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Herb
Canada
111 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 25 2017 : 01:03:38 AM
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Today, after meditation, I felt abiding peace and bliss. While at work, for the first time, the peace and bliss of the morning meditation stayed with me. However, whenever I was drawn to worldly things like listening to the gossip of two women talking on an elevator, I practiced pratyahara.
The oscillation between worldly temptation drawing me back to earth and the peaceful bliss that clung to me from my morning meditation, reminded me of a great word that I read recently: "bhavamukha." To experience bhavamukha is to experience a state of consciousness on the threshold of apsolute consciousness, the borderline between the Apsolute and the Relative. And to gently oscillate back and forth across the deviding line.
I had not experienced realization of the Apsolute this morning, not even close, but the experience of oscillating back and forth from peaceful bliss to worldly temptation was a cool chance to practice pratyahara and enjoy the fruit of my morning meditation. Each time I felt my consciousness being drawn out of that amazing state of blissfull peace, I would mentally withdraw my mind away from my senses that were being stimulated, tempted if you will, and firmly bring my focus back within my mind to the place of peaceful bliss.
And while firmly in the state of peaceful bliss, I noticed that my eyelids felt slightly closed out of pure inner joy. Now I'm begining to realize what all the fuss is about!
I bet all you long time meditators know exactly what I'm talking about. One final thing. The residual effect of my morning meditation was greatest immediately after my morning meditation, then gradually wore off throughout the day so that I was really looking forward to my second meditation so I could re-charge my bliss batteries
Here's a good article on Pratyahara: https://yogainternational.com/artic...w/pratyahara |
Edited by - Herb on Jan 26 2017 01:23:11 AM |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 25 2017 : 10:27:42 PM
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Pratyahara! Gotta love it.  |
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Ecdyonurus
Switzerland
479 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2017 : 02:55:15 AM
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Hi Herb,
It' nice to feel your joy when I read your posts.
But I hope you don't mind if I tell you that I am confused/worried about the way you describe pratyahara as a means to avoid being "drawn to wordly things".
Although I certainly understand that residing/withdrawing in your blissfull state makes you feel cosy and safe, we have to be very careful not to misuse that as an escapism practice.
Try to consider that those two women and their gossip are also part of the WHOLE, as you are. So, in a way, those women and their gossip are also part of you. Withdrawing from them is also withdrawing from yourself.
Inner silence, bliss, consciousness or whatever we may call it is something that supports connection (yoga). If it doesn't, if you misuse it as just a place to escape from unpleasant wordly things, if by doing so you disconnect from the outer life, you add more separation and that is not the goal of yoga.
Hope my words will not hurt you, but I really felt the need to post this.
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2017 : 03:50:01 AM
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Beautiful written Herb.
@ Ecdyonurus It's also a learning process, as the witness we become aware and it becomes possible to catch the edge, inside outside, like Herb describes here.
With the rise of the witness it also can be frustrating at first, like we judge even more, about others, about ourselves. It's like we micromanage every moment. It's all part of the game. If we observe as the witness (self-inquire) all there is inside and outside, we will be able to see one day there is no line between and live in blissful wholeness.
I felt also the need to post this 
edit, wording |
Edited by - Charliedog on Jan 26 2017 04:55:32 AM |
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Ecdyonurus
Switzerland
479 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2017 : 04:55:36 AM
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I totally agree, Charliedog.
But you will also agree that there is a huge difference between being able to navigate in a healthy way along that edge (wich I would consider good yoga) and jumping over the edge in order to escape from the world (which is definetly not yoga, and also a very unhealthy approach for a householder).
For example, when we hear people chatting and gossip, we have the choice to feel disurbed and escape OR feel and connect to the joy of people who are simply having fun doing some small talk. What choice makes you feel better? 
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2017 : 07:16:26 AM
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Hi Ecdyonurus.
For me there was a period or stage that was confronting in many ways. It is my believe that we can't let go what is not seen, we have to see through the illusions, otherwise we escape or be disturbed.
We first will have to be disturbed by, for instance gossip. Then we can ask ourselves, why is this disturbing us?
This takes time, this will lead us to emotions and the past....
When this is completely clear, we don't have to escape anymore, we can let the gossip for what it is. We don't have to join, we don't have to choose. We are free.
So to say one choice is better then the other is not working here anymore, that's duality not wholeness.
May be off topic now
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Herb
Canada
111 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2017 : 1:02:25 PM
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Hi Ecdy and Charlie.
Thanks for both your comments. No hurt Ecdy. I'm still new to Yoga in many ways so half of what you're talking about is going over my head. I don't know what the witness is yet, at least not as far as Yoga is concerned. I get your point about excapism Ecdy. Could not meditation itself be considered a form of excapism?
My Guru told me in the begining of his first lesson to start thinking about how I can connect with my community as well as my self. I think I'm better at joining a community league or doing volunteer service with a fresh attitude of service then changing my established behaviour towards people at work. Having you guys(and my new Guru) to guide me and offer great suggestions for progressing, spiritually, is really going to help make the transition.
It's a huge, exciting, learning curve for me right now.
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Edited by - Herb on Jan 26 2017 3:30:36 PM |
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Ecdyonurus
Switzerland
479 Posts |
Posted - Jan 26 2017 : 4:11:31 PM
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Hi Herb!
Couldn't we consider meditation as escapism, you asked.
Well, it's an interesting question. I think that for some people, yes, meditation can be a safe place where they search shelter from a world they don't feel connected to. The problem IMO is that this can add even more separation and disconnection in one's life, leading to even bigger suffering. |
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Abiding peace and bliss through lifes busyness
