Regular Practice With Wisdom, Succeeds In Meditation

Talk & Practice.

Freedom and Happiness. Yoga Sutra-14 Regular Practice With Wisdom, Succeeds In Meditation. We will learn from Yoga Sutra, Gita, and other texts together to discover the true nature. We will follow the four-step approach as taught and passed on to us by great masters of eastern wisdom.

Learning the principles - I do not know, let me know it.
Clarity and conviction - I do not understand it; let me understand it.
Practice - I do not experience it; let me practice it.

Transcript

So we started our journey by understanding yoga is the higher state of mindfulness or meditation.

We use both the word as synonyms.

In America people specialize everything and then they start saying mindfulness is different from meditation,

Meditation is different from kundalini and kundalini is different from yoga.

No.

According to the teachings,

Yoga is the highest state of mindfulness.

Now why we should practice meditation or mindfulness?

To settle in our real nature.

It's a long topic but I have been covering briefly in this series,

Here is Mead.

I was waiting for her,

Now she is there and I hope yes she is there.

So we started our journey.

Meditation is what yoga is.

So in that meditation the mind awakens to the real nature but why I have been talking about this real nature again and again and again.

So once I awaken to the real nature I bring an end to the suffering.

Can I bring an end to the personal,

Professional,

Social,

Family suffering?

Answer is yes.

Why?

Because now the ignorance of my real nature is not there.

Can I mind,

Can my mind remain clear in peace?

Answer is big yes.

That peace and the happiness will remain present 24 by 7.

Why?

Because I recognize my real nature the moment the mind triggers the mind realizes here is my real nature don't go there.

So in the third sutra we understand that is a meditative state 24 by 7.

I have one only two men here and one,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five women.

So you remain women all the time 24 by 7.

The same thing now after success in meditation mind says I will always live in peace and happiness no worries.

That is the success of meditative state but if you return to a non-meditative state then the mind starts wandering.

Do you remember the five subjective states?

Wandering,

Forgetfulness and obsession,

Laziness because then mind starts searching happiness outside in object,

In people,

In things,

In money.

But it does not mean in a meditative state you don't work.

So that was the fourth state and then we came to that all the thought patterns are either painful or non-painful.

See our dear friend a particular thought of politics went into inciting.

So all these thoughts are either painful or non-painful and then these thoughts are categorized into five different patterns that we have understood.

Then we came to that what to do,

So what is the practice?

So the practice has two elements.

One practice that is known as a bhayasa and the second element is dispassion.

If I don't live in dispassion and I continue to do the practice the goal of the meditation will not be fixed in the mind,

I will not succeed.

Practice with dispassion,

That is why I say regular practice with wisdom will help us succeed into the journey.

So the Patanjali,

Our master,

Has hinted in the first this sutra it has practice has two element.

Knowledge practice means mind understands.

What it understands?

Happiness is inside not in the things outside.

So that's a long journey I have briefed it very,

I have briefed it.

Then we came to the last week what exactly is the practice?

So here the practice is mind should continue to live in the fourth state,

Fourth subjective state that is steadiness in the mind.

Now we come to the next sutra that is the fourth,

14th sutra.

What exactly is the practice?

First we have understood what?

That the mind should remain for example should remain inside me,

Inside the heart or in the head and it continues to look at the space for example.

Now how to achieve that?

That is what is explained in today's sutra.

Sautdheer Gakal.

So once you recognize that the mind is living within that should continue to live within for a longer period.

First continue,

You should have a continuity of the practice.

Third you should love to practice.

Now today I'm suffering,

Today I'm sick I will not attend.

You are sick then you must attend.

If you have anxiety you must attend the session.

If you are happy why should you attend?

I'm pointing to everyone.

Why this happens?

That's a long principle,

That's a very vital principle.

It will come later.

So the first point once I realize the steadiness of the mind within me has to be done for a longer period.

One has to continue unbroken continuity.

Two,

Third is I should love to do the practice.

I am sick I'm not willing to do the practice.

Who is responsible?

The mind.

That mind needs to be changed.

So now the mind is working on us.

Who says you that you are sick?

Did some stranger or neighbor come to you that oh see you are sick you should not practice?

Your mind.

So that mind should change.

So mind should have a willingness,

Commitment.

Third and the fourth is intense aspiration to discover peace and happiness in our life.

So you see that how Patanjali is explaining?

Practice should contain these four elements.

Intense aspiration,

Not obsession,

Intensity of aspiration.

Intensity.

Sometime I used to have in younger days used to have 104 temperature.

I said first I will practice meditation.

So I'm not giving a panacea for it.

What used to happen after two hours the temperature is gone and again it returned.

So again I did it.

So sometime I used to do it the whole night to beat that temperature including some pain in the body,

Discomfort in the body.

It is that intensity is required to succeed to reveal our true nature.

And then I should love.

Why should I love?

Why should I love meditation?

Because I am saying so you love.

So if I say love this stranger you will start loving.

It will not happen.

I should think of it.

What is the goal of my life?

I had a clinical psychiatrist or psychotherapist you know I don't remember.

She is wonderful,

Beautiful woman.

She is attending my private lessons.

So I asked her to write down what is the goal of life?

She is well versed in modern psychology.

What was her answer?

To survive.

Goal of life is to survive.

So I asked her did you survive when you were born?

Were you aware that you are alive?

That was the goal of your life.

What is this goal?

Mind must be hundred percent clear about the goal of life.

I get very interesting answers.

I play with the mind in order to make the things clear.

So goal of life is to evolve,

To raise my awareness level,

To raise my consciousness,

To reach to the ultimate reality.

That is the goal of meditation.

And continuity.

Continuity means come what may.

Tell me going to the restroom is more important than practice of meditation?

Spending time in gossiping is more important than meditation?

Ask yourself once you have that commitment and that triggers the mind to inspire you to meditate and continue and regular practice with wisdom.

I do practice you know when I have five sessions in a day.

So I have five hours of meditation with you,

Another two and a half hours of meditation every day in the morning.

I had the same complaint from the mind when I started the journey.

After all I have to do lot of things but I continued the practice so what happened now see that.

I used to sleep around at 930 used to wake up at 7,

730 and then my mind said where is the time?

Now within half an hour you have to start going to the office where I was working for the federal government.

My master said work on it.

You have to start if you don't find the time you have to start working before going to sleep.

What do you mean?

He said spend at least half an hour to relax your body completely.

Means you practice the meditation even while lying down.

I started the practice for first three months.

Now 930 I used to go to sleep and I start waking up at 6,

One and a half hour I spared.

To cut short this reality check now I sleep at 12 I definitely wake up at 4 and I am full of energy.

That is the result of meditation.

So from 4 to 630 I am with myself every day without faith.

I never tell my mind today is weekend no meditation.

I say this is a weekend so I should devote more time.

That I give but why?

Why I am crazy after meditation because that gives me the reality check in my life that helps me to realize that my mind is living in that reality unattached.

Not passionate about anything and everything.

Returning mind returns instantly even if there are challenges outside.

The mind has transformed.

Go back to the science will say seven hours of this sleep at this age is required.

I simply cannot sleep more than four four hours and four to five four and half hours.

Why?

Because meditation reduces the hours of sleep and you have you can achieve that ability.

Then what happens if I don't sleep then what I have to do?

Let me watch television.

I tell you this guy from LA he has been doing it for last six or seven months regularly.

He told me one day that you see that I have left marijuana.

Why you have left it?

I didn't tell you.

I find more intoxication in your meditation than in marijuana.

That is his expression.

I find more intoxicated in meditation than taking marijuana.

So I was happy he was also happy.

He said no marijuana has you know nothing to offer me but previously I was realizing that that gives me the focus.

That gives me the focus.

Understand that power of continuity,

Power of intense aspiration and power of regular practice.

Start thinking do I go to the restroom every day?

Can I do the practice every day?

Do I wake up every day?

Can I do the practice every day?

Do I eat food every day?

Can this be a part of my life?

And then inspire your mind what I am going to get from the meditation.

American meditation you can relax in five minutes instant meditation.

After five minutes you go into stress.

So meditation becomes a pill.

No.

By regular practice intensity your mind is constantly transforming itself.

I want to add something more in today's session to make the things clear.

I studied almost 10 years back.

I don't remember the American scientist who says that we have 60,

000 thoughts every day out of which we hardly recognize few thoughts of pain,

Pleasure,

Work,

Attitude,

Behavior.

Now if you are 50 years old then 60,

000 thoughts multiplied by 30 days multiplied by 50 years it comes to about 12 billion thoughts.

Not only this.

Wait.

That is your current account.

Now these thoughts are triggered in different situations that creates impressions and these impressions are 10 times than the 12 billion.

You carry the load of almost billions and trillions of thoughts and its impressions in the mind.

That is your saving account.

What is your saving account?

Tell me.

Let me tell you.

If I say something nasty and you become angry you become angry only because the anger is present as an impression in you.

Out of those 120 billion impressions if there is no anger of impression inside you how can you be angry?

What Patanjali is saying?

You have to empty these 120 billion thoughts.

Are you getting it?

There are hardly couple of hundred thoughts that we recognize at the conscious level then there is a subconscious habitual instinctive impulsive level.

We have billions of these thoughts.

Patanjali is saying you have to get rid of all before you awaken to your real nature.

Look at the task ahead.

That is why Patanjali is saying regular practice continuity,

Commitment,

Intense aspiration.

You are earning 5k per month.

Your goal is to get 50k per month.

How much work you have to do?

That is what Patanjali is saying.

Second thing is that by regular practice the mind will start breaking its habit inside.

One more example and then we will do the practice.

My dad,

Thank God he is in heaven now but I should not criticize him but he was an authoritarian.

Don't compare my dad with any one politician here.

I'm just giving an example John.

Every time I used to return from the college and he was there to be angry.

So now two things are happening.

That was my family situation long back when I was 18,

19 years old going to the college and returning and we already know our young age.

We claim we are intelligent but we live in ignorance.

Well I have to see both the sides now in retrospect but at the same time I was going to the master on a weekend and I used to complain.

My master says stop complaining,

Blaming your dad.

If there is some problem in you,

A reaction in you that is why you are reacting.

So learn,

Be aware that you should not react even if your dad is saying you are the crazy person.

You don't listen to him.

Every time he taught I return and still I use to react.

Gradually because that created,

My master teaching created such an indelible impression that come what may you have to take care of the mind because when the mind is obsessed with any person outside that brings an anxiety in you,

That brings a reaction in you.

After six months I realized that.

He was angry and I was smiling.

Now see what happens by the practice of meditation.

The knowledge reveals in you.

You stop reacting,

Mind is calm and then the mind reveals the knowledge.

I still remember on that day when he was angry he was speaking with anger and I told my dad can we have a cup of tea together to talk and sit down.

He became more angry I said we will have two cups of tea together and he stopped completely because when you are not angry your ego sense is not attacking him and that comes because of the ego sense.

That was the day he stopped his anger because every time he used to be I said no let us have something first,

Let us have some snacks and tea together we will sit down and then I will listen to you because even in anger you are not able to speak rightly and correctly.

I will definitely listen to you and he stopped.

That is the power of your own mind.

It does not mean that in different situation how you will respond and react.

Last going back and so we have 120 billion impression.

This week think of it and answer me.

A big question I am giving you.

What is that question?

Why I behave the way I behave?

Why I become lazy when I am fully aware and understand that this journey will help me transcend all the suffering?

Second question let me rephrase it.

At the time of the birth I didn't become angry,

I didn't react,

I did not go into anxiety as I grew up why that anger and the reaction came into my nature.

Eastern wisdom gives such a beautiful answer.

Your mind may go back to the DNA inherited tendencies but that can easily be contradicted if the parent has couple of kids,

One kid gets those inherited tendencies the other kid becomes a monk.

What is that which causes this problem in me?

I don't want to be reactive still I react.

I don't want to be angry still I become angry.

I have a pain in the body and I identify myself that my body has no my body does not have a pain I have a pain.

I forget everything I forget that wisdom I forget that knowledge.

Why this happens in me?

That you have to find the answer and solution is regular practice with wisdom continuity commitment you love.

Why you love?

Because it is going to bring an end to the suffering because you don't believe in it you still have a doubt.

You still have a doubt.

Yes you can say that this beard guy is a crazy has been practicing for 40 years but if it takes me to permanent happiness why shouldn't I be crazy?

Question is this that changes our attitude our responses our life.

Buddha took six years intense practices to reach to that state.

Vivekananda took hardly six months.

There was another master Ashtavakra it took him hardly seven days.

Another master Ramakrishna took only three days to reach to that state.

Why?

How?

That is the hint of the question I have asked you.

So let us start our journey of meditation we'll share our experiences later.

Eyes are closed now with that understanding let me add some elements into the practice.

Eyes are closed so knowledge part why we should close our eyes because the real nature cannot be found by any of the sense organs outside in any object in any person in any event at any time.

So it's a symbolic expression that you close your eyes you look at the body why you look at the body and why you become aware that the body is comfortable and steady.

You see I'm answering every bit of the question that may arise in your mind.

The steadiness of the body helps to keep the mind within you.

You see that I say look at the body become aware find the sense of steadiness and then look inside the heart in the space.

Knowledge still that knowledge step is going on.

Don't worry I have enough time that's why I can extend that.

So you are looking inside the heart you become aware of the space or a darkness that darkness in that darkness become aware of a point in the space.

When the mind keeps looking at a point in the space it leaves the body when it leaves the body what happens your body is a matter.

So that matter does not change it does not move it is only a point of awareness it has nothing to do with the pain or discomfort in the body at all.

You see you follow the same step and still you can go deeper because the knowledge part the wisdom part has to be applied.

Now see you be comfortable again I extend that step into being comfortable.

Understand that understand clearly you look at the neck joint means what you feel the neck joint you know the neck joint there is a feeling you are conscious of it when you are conscious of it you are there then what happens the mind moves at the subtler level what is that subtler level it is comfortable you feel the sensation you experience the steadiness.

Does the mind accept this knowledge which I'm speaking as an instruction?

Your body will not move at all just by doing nothing.

Just try this again look at the shoulder joints looking means aware mind is aware mind feels my nose you know that is a part of the consciousness you see we are you are becoming your own teacher.

So you become aware feel the shoulder joints and keep the mind there keep looking mind goes somewhere else again look at it so when you keep looking at it your experience in the mind becomes subtler than the shoulder joint what is that comfortable sensation and steadiness.

One more point of wisdom here that you don't enforce the discipline on the body through the mind if you do it your mind will again enter into the body it will react visiting will be there lot of movement will be there but the mind does not accept it easily that is why regular practice love for meditation commitment and intense aspiration.

Now you realize the subtle point look at the hip joint be there feel sensation being comfortable and steadiness and suddenly the mind triggers oh I have to scratch from where it has come the thought pattern that we have studied five groups of thought pattern how many thoughts and its impression is present in the mind.

I have just discussed today see that I don't want but still it happens but when it does not happen you live at the higher level of awareness so look at the entire body from the crown of the head to the toes to all the joints and you are aware you simply move subtler and experience sensation being comfortable and steadiness.

Next step is being carefree free from all the cares that this mind does how the mind cares 120 billion thoughts that I just explained even if we don't want it mind jumps there so can I get rid of all the 120 billion thoughts in a single day continuity regular practice inspiration intense and commitment that is one thing but what should I do here the most powerful is to have a dispassion how that the content of the mind is different from the mind the waves in the water is not the water so thoughts let the thoughts come and go how the way the birds are flying in the sky of the mind the way I stand across a road watching the traffic of the thoughts mental traffic thoughts mind behind only the human race has the ability to separate observer from the observed that is being carefree in that stage of being carefree remember again don't try to hesitate the mind in the next step we are going to play with the mind how to play with the mind you become aware of the breath monotonous what we see the normal breathing pattern so keep your mind deep inside the forehead today looking into the space lips remain together and you start playing with the breath short quick and playful breath from both the nostrils and stop this do not think experience the chains there is a big challenge in meditation we undergo variety of experiences including freezing of the body numbness sweating and vision in the colors our master teaches us that we recognize except those changes we should not get carried away by it then one day we realize why these experiences takes place are how they are helpful now take a deep silent and slow breathing take your time to inhale into the valley then into the ribcage while breathing out the mind is still deep inside the forehead you start the humming sound louder deeper and longer hmm mind will say no I will not do it but you continue inhale deep silent and slow but while exhaling continue doing the humming sound so you take your time to inhale deep silent and slow don't do not make a hurry if you are making a hurry who does it mind the mind wants to take over hmm hmm hmm and stop this humming sound look at it again there is a subtler step again look at the head and the neck the mind moves all around your head and the neck wait be there and experience sensation relaxation and stillness mind goes to the right arm how it goes take your mind at the shoulder blades allow the mind to touch every cell of the shoulder blades then from the shoulder to the elbows elbow from elbow to the rest of the right arm palm back of the palm all the fingers and you will have a beautiful sensation when the mind is aware of that sensation you move into relaxation and stillness that is the journey the mind is subtle it starts looking inside when it starts looking inside means it is facing opposite to the body and because the body is a matter in nerd body does not know itself one and the body does not know anyone that is why we say that is the definition of inertness inertia so in our journey that inertia is a stillness but why the mind made body is a slave with 120 billion impressions any impression can act see that when you do practice with the wisdom the journey is beautiful looking at the left arm from the shoulder to the finger tips very good you are touching every cell of the left arm be there and sensation erupts naturally why we will understand that and in that sensation we experience relaxation and stillness now look at the rib cage from the shoulder down to the last rib in the front and also at the back entire rib cage how you look how you move the mind there touching every cell so you don't get obsessed with the body but next level is the sensation live into that sensation you find relaxation and stillness in the body it is not stillness of the body stillness of the body comes by an effort of the mind and stillness in the body is rediscovered that stillness is one of the 64 attributes of the real self look at the belly in the front and the lower portion of the back all around the mind is touching looking feeling moving to that sensation and then relaxation and stillness right leg right leg from the right side of the waist you know you sometime we are under a shower and the water flows down we start feeling this sensation where the water flows the same way where the mind flows on the right leg and because the mind is facing within it frees the prana the energy and that energy we feel as a sensation we have explanation of everything 3,

000 texts 3,

000 masters they validated again and again and again and again for a period of 6,

000 years that is my confidence comes from the teachings of those masters you feel sensation relaxation and stillness the mind goes to the left leg sensation relaxation and stillness sometime the mind enters into that sensation and stillness little later it is okay but appreciate recognize no need to worry that is the journey continuity regular practice intense aspiration and my love for it the entire body you experience sensation relaxation and stillness the mind starts living within in that state you are looking in the space inside the head it is totally a space or darkness or empty the moment any thought comes superimpose om shanti mentally why you superimpose mind becomes aware when you superimpose that thought disappears again it comes on shant how you do it how you do it why you do it example I come to your house knock the door you don't know me you don't know why these thoughts are coming so I come to your house knock the door and then you say who you are I say on shanti why you have come on shanti what do you want on shanti what's your name on shanti I have only one answer then what you will do you will close the door and say crazy and mine comes down on shanti we have to use like this no thought is coming enjoy that state any thought enters feeling mine says let me scratch my head on shanti I had something to do in the work on shanti any thought comes what it demands your awareness and attention it's not a big deal I don't share I don't share now do not think the main is you are but when any thought comes as if you know sometime we ignored in talking to someone so any thought comes you start looking at the breath going in and out feel the sensation no change and if no thought is there live into that state my friend and see what happens you shanti shanti shanti shanti shanti shanti shanti shanti we have just concluded the meditation practice we return slowly first become aware of the right hand you become aware of the left hand lift your boot the palms place it on your eyes now open the eyes inside the palms ask yourself what happened what is your experience and bring the hands down we will share our experiences and questions if you have any of the today's sutra I referred one of my friend all are my friends nothing over is client he asked me which one is one of the best book I said you've Sutra so he read twice and he said I have read everything I said that what happened are you free from the stress no you told me to read it these books are not to be read like a fiction like a novel it will never work that is why we have to have a crazy teacher to explain how are you John okay I dozed off for a little bit but I think that's a probably a first okay okay so we also have an answer that why we doze off in meditation you know that is the subtler level one answer is the mind at that moment when it is going within drops into its habit of falling into sleep second answer when the mind goes inside first thing it should continue to move horizontally just to explain you one so that gives you a deeper sense of relaxation second option the mind drops down into unconsciously third option the mind rises up it takes you to the higher consciousness but then we have challenges in the mind simple answer 120 billion saving account you all are rich how are you Michelle I'm doing well I did not fall asleep good just alternated between my feeling very cold and very uncomfortable at certain points physically physically it is not due to the temperature in the room then the time comes this is another challenge but you feel relaxed and calm yeah so this is another challenge in a higher state of meditation what happens your mind is totally separate from the body you feel that coolness or heat or the sweating or as if the body's body is rising up it doesn't rise but you have a feeling it is sinking into the floor you are able to witness the body is a separate so that becomes a little higher meditation so as long as the mind is attached to the body the mind says I am feeling cold you are not feeling cold body is feeling cold so that is what we will take up the step of dispassion how are you Sophie I am good I think I fell asleep a little bit too okay when we did the shandy on shanty yes yeah yeah it happens but feel relaxed relax yeah yeah I'm good so I will go to meet before and just keep thinking of a question that you like to ask me yes meet yes meet Oh yeah yeah and then it dropped okay it's like I dropped something very heavy that's and once you dropped and you find that you are totally calm quite peace that is how the master explains that something heavy has dropped from my mind now it has become lighter that is what the mind is rising high into the higher awareness or a higher state of consciousness how are you and Sophie you have some problem with yes and yes I feel fine yeah I thought I it was a good meditation for me yeah wonderful so now peaceful any question