Concentration of Mind and Spirit — Attention — Quality of Focus During Spiritual Practice, by Hazur Maharaj Rai Saligram — Light and Sound on the Path

“How can, then, the spiritual practices, prescribed by Sants, which are extremely delicate and subtle, be felt enjoyable without the concentration of mind and spirit? Just as the food comes in contact with the tongue at the time of eating, yet its taste cannot be enjoyed if the attention is elsewhere, so if the mind and spirit of the practitioner did reach up to the Form or partially come in contact with the current of Shabd, no joy and bliss can be experienced in Dhyan and Bhajan, if the attention is directed elsewhere, i. e., engaged in worldly thoughts. It is, therefore, very important that the attention is kept under control at the time of devotional practices. In other words, joy would be experienced only, if the attention is focused on Form and Shabd, otherwise one would achieve nothing at the end of his devotional practice and would feel unhappy.”

“If, at the time of Abhyas [meditation practice], a Parmarthi [spiritual devotee] turns his attention upwards internally and tries to fix it on the Form or Shabd or any particular region, as prescribed by Sants, the currents of mind, spirit and sight would, unfailingly, flow upwards and as long as no other thought causes a disturbance, i.e., no contrary current is set in motion, the direction of that current would remain upwards and some joy and bliss would surely be experienced, in consequence of this abstraction and withdrawal of the spirit current, because the higher region is one of greater joy and bliss, than the plane on which the Spirit is normally located in the wakeful condition.”