Lesson 252 - Self-Pacing, Surrender and Enlightenment

From: Yogani
Date: Sun Jan 23, 2005 8:54am

New Members: It is recommended you read from the beginning of the web
archive, as previous lessons are prerequisite to this one. The first
lesson is, "Why This Discussion?"


Q: As regards the self-pacing of Yoga & Meditation practices, please
clarify if there is any limit regarding the pacing of the practices.
Is it physical or mental limitations, or restricted by the past
'Karmas?'

Is it not possible to get the liberation within one's present life?
Because Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita that any amount of sin is
pardonable if one is surrendered to Him. What exactly is total
surrender to God? Please explain.


A: Thank you for writing and sharing.

In AYP we look at yoga from the point of view of the nervous system
being purified and opened. The condition of the neuro-biology is
related to mind, body and karma. All of these are involved. Yoga
helps the nervous system to purify and open in a natural way, which
it wants to do. Then karma (samskara - latent impressions) is
dissolved and the quality of mind and body are improved at the same
time. It is all tied together like that -- all are aspects of the
same thing, the condition of our nervous system.

Self-pacing in practices is an important part of this, because each
person has a unique capacity for purification. Self-pacing is for
determining how much practice is enough, and how much is too much. So
we find our own balance in practices with self-pacing. Very
important, and it is discussed in the AYP lessons a lot. The limits
have to do with our capacity to "conduct" divine energy. The more the
obstructions are removed in our nervous system, the more we can
conduct divine energy. When the energy moving inside becomes
ecstatic, we call it "ecstatic conductivity." That is the safe and
enjoyable rise of kundalini. It is a gradual process of inner
cleansing, leading to steadily more inner realization, ecstatic bliss
and divine love pouring out. That is what yoga is for.

The concept of "sin" is a human invention, and often used by
organized religion to subjugate followers. See lesson #132 on that. I
am not for the concept of sin, which can hold people back from
pursuing their divine destiny. Obstructions can be removed in the
nervous system, and, yes, it can all be done in one lifetime. Even if
not, huge progress can be accomplished with daily yoga practices, so
the next life will be much closer to enlightenment than this one (see
lesson #74). It is up to each person. In the Gita, Krishna says even
a little yoga removes many lifetimes of karma. It is true. If we open
the door of our nervous system just a little with a few months of
daily deep meditation, the divine light will come streaming in. It is
definitely worth doing. In the Gita, Krishna encourages us to get on
with it, yes? Surrendering to Him (or whoever/whatever our chosen
ideal is) is to undertake the daily disciplines of yoga. Then our
heart overflows more each day with love and surrender to God in and
around us.

Total surrender to God is to become the divine, which is our
essential nature. It is a gradual development. It does not happen in
one day. It goes by degrees. First we surrender to the ideal of
becoming more -- maybe just to the question, "Who am I, and why am I
here?" With this thread of surrender we can be inspired to begin
daily practice of meditation. Then, with some inner silence coming
up, we can surrender to adding pranayama. Then this can lead to other
practices, etc. At some point the divine ecstasy rises in us, and
then we become sold out to the ecstatic energies visibly transforming
us from within. Total surrender comes step by step with our advancing
experiences. To have advancing experiences we need to be doing daily
practices. So surrender and daily practice go hand in hand. This is
why desire becoming devotion to an ideal is discussed from the
beginning in the AYP lessons. We cultivate direct experience every
step along the way, and surrender comes along with it through the
connectedness of yoga. See lesson #149 on how the different aspects
of yoga connect through our nervous system. Eventually our experience
rises to the level of unshakable inner silence, ecstatic bliss and
outpouring divine love. By then we have become that which we have
been surrendering to. Total surrender is enlightenment. It is
immutable, beyond all affirmations and strategies of the mind. Total
surrender is a heart constantly overflowing with divine love.

I wish you all success on your chosen spiritual path. Enjoy!

The guru is in you.

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