|
|
 |
|
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
JosephUK
United Kingdom
212 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 06 2013 : 1:08:54 PM
|
IT has been clear to me all along that the truest form of enlightenment is still only relative to the extent to which the infinite heights of the heavens above, but still the rate determining step of our own and all beings enlightenment is relative to the lowest aspect of the spiritual plane.
Thus i understand that to develop the witnessing state and to be overflowing with divine love is to lighten ones burden, to such an extent that we begin taking on board the karmas of others. Thus we are never without the compassionate and devotional embrace of sufferring.
However through diligent practice we can begin to strengthen ourselves to such an extent that the burden is not our own but the burden of universal karmas, which by my guess are present simply in the genetic line of our human race, and for that matter in the genetics of all living things.
We simply live in a teaching ground where all objects are sentient, all have a purpose.
I've been on a shamanic journey for the past four years with my power animal, and i have been cultivating the soil of my mind and am beginning to rid myself of the poisons.
I am extremely sensitive to the iam mantra and currently practice mindfulness.
I have found it very difficult to stabilise the presence of inner silence, but i have found one can stabilise other mantras such as:
om mani padme hum
tayata om gate gate paragate para samgate bodhi soha
tayata ohm bekandze bekandze maha bekandze radze samungate soha
by creating a thought form through hyptotism which contains the mantra
and the colour (one can practice a mini yoga nidra to find out the colour of the mantra) and allowing the thought to enter into the colour to the extent that it is one with it (a bit like a ghost walking towards the light)
you cant do this with the i am mantra for it is beyond mental formations, thats why you bounce thoughts/energy/consciousness of the mantra to create purification.
rather than repeating a mantra of a buddha deity which creates relative boddhicitta e.g. ability to absorb emotional/physical sufferring but only on the relative level.
Through working with thought forms i have hypnotised myself to such an extent that my mind was empty and yet for some reason i entered into the super concious mind which is basically amrita personified, i couldnt cope and became stuck in the mental realm, and yet i am still there, laughing at everything.
for the whole thing is just absurd lol :)
so to round off my little spiritual study i have found a way of developing divine love, divine awareness and divine forgiveness (through shamanism)
thus all i need is to put in a life-times worth of mindfulness and stop the smoking and i'll be well on the way lol :P
hope someone somewhere finds this interesting....
peace
joe
|
Edited by - AYPforum on Apr 06 2013 2:37:49 PM |
|
|
AYPforum
351 Posts |
Posted - Apr 06 2013 : 2:37:49 PM
|
| Moderator note: Topic moved for better placement |
 |
|
|
parvati9
USA
587 Posts |
Posted - Apr 06 2013 : 7:38:12 PM
|
Hi Joe
Very interesting post. Especially the part about the power animal. How can a person find out what their power animal is?
Hawks, seagulls and doves may be my power animals because of the way they affect me.
I'm often moved to spontaneous expressions and outbursts of joy by the presence of wild animals nearby.
I also believe animals can come close because they have messages for us. I've experienced my pets, and also wild animals, comforting me when I was grieving the loss of my father.
Enjoyed your post.
|
|
|
|
Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Apr 06 2013 : 11:34:30 PM
|
Very interesting indeed. 
I use some shamanic/vision quest techniques from time to time, and I have found that kind of metaphorical thinking to be useful.
Lately, I have a fear of sharks--not enough to keep me from swimming in the ocean, but enough to remind me of the mortality of my body. I think the shark is a power animal that is keeping me grounded and aware of the predatory tendencies within myself and within Earth's evolutionary scheme. I still eat meat (tried to quit, but couldn't quite sustain the vegetarian discipline, but I may try again).
Good luck with quitting the smoking. I kicked that habit a little ways back, and that definitely improved deep breathing and the purification of the nervous system. Purify, purify, purify...
P.S. I also really like your insightful description of the relativity of enlightenment in relation to the whole. |
|
|
|
JosephUK
United Kingdom
212 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2013 : 09:50:34 AM
|
Hey, glad you were both interested.
Ones power animal is discovered by journeying in the mind to a tree you grew up with, maybe in your garden, it is a specific animal, it maybe under the ground or it may come up to see you.
once you have felt the love of your power animal you breath it in to establish a connection.
it works with your innocent and intuitive self to help the gardens in your mind to flourish. This means planting flowers and forests in your mind, each one has different properties such as love, compassion or peace.
This is known as scenery in AYP.
The power animal is an aspect of the higher self or buddha mind.
when you are established working with your power animal you may get to work with an ethical spirit, who is a guru.
I have had a vision which establishes the power animal as the higher self: i saw the power animal and my innocent self multiplied millions of times working all over my body.
Interestingly i have found that ones shamanic work can expand to work outwardly by opening the 5 earth gates, one can be in communication with Mother Nature. For anyone experiencing overload symptoms i recommend tantric union with Mother Nature which is both purifying and balancing, very beautiful too :)
it can help with developing green fingers (doing the gardening cultivating seeds :D)
Joe |
|
|
|
Prem
Canada
90 Posts |
Posted - Mar 05 2015 : 08:26:03 AM
|
| Hi Joseph. I'm glad to encounter your post as I incorporate shamanic journey work from time to time in my personal practice and nice to see others on a similar path. Whether it is compatible with AYP or whether this would be considered a siddhi I cannot say but for me it is a rich inner experience - even if it is scenery! My experience began with "lower world- then upper" - helping spirits alternate between power animals and departed spirits in human form. . As I deepen my AYP practice, I am journeying less frequently but in my experience they are still a valid way for me to get answers when certain situations arise. As far as smoking - I believe as your body purifies one day you will just not desire it any longer. It was that way with my wine consumption. Namaste |
Edited by - Prem on Mar 05 2015 2:19:48 PM |
|
|
|
jusmail
India
491 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2015 : 10:37:22 AM
|
| I have been told that my power animal is elephant perhaps. I have not encountered it so far. How many sessions did it take before you could interact with the power animal? All tips welcome too. |
|
|
|
Prem
Canada
90 Posts |
Posted - Apr 03 2015 : 2:13:13 PM
|
| I wouldn't put much credence in what a person tells you. A shamanic journey is direct revelation. The animal will reveal itself to you, and you will be pleasantly surprised |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
| AYP Public Forum |
© Contributing Authors (opinions and advice belong to the respective authors) |
|
|
|
|
personal/global enlightenent
