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Training
Then we are truly
able to Train each level...
Yoga
meditation is the art and
science of systematically
observing, accepting,
understanding,
and
training
each of the levels
of our being,
such that we may
coordinate and integrate
those aspects of ourselves,
and dwell in
the direct experience
of the center of consciousness.
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(To tour 16 aspects
describing Yoga Meditation practice, click Next
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above.)
Contents of this page:
Why train ourselves?
Observing, Accepting,
Understanding and Training go together
Training the Ten Senses
Training the Body
Training the Breath
Training the Conscious
Mind
Training the Unconscious
Training the
Subconscious
Why train ourselves?
We train ourselves at all levels so that the body, breath, and mind are not
obstacles on the journey inward to the Center of Consciousness.
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Training
builds the bridge we traverse
to the realization of the Self. |
Sometimes farmers
water their fields by building little dams along the normal flow of water.
In this way they can direct the water to one part of the field at a time.
When they want water to go into a new area, they simply remove, or open
the sluice gate, and the water flows automatically. This is what we are
doing when we train ourselves. We train our senses, body, breath, and mind
so that they are not obstacles, and the peace underneath flows
naturally.
Observing, Accepting,
Understanding and Training go together
- Training cannot happen without
understanding.
- Understanding cannot happen without accepting the realities of ourselves.
- Accepting ourselves cannot happen without observing, or being aware.
Thus, we start by observing ourselves at
all levels.
- Then, as more is revealed about ourselves, we come to accept those new
insights.
- Then, from the acceptance of ourselves comes greater understanding.
- Then, we are able to train each of those aspects of ourselves.
- From this self-training comes the ability
to coordinate and integrate the various aspects of
ourselves, so that we
may have direct experience of that which is deeper.
Training the Ten Senses
Our five cognitive senses and our
actions are often dictated by habit. Sensory data comes in, deep habit
impressions are created and stored, and we respond. Advertising and
marketing people are well aware of how this works. Like it or not, for
better or worse, we are inundated with stimuli to which we later respond
in our actions, speech, and thoughts. At other times, our actions, speech,
and thoughts seem to be on auto-pilot, under the control of the deep
impressions of our unconscious.
Train the ten senses: To train the ten
senses means to have active
choice over how we direct those senses and actions. It comes in
stages.
- Observe each of the ten
senses--indriyas of cognition and expression.
- From Observation, Accept
the nature of the senses and their operation.
- From Acceptance, come to
Understand how the senses operate, and their relationship to
the four functions of
mind.
- From Understanding,
learn to Train each of the ten senses
Training the Body
There are many perspectives from
which one can work with, or train the body. While yoga is a wonderful system
to work with the body, there are many others which complement that process.
Whichever methods are chosen, there is nonetheless a process of going
inward by observing, accepting, understanding, and training.
Train the body: To train the body means that we work at
making it strong and flexible, so that it is a good home in which to live
and to do our spiritual practices.
- Observe the various
aspects of the body--parts, systems, five elements.
- From observation, Accept
the nature the body and its operation.
- From Acceptance, learn
to Understand the various aspects of the body.
- From Understanding,
learn to Train the different aspects of the body
Training the Breath
Breath is like a balancing point
between the body and the mind. By regulating the breath, the body learns
better how to relax, and the mind becomes calm and peaceful. Fortunately,
the past couple decades have seen breathing practices become an important
part of stress management programs, moving it away from being considered
only a part of esoteric or mystical practices.
Train the breath: To train the breath has to do with making
it smooth, calm, and serene, such that the connection between body and
mind flows naturally. To do this, some of the breathing practices may
be quite vigorous, leading to others which are quite subtle.
- Observe the various
aspects of breath--inhalation, exhalation, and subtleties.
- From observation, Accept
the nature of the breath and its operation.
- From Acceptance, come to
Understand how the breath operates.
- From Understanding,
learn to Train the breath to be under conscious control, and
to have that smooth, slow, calm and serene breath be the new
habit.
Training the Conscious Mind
Train the conscious mind: To train the
conscious mind is one
of the most important things to do in preparation for deeper meditation.
It means to observe the minds functioning, while gradually allowing it to
become quiet. This is a gentle, quieting form of training rather than an
active training such as physical exercise. The ability to train the
conscious mind rests on the foundation of training the body and the
breath.
- Observe the functioning
of the conscious mind, including exploration of the four
functions of mind, which are very important in yoga meditation
- From observation, Accept
the nature of the mind and its contents, whether the thoughts are
perceived to be "good" or "bad".
- From Acceptance, come to
Understand how the mind operates, along with the way streams
of impressions naturally flow, often unconsciously driving actions and
speech.
- From Understanding,
learn to Train the mind to operate from our choice, rather than mere
habit, creating new habits of mind, and learning to use the mind as a friend rather than
enemy.
Training the Unconscious
Train the unconscious: Gradually, the yogi comes to
have positive control even over the thought processes which are normally unconscious. This control is not in the form of suppression, but of
allowing the thoughts to flow without interruption, allowing them to
gradually still themselves, and to witness the beautiful interplay of the four
functions of mind.
- Observe the functioning
of that part of mind which is normally unconscious, that which usually happens out of sight,
in dream or unconscious fantasy.
- From observation, Accept
the fact that it is natural for the unconscious mind to stir into a
flowing stream,
connecting and re-connecting many images and impressions which have
arisen from the still bed of the river of mind.
- From Acceptance, learn
to Understand how the unconscious mind operates in the waking
and dreaming states.
- From Understanding,
learn to Train ourselves even at this level, learning how to
witness the unconscious stream, while remaining focused, yet
undisturbed, unaffected, and uninvolved in the stream.
Training the Subconscious
Train the subconscious: Gradually, the yogi comes to
have positive control even over the thought patterns when they are not
active, whether in the conscious or unconscious (such as in dreams). This
means exploring and examining the seeds of thought patterns in their
latent form. It is these seeds in the subconscious which leave their
dormant stage, and stir in the unconscious, and then lead to actions
and speech. The subconscious, or latent part of
the mind is the reservoir of the deep impressions (samskaras) which
influence karma. In deep meditation, the yogi examines these impressions
in such a way that their strength is reduced or
eliminated.
- Observe the deep
impressions in their latent form
- From observation, Accept
these deep impression
- From Acceptance, come to
Understand of how these deep impressions (normally only
experienced in deep sleep) stir within, so as to become the
unconscious mental processing (and dreaming state), and in turn drive conscious
actions (in the waking state).
- From Understanding,
learn to Train these deep impressions, which means to weaken or
eliminate these deep habit patterns.
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This site is devoted to
presenting the ancient Self-Realization path of
the Tradition of the Himalayan masters in simple, understandable and
beneficial ways, while not compromising quality or depth. The goal of
our sadhana or practices is the highest
Joy that comes from the Realization in direct experience of the
center of consciousness, the Self, the Atman or Purusha, which is
one and the same with the Absolute Reality.
This Self-Realization comes through Yoga meditation of the Yoga
Sutras, the contemplative insight of Advaita Vedanta, and the
intense devotion of Samaya Sri Vidya Tantra, the three of which
complement one another like fingers on a hand.
We employ the classical approaches of Raja, Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti
Yoga, as well as Hatha, Kriya, Kundalini, Laya, Mantra, Nada, Siddha,
and Tantra Yoga. Meditation, contemplation, mantra and prayer
finally converge into a unified force directed towards the final
stage, piercing the pearl of wisdom called bindu, leading to the
Absolute.
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