|
|
 |
|
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 20 2008 : 12:06:13 PM
|
A few months back, as I sat meditating one day, after something that happened that caused me to feel very disturbed... I watched how I dissolved when I meditated, and yet every time I went back into thoughts.. the I started rising like flames of a fire.
I began to play with this.. brought back the thoughts and I, as a daughter, mother, wife grew stronger.. when I relaxed back into the bliss of meditation.. I dissolved.. I was not a mother or daughter or wife.
The need to protect my image dissolved.. the need to protect my place as a daughter, as a mother, as a wife did not exist.. and yet when I brought back my thoughts.. like adding fuel to fire.. I came roaring back.. the more thoughts I added.. the more defined I became. The more there was a sense of "me" and "mine", the more I existed, the more protection I needed, the more I wanted, the more hurt there was, so much energy went into keeping the I in place....
...and once again I immersed in letting go the thoughts and dissolve in meditation.. the "I" vanished. It was an amazing experience.. to see how my thoughts keep "me" in place.
Since then this song has become very meaningful to me. I listen to it very often.. and anytime I go into feeling any kind of discomfort.. I watch the "I" grow.. and I sing this song:
I am not the mind, intellect, thought, ego, or a supreme being.
I myself am the joy of pure consciousness I am Shiva (the silence).
I am not the air (prana) nor a part of essential five gases (pancha vayuhu) nor the seven-fold material (sapta dhatur), I am not part of five coverings (pancha koshaha) that help to build up the personality. Nor am I the five organs of action.
I myself am the joy of pure consciousness I am Shiva (the silence).
I am not attached to any punya (righteousness) or paapa (sin); I have neither pleasure (sukhya) nor sorrow (dukham); I don't need Mantra or pilgrimages (tirtham) or sacred scriptures (veda) or sacrifice or rituals (yagnaha); I am neither the meal (bhojanam) nor the one who consumes (bhojyam) or what is consumed (bhokta);
I myself am the joy of pure consciousness I am Shiva (the silence).
I do not need Dharma (Law of Life), Artha (Wealth), Kama (Desires) and Moksha (Liberation). I have no fear of death, nor do I have caste distinctions; I am neither a father (pita) nor a mother (maata).. I was never born; I am neither kin/relatives (bandhu). nor friend (mitram); I am not a guru and nor am I a disciple (shishya).
I myself am the joy of pure consciousness I am Shiva (the silence).
I am free of thoughts and beyond imagination (nirvikalpo) since I have no form (nirakara rupo);
I myself am the joy of pure consciousness I am Shiva (the silence).
I would like to share the song that helps dissolve "me" .. If you have a few mins please do listen to the song... not only are the lyrics beautiful.. but you can really feel the shraddha (devotion) in her voice and the vibrations of the Sanskrit words dissolving you.
This is the version of the song I listen to (its called ATMASTAKAM from the album Chant of Shiva or more popularly known as Shivoham Shivoham) ... it makes me melt into nothing when the "I" gets strong..
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/a...va/935485729
A more western version of the same song:
DEVA PREMAL - SHIVOHAM SHIVOHAM
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5...ivoham_music
Here are the Sanskrit words to the song (in red) and the English translations (in blue)
Mano buddhya-hankara chittani naham
Na cha shrotra jihve, na cha ghrana netre
Na cha vyoma bhumirna tejo na vayuhu
Chidananda rupah shivoham shivoham . (1)
I am not the mind, intellect, thought, ego, or some form of the supreme being; I neither have ears, nor tongue and I neither have nose (nostrils) nor eyes; I am not the sky, earth, light or the wind; I am the fortunate, joyful, supreme being who is the very emblem of truth, knowledge and eternal bliss.
I myself am the spiritual joy of pure consciousness - Shiva; Shivoham, Shivoham.
Na cha prana sangno na vai pancha vayuhu
Na va sapta dhatur na va pancha koshaha
Na vak pani padau na chopastha payoo
Chidananda rupah shivoham shivoham .(2).
I am not the most essential air that everyone breathes. Nor a part of essential five gases related to bodily functions (which are Prana, Aparna, Vyana, Udana and Samana). I am not the seven-fold material (Rasa, Rakta, Mamsa, Medas, Asthi,Majja and Shukra) that help in body's physical development, I am not part of five coverings that help to build up the personality (food, air, mind, knowledge or wisdom and pleasure). Nor am I the five organs of action (which are speech/mouth, hands, feet, reproductive and rectum), I am the fortunate, joyful, supreme being who is the very emblem of truth, knowledge and eternal bliss.
I myself am the spiritual joy of pure consciousness - Shiva; Shivoham, Shivoham.
Na me dvesha ragau na me lobha mohau
Mado naiva me naiva matsarya bhavah
Na dharmo na chartho na kamo na mokshah
Chidananda rupah shivoham shivoham .(3).
I have no likes or dislikes; Not I have any greed or delusion; I have no pride or arrogant vanity; Nor am I jealous of anyone or in competition with anyone ; I do not need the four main necessities of life (which are Dharma (Law of Life), Artha (Wealth), Kama (Desires) and Moksha (Liberation); I am the fortunate, joyful,supreme being who is the very emblem of truth, knowledge and eternal bliss.
I myself am the spiritual joy of pure consciousness - Shiva; Shivoham, Shivoham.
Na punyam na papam na saukhyam na dukham
Na mantro na tirtham na veda na yagnaha
Aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhokta
Chidananda rupah shivoham shivoham .(4).
I am not attached to any righteousness or sin; I have neither pleasure nor sorrow; I have no need for any Mantra; I have no need for pilgrimages ; I have no need for any sacred scriptures; nor do I perform any sacrifise or rituals; I am neither the meal nor the one who consumes or what is consumed;
I am the fortunate, joyful,supreme being who is the very emblem of truth, knowledge and eternal bliss. I myself am the spiritual joy of pure consciousness - Shiva; Shivoham, Shivoham.
Na me mrutyu shanka na me jati bhedah
Pita naiva me naiva mata na janma
Na bandhur na mitram gurur naiva shishyah
Chidananda rupah shivoham shivoham .(5).
I have no fear of death, nor do I have caste distinctions; I neither have a father nor mother because I was never born; I have neither kin/relatives nor friends; I have no gurus and nor am I a disciple; I am the fortunate, joyful, supreme being who is the very emblem of truth, knowledge and eternal bliss. I myself am the spiritual joy of pure consciousness - Shiva; Shivoham, Shivoham.
Aham nirvikalpo nirakara rupo
Vibhur vyapya sarvatra sarvendriyanam
Sada me samatvam na muktir na bandhah
Chidananda rupah shivoham shivoham .(6).
I am free of thoughts and beyond imagination since I have no form; I am all pervading and exist everywhere; I am the king of all sense-organs; I am always impartial to everything and everyone,; I am free from everything and I have no attachment to anything; I am the fortunate, joyful, supreme being who is the very emblem of truth, knowledge and eternal bliss.
I myself am the spiritual joy of pure consciousness - Shiva; Shivoham, Shivoham. |
|
|
porcupine
USA
193 Posts |
Posted - Nov 20 2008 : 12:48:01 PM
|
| i see, thank you |
 |
|
|
nandhi
USA
362 Posts |
Posted - Dec 03 2008 : 1:46:11 PM
|
aum namah sivaya
divine shanti,
so beautiful! gratitude!
sacred words! empowered wisdom!
shiva; shivoham, shivoham.... 'i' am
its actually a beautiful meditation to experience the teachings of primal guru aadi sankara through reciting, 'aum siii vooo hummm'. 'si' being the experience of spirit 'va' being the experiencer (inner ascending journey through the chakras) as the goddess energy of perception and 'mm' being the heart as the source of thought and thoughtless void joys. much like the 'i am' mantra in its wisdom and inner journey.
wonderful to receive the blessings of aadi sankara! thank you shanti!
aum
|
Edited by - nandhi on Dec 03 2008 8:56:00 PM |
|
|
|
Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Dec 05 2008 : 03:57:00 AM
|
Hi Shanti
What a beautiful post.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share.
I am at work now, and don't have a PC with sound here, so I will have to wait until I get home to hear the singing.
quote:
The need to protect my image dissolved.. the need to protect my place as a daughter, as a mother, as a wife did not exist.. and yet when I brought back my thoughts.. like adding fuel to fire.. I came roaring back.. the more thoughts I added.. the more defined I became. The more there was a sense of "me" and "mine", the more I existed, the more protection I needed, the more I wanted, the more hurt there was, so much energy went into keeping the I in place....
Yes....
All this......so much dust.....
Have you watched what happens right before the first thought? You say "when I brought back my thoughts"......which I is this?
There is a stirring.....right before you become aware of the first thought......have you noticed?
quote:
I watch the "I" grow.. and I sing this song:
Yes 
This is an immensly powerful tool.
When I met Amma in Dublin, I chose a CD containing devotional songs by her and others....I ment to buy it...I got the note for it.....but somehow I forgot to pay at the cashier....so I never got to pick it up and take it home with me.
Anyway.....there has been so much flute playing lately, so it's ok.
But just a few days ago I was resting as myself while doing the dishes in the kitchen......and the joy grew and grew......after about 10 min of this I was so blissfull I simply had to move....I couldn't contain all that joy.....
And then suddenly a song formed itself......and I started singing it. Just a very, very simple song....with Sanskrit words........two lines only. But I couldn't stop singing. I sang and sang.....and all the joy......for once there was endless space for all of it.....there was nobody there who thought it was "too much"....
And the singing.....it simply balanced everything. Even though there is ecstatic bliss.....it doesn't create overload this way. It is just amazing that I have waited this long before discovering this.....but now that I have ended all the engagement elsewhere (the singing with the choirs and ensembles.....I just left all that to be able to rest inside).....maybe these songs needed all of this space to be able to come......
Afterwards I wrote the song down. Because this is different than the music that forms itself when I play the flute. On the flute..the melody needs the freedom of free unfolding. I never play the same tune twice....it is always fresh. However - with the flute....there always has to be some "mind" on the technique.....when the melody is heard inside...I sort of have to translate it into the different keys.....and there has to be some mindfulness on the lips and the fingers.....
But the singing.....this is different. No mind is needed. Since the instrument is ....the same as the song. These songs (several more have come this week...I write them all down)........it is important that they are simple.....so that all the expression is set free in the vibration of the voice.
The Sanskrit words.....I didn't know I knew so many of them.....I must have picked them up from things I have read over the years. But I wondered - is there somewhere on the internet where I can find more of them? Or maybe a book that contains Sanskrit frases (with English translations)?
So now I sing every day....and the songs continue inside when at work.
And after the singing......the Ajna is open. It happens every time.....so something in the vibrations has a direct effect on the Ajna.
Thanks again for posting....I look forward to hearing the songs you speak of......
And I would love to sing with you sometime 
|
|
|
|
Ananda
3115 Posts |
Posted - Dec 05 2008 : 05:15:04 AM
|
beautiful Shanti, till the end that there is no me and you or them just that.
we are the spiritual joy of pure consciousness - Shiva; Shivoham, Shivoham. (thus nothing exists but that)
by the way, i was reading a quotation from swami atmananda krishna menon yesterday who is an advaitist but this guy is definitely smthg else (one of the real deals) let's juts put it i can relate a lot with what this guy is teaching.
anyways in the quotations he was speaking about Adi shankara as being the truth, thus his body which he used to perform siddhis and such was never his nor what he was doing it was all in the eye of the beholders which choose to dispose of it in their own ways. (and it's all illusions which do not affect the sage)
thus it would seem futile to argue on how this saint or that lived their lives cz it simply doesn't matter (in my humble opinion their teachings do).
Thus nothing exists but that.
and the essence of this quote lead me toward what yogani is doing here, showing how important the teachings are and not showing like a lot of other sages do. (which i do not know if most of them even deserve to be called a sage)
that's a very wise gesture from yogani, and even though i would really love to meet him and be in his presence live but i think what he's doing here is more beneficial and more important and will benefit others a lot on the long run.
so stay as you are yogani, you know that you're doing the right thing.
now concerning a lot of other sages who abused their positions well let's just take Jesus word for it: "listen what they are saying, but do not act the way they do."
sorry Shanti if i got a lot out of subject.
light and love,
Ananda
|
|
|
|
Sparkle
Ireland
1457 Posts |
Posted - Dec 05 2008 : 5:04:36 PM
|
Hi Shanti
Just got a chance to read your post fully and wow it is such a delight.
It is the Hindu equivalent of the Buddhist Heart Sutra, which is by far my favourite.
However, I love Shivoham even more, it is richer and softer and so beautiful, thank you for giving it to us
I love the sound of the sanskrit also although just reading the translation is what does it for me - magic |
|
|
|
YogaIsLife
641 Posts |
Posted - Dec 05 2008 : 7:33:38 PM
|
| Beautiful music, lyrics, and message. I was carried away by it. Thank you. |
|
|
|
Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Dec 06 2008 : 08:16:21 AM
|
Hi Shanti
I just heard the music.......and the lyrics.
That was incredibly beautiful.....
Thanks again for all that you bring to us |
|
|
|
Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2009 : 1:09:58 PM
|
The meaning of this song is so much deeper than I had comprehended and getting deeper still.
My heartfelt thanks to Sri Adi Shankara.
I am going to make an attempt to put in words things that are beyond words. The meaning of the lines below cannot be understood with the literal words.. they come from an understanding that comes from letting go.. from un-understanding the ideas we have associated with the words.
Few weeks back during meditation, the words arose, "drop your boundaries". It felt like a balloon deflating and the air from inside the balloon, that was bound to the limited space of the walls of the balloon mingled and mixed with the air outside losing its definition, while the walls got smaller and smaller. The boundary became smaller while the contents held within the boundary grew boundless.
We are so defined by our self imposed boundaries. We have many labels and attach limitations to our being based on those labels. We really are limitless beings. We believe we have boundaries, and hence we remain bound to the limits of our imagination. It also came to me, by dropping our boundaries, it does not mean we drop who we physically are.. we don't physically stop being a mother, a father, a child, a sibling, an employee, an employer, a friend... we just drop the mind idea of what the limitations to that role are. We don't try to change the physical limitations based on a new set of imagination, rather we drop the imagination.
My idea of a mother is not the same as what someone in Africa thinks a mother should be (for that matter, it is not the same as what my neighbor may think a mother should be). I draw my boundaries of being a mother based on my "idea" of what a mother is. When I drop that boundary, I don't stop being a mother, I just let go the tightness that comes with my "mind idea" of a "mother". When I am a friend.. a limitless, boundless friend.. imagination of limitless and boundless keeps me bound.. but just a short samyama-like letting go.. limitless, boundless friend.. Ahhhh... yes! This part of letting go is the part I cannot put in words. It's a very subtle shift.. I read an email from a client, I feel a slight discomfort, I look within.. I identify myself with the role of an employee.. I drop or expand the boundary of what I believe my role as an employee is.. not go into mind stories and justification of what my role is.. it's a very vague boundary that I have of this role.. and I let it go. That's all.
With every moment or every meditation, we just bring up the concepts we have very vaguely and let them dissolve.. opening and allowing the boundaries to dissolve. This way, without physically trying to change the world and our way of living, we only let go the "ideas" we have of our world and us. Drop the boundary. Not expecting anything to happen... expecting is again getting the mind involved.. just expand/drop our boundary... and watch. Like Jason Mraz sings.. "open up your plans and damn you're free".. let go the ideas we have of us.. and we no longer are bound to "Me" and "Mine". We can still be a friend, we don't physically try to change anything, to us a friend is "this" and "this" and "that, just drop the definition of friendship, and our horizons, inner knowing expand beyond what we know a friend to be.
The words to this song (at this point in my life) says exactly this..
I am not the mind, intellect, thought, ego, or a supreme being.
I am neither the meal (bhojanam) nor the one who consumes (bhojyam) or what is consumed (bhokta);
I am neither a father (pita) nor a mother (maata),
I am neither kin/relatives (bandhu), nor friend (mitram);
I am not a guru and nor am I a disciple (shishya).
These lines started off meaning I am not physically any of my labels.. but right now it is more a case of I am not bound by the "idea" I have of these labels. When I drop my boundaries, I can be all of my labels and yet not be bound to any one of them. We don't have to renounce the world, just our ideas of the world. |
|
|
|
Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2009 : 1:51:13 PM
|
| Beautiful Shanti |
|
|
|
emc
2072 Posts |
|
|
Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2009 : 08:26:08 AM
|
Thanks Katrine.
emc, what a wonderful website. Very useful. Thank you. |
Edited by - Shanti on Apr 17 2009 08:27:01 AM |
|
|
|
krcqimpro1
India
329 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2009 : 12:29:04 PM
|
Hi Shanti,
Beautiful ! What a guy Adi Shankara must have been to have achieved all that he did, and all that by 32 ! It boggles the mind.
Krish |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
| AYP Public Forum |
© Contributing Authors (opinions and advice belong to the respective authors) |
|
|
|
|
Shivoham (Atma-Shatakam - by Adi Shankara)
