Stength of the Breath.

How breath-control or watching the breath was an essential means for controlling the mind. The conversation between Master and disciple In the year 1945, Ramana Maharshi was requested to expand on was:

     “In continuation of an old question of his with reference to a certain passage in Maha Yoga, the disciple asked Ramana Maharshi whether it was necessary and a condition precedent for a man to watch his breathing before beginning the mental quest of ‘Who am I?’ ”

Ramana: “All depends on a man’s maturity and fitness. Those who do not have the mental strength or preparedness gained through repeated practice to concentrate or control their mind and direct it on the quest are advised to watch the breathing, since such watching will naturally and as a matter of course lead to cessation of thought and bring the mind under control.

Breath and mind arise from the same place and when one of them is controlled, the other is also controlled. As a matter of fact, in the quest method, it is more correctly to ask: ‘From whence am I?’ and not merely ‘Who am I?’ We are not simply trying to eliminate saying ‘we are not the body, not the senses and so on,’ to reach what remains as the ultimate reality, but we are trying to find whence the ‘I’ thought for the ego within us arises.

The method contains within it, though implicitly and not expressly, the watching of the breath. When we watch where from the ‘I’ thought, the root of all thoughts, springs, we are necessarily watching the source of the breath also, as the ‘I’ thought and the breath arise from the same source.”

The disciple again asked whether, for controlling the breath, the regular pranayama (of regulated inhalation, retention and exhalation i.e. inhaling while counting to 6, pausing while counting to 2 exhaling while counting to 8, and pausing while counting to 2 again and repeating this cycle 10 times, is not better?

Ramana replied: “All those practices are aids for controlling the mind. That is all. Watching the breath is also one form of pranayama. Retaining breath, etc., is more violent and may be harmful in some cases, but merely watching the breath is easy and involves no risk.”

Watch and Pray

This method is indeed easy, and can be joined to any form of sadhana (spiritual practice) that one is engaged in. The breath is not controlled but merely watched with acute attention. Its movement should at all times remain natural and comfortable. It is helpful at first to center one’s attention without stress on any area where the movement of the breath is physically noticeable.

The attention of the mind with alert awareness on the movement of the breath satisfies the mind’s life-sustaining urge to circulate through movement.

Thus we watch and pray with calm but steady concentration the place of our origin; while that forgotten abode of the Self, is Self-revealing. Becoming truly still, and calling on God with patient perseverance, we will enter and experience:

     “The Way, the Truth and the Life.” 

Paramahansa Yogananda on Benefits of Meditation

What is meditation? Becoming one with the soul.... When man communes with his soul within, the forgotten times and powers of the deathless Self will come back into his consciousness. Meditation means to remember that one is not a mortal body but an immortal soul, one with God.

The proximity of happiness is as close as one's own Self; it isn't even a matter of attaining, but only of lifting the soul-shrouding veil of ignorance. The very word "attaining" implies something one wants but does not have − a metaphysical error. Bliss is the irrevocable divine birthright of every soul.

Meditate. As soon as you take away the ripples of sensations from the lake of the mind, God's heavenly bliss bursts forth from the soul. His bliss is already there, but it is hidden within you. The more you meditate the more you will feel the endless joy of God.

Form the habit of meditation. It is the only way to find everlasting happiness of the soul; and when you have that, nothing else matters.

Even though you may be able to do everything else but meditate, you will never find joy to equal that which comes when the thoughts are silent and your mind is tuned to the peace of God.

If you ask, "How do I know there is such joy as you describe?" this is my testimony: if you practice meditation every day, deeply and consistently, you will find that ever-existing, ever-conscious, ever-new joy, ever increasingly manifest within you. And with practice it will stay with you in activity and in silence alike − even in sleep. It is a joy that will constantly guide you to right action in everything and will respond to your prayers.

You have to demonstrate that for yourself. And this is my further testimony: that, once God's joy has been found, all desires for other gain will dwindle in comparison. Your consciousness will expand. You will be able to stand unshaken amidst jarring trials. The whole world will not be able to lure you to forsake the bliss that you will find in meditation. You will enjoy all other things in that divine joy.

Our Inner Wold

Last week we spoke about the importance of breaking through our self imposed limitations, of our mental map.

Today we explore ways of breaking out of these limitations. We will at times refer to some of the religious teachings. For those who have an understanding or open mind on the subject, the comments expressed are easy to follow, but for others the viewpoints presented may illicit questions and challenges. Perhaps this provides an opportunity for one to observe his mental fixedness or flexibility.

Much of what handicaps one in life is based on fear. We are reluctant to attempt something new because we fear that we may fail. Fear paralyzes. It is fear that creates rigidity and holds one back from expressing creatively. This is why for many people following familiar activities and habits is a preference to stepping outside one’s comfort zone.

‘There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love’.

1 John 4:18

It may sound simplistic, but the solution to break out of fixed pattern thinking and behaviour is one of adventure and love, of self expression which is natural to us, as it is part of our intrinsic nature.

From a religious and spiritual perspective the universe as it is perceived buy us, is an outflow of consciousness and love from the source, which we call God. This outflow creates forms and life, and when it has fulfilled its purpose; it is redeemed again, or drawn back into its original state. Everything including human beings emanates from the source and is eventually draw back into it. That which is of nature returns to nature and that which is of spirit returns to spirit.

Science views the creative process differently: A Belgian priest named Georges Lemaître first suggested the big bang theory in the 1920s when he theorized that the universe began from a single primordial atom (we know now that there are smaller particles than atoms, even smaller than Quarks). The idea subsequently received major boosts by Edwin Hubble's observations showing that galaxies are speeding away from us in all directions.

But the big bang theory leaves several major questions unanswered. One is the original cause of the big bang itself. Several answers have been proposed by scientists to address this fundamental question, but none has been proven and even testing them has proven to be a formidable challenge.

The scientific view points to a recognition that our sense perceptions, even in conjunction with the most sensitive instruments cannot grasp the concept of an original cause. And why is this so, it is because consciousness and love cannot be measured, they can only be experienced.

Upon some reflection everyone will know that love is real. We all crave it and experience it in its various forms whether on a physically, mentally or spiritually level. If we conjoin our creative process with surrendered love to its origin, we elevate our thoughts (which are none other than subtle vibrations) and activities to the highest sphere in creation which represents pure love and in this process perfects the love in our own being.

Another way of expressing this is:

“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him”

(1 John 4:16)

Jesus taught that we should love or care for one another and that we must love God with all our strength, with all our heart, with all our soul, and with our entire mind. (Matthew 22:37)

What does this mean, it implies, that all ones thoughts and activities should be performed as an act of love and given as an offering to God. This is the true

worship of which Jesus spoke; it is elevating all one’s efforts to the highest level possible. It is the way to perfection.

Be perfect therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:48

The consciousness that Jesus taught is universal. It is for everyone. Christians may claim Jesus for themselves, but this claim in itself breaks the law of universality.

We really need to study and internalize the teachings of the masters without referring to labels, as labels lead to limitations. Jesus taught and lived and was one with universal Christ consciousness, or the intelligence in the universe. He also practiced the law of correspondence which states: ‘as above, so below’. But his main purpose was to direct us to God realization, to oneness with God

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in (the consciousness which is in) me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father (the source).

John 14:12

We need to embrace these teachings without bias in order to expand from ego consciousness to universal or Christ consciousness. It is a consciousness of oneness, it is moving from duality to non duality, from darkness into the light, from fear to the source of love. When we understand love as it was meant to be understood, we become love, we have reached the end of sorrow.

 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Luke 17:21

The whole cosmos and its processes are within us. All we need to do is , to become awake to it.

Discussion September 29, 2011

How can the practice of yoga explained?

It is the restraining of the mind-stuff from taking certain forms.

Samadhi, yoga is the restraining of the fluctuations which normally occur in the mind. It implies stilling the mind.

‘Be still and know that I am God’.

    Psalm 46:10

The psalm refers to the inner stillness of the mind.

What disturbs our mind? Is it primarily a reaction to external events triggered by circumstances and desires?

How do major events influence the mind?

We may not be able to control circumstances; we can control how we think about them.

Causes of mental pain? Explain –

i)                  Attachment of the mind to the outcomes of events

ii)               Attachment to desire or aversion

iii)            Our unrealistic expectations

What are coping mechanisms?

i)                  Knowledge

ii)               Experience

iii)            Prayer

iv)            Believe

v)               Faith

Yoga states that he, who has succeeded in attaching or detaching his mind from events at will, has gained control over his mind.

What does this imply?  - Being active rather than reactive.

How can control over the mind be achieved?

i)                  We sit still for some time and let the mind run wherever it wants; we simply wait and watch until the mind becomes calm. This should be done on an ongoing basis.

ii)               The next step is to focus the mind on a certain external or internal object and exclude all other thoughts from penetrating the mind.

iii)            Super-conscious meditation.

iv)            By the realization and or acceptance that one’s true nature is Spiritual and that the mind is under the control of the spirit within.

What would be the result a controlled mind?

i)                  The determining faculty of the mind would merge into the Self or one’s essence.

A look at how the undisciplined  mind works.

i)                  On the conscious level all activity is accompanied by the feeling of I.

ii)               On the unconscious level, as in dreamless sleep, there is no feeling of I, no ego.

iii)            There is yet still a higher state on which the mind can work, which is the super- conscious level.

iv)            However, just as there is no I, or ego on the unconscious level, there is no I on the super-conscious level either.

The question then arises how does one know whether he functions on the unconscious or super-conscious level?

The answer is by its effects.

When in deep sleep one enters a state inferior to that of super-consciousness. The body functions, it does breathe, but it is unaware of the I, the ego. When one awakens, he does so with the same personality is the same that he had before he went to sleep. Nothing changes, except the feeling of having had a good rest.

However, when coming out of the super-conscious or samadhi state, one appears different, even enlightened.One’s personality undergoes changes.

This in short, explains the idea of samadhi.

So what’s the big deal?

Ordinarily our field of reasoning or the conscious working of the mind is limited. It is as if moving within a box or in a circle, one cannot really move beyond its borders. The boarders may expand or contract, but they are still remain boarders into which we may collect more information, but often only to support our already excising limited points of view.

Yet it is beyond this circle that there lies all that humanity holds most dear.

It is here where we can realize, that all the questions whether we are an immortal soul, whether there is a God, or a Supreme intelligence guiding the universes, are revealed.

All our ethical theories, our moral attitudes, all that are good and great in human nature, have been moulded by answers that have come from beyond the circle.

It is here where we realize that actual knowing lies beyond reason and until one attains to that state of consciousness, he has to accept ultimate truth or reality by faith alone. This is what many religions teach.

The purpose of yoga is Self and God realization. This is ultimate freedom, liberation, perfection while still in the body.

‘Be ye therefore perfect as thy Father in heaven is perfect’.

      Matthew 5:48