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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 28 2011 : 01:52:08 AM
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LOL, my teacher would not appreciate the title of this forum "Enlightenment Milestones;" he says the "journey to enlightenment" is bogus because "there is nowhere to get to, you are already a perfect manifestation of Life, it is within you" etc. But that's ok.  IMO it's kind of a matter of semantics. Perhaps there was nowhere to get to, however, from my perspective something has definitely "happened" because we ain't in Kansas anymore Toto...! I've been a yogini since age 13, so 35 years now, and about 10 weeks ago on a Friday night my reality totally changed. I was 2 or 3 breaths into a new way of doing pranayama/energy flow that was the opposite of what I had previously been taught by SRF and everybody else (a variety of techniques) I've ever studied, when suddenly I was overwhelmed by Bliss, Love, incredible peace and clarity. The presence of God was immediate, palpable and closer than my own heart. I said, "Thank you, this is beautiful!" and assumed it was just a passing siddhi or maybe even shaktipat over the internet, where the yoga instruction was occurring via teleconference. When I awoke the next day it persisted, and Sunday as well. It was almost like LSD except without visual disturbances, although everything looked very clear and bright and illuminated by inner light. It was similar to MDMA except more intense and without the teeth grinding, maybe closer to MDA (as I recall these things from my youth).  When I awoke Monday it was still the same, and I said, "OMG, I am seriously f*king high, I hope I will be able to function [work and drive and stuff]!" But I needn't have worried; I was able to function better than ever. And actually "worried" is not correct because I seemed to have lost the ability to worry per se. Nothing bothered me in the slightest. E.g., my car had a flat tire and I had to take it to the shop to get it fixed and I was totally happy about it, and driving there in the traffic was quite pleasant. Later I found it very easy multitasking between 2 of my jobs (spirtual counseling for Psychic Source by phone, in between typing oncology reports), which had previously been difficult, and I felt incredible Love and compassion towards my counseling clients as well as my often annoying doctors. Upon reflecting on what was "different," I suddenly realized that the monkey mind had completely shut up! Also I felt like a heavy burden had been lifted from my shoulders, that I had been carrying around my whole life. The Bliss was both physical and spiritual, just flowing effortlessly through my spine and every cell of my body, and infinite Love pouring from the heart chakra. At that point I still thought it was a temporary siddhi and I didn't want it to go away, but I also knew I must not be attached to any experience. I told God, "I will let this go if I must, but please just don't ever take your Love away [which technically you can't because you have promised in several different scriptures]; anyway I don't want bliss for its own sake, YOU are my Bliss, and you can't leave because where are you going to go?!" After a couple of weeks I began to suspect this was not a temporary siddhi but rather, as my teacher calls it, "our natural state." I also realized that it wasn't going anywhere because it was within me. Since that time I've had a few temporary setbacks or distractions when "stuff" has come up to be burned in the flames, but focusing on the breath and/or chanting the Names brings me right back. Not that the Bliss, etc. is "new" - I've had plenty of ecstatic Bliss and Silence in meditation on a daily basis for many, many years, BUT until now it didn't spill over into the rest of my daily life, which used to somewhat suck. As of today, 10 weeks into this, there isn't as much of an "OMG I'm tripping" feeling; it's starting to feel natural. I can hardly remember how I used to feel with the worrying, resenting stuff, etc. Besides the palpable presence of God, the other thing I am really enjoying is that the monkey mind has shut the f*ck up - I always wanted to shoot that little bastard! Is this "enlightenment"? I don't know and I don't care.  |
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2011 : 04:57:26 AM
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Beautiful
Much thanks for writing and sharing [img]icon_heart.gif[/img] |
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Yonatan
Israel
849 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2011 : 08:14:19 AM
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Hi Jamie,
Thanks so much for sharing :)
Love and Light |
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Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2011 : 11:00:47 AM
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I was just feeling/thinking about it on the road back home from work... What has happened to you is the real thing... I could smell it...
Peace |
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Tibetan_Ice
Canada
758 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2011 : 11:06:22 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by JamieRadha
...
I was 2 or 3 breaths into a new way of doing pranayama/energy flow that was the opposite of what I had previously been taught by SRF and everybody else (a variety of techniques) I've ever studied, when suddenly I was overwhelmed by Bliss, Love, incredible peace and clarity.
...
Hi Jamie, :)
What a wonderful story. It does me good to hear about such an experience.
If you don't mind me asking, what is "new way of doing pranayama"? Is it written down somewhere? What are the steps?
Thank you..
:)
TI |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2011 : 11:45:10 PM
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Thanks, guys! Glad you enjoyed my story and appreciate your kind comments. I love the AYP forums, reading about everyone's experiences and being able to share.
Tibetan Ice, I am very happy if my story could inspire you. With regard to your particular question, I have discussed this in my blog post, "Why I Could Give a Rat's Ass About Enlightenment" http://blog.lothlorienyoga.com/2011...tenment.aspx which you might enjoy reading. But, briefly, I had been practicing the SRF kriya technique as my central pranayama/energy practice, which frankly I found a bit awkward and sometimes tedious. The new system I have learned is from Krishnamacharya in which the ujjayi breath is done slightly differently, AND it is done along with asana, i.e. "moving meditation" which precedes the sitting meditation and IMO is very powerful. In addition, in K's system we receive the inhale from above and exhale from below and the energy flows effortlessly along with the breath, very simple. No visualization is necessary although we do use the Sri Yantra in deep meditation. This totally works for me. I assume the technique is what provoked my "change of state" although it is entirely possible that it was mere coincidence and maybe my teacher just gave me a little push or the stars were aligned at that moment or something. You can see the basic breath and movement technique here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbQwfcwYnuY
HOWEVER, please note: If you are already doing the AYP Lessons and getting results, you should continue to do them according to the instructions! The practices are designed as part of a very thorough, integrated and time-honored system which Yogani has presented beautifully and I am fairly certain will work if you follow it consistently.
Love and blessings to you. |
Edited by - Radharani on Jul 29 2011 01:43:50 AM |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2011 : 03:44:41 AM
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quote:
What has happened to you is the real thing... I could smell it...
Ananda ...it...Smells Like Teen Spirit
.
i am happy that your Nirvana dear Jamie is going smoothly...txs for sharing |
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bewell
1275 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2011 : 09:02:30 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by JamieRadha
...we do use the Sri Yantra in deep meditation. This totally works for me.
Hi Jamie,
I find your reference to Sri Yantra particularly striking since I have been using Sri Yantra myself of late. My interest in Sri Yantra sprang up after meeting you, after playing with the up/down dynamic of spinal awareness a bit, but before seeing your reference to Sri Yantra. I suspect it was in part experimenting with the up/down energy dynamic that helped bring Sri Yantra to life for me.
I found this AYP Sri Yantra page suddenly fascinating:
http://www.aypsite.org/T25.html
And I found this youtube model for drawing your own:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLxPUoaBjQ8
I am imagining drawing my own on a four feet by four feet piece of drywall board. I was thinking of drawing it step by step with one step only for each meditation session I do beside the board.
In Gratitude,
Be |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2011 : 4:36:37 PM
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Be, That is so cool that we both seem to be exploring the same thing! I only recently learned how to meditate with the Sri Yantra. The guy who taught me tantra many, many years ago had pictures of the Yantra but I don't think he even knew what to do about it. Here is a link to a Facebook discussion with my friend Domagoj from Heart of Yoga: https://www.facebook.com/permalink....001715650021 I don't know if you can see it unless you are our Friend on Facebook, so here is an excerpt from the conversation that you may find pertinent:
"Yes, this kind of breathing, the inhale down and into the chest and the exhale from the base up and out of the body is the way Krishnamacharya taught yoga. If you breathe like that, the bandhas come naturally, and with the bandhas in place,... your pranayama gets truly beneficial. Imagine the downward pointing triangle penetrating your body from above while inhaling, and the upward pointing one from the base up while exhaling. This is a good (tantric) bhavana (visualization) that can make your pranayama more efficient and more engaging. In this way you will integrate the powers of the Sri yantra into your practice! :-)" Since I have been doing this, my already ecstatic meditation has gone to new levels of mind-blowing bliss... I also am in the process of creating a Sri Yantra for my studio, to hang on the wall. I will check out the links you mentioned after work tonight. Love, JamieRadha |
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yogani
USA
5195 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2011 : 5:29:20 PM
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Hi Jamie:
Lovely transformation, going from "here to here." Thank you.
In AYP we have a supplemental pranayama practice called "heart breathing," which does go the other way. Having our cake and eating it too...
It can be used with a bhakti/ishta component if desired: http://www.aypsite.org/220.html
Regarding Sri Yantra, as they say in Sri Vidya: "We are That" -- ultimately the bindu (center point), which is no-thing and all-things. Sri Yantra mirrors it (the microcosm and macrocosm we are) from a tantric perspective.
The guru is in you.
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Tibetan_Ice
Canada
758 Posts |
Posted - Jul 30 2011 : 12:56:38 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by JamieRadha
...
The new system I have learned is from Krishnamacharya in which the ujjayi breath is done slightly differently, AND it is done along with asana, i.e. "moving meditation" which precedes the sitting meditation and IMO is very powerful.
...
You can see the basic breath and movement technique here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbQwfcwYnuY
Hi Jamie, :)
Thank you very much for responding. I really appreciate it.
Thank you for the link to the video. That is so interesting. That is the only other place that I've seen a reference to ujjayi breath, where the sound is produced from the throat on both inhale and exhale. The first place I saw a reference to ujjayi breath was in Samuel Sagan's book called "Awakening the Third Eye". In it, he calls that type of breathing "Throat Friction".
quote:
2.1 Throat friction
This practice consists of breathing with a friction at the lower
part of the back of the throat, while keeping the mouth slightly
open. The friction is generated during both inhalation and
exhalation. It creates a ‘wind’ type of sound. There is neither
humming nor buzzing, nor any form of chanted sound. The sound
is roughly the same while inhaling and exhaling.
Later he says closing the mouth but keeping the jaw open and loose is prefered.
This is what Sagan claims are the effects of throat friction:
quote:
2.2 Purposes and effects of the throat friction
The throat friction is a sound of energy. It quietens the mind and
when mastered, instantaneously induces a ‘tuned-in’ state of
consciousness.
One of its main actions is to amplify any psychic phenomena. The
way we will use the throat friction in the following chapter will
be to connect it with the area between the eyebrows to strengthen
your awareness of the third eye. In later practices the throat
friction will be connected with different structures of the body
of energy to help reinforce them.
What does ‘connecting’ mean? It is a feeling that is easier to
experience than to describe. Suppose you are trying to connect the
throat friction with the area between the eyebrows, for instance.
In the beginning there is a simultaneous awareness of them. Then a
resonance automatically takes place between the two. The area
between the eyebrows seems to vibrate together with the throat
friction. Then a ‘mixing’ takes place. The throat friction combines
with the feeling between the eyebrows. There is a communication
of energy between the larynx and the third eye. That is what is
meant by ‘connecting’.
There follows a simple but essential experience: the perception of
the third eye quickly becomes more distinct and tangible. This
result is clear and instantaneous. The effect of the throat friction
is to ‘give shape’, make things more substantial. Therefore,
whenever you connect the throat friction with a chakra or any
other organ of energy the organ becomes more perceptible. The
larynx makes things manifest, it reveals them.
...
As you advance along this path you will discover several other
miraculous functions associated with the larynx. For instance, the
larynx of energy is a wonderful purifier: it can digest all kinds of
toxic energies. It also plays a major role in the metabolism of the
nectar of immortality. I recommend that you do not treat the
throat friction as routine, but regard it as a sacred quest for the
mysteries of the larynx.
I also thought I'd mention this. In the video of the breathing practice, it looks to me that by the end of the inhale, the attention is fully at the crown (which is up). The hands are above, the gaze is looking at the hand above and the center of attention seems to be above. Then, by the time exhale is completed, the hands are down, the upper gaze is released and it would seem like the attention is lowered.
Did Mark Whitwell specifically instruct you to bring your attention down into the chest from above upon the inhale (while bringing your arms and gaze above your head)? And on the exhale, did he say to bring the attention upwards while bringing your arms downwards? Isn't that counter-intuitive?
Or is his technique different from Krishnamacharya's?
God Bless..
:)
TI
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Aug 01 2011 : 5:42:58 PM
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Be, the Sri Yantra links are beautiful! The instructional one looks useful as well as quite difficult. I'm a little intimidated. I was planning to just use graph paper and a protractor. I will let you know how that goes. Have you begun working on yours yet?
Yogani, Thank you so much for the links and your kind words. Your "heart breathing" is LOVELY and actually extremely similar to what we are doing in Heart of Yoga except we receive the inhale all the way to the base, and then exhale back up, but we are focused in the heart. Mark also mentions that the purpose, besides "reconnecting" with the Source, is to remove dukkha, which goes along with what you said. I think you and I are very much on the same page in regard to the spiritual "journey" and not getting caught up in all of the details, e.g. specifically working on chakras one at a time. Everything you say rings true to my own experience, which currently is just a state of being utterly in Love, and the Bliss of that pouring through me amidst the blessed silence. Thank you again for all that you are doing for yoga!
Tibetan Ice, As far as I know, ujjayi breath is rarely taught and when it is, maybe not very well. I was taught by SRF years ago as an "advanced" technique and I was forbidden to teach it to anyone, which is just as well since the way they taught me was dubious. I have found ujjayi to be extremely powerful. I wouldn't bother too much with "amplifying psychic phenomena," however. It's just a distraction, really. With regard to the moving meditation/breathing, we reach up to embrace and receive the light as it is coming into us from above. The arm movement is to lift and open the chest. In the introductory teachings, Mark doesn't actually tell us to "bring our attention" anywhere or visualize anything; just to breathe and receive, which will automatically open the heart chakra, but you don't have to actually "do" anything about it. It's refreshingly simple. Only later when you get into the bandhas and the Sri Yantra does he specify the movement of prana, found on page 202 of Yoga of Heart. If it seems counter-intuitive, i.e. doesn't work for you, then don't do it. For me personally I could inhale the energy up or down, either way, but the exhale with the bandhas is what makes this particular approach work (as my friend Domagoj says), especially considering that the inhale is done from the upper chest down and the exhale simply reverses the process... I'm sure this "directional" thing could be and has been argued at great length, but as I mentioned in another post, technique is not an end in itself. I strongly suspect (and I could be full of sh*t so don't quote me on this), that the energies in the Sri Yantra, i.e. in the universe and in us, are actually moving in both directions simultaneously and continually; the triangle is coming down as the other is going up, in waves, and it just depends on where/when you jump in. Kind of like surfing: The waves are arising continually in the ocean and you pick a wave at a certain point to ride it. If I have my 7'11" Batboard (which has a pointy end and very sharp fins) and the waves are big, I will just ride the whitewater as the wave finishes breaking, or I ride the calmer, smaller tubes breaking closer to shore. If I have my boogie board, however, I have no worries of injury and I will go out deep to catch the biggest waves and drop in on the tube from the top for a really intense ride. It's the same ocean and the waves are coming up continually but when and where you catch them affects your experience. Whether "tubed" or otherwise, what we seek is to flow with the ocean and hear OM in the waves... Well my dears, I must get to work. Much Love to all of you! |
Edited by - Radharani on Aug 01 2011 6:30:25 PM |
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faileforever
USA
190 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2011 : 2:39:04 PM
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Wow, this is so moving and beautiful, thank you so much for sharing with us |
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Tibetan_Ice
Canada
758 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2011 : 11:57:26 PM
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Hi Jamie,
Thank you so much for your response. I appreciate it.
:)
TI |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2011 : 7:14:35 PM
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| You're welcome! By the way, I want to clarify in regard to the Krishnamacharya/Whitwell technique: Quite simply, think of breath as prana, and the breathing as the flow of prana, and it's not really necessary to visualize anything or focus on any particular chakra; just breathe. |
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mikkiji
USA
219 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2011 : 10:08:24 PM
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Jamie--
I had a similar transformation about 7 1/2 years ago--I had also been an active spiritual 'seeker' since the age of 13, when I was in a 3-day coma and underwent a Near-Death Experience (NDE). I also took a bunch of psychedelics in the late 60s-early 70s, studied with a zen master, and become a teacher of Transcendental Meditation after studying in ashram for two years with the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The trigger at the time was my own SECOND NDE, during a major heart attack 12 years ago, and my wife's battle with cancer, which began 7 1/2 years ago with major surgery and weeks in the hospital. What I have found in the intervening years is that you adjust to the 'high' feeling as your new normal, no biggie, just how things are, normal. From there, other stuff begins to happen--perceptual stuff at first, the development of siddhi-like stuff in sense input. Other factors come into play--intuition, empathy, those subtle personality traits which depend on Being, inner silence, and flow... well, everywhere, it is beginning to appear. So this 'whatever-it-is', let's not call it 'enlightenment' for now, is NOT a destination, it's a door, and there's LOTS more stuff on the other side. I'm sure you're already getting glimmers of that. Keep us posted!
Namaste,
Michael |
Edited by - mikkiji on Aug 04 2011 10:25:07 PM |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Aug 05 2011 : 02:36:36 AM
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Michael, Thank you so much for sharing your story! Yes, already I am starting to adjust to the "high" as being "normal," although I am still amazed at this. It's wonderful. As for siddhi-like stuff, I had a lot of that, along with various kundalini phenomena, years ago, and to be honest it doesn't really interest me anymore, but I am open to whatever happens. I used the term "enlightenment" humorously (as discussed in my blog). This state is a "destination" for me only in so far as I now have everything I ever wanted, above all the immediate palpable presence of God, as well as the Love and Bliss and blessed silence. Now that my desire is satisfied I am happy just to Be, continuing to go deeper into that Love, and to serve in whatever way the Beloved leads me. There is a great sense of freedom and I totally trust in the process. I certainly appreciate the encouragement from people like you who have gone before me! Much love and gratitude, Jamie
P.S. sometimes my face hurts from smiling so much. |
Edited by - Radharani on Aug 05 2011 03:09:27 AM |
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mr_anderson
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2011 : 1:21:47 PM
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| thanks for sharing Jamie. very inspiring and encouraging story. |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2011 : 02:27:43 AM
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Recently spent a week with my partner Hawk at an intensive yoga retreat with my teacher, Mark Whitwell. Here is a link to a description of our trip overall: http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....PIC_ID=10268
A consistent theme throughout the trip was that we were totally taken care of in the midst of all circumstances, like miraculously finding a motel with a vacancy when trapped in the midst of rising floodwaters, etc. This sort of thing seems to be happening a lot lately. As far as my internal state, I seriously did not think it was possible to get any "higher" as I was already so totally blown away in Love and Bliss, but apparently I was wrong. Since the retreat the silence has kind of deepened and expanded and being filled by even more ecstasy. There have been some "difficulties" (yes, life goes on and we remain human) and I've felt it deeply in the moment, I've cried and let it go - and it rolls by like a summer storm, but all the while the undercurrent of Love and Bliss remains even more steady and powerful. I experience unpleasantness at times but it doesn't bother me and there is no annoying commentary by the monkey mind. There is complete freedom and the deep abiding sense that everything is ok. And this intense feeling that I've had, "I am so in Love" (which I still am) has subtly shifted to "I AM Love." I feel better able to serve as a teacher and counselor. My teacher answered questions that we didn't ask and "fixed" some things he had no earthly way of knowing about. Obstructions were removed and healing accomplished for both of us. |
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my reality has totally changed
