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kaserdar
91 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 09 2010 : 10:45:18 AM
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Hello everyone,
I would like to share with you my recent confusion with meditation and ask for your advices.
One night when I was stoned and was sitting on the couch, I realized that I was tensing some of my muscles. So I asked myself why am I doing it? So I released my body, let it go completely. Then further, I realized that I still hold, tense some muscles somehow but like intentionally not physically. So I let it go again, completely as if I'm holding on to something and letting it go to fall down:). Then all of a sudden all this energy started to vibrate all around and I lost the sense of my body and felt only this electrical kind of energy all around with lots of tinnitus in my ears. I was afraid and stopped this. After that I didn't think about it since i thought it was kind of marijuana reduced energy thing.
I do 20 mins. DM twice a day. During the sessions, sometimes I get some light energy movements, sometimes silent moments, sometimes sleep with some kind of dreams, sometimes peace etc. But in one of my sessions, It came up my mind what I described above, I realized again there is tension in my body, in some muscles, so I let it go again totally while the mantra was going on. And i get the same experience. I stopped it again as i was afraid:) after that i felt very energetic and alive like i never felt before after my usual DM sessions. I usually feel peaceful and quiet but that was different. I was more alive.
I did some research on web and found out that what i was doing by letting go totally is actually the process of Savasana and its experiences are same like i had.
And lately i discovered that during my 5mins SBP, same letting go makes me have some similar experiences.
So all of these pieces now make me think;
1 - If this kind of total body letting go is something i should do during my DM?
2 - If i should keep my current way of DM and add this savasana procedure somewhere in my practice routine?
3 - This total letting go needs my attention to see whether there is tension or not, so then is this something wrong because it keeps me away from just favoring the mantra?
4 - If this energy and silent are two different things and DM is not to feel energy but silence?
5 - If i should at least apply this total body letting go during SBP?
Please advice me on these questions and tell me how is your body state during sessions?
Thank you all in advance
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2010 : 5:40:16 PM
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Well Kaserdar, I can tell you that you are experiencing the energetic effects of prana in your body.
Letting go in Savasana, or any position for that matter, allows your true nature to come forth. Initially, this may be uncomfortable, but eventually you will be accustomed to the level of energy and you will not notice it any longer.
Meditative focus in DM is only part of the whole. I do not practice AYP method per se, my practice is self inspired, and it has only been natural for me to combine asanas, meditation and "letting go"/savasana as a practice. Any of these things alone is good, but all three together is phenomenal.
Tense muscles block the prana from flowing. The tension is an intention of your subconscious mind, used to stave off powerful emotions, fear and other undesirable feelings that would arise when the energy moves through unimpeded. It is a product of your subconscious holding back, when in fact progress is made by letting go.
It is likely that there are many tense muscles in your body that you are not even aware of. My suggestion is to pursue this course of action but to keep the AYP advice of self-pacing in mind.
May i ask you which muscles you are tensing? |
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kaserdar
91 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2010 : 08:03:33 AM
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Hello tonightsthenight,
I think I'm experiencing two different kinds of muscle tensing during my DM sessions. One kind happens in particular areas in body and its mostly in my left leg and in my neck. I can describe the other one like, imagine that you are watching a movie carefully or listening to a song with attention, what happens is breath slows down, some energy built up in body and you are like more "body", you are like more holding it. So this what mostly happens to me during my DM sessions. Maybe it's wrong saying this tensed muscles but this body state completely opposite to what i experience when i let go my body in savasana style.
So now i'm trying to figure out if DM should be like this savasana kind letting go while mantra going on.
Thank you
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2010 : 08:42:55 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by kaserdar
So all of these pieces now make me think;
1 - If this kind of total body letting go is something i should do during my DM?
2 - If i should keep my current way of DM and add this savasana procedure somewhere in my practice routine?
3 - This total letting go needs my attention to see whether there is tension or not, so then is this something wrong because it keeps me away from just favoring the mantra?
4 - If this energy and silent are two different things and DM is not to feel energy but silence?
5 - If i should at least apply this total body letting go during SBP?
If this happens naturally during DM(deep meditation) and/or SpB (spinal breathing)... then go with it... if you are making it happen consciously (your point#3 above), then you are adding a step to DM that is not in the process. This will dilute the effectiveness of your practice.
If you want to practice shavasana, do it during the rest period after DM and SpB, but during DM and SpB stick to the process described in the lessons.
I hope this helps.
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Jun 10 2010 : 11:46:52 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by kaserdar
Hello tonightsthenight,
I think I'm experiencing two different kinds of muscle tensing during my DM sessions. One kind happens in particular areas in body and its mostly in my left leg and in my neck. I can describe the other one like, imagine that you are watching a movie carefully or listening to a song with attention, what happens is breath slows down, some energy built up in body and you are like more "body", you are like more holding it. So this what mostly happens to me during my DM sessions. Maybe it's wrong saying this tensed muscles but this body state completely opposite to what i experience when i let go my body in savasana style.
So now i'm trying to figure out if DM should be like this savasana kind letting go while mantra going on.
Thank you
I think I understand.
Let me say that you can choose to listen to my advice, or ignore it. Other posters, such as Shanti, would have you follow the "rules" of AYP and nothing more. And to their credit, that advice makes a lot of sense for a lot of people because "experimenting" is risky. Yogani has developed AYP has a safe and trusted alternative to getting lost in the murky depths of the spiritual road.
Regarding you muscular tension, i have this to say:
The first type of tension is easily let go with good practice.
The second type of tension is there but it is much more subtle, and seemingly out of reach of your conscious mind. This tension may be a response to pranic energy. I've found that it can be accentuated when you are anticipating pranic events or if you are studying them too closely.
It is true that this tension will come forth as more and more energy is introduced. Let it.
You are accustomed to making small muscular movements while expressing mindstates or emotional states... for instance curiosity, interest, fear, wonder, amazement, etc... that are imperceivable to an outside observer because they are so minor, and indeed they are very difficult to perceive even by yourself. A location I've had some difficulty with is the tiny muscles below the occipital region of the cranium.
These minute muscular contractions are probably methods by which your body manipulates prana. When more energy is introduced, it can make these muscular contractions stronger.
This is only natural. Your body will resist the change being introduced, but eventually it will accept it.
I suggest letting this happen, and when you are able, observe exactly which muscles are contracting. When you observe, you will be able to relax. This will be a process that could take months and months. I definitely recommend savasana in addition to seated meditation in order to fully let go.
I prefer activity (asana, qi gong, stretching, pranayama) first, and then seated meditation, and finally savasana. You should do what feels natural.
The higher the energy load, the more intense the muscular contractions will be. The reason why "god" can't just do whatever and enlighten people instantaneously all over the place is because the actual process of enlightenment will cause the opposite effect in individuals that are not ready to evolve. And that is true even in people who are already "enlightened" when they are moving on to the next stage of growth. Surrender, surrender, surrender. The advantage of Savasana is that it allows one to surrender and to act out death, thereby facilitating inner rebirth.
Maybe you could explain what level of energy you have within, on a scale of 1-10. Can you feel prana like you can feel a table? Or is it a much more subtle feeling?
I hope this helps!
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kaserdar
91 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2010 : 06:44:39 AM
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Thanks both of you for your responses. Ill be adding savasana to my daily routine and practice letting go with it.
Sorry tonightsthenight because i'm not able to tell what energy level i have. It just seems to be always there whenever I relax my body. |
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Akasha
421 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2010 : 08:13:57 AM
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Hi tonightisthenight,
quote:
tense muscles block the prana from flowing
I would say blockages in the prana/pranic body manifest symptom-wise typically as tight muscles,i.e in the physical body.
quote:
These minute muscular contractions are probably methods by which your body manipulates prana. When more energy is introduced, it can make these muscular contractions stronger.
I agree with you although i think it is the balance of energy(imbalance mitigating , causing contraction) and the energy that is causing the muscular contraction, not the other way around.Pranamayakosha is the sheath within anandamayakosha and directly influences it, although you can access the former through the latter through ,yes, bandhas & mudras and asanas.
So it is not the amount so much of energy ( although that conceivably i'm guessing might caue a certain restlesness or even frenzy) that is mitigating contractions but the internal dynamics, the presence of imbalance in the pranic body.And thereofre imabalnce in the physical body.The outemost koshas being dependent on the inner-most all the way to Pure Bliss Consciousness,not the other way around..
The efficacy of the AYP approach is it starts you off from the deepest end with a (pretty) straightforward & effective technique DM,although as long as we don't force the mantra, never chase it or hold onto it,be it the mantra or any particular pronunciation/level of fuzziness.Let it do the work of deep unconcious clearing.Simply favour it.
I also agree with you that Yogani has laid out a very intelligent ,clear & straightforward road-map to prevent you getting completely lost in the spiritual field.
P.S -Relative to the topic of this thread, asavasan, other relaxtion practices and/or yoga nidra(non-ayp suggestion) might help.I know there's Cosmic Samyama practice though my reading of the lessons is that that this is a potentially a more potent practices you add on the end after getting established and familiar, comfortable etc for some time with the core AYP baseline,DM & SBP.
I will add here- that i don't know if experimenting is necessarily risky unless you are a total neophyte who is completely uninformed about the concept of kundalini etc -it's dynamics scientifically,appreciate it.. To me it is ibviously the self-apcing rule that if not followed is without doubt risky. Also depending on your sensitivties it more likely intoroducing compleely foreign practcies may have alot less effect than ones that have been cultured or doubling up. & combning.
I think if you've made a few collossal or gargantuan blunders comparitiviely early on in in your path,or at any stage, then you've learnt a food good hard lessons.
Enjoy your practices!!
Awee tip here is to do a body-scan/conscious relaxation at wil and relaxation pratices or mini-yoga-nidra before sitting.Or if you cannot sit just do it in a chair.The main thing is youare as relaxed as is possible and comfortable.Practices don't or need'nt have to be a chore or be more difficult than they have to be..A relaxation component can really helps prepare the mind for sitting if the body suffers from tension. |
Edited by - Akasha on Jun 16 2010 08:23:06 AM |
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2010 : 12:01:24 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Akasha
Hi tonightisthenight,
quote:
tense muscles block the prana from flowing
I would say blockages in the prana/pranic body manifest symptom-wise typically as tight muscles,i.e in the physical body.
quote:
These minute muscular contractions are probably methods by which your body manipulates prana. When more energy is introduced, it can make these muscular contractions stronger.
I agree with you although i think it is the balance of energy(imbalance mitigating , causing contraction) and the energy that is causing the muscular contraction, not the other way around.Pranamayakosha is the sheath within anandamayakosha and directly influences it, although you can access the former through the latter through ,yes, bandhas & mudras and asanas.
Akasha,
i think we're in accord. I probably just got too carried away on one thought process.
Because it is true that manipulating the dense, physical aspects of ourselves affects our more subtle aspects, i believe it is not incorrect to say that the muscles affect prana. Of course, it goes the other way around as well, as prana affects our muscles!
Within a paradigm of above, middle and below (or positive, neutral and negative, if you like), a cycle can be seen to exist wherein actions from above change what is below, but as well, actions from below can change what is above.
For example, if this is not true (that physical problems can create pranic disturbances), then a man that sits in a chair at a computer and develops nervous and muscular problems (eg carpal tunnel, thoracic outlet syn) would not suffer pranic problems because of his chronic anatomic imbalance.
This man's imbalance can be created solely from manipulating a tool with his hand (eg the mouse), which cannot be blamed upon some emotional or egoic problem. Hence, the physical problem begets a pranic problem.
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DM, total body letting go and savasana
