Mild, moderate or intense?
Mridhu Madhya Adhimatrathvat Tatah Api Viveshaha
Intensity is the key to reaching the goal of Samadhi. Just as reaching to any target in our day-to-day life, the intensity of our effort matters. Intensity here is not to be confused with speed. It is the focussed conscious effort that is thrown into the practice which generates the heat of Tapas. That dissolves the being and removes the mental barrier that comes in between the inner and outer consciousness.
I had an experience of intensity at a recent meditation programme in which I participated on duty as Editor/Columnist of the Spirituality and Fitness pages for The New Indian Express. I was among 2000 participants gathered at the Anna University grounds and was simply breathing chaotically for about 10 minutes. It was so intense that the simple act of breathing in and out caused profuse sweating in a very short while.
Intensity generates heat. Heat burns and destroys. At the end of the process of burning, there is just the remnant ash which gets easily dissolved and the consciousness shines through in its brilliance. - Swahilya Shambhavi (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 21
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17 comments:
Swahilya,
So true. Intensity is important, but whether it should be mridu,madhya or adhimatra depends on each person's stage of evolution,I think.What works for you may not do so for me, but ultimately we all will reach that stage.
Meena.
dear swahilya, I am always looking forward to your posts, because each time I learn a little bit. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Yes Meena, All began from there and will ultimately reach there. But the timing will be different of course, depending on the intensity, gravity and placement in life. Just as all the drops of water fall from a rain cloud on the earth, ultimately, some vanish on the way itself, some reach faster and others take a longer time. Same process applies in merging with consciousness too.
Thank you Ray. The availability of time for myself has changed quite drastically since the initial time I started posting on the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. So there may be a slight fluctuation in the timing of my weekly updates. Please bear with me for that. I hope things get better with regard my availability of time and speed of my internet connection!
Swahilya,
What an interesting concept and way to apply it. I have an intensity of concentration where I don't hear people speaking to me.
I have never thought of meditating with changing my breathing style. I bet that triggers the mind into new thoughts. Do you have to be careful of hyper-ventilation? How do you prevent that?
Another beautiful post and photo.
Nature..Loch: Sure changing the pattern of breathing changes the process of thought and watching the breath does help in making the thought flow subtle. Hyper-ventilation...yes any prevention is by just being alert and watchful. It is done by watching the breath and not altering it, unless you are practising it with the guidance of a master.
Editor/columnist of one page of The New Indian Express? I did not know the paper had an editor for each page. Whatever happened to Aditya Sinha?
Why do people choose to be anonymous when they want to ask funny questions, is what I fail to understand often. Well Aditya Sinha is the Editor-in-Chief for your kind information and he's very much the Editor-in-Chief of The New Indian Express.
Editor, because I edit the two pages - not one - and provide the content myself, with the headlines and whatever that takes to get the pages and columnist because I write a column each on the two pages. If you are not aware of how newspapers are done, each page or a group of pages in a particular subject have editors. If you have any problems in understanding the designation please clarify with me on my email - at swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com
Thank you!
I love your thoughts on intensity. Yes, intensity, passion, that is what enable us to move mountains!
Yes Mark and the word intense itself is so beautiful - increasing the tension within by withdrawing from the outside and focussing all the energies within and dissolution into consciousness happens!
But as with every "truth", there is a contradiction; the Sun only breaks through the clouds when the effort becomes so intense that it tips over and becomes totally effortless. An equation of 1=0.
AVC: The effort needs to be intense on the part of the individual no doubt. But the Samadhi that happens comes only after all efforts are dropped - and then that's effortless. Effortlessness at the end of effort like what happened to Gautama Buddha - enlightenment happened when he put in all the effort and then gave it up.
Swahilya, I wanted to wish you a happy weekend. :D Over here it's Memorial Day weekend and that signals the beginning of summer activities. Lots of cars were carrying kayaks on their roofs. It's too cold for me to think about water yet, but Jeff is filling the pool. :D
Hugs, JJ
Wow, that's lovely. Thank you for the wishes and the lovely images of kayaks!
Madam, Your blog is interesting, informative and enlightening.
all the bests
Thank you
Ganesan
Thank you Ganesan. Welcome.
Swahilya, I just stumbled into your blog today (I was searching for Thiruvasagam). I love the way you share. I wonder if you have done the Art of Living programme. You will simply enjoy the experience. I am Raji and new to blogging. I am experimenting at kontemplations.blogspot.com
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