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Advanced Yoga Practices Note: For the Original Internet Lessons with additions, see the AYP Easy Lessons Books. For the Expanded and Interactive Internet Lessons, AYP Online Books, Audiobooks and more, see AYP Plus. Lesson 361 - Ramana Maharshi and AYP (Audio)
From: Yogani New Visitors: 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?"
Meditation is more of an object/subject practice. Yes, it stills the mind, but then when meditation is finished, guess who comes back to the forefront? The ego/mind. By constantly looking for the source of "I" even in the midst of work, play, and even sleep, the "I" will sink down into the heart, disappear, and leave Union only. The constant seeking out of the "I" and ignoring everything else is the most powerful practice and is what has always been said by Ramana, Nisargadatta, Advaita Vedanta, Yoga Vasistha, and countless others. As a result of this, you will come to automatic and permanent stillness of mind and constant meditation will become the only state. A: Do you think the technique for refining the I-thought is not an object/subject practice? Non-duality teachers so often dismiss meditation as an object/subject practice, while tying their students up in endless loops of mental gymnastics, and call it "self-inquiry." Often it is an object/object (mind/mind) practice, which is worse. That's not real self-inquiry. There is an important point being missed all right. The process of self-inquiry (inquiring the "I") you are describing cannot be undertaken with any degree of success until the witness quality is already present. We cannot transcend the witness in self-inquiry until we have the abiding stillness to do it in. True meditation is not about object and subject and never the twain shall meet. It is about refining object into subject in every sitting, until only subject remains (stillness). This is how the abiding witness is cultivated. The process of refining the I-thought (object) in stillness is actually meditation from the beginning. It is what Ramana Maharshi taught, and it is an excellent practice for those who are ready for it.
The difference between Ramana's practice and
AYP deep meditation is that it has a "meaning component," i.e., the concepts
of "I" and "inquiring" into to who or what that is. The Ramana practice is
attempting to do several things at the same time: It is a bit much to take on for those who do not already have a
significant spiritual background, for those who are not already "ripe" (See
Lesson 328). AYP breaks this same process up
into digestible components, which can be incorporated into the daily routine
one step at a time: Also see Lesson 350,
covering a range of self-inquiry methods for
transcending the witness. The approach
to self-inquiry
will depend on the inclinations of the
individual,
and the degree of abiding witness
(ripeness)
present
over time. Both Ramana
Maharshi and Nisargadatta Maharaj were well aware of the importance of
"ripeness," and were supportive of practitioners undertaking whatever means
necessary to become ripe. Many of their
followers have not been nearly as understanding,
and that is why the field of non-dual self-inquiry has remained esoteric and
problematic. There is no need for this. Only an understanding of the means
for becoming ripe should be added. Then non-dual self-inquiry will become a
rich field of realization for everyone. None of this need alter
anything you are doing now, assuming you are already ripe and happily
dissolving the "I" in the heart of non-duality. This lesson is offered for
everyone else. Ultimately, it is not about our own experience. It is about
facilitating the process for
others in the most effective
manner. AYP is mainly concerned with helping all
people become ripe. Once that is being accomplished, the harvest is
inevitable. Jnana/advaita is a good harvesting tool.
The guru is in you.
Discuss this Lesson in the AYP Plus Support Forum
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