Two Major Stages Of Mindfulness Or Meditation

Freedom, Happiness, and wisdom When we learn the principles of eastern wisdom, we apply discernment that becomes dispassion. The highest dispassion leads to knowledge of real self, awakens to permanent happiness. We will learn from Yoga Sutra, Gita, and other texts together to discover the true nature.

Transcript

We have to check ourselves, I have done meditation for an hour, And after a few hours, The mind returns to the same old habit and state. No, That is not what the meditation is. That is not what the Patanjali is saying. That is not what our masters are saying. So that needs to be, Once we understand that, Then we say yes, What we will, What this Patanjali is teaching in the next sutra, How it should become a part and parcel of my day to day life. It is not one hour. It is not few hours of sleep or few hours of waking state, No. That state lays in you. That is what the journey of Eastern wisdom is. Do you have any questions, Stephen, David, Jerry, Laura, Kate? Or have you been practicing sharing? Last session, I think, Was more very important. Do you have any question you want to share your experiences? I will start in a few minutes. So, So, Girish, Can I keep reflecting on the image that I saw the last time? Because it keeps kind of having it in my mind. Is that a good thing? Can I ask you what you made? I saw, So I saw like, At the end of it, I started to see these prisms kind of come in, Like rainbow colors, Like different colors, Like of light, But they weren't, It wasn't straight, It was like little, They were, I don't know how to describe it. There was lines everywhere, But I keep having moments where I will like, Go back to it during meditation or just like throughout my day. Is that a good thing to go back to or should I let it go? Quite interesting. I had an encounter with, Or you know, This guy used to come to my sessions, There used to be 20 people in New Jersey. And the way I always ask, Can you share your experiences after the end of the session? So he said, I see God, I don't want to name the God, But he used to tell me that I see the God and I communicate with the God. So I told him that, Then why you are coming to meditations? No, I have lot of stress. I said, Why don't you communicate with the God and tell the God to get rid of the stress? After all, God is all-pervading. That is what we understand. And why we pray God? To get rid of the stress, To get rid of the suffering, To get more money. So when we study Patanjali, We understand that there are variety of visions and colors and experiences we undergo in meditation. What we have to do? So you asked the very right question and that we are going to take up in this session. In the 17th Sutra, Do you remember what we studied last time? Did you reflect on this? We discussed that existence is our father. And Eastern wisdom, What is Eastern wisdom? It is an instrument of knowledge. Is the mother. And who is the baby? The baby is the intellect. So the way the mother teaches and educates the baby, Come on, Why you are putting everything into your mouth? You see, That is what used to happen when we were babies. We saw something go into the mouth. Even sometime we saw the lizard, Okay, Put it into the mouth. So the Eastern wisdom teaches the intellect like a baby, No. You have to put this, You have not to put this. So what happens to the intellect? Intellect goes into the steady wisdom. That intellect lives in the steady wisdom and the steady wisdom plus practice leads to awakening. So now the 17th sutra says, Vitharka vichar anand asmita anugamat sampragnata He says one stage of meditation. It consists of four stages. So all the four stages is known as sampragnata. Sampragnata means simply, Now I'm answering Lara. Sampragnata means the meditation with a vision with an experience with an object, Whatever you want to say. So it may be with an object, It may be with a vision, It may be with the color. So now the next sutra should take up the next sutra in order to answer that viram apraktyaya abhyasapurva sanskar ashesho nanya Literal translation is when all the impressions coming from the word outside and also the past impressions present in the mind are totally gone. That is the higher state of meditation. So tell me you want to live into the higher state of meditation or the lower state of meditation? If the vision comes, Let it come. The vision goes away, Let it go. If the God comes in my meditation and they want to communicate, Let us communicate and they disappear. Thank you God. Now I'm only talking of meditation. I'm not talking of release and dogma, Believe in God. Thank you God. You have come, You have gone. That too is thank you. So now we go back to the very first sutra. A seeker only succeeds in meditation. So now we are a seeker. So that seeker knows the five subjective states of the mind. Do you remember? I have repeated many a times. What is that wandering? That is known as chipta. Second state is moorha, The foolishness. Third state is vichypta. So there is a difference between the wandering state of the mind and distracted. When you are practicing meditation and the mind is going somewhere else, Then you do not succeed in meditation. That is known as vichypta. And the wandering is general nature of the wandering. You know, Mind is wandering. So now relate the sutra to this five subjective states of the mind. The fourth is, The definition of the fourth is given in the third padha of the samadhi, Third padha of the Patanjali yug sutra. What is that? Desha Bandhasya Chitasya Dharana. When the mind is holding on to an object, What object we are holding on? So we are holding a dynamic object in our meditation practices that we are doing. And what is that dynamic object? Mantra. You see that? The mantra. That is how I design and customize the practice of meditation. So go a little deeper. So what exactly the Patanjali is saying? It's like a story of a woodcutter and a monk. So that woodcutter always goes to the forest, Cut the wood, Sell it to maintain his livelihood. And one day he went to a monk to seek the blessing. The monk looked into his eyes and said, Walk on. I'm answering in a different way. Your questions are up. So walk on. So that woodcutter did not understand. He went to his house, Talked to his wife. Wife said, No, Perhaps monk is saying that you go deep into the forest. So woodcutter the next day went deeper into the forest and he found the sandalwood trees. So now he was cutting the sandalwood trees, Selling it. He became rich. But after a year, You see that? We stuck to one vision, One color, One experience. We want to hold on to that. No experience. You cannot hold any experience. You cannot hold any vision. You have to crush the mind. But anyhow, After a year, That woodcutter reminded, Reflected on. Monk said that walk on. He did not say you to stop. So he walked on and he found the silver mines. He continued to walk on. He found the gold mines. He continued to walk on. He found the diamond mines. He became the richest guy in his village. And after that, Nothing was found. It is the objectless state of the meditation. He found himself. Go back to the third sutra. Tada drashtu surupaya avasthana. Can you compare you with the ten million dollar lying in the bank? Who is more important? Your happiness coming from inside and all the material riches outside? Now I have understood it. So after doing meditation, My mind goes back again to the same object of the material riches and it holds on to it to secure happiness. That is the cause of ignorance. That is the cause of suffering. So now going back again to this sutra. So when we go back into this sutra, Now that will answer. You have asked many a times during the last one year what these colours, I see those colours. What that means? What are the visions? What it means? Whether I have gone into the deeper. So master says, What the master is saying? Master is saying that there are four stages of meditation with an object. First layer, First level of experience is vitharka. Vitharka means that the mind experiences the physical objects during meditation. At the second level, The mind experiences the subtler objects. What are those subtler objects? Can you make out? Sound, Vision, Colours. So now you can make out that where you stand for. And the third level is the subtler. You know, Sometimes you have told me, I don't want to say, You know, I was full of joy. There was an intense joy coming from within. And you have also told me that is the third level, Subtler. You only experience that joy, That peace, That calmness coming from somewhere else. And the fourth one, Sometimes you have said, Oh, This meditation has passed in a few minutes. Even you have done for such a long. Fourth state. Fourth stage. Now, Can you categorize instantly? Now, You know where you stand. What is very important? Can you make out what is very important out of these four stages of meditation that your mind experiences say so they are in, I would say, In ascending order, Physical, The lowest, Subtle vision, Colours, Sound. Second level, Third level is the subtler, The pure sheer joy. And the fourth level is you feel, I don't want to say anything. I want to remain, You know, It's totally blank. I am, That is the fourth level. You get a glimpse of what I am. Total blankness. But still it is not blankness. Yeah, I think I should bring it in this session. I'll say why it is not. So he says that you get a sense of I am. You're in meditation. Only I am. Not I am Lara, I am Ked, I am David. No, I am. Only I am. No adjective, No object, No personification. I am. That I am is normally understood as choiceless awareness. But we have Patanjali says that is not the end of the journey. You have yet continued the journey. Walk on. Like the woodcutter, The monk said walk on. Walk on, Walk on. So why to walk on? You have, You will reach to a state which is irreversible. You have returned from meditation and you are still living into the same state. You are living into the same state. And that state is oozing out. What? Peace and happiness, Love and the joy. When and where? 24 by 7. Here and now. That is where what the third sutra is saying, Tada drashtu swarupa avasthanam. The mind is now settled in my real nature. That real nature is satchitanand. Keep a smile on the face. Need not to think too much. You know, I'm taking you to the journey, You know, Step by step. So why do we be so serious? So the first four stages of meditation is known as sampragyaat samadhi. Now see the beauty in the difference between the religion, Dogma, Kart, Belief and the journey of meditation. It is totally different. God comes into the vision. Thank you, God. God goes out of the vision. Thank you, God. We have nothing to do with religion, Dogma, Belief and kart. Very clear. Patanjali says, Be very clear. 100 percent clear. They come, Let them come. They go, Let them go. Now before going into the practice of meditation, We should also understand that what a journey like this. In the first chapter, We are covering the first chapter. The first chapter is for the seeker. And the seeker has already practiced a lot of meditation and then he is studying or she is studying a systematic study of meditation. Why? To bring an end to the suffering once and for all and to awaken to the inner nature, The real nature. So the second sutra, He says, When all the impressions have completely dissolved, Destroyed, Inherent impressions are destroyed, Then you reach to the objectless state. In that objectless state, The Patanjali says that is not end of the journey. Then you have two more meditation practices, Which is known as sabij samadhi and nirbij samadhi. Sabij meditation, Nirbij meditation, Which is also known as sabitarkan nirvitark. After that, No. Is that end of the meditation? No. Then you enter into dharmameer samadhi. Is that the end of the journey? No. Ultimately, You enter into a state what is known as ritambharatatraprajna. That this mind in the intellect is constantly pulsating with the real nature. What is that real nature? It is the state of pure consciousness, Truth, Permanent peace and love in the wisdom. That love, That wisdom constantly coming from inside. When it comes, All the time. You live into that state of the highest consciousness. That is now is that the end of the meditation? Then it comes into the fourth padha or fourth chapter of Patanjali. Then Patanjali says when you are living into that, You have variety of experiences. What are those experiences? Don't get carried away by this. I'm only taking a briefly. Don't fix your goal like this. What I'm going to say now. Otherwise, The mind will be destroyed. You will not be able to reach to that state. Let it come naturally. So what happens? What is the fourth? Ah, Chapter or third chapter. Yeah, Third chapter. So now there is a natural. The mind moves natural ways. So say, For example, You want to meditate on time. How can you meditate on time? Should we discuss that now? No, We have yet to reach to that state. So what happens when you meditate on time? You can read the thoughts of others. Isn't it Christian? How can I read the thoughts of others? So that builds the ego. The mind goes outside. Meditation is moving inside and you destroy yourself. So when you meditate on the earth element, Something more comes when you meditate on air element, Something more comes. Now does that, Should we do it now? To demonstrate, To show powers to the others, The moment you enter into that area of ego, Everything is destroyed. I have seen at least 10 different masters. There was a liberty when I was living in India. You find those masters who show and demonstrate those powers. So only one Indian guy is present here, But he knows I'm exposing myself. So when they used to come to me and they say, You know, Sir, I have a lot of problems. Can it be done in a day? I said, Go to that master. He has all the powers. Take his blessings. At least, You know, I will be free from that guy. It doesn't work in that way. Never go there. One percent truth is there. Then why I was sending? I want to live in a freedom. So I used to send those people, My friends and students, Because you are not a seeker. So I used to send them to those masters. And they all know what those masters are undergoing. When you demonstrate those powers, Magic, They are living a very difficult life. He knows, I sent him a couple of masters. Go take his blessing. Why? You are not ready for it. So the same thing Patanjali says clearly in the third chapter. The last thing that I will take up before we start our meditation today. So we are talking of the four stages of meditation in this sutra. What is before that? Have we done that? No, We have not done that. So it is very good to know whether we have done it or not. So I will pick up a couple of the sutras from the third chapter so that we understand from where the journey of meditation starts according to Patanjali. Have I been so serious in talking? No, I'm just presenting the things. My Indian students will start, You know, Making, Saying, Oh, You have made me fool. No, I did not make you fool. You are making yourself fool when you are looking for some magic, Trick, Power. It has nothing to do with it. Patanjali also warned it and every master sees. What is the goal? That I must find out my real nature so that I should live in my real nature, My real self all the time, 24 by 7, So that I can experience pure joy, Happiness, Love, Wisdom, Creativity in my personal, Professional, Social and family lives. There is some noise coming from outside. It's okay. So let us start our journey of meditation. Close your eyes. Close your eyes, My friends. I told you I'm not a teacher. I'm just a pointer. So take me casually, But take these principles seriously. Eyes are closed gently and you are first looking at the body. First, You are looking at the body. Become aware of the body. So when you see the body is steady, The mind is looking inside in the heart, In the space. I am. Just to make yourself aware from the last session, You can access the last session on social media. So I am, That I am is the existence. It is not I am the body, Mind, Intellect, Husband, Wife, Son, Daughter. No, Nothing of that sort. That I am is the real pure existence. And when I say I know I am, I know comes from the consciousness, Feelings, Sensation, Knowledge, Awareness. All are part of consciousness. So two things will happen. What is existence and consciousness? And third is I know I'm happy. That happiness is an extension of existence and consciousness. That is the realization takes place in meditation. So looking at, Looking at the neck joint, Let us make it comfortable. We have new friends, So it is better to pick up one or two steps. Look at the neck joint. Physical level is the neck joint. You see the object. What we discussed, I'm translating that into a practice. And then you experience sensation being comfortable and steadiness. In the neck joint, Yes. And what is behind and beyond that sensation being comfortable and steadiness? Only the space. So what we are doing, We are merging all the two different types of meditation. The first type, We have four stages with object. In the fifth, We have no object. So no object, We are taking it as a space. Move casually. Understanding the principles clearly and then doing it. Meditation always succeeds. So looking at the shoulder joints, Who looks mind, Awareness, You know it. That is an object. From an object, We moved at the subtler level. We experience sensation being comfortable and steadiness. And what is behind that? The space. The entire body. The entire body. All the joints, One after the other. Eyes are closed gently. The mind moves within with experience of sensation being comfortable and steadiness. And it is facing inside. What it is looking, The space. So in that state, We go for nyasa. There are many words, Nyasa, Sannyasa. Sannyasa means renunciate. But here, The real meaning of sannyasa is all round purification of the mind. We are not becoming a monk. So are you in the state of steadiness and comfortable? Start breathing little deep. Silent and slow. Means that you have changing the rate and the rhythm of the breath. So check this breath is rhythmic. Check this breath is rhythmic. So breath is our car. I'm using a metaphor to make you understand. The mind is the driver and the highway is the space inside. You see, We take the mind to the objectless state again and again. So how we do it? As you inhale, Move the mind inside the right arm. From the shoulder to the fingers. As you exhale, Move the mind from the fingertips to the shoulder. Make sure the mind is looking into the space. That space is our highway. So actually we are engaging the mind to at least discover and become aware that there is something like the objectless state. Many things happen. The mind starts enjoying living within. Wandering, Forgetfulness and distracted state stops. Now move the mind inside the left arm. From the shoulder to the fingertips. When you inhale or exhale, Doesn't matter. And at the same time, Experience the steadiness in the body. Experience the steadiness in the body. It comes naturally. You need not to force it, My friend. That is the beauty. When the knowledge merges with the step, It leads you to a deeper state instantly. So we are doing, This is, The process is known as Niyasa. And now move the mind inside the right leg. Right leg from the right side of the waist to the toes as you inhale. You know, As you inhale and you move the mind with inhalation, Both support each other. In Hatha Yoga, We say, Chale vate chalam chattam nishchale nishchalam bhavate. A beautiful verse. Wonderful principle. When you regulate the mind, The breath is regulated, The prana is regulated. When you regulate the prana, The mind is regulated. And here what we are doing? We are using the breath, We are using the mind too. So in practice, Just the double. And now move the mind inside the left leg. You will find yourself, If you are following the step as explained, You may start feeling some sensation tingling in the body. Can I stop? Can I repeat those experiences? No. Recognize them, Accept them and continue. So in our journey, All, Every meditation practice is made consist of different steps, Leading to different result. Now moving the mind inside the spine from the crown of the head to the tailbone. When you inhale, The mind drops distance down from the crown of the head to the tailbone in the space within. And you may drop, Mentally sing, Oh. When the breath returns, The mind moves from the tailbone to the crown of the head. You are saying, Oh. You have been saying that I don't use any external means. Maybe a sound or something from the outside. Because the mind will remain outside, It may be absorbed, No doubt. But when we learn meditation according to the teachings of our masters, No outside object should be there. . . . So, Singing and listening is the first stage. We have merged last time. So looking deep inside the heart, Singing and mentally singing and listening to what you're singing only. The first line of the mantra, . Mentally you are singing and you are listening to what you are singing. . Now we will go to the second stage, Singing, Listening and the meaning. What is the meaning? Well-being. Can you see well-being? It is subtler. Can I experience that state? Yes. Can we express that well-being everywhere? Yes. Let us do it. Singing, Listening and meaning. Simply focus on the meaning, With the listening and in your mind and the singing. . . The literal meaning is let there be a well-being everywhere. It is a subtler level. Now we see that singing, Listening, Meaning and the applied wisdom. If the mind constantly, Consciously lives in the state of the well-being, You discover something deeper within. Not only in you, But in everyone. So let us with that feeling, Let us do it mentally again. Singing, Listening, Meaning and knowing. . . We will take the second mantra. Follow the same sequence. The first stage is singing and the listening. So even if you do not understand the meaning and you do it singing and you are listening to it. Every Sanskrit word is a mantra. It has the sound, It has the vibration, It changes the movement of the prana. Second line. . The second stage of the mantra, Singing, Listening and meaning. Literal meaning is let there be a peace everywhere. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Third line is still deeper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .