Why To Meditate?

Sri Ramana Maharshi

How is meditation to be practised?

Meditation is, truly speaking, Atmanishtha (to be fixed as the Self). But when thoughts cross the mind and an effort is made to eliminate them the effort is usually termed meditation. Atmanishtha is your real nature. Remain as you are. That is the aim.

But thoughts come up. Is our effort meant to eliminate thoughts only?

Yes. Meditation being on a single thought, the other thoughts are kept away. Meditation is only negative in effect inasmuch as thoughts are kept away.

It is said atma samstham manah krtva (fixing the mind in the Self). But the Self is unthinkable.

Why do you wish to meditate at all? Because you wish to do so you are told Atma samstha manah krtva (fixing the mind in the Self); why do you not remain as you are without meditating? What is that manah (mind)? When all thoughts are eliminated it becomes atma samstha (fixed in the Self).

If a form is given I can meditate on it and other thoughts are eliminated. But the Self is formless.

Meditation on forms or concrete objects is said to be dhyana, whereas the enquiry into the Self is vichara (enquiry) or nididhyasana. 

Explaining adhyaropapavadabhyam (superimposition and its elimination), Sri Bhagavan pointed out that the first turns you inward to the Self; and then according to the second, you know that the world is not apart from the Self.