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reality11
USA
48 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 28 2015 : 04:58:10 AM
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I think I have finally decided that I am going to use mindfulness/concentration on the breathe as my baseline system. It simply resonates with me very strongly. However, I know that such a practice is a direct path to jhana, but not a direct path at all to kundalini.
I would like to use the techniques on ayp to augment my practice. I want a technique or a set of techniques that will lead to kundalini awakening. I know that one approach I could take is to start with spinal breathing and slowly move my way up.
But, I would just like to experiment a bit by skipping ahead. The thing is, I am not a very energetically sensitive person at all, so overloading is not as much of an issue. In fact, I have never experienced overloading before and I would actually genuinely like to feel what it's like.
So if anyone is willing, I would love to hear recommendations for what would be a suitable technique(s) I am able to do at my current level and will give me the most powerful effects. |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2015 : 06:13:25 AM
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hi reality11
Spinal breathing is the way to kundalini awakening. If you are stable in your meditation then it is a good idea to add SPB to your practice.
There is no way to "skip ahead", as much as any AYPer would like to help you with that, because the other energy practices are built onto the SPB. Mulabandha/Sambhavi Mudra, Yoni Mudra Kumbhaka etc - they are techniques that work together with spinal breathing. To practice breath retention you have to breathe first, right?
Not to mention that spinal breathing is very powerful in itself. You can get kundalini flying just with SPB before you know it.
A good read of the AYP lessons might help. Then you will understand what does what in terms of practices. |
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adishivayogi
USA
197 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2015 : 1:03:02 PM
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| Khecari mudra n the pranayama. |
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reality11
USA
48 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2015 : 12:29:43 AM
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I know spinal breathing can be strong, but I don't really feel prana too well so I am just imagining it, and that feels off to me. Not to mention, my main practice is already focused on the breathe.
Khecari mudra is something like what I'm looking for. From doing research on it, it really does sound like a shortcut fast track to kundalini. The only thing is it sounds scary as hell lol. The thought of pushing my tongue through my throat .... errr. But I will look into it, thank you. Whatever it takes to make progress lol |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2015 : 06:14:01 AM
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Kechari mudra is not supposed to feel uncomfortable. If it does, you're not ready for it.
I don't think it's right to skip pranayama and go straight into kechari. It seems to me you're looking for trouble. I do hope you will think the better of it. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2015 : 11:56:34 AM
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Incidentally, bhakti, or desire for truth/union/God consciousness, is the power behind all practices. Also, at some point, you realize that your personal enlightenment is intimately intertwined with global enlightenment, so self-interest takes on a new meaning.
One thing that's important to recognize is that form follows function. In other words, the function of your bhakti will nudge you to take up certain forms to align yourself with ecstatic bliss. It's been called automatic yoga. Subtle practices like kechari mudra arise when there is a need for them. If you try to force it prematurely, it's like spinning your wheels without traction. The best traction is abiding tranquility, then the ecstasy bubbles up from that foundation. That's why Deep Meditation is the first step.
There is passion in bhakti, but also wisdom, logic and discernment.
Catch you on the flipside.  |
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Holy
796 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2015 : 6:41:10 PM
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Hi reality11,
mudras, bandhas, kumbhaka and -> mantra <- is what you are looking for (=
Peace and happy practice :P |
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jonesboy
USA
594 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2015 : 6:23:57 PM
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| DM. |
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reality11
USA
48 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2015 : 6:28:02 PM
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Thank you guys.
I will stick with spinal breathing for now, since doing it for 20 minutes gave me eye tension that I didn't experience from meditation before so I will assume it is a sign of overloading.
So I will just practice semen retention and spinal breathing, since those two seem related.. I am kind of drawing my sexual energy up my spine, right?
I just need to work through my eye tension, because it gives me headaches. And if meditating keeps giving me constant headaches, that's going to kill my bhakti very soon. |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2520 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2015 : 02:09:58 AM
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quote:
So I will just practice semen retention and spinal breathing, since those two seem related.. I am kind of drawing my sexual energy up my spine, right?
hello reality 
dont overthink it or add mind layers to the practice,it is only about moving the attention up and down the spine
spinal breathing as a stand alone practice is not advised , you should add few minutes of meditation in order to develop inner silence.Since you are already overloading, i suggest you do few minutes of silent meditation, or meditation with attention on the breath.As you know the meditation is done before spinal breathing.Plus dont forget to rest for 10 min after the end of your session
quote:
I will stick with spinal breathing for now, since doing it for 20 minutes gave me eye tension that
it seems that you are not very wise in your practices. 20 min of spinal breathing is not reasonable, it is an invitation for trouble.
please read this:
http://www.aypsite.org/69.html
http://www.aypsite.org/41.html
quote:
The thing is, I am not a very energetically sensitive person at all, so overloading is not as much of an issue.
this is not true, cause you are already feeling headache and tention in the eyes and things will get worse if you dont practice in a wiser way.
sorry for being blunt, but it seems to me that you want too much too fast and this not the way in spiritual practices.
please keep us updated and all the best |
Edited by - maheswari on Jan 31 2015 02:17:14 AM |
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adishivayogi
USA
197 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2015 : 4:43:14 PM
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| i find that after pranyama meditation itself works on the sushuma. i will go into some low samadhi and then look down at the chakras and see the knots are very much eased compared to when i finished with pranayama. however the better you do pranayama the more efficient meditation will be. i can see a day when a practioner might not have to do pranayama if he no longers need to do it to enter the void. not sure if ill get there but seems possible. until then pranayama is the key to those places |
Edited by - adishivayogi on Jan 31 2015 4:59:46 PM |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2015 : 02:26:52 AM
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Spinal breathing is extremely powerful, especially when combined with bandhas, followed by DM w/mantra. Nothing fancy or complicated is necessary. You can add kechari or any other techniques that you want eventually, but SPB and DM will get you there if practiced consistently. And I agree with Maheswari that the headaches are a sign of overload. Congratulations, you have now, in fact, experienced overload! So PLEASE be careful to self-pace. Maybe shorten the duration of practices or even cut back on SPB until the headaches resolve. Also note, sometimes headaches can be a symptom of merely "trying too hard" as far as attempts at concentration or visualization. If you find that your brow is furrowed and there is tension in your forehead, lighten up a bit and relax.  |
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matangi
USA
53 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2015 : 8:40:42 PM
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The power/passion of wanting to know truth leads for me.
Breath - SBP - is the next power door for me. And then - DM and DM and DM.
Many tools and adventures along the way. And if I lost all memory of all things - my cells would remember passion for knowing truth. breath, and DM. |
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reality11
USA
48 Posts |
Posted - Feb 02 2015 : 2:56:36 PM
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I think the headache I felt last time was just due to muscle tension during my spinal breathing. I'm not used to doing it so I guess I was trying to hard to focus on my spine and it made me unconsciously tense up my eyes.
I haven't had a headache since I made an effort to relax and not try to focus too hard, and just let it happen. The downside is that my focus is not very good but I'm getting the hang of it. I think I am getting good results!
I just have to say that meditation is kind of scary and difficult. I never realized how hard it is to dissolve my ego. I don't know if I even want my ego to go away. Sure, I will lose my pride and my desires and urges, but I will also be losing a part of myself that has always been with me... will I even be the same person?
I am just mentioning this because I just had a session where I felt almost like crying after becoming more aware and pushing past my pride and restlessness and lust. It was only a 40 minute session, but it felt like 2 hours. I could feel my base emotions loosening its grip on my mind a little bit, and that actually really scared me and made me sad... and I never made that type of progress in meditation before.
This is so difficult.. but I suppose there's nothing I can do except have faith in myself and push on.
Thanks to everyone who gave me advice. For now, I think I have assessed that spinal breathing seems fairly safe and I will practice it frequently until I start getting negative symptoms.
edit: wow spinal breathing is really helping me get my lust under control. I am practicing semen retention and usually it's a huge struggle and i just get really horny all the time, but now I just practice spinal breathing whenever it gets too much and it really helps. |
Edited by - reality11 on Feb 03 2015 03:21:25 AM |
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gkch1234
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - Feb 02 2015 : 5:47:11 PM
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Is there any retreat or place for new sessions to people who wish to join, I'm looking in NJ, Who is practicing or teaching or any sessions...
please share that info.
Thanks
Gopala |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Feb 03 2015 : 04:42:11 AM
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Hello Gopala
Any scheduled AYP retreats will be announced on this page:
http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....OPIC_ID=9035
You will notice there are not many of them. That is because AYP is a system designed to be practised individually by practitioners wherever they are. All the teaching is published online. If you are interested in AYP, then I suggest you start reading the lessons on this website, starting here: http://www.aypsite.org/10.html
Any questions you may have as you develop your practice, feel free to ask on this forum. |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Feb 03 2015 : 05:50:25 AM
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hello reality11
quote:
Originally posted by reality11
I haven't had a headache since I made an effort to relax and not try to focus too hard, and just let it happen.
You are starting to get the idea there. Very important to relax and just let it happen.
You seem very driven. That is good to the extent that it gets you to do your sittings regularly. But once you have sat down for your yoga practice it's really, really important to let go and relax. Your tension and trying hard in meditation might explain why you have not yet seen the result you were hoping for.
Just trust in the method, follow the procedure, forget about any results you might expect.
One tip you might find useful:
Whenever you go to sleep, have you noticed how your body relaxes an lets go as you are drifting into sleep? How any sounds there might be around at the time seem to go further and further away and grow fainter and fainter? Similarly, as you settle into meditation, you let go of any tension and relax. There is one difference of course because you are actually staying alert, not falling asleep. Awake and relaxed. And as you relax, the mantra seems to sink somewhere inside, and it seems to come from further and further away.
I strongly suggest you read the AYP lessons again. Rather than strive for some distant achievement, just be in the present and follow Yogany's instructions accurately.
I hope this helps. You will get there. AYP is a really powerful practice. Just relax and let it do its work. |
Edited by - BlueRaincoat on Feb 03 2015 05:51:44 AM |
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Blanche
USA
873 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2015 : 09:03:43 AM
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Deep Meditation, following Spinal Breathing, is the most powerful technique - in my opinion. Fastest and safest. Breathing meditation will take you in, but it will be slower, and you have to know when to let it go to go farther inside ... The mantra is a sure way to reach the first jhana relatively quickly. And the mantra will lead you further...
To paraphrase Hatha Yoga Pradipika, there is no asana more powerful than Siddhasana, no mudra more powerful than kechari, and technique more powerful than deep meditation!
BlueRaincoat, Thank you for your post describing how one drifts to sleep. I was surprised, because my experience of falling asleep is very different - and I have assumed that everyone has a similar way of falling asleep. When I go to bed, the body first relaxes, then there is an interior expansion, then the colors, lights, sounds become more and more intense, and I get lost in an interior explosion... Sometimes, when I wake up, there is the awareness of this intense light, and then the reality comes back like the images flickering on a TV screen... It would be interesting to find out how other people fall asleep.  
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Edited by - Blanche on Feb 04 2015 12:45:29 PM |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2015 : 10:04:12 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Blanche
When I go to bed, the body first relaxes, then there is an interior expansion, then the colors, lights, sounds become more and more intense, and I get lost in an interior explosion...
Have you always fallen asleep like that? After years of yoga the experience changes, but I thought the usual/non-yogi falling asleep experience involves the perception of external sounds gradually dimming.
Of course this sound dimming idea will only be useful to Reality11 if it reminds him of the way he relaxes when he falls asleep |
Edited by - BlueRaincoat on Feb 04 2015 10:57:04 AM |
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reality11
USA
48 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2015 : 12:11:39 PM
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I recognize that not being able to let go is a problem of mine, but it's not something I can control. I've always had this problem, even with sleeping and breathing. If I am aware of something, I will try to control that something. But after 30 minutes or so, I do begin to let go.
That's why I'm not really following ayp's methods religiously. The idea of only doing a meditation for 20 minutes isn't really enough time for me to get to a deep enough mental state. If I have more time to spare, it makes sense to do much longer sessions unless I start feeling negative effects.
Also, I am not really consistently driven. I am occasionally driven, and other times I just totally give in to indulgence. That's why during the times that I'm driven, I do my best to make the most of it, because I know that eventually the drive will fade and I need to capitalize on momentum as much as I can.
I will try mantra instead of breathe right now, becuase I have a terrible cough and feel very uncomfortable focusing on breathing as my object. I am going to use "OM" since that was what I was accustomed to when I tried mantra before. I found the article on AYP about it which seems to state that OM is stronger than "I AM", as well.
Thank you again for the help. I think I am more motivated now to be a bit more consistent because I am getting tangible sensations from spinal breathing. |
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Blanche
USA
873 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2015 : 9:04:02 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by BlueRaincoat
Have you always fallen asleep like that? After years of yoga the experience changes, but I thought the usual/non-yogi falling asleep experience involves the perception of external sounds gradually dimming.
More or less... I wonder if this intensity of perceptions increases for everyone when falling asleep, but maybe it goes by unnoticed? I tend to be awake right until I pass out to sleep, it is like a switch thrown off. When I wake up, it is the same, suddenly I am completely totally awake. Not good for sleeping in..
Dear Reality11,
Best wishes for your practice. The more regular the practice, the better the results. And the more refined the inner perceptions to monitor the practice and the results of the practice. Enjoy it! |
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SeySorciere
Seychelles
1571 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2015 : 02:03:31 AM
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Dear all,
Someone once wrote on this forum "Deep meditation is not very deep" and that is true if you consider the sense of "falling" into an expanded space /state as "very deep" but that is not the purpose of the mantra and deep meditation. At first you do get a sense of falling but after months /years of practice this changes and you start truly to meditate (abiding in your true nature). The mantra I AM locks you into the present moment of clarity and equanimity whereby everything (thoughts, emotions etc) is naturally let go off. So how deep you feel you "fell into meditation" is no measure of how effective the sitting was.
Just thought I'd put this out there 
Sey
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reality11
USA
48 Posts |
Posted - Feb 10 2015 : 4:14:17 PM
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I have been doing the AYP meditation almost by the book for about a week now. I just use "OM" instead of "I AM", but everything else has been standard. 10 minute spinal breathing, 20 minute DM, twice a day.
The deep meditation portion has been going well, and it has augmented my breathe meditation that I do throughout the day, it seems. I go deeper a bit faster and notice more sensations in my body.
I was wondering if anyone has tips to increase my ability to concentrate and feel/see the spinal nerve during spinal breathing? I am still at the stage where I am not feeling much at all. The only exception is if I am very aroused, at which point I very clearly feel sexual energy that I have some degree of control over in redirecting up my spine. Should I just.... have a bunch of sexual fantasies or watch porn or something before I do spinal breathing? |
Edited by - reality11 on Feb 10 2015 4:59:46 PM |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2520 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2015 : 02:08:26 AM
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quote:
I just use "OM" instead of "I AM",
dear reality
OM is very powerful, it is inviting trouble
please practice wisely |
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reality11
USA
48 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2015 : 11:58:28 PM
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Wow, I felt strange today. I felt mildly ecstatic during the times that I was mindful and aware.. I still don't feel much from spinal breathing, but I feel strong sensations during the OM meditation.
This is great. I got results!
I am mildly concerned after reading yogani's article about OM being a dangerous beginner mantra, but I have yet to experience any negative side effects and only positive effects from OM. I will stay cautious, but I am going to continue with OM for now because I have not experienced any reason to discontinue.. |
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What are the most powerful techniques on ayp?
