concentration
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Restlessness in Meditation
The next four posts, this one on restlessness included, are key to your success in meditating correctly. The other three hurdles are laziness in meditation, thoughts in meditation, and emotions in meditation. I am going to share with you the … Read more →
The Ten Vital Energies
In a couple of posts on this blog and elsewhere, I briefly mentioned the ten vital energies. Today, I am going to share with you the yogic aspect of such energy flow in your body. The ten vital energies control … Read more →
The Practice of Concentrative Meditation
In the last post I talked about meditation of two types. Today, I am going to expand on the practice of concentrative meditation. Concentrative meditation is the art of staying on one thought. It is specifically different to contemplative meditation … Read more →
Two Types of Meditation
Primarily there are two types of meditation: One is called concentrative meditation, also referred to as fixed attentiveness, and the other one is called contemplative meditation, also known as analytical investigation. A good meditator is skilled at both types of … Read more →
The Three Legged Elephant
Meditation Practice and the Yoga of Self Transformation In my exposition on the Yoga of Self Transformation, we covered a number of practices under Mental Transformation. Briefly, the practices are around silence, solitude, abandon, resolve, listening, concentration, and gazing. Many … Read more →
Traṭaka — The Practice of Still Gaze
This is the final exercise on building one-pointed concentration. In the previous two posts, I covered shravana, the practice of listening and ekagarata, the practice of concentration — both designed to help you build exceptional one-pointed concentration. In this post, I … Read more →
Shravana – The Practice of Listening
The importance of listening skills for building one-pointed concentration. In my last post, I talked about the practice of concentration by way of focusing on an object. For those of you who have a very busy lifestyle, taking out even … Read more →
Sankalpa: The Practice of Resolve
Irrespective of what path you are on, your determination to persist and persevere, your resolve to tread the path, your eagerness to adapt, adopt and learn, and your enthusiasm and intensity, determine the outcome. The Sanskrit term for a vow, … Read more →
The Karmic Trail and Psychic Imprints
क्लेशमूलः कर्माशयो दृष्टादृष्टजन्मवेदनीयः । (Patanjali Yoga Sutras, 2.12) Psychic imprints, resulting from karma, accumulated over many lives condition the mind and cause one grief. Imagine a spinning wheel painted with spectral hues. Since it is spinning its face appears an … Read more →
Self Transformation – Prologue
To date I have been writing on topics in a somewhat fragmented manner. I covered what I felt was important based on my own experiences and my interactions with others. I understand the need to tie them together using a … Read more →
Tilaka, Sri Vidya and Celestial Music
Some readers emailed me the following questions: Tilaka I have seen many wearing a chandan and kumkum tilaka on their agnya chakra. What is the significance of wearing a chandan tilak on the upper part of the forehead and a … Read more →
The Esoteric Meaning of Scriptures
I received an interesting comment yesterday on scriptures: Can you please put your thoughts on all the epics and stories we read? They give different answers and also raise different questions every time we read them. I have a feeling … Read more →
The Esoteric Meaning of Diwali
I wish you all a Happy Diwali (Oct 26), one day in advance so you can enjoy two days of peace, light, and celebrations! Among other legends, across various religions, Diwali stands for celebrating Lord Rama’s return, along with Mā … Read more →
Depression: The Yogic View
Today I found out about someone who is suffering from depression. I sincerely wished I could see them in person and help them come out of it. Since that may not be possible considering my physical location, I am choosing … Read more →
Meditation and Thoughts
I am at the ashram now. It is beautifully set in the mountains with a river flowing by; a river that is wide and shoal. While it is freely expressing itself through its charted course, its shallowness reminds me of … Read more →
