Every aspect of creation resides within the human body. The body being much more than what we see in the mirror, these aspects can be accessed through certain practices from ashtanga yoga and sanatan kriya. If you ask a yogic practitioner about the body, he will describe certain channels and energy centres and also specific forms and shapes associated with different parts of the body. If you happen to attend a vedic yagya, you might see these forms and shapes in the agni. Or if you are in the presence of an evolved guru as he chants certain mantras, you could get the experience. Take for example, the form of Ganapati.
We all identify Ganesha as a deity with an elephant head and a pot belly. Ganesha is the energy closest to physical creation. In the human body, it corresponds roughly to the base of the spine, which is the location of mooladhar chakra, responsible for our physical needs. Mooladhar is the highest chakra in animals, the exit point from the yoni of an animal and the lowest in humans, the entry point. The journey of human being begins at the mooladhar to culminate at sahasrara, which is the movement from human yoni to higher forms and lokas.
'Gan' means people and 'esh' means the Supreme, hence Ganesha means the Supreme Deity, the first energy to grant access to higher dimensions, also known as the pratham pujya. It is the first energy that a spiritual aspirant is given experience of as he embarks on the journey of spirit under guidance of a guru. Just like it is futile to talk of God to a hungry person, whose immediate concern is his next meal, it is of no use to talk of yogasiddhis to an average individual who is desirous of growth only in physical aspects – better job, better health, and better relationships. Only when their stomach is full and their hunger is appeased, will they think of taking the next step.
The elephant-head symbolises supreme intelligence. The human body with the big belly symbolises a reservoir of energy stored in the manipoorak chakra at the navel. Ganesha is the child of Mahadev, the Supreme purush, and Adi Shakti, the Mother of Creation. Riddhi or prosperity and siddhi or spiritual powers are married to Ganapati, indicating that Ganapati is energy that bestows spiritual as well as worldly boons, confirming the shastric philosophy that attainment of worldly pleasures is essential for attainment of higher realms leading to moksha or liberation.
In sanatan kriya, the first sadhana or practice given to a sadhaka is Ganapati sadhana and Ganapati jaap, which opens the doorway to lokas beyond the physical dimension. The jaap is received from your guru, who channelises the energy into mantra, paving the route for its siddhi.
Those seekers who have been seriously practising various mantra siddhis, have had physical manifestations of various gods. A sadhaka is given a specific count of jaap to be completed in the stipulated time as well as jaap maala (rosary) which is moved forward as one does the jaap daily. It is important to move the maala beads while chanting. Then, the shakti of the mantra gets accumulated in the maala and its meru. The various tantric mantras have their utility later in sadhana; use them for a specific purpose and it happens through the meru.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Monday, April 16, 2012
Transform Mistakes Into Blessings
Every single mistake is a blessing in disguise... there are actually untold blessings hidden within every mistake
A child makes many mistakes while learning how to ride a bike or write, and we don’t give it a second thought because we know that through their mistakes they will learn and eventually master what they’re trying to do. So why is it that adults are so hard on themselves? We all make mistakes, and if we didn’t make them we’d never learn anything, and we wouldn’t grow any smarter nor wiser. We have the freedom to make our own choices, and the freedom to make mistakes. Mistakes can hurt, but if we don’t learn from the mistake we’ve made, the pain we’ve suffered from it has been for nothing. By the law of attraction, we will make the same mistake over and over again, until the consequences hurt so much that we finally learn from it! It’s the very reason why mistakes hurt, so that we do learn from them and don’t make them repeatedly.
To learn from a mistake, we first have to own it, and this is where many people can become undone, because they often blame someone else for their mistake.
The problem with blaming other people for our mistake is that we will still suffer the pain and consequences of our mistake, but we didn’t learn from it, and so bingo! We’ll attract making the same mistake again.You are human, you will make mistakes, and it’s one of the most beautiful things about being human, but you must learn from your mistakes, otherwise your life will have a lot of unnecessary pain.
Mistakes attract more mistakes, and blessings attract more blessings – which would you prefer? Once you’ve chosen a mistake to magically transform into blessings, look for the things to be grateful for. Ask yourself: What did I learn from the mistake? What are the good things that came out of the mistake? Every blessing you find has magical power. Write out your list in a gratitude journal or type them on a computer. Abridged from ‘The Magic,’ Simon & Schuster
A child makes many mistakes while learning how to ride a bike or write, and we don’t give it a second thought because we know that through their mistakes they will learn and eventually master what they’re trying to do. So why is it that adults are so hard on themselves? We all make mistakes, and if we didn’t make them we’d never learn anything, and we wouldn’t grow any smarter nor wiser. We have the freedom to make our own choices, and the freedom to make mistakes. Mistakes can hurt, but if we don’t learn from the mistake we’ve made, the pain we’ve suffered from it has been for nothing. By the law of attraction, we will make the same mistake over and over again, until the consequences hurt so much that we finally learn from it! It’s the very reason why mistakes hurt, so that we do learn from them and don’t make them repeatedly.
To learn from a mistake, we first have to own it, and this is where many people can become undone, because they often blame someone else for their mistake.
The problem with blaming other people for our mistake is that we will still suffer the pain and consequences of our mistake, but we didn’t learn from it, and so bingo! We’ll attract making the same mistake again.You are human, you will make mistakes, and it’s one of the most beautiful things about being human, but you must learn from your mistakes, otherwise your life will have a lot of unnecessary pain.
Mistakes attract more mistakes, and blessings attract more blessings – which would you prefer? Once you’ve chosen a mistake to magically transform into blessings, look for the things to be grateful for. Ask yourself: What did I learn from the mistake? What are the good things that came out of the mistake? Every blessing you find has magical power. Write out your list in a gratitude journal or type them on a computer. Abridged from ‘The Magic,’ Simon & Schuster
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Meditation and enlightenment
Meditation and enlightenment are one and the same. Meditation is the experience of a particular state of consciousness which has qualities of enlightened awareness.
We are pointing to an inner position of your own mind that is free from compulsive identification with fear and desire, with time, thought, memory, and feeling.
Taking this position requires enormous spiritual courage. By doing this, you will discover why the Buddha looks so happy and peaceful. You will experience the joy of letting everything go — all thoughts, feelings, and sensations that arise.
When you look at a powerful statue of the Buddha, you can see, in his face and posture, his experience of the freedom from the momentum of karma and from all fears and desires that are associated with it.
To experience this inner freedom, you should sit down to meditate, you should be holding on to nothing. The whole point is to have no attachment whatsoever — no attachment to life, death, or to anything in this world.
It is not a matter of letting go of any thing in particular. If there is something specific that’s troubling you psychologically and emotionally, you can try to let go of it and you may feel more peaceful, but that’s not meditation — and it’s not freedom.
Many people think that if they could just let go of this or that, they would be free. But if you are going to be free in a context of enlightenment, you have to be willing to let go of everything...
Meditation only becomes real, powerful, authentic, and liberating when it is a practice of letting everything go. Otherwise it is reduced to little more than a psycho-spiritual relaxation technique. It may make you feel better, but it won’t set you free.
Feeling better and being free don’t necessarily mean the same thing. Feeling better is relative; being free is not. If you understand what it means to let go of everything, you know everything you need to know about meditation. Then your meditation is real. It’s the posture of freedom, the posture of enlightenment. Meditation, as a metaphor for enlightenment, is the practice of the unconditional willingness to be free from, to transcend, and to let go of anything that is in your way.
Notes:
Reference: http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-articles/new-age/a-metaphor-for-enlightenment
We are pointing to an inner position of your own mind that is free from compulsive identification with fear and desire, with time, thought, memory, and feeling.
Taking this position requires enormous spiritual courage. By doing this, you will discover why the Buddha looks so happy and peaceful. You will experience the joy of letting everything go — all thoughts, feelings, and sensations that arise.
When you look at a powerful statue of the Buddha, you can see, in his face and posture, his experience of the freedom from the momentum of karma and from all fears and desires that are associated with it.
To experience this inner freedom, you should sit down to meditate, you should be holding on to nothing. The whole point is to have no attachment whatsoever — no attachment to life, death, or to anything in this world.
It is not a matter of letting go of any thing in particular. If there is something specific that’s troubling you psychologically and emotionally, you can try to let go of it and you may feel more peaceful, but that’s not meditation — and it’s not freedom.
Many people think that if they could just let go of this or that, they would be free. But if you are going to be free in a context of enlightenment, you have to be willing to let go of everything...
Meditation only becomes real, powerful, authentic, and liberating when it is a practice of letting everything go. Otherwise it is reduced to little more than a psycho-spiritual relaxation technique. It may make you feel better, but it won’t set you free.
Feeling better and being free don’t necessarily mean the same thing. Feeling better is relative; being free is not. If you understand what it means to let go of everything, you know everything you need to know about meditation. Then your meditation is real. It’s the posture of freedom, the posture of enlightenment. Meditation, as a metaphor for enlightenment, is the practice of the unconditional willingness to be free from, to transcend, and to let go of anything that is in your way.
Notes:
We have heard, meditate to get enlightened. This is something new but I like it. Yes, meditation can be a mini enlightenment, just as sleep is a mini death. Upgrade the soul, Journey, Destination .... this is the mind working, and this is what meditation tackles.
True seekers should decide for themselves; had they had enough of the world if not then they should try to have enough of the world, which too is a meditation of a kind. There are however a couple of prerequisites one leading to another. For Example, Lord Buddha possessed as per ordnance. First He took birth in a Royal family possessing Wealth, women etc which led to the second i.e dispassion. Till dispassion arises true meditation cannot take place. God is In Extremes, at which soever point in the life of a human body dispassion arises from that point not much effort has to be made to let go of the worldly things; the age being immaterial where so ever one has had enough of any thing or all the things there is no desire left for those things then an effort i.e. meditation is useful till then it is use less as you yourself have pointed out.
We are made to believe that Budha had enlightenment and as if thereafter light company went defunct. It's not so; the source of light in our brain: Pineal gland is with all of us. The difference may be Budha knew as to what to do with enlightenment on the insistence of angels and we are not confident enough to throw light on our problems to solve those and look towards others to do so.
We may have different names for enlightenment e.g. awakening. How can there be any awakening if we are not able to get out of darkness by our own light.As soon as I name awakening, light bulb gets on and we even look towards Kundalini which acts as source of energy for that light.You will ask me if it was that simple, why we have this category of 'enlightened souls' here? The answer is also simple: because they followed their intuitions and climbed the tree. Not only this but also, they are here to bless us from tree top and encourage us that we can also do so.
We are made to believe that Budha had enlightenment and as if thereafter light company went defunct. It's not so; the source of light in our brain: Pineal gland is with all of us. The difference may be Budha knew as to what to do with enlightenment on the insistence of angels and we are not confident enough to throw light on our problems to solve those and look towards others to do so.
We may have different names for enlightenment e.g. awakening. How can there be any awakening if we are not able to get out of darkness by our own light.As soon as I name awakening, light bulb gets on and we even look towards Kundalini which acts as source of energy for that light.You will ask me if it was that simple, why we have this category of 'enlightened souls' here? The answer is also simple: because they followed their intuitions and climbed the tree. Not only this but also, they are here to bless us from tree top and encourage us that we can also do so.
Enlightenment is a happening and it can not be forced.People can meditate for hours, days and years without becoming enlightened. Conversely, enlightenment may come suddenly to some who have never meditated. Meditation is a method and should not be confused with the goal. More than meditation, meditativeness, that state is important, one can carry that meditativeness even in middle of a war or as one negotiates some business deal. Meditation (or any other sadhana) performed just a routine exercise without awareness will not result in enlightenment (not now, not ever).
The seed, then sprouts and then begins to grow into shrub. The gardener then gives a support and he creates a boundary to protect the plant from gale, rain, etc. He insulates the plant from bigger external influences. He does everything that he should and watches and waits for its growth, flowering and fruition. One day this stage is achieved. He simply laughs and thanks the existence. This is how an enlightened person showers his gratitude to his master and the whole existence. This is how on the last day of enlightenment Buddha bowed in gratitude to the whole existence.
You can take another example of a raw gold. A raw gold passes through a fire test and an acid test and in the process transforms into a 24-carat gold. The purest form of gold (24-carat gold) is hidden within the raw gold itself. The only condition is that it has to undergo or pass through the acid test or fire test. Through the fire test and acid test all the impurities of the raw gold are burnt and the resultant is a purest form of gold and that is a 24-carat gold. The whole process is like meditation. The by-product is its ultimate purity. The raw gold is a potentiality and its transformation into a 24-carat gold is its actuality. The same is the case with the transformation of a human being. The human being also passes through the fire test or acid test called meditation. In the process of meditation all the lower energies are dissolved and the result is a pure and spotless consciousness. This state is called the state of enlightenment or Buddha-hood. Gautama Siddhartha undergoes this process of meditation for more than 40 years and one day awakens. And in this process Siddhartha becomes Buddha. Buddha simply means an awakened one. This is our ultimate potentiality and destiny. So meditation is a beginning and Buddha-hood or enlightenment is the end-result. And the by-product of this enlightenment is immense joy, love, compassion and celebration.
Will power is important because without will power, journey does not begin and it needs to be left behind after it has served its purpose. Because WILL POWER power is related to the EGO, the 'I'. The ego is the stumbling block to enlighment. As every one knows the Ego (i.e. will power) becomes the last hindrance to enlightenment. For Example: It is like putting all efforts to earn all those degress right upto PhD and then just burning them up, not attached to degrees too. who is to be attached, then one becomes a master one who can teach, one who is enlightened !
There is a natural meditation technique called 'Surya Meditation' taught by Maharshi Maheshananda that allows the physiology to effortlessly transcend. You can go to the website MountSoma.org and click on meditation and watch a free instruction video. It is a sacred knowledge that Maharshi wants available to all.
I f you are taking a stand in meditation, as you said a profound existential stand to life and death, it may not take you to enlightenment.You are still in the realm of DUALITY.
Samyam is the main attainment, you become one with existence at will .this is much higher state than meditation; this will lead you to enlightenment. But even enlightenment is not the ultimate. When you know that you are enlightened, you still exist. You are in the asmita state.
Nirvaana or bodhi is attained when you have gone beyond existence and consciousness alone is all pervading truth. The peace in the statue is ideas of a follower.There are so many saints who have attained to Buddhahood (bodhi). They are the real enlightened masters but they don't speak. Their presence itself is sufficient to transform the seeker and the atmosphere.they live because we need them for our sake.
Reference: http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-articles/new-age/a-metaphor-for-enlightenment
Sunday, March 25, 2012
What’s the scientific definition of God?
God: Generator, Operator and Destroyer. Quantum field can be called God. It’s something that changes one thing into many. Love is God and God is love.
How to break free of the cycle of birth and death?
Life is all fun, the world is bliss. Look at life as lila; it’s not struggle, it’s play. When I play football, it’s fun. See life as a game.
If God is not biased, then why are some born poor and others, rich?
It’s difficult to understand God’s mind. Why do people die? Why are there two nostrils in one nose? You can advice God on the next set of creation. When you read Vedanta, many secrets will open up to you. Movies such as Matrix and Inception are inspired by philosophy of Yoga Vashishta. Prince Rama was a young person like you and he was depressed; Vashishta gave him advice and knowledge. Yoga Vashishta is a thrilling book to read.
I’m bad. Is it wrong?
There is nothing right or wrong about it. It’s a tendency so accept it. Why do you want to blame yourself? These tendencies come and go. You shouldn’t label or blame yourself.
Don’t feel bad about it. Guilt and blame can twist your personality.
How to reduce ego?
Don’t destroy your ego, blow it up, and expand it; from ‘I’ make it ‘We’.
How do we curb desire to do bad things?
Pranayama, meditation and yoga can change your tendencies. These practices take you to a higher plane.
How can I get rid of negative thoughts?
Don’t be afraid of negative thoughts, embrace them. Gradually, they will go away.
Reference: http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-articles/new-age/forget-exboyfriend
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
What Is Meditation?
What Is Meditation?
Anandmurti Gurumaa
Meditation is not contemplation. Meditation is not concentration. Meditation is not about doing something; rather it is about doing nothing. Meditation being in the state of awareness and unconditional witnessing. Now awareness is a tricky matter. People think they know what awareness is, but it is a misconception.
Meditation is experiencing and enjoying the inner void – though one may say that this enjoying is a mind-oriented experience. Both joy and sorrow are experienced by the mind – and anything that is experienced by the mind is not meditation. Meditation is witnessing the various conditions of the mind and releasing oneself from the clutches of the mind through awareness.
Sharpen your observation
To meditate we need to understand two factors: be an unconditional witness and observe the intricate functioning of the mind. Once we observe how a thought is formulated, what are the conditions in which mind is prone to generate thoughts, only then can we take a leap beyond the cobweb of thoughts and experience the ever-flowing inner bliss. To understand meditation, we need to cultivate our alertness and have a sharp inner vision – as the Buddha said, “Sharpen your observation like a bowman sharpens his arrow”.
Understand your mind
Mind functions on different levels; thoughts are propelled by the mind due to certain conditions. We expect certain responses from people, situations and when they are anticipated, the mind gets agitated. Such agitations of the mind result in great turmoils and commotions that generate several and varied thoughts. We pay great attention to material matters like the clothes we wear, the fashion we follow, the place to hang out, membership of a particular club, and so on. But what we don’t pay heed to is an important thing: how does our mind function? How just a thought can bring pain, anguish, jealousy, mistrust, doubt, joy? We are least bothered about our cluttered mind but we ensure that our house is clean. It is futile to clean the outside when your inside is blemished with numerous negativities. So, there is a need to connect to your inner self, which is possible only through meditation.
Don’t react – act
One who is obsessed with worldly pursuits, one who is body-oriented, cannot really go into this. We need to develop a distance from our mind and not give into its impulsiveness. So, in a way, we can say that living mindfully is being in meditation.
Many a time seekers try to meditate on their own or take guidance from holy books or refer to the meditation techniques taught by great masters in their times, but are absolutely oblivious of the intricacies involved. But because of lack of guidance when a leap beyond mind seems light years away, they just despair. In reality, there is no need to despair but to learn meditation from a living enlightened master.
Luminous presence of an enlightened master creates a highly charged field of consciousness paving the way for seekers to travel far more easily and faster. Retreat with the master revitalises and nourishes the soul, heals the wounds of mind, afflicted for ages… dissolving into the ocean of pure bliss!
Anandmurti Gurumaa
Meditation is not contemplation. Meditation is not concentration. Meditation is not about doing something; rather it is about doing nothing. Meditation being in the state of awareness and unconditional witnessing. Now awareness is a tricky matter. People think they know what awareness is, but it is a misconception.
Meditation is experiencing and enjoying the inner void – though one may say that this enjoying is a mind-oriented experience. Both joy and sorrow are experienced by the mind – and anything that is experienced by the mind is not meditation. Meditation is witnessing the various conditions of the mind and releasing oneself from the clutches of the mind through awareness.
Sharpen your observation
To meditate we need to understand two factors: be an unconditional witness and observe the intricate functioning of the mind. Once we observe how a thought is formulated, what are the conditions in which mind is prone to generate thoughts, only then can we take a leap beyond the cobweb of thoughts and experience the ever-flowing inner bliss. To understand meditation, we need to cultivate our alertness and have a sharp inner vision – as the Buddha said, “Sharpen your observation like a bowman sharpens his arrow”.
Understand your mind
Mind functions on different levels; thoughts are propelled by the mind due to certain conditions. We expect certain responses from people, situations and when they are anticipated, the mind gets agitated. Such agitations of the mind result in great turmoils and commotions that generate several and varied thoughts. We pay great attention to material matters like the clothes we wear, the fashion we follow, the place to hang out, membership of a particular club, and so on. But what we don’t pay heed to is an important thing: how does our mind function? How just a thought can bring pain, anguish, jealousy, mistrust, doubt, joy? We are least bothered about our cluttered mind but we ensure that our house is clean. It is futile to clean the outside when your inside is blemished with numerous negativities. So, there is a need to connect to your inner self, which is possible only through meditation.
Don’t react – act
One who is obsessed with worldly pursuits, one who is body-oriented, cannot really go into this. We need to develop a distance from our mind and not give into its impulsiveness. So, in a way, we can say that living mindfully is being in meditation.
Many a time seekers try to meditate on their own or take guidance from holy books or refer to the meditation techniques taught by great masters in their times, but are absolutely oblivious of the intricacies involved. But because of lack of guidance when a leap beyond mind seems light years away, they just despair. In reality, there is no need to despair but to learn meditation from a living enlightened master.
Luminous presence of an enlightened master creates a highly charged field of consciousness paving the way for seekers to travel far more easily and faster. Retreat with the master revitalises and nourishes the soul, heals the wounds of mind, afflicted for ages… dissolving into the ocean of pure bliss!
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