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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 26 2011 : 4:43:29 PM
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I have copied this to my Dropbox account as I believe it is a very good source of information for all levels of meditators. It is by a guy called James Swartz and is copied from his website at www.shiningworld.com. It is 97 pages long.
Shining world is recommended by the stillness speaks website as one of the clearest And most uncomplicated guides to traditional Adviata. It covers issues with meditation and the problems that are most likely to be experienced by different character types as well as an indispensable guide to self inquiry readiness and the origin of dualistic thinking.
http://db.tt/EFOQb8II. Link to the Free meditation ebook.
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Edited by - karl on Dec 30 2011 2:53:15 PM |
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whippoorwill
USA
450 Posts |
Posted - Dec 27 2011 : 5:59:39 PM
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I enjoyed this book and found it helpful and well written. While the author describes some meditation practice in this book, the meditation really takes a back seat to the entire process of Self-inquiry. According to this author (and Yogani too, I think), the purpose of meditation is to create a mind that is clear enough to make a disciplined inquiry into the Self and thereby learn one’s true nature. One’s true nature is, as Yogani puts it, pure bliss consciousness.
The author’s description of samskaras starting on page 30 and his description of the gunas starting on page 48 were really helpful. These descriptions nicely rounded out the concept of “purification.” However, I think the author’s statement, “Meditation and inquiry are only possible in a sattvic mind” might be unhelpful to a beginner (page 50). The mind can be trained and, if a beginner waits for the “right” state of mind to begin practice, he or she may never start down the path. I like AYP’s emphasis on the practice of meditation as just being part of your daily maintenance.
Aside from that tiny nit, this book makes the process of Self-inquiry completely approachable and understandable, even if I’m not quite ready to undertake it. (I’ve no witness in my awareness – just a gut feel after the fact telling me whether I’ve been true to myself.) When I’m ready, I’ll come back to it and read it again.
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whippoorwill
USA
450 Posts |
Posted - Dec 27 2011 : 6:00:54 PM
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P.S. Here's one of my favorite quotes: “Thinking of Enlightenment as an experience also opens the meditator up to the problem of maintenance…. no ego experience lasts forever.... How can the ego, which is a limited form of the Self, hold onto the unlimited Self and make it deliver a particular experience? …” (Page 13)
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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Dec 27 2011 : 6:17:53 PM
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Yes, as with everything, take what you need and leave the rest. Everything is twisted by personal perspective.
The Gunas were very helpful in understanding how different character types engage with meditation and inquiry and what can become blocks to progress. It had far more relevance than a host of personality profiles and it was accurate for me.
The other interesting part was the drop of rain on the mountainside, how experiences carve niches of desire and how innocence is soon scored by attachment. The authors attempt to describe the Genesis of humanity in much the same way as the big bang.
I also read his autobiography which was riven with the same doubts and neurosis that plague everyone to some extent. That established his credentials as a person trying hard to be objective about subjectivity. He wasn't taken in, neither did he dismiss without investigation. I think he is genuine, even if not everything fits perfectly, it is a very different take on anything else I have read. It's a
Most a scientific approach. |
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vijikr
United Arab Emirates
413 Posts |
Posted - Dec 30 2011 : 1:48:45 PM
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Thanks Karl for the ebook!
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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Dec 30 2011 : 2:49:51 PM
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Your very welcome.
I wasn't intending to keep it hosted forever, not sure how many have read/downloaded it? I can't post a direct link to the document on the shiningworld website because it doesn't seem to work.
Hope others get the chance to use it before I remove it from my account.
Let me know what you think. |
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FutureHumanDestiny
USA
25 Posts |
Posted - Dec 30 2011 : 3:09:06 PM
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epic read there.
thanks for sharing. |
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whippoorwill
USA
450 Posts |
Posted - Dec 30 2011 : 4:21:19 PM
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Hi Karl:
I finished the autobiography a few days ago. There was a sentence in there that really surprised me: "I re-entered the ancient texts and realized that at the highest level of spiritual evolution Yoga and Vedanta need to part company" (page 198).
I know I'm displaying my ignorance, but I thought Yoga included Self Inquiry, or at least that one led to the other. Now I'm trolling through the other items offered on the website trying to figure out what he meant by that.
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whippoorwill
USA
450 Posts |
Posted - Dec 30 2011 : 4:37:27 PM
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Hi Karl!
Try these links:
Meditation: Inquiry into the Self
Mystic By Default (Autobiography)
For some reason our forum software was automatically replacing the parentheses in the links with the URL code for spaces. I manually replaced the parentheses with the URL codes for open and closed parens and I think that fixed the problem. The links work for me now anyway.
Lots-o-love,
--Liz
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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Dec 30 2011 : 5:03:01 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by whippoorwill
Hi Karl!
Try these links:
Meditation: Inquiry into the Self
Mystic By Default (Autobiography)
For some reason our forum software was automatically replacing the parentheses in the links with the URL code for spaces. I manually replaced the parentheses with the URL codes for open and closed parens and I think that fixed the problem. The links work for me now anyway.
Lots-o-love,
--Liz
That's better. I felt a bit awkward hosting someone's work without permission. |
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karl
United Kingdom
1812 Posts |
Posted - Dec 30 2011 : 6:01:32 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by whippoorwill
Hi Karl:
I finished the autobiography a few days ago. There was a sentence in there that really surprised me: "I re-entered the ancient texts and realized that at the highest level of spiritual evolution Yoga and Vedanta need to part company" (page 198).
I know I'm displaying my ignorance, but I thought Yoga included Self Inquiry, or at least that one led to the other. Now I'm trolling through the other items offered on the website trying to figure out what he meant by that.
It's such a personal view point. Yoga Vendanta is the convergence of Yoga as the tool and Vendanta as philosophy from my limited understanding. I think he is suggesting that during the more advanced stages of Spiritual development that Yoga becomes a distraction, the final physical connection that could become a hindrance.
Although many Gurus suggest plunging into self inquiry, there is recognition by most that Yogic meditation is going to be needed by most people. SI is seen as an advanced yogic technique because of the Yoga- Vendanta link, but really self inquiry is a completely separate thing.
In AYP it seems that SI has quite happily been adopted as a complimentary practice, although Yogani is very specific about having enough stillness before it is used. There is nothing that prohibits this, but I think James is suggesting that it isn't a good idea to consider them as complimentary during more advanced stages. |
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A good reference for beginners and advanced DM
