Medtitation Teacher 10

Learn from the Water

The water moves in a cycle from rain to river and ocean and then returns to the sky. Imagine yourself floating on an ocean that extends infinitely in all directions. Feel the ocean as consciousness, as bliss, and go down into the unfathomable depths of the Great Mystery below. Know the vast vistas of peace and clarity above. As the sun, source of all light, the truth, radiates eternity. Seek to move beyond. Know the great, the vast, the true.

There are many flavors to the energy, Shakti. The Devi takes on different forms of action, working with a multitude of powers. As you become more aware you can begin to recognize the Devi's forms, Lakshmi, Durga, Saraswati, Kali, the divine personalities. All have their moods and moments. Maheshwari the transcendent action of Shiva is the connection to the vast. You feel the great expansiveness and it moves through you as with the All. She is the ocean...

Gradations

Two ideas at play. 1) That there are gradations to spirituality. 2) That this is measurable as value.

So there are several claims to be able to measure or determine how lofty an achievement one has. This is usually based in some form of testing that is scientifically based. Such as with measuring the ability to be present in the moment. There are other methods that rely more on intuitive assessment. There is certainly some truth to this. However with the scientific method one has to wonder how far that detection has really progressed. Given the history of scientific understanding. (Of all the matter in the universe most is largely unknown and only recently assumed to be detected indirectly.) That seems more like an attempt of science to enter into the field, of taking over the spiritual knowledge and putting on some sort of sanction of approval. The other aspect is that if we take the idea of an avatar as a descent of the divine power, then we end up with a question of, though it may be measurable how realized the being is, or we may question the capacity of the shell the being is operating from, there is a larger set of circumstances in which that being operates.
So can we compare the Avatars of Vishnu and measure the degrees of their realization in terms of the powers manifested by their shell? If Krishna were to manifest things from the subtle elements of a flower, and shape it into a magic weapon for Arjuna and Matsya the Fish does not, is Krishna more realized than Matsya?
When a person becomes realized how much of that can be measured in terms of the individual qualities and abilities? One can see stages of evolution in one's own growth. One can see understanding dawn, powers awaken, knowledge illuminate and transform parts of the being. The gunas at play will show us moving towards a more sattvic way of being, but at the same time the Guru who is realized is also advancing. However there still seems to be a question of what is needed by those who are progressing on the path hewn by the Guru and what their needs are and that of wider humanity. Maybe the Guru moves from the lower level to the mid-level because that is what is needed by their community rather than it being an individual spiritual achievement of that particular soul.
A common understanding is that there are beings who descend only for teaching a few disciples. Their need to display the ability to manifest objects or to levitate may not be needed. Nor does their physical body seem to support super sensual activity as being able to see the individual frames of a movie as it is projected, nor to they have exacting knowledge of a person's circumstances, past and future. As the people they came to teach already see beyond what is normally considered the physical laws of the universe and have no need of some individualized instance of knowledge. Having a powerful Deva descend and transform the knowledge of the world through an Einstein doesn't seem to me be connected to the spiritual/scientific evaluation of the vibratory level of the Einstein.
A powerfully realized being working through a traditional western religion may not be cranking out teachings that lead to the enlightenment of the people who turn out for confession, however that spiritual action may be very helpful and seems to act from a more universal concern. If we assume enlightenment or realization to be the Divine working through a person, or a light shining through a window, measurement seems to be locked into duality and be a creation of the mental, at the highest level there is no real level. The divine can work at any level and not be touched by the level. The divine that manifests as the great being also manifests the subatomic particle. Neither of them seem discreet entities of actual existence that can exist separate from the rest of us.
It seems more appropriate to look at where one is and follow what one needs to for advancement. And look to the highest as something acting through all existence, within it, behind it, above it. Rather than to rank. Though if presented with the question of two teachers which one do I spend my time on there seems to be a very basic need to evaluate the teachers in this manner.
It would also be very appropriate if one had a graduated system of teachings and realizations on the path of enlightenment as with Tibetan Buddhism. A system of instruction and a way to determine where one is and what one needs to do. Though this seems to some extent to be more individualized than a scientific system could generate. If one were attempting something that would not be subject to the changing circumstances of the advancing world. Which might be following the modle of physics or another hard science. Coming from science is different than the intuitive expression that utilizes science or or ideas as a tool of expression.
There are many teachings and methods that have come and been abandoned. Lineages that are continuous outpourings of light, but seem to reflect more the current master rather than a teaching that has an uninterrupted continuity. It also seems to be the case that many teachers and teachings goes into the life of a given Saint. They all seem to teach for the students and that it comes from insight into their being rather than following an assessment of measurable characteristics.
In following physical methods one can asses the ability of the student to sustain a large numbers of rounds of Bhastrika Pranayama. One can see if someone is ready for a handstand. Or one may see a commonality of experiences that come in meditation such as with the piercing of Chakras, or the ability to enter into the deeper levels of the Sri Chakra. If they reach contact with specific energies they will either go deeper or be caught in that experience. And one can see when others sometimes lack a certain realization. But it is different if spirit is looking back to science and utilizing it. If someone is generating a scheme that allows them to guide and give direction and goals who has traversed the path and has the vision/knowledge/light they will not need a test, they will see. The transcendent is transcendent and the relative is relative.

Notes from Kriyavati

Lead by the example of being...

This seem to come up in several conversations. People describing other people in social gossip and not making this connection. Drug users such as with alcohol learn behavior from the drug use itself. Discipline of taking it, but also emotional personalities while under the influence. These continue after the drug is gone, for instance the sociability, humor and alcohol, the emotional dramas and manipulative lower vital with meth, and such.

It makes it interesting to look at diet and the gunas.

When you are not being heard, do not share, be receptive to the higher. Interesting to watch the energy and vibration. More than once a question would come up about a level four flow that I knew well. The person asked didn't know. I would demonstrate. The person who asked would get it wrong and it didn't feel right after I showed them, but rather than listen to my alignment or movement correction they again asked the person who didn't know. It seemed to be a habit of roles within the group, clique!@. I want to look in the mirror at that one. It may have been the voice of delivery that the person didn't recognize. It clearly felt as if they were not receptive, but they could see me doing it.

I have a balance between the time spent on practicing teaching and the time in practice. Less time on how to teach more effectively there are not the people receptive to it. (The answer to my question to Kaliji.)

Kaliji was very aware of when people were responding to her energy, as the other person had this wave of extra joy, and needed to express it to her by talking about themselves and what they had/were been doing. She would affirm them "that's wonderful" and the effect of the energy.

Congruency-express joy...

Kaliji made a point of saying it was all in the mind and that was what stopped us in some postures. I noticed that all the level four/five postures that she introduced I could do. In particular I wanted to fly through the air as lightly as the angelic Gabriel did from Mountain to Crow. At the workshop I managed it, with effort. On getting home I couldn't stay balanced for a few days do to apprehension. However this was very much in the flow, because I could identify the difference in the flow of the energy and the emotions, the mind. Isolating that vibration, I could remove it and land well and balanced. The amount of effort was the result, less energy wasted on emotional noise. Now I can look for that same vibration in some of the other challenging flows. (It's in the mind. Where?)

Pranavidya Notes

Please grant me a fearless control of desire with a strong vitality, openess to universal love, inspired creativity, intuitive knowledge, and perfect liberation.

PV manual chakra associations (It's on the test).

This simple affirmation contains within a wealth of means to practice.

Awareness of fear is the first goal. Many fears are simply a result of the mechanical action of our mind. We see a situation and the possible threat. For instance someone tailgating you in traffic. A large number of these fears are so habitual that we simply react to them without them being noticed or felt as fear. Some are useful, some are groundless. The imagination is filled with fear possibilites. There are ones that arise effecting our behavior in limiting ways. They need to dealt with and removed. For instance social fears. A certain type of dress or hairstyle may lead us to be defensive. Baggy panted teenagers traveling in groups may cause unoticed fear. Here an easy remedy is to actually percieve what is going on rather than to have perception colored by the fear so that we are reacting to our internal image rather than the external reality. Or for instance if you have a lot of credit card debt, someone who displays obvious wealth may make us fearful because of our own undealt with issues. Or we may be fearful of encounters with the mail or the bank. These fears have to be felt to be dealt with by feeling them so they are in our awareness and then thinking clearly with acceptance as to what needs to be done. If they are groundless (as most fears are) then rejected. If they are based in some actual situation then we need to be clear as to what steps to take.

One of my favorite adaptations to social fear is to walk into the social gathering and look for the person is standing alone and isolated (I am that person) and talk to them.

Control of desire is necessary for any progress in the yoga. Desire is a constant force. Media studies ways to manipulate via desires. The society creates mechanisms for the fufillment and regulation of desire. Everyone at some time or another will have to look at diet. Regulation of your food desires and establishing a good direction for what you eat takes time, study and change of habits. Anyone who had done the flows and pranayama regularly will notice the changes in the consciousness, how some desires and habits fall away. Self inquirey is a tool. We become clear. We can feel the impulses and desires and chose to act on them or reject them. Just like becoming smooth and graceful in the flows, eliminating the wobble missalignments, we reduce the background noise. Our life habits are the same as we eliminate desires we are reducing the noise so that we can have a mind filled with calmness and concentration.

A strong vitality is neccessary to accomplish anything. We need the energy. Things that sap of of energy include negative emotions, tension, poor diet...Having a positive attitude, clear direction, satisfaction of accomplishment all lead to abundant energy. Increasing the flow of prana through the flows, and pranayama lead to incredible energy and stamina. Kaliji travels the world for months with little sleep, always working, and is always postive and in the moment and ready to help others giving freely of the energy with love and devotion. (most people would complain)

Universal love, following the physical practices will open the nadis and awaken the heart. Looking for and seeking the divine in all things and situations, in all people and events. This means rejecting negative tendancies. For instance there are three levels of argument. The first is to seek truth, when one speaks or logically thinks about something to find truth. In the second level one is seeking to use logic and argument to agrandise oneself or an extension of the ego such as your country. In the third level one is seeking to destroy and tear down someone or something. If you constantly seek the truth and reject the other motivations the mind becomes clearer and one can more easily open the heart to feeling, for the spirit is behind everything. In truth everyone is seeking to be happy even if they are using ignorant means to achieve it.

Inspired Creativity...Swamiji has written thousands of bhajans. When you need ideas your mind unfolds the joyfull possibilities and things come together and organize as an expression of love.

Intuitive knowledge comes from the breathing. One can have sudden insight into the yoga, and even for see the coming events. One has to be aware of the quality, the sattvic nature of the contents flowing into the mind and reject the rajas and tamasic elements.

Liberation...the divine is not limited to the momentum, the samskaras of nature. The divine can move freely according to the divine will and the universal need of the spirit.