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wisya
United Kingdom
27 Posts |
 Posted - May 30 2011 : 10:39:49 AM
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Hi folks. Can I please ask a little advice. I am having a problem with the I am mantra. I've been practicing since joining this wonderful group but it just doesn't feel natural to me if that makes any sense. I always used to use the so hum technique which works very well for me. Because i did the so hum/hong sau techique for so long i think i now get a conditioned response effect. It works so well i can feel myself going from the first breath. Because of the problem with the I am mantra I have slightly adapted the so hum technique. What I do is this.
Sync breath with mantra with attention on the nostrils.
Move attention to bridge of the nose
Move attention to ajna centre
Continue until I get brief breath suspensions
Now this is where I change it. Once I reach this level I uncouple the breath from mantra by slowing down the mantra speed. From this point on, so hum becomes the normal japa mantra and this system works well for me. From this point on I seem to get long breath suspensions and I'm going deeper all the time.
Can you good people see any problem with this approach? I've bought the ayp book and would like to follow it through. If I don't use the I am mantra will this hold up my development in the future? If you people advise I stick to i am, then stick to I am I will!
My other question is this. No matter if I use the I am or so hum mantra, after a while it becomes two tone. The second syllable being exactly an octave below the other. This feels natural and easy. Does this matter?
The one thing I haven't tried is the above technique but using the I am mantra. I want to settle on one good technique that works and stick to it for good.
Thanks for all your help as usual |
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Yaming
Switzerland
112 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2011 : 11:39:05 AM
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Hi wisya,
I don't know much about Kriya yoga (to my knowledge the hum sau is used there). If it works for you why not keep it?
If you want to do ayp you don't need to do anything with your mind. No traveling around no activities. Just the simple repeating of the mantra, losing it and coming back.
Since you have done the hum sau for a while, it might take you a few months to adjust to the simple procedure of deep meditation. I did some breath meditation for 1.5 years before ayp and it took me like 2 months to get a solid hang on the ayp meditation (till the connection of mind-breath-mantra disapeared naturally).
It is up to you on which path you want to travel.  |
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Medea
Netherlands
115 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2011 : 04:52:46 AM
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Hi Wisya,
quote:
Originally posted by wisya
Can you good people see any problem with this approach? I've bought the ayp book and would like to follow it through. If I don't use the I am mantra will this hold up my development in the future? If you people advise I stick to i am, then stick to I am I will!
This question can only be answered by someone who has experimented extensively with both mantras. But here's my take: the mantra doesn't feel instantly natural to you. Yogani calls this "the clunky phase". It's normal and is experienced my most when adding a new practice. On top of that you are already accustomed to another mantra. My advise would be to give the I AM mantra some time (two months at least).
The vibrational qualities of the I AM mantra will set a lot in motion, if you give it some time. The HUM SAU mantra will have different effects, because it has different vibrational qualities. I'm not saying one is better than the other, they're different and hence the effect of the latter can not be predicted by AYP.
Second thing is that you're method of mediation is also different from AYP deep meditation. AYP-DM is just repeating the mantra, and picking it up again when we realised we lost it. That's it. We don't let attention sit anywhere in the body purposefully (except when the solar enhancement is practised).
quote:
Originally posted by wisya
My other question is this. No matter if I use the I am or so hum mantra, after a while it becomes two tone. The second syllable being exactly an octave below the other. This feels natural and easy. Does this matter?
I don't think that's a problem. When the mantra becomes fuzzier over time, this will fade as well.
quote:
Originally posted by wisya
I want to settle on one good technique that works and stick to it for good.
I can personally attest that AYP deep meditation with the I AM mantra did it for me. I know there are lot's of others who will say the same. Mixing it with other techniques didn't work for me. It seemed to water things down a bit.
Of course, AYP is not a dogmatic approach, and you can take what you want to supplement your own practice. The thing is that the effects of such a mixed practice have to be experienced by yourself :) It's nearly impossible to give predictions on it's effectiveness.
Wisya, I hope you will find what you are looking for. Many blessings!
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2011 : 07:58:12 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by wisya
Hi folks. Can I please ask a little advice. I am having a problem with the I am mantra. I've been practicing since joining this wonderful group but it just doesn't feel natural to me if that makes any sense. I always used to use the so hum technique which works very well for me. Because i did the so hum/hong sau techique for so long i think i now get a conditioned response effect. It works so well i can feel myself going from the first breath. Because of the problem with the I am mantra I have slightly adapted the so hum technique. What I do is this.
Sync breath with mantra with attention on the nostrils.
Move attention to bridge of the nose
Move attention to ajna centre
Continue until I get brief breath suspensions
Now this is where I change it. Once I reach this level I uncouple the breath from mantra by slowing down the mantra speed. From this point on, so hum becomes the normal japa mantra and this system works well for me. From this point on I seem to get long breath suspensions and I'm going deeper all the time.
Can you good people see any problem with this approach? I've bought the ayp book and would like to follow it through. If I don't use the I am mantra will this hold up my development in the future? If you people advise I stick to i am, then stick to I am I will!
My other question is this. No matter if I use the I am or so hum mantra, after a while it becomes two tone. The second syllable being exactly an octave below the other. This feels natural and easy. Does this matter?
The one thing I haven't tried is the above technique but using the I am mantra. I want to settle on one good technique that works and stick to it for good.
Thanks for all your help as usual
Welcome to the AYP forums, Wisya!!!
Medea, has given you a very good reply.
What you have described above is not the AYP deep meditation technique.
Here are the instructions for AYP deep meditation.
http://www.aypsite.org/13.html
Here is how we will use it:
Find a quiet, comfortable place where you can sit, preferably with back support. We want to remove unnecessary distractions. Just sit and relax somewhere where you can close your eyes for twenty minutes without interruptions.
Once you have gotten comfortable, slowly close your eyes. You will notice thoughts, streams of thoughts. That is fine. Just observe them without minding them. After about a minute, gently introduce the thought …I AM… and begin to repeat it easily and effortlessly in your mind. If your mind wanders off into other thoughts, you will eventually realize this has happened. Don't be concerned about it. It is natural. When you realize you are not repeating the mantra, gently go back to it. This is all you have to do. Easily repeat the mantra silently inside. When you realize you are not thinking it, then easily come back to it. The goal is not to stay on it. The goal is to follow the simple procedure of thinking the mantra, losing it, and coming back to it when you find you have lost it. Do not resist if the mantra tends to become less distinct. Thinking the mantra does not have to be with clear pronunciation. I AM can be experienced at many levels in your mind and nervous system. When you come back to it, come back to a level that is comfortable, not straining for either a clear or fuzzy pronunciation.
Do this procedure for twenty minutes, and, then, with your eyes closed, take a few minutes to rest before you get up.
If so hum/hong sau technique works for you, then stay with that and keep AYP as a "food for thought".
If you do want to try AYP, consciously unlearn the so hum/hong sau technique. So any time you realize you are following your breath, locating the mantra, doing some other mantra... gently go back to repeating "i am" in your mind. At some point you will lose it and be back to your old technique... or be lost in thoughts... any time you realize this, come back to the AYP technique.
The point is, in AYP, we are not trying to feel bliss and peace during meditation, we just follow the procedure... and this results in feeling the bliss and peace in our ever day life. During meditation we are stirring up the mud in the water with the mantra and the constant coming back to the mantra... we are not settling into the peace... if it happens naturally, that is fine, but if we realize, if we get conscious we have settled into the peace, we come back to the mantra, at whatever level it may be... if its really faint, that is fine too. Then during the day we allow the mud to settles down and we feel the clarity.
Hope this helps. |
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wisya
United Kingdom
27 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 03:30:00 AM
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Thanks folks for your answers. I had a wonderful session this morning using I am so looks like a little practice is required.
Love&Peace |
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AYPforum
351 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2011 : 12:43:18 AM
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| Moderator note: Topic moved for better placement |
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Stillpool
USA
39 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 11:23:11 AM
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Shanti said:
"The point is, in AYP, we are not trying to feel bliss and peace during meditation, we just follow the procedure... and this results in feeling the bliss and peace in our ever day life. During meditation we are stirring up the mud in the water with the mantra and the constant coming back to the mantra... we are not settling into the peace... if it happens naturally, that is fine, but if we realize, if we get conscious we have settled into the peace, we come back to the mantra, at whatever level it may be... if its really faint, that is fine too. Then during the day we allow the mud to settles down and we feel the clarity."
Shanti,
Thank you for this beautiful description of practice. I am thinking about beginning AYP DM and this descrpition offers a lot of clarity to what is actually happening during and after meditation. Thanks again!
Stillpool |
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Mantra stuff and problems
