Yoga Nidra.

[Guest guest]

Hi Harsha,

 

This is probably one of the quotes you were remembering.

It's from page 64 of "The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi"

edited by David Godman. (There's a lot more there than what

I'm reproducing here):

 

"Without this enquiry he will go into a long trance or deep

sleep [yoga nidra]. Due to the absence of a proper guide at

this stage of spiritual practice, many have been deluded and

fallen a prey to a false sense of liberation and only a few

have managed to reach the goal safely."

 

(...skip a few paragraphs from the quote, then....)

 

"One must therefore watch one's spiritual progress carefully.

One must not allow oneself to be overtaken by such spells of

stillness of thought. The moment one experiences this, one must

revive consciousness and enquire within as to who it is who

experiences this stillness. While not allowing any thoughts to

intrude, one must not, at the same time, be overtaken by this

deep sleep [yoga nidra] or self-hypnotism. Though this is a sign

of progress towards the goal, yet it is also the point where the

divergence between the road to liberation and yoga nidra takes

place."

 

Love,

 

Rob

 

 

Thanks Rob for that beautiful passage. David Godman has done a wonderful job

of summarizing the most important conversations with Ramana Maharshi. I

highly recommend that book!

 

The best of Indian Yogis and Swamis sat at the feet of the Sage of

Arunachala. Ramana's influence was extremely subtle but profound and

universal. Although he went no where and did not lecture or travel at all,

His potency is truly overwhelming and unlimited. Ramana Maharshi often gave

different answers to different people according to their need and

understanding. The Sage said that there are two ways to overcome the sense

of ego-self. First, to enquire, to whom has this sense arisen (Who am I?) or

from where does this sense arise (Where am I?). The second way is to

surrender everything (the path, the method, the goal, the practice, the

sense of self or no-self, etc.) to the Guru. Either way, all questions and

answers become moot.

 

Love

Harsha

[Guest guest]

Namaste All,

 

Yes I have had that Godman book for a long time, thanks for the page

reference. However the question in my mind is how to prevent the

loss of consciousness without staying in a lower meditative state.

Doing japa or something. I was wondering whether anyone had any

advice from on how to break through. I suppose it is all subjective.

The yoga nidra state seems deeper to me than sleep, and I realise it

is only a veil away, but what a veil. Perhaps I don't want to tear it

or I won't come down ha ha .

 

I have been become quite adept at inducing almost instant yoga nidra,

perhaps that is the problem!Perhaps it is another illusory attachment!

 

 

Om Namah Sivaya, Tony.

 

, "Editor" <editor@r...> wrote:

>

> -

> Harsha <harsha-hkl@h...>

> >

> > Tony, I believe this question was addressed by Ramana Maharshi

several

> > times. I can't remember the answer now exactly but I know you are

familiar

> > with various books documenting the conversations with the Sage of

> > Arunachala....

>

>

> Hi Harsha,

>

> This is probably one of the quotes you were remembering.

> It's from page 64 of "The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi"

> edited by David Godman. (There's a lot more there than what

> I'm reproducing here):

>

> "Without this enquiry he will go into a long trance or deep

> sleep [yoga nidra]. Due to the absence of a proper guide at

> this stage of spiritual practice, many have been deluded and

> fallen a prey to a false sense of liberation and only a few

> have managed to reach the goal safely."

>

> (...skip a few paragraphs from the quote, then....)

>

> "One must therefore watch one's spiritual progress carefully.

> One must not allow oneself to be overtaken by such spells of

> stillness of thought. The moment one experiences this, one must

> revive consciousness and enquire within as to who it is who

> experiences this stillness. While not allowing any thoughts to

> intrude, one must not, at the same time, be overtaken by this

> deep sleep [yoga nidra] or self-hypnotism. Though this is a sign

> of progress towards the goal, yet it is also the point where the

> divergence between the road to liberation and yoga nidra takes

> place."

>

> Love,

>

> Rob

[Guest guest]

Hi Harsha,

>"Without this enquiry he will go into a long trance or deep

>sleep [yoga nidra]. Due to the absence of a proper guide at

>this stage of spiritual practice, many have been deluded and

>fallen a prey to a false sense of liberation and only a few

>have managed to reach the goal safely."

>

>(...skip a few paragraphs from the quote, then....)

>

>"One must therefore watch one's spiritual progress carefully.

>One must not allow oneself to be overtaken by such spells of

>stillness of thought. The moment one experiences this, one must

>revive consciousness and enquire within as to who it is who

>experiences this stillness. While not allowing any thoughts to

>intrude, one must not, at the same time, be overtaken by this

>deep sleep [yoga nidra] or self-hypnotism. Though this is a sign

>of progress towards the goal, yet it is also the point where the

>divergence between the road to liberation and yoga nidra takes

>place."

- Ramana Maharshi

 

Is this yoga nidra what sometimes happens to new meditators when they "get

lost" and don't know to come back down without help? I've had this happen

occasionally when I was teaching a class.

 

In fact, the first time I lost someone was the first time I taught a class.

) I was teaching with a partner, but it was my night to do the talking.

Almost everyone opened their eyes after meditation and sat there looking at

a young man who was still far gone. ) I was waiting patiently, until my

partner gave me an elbow in the ribs and whispered, "Do something!" So I

began talking and just talked him down and out in great detail... and it

worked. He said he had been doing wonderful things, but he couldn't

remember a bit of it!

 

My husband said the next step would have been to count him out, as in

hypnosis. But I discovered later that when that happened, it was enough to

identify completely with the person and then sense my hands and fingers

completely and begin to move some fingers... sure enough, his fingers

would begin to move, and that would wake him up. )

 

I have thought this was due to not having a firm connection established

between high self and conscious mind... or between the higher memory and

the brain memory. People seem to get over it fairly quickly when they just

go into meditation with the will to make a firmer bridge and bring back the

memory into brain memory.

 

I haven't thought it was dangerous... but maybe it could be to a new

person in the sense of misunderstanding what was happening?

 

Love,

Dharma