Monthly Archives: December 2009

How to awaken the soul (psychic being)?

Posted on December 20, 2009 by

The psychic being(soul) in us is the portion of the Divine which sits behind the heart and guides individual evolution over incarnations. It’s presence is palpable in the innocence and spontaneity of the child but gradually it becomes camouflaged by the carefully cultivated self-image of the adult. It is an important step in Integral Yoga when this psychic being is unveiled because it has the capacity to accelerate the spiritual transformation (in conventional Yoga, this unveiling is symbolized by the opening of the heart Chakra). One has to replace in oneself, the craftiness of the adult with the joyful innocence of the child but this must be done without losing the wisdom and maturity one has gained. In this post, we discuss the activities which aid the awakening of the psychic being. Continue reading →

Posted in psychic | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Transcending the work-leisure cycle

Posted on December 17, 2009 by

The desire to relax after a hard day’s work or a difficult week is a universal phenomenon observed in people everywhere. The human body has a finite capacity of concentration and needs to relieve the pressure which builds up after a significant amount of mental or physical effort. Unfortunately the methods of relaxation we choose tend to make the situation worse for we sink into a malaise which further depletes our energy. It is here that the psychological methods of Yoga need to be applied. Continue reading →

Posted in karma-yoga | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Videha Dharana : fixing the mind outside the body

Posted on December 14, 2009 by

As discussed in the post Taming the Monkey Mind, the mind in contemplation can focus its awareness on many different objects – be they gross or subtle, within the body or without. In this post, we will cover one more method called Videha Dharana(fixing the awareness outside the body) which has been briefly mentioned in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and elaborated by Sri Anirvan in his book Inner Yoga. As we see below, what is noteworthy is that Sri Anirvan’s description of the transformation bears resemblance to some changes in body consciousness that were noted in exchanges between Sri Aurobindo and his disciples. Continue reading →

Posted in meditation, Upanishads | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Taming the monkey mind

Posted on December 11, 2009 by

As anyone who practises meditation will attest, it is not easy to suspend the thought process. Even if thoughts regarding the external objects are switched off, our internal memory (Chitta) keeps feeding thoughts about past events to our mind and these do not die down easily. Any attempt to control or force the mind to stop always ends in failure. What is required are some supports on which the mind can rest before it glides off into effortless flight. These are observations on a few aids which might help in quieting the thought process. Continue reading →

Posted in meditation | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Interplay of Faith and Doubt in Yoga

Posted on December 11, 2009 by

The path of Yoga requires a steady faith concomitant with a healthy self-doubt. This is quite different from the religious definition of faith. This post elucidates on the spiritual attitude required of the practitioner of Yoga. Continue reading →

Posted in Spiritual practice | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Various ways in which the Kundalini rises

Posted on December 5, 2009 by

It is always of interest when psycho-spiritual descriptions provided by one Yoga practitioner match up with those given by a practitioner of another system of Yoga. In the Gospel of Ramakrishna, Ramakrishna Paramahansa briefly mentions five ways in which the Kundalini rises. In his book Kashmir Shaivism, Swami Lakshman Joo discusses six ways in which the Kundalini rises. It is possible to identify some correspondence between their descriptions. Continue reading →

Posted in Spiritual practice | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ill-effects of television on Yoga

Posted on December 5, 2009 by

The television, a relatively recent 20th century invention, is a powerful form of entertainment and escape from the travails of life. By identifying with someone else’s life, we momentarily forget the ennui of our own life. TV also provides excitement in the form of sports programs or crime dramas (not to mention the absurd reality shows). But watching TV also has some subtle negative consequences on the consciousness of the spiritual aspirant which are seldom mentioned. In his poem Savitri (all of which was composed before 1950), Sri Aurobindo seems to have anticipated some of these ill-effects. He wrote in his poem… Continue reading →

Posted in Spiritual practice | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

Signs of readiness for the spiritual path

Posted on December 4, 2009 by

The Mother of the Aurobindo Ashram, Mira Alfassa, detailed three signs which indicate that one is ready for the spiritual path. Continue reading →

Posted in Spiritual practice | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments