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JDH
USA
331 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 03 2012 : 10:22:01 PM
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| I switched to SHREE SHREE IAM IAM a few months ago, after using IAM alone for nearly 2 years.. Initially I noticed the changes described in that lesson. A gearing up, so to speak, and more activity at the crown. On the flip side, I have lost the mantra less often since switching. Staying more at the surface thought-word level rather than losing and refining down to intention-vibration level. That still happens sometimes, but just much less often. Maybe 5 times less often. This seems to be persistent for weeks and months, not just a smaller cycle of meditation, but more an aspect of the mantra switch. Should I switch back? What are your thoughts and experiences on switching to the first enhancement? |
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nearoanoke
USA
525 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2012 : 10:46:50 PM
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Hi JDH,
There a latest update to the Mantra Enhancements and Yogani suggests going this new route compared to the older one
http://www.aypsite.org/369.html
The first enhancement would be "SHREE I AM NAMAH" instead of the "SHREE SHREE I AM I AM"
That said here is my experience with it. I recently made the first enhancement too about a month back. My experience has been exactly similar to that of yours. I think the reason is below as explained in the Lesson 116
"We will notice a difference right away. Our mind will go to stillness slower, and come out of stillness slower. Interestingly, this slowing down of the attention moving in and out speeds up the infusion of pure bliss consciousness into our nervous system.
Think of the mantra as something we are systematically penetrating the fabric of our subconscious with. A mantra with few syllables goes through more quickly, clearing out obstructions easily a little bit at a time. Then it gets to the point when we can use a "wider" mantra and cover a bigger area as we go in and out through the subconscious, clearing out more obstructions with each pass through.
We can make the entire journey using the I AM mantra for our meditation if we wish. Nothing is missing. It is only a matter of how fast we want to go. "
So it looks like you are doing fine. We have to make this shift at some point and so I guess better deal with it now rather than later. You might probably want to check with Yogani on changing the mantra from what you have to the newer version.
- Near |
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nearoanoke
USA
525 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2012 : 10:57:57 PM
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The topic of "when" is directly addressed here http://aypsite.com/186.html
quote:
How will we know when it is time for us to shift to a more enhanced mantra? First, we will be smooth and stable meditating using our previous mantra for at least several months, with some steady silence being experienced in both meditation and in daily activity. Second, our bhakti (spiritual desire) will be compelling us to move forward. Both smoothness in our present practice and bhakti are necessary for us to make the shift.
With our present mantra, if we are having a lot of thoughts and sensations happening in meditation without a lot of silence, this is very good also. It means we are doing a lot of purification, and many obstructions are coming out. However, this is not the time to shift gears to a more enhanced mantra.
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If we have shifted to an enhanced mantra too early, we will know it soon enough. We will feel like we are slogging through mud. We will be bogging down and not having good results in daily activity.
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A false start with a mantra enhancement can happen, but we should avoid it if we can. The reason is it takes time for a new mantra to settle in. If we have shifted too early and are trying to settle in with the new mantra, and then decide to go back to the previous one, it will take time again to change the pattern of the mantra deep in the mind. For this reason we do not change mantras often, up or down.
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JDH
USA
331 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2012 : 12:47:25 AM
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| Thanks for those replies nearoanoke. In one of the lessons it says 'we want to be going deep in every sitting' and that is the exact problem that inspired this topic. I don't feel like I'm going deep in every sitting any longer. On the other hand, I don't feel like I'm "slogging through mud" either. I've also been less likely to do add-ons like siddhasana, and samyama since switching. The lessons use the repeated analogy of shifting gears upward. In an upshift, there's a decrease in RPM immediately. But if it's a more favorable gear ratio, the driver (or cyclist in my case) will get some immediate acceleration out of the shift while maintaining the same power output. I experienced the RPM decrease immediately, but I don't think I experienced any acceleration. Three months should be long enough to know, I would think. Looks like I should take the hit and go back to IAM. Any other thoughts before I change? |
Edited by - JDH on Jan 04 2012 12:47:55 AM |
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nearoanoke
USA
525 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2012 : 02:45:00 AM
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As Yogani says, if there are a lot of thoughts with the current mantra then it is definitely not the right time to shift. So it depends on how your meditation was with I AM and whether or not you were ready to make the shift. It appears like it was deep and going well.
May be surface cleaning is what you need at this point and the progress is happening fine internally. How can we really say? Hopefully it becomes deeper and better once you go back. What if it doesnt? Only you know how bad it is, so it is your call really.
- Near
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JDH
USA
331 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2012 : 12:21:37 AM
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Near, thanks for your help again. I was hoping for some more perspectives, but I will just switch back and go by what's printed in the lessons. Time will tell.
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JDH
USA
331 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2012 : 3:37:03 PM
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| Update... I switched back to IAM a couple days ago, and it hasn't taken long to notice it was the right move. I've gotten that depth back to meditations. And this has given me a little perspective on what that depth means. The depth digests all the thoughts, distractions, externalities, etc that come up during meditation. Those things still came up when I was on the enhanced mantra, but they weren't being digested since I was more at the surface level. I do think if I had stayed with the enhanced mantra, that I eventually would have gained more depth with it. But it would have taken a long long time. It seems better to stay with IAM until I get a "cleaner shift" up to an enhanced mantra with more immediate benefits. Perhaps I will try again next year. |
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thezuck
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - Feb 28 2012 : 4:00:20 PM
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Hey there JDH....
I just recently shifted to the first enhancement myself, after 1 year of IAM..... Its been a few days and the "absorption" takes a bit longer than the IAM did....but by halfway through my DM, it locks me into the intention-vibration level you speak of. Feels like my being is expanded out past my body. I know its scenery....but its a pretty awesome feeling.
Is this what happened for you? Did it start as a deep shift and then became a surface experience over a few months time?
Just wondering because for me the shift is pretty powerful and I've been wondering if it was a good decision. So far, Im thinking yes but was concerned it was maybe too deep and energizing.
-shane |
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JDH
USA
331 Posts |
Posted - Feb 28 2012 : 5:55:47 PM
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Hey Shane,
It sounds good for you. Stick with it unless something goes wrong. For me, after switching to the enhancement, meditation was noticeably more superficial throughout the whole session, and for several months. It's been a long time now, but to my recollection, the change toward the surface happened pretty quickly afterward. If you are feeling deeper from the switch but taking a little longer to get there - it sounds just right. In any case, stick with it a couple months as Yogani recommends not changing mantra more often than that. :) |
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Wafu
United Kingdom
76 Posts |
Posted - Feb 29 2012 : 4:17:41 PM
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Hi JDH,
Sorry I didn't notice this thread earlier, I would have been happy to provide you with the perspective you were looking for back then.. Based on what I've read I think you probably made the right move.. I switched to the first enhancement (SHREE SHREE I AM I AM) after a year of I AM, which was around October time 2010. I was keeping a journal at that time, and in it I wrote "It was effortless to adjust to the new mantra and my mind seems able to dwell in stillness for longer periods after meditation. I believe this change came at the appropriate time".
I've also had instances getting "ahead of myself" when it comes to practices. Specifically with khechari mudra. I began trimming the lingual frenulum over a year ago and after a few months of this was able to make it into stage 2, however it was pretty obvious that I'd jumped the gun with it. I got a big headache whenever I would use it, and the energy flow was distracting and far too strong to use during other practices. I've only just recently began experimenting with it again, with much more encouraging results, and still it needs a lot of monitoring, it's easy to do too much.
Back to your question, I think I remember a period of more superficial meditation but this had certainly passed after 3 months, by that point meditation was a lot deeper than it had been with I AM. 3 months seems quite a long time for a clunky stage, doesn't it...
Good luck with everything 
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Mantra Enhancement
