What you feel in meditation you must keep with you all the time. Too often, people meditate halfheartedly as a matter of habit; and as soon as they are finished with the mechanics of meditation they go back to their old state. You must plumb the depths of the peace and joy of meditation, and then hold on to the calm aftereffects. Then only will you change yourself.
The body reacts to the changes of the four transitional periods of the day: morning (the period around sunrise), noon, evening (around sunset), and night (between nine and midnight). It is very beneficial to meditate during these times.
Deep meditation and perfect control of feeling by holding on to the calm aftereffects- these lead to samadhi, the ecstasy of Self-realisation and oneness with God. But the ecstasy of sabikalpa samadhi, in which you enjoy bliss within but lose external awareness of the body and the world, is not enough. What you want is nirbikalpa samadhi, or conscious ecstasy. That is the highest state, in which you remain outwardly fully conscious and active as well as inwardly fully perceptive of your God-union. It took me a long time to achieve that supreme level of consciousness. Lahiri Mahasaya and Master used to be always in that state. In nirbikalpa samadhi you can perform all your duties and face all the tests of life without ever becoming disturbed.
Thus success in meditation is the only answer to the mystery of overcoming the human nature so that the soul can become established in its own state, free from ego-created disburbances of feeling, centred ever in Bliss.
Extract from the book “Divine Romance” by Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda.
