Lesson 81 - Q&A – Charging ahead too fast?

From: Yogani
Date: Sun Jan 11, 2004 5:04pm

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

Q: I want to first thank you for your teaching!!!! I am finding with
your lessons that i am actually feeling the process of yoga, the
beauty of all. My question regarding sambhavi is that i am finding my
eyes are sore and my third eye feels a dull ache/sore. Am I trying
too hard? is this natural kundalini activity(from kundalini post)? I
have also been helped along with spinal breathing by utilizing your
comments about getting shiva off his butt, and am visualizing shiva
going down to meet shakti, and shakti coming up to meet shiva on the
inhale. I usually let them stay together for a short pause on inhale
and exhale, and mingle. I am also finding i am getting distracted
more often now though -is it because my silly little ego senses a
little divine romance happening? thank you again for your lessons i
look forward to them everyday, and am religious in doing them!! Thank
you. PS is it okay if i do the meditation portion longer than the
suggested 20 minutes-sometimes i go for 45 minutes or more depending
on when i feel like coming out of union-for that is how i picture it-
union with my soul, allowing the soul nourishment.

A: You are doing terrific. It's wonderful.

Discomfort around the third eye (or anywhere) can mean some forcing
in practice. It can also be kundalini pressing through there. It can
be both at the same time. You know what to do, right? Back off on
practice to something more comfortable. If excessive symptoms are
still there, then look at the lesson on kundalini imbalances and
remedies and explore the many avenues there. Don't press too much
ahead until you have stability. You are a spiritual athlete in
training. You should build up gradually. That is the best approach.

Yes, I think you answered your own question about visualizing the
romance of shiva and shakti in spinal breathing. It is mixing bhakti
too much into what is a very simple procedure of spinal breathing. It
divides the attention too. The same goes for doing long meditations
for the "experience." Keep in mind that we do these practices for
results outside them in daily life. We are moving mountains of
obstructions inside, though we may not notice if we are in an
ecstatic reverie. These enthusiastic undertakings of more and more
practice can contribute to kundalini imbalances, while at the same
time reducing the effectiveness of the practices. So be systematic in
your practices. The guidelines are there for good reasons.

Ice cream is very good, but is eating two gallons all at once good?

All of these practices are very powerful, especially when integrated
as we are doing, and should be done easily and precisely. If you are
inclined to extend the time of your practices, do so very sparingly
to see what happens at each step. Limiting yourself to not adding
more than five minutes of anything in a month, is a reasonable
approach. Even then you could creep yourself into an unstable
situation. So use your common sense. If activity outside practices is
smooth, you are doing okay. If it isn't, then chances are you are
pressing too hard or too long. Be sure and keep active in your
regular daily life. That is as much a part of it as the practices.
Activity stabilizes the pure bliss consciousness and divine ecstasy
we gain in practices.

You are doing fabulously, like the proverbial kid in the candy store.
You are just the kind of person these lessons are designed for. It is
very exciting. Please be responsible in applying the knowledge, and
then we will both be glad that all this is being revealed.

The guru is in you.

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