The Topic of Feeling Guilty About Not Meditation, doing Sadhana etc

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam:I was very struck by an earlier post that addressed the guilt some of us feel when we don't get up at 3 to do morning sadhana. I was struck because I too struggle with this admittedly self-sabatoging sort of guilt. And I know of course that I should just release the guilt, accept All That Is, etc, but sometimes that is hard. Guilt and shame have been huge obstacles for me in this lifetime. I watch myself continuing to make choices that keep me in places of guilt! :)So then I go off and search for meditations to release guilt. Then I find hundreds of other meditations that I might do: for anger, grief, brain fog, depression, fatigue, childhood anger, childhood trauma, connecting with God, releasing self-hatred.....It's the most wonderful buffet. I feel absolutely blessed to have connected with the teachings of YB. But I must say I get overwhelmed sometimes over which to choose. I mean, I am not complaining here, but there are many days

in which I don't meditate at all because I "don't know" which meditation to choose. Then there is the fact that it is recommended that one do such-and-such meditation for 1000 days for 2 1/2 hours day to get the 'most benefit.' So then my mind says: "well, don't even bother.....let's find one of those 1 1/2 minute kriyas we can do once per month." :)Perhaps I just need to find a meditation for decisiveness? Or trusting one's instincts? I appreciated the reply to a prior post that implored us to 'stop making excuses' and just do the work. I appreciate that so much, and I appreciate being told that we need to learn how to commit. And that one learns to commit by committing. But my ego wants to know: which of the 4000 meditations do I commit to? I will say this: Guru Dev Singh 'prescribed' a kriya to me four years ago, and I committed to that for the

prescribed 90 days, after many false starts. I committed because he told me to (and felt guilty about 'neglecting' other kriyas as I practiced this one)This says 1) that I am capable of committing to a relatively long meditation (this one was 33 mins/day). and 2) that I can complete a task if 'ordered' to do it. By a master. But this whole post was supposed to be about guilt. Thank you to the brave and honest woman who brought up that subject. I would love to hear how others have worked through the various emotions and stages of Ego vs Spirit once one has set the intention to continue on the KY path. My ego seems to have a black belt. But Spirit is stronger, yes?

[Guest guest]

Great post! The reason why I mostly wanted to respond, is to simply

say that there isn't a need to do a specific meditation to trust your

instinct, because all meditations are designed to help us become more

in tuned without our gut. That said, we need to give ourselves credit

as human beings as well, we already have this natural instinct in us,

but yes, I do believe that meditation can ground us. As for myself, I

like to do only meditations that I feel comfortable with (I trust my

gut, and because I do believe in the power of mantras, and the Word, I

don't chant what I don't feel comfortable with), or I just do the

Aquarian Age ones.

 

And I agree, the spirit is stronger as that is the immortal part of

us, but without our body, our spirit is where? I need by body to be

my instrument so that my spirit may work in light; and to keep it

healthy, I must respect it. I don't get enough sleep if I rise at 3 am

to attend 4 am sadhana, and a main point in my post is that I would

love it if we opened up a bit, let go of strict dogma, and joined

together at a later time in the morning. I didn't mean to imply we

absolve the early morning sadhana, I merely wanted to throw out a

suggestion, what if there were more support groups meeting to chant

and practice at 6 am, for example? The reading of the Japji at 4 am

is a religious ritual, but yoga is a philosophy. There is a dichotomy

in this practice right now, and I am not afraid to question it,

because I believe to question things is part of how we become great.

[Guest guest]

I don't feel guilty about not doing Sadhana. I used to live in an ashram where

I did morning Sadhana at first, but then became inconsistent. There was a time

when I was working a lot and there was a lot of pressure to do the group

Sadhana, which I love, but getting up so early caused sore throats. I suffered

from Mononucleosis as a child and Epstein Barr as a young adult and I felt the

sore throats at the ashram were a warning that I wasn't getting enough

un-interrupted sleep. Before I came to that conclusion, by the way, I was

trying the " work through it " attitude. It did not seem to help. The only way I

could do Sadhana was if I had a regular schedule of going to bed at 8pm.

I have found in my life that doing some practice, a practice, every day is

better than none at all. Sadhana in the amrit vela is the best, and I loved how

it connected the members of our community when we did it together consistantly.

I assert that just having a daily practice at all is very beneficial. Do

something every day.

Guru Beant Kaur

 

 

Bridget Kamke, LMT

Kundalini Yoga Teacher

Licensed Massage Therapist

Children's Book Author

www.infinipede.com

 

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[Guest guest]

" MY RESPONSE TO: Thank you to the brave and honest woman who brought up that

subject. I would

love to hear how others have worked through the various emotions and stages of

Ego vs Spirit once one

has set the intention to continue on the KY path. My ego seems to have a black

belt. But Spirit is

stronger, yes? "

 

 

It all works...as in Yogi Bhajan's mantra for the Aquarian Age...KEEP UP. The

variations of set backs, up

back, go way forward and a little back, try side ways...and the ego's due

diligence on your practice are

infinite.

 

Yes, there are common stages and some individuals can " see "

auras/destiny/psychology and let you

know what and when to do and so can you sometimes...but in the end, Guru's Grace

with you keeping

up.

 

My experience with Yogi Bhajan input to me over the years was varied, as it

pertains to this

conversation...sometime he gave me a meditation I never heard of and didn't want

to do and sometimes

he gave me the meditation I was thinking about but never quite got to...so I

learned to do it both ways

and then some...

 

One finally sharing...I had a period where I " thought' early morning sadhana as

only a Yogi Bhajan-

Kundalini Yoga thing and for whatever reason it bothered me...not enough to miss

sadhana but enough

that it became a haunting thought. I was looking for other examples and some

had tangent examples

but it was not direct enough. I was visiting a yogi friend and she had lots of

books by Swami Rama...I

was reading and looking through them and WOW...he had a few paragraphs about how

he used to wake

an hour before sadhana and couldn't wait to go...and this was 3:00 am...he said

other things which I

can't remember...but it stopped my haunting thoughts about sadhana in the Amrit

Vela.

 

Sat Ganesha Singh

" participate, share, contribute "

[Guest guest]

Kundalini-Yoga , Abner Wilner <senatorabner

wrote:

>Sat Nam

 

This is the best isn't it. Guilt comes a calling. Remember that

Sadhana brings up our subconscious. Do you understand even the desire

to do Sadhana bring us our subconscious fears? Good.

 

Look it squarley in the face and laugh, Then ask for help. Call on

Guru Ram Das get a Sadhana partner to inspire and make you accountable

to and for and enjoy the joy and pain.

 

There is a great meditation in the Survival manual FOR WHEN YOU DON " T

KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!!

 

 

Let me know how it works out. Drop the guilt. Yes just drop it. Have

no relationship with it.

 

Blessings Gurutej Kaur Los Angeles

www.gurutej.com

 

 

 

> Sat Nam:

>

> I was very struck by an earlier post that addressed the guilt some

of us feel when we don't get up at 3 to do morning sadhana. I was

struck because I too struggle with this admittedly self-sabatoging

sort of guilt. And I know of course that I should just release the

guilt, accept All That Is, etc, but sometimes that is hard. Guilt and

shame have been huge obstacles for me in this lifetime. I watch myself

continuing to make choices that keep me in places of guilt!

>

> So then I go off and search for meditations to release guilt. Then I

find hundreds of other meditations that I might do: for anger, grief,

brain fog, depression, fatigue, childhood anger, childhood trauma,

connecting with God, releasing self-hatred.....

>

> It's the most wonderful buffet. I feel absolutely blessed to have

connected with the teachings of YB. But I must say I get overwhelmed

sometimes over which to choose. I mean, I am not complaining here, but

there are many days in which I don't meditate at all because I " don't

know " which meditation to choose. Then there is the fact that it is

recommended that one do such-and-such meditation for 1000 days for 2

1/2 hours day to get the 'most benefit.'

> So then my mind says: " well, don't even bother.....let's find one of

those 1 1/2 minute kriyas we can do once per month. "

>

> Perhaps I just need to find a meditation for decisiveness? Or

trusting one's instincts?

>

> I appreciated the reply to a prior post that implored us to 'stop

making excuses' and just do the work. I appreciate that so much, and

I appreciate being told that we need to learn how to commit. And that

one learns to commit by committing.

> But my ego wants to know: which of the 4000 meditations do I commit to?

>

> I will say this: Guru Dev Singh 'prescribed' a kriya to me four

years ago, and I committed to that for the prescribed 90 days, after

many false starts. I committed because he told me to (and felt guilty

about 'neglecting' other kriyas as I practiced this one)

>

> This says 1) that I am capable of committing to a relatively long

meditation (this one was 33 mins/day). and 2) that I can complete a

task if 'ordered' to do it. By a master.

>

> But this whole post was supposed to be about guilt. Thank you to the

brave and honest woman who brought up that subject. I would love to

hear how others have worked through the various emotions and stages of

Ego vs Spirit once one has set the intention to continue on the KY

path. My ego seems to have a black belt. But Spirit is stronger, yes?

>

[Guest guest]

I definitely agree with " do what you can " , as long as you do something

every day. I also love to do early morning sadhana at 4 am, but this

isn't always practical in my day-to-day life. Personally, I pray to

Guru Ram Das at night, and I ask him to wake me up whenever it is

right to do sadhana. Yesterday it was at 4:40 am and I had a great,

long, personal sadhana for the day. Today I woke up around 7:30, and

my body just needed sleep. I did a little deep breathing and

meditating, but will do my longer personal meditations tonight.

 

Trust in God and your intuition, and do what you can!

 

Much love,

Kehar Kaur

 

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " satganesha " <satganesha

wrote:

>

>

> " MY RESPONSE TO: Thank you to the brave and honest woman who brought

up that subject. I would

> love to hear how others have worked through the various emotions and

stages of Ego vs Spirit once one

> has set the intention to continue on the KY path. My ego seems to

have a black belt. But Spirit is

> stronger, yes? "

>

>

> It all works...as in Yogi Bhajan's mantra for the Aquarian

Age...KEEP UP. The variations of set backs, up

> back, go way forward and a little back, try side ways...and the

ego's due diligence on your practice are

> infinite.

>

> Yes, there are common stages and some individuals can " see "

auras/destiny/psychology and let you

> know what and when to do and so can you sometimes...but in the end,

Guru's Grace with you keeping

> up.

>

> My experience with Yogi Bhajan input to me over the years was

varied, as it pertains to this

> conversation...sometime he gave me a meditation I never heard of and

didn't want to do and sometimes

> he gave me the meditation I was thinking about but never quite got

to...so I learned to do it both ways

> and then some...

>

> One finally sharing...I had a period where I " thought' early morning

sadhana as only a Yogi Bhajan-

> Kundalini Yoga thing and for whatever reason it bothered me...not

enough to miss sadhana but enough

> that it became a haunting thought. I was looking for other examples

and some had tangent examples

> but it was not direct enough. I was visiting a yogi friend and she

had lots of books by Swami Rama...I

> was reading and looking through them and WOW...he had a few

paragraphs about how he used to wake

> an hour before sadhana and couldn't wait to go...and this was 3:00

am...he said other things which I

> can't remember...but it stopped my haunting thoughts about sadhana

in the Amrit Vela.

>

> Sat Ganesha Singh

> " participate, share, contribute "

>

[Guest guest]

Wow, as a therapist, I have to say that 'just dropping guilt' doesn't

always work and sometimes 'strong-arming' the unconscious is really a

violation. I prefer to work 'with' it. Yes we have to sometimes just

be determined and push through but if that doesn't work a more middle

of the road approach where we communicate with these other aspects of

oursaelves (I feel) is wiser. Love yourself, from my experience with

my own guilt if doing sadhana is motivated by anything other than

Love than its an ego trip.

 

sat nam

Ek Ong Kar Singh

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " gurutej_k " <ji wrote:

>

> Kundalini-Yoga , Abner Wilner <senatorabner@>

> wrote:

> >Sat Nam

>

> This is the best isn't it. Guilt comes a calling. Remember that

> Sadhana brings up our subconscious. Do you understand even the

desire

> to do Sadhana bring us our subconscious fears? Good.

>

> Look it squarley in the face and laugh, Then ask for help. Call on

> Guru Ram Das get a Sadhana partner to inspire and make you

accountable

> to and for and enjoy the joy and pain.

>

> There is a great meditation in the Survival manual FOR WHEN YOU

DON " T

> KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!!

>

>

> Let me know how it works out. Drop the guilt. Yes just drop it. Have

> no relationship with it.

>

> Blessings Gurutej Kaur Los Angeles

> www.gurutej.com

>

>

>

> > Sat Nam:

> >

> > I was very struck by an earlier post that addressed the guilt some

> of us feel when we don't get up at 3 to do morning sadhana. I was

> struck because I too struggle with this admittedly self-sabatoging

> sort of guilt. And I know of course that I should just release the

> guilt, accept All That Is, etc, but sometimes that is hard. Guilt

and

> shame have been huge obstacles for me in this lifetime. I watch

myself

> continuing to make choices that keep me in places of guilt!

> >

> > So then I go off and search for meditations to release guilt.

Then I

> find hundreds of other meditations that I might do: for anger,

grief,

> brain fog, depression, fatigue, childhood anger, childhood trauma,

> connecting with God, releasing self-hatred.....

> >

> > It's the most wonderful buffet. I feel absolutely blessed to have

> connected with the teachings of YB. But I must say I get overwhelmed

> sometimes over which to choose. I mean, I am not complaining here,

but

> there are many days in which I don't meditate at all because

I " don't

> know " which meditation to choose. Then there is the fact that it is

> recommended that one do such-and-such meditation for 1000 days for 2

> 1/2 hours day to get the 'most benefit.'

> > So then my mind says: " well, don't even bother.....let's find one

of

> those 1 1/2 minute kriyas we can do once per month. "

> >

> > Perhaps I just need to find a meditation for decisiveness? Or

> trusting one's instincts?

> >

> > I appreciated the reply to a prior post that implored us to 'stop

> making excuses' and just do the work. I appreciate that so much,

and

> I appreciate being told that we need to learn how to commit. And

that

> one learns to commit by committing.

> > But my ego wants to know: which of the 4000 meditations do I

commit to?

> >

> > I will say this: Guru Dev Singh 'prescribed' a kriya to me four

> years ago, and I committed to that for the prescribed 90 days, after

> many false starts. I committed because he told me to (and felt

guilty

> about 'neglecting' other kriyas as I practiced this one)

> >

> > This says 1) that I am capable of committing to a relatively long

> meditation (this one was 33 mins/day). and 2) that I can complete a

> task if 'ordered' to do it. By a master.

> >

> > But this whole post was supposed to be about guilt. Thank you to

the

> brave and honest woman who brought up that subject. I would love to

> hear how others have worked through the various emotions and stages

of

> Ego vs Spirit once one has set the intention to continue on the KY

> path. My ego seems to have a black belt. But Spirit is stronger,

yes?

> >

>