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There is no man in the world who is not divine by nature. The divinity in man differs
only in degree, but not in kind. Even the so-called atheist has got a ray of divinity in him. No
man is devoid of the three Gunas¾Sattva, Rajas and Tamas¾in varying proportions. Whether
one is a skeptic or an atheist or a nihilist or some other, that portion of Sattva that abides in man
helps him do some virtuous actions, which result in further actions of like nature, either in this
birth or in some future births. While he does actions of Rajas and Tamas, he also does Sattvic
actions according to the degree of purity and Sattva in him. No man in the world¾be he a
robber, a thief, a pirate or some other¾commits vicious actions alone. Every man commits both
virtuous actions and vicious actions in life. That is, he is prone to do mixed actions so long as he
is under the grip of Prakriti. When virtuous actions are done, his mind naturally turns towards
the divine, however slightly it be. A sense of inner joy he experiences, though he may not be
able to express why. Meditation is essentially the quality of Sattva. When life is made
ennobling, sure is the man to think of God.
In this connection, the point worthy of remembrance is that Sattvic actions themselves are
to be considered as worship or meditation. Meditation need not necessarily mean sitting in a
lonely corner or sequestered spot and thinking over Rama or Krishna or Jesus or Mohammed or
pouring forth verbal or mental prayers. Actions that tend to purify the grossness of the individual
are to be collectively treated as meditation. Life is thus meditation coupled with Ajnana to an
immeasurable degree in the case of an ordinary individual. If meditation is deliberately taken up
on the instructions of a Guru who ought necessarily to be a more evolved soul, man cannot but
perform good and selfless actions with Akartritva (non-doership) and Abhoktritva (nonenjoyership)
Bhavas to make and feel his life more and more cheerful, more and more
enlightening, more and more attractive. In the latter course which is but a deliberate step, man
evolves more quickly with the speed of lightning, while in the former course man moves forward
with the pace of a snail.
Thus, life and meditation are intertwined.

From "May I answer that" by Swami Sivananda (1987-1963). More Informations on Swami Sivananda: on the Website of Divine Life Society, Photographs of Swami Sivananda, German Pages on Swami Sivananda