Amma on meditition and devotion

''Dear children, when you sit to meditate, do not think that you can still your mind immediately. At first, you should relax all parts of your body. Loosen your clothes. Make sure your spine is erect. Then close your eyes and concentrate your mind on your breath. You should be aware of your inhalation and exhalation. We should become aware of the process. Then the mind will be wakeful. As you sit like that for a while, your mind will become calm.

''You can continue the meditation by focusing attention on your breath. Or you can start meditation on the form of your beloved deity. Worship becomes easy when we assign a specific form to Brahman (Absolute Reality), in Manas Puja (mental worship). As soon as you get up, meditate for ten minutes. After your bath, meditate again for half an hour. In the beginning, it is enough to meditate for a short time. After that, you can do your chores. Any work you do with japa and constant remembrance of God is also meditation.

''To concentrate in this age of materialism (Kaliyuga), bhajan is easier than meditation. By loud singing, other distracting sounds will be overcome and concentration will be achieved. Bhajan (devotional hymns), concentration and meditation, this is the progression. In fact, constant remembrance of God is meditation. Children, bhajan sung with devotion would benefit the singer, the listener and also Mother Nature. Bhajan is a spiritual discipline aimed at concentrating the mind on one's Beloved Deity. Through that single-mindedness, one can merge in the Divine Being and experience the Bliss of one's True Self.''