The soul of the soul is consciousness,

 {Awareness or that which enables detection of change, ananda shakthi, which means both joy and sorrow},

The soul of consciousness is feeling,

{Bhavana, the difference in each micro division or frame of observation [this gives rise to the sense of time] (by meditation we are changing our ability to experience from macro to micro)},

The soul of feelings is the active state of energy

{Bindhu (the point) and nada (the vibration around the point, this is [anahata nada the un-struck sound, this give rise to all form and vision)]} ,

The soul of energy is activity (Kriya or Karma) this enables experience and individuals reference of time,

The soul of activity (Karma) is desire to experience,

The soul of experience is reflection or consciousness of oneself, (desire to experience oneself either by ones own senses or through the interaction with others,

The soul of action (karma) is desire for union {Yoga},

The soul of desire or union or yoga is love {bakthi}. {This is due to the hidden truth that we were one, now after separation we are trying to achieve that same oneness, the whole commotion is due to the existence of simultaneous activity in different ways to achieve the same goal of ones).

The soul of love is knowledge,

The soul of knowledge is the understanding (Wisdom, Janna),

The soul of understanding is the similarity of observed and accepted details stored in our memory as words, vision (shapes and form),

{The soul of similarity is accepting the meaning of the word. The soul of shape and form is sound; the soul of vision is reflection of light,}

The soul of the word is the meaning attached to it by us,

The soul of oneself is god as defined by us,

The soul of god is pure conscious undifferentiated energy known as “pradhana” (the first and foremost subtle of the subtle thing that exists in the entirety all by its self. This is rajas; the activity of change from satwa to tamas the mula prakrathi that is always in balance through the action of rajas, this is the cause of change that enables detection of difference between consciousnesses’s which compares the previous state (stored automatically in the memory with the presence using intellect (budhi)).

May be continued in future….

Concentration (Continued)

Since the time our reasoning matured and our absorbing nature was developed by purification and perfection in the course of the yoga sadhana (living in a systematic way as defined in the texts, say that any act performed by us is a sadhana, it is only our individual understanding of these that create disturbance to the peace), we have been studying the mind under the various topics some of which are: - mysteries of the mind, power of the seat of reason & Knowledge, intellectual ability, grasping the nature of things, understanding of the nature of the mind (meaning, quality, magnitude of the range of mental vision). This has helped us to simplify the methods of meditation and concentration. Mind works through the internal essence or subtle part of the main sense organs and external senses. Mind is always dynamic, alert and continuously informed within the limits of its exposure and development. There is one law of nature that says that everything is in a constant motion, time cycle, if their flow of energy is not restricted then there is joy, peace or harmony as it will be in the most natural domain, and on the other hand, when restriction or becomes stagnant there is sorrow, disturbance or discord (friction, argument, fright fear, or grief). This will cause anything that is stagnant to cause pain, stress, strain, & discomfort (a characteristic of the basic element air), this is exactly what happens when contraction on a feeling of sorrow & pain. The gross is more stagnant than the subtle, which has greater characteristics of fluidity, which is more stagnant than the fire due its higher mobility, which is more stagnant than a gas, which is more stagnant than energy and space. Thus, thoughts of space and energy will make us arrive at the state more easily in comparison with gross things. This is what is achieved when we transcend from gross (physical or external thing) to subtle, and then to super subtle realm of energy and space.

We consciously or unconsciously gather information (energy) in the process of living, through our internal & external senses, the assumptions we make when we accept the perceived, learn, and reason with the topic (subject or object), they are stored in the memory, this is stagnation in a way and is the cause of all the things we experience while living. That information that is accepted by us or understood is stored in the memory (establish impression firmly in the mind, the power of retaining and recalling past experience). Thus, when a similar signal or some thing related with a topic is brought to the mind by the senses, it is compared with the memory, and then consciousness is generated along with an illusionary picture, visualized in the mind along with the experience.

Say we are concentrating on an apple, the eyes can see the reflected light from the surface of the apple along with its texture and shape, and this is using only one sense organ. Keeping this in active memory now add the feelings (reflections) of touch, taste, smell, and the sound of crunching without actually eating it, if this generates the same enjoyment (experience) of eating it then our concentration has become wholesome or single pointed with respect to one main topic of eating the apple. Note, even though there are so many different signals they are actually dealing with only one topic of concentration and in a sense it is a global feeling (more complete as it covers all the topics of that apple. We have created the reality with complete clarity using our gross senses and further aided the conscious ness with subtle sense (the essence of gross sense organs) to create a reality in our imagination. (Care to be noted here is not to generate a flow so large in the initial stages, as it can manifest or create the apple in reality, this is necessary as many of the components that create this may not have been purified, [this is done by guiding the intensity of the desire to superficial aspects at first and then gradually increase this intensity to experience higher clarity with respect to subtle essence and still higher in the feelings level and then to energy level the final stage to generate the oneness of all things.]Yes, this requires very high level of will power, determination with purity and perfection). We can start with an apple or any other thing / subject / object or abstract thought with open eyes and then graduate to the level of tip of the nose and the further graduate to closed eye or internalization of concentration. But mastering the tip of the nose concentration is vital for progress as per our experience and understanding if we want to achieve the state of meditation called “turyia” or meditative perpetual bliss. Note here that do not assign any specific place to the consciousness during the internalization of concentration, (say mind inside the head, heart or any where out side) just think of the point with out reference, let it be any where it really does not matter, this will help in expanding or engulfing the entirety easily. In meditative state, there is the flow of energy and consciousness is active with the difference to the other states by not attaching it with any one particular thing, this means that there is global awareness rather than specific awareness. Thus if we can consciously tune our activities in this manner we can achieve success easily since we can guide the energy in the direction we intend (guide). Perceptions of (sound, smell, sight, touch & thought), divine illumination, enlightening experiences are all energy impulses of larger and larger frequencies and wave length when compared to gross things. The sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of soluble solutions in terms of say acids (which dissociate the fluid components to give hydrogen ions) and bases (which dissociate to give hydroxyl ions), is also dependent on the amount of water or dilution, or the product of an acid and a base or a salt and water. Hydrogen ions being the simplest atoms with only one proton and electron makes them closest to the pure energy, thus consciousness becomes faster and faster and globalization becomes easier. Similarly mechanical vibrations transmitted to elastic medium (sensation of hearing) create some auditory effect. A mental image generated can also create by an auditory perception, not real auditory perception of strange nonverbal sounds, composite sensory nerve supplying the hair cells of the reception area organ and the hair cells of the cochlea (A sensory system located in structures of the inner ear that registers the orientation of the head). The sensation produced by pressure receptors in the faculty of perceiving (via the skin) pressure or heat or pain, ability to sense the position and location and orientation and movement of the body and its parts the internal organs. All are responsible to make the mental vision complete, the synchronizing of all these signals from the different senses with respect to frequency, wave length and amplitude create the harmony when we are able to understand them as same thing in many different signals, their difference is removed and flow of energy is directed towards one single path. THIS IS SAME AS REMOVING DIFFERENES WE HAD ASSUMED. Now intellect is free to experience only this as there is no more need of any further correlation. This is when we experience the first glimpse of peace. Note if we change the topic then the state is lost, thus we need to come to one single point and stay with it, gradually we develop the understanding that all the rest is similar and give up the activity of engaging our intellect to them. This is maturity when related to working of the mind and brain.  

To Be Continued …..

Concentration (Continued)

Concentration is enabling the flow of electric signal related to an abstract thought in the same path deliberately for any length of time. Generating the same sensation continuously so that the senses experience the same thing for a period of time is Dhyana, when this path is engraved so deep that it draws all the energy creating a flow conscious enough to engulf the intellect with it and nothing else. Now we see that meditation dawns on us with the act or kriya of Dharana or concentration. This we do consciously until it is developed into a new habit. This is necessary to enable us to let go our previous habits or, the reason we are required to let go previous habits is very important if we are interested to progress in the field of spiritual development by freeing the consciousness. These previous habits where developed without any guidance to a goal, to describe this in another way we can say they were formed as per our likes and dislikes mainly pertaining to the pleasure of the senses, thus we can say that most of them are not created with perfection. In other words, we can safely say that most of our habits good or bad are really corrupted with interference of many things of normal life. This corruption is the reason that we are able to think of other things even when we are totally involved with a particular thing for example praying. Most of us have this problem of not being able to concentrate while praying. We could say that having 5 different sense organs and a consciousness that cannot stay put with any one of them is the main cause. Every prayer performed by any person, if done with full concentration will be answered; actually, there is nothing that manifests the prayer from outside except the flow of energy from inside. Observe this from watching children their uncorrupt want sincere to that level of purity, manifests all their desire, even their cry is a prayer; tell me who amongst us can ignore this power they have on us? Especially Mother Nature cannot ignore a child’s prayer, and we are all her children.

Concentration (Dharana) what we are reading here is related to keeping the consciousness on one single thing (subject / object or abstract thought) for a definite period of time. How this is done? We have ten continuous or intermittent sources of new information to the mind (5 senses organs and 5 organs of action. Yes there are others that are neither connected with the internal or external sources with respect to the mind / body and soul, we will deal with these in due time they are Madhyma, Pashanthi and Para, these ten are directly connected to all individuals related with the manifested universe) it is easy to still the information from the 5 organs of action and senses by “asana”, “prathyahara”, and “pranayama” as these actually deal with the gross senses. We slowly graduate from those external sources to deal with the stilling of the subtle essence of the sense organs; the method given in the text are tried and confirmed by millions, is by coming to a state of single point concentrated thought or feeling called “Dharana”.

Focusing our consciousness on the tip of the nose is one way, any other way known to the aspirant can be also used if they are comfortable with them (they are not going to be repeated here to ensure simplicity and clarity with the topic as we understanding) watch the flow of wind that enters and exit.

Why will this help? Or why is it the way we need to select? Air we breathe is the source of our existence this is engraved so strongly in the mind that we have a feeling that this air keeps us alive, and if we stop it consciously, we tend to feel suffocated. As a fetus in the womb of our mother we were alive as a part of her body, we did not need the external air to survive we used the mothers vital energy and breath to grow all the parts of our body. Before that, the consciousness was alive with out the body and vital air, so it must have sustained its self by just absorbing and expelling energy the only thing that is everywhere in the universe, thus it could go everywhere. Remember we lost the connection with the cosmic memory or unlimited cosmic awareness at the first breath. This first breath trapped or diverted the consciousness from the domain of unlimited ness to within the limits of the five sense organs and five organs of action when we entered this domain of limited cosmic awareness. Our effort in practice of yoga should be directed to wards this goal with body mind and spirit.

How will this help? Energy flows to the location or the point where the consciousness is focused (this causes limitation the most necessary element needed to survive in this manifested universe), thus the nerve ending of the tip of the nose being farther away from the brain, more energy is absorbed here and channeled to various parts of the body with out entering the brain and developing any specific thought, thus it helps in stilling thoughts, this is the delayed is what we are achieving by “pranyama” guided breathing technique. The time taken for it to compare things with these will definitely increase thus slowing of thoughts is achieved easily with less effort. Remember if the effort we are required to put is more then the effect is delayed as consciousness is now involved with something else namely the effort (this confirms that any other point will require more effort). The main goal of freeing the consciousness becomes difficult. Gradually this point becomes so sensitive that it achieves the capability to accomplish everything in life.

The consciousness that was always felt to be inside the brain in normal humans will now become away from the center of active and memory, creating a new center a subtle point a center of existence that we can mould as we want, the mind in the fetus was created with the interference of 5+5, 10 disturbances, thus it took on the characteristics of those organs and likings as we grew up and learnt things in the outside world. Thus, the name of this subtle chakra is “Accomplisher of all: - its subtle components are spread all over the body as Prana, “Sarva sidhipradaa” (the provider of all powers), Apana, “Sarva sampat pradaa” (the provider of all wealth), Samana, “Sarva priyankarii” (the provider of all liked things), Udana, “Sarva mangala kaarini” (the provider of all auspicious things), “Vyana, Sarva kaama pradaa” (the provider of all desire), Naga, “Sarva dukha vimochinii” (the dispeller of all sorrow), Kurma, “Sarva vighana nivaarinii” (the dispeller of all danger),, Krkkala, “Mrtyu prasaminii” (the dispeller of death),, Devadatta, “Sarva Sarvaanga sundarii” (the provider of all beauty), dhamanjaya, Sarva “Saubhaagyadaayinii” (the provider of good things).  All these vital airs formed from the breath inhaled, will be guided as per our desire and not as per the nature of things as we normally did till now. Consciousness will now be possible to be within our guidance. Yes, any thing we want to achieve will now be possible. Doing this when consciousness was shared with other sense organs, make it difficult as the concentration of vital energy will be less, thus effect will be proportionally reduced.

Now we can go deeper into the subtle realm by concentrating, that is focusing all the five powers of the mind (Icha or power of desire, chita Shakti or power of thought, Budhi Shakti or intellectual power, Kriya Shakti power of action, Ananda Shakti to experience or enjoy) to enable focusing our consciousness on anything or one thing for a definitely longer period of time in the internal sphere of body mind and spirit, this can be co-related with many similarities like convex lens bringing the all the rays of light that pass through it to a single point (the effect is intense heat, sufficient to burn things). The act, the desire, the thoughts, engulfs the intelligence by slowly understanding everything in minute detail  producing the experience or joy with purity, perfection and maturity of the order that is beyond the capability of forced effort of the will power; however highly developed it may be in humans if it was not trained in the path of yoga.

One way to come to this stage, as all individuals are doing is to try understanding everything in the subtle level  by reading in the gross level, listening to others experience (the path of knowledge, or the path of action or path of love bakthi {this means ALL THAT WE HAVE DEFINED OR OTHERS HAVE DEFINED FOR US. WE CAN DO THIS BY SELECTING ONE OF THE SENSES OR ALL simultaneously}), this is very laborious, the short cut is through internalizing our senses by detaching it from all external things and then all internal things. As all the senses are stilled keeping only mind active without any thoughts we have come to the first stage of dawning of meditation. This is difficult in the beginning mainly due to habits engraved in the mind by our actions in the past. One of the things we experience here is to fall asleep, some of us will be conscious enough to feel that we are loosing consciousness, if this happens do not feel bad or annoyed, and we will gradually learn to stay partially awake read yoga nidra in one of the previous article. The method adopted to transcend into the, “BEYOND MIND’S DOMAIN” is to understand dream stage and deep sleep state. All we are actually doing is paying attention to the dialogue inside the mind with partial alertness in dream stage and deep sleep state, until we master it and attain the ability to stay fully awake. Remember it is not the inner voice that is speaking to us as if we are separate. This is why we need to select inspirational dreams or thoughts to ensure that the body becomes relaxed, other wise the mind and intellect have to deal with other things that are not related with meditation. This tells us that it will take time for purification.  Perfection can come only with purity and repeating the same thing many times. Purity requires a well-defined procedure or mechanism to produce a particular intelligent pattern. Yoga practice is the defined procedure or mechanism that will guide the aspirant to the required purity and perfection without the interference of any other thing other than the goal. The proof of this can be seen by counting the number of enlightened persons in our community.

To Be continued

Concentration: This involves “Dharana Dhyana and samadhi”

Mind always works in a pattern or habit (this is a grove formed by the flow of energy with characteristics pertaining to that act (path of flow of energy that provides easy and least restriction to the flow of energy that is triggered by focusing the consciousness on any topic / subject / object /act). This is strengthened due to repetition of the acts deliberately done by the individual. These may be due to the pleasure it gets from that act or the individual anticipates pleasure from the act, or thinks that every time he /she or the consciousness interacts with the same manner, he /she or the consciousness automatically will enjoy the pleasure in a similar experience or better way to ensure complete satisfaction that was experienced in the past). The real fact or our experience is that there is nothing in this world that can give us complete satisfaction, as everything in this manifested world is designed in such a way that we will time and again indulge with them so that there is a continuous need for the existence of it in this universe, this is the only force that keeps it operating (this is the force of desire that we have developed or that is inbuilt in us). This is the main aim of sadhana or practice which we are trying to change by the path of YOGA.

This tells us two things: - 1) If I repeat an act it will become a pattern or habit or the acts that are required to be remembered should be repeated or acts done on a routine bases will automatically follow a pattern or form a habit. These are stored in the active memory. 2) The act must be done with pleasure or some sort of pleasure should be derived from it, pleasure need not be immediate but the mind should anticipate it in the near future to ensure we are attached to it. This can be achieved by ensuring deliberately by giving ourselves a treat for doing the act (like a pat on the back, an outing to a place of fun, praise from someone, or a simple snack of something nice, encouraging oneself or by someone else).

Mind is space or energy field (A FIRE, called Jana Agni also or manas Agni) or each individual develops his own space or energy field or fire or vision. This starts from the basic nature desire or love or the need to experience oneself, this takes shape as it depends on our understanding, and thus it varies with individuals. Fire or vision is in the form of energy as light (understanding), heat (experience), and sound (shape or boundaries) created by dispersing the concentrated energy that is in the form of basic elements as fuel by the action or interaction with of oxygen and matter; this is displayed as space or field of energy and perceived by the senses. This space created by the mind is filled with electric and magnetic signals mostly, it may also contain distorted unclear things which are not understood, which are stored as information in records or memory (both active and dormant) collected and transmitted by the sense organs from the beginning or birth of consciousness or when the consciousness separated itself to experience the desire of the one supreme omnipotent, for each acts or event. When energy (bindhu in motion) formed union with the reflected energy as light, heat, and sound, it changed them to form the 5 powers that gave birth to consciousness. Most of the emotional are modifications or results of the interaction of energy are created by this consciousness by defining them and comparing it with everything else, that was formed subsequently. Desire is the spontaneous pulse of energy emitted by these uncompleted or not understood things, trying to attract the consciousness. Remember an understood thing puts an end to the activity of the intellect pertaining to that topic.

Concentration “Dharana” can also be said to cause energy to become dense or denser, bring into focus or to converge, or cause energy to modify with an intention to converge, or alignment of ideas or emotions comparing it with that which was accepted and understood by us in the past. This can also correlated to the situation caused by cold, shivering due to a sense of contraction or stiffness that causes muscles to stress by a involuntary continuous effort concentrate the heat energy to some place, this restricts flow of blood and vital energy to all the cells there by stressing them due to contraction, or this gives us a feeling of sorrow or pain (Concentration “Dharana” or localized or global with respect to the body, either internally or externally). Concentration “Dharana” can also focus attention or one of the energies in the subtle level that may be experienced (detected by the senses due to difference). Concentration “Dharana” can cause an opposite act of dispersing or diffusing energy also(that which was concentrated), by the action of heat (expansion, a feeling of pleasure & warmth (uniform heat). The sense of relaxation in which all the stressed muscles are free to allow flow of blood and vital energy to all the cells to relax them generating joy). As experienced when consciousness is free.  It is a fact that all particles in this universe continuously expels and absorbs energy in light or heat or sound, similar to the way we breathe. Thus, the act of concentration and dispersion can be understood as a similar act

Maximum clarity or distinctness of an image is rendered by a condensation, similar to change of the three basic states of nature (satwa, rajas or tamas) by sound to form energy and then further interaction of energy by expansion to gases (hazy state at first or less clear) and then to a state of fire (here it takes more definite shape) and then to a liquid state (drops, here the internal and external reflection of things starts giving more clarity that has a clear distinct shape) and then to solid (a very clear shape as perceived by the sense organs, we can safely say that the preliminary stages are perceived by the subtle senses as essence of the gross senses, in the gross level this is perceived by our senses as they are magnified either by the phenomenon of resonance (natural frequency of the involved medium) or damping which causes denser things. A change of substance directly from the solid to the gaseous state or visa versa without becoming liquid will dissolve the image (sublimation) or manifest solid objects these are stages we attain as we become adapts in sadhana of yoga. Ether (pure energy) has a quality of interacting with energy and damping its vibration thereby creating heat, sound or light. Consciousness (conscious or emotion ,subjective aspect of feeling) is that sensation that is responsible to make us aware of a particular energy (thought or feeling) by generating an emotion or feeling in one or more senses; the more the no of senses involved establishes the event more firmly. The electro-magnetic field developed due to the flow of bioelectricity and bio magnetism enables the visionary image (interference patterns in the fire). Formation of a mental image as the rapid fluctuations of voltage within parts of the brain and electromagnetic radiations that can produce a detectable visual sensation, something that explains that it is not perceived as real but as an image only, and is not present to the senses but only an illusionary effect detected by the senses. The interaction of ether (pure energy) with other basic elements (ether, air, fire, water, and earth) causes all the desired functions; our desire is the superimposed demand on the natural situation. THIS IS WHERE THE PROBLEM STARTS, as most of our demands may not be in harmony with the nature. (Most of us say or want “I WANT THIS TO BE LIKE THIS OR THAT”).

Think of mind as a medium that reflects everything that is brought to it by the senses. Eyes can perceive only when the reflections of light fall on the object; similarly ears can perceive only when sound reflects or vibration reflects from the object, so it can be said of others senses. Reflection is possible only if light, heat or sound exist in any sphere. So what is reflected in the sense of internal sphere related to mind? Say electric signals of vision of the sun brought to the mind by the eyes, we define it with feelings and words consciously this is the first step in building the reflection, or unconsciously store it in our memory as a experience, and compare this with the present (bring forward its stored information from memory or create a refection of the present object we are looking at), this is the next step in building the reflection. If there are differences between them then there will be a potential difference, this is detected by the intellectual power to give us consciousness that it is different, in short this gives us the joy of recognizing it, and triggers a series of actions automatically, if no difference is detected there is no potential difference, it stops all further action giving rise to a feeling of peace as intellectual power stops further comparison. Intellect is put to rest due to understanding. For this short interval the intellect searches for other new things to compare most of the activity are stopped, we are in union with the object and the memory of it. WE ARE TRYING TO COME TO THIS STATE THROUGH YOGA; THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT INSTEAD OF INDIVIDUAL OBJECTS WE ARE TRYING TO COME TO A STATE OF UNION WITH EVERYTHING BY REMOVING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EVERYTHING HERE DUALITY IS REMOVED.  Thus it is said that we need to go beyond the mind by bringing the intellect to a standstill state to experience everything as one, yes with all the existing difference as others view or experience it but with the understanding that it is all the same.

To be continued to describe Dhyana and samadhi.

SOME BREATHING TECHNIQUES USED IN YOGA: -

The science of breath is called “savarodaya or swara vigana”, lord Shiva to his wife parvathi explained this completely, we have given only some of it here as it is relates to meditation. (There are different types of breathing for different needs of sadhana, what are given here are only those that are required for beginning level of purification and establishing a pattern (habit). The other levels will become aware to the aspirant as he progresses. This is necessary as there is danger of releasing high amount of energy and causing health and other disorders if introduced in the beginning.)  Release of accumulated energy from the body locked up due to attachment will be gradual and manageable.

Yes many of us in the beginning will feel if we don’t differentiate anything by describing it, then how will we know that we are there and that it is not a figment of our imagination? Or how can we make it known to others? The answer; - is there a necessity to know everything only by differentiation when we can experience everything as the same thing as it exists knowing that it is the modification of energy? And why is it important to tell others? (As this can be one of the reasons that we want to describe it in details). This is not the only way to experience things as we know till now. (remember that everything will be the same as before due to the collective consciousness of all living beings the world does not disappear, the difference is that we are experiencing it differently as one same thing not giving importance to the difference, in other words we are relating to everything in the realm of energy). This necessity to know and differentiate is external to us we were not born with it, our parents, teachers, and everyone we interacted with till now taught us! I can only assure you that there is much more to experience in this state than can be imagined.

Soul breaths even after it leaves the body because consciousness goes along with it, the only difference is that we breathe air, while it breathes energy as heat, light, sound and pure subtle undifferentiated energy. This means consciousness is the real “I”. Thus we have a proof here that we never die. We breathe the mixture of air, which includes some amount of the air we and others in the vicinity breathe out, the slower and the longer inhalation we use in  breathing  the more amount our own breath will be absorbed back as we inhale. This is true only if the surrounding air is not disturbed by a draft of wind or the temperature gradient is not too large around our body. Heat and other wastes that come out through our out breath disperses into the surrounding so fast reducing their concentration, thus we don’t feel or detect them, this is because the concentration of wastes in the out breath is higher than the surrounding it diffuses into it readily.

But the soul has the option to absorb and expel either its own energy or that of other sources around it by just desiring it. This way it can decide whether to interact with the surrounding or just limit its interaction with itself.  Remember that the time lapse in the spiritual realm does not present thus it can imagine and manifest things instantly (it is more accessible to the vertical component of time than us humans). Thus its experience will be limited to either its own awareness or to the limits it can expand its awareness, this gives a very important clue that reducing our external breath and tuning to the absorption and expelling of energy when still living in this body is one of the way to directly reach the state of meditation. In other words this is called silent breathing, a state reached while we are in deep meditation. This is the reason that we will not be disturbed by changes of even smell from the surrounding. Smell is the last sense organ from which we withdraw consciousness. Stopping of breath thus does not say we are no longer living or the breathing is completely stopped it reduces to such a level that the sense organs cannot detect it, for the matter of fact neither is stopping or reduced rated of heartbeat an indication of death. Normal breathing rate as observed in each animal is different, thus their life period is accordingly determined, the faster we breathe the shorter the period we live within the body, with consciousness occupied by the sense organs. And the slower and deeper we breathe longer we live with out the consciousness occupied by anything in particular, all energy is made to flow upwards through the central channel with detachment to the all the  manifested things and associate our consciousness with the spiritual things when we are in this state.  This silent breathing is one of the ways to cheat death (a topic we may deal with at a latter date).

All of us breathe, as the situation demands this is what we know as casual living.

Guided living is forming a pattern to create the desired environment we want both inside and outside the body. The technique this is attained through yoga is one of the tried and tested ways elaborated in the texts of ancient India by the sages who through regular practice gained purification, perfection and maturity, their observation of the cycles of mother nature its living things was the bases of this technique. The body has an automatic method of changing the breath based on many things, one of them is the temperature (the surroundings, body, and the state of mind), Feelings meaning of words and desire are others. The center where this is done is the brain. The method used by it is secretion of chemicals from the glands that react with the basic elements creating heat or cold. This decides the state of mind.

The state of mind plays an important part in every act. Different moods require different level of oxygen and vital energy the breathing rate changes. The mood or thoughts similarly change with flow of breath in the nostrils supplying adequate energy to that gland which can generate it by the reaction of chemicals secreted into the blood stream, so we can safely say that flow of breath in either nostril are also responsible for the duality of everything that exists in nature. State or thoughts of people can thus be read by tuning to the breathing pattern coupled with face reading (this is not so easy, it requires a lot of practice for perfection, this is done by observing the thoughts rising in our own mind while concentrating on the subject whose thoughts we are interested in knowing). The energy released by the body is carried by the surrounding air thus fear, joy, and other states can be read by learning to differentiate it in the subtle level. Children and Animals have this unique way to sense danger and is displayed as fear or joy and love, one more reason they can do so is that they have not yet been taught the other state thus their mind is purely concentrated on only one topic. This means we have to regain that quality which we have lost by forgetting it due to attachment to other likes. YES WE HAVE TO LEARN THIS BY OBSERVING OUR CHILDREN.

Alternate nostril breathing is necessary to balance the temperature of the body (caused by the heating, breath flowing in right nostril or cooling, and breath flowing in left nostril). Thus this is where we start our purification exercise. This occurs in the energy sheath, this is where we start, as all the sheaths are interconnected this is necessary to calm the mind and develop a state conducive for sitting for long periods as mind and energy sheath are closely linked. In normal persons the breath automatically changes nostrils, a healthy person will experience two to three hours in each nostril during the day and night or depending on the body temperature. This also depends on the lunar phases we had mentioned earlier articles. 

The time duration of one “prana” (one type of measurement of time in the subtle level correlated with macro level measurement) is 12 continuous blinking of the eyelids each blink is termed as one “matra”, this is with relation with slight type of breath using this we overcome tiredness and fatigue. Slight breathing is done during deep dreamless sleep, medium when we are awake and intense during heavy work.

Medium type of breathing is twice this time 24 matras using this we overcome agitation, and

Intense type is twice medium duration 36 matras using this we overcome dejection.

Practicing this all the faults developed during living are overcome, this is similar to burning them, which is similar to going beyond duality.

We can confirm this by observing animals in different states of mind the angrier or agitated their breath will be faster and when tamed they display soft slow breathing. The similar thing with our mind reduce the breathing and then guide the mind everything will become simple and easy. The type of breathing we are required to attain by practice is equal to the slight breathing, and the quantity of air adjusted to the time frame of intense breathing (3 pranas). This means large quantity air is very gradually inhaled, retained, and expelled. Final emancipation is achieved by 4 conditions: - cessation of consequences of action, power of attaining everything, harmony, and

serenity. Only when good and bad (duality) of action die away mind attains peace.

Meditation can dawn only when we can calm the agitation of the mind. Agitation is due to intellectual activity, which is trying to find similarity and dissimilarity between the stored and experienced information brought to it by the sense organs. Thus the requirement to stopping differentiation.

There are other breathing techniques that will be written to aspirants as the need arises only if these detailed above are perfected. The aspirants can alternately seek the accomplished yoga teachers or refer books as they like. There are four stages that will be recognized by the aspirant as calmness, politeness, and body fragrance pleasant & sweetness. 

Pranayama.

Conscious breathing with a pattern to guide the vital energy.  Control is restriction thus we like to use guide; we feel that this is more acceptable to distribute the vital energy anywhere in our body. Control will mean restricting, when the real reason of practice is to remove all restrictions and free the consciousness.

Air or wind has a vital characteristic of mobility. Thus everything that absorbs it will attain this unique character of mobility of this basic element of the universe. Physical movement of everything in this universe is due to the basic element air, this is always accompanied with heat and the main phenomenon is absorption and expelling, Everything in this manifested world breaths, even those things that don’t move with in our time frame breathe. They contract and expand, this is not visible to us as the rate is very slow and we don’t have the power or level of patience to observe it. This act or breathing involves inhalation and exhalation. This is performed through the phenomenon of expansion and concentration of the lungs in humans and size of solid matter in other things. Atmospheric air along with vital energy is drawn into the body and absorbed into the blood in the lungs. Our skin also absorbs energy and air from the atmosphere thus the necessary ingredients required by all the parts of the body are supplied. Amount of vital air admitted depends on the state of the absorbing medium and the way we breathe, state is defined by the soundness of health physical, mental and spiritual and also the state of the interconnected parameters in the surrounding.

To give some examples: -

Basic vital element of the universe, earth, water, air, space, and energy all move due to air element. Flow of air is caused by the change in atmospheric pressure, which is caused by the heat from sun or earth but the basic thing that moves is air as heat is absorbed in it. Sound propagates in air due to the movement of air (vibration of molecules). Energy also moves due to vibration, which is magnified or damped by air. Water flows due to the element of air in it, is formed by the combining of oxygen and hydrogen of air, producing fire in the process. Water expands and contracts due to the addition or removal of heat. Vapor rises up in the atmosphere due to the expansion of air that is absorbed in water vapor as this changes the specific volume when heat is applied. Earth moves around its axis due to heating of its crust by the sun making that side, lighter when compared with the side that is opposite to the sun that becomes colder.  Human body moves using the limbs which functions due to contraction and expansion of muscles, contraction and expansion is the feature of the body due to the flow of blood and energy guided by the desire which is defined by thoughts caused by the air in the nostrils. Every part of the body or organs functions due to some sort of movement due to air element in one-way or other. Feelings are generated due to flow of energy as conduction, convection or radiation either within the medium or in air this is detected when it changes by the sense organs. Thoughts flow due to the part of vital air called “udhana vayu” which generates the required bioelectricity in the nostrils and is absorbed by the brain through the nerve ending that extend into it. The path this energy flow forms the pattern of thoughts the state of mind can alter this flow of energy, the most important one is stress.

Being alive is maintaining the fire in each atom, cell, organs its sub parts and interconnected things within the body. This is done by maintaining the supply of vital energy and expelling the used energy. The desire or love to be in existence and experience itself is the fire this is our basic nature. Experiencing itself is comparing or differentiation of itself with everything else (this is love towards everything and everything is god). Air after it is absorbed into the body and lungs bifurcate into 5 vital airs (prana, vayna, udhana, Samana, and apana).  Each has its own important function in keeping this body alive, “Prana” is the most important as it is the one that gives birth to the other four; the location of this part of the vital air exists in the body up to the nostrils from the tip of the nose. “Udhana” prevails from the nostrils until the entrance of the lungs this is the closest location the air flows with respect to brain, this along with prana instigates thoughts, and “Vayna” exists in the lungs and is absorbed into the blood carrying vital energy and oxygen to all parts of the body. “Samana” prevails in the stomach and aids the digestion function, as well as absorption of vital digested fluids into the blood. “Apana” prevails in the intestine and enables the movement of the waste products from the body, it also helps evacuate the urine and stools the menstrual discharge as well as birth of the child. Thus we see that everything given here is movement.

We are interested in only prana and udhana part of absorbed air as these are responsible for the thoughts, as we are interested in stilling these thoughts to enable to a state of meditation. As long as thoughts are formed automatically or as per our desire in our mind we cannot come to the state of meditation, as we will be engaged with them and create more thoughts related to them or actions related to them. This is because the consciousness will be occupied with it, either describing it or negating it. The static electricity and nascent oxygen are responsible for generating the bioelectricity, which form thoughts as they select the path inside the brain. This is absorbed by the nerve endings that protrude into the nasal cavity, this is absorbed and accumulated as bioelectricity in the nerve cells, the path it takes will depend on the thought that becomes aware to the consciousness and this is detected by it as the was a change in its present state.

One of the reasons the adepts go to the mountains is, the oxygen as we move into higher levels or elevation becomes lesser and lesser in concentration this helps in reducing the thoughts thus meditation can be achieved easily. The only other way is to gradually reduce our breathing to reduce the amount of air per unit time. Lengthening the time for inhalation and exhalation does this. What really happens is that air is drawn in slowly thus less air will come into contact with the nostril lining thus less absorption of oxygen and static electricity thus fewer thoughts. Smoking can simulate this in this plane here to a great extent. Thus a state of involvement or attachment freeing the consciousness is achieved this enables to allow it experience itself, this is actually changing the habit of the consciousness from continuously seeking external things or to stop seeking new things and keep it occupied with itself, once this habit is achieved meditation can be dawned at will, we can stay there as long as we want, whenever we want. The main reason consciousness does this is to confirm everything which is living.

Most of us breathe as we like or, as we feel comfortable or as the situation requires. The breathing recommended for spiritual practice is called diaphragm breathing. The correct in breath is done with slight expansion of the stomach with concentration focused at the navel this is done by contraction and expansion of diaphragm using the stomach muscles rather than the chest the next step is retention of breath in the lungs for as long as we are comfortable with concentration focused at the heart or chest. The next step is expulsion with reduced amount of out flow of air, achieving a longer duration as compared to the inhalation and retention, this must be gradual and relaxed and concentration should be at the center of the eyebrows or tip of the nose. The next step is retention after exhalation.

The feelings in the mind of the aspirant should be as follows during the four steps, during inhalation thing of pure fresh energy entering the nostrils from the entire universe with a cool feeling right up to the navel from the tip of nostril. During retention, generate feeling that the air is being absorbed and the cool sensation seeping through the entire body and gradually changing to warm pleasant. During expulsion feel that all the wastes and unwanted things mainly excess heat are going out as far as the deep ocean.      

Consciousness detects only those things that change or move this is achieved by the power of differentiation or intellectual power of consciousness. Comparing or differentiation is absorbing and expelling energy either its own or from all the surrounding. When the body absorbs and expelled its own energy it experiences itself through the sense organs comparing or differentiation the states before and after the breathing act with respect to intensity of heat, light and energy. This comparing or differentiation is breathing at the subtle level. When the body absorbs and expelled the surrounding energy it experiences surrounding things through the same sense organs comparing or differentiation the states before and after the breathing act with respect to intensity of heat light and energy. This comparing or differentiation is breathing at the gross level it is experienced as inhalation and exhalation. Internal and external sound also plays an important part mainly at the subtle level; this will become aware to us only at the advanced stages of practice when high level of concentration is automatically developed.

Meditation we are interested in dawns only after freeing the consciousness from the attachment with senses, which actually means bringing the intellectual activity to rest, one way to do this is to understand things completely as we have explained before, the real state of experiencing bliss or tranquility is beyond the manifested world is also beyond the mind. As everything with in the manifested world is transient and totally involved within the limits of five basic elements, thus being involved with this we stay stuck with it. This is why detachment is recommended for aspirant’s wanting to go beyond this world.  We humans are born into this world using the 5basic elements and are exit is also through them only.

To be continued “some breathing techniques”

Stilling the senses: “prathyahara”

All human beings crave for peace. We define peace as calmness a feeling of relaxation, stillness, and steadfastness, unconcerned with the external things or the things that are take place internally or continuous experience of joy for a certain period of time. The extent of joy of peace or calmness depends on the length of time the state is experienced or the liking we have developed to that joy. In other words it is the tranquility or stillness of state, or changelessness of all the parameters that can change, also the attachment we developed towards it, this is the thing we are always looking for, as far we understand when speaking about peace.

This is being in the same state unchanged for a period of time is similar to meditation; the method to sustain the state depends on the purification, perfection and maturity we have developed in body mind and spirit. we need to be free from the attachment to the gross senses that deal with physical things, subtle senses that deal with likes and dislikes, and feelings that deal with spiritual things, as these are the source of awareness that bring in information to the mind field. This is because we all where born from that state of tranquility, the consciousness, the soul and then this human body, the memory of this bliss make us crave for it. All our effort through out life is in this particular direction; little do we know that all the action we humans do in living this life will not take us there but will only entangle us here in this manifested world (Karma bhumi), as it is only through disassociation from everything that we have defined that can take us to there.

The state of mind changes depending on the information brought to it by the senses, this causes the changes internally and externally as we focus our concentration on them, they being five powers, there is continuous fluctuation of the consciousness, as it is being focused on each of them depending on the likes and dislikes we have developed. Consciousness detects change by comparing the present with the past, or with that which we desire; desire is again dependent on our likes and dislikes this is again related to past memory.

As energy flows to that place where consciousness is focused, the consciousness is diverted due to these sense organs.  This involves “prathyahara”, withdrawing the power of consciousness to the senses, or energy flow to and from the senses. This is necessary to guide the consciousness towards the inner journey. Food of the thoughts and feelings is vital energy, reducing this vital energy is the only means through which we can achieve the power to withdraw the consciousness from the sense organs consciously. This is achieved unconsciously when we are in the state of deep sleep. Senses organs are connected with all the three states of consciousness body, mind, and spirit these are gross, subtle, and super subtle, we become aware of these only after we advance to these levels of consciousness. Detachment is necessary in all the states thus we can see that it is not a single stroke of attainment of bliss.

In the gross physical level. Sense organ of feelings is connected to the whole body via skin, they are the main source that direct our consciousness to that place where there is some disturbance or change thus any movement will attract our consciousness to that area. The next sense organ to be stilled is hearing; this automatically moves our head towards the direction of sound in the direction it comes from. This can be mastered faster by selecting the quite place for meditation. Actually there is no place on earth that is completely free of sound or other disturbances. Thus getting used to it is better than searching for such a place. The next sense organs to still are taste and smell. There is very little we can really do with respect to these two thus the only way to detach is to ignore them, selecting an object to keep the consciousness occupied that is more interesting than these is one of the way that we feel is the best just ensure that the kitchen is not very close to the place we have selected for doing our practice. The next sense organ the eyes are not very difficult to still, selecting an object at a convenient distance can do this during the initial stages when we are doing open eyes practice. A flame of a candle or a point on the floor or wall will be sufficient. Do not strain or exert ourselves.  Thus the source available for consciousness in the physical level will be five gross senses related with the external and five subtle senses related with the mental and one super subtle sense related with spiritual level thus the level of peace is reduced five plus five plus one totaling to 11 fold.

In the mental level it is the essence of the gross senses that we are required to deal with, and it is similar to the gross senses but the environment is different, that means it deals with memory directly unlike the gross senses that deal with external things. Thus the source for mental level the five gross senses related with the external is absent and five subtle senses related with the mental and one super subtle sense related with spiritual level thus the level of peace is reduced five plus one totaling to 6 fold.

In the level of spirit it is mainly channeling the flow of energy through the central channel from the base chakra to the sahasra chakra at the top of the head and not from the physical or mental realms thus all the energy is not differentiated, thus they are perceived only as signals with out correlating them with the starting point. We directly imagine or concentrate on the central channel a up ward flow of all the energy in the body the main source is from the navel in the beginning, and as we progress we can enable this to include all the sources that include the gross senses, the feeling is just like a great gigantic laminar stream of energy flowing from every atom of our body in the upward direction. Gradually the staring point is shifted from the limits of the body to the entire universe experiencing oneness with the entirety. Thus the source for spiritual level the five gross senses related with the external is absent and five subtle senses related with the internal mental is absent and only one super subtle sense related with spiritual level and feelings undifferentiated thus the level of peace is reduced to one fold. You can just imagine the sense of peace we can really achieve.

Success in the above mentioned act depends on the degree of concentration we have towards that act or state. Degree of concentration depends on our likes and dislikes towards that act or state. All this is done as per our individual taste of those things we like and dislikes, thus this is the first thing we need to develop or purify, that means develop a liking towards this practice. Generation of our likes and dislikes depends on the benefits and loss we assume or experienced using the memory from past lives or depending on the life we observe around us thus these needs to be redefined this is purification in one sense related with right knowledge. We like something’s and we do not like them to change but we cannot or we do not know how to control many parameters that are connected to this and thus the state changes, we do not like change of those things we like, actually we are the only ones that are causing this change as we only are desiring them, this means we need to guide our desire. Not knowing this most of us put up with this uncontrollable parameter and shape our lives accordingly, in short we make adjustments, sacrificing things, and then feeling bad that we could not enjoy those things that others tell us was very pleasant, this is the root cause of all our sufferings.

Every state of living can be said to be a meditative state, it is really so due to our desire but the difference is that we feel that they occur automatically, in reality our deep unconscious feeling are the creators of these. One reason we don’t feel so is due to the fact that this desire was not manifested at the same time, due to many reasons just waiting for the correct environment and conditions to prevail may be some, the other reason is our developed state of awareness, this being in different degrees of perfection manifestation things will take place sooner or later.

Perfection and maturity of Concentration and Meditation by becoming detached from the attachment of senses organs is the way elders, well versed in understanding of life attained peace and calmness, this also enabled them to focus all the energy in a particular direction to manifest things quicker. Paying attention to the external signals that are brought by the senses to the mind is called the awake state or “jagarth avstha”, a meditative state only if we are engaged with concentration on only one subject, object or thought or feeling. Being unaware of these or concentrating on the visions mainly from memory is the dream state “savpna avstha”, a meditative state if we are engaged with concentration on only one subject, object or thought or feeling from memory. Being unaware of the above two states and concentrating on nothing is the sleep state “Nidra avstha”, a unconscious meditative state as we are engaged with no subject, object or thought or feeling, this is actually the state we are always craving for until we progress further. 

When we can achieve conscious sleep state it is called “Yoga nidra” this state is similar to experiencing being alive without any description of the information brought to the mind by the external senses or internal subtle senses or memory, that means we are experiencing sleep or consciously thinking of sleep with out dreams. Thinking of sleep is possible only if we know what happens in the five sheaths of this body (in the gross body or food sheath, in the energy body, in our senses and the mind sheath, in the intellectual sheath, and in the experience sheath during sleep). It becomes necessary to understand each sheath during each state of our awake state, dream state, or sleep state of living. The food sheath is stressed, stiff, with dull aches due to the likes and dislikes related with day to day living developments, the emotions and feelings that are generated during our awake state, dream state, or sleep state. The energy sheath similarly will experience restricted flow of energy during our awake state, dream state, or sleep state. The mind sheath is active as along as intellectual sheath is active. And understanding subject, object or thought or feeling is one of the ways to terminate the activity of the intellect. It is only during deep sleep state that everything relaxes fully to allow vital energy to flow freely to every part of the body bringing a feeling of joy and bliss. This is due to termination of all intellectual activity and thoughts formation from either external or internal sources. This tells us that the deep sleep cannot be achieved if mind is active and during the deep sleep state it flows freely unrestricted.

When we have no awareness of anything except of being alive, that is experiencing an awareness without any description, we are at the state of “turyia” an extension of yoga nidra or the real state of meditation that allows us to expand beyond the limits of the ego, this is why we were always saying that we cannot do meditation as it dawns on us.  This is done by concentration on the breath reducing the breathing and restricting the flow of energy to these organs of senses by using it to develop single point thinking.

To be continued next “pranayama” controlled GUIDED breathing to guide our energy!

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