What is the place of meditation in spiritual life?

[Mr. Martin asked: Sri Datta Swami, Praṇāms. Every time I sit for meditation or bhajans almost immediately the area between my eyebrows slightly above on forehead there is a high intensity radiating energy feeling. When in group bhajans I would not lead a bhajan as the intensity is too much. The feeling is not out of control just very intense. This has been going on for twenty-five years. I don’t concentrate on the intensity, but just am aware of it. What place does meditation have in a devotee’s spiritual life? Should I continue meditation? Thank you, Praṇāms, Martin]

Swami replied: Meditation means concentration on the personality of God alone, neglecting the concentration on other personalities, other subjects and other things. Such meditation should come naturally, without any force. Sometimes, forced meditation is also done by people to fulfil certain aspirations. Meditation is nothing but interest (śraddhā), which should be without any aspiration in return. Such interest alone is natural and real. Demons also meditate upon God, which is called tapas or penance and such meditation is useless because they do the meditation by the force of their aspiration for some boons. If the meditation is free of any aspiration and if it is based on the natural, spontaneous and real attraction to the personality of God such meditation is fruitful. Such real attraction is like the attraction of the fan towards his hero, as I explained in the answer given to Shri Durgaprasad (click here to read). The word meditation has a very broad sense and it means any activity of service and the sacrifice done for God’s work. It should not be confined only to sitting with one’s eyes closed and thinking about God. Meditation is the divine interest that pervades every service done for God. The lack of aspiration for any fruit in return makes the meditation sit in the position of the climax of devotion. The energy experienced by you between the eyebrows is a good divine indication of God’s grace on you.

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