dwai

At the risk of setting people off on chasing wild geese, here's an interesting article on Kaya kalpa I found -- https://www.ayurvedacollege.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/kaya_kalpa.pdf if any one is tempted to try the external alchemical stuff in this article, PLEASE DON'T! I only posted from an academic interest perspective...

AFAIK, Pre-natal Jing cannot be replenished. The exhaustion of this results in physical death. What we can do is prevent the leakage, by consolidating the mind, and purifying it, and thereby slowing down the “decay”. But there are Yogis who perform kaya-kalpa techniques and can reverse aging (don’t ask me how, I don’t know). So maybe it IS possible IMHO, it’s better to forget about the body beyond basic healthy functioning, and focus on spiritual liberation

I’ve been taking lions mane for the mind and trying out reishi and Chaga. Tried cordyceps and it causes breathing issues for me, so it’s off my list. As far as healing practice is concerned - daily dose of taijiquan and zhan zhuang has been a mainstay of my life since the past 20-ish years. I also resumed the practice of alternate nostril breathing for a few minutes a day, adding a mantra that I do daily for almost 22 years now — each inhale and each exhale is as long as one rep of the mantra takes.

That’s what they always say...😇

I think that’s the case for most of us, until it isn’t anymore I distinctly remember having a conversation with you in George’s west Dundee class back in 2005/6 about the subject-object conundrum. I think you had mentioned to me about subject-object duality, and I responded “there is none...they’re the same” and you said, “oh but that’s for later”... I don’t know why I remember that, but I do I can relate to what you wrote about that direct connection vis-a-vis awareness, it is so simple that we can’t believe that it is what everyone is making such brouhaha about...which is why I feel that knowledge is needed to shape and direct the practice. Otherwise, we end up getting caught in labels and intellectual musings (and methods)... For me, the “breakthrough” came while skeptically watching a Papaji satsang video, where one of his students sits in front of him, and Papaji asks, “can you tell me who you are, in an instant, without thinking?” I watched incredulously, as the student broke down, sobbing, sat for a while next to Papaji, got up and walked away. That question stuck with me, and for the longest time, I felt it was a trick question — I would sit with it for long periods of time, for several days, trying to understand it. All I got was silence and a feeling of “duh!” 😂 And then one day, it dawned upon me, what he was pointing at. Doesn’t Lao Tzu say in the DDJ — the dao that can be named is not the real dao? Funny though, it was “Daoism” that helped me gain initial understanding of vedānta, and later it was vedānta that helped me realize what Daoism points to...

It used to be -- and I still practice it every day, but for enjoyment and to learn some of the more "esoteric" capabilities (fun) it offers. If I have a primary practice anymore, it is in letting go.

Thanks friends

For me the "witness" was never in the body...but never not in the body either, if it makes sense. That's why it was so baffling when it manifested during the early days of Tai chi (after we shifted from the West Dundee class that you used to join us in @forestofemptiness). It was not possible for me to pin down a location. And, the separation disappeared for me too, but not right after that incident with Master. I guess I could label it as "extreme" detachment from the thinking mind/phenomena during that period -- but a total sense of bliss -- psychological, physical, and energetic, if that makes sense -- it stayed like that for about 18 months, and then I guess I got used to it. Eventually, the realization came that the separation is only apparent -- the wave is always part of the ocean.

And the "earth" symbolizes the world of our experience. The appearance of objects in the mind is called "vritti-vyāpti". The illumination of a vritti-vyāpti by the reflected consciousness (ie the mind) is called "phala-vyāpti". To summarize, what he's saying is as follows -- In our mundane experience, the Vrittis (Modifications within the mind) are illuminated by the reflected light of consciousness -- the phala (fruit, literally) is the "knowing" of the object (which is a modification/vritti in the mind). In a similar manner, with the Self/Atman/Brahman, there must be a vritti-vyapti (via the process of acquiring the knowledge about Self/Atman/Brahman) in the mind. But there is really no "phala-vyāpti", as that which illuminates objects is what is being contemplated about. The "trick" is, that by turning the mind towards inquiry of the Self (aka Brahman or Atman), the external world of mundane experiences is discarded temporarily. When that happens, the Self (awareness) shines forth on its own -- hence the word used, "svaprakāsha" (Self-Effulgent/Self-Luminous/Self-revealed). This is the proverbial dropping of the veil, and results in the recognition of the "True Nature* as being none other than Awareness/Self.

The first couple of questions answered by Swamiji address the topic.

Which two states? The witness consciousness and the thinking mind?

Sit and observe your breath. Don't let your mind attach to any thoughts (in other words, renounce all thoughts - only observe your breath going in and out). It is simple enough to do -- but as far as how easy it is, that depends. Another way would be to simply sit/lie still and observe your thoughts -- without attaching. Let a thought come, and then go. And then another rises...observe and let it go. After a while, become aware of the gap between two consecutive thoughts. Stay with that gap. Simple.

How is not clinging to things and concepts unhealthy and selfish? There are two kinds of renunciation --- One is the renunciation of the seeker, who has only one burning thirst -- for the realization of the truth. For such a person, all other things in the world are insignificant compared to "the Truth" (whatever that might be). So, they renounce the world and dedicate themselves to what is often a lifelong practice of their chosen spiritual path, aimed at the goal of realization (Self/Nirvana/Dao/God). The other kind of renunciation is that of the sage -- one who has already realized the Truth, and therefore sees that the world of names and forms doesn't have any hold/attraction anymore. Neither of these is unhealthy -- one helps us dedicate our lives to the quest, the other is a natural outcome of wisdom.

My preliminary development is predominantly driven by Daoist practices. I have of course undertaken other techniques in the early days of my practice -- Sudarshan Kriya as taught by Sri Sri Ravishankar (Art of living foundation) -- I found it very powerful from a health and purification perspective, and I entered samādhi a few times, but it was transient -- I was much younger at that time though. Later, I practiced Tamil Siddhar Yoga for a few years, and it helped open up channels/purify the central channel and raise Kundalini. I stopped that because, at that point, I felt I was getting more benefit from Daoist practices (Taijiquan, other meditation techniques) and had a much closer relationship with my Sifu. At that point, I had theoretical knowledge of the wisdom systems (Advaita Vedanta primarily) but no understanding -- I mean, I could rattle off meanings, and definitions, and even verses from the texts themselves, but it was only an intellectual understanding. I couldn't grasp the actual import of the teachings. Through my practices involving mind-body (taijiquan/Daogong/Yoga) what developed is the witness mind, which started appearing during the practice time and gradually spread into all my waking time -- but there was still confusion vis-a-vis what my True Nature was. Mainly it was this, "Who/What is observing me performing these movements, having these thoughts, etc." Imagine going through years of constantly being aware of actions/thoughts/emotions/feelings but not the clarity of what it implied ... When I finally met my master, he did what could be considered a shaktipat/transmission to me, and that sent me into a 15-day samādhi of sorts -- in an ecstatic state while fully functional and the separation between the witness consciousness and the mind/body became permanent. I stayed like that for almost 18 months after, and my practice took a quantum leap. Strangely enough, at that point, when I re-read the Vedantic, Buddhist material, the Dao-De-Jing, etc it started to click upon me what was being pointed toward. it is at that time, I resumed my study and practice of Advaita Vedanta, and undertook the self-inquiry path. Before that, self-inquiry was not possible for me -- it confounded my mind as to what the purpose of such an undertaking would be, as I preferred the "energy/vibration" paradigm as it was directly accessible. Now, what I'm saying should not be taken out of the context of what I've been trying to say in the context of the Energy-Mind-Wisdom triumvirate for a while on this forum now. Energetics/body-mind practices are very important but they are not the end-all-be-all of practice, as I personally have experienced (and understand it) -- the primary purpose of these practices is to purify the mind by purifying the energy (Qi/Prana etc). QI/Prana and the Mind are tightly coupled. Purify the mind and the Qi gets purified -- strengthen the Qi and the mind gets strengthened. Personally, I find that working with the energy earlier is easier, as there is a method/technique involved therein, and there are sufficient milestones, etc in the paths that deal with it, to ensure we don't stray off-target, especially if we have a good teacher. In order to grasp what the wisdom traditions are actually pointing to, the mind must be clear and have the ability to focus. Working with the energetic systems helps develop that -- discipline etc are good. It is also very much possible to enter what is called "full nirvikalpa samādhi" via these methods (Yogic methods, Taijiquan/Qigong/Daogong etc). Nirvikalpa samādhi is the state in which the mind disappears and only awareness remains, by itself. But even this is not enough to provide realization of the kind that the nondual teachings (be it Buddhism or Vedanta or Daoist) point toward -- that will only come via deep inquiry into the nature of being, the nature of Self. There are of course different sets of methods outlined to help the student down that path. And the preparation to undertake such practices is not necessarily only the energetic path. The mind can be purified by selfless service of others or devotion to a deity of choice. It can be made single-pointed by what people call meditation. Only after the mind is purified and made single-pointed is when the wisdom traditions begin. P.S. If you want to enter the wisdom door, I can recommend books and materials that will help — first and foremost Swami Sarvapriyananda’s lectures, he has multi-hour long sessions on various topics, starting from the basics to the advanced material on his YouTube channel. Or study in a proper school — chinmaya mission, Vedanta society, etc. Nisragadatta Maharaj’s “I am that”. Ramana Maharishi’s teachings. P.P.S. It might sound like I’m bragging, and if it does, that is not my intention at all. As many of you might know, I don’t consider this “realization” to be an earth-shattering, sky-splitting achievement - everyone already has it, only it is veiled by layers of conditioning. FWIW, IMHO, you don’t become immortal by any means — YOU already are immortal — unbound in space or time, you were never born, and will never die.

Nope. Only knowledge will bring about a complete awakening — comes from inquiry and meditation.

Are we *SURE* we want to go down that path?

The Mandukya Upanishad — it reveals the truth of our Self to us in a most direct and simple way.

A fascinating talk — I found myself agreeing to a lot of what he says.

This video is an excellent narration of Ramana Maharshi's "Not Doing"

Yeah I’ve had a few of them. Initially I used to use a mantra to “poof!” them. As time progressed I realized that i must not avoid them — so instead, I lovingly embrace them and they go “poof!” anyway. But the difference is, I didn’t resist, so didn’t have a fear/flight-fight habitual pattern reinforced. But not all dreams are the same — if you physically get cold, then it’s a different story. If you don’t register a change in temperature, it’s not an “entity”, in my experience. In 2019 summer, I decided to go off to the Himalayas for some meditation/solitude and to finish writing my book. One morning at around 2 am, the room got very cold (summer nights are cool but don’t get cold at 8000 feet in the Himalayas) — I’ve been lucid in my dreams for a long time now, so as I saw a brawny bald guy come at me angrily, I wondered who he was (looked very familiar), but couldn’t place him. He was angry, a little scared, and came at me hard. I decided to lovingly give him a hug, and his demeanor changed, and he calmed down, and then disappeared into a mist. I got up and realized it was very cold in the room — so I wrapped a blanket around myself, and I went back to sleep. I woke up that morning and when I finally went up to the hotel’s restaurant to eat breakfast, I checked FB. My friend, with whom I’d not had much contact in over a decade, had passed away around the same time I encountered the dream person. Now, as I remembered this friend - he was bald, but skinny. I didn’t realize he had put on weight and bulked up since I last saw him. It was him, they way he looked in the obit photograph, that had visited me.

Allow those beings to come to you, and embrace them lovingly. If you are aware enough to remember mantras, then you are almost lucid. Just remember it’s a dream and accept them. I find it interesting that your “demons” come from the attic. And that you have a pain in the root chakra. What if your pain is not due to a root chakra blockage at all? What if it is congestion because there is no where for the energy to go?

Ever considered that a downward flow of energy is a good thing to activate the return flow (upward)?

I suspected that to be the case. I have the solution...done!

Nice. Let’s remain in silence then

I find it very hard to understand your questions (if they are indeed questions) — I’m not as smart as you give me credit for perhaps