Fwd: [Tantrasadhana] The Tantric Lifestyle

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> Tantrasadhana

> madhya nandi <madhya

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> [Tantrasadhana] Re: The Tantric Lifestyle

>

> Michael;

>

> How do we cope with the vicissitudes of everyday life? Right on

> question. We practice. We fall in love with practice until

> practice is not work or effort, but pleasure, enjoyment.

>

> The by-product of practice is the transformation of how we

> experience consciousness.

>

> Four activities leading to nondual consciousness.

>

> One.

>

> Begin to look at the world and say, I am all this. This is all me.

>

> Two.

>

> Use the day to prepare for meditation. To discover serenity and

> wisdom in meditation, one must begin to think of everything that

> occurs during the day as a preparation to meditation. So,

> cultivate equanimity. If you like something that someone says or

> does, accept this. Feel the small glow of pleasure and then just

> observe it--and let it go. When something unpleasant occurs, do

> the same. Someone makes an unpleasant or derogatory comment to

> you--choose to remain neutral. Suspend the need to have a feeling

> about this person or the comment. Of course, your body will very

> likely internalize a certain amount of negative energy--tension.

> When you feel this tension, say, in the pit of your stomach, pay

> attention to this sensation. All tension is

> constrictive--emotionally, physically, intellectually and

> spiritually. Begin to be aware of what tension feels like--the

> sensation of tension. Be aware of the sensation of tension. Just

> be aware.

>

> This is a process, but not really. The amount of effort one feels

> as though one is giving only seems like effort before one begins to

> fall in love with Sadhana. Once one falls in love with Sadhana,

> there is no longer any effort. This is when Sadhana becomes a

> romance, when one becomes ripe for spiritual wisdom; when one

> begins to pray within that the discoveries are so marvelous that

> one wishes mysteries never to end.

>

> Three

>

> To assist one's efforts at calming the mind and emotions, one may

> cultivate an awareness of the breath. An easy exercise to

> transform breath is simply to initiate a daily practice of

> extending the length of the inhale and exhale. Make this a

> challenge--an athletic endeavor. Count as the breath is drawn,

> count as the breath is expelled. This is one cycle. Practice to

> lengthen this cycle. Wonderful secrets await discovery as one

> literally transforms the pattern of one's daily breathing. In

> time, the body becomes capable of achieving profound states of

> relaxation. And when one is deeply relaxed, the 'veil' between the

> Mother's Voice and the din of one's mind thins. One may begin to

> receive inspiration regarding one's own practice. Perhaps the

> Mother will say, try this with your breath. Perhaps, She will

> point one's attention toward some other important thing that will

> assist in recognizing one's Self. Much more can be said about the

> breath, but this is already a lot.

>

> Four

>

> Do mantra meditation. This is an excellent preparation for

> stilling the mind and awakening one's awareness of the Mother's

> Vibration.

>

> As I have practiced and struggled--a fact noted in my poems, (the

> struggle, that is), Mother continually reminded me of one important

> fact: just do the work. She would say to me: It's technical.

> That is how She put it. You just do the practice and

> transformation follows. Period. So whenever I became discouraged,

> (become discouraged), that reminder comes. Just do the work.

> Transformation follows. And, believe me, it does. Transformation

> happens

> Not in a day, or a week--or, even a month. But sooner than one

> might think. Practice becomes its own 'reward.'

>

> Equanimity of the mind--once again, very important. Cultivate the

> capacity to accept everything that occurs without needing to feel

> one way or the other. But begin first with negative things. That

> is the easiest way. Begin with annoying remarks. As a waitress, I

> had plenty of opportunity to practice this. If I needed extra help

> remaining neutral in the face of amazing rudeness, I said my

> mantra. Or breathed through the constrictions. As one gets in

> tune with the Sensation of tense energy, one can learn to move this

> energy--not allow it to remain in the stomach or shoulders or

> neck--or, wherever. Begin to move the energy around the body.

> That is the beginning of transmutating negative energy into

> positive energy and using this energy to clear the body of tension.

> Amazing,isn't it? One can actually perceive negative energy, get

> hold of this energy, and begin to move it from its usual place of

> constriction. Then, one is actually able to use this same energy

> to achieve positive relaxation.

>

> As for the problem of Evil. We will leave that for another discussion.

>

>

> Honor and Grace to you,

>

> Madhya