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Govinda
USA
176 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 06 2013 : 12:35:09 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Omsat
As this is somewhat a long post, let me repeat the two main questions:
“Can there be enlightenment without the ecstatic component?” and
“How important is cultivation of energy really if one’s goal is liberation/union?”
I would say an emphatic no, it is not possible or even highly probable. Mostly, I say so because the Inner Light is the very source of all experiences of ecstasy and bliss and "enlightenment" is directly related to said effulgence. Inner darkness is quite cold and essentially blank of any spiritual attributes. I cannot even imagine a state of spiritual enlightenment... without an immeasurable degree of transcendental joy, as Brahman/God is the very cause and source of universal love.
I feel that without the juice, there can be no exponential expansion of conscious-awareness, no direct interphase within the Divine Mind, the Unified Field of Being. Without a causative force to boost the perception of the witness to the Sadhana, and effectively lift the energy frequency to a higher resolution... what would the shift be ignited or activated by?
While in total union, the energy settles into a motionless stillness... but initially, there is an inherent need and requirement, for the interior release of energy, to nourish the full bloom of one's attention. 
I am reminded of an even that happened to me, nearly 31 years ago. When I was 24 years old, I went to a local fair, complete with amusement park rides and a carnival atmosphere equipt with prize-winning games, aplenty. I was there with my girlfriend and her child, a charming 5 year old little girl and she desperately wanted a stuffed teddy bear as a souvenir of the event!
I failed in my efforts with a number of these games and finally was about to surrender to the inevitability that this child would not head home with a teddy bear in hand. Besides, I was almost out of pocket change by this time. We reached the last game available and I had finally had some positive success with an interesting game, which used water-powered, mounted spray guns connected to a water hose at the base of the pistol. The object was to aim the steam of water at a small target, which was the hollow end or target-point, at the very bottom.
It was essentially an opening to a long, vertical, transparent tube. There was a row of probably ten of these upright tubes, with a colorful clown's head on the very top of each tube. The clown's nose was a red light bulb and it switched on if the water pressure rose high enough to reach the head, a switch was triggered by a floating ping pong ball, thus activating a circuit of electricity.
The object was to keep the water fixed steadily upon the bottom end of the ten foot tall tube. Because when the water-level rose and traveled up the hollow tube, it lifted the ball towards it's goal. The ball would incrementally be forced higher and higher, until it reached the very top, ideally before anyone else playing. The spray of water initiated the ball's movement, as it rose upwards, just far enough to make the clowns nose light up and simultaneously trigger a prerecorded voice saying something rather silly. Hence, the prize was awarded to the first marksman to get the clown to light-up and enunciate.
As I concentrated upon the small opening at the bottom of the tube, was drawn into this epiphany or sorts. It seemed so much the parallel to the path of meditation and the gradual cultivation of internal energy. My crystallized focus and steady hand helped me to eventually procure the stuffed toy for a sweet little girl (two bucks later). 
And I also had a profound feeling that there was far more to this game than just tickets bought, $$$ spent on the competition and a prize awarded to the winner of the competition... it was a teaching and I was very blessed to receive it!
Not to come off as too goal-oriented, as that is not really my way... as I have come to understand that the spiritual journey is itself, the destination and that seeker is actually that which is sought. Brahman/God is here now, within everything and everywhere. So, what do we truly seek and where do we search? As we all experience in our quest, irony goes hand-in-hand with spiritual realization.
But without the force of the water, the ping pong ball would never have reached the highest level, by the sheer force and ascension from the energy current of the water. Likewise, it is so with Kundalini activation, the bloom of the Ajna and Sahasrara; the seamless union of subject and object becoming one. Ecstasy must therefore, be fully balanced with an inner calmness, an immeasurable stillness and an integrated degree of equanimous flexibility in perception.
Tat Tvam Asi
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Edited by - Govinda on Oct 06 2013 03:32:58 AM |
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jeff
USA
971 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2013 : 12:06:48 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Govinda
Yes jeff,
Yoganandaji also felt that the Holy Ghost was such... with his comparison with Sat, Tat and Aum. But because "Father" is such an anthropomorphic term, I switched them up... mostly because I feel that the immanence and formlessness of the Holy Word, is void of material features or of any concrete, perceivable substance. Much like the Eternal Tao, spoken of by the venerable Lao Tzu, with such poetic grace. The Holy Spirit is both beyond all division and wholly present within all that takes form and becomes substancial.
And there exists a tremendous misnomer about the nature of The Void. It is not simply the opposite of perceivable manifestation, like some kind of cosmic vacuum, it is wholly existent within all variances, levels and Lokas of seemingly finite manifestation, even as the Holy Spirit, surely is.
But yeah, Brahman/God is obviously the transcendental "Father", insofar as being wholly Supreme and One without a second. And words assuredly fall so shy of all that we attempt to encapsulate conceptually, about the higher aspects of the Divine.
And we do step onto thin ice, every time we try and apply reason to such highly delicate and subtle descriptives. Within the exalted wisdom of Hinduism, there is a far easier correlation to my triune ideas about Self. Admittedly, the whole hypothesis is a work in progress (as am I).
But no conceptual formatting completely fits all of our intellectual criterion. The living Spiritus surely is the active, dynamically creative principle, existent in all aspects of this, that and anything which may come into being. Please do share more of your deep well of spiritual insight, jeff.
Hi Govinda,
I would agree that your descriptive perspective of your triune fits very well with Hinduism. There seems to be a direct correlation. 
But, depending on how one defines Christianity, I think your perspective becomes more challanging. In more institutional Christianity, the Father is both all and the creator. Sort of like a combination of Brahman + Ishwara. The Holy Spirit becomes God in creation, sort of like the basis of "form" or energy. I think the real challenge in directly mapping is that mainstream Christianity is inherently dualistic.
Best wishes,
Jeff |
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Omsat
Belgium
267 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2013 : 1:06:31 PM
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Dear Govinda, mr_anderson, yogani, jeff, everyone..
Thank you for such beautiful and illuminating posts....
It's been a pleasure to read....
All posters have suggested the energy component is part of a full path of spiritual transformation.
This brings me back to one of the queries in the original post:
Which are the implications (of the relevance of energy cultivation for spiritual transformation) for practitioners with different levels of energy to be cultivated in the first place?
Does this have limiting implications for certain groups of practitioners whom have less vitality (eg. someone starting at 77 years and not able to perform more powerful energy practices)?
What would be your advice for these practitioners whom, despite certain (seemingly physical) boundaries have a strong willingness to be their best spiritually in this lifetime?
The query is beyond the obvious statements of surrender and knowing that all efforts will bear fruit in this lifetime as well as the ones to come.
It is for practical advice on the choice of methods of practice depending on vitality levels and how much could be expected of any energy enhancing practice when vitality is less.
In which ways does vitality affect choice of methods of practice?
Is it a reasonable assumption that with less vitality, spiritual prospect in this lifetime is more likely to be limited?
This seems a logical implication of the assertion that spiritual transformation involves both inner silence and energy.
quote:
[Originally posted by yogani
It is the merging of stillness (transcendent awareness) and energy (movement in relative existence) that constitutes human spiritual transformation.
Dear yogani (or anyone who can shed some light here), would you clarify what is meant by relative in "movement in relative existence"?
quote:
[Originally posted by yogani Stillness is the infinite resource and kundalini is the delivery system on this earth plane. The job of spiritual teachings, and we who use them, is to fully activate the divine machinery that is already awakening within us.
Perhaps it would help to shed some light on the nature of this "energy"? Are we talking about ojas, something tangible (or even measurable?), or something else?
Stillness is infinite, so this is available to all without exception. Apart from the differences in physical manifestation potentialities, is energy then tied to the physical body's vitality?
Thank you all for your wonderful contributions and ongoing discussion....
Omsat
Note: One of the motivations for the question in the original post is to help groups of practioners to choose methods of practices wisely
based on understanding of the workings of practices. A first group of practitioners that come into mind here are those who may be disadvantaged in some tangible way (eg. some physical limitation).
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Energy cultivation – how important is it?
