Stillness and Levels of Consciousness

[flying squirrel]

i do believe we r making strides in the our spiritual development but we never know how detached we r until exposed to a youthful body or to a lot of wealth. So in the mean time it is best to remain humble and somewhat open to the fact that we often face circumstances and people that will expose us to making adjustments to our attitudes.Just about the time we think we r above certain behaviors and attachments we r exposed to them.

J

hey brother J ! 

so a youthful body and a lot of wealth = temptation

toss the idea of detachment out the window ! 

overrated idea anyways

[guest88]

hell yeah brother squirrel  heh heh heh
wtf i love pizza and pizza loves me
yo
<3   

i love you guys
ps
all paths lead to the one ? 

one, wwhhhattttttt ?

hehheh  PEACE

love
lustful temptations 

[yoshi]

Anyhow getting back to the theme here. It is easy to profess detachment to the body when we r in ill health or lost our physical prowess. Similarly it is easy to profess detachment from money when we do not have any. i do believe we r making strides in the our spiritual development but we never know how detached we r until exposed to a youthful body or to a lot of wealth. So in the mean time it is best to remain humble and somewhat open to the fact that we often face circumstances and people that will expose us to making adjustments to our attitudes.Just about the time we think we r above certain behaviors and attachments we r exposed to them.

j

monks and nuns are seperated for the most part...tempation...but there are times when they are co-exist.  most alcholics avoid bars.

sex is not a sin...neither is alcohol...however they can easily lead to it,,, become over balanced....do them in excess and they can lead the consciousness away from god.

however...it is quite impossible to totally avoid the opposite sex / alcohol unless one is a hermit.

temptations will always present themselves to us so we must use our will to overcome them....or live as hermits !  

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

hell yeah brother squirrel  heh heh heh
wtf i love pizza and pizza loves me
yo
<3   

i love you guys
ps
all paths lead to the one ? 

one, wwhhhattttttt ?

hehheh  PEACE

love
lustful temptations 

*******smile******** We love u too especially your honesty!

Steve Hydonus

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

the word Love is used so much, that context of words and story around the word love shifts the meaning all the way from: Carnal Sensual Lust  to Divine Mercy Compassions  to Transcendent God.  and all kinds of stuff in-between.    I love pizza, but it doesn't love me.    I Love the sunrise, does it love me ?

We may observe what portions of the aparatus (body, mind, spirit) are at play in our experiences to help discern.   
i.e. - How much is the Emotional Glands and Biological Chemicals ?   
i.e. - How much is the Emotional Mind Energy aparatus -- the thought stuff condensed and knoted into Energy?   

There are themes similar in the word Devotion, but I'm afraid this little one has not time to move that direction.

************
Either way, we should be honest that Sexual Organs exist, and that as a gland, and as one of our Centers of Energy... we must find harmony with that portion...
Yes, there is a capacity for Sexual Healing... (via Sexual Act or other less sexual acts)... 
but there is also a capacity to be lost as the moth to the flame into the sensual aparatus,
and generally, if we are honest with ourselves, the (sensual gross physical aparatus senses) requires no refinement to experience...
and these outward gross physical actions, have potential to magnetize the yogi to that less transcendent nucleus.   Consider it is not an absolute, but it should be honestly observed, and considered as a yogi.

Not good or bad, it simply "is"...? 
What seems necessary is to understand the potentials when dealing with the physical expressions...   
Do not confuse an expression for the essense, and be honest...
If we feel it is our path to express physically, then this may be fine...
likewise, we need similar compassion of each other, so we not act as the tempting flame (to each others moth senses)?  ha!   

Cheers,
--------- namaste2All

'This sexual desire in its normal state makes man quite free from all disturbing lusts, and operates on the organism (awakening a wish for appeasement) only infrequently. Here again experiment shows that this desire, like all other desires, is always normal in individuals who lead a natural life as mentioned.'~Sri Yukteswar

"the (sensual gross physical aparatus senses) requires no refinement to experience... Nomaste2all"

Nomaste the physical aparatus certainly could be given much refinement. For those on the spiritual path it is given refinement and brought to a higher level of consciousness.

Jitendra

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

i do believe we r making strides in the our spiritual development but we never know how detached we r until exposed to a youthful body or to a lot of wealth. So in the mean time it is best to remain humble and somewhat open to the fact that we often face circumstances and people that will expose us to making adjustments to our attitudes.Just about the time we think we r above certain behaviors and attachments we r exposed to them.

J

hey brother J ! 

so a youthful body and a lot of wealth = temptation

toss the idea of detachment out the window ! 

overrated idea anyways

Yes Brother Squirrel some of might b much more fortunate then we think not having sooo much. It can easily add to our burdens and misery. It takes a lot of discrimination to recognize what we are faced with.

J

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

will have to come out to forum and read this thread... wanted to stop in and let my energy arise with all of my soul searching forum friend... where the energy is there is the consciousness...  (smiles).

Of transcendence states....

there arises a potential shift in the configuration of the yogi devotee,
whereupon the magnetic tendency
draws yogi into a center or nucleus not just shifted (as to where the nucleus' energy is flowing),
but rather we may consider as the Final Truth arises, yogi arises upon entirely different aparatus of sorts -- this becoming Reality...    

there arises a point upon which yogi is not simply tuning "substance" as particle - upon which Light reflects...  
but that yogi arises into transcendent sphere whereupon Light "is"...

Considering this Being state of Light "is",...
yogi arises unto Sphere where "substance" is acting as wave...
the particle and wave are of the same essential substance...
it is rather that the particle and wave are simply the potenial modes...
*(although note that the wave is the more sustaining, more sublime than the particle.)  

Further (or next transcendency of substance) is that the wave arises to elongate - such that the wave begins to overlap onto waves of other nucleus...    
then there is only Flow, only Light...  not reflecting but Being and Merging as Light...
individual identity becomes more or less released in the potentiality of flowing substance of elongated, over-lapping waves.    

The interesting key is that the potential of substance or nucleus (of Being and Doing) is not lost of the capacity for individuation,
only that the capacity for expression of substance,
of ExistenceConsciousnessBliss is less constrained.    
There needn't be any fear of being lost, although words do not suffice.

Om Namah Atmanae (perhaps suffice) -- smiles.

************
the concept of particle to wave to elongated wave, is borrowed from modern science -- see Bose-Einstein Condensate -- and/or the NOVA TV Series, "Hunting Absolute Zero".    It is not a direct corrolary, but seems useful to articulate the theme.  I sense there will be some few, but some, that may comprehend the message herein... it (this corralary of Bose-Einstein Condensate) is a vehicle upon which perhaps the cognitive mind may have a reference, and therefore, yogi may still that Manas cognitive mind and move fuller into expanded Mind (Buddhi, etc.)

***********

Nomaste i found this article on the internet to better understand your comments here. This theory (Bose-Einstein Condensate) appears to coincide with your idea of a flock and identifying with a larger principle or reality that happens between groups of similarly minded souls. Also the idea of a cooling principle is analogous to the cooling of the physical apparatus that you mention from time to time based on what may be taken out of The Holy Science. i often 'see' a growing number of us like the clouds that merge with one another. The expression of substance being less constrained; wave overlapping into mergence and understanding as well as expanded consciousness. Thanks for your contributions...

Jitendra

Bose-Einstein Condensates
     Named for the theorists Satyendra Nath Bose and Albert Einstein who predicted its existence, a Bose-Einstein condensate is an unusual state of matter that arises because of quantum mechanical effects on a collection of entities called bosons.
     Everything is either a boson or a fermion. The spin of an object determines whether it is a boson or a fermion. For more details, click here.
     The reason why is important to differentiate between bosons and fermions is that they have vastly different quantum mechanical behavior. Identical fermions cannot occupy the same place. This is called the Pauli exclusion principle. For example, you cannot put two electrons spinning in the same direction on top of one other. It is forbidden and never happens in nature. Bosons behave in almost the opposite way. They like to overlap.
     In quantum mechanics, the position of an object is uncertain. An object has a definite probability of being at any given point in space. This probability is encoded in what-is-called a wave function. It is like a "cloud" that tells you the probability that an object has a certain location. The object is more likely to be found in denser parts of the "cloud" and is less likely to be found in the less dense parts. If a region of space has no "cloud," then there is zero chance that the object is there.
     If one concentrates a large number of identical bosons in a small region, then it is possible for their wave functions to overlap so much that the bosons loose their identity. If a dozen clouds are well separated in the sky, then it is easy to determine where each one is. But if you look up and the 12 clouds have already joined to form one large cloud, it is no longer possible to tell which part comes from the original 12 clouds. A collection of bosons can do the same thing. When this happens, a Bose-Einstein condensate forms. This exotic state of matter is only possible at low temperatures. At high temperatures, the individual bosons not only have small wave functions but they move rapidly and fly apart. In summary, in a Bose-Einstein condensate, the individual bosons become indistinguishable.

[yoshi]

namaste2all......thank you.  this part was good to read....

yet even the yogi who may attain higher states of consciousness will also shift back into a lessor consciousness (until nirvakalpa samadhi states)....   

sometimes consciousness goes 'up and down'.....especially while in the process of letting go of ego / body consiousness....

sometimes we are in higher consciousness but maya gets a hold of us and brings us down....but the more we practice staying in the higher consciousness the more maya loses her grip....the higher we get more and more, the less and less maya affects us  <3<3<3

(((Love&Hugs&OM)))
yoshi

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

it's so simple though... so simple...   and ever more we look upon all of humanity, each individual human, and their qualities are known as not being seperate...  as the Hawiian Shaman told our Californian Redwood friend, Mark...  "and when I truly arose as Shaman, the moment was like this...  I was with one needing help, and it arose to me to ask inside myself -- what is it in me that is causing this in this person?"   

om namah atmanae

Thank u so very much for reminding me dear friend. i remember it well since i had the privilege of being there. It is interesting how it was something for both of us to remember..... Everything on the outside is expressing something on the inside. We always create our reality. When we feel that it is imposed upon us we loose connection with our True Self. We are always looking in the metaphorical mirror of our own consciousness in all our encounters of this school house called life.

J

[yoshi]

Yoshi,
there occurred for this little yogi recently one of those simplest calmness states... of transcendence, but not visionary... simply a clarity.
it arose a glimpse of Final Truth about the position of the Ego, of the Individuation -- that it needn't be extinguished to arise into Final Truth...
rather it is more like Yoganandaji relates (paraphrased), "and then I saw the little Ego floating in me".   

near this same timeframe -- had been in day long retreats weekends in row...  (you know how it is - sometimes the barriers dissappate and yogi permitted more moments for deepest sadhanna)...   

so it was like we may "pierce" of move "thru" the knot points -- arise...  yet we have not yet disolved the knot points.   And in many aspects, the knot points (of chakras) must be ever slightly able to be whirled back into motion to allow Divine to flow across spectrum of Being and Doing (into the human forms)...     words not express...   

it's so simple though... so simple...   and ever more we look upon all of humanity, each individual human, and their qualities are known as not being seperate...  as the Hawiian Shaman told our Californian Redwood friend, Mark...  "and when I truly arose as Shaman, the moment was like this...  I was with one needing help, and it arose to me to ask inside myself -- what is it in me that is causing this in this person?"   

om namah atmanae

maybe one could say that ego needs to b put into it's rightful place.  ego is a teacher....yes ?  god creates everything for a Purpose / Reason...

i believe when i state to 'rise above it'...i do not mean that it vanishes.....it is still there yet one is not attached to it   



 

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

Stillness is not just a physical. There is also an inner stillness. Get beyond thought and completely still the mind. Manay of us fill up the mind with years of techniques, prayers and affirmations but never get into the communion with God. Daya Amta has said: 'The consciousness is very alert but there is no restlessness thoughts on the lake of the mind.' 'To commune with God you cannot think about him~ Dr. Lewis Be absorbed in feeling God's presence in the spiritual eye~Bhaktananda It is not just the absence of thought but communion with God. In time we get behind the mind and beyond the thoughts.

How do we enter into the inner silence? Through the Gurus given techniques that a Master has given you. The first goal of meditation is to get to that inner stillness. God is the goal but the immediate goal is stillness. Become so focused on the techniques that there is no room for anything else. Just by watching the breath your breath will slow down. The mind and the breath are interrelated. The mind also slows down. With ever increasing attention there will be no room for thoughts. We do not achieve that inner state of pratyahara unless we still the mind.

However peace is not enough. We need to go deeper into the peace of silence. There is a tendency to get bored because nothing seems to be happening. We shouldn't let ourselves get this way. We have to realize that peace is the first step towards God's presence. The techniques are part of our duty. The peace is the grace of God. Paramahansa Yogananada said to be gently aware of the spiritual eye. If we use too much will or force the ego is getting in the way. There is a state between waking consciousness and  sleep where super consciousness lies. We cannot force our way into the stillness. we must relax into it. Strain and force never work. Be relaxed and patient.

Woody Allen once said life is 80% showing up and 20% just being there. All we have to do is show up and be there. In the stillness wait for God's response. 'In the stillness eventually comes the comes the different aspects of God.'~ Brother Anandamoy.

What do we do when the thoughts start invading the stillness? Don't fight them. By fighting them you are giving them energy. You just let them go. If you give them light and energy; you give them more power. When you see a lot of people on the street you don't run into them. Instead you walk in between them. You go by them. If you do not put attention on the for ground then eventually the background manifests. Brother Baktananda said to 'squint the eyes a bit and talk to the mind. Tell the mind to relax and be still.' When you think about it the only purpose of the mind is to get beyond it...... to be continued.

Inspirations from a talk by Brother Ishtananda


 

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

The purpose of meditation is to still the mind. It is a topic that is vital for those who are trying to meditate. Getting the mind still is a lofty goal. Just remind ourselves it is a lofty goal if we get discouraged. Brother Anandamoy was afraid to stress the stillness because people might get discouraged with meditation. We must not let ourselves get into this DGS syndrome. That is: Devotee Guilt Syndrome. It consists of thinking; I wasn't able to get into the stillness. I must not be a good devotee.

What constitutes stillness? Daya Mata said that the consciousness is very alert but there are no thoughts on the lake of the mind. There is no thinking, no chanting and no praying in this state. It is not just an empty state but there is communion with God. It is a high state of consciousness.

The nature of creation is restlessness. 'For those who find communion with God find entrance into silence.'~P.Y. 

These are some points to remember;

1.The goal of life is God. The immediate goal is peace.

2.God has created a world of delusion. He realizes this and he has also given us a way out; by stillness.  The purpose of the techniques is stillness. All the confusion in the world is in the mind.

3. Always build into the routine of meditation practice a period of stillness. A time we devote to being still.

4. The results of meditation we must surrender to God. The greater the perfection the soul aspires for; the more it is dependent on divine grace.

 

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

Stillness is not just a physical. There is also an inner stillness. Get beyond thought and completely still the mind. Many of us fill up the mind with years of techniques, prayers and affirmations but never get into the communion with God. Daya Amta has said: 'The consciousness is very alert but there is no restlessness thoughts on the lake of the mind.' 'To commune with God you cannot think about him~ Dr. Lewis Be absorbed in feeling God's presence in the spiritual eye~Bhaktananda It is not just the absence of thought but communion with God. In time we get behind the mind and beyond the thoughts.

How do we enter into the inner silence? Through the Gurus given techniques that a Master has given you. The first goal of meditation is to get to that inner stillness. God is the goal but the immediate goal is stillness. Become so focused on the techniques that there is no room for anything else. Just by watching the breath your breath will slow down. The mind and the breath are interrelated. The mind also slows down. With ever increasing attention there will be no room for thoughts. We do not achieve that inner state of pratyahara unless we still the mind.

However peace is not enough. We need to go deeper into the peace of silence. There is a tendency to get bored because nothing seems to be happening. We shouldn't let ourselves get this way. We have to realize that peace is the first step towards God's presence. The techniques are part of our duty. The peace is the grace of God. Paramahansa Yogananada said to be gently aware of the spiritual eye. If we use too much will or force the ego is getting in the way. There is a state between waking consciousness and  sleep where super consciousness lies. We cannot force our way into the stillness. we must relax into it. Strain and force never work. Be relaxed and patient.

Woody Allen once said life is 80% showing up and 20% just being there. All we have to do is show up and be there. In the stillness wait for God's response. 'In the stillness eventually comes the comes the different aspects of God.'~ Brother Anandamoy.

What do we do when the thoughts start invading the stillness? Don't fight them. By fighting them you are giving them energy. You just let them go. If you give them light and energy; you give them more power. When you see a lot of people on the street you don't run into them. Instead you walk in between them. You go by them. If you do not put attention on the for ground then eventually the background manifests. Brother Baktananda said to 'squint the eyes a bit and talk to the mind. Tell the mind to relax and be still.' When you think about it the only purpose of the mind is to get beyond it...... to be continued.

Inspirations from a talk by Brother Ishtananda


 

Our individuality has to go. We believe we are human beings. To experience the presence of God is to get out of the human or ego consciousness. If we keep meditating we arrive at a place beyond the emotions and body. Even when we say 'I Love You God" we are separated from God. It is fine to say this in prayer but we still have not reached the stillness state. We say nothing in the stillness state. We are not practicing anything. We are letting God or Divine Mother do their thing. We are still and in the presence of God. 'Be still and know that I am God'~the Bible

Jitendra