Yoga and Meditation: A Personal Journey Inwards
BY ADMIN PUBLISHED May 5, 2025, UPDATED May 5, 2025
Childhood Encounters with the Spiritual
As a child, I was attracted to the mysteries of life, especially the things that were otherworldly. My neighbourhood in Allahabad had three temples nearby, and the bells chimed almost hourly. My father took me and my sister every Sunday to the vast expanse of the river Ganga. Perhaps I wanted to explore the same vastness inside me that I saw around me.
Eventually, my father introduced me to Mr. Ramesh Chandra Malaviya—an expert in yoga and meditation. Thus began my inward journey.
Discovery Through Science and Tradition
Meditation, then a vague term, later revealed itself as a practice that improves mental clarity, enhances daily performance, and brings peace. A Doordarshan serial called Cosmos by Carl Sagan showed Kirlian photography capturing energy fields—clearly more radiant around those who practiced meditation.
Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga, the eightfold path, became my roadmap:
Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi.
Swami Vivekananda's powerful mantra echoes in my heart:
“Take up one idea...this is the way great spiritual giants are produced.”
Modern Voices, Eternal Wisdom
Roopa Pai’s child-friendly interpretation—Yoga is the stilling of the churning, changing mind—became a family motto. My son Krishna, quoting it, tells me:
“Papa, this is your vritti. Accept it, observe it, and let go.”
In Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda describes Kriya Yoga as a science that recharges blood with oxygen. The Bhagavad Gita also gives timeless advice. In Chapter 2, Verse 58, Krishna says:
"One who is able to withdraw the senses...is established in divine wisdom."
The Power of Heartfulness
My deeper evolution began with Sahaj Marg, also known as Heartfulness. This system channels pranahuti—a yogic transmission felt during meditation. With just an hour each morning and a cleaning process each evening, it brings immediate calm and removes inner burdens. Students can benefit it the most as they do relaxation in early years and begin to meditate when they are fifteen.
Meditation is Life Itself
J. Krishnamurti once said:
“Meditation is one of the greatest arts in life… it has no technique and no authority.”
Whether on a bus or in the woods, it is simply awareness—pure and nonjudgmental.
Final Thought
As James Allen wrote in As a Man Thinketh:
“Just as a gardener cultivates his plot… so may a man tend the garden of his mind.”
Let us cultivate goodness, awareness, and peace—both within and around us.
This article has been contributed by Mr. Prashant Chaturvedi
M.A. (Modern History), B.Ed
Faculty, History – SelaQui International School
With a distinguished teaching career spanning institutions like The Scindia School, Gwalior, and Welham Boys’ School, Dehradun, Mr. Chaturvedi brings a rich blend of academic excellence and spiritual depth to his role at SelaQui. His personal journey through yoga and meditation continues to inspire students to explore mindfulness, balance, and inner growth.
At SelaQui International School, we believe in nurturing the body, mind, and spirit. Reflections like these align with our commitment to holistic education and the well-being of every SeQuin.
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