the importance of concentration

[Guest guest]

I must also add to this topic. About a year and a half ago I started meditating

for about four hours a day. It was really blissful, and as I went around in the

world I was in a perpetual state of bliss. I thought I was really starting to

get somewhere spiritually! Then my work started to suffer, because I would just

sit at my desk and bliss out and not get anything done. I made a lot of mistakes

due to my total lack of concentration and awareness. I got hit by a car, I lost

my bike (at the time my only mode of transportation) because I just left it on

the subway, and my house became really messy. I forgot to eat, and even fainted

several times. But I was loving it anyway. All I cared about were spiritual

practices. This might have been okay if I were living in an ashram under the

close supervision of a satguru, but that was not the case.

 

That was when Anaghan (now my fiance) and I started hanging out. He really

helped me to see that I was not integrating the energy gained in my long

meditations, and as a result my whole life was out of balance. I hadn't really

gotten anywhere with all that meditation, I just used it as an escape. It took

about six months and a summer tour to get into a stable, integrated practice.

 

In the Gita, Krishna talks about how we have to establish ourselves in Being,

and then go out and perform action. It's really important to go out and perfom

healthy, dharmic action in conjunction with our meditation, because, yes, we can

become imbalanced. In the Native American church, they call it "Rainbowing Out,"

and you can really see a lot of it around Amma, in yoga classes, at kirtans, in

spiritual gatherings in general. People just walking around in bliss, totally

"out of the body" and not paying attention. Conversly, look at how totally

present Amma is in all of the actions she performs. She talks a lot about the

importance of concentration and attentiveness in action. You don't see her

floating around, she is VERY grounded, very present. In fact, it seems that she

is 100% present to everything that is happening everywhere!

 

As one who tends to get really out of the body (I don't mean "out of body

experience," I mean not present), I have to be really disciplined about

balancing sadhana and action. I have to exercise, eat well, sleep well, and take

really good care of my environment in addition to my spiritual practices. In

fact, one of my main practices at this time in my life is being present and

giving my full attention to whatever I am doing.

 

The great thing about I AM technique is that it doesn't leave room for

rainbowing out, although it can be very blissful. It brings you into deep,

focused concentration. It is trully an integrated technique, and is great for us

householders.

 

To blame Amma or I AM or satsang for our state of imbalance is quite off.

These imbalances are due to our NOT following Her instructions for meditation,

concentration, etc. How can we ever truly be of service to anyone if we are not

able to give our total presence and attention to our actions?

 

love,

 

Prajna

Tom <tomgull wrote:

From my experiences and understanding:

 

Trouble staying in one's body can be a result of too much meditating

or too much contemplation. Amma says householders (ie, non-intense

sadhaks) shouldn't meditate more than 15? minutes at a time. She

also says that if certain symptoms come up like insomnia or sensation

of light/sensitivity to light, that one should stop meditating

entirely for a few days. The ones I've known to experience this,

don't have the discipline/patience to stop. In Path of the Mother,

I believe it was, a Householder starting having intense visual

experiences and after they asked Amma, who told them to ask a Swami,

the swami said that the guy should stop meditating entirely for a few

days, since there was a real danger of going mad if he didn't have

enough strength to continue through it (maybe someone can post the

quote). This could have been predicted because there was no mention

of guy being an intense sadhak, and experiences like his are often

cases of energy overload.

 

Concentrating on the Third Eye, versus the heart, Amma has said can

create problems.

 

Common side-effect of good satsang or productive sadhana: Insomnia

for THAT NIGHT ONLY (you're wide awake for a long time, having burnt

away the tamas in the yagya of concentration).

 

IF it is Kundalini, one way to help it calm down (sleep) is to do

lots of physical exercise to redirect your praana to the others

(meditation uses alot of Samana for concentration and somewhat feeds

Udaana). People who do lots of computer programming sometimes get

diagnosed with "stomach paralysis" and digestive trouble, because

most of their day is spent in their head.

 

Psychological problems that I've seen in people complaining of the

same effects: Not facing your problems with others, or those having

a people pleasing attitude. It causes your psyche to fragment and

stay a witness to your body. Swami P on one of the talks mentions

the difference between aspiration and ambition (fueled by passion),

so perhaps the 6 hours of meditation alone is causing all this.

 

tom

 

Ammachi, "Adriane" <a1driane wrote:

>

> We recently had a devotee attend a Satsang-an fellow devotee, who

> was confused and complaining that her "kundalini" was causing her

to

> be unbalanced. She explained that she is "out of her body" most of

> the time-so much so that she had to stop her spiritual practices.

> She further stated she has avoided attending Satsang or Amma

> activities because she is afraid (but then later said "not afraid")

> of being overstimulated and somewhat out of touch to reality if she

> continues to meditate. We were puzzled since we trust that

> everything Amma has told us to do with meditation and IAM. Those of

> us practicing IAM had no idea what she was talking about.

>

> She mentioned she meditates 6 hrs or more a day then cut back. She

> said she took a break to become more grounded. She did IAM but

> wasn't sure about continuing. It didn't sound like she followed

some

> of the rules on IAM.

>

> Being unclear of everything she meant, we suggested she talk to one

> of the Swamis while on tour or with Amma, Herself.

>

> Has anyone heard of someone have these problems-not being able to

be

> around Amma or Satsang because they have so much trouble

> being "grounded"? We truly knew little to say to this. Any thoughts?

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Hello,

This is my first post with this group, having become a member only

yesterday. I am so grateful to have found you all. I am hoping to see

Amma when she visits the Boston MA area this July. It will be my third

darshan with her. I am very Blessed...

I totally agree with this post. I used to work in a Metaphysical shop

as the resident Reiki Master, and loved being around all of the crystal

energies...Talk about "floating"! And I have always enjoyed working with

beads. I was raised Catholic, and even when I was a child I wanted to

become a Nun and still to this day collect and make Mala and Rosary

beads. Well, one day a Medicine Man from out West came to visit us at the

store and he pulled me aside one day to talk. He asked me point blank-"

Are you praying on those beads of yours while you're driving?" I was

surprised because I didn't think he could know that about me...I said

yes, but only when I am stuck in a traffic jam.... He then said "Well

stop it then! 'They're' tellin me you're gonna have an accident!" (He was

a crusty individual, but lovable and concerned) Well, that was enough

warning for me. He was right. Praying and chanting with my beads really

puts me in an altered state. Not the right state to drive in! One thing I

have learned over the years is, there is a time and place for everything,

and everything done in moderation is always the best way to go. Thank you

all...mare

 

On Sun, 23 Apr 2006 15:53:03 -0700 (PDT) Prajna - Brianna

<prajnaji writes:

> I must also add to this topic. About a year and a half ago I started

> meditating for about four hours a day. It was really blissful, and

> as I went around in the world I was in a perpetual state of bliss. I

> thought I was really starting to get somewhere spiritually! Then my

> work started to suffer, because I would just sit at my desk and

> bliss out and not get anything done. I made a lot of mistakes due to

> my total lack of concentration and awareness. I got hit by a car, I

> lost my bike (at the time my only mode of transportation) because I

> just left it on the subway, and my house became really messy. I

> forgot to eat, and even fainted several times. But I was loving it

> anyway. All I cared about were spiritual practices. This might have

> been okay if I were living in an ashram under the close supervision

> of a satguru, but that was not the case.

[Guest guest]

Hello and welcome aboard Amma's boat!

We are floating in the sea of LOVE...I think there are a few of us

raised Catholics on here...among everyone and everything else. Amma

draws from everywhere!

 

glad you posted! This was an interesting story. I agree, we need to

try to be fully present in all things and in that is our meditation

(or something like that.)

 

in Amma

adriane

 

Ammachi, Mary Ellen Robinson <mare3

wrote:

>

> Hello,

> This is my first post with this group, having become a member

only

> yesterday. I am so grateful to have found you all. I am hoping to

see

> Amma when she visits the Boston MA area this July. It will be my

third

> darshan with her. I am very Blessed...

> I totally agree with this post. I used to work in a

Metaphysical shop

> as the resident Reiki Master, and loved being around all of the

crystal

> energies...Talk about "floating"! And I have always enjoyed

working with

> beads. I was raised Catholic, and even when I was a child I wanted

to

> become a Nun and still to this day collect and make Mala and Rosary

> beads. Well, one day a Medicine Man from out West came to visit us

at the

> store and he pulled me aside one day to talk. He asked me point

blank-"

> Are you praying on those beads of yours while you're driving?" I

was

> surprised because I didn't think he could know that about me...I

said

> yes, but only when I am stuck in a traffic jam.... He then

said "Well

> stop it then! 'They're' tellin me you're gonna have an accident!"

(He was

> a crusty individual, but lovable and concerned) Well, that was

enough

> warning for me. He was right. Praying and chanting with my beads

really

> puts me in an altered state. Not the right state to drive in! One

thing I

> have learned over the years is, there is a time and place for

everything,

> and everything done in moderation is always the best way to go.

Thank you

> all...mare

>

> On Sun, 23 Apr 2006 15:53:03 -0700 (PDT) Prajna - Brianna

> <prajnaji writes:

> > I must also add to this topic. About a year and a half ago I

started

> > meditating for about four hours a day. It was really blissful,

and

> > as I went around in the world I was in a perpetual state of

bliss. I

> > thought I was really starting to get somewhere spiritually! Then

my

> > work started to suffer, because I would just sit at my desk and

> > bliss out and not get anything done. I made a lot of mistakes

due to

> > my total lack of concentration and awareness. I got hit by a

car, I

> > lost my bike (at the time my only mode of transportation)

because I

> > just left it on the subway, and my house became really messy. I

> > forgot to eat, and even fainted several times. But I was loving

it

> > anyway. All I cared about were spiritual practices. This might

have

> > been okay if I were living in an ashram under the close

supervision

> > of a satguru, but that was not the case.

>

[Guest guest]

-Hello this is my first post too. I joined the group a few days ago

and so far have just been a voyer. I must admit that just keeping

Mother on my mind has been helpful and uplifting.I am looking

forward to the summer tour. I too was raised Cathilic and now see

what a great blessing it was. Thank you for all your input.

Mary

Ann

-- In Ammachi, Mary Ellen Robinson <mare3 wrote:

>

> Hello,

> This is my first post with this group, having become a member

only

> yesterday. I am so grateful to have found you all. I am hoping to

see

> Amma when she visits the Boston MA area this July. It will be my

third

> darshan with her. I am very Blessed...

> I totally agree with this post. I used to work in a

Metaphysical shop

> as the resident Reiki Master, and loved being around all of the

crystal

> energies...Talk about "floating"! And I have always enjoyed

working with

> beads. I was raised Catholic, and even when I was a child I wanted

to

> become a Nun and still to this day collect and make Mala and Rosary

> beads. Well, one day a Medicine Man from out West came to visit us

at the

> store and he pulled me aside one day to talk. He asked me point

blank-"

> Are you praying on those beads of yours while you're driving?" I

was

> surprised because I didn't think he could know that about me...I

said

> yes, but only when I am stuck in a traffic jam.... He then

said "Well

> stop it then! 'They're' tellin me you're gonna have an accident!"

(He was

> a crusty individual, but lovable and concerned) Well, that was

enough

> warning for me. He was right. Praying and chanting with my beads

really

> puts me in an altered state. Not the right state to drive in! One

thing I

> have learned over the years is, there is a time and place for

everything,

> and everything done in moderation is always the best way to go.

Thank you

> all...mare

>

> On Sun, 23 Apr 2006 15:53:03 -0700 (PDT) Prajna - Brianna

> <prajnaji writes:

> > I must also add to this topic. About a year and a half ago I

started

> > meditating for about four hours a day. It was really blissful,

and

> > as I went around in the world I was in a perpetual state of

bliss. I

> > thought I was really starting to get somewhere spiritually! Then

my

> > work started to suffer, because I would just sit at my desk and

> > bliss out and not get anything done. I made a lot of mistakes

due to

> > my total lack of concentration and awareness. I got hit by a

car, I

> > lost my bike (at the time my only mode of transportation)

because I

> > just left it on the subway, and my house became really messy. I

> > forgot to eat, and even fainted several times. But I was loving

it

> > anyway. All I cared about were spiritual practices. This might

have

> > been okay if I were living in an ashram under the close

supervision

> > of a satguru, but that was not the case.

>