"There once was a luminous sage named Vasishta. He was a proponent of a system of fundamental knowledge that has served humanity for over 5,000 years. His concise teachings have guided people all over the world to direct their lives expertly toward lasting fulfillment.

This great sage lived in a cave deep in a sheer mountain cliff of the Indian Himalayas -- now a highly revered site protected by a tiny ashram. A Swami (monk) and his assistant carefully guard the sacred cave of Vasishta, allowing only those with special permission to visit for brief moments. I was granted the wonderful privilege to live at the cave for an extended period during which I maintained a vow of silence and dedicated myself to meditation.

Each morning before sunrise, I sat in meditation at the bank of the river Ganges. When the sun became too intense, I moved to a small cave shaded by a banyan tree. A frugal meal of lentils, rice and chapatis was provided to me twice a day. This was also my only regular contact with human beings -- the Swami or his assistant, and occasionally dignitaries on pilgrimage to the cave, who plied me with questions. The Swami swiftly hushed visitors with, "That one is in mauna (silence)." I dwelled in the continuity of undistorted consciousness that is meditation.

The Cave Meditation came to me in one pure flow. If I may offer you some advice: do not merely listen to the words but trust in your ability to implement the suggestions right there and then. They, like all else, are expressions of the limitless power of Being that we all are. No matter what your degree of development, this meditation is a means to your transcendent consciousness. May you be blessed with the bliss of Self-realization in this lifetime."