Sitting still for long periods: This involves “asana”

Merging or union can be accomplished only when all action is stilled or in other words there must be no difference between the three (the aspirant, the act (the process of thinking or act of differentiation by the intellect), and the point of concentration or our desire into which we want to merge ourselves). All action is attributed to the element “AIR” .In a way this is similar to synchronization. Note here that before merger, we are in the plane of duality and after merger there is only one undifferentiated entity. This means that merger is not possible if we are in the plane of duality.

For anything to be real (that can be experienced by the senses) it must have the characteristic of being differentiated. This means that there has to be the positive and negative side to it, only then that we need to give it a name and meaning, as if it were same then it did not need a different name. Merger or union or yoga thus, will mean that duality needs to be removed. This is done by understanding things or by co relating them with what we already know, this reduces the size of the memory especially of those things that we have experienced but not understood fully or correlated with things that we already know. Now the intellect has more free time and can be made still gradually we can terminate its action, understanding thus terminates the activity of the intellect with respect with that subject object or topic. Gradually we will become able to correlate everything as the same omnipotent “GOD”.

We start with sitting still to restrain our physical movements, then we still the sense organs by withdrawing attention to them we then continue to progress with the breath or controlled breathing, gradually we reduce the amount of vital air intake and outflow to restrict our mobility in all spheres and sheaths. We then continue to progress with stilling the thoughts and feelings. What is left in the end is the union of the aspirant, the act, and the thought and feeling, as one undifferentiated with the totality.

This can be gained only by self-practice. No external means or device can help us here, except a guide who can physically observe and correct us. There are some basic things to observe so that we achieve this. The lotus pose of sitting is recommended by most texts but there are also modern books that suggest Egyptian chair pose. We can tell you about other different poses such as lying on the slightly soft mattress on the ground or a particular way of meditation while walking. (Surprised? Some of us may say that we may crash into objects or fall into depressions on the road, let me assure you that will not happen, if we have really reached the meditative state. As we gain expertise all these restriction removed and any position can enable the state we desire intensely).

This is the first thing that is required to develop before we can proceed to purifying the mind and senses, this involves an ability to sit still for long periods with out which progress is not possible, kindly note that there should not be any movement of any part of the body other than the breathing and eyelids if they are open, this does not mean that we sit stiff on the contrary we should be able to relax every muscle. There also should not be any stress on the muscles of the thighs back bone and neck or any where in the body. One way to say that we are sitting in a correct pose is to notice the point on the floor by align the eyes along the side of the nose and clearly see the point not be more than 1 foot or 12 inches (lotus pose), this distance 1&1/2 feet away from the feet may vary depending on the height of the chair. We will gradually see that this point will change if the pose has changed.

The importance of aligning the back bone neck and head is to ensure the upward flow of vaporized (the life producing liquid by the heat of our austerities called “tapas” (meditation), purified vital energy that has passed through the body tissues and attained the ability to generate a new body, by fertilization of the egg in the womb. This vapor has the ability to clear the subtle channels, as it is very subtle and very hot, the sensation within our body will tell us the level of purification attained and should be the only guide in this matter. Perfection will be the ability to attain this level whenever we desire. And maturity will then be the dawning of meditation (a state without description a state of experiencing being without the disturbance of any act of the intellect, there is only one act (kriya) of joy or ananda)

WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE MIND WHILE SITTING STILL?

In the beginning nothing in particular, meaning just let it involve itself with anything just don’t pay any attention to it, only check the pose we are sitting periodically, if it drifts from one topic to the other let it, if someone feels that this is necessary then the concentration stillness of the pose we are trying to achieve it is fine we may think about it. As we gain the ability of sitting still for longer periods we need to concentrate more and more on the pose, actually this will come automatically. 

After we have training to sit still for longer time, mind is required to be focused on one single point. Select any topic subject or object the abstract it is the better as we will not get carried away trying to understand it  This is because we need to be able to allow the consciousness to become free of the thing that are in the immediate surrounding.

Gradually as we get tired of sitting, we will tend to slacken our backbone, as soon as we become conscious of this correct it. If there is any stresses then relax it by concentration or focusing on that area, now return back to the point of concentration or being conscious of our pose. The next step is to test if we can sit still even during not concentrating on our pose. Kindly do not do this more than once during the same sitting, as it will become a habit. 

 As we gain longer periods of sitting we can go to the next stage. Which is letting the mind be free, do not attach it to any thought.    

Why train in this way can we not get direct to concentration and meditation. The reason is we will not be able to sit for long periods with out loosing concentration.

Continued