Guest guest Report post Posted October 4, 2003 Namaste, I hope this finds you all in good space. As one of my first posts I will say that maturing into appropriate Sadhana has been a real struggle for me. The first place I wanted to go with it was Jnana, I quickly realized that information/knowledge just made me arrogant. It was as if my brain would just heat up and voila anger. I've been thinking more and more about developing Bhakti as a gentle way to open up to the truth around me. It seems that love is the perfect lubrication for the ego. Right now I sit regularly, do some asana and read like crazy, as well as eat a fairly satvic diet(aside from a little caffeine). I am comfortable with this, but would like more structure. As I explore my learning curve I'm intersted to hear how other's "jumped" into their practice. I feel like Bill Murray in "What about Bob"...babysteps... Jai Ma, Justin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted October 9, 2003 Hi Satyabhakti, It sounds to me like you're making good progress. I think everyone struggles with their sadhana. I know I do. In the beginning it was harder, but still there are obstacles...About the bhakti I cannot advise you. Though I certainly have devotion, I am not a practicing bhakti and know little of the formal structure of the practice. You're practicing asana and meditation; that's good. I cannot say whether you should be doing pujas and homas as the focus of your practice, but if you wish to add depth to the kind of practice you are already doing, I would recommend adding pranayama if you are not already doing so. My meditation practice did not really go anywhere until I began doing pranayama. What I practice is rather personal, as are my experiences, but sometimes I share them (a little bit). I have been practicing what is essentially Raja yoga ie., yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratayahara, dharana, dhiyana, samadhi. Swami Satyananda of Bihar wrote that this path is essentially Tantra stripped of all its obviously Tantric overtones to fit a time when Tantra was officially put down. In any case, there is a reason pranayama comes after asana and before the various stages of concentration. Pranayama awakens prana shakti, purifies and strengthens the nadis and chakras. When you meditate, the prana shakti essentially does the work, withdrawing the senses and focusing the mind (at least this is my experience). The degree of effort, the time it takes, and the inner stillness and depth attained in meditation depend both on the purity of the nadis and the amount of shakti available. Pranayama does both (though it is not the only way). Sorry it took so long to respond to you. Yes, devotion is very important to keep the other practices fresh and to give them meaning. I have found mantra japa to be helpful. I wish you well. Don't be a stranger. Chris satyabhakti1976 <Hickananda (AT) earthlink (DOT) net> wrote: Namaste, I hope this finds you all in good space. As one of my first posts I will say that maturing into appropriate Sadhana has been a real struggle for me. The first place I wanted to go with it was Jnana, I quickly realized that information/knowledge just made me arrogant. It was as if my brain would just heat up and voila anger. I've been thinking more and more about developing Bhakti as a gentle way to open up to the truth around me. It seems that love is the perfect lubrication for the ego. Right now I sit regularly, do some asana and read like crazy, as well as eat a fairly satvic diet(aside from a little caffeine). I am comfortable with this, but would like more structure. As I explore my learning curve I'm intersted to hear how other's "jumped" into their practice. I feel like Bill Murray in "What about Bob"...babysteps...Jai Ma,JustinTo from this group, send an email to:Your use of Groups is subject to the The New with improved product search Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
