AYP Lesson 414 - Off to a Good Start with Meditation, but

Advanced Yoga Practices
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Note: For the Original Internet Lessons with additions, see the AYP Easy Lessons Books. For the Expanded and Interactive Internet Lessons, AYP Online Books, Audiobooks and more, see AYP Plus.

Lesson 414 - Off to a Good Start with Meditation, but... (Audio)

AYP Plus Additions:
414.1 - Off to a Good Start with a Lot of AYP Practices, but... (Audio)
414.2 - Signs of Overdoing After One Year of AYP (Audio)

From: Yogani
Date: June 16, 2010

New Visitors: It is recommended you read from the beginning of the archive, as previous lessons are prerequisite to this one. The first lesson is, "Why This Discussion?"

Q: For a few months I have been practicing the I AM mantra meditation twice daily for 20 minutes. The practice has grown in power and the experience I have each time feels like a mental cleansing. I had one experience a couple of days ago where I felt an opening from within and the energy surrounding me intensified and caused my body to move forward and my head to circulate. I felt propelled in some way. Since then, I have felt some irritability and discomfort inside. Also my heart beat is a little more strong. I am continuing with my practice, of course. However, should I be concerned, or is this normal? I have read some similar stories in the AYP support forum but would really appreciate some additional advice. I feel stronger from within, but since that experience I feel a little concerned.

A: Happy to hear things have been going well with your meditation. It is purification and opening you are experiencing, and it is normal.

If there is some irritability in daily activity, first make sure you are taking plenty of rest before getting up from practices. Lie down for 10 minutes or more, if needed. If there is still irritability after that, then consider self-pacing your practice time to find a better balance between practices and daily activity. If difficulty continues, also review additional suggestions in Lesson 69 (kundalini measures) and Lesson 367 (measures for over-sensitivity to mantra meditation). It is unlikely you would have to go to over-sensitive meditator measures, but we do have a wide range of situations covered, as needed.

Periods of sensitivity may come and go over time, and we can navigate them with prudent self-pacing. It is quite normal to find that we have to make adjustments from time to time. It is the nature of self-directed practice.

The experience of some excess purification and opening you are describing is a well-known phenomenon that has been explored from many angles in the AYP writings and support forums. These things come and go. Our job is to keep our daily practices in balance for good progress with comfort and safety. Then we find inner silence rising steadily, and also the energy that "moves stillness" into every avenue of our life in an unending outpouring of creativity and divine love. Your experiences are early indications that this natural process of unfoldment is underway.

Wishing you all the best on your continuing path. Enjoy!

The guru is in you.