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equinox
United Kingdom
5 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 19 2008 : 11:41:29 AM
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Hi to everyone,
I'm new in meditation, but the first results are encouraging.
I'd like to ask the more experienced meditation enthusiasts if there are any meditation techniques that can be used to find answers to specific questions? I mean answers to questions that are difficult, if not impossible to answer, without the help of meditation and questioning the subconscious mind.
For example you lost your car keys and you can't remember where you have put them, or you have to find a solution to a specific topic or question.
How should one proceed with meditation in order to find answers to questions or even forthcoming events?
Thank you in advance! |
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yogani
USA
5201 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2008 : 2:27:36 PM
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Hi equinox, and welcome!
Deep meditation itself is for cultivating inner silence, which then gradually enlivens all aspects of our life, even while increasing our inner stability amidst the constant changes of our external world.
Along with this, there comes a natural inner connection with events that tends to work in our favor over time. Call it being in synch, or being in grace, or whatever. It simply doesn't rain on us as often or as much as it used to. Small miracles, and sometimes some big ones.
Another way we describe it here is that our life gradually becomes an expression of "stillness in action." Deep meditation provides the raw material (inner silence), and what we do with it in life comprises the rest, which is a continuation of our purification and opening on an ever-broadening scale, reaching to the cosmic level. To enhance this aspect of our development, we have the practice of "samyama," which is a structured method we can do as part of our daily sitting practices. Later on, samyama becomes a habit in expressing all of our intentions in life (within inner silence), and that enhances the external manifestation of our inner silence in many ways, as mentioned above.
In other words, in time, we find ourselves able to intuitively know things and do things that we could not before.
If you check out the lessons and forum discussions on samyama (see FAQ links here), you will get a good overview of what it is. Also, there is an AYP book called "Samyama," which goes into more detail on the specifics of practice, as well as expanded applications of samyama. In the appendix of the book, you will see a number of additional "sutras" (formulas) that can be used for "research" in samyama by well-established practitioners, including one for seeing things hidden from view -- those lost car keys... 
But, just to be clear, samyama is not primarily about performing miraculous acts at will. It is about purifying and opening our nervous system in a balanced way, and radiating far beyond our body, leading to all aspects of life being lived as stillness in action in a unified way, which is life free from suffering. We also call it living in a state of abiding inner silence, ecstatic bliss and outpouring divine love -- unending happiness.
Wishing you all the best on your path. Enjoy!
The guru is in you.
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equinox
United Kingdom
5 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2008 : 07:21:29 AM
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Thank you Yogani!
I have read two of your books-Deep Meditation and Samyama. As far as I understood we start with deep meditation first and then slowly we begin to include the rest of the limbs of yoga. My question is how do we determine when to include a new element to our meditation practice? How long do we practice deep meditation on its own before including the Spinal breathing and Samyama?
In the Q&A section I read that it is up to the individual-but how do you know that it is time to progress further?
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yogani
USA
5201 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2008 : 10:24:00 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by equinox
Thank you Yogani!
I have read two of your books-Deep Meditation and Samyama. As far as I understood we start with deep meditation first and then slowly we begin to include the rest of the limbs of yoga. My question is how do we determine when to include a new element to our meditation practice? How long do we practice deep meditation on its own before including the Spinal breathing and Samyama?
In the Q&A section I read that it is up to the individual-but how do you know that it is time to progress further?
Hi equinox:
Yes, it is up to the practitioner. How long is typical between practice additions? A few months is typical, though some may be inclined toward shorter or longer (much longer is fine - it is not a race), according to the experience of the process of purification and opening, which is unique for each nervous system. It is developing the art of "self-pacing," which is the key in conducting effective integrated spiritual practice.
The idea is to reach a stable routine with the practices we are doing and give it some time before moving on, including backing off from time to time as necessary to accommodate short term overdoing. It will happen as our desire for divine union (bhakti) gets ahead of our capacity now and then. The more you read the AYP writings and are engaged in your practices, the more you will get a feel for the unique attributes of your own journey, and develop the ability to accommodate them.
It is like driving a car under varying conditions. The better we get at it and the further we have gone along the road, the more we can relax and enjoy the ride. 
The guru is in you.
PS: It is strongly recommended not to add more than one practice at a time. This can muddy the waters quite a bit, and complicate our journey of purification and opening.
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Meditation over answer of specific question.
