knowledge and devotion
Eastern spiritual philosophy distinguishes between "the path of knowledge" and "the path of devotion". The adherents of each of these claim that their approach is superior to the other. The "path of devotion" is heart centred, and based on worship. Emotion is harnessed and transmuted into selfless love for God. The devotee becomes "lost in love" for a divine being. This activates the heart chakra.
The "path of knowledge" is head-centred, and based on meditation. The adherent seeks divine wisdom and understanding through study and contemplation. The intellect is harnessed and transmuted into spiritual willpower. This activates the third eye, the chakra of spiritual power (light).
So which is the better approach? The answer is neither, or both! We are seeking a state of balance between all of the chakras. We need to activate both our heart chakras and our third eyes. All of our chakras have to come into full and equal operation. ....(more)
the discipline of daily meditation
reply by howiemac to "meditation and spiritual practice"
on 12 Jun 10 at 08:27
A few years ago, I stated, in meditation and spiritual practice that
Our spiritual stage is like a battery - we use up our spiritual energy in everyday life, and the battery must be recharged. This is done through yoga power, and this power increases when we follow the self discipline of daily meditation. ....(more)
nowadays, I feel less need for formal sit-down meditation sessions.... My subsequent experience was that, over time, my spiritual stage (~level~of~enlightenment) decreased. This decrease was very gradual and slow, but I recently realised that I had lost much of what I had originally gained from several years of formal daily meditation practice. This is the danger of slackness - without self discipline, we revert to the norms of the world around us.... The result, for me, was that my worldly life started falling apart, bringing me great stress and confusion. I have addressed this with notable success by resuming my formal practice of getting up early in the morning and meditating - usually for an hour or more.
Our spiritual stage is like a battery - we use up our spiritual energy in everyday life, and the battery must be recharged. This is done through yoga power, and this power increases when we follow the self discipline of daily meditation. ....(more)
beyond rationality
episode of "coping with transition" by howiemac
on 29 May 10 at 16:38
The search for the soul can send our whole life crashing into darkness.. The darkness is not a punishment from a vengeful God or a karmic retribution from a past life time. When the soul gathers enough light from meditation, right action and reflection, the old reality created by the ego simply falls apart. From darkness into light and into darkness many times on the journey of the soul. This is the experience of the crashing down of the world created by the ego, a structure that simply doesn't fit into the agenda of the soul.
The ego works to create safety, familiarity and comfort. It creates shields and barriers to prevent new experiences and expansion. Soul consciousness breaks apart these structures, and other linear understandings of the rational mind.
High magic is invoked, opening us to the realm of angels, miracles and love.The logical mind of the ego cannot comprehend this.
Our spiritual intuition understands what is happening, but to the ego it feels like fear and inse ....(more)
meditation
To meditate on something means lingering over it, devoting attention to it, for more time than usual. In spirituality, meditation means voluntary and relaxed contemplation. The intent is to increase spiritual presence, over a sustained period of time. The meditative state is a natural state which we encounter between sleep and wakefulness. In meditation, unlike in sleep, this state is induced voluntarily and consciously.
You start by focussing attention on being alert and aware, in the present moment. You aim to quieten the chattering of your mind, and to intensify the feeling of awareness or spiritual presence. The ultimate aim of meditation is enlightenment, or union with the divine.
A beginner may aim simply to calm the mind for a few minutes. You sit at peace, focus on your breathing and awareness of your body, and aim to replace the chatter of the mind with a positive mantra or visualisation. ....(more)
meditation - beyond thought
Our aim, when meditating, is to transcend thought. This is easier said than done, and itself needs some thought! Avi Sion's article "Observe the mechanisms of though" provides some useful insight, and here is my own adaptation of what he is saying (quotes are from the article):It is normal for thoughts to arise during meditation. Look upon your thoughts with a non-judgmental, benevolent attitude, to begin with; you do not want to get into conflicts with them. You want to get to understand thinking, before you can hope to master it.
To the beginner in the art of introspection, thought seems almost uncontrollable. But, with experience, we learn to analyse our thought processes in various ways.
By "thought" we mean any consciousness other than direct experiences of matter, mind or self. Thoughts include verbal sentences - whether inside the head or spoken aloud - and non verbal visualisations and imaginations. Many of ou ....(more)
be strong, and radiate
As we progress spiritually - towards union with the divine - we gain spiritual power. At the same time the temptations of the material world test us more extremely. Why is this? We are clearing our karmic balances. The stronger we are, the more we are able to face. We are being taught to stand on our own feet. We are experiencing the truth of the adage: "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger".
When we are in tune with our true selves (the soul), we radiate high frequency spiritual energy (light). Darkness flees from the light. So, all we have to do, to protect ourselves, is to remain focused spiritually, to remain in the moment, in tune with the soul and not the false self (ego). When we do this, all obstacles disappear, and the temptations of the material world are seen clearly as empty and hollow - we are not tempted.
We have spiritual guides and teachers who look out for us, and look after us. We have to seek their help - we have to invoke it - they will not push themselves ....(more)
When we are in tune with our true selves (the soul), we radiate high frequency spiritual energy (light). Darkness flees from the light. So, all we have to do, to protect ourselves, is to remain focused spiritually, to remain in the moment, in tune with the soul and not the false self (ego). When we do this, all obstacles disappear, and the temptations of the material world are seen clearly as empty and hollow - we are not tempted.
We have spiritual guides and teachers who look out for us, and look after us. We have to seek their help - we have to invoke it - they will not push themselves ....(more)
be happy
To be spiritual is to be truly and deeply happy.
When we are in a spiritual consciousness - connected with our true selves, and present in the moment - we are in bliss and our faces shine. The face of one who is content and happy - one who is not thinking too much - such a face is beautiful, like a blossoming flower - an inspiration to others. ....(more)
When we are in a spiritual consciousness - connected with our true selves, and present in the moment - we are in bliss and our faces shine. The face of one who is content and happy - one who is not thinking too much - such a face is beautiful, like a blossoming flower - an inspiration to others. ....(more)
Experiencing God
"Megh" at spiritual-experiences.com posted an account of experiencing God, and as her description resonates with my own experiences, I have adapted it here:
"One day I was reading a book on "solitude"… It was a fresh morning. I was alone in the house. Slowly...slowly...my mind became calm and relaxed, and I went into a heightened state of awareness where everything was seeming one... everything was connected to everything else. A sort of immense bliss was streaming throughout my entire being. I was feeling extreme love for everyone. My consciousness had become totally radiant and alive. It was great inner silence. Thoughts were there, but not so frantic as they used to be. Everything was seeming so beautiful... so clear... as if I had got a new vision, never experienced before. It was like a child looking at the world for the first time... the fog of ego lifted up and the truth was revealed. It was an experie ....(more)
"One day I was reading a book on "solitude"… It was a fresh morning. I was alone in the house. Slowly...slowly...my mind became calm and relaxed, and I went into a heightened state of awareness where everything was seeming one... everything was connected to everything else. A sort of immense bliss was streaming throughout my entire being. I was feeling extreme love for everyone. My consciousness had become totally radiant and alive. It was great inner silence. Thoughts were there, but not so frantic as they used to be. Everything was seeming so beautiful... so clear... as if I had got a new vision, never experienced before. It was like a child looking at the world for the first time... the fog of ego lifted up and the truth was revealed. It was an experie ....(more)
the glass is half empty/ full
reply by Al to "emptiness and fullness"
on 11 Jan 10 at 19:01
I must admit that whenever I hear this expression "emptiness" I get a slightly bewildered feeling. Was I wrong to experience fullness in my meditation? So we are all different in what we experience. Their emptiness may be the same experience as my fullness but we use different terms for it. On the other hand, it is all according to our capacity to experience and accommodate certain states of consciousness? If you want emptiness, do this kind of meditation, fullness another. Or is it completely down to the individual no matter what style of meditation?
emptiness and fullness
Some spiritual traditions, such as Buddhism, describe the essence of being as emptiness. It is true that when we enter our natural state of union with the divine, our minds become still, and we experience complete peace. This is often described as "going into silence", and this silence means much more than just the absence of sound and mental chatter: it is complete stillness, a one-ness with the divine and a one-ness with the universe. However, those of us who have experienced such "emptiness" or "silence" know that this peace and stillness brings with it a blissful feeling of absolute contentment: we are bathed in a golden light of love energy, and we radiate this golden energy from ourselves. We then know that, in our essence as spiritual beings, we are the embodiment of love and golden light. We feel anything but empty!
It is not unreasonable to describe the experience of stillness and peace as emptiness - it does feel like that, as all the clutter and confusion of materia ....(more)
conscious self transformation
In his essay The Transformational Imperative, Shunyamurti urges us to transform ourselves into the full manifestation of our higher selves:
"Existence has become unmanageable for the human species. At every level, from individual emotional stability to couple and family relationships to global politics, life is in deadlock. There is no solution to our problems—or even the possibility to will a solution—so long as human consciousness remains at its current level of incomplete development... Our addiction to the drives and pleasures of the ego—to its nasty attributes like narcissism, greed, hatred, prejudice, aggression, deception, venality, and denial—is destroying our collective existence.
If we are going to survive, we must evolve rapidly to higher levels of consciousness. This has been the deepest yearning of humanity since the dawn of recorded time, the rais ....(more)
"Existence has become unmanageable for the human species. At every level, from individual emotional stability to couple and family relationships to global politics, life is in deadlock. There is no solution to our problems—or even the possibility to will a solution—so long as human consciousness remains at its current level of incomplete development... Our addiction to the drives and pleasures of the ego—to its nasty attributes like narcissism, greed, hatred, prejudice, aggression, deception, venality, and denial—is destroying our collective existence.
If we are going to survive, we must evolve rapidly to higher levels of consciousness. This has been the deepest yearning of humanity since the dawn of recorded time, the rais ....(more)
samadhi
episode of "Raja Yoga" by howiemac
on 24 Oct 09 at 10:06
"Patanjali asserts that through samadhi one becomes omniscient. The real source of knowledge is in the soul; the brain cells do not create knowledge but serve as channels for its outer expression. When it is said that by destroying part of the brain the knowledge of a man can be interrupted, what is really meant is that the channels for manifesting knowledge are blocked. The purpose of study or observation is to open up the cells; the greater the number of cells functioning in the brain, the greater is the availability of a man’s knowledge. While certain gross cells may be opened by means of ordinary education, certain other cells, subtler in nature, may be made to function by means of Yogic disciplines. It is said that in Samadhi all the cells in the brain begin to function; thus a perfected Yogi claims omniscience.
Samadhi is a superconscious state of the mind, in which ego is completely transcended. After experiencing it a man becomes a saint or a prophet. It is a higher state o ....(more)
Samadhi is a superconscious state of the mind, in which ego is completely transcended. After experiencing it a man becomes a saint or a prophet. It is a higher state o ....(more)
one thought and one self
episode of "Raja Yoga" by howiemac
on 24 Oct 09 at 09:34
"Meditation is sticking to one thought. That single thought keeps away other thoughts. Distraction of mind is a sign of its weakness. By constant meditation it gains strength, that is to say, the weakness of fugitive thought gives place to the enduring background free from thought. This expanse devoid of thought is the Self. Mind in purity is the Self.
Concentrate on that one whom you like best. If a single thought prevails, all other thoughts are put off and finally eradicated. So long as diversity prevails there are bad thoughts. When the object of love prevails only good thoughts hold the field. Therefore hold on to one thought only.
Dhyana is the chief practice. Dhyana means fight. As soon as you begin meditation other thoughts will crowd together, gather force and try to sink the single thought to which you try to hold. The good thought must gradually gain strength by repeated practice. After it has grown strong the other thoughts will be put to flight. This is the battle royal ....(more)
Concentrate on that one whom you like best. If a single thought prevails, all other thoughts are put off and finally eradicated. So long as diversity prevails there are bad thoughts. When the object of love prevails only good thoughts hold the field. Therefore hold on to one thought only.
Dhyana is the chief practice. Dhyana means fight. As soon as you begin meditation other thoughts will crowd together, gather force and try to sink the single thought to which you try to hold. The good thought must gradually gain strength by repeated practice. After it has grown strong the other thoughts will be put to flight. This is the battle royal ....(more)
the unshakeable yogi
episode of "Raja Yoga" by howiemac
on 24 Oct 09 at 09:26
from The Mahabharata, Santi Parva, Section CCCXVII, Translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli:
>The person in Samadhi, the wise say, looks like the fixed and upward flame of a lamp that is full of oil and that burns in a breezeless spot. He is like a rock which is incapable of being moved in the slightest degree by ever a heavy downpour from the clouds. He is incapable of being moved by the din of conches and drums, or by songs or the sound of hundreds of musical instruments beat or blown together. This is the indication of one in Samadhi. As a man of cool courage and determination, while ascending a flight of steps with a vessel full of oil in his hands, does not spill even a drop of the liquid if frightened and threatened by persons armed with weapons even so the Yogi, when his mind has been concentrated and when he beholds the Supreme Soul in Samadhi, does not, in consequence of the entire stoppage of the functions of his senses at such a time, move in the slightest degree. ... Whil ....(more)
>The person in Samadhi, the wise say, looks like the fixed and upward flame of a lamp that is full of oil and that burns in a breezeless spot. He is like a rock which is incapable of being moved in the slightest degree by ever a heavy downpour from the clouds. He is incapable of being moved by the din of conches and drums, or by songs or the sound of hundreds of musical instruments beat or blown together. This is the indication of one in Samadhi. As a man of cool courage and determination, while ascending a flight of steps with a vessel full of oil in his hands, does not spill even a drop of the liquid if frightened and threatened by persons armed with weapons even so the Yogi, when his mind has been concentrated and when he beholds the Supreme Soul in Samadhi, does not, in consequence of the entire stoppage of the functions of his senses at such a time, move in the slightest degree. ... Whil ....(more)
self mastery
Ego is often treated as a sin, but ego just means the individual self. Without an ego we cannot exist as humans: we can only be beings. As spiritual beings, we are naturally united and in union with each other, and with all of creation. But we have incarnated in these bodies in order to experience individuality and separateness. To destroy or suppress the ego means to deny this human experience. The ego is often called the false self. The true self is the inner self, the spiritual being, or soul. The false self (ego) causes us problems when it dominates the true spiritual self, as it is inclined to do, being selfish and domineering in nature. The true self is humble in nature and will not fight the ego, nor seek to dominate it, and so the ego easily gains the upper hand. So we do have to deal with our egos, but instead of suppressing the ego, or seeking to destroy this false self, we should teach it to surrender to the true spiritual self. The ego must become the servant of the spiri ....(more)
spiritual evolution
We are on a spiritual journey. Our aim is to evolve from earthbound materialistic humans into self realized beings, at one with divinity (God). We work on ourselves to move from the darkness of the ego towards the light of divinity. We often speak of spiritual awareness in terms of "higher" and "lower": the higher our spiritual level, the greater is the amount of divinity ("God principle") manifest in us, and the lesser the influence of ego. We can see "higher" as heavenly and "lower" as earthly. Alternative terminology is "inner" and "outer": we "go within" to transcend the mundane "outer" world.
Whatever terminology we use, spiritual transformation requires that we follow with determination a personal spiritual path, which leads us through many experiences and initiations, as we gradually increase our spiritual awareness.
We can see ourselves as eternal divine souls, radiating golden spiritual light energy, surrounded by layer upon layer of lower energy forms, which are the res ....(more)
The Raja Yoga Experience
episode of "Raja Yoga" by howiemac
on 09 Sep 09 at 14:06
I like, and relate to, this description of the Raja Yoga experience from yogaworld.org:
" Life force is directed to move up and down the spine until it is balanced and the mind and emotions are serenely content. Then awareness is generally directed to move forward into a point in the center of the lower forehead. This meditation point, which is about half an inch above where the eyebrows meet, is called ajna, or the third eye.
When the energy is balanced throughout the brain and body and easily moving forward in the area of the third eye, your mind becomes very calm. While your mind is not passive, it is free of meaningless thoughts, worries, and the bric-a-brac of the subconscious mind. This state usually gives you a very pleasant sense of well being
As your consciousness continues to move in your third eye, pastel colors begin to appear in your forehead. Sumptuous, glorious pinks, yellows, whites, blues, indigos, greens, and purples take their t ....(more)
" Life force is directed to move up and down the spine until it is balanced and the mind and emotions are serenely content. Then awareness is generally directed to move forward into a point in the center of the lower forehead. This meditation point, which is about half an inch above where the eyebrows meet, is called ajna, or the third eye.
When the energy is balanced throughout the brain and body and easily moving forward in the area of the third eye, your mind becomes very calm. While your mind is not passive, it is free of meaningless thoughts, worries, and the bric-a-brac of the subconscious mind. This state usually gives you a very pleasant sense of well being
As your consciousness continues to move in your third eye, pastel colors begin to appear in your forehead. Sumptuous, glorious pinks, yellows, whites, blues, indigos, greens, and purples take their t ....(more)
the ultimate reality
Here is another section from Shunyamurti's talk, "an introduction to the ultimate reality":
"
We face the greatest challenge that our species has ever faced and we want to meet it with absolutely open hearts and open minds and to face the consequences of our own human misbehavior on the collective level and heal that, starting from within, and developing outward a new relationship to one another and to our sacred planet.
The basic skill that is required in doing this is the capacity to silence your mind. This is the first stage of meditation. Once we silence the mind, we find out “Who am I?” We learn to recognize the Self that lies deeper than the mind. What we learn when we begin to meditate is that “I” the Self, am not the physical body, because the physical body is only a vehicle that I am operating.
And I am not the mind. The mind is operating without my will. It’s producing thoughts I don’t even want to be there; it’s operating autonomously. I am not the mind but t ....(more)
"
We face the greatest challenge that our species has ever faced and we want to meet it with absolutely open hearts and open minds and to face the consequences of our own human misbehavior on the collective level and heal that, starting from within, and developing outward a new relationship to one another and to our sacred planet.
The basic skill that is required in doing this is the capacity to silence your mind. This is the first stage of meditation. Once we silence the mind, we find out “Who am I?” We learn to recognize the Self that lies deeper than the mind. What we learn when we begin to meditate is that “I” the Self, am not the physical body, because the physical body is only a vehicle that I am operating.
And I am not the mind. The mind is operating without my will. It’s producing thoughts I don’t even want to be there; it’s operating autonomously. I am not the mind but t ....(more)
union with our essence
Here is a section from Shunyamurti's talk, "an introduction to the ultimate reality":
"
Namaste... “Namaste” means “I greet you from the heart and recognize your real Self, which is the Holy Spirit.” Holy means pure. Pure means undefiled, uncorrupted, unconditioned. A state of innocence and a state of love. The unborn, uncreated Self; this is the core of everyone’s being.
It’s important to recognize that there is a deeper part of our Self than is most often recognized in our daily life.... usually we have to have a lot of defense mechanisms up... we forget who we really are, and we close our heart because the world would mistreat our heart.
When we are living from the Real Self, and resonating from the core of our Being, there is a state of peace and serenity; there is an absence of anxiety. And this enables the mind to become very clear, very open, and very wise. These are the immediate benefits of centering ourselves. ....(more)
"
Namaste... “Namaste” means “I greet you from the heart and recognize your real Self, which is the Holy Spirit.” Holy means pure. Pure means undefiled, uncorrupted, unconditioned. A state of innocence and a state of love. The unborn, uncreated Self; this is the core of everyone’s being.
It’s important to recognize that there is a deeper part of our Self than is most often recognized in our daily life.... usually we have to have a lot of defense mechanisms up... we forget who we really are, and we close our heart because the world would mistreat our heart.
When we are living from the Real Self, and resonating from the core of our Being, there is a state of peace and serenity; there is an absence of anxiety. And this enables the mind to become very clear, very open, and very wise. These are the immediate benefits of centering ourselves. ....(more)