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Originally posted by kaserdar

I was wondering what makes the "I am" mantra meditation (actually generally mantra meditation) more powerful than some other ways of meditation for example focusing on breathing.

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Originally posted by kaserdar

I personally don't have any meditation state experience yet. What i do is still reading and learning. So i was thinking limiting this mantra meditation for 20mins feels like its more powerful way than focusing on breathing. Is this correct?

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Originally posted by kaserdar

And therefore can we say that its negative impacts would be also more serious?

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Originally posted by kaserdar

I'm asking this question because i think i never read for example focusing on breathing or a candle light should be in some limited time. Always written that in time your focusing ability will increase and you will become focused for longer times. So as long as you are focused its good.

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Originally posted by kaserdar

And final question is what is the difference between "i am" mantra meditation and transcendental meditation?

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The mantra is better than just breath because it traps the thinking mind and keeps it placated while the vibration is working.

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some may find that when random thoughts come up, it is easier to let them go when they go back to the mantra rather then back to the breath.

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Do you find with focussing on the breath practice that the breath tends to stop more than it does when you use a mantra?

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Originally posted by brother neil

To the mind many things are confusing brother Gumpi. A friend of mine told me a couple months ago "Neil, you focus so much on what you disagree with, you put your whole being behind it, when you learn to focus on what you agree with and put that same effort into it, you are going to do great things."
figured I would share,
with love
Brother Neil

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Originally posted by YogaIsLife

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Originally posted by brother neil

To the mind many things are confusing brother Gumpi. A friend of mine told me a couple months ago "Neil, you focus so much on what you disagree with, you put your whole being behind it, when you learn to focus on what you agree with and put that same effort into it, you are going to do great things."
figured I would share,
with love
Brother Neil

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Neil, that is a damn awesome quote! I think I learnt from that..thanks!

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Originally posted by YogaIsLife

Hi Gumpi,

I don't know if I'll be able to help you but I'll try. I believe that each person has to find their own way as only they know what works for them or not (after all, the guru is in you). But I also understand that this may take time, effort (i.e. seeking), and, especially, persistance. The truth is inside you but sometimes it is so clouded that we may go around in circles for a while until we find it. This may take a long or short time, depending on the person and many other factors.

Here is my take based on my own experiences (please know that these are my experiences, not a general rule):

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Do you find with focussing on the breath practice that the breath tends to stop more than it does when you use a mantra?

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No I don't. It is more or less equal in both practices. What changes is the quality of the mind or conscioussness.

I can use a metaphor to explain these differences: imagine that meditation (or life even!) is like a trip across a river. Mantra meditation it's like doing it on a jet-engine boat, whilst breath meditation it's like a boat on sails. The first speeds quickly over the waters, while the other sails gently. On the later case you have more 'time' to look at the scenery and to be aware of what is going on in the body. That is how it is for me anyways.

So, when the breath stops when I do breath awareness there is indeed a much more clear noticing that it has stopped and there is this feeling like "oh s***, and now what do I do?!". One is more aware of what is happening inside I feel. Like I wrote somewhere else before, for me using the mantra is like getting a hammer blow to the head . It almost drops me unconsciously almost immediately. It is very powerful like that, "sucking me in" in a way. But this is different for different people, I am apparently on the 'sensitive' side of the spectrum. I might even go back to the mantra one day, who knows? Right now it feels too strong for me.

So what do you do when you notice the breath slowing and stopping in breath meditation? Well, I think this is really up to the person. the Buddha, who taught breath meditation, apparently said somethign like this regarding this:

"1. When you are breathing in be aware that you are breathing in.
2. When you are breathing out be aware that you are breathing out.
3. When the breath is suspended inside the body, be aware that the breath is suspended inside the body.
4. When the breath is suspended outside the body, be aware that the breath is suspended outside the body."

[I borrowed this from a post by Christi - http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....page=2#48028 ]

As you can see he himself was kind of ilusive in this. The important thing I think it's the noticing, including the little 'anxiety' that may come when one notices that the breath has suspended and don't know how to go about it. I think that, with time and practice, the body will be so calm and relaxed, and your awareness so open and receiving, that you will naturally sustain a bretahless state without effort and without any thought or anxiety. But, like I said, this takes practice. You have to travel your own uncharted territory, your own uncharted waters.

Hope this makes sense to you.

Regarding Yogananda and his teachings I can't tell you much because I know very little of what he taught. I thought it was kryia yoga? Did he actually also teach breath awareness? I was unaware of that. But like I said at the end is not what a particular teacher tells you. Each person is unique and you must find your own way. I say drink from this or that teaching and committ to one, at least for some time, and keep being aware of what works and does not work for you. Keep an open and relaxed attitude about things (this is actually the most difficult thing to do). You want at the same time everything but you expect nothing (this is true bhakti for me). It is at the same time wanting desperately to arrive at a destination, and knowing deep in your heart that you have already arrived (this is true faith). That is the magic and, form my point of view, the attitude that will take you the furthest.

So, about the "crying " to god. Do that if you want, but expect nothing. You feel frustrated at the end because you were expecting something in return. KNOW that you already have it all. You just need to unveil the veils. But be easy about it. And above all trust yourself, your own inner light. This is the hardest to do I understand. But the more you listen (truly listen, without any need to extract anyhting) your insides, the more you will learn about yourself in ways you never imagined, and the more you will progress, without actually doing nothing in the process

Regarding pratyahara - don't be too bounded by concepts, like with everything else. You will know what this is once you start practicing, going inside. It is nothing else than going inside, then turning your senses inwards and listen and feel, just as you do outside. No need to shut yourself from the external world in teh process. Hey, you might even find that the external world is not seperate from the internal world, and vice-versa! And then, what are you shutting yourself off from??

Hope this helps gumpi.

All the very best.

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