Am I having a spiritual awakening, am I just sick?

[QUOTE=trademarked;57807]Well, I am now completely confused about how to proceed.[/QUOTE]
I would be confused as well.

When I first started yoga, I felt AMAZING. Then I started listening to others and I got confused. And angry. There is a tremendous amount of BS out there (which I’m guilty of spewing as well) that can confuse the ever loving heck out of someone.

I’m now at the point where I understand that there are a million ways of doing things, a million different definitions, a million different teachings, and a million different opinions on even the smallest aspect of yoga. As such, I’ve thrown pretty much all of them away and am feelings things out on my own. I’m trying to do what is right for me, listen to my own inner voice, and approach everything from a curious, scientific perspective.

That doesn’t mean you can’t follow yogic teachings and read texts such as the yoga sutras. But for example, rather than listen to what others tell me the sutras mean, I interpret them myself and apply them to MY experience. Considering my experience is unique to others, it makes sense to me that my path will be somewhat different as well. I’m not following anyone else’s philosophy, I’m following my own.

@David. This is a good view. Someone says something that resonates with the world, then a million people interpret that a million ways, based on how they perceive the world. My own path and truths are all that matters, but I can certainly identify with your view. As for hot yoga - I am obscured and prejudiced by the source.

As for the OP; I can’t judge if you experienced spiritual awakening or not. But I am always skeptical whenever someone experiences a spiritual event when drugged or pschologically compromised. I do not speak from ignorance. I was a teenager during the '70s and explored many, many drugs many, many times. I have read many treatise(s) on spiritual experience from Rampa to Castenada. I stand by my firm belief that we are all enlightened (or spiritually awake) and some of us are driven to explore the condition much further than others, then report back.

If you feel you made a spiritual advancement, then write it down. Record what that experience means to you. Look for the opportunity that experience has given you, and act in a way that validates its truth. Then listen for the feedback from within.

[QUOTE=trademarked;57794]Most of these are done at the classes I attend. However, I am open to the fact that I may need to explore other styles, and will begin to research what is available in my area.[/QUOTE]

I have reviewed some material on Bikram Yoga and seen their intro clip on their UK web site: http://www.bikramyoga.co.uk/home.html, and based on that I can say Bikram Yoga is not the same as spiritual Yoga i.e., authentic Yoga

You practice one breathing exercise at the start, then do 26 asanas, and then you practice one breathing exercise at the end. Therefore it is safe to say 80% of your practice is physical postures i.e., physical. The material I have read does not mention any meditation or mantra chanting(which you and David say is a part of it, but I don’t see it here)

What Amir told you was right. Yoga is not just some postures that you do once or twice a week in the studio. It is a full lifestyle that you practice daily for life. Patanjali describes 8 limbs of Yoga:

Yama and Niyama: You must live a balanced, disciplined, clean and controlled life. I have explained in another thread yama and niyama in more detail here

Asnas: This you are already doing, but you must make it a daily practice you do every morning.

Pranayama: You are doing two kinds of pranayama for about 5 min, but this is not enough. Pranayama is more important then asanas, because it works directly on your energy body(pranamaya kosha) and this is what triggers real spiritual awakenings. Moving your energy up and down your spine is one of the key kriyas(exercises). Kriya Yoga focusses more on pranayama.

Pratayhara: This is learning how to withdraw the senses into the mind. To an extent this is done while executing an asana, but not to the same extent. Pratyahara is the practice where you learn to completely block out the sensory world. If practiced properly you will actually shut your senses off temporaily. It is entered into by finding a quiet place, closing your eyes and simply becoming aware of your hearing. Listen to it very intently(do not think about the sounds or judge them) After a while shift to watching your thoughts(again do not think about them or judge them) Then switch back to the your hearing. Alternate, gradually over time you will make your senses introvert. There will come a point when they turn off completely(it is unmistable, it’s like being under water)

Dharana: This is when you learn to focus your mind with concentration exercises: gazing at candles and mirror, gazing at pictures, maintaining a visualization such as recreating an image in your minds eye, or simply just watching the space behind your closed eyes.

Dhyana: Meditation by maintaining a single object of focus(a mantra, breath, a point on the body, a single thought etc)

Your daily Yoga program should include all of these practices. Then you are really doing Yoga. Here is a typical program of a yogi:

Wake up and wash up: 4-5am
Yoga asanas: 5-6am
Pranayama and meditation(20 min pranayama 40 min meditation) 6-7am
7-8am: Breakfast and off to work/school(breakfast should be the largest meal of the day, lunch the second largest, and dinner the smallest)

5-6pm: Dinner
7-8pm: praytahara and dharana training(experiment daily with different exercises)
8-9pm: meditation
9-10: Read positive and inspiring spiritual literature and go to sleep.

Practice yama and niyama throughout the day. This program will give you 3-4 hours of spiritual training a day. On days when you are off of work/school, include another 1-2 hour meditation in your day. For those who have no work commitments(monks, unemployed) include another session of pratyhara and dharana training and make your meditations longer(2-3 hours each) You will get about 10 hours of training a day. (When I attended a 10 day Vipassana course I meditated at least 6 hours a day and at the most 10 hours)

By the way I just realised I confused the Yoga you do with Bikram Yoga. So some comments will not be applicable to you, but I think you will find most of my comments are applicable.

Vinyasa flow Yoga is even less Yoga, because it involves movement(you might as well be doing tai chi or ballet) An asana is suppose to held for a while in a single position. You must maintain the asana for a few minutes, synchronize it with your breath and keep your attention fixed. Hence why in Satyananda yoga there is a lot of emphasis on just being with an asana and listening to your body. It is a more gentle and meditative approach to Yoga.

trademarked,

“Is the 500-e-ryt designation that a teacher holds actually of value?”

If you are interested in receiving certification, which superficially qualities you to teach others, then yes. But if you are interested in enlightenment - then it has no value at all. Truth is not something in which one can become certified. If you are a seeker of Truth, then you will have to investigate into the innermost depths of your own being and come to a direct perception of your original nature. Seeing your tendencies, that does not seem to be one’s interest. So, perhaps receiving certification may have some value.

Carlos Castaneda kind of did glorify drug use as a tool for spiritual growth but many consider him nothing more than a talented fiction writer weaving stories that seem to draw heavily on Yogic, Buddhist and North American Indian techniques and systems:

“Today I have to pound the nail that Genaro put in, the fact that we are luminous beings. We are perceivers. We are an awareness; we are not objects; we have no solidity. We are boundless. The world of objects and solidity is a way of making our passage on earth convenient. It is only a description that was created to help us. We, or rather our reason, forget that the description is only a description and thus we entrap the totality of ourselves in a vicious circle from which we rarely emerge in our lifetime.” ~Carlos Castaneda, Tales of Power

Meditation brings order and “That order is the order of the universe. It is irrevocable and doesn’t depend on anything.” Meditation is the eternal essence of nature taking on conscious form within the mortal human frame?~J. Krishnamurti

Listening to discussions on meditation and marijuana with an open mind consider that we each have different body chemistries, thus the effects differ from individual to individual, same with foods; some don?t tolerate dairy, wheat, sugar etc. yet to others it nourishes? The debate from contrasting mindful views seems endless but cannabis may simply be a crafty plant seducing worthy cultivators in humanity. THC may very well fill or block memory receptors and that would certainly keep the mind out of the past however, what if mind altering substances make the perceived reality change by shifting the perspective to an alternate perceived reality? Therefore initiating the meditation process layered in illusions may become counterproductive since meditation attempts to remove the cloak of reality, the illusion of perception. Of course there are formidable arguments from many directions however it?s not unreasonable to be suspecting of any short lived euphoric pleasure that leads us away, dissolves and then returns us, especially when it activates a craving sensation for repetition. This pattern is not limited to mind altering substance; romantic loves (mind chemicals?) also generate beautiful ethereal experiences, nonetheless fleeting and short lived. Not understanding the difference between pleasure and happiness may cause further suffering with an endless search for more pleasure, suffering follows in the wake, whereas meditation aims for the permanence of self-discovery.

While many here have provided wonderful responses and opinions on my situation, others continue to post in a subtle condescending tone. Assumptions are being made about my intent, and about my lifestyle, and I think that I’ve now realized that an internet message board is not an appropriate place to seek guidance. Thank you go those who shared their wisdom.

I read your original post, and it is quite possible that you are having a spiritual awakening. But know that this term is not as specific as it would appear. In the literal sense, we are all awakening - the only difference or distinguishing factor is at what speed.

Each must decided for him/herself what it is they want. Many begin to experience the stirring of Kundalini energy, only to have it stabilize and again become dormant. You must ask yourself if you are ready to ascend to a higher level of awareness. If you decide that you are, I recommend finding a spiritual guru or acharya (teacher) as has already been suggested here. I would also recommend discontinuing the use of intoxicants which will only cloud the mind and entrench one in lower levels of awareness - a cycle which, as Ray Kileen articulated well, can become cyclical. The higher path has nothing to do with intoxicants. Tantric yoga is only for those who are already very, very advanced and who have a realized master. For all others, the senses will ultimately win out - though they will delude themselves into thinking they are progressing. The path is very, very slippery indeed.

I wish you all the best.

aerial

Trademark, congratulation! You are one the path! Hopefully every experience can add to you growth:) I did a lot of spiritual and “spiritual” practices, drugs, etc… As for now I would not recommend Castoneda to myself and some other things, but on MY PATH is was an experience…good one or bad one… nevertheless it was:)

If i were you now I would stick to one system (yoga, christianity, paganizm, shamanism, etc…) whatever appeals to you the most. Mixing everything in one pot (including marijuana you’ve mentioned) WILL LEAD YOU to NOWHERE.

Again, congratulations on your awakening and be patient, it will not be pleasurable all the times.

Would Castenedas books be considered shamanism? I’d really like to finish reading the series, but at the same time I don’t want to give up Yoga. I’m hoping I can do both. Marijuana was only used twice a month, so cutting that out has not been a challenge. I had begun to view it as simply a unique experience, but not one that could provide knowledge or growth.

I stopped reading Castaneda back in 1975 (Tales of Power?) his books were extremely thought provoking to me then, why not read them?

[QUOTE=trademarked;57739]For the past year some exciting spiritual events have occurred in my life, but at the same time I’ve been experiencing excruciating pain and discomfort. I have been to doctors with no success, and after reading the description of a spiritual awakening, I opened up to the idea that this may be the cause of my affliction.

I started taking hot vinyasa flow yoga classes about a year ago. I had read about the benefits of yoga and always had a curiosity, so when a friend asked me to tag along I jumped at the opportunity. I was not prepared for the difficulty of the 1st class, but I pushed myself as best I could and came out with a new respect for yoga, and a heck of a lot of sweat. I listened to the wisdom that the instructors shared with us, and after about 5 classes something started to click. The words they used began to make more sense, and my desire for more yoga was driven by more of a spiritual curiosity than a need for exercise or other health benefits.

Even though I had very little knowledge of the concepts, vocabulary, and even the proper postures, I started practicing at home and giving it my best. Within a very short period of time I realized that the static fuzz in my vision that I have seen all my life has now become more vivid. I was later advised that what I am seeing is energy. The energy became so vivid, that when I smoked my occasional minute (equivalent to 1/2 a beer) amount of cannabis, the energy that I saw became so intently vivid that I no longer felt comfortable using cannabis, as I began to see infinitely complex shapes, patterns, numbers, and symbols.

I also began to pay more attention to my breath, and I noticed that in childs pose it sounded exactly like the ocean. It was around this time that a friend recommended the book the celestine prophecy, and after reading that book I had the most vivid dream of my life, and a few others soon followed. I bought some meditation CD’s, and became able to move energy from one point in my body to another. I started to see white clouds of energy swirling around, and I later had experiences that others described to me as coming into contact with “my guides” and also finding the “astral plane”. I was intrigued, and I began to practice sporadically. I would go to yoga class 1-2 times a week, but not regularly. I would practice at home some nights, but not others. I bought more spiritual books, and began to focus on any activity that I felt I could reasonable do, whether it be staying with my breath as often as possible, treating people right and giving to them when possible, and trying to find ways to contribute to society.

One afternoon, I saw the same white energy clouds that I had seen when meditation, and I felt suddenly tired. I laid down on the sofa and fell immediately into a vivid dream. I wondering why these things were happening to me, as I really wasn’t putting 100% effort forth into my spiritual practice, and I certainly hadn’t been practicing for very long. I bought more books on dreaming by Carlos Casteneda, and things really started to get interesting. The vocabulary in his books is very similar to that of modern spiritual books, and I’ve had what seems to be success with some of the dreaming practices he’s described, although I must say it’s been a bit scary. I’ve been hoarding spiritual books of all sorts, and become quite the bookworm. However, I’ve also had a great deal of health trouble up to this point.

Somewhere around the time I started going to yoga classes I began to itch on my inner thighs and around my waist area. The itching became more and more intense, and my doctor could offer no solutions. I developed an odd dark blotchy rash above my buttocks, that would lighten and darken at its will. The itching spread to my legs, chest, and arms, and a red spotty rash kept recurring in the center of my chest just below my ribs. The itching becomes so intense that no lotions, creams, or even steroid ointments could help, and the sensation on my chest started to feel similar to that of a panic attack. I started to get hives, strange headaches, and an uncontrollable dryness of my skin. I saw skin doctors, allergists, and even a GI (digestion) doctor and all ran a barrage of tests with no success. Each month the symptoms would change slightly, and it seemed that a change in diet did contribute to a change in symptoms. Eventually, I narrowed down the largest change to a reduction in sugar and carbohydrates. The more I eat, the more I itch, and the more symptoms I experience.

I read the symptoms of a spiritual awakening, and some of the items that matched so well and rang out to me were: tingling feelings especially at the top of the head, increased emotionally sensitivity (shedding a tear at any sad situation on tv - and I’m a male!), odd sleep patterns, sudden food allergies (I suddenly am sensitive to a number of foods), skin issues, dreams, and that feeling that time is accelerating.

What’s really interesting is that I’ve gained control of new muscles at my temples, and i feel them engage during various spiritual thoughts and practices. I also have been playing with isolating my senses, and when I am able to (briefly) isolate all the senses I seem to have a bit of a spasm in my back/neck momentarily.

Another odd experience is that now when I smoke cannabis at night, I see dozens of faces in the trees. Even if I just look through a 2 inch opening in the blinds from 10 feet away I can see them. It’s very creepy as they have an evil look to them.

I’m sure there are more things I am forgetting, but those are the most significant. I apologize for the length, but I am desperate for help or direction. My life has been turned upside down due to my health. I’m afraid to go to public places, I’m afraid to eat most foods, and I am at a loss for what to do next. I look forward to hearing all your thoughts on the situation.[/QUOTE]

[B]Your age please - and Date of Birth. [/B]

Do the faces arise only under the influence of the wacky tobaccy? Do MOST of the experiences arise under the influence of the ganga?

What is the predominate number you see within the field of vision during the interior session? (pm)

Your physical symptoms ‘sound’ like some sort of disharmony in the bowels. Would you consider your mucus production to be above normal? This would manifest in ways such as - Swallowing mucus. Mucus in the throat. Wanting to Hock a loogie. Runny nose after you eat particular items usually sugar and carbs…

Your spiritual book collection? What predominates it? Books by modern authors or ol timey classics? Elaborate here a little.

Buddha said in the opening of the Dhammapada. Mind is the forerunner of all dharmas. In this context I believe ‘dharmas’ to mean (states, modes, things, P H E N O M E N A). If you are focusing the operations of your mind, thoughts, intentions, attention, deliberations, ponderings and so on - in a particular direction - experiences associated with that particular direction (in this example dreams) will come to populate your reality. Thats just how it works . . .

The white clouds of energy swirling around desribe them more. How big are they? (pm)

The symbols describe them. (pm)

Please answer the questions or directions that have a (pm) following them in a private message to me.

The rest I would like you to elaborate out here in the open.

If you wish of course.

CityMonk,

“Again, congratulations on your awakening”

He has not come to his awakening, and perhaps one is unaware just how dangerous your affirming it is, as well as your own ignorance as to what awakening is. To confirm somebody else’s awakening assumes that you already know it through direct experience.

Scales,

Another one who should keep quiet.

Trademarked,

Do not bother listening to what anybody else here has said, including myself. Everybody is already quite determined and intent on deceiving you. Just equip yourself with the knowledge of the method for the expansion of consciousness, and start practicing. Perhaps, once you start a practice with a certain consistency - then you can begin asking questions about particular details of the methods as well as other things which at present have no relevance to your situation.

Visibly the molecular human structure is assemblies of particles floating the universe longer than eons; reasonably spiritual energy is neither created nor destroyed, nevertheless forms do change. Self realization this life is possibly a birthright, claim it; searching outside ourselves may prove dubious. Research, suggestions and methods from others consider, suspect words with exact intent especially when proposing what parts of a well tested comprehensive integrated scientific system should be considered most important. ?Enormous attention, effort, and energy? along with stringent methods may work for some, not others, incorporating instincts with the beautiful tool that ?lies? between our ears is the best we can do when experiencing the stillness awareness may arise from as we become a whiter shade of pale.

For recognizing signs of spiritual awakening,
take a look at www.mahayoga.org (introduction page itself)
regards, anand

Ya know, it popped into my head recently that the rash you describe sounds an awful lot like shingles. Some of your other symptoms as well. Did any of your doctors ever mention shingles to you?

Hey Trademark,

It has been a year, and I really really hope you get this message. I have experienced the exact same thing you are experiencing. I really want to know how you dealt with it, I have seen doctors and the same thing happened. Do you still get the rashes?

Best,

Rodolfo

It turned out that I had a parasitic skin infection that was causing intense allergic reactions.

[QUOTE=trademarked;57739]For the past year some exciting spiritual events have occurred in my life, but at the same time I’ve been experiencing excruciating pain and discomfort. I have been to doctors with no success, and after reading the description of a spiritual awakening, I opened up to the idea that this may be the cause of my affliction.

I started taking hot vinyasa flow yoga classes about a year ago. I had read about the benefits of yoga and always had a curiosity, so when a friend asked me to tag along I jumped at the opportunity. I was not prepared for the difficulty of the 1st class, but I pushed myself as best I could and came out with a new respect for yoga, and a heck of a lot of sweat. I listened to the wisdom that the instructors shared with us, and after about 5 classes something started to click. The words they used began to make more sense, and my desire for more yoga was driven by more of a spiritual curiosity than a need for exercise or other health benefits.

Even though I had very little knowledge of the concepts, vocabulary, and even the proper postures, I started practicing at home and giving it my best. Within a very short period of time I realized that the static fuzz in my vision that I have seen all my life has now become more vivid. I was later advised that what I am seeing is energy. The energy became so vivid, that when I smoked my occasional minute (equivalent to 1/2 a beer) amount of cannabis, the energy that I saw became so intently vivid that I no longer felt comfortable using cannabis, as I began to see infinitely complex shapes, patterns, numbers, and symbols.

I also began to pay more attention to my breath, and I noticed that in childs pose it sounded exactly like the ocean. It was around this time that a friend recommended the book the celestine prophecy, and after reading that book I had the most vivid dream of my life, and a few others soon followed. I bought some meditation CD’s, and became able to move energy from one point in my body to another. I started to see white clouds of energy swirling around, and I later had experiences that others described to me as coming into contact with “my guides” and also finding the “astral plane”. I was intrigued, and I began to practice sporadically. I would go to yoga class 1-2 times a week, but not regularly. I would practice at home some nights, but not others. I bought more spiritual books, and began to focus on any activity that I felt I could reasonable do, whether it be staying with my breath as often as possible, treating people right and giving to them when possible, and trying to find ways to contribute to society.

One afternoon, I saw the same white energy clouds that I had seen when meditation, and I felt suddenly tired. I laid down on the sofa and fell immediately into a vivid dream. I wondering why these things were happening to me, as I really wasn’t putting 100% effort forth into my spiritual practice, and I certainly hadn’t been practicing for very long. I bought more books on dreaming by Carlos Casteneda, and things really started to get interesting. The vocabulary in his books is very similar to that of modern spiritual books, and I’ve had what seems to be success with some of the dreaming practices he’s described, although I must say it’s been a bit scary. I’ve been hoarding spiritual books of all sorts, and become quite the bookworm. However, I’ve also had a great deal of health trouble up to this point.

Somewhere around the time I started going to yoga classes I began to itch on my inner thighs and around my waist area. The itching became more and more intense, and my doctor could offer no solutions. I developed an odd dark blotchy rash above my buttocks, that would lighten and darken at its will. The itching spread to my legs, chest, and arms, and a red spotty rash kept recurring in the center of my chest just below my ribs. The itching becomes so intense that no lotions, creams, or even steroid ointments could help, and the sensation on my chest started to feel similar to that of a panic attack. I started to get hives, strange headaches, and an uncontrollable dryness of my skin. I saw skin doctors, allergists, and even a GI (digestion) doctor and all ran a barrage of tests with no success. Each month the symptoms would change slightly, and it seemed that a change in diet did contribute to a change in symptoms. Eventually, I narrowed down the largest change to a reduction in sugar and carbohydrates. The more I eat, the more I itch, and the more symptoms I experience.

I read the symptoms of a spiritual awakening, and some of the items that matched so well and rang out to me were: tingling feelings especially at the top of the head, increased emotionally sensitivity (shedding a tear at any sad situation on tv - and I’m a male!), odd sleep patterns, sudden food allergies (I suddenly am sensitive to a number of foods), skin issues, dreams, and that feeling that time is accelerating.

What’s really interesting is that I’ve gained control of new muscles at my temples, and i feel them engage during various spiritual thoughts and practices. I also have been playing with isolating my senses, and when I am able to (briefly) isolate all the senses I seem to have a bit of a spasm in my back/neck momentarily.

Another odd experience is that now when I smoke cannabis at night, I see dozens of faces in the trees. Even if I just look through a 2 inch opening in the blinds from 10 feet away I can see them. It’s very creepy as they have an evil look to them.

I’m sure there are more things I am forgetting, but those are the most significant. I apologize for the length, but I am desperate for help or direction. My life has been turned upside down due to my health. I’m afraid to go to public places, I’m afraid to eat most foods, and I am at a loss for what to do next. I look forward to hearing all your thoughts on the situation.[/QUOTE]

  1. stop using cannabis and other tobacco/alcohel at once …has,t anyone told u that while doing yoga / meditation these things can do reverse effect…damm u… ( there is a list of thousand no of activity which is stricly prohibated for the one who is practice yoga / meditation). even shastra says that that first a seekar must be purified by physically and mently before start practice yoga meditation)

2.never ever meditate on ajna chakra / agyaa chakra. always meditate on heart chakra.

3.dont forcefully meditate

  1. what is ur idea behind following yoga …are u want siddhi or any out of world experince…adventure …physical strength…clear ur the reasons why do u want yoga

  2. if it is for helth then doing some comman yoga asana is good but if ur doing complicated hath yoga than good save u cause hath yoga and tantric yoga are the highly dangerurs arts… cause they gave result very quickly but if done any slight mistake then u will get in that typical problem that nobody could takes u out from that

  3. brother my advise is for u is any yoda / meditation / spritual practice u should do under a guru ( i am not talkin about the teachers who run courses or classes for money, here guru means saddguru who most difficult job to find he never takes money nor he will say that he teach u , a saddguru always like s to hidden )

  4. stop practive yoga meditation and liquer/cannabis /smolking / non veg for some time till u get ur helth recover and if u dont get recover then i will give u address of a great saint who can help u to rid ur problem.