Those who meditate should remain so alert while meditating that the attention is kept on the space and not on any movement or vibration, either of thought or word, idea or imagination

In order to understand this clearly, notice that when you repeat the mantr or word, your attention should be on the space between the words spoken or felt inside. No doubt you will find it hard because of your habit of always paying attention to some visible or audible form while interacting with the objects of this world. It is certainly possible that you can develop the habit by practicing and constantly putting the attention on the space between any thoughts or words which you repeat, hear, or perceive.

For example, when you are perfectly still or in kumbhak state on all levels, you can hear the heartbeat or some pulsation in the space of your physical being. Put the attention on the space between the two pulsating sounds. If the first beat is ‘one’ and the second beat is ‘two’, your attention should be in between the two beats. I assure you that the result will be the expansion of your consciousness, even to the extent that you will hardly be able to hear the beat as you did previously. Soon after, you will hear the pulsation on some deeper or higher level of your finer consciousness. Now again use the same technique or formula of being constantly aware and of paying attention to the space between two successive beats.

After hearing or reading this, stop for a while and close your eyes and perceive that which is going on within, either in the form of images visualized by the inner eye, or in the form of any sounds or pulsations. Pay attention between repetitions of any one form and see the miracle. Your consciousness will be focused on the formless and the result will be formlessness. So will be the case when you open your eyes and watch the forms as they appear. You will develop a habit of paying attention to the space. Your pattern of mental consciousness will be bodylessness and formlessness. This will unfold that quality which perceives the highest – the essence of all the forms, thoughts and images. Soon, after enough practice, the consciousness will become so pure and formless that it will be able to grasp the underlying awareness, the essence of the Self, the God in essence, the ultimate truth from where all the forms of God incarnate.

This should be treated as a most fundamental truth – a revealed guidance from the highest and purest, to be put into practice and used daily. In this way, the bound consciousness of not only one person but of the whole human race will be liberated.

With blessings this information ends.

- Swami Shyam
12 May 1981