Since this is a thread on meditation for beginners, I don’t think we need to worry too much about secretly transmitted oral teachings.
For those who may be unfamiliar, Nirvichara and Nirvikalpa samadhi are advanced stages of samadhi, the highest of the eight limbs of yoga.
[QUOTE=Seeker33;55792]First steps are Nirvichar and Nirvikalpa Samadhi and the last is Kaivalya.[/QUOTE]
Any “steps” are only imaginary.
That’s to say advancement or growth or whatever you want to call it does’nt necessarily happen in linear steps.
Nice to get back to some sensible discussion. There are a few loonies around here.
HaHA
With the teachings you study them to learn what they say.
By practice you come to understand what they mean.
Beware of anyone telling you not to read the teachings.
Such instructions don’t come from the wise.
[QUOTE=Asuri;55806]@Seeker33
For those who may be unfamiliar, Nirvichara and Nirvikalpa samadhi are advanced stages of samadhi, the highest of the eight limbs of yoga.[/QUOTE]Nirvishar and Nirvikalpa are only beginning.
[QUOTE=Seeker33;55815]Nirvishar and Nirvikalpa are only beginning.[/QUOTE]
The Self Realization Fellowship, as an institution, blows your instituion away.
"The kriya yoga system from the lineage of Babaji, Shyamacharan, Yuketswar, and Yogananda is legit. "
[QUOTE=The Scales;55825]The Self Realization Fellowship, as an institution, blows your instituion away.
"The kriya yoga system from the lineage of Babaji, Shyamacharan, Yuketswar, and Yogananda is legit. "[/QUOTE]
Is this what you follow Scales?
Or do you follow any particular teachings or school? Or you do your own thing/…you’re not joined at the hip or affiliated with any particular…?
[QUOTE=core789;55826]Is this what you follow Scales?
Or do you follow any particular teachings or school? Or you do your own thing/…you’re not joined at the hip or affiliated with any particular…?[/QUOTE]
I think the teachings come from exceptional stock down a short line. All hand picked. Babaji, to Lahiri, to Yuketswar, to Yogananda.
From what I’ve seen the selection of techniques and placement of emphasis is right. There doesn’t appear to be complexity in their approach - rather a simplicity.
I think it very wise for the SRF to have a lead in educational program.
There is no cult to join or need to worship a guru goddess, nor do you need to take a long trip away.
It was designed for the householder which fits in well with the modern world.
Once the kriyas are explained and instructed i.e. 'you are “initiated” the focus is on working with the kriyas and learning from them the things to learn.
If I was looking for real yoga, kriya yoga, then that organization - from that lineage - is as good as it comes.
as for me
I occasionally study more or less:
[I]A basterdized coputer copy of the yoga sutras, HYP, SHiva Samhita, Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, the tracks of Goraksha - and yoga upanishads - all without commentary. Some buddhist books on meditation and zen, the Bhagavad Gita, and Alain Danielou’s Yoga. I got the new testament too! [/I]
No books by modern authors unless they have an ol timey classic inside.
Don’t like commentaries - although I do keep pieces of vivekanandas commentary in with the text of the yoga sutras. He had some goodies.
Personal practice:
Little asana. Mostly inside.
[QUOTE=Seeker33;55815]Nirvishar and Nirvikalpa are only beginning.[/QUOTE]
I started this thread to provide a little sane help for people who are just starting out with meditation. Your blatant promotion of this organization and the conflict and confusion it creates are not at all helpful. I agree with Scales that this organization should be avoided.
Hi,
I usually listen to music (of random genres) while doing both asanas & pranayams.
Listening to music during practicing asanas & pranayams usually makes me feel good.
Now, that I am attempting mediation, is it a good idea to listen to music (at low vol) or is a completely silent room more appropriate?
what does iq say?
[QUOTE=bjoy;56779]what does iq say?[/QUOTE]
Look, even if turn my audio system off I will still hear a lot of noises like people talking, neighbors screaming, shutting of a door, some ugly noises like flushing in the toilet !!!:rolleyes:
What the music does is it kind of hides all these different kind of noises.
So I was wondering is listening to music a good choice or trying to concentrate despite those noises is a better idea.
Hi om_namah_shivay,
music is emotions transformed to sound. Music can be funny, happy, angry, evil, holy, psychodelic, etc. etc. So the problem of music is, that it influences how you feel. If you play different songs of different moods, they will take you through different moods of your own. If you play songs of one… “branch” of moods, that might be ok, yet it might as well influence the moods that want to arise during your practice.
However: I have done all sorts of things during doing an Asana session, inlcuding listening to music, watching TV or monitoring something on the PC. Such sessions are not at all pointless, but they’re more focused on the physical aspects and less “contemplative” as when there is no music and no sound. If you want something to simply overnoise other noises, let me suggest this OM-file by Dharma Mittra:
It’s really just what you hear there in the sample or on his website, so you can actually just open said site and have something to listen to. I had played that literally for hours, even during my sleep.
There are two more tunes by Dharma Mittra:
“Hum Sa” is more varied and transports more of an emotion, but generally quite calm too. The name of the first tune might be somewhat an omen for you :-D, unfortunately I can’t buy it where I live, so I only know the excerpt/pre-hear.
Doh, you’re asking about meditation, I somewhat was still in the Asana-suggestions-modus. I did obviously not watch TV or monitor stuff on the PC during medtation, and I also don’t listen to music. To avoid disturbences through noise, you can plug your ears with whatever seems appropriate.
It can, though, be good to listen to music if you’re having a hard time to focus your mind. But I would then call that concentration, not meditation (Dharana, not Dhyana). You should use something very simplistic for that, for example the OM-tune I suggested you.
Sorry for my screw-up here. 
[QUOTE=Quetzalcoatl;56792]Doh, you’re asking about meditation, I somewhat was still in the Asana-suggestions-modus. I did obviously not watch TV or monitor stuff on the PC during medtation, and I also don’t listen to music. To avoid disturbences through noise, you can plug your ears with whatever seems appropriate.
It can, though, be good to listen to music if you’re having a hard time to focus your mind. But I would then call that concentration, not meditation (Dharana, not Dhyana). You should use something very simplistic for that, for example the OM-tune I suggested you.
Sorry for my screw-up here. :-D[/QUOTE]
Okay, then what I am trying to do is Dharana.
I searched “benefits of dharana” & found this
http://yoga.iloveindia.com/limbs-of-yoga/dharana.html
This is the just the thing for me.
Honestly speaking I don’t want to spend money at this time so I will search youtube for an “Om” track.
Thanks for your time.
[QUOTE=The Scales;55487]No concentration.
No meditation.
You were just my general contextual example.[/QUOTE]
Yes, I fully agree with you. Meditation is concentration upon God.
I have just posted a meditation technique on another thread:
Well I am teaching Meditation to kids and here I found nice stuff. But i will love if some one will guide me more.
any good books on this?
Hi,
I would like to tell you something about a modern way of Meditation technique which is The Transcendental Meditation technique. It is a simple, natural, effortless procedure practiced 20 minutes twice each day while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. It allows your mind to settle inward beyond thought to experience the source of thought ? pure awareness, also known as transcendental consciousness, or the unified field. This is the most silent and peaceful level of consciousness ? your innermost Self. In this state of restful alertness, your brain functions with significantly greater coherence and your body gains deep rest. To ensure maximum effectiveness, the Transcendental Meditation technique is taught in the same systematic way used by teachers thousands of years ago.
Thank you.