Your Inner Divinity

We are not simply biological creatures, the result of a happenstance of chemical processes, walking the earth just trying to get through it all with a minimum of harm to ourselves and others. We are Creations of the Deity, Products of the Divine, Individuations of God.

- Neal Donald Walsh


Because we tend to live on the surface of things, the world of the mind and the senses, and because we tend to believe the information programmed into us by society, few of us even suspect that we are radiant divine beings in disguise. Instead our scientific culture maintains that we are accidental by-products of an essentially meaningless universe. Our religion, on the other hand, has taught that we are basically shameful sinners. Neither of these views is very uplifting or empowering.

In order to truly evolve both psychologically and spiritually we need a new a vision of ourselves and our place in the universe. And, seriously, how could we be anything other than direct manifestations of a Divine Consciousness evolving in and through this universe of form? As Alan Watts put it, “The ‘real you’ is not someone being kicked around by life. The real deep down you IS the universe.”

The analogy of waves and the sea has been used by mystics throughout the centuries. Our relationship to the cosmos is as waves upon the ocean. The wave is a temporary manifestation of a greater whole, never separate and never really anything other than the ocean itself. We have identified with the wave of our present form and have forgotten our essential nature. “There is a Secret One inside us.” says Kabir, “The planets in all the galaxies pass through his hands like beads./That is a string of beads one should look at with luminous eyes.”

Because of our ignorance (of our true nature) we experience emotions like fear, anger, desire, greed and pride. We lash out at others sometimes without realizing that we are actually attacking ourselves. Once we recognize our true Self, then these emotions dissolve and we can relax. This is true surrender. We surrender the false for the real; ego-clinging for Love.

“Meditation” is a primary means through which we can rediscover our connection with the deeper Self. There are many ways to meditate of course. As Angelina Jolie puts it, "I find meditation in sitting on the floor with the kids coloring for an hour, or going on the trampoline." (I never thought I would quote Angelina Jolie in a meditation blog!) In order to find it though most of us need to learn a method, mantra, vipassana, etc. through which we can learn to disconnect from the surface of things to enter the depths.

Stress is both a symptom of our lack of deeper awareness and it is something which keeps us trapped. Meditation helps us learn to relax and let go. The practice of yoga nidra is a powerful way of learning to relax deeply and to explore deeper levels of consciousness.

Please join us for guided yoga nidra practice on Saturdays at 3:00 PM starting Jan. 7, 2012. We will be meeting at Plexus Pilates, 6940 Indiana Ave Riverside, CA at 3:00 PM. It will last approx. one hour. Cost is $10.00.

Creating a New Reality

Sankalpa is the subtlest form of intention in the field of pure potentiality. In the infinite consciousness Brahaman holds the whole universe in his consciousness through sankalpa. It is sankalpa that holds together the web of sutras that uphold all life and interdependently and synchronistically co-arise as space-time events in the entire cosmos. When the individual sankalpa is aligned with cosmic sankalpa it orchestrates the infinite organizing power of the entire universe so that the individual intention becomes the cosmic intention and the cosmic intention becomes the individual intention.

- Deepak Chopra, MD.



What is our purpose in life? Is it to amass material wealth at the expense of others? Is it to exhaust ourselves in the endless pursuit of selfish pleasure? Or is it, perhaps, to awaken spiritually to realize our inner potential for unconditional love and joy? If you say ‘yes’ to answer number three than you are opening the possibility of creating a new reality. We are talking about a world in which poverty, hunger, war, violence, crime and much of our physical and psychological suffering, cease to exist. It is a world that we can and are bringing into being through the power of sankalpa, or deep intention.

Sankalpa comes from Sanskrit and means vow, resolution or intention based upon our connection with the highest truth. It is not wishful or magical thinking; nor is it baseless “affirmations.” Instead it comes from a deeper part of ourselves connected with desire, will, purpose and meaning. Swami Satyananda has said, “Anything in life can fail you, except for your sankalpa.” It is that powerful! In Yoga Nidra practice we develop a personal sankalpa which is seeded in the subconscious mind and nurtured through multiple repetitions over time and practice.

Your personal sankalpa is a short positive formula that you must develop carefully for yourself. It should be based on your own natural inclinations, your svadharma. One of my teachers put it this way: “If you are naturally inclined to be an artist, you won’t have much success with a sankalpa that says ‘I will be a rich and successful lawyer.” You should be careful if you tend to be overly perfectionistic. Perhaps an intention to be more accepting and compassionate towards your self is best. “You have already written your sankalpa – love to you.” States Swami Niranjan, “Extend that you into every being, so everyone becomes ‘you’. That is the ideal sankalpa.”

In yoga therapy sankalpa can be used to alleviate negative habits, facilitate healing and overcome inner and outer obstacles in life. Our biggest problem is often the storehouse of negative, self-limiting and defeating beliefs that we have in our subconscious. These have to be brought to the surface through mindful introspection and released. This can be done through the practice of inner self-observation as discussed in our last post http://mindful-yoga.blogspot.com/2011/12/experiencing-inner-silence.html. This can be done alongside the practice of sankalpa where we are training the subconscious in a positive direction.

Ultimately, the sankalpa that you develop should be in harmony with the cosmic will, Dharma, Tao or the Will of God (or whatever trm you prefer.) We must be able to connect with a “higher power” beyond our self-centered ego perspectives in order for it to have true power. The first step then is to open oneself in the silence of meditation and ask for your deeper life’s purpose to be revealed to you. Be quiet and receptive. You may get an answer then and there, or it might come later through a meaningful coincidence. When we attune to our intuition this way we open ourselves to Divine guidance.

One’s sankalpa acts like a bridge between the conscious and subconscious minds. Used within the practice of Yoga Nidra, as developed by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, it opens a new dimension of the personality, new insights and new potentials. “If we have a sankalpa which maintains the motivation and drive,” states Swami Niranjan, “then lethargy will not set in. But the sankalpa has to develop the willpower. Just a positive affirmation will not do anything. We all think we should become this or become that. We need to get rid of a particular habit, nature or obsession. We can understand that rationally, but we cannot apply it due to lack of motivation. Sankalpa fills this vacuum in our life.”

Let your sankalpa be connected with love on the deepest most unconditional level. Love is what Is.



Join me on Saturday, January 7, 2012 for a workshop in developing your sankalpa. It will be held at Plexus Pilates, 6940 Indiana Ave Riverside, CA at 3:00 PM. It will last approx. one hour. Cost is $10.00.  Please call (909) 373-6060 to reserve space.

Reference:
http://www.yogamag.net/archives/2005/ajan05/lovesank.shtml

Learning to Be

Your duty is to Be, and not to be this or that.

- Ramana Maharshi

Yoga is not therapy; yoga is not trying in any way to make you adjusted to the society. If you want to define yoga in terms of adjustment, then it is not adjustment with the society, but it is adjustment with existence itself. It is adjustment with the divine!

- Osho

We have been conditioned by our society, culture, circumstances and karma to “not be,” but to live in an imaginary world of fear and desire. It is a world of striving for achievements which are ever elusive, seeking the comforts of past securities and longing for some indefinable something that we call “happiness.” It is a world in which we have falsely identified ourselves with the characters we play in an increasingly absurd tragicomedy. It is a world in which we are afraid to love and afraid to be loved.

And it is a world we are willing to defend with our very lives. We cling to it because we are afraid of being obliterated; afraid of the abyss we sense deep within ourselves. Society is structured to keep us locked into our imaginary world. There is no sense in protesting it. It is a mutual agreement we all make. “I won’t blow your cover if you don’t blow mine.” What would be happen if we dropped all the props and encountered the naked emptiness of the stage? As Marianne Williamson stated in a quote that has now become quite famous,

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

It is important to remember that on awakening to our true nature we also recognize that we are “nobody special.” The ego longs to be special; the soul doesn’t give a damn. Being isn’t special. It is so ordinary that it is ridiculous and it is absolutely wonderful. It doesn’t need to pretend anything.

Yoga is a discipline developed to help us learn to be; or rather unlearn how to “not be.” It is about bringing all of the frantic imaginings of our minds to rest. It is discipline of mind and body that enables to drop mind and body. The awareness which seems to reside within them is unbounded by time and space. It is the ever-present luminosity of Being.

Why then have so many of us practiced this or that discipline for years and still remain neurotic wrecks? It’s because we haven’t yet let go. We haven’t yet surrendered. Use your meditation to vigilantly observe the ego. Realize that you are not that and let it go.

When you are ready.

Freedom and Bondage

Only by a tranquil mind does one destroy all karma, good or bad.
Once the self is pacified, one abides in the Self and attains everlasting bliss. If the mind becomes as firmly established in Brahman as it is usually attached to the sense objects, who, then, will not be released from bondage?
-- Yajur Veda

Bondage is a theme that runs throughout the spiritual teachings of the world. We are bound by karma according to Hinduism and Buddhism, and by sin according to religions like Christianity. If we consider a little more deeply however we discover that we are really bound by our unconscious thoughts and actions. We are bound by mind, which is based on the thought that that we are not free.

According to Yoga philosophy we are conditioned by five underlying sources of bondage. First and foremost is “ignorance.” This means the non-recognition of our true nature as the Self. The second arises from the first and is known as “ego-identification.” It is the mistaken belief that we are these limited body-mind manifestations. The third and fourth are desire and aversion. These underlying impulses drive us to distraction so that we never take the time to look inward, to allow the mind to become quiet and to recognize our peaceful and blissful core. The fifth is the fear of death. It is the tendency to cling to what is familiar although temporal.

The Self is at the core of our beings and is beyond space, time and becoming. It is in a state of blissful loving contemplation. It is the Self, which is pure awareness, who sees through the distorted lens of the mind. We are bound because we believe only in the reality of the seen. We don’t reflect upon the seer. We don’t recognize our own being. That underlying Being, who is the true “I” of each of us is always and absolutely free. In fact we are essentially beyond even these notions of freedom and bondage.

We can’t think our way out of the trap of the mind. Instead meditation means witnessing the mind’s machinations and detaching oneself from them. Through this process the mind loses its hold over us and we can break free from illusion, delusion and confusion.

Beyond God

Quantum cosmology concludes that there is only one, unified wholeness at the fundamental level of the Unified Field of Natural Law and no real fundamental division into observer and observed. Thus quantum cosmology verifies that the Unified Field observes itself in a completely self-referral manner and thereby confirms that the unmanifest, quantum-mechanical Unified Field of Natural Law is* a field of self-referral consciousness which generates the whole manifest universe by its process of self-observation. http://www.worldpeaceendowment.org/invincibility/invincibility2.html


The concept of god has become highly problematic for us in these post-modern times. Who or what is god? Does “he” exist? The Buddha was way ahead of us on this one. He didn’t answer the question but seemed to have considered it irrelevant. “God is a concept,” said John Lennon in an insightful and courageous lyric, “by which we measure our pain.” Still many of us intuitively sense or intuitively “know” that there is a greater being operating in and through this universe. And we sense that we are an inseparable part of this “greater being.” This greater being is who we are beyond our limited and limiting concepts. “God” him/her self is another such thought-construct. Once we get beyond the motive of social regulation, the “god” that we have been taught to believe in is an intentional fabrication. We might as well believe in Santa Claus.

Our thinking is inherently dualistic. We think in terms of self and other, but what if there is no “other?” What if the whole basis of our thought process is fundamentally flawed? We generally like to regard god and religion as benign at worst, but perhaps they are not at all – or at least in the way they have evolved over time. Unlike Richard Dawkins and others in the strict atheist camp, however, I am not suggesting that the whole idea of god and religion is aberrant in the face of scientific materialism; far from it. Instead we need to evolve our concepts, transcend dualistic thought and recognize the truth of our own being. “God” is not some being separate from us but is at the core of each of us.

When we are able to silence the lower “monkey-mind,” known as manas in yogic terminology, we are inherently able to access higher intuitive wisdom and knowledge. Does this wisdom and knowledge come from some being outside of ourselves, perhaps from outer space aliens? Or does it come from a deeper part of our own being? The nondual source of our beings is perfectly omniscient. It doesn’t know things dualistically however. It knows immediately and nonconceptually. This mode of knowing is what we call compassionate love, as distinguished from self-centered love. It is unity consciousness.

Experiencing Inner Silence

When the mind is silent and peaceful it becomes very
powerful. It can become a receptor of bliss and
wisdom enabling life to become a spontaneous flow
and expression of joy and harmony. However…this
inner silence cannot arise while there is a continual
stream of disturbing thoughts and emotions. All this
inner noise of thoughts and emotions has to be
removed before one can truly experience the
soundless sound of inner silence.
—Swami Satyananda Saraswati

There is something very silly about writing about inner silence. It is the experience beyond words, beyond thoughts, completely non-conceptual. Still it is an experience that we rarely have because we are addicted to and obsessed with our on-going commentary, interpretation and justification of ourselves and our world. This is our ego reality.

However it is only in silence that we can experience the underlying reality of our beings. All meditation techniques are really meant to help us silence thoughts. It is not so easy to just let go of thoughts. As soon as we do another crop springs up to co-opt awareness. These thoughts are rooted in our subconscious mind and there are layer after layer of buried thoughts or impressions, known in Sanskrit as samaskaras. To truly experience inner silence takes dedicated practice. It is more than worth it though; it is the experience of inner freedom.

Deepak Chopra states "Inner silence promotes clarity of mind; it makes us value the inner world and trains us to go inside to the source of peace and inspiration when we are faced with problems and challenges." Entering into silence allows us to dissolve anger and anxiety. It allows us to radically change our perspective so that we can view problems in life in a way that allows for true and lasting solutions. We can let go of old habits and worn out concepts.

We seldom realize how much our world, our relationships and our sense of self is based on thought constructs, dim memories and social programming. In silence we rest in the reality of who we are. As Patanjali stated, “When the mind becomes still, one rests in one’s own true nature.” It is such a joy and relief!

Swami Satyananda Saraswati taught a meditation method called “Antar Mouna.” Antar means “inner” and Mouna means “silence.” It is a direct and systematic technique for bringing the mind into a quiet state. It has six stages which have to be developed successively. We will start with the first three before moving onto the three more advanced stages.

Antar Mouna Instructions

Begin by sitting a comfortable meditation position. A cross-legged position is considered best, but choose a position that works for you and your body, so that you can relax and not be disturbed by discomfort.

Close your eyes and begin by observing your body sensations. Take your awareness throughout the body slowly and carefully so that you are aware of every area. Then become aware of breathing. Be aware of each inhalation and each exhalation feeling the movement of the breath in your abdomen.

This is the preparatory stage. Now we will move on to the beginning stage of Antar Mouna.

Begin by becoming aware of the outer sounds going on around you. Tune your awareness into the field of sounds and listen intently for every possible sound. Let go of judging whether a sound is disturbing, pleasant or unpleasant. Instead simply listen for sounds. Listen for sounds in the distance, try to hear even the faintest sounds.

Continue like this for awhile. Move awareness continually from sound to sound without attempting to identify them, sounds in the distance, sounds more nearby, sounds in the immediate area.

Now we can go on to stage two.

Turn your awareness inside now and observe the spontaneous flow of thoughts in your mind. Just as you did with sounds, don’t judge the thoughts as disturbing, pleasant or unpleasant. Instead notice and observe your tendencies to react to thoughts. Simply allow thinking to take place without effort or involvement. Develop the attitude of witnessing just as if you were watching an inner movie.

This stage can be difficult at first. It is important to be vigilant and aware. Notice when you become lost in thoughts – when you forget that you are simply observing. Sometimes there may be a rush of thoughts and sometimes they my simply flow by easily. Sometimes it may be hard to observe a thought, but don’t mistake this for true inner silence. Remain vigilant remain aware. The thought that “I don’t seem to have any thoughts” is a thought!

After some time, you may truly begin to discern the silence between and underneath thoughts. Continue with complete awareness, complete vigilance. Sometimes we might fall asleep at this stage of practice. This is a way of avoiding uncomfortable thoughts that arise in the mind. It takes courage and perseverance to develop awareness of the darker corners and impulses within us. Remember to refrain from reacting, judging, etc. Simply observe.

The third stage begins when we are able to consciously generate and terminate a thought. You may have to practice stage one and two for some time before you can do this. At this stage we can develop a particular theme or intention for inner exploration. Instead of allowing spontaneous thoughts we follow a particular train of thoughts and associations, which helps lead deeper into unconscious areas of the mind. It is important to maintain awareness and control. It is important to drop the whole process just as quickly as it was begun. It is a way of engaging the deeper areas of the mind and bringing them into awareness.



To begin with, practice stages one and two diligently. You will need to spend some time on them. Resist the tendency to give up. Often we are so identified with our thoughts at the beginning that we have trouble observing them. Listen for the voice that talks to you constantly inside your own head. You think it is you, but it’s not . . .

An Ancient Healing Mantra

The combination of sounds in any mantra creates a specific vibration in the body. Our body also has a vibratory dimension. All the cells and atoms are vibrating in harmony with each other. The moment this harmony is broken at the vibratory level, destruction of the body takes place and we start to die. In death the pulsations of the body stop, the animation of the cells ceases and the life force leaves the body. The vibrations are the manifest symptoms of the life force. – Swami Niranjan (http://www.yogamag.net/archives/2000/cmay00/mantras.shtml)



We live in a vibratory universe. On a physical material level all that exists can be understood as arising from an underlying field of pulsating energy; a field of quantum potential which manifests as our physical universe. On a microcosmic level it manifests as our individual body/minds. Each of us is an individual field of energy vibrating in a vast interconnected coherence of energy. We are intimately connected with everything and everybody in an ocean of vibrations. When our body minds are in a state of coherence they function optimally and when they become separated and out of sync they begin to fall apart.

In terms of Tantra Yoga each of us is a combination of two primary principles: consciousness, known as atman, and energy, known as prakriti. On a macrocosmic level these are known as Siva and Shakti; universal consciousness and energy. The universe is evolving in and through us as it becomes more and more conscious of itself. As human beings we are in the unique position of being able to willingly participate in and accelerate this process. On the other hand we can choose to become stagnant, unconscious and disconnected. From the Tantric perspective human birth is a tremendous opportunity for enlightenment. To waste it in a mere sensory and material level of awareness is extremely foolish.

Tantra does not eschew or prohibit involvement in the sensory material level but it recommends that we do so with full awareness. Full awareness means full self-awareness; consciousness of ourselves as spiritual beings. While the phenomenal universe is in a state of continuous flux the atman is ever-present, unchanging and unattached. It is the “hidden observer” within us. When we are identified with the ego we are involved with a sense of identification with something which is fundamentally unreal because it is in a state of constant change. On a deep level our psychological and physiological problems originate in a false sense of self. "The self,” states Deepak Chopra, “is the isolated ego clinging to its small reality and the Self (atman) is the unbounded spirit that can afford to not cling at all."

The essence of Tantric teachings might be boiled down into “Enjoy life but don’t forget who you really are.” Actually we can enjoy life much more when we are aware of our true Self. We can take things lightly. Rather than fighting our tendencies towards desire and anger we can simply drop them in recognition of their futility. When we are inwardly attuned to the Self we can realign, recalibrate and reboot our psychophysical beings. When we come home to the Self we can drop all fear and anxiety, all anger and aggression. We can heal on a deep level.

One powerful way of coming home is the practice of mantra recitation. Many people these days think of mantras as autosuggestions, phrases meant to influence the subconscious in a certain direction. True mantras are much more. They are sound vibrations which free the mind. They help us to relax into the vibratory ocean of being, to reconnect and to recognize our true being. Mantras are not about meaning in the sense of ordinary language. In fact they take us beyond the merely intellectual sense of meaning. They open us to our deeper being.

Mantras may be used for healing, for achieving life goals and/or liberation. They originate in the universal field of consciousness-energy and are received in deep states of meditation or sometimes in dreams. The most powerful mantras have been revealed in ancient times and their field has been reinforced throughout the centuries. The best mantras influence our evolution on multiple levels and according to our needs. They also influence the evolution of consciousness on the planet as a whole. The Mahamrityunjaya or Mahamoksha mantra is one such mantra.

Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

Mahamrityunjaya roughly translates as “great victory over death.” It is a mantric prayer that takes us beyond the world of illusion, the world of death, into the reality of our immortal essence. It is regarded as a powerful healing mantra on all levels: physical, psychological and spiritual. With consistent practice it will transform the deluded consciousness of the practitioner into the enlightened consciousness of a realized Yoga master. Like all mantras it also creates a field of healing, peaceful and enlightening energy across the planet. You can chant this mantra for your own healing and for healing others. (Remember separation is an illusion.)

We are familiar with the mantra Om, or Aum. It is the basis of all mantras and it is the beginning sound of the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra. This is a more complex mantra meant to help us on a number of levels. It may seem difficult at first. Some of the sounds are unfamiliar and may seem hard to pronounce. It is important to learn correct pronunciation. Mantra is about sound more than conveying some external meaning. The meaning is contained within the sounds and revealed through meditation. Here is the mantra in its basic form:

Om Trayambakam yajamahe

Sugandhim pushtivardhanam

Urvarukameva bandhinam

Mrityor mukshiya mamritat



Don’t fret, we’ll break the sounds down here and give a sense of the meaning. The sound is essential however. An entire dissertation could be made trying to explicate the deep layers of meaning in this mantra. However they will be revealed in your consciousness through repetition and meditation.

Om – This is the sound symbol for the Absolute, the formless essence of being. To get a better sense of Om please read the previous post .

Trayambakam (tra yum bu kum) – Tray means “three.” Sounds familiar? Our current language is based upon earlier Indo-european roots. Ambaka means “eye.” The whole phrase means “the one with three eyes.” It refers to the deep unified consciousness within us who sees past, present and future and is aware in the states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep.

Yajamahe (yah jah mah hey) – means “reverence.” It means letting go of ego attachment and importance in praise of the greater Self.

Sugandhim (suh gahnd him) – means “all pervading fragrance.” Fragrance here is both literal and symbolic. We all have experienced how a particular smell can spread and permeate the atmosphere, whether pleasant or unpleasant. The Self is all pervasive like a sweet but subtle fragrance which can be actually experienced in deep meditation.

Pushtivarhanam (push tea var da nahm) – means “that which sustains all beings.” It refers to the field of consciousness from which we all take our individual identities. It is the imminent and transcendent presence of God.

Urvarukamiva (oor va rook ah meeva) – means “powerful illness.” It refers to whatever illness we may be suffering in life but more importantly to the illness of illusion, spiritual blindness and inability to recognize our true nature.

Bandhinam (bahnd hi nahm) – means bondage, being bound, stuck, etc.

Mrityor (mrit your) – means death, ignorance, untruth.

Mukshiya (mook she ah) – means liberation from all of the above.

Mamritat (mahm rih taht) – literally means “give me the nectar of immortality.” It is asking for and opening to the infinite supply and potential of the universe.

So we might say that the mantra means: “I offer reverence to the Consciousness which is omniscient and all pervasive, and which sustains and nourishes all beings. I pray for liberation from suffering and deliverance from death into immortality.” Or something like that. Remember that it is the sound combinations that are considered essential. When this mantra is recited with an attitude of devotion it brings about physical and psychological transformation. Swami Niranjan states, “When we use a string of vibrations, as in the Mahamrityunjaya mantra, these vibrations realign the disturbances in the vibratory system. Disease and illness can be managed effectively with this mantra.”

The concept of mantra healing may seem strange for modern Westerners. Some scientists will reluctantly admit that studies indicate that prayer can be beneficial in healing and preventing illness. Mantras are much more precise than ordinary ideas of prayer. The sounds intensify the healing intention permeating our deeper levels of consciousness with their vibrations.

There are various recordings of this mantra and some can be found easily on youtube. Here is a brief recording of 11 repetitions if you would like to chant along with me : ) http://soundcloud.com/turiyaom/mahamrit This mantra is chanted 108 every Saturday in ashrams throughout the world for healing and peace. We can join in this energy by developing a weekly Saturday practice of chanting it as well.

An Attitude of Gratitude

God is always coming to you in the Sacrament of the Present Moment. Meet and receive Him there with gratitude in that sacrament.

- Evelyn Underhill


I’ll be honest. Gratitude has been a hard one for me. Growing up in a family beset with alcohol abuse and domestic violence, I developed a habit of holding onto bitterness and resentment. I am regularly depressed around the holidays and Christmas carols make me cringe. I learned at an early age to regard the world with cynicism and suspicion. When I became a teenager this attitude crystallized into an attitude of rebellion against all that was conventional, superficial and fake. I found my way to the bitter rebellious joy of getting high and drunk. Love and gratitude seemed to be concepts that were contaminated beyond recognition. Still there was a spiritual longing within me and a deep faith buried under multiple layers of defenses.

Eventually I found my way to India and the practice of yoga; not the commercialized yoga of glossy magazines but the deep spiritual yoga of the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras as taught by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. Yoga helped open my heart to the spiritual dimension of life but I was still conflicted inside. Now as a yoga teacher and a psychotherapist I see so many people with similar conflicts and defenses. It is hard sometimes to open to love and gratitude when you are going through or have lived through a personal hell. How do we find our way back to God and the Kingdom?

Research shows that an attitude of gratitude is beneficial for health and healing on both physical and psychological levels. Robert Emmons summarizes this research in Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier (Houghton Mifflin, 2007). Various studies showed that patients who use a daily gratitude journal "reap emotional, physical and interpersonal benefits." It seems to be an antidote for the stressful thoughts that can so disastrously affect our health and wellbeing. It is a form of writing meditation.

The practice of witnessing or observing thoughts in meditation is very helpful in this regard. Through meditation we can uncover and release some of the negative cognitive structures and emotional energy which have taken roost in the subconscious mind. By further focusing on feelings of love, gratitude and compassion we open up dormant functions of our brain/minds which help us to grow and evolve as spiritual beings. Of course we need to take this practice out into the world as well. The Buddhist teacher Atisha suggested we take up and practice the slogan: Be grateful to everyone. Now that might be a challenge!

However, we can learn to be open to the blessing of each moment in our lives. Each breath is a blessing, each sip of coffee, each encounter with another soul. When one’s heart is open the world is full of opportunities to feel grateful and compassionate. From a spiritual perspective, even the most horrible things that happen have meaning and can lead to the soul’s evolution. If we are just grateful for the good things in life, then what happens when they go away? How do we feel when “stuff happens?” Spiritual teachings tell us that this world of our experience is really a projection of the unconscious karma within us. It is a setting through which we can work out all the stuff that obscures our inherent divinity; an opportunity to go beyond the ego and to realize the Self. Practicing gratitude is a great way to make progress.

Accessing Quantum Consciousness

Oh Lord, I see within your body all the
gods and every kind of living creature. I see
Brahma, the Creator, seated on a lotus; I see
the ancient sages and celestial serpents.
I see infinite mouths and arms, stomachs and
eyes, and you are embodied in every form. I
see you everywhere, without beginning, middle,
or end. You are the Lord of all creation,
and the cosmos is your body.
- Bhagavad Gita


Mystical, shamanic, and yoga traditions tell us that there is a greater consciousness inherent in the universe through which we are all connected. It is the deeper “I” within each of us, the resplendent Self. This greater consciousness lives in and through us as embodied beings but is generally hidden to us due to the process of avidya, or self-forgetting. When we have forgotten our connection to this greater consciousness we believe ourselves to be separate body-mind entities living in an essentially hostile world. As the Taitirriya Upanishad states, “Until we know the unity of all life, we live in fear.” Once we know this unified consciousness; once we have overcome a chronic case of mistaken identity, we realize that there is no birth, no death and that we are eternally abiding.

Now this may sound like a huge leap beyond reason, common sense and general sanity. It violates almost everything we have been taught either by science or traditional religion. Our whole lives have been structured around this sense of being a separate ego-identity and many of us feel terrified of the idea of giving this up. As one student put it, “If I and my world are not real, what is left?” The answer is: just all-encompassing unconditional love. Not so bad really.

Beginning in the early twentieth-century physicists investigating into the smallest units of matter encountered the interaction of consciousness with matter on the quantum level. Going on a century later scientists and philosophers are still arguing over what this means. Some say that it is either a) mistaken, or b) irrelevant. Others, of course, more aligned with “New Age” spirituality say that it means that “consciousness creates reality.” Personally, it seems that the former are simply overly attached to a materialist-reductionist paradigm and afraid to investigate beyond it. The later seem to be both naïve and opportunistic. On the level of ego-consciousness we have very little control over “reality,” mainly because we are identified with it. It is only when we are able to step outside of body-mind egos that we can grasp the bigger picture.

The body-mind ego is a particular constricted focus of consciousness. Mystics, shamans and yogis use various methods for altering consciousness so that they are able to move outside of the consensual trance in which most of us live. Investigating consciousness is a subjective endeavor. It is not a matter for physicists, neurophysiologists, intellectual philosophers, etc. It requires the courage to turn away from the world presented by the senses, projected by the mind and presumed to be the entirety of our world. It requires “pratyahara,” the yogic term for disciplined introversion. Just as externalized disciplines teach us to examine the world in a particular way, disciplines of consciousness seek to guide us on an inward journey.

Quantum Field theory, though, has given us a new language for understanding the greater consciousness. It has provided a model through which we can understand Consciousness as the field of infinite potential, wisdom and abiding Love through which our world comes into being:

The property of pure self-interaction of the Unified Field together with the resulting three-in-one structure of the 'measurement process' in quantum cosmology implies that the Unified Field generates sequentially progressing series of events through the process of pure self-observation. This quality of pure self-observation in turn means that the non-material, Quantum Mechanical Unified Field can be identified as the field of pure self-referral consciousness. http://www.worldpeaceendowment.org/invincibility/invincibility6.html


Meditative states of consciousness allow us to access this field (although we are never truly apart from it.) Meditation is essentially a way of retraining consciousness through a disciplined refocusing of attention. Meditation helps us to move awareness away from a fixation on the external world-projection in order to become aware of the field of awareness itself. Becoming aware of this unified field of consciousness is what Yogis have referred to as enlightenment. “Enlightenment results from extending the abilities of our brain, nervous system and consciousness into quantum fields of human potential that go beyond anything we have ever imagined.” (Bob Fickes, Quantum Enlightenment) The meditative state allows us to access our inner connection to infinite energy and intelligence.

States of consciousness can be measured through monitoring brain waves. Simply put: beta waves are generated in the waking ego state. Alpha waves represent a more relaxed and introverted consciousness, while theta waves are generated when consciousness disconnects from the outer world and delta waves signify deep sleep. Meditation helps us to move into alpha, theta even delta states with conscious awareness. Alpha represents a gateway into the quantum field consciousness. Through meditation the experienced practitioner can move from alpha into the deeper states of theta and delta at will and with awareness. It is in these deeper states that we come into contact with the greater consciousness within.

There are numerous ways for entering into meditative states of consciousness. It is not even necessary to receive official training in a traditional methodology although it helps. One technique which I learned through Swami Satyananda Saraswati is called Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra is a guided process of deep relaxation and inner awareness which can take one into the deeper layers of consciousness fairly easily. It helps with healing, learning, creative problem solving, inspiration and, of course stress reduction. I have made a recording of an introductory session which can be downloaded at http://soundcloud.com/turiyaom/yoga-nidra You can learn more about this profound technique in Swami Satyananda’s book Yoga Nidra.

Doing or Being Yoga?

Your duty is to Be, and not to be this or that.

- Ramana Maharshi



People often ask “How often do you do yoga?” It’s a question, though, which is hard to answer because it is based on a misconception. We might attend a yoga class three times a week, practice asana, pranayama and some meditation method for an hour or so daily. This, however, is just a preliminary glimpse of what yoga means. For one who is dedicated to the path of yoga, each breath is practice, each thought an opportunity to be aware. For one who has realized, yoga is a state of being; a continuous flow of consciousness.

Swami Niranjan says, “Yoga is about becoming aware. Yoga is about managing the negative aspects of our character and developing the positive qualities which uplift our nature, and with that uplifting others as well. When we are expressing these qualities then other people are uplifted, and that is yoga!” It is important to understand that there are a variety of forms of yoga; hatha, raja, bhakti, gyan, karma, laya, kriya, etc. Karma yoga is an important basis for our ongoing practice of awareness. Karma yoga can be defined as awareness in action.

Ordinarily when we practice some form of yoga we dedicate a limited period of time, but with karma yoga we continue that awareness into daily life. We are present in each moment whether at work or at home cleaning up the kitchen. The Bhagavad Gita defines it as action, i.e. work, for its own sake without regard to its fruits. In other words, it means being present and aware in the moment without being distracted by imagined future outcomes. It is service which is not motivated by self-centered desire; meditation in action.

When we are truly embodying yoga, there is no anxiety about the future, nor is there dwelling on the past. Even while involved in worldly activities there is an underlying awareness of nonduality. There is a deep awareness that all separation is an illusion. For the yogi this is not just an intellectual stance; not just a matter of saying the right words. It is a matter of transcendent awareness.

There is a story of a student who tried to impress his master with a description of the illusory nature of phenomena. The master listened patiently then hit him with a stick! When the student became angry it was apparent that he had no real understanding. When we react with fear or anger, when we become worried, anxious, resentful or demoralized it is a reminder that our yoga is incomplete and superficial. We have been smacked with the master’s stick to help us awaken.

Sometimes people refer to yoga practice as “being on the mat.” Real yoga though has nothing to do with a mat. Even after you’ve rolled it up and put it away you have to face the vicissitudes of life. Yoga means developing and maintaining a calm mind and a unified consciousness. We have to practice constantly until we realize that we are it.

The Science of Life

Disease-free condition is the best source of virtue, wealth, gratification
and emancipation, while the diseases are destroyers of this (source),
welfare and life itself
Charaka Samhita 4: 15-16

Ayurveda is the traditional medical system of India with roots going back to ancient times. It is a form of naturopathy which focuses on maintaining optimal health and longevity. However it also has a curative aspect as well which relies on herbs and diet as well as behavioral and psychological interventions. It is closely allied with Yoga and is the basis of Yoga therapy. It is a holistic science which takes into account body, mind and spirit.

The term Ayurveda comes from two words: ayus, meaning life and veda, meaning science. As Swami Vibhooti Saraswati writes,

“The science of Ayurveda began thousands of years ago in the Himalayan regions. The great seers who founded it did not differentiate between our inner and outer world, seeing both as one. They treated spiritual suffering along with the body and mind. In fact, the fundamental philosophy of Ayurveda is that any kind of suffering can be termed disease ('dis-ease'), while inner contentment is equated with good health. True health, according to Ayurvedic science, means a sound body, a sound mind, sound emotions and a sound soul, which also equates with another great science -yoga. Ayurveda used plants and herbs, diet, aromatics, and even cosmetics, for restoring and maintaining mental equilibrium. Ayurveda also used the breathing and meditation techniques that form the basis of yoga, its sister science.” http://www.yogamag.net/archives/2005/lnovdec05/ayurcom.shtml

To understand Ayurveda and Yoga, for that matter, we need to appreciate their particular viewpoint and value system. Health and happiness are not seen as based on external circumstances but on inner peace, contentment and joy. It is a matter of balance within body, mind and spirit and well as within nature. Our modern society, unfortunately, is out of balance on all levels as we fall prey to diseases like cancer and depression while living in and continuing to create a toxic environment for ourselves. However, these traditional approaches can help us get back on the right track.

Ayurveda employs a number of common herbs which are often used in preparing meals as a way of promoting and maintaining health. Traditional Indian cooking is based in the principals of Ayurveda. Common condiments such as garlic, ginger, coriander, black pepper, cumin, fenugreek, cardamom, tamarind, cinnamon, turmeric, and nutmeg can be used based on knowledge of their properties. Rosemary is another common herb with wonderful properties which will be presented in a workshop at The Spiritual Treatment Center in Redlands, CA by Mina Jain and Mina Lerma on November 4, 2011 at 6:30 PM. (For more information visit: http://www.meetup.com/The-Spiritual-Treatment-Center-of-Redland/events/36989772/)

You can learn more about the relationship between Yoga and Ayurveda from this short video with Dr. David Frawley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0TJkqhsKLQ

Or for a more in depth presentation on Ayurveda, here is another video you can enjoy by Dr. Shudha of UCSF: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTOJ8c__rk8

For Ayurvedic supplements for a variety of needs visit India Herbs at:
http://www.india-herbs.com/aff/Turiyaom/main

http://www.india-herbs.com/aff/Turiyaom/main_es (Español)

(These are an affiliate links so commissions on any orders will help support this blog : )

Navigating the Mind-Ocean

Just look, watch. What is your mind?
What is meant by the word mind? What exactly it consists of?
All your experiences...knowledge...past...accumulated ? that is your mind. You may have a materialist mind, you may have a spiritualist mind, it doesn´t matter a bit; mind is mind. The spiritual mind is as much mind as the materialist mind. And we have to go beyond mind.
- Osho



All our experience is conditioned by mind. Who we are, what we perceive, believe; what we take to be real is a product of mind. We live our lives submerged in an ocean of mind. The very concepts of a world “out there” and a me “in here” are mental constructs. "There is no difference,” writes Deepak Chopra, MD (stating a truth which is grounded in the ancient philosophy of Vedanta but which is also consistent with modern physics,) “between what is happening in your inner world & what is happening in your outer world. The outer world is just a reflection of your inner world. The world is a mirror of your mind & your mind is a mirror of the world. But you are neither your mind nor the world; you are the creator of both. Even that idea is only a partial truth because there are no inner & outer worlds. There is only the self-interaction of the one Being, infinite consciousness."

Why then are we so caught up in, so immersed in this reality-construct? Yoga psychology tells us that it is because we have developed these powerful patterns of mind over innumerable lifetimes. Or as Albert Einstein once remarked, “Reality is an illusion, albeit a stubborn one.” We maintain our reality as it is by constantly thinking about it. It is reinforced by the cyclic interactions of thought, feeling, action and reaction that comprise our daily lives. At night when we sleep they dissolve. In deep dreamless sleep the world ceases to exist but we never notice. As soon as we awaken the process starts up again.

We tend to think in terms of “my mind” and “your mind”, but these are just sub-programs of Mind-at-large; the great field of energy and information in which we are imbedded. You could call this the Universal Mind Matrix, the Akashic Field, or just “Mind.” In terms of Yogic cosmology it is referred to as Mahat. Out of this field intellect, or Buddhi, is generated, as well as the sensory and subconscious mind, Manas, and the individual ego identity, or Ahamkara. This is the Yogic conception of mind. The Self, Atman, is beyond the mind. It is the eternal witnessing awareness.

Yoga is a process of waking up to our true identity. The various methodologies are ways of detaching from and deconstructing our ego-trance. The roots of our false sense of self lie in the subconscious and unconscious layers of mind. Our ordinary waking consciousness is like the tip of an iceberg with 90% hidden. When we are functioning in the world we are rarely aware of what is happening below the surface. Just as we might learn to ride a bicycle as a child and do not have to remember the details as we get older, most of our habits, proclivities, sense of self and world are products of prior conditioning. We are conditioned by our parents, schools, religious institutions, cultures, as well as by the unique learning experiences we have had.

In yoga terminology this conditioning is the result of “samskaras,” latent impressions within the subconscious and unconscious mind. Samskaras often function below the level of conscious awareness but also arise as memories. All memory is an aspect of samskaras but we are not able to recall all of our samskaras – that would be overwhelming! Karma is the “outer” aspect of samskaras. Things, events, relationships, etc. come our way in life as a result of the influence of samskaras. Whether we are aware of it or not a samskara gives rise to a mind-pattern, known as vritti, which results in both an inner and outer experience.

This idea of samskaras is confirmed by recent brain research. We know that experiences create neural pathways in the brain which are then self-reinforcing. These pathways are the physical counterpart to the samskaras. They can be very powerful habits which are hard to overcome. Of course, like in bike-riding, they can also be beneficial. Positive thoughts and emotions create and maintain positive samskaras, while negative thoughts and emotions create and maintain negative samskaras. Often times we experience an inner battle between positive and negative samskaric impulses. This results in confusion, inner turmoil and distress.

Through deep meditation the Yoga practitioner can become aware of the latent impressions within. When the surface mind patterns, or vrittis become still the yogi dives deep into the unconscious layers of the mind and gain control over the deep samskaras. The fire of Samadhi burns away these impressions. The liberated soul, Jivanmukta, is one who has depleted the store of samskaras. He or she is truly free.

In order to overcome the samaskaras it is important to practice meditation regularly with an attitude of non-attachment. This means that no matter what appears in the mind, we just observe it without reaction. Eventually we learn to rest in the Self, in stillness, inner peace, bliss and love.

Meditation and the Problem of Evil

There is no such thing as moral phenomena, but only a moral interpretation of phenomena.
- Friedrich Nietzsche

We experience good and evil because we perceive a presence of duality rather than unity.
- Ernest Holmes



The concept of good and evil is ancient and mythological. We find it throughout the chronicles of wars both ancient and modern. It makes its way into our current culture through films such as Star Wars and the novels of J. R. R. Tolkien. We also find it in crime dramas and hear it played out in the complaints following romantic breakups. But really, what is good and what is evil? Ask most people about evil and they will point to the poster child of evil, Adolph Hitler to make their point. Mother Theresa, of course, exemplifies the opposite end of the spectrum. And it is a spectrum. As human beings we all fall somewhere in the middle.

In order to determine the nature of evil we must try to understand what our highest value is. The good is that which unfolds within us as our highest potential as spiritual beings. It is our Buddha nature; our capacity for joy, love, compassion, communion, wisdom and creativity. This goodness is innate within all beings as it flows from our source. We can connect with it through meditation and prayer; through art, music, dance, etc. We find it in communion with nature, intimate relationships, solitude and sacred love-making. Unfortunately there are also numerous ways through which we can disconnect. It is when we disconnect from and forget our true nature as Being-Consciousness-Bliss that we become mired in a false reality; in dualistic consciousness.

Our fragmented consciousness is based in ignorance, ego-identification, desire, hatred and fear. Once we are disconnected from our source we fall into ignorance. We identify with our limited body-mind egos and we strive to find happiness outside of ourselves by chasing after what we like and running from or attacking what we dislike. We cling to our familiar beliefs, to our ego-selves, out of fear. Imagine the young man who stabs his girlfriend to death out of jealousy. He might even say he was motivated out of “love.” In truth he is under the spell of profound ignorance, not realizing that in killing her he is murdering part of his own soul. All of us are ignorant to some degree when we assert our own needs and desires over those of others; even worse, at their expense.

We disconnect from Unity when we become attached to material things and money, mindless media-consumption, gambling, thrill-seeking, over-eating, sex, drugs and alcohol. We disconnect through our very insistence on the dichotomy of good and evil. I have often used the Irrational Beliefs Inventory developed by Albert Ellis, Ph.D. with clients and trainees in psychotherapy. One irrational belief is the idea that some people are wicked or evil and deserve punishment. It has been surprising how strongly people will defend the supposed rationality of this belief. Even fellow therapists! Our irrational hatred and fear of what we define as “evil” is an “evil” in itself.

The really hard part to come to terms with is that any time we label someone or something as evil, we are projecting an aspect of ourselves. Our world is a mirror of our shared consciousness. We hang on to this idea that “it’s not me,” but we all carry the seeds of ignorance, of “me-first,” attachment, and aversion. Think of how easy it is to get people to murder each other by defining the enemy as evil. In their haste they forget that war itself is a great, and perhaps greater, evil. The peoples and nations that we call evil consider us to be the evil ones. The reality is that we are all human beings trying to learn to live together as a global society. The deeper reality is that we are all one being.

Rising in Love

When you are in love with somebody, you say you fell in love, but you should rise in love, not fall in love. When love becomes conditional, you fall and when love becomes unconditional, you rise. Unconditional love exists between God and humanity, and therefore we are always looking up to God as a source of inspiration and strength, care and affection.

– Swami Niranjananda Saraswati

Love is something we all struggle with to some degree. As ego-centered beings we can’t seem to live with nor without it. Our popular culture is full of songs about love; losing it, longing for it, falling in and out of it. Personally, I have had times when I doubted such a thing really exists. Instead of love many times we are talking about desire, attachment, possessiveness, dependence, security, etc. These are all aspects of conditional love which is all the ego is capable of.

Last week I attended a talk by Ram Dass. He said that he loved everything, all of us and even the inanimate objects around him. He talked about someone who became perturbed with him because the love he felt for him wasn’t special. “If you love the dirty carpet as much as you love me then I don’t like your love.” The ego always wants to feel special and this is a lot of what “falling in love” is all about. “He or she makes me feel so special.” But do we feel special at the expense of someone else? Do we need to compare ourselves with someone who not so special? Do I have to compete with the dirty rug for Ram Dass’ affection?

Many of us have been wounded in childhood because we didn’t get the unconditional love that truly healthy parents give to their children. We spend our lives looking for it, trying to be deserving of it, perhaps angry and bitter that the world is such a “cold place.” Perhaps, if we are lucky, we find a guru like Ram Das did who radiates unconditional love. The problem here is that such love is absolutely impersonal. We feel completely accepted, deeply loved as we are but not so special on the ego level.

I remember staying at the ashram in India with my guru and about a thousand other people. I looked around and noticed how they were all making fools of themselves competing for his attention like little children. Then I noticed my own strategies for competing for attention and affection. My primary strategy was to act more mature and aloof while actually hoping to solicit some affirmation. One day he called me over during satsang with a special message. I was sure he was going to give some personal guidance in my meditation or something. Instead he told me to be sure that my little daughter stayed warm as the weather was becoming cooler.

The ego is always thinking in terms of “me first.” It is competitive because it is afraid and insecure. We have to earn love, demand love, fight for it. In the light of unconditional love things are completely different. All we have to do is surrender to it. We have to let go of the need to feel special over and above somebody else. There is more than enough to go around. Unconditional love comes from the Self. It is all-pervasive. Like the sun it shines on the good and wicked alike. It is compassionate and forgiving. Once you have opened to its touch you are completely changed. The ego dissolves like sugar in water.

The ego’s problem is that it wants to feel loved but doesn’t know how to feel love. On this level of consciousness we long for what we can neither give nor receive. We can’t give love because we are busy defending ourselves and our personal territory. We can’t receive because we are afraid to let down those defensive walls. I think of the typical spy movie in which the hero must distrust the person he gets closest to. Our lives become intrigues of loneliness and despair. Unfortunately the territory that we so loyally defend doesn’t really exist. Our separate ego-self is an illusion.

Spiritual practice, sadhana, is about releasing our attachment to the illusion and opening to unconditional love. It is about letting go of the “me” in “me first.” At the same time it is about recognizing that underneath the “me” is the radiant “I am.” This radiant being is within us all as the Self. When we are able to discern the underlying reality then the ego-personality becomes more like a character in a movie. It is a temporary role that we are playing. We can develop a sense of humor about the whole thing. As Krishna states in the Bhagavad Gita:

I am ever present to those who have realized
me in every creature. Seeing all life as my
manifestation, they are never separated from
me. They worship me in the hearts of all, and
all their action proceed from me. Wherever
they may live, they abide in me. (6, 30-31)


So what about personal relationships? Most of us are on the path rather than actual realized masters. During meditation practice we might experience a degree of unity, but afterwards were back in the thick of illusion. Our personal relationships can become a battle of egos rather than recognition of the One who is shining within us. Patanjali gives us some guidance in the Yoga Sutras where he says, “Cultivate feelings of friendliness towards those who are happy, compassion for those who are suffering, goodwill towards those who are virtuous and indifference towards those who are wicked or evil.” By following these guidelines we are better able to keep from getting lost in our “roles.”

Another and complimentary approach is given by the Buddhist teacher Atisha. He suggests that in between meditation sessions that we consider the illusory quality of our experiences; or, as Pema Chodron translates, “In postmeditation, be a child of illusion.” In other words, don’t buy into the drama of the personality. Remember that you and everyone else are simply playing roles in the pageant of life.

Can we do this in our intimate personal relationships? This is the trickiest part of the path. Our love for each other on this level is always conditional to some degree. Can we be in a close personal relationship and see through “me” and “you?” If we are sincere in our sadhana it can be an ongoing opportunity to recognize and correct ourselves whenever we get lost in “me first.” At the same time each of us is a unique individual expression of the One which must be respected. It is not “spiritual” to be a doormat, any more than to be an aggressive dominator. Love means finding balance, mutual appreciation for each other, acceptance of each other’s unique perspective, an ability to forgive and to empathize, and the courage to be true to oneself.

There is a paradox at work in our spiritual development. The closer we get to the Universal Self, the more of a unique individual we are. Just as each flower opens to the sunlight when it blooms, we each follow our own course of growth and development. This is a far cry from the defended faux individuality of ego, it is a direct expression of the creative energy of the soul. Rising in love means having a deep respect for each other’s unique being and path, as well as the underlying unity of our beings. Unconditional love is not demanding or possessive, it is based on inner strength and awareness. When we love in this way we recognize each other as “children of illusion” playing in the fields of the Lord.

Undoing the Knots that Bind Us

When one realizes the Self, in whom
All life is one, changeless, nameless, formless,
Then one fears no more. Until we realize
The unity of life, we live in fear.

- The Taittiriya Upanishad

Within the Vedantic tradition it is a well-known axiom that the mind is the source of bondage, and that it is also the source of liberation. As Sri Ramakrishna stated, “Bondage is of the mind; freedom too is of the mind. If you say 'I am a free soul. I am a son of God who can bind me' free you shall be.” The problem is that we have to mean it when we say it. Just repeating the words won’t do. Believe me I’ve tried.

The bondage of our minds is composed of our beliefs. What we believe to be true is what we experience as our particular reality. As a cognitive therapist I have often worked with clients to help them uncover and dismantle the irrational, limiting beliefs that cause them to suffer from depression, anxiety, poor self-esteem, etc. Could it be though that we are caught up in deeper, collective beliefs that bind us? Because these beliefs are collective they would appear as “common sense” and so slip by our attention unquestioned.

Beliefs in this sense are not just “thoughts,” but concepts about ourselves and our world to which we are deeply, and often unconsciously, emotionally attached. Even to question them can evoke deep existential anxiety. Thus someone who is deeply committed to a religious perspective becomes defensive when his beliefs are challenged, as does someone who is deeply committed to the scientific materialist view. Both are irrational in that they have strong emotional needs to maintain their view of reality. But what happens to us when events occur which call our most basic beliefs into question?

The yogic path is not about arguing the correctness of a belief system. It is not about creating or defending a religious or philosophical perspective. It is not about developing a “new paradigm.” Instead it is about quieting the mind and perceiving “what is” directly and unadulterated. It is about releasing our emotional attachments and seeing through our concepts. Ultimately it means investigating the “seer;” the source of our awareness. And the only way to do this is by being it.

Going Beyond Appearances

You are a volume in the divine book.
A mirror to the power that created the universe.
Whatever you want, ask it of yourself.
Whatever you’re looking for can only
be found inside of you.

- Rumi

Probably the most basic belief that we share is that the world as we perceive it through our senses is “the world.” This assumption is referred to as “basic ignorance,” or avidya, in both yogic and Buddhist terms. Instead we know that our sensory experience of an external world “out there” is a mixture of approximately 20% direct sensory input and 80% unconscious mental processing. As the writer Anais Nin put it, "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." What we perceive is actually “mind,” a construct or model of “reality.” This is not a negative or bad thing. It simply means that our experience is actually a creative, or interactive activity. The physicist John Wheeler coined the phrase “participatory universe” to describe how this seems to be happening on a quantum level.

I have had friends ask, “Does this mean there is no reality out there?” Sometimes followed by, “I believe there must be something out there.” My deep intuition is that there is a larger reality of which we are part. However, are “in here” and “out there” just categories of thought; deeply ingrained beliefs regarding the nature of reality? It’s not that “reality is all in your head,” perhaps, in fact, your “head” doesn’t exist either! Your “head” and my “head” are just the flip-side of ignorance which we generally refer to as “the ego.” You can’t have your duality and eat it too. (Whatever that might mean : )

Part of our problem is that the way we perceive the world is based in the “hard wiring” of our brains. Our brain structures have evolved from our most primitive “relatives,” and the most primitive structure is referred to as the “reptilian brain.” This part of the brain is geared towards seeing reality in terms of survival; me versus whatever, or whoever might want to devour me. The four functions of the lower brain include: feeding, fighting, fleeing and reproduction. As such it represents an inherited “belief” in our identification with the physical body. This is the most basic “knot” that we have to undo on the path of spiritual evolution. In terms of kundalini yoga it is known as the “Brahma granthi” and is understood as the primary knot by which spirit is bound to matter, i.e. bound by the belief that we are simply our physical bodies.

Meditation simply means making the mind quiet. There are a variety of methods for doing this. The point is not the method but the state of inner peace and the expanded awareness that we experience. Even when the mind is in motion we can enter into our soul’s perspective – recognize our inner witnessing awareness. When we move into this awareness we are free from anxiety, fear, anger or any form of tension. We are aware of the body, aware of the world as it appears to us, but we are not identified with it. From this perspective we can dissolve the tangled knots of past impressions, chronic stress and painful attachments.

A few months back I was at a place of extreme stress in my life. I had been out of work for several months and was running out of money. I had no where to stay and had spent the night in my car barely sleeping. I went to a local park and begin hiking to work off some of the anxiety which was threatening to overwhelm me. As I was walking I remember feeling embarrassed that people would see me and know that I was a homeless person. After a while I found a quiet spot to sit, took out my mala (rosary) and began silently repeating my mantra. As my mind settled somewhat and I was able to shift into the witnessing awareness, I was engulfed by a sense of profound peace. Suddenly I was aware of the beauty of the little park, the wind in the trees, birds singing and the gentle warmth of the sun. I felt and knew that it was all held within this awareness of which I was not a separate entity but an integral part. As I surrendered further into this state of peace a sense of joy developed within me along with a sense of both loving and being loved. My immediate problems did not disappear but they lost their power to make me desperate and anxious. I had found a deeper and larger sense of being in which they seemed almost minor.

The amazing thing is that this inner state of peace is present and available to us all the time. When we are caught up in the ongoing story of our lives though, we forget to access it. The regular practice of meditation helps us to not only access this state but begin to live in it. When we are present as witnessing awareness to any experience we open up to a field of potential beyond limiting thoughts and beliefs. When we are at peace and our ego minds are not fighting, judging or trying to hide from present experience there are many possibilities. Within the vaster state of inner peace our knots begin to dissolve because we are not busy pulling them tighter!

Awakening through the Chakras

Don’t go outside your house to see flowers.
My friend, don’t bother with that excursion.
Inside your body there are flowers.
One flower has a thousand petals.
That will do for a place to sit.
Sitting there you will have a glimpse of beauty
Inside the body and out of it,
Before gardens and after gardens.

- Kabir (Version by Robert Bly)


The chakras are centers of psychic energy within our subtle bodies. As such they are not material objects in any sense. You can’t find them by dissecting a corpse, nor can they be directly measured by any of our current scientific instruments. They can be known however through personal experience developed through the practice of inner yoga.

To better understand the chakras we must look into the yogic idea of the subtle body. From this ancient perspective each of us is composed of three concurrent bodies: the physical, or shtula sharira, the subtle, or linga sharira and the causal, or karana sharira. The yogic path of awakening and liberation is to move from an exclusive fixation with the physical dimension of our beings into awareness of the subtle dimension and from there into the even subtler dimension of the causal body. Eventually the enlightened and liberated yogi transcends all three bodies to realize his or her true being as pure consciousness, Atman.

The three bodies, or dimensions of our beings, need not be an abstract, esoteric concept. We live in and through them constantly. We experience the physical body when we are awake in the relative sense, the subtle body is experienced through dreams and the causal is experienced in deep, dreamless sleep. When we are able to develop an uninterrupted awareness through all of these states we awaken to the Self, the intrinsic awareness within and beyond the three states.

We can understand these dimensions of being in terms of modern physics and the holonomic theory of physicist David Bohm. Bohm posited the existence of an “implicate order” beneath the material universe. The world as we experience it is known as the “explicate order.” The implicate order is the subtle, hidden structure out of which the physical reality unfolds. Beyond the implicate is also a supra-implicate order which we can equate with the causal dimension of being. Bohm developed this theory to explain the apparent randomness of quantum physics.

Both Bohm’s and Yogic theory agree that the physical form is based in a more subtle dimension or being. It is the expression of deeper unconscious patterns of energy. As we develop awareness of this hidden dimension through chakra awareness we can bring about psychosomatic transformation, healing and begin to transcend the physical dimension to realize ourselves as eternal, blissful spiritual beings.

Symbols of the Chakras

There are many different interpretations of the science of the chakras. Of course, the differences are not that great, but they are there. The thinkers of the Theosophical movements and their predecessors have their own interpretations of the chakras, their location points, their colours and so on. The Rosicrucians and others may say something completely different and the tantric texts may also present entirely different concepts.

- Swami Satyananda Saraswati



Within the tradition of Tantra Yoga the chakras are often described as lotus flowers with varying numbers of petals and colors. The petals are inscribed with the letters of the Sanskrit alphabet. Within the lotuses are various symbols as well, of the elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether,) representative animals, presiding deities, etc. These symbols comprise a language for talking about energetic structures which are not directly observable or measureable, i.e. “subtle.” The symbols are valuable but it is important not to become too attached to them. We do not want to intellectualize the whole system to the exclusion of the direct inner experience of the chakras.

The term “chakra” means “wheel.” The chakras are described most basically as rotating and vibratory vortices of psychic energy. The concept of chakras has become quite popular these days and it is not uncommon for people to talk about their chakras. From the Yogic perspective this is a little suspect. It actually takes some time and consistent yoga practice to activate the chakras. Generally they are quite dormant and buried within the deep levels of the unconscious mind. “In ordinary persons,” writes Lillian Silburn, “these wheels neither revolve nor vibrate, they form inextricable tangles of coils, called accordingly “knots” (granthi), because they “knot” spirit and matter, thus strengthening the sense of ego. . . . Together they constitute the unconscious complexes (samskara) woven by illusion, and the weight and rigidity of the past offers a strong opposition to the passage of the spiritual force.”

The chakras can be experienced in different ways. Within the physical body they are associated with the various plexuses along the spinal column as well as the endocrine glands in those general areas of the body. The figure below gives an indication of the physical “location” of the chakras.

The chakras are also associated with different parts of the brain. Swami Satyananda stated that the physical chakra locations are actually “switches” for circuits within the brain. As we awaken the spiritual energy of the chakras, the kundalini, we supply power to dormant brain circuits enabling us to awaken higher psychic and spiritual capacities.

The chakras can also be experienced within the psychic dimension as symbols in dreams or meditation, intuitive or psychic experiences or unusual sensations such as heat or tingling within the body. They are also experienced as situations, relationships and events in daily life.

The Chakras and the Evolution of Consciousness

The chakras can also be understood as stages on a developmental or evolutionary path. They represent the stages of development that we have passed through and higher states and stages which are potential within us. As Swami Satyananda wrote,

All life is evolving and man is no exception. Human evolution, the evolution which we are undergoing relentlessly, both as individuals and as a race, is a journey through the different chakras. Mooladhara is the most basic, fundamental chakra from where we commence our evolution, and sahasrara is where our evolution is completed. As we evolve towards sahasrara, outer experiences come our way in life, and inner experiences come to us in meditation, as different capacities and centers awaken progressively within the nervous system. This occurs as energy flows at higher voltages and rates of vibration through the different nadis in the psychic body. (Kundalini Tantra)

The Yogic view corresponds to the scientific view of the universe as going through an evolutionary process. The Yogic view however sees this as primarily an evolution of consciousness. Material evolution is simply the most basic and apparent aspect. Consciousness evolves in and through material forms until it is released back into its true nature as timeless, formless essence. As human beings we have divine potential within us as well as the potential for destruction. Yoga offers us a means to overcome our lower and to awaken our higher nature. This has been corroborated by studies which show that meditation can enhance ego-development in adults. The Yoga tradition tells us though that we can develop beyond the ordinary levels of ego-development.

Human beings have evolved to a level of consciousness wherein we can either engage in our spiritual evolution or stagnate in a quagmire of self-indulgence, addiction, neurosis, aggression and self-destruction. The spiritual path necessitates overcoming our instinctual, unconscious natures. It requires transcendence of our narrow self-centered egos. Engaging in consciousness evolution essentially means doing inner work: self-observation, meditation and spiritual devotion. It also means behaving ethically in the world, developing a healthy lifestyle and disconnecting to some extent from the ubiquitous digital electronic world that tends to absorb our attention.

Chakra awareness requires a meditative attitude – the ability to become quiet and open to inner experience. As you meditate on the chakras you may come up with your own symbols. You will discover your inner power, creativity, intent, love, wisdom, psychic and spiritual connections. You will begin to untie the knots, the limiting beliefs and conflicted emotions which bind you and realize your potential as a spiritual being who is having a temporary human experience.

UPCOMING EVENT:
 
Experiencing the Chakras:
A Meditation Workshop with Michael Garrity (Swami Turiyananda)

Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

The Spiritual Treatment Center
602 Church Street, Redlands, CA

The cost for this workshop is $20.00 but no one is excluded due to lack of funds. Please RSVP by Thurs. Sept. 8, 2011 by calling (909) 793-4003.

(Vegetarian lunch will be provided following the workshop.)

Finding Yourself in the Supermarket of Life

Inner happiness is not determined by material circumstances or sensual gratification. It depends on our mind.


- The Dalai Lama



In the early 1980s I was studying yoga with Swami Niranjan in San Jose, CA. He introduced me to not only the physical practices of yoga, the asanas and pranayamas, but also to meditation practices, chanting, karma yoga and self-inquiry. Each was a piece of the larger puzzle called yoga, or “union.” Yoga is not so much a particular practice as it is an overall orientation towards life. For most of us it is a major reorientation – of values, world-view and self-understanding. To truly enter the path of yoga you have to turn your world upside down. This is why Swamiji would often say, with a mischievous grin, that the “headstand” was his favorite asana.

During that time another acharya, or accomplished teacher, Swami Amritananda made a visit to the US and to our tiny yoga center in an apartment on Third Street. She presented a series of meditation workshops and satsangs where she would she would talk about all aspects of yoga. Swami Niranjan warned me that Amritananda was quite severe. She didn’t engage in casual silliness, discouraged idle conversation and embodied tapas, or “austerity.” She was a very beautiful woman but left no room for any kind of sexual overture – not that I had that intention.

Both Swamis exemplified the non-attachment, vairagya, which is a hallmark of the yogic life. They owned minimal possessions and lived in extremely simple circumstances. They didn’t crave entertainment or distraction but were content in the moment. They both evidenced a single-pointed focus on the goal of living, exemplifying and imparting the essence of yoga to all who were open to receive it. For me they represented the antithesis of the shallow, materialistic life of the West and a possible clue to the emptiness that I felt within myself.

At one satsang, Swami Amritananda explained that we should look at the world as a vast supermarket, full of products that seem appealing on the surface but which are ultimately worthless at best. The audience was comprised mostly of Californian hippies into natural foods and such. In general they seemed to think that they were already pretty hip to Swamiji’s message. One young woman joined in, “Yeah, instead of going shopping we should go somewhere natural like the beach.” Amritananda’s reply stopped everyone in their tracks. “The beach,” she said, “is another item in the supermarket.”

True spiritual teachers are often not popular. They don’t give the polite answers that we would like to hear. Buddha for example made a point of teaching that all experiences in life are tainted with suffering. The supermarket of life is filled with these potential experiences. We keep hoping however that we will find that perfect product which will never let us down. We buy lots of insurance to back it up. The truth is that everything in life will fail at some point. Nothing is permanent, and nothing can satisfy the innate longing within us to find and return to our source. The problem is that what we are truly seeking cannot be found anywhere outside of ourselves.

How does one seek inside though? At the time it seemed that the self I knew was hardly worth looking into. It was full of guilt, shame, rage, anxiety and depression. I was busy trying to cover this all up and act “spiritual,” in hopes really of fooling myself as well as anyone else. I didn’t so much want to go inside myself as become somebody else. The problem with spiritual teachers is that they tend to see right through our masquerades. I too was a California hippie. I had spent the last few years rebelling against the “plastic” world around me. I had tried sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. Now we were more into natural foods, being mellow and trying to make the best of the poverty that comes with disengaging from the “system.”

Now Amritananda’s words pierced the bubble of my tentative illusions. It was all a ruse, a way of dodging, not just the “reality” that my dear father was constantly exhorting me to face, but the reality inside. We tend to spend our time and energy seeking to rearrange the world outside of ourselves thinking that somehow we will get it right and find lasting happiness. True happiness, however, is not contingent on anything outside of ourselves. This includes our thoughts, beliefs, ideologies, philosophies, fantasies, etc. The Self is the awareness which underlies all the experiences of the mind and the senses. Attachment means clinging to these as a way of establishing an identity-in-the-world, i.e. “ego.” Non-attachment doesn’t so much mean eschewing material possessions as releasing our elaborately constructed and highly defended ego-identities. "The self,” writes Deepak Chopra, “is the isolated ego clinging to its small reality and the Self is the unbounded spirit that can afford to not cling at all."

A healthy, “natural” lifestyle is part of the yogic path. However adopted a healthy lifestyle is just a supportive measure. It can also become just another set of products for the ego to consume. So can nonviolent politics, environmentalism, etc. Yoga “apparel,” props, mats, etc. support yoga practice but also can be used to support a “yoga ego.” The ego can use anything to maintain itself, and in so doing undermine any real potential for change. As a vegetarian I have spent time with fellow converts talking about how disgusting other people who eat meat are. In terms of our consciousness we might have just as well been devouring bloody flesh. Even the idea that “we are all one” can get in the way of realizing our essential being. Consumer beware!

The world of the mind and senses is the world of appearances. In Vedantic terms it is referred to as maya, or illusion. The Self is the awareness which underlies all appearances. It is pure consciousness, pure subject. It can never be found as an object of the senses or of thought. Words can refer to it but they cannot capture it. It is revealed in silence only to have been here all along. All of the practices of yoga, all spiritual sadhanas, are aimed at helping us to let go of the unreal to rest in the reality of being. In Buddhist terms this is referred to as emptiness. It is empty because when you look for it you can’t find anything. Even space is not as empty. On the other hand, it is not “nothing.” It is the source and substance of everything.

The Self, emptiness, consciousness, God, or whatever word we choose to call it, is not another product in the supermarket of life. If you take it home, unwrap it and find out that it is than you have fallen for another counterfeit. It is the divinity within you. It is the “I” behind the ego. You are “It.”

Because our minds are conditioned by karma, by culture, by the media, education and what not to look outside of ourselves, it is very difficult at first to remain established in the realization of the Self, at least for many of us. I received “darshan” of Swami Amritananda on a couple of occasions. The objective world dissolved into light in which there was no separate “me.” I could only stand it for a second before going into weird spasms of ecstasy. On one occasion I ran out into the street into fresh hot asphalt that burnt itself into my bare feet, but I was oblivious. Love is like that. We run away from what is real because it threatens everything that we think we are. Surrender seems so hard but it brings freedom. Once we are free we can stroll through the supermarket with a smile. When the clerk asks, “Can I help you?” Just say, “No thanks. I’m just looking.”

The source of consciousness cannot be an object in consciousness. To know the source is to be the source. When you realize that you are not the person, but the pure and calm witness, and that fearless awareness is your very being, you are the being. It is the source, the Inexhaustible Possibility.

- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj