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elderberry
USA
49 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 01 2023 : 2:00:24 PM
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Hello everyone!
I have been practicing AYP for a year with great results. Twice daily SBP & DM, almost never missing a session.
My Bhakti is starting to get quite high. I am in a state where I want to take on as much practice as I can handle. However, I am trying my absolute best to follow the advice of AYP, and build up the practice slowly but surely, despite the inner voice inside me screaming to pile it all on at once.
The advice given in AYP is that, if you increase your practice time too quickly or suddenly, you will experience symptoms of overload, which will actually make spiritual progress slower in the long run. This makes sense to me.
What doesn't make sense to me is, for people who go into extended AYP retreats, they effectively double their practice time once they get past the 1-2 day ramp up period. This seems like a recipe for overload.
Moreover, my understanding is that the best way to avoid overload is to "ground" yourself. And the best way to ground yourself is to engage in daily life (go to work, exercise, etc). The retreats feature a bit of physical activity. However apart from this, it seems like retreats are actually less grounding than daily life in this regard.
1. What is it about the retreats that make it so overload is less likely to occur? Is it the fact you are stepping away from work/responsibilities? Is there something particularly grounding about the strict schedule which is followed? Something else I am not seeing?
Here is the ultimate reason I am asking this. I am debating creating a lifestyle that is a bit like a retreat, and a bit like daily life. I am very lucky in that I have the type of job where I can take several months off if I so desire. So I was considering taking some time off from work and doubling the morning and evening practices. In between, I would likely spend most of my time surfing, hiking, hanging out with friends and studying spiritual texts.
2. Lets assume I exercise prudent self pacing along the way if negative symptoms arise. Is my idea for an extended "solo retreat" wise or foolish? Am I taking on too much at once and begging for overload? |
Edited by - elderberry on Nov 01 2023 2:02:05 PM |
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dcame
Canada
11 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2023 : 5:17:19 PM
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Hi, elderberry, I have occasionally taken some months off work to meditate, not a full year, and not exactly the AYP system but something very similar.
Your concern is possible "overload," but keep in mind that "underload" is also a possibility! It's possible to goof off for a year and end up not accomplishing very much.
Although I have the personal experience, I'm reluctant to give any hard advice because the whole philosophy of self-pacing is that "the guru is in you." What worked for me, with my practice and my background, almost definitely won't be the same for you. |
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Dogboy
USA
2294 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2023 : 6:56:02 PM
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Tacking onto to dcame, it indeed is individual, one size fits one. Like you, since the beginning (now ten years with AYP) I have had high Bhakti and pushed forward, without much consequence. I would not advocate my level of daily yoga to anyone but myself.
Elderberry, my guess that it is the environment and gathering of the like-minded in communion that is grounding, especially if one takes in the outdoors while there. If yogis can imagine (especially if conductive) sensations stimulating, integrating, and radiating on the breath, merely passing through; it is my belief this is stabilizing, and one may be less prone to overload. |
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Christi
United Kingdom
4514 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2023 : 05:22:50 AM
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Hi Elderberry,
You have received good advice already from dcame and Dogboy.
Energetic overload is something only experienced by some people. It is not something that everyone will experience. And it only happens under certain conditions. It happens when the flows of prana in the body are stronger than the energetic channels and energetic centres can handle. So, there has to be a certain relationship between the amount of prana in the body and the condition of the channels (nadis) and chakras.
Someone could be doing a lot of spiritual practices each day, but have relatively low amounts of prana flowing in their body, and so, not experience energetic overload. Another person could also be doing a lot of spiritual practices, have a high amount of prana flowing through their body, but have a very purified subtle nervous system, and so be able to easily handle the large flows of prana. So, again, they would not experience energetic overload.
What happens in each individual case will come down to that person's unique matrix of obstructions. And that is something that will change over time.
So, there is nothing special about retreat mode that prevents energetic overload. There are certain factors that can affect the way energy is managed on retreats. For example, if people are taking part in a group retreat, then the "group effect" will tend to balance out energies in each person, making energetic overload less likely. If someone is engaged in a solo retreat, then this effect is not there. Silence (not speaking) has the effect to amplify energy in the body, so if someone is engaging in some social interaction each day, then this will reduce the risk of energetic overload. Eating food is grounding, so if someone is fasting, or eating just one light meal a day, this would also increase the risk of energetic overload.
But again, it all comes down to the individual. Advanced practitioners can do long retreats in silence, with many practice sessions each day.
What you are contemplating sounds like a good idea. You are planning to have social interaction each day, which is grounding. And you can always self-pace as needed if anything comes up. If you follow the self-pacing guidelines, you will always be doing the right amount of practices. So, you don't need to be concerned.
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1 Year Solo Retreat. Wise or Foolish?
