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Mathieu
France
3 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 18 2013 : 05:50:36 AM
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Dear All,
I had been practising "Focus on Breathing" for a year with good results or what I can illustrate by experiences, sensations: twisting of head (automatic yoga), pressure on ears and nose and third eye, sweating.
However I decided to give a try to Deep meditation and feel that nothing much is happening, it is sometimes quite long for me.
At the same time I am lost in how quick shall I repeat "AYAM" and even the pronounciation of this sound is always different, even getting somehow coupled with my breathing (sound change if inhale or exhale), whatt akes my mind and nanoy me during the meditation instead of making me relax.
Any of you had made the switch between Focus on Breathing and AYAM ? Any of you switched technique and had to start from bottom ?
Thanks!
Mathieu |
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yogani
USA
5201 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2013 : 2:08:46 PM
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Hi Mathieu, and welcome! 
There are others here who have shifted from breath to mantra meditation, and perhaps they will chime in.
The main difference between mantra meditation and breath meditation is the power. This is because mantra meditation with correct procedure is proactive, continuing to go deeper when breath suspends. When breath suspends in breath meditation, we will rest at that level of stillness until breath (the object) comes back and is perceived again. Using mantra as object has a vertical range exceeding breath as object, so more can be accomplished in a shorter time. So much so that the practice may have to be "self-paced" if too much purification is going on. It is also advised to take some time resting at the end of deep meditation with mantra to help stabilize the purification and opening that has occurred before getting up. If we get up to soon, there can be some discomfort, irritability, etc.
Some may be sensitive to deep meditation with mantra. In that case, we suggest breath meditation be considered as an alternative. Here is a lesson on that, which also discusses the differences between mantra and breath meditation: http://www.aypsite.org/367.html
It is always your call on how to proceed.
Keep in mind that, depending on the technique of breath meditation, there could be a pranayama effect, which could bring experiences of pleasurable energy, etc., without necessarily cultivating corresponding levels of abiding inner silence. The latter is the key to spiritual progress, even though its symptoms may be less dramatic than energy experiences. For this reason, we keep pranayama and meditation as separate practices in the AYP approach, with one leading to the other in our practice routine sequence. If you are doing deep meditation and are finding more peace, resilience and creativity in daily life, then you are having good results. Others may even notice changes in you before you do. The results can sneak up quietly like that. Over time, the results build up until they are easily noticed. Then we are becoming "stillness in action," a condition of permanent freedom on this earth.
As mentioned above, make sure to take some time (5-10 min) to rest before getting up from deep meditation. Laying down during rest is okay if circumstances permit. This should take care of any irritability that comes up. If not, then consider self-pacing (reducing) your time of meditation to find your balance. You can creep the time back up later, once you have stabilized your practice for good results with comfort and safety.
Mantra repetition can be any of the scenarios you mentioned, and more. There is no set rhythm or situation you have to create or hold on to. "Micro-managing" the procedure is actually counter-productive and will reduce the effectiveness of your meditation. We just begin the mantra and easily come back to it when we notice we are off it. Simple. Mantra repetition will change as your nervous system goes through its various phases of purification and opening. So we just pick up the mantra, repeated in a way that is comfortable, not trying to regulate it. If it syncs with breath, heartbeat, or external stimuli, that is fine. We just easily favor the mantra when we notice that we have wandered off it to anything else -- thoughts, feelings, sensory experience, breath, etc. We may come back to it as a clear pronunciation, or it can be very fuzzy and indistinct. We go with it easily whatever it is. Various mantra scenarios are covered in the AYP Deep Meditation book. You can also find clarification in the online lessons by checking the topic index. This one has been said to be helpful on clarifying the procedure of meditation: http://www.aypsite.org/366.html
All the best on your continuing path!
The guru is in you.
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Mathieu
France
3 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2013 : 01:45:56 AM
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Dear Yogari,
thank you for your reply that cleared a lot my mind.
I actually do clearly feel improvement in my meditation since I don't focus anymore on the repetition pace of the mantra, just repeating quicker or slower automatically and naturally, like "automatic pilot", my mind sets the own pace for me.
The depth of the mantra is also evolving automaticaly, even though my mind is still very sensitive to the pronounciation, especially since my French native tongue always put an "H" in front of HAYAM, not making it sound very english, however since you emphasized on "letting it go", accepting the non conformity, thats what I am trying to do, relax. But there is often a little frustration and irritation coming from the back when non pronounced correctly. I see it as a part of the mind (ego) refusing purification.
-->I just hope HAYAM has the same good effect than AYAM !
Thank you very much for the time you spent replying.
All the best.
Mathieu |
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Focus on Breathing VS Deep Meditation
