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harmony
Hong Kong
18 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 27 2013 : 01:04:37 AM
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I am reading AYP's Self Enquiry and with regard to the emergence of the witness and relational self enquiry I would like to ask community members who have come to a point "of being able to to choose with certainty, that which is real, over that which is not." to share some day to day examples with regard to family, career and daily life.
Yogani says in the book that over time the only thoughts and feelings we have will will be the ones that are suited for the most positive outcome in every situation we encounter in life.
If anyone would like to share their experiences of specific life challenges, that were resolved
I'm sure that many of us would love hear about it.
How have you seen through the noise, made the right decisions, embraced Synchronictity, and what happened? Please share.
After all the reality is that we live in a material world, surrounded by egos and constant challenges.
Thank you for sharing.
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kami
USA
920 Posts |
Posted - Oct 28 2013 : 08:09:41 AM
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Hi Harmony,
In my experience, self-inquiry is only as effective as the degree of active surrender. The ability to see "through" the unreal takes a combination of things that aid transcending the limiting ego. Otherwise there may be inquiry but still a tight clinging to the "one" doing the inquiry.
In day to day life, as long as I remain open to the infinite, there is a steady stream of miracles - the right decisions come to mind, there is a deep well-spring of love and patience for everyone I come across, a very mysterious connection with almost anyone where simply wanting them to do something makes them do it (again, if that "thing" is wholesome), those that were previously disruptive to my peace of mind no longer have that power... And so on..
There is a strange phenomenon going on here for a while - the instant there is a thought that is not in complete harmony with everyone's well-being and even before it comes into my conscious awareness, there is a feeling of being physically unwell. I feel my whole body blushing/flushing to an uncomfortable degree and the only thing that will relieve it is samyama of that stressful thought (usually a slipping into "who thinks this?"). It is an automatic check system of keeping thoughts-actions concordant. As soon as I have an ego-based thought about someone being this or that, there is deep pain within. It really doesn't matter what anyone does "to" me - I simply cannot handle a stressful thought about them. Until I resolve it and feel love emanating for them, it nags me incessantly. And I really don't have to "show" that love; in feeling it unconditionally, there is peace finally.
 
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Govinda
USA
176 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2013 : 11:55:19 PM
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Good topic, harmony. And I wholeheartedly agree with kami, while self inquiry is the essence of Jnana Yoga, without the kind of intense surrender of all aspects of oneself (to whatever may come along in life or may appear within our own mental parameters), it exists as merely an intellectual exercise and is of a conceptual, dichotomous, subject-object dynamic. Thus, from this reference alone and from my own small experiences, such acute mindfulness in and of itself cannot truly result in Moksha.
The sort of intense devotion and commitment, which Bhakti blissfully exudes, aims towards complete surrender and full immersion, thus naturally allowing the internal witness to release any and all boundaries of self and other. Essentially, it's all about the highest frequency of love that human beings can euphorically/ecstatically merge into the fulcrum therein (causing a dissolving of the self). Like the proverbial moth to a flame... all that remains is That which holds no form. We can freely infuse ourselves reflectivity within this union, with the Infinite Web/ the Unified Field of Being/ the Divine Spirit.
I believe that the combination of Jnana and Bhakti is not only pivotally necessary, it is an inevitability for any soul who chooses to activate the rise of the Serpent Energy (kundalini) and expand into the state of deep Samadhi. Duality as a frequency of mind, wholly dissolves under such sheer impartiality and steady equanimity. The eclipsing of the two into one. This Grace settles in the epicenter of the mind's heart and so, blooms effulgently!
Thus, the differentiation betwixt this and that, effectively disappears in the shift from a perspective of separate subjectivity, to unified objectivity. Drawn into the fulcrum of the vibration of the Sacred Unity, the isolation of the Jivatman, awakens as the Indivisibility of the Paramatman. The Word made manifest. 
That being said, when the finite self merges freely within the Infinite self, just who perceives what? It's all Brahman/God's Lila and no one I can think of can feasibly call their own glance through reality, an individual, isolated condition. Individuality and any permanence of selfhood is a case of mesmerism, for it is surely limited and of an impermanent nature. Oneself is but a dreamscape flashing briefly before the perception of the I-thought, seemingly locked into the time-space-continuum. Did it really even happen?
Sentient ego is an utter illusion we dream... we all share our experiences as uniquely individuated dream sequences, relative phenomenon which appear to be freely spontaneous, co-existent with the Absolute Omniscience which holds all of this existential stuff together. And the ONE uses each of us to enact our one-of-a-kind roles in the Cosmic Dance of Nataraja. Meaning? As everything is truly and unequivocally, Brahman/God... so too are we, That! All is Light and all is Divine. I call this clear point in focus, born of our direct attention and attunement, "a total whiteout experience".
Now, carrying this peak epiphany and breakthrough experience into our daily lives, is the journey of a lifetime! Reality as we have been trained to perceive of it, humanly and conditionally, challenges every spiritual step we attempt to take. The dream of selfhood obscures the truth about the ineffability of the Divine Being and thus, this leaves most sentient entities lost in a mirage of identification with body and mind.
And in a proverbial nut-shell, it seems that more and more, we all are collectively seeking a greater degree of internal harmony with the All-in-All. This is surely reflected by how much we see the Divine, in all of our independent actions, unique storylines and the dramas of our own life stories. 
And I say, "Go for the bliss-response, good people". Is is it not the highest joy to inter-phase directly within the blossoming of the resplendent conscious-awareness of Brahman/God, awakening within us all, with every breath we experience and every simple deed we enact (both, as servant and master)? Yep. It demands that we see the Sacred Face of the Omniversal, in the countless faces we behold upon this journey of soul awakening... and our own apparent visage. For when we look into the mirror of our own quintessential being, we awaken from one dreamscape into another. We are universal awareness, as we are the Omniself transiently pretending to be the many selves, each perfectly incarnated in the great symphony of sheer existence.
Ergo, we are all interdependently entwined together as a seamless whole, each experiencing a view of the living here & now, this present moment in eternal proportions. Serving our greatest good is symmetrically and interconnectedly, service towards all we encounter. Love to you and yours, ours and our own cherished echoes and reflections.
Tat Tvam Asi. Sat Chit Ananda. Hari Om Tat Sat. |
Edited by - Govinda on Oct 30 2013 1:34:27 PM |
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harmony
Hong Kong
18 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2013 : 09:13:46 AM
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Thank you Govina and Kanmi for your responses.
The point I gather, is that in order for self enquiry to be relational the witness is essential. The level of positive surrender will be proportional to our level of stillness and overall development of the witness. So coming back to my original question:
I would like to ask community members who have come to a point "of being able to to choose with certainty, that which is real, over that which is not." to share some day to day examples with regard to family, career and daily life.
Can the enlightened ones among us, the ones who have reached a level of development comment on their personal experiences with some real life stories.
thank you for sharing and inspiring.
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2013 : 09:52:28 AM
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For me, there is a barometer of ecstatic bliss that deepens and refines, and that condition is often centered in my solar plexus, but runs up and down the spine through my entire body, and beyond. When I engage in a thought-stream, activity, or mis-identification that drags me away from the realness of that condition (which is beyond a "mood" or emotional swing), I can discern between what is real and not real.
For instance, I just posted about smoking cigarettes, and how that activity is drawing me away from the persistent condition of ecstatic bliss. So, to me, the realest reality is abiding serenity, or surrendering to an inward pull (and spiral) of ecstatic bliss that is ever drawing me closer to God.
To try to fixate on Truth as something static or identifiable is a mistake. What is real on one level might not be so real on another level. For instance, if I imagine that someone else feels a certain way, but in reality, they do not feel the way I expected, then there is disparity between what I imagined to be real, and what is actually real. Similarly, if I imagine building a house in my mind, it won't be fully real until it comes into physical reality. So, it's not that reality is a black-and-white phenomenon--it's more like a multi-layered, prismatic hologram of stillness projecting Itself into manifestation. The more abiding inner silence, the more power of discernment between the infinite layers.
Hope this helps. |
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Sparkle
Ireland
1457 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2013 : 10:01:11 AM
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Hi harmony
Thanks for your questions.
I'm sure Kami can come up with lots of examples, based on that great post, which I think explains the dynamics of it beautifully.
I can relate to what Kami says except that I don't have that level of sensitivity yet, so it is a bit more clunky for me.
I would like to ask you a question and that is: what do you consider is real and not real in inquiry work?
Yesterday I was at a silent day retreat and was doing an exercise which was exploring how unpleasant encounters affected the mind and body and emotions. A chap came into the room and started coughing with a wheeze, I immediately felt a contraction in the heart area as I made a harsh judgement about this. In seeing this I consciously opened my chest and heart and allowed the sensations in fully and the judgements and harshness dissolved.
This is a very simple example of what I see as an essential element of this process. The heart contracting with pain and suffering and opening with acceptance and non-judgement.
So what is real and not real?, perhaps the heart can tell us.
Hope that makes sense
PS. I would like to add to this and say that a cough like that from someone would not normally make much of an impression and when I was less sensitive it would seem like I was simply observing it from a nice state of calm. The more honest and fine tuned I become to the small things the more easily my heart stays open. Its often an accumulation of a few small things that can gradually close the heart without us being conscious of what is going on, and then we are back in the quagmire for another while.
The small everyday stuff is very important, if we look after this the big stuff becomes much easier, at least this is my experience. |
Edited by - Sparkle on Nov 03 2013 10:23:39 AM |
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harmony
Hong Kong
18 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2013 : 11:42:05 AM
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Hi Bodhi Tree- thank you for sharing.
Hi Sparkle thank you too. I personally agree with you in that most truths can be revealed from the heart.
So my answer to your question is that I think that what is real resonates deeply with your heart chakra and what is unreal is based upon ego.
I spend fleeting moments in both plains and am just starting to recognise the difference.
Long way to go, but you need to start looking in order to see :-)
best wishes,
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Edited by - harmony on Nov 03 2013 11:33:52 PM |
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Sparkle
Ireland
1457 Posts |
Posted - Nov 04 2013 : 6:33:34 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by harmony
Hi Sparkle thank you too. I personally agree with you in that most truths can be revealed from the heart.
So my answer to your question is that I think that what is real resonates deeply with your heart chakra and what is unreal is based upon ego.
I spend fleeting moments in both plains and am just starting to recognise the difference.
Long way to go, but you need to start looking in order to see :-)
best wishes,
Hi harmony, great that you are feeling some connection with the heart chakra
Yes there is a long way to go for all of us, but at the same time there is only here, now, as I'm sure you know. It's a funny paradox isn't it, that there is only one level and that's the level of this moment, this instant. So in one way there is nowhere to go but right here and in another way there is a long way to go. Which is real and which is not real, or are they both real.
If you feel inclined to say it, I would be interested to know what your practices are, as in, are you doing the AYP mantra and any other additions? or something else.?
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Nov 23 2013 : 6:12:46 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by harmony
I am reading AYP's Self Enquiry and with regard to the emergence of the witness and relational self enquiry I would like to ask community members who have come to a point "of being able to to choose with certainty, that which is real, over that which is not." to share some day to day examples with regard to family, career and daily life.
Yogani says in the book that over time the only thoughts and feelings we have will will be the ones that are suited for the most positive outcome in every situation we encounter in life.
If anyone would like to share their experiences of specific life challenges, that were resolved
I'm sure that many of us would love hear about it.
How have you seen through the noise, made the right decisions, embraced Synchronictity, and what happened? Please share.
After all the reality is that we live in a material world, surrounded by egos and constant challenges.
Thank you for sharing.
Great question!
I agree with Govinda's comments about the importance of bhakti and surrender in this whole process.
Now, as far as personal examples from day to day life, here's how it feels to me: It is as if I am an actor in a movie. What is "Real" is this deep stillness, bliss, this incredible Love of God in my heart, where I live. All kinds of drama is going on out there, in the movie - "not real." I participate in the drama according to my role in the movie. For example, sometimes the role may require me to act stern or even mean, when scolding a disobedient teenager or a drunken husband, or when standing up for myself or my family in the face of aggression from others. I can appear mean when appropriate, although inside I feel compassion for everyone involved, and while the drama is happening I feel detached from it, staying in the Center. Sometimes there is a feeling of amusement as the plot unfolds, and I have to refrain from smiling in order to play my role effectively.
Note, in my experience the "life challenges" are not necessarily "resolved" or go away; what has changed is my perception of them. Stuff still happens (oh boy, does it!), but I don't take it personally anymore, since I don't identify with the character role that I am playing. I just try to be a clear channel for that Love while playing my role to the best of my ability in whatever circumstances arise. I hope that makes sense. |
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Dec 08 2013 : 11:17:43 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by harmony
I am reading AYP's Self Enquiry and with regard to the emergence of the witness and relational self enquiry I would like to ask community members who have come to a point "of being able to to choose with certainty, that which is real, over that which is not." to share some day to day examples with regard to family, career and daily life.
Yogani says in the book that over time the only thoughts and feelings we have will will be the ones that are suited for the most positive outcome in every situation we encounter in life.
If anyone would like to share their experiences of specific life challenges, that were resolved
I'm sure that many of us would love hear about it.
How have you seen through the noise, made the right decisions, embraced Synchronictity, and what happened? Please share.
After all the reality is that we live in a material world, surrounded by egos and constant challenges.
Thank you for sharing.
Rhadarani, great post, I don't have a lot to add.
We choose the real over the unreal, as simple as that. We are not the person with the career, family, etc. That is what self inquiry reveals.
It is all about identification. Who am I?
Decisions about any important subject become easier, because in self inquiry we do not misidentify with the individual self. Therefore, we can make better decisions about these things because we are attached to outcomes.
Hope that helps you Harmony
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bliss247
India
1 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2014 : 9:02:36 PM
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Hi Harmony,
The way to see through the noise is simple. Jesus said, " A tree is known by the fruit it produces". Similarly, a man is known by his actions, not just his words. So watch or observe the actions of people closely and look for things that don't change.
Eg.,People who don't change their principles(very hard to find these days).
People who do what they say(their words and deeds are in "Synchronicity")
People who are consistent in character.
My few cents.
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harmony
Hong Kong
18 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2014 : 12:15:06 AM
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Hi Sparkle, Apologies for my delayed reply.
My daily practice is based on techniques learned from AYP, Vipassana (SN Goenka) and TM. It's basically 5 mins of Pranayama, 20 mins of mantra based meditation and then around 5 mins of Samyama. I'm working on the precision of how exactly to drop a sutra and let it go into stillness. I love it and have a number of Samyama related questions which I think I will reserve for a separate post.
Coming back to the topic at hand, I read somewhere that what is not real is that which changes, so matter, emotions, everything that is impermanent and in a state of constant flux is unreal. What is real is that which is unchanging, so the self, the Atman, Sat Chit Ananda, the oneness or unity of what is.
For me personally this is an ongoing dance between two extremes. One more fleeting than the other, I've never been a great dancer, but I think I'm slowly getting better 
Best wishes,
quote:
Originally posted by Sparkle
quote:
Originally posted by harmony
Hi Sparkle thank you too. I personally agree with you in that most truths can be revealed from the heart.
So my answer to your question is that I think that what is real resonates deeply with your heart chakra and what is unreal is based upon ego.
I spend fleeting moments in both plains and am just starting to recognise the difference.
Long way to go, but you need to start looking in order to see :-)
best wishes,
Hi harmony, great that you are feeling some connection with the heart chakra
Yes there is a long way to go for all of us, but at the same time there is only here, now, as I'm sure you know. It's a funny paradox isn't it, that there is only one level and that's the level of this moment, this instant. So in one way there is nowhere to go but right here and in another way there is a long way to go. Which is real and which is not real, or are they both real.
If you feel inclined to say it, I would be interested to know what your practices are, as in, are you doing the AYP mantra and any other additions? or something else.?
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Relational Self Enquiry and the Witness
