Miles: - repost

[Guest guest]

Dear Miles:

Thanks for clearing up much confusion reading all these posts. I

recently switched where I place my attention during sitting practice

to the right side of the heart center and was about to abandon it and

return to gazing out from the forehead. Now I will continue on the

right.

 

Love,

Alton

 

RamanaMaharshi, Miles Wright <ramana.bhakta@v...> wrote:

> om namo bhagavate sri ramanaya

>

> Dear Rob,

>

> This passage was posted some time back on RM list, in a

conversation we had.

> Perhaps it helps the search for a quotation in which Sri

Bhagavan ...

>

> > tells people to deliberately focus attention on the

> > right side of the chest as a technique

>

> "In the course of tracing ourselves back to our source, when all

> thoughts have vanished, there arises a throb from the Hridaya on

the right,

> manifesting as 'Aham' 'Aham' 'I' - 'I'. This is the sign that Pure

> Consciousness is beginning to reveal itself. But that is not the

end in

> itself. Watch wherefrom this sphurana (throbbing) arises and wait

> attentively and continually for the revelation of the Self. Then

comes the

> awareness, oneness of existence." (from a reply, approved by

Bhagavan, which

> was sent to an English devotee; recorded in 'Moments Remembered' by

V.

> Ganesan)

>

> This is a clear statement...or is it?

>

> In any case, it is the experience of some who practice atmavicara

that the

> irresistible pull to a specific point, namely the Hridaya on the

right side,

> results in a 'deliberate' watching, followed by a spontaneous

revelation.

> Even after such episode the throbbing can (but does not always)

continue for

> a time.

>

> As far as this being a technique...who knows? It certainly 'could'

be taken

> for one. Earlier in this same statement it is stated...'If by

meditation or

> Vichara we attain to our centre, the Hridaya, and thus are our real

Self, we

> enjoy unalloyed bliss.' Hridaya is described in various ways in this

> piece...i.e. 'the seat of God in us', the seat of Pure

Consciousness',

> 'different from the physical heart', 'has its being on the right

side and is

> not commonly known or felt', 'the literal, actual, physical seat of

the

> intuition of the Self''. It goes on to say '...the word 'physical

seat' may

> create some confusion of thought. What it really means is that

there is a

> centre of Pure Consciousness in the physical body. It is related to

the

> physical but is not itself physical.'

>

> This is experential. Perhaps one should just take to atmavicara and

find out

> for oneself. Whether one starts with attention focussed on the

Hridaya is

> immaterial. It is certainly not a necessity for Vicara. However, it

has been

> said that it is an inevitable conclusion.

>

> Ever Yours in Sri Bhagavan,

> Miles