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Ajita
Netherlands
19 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 05 2006 : 2:51:24 PM
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Namaste Shanti and Yogani,
Maybe I can explain "my" Samyama here because it can be understood as linked to Yogani's. If you doubt you can post elsewhere.
Alongside Yoga practice and study (since 1963), one day, some years ago, I was reading Alice Baily's "New Psychology", somewhere in the beginning. There was suddenly a description which hit me like thunder.
That was the start of my understanding of Samyama and was followed by many revelations, describing the operation of Samyama in details.
The 3 parts of Samyama, consisting of concentration (Dharana), meditation (Dhyana) and contemplation (Samadhi) at the same time, became indeed the original concept of what we call today "prayer".
To have succes one must beforehand have practiced Nirbija Samadhi to fill the Samadhi part. Practically I refer to the (fuzzy?) feeling of the presence of one's own mother, not the image, but only the feeling. This can be seen as a rather rude implementation of Selfrealization, which is feeling one's own reach of one's total energy field.
To have succes one must beforehand realise "God" to fill the Dhyana part. However most people have not
met or heard God speaking to them. So practically I usually propose to remember the milky way or the sun as a substitute. That works also.
To have success one must at the same time, together with both other parts, concentrate upon one of the 30 different objects proposed by Patanjali to fill the Dharana part. Here there are no problems except the right understanding of what that object means.
The practice of Samyama becomes an amazing exercise of building an energy triangle between the 3 worlds, the causal (crown cakra), the subtle (forehead cakra) and the gross body (5 lower cakra's). So what? Well, that is something one never has done. Why should you do that? Well, if you desire to bring heaven into earth you can do it. It works, and indeed is the base of magic. Phenomenal powers are disclosed in your being. But these are less interesting as the transformation of your being into something divine, I dare to say.
Let me give an example: Samyama upon the throat. Pay attention, it is not the cakra, it is the physical throat!
Start with concentration and meditation. Take your time, let us say at least 30 to 45 minutes before reaching the total quietness, thoughtlessness of meditation. Then, remember the presence of your loving mother and feel it in a very subtle way as always being there. Then, remember the image of the milky way or the sun, quietly but as exactly as possible. Then, focus upon your throat.
In the beginning the process will be difficult to link each time again those 3 very different elements. Repeating it again and again however will ease slowly the process. Go on. Only when you succeed in building a smooth triangle of white light the operation will really start. The more time you can hold the triangle of light the more you will channel divine energy into your throat. The operation can be seen as complete when you do not feel thirsty or hungry anymore, as Patanjali says.
Especially the gross matter of ether (sound) has become harmonious, like never before because this was a divine "washing"!
You can imagine that performing this Samyama technique upon the other 29 parts of your being will make you totally clean and as new, beautiful and wise, as you are meant to be. Enlightenment it is called.
Your questions are welcome.
Yours friendly,
Shri Yogacharya Ajita |
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yogani
USA
5241 Posts |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Mar 05 2006 : 5:17:41 PM
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| This is a new concept for me. So you will have to explain a little more.. are you overlapping the 3 or are you keeping them distinct in order to form a triangle? |
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Ajita
Netherlands
19 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2006 : 04:02:15 AM
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Dear Shanti,
In the beginning the 3 elements of Samyama are distinct and your attention jumps from one to the other. But by doing this many, many times again the 3 elements start to melt with each other, until they become one single process.
Yours friendly,
Shri Yogacharya Ajita |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2006 : 07:38:33 AM
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| Thank you for sharing. |
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Lili
Netherlands
372 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2006 : 11:54:53 AM
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Dear Ajita,
Your method is interesting but these 40 minutes of preparation+actual practice sound quite demanding. To make sure that I got it the practice consists of imagining a triangle of light at the level of your throat for a long time. Is that right? |
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2006 : 12:04:36 PM
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| Hello Ajita - What you have described is similar to something which happens to me spontaneously when I meditate. I become aware of a triangle of energy which connects my throat, heart, and right palm. When it comes to my awareness I allow it to take me deeper into meditation, and as you describe, the 3 seem to melt into each other into a single unit of energy. It becomes very intense and it may be correct to say that the triangle channels more energy into my system. I'm not sure what to call it - maybe Meg's Peculiar Triangle - but I don't think that it is samyama, as thoughts (remembering) are not involved, and indeed would probably bring the whole thing to a halt. |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Mar 06 2006 : 10:57:06 PM
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here's one translation of how Patanjali says it:
1) Dharana is the mind's fixation on a particular point in space.
2) In that Dharana the continuous flow of similar mental modifications is called Dhyana or
meditation.
3) When the object of meditation only shines forth in the mind, as though devoid of the thought of even the self (who is meditating), then that state is called Samadha or concentration.
4) the three together on the same object is called Samyama.
i have done a lot of pondering of what "similar mental modifications" means. I think it is simply stopping the inner dialog. So when your mind is on the mantra only without thoughts,
it would be a continuous flow of similar mental modifications. |
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Ajita
Netherlands
19 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2006 : 04:38:23 AM
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Dear Lili,
For sure this is quite demanding. To reach meditation only is a matter of years. But the stilness you acquire from that will permit you to perform successfully Samadhi and later Samyama.
The triangle of light you build is not on the level of the throat, but the throat (Dharana) is one of the 3 points of the triangle. The two other points are the feeling of the presence of your mother (Samadhi) and the memory of the god realisation, milky way or sun as you like (Dhyana).
Yours friendly,
Shri Yogacharya Ajita |
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Ajita
Netherlands
19 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2006 : 09:52:02 AM
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Dear Meg,
Your description of a triangle of energy which connects your throat, heart, and right palm, is not a Samyama because it only concerns elements of the physical world. Only a link between the gross, subtle and causal world can make a Samyama.
Yours friendly,
Shri Yogacharya Ajita |
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2006 : 10:24:19 AM
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| Hello Ajita - Okay, thanks for that clarification. I suspected that the only resemblance between my experience and the one you offer was the triangle. BTW, on the subject of samadhi - I've never come across any writings which liken it to the presence of one's mother. That wouldn't work for a lot of people! :) You have also used the words 'fuzzy' and 'loving' in connection to samadhi, which I find limiting, as samadhi is vast and void of the sentimentality that is evoked here. But I haven't tried your technique yet, so maybe it's my view that is limiting. |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2006 : 10:40:58 AM
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Hi Meg,
while hopefully most of our mothers are not, getting anything close to precise agreement on the meaning of Samadhi is definitely a b1tch.  .
One of the best things we can do is be very clear that language is just language. There is one samadhi-the-word, but there are many different things meant by it. It is so, so easy to be talking at cross-purposes with someone else about samadhi because the two people are working from different meanings and assumptions.
That would be one of the problems about crossing traditions and schools.
I think Yogani has spotted this trap. That might be why he is talking very little about Samadhi. 
Ajita, I appreciate your posts. Thankyou for taking the time to write. It's very interesting to hear about these different approaches -- and to see the different use of language too, because this 'samyama' practice is very different to that of Yogani and others.
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Edited by - david_obsidian on Mar 07 2006 10:45:55 AM |
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Ajita
Netherlands
19 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2006 : 04:52:36 AM
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Dear Meg,
You state that Samadhi is vast and void of sentimentality.
To be precise Samadhi, meaning something like "state of higher consciousness", is divided in two parts: Sabija and Nirbija, which means "with seed" and "without seed". The word Bija or seed refers to the seed of a thougth, which is a mood or feeling.
In Sabija Samadhi there are 4 different exercices: Vitarka Samadhi, Vicara Samadhi, Ananda Samadhi and Asmita Samadhi. These exercices are still dualistic. Vitarka is the contemplation of your thought process, Vicara of your ecstasy, Ananda of your love and Asmita of your state of being. These Samadhi's build the road for the highest exercice of Yoga, Nirbija Samadhi, that indeed is vast and void of sentimentality.
The Samyama method I propose you is using a familiar feeling from the realm of Ananda Samadhi to help you reach easily the state of higher consciousness. Once there, and building the triangle, you will slowly loose all feelings and come to emptiness.
All what I explain you is based upon my study of the "Yoga Sutra's of Patanjali" which is the fundamental part of my teachings since 1984. For more information see www.raja-yoga.org
Yours friendly,
Shri Yogacharya Ajita |
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Ajita
Netherlands
19 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2006 : 05:00:03 AM
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Dear David Obsidian,
Thank you for your appreciation. It is a pleasure for me to help clarify somewhat the path of Yoga for all seekers of truth. And you are right, words are very limiting here to explain fully the content of the subject.
The language I use the most is Dutch and my mother language is French. So, forgive me also my bad English.
Yours friendly,
Shri Yogacharya Ajita |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2006 : 08:28:14 AM
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| Your english is very good. Our language makes it difficult to explain these things because it is not based upon spirituality. |
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2006 : 09:52:39 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Ajita
You state that Samadhi is vast and void of sentimentality.
To be precise Samadhi, meaning something like "state of higher consciousness", is divided in two parts: Sabija and Nirbija, which means "with seed" and "without seed". The word Bija or seed refers to the seed of a thougth, which is a mood or feeling.
Thanks, Ajita. There are so many experiences of samadhi that it truly defies description - like trying to describe chocolate. Best to just eat some. :) But thanks for your helpful explanation. I haven't seen samadhi broken down into those terms. |
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Ajita's Method of Samyama
