Hindu Reflections: June 2019

YOGA SCIENCE (VIJNAANA) OF CONSCIOUSNESS (PRAJNAANA)

(Compilation for a lecture on International Yoga Day 2019 from various authors and Gurus by N. R. Srinivasan, June 2019)

Yogic perception is that which arises out of the operation of the mind when the yoga practitioners are absorbed in meditation. This is due to their extraordinary yogic powers. When they are out of absorption, the Yogins (who have mastered sanyasayoga) can perceive things by contacting the objects with their external organs. This kind of yogic perception that is possible even without the sense organs is called “indriyaanapeksham pratyaksham”, Yogic perception is authentic. Yogins will be blessed with Divine insight on account of their realization of abnormal yogic powers, or Divine inspiration. Yogic perception of this type will be on account of adrishta-visesha (granted to chosen few) which will be obtained by Yoghabhyasa, sainthood, penance etc. What is discarded in “indriyaanaampeakshm” is only ordinary sense organs and not the total absence of all sense organs. The sense organs that are limited here are those that are not Divine. So, then, the need for Divine sense organs like “divyachakshu” (like the one Sanjaya got and Arjuna got to perceive the Cosmic Form of the Supreme) is emphasized. That is why Bhagavad Gita says such yogis who attain Sayujya are very rare. David Frawley says we need Vijnana the Science of Consciousness to Know Self (Attributive Consciousness)--Vijnaanena Atmanam Vedayiti”--MNU. Through Vijnaana one attains Prajnaana Absolute Consciousness (Supreme)

One has to drive out the sense objects keep off (the dangerous waters entering the boat) such as sound, touch, form, taste and smell by the pratyaahaara (breathing) process in Yoga. And then keep the vision of the eyes between the two eyebrows and concentrate on the tip of the nose with half closed lids. There is no benefit in closing the eyes altogether, because then there is choice of falling as sleep. Nor is there benefit in opening the eyes completely, because then there is the hazard of being attracted by sense objects. (A boatman has to be vigilant all the time). The breathing movement is restrained within the nostrils by neutralizing the up-and-down moving air within the body. By practice of such a Sanyasa-yoga one is able to gain control over the senses, refrain from outward sense objects, and thus prepare oneself for attaining the Supreme (Saalokya, Saameepya or Saayujya). This is a better way of controlling the senses than by Ashtaangayoga of Patanjali.

Vedantavijnaana sunischitaartaah sanyaasa-yogaad- yatayah suddhasatvaah te brahmaloketu paraantakaale paraamritaat paramuchyanti sarve ||MNU ||

Those who are successful in personality integration that have conquered their hosts of sense organs, that are pure minded on account of the renunciation of desire oriented actions (kamyakarmas) that have ascertained the Supreme Reality through the knowledge that originated from the learning of the Upanishads (Vedantavijnaana), that are established in Brahman, become all liberated at the end of the final body on account of the grace of the Supreme immortal principle, Brahman.

The goal of Vedanta is Paramarthavijnana--or Self-realization. That is obtained by Sanyasa-yoga. Though Jnaana (Knowledge) is the sole cause of liberation Sanyaasa (renunciation) is necessary along with it. Jnana dispels ignorance by revealing the Truth, but Tyaga (sacrifice) and Yoga as recommended by Patanjali are necessary to engender the undistracted and pure state of mind in which alone knowledge could shine un-intermittently. Sanyaasa means dedication of the fruits of actions to God and Yoga the practice of samadhi leaving all worldly attachments.

The hermits are of two kinds. Those that perfect Bhaktiyoga here alone and enter into Supreme abode of Paramaatman at the end of that birth--are one kind. The other class of hermits are those with “Sattvasuddhi” (purification of mind) from “Sanyasayoga” for the attainment of the decisive knowledge of the Upanishads that is for “Vedantavijnaansampattaye” (rigorously arrive at the conclusion taught by Vedanta through direct knowledge)

International Yoga Day Message: Yoga as a Science of Consciousness

by David Frawley

This Yoga Day 2019 let us remember Yoga as a science of Consciousness with a central place in education, research and spiritual aspiration

In Vedic and yogic thought Consciousness is the supreme reality, not matter, energy or mind. Consciousness is all-pervasive like space, self-effulgent like light, uniting everything in the universe in the highest awareness and bliss as the Self of all.

A recognition of universal Consciousness is now becoming accepted in modern physics. How can all the laws of nature function, from vast galactic to minute subatomic particles, if there is not some overall guiding intelligence behind it, not as some deity apart, but woven into the very fabric of existence?

While not impossible to theorize, the difficulty is how to approach, cognize and realize that supreme Consciousness within ourselves and see it in the world around us. Such a path to unfold the supreme Consciousness has yet to be formulated by modern physics. Yet it has not only been formulated, but has been explored from every possible angle in the meditation traditions of India. A practical philosophy and psychology of Consciousness is the basis of Vedanta and the tools to realize it are part of Yoga.

Limitations of the Human Mind

In our ordinary human nature we do not directly experience this supreme Consciousness, though many people have intimations. We are creatures of the mind, which is an embodied or individualized consciousness. We have a limited identity, limited intelligence, limited energy and limited will power far removed from this inner state of knowing.

The individual mind holds the reflection of Consciousness, which is the source of its light of knowledge, but is not itself Self-aware. The mind’s limited awareness is colored by the gunas and forces of nature at biological, psychological and social levels. As such, much of what we call mind is unconscious or only partly conscious. This lack of true awareness in the mind gives rise to karma, duality, conflict and all the misunderstandings of life.

The mind is like a half-light that illumines the surface of things but veils the depth – which draws us into the waves but causes us to forget the sea. In order to find the cosmic reality of existence we must go beyond the conditioned patterns of the mind to the light of Universal Consciousness hidden behind it. This going beyond the mind is not easy to approach as we are by habit and karma only mental beings caught in our own mental formations, not spiritual beings beyond any personal or cultural prejudices. We take the opinions of the mind, unreliable and shifting though they are, to be truth when they are just the limited perspective of a particular individual or group. This results in the clash of beliefs and cultures that characterizes our society, with their related conflicts of religion, politics and competing power centers.

Yoga as the Science of Consciousness for Controlling the Mind Yoga arose originally in Vedic thought as a means of moving beyond the mind, or mere creaturely awareness to transcendent awareness – such as we see in the Upanishadic search for the Self. This requires control of the mind and detachment from it.

Yoga Sutras defines Yoga as chitta vritti nirodha, the mastery, calming or concentration of the movements of the mind. The practices of Yoga serve to make the mind still like a mirror so it can reflect the cosmic reality, while for most of us the mind is like a turbulent lake that distorts the light of Consciousness that filters through it.

Mind moreover is a product of ego, or limited self-identity (ahamkara), and of ignorance (avidya) or lack of unitary awareness. It provides only a partial knowledge that can show us the surface of things but not the inner depths and truth.

Such meditative control of the mind is not simply part of Yoga but is essential in all educational pursuits in which we need to develop focus, attention and clear observation beyond our mental conditioning. To gain this we must question the opinions, preconceptions, fears and desires of the mind.

Moving to the Higher Levels of Yoga Practice

Today Yoga is most known for asana or it’s calming and healing of the body. This is very important for physical health and well-being and can extend to deeper psychological levels, gradually freeing us from the limitations of body consciousness.

Yet Yoga must extend to deep meditation in order to understand and master the mind. Asana should be a seat for meditation, not an end in itself. Pranayama should help us draw our prana into our inner awareness. Pratyahara should turn our senses within into the light beyond the mind. Once the mind is brought into a state of silence it can reflect the Universal Consciousness and grant us direct knowledge of the cosmos itself, not as a mere mathematical formulation but as a manifestation of Consciousness that we are an integral part of. We can see this in the yogic science of Sri Vidya.

The silent mind can become the tool for a higher knowledge beyond name, form and number that can resolve all conflict and duality. In this regard the silent mind is more important than any other scientific instrument or computer, however important these may be in their respective spheres.

Reviving the Yogic Science of Consciousness

This yogic science of consciousness is India’s greatest contribution to human knowledge and probably the most important science we have as a species because it alone grants true knowledge of the Infinite and Eternal. Dharmic education requires a yogic approach to the mind through meditation.

This higher state of yogic awareness in called samadhi, deep absorption or unity consciousness. All dharmic traditions, Vedic or not, require samadhi as the ultimate pramana or means of knowledge. Such direct perception provides us not with just facts and information but the Knowledge of Being itself beyond the partialities of ideas, concepts or beliefs. It takes us from the shadows of darkness to the unbounded Self-effulgent light.

This Yoga Day 2019 let us remember Yoga as a science of Consciousness with a central place in education, research and spiritual aspiration. Only through such a higher awareness can we transcend our individual and cultural limitations that are the basis of all the conflict and misunderstanding that plagues our material world. We live in an unbounded reality of Being-Consciousness-Bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda). Experiencing that should be the heritage and birth right of every person, not just outer social or political rights. This is where Yoga leads us but we must follow the way in our daily lives.

Consciousness is the state of being aware of something internal within the mind, or external within the physical or sensory world. It can be defined as an individual’s unique awareness (often simultaneously) of their thoughts, feelings, sensory experiences and environment. Although it can be a difficult term to define, philosophers generally agree that most people have an intuitive understanding of what the state of consciousness is.

Theories of consciousness can be separated into those that see it as cognitive in nature, or as an aspect of cognitive functioning, and those that see consciousness as importantly distinct from any kind of cognitive functioning. One version of the former kind of theory is the higher-order-thought theory of consciousness. This family of theories posits a fundamental role for cognitive states, higher-order thought-like intentional states, in the explanation of conscious experience. These states are higher-order in that they represent the subject herself as being in various world-directed first-order states and thus constitute a kind of cognitive access to one's own mental life. This distinctive cognitive access is postulated to account for what it is like for one to have a conscious experience.

In yoga, this is an important concept because ancient yogis believed that the universe emanated from Supreme Consciousness. Thus, Consciousness is also considered to be Absolute and GOD. (G=generates; O=operates; D=dissolves)

Some yogic philosophers, such as Swami Kriyananda, believe that consciousness is the absolute or purest state. Matter is seen as the manifestation of vibrating energy; and that energy itself is seen as the manifestation of Consciousness. In this sense, it is said that consciousness cannot be defined because once it is, it is no longer pure.

Yogic practices, such as mindfulness and meditation, allow practitioners to explore and understand the nature of consciousness through introspection, or examination, of the mind. To better understand consciousness, the practitioner shifts their focus from the things they are aware of to the instrument of their awareness, which is Consciousness itself.

Many yogis believe that the state of individual consciousness is just part of a collective universal Consciousness, like a wave is part of an ocean. In this sense, Consciousness is what connects all beings and things.

While Jivatman is cognitive or attributive consciousness (Human Consciousness) Paramaatman is Absolute Consciousness (Divine Consciousness) both generally referred as Consciousness--Sat Chit Ananda. But Paramatman is far beyond this: Sathyam Jnaanam Anantam Amalam where Sathyam means sat=what is immortal; thi=mortal and yam= that IT (Brahma regulates.

The transition from Super-mind to Mind takes place in five dimensions. As a result there are five attributes that distinguish the human consciousness from the Divine Consciousness. First of all, we think we are the separate ego rather than knowing ourselves as the Divine Being. We are not aware of our oneness with all beings and things. Secondly, we live on the surface, ignorant of the depths of our consciousness. We are not aware of our subconscious, subliminal or psychic. We live right on the surface of our being lost in whatever action we are doing at the moment. Thirdly, we live in time. We do not remember very well what happened in the past. The past lives only in memory. We live in the moment. We do not know the future, but only try to imagine its possibilities. If we want to think about tomorrow, we stop thinking about this moment. We cannot experience past, present and future simultaneously, whereas in Super-mind all three coexist. Past, present and future all exist eternally like the perennial movement of water in a flowing river. Fourth, we are finite. We identify with the finite form of ourselves, oblivious of the Infinity behind which is our true Being. Consequently, we are limited in energy, power, joy, knowledge and everything else. Finally, we live in the mind that divides everything. This is Sri Aurobindo’s description of human consciousness.

Once we know the attributes that have transformed the Divine Consciousness into human consciousness, we also know how that human consciousness can transform itself back again. All that we need to do is to reverse the process that the Divine has gone through to create limited egos. The Divine has not been forced to undergo this process of self-limitation. There was no compulsion to create an ego or divided mind. It was done as a means to permit a full development and expression of the infinite potentials of the Infinite. That required giving freedom to each vibration or power of the Divine to fully express itself without limitation or reference to the rest. It required the creation of separate individual centers of consciousness that were unconscious of the whole of which they are each a part. Having reached the stage of mind in the evolution, we now have the option of exercising in reverse the same powers that have made us what we are.

How do we reverse what we are in practical terms? First, I can reverse my identification with ego by becoming unselfish and regarding all other persons as I regard myself. When I hear you got a promotion, I should feel happy for you instead of feeling jealous. Instead of giving supreme importance to my needs, my priorities, my preferences, my skills, my accomplishments, I can recognize that other people are as important as I am in the scheme of things. All of the normal movements of the ego that make me more and more separated and isolated can be reversed. I can become selfless, generous, a source of endless goodwill for others. Second, I live on the surface, I identify fully with its partial movements such as anger. What can I do about it? I know there is a psychic inside me, so I can consecrate my surface thoughts, emotions, desires, preferences, etc. to the psychic and try to recover more of myself. I do not have to be totally lost on the surface, feeling that this superficial existence is all of myself. Third, I can consciously go back and consecrate the past, and I can consciously go forward and create tomorrow by consecrating my future actions. In the measure I do that, I reverse the division of time and come out of my limitations.

The mind that we are talking about, the mind that is on the surface, is what Sri Aurobindo calls the physical mind. It only knows what is there in front of it at the moment. It does not know what is going to happen a day from now or a year from now. It is always willing to believe the worst. It sees one side of any situation, one aspect of the whole and takes that for truth, right, reality. By some unfortunate condition that happens to be the mind we are all living in. How can we overcome mind? We can compensate for the divisive character of mind by consciously moving away from its limited, self-centered viewpoint. He gives a simple technique: Take the other person’s point of view. The one thing mind can never do is think that there is another point of view. The very character of mind is, “I am right, why don’t you listen to me?” He says the first step in reversing the process is to think from the other person’s point of view. In that manner we come out of the limitation of the ego-centered mind and look at reality from a wider perspective. By doing this we are reversing the process by which mind created the sense of division and separation. This is something that we can practice at every moment.

We can utilize this same process of creation to become conscious creators of our lives. Try this experiment. Take thirty days, choose what you would consider very lucky, and put your full concentration on that idea. Commit yourself to do everything necessary from your side to exhaust your capacities to achieve it. Instead of relying on your limited, finite capacities on the surface, shift your faith to Mother. Shift your faith to the supra-mental Shakti that creates the universe and ask Her to come and realize your ideal.

An Introduction to the Yoga Vāsishtha

Mary Hicks August, 2015

Editor’s Note

The seven stars comprising the ‘Big Dipper’ are considered the self-reflexive eyes of the seven Seers of the Veda. In Sanskrit, this cluster of stars is called Rksa, the abode of the Seers. The Seer Vāsiṣṭha is a legendary figure who has been vision and heard by mystics, and in a shamanic culture such as India this is not unusual. The Yoga Vāsiṣṭha is a very important text in the sacred tradition of India and has been part of its vibrant oral history for a very long time. The teaching of Yoga by Sage Vāsiṣṭha is considered by historians to have been set to writing more than a thousand years ago.

The seven Seers circle the pole star, the central axis of the universe relative to our place in our era. The Sapta Rishi from their vantage point continually see the Veda, for what is the Veda but the rising of the (inner) Sun.

Brāhman! In every manvantara, when the sequence of the world is reversed and the structure is altered and the wise people have passed away, I have different friends, different relatives, different and new servants, and different habitations. YV: 6.I.22.37-38

Imagine yourself awakening one morning, preparing your breakfast, only to see yourself performing these actions in a parallel universe. These worlds can then be seen to collapse upon themselves, nesting in ever-smaller frames, until you recognize that it is you that is moving, one speck of dust within the faint sheen of dust capturing the sunlight in the corner of the house.

What exactly is real? What is the nature of reality? What is the purpose of any particular life? These are some of the questions that the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha (YV) explores in tales that are epic in size and minute in their detailed storytelling, interlocking tales of kings, sages, and people from the entire spectrum of occupations.

In an era of contemporary identity politics, self-proclaimed enlightened masters, and the invention of bizarre practices under the title of yoga, it has become necessary to re-examine the traditions themselves and the texts that have been classically dedicated to establishing yoga. We need to go back to the sources of this global phenomenon that has come to be known as yoga and read the practices and philosophies that once were archaic and reserved for very few practitioners and bring them to global discourse for public awareness. My effort here is to offer a small introduction to one of these foundational texts, the Yoga-Vāsiṣṭha.

The Yoga-Vāsiṣṭha is a synthesis of the Hindu and Buddhist yogic traditions and philosophies. While placed in the context of a discourse between a prince wanting to recognize the nature of reality and questioning an enlightened master, the text borrows from a wide range of Hindu and Buddhist literature.

The style of the book is like that of the storytelling found in the Rāmāyaṇa, and the text itself is deeply philosophical in nature. Although the text borrows ideas from Pantañjali to Vasubandhu, the unifying philosophy is closer to the Advaita of Śaṅkara. Due to subtle differences in teachings and philosophy, it took time for the mainstream Advaita to acknowledge the text as signiﬁcant to its philosophy, and the text has only been frequently cited by mainstream Advaitin scholars in school of Śaṅkara after around the 15th century. Setting the philosophical premises aside, the text is exemplary poetry, and the author – one Vālmīki – is impeccable in his use of meter, choice of words, application of metaphors and metonymy, and the overall application of suggested meaning to convey the message. The text can be read as a mythical narrative, poetry of the highest quality, a text on philosophy, and as a manual for a yogic practice.

Traditionally, the Yoga-Vāsiṣṭha is considered one of the Rāmāyaṇas and the authorship is attributed to Vālmīki. The text is staged in the platform of a dialogue between the protagonist Rāma and his enlightened master Vāsiṣṭha who then re-tells his conversations to the ṛṣī Bharadvājā, one of seven seers to whom the Vedas are attributed. Historically, the Yoga-Vāsiṣṭha could have been compiled between the 9th Century and 12th Century; however, the text was not always known by that name. An earlier iteration of YV is known as Mokṣopāya, and a summarized version of the text, the Laghu YogaVāsiṣṭha, is more popular among the scholars and practitioners than the lengthy text that is divided in six sections consists of 32,000 verses, four times the size of Homer’s Illiad.

The text begins with Rāma the prince recognizing the dissatisfactory nature of the world, and ﬁnding himself in front of the sage, Vasiṣṭha.

The most external layer of the text presents teachings of the sages from Vedic times to tales of the characters from the Rāmayana. The inner layer of the text weaves multiple stories as a means for Vasiṣṭha to instruct Rāma. The essential core of the text is the monistic philosophy of pure consciousness giving rise to the diverse experiences in the world. The text also maintains that the intrinsic nature of consciousness is never polluted, albeit being given the appearance of bondage. The objective of all the stories is to teach Rāma that in consciousness itself, no deviation as such has ever occurred, no world external to consciousness has ever come into being, and no bondage is ever possible. All the narratives aim to reveal the eternally liberated nature of the self that is manifest as if bound in the world, constituting a ﬁnite reality in terms of the external world and the inner subject.

DISPASSION

As the text unfolds with the frustration of Rāma, the ﬁrst section is rightfully identiﬁed as Vairāgya (dispassion), and the 33 chapters in this section highlight the ephemeral nature of the world. The text, however, is meticulous in teaching that human endeavor is central to recognizing reality, directly countering and even ridiculing the fatalists. The second section, Mumukṣu Vyavahāra, consists of 20 chapters and identiﬁes the conduct that is required for the individual seeking liberation. These two early sections lack stories that can be read as philosophical. Instead, they primarily contextualize what is to subsequently unfold, and in this regard merely lay the foundation for the philosophy beginning in the next section on origination.

CONSCIOUSNESS AS PRIMARY

The third section, called Utpatti or origination, has 122 chapters and is signiﬁcant both for the stories themselves and the philosophy embedded within them. The most important stories in this section include that of Līlā and King Padma, the story of a demoness Karkaṭī, and the story of king Lavaṇa who in his hypnotic state wakes up in a different identity and when he returns to being the king, questions his very subjective state. Although the stage within which these narratives are woven appears to support some form of illusionism, the text is clear that there is an unchanging essential core of pure consciousness manifest in multiple forms.

Next is the section on Stithi or sustenance, with a total of 62 chapters. Prominent are the stories of Vāyu and Śukra, of Śambara a demon, and of Dāsura. Philosophically this section addresses the nature of mind, different states of consciousness such as waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, the reality of time and space, the scope and function of ignorance, the nature of the self, and the issue of morality in light of subjective illusionism.

The ﬁfth section concerns Upaśama or controlling the senses. The highlight of this section is the Siddha Gītā, where Vasiṣṭha narrates to Rāma the instructions given by the enlightened siddhas to King Janaka. This section includes the stories of Pāvana, of Bali, of Prahlāda, Gādhi, Uddālaka, the conversation of Suraghu, and the story of Bhāsa and Vilāsa. There are in total 93 chapters in this section.

YOGIC REALIZATION

The ﬁnal section on Nirvāṇa is divided into two, with the ﬁrst part containing 128 chapters while the last has 216 chapters. The highlights of the ﬁrst section are the stories of Bhuśuṇḍa, Arjuna, Jīvaṭa, Śikhidvaja and Cuḍālā, and Kaca. In this section, there is also a conversation on the seven stages of yogic realization and reality as perceived by the enlightened beings. The very ﬁrst narrative in this section reveals the central premise of the book, that there are two fundamentally different upāyas or approaches to liberation: one, the practice that pursues supernatural powers while integrating self-realization, and two, the contemplative practice that focuses only on liberation. The discourse between Vasiṣṭha and Bhuśuṇḍa in this narrative is the epitome of embodied and disembodied approaches to self-realization. The last part in this section weaves the narratives of Vidyādhara, Maṅki a sage, Pāṣāṇa or a Rock, Vispaścit, Śava a Corpse, and Tāpasa. The highlights of this section are two small sections identiﬁed as Vasiṣṭha Gītā and Brahma Gītā. In essence, this section focuses on the nature of liberation and a discourse on the absolute reality while describing the phenomena of the world through the perspective of the enlightened being. Concurrent are the themes of the illusion of time and space, of the nature of subjectivity, and of the reality of the world.

The yoga addressed in this text is not so much the physical āsana practice that has become the mainstream yoga of current popularity.

On the contrary, the text begins with depression and culminates in liberation.

Fundamentally, the Yoga-Vāsiṣṭha is addressing all the issues that became relevant after the development of the momentary stream-of

consciousness theory as promulgated by the Yogācāra Buddhists, the non-dual nature of reality as the Brahman in relation to the illusory nature of reality as established by Śaṅkara in the school of Advaita Vedānta, and the absolute freedom of consciousness in constituting reality as propounded by the Trika philosophers of Kashmir. The yoga addressed in this text is not so much the physical āsana practice that has become the mainstream yoga of current popularity. On the contrary, the text begins with depression and culminates in liberation.

The problems addressed therefore are primarily psychological, and the issues related to the mind and mental phenomena are the central themes found throughout the text. Vasiṣṭha repeatedly addresses Rāma, chiding him for his limited ability to constitute his subjective mental state, and seeing the world through this altered state of consciousness. Noteworthy also are the concepts of relativism, the holographic nature of consciousness, parallel reality, different layers of time and space, altered states of consciousness, and embodiment and the world. The narratives of Līlā and Cuḍālā also raise the issues of gender and subjectivity. Accounts such as that of Lavaṇa also bring to the fore the issue of the caste identity. While the primary concern of the text is not the social fabrication of reality, this text can be used as a sourcebook for these issues.

Contemporary scholars such as Bhikhan Lal Arteya, Walter Slaje, Wendy Doniger, Christopher Chapple, Bruno Lo Turco, Jürgen Hanneder, and Sthaneshwar Timalsina have extensively studied these texts. Although there have been some summary and translation of the text, the complete version of Mokṣopāya has not yet been published. A philologically sound version of the Yoga-Vāsiṣṭha does not yet exist, and any inter-textual analysis of YV in relation to other classical texts and traditions is very rare. The nature of consciousness and reality as proposed in this text presents a holographic nature of reality, places consciousness as capable of constituting reality, and makes the questions regarding subjective states insigniﬁcant in light of the altered states of consciousness. The text deserves a clear phenomenological and cognitive psychological interpretation in order for it to be widely accessible to global scholarship. As for myself, I have found this text highly inspirational, and it has helped me in advancing my own meditation practice.

Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva

Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva is the Hindu Trinity, also called the Trimurti. The Supreme Spirit or Universal Truth, called Brahman, is represented in three forms, each corresponding to one cosmic function: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver) and Shiva (the transformer/destroyer). [GOD in English also stands for G=Generator; O=Operator and D=Dissolver]

Because Hinduism is a collection of different traditions and beliefs, scholars believe Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva was an attempt to reconcile the doctrine of Brahman with different aspects of the Supreme Spirit. In Christianity Trinity is prayed as Holy Father; Holy Son; Holy Spirit.

Of the three incarnations of Brahman, Shiva has a special place in the yogic traditions as he is considered the first yogi, or Adiyogi. Shiva also symbolizes the balancing of awareness and bliss, and the calming effects of yoga practices in general.

Yogapedia explains Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva

Unity with Brahman – which is personified as the Trimurti – is the ultimate goal in yogic philosophy and practice. Today, Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva as the Trimurti is rarely worshiped. Instead, Hindus typically worship one of the three as the supreme deity, and consider the others as incarnations of their supreme god. For example, Vaishnavism holds that Vishnu is the supreme god, while Shaivism believes that Shiva is supreme. Brahma, in comparison, has relatively few devotees as the supreme deity.

In ancient texts, the three gods symbolize earth, water and fire:

Brahma represents earth. He is the originating power and creator of all life. One story claims he is the son of Brahman, while another says he created himself from water and seed.
Vishnu represents water, which symbolizes his role as the sustainer of life. He is the protector side of Brahman, known for upholding goodness and creation, and is identified with his incarnations -- Krishna and Rama.
Shiva represents fire and is identified as the destructive power of the Trimurti. However, he is also viewed as a positive force that cleanses and destroys evil, paving the way for cyclic creation and a fresh start.

Replanting the Seeds: How to Heal Your Karma

Suzy Adra

Takeaway: You don't have to stay trapped by bad karma. Each one of us is capable of planting new karmic seeds and healing our negative karma. Here's how to get started.

How many times have you heard the word karma and yet find that most cannot really explain exactly what it means?

The majority of people think that karma is only about bearing the consequences of negative deeds. There is more to karma than what we do unto others.

What Is Karma?

Karma is the memory of our deeds, emotions, desires, and thoughts. It is information that is stored in our body, and our auric field. Karma is mentioned in the Yoga Sutras as bījas or seeds.

\Karma is memory imprints that we plant in all levels of our being. Karma is not a theory, it is a reality of being a human. We carry, in our physical body, our DNA and our auric field, the imprints of actions and thoughts from our ancestors, whether we like it or not. Remember, energy cannot be destroyed, it can only be transformed from one form to another.

Science has shown that the entire universe is made of energy. This energy gets recycled. The energetic imprints of all we want, all we do, and all we go through are carried in our body. These memories are what make us repeat destructive patterns over and over again.

The bad news is that karma, in the form of trauma, can be carried from generation to generation until it is healed. Research has supported that trauma, if not completed and healed, is inherited and can become part of a person’s DNA. This is the reason there is intergenerational illness that runs in families. The longer it takes to heal it the more our predecessors will suffer.

Dr. David Frawley writes about negative karma saying that it arises from wrong judgment, wrong use of senses, emotions, mind and energy. It is mainly a guna (an attribute of nature) that has been off balance and becomes stored in the psyche. Usually this begins with rajas (passion) and moves into tamas (darkness). It is through Ayurveda and Vedic astrology that we find relief from these karmic patterns, which are called samskaras.

Healing Karma

To get out of such patterns, and imprints, we must look at what western psychology has termed "our shadow" and find the things we have repressed.

Chances are, all the things that trigger us in our life are things we hide from ourselves. Thus, we create blind spots, or plant the karmic seeds, without knowing we did so.

That which we do not see must be brought into our seeing, making the unconscious conscious. Realizing the patterns that no longer serve us is the first step to healing our karma.

However, there are many more things we can do to assist the process of healing. The key is, to stay consistent and try to be the best version of our selves.

Many think they are ready to face their karmic seeds, and yet when given the chance, and the space, they get distracted and run. Some people will do anything they can to numb their pain. This may be in the form of drinking, shopping, eating when not hungry, mindless talking, or many other things.

You have to be ready for this work. It does not happen overnight.

Here are some suggestions that may help get you started. There is no need to do all of these things, but the more of them you can incorporate into your healing journey, the faster you will see results.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Healing Your Karma

Do not take yourself too seriously.
Be willing to let go.
Be willing to see and understand yourself.
Understand that the karma, or seeds that you planted years ago will have to take their course and there is nothing you can do to change that, what you can do is change how you react to your daily reality.
Know that you can plant better seeds for the future.
Know that your future is composed of choices you make in the present moment.
Try to choose unconditional love, as much as you possibly can and to learn and grow from every experience, encounter and event.
Step outside of yourself. View everything that happens to you with equanimity.
Self-Study. Find your triggers, even that which makes you happy, and especially that which you do not want to admit.
Investigate those triggers. What triggers you? Why? Try to find the origin, when was the first time you felt that way?
Learn to see life as it is, not as you were programmed to see it.
Be honest with yourself about what you learn about yourself, and take steps to heal those things.
Try to make the best possible choices for your wellbeing and the wellbeing of others in your life.
Use yoga, meditation, pranayama, and, especially, mantras to help clear and heal the mind.
Incorporate deep sadhana in to your daily routine.
Begin to be the best expression of yourself that you can possibly be.
Offer all your actions to the divine, see yourself as a conduit of divine expression.

Yoga Vasistha: Eternal Wisdom of Rishi Vashistha

After embarking on a long and tiresome pilgrimage Prince ‪‎Rama of Ayodhya found himself disillusioned with the world. He was overwhelmed by the pains of the people he met during his travel and found the world around him to be gruesome. He was not sure why the world and life were so “unfair.” He had so many questions which every time he tried to answer them himself landed him in an abyss of confusion. The ones close to him weren’t of any help. Eventually, his enthusiasm in his duties fell steeply, causing great concern to his father and King of ‪Ayodhya – ‪Dasharatha. The concerned king sought help from his ‪Rajaguru Vashistha. ‪Yoga ‎Vashistha is the name of the very document which contains the complete record of the dialogue between Rama and Vashistha. Originally in ‪Vedic Sanskrit, a great many translations available today have failed miserably to bring out the perfectly rational ideas and views present in it. The following are some of the key teachings retranslated by U. Mahesh Prabhu.

True wisdom is that with which can we convert our emptiness into fullness, overcome the fear of death with the true idea of immortality and convert adversity into prosperity.
Sage is he who is absolute and beyond selflessness, who works for universal welfare. If sages became concerned solely with their own happiness with whom could those tormented by the sorrows are to seek refuge?
Dispassion is the true sign of a sage living in wisdom; it is the real purport of the sacred texts and is also the comprehensive wisdom.
Wisdom grows steadily in a person once (s)he recognizes its importance and dedicates his/her life to it.
(S)he is a happy whose mind is inwardly cool and free from attachment and hatred and who looks upon this world as if a mere spectator.
A person who has understood well how to abandon all ideas of acceptance and rejection and who has realized the consciousness which is within the innermost heart – the life of such a person is truly illustrious.
When a pot has broken the space within it becomes unlimited. So also when bodies cease to exist the Self remains eternal and unattached.
Neither disease nor poison nor adversity nor any other thing in the world cause more suffering to people than such stupidity engendered in their bodies.
Even though bondage does not really exist, it becomes strong through the desire for worldly objects; when this desire subsides bondage becomes weak.
The world is full of misery to an ignorant man and full of bliss to a wise man. The world is dark to a blind man and bright to one who has eyes.
Just as the dream become unreal in the waking state and the waking state in the dream, so also death becomes unreal in birth and birth in death.
All these are thus neither real nor unreal. They are the effect of delusion, mere impression arising out of some past experiences.
Just as a crystal is not stained by what is reflected in it, so also the person who knows the truth is not really affected by the result of his acts.
Even while he is intent on outward actions (the person who knows the truth) always remain introverted and extremely calm like one asleep.
Firmly convinced of non-duality and enjoying perfect mental peace, Yogis go about their work seeing the world as if it were a dream.
Let death come to the person who knows the truth; today or at the end of eons; (s)he remains untarnished like gold buried in mine.
(S)he may cast off his body at Kashi or in the house of an outcast. The one who has known eternal knowledge is liberated at the very moment of knowing.
To one who is bereft of desires the earth is hoof-print of a cow, Mount Meru a mound, space as much contained in a casket and the three worlds a blade of grass.
The man with a noble heart, whose desire has come to an end, is truly a liberated man; it does not matter whether or not he practices meditation or action.
The idea of the self is bondage. Abandonment of it is liberation. There is neither bondage nor liberation for the ever-free self.
O, Rama, there is neither intellect nor mind, neither nescience nor mind, neither individual nor soul. These are the concepts born out of mind.
O Rama, the mind has by its own activity bound itself – when it’s calm it’ll be free.
The consciousness which is undivided imagines to itself desirable objects and runs after them. It is then known as the mind.
Just as fire born out of the wind is extinguished by the same wind, so also that which is born out of imagination is destroyed by imagination itself.
The mind has come into existence through this imagination on account of forgetfulness. Like the experience of one’s own death in a dream, it ceases to exist when scrutinized.
The idea of the self in what is not the self is due to incorrect understanding. The idea of reality in what is unreal, O Rama, know that to be the mind.
“This is his”, “I am this”, “That is mine” such ideas constitute the mind; it disappears when one ponders over these false ideas.
It is the nature of the mind to accept certain things and to reject others; this is bondage – nothing else.
The mind is the creator of the world; the mind is the individual (Purusha); only that which is done by the mind is regarded as done, not that which is done by the body. The arm with which one embraces the wife is the very arm which embraces the daughter.
The mind is the cause of objects of perception. The three worlds depend on it. When it is dissolved the world is also dissolved. It is to be cured (i.e. purified) with effort.
The mind is bound by latent impressions (Vasanas). When there are no impressions it is free. Therefore, O Rama, bring about quickly, through discrimination, the state in which there are no impressions.
O Rama, he who, with an inturned mind, offers all the three worlds, like dried grass, as an oblation in the fire of knowledge, becomes free from the illusions of the mind.
When one knows the real truth about acceptance and rejection and does not think of anything but abides in himself, abandoning everything, his mind does not come into existence.
The mind is Ghoram (terrible) in the waking state, Santam (gentle) in the dream state, Mudham (dull) in deep sleep and dead when not in any of these three states.
The only element to be conquered is the mind. Its conquest leads to the attainment of everything. Without its conquest all other efforts are fruitless.
To be unperturbed is the foundation of bliss. One attains liberation by it. To human beings, even the conquest of the three worlds, without the conquest of the mind, is as insignificant as a blade of grass.
Association with the wise, abandonment of the latent impressions, self-inquiry, control of breathing – these are the means of conquering the mind.
The one who is shod with leather the earth is as good as covered with leather. Even so to the mind which is full; the world overflows with nectar.
When the mind is abandoned, everything that is dual or single is dissolved. What remains after that is the Supreme Brahman, peaceful, eternal and free from misery.
There is nothing to equal the supreme joy felt by a person of pure mind who has attained the state of pure consciousness and overcome death.
To one who has realized the self by inquiry, Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva are objects of compassion.
By abandonment of the latent impressions or by the control of breathing mind ceases to be the mind – practice whichever you like.
O Rama, cherish the association of sages and the true scriptures; you will attain the state of Supreme Consciousness not in the course of months but days.
Latent impressions cease to exist when one associate with sages, discards all thoughts of Samsara (world) and remembers that the body has to die.
O Rama, even ignorant with the firmness of their conviction convert poison into potion and potion into poison.
If one realizes the unity of things everywhere, one always remains tranquil, inwardly cool and pure like space without the idea of the self.
If one is cool inwardly the whole world will be cool, but when one is hot the whole world will be a burning mass.
Unmoved by adversity, a friend of all world in prosperity, without ideas of existence and non-existence, I live free from misery.
Inactive, desire-less, clear as the sky, free from hankering, tranquil, formless, everlasting and unmoving – this is me.
I am above everything, I am present everywhere, I am like space, I am that which really exist, I am unable to say anything beyond this.
Let imaginary waves of universe rise or fall in me, the ocean infinite consciousness, there’ll no increase or decrease in me.
How wonderful that in me, the infinite ocean of consciousness, waves of Jivas (individual soul) arises, sport for a while and disappear according to their nature.
The world which has come into existence on account of my ignorance has dissolved likewise in me. I now directly experience the world as the supreme bliss of Consciousness.
I prostrate to myself who am within all being, the ever free Self abiding as inner consciousness.
O Raghava, be outwardly active but inwardly inactive, outwardly a doer but inwardly a non-doer and thus play your part in this world.
O Rama, abandon all desires inwardly, be free from attachments and latent impressions do everything outwardly and thus play your part in the world.
O Rama, adopt a comprehensive view, characterized by the abandonment of all objects of contemplation, live in your innate self, liberated even while alive and thus play your part in this world.
Burn the forest of duality with the fire of the conviction, ‘I am the one Pure Consciousness’ and remain happy.
You are bound firmly on all sides by the idea that “I am a body.” Cut that bound by the sword of knowledge. Know that you are Consciousness and be happy.
Do not be that which is understood, nor the one who understands. Abandon all concepts and remain what you are.
Eliminate one concept by another and the mind by the mind and abide in the Self. Is this so difficult?
Sever the mind, which has on account of its cares become red hot, with the mind which is like Iron sharpened by the study of Vedic scriptures.
The mere knowledge that this body is like a piece of wood or a clod of earth, enables one to realize the supreme self.
If you separate yourself from the body and abide at ease in Consciousness you will become one, with everything else appearing insignificant like a grass.
Knowledge is not separate from you and that which is known is not separate from knowledge. Hence there is nothing other than the self, nothing separate from it.
Know for once that you are the whole universe, the undecaying Supreme self, there is neither past nor future apart from you.
The sense of perceiver and perceived is common to all embodied beings, but the Yogi worships oneself (not one’s ego).
The self is realized in the body only with effort; like sugar from the sugarcane, oil from sesame seeds, fire from wood, flutter from cow and iron from stones.
The self is without a beginning or end.
The self is absolute consciousness. It is pure awareness, undecaying, free from all ideas of acceptance or rejection and not limited by space, time or genus.
There is neither bondage nor liberation, neither duality nor non-duality. There is only Brahman always shining as Consciousness.
Awareness is Brahman, the world is Brahman, the various elements are Brahman; I am Brahman; my enemy is Brahman, my friends and relatives are Brahman.
There is only consciousness here; this universe is nothing but consciousness, you are consciousness, I am consciousness, the worlds are consciousness – this is the conclusion.
Consciousness alone shines by itself. Ideas of knower and the known are idle postulates.
Supreme Bliss cannot be experienced through contact of the senses with their objects. The supreme state is that in which the mind is annihilated through one-pointed inquiry.
The bliss arising from the contact of the senses with their objects is inferior. Contact with the sense objects is bondage. Freedom from them alone is liberation.
Attain the pure state between existence and non-existence and hold on to it; do not accept or reject the inner or the outer world.
The belief in a knower and the known is called bondage. The knower is bound by the known; he is liberated when there is nothing to know.
One who realizes that everything is Brahman truly becomes a Brahman.

Sunday, June 30, 2019

YOGA SCIENCE (VIJNAANA) OF CONSCIOUSNESS (PRAJNAANA)