Sahaj Marg/Heartfulness System is putting its genuine efforts to fulfill the dream of all the great Indian Divine Gurus and Sages of the past like Revered Lord Krishna, Revered Guru Nanak Dev ji, Revered Adi Shankaracharya, Revered Ramanuja, Revered Lord Chaitanya, Revered Guru Gobind Singh ji, Revered Gautam Buddha, Revered Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, Revered Holi Mother Sri Sarada Devi, Revered Swami Vivekananda, Revered Ram Chandra (Lalaji), Revered Ram Chandra (Babuji), Revered Parthasarthi Rajagopalachari (Chariji):As Swami Vivekananda said:Indian spirituality and philosophy are deluging the lands of the West.Each nation has a main current in life; in India it is religion. Make it strong and the waters on either side must move along with it.All history of Indian life is the struggle for the realisation of the ideal of the Vedanta through good or bad fortune. [Source]Give and take is the law; and if India wants to raise herself once more, it is absolutely necessary that she brings out her Spiritual treasures and throws them broadcast among the nations of the earth, and in return be ready to receive what others have to give her.Here is the blessed land, the foundation, the backbone, the life-centre is religion and religion alone.I have come to this conclusion that there is only one country in the world which understands religion — it is India.[Source]In India the mother is the centre of the family and our highest ideal. She is to us the representative of God, as God is the mother of the Universe.India's heart must break, and the flow of spirituality will come out.[Source]India's potentialities are great and will be called forth.[Source]Indians have forgotten the Divine truth that the kind of dynamical upgradation in the quality of a person's life 'Meditation' and 'Spirituality' can bring no other thing in this world can.By keeping in view the artistry and spiritual science of meditation, and on the basis of what I have learned through my many years of meditation practice and spiritual sadhna, here I have tried to answer many important questions of life; with a prayer that it will bring a revolutionary change first in India and then in the whole world.The practice advised under the highly advanced spiritual System of Heartfulness / Sahaj Marg are not merely formal and mechanical, related with closing of eyes for meditation. That have a definite object, a purpose and an end.Heartfulnesss /Sahaj Marg is a system of meditation, based on raja yoga (the king of all yogas), but refined and greatly simplified to suit our time and condition we live in. It is so simple that it can be practised effectively by any human being.Whatever be the practice of Hatha Yoga, it cannot lead one to Supreme Reality or Self-Realisation. Same is the case with Mantra Yoga etc. Raja Yoga is the supreme path, say the texts on Yoga. Heartfulness is the present day Raja Yoga!Heartfulness meditation helps us to focus the mind in an object, keep our senses and emotions in balance and lead a harmonious life in tune with Nature.Our Revered Master Dr. Shri Kamlesh D. Patel (Daaji) says:When you take up a spiritual path, experiences provide validations. They are the barometers of progress.Daaji Global Guide of HeartfulnessSpeaking Tree: Kamlesh Patel MasterYouTube: Heartfulness MeditationMany series of articles in Heartfulness Magazine:Heartfulness Forever - Heartfulness EnglishThe march to freedom – part 1The Evolution of Consciousness-Part 1HomeHow do you meditate?What is the simplest yet most effective way to meditate?What is meditation all about?Knowledge isn't power...Applying knowledge timely, whenever and wherever it required without fail is the real power, that is wisdom, and that comes only from the heart — the seat of the Soul/God/Higher Self.Revered Saint Ram Chandraji (Babuji) said:"Life is a state of Being"Explaining this point Revered Swami Vivekananda said:"Knowledge of this world can satisfy our wishes for an hour, a day, a week, or for a year, it is surely the great help.But Spiritual knowledge is the only thing that can destroy our miseries for ever; any other knowledge satisfies wants only for a time. It is only with the knowledge of the spirit that the faculty of want is annihilated for ever."Real existence, real knowledge, and real love are eternally connected with one another, the three in one: where one of them is, the others also must be; they are the three aspects of the One without a second-- the Existence-Knowledge-Bliss.Lord Krishna in Gita says,"Look at Me, Arjuna! If I stop from work for one moment, the whole universe will die. I have nothing to gain from work; I am the one Lord, but why do I work? Because I love the world."God is unattached because He loves; real love makes us unattached.What are the common myths or misconceptions about meditation?Meditation is a Spiritual process, it has complete science behind it. To properly understand what meditation is, we have to understand many other things also which have direct linkage with meditation.(I) Let's begin with wandering of Mind during Meditation:Generally people complain of numerous thoughts creeping into their mind at the time of meditation. From the very first day we all expect that during our practice at meditation the mind should remain at a standstill, but when we find different thoughts and ideas haunting our mind we feel greatly perturbed.To comprehend this issue analysis these two states:First, here is one person's side of the life–struggle–work, tensions, stress, emotions in which he is whirled rapidly round.And second there is the other person's life–that of calm, retiring renunciation: everything is peaceful around, there is very little of noise and show, only nature with her animals and flowers and mountains.A man used to solitude, if brought in contact with the surging whirlpool of the world, will be crushed by it; just as the fish that lives in the deep sea water, as soon as it is brought to the surface, breaks into pieces, deprived of the weight of water on it that had kept it together.Can a man who has been used to the turmoil and the rush of life live at ease if he comes to a quiet place?He too suffers with a deep sense of melancholy, sleepless nights, limited choice of food, an upset stomach; he starts feeling hugely separated from the people and places he see everyday and the daily routine he is used to. When he is home he misses being on his holiday at a peaceful place and when he is reaches there he starts feeling homesick.After considering this we can well understand that sitting quietly in meditation is quite opposite of our present existing state. So to get completely adjust with this new state we require time. At least for three to four months we have to sit and meditate as per the prescribed method — without any expectations.Every meditator has undoubtedly found in his own experience that while he/she is supposed to be meditating, his/her mind is wandering where it likes.When he becomes aware of this, the mind is brought back to the object of meditation. If we are meditating this way we are on right track.For example as per Heartfulness Meditation method, when we focus our attention on the Divine Light, the Divine effulgence, (keeping in view the goal of God Realisation) with love and wonder we try to see (with the eyes of the heart) that where it leads us. In that sport, we don't even realize that when did those unwanted thoughts fall off. We observe that the idea of Divine Light is gone and we are meditating on some higher plane. Sometimes we are so much internally connected that we feel the pure Divine touch.But there are meditators who let their minds wander because it is such a pleasant thing too do. Such persons 'think' they are meditating; but they are not.Actually the mind has been let loose to wander at will.Or whenever they get aware of thoughts instead of ignoring them and bringing their attention back on the object of meditation; they rather apply power to reject them and face reaction.Or by keeping their attention on thoughts they themselves supply power to their thoughts; and with that power only thoughts become potent and interfere in our meditation.If they really meditated in the right way when they are supposed to be meditating, results must follow " as the night the day" as the saying goes.According to Revered Swami Vivekananda:The ideal man is he who, in the midst of the greatest silence and solitude, finds the intensest activity, and in the midst of the intensest activity finds the silence and solitude of the desert. He has learnt the secret of restraint, he has controlled himself. He goes through the streets of a big city with all its traffic, and his mind is as calm as if he were in a cave, where not a sound could reach him; and he is intensely working all the time. That is the ideal of Karma- Yoga, and if you have attained to that you have really learnt the secret of work.In our human system our Red cells are constantly being made in the bone marrow to replace the old ones. After every 120 days, all old RBCs die and on their place new RBCs start circulating in our body.Thus the present blood which is running in our each vein, in our whole system, is very much influenced by our old habits. And when we adopt any new habit such as meditation, we would have to wait at least for the completion of this small circle of 120 days, of renewing of each old RBCs to establish a desirable harmonious compatibility with our whole system.(II) Every artist was first an amateur. Practice with love makes a man perfect:When we meditate, we start with learning the Divine language of God; which is silent, subtle and cannot be perceived by senses.In mysticism they say:See the Lord with the eyes of the heart; hear Him with the ears of the heart; not with these ears and these eyes. It is impossible.What major mistake generally meditators do Revered Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa has nicely explained through a tale:A man began to sink a well, but having dug down to the depth of twenty cubits he could not find the least trace of the water-spring which was to feed his well.So he desisted from the work and selected another place for the purpose. There he dug deeper than before, but even then he could not find any water.So again he selected another spot and dug still deeper than before, but it was also of no avail.At last in utter disgust he gave up the task altogether.The sum total of the depths of these three wells was little short of a hundred cubits. Had he had the patience to devote even a half of the whole of this labour to his first well, without shifting the site of the well from place to place, he would surely have been successful in getting water.Such is the case with men who continually shift their positions in regard to faith. In order to meet with success we should devote ourselves entirely to a single object with faith, without being doubtful as to its efficacy.(III) What are samskaras / impressions? And how they inversely effect our Meditation and Spiritual progress?Samskara can be translated very nearly by "inherent tendency".Using the simile of a lake for the mind, every ripple, every wave that rises in the mind, when it subsides, does not die out entirely, but leaves a mark and a future possibility of that wave coming out again. This mark, with the possibility of the wave reappearing, is what is called Samskara.Every work that we do, every movement of the body, every thought that we think, leaves such an impression on the mind-stuff, and even when such impressions are not obvious on the surface, they are sufficiently strong to work beneath the surface, subconsciously.What we are every moment is determined by the sum total of these impressions on the mind. What I am just at this moment is the effect of the sum total of all the impressions of my past life.This is really what is meant by character; each man's character is determined by the sum total of these impressions. If good impressions prevail, the character becomes good; if bad, it becomes bad.Here is the Prescription to Achieve Idealized Perfection in Meditation:In Buddhist tradition there is a story:One meditator was meditating, and you know, they have a supervisor who goes around watching what is going on.The supervisor beat a particular boy, a mediator, and told him, "This is not the time to buy fish." He could read the mediator's thought that he was sitting in meditation but his thought was in the fish market.Now, this is transferring discipline from the physical sphere to the mental sphere.While transferring discipline from the mental sphere to the physical sphere, we fall in the trap of samskaras.In the form of samskaras our desires, habits and temptations remain buried at the base of our mind.And whenever any of the desire or samskara finds the suitable environment outside it instantly pops-up as thought in our mind.Each thought comes up only for bhoga and every time if we could ignore or resist each of our desire we can thus progressively empty our store of samskaras.We can do this only by two ways: first, by regulating our uncontrolled mind by practicing meditation; and second, by developing high character so that every time when we face these temptations, we could use our power of Viveka or discrimination and resist them.But if we follow them we recreate them and thus keep increasing more samskaras.So knowledge is the one that transforms into virtues in life and that knowledge is knowledge of the Higher Self / God. Which we attain by diligent and dedicated practice of meditation.We often face these kind of situations in our life:"Should I eat more or not?" {Inner voice: "Stop eating now; overeating leads to unwanted weight gain."}"Should I study now or continue to waste my time on social-media?" {Inner voice: "Log out and focus on your studies."}"I am feeling offended because he/she treated me badly. I can't refrain myself to be bitter, resentful and vengeful; to be consumed with anger and a desire to quarrel even no matter what." {Inner voice: "Don't hold grudges, forgive and forget."}"I am worried, getting anxious and fearful about difficult circumstances and the pressures of life." {Inner voice: "Do not focuse on the bigness of your problems instead center upon the eternal love of God within the heart!"}"Should I live a simple and poised life or pursue for money, prestige, power?" {Inner voice: "Be moderate and simple."}[They are the most essential armors we need in life to win the battle of discrimination (Viveka) every time].The soul of a human being will be clean in proportion to the power of discrimination he possesses.—Ram Chandra (Lalaji)"It is 5 AM alarm, shall I keep sleeping or meditate" {Inner voice: "Get up and meditate."}[When you start the day with meditation on the God, you energize your day with His presence and the get strength to overcome difficulties].Do we listen that subtle inner voice? Do we really follow the voice of our conscience?Mostly not.Soul calls us from inside but only those hear the call, who are connected with their heart.Every choice to do wrong is sin, leads to create more samskaras. Before you make any choice, you always have an option either follow your conscience and choose right or follow your temptation/ desire/ impulse and choose wrong. That second choice is your way of escape, which delays your evolution.Diversion from the path of duty is not due to circumstances but only due to the misdirected activities of the indisciplined mind.—Revered Shri Ram Chandraji (Babuji)However, what is important to understand is, that if there is no mental discipline, physical discipline cannot exist.Meditation helps us to regulate the mind, and by regulating it ninety-five per cent of our problems are solved. Because it is the mind which feeds into the body its actions, its desiresThat is why we meditate; to make it disciplined, make it possible for us to apply the mind where we choose to apply it; not use it — apply it.If you want to train your body you have to indulge in physical exercise; if you want to regulate the mind, it has to be trained by repeated practice.So the regulation of mind can be possible only by the initial discipline of applying it to meditation.This means that a little discipline is first necessary to bring about the bigger discipline and ultimate discipline.So, this is little discipline what we need:First, physical discipline, that little discipline of regularity to sit for meditation daily.Second mental discipline, that little discipline of trying to focus our attention on the object of meditation – the Heart, the seat of the Divine. Meditation really means that the mind must be accustomed to the Center — the heart itself, instead of working elsewhere.In Heartfulness meditation our mind learns to attend to the heart and then slowly heart/soul begins to speak, that's what we call the conscience, and the more we listen, the more loud it becomes, powerful it becomes, convincing it becomes. Then we get the guidance from inside — now we want guidance from outside.By Heartfulness way of practice we slowly gain, progressively, more and more ability to regulate our mind. Gradually we find that our thoughts now do not go astray. Because our mind becomes fine-tuned with the heart, our intellect becomes heart-based; like a sensitive antenna it starts picking up the signals of the heart.Thus with this meditation practice our intellect evolves into wisdom. This way we set our individual mind on the right path because by help of meditation with Pranahuti (Yogic Transmission) it starts metamorphosing its habit.Thereby achieving greater and greater, regulatory control over our own mind; which leads to greater and greater physical discipline resulting out of that.Therefore, meditation is the most important activity, if we want to discipline our mind and ourselves.With a thorough practice of meditation, gradually we achieve a one hundred per cent strength of the mind, which makes possible that promise of Yoga, that a yogi will be skillful in anything he does.How does the practice of meditation help to achieve the state of 360-degree consciousness with eyes open?(IV) What is the preparation needed for meditation?Revered Shri Ram Chandraji (Babuji) said:Sit and meditate, that is the only preparation.God helps all those who help themselves.Meditate every day. Because by doing it again and again, we progressively increase our ability to take command of the situation.Unfortunately there are systems which teach that for meditation it is necessary to prepare the mind, when practice of meditation alone can prepare the mind. It is meditation which prepares the mind….Revered Parthasarthi Rajagopalachariji said:Meditation is a simple thing. By practice of dhyana (meditation) one is able to feel the presence of the Almighty Lord into his own heart and enshrine Him there.Thus by right method of yoga one becomes a yogi. In this sense, only one who has the Lord in his heart can be rightly called yogi.(V) Have a special place and special time for meditation:Revered Shri Ram Chandraji (Babuji) said:It is creating an environment into which, as you come, automatically we get into the meditative, contemplative, devotional mood.So, that particular spot that we reserve for meditation, you can say, is an ashram (Divinely charged place) too.That special asna, place and special time helps us lot to maintain that inner pristine purity.(VI) Develop Devotion, Love and Longing for GodMeditation should not be done in a mechanical manner; it should be regarded as worship — worship of the Divine within the heart; it must be done with heart filled with love and devotion for beloved God.According to Revered Babuji there are three qualities of desires:Animal PlaneMental PlaneSpiritual PlaneThese are divisions of desires and will. Desires are good as well as bad.Bad desires are connected with passions, sex, greed etc.In desires of the mental Plane is hidden the secret of self-aggrandizement, self-progress, self-ability etc.When these things are carried on to the spiritual plane, one is reminded of his true duty – duty towards the Divine, and is worried about getting out of the snare. The tendencies (vrittis) are diverted towards God-realisation.Devotion to the GODLove for the GODMeans to be like a babyWho wants to be nowhereExcept in MOTHER'S lap.(VII) Object of Meditation:Meditation is such a universal activity that it is surprising there is so much misunderstanding about it. Because without realising it we are meditating all the time on something or other.A man who is obsessed with the idea of becoming rich is meditating on the idea of wreath.Another person who is obsessed with the idea of being successful in business is similarly meditating on success.Now all that we do in spiritual meditation is simply to change the object from a material object to a spiritual object. And we find that it is very simple and very easy to practice.It is very necessary to realise that meditation is not something foreign to our nature, in which we have to be trained, because meditation is something we are naturally doing all our lives.Only what we have to meditate upon is what we have to achieve.Ancient teachers, both in the East and the West, have taught that as one meditates so one becomes. It therefore follows that what we meditate upon we become and, inversing this formula, if we want to become something we must meditate upon that and nothing else.So long as you meditate on finite things, there is a limitation.So all that Spirituality says is: change the object of meditation into that which you call perfection, which you call the human level of the highest evolution, which in simple words, is Divinisation.Therefore if our aim is Realisation of God/Higher Self or the attainment of one-ness with the Ultimate, the object of meditation must be of that Nature.The goal of Sahaj Marg / Heartfulness is an abstract goal called the Ultimate Self. Therefore we cannot have any name or form for meditation. Nor can we have even any qualities or attributes of Divinity.However, our Master felt that for most people it would be impossible to meditate on the abstract. So, in Sahaj Marg / Heartfulness our Master has taken as the object of meditation what he thought, what he knows, what he has experienced to be the subtlest thing that we can have for meditating without making it gross or with a form or with a name, and that is: Divine Light in the heart.What we do in meditation is, sit in detached or relaxed way, comfortably with our eyes closed, and give a suggestion that the heart is illuminated from within by the presence of the Spark/Source of the Ultimate that is present within our heart and feel that It is pulling you within.Regarding the light in the heart, we are not supposed to see it or try to see any light in the heart. It is a mere (subtle) supposition or deep feeling that the light (without luminosity) is always there.During meditation, by holding our mind on the Divine light within the heart, we try to create feeling of Bhakti (devotion) and love in our heart; which propel us to let ourselves dessolve in the Source within.Divine Light is the only object, which is an object and yet almost abstract. Now when we meditate on such an object and the mind is put on that; it is the only object which mind can love but cannot possess.So the mind becomes trained to forget the self, and to move towards God — Reality.In this way, when we train the mind or regulate the mind, naturally and systematically during meditation, no impressions are formed.Hence, our individual mind gradually learns to rest and leave its habit of wandering about, which it has formed.By practicing this yoga we are able to slowly strengthen our association with the God by constantly meditating on His presence inside our heart in the form of illumination.The real meditation is to remain absorbed in the inner condition of the heart which our Divine Master grants is by the power of his Yogic Transmission, and try to prolong this 'condition' and by thus prolonging it, to ensure that the 'condition' is maintained throughout the twenty-four hours.And there must come a time when on day we can say, "I love God, not because I have seen it, or touched it but because I have felt It in my heart." God — Divinity can't be the object of knowledge, cannot be object of perception, cannot be revealed by perception. As we don't see sorrow, we feel sorrow, we feel hungry. Every important thing in our lives, we feel, we experience. This is most transcendental experience of all, that I feel Divine, because I am Divine.As my Master said, "When we meditate with the heart filled with love and devotion for God, we progressively draw whatever we can from the Divine Source, by progressively divinizing ourselves; yet at no stage can that person say, "I am God." You may be like God in every way, in every quality, in everything that you can imagine; yet God is God and you continue to be the humble devotee — no doubt divinised to the highest possible extent — nevertheless, "He is what He is, I am what I am!"According to Revered Babuji, "We have lost or naturalness, which we have to restore, and it is the Sahaj Marg / Heartfulness System, which can restore in us the original condition. So we can say that meditation is something waiting for our originality, and Pranahuti (Yogic Transmission) is the central force which is giving that thing."Revered Shri Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari, (Chariji, 1927-2014) stated that, "When the tendencies of the mind are slowly turned inwards, and the mind is itself attracted by what it finds inside the heart, the outside world loses any charm that it has had up to now. And by very loss of that, there is renunciation. That is, instead of our giving up the world, the world gives up! Because now mind is no longer externalised, it does not go out."Thus we are only setting up an equation having X (Divine Light) as the value to solve the problem of life.(VIII) How much time is needed for meditation?In the beginning, you can start from twenty minutes and with the time meditate longer and bring it up to one hour.(IX) There are Eight Essential Aspects which if taken care of can speed-up our progress many many many many times:(1) Goal Oriented MeditationOur Revered Master says: Aspire for the Highest, with all the sacrifices that are possible to a human being.In Spiritual journey, we must consider that meditation is not a goal in itself; but it is a process which we undertake to reach a destined goal (of human life), a predetermined Highest goal — the God.It is a process which helps us immensely and that is why we do it regularly and sincerely.Meditation is the foundation of Spirituality. If you meditate having your real goal before you, you are sure to arrive at destination.When we meditate without the positive idea that we have to reach a destination, that there is goal in front of us, we are on one of these merry-go-round. Then what do we get out of it? We are stuck; so if you want to move in straight line, you have got to keep the idea of your destination in view — to achieve the Highest (Beloved God) at the earliest.Once you start something, you will feel something; and with that sublime feeling you will go on so that you can do it, and benefit from it.According to Revered Daaji,So as manas (Mind) evolves through a meditation practice, feeling develops, and eventually we go beyond feeling to a state of being, then to a state of becoming, and finally unbecoming to merge into the Absolute state of existence.How a divine lover develops during his Spiritual journey, swami Vivekananda has very beautifully described:Give up all evil company, Avoid worldly company, that will distract your mind. Give up all "me and mine". To him who has nothing in the universe the Lord comes.Cut the bondage of all worldly affections; go beyond laziness and all care as to what becomes of you.When the sun of Love begins to break on the horizon, we want to give up all our actions unto God; and when we forget Him for a moment, it grieves us greatly.What you think, you become, so if you throw your burden on God, you will have to think of Him and thus become like Him — you love Him.Extreme love and highest knowledge are one.Love is beyond time and space, it is absolute.(2) Meditation on the HeartIn Heartfulness we meditate on the heart. BecauseHeart is the seat of life.According to all religions it is in the heart that the Divine resides.And physiologically, it is from the heart that circulation flows and everything happens. If this point, the most important point in the human system, can be enriched and purified, then it must permeate to the rest of the whole system without our having to bother with the other parts, like the head, the muscles so on.It is a radiant flow from the centre outward, from the centre to the whole system…..!One more reason is that according to our Revered Master the heart is the field of work for the mind and all the spiritual points which are in the body and the brain, almost all of them, are found in the heart and by meditating on it, it facilitates in purifying all those points.(3) Help and support of Divine Master/Guru and His Divine Power Pranahuti (Yogic Transmission)Yogic Transmission /PranahutiTraditionally there are four types of Yogic Transmission viz. Touch, Oral, Sight and Thought respectively called Gross, Subtle, Subtler and the Subtlest. Heartfulness is unique to have the best of the four!The transmission through thought, from Heart to Heart availablein the Heartfulness, HFN transcends the limitations of time and space, religion, sex, nationality, creed, colour etc. Truly revolutionary!!The credit of making this Subtlest, highest method of Yogic Transmission to all the people of this world goes to Pujya Shri Ram Chandraji (Lalaji Maharaj) of Fathegarh, U.P. India (1873-1931)In Sahaj Marg /Heartfulness Meditation System the regulation of the mind is the job of the Divine Master and not of the abhyasi / practioner (one who practices Heartfulness Meditation) himself.Under this process the Heartfulness Divine Master who has Himself traveled the entire distance up to the pinnacle of Spiritual Sadhana and has developed in Himself the Divine force — Pranahuti/ Pransya-Prana/ Yogic Transmission; by application of His inner Divine power of Transmission of the Highest Consciousness awakens and accelerates the dormant forces in the abhyasi/s /practioner/s to action and diverts the flow of the Divine Current towards the his/their heart/s.According to Revered Babuji:Spiritual Sadhana has two aspects, one the abhyasi/ practioner and the other Dicine Master's help.Abhyai is meant only for creating inner condition which will be helpful to the abhyasi in attracting the flow of Divine Grace, and this involves self-effort, that is to diligently follow all the five essential elements of Sahaj Marg/ Heartfulness Meditation that includes (1) daily morning meditation, (2) daily evening self-inner-cleaning, (3) daily night prayer meditation, (4) constant remembrance of God/Master, (5) Ten MaximsBut self-effort alone is not sufficient. It must be supplemented by the Divine Masters support. As a matter of fact what we really stand in need of for our ultimate purpose is only Divine Grace.But owing to one's inner complexities, it is almost beyond the capacity of a seeker/ meditation practioner to have it by himself. For that reason Divine Master's help is indispensable.In earlier stages Divine Grace flows into the abhyasi only through the medium of the Divine Master. As such it is often interpreted as Divine Master's Grace. Whether it comes through the Divine Master's medium (prefect/trainer) or direct it is the same Divine Grace in both the cases.So long as the abhyasi is incapable of having it direct, it rests on the Divine Master to bless him with it.When he has developed the capacity to draw it direct, the Divine Master's job is practically over, though even then he has to keep a watchful eye on him for the sake of safeguard. This is in fact the real function of a true Divine Master.A Master of the Highest Calibre (who has connected Himself to the Eternal Divine Source) is indispensable for another reason also. In our Spiritual match we proceed from point to point, crossing from one point to another after covering the intervening spaces known as buffers they are innumerable.These intervening spaces are to be crossed on order to gain access to the next point. But while crossing them it is necessary to take a thorough tour through the entire space in order to complete its experience — Bhoga.No further ascent can in any way be possible without it. The fact is that the condition of the place where the abhyasi is staying entraps him completely, forming a sort of network round him. Unless that is shattered the higher ascent is out of question.By mere self-effort one might at times advance a little, but only to slip down again. Practical observation goes to show that most of the sages so far have not been able to cross these buffers except perhaps only a few of the early ones. They remained lingering indefinitely in the one or the other without finding a way out.The simple reason for that could possibly have been lack of proper capibility and caliber on the part of their Guru/Master to clear it for them by his own superior power.This Divine force of the Spiritual Divine Master is of immense value. This subtle force is very strong, so much so that in higher Spiritual regions even if an abhyasi attempts to go up he is pushed down by the effect of strong flow of the force. In that case it is only the Divine Master's dynamic force that pulls him up through the strong flow and enables him to have a view of Reality.But something is essential for the abhyasi also. In the first place he must have full trust in the Divine Master and must fully co-operate with Him in every respect. If it is so he will positively go on developing day by day, and begin to feel himself changed and transformed.The state of waking consciousness of the lower type will get transformed, and his journey through higher and higher types of consciousness will be commenced.A capable Divine Master by applying His power through Transmission, diverts the tendencies of the abhyasi's mind upwards, with the result that they begin to get moulded and grow comparatively calm and peaceful.And then Divine Master gives to the abhyasi's pind-mind (material particularised consciousness) a dip into the condition of the brahmanda-mind (subtler or Cosmic Consciousness), after effecting its proper cleaning.The process accelerates the abhyasi's flight towards higher regions. In course of time when the lower mind gets thoroughly merged in the condition of the higher plane, it becomes cognizant of its true Divine nature and gives up indulging in superfluities and superficialities and true Divine nature of his being begins to reveal itself.Thus in Heartfulness /Sahaj Marg System Divine Master takes out the hurdles in the progress of the seeker and side by side, imparts the Divine effulgence in him, which if the abhyasi does it himself takes hundreds of years and often fails to clean his system.(4) Daily self inner cleaning of the human system:How do I do heartfulness cleaning effectively?How do I clear my mind with meditation?(5) Benefits by Group Meditation or Satsangh:Here in Heartfulness, we all practioners or abhyasis are going to One goal. We are following the same Sahaj Marg – The Natural Path, and we are all heading for what we think is one destiny for us.So, that when we sit and meditate (together every Sunday morning in Heartfulness Ashrams/center) hundred or five hundred or 30/40/50 thousand people (as we do during our Master's birthday celebrations at Kanha ), it has much more capacity to draw the Divine towards us, or the Grace of the Divine towards us, than when one person meditates.Combined effort is much more than the multiplication of the individual effort.(6) Comprehend that every meditation is a training in dying.At night you see the branches waving outside your window and you think somebody is waving at you. Our senses are more easily accepting illusions than reality.Our whole life, in that sense, is illusory. We have not been trained to see reality yet.Therefore, in the ancient wisdom, we choose our eyes, we suspend all activity, sit at peace and turn inwards to that ultimate organ which never tells a lie—the heart.In yoga, very literally, we refuse to see with eyes; we block or ears, because when we are meditating on the heart, and we are absorbed, we don't hear anything; taste doesn't function anymore, touch doesn't function anymore.All five senses are sorry if synthesized into one grand sense and pushed into the heart, from which we see, hear, we smell, we taste, we touch, everything.When we start meditating, and if you are serious about it, and if you go about it properly, you must achieve this separation of the real Self, the inner Self from this mundane self, which is but a machine run through the five senses under the control of unregulated mind with an intellect supposed to guide it — which we can use for anything except to know God/ Higher Self/ Reality.So the Higher Self must be separated from the lower activity of the samskara-led life ….Revered Babuji said,Every meditation is a training in dying.If this idea of death is understood in the Spiritual context, it is the most remarkable, the most beautiful act of nature. Whereas we have, because of our identification with the body and its life, totally negated that original Spiritual value of death, the death of death, and converted it into something we are afraid of all of our lives.Those who have been deeply absorbed in meditation would have seen that there is nothing to be really afraid of. We are deeply merged in the inner self.Because when you go really deep into yourself, and you come out after it, and say, "I was absorbed. I don't know where I was, how much time has elapsed," you have literally been not there. In a sense you were dead to this existence.It is possible to be in that newly earned condition, even after meditation if you have the ability to hold on to that inner Divine condition.We meditate and make meditation a state of life, so that we are eternally in a contemplative mood, even when we are involving ourselves in other activities, which will mean minimum involvement in activities, maximum involvement in the condition within the heart. Then His power works through us and manages everything itself.This is how we bring into our life the central idea of the Bhagavad Gita: work incessantly, but be not attached to it and let not the fruits of action be your motive. By developing unceasing attachment with the Divine within the heart, we do not get attached to the work we do, so neither it leaves any binding effect on our soul nor produce samskaras.Therefore, meditation is a training in dying; it can become 24/7 automatic activity if we put efforts to forget ourselves by repeatedly absorbing ourselves in the heart to keep the fire (of love & longing) burning; to retain the (most precious) inner state without fall.Satsangh means to be always with Truth, the eternal verity, the God. So in our Heartfulness way of meditation we learn to be eternally with Him/Reality.If I have been with Him through life, can I be separated from Him at death or after death?(7) Character FormationPurity is akin to God. The essence of reality is purity.Ten Maxims of Sahaj Marg / Heartfulness are the most useful tools to build a high character.Revered Babuji said, "I have written the book "Commentary on Ten Maxims of Sahaj Marg" and that people who follow it get immense benefit for Spiritual progress. If they neglect it, it is their loss.He further said, "If there is real love an devotion for God/Master in the heart of the seeker, every particle of the body should get transformed within seven years."Guidelines for Heartful Living - Ten Maxims Commentary by DaajiHeartfulness — Way To Divinization - YouTube(8) Diary Writing :Keep the record of the inner condition after each meditation. After finishing meditation continue to keep your eyes closed for more five minutes and try to read your condition and whatever you find jot them down in your Spiritual diary.You can note in your diary about the Improvements you find in your behaviourChanges you find in your outlook, in your feelings, in your attitudeAny moral change you observe in your values, characterAnything you want to ask/share with your Divine Master: Spiritual quarries, gratitudeIt helps you to honestly appreciate the intricacies of the Spiritual field and develope interest in the inner adventure and helps to focus on essential.(X) What are the life-facts that indicate that we all must meditate without fail?Anybody who looks at the moon sees the same moon. So, from a disintegrated, diversified, lost multiplicity of characters, we try to bring them back together by meditating on the inner Divine Self, which is essentially a unity. It cannot be anything else. This is one of the reasons why should we meditate? In our external life I am many things. I am many persons. In my inner life I am one. By meditating on Him I learn, I train myself, to slowly become one personality again.If you stick to material life you are going to be doomed to disappointment, because however much you may achieve, there is no satisfaction, there is no completion. So, the material pursuit is doomed to failure because at no stage can you rest and say, "Yes, I am fulfilled." So, there is no satisfaction in a material pursuit. According to Socrates "If you don't get what you want, you suffer; if you get what you don't want, you suffer; even when you get exactly what you want, you still suffer because you can't hold on to it forever."The most important thing to understand is, that material things are doomed to destruction; in the course of time, everything goes or changes. As Socrates said, "Your mind is your predicament. It wants to be free of change. Free of pain, Free of the obligations of life and death. But CHANGE is law and no amount of pretending will alter that Reality."And we too are constantly moving towards death; and can do nothing to avoid it or postpone it. And when we die we cannot take anything with us. So, that showed that the absurdity of focusing our goal on the material life.Our Revered Master Parthasarthi Rajagopalachariji said: "When we go into meditation, we learn all these things: that I have to die in my meditation to be reborn in that meditation, and to come out yet the same whatever you are; but with a very, very different outlook on life; with a very, very different inside that has now been opened, changed, cleaned up, refurbished in some mysterious way. Therefore, every time we sit in meditation and we go deep into it, we come out new — renewed. That is why meditation is refreshing. Pains or aches are gone, more of the heart — which is a very great need. There is solace derived from ourselves, from within ourselves, by ourselves. So we find that, in a very real sense, we are becoming independent of the universe. We seek no solace outside, we get it from inside. Others take renewal from outside, we get it from inside. Than we find the ultimate experience, that within me is the universe. Not this which I see outside, however vast it might be: ten million, ten billion light-years big, so what? It is only a parody of what is inside. This has no limit that can be measured in terms of light-years. You cannot measure this all all; it is truly infinite."Revered Daaji during a conversation with Heartfulness abhyasis/practioners at Kanha Shanti Vanam said:"So our success here in spirituality depends on how well we dissolve our individual network, and that depends on how united we are with God — who lives in the heart of all.Looking at all these trees, we realise that the branches, the leaves, the flowers and the fruits are all nourished by the root system. Similarly, we are all nourished by God.If the branches, leaves, flowers and fruits had their individual consciousness perhaps they would fight for their individual enrichment and existence. The fruits would say, ‘I need more,’ the flowers would claim, ‘I need more,’ and the trunk would say, ‘I need more.’ The main branch would say, ‘I am supporting the rest of these branches, so I need more.’ So there would be chaos and that is what is happening with all in this world. The main thing 'Source' is forgotten and all these manifested branches (beings) fight and look different.""Another example that comes to mind is seen in the many millions and millions of waves rising and falling in the rivers, oceans, ponds and lakes. Imagine they also start thinking, ‘We are all individual,’ whereas without the water underneath the waves are nothing. Water is one of the main things on this planet that exists in three forms. Who knows, there may be fourth and fifth forms also which we don’t realise. The main one is the water that we drink. Another one is ice. A third is water vapour. Snow is another form. Deep down, when we analyse any of these, it is only hydrogen and oxygen manifesting in different forms. Two elements manifesting in multiple forms.Then why not infinite Divinity?Infinity of God manifesting in infinity of forms, yet the essence of all is the same!"With Heartfulness way of meditation practice we are moving towards perfection. Not in the outer look or fancies or other things. It is the perfection in our inner balance, our inner flawless character and our manners.(XI) Is it possible to meditate for others? Can I meditate to benefit others like my wife/kids?Our Revered Master Parthasarthi Rajagopalachariji suggested that:Well, I don't think any of you or any of us, anywhere in this world today, are able to meditate for somebody else's sake. We are meditating for our sake.Each one is on his or her way on this Spiritual journey, for his personal or her personal evolution to the highest.(XII) Misconceptions about Concentration in Meditation:How do I concentrate while doing meditation?How do I explain Bhagavad Gita 8:25?How could I understand the Bhagavad Gita?What should I do to achieve that one goal?What is that one question you are hoping someone would ask you?How do I achieve happiness?What is the one skill that, if you have it, will completely change your life?What are your views on Bhagavad Geeta mentioning "Change is the rule of the world: परिवर्तन ही संसार का नियम है"?What is your review of Swami Vivekananda?What is the simplest yet most effective way to meditate?Which is the latest free meditation app that you have used? Why do you recommend it?How do I do heartfulness cleaning effectively?Which meditation center in India do you suggest?Where and how should I start meditation?Which is the best spiritual quote?Can you write something that can change someone's life?How can we promote a universal brotherhood?Is there any genuinely enlightened master alive today? How can we find such a person?What's the most motivating one-liner ever?What is the most beautiful thing you have ever read?Why should Man love God?What is the most useful thought to remember during each day?If you could only say ONE reason why we should all meditate, what is it?Regardless of topic, what is the most mind-blowing book, essay or article you have read?Would a truly enlightened being ever disclose themselves as ‘enlightened’? For example on social media?Which person reached the last stage of Yoga Samadhi?What incident changed your personality?Can you tell me something inspiring?Mahabharata (Hindu epic): Apart from imparting the sea of knowledge (Bhagavad Gita), why was it important for Krishna to show his Vishvarupa or Vishwaroopa (universal-form or omni-form) to Arjuna before the Kurukshetra war?How much time it took for lord krishna to preach bhagwad geeta to Arjun?I need to realize God, how to meditate?Which is the surest path to enlightenment?How does the practice of meditation help to achieve the state of 360-degree consciousness with eyes open?What is meant by evolution of consciousness?What does spirituality mean to you?What are some of the most challenging parts of meditation?What is enlightenment and how it can be achieved?Which is a highly advanced meditation system available on Earth?What is heartfulness?Do spiritual NGOs come under social work? Which are the most influential, working on ground level and the best contemporary NGOs?What are some of your favorite paintings?What is the right way to meditate as a beginner?Does a spiritually enlightened person live permanently in bliss?May Your Life Itself Becomes Pure Bliss !! Amen !!

You can definitely become the best version of your life all depends on what approach you take and then how much love you put in your actions. And understand that no-one can climb to the highest peak like Everest in two days or one week? According to Revered Dr. Kamlesh D Patel: Contentment in the heart promotes love. Love promotes courage. Courage promotes the state of mind which helps you to make the right decision, fast. Our greatest country India is richest in the Spiritual field. Now very soon our esteemed India will rule the world by its incredible, unparalleled and pristine power of Spirituality and Meditation/Yoga. India the Divine Land is NOW pregnant with all the forces required to take a man to its Highest level of evolution. International NGO Shri Ram Chandra Mission also named SRCM(more)