meditation mats

[Guest guest]

Namaskar to all,

 

On a recent journey through India, it was brought to my attention that

meditation mats or seats for men should be made of wool, and those for

ladies should be made of cotton.

 

This advice was given by a rug maker whose family has been in the

business for many decades, and who makes traditional asans for dhyan.

 

It is generally recognised that wool is the better material, as it

prevents the loss of energy gained during dhyan. However, reflecting on

this advice, one is aware that ladies have an entirely different energy

system due to their feminine nature. So, there is consideration that

there might be some truth in this advice.

 

Can anyone confirm whether this is true?

 

Shastra

[Guest guest]

dear Shastraji:

 

i cannot confirm or deny what you have written but may i point out a

verse from Srimad Bhagavad gita in this context ?

 

here is what Sri KRISHNA SAYS

 

 

sucau dese pratisthapya

sthiram asanam atmanah

naty-ucchritam nati-nicam

cailajina-kusottaram

 

tatraikagram manah krtva

yata-cittendriya-kriyah

upavisyasane yunjyad

yogam atma-visuddhaye

 

(CH 6 , VERSE 11 AND 12)

 

 

TRANSLATION

 

To practice yoga, one should go to a secluded place and should lay

kusa-grass on the ground and then cover it with a deerskin and a soft

cloth. The seat should neither be too high nor too low and should be

situated in a sacred place. The yogi should then sit on it very

firmly and should practice yoga by controlling the mind and the

senses, purifying the heart and fixing the mind on one point.

 

WELL, IN THE OLDEN DAYS , RISHIS AND MUNIS USED TO GO SACRED

PILGRIMAGE SPOTS or river banks to do 'meditation' or purashcharana

or even caves or mountain tops away from the 'noise ' of life etc but

for an advaitin . the Brindavana or rishikesh or kashi is not in one

place - it is right there in his Heart - and he/she does not believe

in any formalities . But , bear in mind , even a great Jnani like Sri

Ramana maharishi went to VIRUPAKSHA CAVE to practice 'aham'

meditatopn!

 

when i was practicing TM , I WAS ASKED TO USE the same meditation mat

given to me by my guru ... the fact that i was a woman was of no

consequence ! a male meditator was also given a similar mat!

 

 

Shastraji , the main point is reegsardless of any material

condition , in yoga , what is needed is 'dharana and pratyahara '

apart from viveka and vairagya.'

 

HOPE THIS HELPS!

[Guest guest]

This is wonderful answer.

 

To seek bliss through total internal meditation, we have only one mat (aasan):

 

SANDHI - the junction point between Prana and Apana.

 

Pranam!

 

Virendra

 

bhagini_niveditaa <bhagini_niveditaa wrote:

dear Shastraji:

 

i cannot confirm or deny what you have written but may i point out a

verse from Srimad Bhagavad gita in this context ?

 

here is what Sri KRISHNA SAYS

 

sucau dese pratisthapya

sthiram asanam atmanah

naty-ucchritam nati-nicam

cailajina-kusottaram

 

tatraikagram manah krtva

yata-cittendriya-kriyah

upavisyasane yunjyad

yogam atma-visuddhaye

 

(CH 6 , VERSE 11 AND 12)

 

TRANSLATION

 

To practice yoga, one should go to a secluded place and should lay

kusa-grass on the ground and then cover it with a deerskin and a soft

cloth. The seat should neither be too high nor too low and should be

situated in a sacred place. The yogi should then sit on it very

firmly and should practice yoga by controlling the mind and the

senses, purifying the heart and fixing the mind on one point.

 

WELL, IN THE OLDEN DAYS , RISHIS AND MUNIS USED TO GO SACRED

PILGRIMAGE SPOTS or river banks to do 'meditation' or purashcharana

or even caves or mountain tops away from the 'noise ' of life etc but

for an advaitin . the Brindavana or rishikesh or kashi is not in one

place - it is right there in his Heart - and he/she does not believe

in any formalities . But , bear in mind , even a great Jnani like Sri

Ramana maharishi went to VIRUPAKSHA CAVE to practice 'aham'

meditatopn!

 

when i was practicing TM , I WAS ASKED TO USE the same meditation mat

given to me by my guru ... the fact that i was a woman was of no

consequence ! a male meditator was also given a similar mat!

 

Shastraji , the main point is reegsardless of any material

condition , in yoga , what is needed is 'dharana and pratyahara '

apart from viveka and vairagya.'

 

HOPE THIS HELPS!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers - Get better answers from someone who knows. Tryit now.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaskar bhagini niveditaa,

 

Thank you for your very nice response. Indeed, you have reminded us

well, of the words of Shri Krishna, regarding the true practice of

meditation. It is inwardly that the meditation takes place, regardless

of the outward form.

 

Om Narayanaya,

 

Shastra

[Guest guest]

Thank you Sri Virendra -ji and Shastra-ji :

 

AS always , my pleasure ! Being in the company of evolved souls like

the ones in this group is itself an act of meditation for me ,

beliebve it or not!

 

Virendra-ji , you are an expert on Kahmir Saivism ! Your

observations on prana and apana reminded me of the following

lines " from the great Saint poet Lalleshweri ...

 

Lalla sings rapturously in one of her poems

 

Closing the doors and windows of my body, I seized the thief, prana,

and shut him in.

 

I bound him tightly inside the chamber of my heart, And lashed him

hard with the whip *om.*

 

I pulled the reins of the steed of the mind; I compressed the life

force circulating through the ten channels; Then, indeed, did the

lunar particle (shashi-kal§Ó) melt and dissolve, and the Void merged

with the Void.

 

Concentrating on the* om-sound,* I made my body like blazing coal.

 

(in the edition by B. N. Parimoo, The Ascent of Self (Delhi: Motilal

Banarsidass,1978).

 

Leaving behind the six crossroads, I travelled the path of Truth.

And then I, Lalla, reached the Abode of Light. "

 

Maybe , virenderaji you can explain the finer nuances of this mystic

poem to the members here !

 

But , shastraji is not totally wrong , In the beginning , all

sadhaks need to practice 'shuddi' at all levels - BHUTA SHUDDHI ,

ANTHAKARANA SHUDDHI AND CHITTA SHUDDHI ! IN fact , in tantric

sadhana, where rituals are all important , external conditions are

vey important ! For example , i cannot sit on a air-india plane and

practice my bija mantra that my guru initiated with ! That will not

be appropriate ! for there is a time and place for everything -

including mantra and yantra yoga!

 

but the 'advaita land ' is a different kind of wonderland!

 

A verse goes like this

 

Plunge in yoga or in enjoyment,

Mix with all or stand severely apart;

For the heart that delights ever in Brahman

It is bliss, bliss, bliss- bliss without end.

 

and our beloved Adi shankara bhagvadapada sings in his

jivanmuktananda lahari the following verses :

 

 

Sometimes engaged in the practices of Abstract meditation; sometimes

in the worship of the Lord, in joy and humility; with fragrant

flowers in bloom or with good petals and leaves; The sage, with

ignorance dispelled by Guru's grace (d¨¨k¨²¨¢), is not at all deluded.

 

 

Sometimes clad in the quarters (i.e. nude), at times attired in

costly robes, Sometimes wearing the lion's (tiger's) skin around the

waist, with restrained mind, in complete detachment and gladdening

the heart of the good; The sage, with ignorance dispelled by Guru's

grace, (d¨¨k¨²¨¢) is not at all deluded.

 

http://www.kamakoti.org/newlayout/... & sendpagetitle=Jivanmuktananda+L

ahari

 

For a self realized soul, every place is Kashi and every act is a an

act of meditation and he /she is always blissful !

 

love and regards

 

 

 

 

eadvaitin , Virendra Qazi <virendra_qazi

wrote:

>

> This is wonderful answer.

>

> To seek bliss through total internal meditation, we have only

one mat (aasan):

>

> SANDHI - the junction point between Prana and Apana.

>

> Pranam!

>

> Virendra

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Shastraji,

 

In such matters, you are likely to get lots of different views from

different people. If one reputable person says that you should sit on

cotton, another says you should sit on wool, and yet another says you

should sit on gold, how will you decide what to do? Every time you

sit for meditation, there will be some uncertainty in some corner of

your mind. The kind of meditation seat is supposed to have some

effect on the quality of our meditation, but it is going to be a very

minor factor, so its not something too important to worry about. Both

wool and cotton are common and fine as meditation seats. In such a

situation, you should just go on using what you have been using till

now since it has already been infused with your sadhana shakti to

some extent. Its also probably not a good idea to indulge the mind's

restlessness and desire to " tweak " minor things too much - at least

in my case, I find its just an excuse to delay or put off

wholehearted sadhana.

 

Regards,

 

R.

[Guest guest]

Respected Bhagini Ji,

 

Sadar Pranam!

 

You are a blessed noble soul. You can help in transforming young generation so

that they get tremendous self confidence and three divine gifts:

 

Humility,

 

Love, and

 

Compassion.

 

Our small cultural org is called Lalleshwari International Trust. I have sent

a separate post on Lalleshwari. It contains this verse also. Please read it. I

will be too happy to answer or explain the subtle meaning / process of any

shaloka (Vakhs - as they are popularly called).

 

Lalleshwari's saying give us 100 per cent guidance on worldly aspects of life

and spiritual sadhana.

 

Virendra

 

 

bhagini_niveditaa <bhagini_niveditaa wrote:

Thank you Sri Virendra -ji and Shastra-ji :

 

AS always , my pleasure ! Being in the company of evolved souls like

the ones in this group is itself an act of meditation for me ,

beliebve it or not!

 

Virendra-ji , you are an expert on Kahmir Saivism ! Your

observations on prana and apana reminded me of the following

lines " from the great Saint poet Lalleshweri ...

 

Lalla sings rapturously in one of her poems

 

Closing the doors and windows of my body, I seized the thief, prana,

and shut him in.

 

I bound him tightly inside the chamber of my heart, And lashed him

hard with the whip *om.*

 

I pulled the reins of the steed of the mind; I compressed the life

force circulating through the ten channels; Then, indeed, did the

lunar particle (shashi-kal§Ó) melt and dissolve, and the Void merged

with the Void.

 

Concentrating on the* om-sound,* I made my body like blazing coal.

 

(in the edition by B. N. Parimoo, The Ascent of Self (Delhi: Motilal

Banarsidass,1978).

 

Leaving behind the six crossroads, I travelled the path of Truth.

And then I, Lalla, reached the Abode of Light. "

 

Maybe , virenderaji you can explain the finer nuances of this mystic

poem to the members here !

 

But , shastraji is not totally wrong , In the beginning , all

sadhaks need to practice 'shuddi' at all levels - BHUTA SHUDDHI ,

ANTHAKARANA SHUDDHI AND CHITTA SHUDDHI ! IN fact , in tantric

sadhana, where rituals are all important , external conditions are

vey important ! For example , i cannot sit on a air-india plane and

practice my bija mantra that my guru initiated with ! That will not

be appropriate ! for there is a time and place for everything -

including mantra and yantra yoga!

 

but the 'advaita land ' is a different kind of wonderland!

 

A verse goes like this

 

Plunge in yoga or in enjoyment,

Mix with all or stand severely apart;

For the heart that delights ever in Brahman

It is bliss, bliss, bliss- bliss without end.

 

and our beloved Adi shankara bhagvadapada sings in his

jivanmuktananda lahari the following verses :

 

Sometimes engaged in the practices of Abstract meditation; sometimes

in the worship of the Lord, in joy and humility; with fragrant

flowers in bloom or with good petals and leaves; The sage, with

ignorance dispelled by Guru's grace (d¨¨k¨²¨¢), is not at all deluded.

 

Sometimes clad in the quarters (i.e. nude), at times attired in

costly robes, Sometimes wearing the lion's (tiger's) skin around the

waist, with restrained mind, in complete detachment and gladdening

the heart of the good; The sage, with ignorance dispelled by Guru's

grace, (d¨¨k¨²¨¢) is not at all deluded.

 

http://www.kamakoti.org/newlayout/... & sendpagetitle=Jivanmuktananda+L

ahari

 

For a self realized soul, every place is Kashi and every act is a an

act of meditation and he /she is always blissful !

 

love and regards

 

eadvaitin , Virendra Qazi <virendra_qazi

wrote:

>

> This is wonderful answer.

>

> To seek bliss through total internal meditation, we have only

one mat (aasan):

>

> SANDHI - the junction point between Prana and Apana.

>

> Pranam!

>

> Virendra

>

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers - Get better answers from someone who knows. Tryit now.