Question: “I am doing meditation for quite sometime now. Every day i meditate for 10-15mins. But still i have not felt any progress or the inner peace and tranquil that comes from meditation. On the contrary i feel i feel more lonely and have become disinterested in all the social and worldly activities. I like now to spend time in meditation and reading scriptures or books by great masters.. Pls could you explain how to progress in meditation.”
You’re not going to gain anything from meditation. But you will lose the things that make you want to meditation (depression, anger, hatred, ignorance, etc.). From meditation we develop concentration, wisdom, compassion, and learn to center ourselves so we can ultimately free ourselves completely the worldly poisons of ignorance, anger, and greed.
So don’t meditate thinking you’re going to be peaceful and blissful only during meditation, then having to go back to the “real world” that’s full of suffering. Meditation’s ultimate goal is to allow you to be at peace and bliss in the real world of suffering. It is only then that you can be at a heightened level of peace during meditation. From then we work on an even higher level of concentration to develop wisdom to free ourselves from Samsara.
You will need to meditate for a little longer than 10-15 minutes. Especially if you’ve been at it for some time. 10-15 minutes is good for beginning meditators for the first 3-6 months, but as you develop your meditation, your time needs to increase. Add an extra five minutes to your usual time, and then add five minute increments as you feel you comfortable.
The Nine Levels of Meditation is an excellent guide to help you progress in meditation. Though it might take a whole lifetime or many lifetimes to achieve a greater level, it is still a guide worth referring to. My book, Making Friends With Our Mind, goes into a little more detail about the nine levels.
Meditate with the intention of gaining nothing, but developing your compassion, acceptance, generosity, and concentration. This is what will create your peace and bliss, and make both your life and meditation sessions peaceful and happy.
Smile and be well!