SARAL MEDITATION - A UNIQUE TECHNIQUE FOR HEALTH, INTELLIGENCE,

PERFORMANCE AND CONFIDENCE

Hl Dhar
Director, Medical Research Centre of Bombay Hospital Trust, Mumbai 20.

Saral meditation is easy to perform, does not require rigorous training or performing pooja
or guidance from a Guru to utter mantra and requires shorter period of practice (15
minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening) but with awareness of breathing
whenever mind is free. Initial benefit is mostly in terms of material gain leaving the
spiritual one to individual to develop according to one’s belief and consciousness. This is a
meditation for mass practice and for universal acceptance. Younger generation is
benefitted more in terms of intelligence, performance and better look and confidence
leaving the future course of achieving superconsciousness to year long practice which
comes automatically.

INTRODUCTION
The word meditation is probably derived from the Latin word "mederi" meaning to heal.
Meditation can certainly be a healing process emotionally, mentally as well as physically.

Ultimate aim of meditation is to attain superconsciouness (wisdom) and peace of mind. In order
to experience constant peace of mind one needs something more than the technique of
meditation, something beyond the day to day life, understanding oneself (self consciousness) and
discover real self - the "Inner being" which is the spiritual self; when in that inner company,
peace becomes lasting.

Purpose of the present article is to highlight an unique meditation technique with universal
appeal, the core of the meditation without fanfare, actual process without any string attached,
easy to perform but perfect in the approach achieving the material gain leaving divine touch to
one’s own belief.

WHY SARAL MEDITATION

There are many types of meditation aiming at the same destination but through different
pathways. Some paths are short, some are long, some are rough while some are little comfortable
to walk. There are checkposts at different points to be guided by people called Gurus, to show
the light but one has to walk by himself or herself and follow certain principles paying either in
kind or in mind or both. Saral meditation [1] does not require Guru for showing the light. Saral
meditation empowers individual with torch to find their own way, even if one does not reach the
destination, he or she does not lose the way, at least gains materially, develops confidence to
travel through, develops resistance to ill health, mind becomes more alert, performance improves
and tension is reduced. After attaining the material success in life one realises the final goal for
lasting peace which will come automatically according to belief, without outside guidance.
SOURCE OF SARAL MEDITATION

Source of all meditation is Veda, the source of eternal knowledge existed in the form of cosmic
music since the creation of the universe. It was picked up by ancient sages and chanted by their
descendants through ages and documented with the advent of literature many thousand years
ago, before the creation of any Nation not to speak of religion. Saral meditation is a Vedic
technique of elevating mind from gross level to finer aspect. It is based on scientific evidence
that human body is Veda.[2] When mind is elevated body takes it and any abnormal or disruptive
forces are eliminated maintaining perfect body and mind, free from tension and disease with
improved intelligence and performance.

METHOD

Saral Meditation : It is based on TM without mantra superimposed with consciousness to breath

even when not doing meditation, when mind is free but without interfering with work (work is
meditation) and other activities.

a. Place : As far as possible place should be quiet with natural light (day) preferably windows
closed and without light on (night); in case of travelling (bus/train/air) one can relax on the seat
with eyes closed.

b. Time : Preferably in the morning and evening (15-20 minutes each) which can vary depending
on feasibility but there should be a gap of at least 6 hours.

c. Technique : One should wear clean clothes, clothes used during sleeping overnight or visiting
toilet (not urinal) should not be used during meditation (unless while on travel), preferably
without shoes except on travelling or while at work.

Initially one should be conscious of breathing both in and out. This is not a breathing exercise;
but awareness of breathing. The effort is not to control the breath but instead remain conscious of
it as it naturally is. It does not matter if your mind wonders, do not try to control it, merely
witness it, do not put any effort just be aware of each breath. Gradually respiration will be
deeper, slow, shallow and calm, ultimately a stage will come, you are not aware of it as if
breathing has stopped but you are conscious within; that is the point of silence, abso lute
tranquility. It is like the waves in the ocean, both ups and down, finally a stage comes when the
water is at a standstill as if your body is floating on it without any movement, any deviation, just
lying on the surface of the water. That is the absolute silence reached, unaware of outside
existence but aware within, a point when reached body and mind are automatically guided by the
Law of nature, the absolute truth; anything that is right, natural and normal, will automatically
come to your mind. Like a supercomputer only right impulses will be allowed to pass through
and abnormal impulses will not be allowed to enter your body and mind. This will prevent the
body and mind from impulses injurious to health; body and mind will be free from disease, even
if some abnormal impulses pass through and disease occurs, recovery will be quicker and easier.
Your mind will be channelised to take right decision, your reaction time will be quicker, your
intelligence will be sharpened and your performance will improve. You will develop more
confidence, your outlook will be more pleasant and in the long run you will look younger than
your age. Gradually your mind will approach towards superconsciousness. But this stage will not
come overnight or by accident, it will take long years of practice of meditation. This wisdom will
automatically guide one self to devine power according to one’s own belief without outside
guidance to be with inner being for lasting peace.

MANTRA

In this meditation there is no mantra, no Guru only you will be trained on the technique which
will take 3 hours a day for consecutive 3 days. Your progress recorded will be checked after a
month or two. Saral meditation is for universal practice, irrespective of caste, creed, nationality
and religion.

Initially while observing breath, thousand thoughts may jump into the mind, memories, plans,
hopes and fears. One of these may catch our attention and after sometime we realise that we have
forgotten completely about breathing. Do not worry, as soon as you realise, witness your
breathing surrendering completely to the inner feeling. Turning from outside world to world
within to realise the inner being is the substitute of uttering mantra in Saral meditation. On
regular practice of saral meditation without effort that too only 15 minutes in the regular practice
of saral meditation without effort that too only 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the
evening and keeping mind conscious of it at other times, one will reach a stage to be
spontaneously guided by the Law of nature. Diverting the attention to breath at other times when
mind is free effect of meditation will spread through and will be more effective making the body
and mind free from abnormal impulses all through.

SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AND SARAL MEDITATION

Yogic practices were known for thousand of years but reports of its scientific benefit in different
disease conditions is quite recent.[3,4,12] Vipasana meditation is 2500 years old, however, its
effects as a stress remedy made it popular only in recent years.[3,4] Extensive studies have been
reported on TM - its effects on tension, reducing illness, improving intelligence and performance
and reversing aging process.[4,6,12] Reductions of blood pressure and heart rate have also been
reported with TM.[6] Still recently "OM" meditation has been shown to cause mental
alertness[13] and significant decrease in heart rate.[14]

Since saral meditation is a technique derived from TM without mantra but self awareness, we
had been working on Saral meditation to see whether Saral meditation produces similar effects as
TM : Our initial study consisted of cardiopulmonary function including heart rate, blood pressure
(BP), PEFR (pulmonary function) and reaction time. Although heart rate and BP has been
claimed to be reduced by TM and heart rate by "OM" meditation, no studies have been reported
on pulmonary function and reaction time. One results show that Saral meditation reduces BP and
heart rate as well as improves PEFR and reduces reaction time but results are not statistically
significant. It is possible that when next set of results are available and compounded with present
one (larger number of subjects) statistical significance may be achieved. However, we have
shown that practice of Saral meditation even for shorter period compared to TM significantly
improves intelligence and performance as well as reduces tension.15 Further studies on reduced
illness and reversal of aging process are in progress. But results on reduced aging process will
require several years of follow up to comment on.

From our observation it has been established that Saral meditation increases confidence, induces
freshness in appearance and pleasant behaviour among the girl students. However, statistical
analysis of result as per planned parameters is under evaluation. Saral meditation unlike TM
requires constant awareness irrespective of time, place and situation, when mind is free imbibing
continuous effect on body and mind which is possible responsible for quicker benefit (1 1/2 year)
compared to TM (11 months to years). Outcome of TM was due to regular practice in different
centres of Maharishi in USA while present work is first of its kind in Indian subjects.

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