Guest guest Posted October 9, 2004 Report Share Posted October 9, 2004 In a message dated 10/9/2004 2:00:56 PM Mountain Daylight Time, omprem writes: > If you > have negative thoughts/emotions regarding some person or > event then you have not understood the sitiuation properly.. Very wisely spoken. Thanks, C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2004 Report Share Posted October 9, 2004 "As a companion query, what might be appropriate first sadhana practice(s)?" Sadhana is practical mysticism. It consists of performing those actions that decondition your mind, that increase the vibration of the mind, and that remove obstacles to the movement of prana, especially kundalini. My list of the first five is: 1. You are what you ingest so watch your diet and everything else that you take into the body. This means no smoking, no alcohol, no recreational drugs, resist taking over-the-counter remedies, be wary of pharmeceuticals. Reject tamasic foods - beef and pork, garlic, onions, mushrooms, processed foods, stale or rotten or unclean foods, and half-cooked or twice cooked foods. Reject rajasic foods - other meats, fish, eggs, tea, coffee, cocoa, chillies, prepared mustards, spices, highly seasoned foods, white sugar, radishes, deep fried foods, and foods that are excessively hot, bitter, sour, salty and pungent. Select sattvic foods - milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, nuts, coconut, dried ginger, sugarcane, molasses and honey. 2. (a) meditate daily. The best time for meditation is early morning, 4:00 - 6:00 am. This is known as Brahmamuhurta. Dusk is also a good time for meditation. 2. (b) You are what you think. Think positively all the time. If you have negative thoughts/emotions regarding some person or event then you have not understood the sitiuation properly.. 3. Practice a physical exercise that is designed to unblock nadis and encourage prana flows - yoga, tai chi, chi gong. 4. Be properly rested. This refers to getting enough sleep (8 hours is too much). But it also refers to going through your day with a peaceful, detached mind that is able to discriminate between the divine and the profane in yourself and in everything that you encounter. 5. Be aware of your breath. Breath diaphragmatically all the time, inhale and exhale through the nose all the time, and practice pranayama. , "msbauju" <msbauju> wrote: > > > Thank you, DB, for your "first five" list, and SE101, for your "top > five" list. This is wonderful information. Bless you both! > > After I posted my "first five books" query, I thought about a recent > posting by DB about sadhana.... As a companion query, what might be > appropriate first sadhana practice(s)? > > (I don't mean to draw discussion away from the book issue! I am > quite excited about the prospect of additional input.) > > , "Devi Bhakta" > <devi_bhakta> wrote: > > > > [msbauju wrote:] *** If you were to recommend > > a "first five things to read" > > to a new (Western) group member > > who is not knowledgeable about > > Hinduism, what would those five things be? *** > > > > [DB's list:] > > 1. "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism" by Linda Johnsen > > [....] > > 2. The Bhagavad Gita > > [....] > > 3. The Ramayana > > [....] > > 4. The Devi Mahatmyam [Devadatta Kali trans.] > > [....] > > 5. "Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu > > Religious Tradition," by David Kinsley. > > > > [....] THEN you can move on the the stuff like TRIPURA > > RAHASYA, DEVI GITA, SUNDARALAHARI, the various Tantras, etc. > > -------------------- > From SE101's post: > Here are [sE101's] top 5 not a very systematic list > or approach but they will provide good information: > > 1. Tripura Rahasya Tantra > 2. The World as Power (J. Woodruff) > 3. Devi Gita > 4. Tantra The Path of Ecstasy (G. Feurstein) > 5. Shakti the Power in Tantra (R. Tigunait) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 , "omprem" <omprem> wrote: > > "As a companion query, what might be appropriate first sadhana > practice(s)?" > > Sadhana is practical mysticism. It consists of performing those > actions that decondition your mind, that increase the vibration of > the mind, and that remove obstacles to the movement of prana, > especially kundalini. > > My list of the first five is: > > 1. You are what you ingest so watch your diet and everything else > that you take into the body. This means no smoking, no alcohol, > no recreational drugs, resist taking over-the-counter remedies, > be wary of pharmeceuticals. > > Reject tamasic foods - beef and pork, garlic, onions, > mushrooms, processed foods, stale or rotten or unclean foods, > and half-cooked or twice cooked foods. > > Reject rajasic foods - other meats, fish, eggs, tea, coffee, cocoa, > chillies, prepared mustards, spices, highly seasoned foods, > white sugar, radishes, deep fried foods, and foods that are > excessively hot, bitter, sour, salty and pungent. > > Select sattvic foods - milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, cereals, > pulses, fruits, vegetables, nuts, coconut, dried ginger, > sugarcane, molasses and honey. > > 2. (a) meditate daily. The best time for meditation is early > morning, 4:00 - 6:00 am. This is known as Brahmamuhurta. > Dusk is also a good time for meditation. > > 2. (b) You are what you think. Think positively all the time. If you > have negative thoughts/emotions regarding some person or > event then you have not understood the sitiuation properly.. > > 3. Practice a physical exercise that is designed to unblock nadis > and encourage prana flows - yoga, tai chi, chi gong. > > 4. Be properly rested. This refers to getting enough sleep (8 > hours is too much). But it also refers to going through your day > with a peaceful, detached mind that is able to discriminate > between the divine and the profane in yourself and in everything > that you encounter. > > 5. Be aware of your breath. Breath diaphragmatically all the time, > inhale and exhale through the nose all the time, and practice > pranayama. Hi Omprem, This is a great and succint compilation. thanks! 1 question, though. is the bramhamuhurta 4-6 or 3-6? I thought it was the latter. Jai Ma! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 Thank you, Omprem. Your posting is a gem. , "omprem" <omprem> wrote: > > "As a companion query, what might be appropriate first sadhana > practice(s)?" > > Sadhana is practical mysticism. It consists of performing those > actions that decondition your mind, that increase the vibration of > the mind, and that remove obstacles to the movement of prana, > especially kundalini. > > My list of the first five is: > > 1. You are what you ingest so watch your diet and everything else > that you take into the body. This means no smoking, no alcohol, > no recreational drugs, resist taking over-the-counter remedies, > be wary of pharmeceuticals. > > Reject tamasic foods - beef and pork, garlic, onions, > mushrooms, processed foods, stale or rotten or unclean foods, > and half-cooked or twice cooked foods. > > Reject rajasic foods - other meats, fish, eggs, tea, coffee, cocoa, > chillies, prepared mustards, spices, highly seasoned foods, > white sugar, radishes, deep fried foods, and foods that are > excessively hot, bitter, sour, salty and pungent. > > Select sattvic foods - milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, cereals, > pulses, fruits, vegetables, nuts, coconut, dried ginger, > sugarcane, molasses and honey. > > 2. (a) meditate daily. The best time for meditation is early > morning, 4:00 - 6:00 am. This is known as Brahmamuhurta. > Dusk is also a good time for meditation. > > 2. (b) You are what you think. Think positively > all the time. If you > have negative thoughts/emotions regarding some person or > event then you have not understood the sitiuation properly.. > > 3. Practice a physical exercise that is designed to unblock nadis > and encourage prana flows - yoga, tai chi, chi gong. > > 4. Be properly rested. This refers to getting enough sleep (8 > hours is too much). But it also refers to going through your day > with a peaceful, detached mind that is able to discriminate > between the divine and the profane in yourself and in everything > that you encounter. > > 5. Be aware of your breath. Breath diaphragmatically all the time, > inhale and exhale through the nose all the time, and practice > pranayama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 I love the early morning. There's such a peaceful hush. Sometimes the middle of the night is nice too. For a while I went through a spell where I always woke up around 2am and felt a need to be awake in the dark, alert, and prayerful. Then I talked about this with my teacher and she told me 2am is supposed to be the best time to meditate. I usually wake up around 4 am. and I need silence during that time. It really bothers me if others get up and start turning on tv. There's something about the silence of the morning that is sacred. Also, I think it is a good time to meditate because we've just woken up and, of course, we go to sleep and wake up dreaming, in a manner of speaking, so we are more in tune with ourselves at that time, I think. In dreams we let go of the stresses of our day, and move deeper into silence of Mind -- the un-analytical part of our brain. It's the analytical mind, that wants a formula for everything. It's the analytical mind that we have a hard time stilling -- the part that doesn't want to relinquish it's illusory sense of control, to have everything in it's appropriate compartment. We go to sleep, and the grip of the analytical mind loosens, and before the business of the day stirs us up, and moves us farther from silence, is a great time to meditate. I meditate for several hours every day, however, and I find it is Very Possible and also productive to meditate at ANY time of day. Peace, Cathie In a message dated 10/10/2004 5:28:53 PM Mountain Daylight Time, om prem writes: > "1 question, though. is the bramhamuhurta 4-6 or 3-6? I thought > it was the latter" > > > The time is not absolute. If you want to consider Brahmamuhurta > to cover the time of 3-6 am that is fine with me. > > As for me, I'm happy getting up at 4 am (occassionally). > > What is important is that the earth has a sattvic vibration at that > early morning time span. Even the birds are singing for joy > during Brahmamuhurta. > > Omprem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 "1 question, though. is the bramhamuhurta 4-6 or 3-6? I thought it was the latter" The time is not absolute. If you want to consider Brahmamuhurta to cover the time of 3-6 am that is fine with me. As for me, I'm happy getting up at 4 am (occassionally). What is important is that the earth has a sattvic vibration at that early morning time span. Even the birds are singing for joy during Brahmamuhurta. Omprem .., "manoj_menon" <ammasmon@s...> wrote: > > > , "omprem" <omprem> wrote: > > > > "As a companion query, what might be appropriate first sadhana > > practice(s)?" > > > > Sadhana is practical mysticism. It consists of performing those > > actions that decondition your mind, that increase the vibration of > > the mind, and that remove obstacles to the movement of prana, > > especially kundalini. > > > > My list of the first five is: > > > > 1. You are what you ingest so watch your diet and everything else > > that you take into the body. This means no smoking, no alcohol, > > no recreational drugs, resist taking over-the-counter remedies, > > be wary of pharmeceuticals. > > > > Reject tamasic foods - beef and pork, garlic, onions, > > mushrooms, processed foods, stale or rotten or unclean foods, > > and half-cooked or twice cooked foods. > > > > Reject rajasic foods - other meats, fish, eggs, tea, coffee, > cocoa, > > chillies, prepared mustards, spices, highly seasoned foods, > > white sugar, radishes, deep fried foods, and foods that are > > excessively hot, bitter, sour, salty and pungent. > > > > Select sattvic foods - milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, cereals, > > pulses, fruits, vegetables, nuts, coconut, dried ginger, > > sugarcane, molasses and honey. > > > > 2. (a) meditate daily. The best time for meditation is early > > morning, 4:00 - 6:00 am. This is known as Brahmamuhurta. > > Dusk is also a good time for meditation. > > > > 2. (b) You are what you think. Think positively all the time. If > you > > have negative thoughts/emotions regarding some person or > > event then you have not understood the sitiuation properly.. > > > > 3. Practice a physical exercise that is designed to unblock nadis > > and encourage prana flows - yoga, tai chi, chi gong. > > > > 4. Be properly rested. This refers to getting enough sleep (8 > > hours is too much). But it also refers to going through your day > > with a peaceful, detached mind that is able to discriminate > > between the divine and the profane in yourself and in everything > > that you encounter. > > > > 5. Be aware of your breath. Breath diaphragmatically all the time, > > inhale and exhale through the nose all the time, and practice > > pranayama. > > Hi Omprem, > > This is a great and succint compilation. thanks! > > 1 question, though. is the bramhamuhurta 4-6 or 3-6? I thought it > was the latter. > > Jai Ma! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.