To: K-list
Recieved: 2004/11/03 12:43
Subject: RE: [SPAM] - [K-list] RE: K-list Digest, Vol 17, Issue 1 - Emai
From: Gustaf Grefberg
On 2004/11/03 12:43, Gustaf Grefberg posted thus to the K-list:
As far as I've understood, meditation is not even about doing or not doing
anything. It's a state of mind. Of course, this is just a way of seeing it,
but I will share it anyhow. According to Raja Yoga, when we practice
meditation, we reach 4 different stages..
The first is sense withdrawal (Pratyahara), where the external world is not
drawing our awareness outwards into distraction. Most K awake people
experience this state quite often, I would guess. (I do at least.
The second is concentration (Dharana) in which the mind becomes one-pointed,
it can be on the meditation practice or art we are doing, or anything. In
the Dharana state all the resources are focused on one point to the
exclusion of all else, though, you are still aware of the separation between
the meditator and the object of meditation. This is also a commen K
experience and is said to facilitate increased energy and activity in higher
centers.
The third is meditation (Dhyana) This is a continuation of Dharana, in which
the separation between meditator and object of meditation starts to
disintegrate.
When Dhyana is complete, it is said we start entering the realm of Samadhi
and beyond..
The Swamis always told me that when we sit down for sadhana (spiritual
practice) or we sit down to "meditate" we are actually not meditation, we
are practicing "preparation for meditation" All the practices are tools
that will help remove distraction from our minds and gradually turn the
focus inwards deeper and deeper. This is the science of Raja Yoga..
There seems to be a connection between Raja Yoga and Kundalini Yoga in these
different states of mind. A distracted, scattered and tense state of mind
usually represents an unawakened state, When Pratyahara becomes established
easily, K can be said to be functioning with stability in the lower chakras
in an active state, Dharana represents the higher chakras, and Dhyana and
Samadhi a full blown awakening.
Also, it appears that almost all the meditation practices are indirect. They
are there to put the body/mind/energy in a state where it becomes more open
to expanded awareness and energy. Kriya yoga is an example of a set of
techniques that work on this by moving conciousness and energy in the body,
while Raja Yoga practices (which are a lot more like Zen and Buddhist
practices) work from the side of the mind..
Anyway! This was mostly stuff I have learned from studying, though I've
experienced states of Pratyahara and Dharana. Not sure about beyond that,
it's kind of difficult to put into words. =)
Sincerely
Gustaf
>Is meditation really doing nothing ?
>
>Afterall, how can nothing be named meditation, it's either nothing or
>meditation which is doing "something", aka doing nothing.
>
>____
depends on the meditation?
sometimes meditating means paying attention to your body, and your
breathing. allowing you to get quietly in touch with your self, in a
peacefull way.
or sometimes meitation is visualizing warm colors heating up on your
body,
allowing the energy to take care of everything,
sometimes mediation is relaxing, and letting all your worrys go
sometimes mediation is just a calm sadness floating occasionally into
your
life, calming you, quieting you, allowing you to see truth and
understanding
sometimes mediation is trying to look inward, trying to find a piece of
your
self?
closing your eyes at the ocean, breathing in the smell of the sea is a
relaxing and positive moment for you, that positive moment will echo
into
your future, and help you resolve the past. mediation can be like trying
to
find that kind of beauty inside of your self. allowing you to be free
even if you're not really doing anything, everything else just might be
changing.
for me its more than just nothing, its connecting. connecting to your
self,
and in any crazy way you like. connect to your third eye, and let it
show
you how amazing it is. everything happens on its own. giving up control
over the energy will equally free you, even if you dont realize how and
where you are controling it. it also really helps if you really really
believe in what the energy of the earth can do. really really believe,
yanno?
lofe
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