Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 6: The Path of Meditation

Bhagavad Gita 6.14

praśāntātmā vigatabhīrbrahmacārivrate sthitaḥ | manaḥ saṃyamya maccitto yukta āsīta matparaḥ ||

with the self at peace, free from fear, firm in the vow of celibacy, the mind controlled and thinking of me, one should sit disciplined, intent on me.

Modern context

Fearlessness is named as a condition for meditation, and with good reason. When the mind grows quiet, buried worries tend to surface, and a frightened person gets up and runs to distraction. The vow of brahmacharya traditionally means celibacy, and more broadly it means not scattering one's energy on cravings. Finally the mind is given a focus: the divine. Quiet alone can be empty or anxious. Quiet with something to rest on becomes settled.