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Ute
39 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 23 2005 : 9:42:11 PM
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Wise friends,
I have a practice question. In the past couple of weeks it feels as if energy gets stuck or restricted at the throat center. I notice it especially during spinal breathing, but it is present to some degree all day. It cant be totally stuck because I feel sensations when I focus on the third eye, even without sambhavi. Physically, it feels somewhat like I would expect a person to feel when they focus more on the in-breath rather than exhaling properly. That made me wonder if its an imbalance between up and down energy. I make sure, during spinal breathing, to not favor up energy. I dont feel agitated; its just energy accumulating underneath the clavicle, oh yeah, and I also feel pronounced heart beat in that region when I am still. (I dont have high blood pressure). Any ideas or suggestions?
Ute
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Anthem
1608 Posts |
Posted - Aug 23 2005 : 10:56:42 PM
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Hi Ute,
Have you considered employing "targeted bastrika" as described by Yogani in lesson 198? It can be found at the following location:
http://www.geocities.com/advancedyo...ces/198.html
I am currently using this method with some success on a blockage in the "L5" (lower back lumbar area). Like you described with your blockage, I also do feel energy flow above and below but realize that this blockage is most likely impeding things in some way.
The only caution I would include with my limited experience with this technique is that the speed in which I experienced corresponding karmic events in my life was staggering. So the usual "self-pacing" is probably in order.
I have also experienced pronounced heart beat on occasions when too much focus and energy build-up occured in my heart chakra area. I was able to alleviate this by spending some extra time on spinal-breathing in an attempt to "spread things out". From my perspective, the pronounced heart-beat might suggest a blockage issue especially if you are careful not to favour either direction in spinal breathing.
Anthem |
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2005 : 03:59:16 AM
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| I have found that the dynamic jalandhara (chin pump) has been very helpful in this situation.Just take your time with it, don't move the head too quickly. Let the energy of your breath guide you and linger in any stuck spots till they release. It has worked well for me so far. |
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lucidinterval1
USA
193 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2005 : 07:50:44 AM
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Ute,
You may want to work with chin lock during spinal breathing. Simply drop the chin towards the hollow of the neck. This stretches the spinal nerve and opens up the throat area. Sometimes during spinal breathing I will press down firmly on chin lock and notice energy pass through to the medulla area which is quite pleasant. Victor and Anthem's suggestions should help as well.
I remember once many years ago when a pretty devastating event occurred in my life that I had a difficult time working through it and talking openly about it. My throat chakra completely shut down. It went numb and I even had to go to a chiroprator to work the kinks out. I was completely unable to turn my head. You could try meditating on this chakra and see what comes of it. The blockage may be an area of your life that you need to work through.
Best of luck and please keep us informed of what works for you.
Paul |
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2005 : 3:08:24 PM
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| Also wondering if you are working on Kechari which can really bring up and release throat blocks. |
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Ute
39 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2005 : 3:51:29 PM
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Thanks for all your suggestions. Ill try adding the dynamic jalandhara, for a start. I had bit of a sense that it was time to add this to my practice. I dont think I have specific throat chakra issues, (although I have recently been more inclined to speak out  ). I think I have just cleared out blockages to that point. A few month ago I had heart chakra stuff going on. I have been a little cautious since, because that got a little wildInteresting, buta little wild. I feel I am at a pretty stable point to venture out, (or should I say up,) from.
Thanks again for your help!
Blessings,
Ute
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2005 : 4:38:29 PM
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There is a great release of energy in the throat chakra when you speak your truth. The energy gets knotted up when we hold back; it unties when we speak out, and then flows freely. And if the speaking out is a particulary difficult act (i.e., if the truth is painful to another person, or if it's something you've been holding back for a long time), then the release is that much more powerful. I have experienced this personally in the last week - there was an enormous release and I'm amazed at the increase of ecstatic "juice" when I meditate. Also feeling the energy in my crown chakra, which is a new and exciting experience.
Just thought I'd throw that in for good measure - it may not pertain to your situation. The other responses, though practical, felt a little yang to me. 
m |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Aug 25 2005 : 1:09:50 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by meg
The other responses, though practical, felt a little yang to me.
m
Meg,
yang-emphasis is probably incorrigible in about 49.9% of the population, including Yogani and most of the posters.  It is certainly incorrigible in me, at least so far.... But not it's not necessarily incorrigible in forum content and I hope you and the other Yoginis here continue to work to tip the balance whenever you see it needs tipping!
-D
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Ute
39 Posts |
Posted - Aug 25 2005 : 3:07:09 PM
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Dynamic Jalandhara did the trick!  Almost immediately, at that. Im impressed. Speaking as someone who previously has blast through some energy constrictions, I must say this was almost elegant. I am so glad I found Yoganis lessons and this forum! Thanks!
Thanks Meg and Paul for your suggestions to not overlook issues concerning the dynamics of the throat chakra. This situation was the nuts and bolt kind concerning the practice, but it is good to keep in mind how body, mind, energy, spirit all tie in together. It has been my experience, too, that any kind of repression or suppression really contracts energy. Conversely, I also observed that, as my energy expands through my yoga practice, I become more open to the world. After my heart chakra blast through I have become much more open to people, other than just my safe circle. As energy started to work at the throat center, I decided to speak up more. Not that I have complaints to make, but its just a willingness to show up, rather than hang back. Its an interesting journey and definitely more fun with fellow travelers.
Blessings,
Ute
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lucidinterval1
USA
193 Posts |
Posted - Aug 25 2005 : 4:40:49 PM
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Nice work Ute!
And thanks for the update!
Paul |
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - Aug 25 2005 : 9:55:45 PM
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| Glad it worked for you! It worked for me as well, thats why I suggested it. I had some very deep throat blockages for years and dynamic jalandhara very smoothly helped relieve them. |
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Ute
39 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2005 : 6:25:30 PM
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In the spirit of truth in advertising I just want to clarify that Ill be still working on that for a while. I got a really nice release, almost immediately with very pleasant expansion of energy into the head. I see that between my practice sessions more energy is building below the throat chakra, and I will continue to work on it. Nice to have tools! Paul, I added the chin lock to spinal breathing also, as you suggested. At first I thought that might add more pressure, but once I tried it I saw right away that it helped. Someone posted recently about relaxing the throat in chin lock (David? Victor? Jim?) I tried it before, but dont always get it. Id like to work with that, but cant find that post. Perhaps I can be pointed to it?
Blessings,
Ute
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2005 : 02:16:39 AM
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Personally I don't like to *lock* the chin. I see jalandhara as gently dropping the head forward during pranayama while lifting teh chest. Its really more of a release at the back of the base of the skull than actually dropping the head that much or gripping anywhere. Persomnally after doing that for 20 years I don't do it anymore as it seemed to create neck tension for me. I do the dynamic version tehse days and like it much better.
As for you throat blockage clearing up, I would imagine that what you felt was a feeling of right practice rather than the problem going away.These things can be quite deep sometimes and take some time to work through and release. That feeling that you got at first meant that you are on the right track and should continue practicing that way. |
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Ute
39 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2005 : 1:03:08 PM
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Thanks, Victor
I too have practiced the throat lock for years and dont like the tension associated with it. I liked the softer version right away. I think the reason I cant always get it, is those years of old habit get in the way. That should get better as the new way replaces the old.
And, yes, I feel that I am on the right way with my practice and will continue.
Blessings,
Ute
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LittleDragon
29 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2006 : 12:58:38 AM
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Does anyone have a solution to restless leg syndrome? I have a fairly mild case but it wakes me up once a night about 4 or 5 nights a week. It generally developes if I turn onto my left side too early in the sleep cycle. Regular running will eliminate it but time, energy, and the weather have prevented that.
I'm not looking for anything too advanced here, hopefully some simple breathing practice. For instance, while spinal breathing AYP style may have helped clear up some long term nagging shoulder pain it also seems that it may cause me some sinus and "mental" congestion (sometimes this feels like my brain has turned into a bowl of mashed potatos). I've discovered that targeted bastrika (but I have only used a normal breathing rate) from the brow to the back of the head will help with this.
What would extending the breath to the feet do? Help or make things worse? |
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Richard
United Kingdom
857 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2006 : 07:50:31 AM
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Hi you are not meditating too near bedtime are you? that can definitely cause the symptoms you describe. If not just try to cut down on your practice times a bit and see how it goes.
RICHARD |
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yoginstar
Netherlands
78 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2006 : 6:31:04 PM
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To Little Dragon:
re: restless leg syndrome:
This is my very first post on this forum and I have no idea whether you still need an answer: I am going through all the forums currently (and frankly getting a little bewildered). At any rate, I've had a restless leg syndrome since I was a child. But a few years ago I learned that simply taking some MAGNESIUM might help, as the restless leg syndrome indicates a shortage of magnesium. I haven't had it since, 'cause I now know what to do, one pill will do the trick (at least it did for me).
All the best!
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Edited by - yoginstar on Sep 20 2006 6:58:33 PM |
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yogani
USA
5241 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2006 : 7:15:45 PM
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Hi Yogini:
Welcome aboard!
Thank you for your input on restless leg syndrome. It would be interesting to explore its relationship to the rise of ecstatic conductivity in the nervous system from yoga practices, which can produce similar symptoms for short periods, though often quite pleasurable. That may or may not be a difference ... these two phenomena may or may not be related...
Yes, reading the forums can be a bit confusing in the beginning if the AYP lessons have not been gone through first, at least perused in order for the logical progression in the development of a self-directed practice routine. You may wish to check the lesson menus at the top of this page, beginning with "main lessons."
Becoming familiar with the lessons can help provide a foundation of knowledge, and then there may be more of a "method to the madness" here in the open discussions.
Wishing you all the best on your path. Enjoy!
The guru is in you.
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yoginstar
Netherlands
78 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2006 : 4:48:55 PM
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Hi all and Yogani!
I sure hope no one takes offense at me having picked the name yogini, it’s more of a wannabe thing, an ideal I have in mind, than an accomplished fact:-)
Yogani, re the restless leg syndrome, it sure is electrical in nature, my mother used to call them ‘growing pains’ when I was young:-) but it feels restless and not really so nice as in the practices, at least for me.
Rest assured that I read almost all the lessons in the last few weeks in its entirety before even jumping to this board, which is somewhat different in energy, hence I need some adjusting.. And because of that, I would like to tell you and all on this board why I feel that AYP is a revolution and almost too good to be true... I am a Kundalini casualty, a student of SRF, (Paramahansa Yogananda) and an astrologer.
I wish I had learned of the information that Yogani has provided 17 years ago.....maybe you like some astrological references for that’s how I shape my worldview... we’re currently seeing two important astrological factors. One is an interaction between the planets Saturn (the discipline and path one takes) and the other is Neptune (the planet of spirituality). I.e. Saturn and Neptune combined in the highest sense refer to the spiritual path one takes.
In 1989 (17 years ago) these planets made a conjunction, thereby starting a new cycle (can be compared to a New Moon point). Right now , as of August 31 2006, continuing through a large part of 2007 Saturn and Neptune are in opposition, meaning the cycle has come to a Full Moon point, which is about repolarization. Many people are discovering a spiritual path currently or changing things. And so am I....I had an accidental Kundalini awakening with the energy going all the way out of my crown in 1988, it swirled around the Ida and Pingala and believe it or not, it is not since I found these AYP lessons that I understand the energy has to become centered or go through the sushumna instead.... The idea of a spiritual path never occurred to me prior to 1988, the first accidental full blast awakening felt ecstatic by the way, but after that I jumped into fear mode of being blast into a thousand pieces in the cosmos:-) and have had 5 years of continuous awakenings, the energy went up straight after that first swirling motion, and fine all through to the throat level and because of my fear (I think) it blocked there and felt very uncomfortable and frightening. After 5 years I finally let go (or something) and then it went up to the next level. When I let go of the fear at that time it gradually subsided after some 7-8 years and it hasn’t come back too much until this year, in a different format.
This is just the technical description, what I went through with my mind is another thing altogether... I think I was out of it for long periods... and had a hard time staying out of psychiatry once:-)
I sought help in 1989 from someone I knew had to be in the known about kundalini, I found it described by one of you that as soon as you come into contact with pictures or ideas, the “stuff” starts happening in your meditation, well I saw a chart of the chakra’s and the energies in the afternoon before my first full blown kundalini, which is why at least I knew sort of what was happening. I contacted the author and he gave me two advices: one had something to do with alternating the breath in the nostrils and closing the left one I think, but I had no idea what he was on about (I also came accros that written by you in one of the posts!) and I wasn’t doing any breathing meditation with the nostrils anyway (at that time I wasn’t meditating at all), and the second advice he gave me was that it was time for me to enter the spiritual path seriously and have a guru. So I took the same as he had and enrolled for the SRF lessons, which in themselves were great. But in SRF one is not encouraged a whole lot to talk about one’s inner experiences and I was not an adept in describing them anyway (how do you find words for things when you are entering a new world?) and the answers I got were just standard answers so much so that I started to believe they were not expert in kundalini (the monks or nuns or whoever who were replying to me) , and maybe kriya yoga was another route altogether, I had no idea at the time. Anyway, I do plunge headlong into the teachings because my devotion was endless and I felt protected anyway, meditated a lot and not in a very structured manner up until 1995. SRF encourages one to meditate a lot, the deeper the better, I have been doing sessions of 3 hours solid, and also days of 5 meditations a day, getting into nice bliss states but at the same time without understanding a thing about what I was doing putting my mental health at risk. I knew/felt I had to be saved from something outside of myself so I put my entire trust in the gurus (and the guy who authored that book, who told me I didn’t need to do Hong Sau and didn’t need to do Kriya Yoga without any further explanation) and then in 1995, Pluto, the planet of yoga:-) , enters Sagittarius (the sign of information, ideas, religion, dogma and truth (beyond dogma and judgment). Precisely at that moment I decide to give my life entirely in the hands of God and the gurus and I make a request to SRF for initiation in Kriya Yoga, sending them a 5 page description (or something of the sort) of some of my experiences. I had never met anyone from SRF at that time mind you, not living anywhere near California.
Within a week after that total surrender, my life falls apart on all fronts. But as in the saying of God first and the rest will come I just thought of that as “tests” and allowed my life to fall further apart anyway. It became a huge spiritually traumatic mess, and I crawl out of that with all the strength I can muster and bewildered and puzzled ,my life takes on a new turn slowly but surely. Nine months later I get a letter from SRF with again some standard reply where they refuse Kruya Yoga to me. That was a little shocking. But anyway, I focussed on my new life as it needed to be rebuilt anyway, and that went ultimately quite successfully, I write some books (astrology) and then in 2000 one of the SRF nuns visits our country. My friend and I go there and I am totally surprised at the wonderful sweetness and joy she was emanating and I blurt out to her that I dont even know any longer whether PY is my Guru or not. She doesn’t say too much but just embraces me. Within a month, some people who went there decided to form an SRF circle which took place at my house for a few years for I had the space, and at the time I thought, well, if Mohammed isn’t going to the mountain, the mountain is coming to Mohammed. The biweekly groupmeditations were (and still are) wonderful by the way, but I currently live in the woods in Belgium and haven’t been attending a whole lot. The SRF nun comes another two times and she had been absolutely wonderful. God is made tangible. Then early this year, two SRF monks come to lead a retreat. After the retreat they also come visit our meditationcircle and do a meditation with our little group of 5 people. And lo and behold within the meditation I go into fullblown bliss with the energies ultimately settling in the heart, it felt healing, whole and fantastic and I had no idea Kundalini could feel that wonderful and ”whole” as well. (It didn’t feel that awful in the past either other than my own fears and the blockages along the way), but this time, within the meditation, was too much to take anyway. I keep in balance after that event for 10 days or so and then “I blew it again”. and go totally out of balance, probably with sleepdeprivation . (I wasn’t meditating). All my past stuff comes above again and I go into repeat mode. I understand it to be a clearing of the past trauma to address now and come to grips with it. I go into an entire death/rebirth phase and in the babyphase of the rebirth I phone the SRF nun as I was so incredibly open, I had no idea how to distinguish things anymore. Anyway she is wonderful and asks me what I would like the most., what my most deepest wish would be. And I find myself saying: I want to be taught meditation on the inside. (Mind you, I have been having meditation lessons since 1990 or so....) And she says, as you say it it will be so. I enter again a new phase, and decide all of a sudden, that I’m doing something wrong, I focus too much on external help and need to go within and TRULY listen to myself and my own body (the idea of self-pacing of Yogani fits in here as well). I decide that I’m done and through with my mishaps of the past and am going to take the spiritual path seriously once again but now truly train myself, and apply myself and set up a regime of two meditations per day of first 10 then later 20 minutes, and just listen within. What change that is making! Whether or not a guru on other planes is guiding the process I have no idea, but I am listening to God within by that time, never mind any external guru’s any longer. In spite of the wonderful support of the SRF people I have encountered this year and their truly substantial blessings for my healing process, I haven’t been given “technical” advice, and I didn’t even know it existed on the internet:-)
But soon after I make this decision to listen within, lo and behold I find the AYP lessons and for the first time in my life, I see the entire path outlined, and not only that, I finally understand what some techniques are FOR, what they are meant to accomplish. The idea of inner cleansing of the nervous system is an entirely new idea to me, I simply had no idea that that is what we are doing in meditation practices. I thought it was about finding God solely which brought the idea of the more and longer and deeper, the better it is.
Furthermore, I read Yogani’s lessons on spinal breathing and realize, that that is the answer, it makes entire sense to me, as in, yes, this is the truth of it, balance can be found by spinal breathing, to breathe back to have the energies join up rather than having the one go up and haywire. Never before had I come across that idea and it seems THE solution to me.
Also by his further explanations I am no longer afraid of all the strange and strangely worded stuff that one comes across in eastern literature as I finally understand what it is all for, in a language and culture (western) I can understand. Holy Ghost, Yogani has outlined the path in its full and with wisdom! A path that up until now could not be trodden without a guru and then even depended just on faith without any outlines of the entire path! With Eastern language and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra’s just being mystifying secret stuff with strange words for a non-Hindu, that I only vaguely could understand. Because finally having an overview of the entire path from AYP, and actually learning from them HOW to self pace (i.e. go back to where things feels naturally and comfortably), and taking in the notion wholesale of 2 regular 20 min meditations, and when in the meditation/practices, be there, but then be active during the day and just be in one’s activity gives me such a clear idea of what I am doing, and gives me the handle for self pacing.
I came across AYP because for some reason or other I finally went on the internet to figure out a few things about guru’s. What has been very sad for my devotional nature ever since (now it’s back to astrology) Pluto went into Sagittarius in 1995, is the continuous destruction of the guru-disciple relationship (which relationship I think is based in universals) , with one guru after the other having been brought down by allegations, rightly or wrongly and with more and more aversion to guru’s from laypeople. And I though, wow, this is THE solution for our current collective mindset, a very wise series of lessons and someone entirely anonymous so that it bypasses the fixation on the external guru (the guru is in you he writes continuously). And then be there for serious questions as well, it is absolutely amazing.
I have no idea whether we in fact do not need external help and even transference. (I think we do:-) But having had the transference and having gone through the more philosophical/lifestyle lessons of the SRF anyway, and now finding the technicalities of the path, I feel blessed. It is the outcome of me turning within in my case, and now I find the answers without (to questions I didn’t even knew I had:-)
I understand that much of Kriya Yoga already without having been initiated that it resembles spinal breathing a lot. I ought to have been given that technique now that I understand What It Is For, and here I have been with help that said I didn’t need it, and an institution that refused it to me (for reasons that I took at the time must be Higher Reasons beyond my understanding). But God helps , AYP was online! I’m currently into translating the online lessons (haven’t gotten much further than lesson 23), and for fear of that Yogani says it is not necessary I have not told him so, for it is a great way for me to absorb them well and I will offer them when they are complete. If someone else is doing them already in Dutch, don’t let me know for I wish to then stay in the illusion of doing some good, as it helps me myself:-)
To make my tale complete, currently I do 5 minutes of Hong Sau to get into a truly meditative state (and I am used to Hong Sau which I really like), then akwardly still do 4-12 spinal breathings, the selfpacing way (and I can feel it coming together with the energies), and akwardly still do the I Am mantra to in the afterstate get into another one: God is in me, I am in God. I’m sure I never make it to Kechari, but I sometimes am now for the fun of it already putting the tongue upwards to guide the energy along the spine upwards (it already works without my tongue even being able to touch the soft palate), and the energies within the meditation /practices are there in a much more pronounced way and I am learning to work with it and have a better view on what it is doing anyway. I am deeply grateful for AYP. I wouldn’t mind to know what path Yogani exactly came from himself but it will also clutter the free/anonimity and objectivity.
I’m currently having an incredibly busy outer life with many travels and wont have a whole lot of time for being on this board but I when I do I will meet up with you now and again and promise not to write such long tales anymore:-)
All the best.
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yogani
USA
5241 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2006 : 7:05:41 PM
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Hi Yogini:
Glad you have been finding the lessons helpful.
Sounds like you have been through a lot over the years. It is fairly typical around here, so you are among friends who can relate.
It seems like in the past few decades parts of humanity have been leaping ahead of the knowledge traditions that are supposed to be supporting our evolution. It is a good thing, but, to keep up, some fundamantal changes are needed in how spiritual knowledge is transmitted. I hope we will see a continued move toward open source systems of practice with good integration of methodologies across the board. We can't afford to be hanging around anymore begging for what is already ours -- right here within us. It is time to move on.
On your Dutch translation of the lessons, that is great news. Do you have any inclination to post it on a website or moderator-posted only Yahoo group as you go, so others can read it? Of course, in Holland, most everyone reads English already, don't they? So maybe it is not so critical like in other countries. Here is a post on the translations going on that we know of: http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....TOPIC_ID=440
In addition, just a few days ago, I received a note from a publisher in Greece interested in doing a Greek edition of the AYP book, and maybe others. We'll see what happens.
Also coming soon are India editions, in English.
Never a dull moment.
The guru is in you.
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Wolfgang
Germany
470 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2006 : 03:37:54 AM
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Hi Yogini,
I like your story immensly !
Please don't worry to bother us with long stories,
please do bother us 
As for your translation work in dutch: why would you
not want to know if somebody else might already do
some translations ? Wouldn't it be good to share
the translation job !?
I am bringing up the topic of translation, because I am
considering to contribute to a german translation
(@Yogani: take a mental note of that ...)
@Yogini: many greetings to Belgium !
Love and Light
Wolfgang |
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yoginstar
Netherlands
78 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2006 : 4:36:30 PM
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Dear Wolfgang,
That is very very nice of you to say that!
As to the translations: I will reply in the forum mentioned by Yogani above.
Dear Yogani,
QUOTE I hope we will see a continued move toward open source systems of practice with good integration of methodologies across the board. UNQUOTE
There is no way back:-) You did it!
so if ‘across the board’ means it is up to us all now, I’m sure, I’ve read quite a few posts, they will do it! And I will just try:-))
All the best!
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2006 : 4:48:31 PM
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Welcome Yogini...
Nice to have you with us. I enjoyed reading all your experiences. Thank you for joining us. I hope you will stay and share your journey with us. Wish you all the best in your chosen path... |
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Dealing with energy restriction
