Meditation Teacher 4

Learn from the Real Universal Studios

Manas is the screen upon which the contents of the mind is projected. It also refers to the world of the senses. We use the senses gather knowledge of the world. Buddhi is the higher discriminating faculty. At a higher level there is direct judgment of right and wrong, that is intuitive. The Mahat is the universal mind from which all knowledge is drawn. In meditation we can receive answers to questions, concentrate on something and come to know it, even when it is not present or is distant in time and space. The expansion into the universal mind leads to spiritual knowledge. You witness the manifestation of the world from the universal mind.

One area of knowledge is the different levels of consciousness and mapping out the various aspects of mind. But when one begins to get into contact with the universal mind then there is a mixture of higher and lower. When the mind is calm it is easy to distinguish. One can see the mechanical thought patterns, working like hypnotic suggestions, the desires that hardened into their own habits of indulgence, the sense of taste that stands royally presiding over all, not allowing in the new or the different or allowing you to directly experience something rather than its own preconceived notions.

Entering into the Mahat is partly a surrender of the mind to the greater openness and creativity, partly a matter of letting go of the habitual clutter and business, partly a matter of enjoying the play of Devi as she moves through your being. Above all one stands as witness. Perhaps tempted to rush out and explore the riches, perhaps denying them or seeking to use them. As meditation deepens one sees the wisdom of unfolding, of the flow. The flow moves from the universal mind and all is blissful lila.

This is Aurobindo's Sapta Chatusthaya (7 divisions of four.) Presented in the Record of Yoga, this was taught to the students of the Ashram. It also is worked into the Synthesis of Yoga (http://www.aurobindo.ru/workings/sa/20-21/index_e.htm) . When I put this up on my website it will have links to each bubble that will go into depth.

Meditation Teacher 3

Meditation Teacher 3 is to Learn from the Mirror.

Kaliji says this is cleaning a mirror and that we should see where the thoughts are coming from. This is the basis of self inquiry.

Reflection

Taking time to reflect.

I find in my mind, that there are a variety of voices, imagination, memory, emotional movements, and sensory data.

As the mind becomes quiet one begins to sense the quality of thought. In thinking there is a focus on an object, it may be a mental object such as an intellectual topic, it may be involved in a situation and expand into an imaginary object, a world of the mind. As your attention is placed on these then you will involve the emotions, via judgment or emotional reaction, and the memory brining up similar situations, associations. Further you will begin to work with imagination either by contrasting or creating a possibility.

The above shows how much is going on.

By quieting the mind one becomes more sensitive to the flow of consciousness and one begins to train the mind to be open and receptive to higher guidance. The mirror becomes clear to reflect accurately that guidance, to see clearly what is really going on, creating a space for intuition and deeper movements of the heart to arise.

It is one thing to look in the mirror it is another to see the self.

If we have a tendency to avoid the unknown, or to avoid painful things then we may distract the mind, and those contents will have a secret agenda. They will mask the real intent. For instance let's suppose you were attracted to someone, but that person or yourself was unavailable. Rather than confront your own feelings, you harbor a secret desire, at the same time you have a feeling of inhibition. This ambivalence may show up in your mind via remembering the Bee Gee's song Night Fever. As you sit in meditation your mind is filled with the song, and try as you might it won't enter into a quiet state until you examine the song and confront the feelings. Then the reason and will can be applied and you can act on the higher wisdom.

It is often the case that people will busy themselves never having time for reflection in order to avoid feelings. Or to act always on the known compulsion rather then enter the unknown territory of the mind. People will also end up in a state of overwhelm where they are unable to decide, which is an emotional act of judgment, even though reason may be thorough, because they don't understand their emotional situation and not able to form clear intent, or set priorities. Here self inquiry and the ability to accept, to clear the mirror are gifts.

The flows bring the body and breath to into harmony allowing the prana to flow. This will purify your mind, life, and body. It will invigorate and strengthen your will, your capacity to feel and concentrate. In turn one can accept what comes and take that as part of the flow, moving onward, letting go, and entering into the bliss.

Meditation Teacher 2

The second of the 29 teachers is "Learn from the Child."

This means to follow wisdom. You can recognize the wisdom voices because they are quiet and peaceful.

What I notice from people is three things.

One there is a maturity that hardens ideas and thoughts. That means that we are so habituated to or thinking processes that we don't realize that knowledge doesn't just accumulate. The faculties of knowledge continue to grow.

Two that training the heart is as important as the mind.

Three that people quote "believe in yourself" instead of "believe in the Self." There is a lack of understanding of self knowledge and the availability of the all knowing.

Being like a child means that we still have growth, and that as we grow we are still open to the guidance of the Mother. The Devi provides all we need as we are not seperate from her or the universal flow.

There is a hierarchy of voices as we move in the ranges of the mental and beyond. There are also deeper levels of the heart's sensitivity.

Notes to Workshop

1) Forward Salute also includes Padma mudra before Purna.

2) Visual Pace, visual pacing involves coordination of word, movement, including a pause of the movement for emphasis, and the bringing of the consciousness to the part of the body that is being displayed. The consciousness of visual display has three components, 1) Dampening, used to not be seen. One can dampen other parts of the body to emphasize the area to display. 2) Projection, here the energy is projecting an image of self, a quality, for instance when one is showing strength. (Ranjabati Sircar's power is reserve, achieved with joint compression). Energetically this is felt in the same way that one has authority, joy, calmness in the voice. 3) Display as beauty, used to attract mates or to communicate a delight of the body consciousness, or scoptic pleasure, Ananda, Prema.

Visual Pace is noticeable in two modes, negative and positive. One can feel when one is being watched, and this routinely can be a self conscious feeling, when one makes a mistake in the flow. Visual Pace requires we be able to catch the feeling of the body consciousness at the moment of self consciousness. Also when we try to hide something, for instance when we are weak and shaky in a pose and hoping no one sees. The separation of the insecurity and the display is required. In positive mode receiving and projecting can be practiced with a mirror. Our having the idea of being watched, or observing some part of the body admiringly. If we do this with our hand for instance, we don't focus on the feeling of the gaze from the eyes, but on how the energy of the hand responds. This is similar to expansion and contraction of the aura in order to harmonize the energy field to the space, to lower defenses, making people feel comfortable, etc. Or expanding to remove a vibration in the space by creating an overall mood, establish the Flow. For most visual pace can be established in the face first and spread to other areas. Women often have a developed visual pace, but it can be caught up in issues and identity. Hence the usefulness of the skill also is a kriya. Dancers should have this by training. It is a useful tool for teaching.

I saw a play performed. During a break one of the stage hands came out to move the prop, even in the darkness with their black clothes you could feel them for the tremendous presence they were radiating. (talent) They should have also dampened. I also saw a huge group of people on stage to demonstrate an Indian folk dance. One women caught my attention, you could see her face out of forty or more people. I could tell she had classical training, sure enough she turned out to be an accomplished Bharatanatym artist. (training!)

3) Aurobindo's Sharira Chatushaya, the application of Utthapana, stage 1 and 2, noticing the energy and flow of prana in relation to the lightness and lack of exhaustion or tiredness during the flow. The application of Saundarya, being beautiful, bright, sweet and beautiful. This has a subtle component in the lower centers as sexual attraction, the subtle appearance of display, the idea of make up comes from trying to reproduce the state of subtle beauty that is seen when the sexual energies, arousal is strong...but beauty comes from the heart expressing through the energy of the body's consciousness and the recognition of a highly developed pranic flow, open channels.

4) Measure the physical consciousness by comparison to become more aware of it within. Kashi was very physically consciousness, much more than many of the other teachers. But I could sense in her that this was partly the result of long hours of training the body. It was a higher energy that comes from harmonizing the heart with the body through the bhakti, ananda in the body. Training coupled with spiritual development/accomplishment. The role as teacher helps to keep it established, (the dream of the dog). Different also from some of the people who are really dense in the body as a protection from outside forces. Some cops/veterans I have met and some in the medical profession.

Kaliji doesn't seem to be physically consciousness in the same way, her body doesn't seem to have a central location, but rather each part seems self conscious, aware of the divine and responds in harmony. For instance her foot/toe mudras seem completely undirected by Kaliji. Like many hands of the deity reflected a many faceted consciousness being able to work on many things at once each with their own head, their own personality, knowledge, etc. Her feet express the divine on their own giving.

5) Strong Vyapti between Kashi and Kaliji. Jai Guru Devi.

6) Look for the reverse roll from head down the spine.

7) Be more conscious of the tuck.

8) Alternative mudras for trinity breath.

9) Pyramid Lift includes a sway. Careful with cue of local action, try to relate when teaching to other accomplished movements when something seems out of place.

10) 9 joints of movement in connecting the limbs to the action of the spine.

11) Order of Arrival, versus Path of Motion (internal, awareness and sensitivity)

12) ... the suggestion as prevention, rather than descriptive.

13) The roll exists even when full extension or natural alignment isn't possible due to flexibility. (me)

Meditation Teacher 1

"I'm a space cowboy. I'm sure you know where it's at.
It's obsticulous, baby that between my feet, a cat."

In the Kaliji's Pranavidya Manual there is a section on the 29 Meditation Teachers.

The first is to Learn from the Thermometer.

It says to take your mental temperature. Realize that just as when you take your physical temperature as a sign of health or illness, so too with the mental temperature. If you sit to meditate there should be peace and inner guidance and when there is not self inquiry is involved. I relate this to the feeling exercise and the act of being aware of the emotional feeling. Realizing that mood can be controlled, for instance through music, then we learn to tune in, or to establish a foundation of quietness and right flow of the mind instrument.

We distract ourselves to avoid unpleasant thoughts, or feelings. The mind has a habit of indulging in emotions, or being overstimulated by the external environment. We do not take time to reflect and digest our experiences. We don't have a habit of self awareness.

This involves the mind being able to sense when the words of thoughts are actually connected to something. Is the memory or imagination really giving you a message, or is it just an association and play of emotions that are unfocused? Is this song in my mind covering up, suggesting indirectly something else? Are you really using the instruments of sense, such as taste?

There is a feel to the flow of thought, inspiration when the mind is calm and focused, concentrated and clear. Just as in the Triyoga flows we come to tranquility and learn to relax and feel surrendered to the deep state of relaxation, so to we can feel the mind in a deep state and train it so that we can stop and enter the silence, tune into the flow, open the heart. Heat is agitation (lower emotions, or those bordering on physical reactions such as cravings or impulses, inertia, or colored by emotions such as anger, desire, avoidance of pain or the unknown, being overwhelmed.)

Self inquiry can be as simple as realizing the present moment, tuning in to how we actually feel in the present moment, or asking what is really going on. One can find emotional or thought material that needs to be dealt with. One can simply notice the need to adjust the physical posture to reduce tension. The key here is we are aware of where we are. Meditation at first gives the peaceful feeling. As we become more aware of contents, then we may also experience things we have been avoiding. We also clear the clutter of thoughts. At some point we become aware of the inner being which has access to guidance and the silent self that is witness and master of actions.