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The Nature of Inquiry

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The question was raised regarding whether Self-Inquiry is inconsistent with

other spiritual practices.

 

Self-Inquiry is not inconsistent with other spiritual practices.

 

After Kunju Swami and served Bhagavan for 12 years and asked for advice on how

to proceed, Sri Ramana suggested Japa, Kirtan, meditation, etc. in combination

along with inquiry. It should be remembered that Kunju Swami was a highly

advanced yogi, who had already glimpsed the nature of the Self and had many

superconscious experiences.

 

Sri Ramana has stated clearly that all other modes of spiritual practice

presuppose the retention of the mind and therefore lead to Realization

indirectly when through grace the mind is absorbed into the Heart. Bhagavan has

said that for those able to practice pure inquiry, self-inquiry is the direct

and best method for Self-Realizaiton.

 

The Sage of Arunachala, however, did not dismiss other yogic practices and his

answers to people were contextual. Quoting Bhagavan selectively can easy lead to

the comical situation of making Sri Ramana engage in professional wrestling with

his own words.

 

Love to all

Harsha

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Dear Harshaji

 

Yes I agree with this and think this is what is takeing place

 

To be more specific on the aspects of Sri Sri Ramana Maharshis explantion of

what I have been trying to make clear I would like to reprint his teachings

that came on the internet in April of 2002 on the Shakti Sadhana Group Site

 

Kundalini

>From the Teachings

of Sri Ramana Maharshi

Edited by David Godman

 

Sri Ramana Maharishi

 

Fixing their minds on the psychic centres such as the Sahasrara ( the

thousand petaled lotus Chakra ) Yogis remain any lengths of time without

awareness of their bodies. As long as this state continues, they appear to

be immersed in some kind of joy. But when the mind, which has become

tranquil emerges and becomes active again it resumes its worldly thoughts.

It is therefore necessary to train it with the help of practices like Dhyana

( meditation ) whenever it becomes externalised. It will then attain a state

in which there is neirther subsistence nor emergence

 

Question

 

How to churn up the Nadis ( psychic nerves ) so that the Kundalini may go up

the Sushumna ?

 

Sri Ramana Maharshi

 

Though the Yogi may have his methods of breath control for his object the

Jnanis method is only that of enquiry. When by this method the mind is

merged in the Self the Sakti or Kundalini which is not apart from theSelf

rises automatically

 

The Yogis attach the highest importance to sending the Kundalini up to the

Sahasrara the brain centre or the thousand petalled lotus. They point out

the scriptural statement that the life current enters the body through the

fontanelle and argue that Viyoga ( separation ) having come about that way

Yoga ( union ) must also be effected in the reverse way. Therefore they say

we must by yoga practice gather up the Pranas ( vital force ) and enter the

fontanelle for the consummation of yaga. The Jananis on the other hand point

out that the yogi assumes the existence of the body and its separateness

from the Self. Only if this standpoint of separateness is adopted can the

yogi advise effort for reunion by the practice of yoga

 

In fact the body is in the mind which has the brain for its seat. That the

brain functions by light borrowed from another source is admitted by the

yogis themselves in their fontanelle theory. The Janani further argues if

the light is borrowed it must come from its native source. Go to the source

direct and do not depend on borrowed sources. That source is the Heart the

Self

 

More of this can be found on the Sri Ramana site most likely however the

commentary by David Godman in this reference is important to Advaitins

 

He accepted the existence of the Kundalini power and the Chakras but he said

that even if the Kundalini reached the Sahasrara it would not result in

realisation. For final realization he said the Kundalini must go beyond the

Sahasrara down another Nadi ( psychic nerve ) he called Amritanadi ( also

called the Paranadi or Jivanadi ) and into the Heart Centre on the right

side of the chest

 

Since he maintained that self enquiry would automatically send the Kundalini

to the Heart Centre he taught that separate Yoga exercises were unnecassary

 

What this is saying is that He recognized there were more than one process

to Realization and Final Realization however he chose to teach self enquiry

instead of Yogic Practices of Kundalini Meditation

 

Other Teachers have taught the other method that He recognizes and many

Meditators now are at the place where we are ready to go beyond the

Sahasrara Chakra as he is describeing. Some I am sure have already

Accomplished this

 

I am one of those people who are working with this now and we are

experimenting in Consciousness to find the Path beyond the Sahasrara

 

And our experimenting is being rewarded however it is not through self

enquiry that we are finding success in this physical lifetime. Our success

is being found in Kundalini Yoga and the Silence of Meditation and Samadhi

and that is the other method that Sri Sri Ramana Maharshi recognized as

another path to Final Realization

 

What is remarkable and commendable about this Teaching in the Service to the

Mankind from Sri Sri Ramana Maharshi is that he clearly shows a Path for the

Meditator or Recluse and at the same time then chooses to Teach the Path of

Self Enquiry so that the Householder can take advantage of the Knowledge

that leads to Self Realization

 

Aum NamaSivaya Sivaya Nama Aum

Aum Eim Shrim Klim ParamEshwari Swaha

 

Pranams Mitra

 

DharmaDev Arya

 

 

Harsha

<>

Cc: Advaitin <Advaitin>

Tuesday, July 02, 2002 5:30 PM

The Nature of Inquiry

 

>The question was raised regarding whether Self-Inquiry is inconsistent with

other spiritual practices.

>

>Self-Inquiry is not inconsistent with other spiritual practices.

>

>After Kunju Swami and served Bhagavan for 12 years and asked for advice on

how to proceed, Sri Ramana suggested Japa, Kirtan, meditation, etc. in

combination along with inquiry. It should be remembered that Kunju Swami was

a highly advanced yogi, who had already glimpsed the nature of the Self and

had many superconscious experiences.

>

>Sri Ramana has stated clearly that all other modes of spiritual practice

presuppose the retention of the mind and therefore lead to Realization

indirectly when through grace the mind is absorbed into the Heart. Bhagavan

has said that for those able to practice pure inquiry, self-inquiry is the

direct and best method for Self-Realizaiton.

>

>The Sage of Arunachala, however, did not dismiss other yogic practices and

his answers to people were contextual. Quoting Bhagavan selectively can easy

lead to the comical situation of making Sri Ramana engage in professional

wrestling with his own words.

>

>Love to all

>Harsha

>

>

>

>Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of

Atman and Brahman.

>Advaitin List Archives available at:

http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/

>To Post a message send an email to : advaitin

>Messages Archived at: advaitin/messages

>

>

>

>Your use of is subject to

>

>

>

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In a message dated 7/3/2002 7:19:14 AM Eastern Daylight Time, harsha

writes:

 

> The spiritual path and the teaching that feels natural to us is the

> right one. All teachings say the same thing. Realize the Self by

> whatever means and all is realized.

>

> Love to all

> Harsha

>

 

Yes, a beautiful expression. But if I may add to this, it is better yet if

we also look around with firsthand experiences to realize what-it-is that so

captures one among the many traditions and their variations. In one way or

another, each of the traditions also tend to say or imply that theirs is the

one-and-only, the best, the fastest, or whatever. Obviously, all cannot be

correct! My god, I first left my own Catholicism early in high school, as

the priest were preaching to me that my good Protestant friends were sadly

mislead (or the like) and that my very good Jewish friend literally had no

chance for salvation (or the like). Obviously, that teaching was sadly

deprived of the flowing nectar of siva.

 

Now, more matured among the 'higher' more subtle realities of the vedic gurus

of the East and the esoteric adept and mystical societies of the West, we yet

still see much of the same, that this one or that one, with whom we

momentarily find much joy, is the greatest and best and fastest. There are

differences. There are real big differences. Knowing such differences

cannot but help one's personal evolution. The only way one can find what the

differences may be is to jump in, not as an outside observer, but as an

internal leader. Know what is happening and why it is happening through

firsthand experience. Know why the statistical normal distribution (the bell

curve) applies always, where some are ecstatically involved while others see

very little. Move around the different groups, but best not to make a big

deal about other groups, as folks within the one group can get all hot and

bothered about the 'other' groups. See what is common and not so common

among the groups. It's absolutely remarkable what spontaneously evolves in

consciousness, and everybody can easily do such things if they wish.

 

jai guru dev and peace profound,

 

Edmond

 

 

 

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Thank you for sharing that Sri Shining Lotus (Sri DharmaDev). Sri

Ramana did speak of Kundalini and the need to go beyond the

Sahasarara.

 

It seems to me that those advanced on the path of Yoga can understand

that part of Sri Ramana's comments and that you are on the right path

indeed.

 

The spiritual path and the teaching that feels natural to us is the

right one. All teachings say the same thing. Realize the Self by

whatever means and all is realized.

 

Love to all

Harsha

 

 

advaitin, "ShiningLotus" <shininglotus@c...> wrote:

> Dear Harshaji

>

> Yes I agree with this and think this is what is takeing place

>

> To be more specific on the aspects of Sri Sri Ramana Maharshis

explantion of

> what I have been trying to make clear I would like to reprint his

teachings

> that came on the internet in April of 2002 on the Shakti Sadhana

Group Site

>

> Kundalini

> From the Teachings

> of Sri Ramana Maharshi

> Edited by David Godman

>

> Sri Ramana Maharishi

>

> Fixing their minds on the psychic centres such as the Sahasrara (

the

> thousand petaled lotus Chakra ) Yogis remain any lengths of time

without

> awareness of their bodies. As long as this state continues, they

appear to

> be immersed in some kind of joy. But when the mind, which has become

> tranquil emerges and becomes active again it resumes its worldly

thoughts.

> It is therefore necessary to train it with the help of practices

like Dhyana

> ( meditation ) whenever it becomes externalised. It will then

attain a state

> in which there is neirther subsistence nor emergence

>

> Question

>

> How to churn up the Nadis ( psychic nerves ) so that the Kundalini

may go up

> the Sushumna ?

>

> Sri Ramana Maharshi

>

> Though the Yogi may have his methods of breath control for his

object the

> Jnanis method is only that of enquiry. When by this method the mind

is

> merged in the Self the Sakti or Kundalini which is not apart from

theSelf

> rises automatically

>

> The Yogis attach the highest importance to sending the Kundalini up

to the

> Sahasrara the brain centre or the thousand petalled lotus. They

point out

> the scriptural statement that the life current enters the body

through the

> fontanelle and argue that Viyoga ( separation ) having come about

that way

> Yoga ( union ) must also be effected in the reverse way. Therefore

they say

> we must by yoga practice gather up the Pranas ( vital force ) and

enter the

> fontanelle for the consummation of yaga. The Jananis on the other

hand point

> out that the yogi assumes the existence of the body and its

separateness

> from the Self. Only if this standpoint of separateness is adopted

can the

> yogi advise effort for reunion by the practice of yoga

>

> In fact the body is in the mind which has the brain for its seat.

That the

> brain functions by light borrowed from another source is admitted

by the

> yogis themselves in their fontanelle theory. The Janani further

argues if

> the light is borrowed it must come from its native source. Go to

the source

> direct and do not depend on borrowed sources. That source is the

Heart the

> Self

>

> More of this can be found on the Sri Ramana site most likely

however the

> commentary by David Godman in this reference is important to

Advaitins

>

> He accepted the existence of the Kundalini power and the Chakras

but he said

> that even if the Kundalini reached the Sahasrara it would not

result in

> realisation. For final realization he said the Kundalini must go

beyond the

> Sahasrara down another Nadi ( psychic nerve ) he called Amritanadi

( also

> called the Paranadi or Jivanadi ) and into the Heart Centre on the

right

> side of the chest

>

> Since he maintained that self enquiry would automatically send the

Kundalini

> to the Heart Centre he taught that separate Yoga exercises were

unnecassary

>

> What this is saying is that He recognized there were more than one

process

> to Realization and Final Realization however he chose to teach self

enquiry

> instead of Yogic Practices of Kundalini Meditation

>

> Other Teachers have taught the other method that He recognizes and

many

> Meditators now are at the place where we are ready to go beyond the

> Sahasrara Chakra as he is describeing. Some I am sure have already

> Accomplished this

>

> I am one of those people who are working with this now and we are

> experimenting in Consciousness to find the Path beyond the Sahasrara

>

> And our experimenting is being rewarded however it is not through

self

> enquiry that we are finding success in this physical lifetime. Our

success

> is being found in Kundalini Yoga and the Silence of Meditation and

Samadhi

> and that is the other method that Sri Sri Ramana Maharshi

recognized as

> another path to Final Realization

>

> What is remarkable and commendable about this Teaching in the

Service to the

> Mankind from Sri Sri Ramana Maharshi is that he clearly shows a

Path for the

> Meditator or Recluse and at the same time then chooses to Teach the

Path of

> Self Enquiry so that the Householder can take advantage of the

Knowledge

> that leads to Self Realization

>

> Aum NamaSivaya Sivaya Nama Aum

> Aum Eim Shrim Klim ParamEshwari Swaha

>

> Pranams Mitra

>

> DharmaDev Arya

>

>

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