Going Deep in Meditation

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

Just wondered if some of you are trying to dig deeper into the depths of consciousness and dimensions of your being. i find myself often
wanting to go further in my practice....wanting to tap into those hidden springs below the surface. 

[mccoy]

I've been trying in the past.
Right now though I'm so enmeshed in worldly chores (mos tof them necesary and unrenounceable) that I'm not being able to dedicate enough time to meditation.

Unfortunately, present day life can be overly busy, I dont' know what to do about it and I see no way out right now, I'm 12 years to retirement. I have no social life beyond these internet fora, I just work  and read science fiction or historical material when I need to relax. I'm playing but just a little. Most regretfully, I'm far away from the Vedic ideal of retirement and prevalent meditation in your fifties.

[SpiritImage]

Always trying. Always trying to perfect whatever technique I'm working on. Even when I'm not meditating, (actually sitting on the floor in the position), I'm contemplating/meditating on/off while doing daily tasks. There's always something to think about when it comes to the wonder/how of it all.

Wish I had more time too. 30 minutes each morning and night is where I'm at right now. 5 mile walk (90 min.) almost every day, work/leave home @ 7:30 - 5:30 M-F. Family stuff too.

Unfortunately most all this was created by me *before* I started down this road. So now I have to ride it out best I can.

[mccoy]

Unfortunately most all this was created by me *before* I started down this road. So now I have to ride it out best I can.

It is just the same. I was meditating prior to start working. Also I had no ties, no fiancee, no compulsion to stay with family, nothing. Notwithstanding that, I could not find a partner who would meditate long hours and reinforce my habits, I could not find a job which could support me and family with little effort. Actually, I am compelled to do two jobs to round up the salary.

So SI, even if you did not create your present situation, it is not granted it would have been much different.

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

I've been trying in the past.
Right now though I'm so enmeshed in worldly chores (mos tof them necesary and unrenounceable) that I'm not being able to dedicate enough time to meditation.

Unfortunately, present day life can be overly busy, I dont' know what to do about it and I see no way out right now, I'm 12 years to retirement. I have no social life beyond these internet fora, I just work  and read science fiction or historical material when I need to relax. I'm playing but just a little. Most regretfully, I'm far away from the Vedic ideal of retirement and prevalent meditation in your fifties.

i'm afraid that Yoganada's view and vedic view of spending later years in meditation-generally- does not fit in well with survival in the present era. It might be sometime till this really becomes a reality but not in our life time.

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

i just have found that i seem to wake up at nite a lot and if i am not really tired i believe it is a calling to meditate. i do not have the ability to leave my body at will as you seem to have Eric. It is quite a gift! Even if it is not developed. i would say that i leave this dimension quite frequently and enter one in which i am in an altered state of heightened peace and bliss. i look forward to this happening even though it is infrequent. At nite there are very few distractions except those in your own mind. That is why i also go deep in the woods when i can to get away from all distracting sounds of civilization. Nature seems to be and interiorizing influence on consciousness. Also; when we can go deeper in meditation it is easier to think of friends and send them our best thoughts and prayers.

It came to me tonite right after meditation how to explain what happens to me at times during meditation. In contrast to leaving the body as you speak of here Eric i have the experience of ENTERING some state of consciousness that is higher then my own experience in this visit and walk thru life. You cannot really beat down the door so-to-speak. The emotions and activities of the day must be calm and having a detached attitude to environmental contingencies there is more probability that one can enter such states of consciousness. Without a concern and helpful service to our brothers and sisters and mother earth there is little chance of an expansive consciousness.

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your reply. I thought about you as I awoke last night at 3:11AM. I felt something was trying to speak with me. Unfortunately it's all to real sometimes and I am fearful... I think about Murshid Inayat Khans words here...

Those who study mysticism and philosophy while omitting self-sacrifice and resignation grow egoistic and self-centered. Such persons are apt to call themselves either God or a part of God, and thus make an excuse for committing any sins they like. Regardless of sin or virtue they misuse and malign others, being utterly fearless of the hereafter.

I am such a person. I even think this may have been my teacher getting my attention. I tried to meditate but thought I was going to leave my body and wasn't quite comfortable at the time. I have been questioning the significance of religious wars. How HE would handle such a thing when the teachings are to respect all religious ideal... And I wonder what he has to say about religions that support cruel punishment.

I hope your day is going well.

i do feel utterly fearless of the hereafter but i do not see myself as maligning others and feeling any sense of heavy sin or remarkable virtue. i have this notion that some kind of God or spiritual guide would not want our fear but rather our love.

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

Meditation helps you look into your past lives and your future destiny. It makes you more timeless.

[mccoy]

I've been trying in the past.
Right now though I'm so enmeshed in worldly chores (mos tof them necesary and unrenounceable) that I'm not being able to dedicate enough time to meditation.

Unfortunately, present day life can be overly busy, I dont' know what to do about it and I see no way out right now, I'm 12 years to retirement. I have no social life beyond these internet fora, I just work  and read science fiction or historical material when I need to relax. I'm playing but just a little. Most regretfully, I'm far away from the Vedic ideal of retirement and prevalent meditation in your fifties.

i'm afraid that Yoganada's view and vedic view of spending later years in meditation-generally- does not fit in well with survival in the present era. It might be sometime till this really becomes a reality but not in our life time.

I'm reading my answer (and yours) 7 years after, and things have become possibly 'worse', in the sense that I have even less time for meditation and no time at all for play and amusement.
My present Karma is to look after my son who has a serious mental illness. No one else will do it except me and my wife.

I'm still working, but only 20% of the time. However, I think that this is the kind of Karma which accelerates your evolution notwithstanding lesser meditation, provided you embrace it...
That's how I learnt the military slang: embrace the suck

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

How long did you stay in the United States mccoy? And what motivated you to be here? Our friend Namaste loves Italy and has been there a couple times. He still looks in this site and occasionally comes here using a different avatar name now. Last time I talked with him on the phone he mentioned Italy again as he usually does. I know he wants to go back again. He loves the places that St. Francis frequented. And he has made friends there as well. He sends me photos of the countryside and hills in Italy as well as many old churches there.

[mccoy]

Steve, I stayed in America for short times, when I came across Turyananda it was in 1981, 1 month and I mainly stayed in the Ananda village, when I met Anandamoy it was 1991, It was at the convocation in the Bonaventure hotel, then went again at the convocation in 1992 and then a couple more times, very shortly. last time 3 days in California during my honeymoon, year 1999.

I don't remember about Namaste, maybe other monickers? Assisi and surroundings are very nice, and there are lots of old churches in Italy. So many that it's ordinary. Also so much history and art, but to me and many other Italians Italy s just a place where you live your Dharma and consume your karma. People come from everywhere to see the Offizi in Florence, St.Peter in orme and so on. I've never been there. Actually, I hate Florence, Venice and the crowds of tourists, whereas I like better the small villages namaste seems to like.

[mccoy]

I still remember my meeting with Turyiananda at Lake Shrine. I was asking if it was possible to have a swim in the lake. He wasn't happy about it, I don't remember exactly his answer but I remember his deep, resounding, chastising voice...

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

I still remember my meeting with Turyiananda at Lake Shrine. I was asking if it was possible to have a swim in the lake. He wasn't happy about it, I don't remember exactly his answer but I remember his deep, resounding, chastising voice...

That seems funny to me because I can picture him. Didn’t you like the ocean there?

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

I had quite a few moments spent with Turiyananda. As you may or may not know he had to contend with people Sun bathing in skimpy little bathing suits on the  of the Lake Shrine. I suppose the many times he had to tell me people what the Lake Shrine was there for added to that response. Can you imagine how challenging it would be to meditate there on thee grounds with people swimming, swishing and little children screaming like they often do when I try to meditate on expanses of beaches?

Since so many people have inundated Lake Shrine with meditative experiences the vibration of the place is attempted to be kept that way. Even people like Elvis Presley and George Harrison found peace there and went there unbothered by the public because of their intentions to be there. The Masters presence is still alive at such places; The Lake Shrine, Mother Center, San Diego Temple, Hollywood Temple Grounds ands the park grounds of Encinitas and the ocean below.

Southern California and Los Angeles has a constant flow of spiritual vibrations and meditative places. I was fortunate to spend much of my life their with many spiritually evolved presences. I hope it is my blessing to also return again.Some of my deepest meditative experiences happened there.

mccoy, interestingly enough nomaste2all who spent much time here and at the portal and in California has told me that the hills and pastoral valleys of Italy affected him similarly… along with all the old scenic churches in your country….many places where Saint Francis walked and started his mission.

[mccoy]

Steve yes, I ended up sprinkling some lake water on my arms, I later realized that Yogananda said that the special blessing derived from simply staying there, not just from the water of the lake.

I can understand Namaste, some places in Italy have good vibrations, although living here all the time causes habituation.

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

Steve yes, I ended up sprinkling some lake water on my arms, I later realized that Yogananda said that the special blessing derived from simply staying there, not just from the water of the lake.

I can understand Namaste, some places in Italy have good vibrations, although living here all the time causes habituation.

I think that’s the challenge with a lot of people, including myself. I got rather frustrated with some of the difficulties of living in Southern California while I was there. The crowds. The homeless. The high rent. The noise, always car horns from people with poor alarm systems or people wanting you out of the way. The police telling people to move on who sleep in their vans and cars while trying to avoid expensive motels and camping. The police removing the homeless from the streets. The robbery when you are not careful about leaving something somewhere. The expensive costs of everything. The constant hot weather.

These type of irritations are not so prevalent in the north Michigan wilderness. But i do not have all the places to go and meditate and chant long hours with devotees. You can’t just drive to Masters crypt and receive blessings. You can’t go to the ocean and receive the immensity of the ocean and its inspiration to meditate and exercise. It is always a trade off. You would think that that the rich would have the benefit of both areas. But it was interesting for me to hear Warren Buffet being interviewed and asked about why he lived in a small house and doesn’t have yachts and airplanes. His answer; “I don’t need the trouble.” I think that was the main reason Yogananda didn’t care to come to America. He realized their would be troubles ahead and troubles behind here. More responsibilities than he ever had to face when he was at home.

So I think it’s best to remind ourselves of the blessings we have in the present and remember at any minute things could be much different; ask the Ukrainian’s about that one.