Guest guest Posted June 12, 2003 Report Share Posted June 12, 2003 Namaste! Earlier I made a few remarks about how some simple pranayama and mindfulness exercises had helped my spiritual growth, especially with dispelling anger, frustration and other forms of mental darkness. I would like to elaborate a bit. The following impressions are based on my own experience, as I interpret it. As I emphasized, my meditation is elementary and casual, and in no sense am I enlightened. But my point is that even a casual relaxed sadhana can be enormously helpful, provided there is some minimum of sincerity and seriousness. The greatest mistake is to think that one must first be committed to being a saint before one is 'allowed' to start on a path of spiritual purification. Even Ramana said that the 'greatest sinner' could achieve realization through inquiry. A key concept, for me, is simply 'mindfulness'. Buddhists such as as the beloved Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh speak of this constantly, but so do many other spiritual paths including some close to Advaita. Osho once said that one achieves enlightenment simply by 'watching' one's mind at all times. (Note that Osho was well respected for his knowledge and scholarship, even if his life became a bit strange in later years.) I am convinced that even a half-hearted but *sustained* attempt at detached mindfulness yields large dividends and is unreasonably effective at purifying the mind. And simple pranayama is one very powerful aid for harnessing the wild monkey mind and achieving a degree of mindfulness. Merely being calmly but attentively aware, with an open but inactive mind and an unprejudiced and receptive heart, provides significant spiritual benefit. Vasanas (latent tendencies) are bleached away in the sunlight of awareness, and the clear light of consciousness refreshes our being. Now, you might ask, how is meditation different from lying lazily on the beach or on a couch dozing off? The difference is that lying on the beach is merely pleasant drowsiness; there is not the alertness that is necessary for spiritual growth. Life and body may be no more than a platform for awareness to grow. When we are engrossed in ego and problems, our mind is constricted to a narrow box. Our usual feverish mental activity is really a kind of darkness, only we do not realize it. As we become more detached, our consciousness becomes more expansive, calm and aware, and a higher degree of illumination is achieved. Another obstacle to sadhana is that novices (which I still am) think there is some complicated technique and understanding that one must master before results can be achieved. I am no authority, but I do believe, based on my personal experience, that any sincere and sustained attempt at meditation and mindfulness will produce results, even if one does not understand anything. In fact, it may be much better not to understand anything! So please try a little detached awareness on a regular basis, and don't try to be a saint! It's very refreshing. Om! Benjamin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 12, 2003 Report Share Posted June 12, 2003 Namaste Sri Benjamin: Your insight on the 'refresing awareness' is quite refreshing. You should happy to know that those who follow the Smartha Tradition (the revival of Vedic Sanatanadharma by Adi Shankara)conduct three times a day short meditation known as Sandhiyavandanam. The Upanishads recommends Sandiyavandanam (prayers to Sun)during early morning at sun rise and in the evening at sun set. In addition, the worship during midday known as Madhyanam is also practiced. The worship rituals consists of the following steps: Awarness of the environment and also time of the day to prepare the mind for the events of the day. Meditation through mental recitation of Gayatri Mantra and purpose is to purify the mind and tunes the body to receive cosmic radiation's available at Sandhya time. Most important part of this ritual is Pranayamam - a breathing exercise which becomes an integral part of the recitation of Gayatri Mantra. The entire Mantra including the Gayatri Mantra are repeated to facilitate awareness and presence of divinity within. The energy from the universe become aware through the rays of the Sun. By reciting the Mantras orally and/or mentally , the Smarthas created an environment that tune their body to receive this energy. Books on how to conduct Sandhyavandanam are available readily in most of the bookstores with complete explanations in English for those who are interested. Though, the entire rituals may appear mechanical, but those who conduct them regularly with dedication, discipline and devotion seem to reap the benefits. This awareness exercise (symbolic ritual) when conducted regular pratice three times a day refreshes the mind and keep it free from evil thoughts.. As you have rightly pointed out, small dosage of detached awareness can reap a mountain of benefits and that too obtained with very little efforts. The Tamil Saying, "Siru thuliz peru Vellam - Small drops of rainfall ultimately become a mighty river" is quite true. Thanks again for the insights, Ram Chandran advaitin, Benjamin Root <orion777ben> wrote: > > Namaste! > ......... > I am no authority, but I do believe, based on my personal > experience, that any sincere and sustained attempt at meditation > and mindfulness will produce results, even if one does not > understand anything. In fact, it may be much better not to > understand anything! > > So please try a little detached awareness on a regular basis, and > don't try to be a saint! It's very refreshing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 12, 2003 Report Share Posted June 12, 2003 advaitin, "Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...> wrote: > Namaste Sri Benjamin: > > Your insight on the 'refresing awareness' is quite refreshing. You should > happy to know that those who follow the Smartha Tradition (the revival of > Vedic Sanatanadharma by Adi Shankara)conduct three times a day short > meditation known as Sandhiyavandanam. > > The Upanishads recommends Sandiyavandanam (prayers to Sun)during early > morning at sun rise and in the evening at sun set. In addition, the worship > during midday known as Madhyanam is also practiced. The worship rituals > consists of the following steps: > > Awarness of the environment and also time of the day to prepare the mind for > the events of the day. > > Meditation through mental recitation of Gayatri Mantra and purpose is to > purify the mind and tunes the body to receive cosmic radiation's available > at Sandhya time. > > Most important part of this ritual is Pranayamam - a breathing exercise > which becomes an integral part of the recitation of Gayatri Mantra. > > The entire Mantra including the Gayatri Mantra are repeated to facilitate > awareness and presence of divinity within. The energy from the universe > become aware through the rays of the Sun. By reciting the Mantras orally > and/or mentally , the Smarthas created an environment that tune their body > to receive this energy. Books on how to conduct Sandhyavandanam are > available readily in most of the bookstores with complete explanations in > English for those who are interested. > > Though, the entire rituals may appear mechanical, but those who conduct them > regularly with dedication, discipline and devotion seem to reap the > benefits. This awareness exercise (symbolic ritual) when conducted regular > pratice three times a day refreshes the mind and keep it free from evil > thoughts.. > > As you have rightly pointed out, small dosage of detached awareness can reap > a mountain of benefits and that too obtained with very little efforts. The > Tamil Saying, "Siru thuliz peru Vellam - Small drops of rainfall ultimately > become a mighty river" is quite true. > > Thanks again for the insights, > > Ram Chandran Namaste R, I think it is more the trigger of directing the mind rather than the mantras per se, otherwise everyone down at the Hare Krishna Temple would be realised already.........ONS...Tony, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2003 Report Share Posted June 13, 2003 Namaste Tony: Thanks for your insights. Mantras, Gods and Scriptures are helpful catalysts to focus one's mind. They are the means and certainly not the ends! Some people are able to fine tune their minds by utterring such as "Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, Hari Bol, Om Namashivaya, etc.," and such utterances do bring peace in their hearts! Warmest regards Ram Chandran Note: I just want remind you (and everyone in the list) not to include long articles of the previous post while sending replies. We should become aware about this problem and avoid this unnecessary inclusion of the articles with the replies. advaitin, "Tony O'Clery" <aoclery> wrote: > > Namaste R, > > I think it is more the trigger of directing the mind rather than the > mantras per se, otherwise everyone down at the Hare Krishna Temple > would be realised already.........ONS...Tony, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2003 Report Share Posted June 13, 2003 Namaste Sri Ram! Thank you for those very interesting comments on the practices of Smarthans. That was news to me. However, I am well aware of the Gayatri Mantra. I find it curiously solemn and 'moving'. It has a 'primordial' sound to it ... the sound of a 'primordial prayer'. Anyhow, that's my impression. I have several Indian recordings of it being chanted. I recommend the CD simply called 'Gayatri' published by the Times Music Group, which I sometimes play on my computer as I read scriptures. The combination seems to work! As for the sun... I don't think we need to worry about some occult radiation beaming into our brains. That's much too materialistic an explanation (and I don't mean to imply that you suggested that). The sun is simply an obvious symbol of illuminated consciousness. I do believe that symbology, properly understood, can be an effective aid to realization. But it all comes down to illuminated and purified consciousness. Actually, in so far as everything is Consciousness, and Consciousness is inherently divine, then of course all of nature should be viewed as divine. Individual Gods and Goddesses arise, in my opinion, because the mind likes to discriminate and categorize. The mind always has to play its tricks! Om! Benjamin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2003 Report Share Posted June 13, 2003 Benjamin Root wrote: > > Actually, in so far as everything is Consciousness, and Consciousness > is inherently divine, then of course all of nature should be viewed > as divine. Individual Gods and Goddesses arise, in my opinion, > because the mind likes to discriminate and categorize. The mind > always has to play its tricks! > > Om! > Benjamin The Mind is divine. Individual Gods and Goddess are divine as well. The perception of arising of heavenly beings reflect the state of mind and an aspect of the mind. The actual form of the Goddess is formless or pure consciousness as Being, as One's Heart and One's Own Being. But She may rise before the mind in the form of the Female Divinity. We see in all mystical literature references to the Goddess, even in Egypt and other cultures besides that of India. The arising of the Form of Gods and the Goddess is auspicious. I vaguely recall that Naren (Swami Vivekananda) was from a very poor family. Once Naren asked Ramakrishna Paramhansa whether the Goddess could help him alleviate his poverty as he was concerned about the welfare of his mother. Ramakrishna said that Viveknanda should meditate and pray and when the Goddess manifested make his request. Naren did as asked. However, every time the Goddess appeared, Naren was speechless and could not ask anything. That is how it is. When the Goddess appears, the mind is full with the Form of the Goddess. How can it ask anything? Love to all Harsha > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2003 Report Share Posted June 13, 2003 Dear Harsha, I'd like to add my 2 cents worth : Swami Vivekananda was from a wealthy and affluent family. But they ran into financial difficulties and lawsuit on their home after the death of his father. Naren asked Sri Ramakrishna to pray to the divine mother to ask for his family's well being. Ramakrishna refused and asked Naren to pray and ask the God himself. Naren actually 'kept forgetting ' to ask the God what he had meant to ask. He realised while coming back to Ramakrishna that the master was controlling his mind. He kep insisting and Ramakrishna finally conceded a bit and his family would be able to come out of the abject poverty state. Best Regards, Guruprasad Harsha wrote: Benjamin Root wrote: > > Actually, in so far as everything is Consciousness, and Consciousness > is inherently divine, then of course all of nature should be viewed > as divine. Individual Gods and Goddesses arise, in my opinion, > because the mind likes to discriminate and categorize. The mind > always has to play its tricks! > > Om! > Benjamin The Mind is divine. Individual Gods and Goddess are divine as well. The perception of arising of heavenly beings reflect the state of mind and an aspect of the mind. The actual form of the Goddess is formless or pure consciousness as Being, as One's Heart and One's Own Being. But She may rise before the mind in the form of the Female Divinity. We see in all mystical literature references to the Goddess, even in Egypt and other cultures besides that of India. The arising of the Form of Gods and the Goddess is auspicious. I vaguely recall that Naren (Swami Vivekananda) was from a very poor family. Once Naren asked Ramakrishna Paramhansa whether the Goddess could help him alleviate his poverty as he was concerned about the welfare of his mother. Ramakrishna said that Viveknanda should meditate and pray and when the Goddess manifested make his request. Naren did as asked. However, every time the Goddess appeared, Naren was speechless and could not ask anything. That is how it is. When the Goddess appears, the mind is full with the Form of the Goddess. How can it ask anything? Love to all Harsha Free online calendar with sync to Outlook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 14, 2003 Report Share Posted June 14, 2003 > > I think it is more the trigger of directing the mind rather than the > mantras per se, otherwise everyone down at the Hare Krishna Temple > would be realised already.........ONS...Tony, Pranams. Very nicely put. D: Are not mantras etc helpful? M: They are helpful. What is Mantra? You are thinking of the simple sounds of the mantra. Repetetion of the same excludes all other thoughts. The single thought of the mantra japa remains. That too drops away giving place to the Infinite Self, which is the mantra itself. Dhyana, Bhakti, Japa etc are aides to keep out the multiplicity of thoughts. A single thought prevails which too eventually dissolves in the Self. -- Sri Ramana Maharishi (Talks with ..) regards Sundar Rajan 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.