[Advaita-l] Asana Siddhi

[Swati Gupta]

Thanks Sujalji – really appreciate the time you have taken to share your guidance.

Regarding focusing on Ajna chakra – though I started the practice when I was in school after reading Ramakrishna Paramahamsa / Vivekananda episode, later my guru suggested the same.  My guru suggested me to either focus on ajna or sahasrara.  By that time I practiced a few years on Ajna – so I just continued.

After tens of thousands of hours of meditating on Ajna chakra I don’t feel any headache.  In fact all the experiences have been very pleasant and some very fascinating.

Regarding your comments on going beyond mantra into maun.  Yes that’s precisely what my guru told me when giving me mantra which I have been diligently practicing for decades.  

Like you suggested yesterday – Asana Siddhi on its own as we keep practicing.  Till then I continue to my current 3 hour practice and take a break and restart.

Thanks 

From: Sujal Upadhyay
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2018 9:02 AM
To: advaita-l
Cc: swatigupta6504 at gmail.com
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Asana Siddhi

Pranams Swati ji,

There is a difference between reciting sahsranAma or dUrgAsaptaSati or chaNDIpATha and chanting a mantra. 
Mantra helps calm down mind and brings peace. If you are given a guru mantra, it is always better to chant the mantra then recite chaNDIpATha as the mantra includes grace of guru. A bIja mantra easily touches the heart. If you can chant a mantra for 3 hours, it continues in the subconscious mind throughout the day and also in the night. So the next morning the first thought when you wake up is the mantra. When you are engrossed in work, mantra goes to the back side, but as soon as you have finished the work and you relax, take a breath, mantra automatically pops up. So mantra continues for 24 hours even if you sit for 3 hours. 

Silence is important than mantra. First the chanting happens in mind (place where one find thoughts), then it begins to happen in heart and then it continues by itself, thus making you a witness. You do not need to chant mantra or make conscious effort to chant a mantra. It keeps chanting by itself. If you have reached this state, just be aware of the source of the mantra i.e. from where mantra is originating and where it terminates. Fully surrender to this spot, which is the source of everything. If the surrender is unconditional and strong, rest will happen by itself and you, as an individual have no role in it. Meditation happens. Mantra drops or merges or dissolves in source. Then only silence remains. Staying in this silence more and more is beneficial. It brings deep peace and intense bliss. It brings freshness. When this happens for the first time, you feel that you are reborn. It is indescribable. 

All the benefits i.e. fruits of reciting sahasranAma et all is also fructified in this state. These recitations are there to prepare you for this state. Silence is supreme. Maun is the only expression capable of expressing Atmasthiti. If still you have doubt, when you are in dilema, at that moment, pray to devi maa and leave everything on her. If she wants you to chant sahasranAma, you will feel the impulse to chant it and mantra will automatically fade away. On the other hand, if she gracefully and smoothly shifts your focus on chanting mantra, sahasranAma will fade away. Since your guru gave you mantra, it will show positive effect if you chant it sincerely else for many people, they cannot get rid of thoughts. They cannot go deep within even after practicing japa for many years.

Regarding focusing on AGYA chakra i.e. bruhamadhya, it is a personal choice. However, too much focus on AGYA chakra may make you feel heaviness in head or heavy eyes. AGYA chakra indirectly controls eye by controlling eye (minor) chakras. It is also connected with pituitary gland, one of the master gland. Sri Ramakrishna or any guru instructs in shishya accorrding to mental makeup and temperament. To some he taught yoga, to some bhakti, to some asked to do karma and to some like Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna chose advaita, though initially Narendranath (Swami Vivekananda) used to make fun of advaita concept and Sri Ramakrishna gave him Ashtavakra Gita to contemplate. So advice depends upon shishya. 

Some even meditate on focusing on the sahasrAra chakra which is on top of head, little back side where the soft spot is. It also may make head heavy. Some meditate on heart i.e. anAhat chakra which is in center of chest. It brings lightness in us. It helps smoothen japa and induces feeling of love and bliss.  I personally prefer to meditate on heart (anAhat chakra), but then finally one has to shift to the source.

You do not need to consciously connect or tune into kosha-s. It it happens let it happen without getting attracted towards it. Always remember (and never forget) - your only goal is to chant mantra and find it source, merge in it (source). So if it does not happen or you are not able to tune into kosha-s, just leave it, nothing to worry.

Keep praying, keep meditating. If you cannot meditate only on mantar, you may also focus on the form of deva / devi associated with mantra. Here you can image her face protruding out of AGYA chakra, you can even do mental worship of devi and all the material like flowers, etc are formed mentally by power of visualization or imagination. Do mental abhishekha. Always feel that devi is always present with you every moment. She is live, not a stone image or expressionless image or idol. She is alive. 

Some do not do mental worship, but just visualize a form of devi and chant mantra. It helps. Then form fades away and mantra remains. Later mantra too drops and what remain is silence - you. Radha was Krishna from within. Only outwardly she was a female, but inwardly she was Krishna. There is no individuality, only Krishna exists for her. Rest all happens. Life is a happening. 


OM

Sujal