Viveka & Vairagya (Anapanasati) –34– Acceptance

Welcome to "Unconditional Love – Viveka and Vairagya: Yoga of Liberation, an Anapanasati audio-guided 39 meditations."

This meditation guides you in mindful breathing, emphasizing detachment from outcomes and emotions. It fosters inner awareness, acceptance of life's impermanence, and promotes true happiness and peace within.

Transcript

Hello noble soul,

Welcome to a guided meditation on mindful breathing.

Today we will explore the importance of independence from the results of our actions and the emotions associated with them.

Let's begin.

Find a comfortable,

Quiet place where you can sit on any surface,

Preferably semi-hard or hard.

This could be a chair,

Or you can sit in a half-lotus or full-lotus position.

Allow yourself to set aside all worries and thoughts for this moment and immerse yourself in the peace of your inner world.

Close your eyes.

Direct all your attention to the area beneath your nostrils.

Reside there and only there throughout the entire meditation,

Observing how natural inhalation occurs,

How natural exhalation occurs.

Start noticing your breath,

Sharpening your mind,

Delving deeper,

Exploring the subtlest sensations of air touching the surface of the skin beneath the nostrils.

Look even more closely,

What is happening there?

At what speed is the breath occurring?

Is it slow or fast?

If it's slow,

You simply need to acknowledge it yourself.

Now the breath is slow.

If it's fast,

You simply need to acknowledge it yourself.

Now the breath is fast.

Throughout this meditation,

Strive to sit still,

Maintaining an upright posture and regularly remember and return to your breath,

Tracking how inhale smoothly transitions into exhale,

Exhale smoothly transitions into inhale.

Guru Nanak,

The founder of Sikhism,

Also conveyed the message of living a life of purpose while maintaining an inner detachment from worldly attachments.

He taught,

He who has no faith in himself can never have faith in God.

Guru Nanak's words inspire individuals to look within for spiritual strength and connection with the divine.

He emphasized that while one should carry out their worldly duties,

Their devotion should remain with God,

And they should not be consumed by the pursuit of material wealth or status.

By fostering inner faith and connection with God,

One can navigate the complexities of the world with grace and equanimity.

In our existence,

We frequently align our sense of self with external happenings,

Their results and our deeds.

When circumstances are favorable,

We celebrate,

But when we encounter hurdles and setbacks,

We feel distressed.

This reaction stems from our tendency to overly associate with the external environment.

Yet,

Genuine contentment and serenity are found within,

In our immutable essence.

This suggests that all positive occurrences in life are fleeting,

And the situation could shift at any moment.

Hence,

It is wise to be prepared for such changes to prevent being caught off guard by a sudden upheaval.

Consider our lives as a stream of constant change.

Both joyous and challenging times are ephemeral.

We should brace ourselves for the possibility that tomorrow may bring a stark contrast.

While the pursuit of stability and joy is instinctive,

It doesn't mean we should cling to external circumstances.

When one chases after these external values,

They drift away from their true self,

As genuine satisfaction and bliss are internal.

Seeking them in the external world leads to disillusionment and distress.

All ailments stem from such disappointments.

Authentic happiness is rooted in our inner comprehension and embracing of life as it unfolds.

No matter the catastrophe,

It bears a lesson and insight.

Growth in consciousness is often spurred by illness,

Suffering,

And obstacles.

These challenges cultivate wisdom and empathy.

Do not fight against what is,

Do not dismiss it.

Accept it,

Recognizing that within you lies the fortitude to surmount any challenge.

Paramahansa Yogananda stated,

Life is a succession of changes,

Joyful at one moment and sorrowful the next.

Thus,

The enlightened do not become fixated on them.

We must be prepared for tomorrow to be completely different.

The desire for stability and happiness is natural,

But this does not mean that we should be attached to external conditions.

When a person begins to actively strive for these external values,

He or she actually moves away from himself or herself,

Because true happiness and satisfaction lie within.

By trying to find them in the external world,

A person will not find what he or she is looking for and thus becomes disappointed and ill.

All illnesses are a result of disappointments.

True happiness lies in our internal understanding and acceptance of life as it is.

Whatever disaster may occur,

It carries a lesson and experience within it.

Consciousness development occurs through illness,

Through suffering and obstacles.

These trials teach us wisdom and compassion.

Do not resist reality,

Do not reject it.

And understand that within you,

There is a strength capable of overcoming any difficulties.

Paramahansa Yogananda says,

Life is nothing but a series of continuous changes.

Once an expression of joy,

In the next moment,

Sorrow.

Therefore,

A wise person does not become attached to them.

Any disappointment should prompt reflection and understanding of the reasons for what happened,

As the purpose of our life is not the pursuit of happiness,

Pleasures or enjoyments.

Although if they are present,

It is good and we do not reject them.

The main purpose of our life is knowledge and learning.

Ultimately,

At the dreadful judgment and after death,

We will not present a statement of financial position,

But only the knowledge and experience we have acquired.

If a person,

Faced with failures and disappointments,

Reflects and understands the reasons for what happened,

This is very valuable,

Because it shows that a person reflects on the goals and meaning of events in his or her life.

Consciousness development occurs through illness and obstacles,

Which serve as good teachers in this world.

Disappointments should lead to introspection and an understanding of their causes,

As our life's mission is not solely the quest for joy,

Pleasure or indulgence,

Though their presence is welcome and not spurned.

Our primary aim is enlightenment and education.

In the end,

At the final reckoning and beyond death,

We won't account for our material wealth,

But for the wisdom and experiences we've gathered.

If one,

In the face of failures and letdowns,

Ponders and comprehends the reasons behind them,

It is of great value,

For it indicates a person's contemplation on the objectives and significance of life's events.

Growth in consciousness is often facilitated by illness and hurdles,

Which act as effective instructors in this realm.

Maharishi Patanjali gives excellent guidance on renouncing even the highest ambitions.

Renunciation of the world is achieved through a paravaragya,

But he also suggests giving up even the desire for moksha itself.

This is paravaragya.

Only then can we become that.

He says that only through the development of non-attachment,

Even to our aspirations for a higher state,

The root of our enslavement is destroyed,

And then kaivalya occurs.

Only when we completely let go,

Can the highest state happen,

And until then,

As long as even the slightest trace of I1 is present,

Kaivalya cannot happen.

Allow your breath to be your teacher,

Just as inhalation and exhalation saw events in our lives come and go.

Maintain calm breathing even as the world around you changes.

Stay centered and mindful in every moment.

Let us now continue this practice in silence.

Focus on your breath and allow your mind to be calm and clear.

Continue to observe your breath until the end of the audio session.

Only then will you develop true tranquility and inner peace.