AYP - Please tell me about your experience with this method

[mike1234]

I've been to the AYP site many times over the last several years, but I've never tried their technique. Please tell me about your experience using this method, and please compare it to other methods.

 

Is it safe?

How to make it safer?

What are the risks?

Does it work?

What are your complaints?

What are the benefits?

 

I've been keeping it simple for the last few days with just doing:

 

Spinal Breathing

I AM Mantra

 

Are those two technique enough to get things flowing over time. I also do the root lock and the mudra for the 3rd eye, but that's it.

 

Thanks.

[skydog]

I dont know too much but there is a guy caled tibetan_ice who seems very knowledgeable and made a long post/rant about what he dislikes about it, if you search for it, Im sure you can find it.

[TomBrad]

I've bought and read the book. Some parts were good, but advanced techniques seemed to involve crossing your eyes while looking at the tip of your nose, and drinking your own urine. There are many paths of cultivation, but this particular one doesn't appeal to me.

[Jeff]

You will get a fair amount of variety on perspectives on AYP. Overall, I think it is a pretty stable and safe system. One recommendation would be that it is helpful to include a grounding component to meditations like spinal breathing. At more advance energy levels the spinal breathing loop is somewhat limiting.

 

[de_paradise]

I bought the books a long time ago. I only recall thinking that the guy could have edited the entire book down to one page, and the spinal breathing a bit pedestrian compared to other types of meditation. Safety may be a big concern for you, but if you try to make it to California from the East Coast in a wheel chair it will take a long time.

[gatito]

I've been to the AYP site many times over the last several years, but I've never tried their technique. Please tell me about your experience using this method, and please compare it to other methods.

 

Is it safe?

How to make it safer?

What are the risks?

Does it work?

What are your complaints?

What are the benefits?

 

I've been keeping it simple for the last few days with just doing:

 

Spinal Breathing

I AM Mantra

 

Are those two technique enough to get things flowing over time. I also do the root lock and the mudra for the 3rd eye, but that's it.

 

Thanks.

 

You might want to conside whether it would have been wiser to to do your research and get the answers to these vital questions before starting these practices.

[Bubbles]

Where is Tibetan_Ice post ?

[gatito]

Where is Tibetan_Ice post ?

 

It disappeared during the instability when the server transfer was taking place.

 

I posted a couple of things myself during that period, which subsequently disappeared. Presumably they weren't backed up to the database.

[Bubbles]

It disappeared during the instability when the server transfer was taking place.

 

I posted a couple of things myself during that period, which subsequently disappeared. Presumably they weren't backed up to the database.

 

Too bad, There was some useful references in it.

 

Hope Tibetan_Ice will care to post again..

[gatito]

Too bad, There was some useful references in it.

 

Hope Tibetan_Ice will care to post again..

 

Yes. An interesting, balanced and useful post (although there were a couple of minor points with which I disagreed).

 

I have an email copy of it - which I'll be happy to give to TI if he wants to repost it.

[Bubbles]

Yes. An interesting, balanced and useful post (although there were a couple of minor points with which I disagreed).

 

I have an email copy of it - which I'll be happy to give to TI if he wants to repost it.

 

Well you could post it yourself in the name and on behalf of Tibetan_Ice..

[Tibetan_Ice]

Yes. An interesting, balanced and useful post (although there were a couple of minor points with which I disagreed).

 

I have an email copy of it - which I'll be happy to give to TI if he wants to repost it.

 

Hi Gatito

You have that post? Gee I spent allot of time writing that.. and then it disappeared.. If you have it, could you post it?

Thanks.

 

TI

[gatito]

Hi Gatito

You have that post? Gee I spent allot of time writing that.. and then it disappeared.. If you have it, could you post it?

Thanks.

 

TI

 

Hey TI

It got sent to me by email because I'd subscribed to this thread.

 

I've pasted it into a PM and sent it to you a couple of minutes ago.

 

Best Wishes

 

Gatito

[gatito]

 

 

Well you could post it yourself in the name and on behalf of Tibetan_Ice..

 

Sorry bubbles - I wasn't ignoring you; I just spotted this post.

 

I could - but I don't feel comfortable about doing that.

 

TI should have received the copy that I sent to him by now and it's up to him if he wants to repost it.

 

Perhaps he wants to post something else (or nothing at all now).

[Aetherous]

Is it safe?

 

Maybe for some people.

 

How to make it safer?

 

Use proper mantras, not ones that are randomly chosen or which directly awaken kundalini in a haphazard way as "I am" does. Or choose another object of meditation altogether. Don't do spinal breathing or any of the other additional practices. So basically...don't practice AYP.

 

What are the risks?

 

Mess up your body, your mind, your energy. Get sidelined from making progress, and pretend you're self pacing.

 

Does it work?

 

It does something. Know your goals well.

 

What are your complaints?

 

I found it to be very destabilizing after a while of practicing. It got to the point where I wasn't able to cross my legs or have my hands near my solar plexus, because the ungrounding energies were so strong. It has a creeper effect...you think everything is fine so you add on something else, then BOOM, you're unable to do any practice. That was my experience, and I did a lot of self pacing...ultimately to realize that the method itself is the problem, rather than my lack of discipline.

 

What are the benefits?

 

Awakening dormant energies. Having a time each day of taming the monkey mind. Learning new things.

[Birch]

I didn't do the practices but I did read the forum because it was the only one (at the time) that mentioned 'kundalini' in black and white text on a current forum (not same as reading other things). But there was something I preferred about TTB's nevertheless. It's much less 'top down' but people's experiences are still there and clearly described. I see myself as having an 'irritable spine' so I'd rather go for 'water-based' meditations (and other stuff). Plus I feel we just don't have the support in the West for kundalini casualties.

[Bubbles]

Sorry bubbles - I wasn't ignoring you

 

No problem gatito , there is no offense.

[Tibetan_Ice]

Hi Mike1234

 

Well, thanks to Gatito, I have this post once again. Tried to post it last night but TTB was offline again.. Not sure what happened there, must be an IP thing?

 

This is what I had posted (I'll probably edit it somewhat..) :

 

Somehow, after the crash, your PM does not work. So I will answer your question here.

 

It is up to you to find your own path.

 

AYP is really TM combined with Kriya Yoga, but with practices that have been customized and background theory that is erroneous. I wouldn't call TM spiritual, I'm even surprised that people think it is true meditation. The major flaw of AYP is the belief that concentration (first of the last three limbs of Yoga according to Patanjali) is an effortless releasing of attention into dissolution, and that is how the mantra is used. Every other text in the history of yoga will emphasize that meditation starts with the pointing of attention and the sustaining of that attention, which requires effort and willpower.

 

I do not wish to rehash all of this. If you are interested in this misinterpretation of Patanjali's sixth limb of yoga, please see this link: http://thetaobums.com/topic/21469-patanjalis-sutras-and-samyama-questions/

 

If you have a bent towards asanas, pranayama, kriya yoga, kundalini, then I would try to find some books like "Kundalini Tantra" by Swami Satyananda Saraswati.

 

Or if you are into Raja Yoga, you might check out these excellent lessons at http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/mws/mws_table_of_contents.html

 

You could also check out the SRF (Self Realization Fellowship). Yogananda Paramhansa Yogi. "Autobiography of a Yogi".

For the longest time they had a series of lessons that they would mail to you. I have three years' worth. The energization exercises are very powerful and the kriya yoga is classic. I've never attended or met any of the teachers in person though and I've heard that they are very strict..

 

If you incline more towards Buddhism and examining the mind and the jhanas, I would buy the book called "Wisdom Wide and Deep" by Shaila Catherine. It is an excellent meditation manual and was just published. It is 550 pages long and not only covers all of the jhanas through breath meditation, but with the kasinas as well. It contains many charts and practices. One of the best I've seen in a long time. The most interesting thing that I've learned in that book is that you use the heart as a springboard into some of the jhanas, because it is the centre of consciousness.. Didn't know that it could be used like that.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Wide-Deep-Practical-Mastering/dp/086171623X

 

 

Others you might research are Ajahn Brahm "Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond".

 

http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Bliss-Beyond-Meditators-Handbook/dp/0861712757

 

The Flight of the Garuda (an advanced Dzogchen guide):

 

http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Garuda-Dzogchen-Tradition-Buddhism/dp/0861713672/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351981765&sr=1-1&keywords=the+flight+of+the+garuda

 

 

"Vivid Awareness"

 

http://www.amazon.com/Vivid-Awareness-Instructions-Khenpo-Gangshar/dp/1590308166/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351981815&sr=1-1&keywords=vivid+awareness

 

Really most books by Alan Wallace are excellent. These contain awareness instructions and practices: "The Four Immeasurables", "Stilling the Mind", "The Attention Revolution" and "Mind in the Balance".

Here is a page to some of his podcasts: http://podcasts.sbinstitute.com/

 

 

Or, if you are very ripe, you could check out Advaita Vedanta: Nisargadatta is a sage, repetitive and sometimes illusive. But his book is famous: "I AM THAT". http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-That-Nisargadatta-Maharaj/dp/0893860468

 

Krishna Menon. http://www.stillnessspeaks.com/Atmananda_Krishna_Menon_Books

 

Or, if you are so ripe you are ready to fall off the tree, try some neo-advaitans like Ken Wilbur, Sailor Bob, Rodney Stevens, John Wheeler "The Natural State". Francis Lucille is very good too. But beware.. Intellectual understanding does not produce true understanding or enlightenment. You have to gain your understanding through experience. You also have to have enough willpower/concentration/training in order to hold and sustain these states.. otherwise you just fall back down.. Eventually you realize that the conceptual mind is one of the biggest obstacles to remaining in those rarified states..

 

 

Of course, there are the Discourse Summaries by Goenka which is a very powerful method of body mindfulness, and is very similar to Eckhart Tolle's practice of sensing the inner body. For me, these types of practices are the most powerful, they cause kundalini awakenings, immense bliss and 24 hour awareness for days at a time.. There are actually so many spiritual practices and things that can be done that it is mind boggeling.

 

Your path should depend on your desires and what you hope to achieve. And, perhaps the availability of an authentic guru or group of practitioners that you can consult for support and clarification.

 

I received shaktipat in absentia from Sri Anandi Ma (Dhyan Yogi). http://dyc.org/teachers/anandi-ma

She is a mysterious being and has appeared to me numerous times on the astral planes.

 

 

Some other sites for Buddhist type support are Kenneth Folk's site. (A self declared arahat).

Another one is Daniel Ingram. I've been staying away from Daniel Ingram's site because I find that he has put too much energy on the dark night, and if you focus too much on that, you create your own reality.

 

One caution: I've always thought that the noting technique is a mental disturbance, sort of like using a mantra to still the mind. Although it is good to start with that because it trains the coarse attention, keeping the mind in action by noting or repeating a mantra just doesn't still the mind. That's not it's purpose. See shamatha practice in Buddhist texts..

 

Kunlun.. very powerful too. So is Max.

 

Gee, this is starting to sound like the Academy awards! Ok, here are some other honourable mentions, whom I have studied:

Carlos Casteneda, Mark Griffin (Hardlight) - very powerful and energetic, Osho (don't recommend - too many games and intellectual challenges), Adyashanti (don't recommend - too many contradictions and bad advice), Gnani Purush Gnan Vidi- I would love to attend one of his ceremonies, The Dalai Lama -visited me astrally one night.. very nice smile!

 

Swamiji has a very good site with lots of info on it: http://www.swamij.com/

 

And lastly, don't forget Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Micro Cosmic Orbit, and all the Taoist teachings. They are also very profound in their own way.

 

Well, I wish I had more time. I would start listing the 300 books in my library, and then all the podcasts, websites, forums.... I guess I'm a yoga/spritualism junkie.. But I am leaning more towards Buddism these days because that's where you find the most detail. Not that detail is a good thing for everyone, it just is for my type of mind. I'm interested in how things work.

 

And, the heart is very important. Don't neglect the heart. It is the seat of consciousness, the site of the indestructible drop, contains a wishing well and is the door to infinite realms.

 

And sometimes the best path is just to sit and do nothing. No grasping, no aversion, no thing.

 

Good luck on your journey.

 

 

TI