Baba
Techniques for all dharmikas
Namaskar,
For Christians, Sunday is God’s day - that's when they attend to their religious functions etc. For Muslims, Friday holds special religious significance. And Jews hold their sabbath on Saturday; that is their holy day. While Hindus do various rituals on specially designated days. In our Ananda Marga, the system and outlook is completely different. We practice dharma always - 24 hours. In Ananda Sutram Baba has given:
Tasmáddharmah sadákáryah (Ananda Sutram, 2-7)
The meaning is that dharma should always be practiced - every moment, all the time. So there is a dramatic difference between the path of Ananda Marga and the various religions.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
What is half-sadhana?
In our tantric approach, sadhana is viewed as the cream of all our practices. It is the greatest endeavour of human existence. Per Baba's teachings of Ananda Marga philosophy, we practice all our meditation lessons twice daily, at minimum. This is His Supreme Command as well as the nectar of our spiritual life.
In daily life it cannot be denied, however, that we have innumerable duties to attend to and countless tasks to perform. Sometimes it can seem as though our worldly responsibilities are endless. Fortunately, while engaging in these occupations we can keep the mind vibrated in His thought by doing half-sadhana. That is another one of our jewels of meditation practice and spiritual life.
So even though we may not be able to close our eyes and sit for meditation all the time or every second, through the practice of half-sadhana we can keep that sweet spiritual flow intact, by His grace. Half-sadhana is one of the techniques reviewed in this letter. What is half-sadhana? How and when can we practice it? What benefits does it hold? How does it help advance us through the day? All these queries are addressed and more.
From morning till night we have so many other worldly plans and programs to address and fulfill. Yet as spiritual aspirants, it is important to keep the mind always in a spiritual flow. In that case, the practice of half-sadhana is invaluable. Because half-sadhana can be done anytime throughout the day; in half-sadhana the eyes remain open.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
So when can we do half-sadhana? While walking, cooking, talking to friends, washing clothes, doing errands, cleaning, and during our usual daily interactions and engagements throughout the day. Half-meditation is quite a practical approach. The best recipe is to start every work and interaction by taking second lesson, and thereafter one should practice half-sadhana. That will allow for proper ideation throughout the day and prepare the mind for blissful sleeping as well when the mind can continue mantra japa.
Difference between half & full sadhana
And while here we will go through the various aspects of half-meditation, the chief difference between full sadhana and half-sadhana is that in half-meditation we do not keep the mind fixed on a particular cakra. Reason being that in half-meditation we are involved in various worldly works so the eyes must remain open, not closed, in which case keeping the mind introverted at a particular point is not possible.
When doing half-sadhana using our ista mantra then we skip over the shuddhis that we normally do in first lesson and go right into the phase of cultivating that deep longing for Parama Purusa. And then with the eyes open we repeat our ista mantra, not necessarily concentrating on any particular cakra. The essential quality is to engage in mantra japa based in bhakti and generate that inner link with Him - all the while keeping one's eyes open and attending to their worldly duties.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Half-dhyana
Our approach to doing half-dhyana is similar. Here again we bypass the shuddhis and delve right into the sadhana flow, cultivating that yearning and longing for Him. And then we start repeating our dhyana mantra again and again, feeling His divine presence all around us. Since the eyes are open and we are not focused on any particular cakra, then we can think that He is watching all our movements. Or we can think that we are just moving through the day feeling His presence. The main point being that He is along with us, and we are repeating our dhyana mantra - tangibly feeling His blissful presence.
Later have to repent
This is our basic approach in half-sadhana. The constant practice of this endeavor will help enable one to maintain a spiritual outlook throughout the day. For it is intuitional practice that makes the mind blissful. Just knowing about it intellectually but not practicing leaves the mind dry and barren. As one engages in the practice of half-meditation then they should take note how this enhances ideation throughout the day and facilitates deep and more touching full sadhana, by His grace.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Indeed, sadhakas often find that by doing half-sadhana regularly throughout the day then in their full meditation the mind quickly immerses in that flow - making the shuddhis effortless and the practice of mantra japa blissful. So that is another wonderful benefit of half-meditation-- it complements our twice daily full sadhana practice.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "The ideation on Brahma should be done scrupulously, or else you will later regret and bemoan the futility of your life with the last drop of your tears at your last hour. You should make your life worthwhile through your sadhana. How much can your worldly friends and relations do for you? After your death your relatives may perhaps ask, 'How much money has he left behind?'. Your friends may go to the crematorium and indulge in flattering reminiscences about you. Your husband or wife may cry out for you for about ten or twelve days and then regain their normal composure. Your lot will be only a profound sigh-- a record of the futility and frustration of your life. So do not waste your time lest you later have to repent." (1)
Daily, all the 24 hours, is God’s day in Ananda Marga.
Namaskar,
at His lotus feet,
Rtambhara’
~ In-depth study ~
How to do punya day and night
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Kuru puńyam ahorátram. You should be engaged in puńya work ahorátram. Ahorátram means “all the twenty-four hours”. As per occidental calculations of astronomy as well as of astrology, the day starts from zero hours just after twelve midnight..."
"Now, one may ask, “In the daytime you may do puńya work, but while sleeping how can you do puńya work?” The reply is that for doing puńya work, you require psycho-spiritual strength. For doing something bad you do not require any moral courage, or any spiritual strength. But for doing good work you must have moral and spiritual strength. That strength you acquire through dhyána and japa – that is, meditation and repeating the incantation within your mind."
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Now this japa is adjusted to your breathing, inhalation and exhalation. So if you practise it properly what will happen? Even while sleeping, automatically this japa kriyá will go on in accordance with your respiration – in accordance with your inhalation and exhalation. So while asleep you can do this thing. This is called ajapájapa. That is, there is no special endeavour from your side – the japa goes on automatically. Thus during the night you can also do puńya. Kuru puńyam ahorátram – “For all the twenty-four hours you can do puńya.”" (2)
When one has mastered their mantra incantation
Ananda Marga ideology says,"“Kuru puńyam ahorátram”. Shauṋkarácarya advises people to acquire virtue night and day. But how can people acquire virtue at night? What do people do twenty-four hours a day? They breathe. If you can attune the act of doing virtuous deeds to your inhalation and exhalation, then even during sleep your virtuous deeds will continue. Your respiration continues in both the wakeful state and the sleeping state. So when you attune any subtle activity to your respiration, it will continue twenty-four hours a day. Thus, during meditation, the process of incantation is attuned to the respiratory system. Once you have mastered this practice, your incantation will continue automatically while you sleep. You may ask whether the process of incantation leads to the acquirement of virtue or not. It elevates your mind and equips you with more power to acquire more virtue. Being the subtlest of all acts, it is certainly a virtuous deed. When the process of incantation is perfectly attuned to the respiration, it will continue effortlessly in a wakeful, dream or sleep stage. A person in that situation is said to have attained “ajapá siddhi”. The spontaneous repetition of one’s iśt́a mantra is called “ajapá gáyattrii” or “ajapá japa.” This is said to be the final stage in the process of incantation. It can be continued even during sleep and thus Shauṋkarácarya said, “Kuru puńyam ahorátram.” Through this practice human beings will become elevated mentally and spiritually and will consequently be able to render greater service to their own community and to the society at large. Everyone should try to attain this stage." (3)
Symphony of meditation & japa
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The pulsation that is caused by the action of japa or dhyána links the jiiva [unit being] with the higher realms, and establishes it in the cognitive properties for the time being. The pulsation that is caused by some physical condition is an unreal dream and connected with the mundane realm, and has no value. So when, through the symphony of meditation and japa, the rhythm of life persists, it is called dharmamegha samádhi. Moreover, if the symphony of meditation or japa persists for some time, and if in the natural course of events the jiiva does not forsake the meditation or japa, then loss of memory does not occur. This state is called dhruvásmrti, or “infallible, eternal memory”. A sádhaka with this capacity continues his or her dhyána and japa even in sleep. This kind of japa is called ajapá japa – which is to say, without one actually performing japa, japa is going on – or adhyáná dhyána – which is to say, without one actually meditating, meditation is going on." (4)
From sunrise to sunrise
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "Be engaged in puńya work for twenty four hours; day and night, from sunrise to sunrise. How can one do puńyam while sleeping? How can one be engaged in puńya karma? If during wakeful hours one is engaged in puńya karma, then during sleep what will it be? A composure of peace, a composure of welfare. So while sleeping one is also engaged in puńya karma. Be engaged in puńya karma for the entire day and night – from sunrise to sunrise...You should be engaged in puńya karma, in helping others, for all the twenty four hours." (5)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "You are trying to habituate yourself. But when you cannot live without puja, then it has become your nature. Try to make it what – habit or nature? Nature. I never take a drop of water without doing puja. Why? It has become my nature. And I want that all of you should make it your nature also."
"When auto-suggestion will become your nature, what will happen? While sleeping you will be repeating that japa (repetition of mantra) in your unconscious mind. You are sleeping, so conscious mind is not active. You are not having any dream, so your sub-conscious mind is also not active. But unconscious mind is there. Automatically there will be japa. 24 hours you are doing Puńya. While you are sleeping, you will be engaged in doing japa and using your incantation. Kuru puńyam Ahorátram. Be engaged in doing Puńya all 24 hours." (6)
Sadhana: straight spine & susumna canal
#1: In the Senior Acarya Diary chapter on Iishvara pranidhana, section - “shuddhis”, Baba is describing that when sitting in meditation (padmasana, siddhasana, viirasana) one must keep the back straight so that the kundalini can the passage to rise upward from muladhara to sahasrara.
#2: Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, "They should be taught to sit in padmásana [lotus posture], but instead of interlocking the fingers, they may rest one palm upon the other; and keep the spine erect.." (7)
#3: Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Tailless apes can be taught sádhaná after some effort. The tailed bipeds will not be able to do sádhaná like the tailless bipeds because the backbone of the tailed bipeds, containing the controlling points of the five fundamental factors, does not come in one line. The controlling points fall on a curved line, hence they cannot perform sádhaná properly.” (8)
#4: Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Mono-sided, straight or erect beings can perform sádhaná very well because all the five controlling points of the fundamental factors fall on a straight line...You see how fortunate you are to have a human biological structure. You have got a human frame. Humans should be obliged to Supreme Consciousness for this favour.” (9)
#5: Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The one who has followed the straight path of the sus'umna' canal upwards becomes one with Parama Purus'a." (10)
#6: Ananda Marga philosophy states, “Ujure uju cháŕi ná leo re báḿka. The word “uju” in Saḿskrta is derived from the Saḿskrta word “rju”. “Rju” means straight. The meaning of this line is “don’t accept the crooked path rejecting the straight one”. That is, just proceed along the path of “suśumná” not along the path of “id́á” and “piuṋgalá”.” (11)
References
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 3, Vibration, Form and Colour
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 12, Puńya All Twenty-Four Hours
3. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 8, Do Virtuous Deeds Day and Night – 1
4. Yoga Psychology, Under the Shelter of the Guru
5. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 2, Keep Company with the Virtuous
6. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 14, Auto-Suggestion and Outer Suggestion
7. Caryacarya-1, The Process of Initiation
8. Yoga Psychology, The Human Body Is a Biological Machine
9. Yoga Psychology, The Human Body Is a Biological Machine
10. Namami Krsnasundaram, Párthasárathi Krśńa and Vishiśt́ádvaetaváda (Discourse 16)
11. Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell, “Kurvanneveha Karmmáńi”
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Commonly people think of themselves as weak and isolated. That is because in that moment they do not have a connection with Parama Purusa in their mind. So they cannot draw divine energy from Him. The moment one starts thinking about Parama Purusa and makes a connection with Him then they become very strong. This can be felt and tested when facing tough situations or when confronting someone stronger than yourself - such as when surrounded by a bunch of thugs. Then certainly those negative, anti-social elements will be defeated, and victory will be attained. The connection is very simple - just repeat your Ista mantra and you will be linked with Parama Purusa.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "However little one's capacity might be, if one constantly remembers that Parama Purus'a is always with him, that they are in the closest contact with Parama Purus'a, they will be able to do everything. They are not as small as they think themselves to be. And as long as they remember this closest association with Him, they can do much more than ordinary human beings. When this idea becomes permanently established in their minds, they become great. This is why no one should be disappointed or depressed in any circumstances; let everyone constantly perform great deeds, remembering that the flow of their capacity is coming from Parama Purus'a, and thus they can do everything." (1)
Reference
1. A Few Problems Solved - 3, Genius and Technician
== Section: Important Teaching ==
What selfish gurus / teachers do
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "There is a secret technique to raise this serpentine coil. Previously this technique was not clearly given. At that time some people thought it proper to keep it secret. If something harmful to individual or collective life is not given, that is good; but the useful things have to be given. People will be more attracted to do sádhaná."
"The first thing is that this kulakuńd́alinii rises slowly from the múládhára cakra to the sahasrára cakra in eight steps, it passes through eight cakras, and the sahasrára cakra is the ninth. Just below the sahasrára cakra is the guru cakra. When one meditates at the guru cakra, the kuńd́alinii takes one jump upwards, and the mind goes to the other side of the cakra [i.e., to the sahasrára.] This is the technique of sádhaná, but it has previously neither been explained nor written in books."
"The kulakuńd́alinii rises upward in eight jumps or phases, so with two syllables in a siddha mantra, the kuńd́alinii will jump four times. But a general, or publicly-given, siddha mantra will make the kulakuńd́alinii jump eight times or in eight phases. That is why such a siddha mantra has eight syllables. So you should understand that a proper kiirtana must have eight syllables, never seven or nine syllables." (1)
Note 1: The prevailing dogma in the past in India was that so-called gurus did not want to share all of their knowledge or reveal all of their techniques to their disciples. Those dogmatic gurus were thinking they should keep something 'special' for themselves, otherwise their prestige and own value will be lost. So they withheld certain key teachings and ultimately died with those special techniques.
In that case, their disciples only got 99% or so of what the guru had - not everything, not that last 1%. Gradually, then from one generation to the next, 1% kept getting withheld until finally everything was completely lost.
And now in places like India in the name of spirituality, only dogma is left. This is why the withholding of vital information is very negative. This applies to other fields as well such as medicine, law, chemistry, physics etc. Unfortunately, this same type of withholding of information occurs in many fields. All done by selfish people to "enhance" their own prestige. When, in truth, it undermines their greatness. This dogmatic and defective way must be stopped.
Note 2: Baba has given the idea in Namah Shivaya Shantaya that when one gets proper students who are eager and capable, then in that case tell them everything. Do not withhold any information or keep anything secret. That will be a disservice to the society.
References
1. Discourses on Krsna & The Giita, Krśńa Unparalleled
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Fruitless penance
Ananda Marga ideology states, “People’s life becomes mechanical, if they are overwhelmed with the sentiment that they must do such acts, must perform such yajiṋa, must rise in this manner and sit in this manner and get up in this manner and so on. Such a person is not happy and this type of ritualism cannot be called real Karma. To serve others at one’s sacrifice is called penance. In the absence of love any service or penance is for show and is therefore fruitless.” (1)
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha -1, Yajiṋa and Karmaphala
== Section 3: Comment ==
Re: Ploy to siphon money
Namaskar,
ইদানিং কোর্টে বহু অর্থ অপচয় হচ্ছে কেস করার জন্য যা আদর্শ বিরোধী | মার্গীদের সতর্ক করা উচিত তারা যেন না জেনে কোন অর্থ সঙ্ঘটনকে না দেন | সেই অর্থ জনকল্যাণে ব্যবহার করাই শ্রেয় | কেসের জন্য অর্থ দেওয়া অন্যায়কে সমর্থন করার সমান যা ঘোরতর অপরাধ | এই বিষয়টি সারা বিশ্বের সকল মার্গীকে বোঝাতে হবে |
in Him,
J. Deva
Here are links to letter on this topic: Ploy to siphon money & List of puppet groupist margiis
Namaskar,
ইদানিং কোর্টে বহু অর্থ অপচয় হচ্ছে কেস করার জন্য যা আদর্শ বিরোধী | মার্গীদের সতর্ক করা উচিত তারা যেন না জেনে কোন অর্থ সঙ্ঘটনকে না দেন | সেই অর্থ জনকল্যাণে ব্যবহার করাই শ্রেয় | কেসের জন্য অর্থ দেওয়া অন্যায়কে সমর্থন করার সমান যা ঘোরতর অপরাধ | এই বিষয়টি সারা বিশ্বের সকল মার্গীকে বোঝাতে হবে |
in Him,
J. Deva
Here are links to letter on this topic: Ploy to siphon money & List of puppet groupist margiis
== Section 3: Links ==
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