16 July 2015 - QA 1

Dear Gurudev, I know that it is a recommended not to think during meditation, but all my best ideas come to me exactly when I sit for meditation in the morning. I don’t want to miss them and so I let my mind work during meditation. Am I doing something wrong.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

It is quite natural that when you are more relaxed great ideas come to you. Write them down but don’t stop mediation, continue.

For some of you morning meditation is deeper, and for some others afternoon is better. For some body types, the body is awake and full of activity in the morning and so in the morning you may not be able to meditate. Never mind, you can do it in the afternoon before lunch. Meditate when the body is a little tired, and a little hungry. You should not be too tired, then you will go to sleep.

Initially, getting a little tired helps because the rajas in the body has completed its time. Tamas is total sleep, so before tamas comes in and once rajas is finished, in between the two states you can experience sattva, and that is when you can go deep in your meditation.
So, for some meditating in the afternoon may be better, and for some meditating in the evening may be better.

If you cannot meditate twice a day, then you must meditate at least once a day. If you don’t meditate even once then you will be stinking, just like how you would stink when you don’t brush your teeth.
Brushing the teeth is dental hygiene, meditation is mental hygiene. You must meditate, never mind even if you are bombarded with thoughts, just sit for twenty minutes and relax. Listen to the meditation CDs, it will help you. Meditate even when the mind is chattering. Play some bhajans, do some chanting, all this will also take you into deep mediation.