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brauniver
Switzerland
42 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 21 2005 : 06:44:13 AM
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Hi all
I have several questions for everyone but especially adressed to yogani. The first part is about the techniques in general, the second is more personel but I hope interesting for everyone.
1) Spinal breathing:
What about going up and down the spine in the form of a spiral. It seems to me to be easier. Does it clean this way sushumna too or more ida or pingala? Could that be a "dangerous" technique?
2) Spinal breathing:
What about going below the muladhara chakra deep into the earth with attention / energy? It seems to me to activate a lot of energy? Could it be too much?
3) I read somewhere that ida and pingala must get broader / wider
(more space between them) so that the energy can flow through sushumna. But when I practice I feel more that ida and pingala goes together and join with sushumna. Could it work this way too or am I doing something wrong?
4) Could it be usefull to be always aware of the spine during daily activities (without going up and down)?
5) On the great Yoga page from Hans www.kriyayoga.com he explained that the techniques must be done EXACT as descriped otherwise you could / will get problems. But when I compare all the Kriya/Kundalini-Yoga techniques every single one is different. So why he point out that it must be done EXACT in this way?
Some more personel questions:
Since about 5 years I have more or less intensiv energy troubles. It feels like the entry of sushumna is blockaded and the energy goes through ida and so Im really imbalanced. The energy pushes from the left side of my body to sushumna so its very difficult to open it.
1) Are there any special mantras to open the entry or the whole sushumna or is spinal breathing the best?
2) The more I practice things like Kriya-Yoga the more bhakti gets lost. God is no more so important. But in earlier ages (when I was a child) the personal relationship to god was always very important. Does anyone know this situation?
3) The more I practice Kriya-Yoga the more I feel confused. Thats not a big problem when normal. Is it normal? Is it ok?
In fact there are a lot more questions but its enough for the moment.
THANKS!
oli
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yogani
USA
5241 Posts |
Posted - Oct 21 2005 : 3:00:05 PM
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Hi Oli:
There are as many ways to do these practices as there are teachers and practitioners out there. AYP attempts to present the simplest and most effective methods in each category of practice, sticking with the underlying principles, while at the same time allowing some flexibility. For some discussion on principles and practices, see lesson #204 at http://www.aypsite.org/204.html
Some of the things you are suggesting are, in fact, part of other teachings, and diverging pretty far from the simple practices of AYP. I can't cover every variation (I'd be here writing forever!  ), but can offer a few basic perspectives that I hope will be helpful.
In spinal breathing, the sushumna (spinal nerve) is the "master controller" of energy unfoldment and balance in the entire nervous system. It is not necessary from the AYP perspective to spiral out into the territory of ida and pingala, as these are opened automatically while opening the sushumna. This expansion (the swirling) is not something we have to supervise or worry about. It will happen in due course when ecstatic conductivity comes up. At times, ida and pingala may become very quiet. At other times, very lively. It depends what mode we are in at any given time.
There is much more involved in this process than spinal breathing alone. Particularly important is deep meditation, which is often down-played or even missing completely in the kriya lines of teaching in favor of a singular focus on pranayama.
In AYP, correct use of the mantra in deep meditation is the means by which the sushumna opening is expedited, and everything else along with it. Cultivating inner silence in deep meditation is the first practice we do in AYP, before we even consider working directly with the inner energies. That is why I suggest taking the AYP lessons in order. If we work with the energies first, without deep meditation, there can be that drying up of enthusiastic desire for the divine (bhakti) and clarity (focus). These positive traits are characteristics of rising inner silence, which pranayama alone does not provide for. Man (and woman) does not live by energy alone. It is consciousness that we are, and it is consciousness expanding from within that we need as the foundation of our practice. That is the job of deep meditation.
I do not recommend that we walk around during the day trying to be aware of sushumna, mantra or anything else related to sitting practices. Once we have done our practices, we should go out and engage fully in life's activities. That is the best way to stabilize what we have gained in our sitting practices. As our inner silence, ecstatic energies and increasing flow of love and compassion are coming up, we will find plenty to put our attention on in daily activity along the lines of helping others and doing good in the world. As we engage in the world in accordance with our rising spiritual awareness, that becomes the part of our practice that is action for the benefit of others, or karma yoga.
Well, that is the AYP perspective on what you described. I hope you find it helpful.
The guru is in you.
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yogani
USA
5241 Posts |
Posted - Oct 21 2005 : 11:16:23 PM
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Hi again Oli:
As a follow-up, here is an AYP lesson on left side or right side energy imbalances:
http://www.aypsite.org/207.html
If you do some site searches on the lessons or check the topic index, you can find many things that have been covered that may be relevant to your experiences.
The guru is in you. |
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brauniver
Switzerland
42 Posts |
Posted - Oct 24 2005 : 3:55:29 PM
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These are nice infos!
quote:
This expansion (the swirling) is not something we have to supervise or worry about.
Uhhh.....
The swirling just happen automatically. Its not that I try out a new teaching. But I wasnt shure if its really balancing.
Does it indicates something if the swirling happens in counter-clockwise direction (seen from above)? Or is it unimportant which direction?
quote:
In AYP, correct use of the mantra in deep meditation is the means by which the sushumna opening is expedited, and everything else along with it. Cultivating inner silence in deep meditation is the first practice we do in AYP, before we even consider working directly with the inner energies.
Im more familiar with Vipassana. Is it as effective as the correct use of a mantra in meditation?
quote:
Man (and woman) does not live by energy alone. It is consciousness that we are, and it is consciousness expanding from within that we need as the foundation of our practice. That is the job of deep meditation.
The last years I practiced before all the pranayama techniques taught by kriya yogis. I thought meditation will come from alone when the time is right. I almost only focust on energy. Since several days I practice more vipassana-meditation and a less energy things. It feels better. Now you confirm my experience. Thats nice!
For my fellow man its better too. I think sometime there was so much energy that they didnt feel well around me but Im not shure... its just a thought.
oliver
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yogani
USA
5241 Posts |
Posted - Oct 24 2005 : 11:21:09 PM
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Hi Oli:
quote:
Does it indicates something if the swirling happens in counter-clockwise direction (seen from above)? Or is it unimportant which direction?
Actually, when fully active it goes in both directions at the same time: Two distinct energies swirling in opposite directions around the spine, one within the other. This is a symptom of the blending of masculine and feminine energies within us. Among its many functions, the chin pump practice in AYP is related to cultivation of this inner energy activity. But, as mentioned, not to get too involved with the symptoms. Better to be focused on the practices in a logical build-up according to our capacity. Having a few symptoms does not mean we should be jumping ahead too fast. Just take it one step at a time.
quote:
Im more familiar with Vipassana. Is it as effective as the correct use of a mantra in meditation?
I am not an expert on vipassana, but my general understanding of it is that it involves much longer sittings than we do in deep meditation with mantra. I can't tell you if the results are better or not. It can be your experiment. Let us know!
Yes, meditation will make us easier to be around. Others will often notice the difference before we do. It is the power of inner silence coming up in us.
The guru is in you.
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brauniver
Switzerland
42 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2005 : 5:02:28 PM
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quote:
Does it indicates something if the swirling happens in counter-clockwise direction (seen from above)? Or is it unimportant which direction?
So far I practiced dynamic jalandara bandha just in one direction, from left to the right. I was taught it this way by a kriya disciple of hariharananda. Im not sure but it could be that that is the reason why I felt the energy swirling counter-clockwise. Since a while Im practicing the chin pump one time from left to the right and then from the right to the left and the swirling is nomore just in one direction. Thats nice!
quote:
I am not an expert on vipassana, but my general understanding of it is that it involves much longer sittings than we do in deep meditation with mantra. I can't tell you if the results are better or not. It can be your experiment. Let us know!
I checked out both methods the last days. For me at the moment it seems that the mantra technique is more energy related and with vipassana Im more aware, so it seems to me to be more conciousness related. But its just the opinion of a noob.
An other thing is that since I practice just to anja and to muladhara (before I went far below muladhara and far above sahasrara) it feels much more pleasant in daily life. Ok, there is much less energy... but thats ok. I always were very interested in that vibrating and shaking of the body during "meditation". I thought that that is very "spiritual". Perhaps it isnt. I thought the harder the symtoms are, the deeper and faster is the purification process.
LOL about myself once again.
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Edited by - brauniver on Oct 31 2005 5:14:58 PM |
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yogani
USA
5241 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2005 : 6:05:48 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by brauniver
I checked out both methods the last days. For me at the moment it seems that the mantra technique is more energy related and with vipassana I'm more aware, so it seems to me to be more conciousness related. But its just the opinion of a noob.
Hi Oli:
As I understand it, vipassana is following the breath with attention, using breath as the object of meditation.
That is not what we do in AYP mantra meditation. If you are following the breath during mantra meditation (dividing the attention between two practices), that could account for more energy and less inner silence. Check these lessons for more detail on the relationship of spinal breathing pranayama and meditation in AYP:
http://www.aypsite.org/43.html
http://www.aypsite.org/106.html
Your good sense of humor is a help on the path too -- being both cause and effect. When we are laughing, God is laughing.
The guru is in you.
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brauniver
Switzerland
42 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2005 : 09:45:56 AM
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A quote from Lesson 43 - Pranayama Q&A – Relationship to meditation
quote:
To tell you the truth, a lot of weeds can grow there, because there is no crop of pure bliss consciousness filling up that field. This is why pranayama, practiced as a stand-alone over months and years, can lead to less instead of more.
Thats quite interesting for me.  |
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A lot of questions............
