DISCOURSES Volume II - Avatar Meher Baba Trust

THE TYPES OF MEDITATION: III 131function.The different forms of specialised meditation arecomparable to different forms of bodily exercise, which may havesome specific purpose. Exercise of the muscles is meant only toSpecialised meditationlike specificexercisestrengthen the muscles, but this does notmean that the muscles are the only importantpart of the body. All types of exercise areimportant for securing the general health ofthe body, although it may not be possible to take all of them at thesame time.The functions of the different specialised forms of exercisehave, however, to be correlated and governed in the light of ourknowledge of true health or proportionate development of theGeneral meditationand specializedmeditation notinterchangeablebody. In the same way, the functions of thespecialized forms of meditation have to becorrelated with and governed by the wholeand complete ideal of life. This the aspirantconstructs through the process of generalmeditation or unrestrained thought, which knows no law exceptthat of finding the Truth in all its aspects. Just as specialisedforms of meditation cannot be replaced by general meditation,so general meditation also cannot be replaced by specialisedforms of meditation. Both are necessary and have their ownvalue.For enumerative purposes, the different specialised formsof meditation can be conveniently classified on the basis of thoseitems of experience which the mind tries to understand. HumanDifferent specializedmeditationsexperience, in all its variety, is throughoutcharacterised by the dual aspect of subjectand object. Some forms of meditation areconcerned with the objects of experience; some are