amir,
‘according to it’s tendencies’
The key word is tendencies of the mind, the varrties,
patanjali starts with the methods to get rid of these before one is fit enough to enter meditation. you can not get rid of them by just watching, being witness. you have do something.
patanjali starts with the methods to get rid of these before one is fit enough to enter meditation. you can not get rid of them by just watching, being witness. you have do something.
You are referring to all of the countless methods of preparation for meditation yes ? The various asanas, pranayam, mudras, kriyas, bandhas, and so on. That is not the only way to deal with the problem, though it is helpful. One does not need all of this preparation in order to practice meditation, one can sit for meditation directly. That is what most of the Buddhists have been doing. And in Raja Yoga, that is originally how it has been. Throughout the whole Yoga Sutras, you will find that Patanjali has not mentioned anywhere even a single word about the different asanas, pranayam, mudras, kriyas, bandhas, and so on - he simply describes techniques which are to do with the mind. As far as the more physical techniques are concerned - at the most he simply says that the asana, the seat in which one is sitting for meditation, should be stable, balanced, and firm. He does not go into it more than that. Most of the Buddhists also do not do any preperatory work for meditation. But if one deals with the mind directly and tries to work on meditation - the difference is that one will have to encounter the same obstacles through the mind. With Hatha Yoga as preparation for meditation, one is trying to indirectly bring about a change at the level of the mind through the body, with Raja Yoga one is trying to bring about a change at the level of the mind directly through the mind, that is the only difference. Neither approach is absolute, they are simply different approaches.
amir,
If one has to reach 2nd floor, a wise man will take stairs.
He will never try to pole vault.
If he were you, who knows he might reach.
If one has to reach 2nd floor, a wise man will take stairs.
To reach a physically higher level through stairs may be useful if you are in a place like New York city, but it will not be such a good idea if you are in the midst of the Himalayas.
A journey of thousand miles, or to Himalayas, begins with first step then another then another…
amir,
don’t you think, this kinda discussion is waste of time.
prasad,
As far as I am concerned, nothing is a waste of time. But as far as you are concerned, whether it is a waste of time or not all depends on whether you are receptive enough.
[QUOTE=makar;56395]? For some reason when I meditate,it seems breathing doesn’t happen automatically for me? I have to consciously inhale and exhale.What should I do to free my mind from breathing and that I remain unconscious of my breathing like it is during other activities throughout the day??
Is it that the meditation done for Kundalini is different from normal meditation? Or the meditation is same for whatever purpose it is done?
Is meditation only the stillness/clearance of the mind during meditation? Or it has something more to it? I don’t mean the benefits of meditation but with what goes on during meditation.
How do you still your mind? You might be following a certain approach/technique for this? When I clear my mind of any thoughts,I still think that ok I have cleared my mind now.How do I deal with this? There should be nothing going on in my mind during meditation,right? How do you do this?[/QUOTE]
through practice. It is not going to hapen in a few times it takes allot of practice. It is all part of the process you have to go through the difficult times to enjoy the fun ones.
keep practicing and just realx through it. The first time I did a meditation 5 minutes seemed like an hour now 20 minutes seems like 2 just enjoy the process and dont focus in the outcome
I’ve read your article. It’s quite nice, I am completely convinced with his thoughts. The benefit of the meditation is, improve the body luster and general health-When your mind focuses on a particular part of the body. Meditation can help you activate this relaxation response. When you feel depressed, hear Gayatri Mantra and chant Om fifty times and you will be filled with new vigor and strength. And the chanting of Om is also a powerful tonic. Thanks for this post.
“When you feel depressed, hear Gayatri Mantra and chant Om fifty times and you will be filled with new vigor and strength.”
You can sit for eternities chanting mantras, but as long as it is simply a mechanical process - it is fruitless. No amount of repetition is a substitute for your own spontaneous awareness, and a mantra is only going to be useful if there is a certain one-pointedness of attention which is flowing behind it. And if you are focused on how many times you chant a mantra, then you are not really focused upon the mantra. That is the problem when you take things too literally - one misses the essential matter. When it has been recommended to repeat, for example, the Gayatri mantra one hundred times, this has just been said to give you an estimate of how long it may take for your awareness to become one-pointed onto the mantra. If your inner space is prepared for it - then just repeating a mantra once is enough to enter into a deep samadhi. Or, if you receptivity is deeper, then you do not have to repeat the mantra even once.
[QUOTE=makar;56395]? For some reason when I meditate,it seems breathing doesn’t happen automatically for me? I have to consciously inhale and exhale.What should I do to free my mind from breathing and that I remain unconscious of my breathing like it is during other activities throughout the day??
Is it that the meditation done for Kundalini is different from normal meditation? Or the meditation is same for whatever purpose it is done?
Is meditation only the stillness/clearance of the mind during meditation? Or it has something more to it? I don’t mean the benefits of meditation but with what goes on during meditation.
How do you still your mind? You might be following a certain approach/technique for this? When I clear my mind of any thoughts,I still think that ok I have cleared my mind now.How do I deal with this? There should be nothing going on in my mind during meditation,right? How do you do this?[/QUOTE]
Dear Friend:
Breathing is the movement of Prana, the divine [B]living[/B] force which drives the body and the mind. Hence it is the superior aspect.
Thus in Mahayoga, during meditation, one simply and totally surrenders to the automatic breathing, i.e. to Prana. One [B]lets[/B] Prana Shakti start or stop the breathing.
In fact, if your breathing stops, it would mean that Prana has become still and so has the mind. Now, if the mind is functionless, it means ego is also functionless.
During sittings, let Prana~Shakti do what she wants. So do not try to impose any breathing. Mahayoga says, during sadhan, [B]allow[/B] all involuntary movements to take place. These are the ego-less actions known as [I][B]Mahayoga-kriyas.[/B][/I]
Even terminating a mahayoga meditation session is left to the [B]grace of [I]Prana~Shakti[/I].[/B]
So it seems, you are on to something good.
regards, anand
Hey, great story and a good problem for starters to start analyzing. Breathing comes from meditation, and meditation comes from breathing. The more you think the less you know, the more you think about your breath the less you are breathing. Stop thinking & enjoy 
Kundalini meditation is one of the most profound techniques in yoga and a great way to relax and clear your mind. It involves the collection and integration of energy from the air, ground, and eyelids; a movement of thought from individual consciousness to universal consciousness; and the relaxation of body and mind through the absorption of sound, smell, and visual imagery. The practice is also known as the yoga of thought or waking from sleep.