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THE BODYNo particular physical position is required for this type of meditation,although a number of the meditative poses suggested by Hatha Yoga may beuseful even though they were designed for a different type of sadhana. 97Difficult poses like the full and half-lotus are not recommended unless thebody feels comfortable in them from the beginning. In India where Yogaevolved people have no furniture so sitting cross-legged on the ground issecond nature. But if you experience pain or discomfort because your feetare resting on top of the thighs, it's best to opt for an easy chair or a simplecross-legged position. Except for the attempt to awaken dormant energies inthe body, a practice not recommended for neophytes, the position of the bodyisn't critical. It should be comfortable and the meditator prepared to take ashort vacation. Even prone positions are acceptable if the meditator canavoid falling asleep.ATTITUDEOn the mental level the pose should be kingly or queenly: gracious,upright, poised, noble, and generous. A careful, sensitive, inquiring state ofmind, like a botanist patiently examining a delicate flower, is suggested. Themeditator should think of meditation as an afternoon on the beach, not a shiftin the mines.With the eyes closed, settle in.What's next?Ask for help. Obviously, if you knew who you were you wouldn't bemeditating in the first place, so by sitting you are really saying you don'tknow anything, the most essential ingredient for a successful meditation.Most meditators believe in a higher power, God, a spirit guide, guru figure,the saints, the universe, "guidance," a deity - whatever. Irrespective of theinvocation's form , the Self, all-knowing Consciousness, which hears everythought and feeling, understands the need and will respond appropriately.The Self sneaked the meditation idea into the mind in the first place so themeditator needn't worry. Everything that needs to happen will happen. Themore fervent the prayer, the better - the squeaky wheel gets the grease97 Kundalini sadhana, the awakening of the dormant “electricity of Consciousness” in the body. The style ofmeditation offered here is called is called “transcendental” because it is designed to lift the mind out of thebody.70
Make a resolution to leave your worries behind. It's good to meditatein a place not used for other activities. Feel satisfied you are making aneffort to meditate. Third, clear the mind of memories of previousmeditations, good or bad. Trying to improve on a bad meditation orreproduce a good one is futile and only agitates the mind.BODY SCANAfter the invocation scan and relax the body from the feet up. If youhave a hard time relaxing use a little visualization. Imagine you’re a warmpeaceful light-filled ball of consciousness inside your feet and expand untilthe feet feel hollow. Next bore your way up the legs hollowing out theankles, knees, and hips. Take your time. It may seem a silly trick but itworks because the body is actually a vast field of consciousness, not aconstipated little scrap of meat. If the "ball" doesn't work use any methodyou wish to relax your way up the legs. Because they are associated withwaste removal the stomach and abdominal organs often carry negativeenergy, so spend a bit of time working in this area. Move up and explore thechest. Its association with the emotional center causes angry and unforgivingfeelings to lodge there, so the muscles are often tight. Scan leisurely, leavingit light-filled and relaxed, then move up to the neck and shoulders. Muchmental tension accumulates here so take your time. When it's relaxed moveout to the tips of the fingers and hollow out the arms like you did the legs.Then redo the neck and shoulders.The face we carry around in the world usually isn't our real face so weneed to do something to get it back to normal. Work around the chin, mouth,and cheeks first and then up to the eyes and forehead. You'll find lots of tinylittle vibrations hovering around these regions so release the musclessupporting them and let them dissipate. A smile or frown means too muchenergy's been left behind. Aim for the indifferent look of a Buddha or thepeaceful face of the dead.The idea behind all this scanning and relaxing is to prepare the bodyfor your exit. It might be helpful to think of the body as an automobile andyourself as the driver. The driver has returned from a long day on the road, isgoing to park the car in the garage, and enter his or her warm comfortablehome for the evening. Before you park it for good, check the whole thing tosee that it's snug in its seat and turn your attention to the breath.71
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SELF-KNOWLEDGE"I am composing this
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REMOVING THE WALLIf happiness or un
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"Action cannot remove ignorancefor
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lowing blissful cosmic experiences,
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Something tells me this knowledge s
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ody.We aren’t our feelings and em
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The belief that I am a waker comes
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If I’m the sleeper ego, the bliss
Page 20 and 21: itself out and disappears back into
Page 22 and 23: imaginations; ego, filled with self
Page 24 and 25: The next few days saw many experien
Page 26 and 27: here, however, the subtle part, the
Page 28 and 29: state manifests as awareness and ac
Page 30 and 31: At this point in the text the “No
Page 32 and 33: time when it was appropriate? Greed
Page 34 and 35: Simply knowing that everything is a
Page 36 and 37: in the light of the Self.”(19)Tho
Page 38 and 39: ationalized or self-validating cred
Page 40 and 41: through which the Enlightened Being
Page 42 and 43: Of course the idea of a deluded Sel
Page 44 and 45: Since ultimately all transactions,
Page 46 and 47: Nearly everyone has, at moments of
Page 48 and 49: The complex process of experience i
Page 50 and 51: can't. The creative process is, acc
Page 52 and 53: eautifully mixed by the Mind (see "
Page 54 and 55: (Intellect's preoccupation with the
Page 56 and 57: attentioninwardsubtle bodystilledag
Page 58 and 59: attitudes, especially those which e
Page 60 and 61: specific results. For example, we t
Page 62 and 63: DESIRE IS STRESSOne major source of
Page 64 and 65: Meditation and Self knowledge go ha
Page 66 and 67: Put together, the sattvic elements
Page 68 and 69: Sleep is a symbol for ignorance, an
Page 72 and 73: THE BREATHThe breath, as you’ve u
Page 74 and 75: If the ego insists on intruding, ma
Page 76 and 77: of objects in the Self alone and ex
Page 78 and 79: (40)One symptom of enlightenment si
Page 80 and 81: “As dawn dispels darkness before
Page 82 and 83: Listen carefully to the next conver
Page 84 and 85: This, the last, and the next five v
Page 86 and 87: Imagine Consciousness arranged in l
Page 88 and 89: nothing more is to be seen, and whi
Page 90 and 91: The word, it is said, "killeth." Ho
Page 92 and 93: agitationattentionfactor“Third Ey
Page 94: OM TAT SAT94
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