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Volume 25, Winter Number 4 2019 Babaji’s Kriya Yoga Journal That by which you fall is that by which you rise By M. G. Satchidananda Life is full of mystery. Mystery, Yoga Siddhas, as recorded in the clas- contracted state, identifying with the among the other five functions of sic work of Yoga and Tantra, the Tiru- body, the emotions, or mental move- Shiva, namely creation, preservation, mandiram, and its northern cousin, ments, is the same energy that can dissolution, and grace, is the least ap- Kashmir Shaivism, as recorded in Vi- take you back to the expanded state preciated or understood. Mystery is jnanabhairava, show us how. of consciousness, through pranayama what obliges us to seek. Most of the All Yoga is about reversing the breathing, meditation, bhakti yoga, time this seeking extends only to process of the manifestation of asanas, mudras, and bandams. seeking temporary relief from suffer- Shakti, the universal force. Its meth- Furthermore, any moment or ing, whether it be from boredom, ods serve to turn consciousness in- event can be used for this purpose of fear, anger, attachment, or aversion. ward and upward toward its source, overcoming the suffering born of the For this seeking to succeed in bring- the Self, and away from the outer dis- egoistic perspective. This requires ing lasting relief from the causes of tractions of the lower five senses. But that you concentrate on the energy suffering, Yoga and Tantra teaches us in Tantra you use the energy path- that you feel in it, and to turn away to do the opposite of the conditioning ways by which you descended to from the story which the mind devel- inherent in human nature. Saiva Sid- climb back up into oneness. The ops around it. Depending on what dhantha, the teachings of the Tamil same Shakti that brings you to the state of mind you are in (the relative degree of separation from unity), dif- ferent methods are used. If you are Inside feeling very separate, a great deal of 1. That by which you fall is that by which you rise, by M. G. Satchidananda physical stress, or emotional agita- tion, begin with asanas and pranayama until you begin to calm 4. Does our morality depend on our belief in the existence of God? down. Notice the movement of en- by M.G. Satchidananda ergy during these practices. Then use more subtle practices, including med- 5. Babaji’s Kriya Hatha Yoga Teacher Training, by Durga Ahlund itation and mantras, to work directly on your thoughts and the tendencies that give rise to their repetition. Vig- 7. News and notes orous practices known as tapas, done intensively to purify identification with the body, emotions, and the mind, raise the energy to the higher published quarterly by Babaji’s Kriya Yoga and Publications, Inc. chakras, and with it, higher psycho- 196 Mountain Road P.O. Box 90 logical states. Eastman, Quebec, Canada J0E 1P0 Telephone: (450) 297-0258, Fax: (450) 297-3957 email: [email protected] Internet home page: http://www.babajiskriyayoga.net Continued on Page 2 Fall and rise continued In an advanced state, you effortlessly remain as you nostrils, but instead moves into the shushmna nadi, and are in recognition of your Self as pure Awareness, Shiva- the attention naturally move into this expanded state of Shakti, Conscious-Energy, as the five functions of the stillness, wherein breath and thought stop, and the real Lord manifest within you and all around you. Bliss is the nature of the Divine reveals itself: signature of the presence of the highest Shakti. All of With a relaxed body when exhaling and inhaling, lose these practices become fruitful to the extent that you your mind and perceive your heart, the energy center where concentrate on the energy within. Deep in the core of my the absolute essence of Bhairava flows. heart She stood, and there dispelled the falsity of the senses When you have breathed in or out completely, when the five, and in me in union joined. And into the rapture of the breath movement stops on its own, in this universal lull, the tapasvin way, entranced, drew me; She the Mother of bound- thought of me disappears and the Shakti reveals herself. less Bounty. – Tirumandiram, Verse 1183 An exercise to transcend the Kundalini Shakti is a specific po- “In your center, in the pairs of opposites tential power and consciousness O Bhairavi, do not reside in pleas- within us that can be activated by sushumna, there is ure nor in pain, instead be constantly the practices mentioned above and in the ineffable spatial reality that open our awareness to merging with equanimity and pure links them. the thought-free state of samadhi. – Vijnanabharaiva, Verse 103 This supreme state is you. It can awareness. Focus your only be experienced through Shakti Practice finding the place be- because the Seer cannot be found. attention there. ” tween pain and pleasure. Recall a Shakti is the revealer, the face of painful memory, for example, being Shiva. By becoming aware of its inner movements during rejected or embarrassed. Now, recall a moment of great these practices, the pure experience melts the egoistic happiness, for example one resulting from pleasure. sense of separation, and you enter into non-dual aware- Dwell on it. Now, return to the painful memory; then go ness. As the Siddhas said about the soul and the Supreme back to the memory and feeling of pleasure and happi- Being, Shiva: “They are not two.” ness. Imagine your right side is associated with pain, such as rejection and your left side with pleasure and A practice to reveal Shakti happiness. Can you hold both of them simultaneously? The supreme Shakti reveals herself when inbreath and In your center, in the sushumna, there is equanimity and outbreath are born and die at the two extreme points, top and pure awareness. Focus your attention there. Who is it that bottom. Thus, between two breaths, experience infinite space. rests in this middle state? Open your eyes. Use this in – Vijnanabharaiva, Verse 24 daily life. Between inbreath and outbreath, between stopping and The more you can train yourself to remain centered going, when breath stands still at the two extreme points, amid the pairs of opposites, pleasure and pain, praise and inner heart and outer heart, two empty spaces will be re- blame, success and failure, the more you will remain in vealed to you: Bhairava (Shiva) and Bhairavi (Shakti). the state of equanimity. You can continue to experience –Vijnanabharaiva, Verse 25 pleasure but remember the importance of turning inward and recognizing the ground of your being. Do this practice: While following your breath, look in- Ishvara is the special Self, untouched by any afflictions, side the ordinary movement and find the space inside actions, fruits of action or by any inner impressions of desires your body where the inhalation ends and outside your – Yoga Sutras, Verse I.24. body where the exhalation ends. In them, there is the timeless, thoughtless space where consciousness ex- Desires: express, suppress, or observe? pands, and you enter into the absolute. Merge with it. Tantra teaches that you should not to try to suppress Look for God at the end of each breath. Do this first while desire, but to heighten your experience of it to Self rec- sitting quietly with eyes closed, and later during routine ognize, by moving it away from distractions that will activities such as walking. cause you to lose energy. In any activity, concentrate on the gap between inbreath The method for doing this is to observe intently the and outbreath. Thus, attain to bliss. moment of the arising of desire as an impulse without – Vijnanabharaiva, Verse 64 developing its context, without judgment as to whether it is good or bad, but with detachment. If you do so, it You may focus inside in the heart region at the end of will dissolve immediately into the source from which it the inhalation and twelve inches in front of your chest came. You will then experience a sweet expansion of en- during the exhalation. The space inside and the space ergy. It will be best to do this when you are well rested, outside will gradually merge into one universal space. alert, and aware. Otherwise, the energy of desire be- In verses 26 and 27 which follow, the advanced state of samadhi, when prana no longer moves through the Continued on Page 3 Page 2 Babaji’s Kriya Yoga Journal Fall and rise continued comes the desire for an object, and your mind will be car- dalini in her evolutionary form. It is never really asleep ried way. Begin with smaller desires during the formal or inactive. This power becomes available for inner trans- practice of meditation. formation as you begin to purify your body and mind with the methods of Tantra and Yoga. The release of old Experience the absolute essence after tendencies and habits provides the capacity to experi- intense physical activity ence light inside your subtle body, draws your attention Wander or dance to exhaustion in utter spontaneity. Then, inward, and powers your practice spontaneously. suddenly drop to the ground and in this fall be total. There, A gentle way to kindle this awakening is to coax its up- absolute essence is revealed. ward movement with the practice of mantras. Old pat- – Vijnanabharaiva, Verse 111 terns of emotional reaction and thinking are starved as When we have been intensely physically active, for ex- one redirects the prana into the mantras and the chakras. ample, from hiking, dancing, or walking quickly, our en- If you practice with great concentration on the energy ergy is raised and, as a result, we can experience an within, for example, the mantras, bliss arises automati- expansion of consciousness.

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