Samatha

[Guest guest]

>From bgbyyg: Dear Satsang group:

I recently read a posting on Advaita Ashram concerning self enquiry.

In it, (Message 915), the author Moller compares relative methods. I

was skeptical of the accuracy concerning Ramana Maharshi. I thought

I would post part of it here to see if someone would comment on

this. Especially whether Ramana's technique results in the State he

refers to as Samatha.

*************************************************

Hi bgbyyg,

 

Please don't post stuff here on behalf of Moller or his list. If he wants a

dialogue here, he can do it himself. People who are highly addicted to words

and concepts are limited to playing out their mental games in one form or

another. This is their business and not ours.

 

This is a fellowship and Sri Ramana Maharshi's presence has blessed us. It

is best that posts about the Sage of Arunachala come from his own words or

from those who understand and appreciate those words from direct experience.

 

 

Harsha

[Guest guest]

Dear Harsha:

I agree. I'm sorry. I wrote a note to him a few days ago requesting

he remove his statements because I thought them inaccurate. He

replied saying I was delusional and defending his right to do as he

pleased. I wrote what I considered to be a good response based on my

own experiences. He did not post it.

It is evident from your response that you don't agree with the

concepts he promoted which neatly answers my question about samatha.

I'm glad you intercepted that post so the pollution ended there.

Plese don't be mad at me. I was just curious.

Yours truly.

Bob Graham

[Guest guest]

 

bgbbyg [bgbbyg]

 

Dear Harsha:

I agree. I'm sorry. I wrote a note to him a few days ago requesting

he remove his statements because I thought them inaccurate. He

replied saying I was delusional and defending his right to do as he

pleased. I wrote what I considered to be a good response based on my

own experiences. He did not post it.

It is evident from your response that you don't agree with the

concepts he promoted which neatly answers my question about samatha.

I'm glad you intercepted that post so the pollution ended there.

Plese don't be mad at me. I was just curious.

Yours truly.

Bob Graham

***********************************

Thanks Bob for your response and I appreciate it as I did not wish to hurt

your feelings in anyway and my apologies if I did. You meant well and your

heart is in the right place brother.

 

I started my yoga practices when I was around 7 and am familiar with most

practical methods of meditation and pranayama and their outcomes of various

superconscious states and samadhis. Over the last 38 years I have

experienced much and seen much in the spiritual arena. The purest teachings

that I have come across are the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi. For the

ignorant, these teachings are easy to misinterpret. For those who are ready,

The Sage of Arunachala truly has no equals. But to grasp the beauty and

simplicity of Sri Ramana's direct approach, and abide in it one must have

great spiritual maturity. This spiritual maturity that we speak of has

nothing to do with the facility to use words and laboriously manipulate

concepts or the stamina to keep on writing and talking like the energizer

bunny. To a Sage who knows directly the Truth of the Heart as Pure and

perpetual Self-Knowing, the intellectual gymnastics have little attraction

other than entertainment.

 

Love to all

Harsha

[Guest guest]

Thank you Harsha for that heartfelt response. I too started my

meditation while a child. I got up every morning before anyone else

was awake and went to the front lawn of our small home in Texas

1952. I watched to see if I could catch the streetlight go off.

My love for Ramana is truly boundless. While in New Delhi in 1972 I

went in to buy a book to take back to America. The collected works

of Ramana Maharshi was picked out and I kept it for many years. I

could not understand what he was saying. I lost the book. I learned

several disciplines.

Twenty one years ago a friend gave me Yoga Sutra by Patanjali.

After 18 years I was successful in accomplishing pranayama. Then I

refound Ramana. His words on atma vichara changed my life when I

transferred attention from the breath to the "I". Everything he said

was a pointer. He is with me a portion of everyday. I have been

truly blessed.

Thank you for your efforts at this site. I appreciate the fellowship.

God Bless

Bob Graham

[Guest guest]

Hi Bob,

>Thank you Harsha for that heartfelt response. I too started my

>meditation while a child. I got up every morning before anyone else

>was awake and went to the front lawn of our small home in Texas

>1952. I watched to see if I could catch the streetlight go off.

>My love for Ramana is truly boundless. While in New Delhi in 1972 I

>went in to buy a book to take back to America. The collected works

>of Ramana Maharshi was picked out and I kept it for many years. I

>could not understand what he was saying. I lost the book. I learned

>several disciplines.

>Twenty one years ago a friend gave me Yoga Sutra by Patanjali.

>After 18 years I was successful in accomplishing pranayama. Then I

>refound Ramana. His words on atma vichara changed my life when I

>transferred attention from the breath to the "I". Everything he said

>was a pointer. He is with me a portion of everyday. I have been

>truly blessed.

 

Thanks for your wonderful story.

 

Lest anyone be discouraged from reading Patanjali, I just want to point out

that his book is not just a work on pranayama. It's the first and the

classic work on Raja Yoga, from which the other yogas have developed. The

"I-I," the Self, is the Heart of the _Yoga Sutras_.

 

But it's true that there's _so much_ in Patanjali, and Ramana is so

wonderfully simple, if you're ready to hear him. His method cuts through

so much! It might be said that his words illuminated the meaning of the

_Yoga Sutras_ for you.

 

Love,

Dharma

[Guest guest]

Hi Dharma

There is indeed a lot in Patanjali!! You are right to point that

out. I have five translations now, the latest being by B K S Iyengar.

Georg Feuerstein's is my favorite. The first I read was Alice

Bailey's. Her books are very obscure to me. Now i know.! When I

read Light of the Soul three times over a five year period I thought

it was just me. Vivekananda is very technique oriented and helpful.

 

Ramacharaka, I don't believe is a real translation as much as

insights about Raja Yoga. It was a gem for me though and touched me

deeply. Vivekanada described the technique of pranayama outlined by

him as dangerous without the guidance of a guru. I agree.

 

The thing most impressive to me about Patanjali is his

comprehensivity. When he mentioned fluctuations of consciousness he

included them all. Sleep, memory, valid cognition, misconception,

and conceptualization. In other words if you have a thought it will

be in one of these categories. What a great aid to meditation to be

able reduce the confusion of a jumble of thoughts and to see arising

thoughts in a category.

 

When he mentioned distractions he lists them all. If you are

distracted you can go down the list to find it.

I believe there are many solutions in his words.

Peace Dharma

Bob G

[Guest guest]

, bgbbyg@a... wrote:

> Hi Dharma

> There is indeed a lot in Patanjali!! You are right to point that

> out. I have five translations now, the latest being by B K S

Iyengar.

> Georg Feuerstein's is my favorite. The first I read was Alice

> Bailey's. Her books are very obscure to me. Now i know.! When I

> read Light of the Soul three times over a five year period I thought

> it was just me. Vivekananda is very technique oriented and helpful.

 

Namaste,

 

Yes Fuersteins's is a good one. Patanjali is a composite and not

completely from one philosphy,Sankhya etc, or one writer, but is good

all the same...ONS....Tony.

[Guest guest]

, Dharma <deva@L...> wrote:

> Hi Bob,

It's the first and

the

> classic work on Raja Yoga, from which the other yogas have

developed. <<

 

Namaste Dharma,

 

????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Que?????What?????ONS..Tony.