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reidmantra
United Arab Emirates
57 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 4:58:59 PM
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| It has been a while since I have visited this group. I spent time away just to focus on establishing a practice. I have a few questions based on some reading and experiences I have had. First: what does it mean by the state-ment that in a sutra its meaning is inherent within it, and therefore we do not need to contemplate its meaning during the practice of samyama. What if the sutra is foreign to a persons understanding, will it still work? Second: I have discovered that the lightness sutra has three ways of being said, they are `Inner space-lightness of air', `Akasha-lightness of air' and the third one comes from the tm-sidhi program which is `Relationship of body and Akasha - lightness of cotton fiber'. Which one of these formulas is the best to use? Is it ok to experiment during samyama by shifting back and forth between them? Due to physical problems I am unable to sit cross-legged on my bed or floor but to practice samyama I sit in a comfortable chair. In the two years I have practiced the lightness sutra as part of the ayp samyama system, I have yet to experience any results from it. I do not hop. I do not shake or tremble in any way. I do not even feel spaciousness or lightness in my body. What is wrong with me? How can I experience its effects? Any help or feedback would be greatly appreciated! Namaste! |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 6:19:01 PM
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It's best to stick with one sutra when it comes to lightness of air...whichever one seems most natural. The exact word choice is not that important, because the essence of the sutra is a very subtle vibration coming from stillness, and therefore beyond the level of meaning. The intimate heart of your quiet mind knows what you're trying to achieve.
When it comes to not feeling the results, I would simply say that purification and opening comes in waves, and that the effects can be barely noticeable at times (other times it is more dramatic). We all have a matrix of obstructions we are working through, and sometimes that matrix is densely packed, so it takes time. What's most important about AYP is that it's a multi-channeled approach, and all the practices are geared towards enhancing daily living. This is something I had to recognize early on, because part of me wanted for the practices themselves to be the peak experience, but the juice of the fruit is found in the activity between practices. On this note, you might want to inquire and investigate (in a samyama way) how you can participate in life a little more so you're more satisfied. There is no shortage of gifts to tap into.
Hope this helps, and wishing you the best on your path.  |
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reidmantra
United Arab Emirates
57 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 8:37:53 PM
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| Hi Bodhi-tree. Thank you for your reply. Just another question if I may? When you say that my heart and mind know what I am trying to achieve, are you saying that when I first pick up the sutra or when I let it go in silence that I should be forming an intention of what I want to have happen, or should I just be effortless and put no thought into it at all? Thank you for your reply in advance and thank you for your wisdom in this matter. Namaste! - Reidmantra |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 11:04:44 PM
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You can paint the sutra with an intention. Emotion affects the vibration of thought, since emotion itself is a vibration intertwined with thought. But samyama is not about trying to project an exact outcome; it's about releasing attachment to the outcome in favor of the miracle (sutra) we are cultivating. Stillness takes care of the outcome. That's why the bulk of the technique is in the release, and in the spaciousness which absorbs the intention. So, you touch the faint feeling of the thought/intention, and then let go...for 15 seconds. That's it. 
If there is not much inner silence present, it might be good to back off and stick with Deep Meditation until there is more ease and comfort with the release aspect of the samyama technique.
You're doing good! Follow your inner guru.
Unity. Strength. Abundance.  |
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Dogboy
USA
2207 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 11:13:17 PM
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| You nailed samyama, Bodhi |
Edited by - Dogboy on Jan 27 2015 11:13:53 PM |
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jusmail
India
491 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 11:21:05 PM
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Should one use the sutra "akasha" or "akasha - lightness of air"?
Thanks |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 11:25:50 PM
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Merely riding in the wake of a master, who in turn is riding in the wake of masters before him...methinks I see fractals of wisdom and joy!  |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 11:32:44 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by jusmail
Should one use the sutra "akasha" or "akasha - lightness of air"?
Thanks
As found in the baseline lesson, http://www.aypsite.org/150.html, the sutra is Akasha - Lightness of Air.
"The meanings for the sutras can be translated to your deepest or first language, as discussed above. All except "Akasha," which is a sanskrit word meaning, "subtlest ether, inner space." We know from physics that we are ether, empty space inside, nothing really solid in here at all. Our body is that, and when we do samyama on "Akasha – Lightness of Air," we begin to feel very light." |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2015 : 01:54:29 AM
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Beautiful and Thrutfully explained Samyama Bodhi Tree 
For me as foreigner, but a frequent English reader, I started with the for me not so familiar words like abundance and lightness of air in my own language, and after some time I switched all to the English words. I don't no exactly why, but in English they felt more loving to me....
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reidmantra
United Arab Emirates
57 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2015 : 12:36:06 PM
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| Hello everyone. Thank you once again Bodhi-tree for your response. I want to tell all of you how I practice samyama and you can correct me or affirm me by writing your replies. After a 20 min session of DM I sit easily in silence without thinking the mantra. The next thing I do is to gently introduce the first sutra `love' and then let it fade away. Fifteen seconds later I gently pick it up again. [During my practice] I do not think about what the sutras mean to me. I don't try to imagine how each sutra should or could make me feel. I just think the word, release it, and pick it up again. I do this with all the sutras. After reading your responses I will now quit worrying about whether this or that should happen with a particular sutra and just practice in the way I described above and leave the effects (clear or barely noticeable) up to God. So my question to all of you is: Is my technique and mental attitude correct or am I missing something? Thank God for this meditation support forum. I apologize in advance to all of you because I have a lot of questions and like Mr. Meditator I like to get things exactly right so I can get the most out of my practices. I eagerly await all of your feedback. -reidmantra |
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jusmail
India
491 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2015 : 10:16:55 PM
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| That is perfectly right |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2015 : 10:46:36 PM
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| Sounds great! It's all about the finesse. |
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jonesboy
USA
594 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2015 : 2:15:37 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by reidmantra
Hello everyone. Thank you once again Bodhi-tree for your response. I want to tell all of you how I practice samyama and you can correct me or affirm me by writing your replies. After a 20 min session of DM I sit easily in silence without thinking the mantra. The next thing I do is to gently introduce the first sutra `love' and then let it fade away. Fifteen seconds later I gently pick it up again. [During my practice] I do not think about what the sutras mean to me. I don't try to imagine how each sutra should or could make me feel. I just think the word, release it, and pick it up again. I do this with all the sutras. After reading your responses I will now quit worrying about whether this or that should happen with a particular sutra and just practice in the way I described above and leave the effects (clear or barely noticeable) up to God. So my question to all of you is: Is my technique and mental attitude correct or am I missing something? Thank God for this meditation support forum. I apologize in advance to all of you because I have a lot of questions and like Mr. Meditator I like to get things exactly right so I can get the most out of my practices. I eagerly await all of your feedback. -reidmantra
That little part there, the let it fade away. You are staying with the energy of the thought. To me this is just like thinking the thought of love after letting it go.
Maybe this is just me but I try to let it go into silence. The energy begins to rise and I let it go without trying to create waves of energy. I barely bring up the thought and let it go into silence. Like the gap between thoughts. Don't ride the energy just let it go into silence, wait and repeat. It is a subtle difference but one that I think has noticable effects. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2015 : 5:43:55 PM
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| Letting it fade away is synonymous with letting it go. Also, it doesn't matter if the thought occurs again within the 15-second window. We don't deliberately repeat the thought within the window, but if it arises, that's totally fine. Again, less is more with samyama. Same with Deep Meditation. Minimal mental effort = effortlessness. These aren't highly regulatory techniques that involve a lot of micromanaging. They are very, very simple. |
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jonesboy
USA
594 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2015 : 07:42:27 AM
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Bodhi,
No it is not the same. It is far from the same thing which is why I mentioned it.
Letting a thought go into silence where it ends right there compared to watching it fade away is the difference.
It is like dropping a pebble into a pond and no waves are created compared to dropping a pebble into a pond and creating waves.
I am not saying it is easy to do but there is a big difference.
It's not about micro managing it. It's about doing it right. Words matter. |
Edited by - jonesboy on Jan 30 2015 09:09:19 AM |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2015 : 12:12:16 PM
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| Hm. Well, I don't doubt there are subtle differences between perception of energy, but the "letting" is what's important, yes? I agree with you 100% that words matter, and certain words are synonyms to each other. For instance, "holding on" would NOT be a synonym to "letting go", but rather an antonym. However, I would definitely consider "letting go" and "letting fade away" to be synonyms and therefore interchangeable. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2015 : 12:37:11 PM
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P.S. I also find it helpful to mention that "less is more" is a paradoxical phrase that describes the style of the technique, i.e. that less strain results in more progress. Kind of like "stillness in action", which is the joining of two antonyms, thereby creating a fruitful paradox.
But again, the actual technique of samyama requires no contemplation or understanding of paradoxes, since the paradox is an effect of the cause of the practice. All that's required is to follow the simple technique and enjoy the results. |
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jonesboy
USA
594 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2015 : 5:23:48 PM
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You are such a fine writer Bodhi. No doubt about.
Hell, I am not even sure of what the heck you all said.
All I know is that when I first started doing Samyama it was hard for my to not say the word Love. Then I would be thinking about the next word and then it took me awhile to realize that thinking about the next sutra is doing the next sutra. See a slow learner :)
So I went from that to noticing that when I would say the sutra it would reverberate or echo. You know love, love, love etc.. Well you know Yogani say's don't do that. Chasing thoughts and all. Let it go into silence.
After some increased silence I was then able to feel the energy of the thought. Feel how the thought of Love would just expand outward. How if you thought to hard the ripples would increase in size it seemed to me. A light bulb went off and I realized that just like thinking of the next sutra I am to say next, following energy of a thought is just as bad. The brain is trying to find something to do. I was watching it fade away.
The next thing I did was try not to do any of those things. To just drop it in silence. To raise the energy but to let it go so that nothing followed. No energy, no thoughts just inner silence. It made a huge difference. You see it was at about this point where I decided to quit my 35 year habit of dipping and my recent habit of smoking.
It was the easiest thing I have ever done. As soon as I would start to feel the need or the thought I would drop it into silence. I didn't want that feeling to fade away. I want to let it go right then and not come back. It is a thought a physical sensation there is no reason to suffer with letting it fade away.
That is the true power of samyama during your daily life. To help you train the mind to let things go into silence. It isn't a fading away thing, like you'll be happy eventually or you'll be rid of these sensations soon. It is the ability like neti neti to stop thoughts and emotions.
Eventually it is all a letting go into emptiness.
I am not sure I have ever heard of letting things fade away into silence or emptiness. I know your a good writer and I am sure you could show me some examples of how other great teachers used fading away in a similar manner. Maybe starting with Lesson 150 - Samyama practice |
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lightness sutra and samyama questions
