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yudhamanyu
11 October 2007, 12:58 PM
REMEMBERING YOUR PAST LIVES


The Indian enlightened master, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (founder of the 'Art of Living' foundation) has created a technique called the 'Eternity Process' , a meditation technique through which one is able to remember the memories of one's past lives stored in the subconscious mind. Many of my friends and others have gone through this technique , and in the process , have realised the memories of their previous births.

The Indian religions believe in the theory of karma or 'cause and effect'. This theory finds ample expression in the fact that those who have gone through the 'Eternity Process ' found that their inborn ,innate talents can be traced back to training in a previous birth.

Another fascinating thing is that most of them found themselves to be born in other countries as well, and other races, religions and cultures.

This technique is getting increasingly popular, and according to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar , it is now being practiced in a few psychiatric clinics as well.

In order to do this technique , one ought to contact the nearest 'Art of Living ' centre and get in touch with an 'Art of Living ' teacher trained in this technique.One ought to be 21 years of age to do this technique.

All my friends , who have done this technique, found it to be very interesting and illuminating. I wish you the same. :)

yajvan
11 October 2007, 01:10 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~


Namaste,
yes, this was a post some months back... you may want to look around/research it on HDF, and you can view the respsonses. And it looks like Y [yudhamanyu] , that you were the author of this post March 21, 2007:

http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=11278&postcount=1

yudhamanyu
12 October 2007, 01:29 AM
Yup, I had written it .


Thanks for showing it again, pardner.

sm78
12 October 2007, 02:59 AM
I was thinking of doing the same, as at least it sounds fun. :)

However it seems I need to complete basic and advanced art of living courses to try this along of some minimum practice requirements. This means re-molding myself into Art of Living way of thinking. That is not possible :(

Yudhamanyu, have you done these course yourself? How did it help you?

yudhamanyu
12 October 2007, 10:51 AM
I was thinking of doing the same, as at least it sounds fun. :)

However it seems I need to complete basic and advanced art of living courses to try this along of some minimum practice requirements. This means re-molding myself into Art of Living way of thinking. That is not possible :(

Yudhamanyu, have you done these course yourself? How did it help you?

I know my past life through an another method and it helped to clear some loopholes in my life like the source of my talents , likes , dislikes , inclinations , and certain particular events in my life.

I will be doing the Eternity Process as well, when I get the time , to get more info.

I have spoken to many of my friends ( Indian and foreign ) about their experiences with the eternity process , when I was a student, a few years back.

They too, like the way I stated above, found the source of their inclinations, talents, likes , dislikes and stuff.

It was really romantic when I talked to them about their past lives and learning about it. There was a sense of adventure in it because you were going into unchartered and mysterious territory.

Some of them were in different nations, cultures , religions and professions in their previous births.

Some of them were of the opposite sex.

And for some , their memories was too personal for them to relate to me, and since i respected their privacy, I didn't insist on knowing it , but left it at that.

From what I have learnt, the memories of our previous births are there within our subconscious minds, and this affects our inclinations, likes and dislikes in this birth as well .

From the data I collected , I got to understand a lot about the mechanics of the mind and the subconscious and about other dimensions of life as well.

You have to do these minimum practice requirements, as it will help you to develop a strong , steady and calm mind , through which you can do the eternity process.

This, I believe , is of importance, as you may have to go through some painful and shocking memories of your previous lives memories, and a calm and steady mind can help absorb the shock of it , without any damage at all.

Eastern Mind
12 October 2007, 05:18 PM
I too know my one immediate past life, and the past lives of each of my 5 children, as I recall how we 'picked them up' off the other side. But this is my question. How actually helpful is it? We still have to live in the now. The past is the past, and yes, we can learn from past mistakes not to do them again, but do those kind of details flow from past life knowledge? Well, not for me at least. I only get generalities like who I was, not how I thought, or samskaras from then. I'm personally not sure if its anything more than trivia. I don't believe in fate, as with will power, you can change the future. Aum namasivaya Just a thought, not a negative comment to try to stop or limit this discussion.

atanu
12 October 2007, 10:07 PM
I too know my one immediate past life, and the past lives of each of my 5 children, as I recall how we 'picked them up' off the other side. But this is my question. How actually helpful is it? We still have to live in the now. The past is the past, and yes, we can learn from past mistakes not to do them again, but do those kind of details flow from past life knowledge? Well, not for me at least. I only get generalities like who I was, not how I thought, or samskaras from then. I'm personally not sure if its anything more than trivia. I don't believe in fate, as with will power, you can change the future. Aum namasivaya Just a thought, not a negative comment to try to stop or limit this discussion.

Namaste EM,

Your posts carry wisdom.

Om

yudhamanyu
13 October 2007, 03:54 AM
I too know my one immediate past life, and the past lives of each of my 5 children, as I recall how we 'picked them up' off the other side. But this is my question. How actually helpful is it?
.

Well, it helped me a lot and also my friends as well.

It was quite interesting knowing about yourself . In fact I want to know more know , as I am able to get a lot of knowledge on the working of the mind and subconscious from it. This psychological data helps me a lot.



We still have to live in the now. The past is the past, and yes, we can learn from past mistakes not to do them again, but do those kind of details flow from past life knowledge?
.

What does knowing about previous lives conflicts with our living in the present.

I live in the present deeply and with enthusiasm and passion. So does all my friends. This perhaps, has to do with our yogic training and satsang as well.


It does not in any way prevent us from living in the past, as you erroneously put it.



The past is the past, and yes, we can learn from past mistakes not to do them again, but do those kind of details flow from past life knowledge?
.


Trust me . It has helped me in getting rid of a dominating negative habit of mine.

It has also helped me in knowing about myself .

And knowledge about oneself is very essential, especially ones strengths and weaknesses and mistakes, so that we can keep on learning and improving and moving forward.

Learning from mistakes helps us to achieve perfection. And these mistakes can be of our present life and our past lives as well.

yajvan
13 October 2007, 06:07 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~


Namaste,

Many births have passed for Me and for you also, O Arjuna. I know them all but you know them not, O scorcher of enemies.

Bhagavad gita 4.4


I had the opportunity to talk with a sadhu who remembered the in-between time. That is, left this body, and before entering a new body or taking ones next assignment.

There are calculations in jyotish that indicate how long this in between time may occur. From days ( ruled by the moon) to years - I think the longest time is 9 years.

The departing of this world is indicated by the 12th house - one of endings. Pending ones punya (merit) , the next destination. One casts or erects a chart for the time of death of the individual ( Punya chakra) and the experienced Joytishi can can view the station indicated by the chart.

Now that said, one can take a look at a birth chart, janma kundali and look at the Drekkana varga chart. From there the Joytishi can see the last station the native came from. Drekkana is a 1/3rd divisional chart.
Pending the graha that is ruling a particular drekkana ( per the joytish rules) , the tattva of the planet indicates the last station (sthanas):
Akasha - Brahma loka to Maha loka and was amoung the saints and sages
Jala - Gandarva and devata (asparas, siddhas, kimpurusa, etc)
Agni - Bhu Loka ( you left, and came back to earth)
Vayu - one of the seven talas
prthvi - narka loka

So, when looks at a chart, one rejoices when they see Akasha or Jala indicated. Yet we are back to this earth to try again. Others are concerned when vayu or prthvi are indicated. Yet one must look at it that they graduated and are back to Bhu loka to give it another try.

What does one take with them? Those subtle impressions of vasanas. your blue print of past impressions.

How many times this cycle goes I do not know... how many times back and forth ? For me, I wish to get off the bus! and not have to keep on doing this again and again. So , one practices their sadhana and looks for the grace from Him to assist.


http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/images/mantra_images/M4.gif
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya


pranams,

suresh
13 October 2007, 07:26 AM
Now that said, one can take a look at a birth chart, janma kundali and look at the Drekkana varga chart. From there the Joytishi can see the last station the native came from. Drekkana is a 1/3rd divisional chart.
Pending the graha that is ruling a particular drekkana ( per the joytish rules) , the tattva of the planet indicates the last station (sthanas):


Namaste Yajvan,

Do you mean to say we must consider the lagna lord of the drekkana chart, and subsequently its tattva? If the lagna lord of d-3 chart is mars, then it must be bhu tattva, is that it? Or, am I not understanding you properly?

Suresh

Eastern Mind
13 October 2007, 07:46 AM
Well, it helped me a lot and also my friends as well.

It was quite interesting knowing about yourself . In fact I want to know more know , as I am able to get a lot of knowledge on the working of the mind and subconscious from it. This psychological data helps me a lot.

What does knowing about previous lives conflicts with our living in the present.

I live in the present deeply and with enthusiasm and passion. So does all my friends. This perhaps, has to do with our yogic training and satsang as well.

It does not in any way prevent us from living in the past, as you erroneously put it.


Trust me . It has helped me in getting rid of a dominating negative habit of mine.

It has also helped me in knowing about myself .

And knowledge about oneself is very essential, especially ones strengths and weaknesses and mistakes, so that we can keep on learning and improving and moving forward.

Learning from mistakes helps us to achieve perfection. And these mistakes can be of our present life and our past lives as well.
I don't disagree with you. Obviously you were able to remember more details than me, particularly the dominating negative habit. It doesn't conflict at all with living in the present, unless you become focussed on the past. I think all of us by doing sadhana learn to forgive and forget. My 'living in the past referred' was meant as the negative memories we hold. I recall the story of the two wandering ascetics who were trained to not touch others, especially women. One of them, upon coming up to a stream, saw a young girl who was too small to wade across, so broke his vows and picked her up and carried her across. About two weeks later, his brother monk finally confessed, "I just can't believe you did that," in an admonishing way. The first monk replied, "What? I left her there at the other side of the stream. You just carried her for two weeks." The story illustrates what I meant about dwelling in the past. Recalling, well that's a whole new story. If it's useful for the present, well then that's a good thing. Aum Namasivaya

satay
13 October 2007, 09:11 AM
Namaskar,


You have to do these minimum practice requirements, as it will help you to develop a strong , steady and calm mind , through which you can do the eternity process.

This, I believe , is of importance, as you may have to go through some painful and shocking memories of your previous lives memories, and a calm and steady mind can help absorb the shock of it , without any damage at all.

Perhaps the "enlightened" master ravi should over these courses free so that everyone can afford to know their past life if they wish.

Collecting donkey's food (i.e. money) doesn't make him look very enlightened. Those who crave donkeys food can not be enlightened in my opinion.

satay
13 October 2007, 09:14 AM
How have people here been able to remember their past lives? What good comes out of it? How does one confirm that it was true? Have you verified by going back to historic records in the home town etc.?

Not questioning the truth of reincarnation just questioning the bogus practices of enlightened masters.

yajvan
13 October 2007, 09:15 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~

Namaste Yajvan,

Do you mean to say we must consider the lagna lord of the drekkana chart, and subsequently its tattva? If the lagna lord of d-3 chart is mars, then it must be bhu tattva, is that it? Or, am I not understanding you properly? Suresh

Namaste suresh,
A good question. The Drekkana ( pronounced Dreshkana) is of great import. Also note there are few ways of errecting a 1/3rd hart, that of Parivrittitraya and that of Somanath. and that of Prasara Drekkana which takes the trines from the sign itself that is being calulated, and then there is Jagannath Drekkana.
So, this post will not be one of Drekkana creation, but wanted to let you know there are differnt views on this matter.

Lets answer your question directly

Look to the natal chart and the placement of surya and chandra...
Based upon the lagna ( as ones birth of the body indicator), which graha is stonger, Sun or Moon. Surya and Chandra bring the body and mind together in this earth, into the lagna.
Now that you know the stonger of the 2 grahas which Drekkana , the 1st 10°, 2nd or 3rd 10° segment of the sign, does that graha reside in?
If one creates the Drekkana chart, using risi Parasara's method, Look to the Lagna of the D3 chart. Where does the stronger graha reside? Who owns that division? By now this should be a rasi or bhava placement of the grahas that the sun is in or moon? Is it Mars? Jupiter? Venus? Saturn or Mercury?
Each Graha is associated with a tattva correct? That tattva then tells you the last station the native was in.Lets take an example of a native with the Moon in Rohini and Taurus in the 7th house. Sun is in the 9th house. Both good placements. Yet Moon is Mooltrikona position and is stonger then the sun.

Moon is 16° Taurus or the 2nd drekkana of this sign. So the Parashara rule is, grahas in Taurus, in the 2nd Drekkana = being placed in the D3 chart in Virgo. This is Parasha's rule that is beautiful, the placement of grahas from its rasi sign to its drekkana is 1st, 5th or 9th from the house the graha resides in.

So, Moon is in Virgo in the D3 chart. Who owns Virgo? Mercury.
Mercury indicated prthvi tattva. This native's last station was in narka loka.

There is also rule that says , in terms of strenth, the graha that is well placed and has more planets associated with it, it also is strong. This is the evaluation for the sun. This native has the sun assocated/conjunct with 3 other grahas, and one of them is the Atmakaraka. So when then needs to look to the sun's drekkana just to have a dual opinion on this last station.

The sun in Cancer and is in the 1st drekkana or 1st 10° of this sign. Hence in the D3 chart, it then resides in Cancer ( again Parashara's rules here). So who owns Cancer? Chandra. And what tattva is associated with Moon? Apa or jala, fluid tattva. This suggests that the natives last station was that of the gandarva, kinnaras, apsaras, siddhas.

So how to break the code here ? It goes by the stonger position of the Sun and moon. And there are specific rules. Yet a exalted graha wins.
Moon in Rohini/Taurus is exalted~moolatrikona~ position and hence, IMHO the last station for this native was naraka loka...And congratulations to this native ,as s/he is now back to bhu loka and working out the next set of karma baggage to move forward.

But what did this person die from? Look to the drekkana owned by Saturn (Yama). Each tattva brings a dis-ease, yes?
Sun - heavy fevers
Moon - water issues, swelling, fuild in the lungs, etc.
Mars - tejas and fire - perhaps firearms, or conflagration
Where Rahu is included with the graha you may deduce foul play.
Ketu - a mystery in death, as ketu takes this role [ no head graha]
etc. etc.

Hope this helps.... Note this knowledge is that of the tradition, of the parampara. I know nothing and remain the sisya & WIP.


http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/images/mantra_images/M4.gif
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

pranams,

yudhamanyu
13 October 2007, 11:07 AM
Namaskar,



Perhaps the "enlightened" master ravi should over these courses free so that everyone can afford to know their past life if they wish.
.

And why should he do that. Does anyone gives him free money needed to alleviate the poverty and iliteracy and other social problems in India !!!

Not at all.

He created these techniques ,and charges money for it, so that he can use these resources to fund his projects aimed at eradicating poverty, illiteracy , for creating homes for homeless people, starting schools, colleges, educational institutions,orphanages,hospitals for the underprivileged.

I don't find anything wrong in his collecting money through exercising his own manhood and using them to help people , like a true karma yogi.

Millions of people in India and all around the world are living a better and happier lives because of his manful exertions.



Collecting donkey's food (i.e. money) doesn't make him look very enlightened. Those who crave donkeys food can not be enlightened in my opinion.

Well, I earn a living, and I never looked at my money earned as 'donkeys food ' , though you may find yours as ' donkeys food.'

I guess everyone has different perspectives on everything .

After all variety is the spice of life.

yudhamanyu
13 October 2007, 11:14 AM
How have people here been able to remember their past lives? What good comes out of it? .

I have already mentioned the good that comes out of it.



How does one confirm that it was true? Have you verified by going back to historic records in the home town etc.?.

Well, my past life was in a different region altogether and I had never been there in my present life.



How does one confirm that it was true?.

That u will get to know when you do the process yourself,satay.





Not questioning the truth of reincarnation just questioning the bogus practices of enlightened masters.

Great minds have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.

---- Albert Einstein

suresh
13 October 2007, 12:37 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~


Namaste suresh,
A good question. The Drekkana ( pronounced Dreshkana) is of great import. Also note there are few ways of errecting a 1/3rd hart, that of Parivrittitraya and that of Somanath. and that of Prasara Drekkana which takes the trines from the sign itself that is being calulated, and then there is Jagannath Drekkana.
So, this post will not be one of Drekkana creation, but wanted to let you know there are differnt views on this matter.

Lets answer your question directly
Look to the natal chart and the placement of surya and chandra...
Based upon the lagna ( as ones birth of the body indicator), which graha is stonger, Sun or Moon. Surya and Chandra bring the body and mind together in this earth, into the lagna.
Now that you know the stonger of the 2 grahas which Drekkana , the 1st 10°, 2nd or 3rd 10° segment of the sign, does that graha reside in?
If one creates the Drekkana chart, using risi Parasara's method, Look to the Lagna of the D3 chart. Where does the stronger graha reside? Who owns that division? By now this should be a rasi or bhava placement of the grahas that the sun is in or moon? Is it Mars? Jupiter? Venus? Saturn or Mercury?
Each Graha is associated with a tattva correct? That tattva then tells you the last station the native was in.Lets take an example of a native with the Moon in Rohini and Taurus in the 7th house. Sun is in the 9th house. Both good placements. Yet Moon is Mooltrikona position and is stonger then the sun.

Moon is 16° Taurus or the 2nd drekkana of this sign. So the Parashara rule is, grahas in Taurus, in the 2nd Drekkana = being placed in the D3 chart in Virgo. This is Parasha's rule that is beautiful, the placement of grahas from its rasi sign to its drekkana is 1st, 5th or 9th from the house the graha resides in.

So, Moon is in Virgo in the D3 chart. Who owns Virgo? Mercury.
Mercury indicated prthvi tattva. This native's last station was in narka loka.


Namaskar Yajvan,

Thanks for the detailed explanation, but since I am a novice and perhaps too slow to understand all this, let me work it out, so you can see if I am correct. Hope it's ok with you.

In the given rasi chart, moon is stronger than the sun, moon being the amatyakaraka and placed in lagna. In my software, it shows moon: 20 pi 24' 37.15", so I guess it's 20 degrees, which means I should go five places from the moon's position in the rasi chart. So that makes moon's placement in cancer in the d-3. Since moon owns this sign, the last station must be swarga? Or, do we go 9 places due to 20 degrees, in which case we'll get scorpio. Mars being the lord, last station must be bhu.

Please let me know if this is correct, it's quite confusing.:o

Also, I tried to use jaganath drekkana, where moon is in pisces, sign owned by Ju. And in the rasi chart, Ju is placed in gemini owned by mercury, so last station must've been naraka!:(

Both methods give diff. results. Like some opinion on this, if you don't mind.

TIA,
Suresh

satay
13 October 2007, 12:39 PM
basically, you didn't answer any of my serious questions. I don't why that is.


That u will get to know when you do the process yourself,satay.


if you are here to only paddle ravi's courses, I will have redirect you out of HDF. Read the site rules.

yudhamanyu
13 October 2007, 12:52 PM
basically, you didn't answer any of my serious questions. I don't why that is.
.

And what are your 'serious ' questions.



if you are here to only paddle ravi's courses, I will have redirect you out of HDF. Read the site rules.

You keep on stating a Hindu enlightened master like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar revered and loved by millions , with a derogatory 'ravi ' in spite of my subtle requests not to do so.

Who will redirect you out of that ,especially when u yourself are the moderator.

And I am not here to showcase the "eternity process " which is gaining in popularity and fame in India very fast.

There are other processes as well, through which one can learn about ones past lives.

You can go through them as well. I meant them too in my statement.

satay
13 October 2007, 12:55 PM
And what are your 'serious ' questions.


Pls read my previous posts and this time don't try to avoid the quesions.



You keep on stating a Hindu enlightened master like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar revered and loved by millions , with a derogatory 'ravi ' in spite of my subtle requests not to do so.


Ravi puts his pants just like the rest of us; one leg at a time...



Who will redirect you out of that ,especially when u yourself are the moderator.


huh?

yudhamanyu
13 October 2007, 01:17 PM
Pls read my previous posts and this time don't try to avoid the quesions.


I will,tomorrow. I gotta go now.





Ravi puts his pants just like the rest of us; one leg at a time...


He wears a dhoti , like Rama and Krishna and the rishis did.

Please do not hurt hindu sensibilities ,satay.

Kaos
13 October 2007, 04:23 PM
Namaste yudhamanyu, etc.

Even if we can remember our "past lives", do we want to remember each and every detail, etc. including negative, traumatic ones?

If creation is maya, (she who veils) is an illusion, why cling to an illusion?

Therefore, why is it important to remember your "past life"?



If the soul, atman does not die, the soul is beginningless, and endless.

Therefore, if the soul is beginningless and endless, which "past" are we talking about???

yajvan
13 October 2007, 04:48 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~
Namaste yudhamanyu, etc.
Even if we can remember our "past lives", do we want to remember each and every detail, etc. including negative, traumatic ones?
If creation is maya, (she who veils) is an illusion, why cling to an illusion?
Therefore, why is it important to remember your "past life"?

If the soul, atman does not die, the soul is beginningless, and endless.

Therefore, if the soul is beginningless and endless, which "past" are we talking about???

Namaste Kaos and et.al,
Let me add one point .... Kaos has touched upon a point here. Atman is infinite, unblemished, yes? Yet when one is born, it is said we bring along the baggage from past lives. That atman is stainless, nothing to do with this action-and-reaction. So who brings along this baggage , also known as vasanas?

Does the Atman carry a brief case with this stuff in it, and when there is a body, Atman takes the stuff out and adds it to ones mind? We are missing an ingredient here in this conversation. Something comes with to the next incarnation of us, that brings along the vasanas, the impressions.
To discriminate between conscious-subconscious is not my point... yet some mindstuff comes with to be the carrier of the past. It will not be attached to the Atman. When you are born there is the body ( Lagna) , the Atman (Sun) and the mindstuff (moon) - this is the tripod of life. You do not have these 3 then we are not talking human being.

Please consider this.

pranams,

Kaos
14 October 2007, 02:18 AM
... yet some mindstuff comes with to be the carrier of the past.





Namaste yajvan and all,

Thank you for your responses.

Atman, soul is deathless, beginningless and endless.
Therefore, where is this past coming from.

My guess, is that this past comes from mind.

And that this mindstuff, is rooted in ignorance?

Looking forward to your responses.

yudhamanyu
14 October 2007, 04:19 AM
Namaste yudhamanyu, etc.

Even if we can remember our "past lives", do we want to remember each and every detail, etc. including negative, traumatic ones?

Not every detail is remembered in the eternity process or other processes.

And the probability that there may be negative or traumatic memories is the reason why a strong,calm and stable mind , created by yoga and meditation, is emphasized before doing the process.



If creation is maya, (she who veils) is an illusion, why cling to an illusion?



Well, in that case, why cling to your computer while typing this stuff. That itself is an illusion.

Why eat food, that itself is an illusion.



Therefore, why is it important to remember your "past life"?

I have already stated the reasons for it, and the advantages I reaped through it.

I am not at all interested in forcing this on everyone. If anyone is interested they can try these methods. If not ,forget it .

There should be no compulsion on anyone in religion.




If the soul, atman does not die, the soul is beginningless, and endless.

Therefore, if the soul is beginningless and endless, which "past" are we talking about???

We are talking about the past of the mind and the source of its samskaras or vasanas.

suresh
14 October 2007, 05:49 AM
Hi Yudhamanyu,



Well, my past life was in a different region altogether and I had never been there in my present life.

Mind sharing it with us? It'll give us a better idea as to where you come from. And were you surprised when you found out, or did you have a gut feeling all along? Because sometimes, we do feel we must've been 'this or that' in a past life based on our behavior and traits in this life.....

Suresh

Kaos
14 October 2007, 06:28 AM
Well, in that case, why cling to your computer while typing this stuff. That itself is an illusion.

Why eat food, that itself is an illusion.




Namaste yudhamanyu,

If my computer is an illusion, would you cut off your arm and then come back and tell me that your arm is an illusion??

yudhamanyu
14 October 2007, 07:03 AM
Hi Yudhamanyu,



Mind sharing it with us?

Well, it is a bit personal, and i am a bit embarrassed by some events in it.




And were you surprised when you found out, or did you have a gut feeling all along?

Well, by the phenomenon of cause and effect or karma, it made good sense, as I was able to understand the source of my inclinations, likes , dislikes, habits and certain events in my life.

Since , I had been interested in knowing my past life, I had, before knowing my past life, tried to figure out according to the data I possessed about myself , with respect to my knowledge on karma and past life data of others and also through the teachings of the sages, logically tried to deduct on what kind of a person I could have been in my past life.

And there was some similarity between what I deducted about myself, and what I eventually found out.

yudhamanyu
14 October 2007, 07:04 AM
Namaste yudhamanyu,

If my computer is an illusion, would you cut off your arm and then come back and tell me that your arm is an illusion??

hey , i asked the question to you. So u give the answer first.;)

yajvan
14 October 2007, 09:16 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~~

Namaste yajvan and all,

Atman, soul is deathless, beginningless and endless.
Therefore, where is this past coming from. My guess, is that this past comes from mind. And that this mindstuff, is rooted in ignorance?

Looking forward to your responses.

Namaste K, ( Are you Okay with K, other wise I will go back to Kaos)

Yes, I concur with your assessment of Atman, of this there is no doubt, but not my experience as yet... I still am in folly of avidya-conciousness.

I say this, for many times our posts get passionate for the group, yet we are just regurgitating the wisdom of others without our own life experience on this matter. To this I am humbled and remind myself and others, I know nothing and am okay with that.... yet I am working on fixing this conundrum daily!

This past, the impressions, the vasnas are part of mindstuff. I use that traditional word, as people pick apart words, and this is general enough not to cause mischief and 50 posts one a single wordhttp://www.hindudharmaforums.com/images/icons/icon11.gif.

This is my Jyotish teachings coming out... we leave this world and we know for sure the body does not go with us. What does is Atman ( and it is stainless) and this Mindstuff, the housing for vansanas and the next encoding for the next body.

This coming-and-going is called out in the Upanishads, one can read/research Kathopanishad. Gita also calls out the exit-and-return of the native.

So, I am comfortable with this knowledge - as it has 'legs' as they say.
Yet thre is a caution http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/images/icons/icon4.gif here. These are not the same rules for those that are Brahman, the rules change, the world changes. Perhaps we can talk about this once we get past the minutia of what happens to those possessed of avidya.


thank you for your post.

pranams,

http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/images/mantra_images/M4.gif
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

Kaos
14 October 2007, 12:51 PM
hey , i asked the question to you. So u give the answer first.;)


Namaste yudhamanyu,

But responding to a question with another question is merely evasion.
I wonder how your guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar would respond to that.

atanu
14 October 2007, 01:17 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~~
---
This past, the impressions, the vasnas are part of mindstuff. I use that traditional word, as people pick apart words, and this is general enough not to cause mischief and 50 posts one a single wordhttp://www.hindudharmaforums.com/images/icons/icon11.gif.

This is my Jyotish teachings coming out... we leave this world and we know for sure the body does not go with us. What does is Atman ( and it is stainless) and this Mindstuff, the housing for vansanas and the next encoding for the next body.

------

Namaste Yajvan Ji,,

I think we have a mis-understanding of language here?

As far as I understand, Atman, being one (advaita) and kalatit, does not go anywhere. It is the substratum, not absent from any state, any place, and any time.

It is the conditioned consciousness, called mind stuff (or soul or purusha immersed in prakriti) that migrates from form to form. Before one enquires into who was born in past, is it not apt to enquire who is born at present?

Om

yajvan
14 October 2007, 05:51 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~

Namaste Yajvan Ji,,

I think we have a mis-understanding of language here?

As far as I understand, Atman, being one (advaita) and kalatit, does not go anywhere. It is the substratum, not absent from any state, any place, and any time.

It is the conditioned consciousness, called mind stuff (or soul or purusha immersed in prakriti) that migrates from form to form. Before one enquires into who was born in past, is it not apt to enquire who is born at present?
Om

Namaste atanu,
yes I believe so...there is a misunderstanding of rhetoric . For now, I am going to leave the chapter as it is. There is much knowledge that can come from this, yet not the right time.

Why so? There is a need to co-mingle advaita with samkaya. With this , the need for a strong foundation to set the stage is needed and agreement on terminology. We IMHO are not there as yet.

pranams,

atanu
15 October 2007, 08:28 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~
Namaste atanu,
yes I believe so...there is a misunderstanding of rhetoric . For now, I am going to leave the chapter as it is. ---
pranams,

Namaste Yajvan Ji,

Thanks. But, the chapters may have their own life. hehe.
--------------

I just keep to Mandukya and Gita. Atma is advaita, wherein the prakriti is integrated as one with atman, which can however, be viewed as composed of three states (three letters). And when considering so, samkhya will come in.

Gita also, in general, keeps Atman as uncuttable ONE. It uses the term 'purusha immersed in prakriti' to represent the migrating soul.

Teachers teach differently as per the need. Shri Ramana always used to emphasize that if, one decides a-priori that Atma is born into three states, then it will be so for the thinker; and the Self will be that much farther away.

Just wanted to share it. You know that to me every path is a valid path and eventually has to attain the Self (and that also comes from Shri Ramana and Shri Krishna).

Regards,

Om

yajvan
15 October 2007, 09:35 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~

Namaste Yajvan Ji,

Thanks. But, the chapters may have their own life. hehe.
--------------

I just keep to Mandukya and Gita. Atma is advaita, wherein the prakriti is integrated as one with atman, which can however, be viewed as composed of three states (three letters). And when considering so, samkhya will come in.

Gita also, in general, keeps Atman as uncuttable ONE. It uses the term 'purusha immersed in prakriti' to represent the migrating soul.

Teachers teach differently as per the need. Shri Ramana always used to emphasize that if, one decides a-priori that Atma is born into three states, then it will be so for the thinker; and the Self will be that much farther away.

Just wanted to share it. You know that to me every path is a valid path and eventually has to attain the Self (and that also comes from Shri Ramana and Shri Krishna). Regards, Om

Namste atanu,
yes, what you say may be true i.e. chapters take on a life of their own http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/images/icons/icon7.gif.

So, you also do a nice job of pointing out what I believe is the pickle.
If we begin the Advita conversation ( fullness, one whole, indivisible), it is tough to move the conversation forward when talking of lives , past present or future, without introducing the notion of prakriti and Purusa. These are core Samkaya concepts. It can be done, but many people will run to the sidelines as the conversation pursues.

Each post then becomes 'define your terms' and which door are you coming in through ...Advitia or Samkaya?
That is the conundrum I see that suggests lots of typing . Perhaps the time is better spent meditating!

And yes, I agree 'all roads lead to Rome' , i.e. every path is a valid path that will ultimately bring one to the SELF.


pranams,

sm78
15 October 2007, 10:26 AM
And yes, I agree 'all roads lead to Rome' , i.e. every path (which points to the SELF) is a valid path that will ultimately bring one to the SELF.


pranams,

Thought of adding a qualifier as bhagvan doesn't say following the asuric pravrittis we can reach the self.

Destruction and a fresh start is the end of the asuric path.

Request atanu not to point the pickle to this statement :D
This is only a valid statement within the bounds of samsara.

Kaos
15 October 2007, 10:28 AM
Well, in thaat case, why cling to your computer while typing this stuff. That itself is an illusion.

Why eat food, that itself is an illusion.







If my computer is an illusion, would you cut off your arm and then come back and tell me that your arm is an illusion?






hey , i asked the question to you. So u give the answer first.;)





But responding to a question with another question is merely evasion.
I wonder how your guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar would respond to that.







Namaste yudhamanyu and all,

If one knows his true nature, why would one even think of cutting off his arm.


I'm surprised that a follower of an "enlightened guru" cannot give a direct answer to that.

sm78
15 October 2007, 10:33 AM
If one knows his true nature, why would one even think of cutting off his arm.



Meaning this in a very respectful and humorous way (with no intended sarcasm):-

I think someone in the forum should collect statements like above made by you and atanu in this forum in a separate thread titled "Advaita Koans". They r quite like Zen Koans.

yajvan
15 October 2007, 11:45 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~

Thought of adding a qualifier as bhagvan doesn't say following the asuric pravrittis we can reach the self.

Destruction and a fresh start is the end of the asuric path.

Request atanu not to point the pickle to this statement :D
This is only a valid statement within the bounds of samsara.

Namaste Singhi

yes a good point. A question... do you think there is asuric path? I would they would not give a hoot about the SELF. But I am not conversant on this matter.

yajvan
15 October 2007, 11:46 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~
Meaning this in a very respectful and humorous way (with no intended sarcasm):-

I think someone in the forum should collect statements like above made by you and atanu in this forum in a separate thread titled "Advaita Koans". They r quite like Zen Koans.

Namaste K,

That would be fun!

satay
15 October 2007, 02:23 PM
Namaskar all,

I want to remember my past life. What should I do? any suggestions?

satay
15 October 2007, 02:25 PM
Meaning this in a very respectful and humorous way (with no intended sarcasm):-

I think someone in the forum should collect statements like above made by you and atanu in this forum in a separate thread titled "Advaita Koans". They r quite like Zen Koans.

Yes!

Why not start a thread on this...

yajvan
15 October 2007, 03:19 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~
Namaskar all,

I want to remember my past life. What should I do? any suggestions?

Namaste Satay,

there are several ways.
Two potentinal views [ that I support] on this matter are the following:

Gain enough pure consciousness and then practice samyama on Patanjali's sutra specifically for this. What is samyama? this HDF post outlines this notion: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=9745&postcount=5
Chapt 3.16 of Patanjali's yoga sutras gives the formula, based on parinama i.e. the 3 types of changes.What do I mean by pure consciousness in this post - that of samadhi, that of restful alertness that is infused and experienced during dhyana ( meditation), that will yield results.

OR

Find a guru with enlightened vision to see your past.
Await Moksha and then all past lives are at your disposal, yet this will not 'wind your clock' to purse; as all has been accomplished and knowing of past lives {in Moksha} is as interesting as knowing how much lint was picked out of the cloths dryer this morning.
Go to the local Past Lifes For Sale medium a.k.a ~seer~ , not necessary one that has a achieved liberation and ask for this service.
etc. etc.I my self vote for point 1, a do-it-your-self-project. Why so? the accessories to this samyama as you advance in your practice is the SAME accoplishments/benefits that will also contribute to point number 3, Moksha. That is, the effort expended to want to know your past, is the same practice that brings you to moksa.


pranams,

sm78
15 October 2007, 11:41 PM
do you think there is asuric path?

Bhavan says so in Gitopinasad.
Subramuniya swami tells us the same in his classic Merging with Siva
My own guru mentions it as the main cause of samajik klesha of this age.
Numerous puranas and itihasas says it in many stories.

Negating the existence of self (not as much in words as in actions which all revolve around the body) is the foundation of the asuric path.

I see people drifting towards this path ~ we use the term "engulfed by Rahu" (bengali. Rahu Grastha) for the same.

sm78
16 October 2007, 12:05 AM
Bhavan says so in Gitopinasad.
Subramuniya swami tells us the same in his classic Merging with Siva
My own guru mentions it as the main cause of samajik klesha of this age.
Numerous puranas and itihasas says it in many stories.

Negating the existence of self (not as much in words as in actions which all revolve around the body) is the foundation of the asuric path.

I see people drifting towards this path ~ we use the term "engulfed by Rahu" (bengali. Rahu Grastha) for the same.

But perhaves the above does not explain why we want to call asuric preoccupations which are well known in our shastras as a "path".

I as a shaktibadi call it a "path" because some development is possible by exercising the asuric endowments of dambha, darpa, parushya etc.

The world binds in its maya by twin chains, one golden symbolizing all positive emotions of a human being (love, happiness etc) and one iron symbolizing all negative emotions (hate etc). The Asura has successfully severed the golden chain that binds him and hence often are more mentally advanced than many saints. This is borne out by our itihasas and real history. Mental genius of Hitler or Stalin or Prophet Muhammad cannot be denied. Much of it comes from breaking the shakles of the golden chain that had held them back.

That's all I have got to say on this. Lets carry on with the original discussion.

atanu
16 October 2007, 02:06 PM
--
Negating the existence of self (not as much in words as in actions which all revolve around the body) is the foundation of the asuric path.

I see people drifting towards this path ~ we use the term "engulfed by Rahu" (bengali. Rahu Grastha) for the same.

Namaskar SM,

You see a Rahu Grastha has a better chance of coming to believe the existence of the Self.

Om

atanu
16 October 2007, 02:12 PM
Namaskar all,

I want to remember my past life. What should I do? any suggestions?

Namaskar Satay,

The past life also is in the moment. You may imagine it as you wish.

Om

satay
16 October 2007, 02:21 PM
Namaskar Satay,

The past life also is in the moment. You may imagine it as you wish.

Om

My imagination is very poor... :D

Kaos
16 October 2007, 02:25 PM
Namaskar Satay,

The past life also is in the moment. You may imagine it as you wish.

Om



Namaste atanu and all,

Yes, I agree. The past life is also with us in this moment. The future is also with us. Space and time is not linear.

As they say, the past is gone, like an illusion. The future is but a dream.
This moment indeed, is all we have. That's why it's called present.

Yet, even this very moment, is quickly turning into the past.

Eastern Mind
16 October 2007, 06:19 PM
Present and future: Our future is created by the present. Each moment of action, we are creating karma. The decisions we make right now do come back in the form of karma. That is the law of karma. Understanding karma allows us to try to act in decent human ways, to earn punya. There is no such thing as 'good' and 'bad' karma. Its all just karma. "Bad' karma results from poor unethical, or thoughtless action. Often we don't even know for sure in some of life's decisions whether it's helping or hindering the soul's progress on the path. Take raising teenagers, for a practical example. You give them $10 to go to a movie, then they spend it on something adharmic. You acted in a giving way, yet the results were adharmic. Actions are all grey, not black and white, or dual, as the western Abrahamics and others would have us believe. You can give money to a beggar, and he can spend it on booze. You're not helping him at all, unless you consider accelerating his life so he can get a fresh start in a new life as help. I would not toss future in with the past as something you cannot change. (I'm not suggesting anyone here did this.) Aum namasivaya

Arvind Sivaraman
16 October 2007, 10:57 PM
REMEMBERING YOUR PAST LIVES


The Indian enlightened master, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (founder of the 'Art of Living' foundation) has created a technique called the 'Eternity Process' , a meditation technique through which one is able to remember the memories of one's past lives stored in the subconscious mind. Many of my friends and others have gone through this technique , and in the process , have realised the memories of their previous births.

The Indian religions believe in the theory of karma or 'cause and effect'. This theory finds ample expression in the fact that those who have gone through the 'Eternity Process ' found that their inborn ,innate talents can be traced back to training in a previous birth.

Another fascinating thing is that most of them found themselves to be born in other countries as well, and other races, religions and cultures.

This technique is getting increasingly popular, and according to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar , it is now being practiced in a few psychiatric clinics as well.

In order to do this technique , one ought to contact the nearest 'Art of Living ' centre and get in touch with an 'Art of Living ' teacher trained in this technique.One ought to be 21 years of age to do this technique.

All my friends , who have done this technique, found it to be very interesting and illuminating. I wish you the same. :)

Om Shirdi Sai Ram.
Namaste Yudhamanyu.

The following options can be taken into consideration for remembering one's past lives.
1) Implicit obedience towards your Guru.The Guru needs to be a self-realised soul.
2) Doing parayan of Age old scriptures like Sage Valmiki Ramayan and in particular Valmiki Sundarakandam.
3) Meditation.(As you have mentioned).

sm78
17 October 2007, 01:16 AM
Namaskar SM,

You see a Rahu Grastha has a better chance of coming to believe the existence of the Self.

Om

Namaskaar Atanu,

Maybe I can rephrase the rahu grastha as one only affirming the body (in action) as opposed to one negating the self.

However who has better chance to realize the self is better left to the decision of those who have realized them, I trust their judgement. I believe speculation is not a liberating habit.

I know however Rahu Grastha people bring lot of dukkha to jagat, themselves and others.

atanu
17 October 2007, 03:40 AM
Namaste atanu and all,

---Yet, even this very moment, is quickly turning into the past.

Namaste Kaos,

Yes. This a subtle point. For almost all people the moment quickly becomes the past, because of operation of the mind and issuing thoughts. However, not for the rare stithiprajna sages.

Mandukya Upanishad

1. All this is the letter Om. A vivid explanation of this (is begun). All that is past, present, and future is but Om. Whatever transcends the three divisions of time, too, is Om.

Regards

Om

yajvan
17 October 2007, 09:12 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~~

Namaste Kaos,

Yes. This a subtle point. For almost all people the moment quickly becomes the past, because of operation of the mind and issuing thoughts. However, not for the rare stithiprajna sages.

Om

Namaste Kaos, atanu (et.al).
This is a very suble point here of a moment. In Patanajai's yoga sutras he calls out that there is a distinction between a moment and its sequence.

What does this have to do with the conversation? It is the smallest amount of time one can distinguish ( with out scientific equipment). This has much to do with parinamas ( types of change or modification).

So what is a moment - one muni suggests the following:
A minimal object is an atom. The time it takes an atom to move from one point to an adjacent point is a moment. The continuous flow of these moments is a sequence.

This sutra is a formula for honing one discriminative (viveka) abilities. This is core to discerning the difference between Purusa and Buddhi. What does that bring, this level of discrimination? Moksha.

Hence another approach to one with the real itch to know past lifes is to develop this ability, buy which all else is known.

And what are some of the times we are looking at?
1 truti = the ∞ smallest timeperiod known to the rishi
100 truti's = 1 tatpal
30 tatpal's = 1 nimesha
1 nimesha = 1 blink of the eye

...thought to connect the dots on this one.

pranams,

carlosox
03 February 2008, 01:49 AM
I don't know if it is advisable to try and find out about your past lives before you are spiritually ready for such a revalation. Paramahansa Yogananda did not advise this. A person's past lives will be revealed by God to that person when he/she has progressed sufficiently in spirituality so that such a revalation will not upset that person. Usually, when a person's past lives are revealed to him/her before he/she is spiritually mature to accept such a revelation, one of several things might occur. That person might get unduly depressed or elated, or might become obsessed in trying to locate acquaintances of past lives in the present life. All this will severely curtail his/her spiritual growth. It is much better not to worry about one's past lives and concentrate on one's sadhana. Then when we have progressed sufficiently spiritually, God will Himself reveal what has been hidden to us. OM

TatTvamAsi
03 February 2008, 12:36 PM
I don't know if it is advisable to try and find out about your past lives before you are spiritually ready for such a revalation. Paramahansa Yogananda did not advise this. A person's past lives will be revealed by God to that person when he/she has progressed sufficiently in spirituality so that such a revalation will not upset that person. Usually, when a person's past lives are revealed to him/her before he/she is spiritually mature to accept such a revelation, one of several things might occur. That person might get unduly depressed or elated, or might become obsessed in trying to locate acquaintances of past lives in the present life. All this will severely curtail his/her spiritual growth. It is much better not to worry about one's past lives and concentrate on one's sadhana. Then when we have progressed sufficiently spiritually, God will Himself reveal what has been hidden to us. OM

Excellently put!

I myself tried hypnotic regression once with the help of a medium and boy was it a traumatic experience! I was literally crying like a little girl after the session and overwhelmed with emotion. One has to really be prepared, mentally, emotionally, and psychologically, to undergo this 'exercise'. Furthermore, I would be wary of trying to tap into the subconscious by yourself without a help of a trained 'guru'.

Subham.

yajvan
05 February 2008, 04:21 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~


I don't know if it is advisable to try and find out about your past lives before you are spiritually ready for such a revalation. Paramahansa Yogananda did not advise this.

Namaste carlosox,
I think this is a fair statement. If one is ready then, I think it is a position of maturity. For me that maturity is not being attached to the body ( so much), and to realize that one goes from birth to birth.
Now, one grounded in this knowledge may not (perhaps) be shaken by what went on in a past life.

From a Jyotish perspective one can 'see' a jiva's last station they resided in e.g. loka.

I have talked to two people who remembered their past lives, as I have mentioned this before on another post. I am not certain how it helped or hurt them... they were genuine about there experience , but it escaped me to ask that simple question - did you benefit from the experience of knowing your past?

I think for many ( that are ready for this) it would be more a curiosity then a driving need to know , don't you think?

Krishna said, both you and I have taken many births. I remember them all o Arjuna, but you know them not. (Bhagavad gita -chapt 4.05)


pranams

soham3
22 February 2008, 09:58 PM
I had been told my earlier births. Remembering past lives is not a spiritual attainment.
I have met Sri Sri Ravi Shanker. He is hogging lime-light. He is not that enlightened or perfect.

Nuno Matos
04 March 2008, 02:34 PM
Namaste Sarabhanga


" - Existem, na Quinta da Penha Verde, restos de um Templo dedicado à Lua onde duas lápides, escritas em sânscrito - idioma nunca falado na Europa - e trazidas de Somnath-Patane pelo Vice-Rei da Índia D. João de Castro, contam a história da união do Oriente com o Ocidente, verdadeiro tratado ensinando a viver-bem segundo as regras canónicas do Espírito Santo, neste caso e a quem são dedicadas as lápides, Shiva."

Transl.

There is, in Penha Verde, ruins of a temple shrine dedicated to the Mon were two mark stones, writen in sanskrit - language never spoked in europe - and brought from Somanath-Patane by the vice-roy of India D. João de Castro, in them the history of the union betewen the orient and the ocident, truly a work on the art of well living according to the canonical rules of the Holy Ghost, to whom are dedicated the stones, in this case to lord Shiva.

yajvan
30 March 2008, 06:41 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~

Namaste,

I read this today and thought it would fit ( just fine) in this section.
I added a few things to the original document for clarity, but always kept the rehetoric point in tact.

Note point 4 below... beautiful! And why we come back to this good earth perhaps?

Rules for being human

1. Your will receive a body. You may like it, or hate it, but it's yours for the entire period this time around.

2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full time informal school called life. Each day in this school you have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or not, you may think they're irrelevant and stupid, but you be given the lessons just the same.

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. At times you will feel a mistake has been made, that is part of the lesson. Growth is a process of trial and error and experimentation. The failed experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately works (see?).

4. A lesson is repeated until learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go to the next lesson. Periodically, the lesson will be re-presented to see if you still remember it.

5. Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learnt. If no lessons is being presented, it is likely that you are no longer alive.

6. There is no better than 'here'. When your 'there' has become a 'here', you will simply acquire another 'there'. That will again look better than 'here'.

7. Others (people that is) are simply mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself. ( yajvan note: is this not brilliant! )

8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you make of them is up to you; the choice is yours.

9. Your answers lie inside you. The answers to life's questions lie inside you. All you have to do is look, listen and trust.

10. You will (most likely) forget all this. This fact in itself is a lesson.

karun
03 April 2008, 04:10 AM
hello

i do not understand why it should be important to know about past lives.
i am the self. the self ist beyond death and birth. so: what is born ist NOT REALY ME..it is an appearance. showing interest in incarnations, is showing interest in non-self and i might continue with this illusions for ever, because time appears together with the notion to be somebody...

regards
karun

satay
03 April 2008, 09:50 AM
Namaskar Karun,

and welcome to HDFPuri!


hello

i do not understand why it should be important to know about past lives.
i am the self. the self ist beyond death and birth. so: what is born ist NOT REALY ME..it is an appearance. showing interest in incarnations, is showing interest in non-self and i might continue with this illusions for ever, because time appears together with the notion to be somebody...

regards
karun

I suppose some (including me) would like to know about their past lives to understand better our condition of this life or appearance as you put it. Because it is understood that our present condition and of those around us is the sum total of our karma from past lives.

In particular, I would like to know how our past karma makes us relate to others in our current appearance. Much has been said about karma and past lives yet as much or probably more remains mystery.

Another point is that only by knowing about the past lives the karmic theory becomes 'practical' or gets proven. Don't you think?

Jigar
03 April 2008, 11:09 AM
Namaskar Karun,

and welcome to HDFPuri!



In particular, I would like to know how our past karma makes us relate to others in our current appearance. Much has been said about karma and past lives yet as much or probably more remains mystery.?


I'm not obliged to show you what i think about welcoming future responses that are also mystery. Keep on your toes and an arm extended.

mastenam,

yajvan
03 April 2008, 12:44 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~


I suppose some (including me) would like to know about their past lives to understand better our condition of this life

Namaste satay,
a reasonable assessment... and as humans, we're naturally curious.

AS for the future, it is the fruit of every action we invoke today.

Vasistha¹ talks to Sri Ram and says the following:
Self effort is of two categories - that of past births and that of this birth. The latter ( this birth) effectively counteracts the former (a past birth). There is constant conflict between these two in this incarnation and that which is more powerful triumphs.

He talks a bit more, yet gives these words of wisdom - There is no power greater than right action in the present.

So, we at HDF could have a great conversation on 'right action' in the present. This is dharma, that which upholds. Upholds right action not only for the individual , but for his/her surroundings.
My teacher would have said, actions that are in accord with the laws of nature. Because at its root, dharma are/ is those laws coming to fruition through the individual.

pranams

1. Yoga Vasistha Chapt 2.4-5 on Self Effort

Jigar
03 April 2008, 01:16 PM
I associated vasistha on Vrata , why? because it shows a chosen set of rules to react accordingly to being limited over variations, while speaking easily for the newcomers I am yet to meet

soham3
03 April 2008, 11:31 PM
Before I came to earth, I was in some other subtle place. After coming to earth, I have completed 23 births out of which one birth is non-human. After death of my present physical body in about 10 years, I will be going to astral realm and that will be a permanent goodbye to physical existence. Of course, that does not preclude my helping the earthly people in my disembodied state.

yajvan
04 April 2008, 06:23 AM
:Enthaleku Yajvan:

I associated vasistha on Vrata , why? because it shows a chosen set of rules to react accordingly to being limited over variations, while speaking easily for the newcomers I am yet to meet

:Enthalekus:

Namaste Jigar,

Thank you for your post...regarding speaking easy:


The Chandogya Upanishad 5.1.2 assists with the implications of vasistham or that of riches and speech. It says -
Yo hav vai vasistham veda, vasistho ha svanam bhavati vag vava vasisihsah - or - He who knows the best riches for sure, becomes the richest amonst his kinfolk. Speech indeed is the best of all riches.

It is, He who has words for wealth does not have to aspire for any other kind of wealth. That is Vasisita muni's wealth - grounded in his speech. His speech is grounded in his wisdom. And the wisdom of what? That of Brahman. So, Vasishta has his riches covered in his wealth of Brahman.

pranams

satay
04 April 2008, 01:44 PM
namaskar,


Before I came to earth, I was in some other subtle place. After coming to earth, I have completed 23 births out of which one birth is non-human. After death of my present physical body in about 10 years, I will be going to astral realm and that will be a permanent goodbye to physical existence. Of course, that does not preclude my helping the earthly people in my disembodied state.

And you kwow about this...how?:coffee:

Jigar
04 April 2008, 01:51 PM
namaskar,



And you kwow about this...how?:coffee:

Shady... I got my eyes on you ..

satay
04 April 2008, 07:05 PM
namaskar,


Shady... I got my eyes on you ..

:enthaleku:

Shady from dictionary.com

Full of shade; shaded. Casting shade: a shady grove. Quiet, dark, or concealed; hidden.
Of dubious character or honesty; questionableWhat do you mean 'Shady'?

As far as keeping 'eyes'...please be my guest.:beware:

yajvan
04 April 2008, 09:49 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~


Before I came to earth, I was in some other subtle place. After coming to earth, I have completed 23 births out of which one birth is non-human. After death of my present physical body in about 10 years, I will be going to astral realm and that will be a permanent goodbye to physical existence. Of course, that does not preclude my helping the earthly people in my disembodied state.

Namaste Soham,
I am happy you have memory of these events... can you advise (us) if the overview of how one comes back to this good earth is depected as laid out in the Chandogya Upanisad Chapt 5.3.0 to the to the end of Chapt 5.11.0.

This is the conversation between Svetaketu and King Pravahana:
Thge King asks Svetaketu the following to get the conversation started:
Do you know where the born beings go beyond from here?
Do you know where do the path of devayana and pityana part?
Do you know why the yonder worlds never get filled?
Do you know how the water, the 5th oblation comes to be designated as purusa?

To this Svetaketu repsonded , no , indeed revered sir.
The wisdom that is given from the King ( a ksatriya ) to a brahmana then takes place in section 5.4.0 to the end of 5.11.0.

It would be our boon to hear from you , as your smrti ( memory, recollection) is able to re-assess your experience, in light of the Chandogya Upanishd section, the processes of going and returning.

pranams,

soham3
04 April 2008, 11:11 PM
(1) A person who is living in a subtle realm gets born on the earth due to physical desires and for taking the earthly lessons.
(2) After all physical desires, duties, obligations and accounts are settled on the earth, person moves to a subtle realm commensurate with the level / evolution.
(3) A person should learn to identify himself with the totality of the creation otherwise he will not be able to come out of the vicious cycle & vicissitudes of karma.
(4) I had been born a non-human because I had killed a creature of the same species in a birth previous to that.
(5) Though a north-indian in my last to last birth, I was with a famous saint in Maharashtra in that birth for a period less than 2 years.

satay
05 April 2008, 11:51 AM
namaskar soham



(4) I had been born a non-human because I had killed a creature of the same species in a birth previous to that.


Non-human, meaning a birth in animal kingdom. This is very interesting, did you have awareness while you were in a non-human body?

many people (including us) kill many animals by accident and sometimes on purpose for sport etc. e.g. ants, bacteria etc. get killed by accident. What happens to those 'killings'? Do we get born in each species that we kill even accidently?



(1) A person who is living in a subtle realm gets born on the earth due to physical desires and for taking the earthly lessons.


This implies that we still have 'desires' in subtle realm. Is this correct?

Jigar
05 April 2008, 02:00 PM
This implies that we still have 'desires' in subtle realm. Is this correct?


I personally have a 6th sense of desire. And thats true see the inner beauty of an intellectual mind. Explicitly.

yajvan
05 April 2008, 03:35 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~


(4) I had been born a non-human because I had killed a creature of the same species in a birth previous to that.
(5) Though a north-indian in my last to last birth, I was with a famous saint in Maharashtra in that birth for a period less than 2 years.

Namaste soham,
thank you for offering your experience... my inquiry was more towards the path that was taken, the experience of coming back vs. the various and sundry existences you had ( albeit interesting and I hope valuable).

My reference has been the Chandogya Upanishad ( my favorite), Chapt 5. Let me offer another sloka (ChAndogya Upanishad: 5.10.5.) and then ask another question:

Having become cloud he ( the one being re-born) rains down. Then he is born as rice, corn, herbs, tree, sesamum and beans. From them the escape is beset with most difficulties. For, whoever the person may be who eats the food and begets offspring, he henceforth becomes like unto them.

My question based upon your smrti ( memory, recollection), can you tell us at HDF if you experienced any of these paths , that is the 'transport', as rain, grain and the like. And if you spent time in pitr-loka?

As mentioned from the ChAndogya Upanishad, the wise inform us that those that come back to this good earth, do so in a sequenced manner. Even Krsna points this out in the Bhagavad Gita.

My question: did you experience this sequence of events?


Just as a caterpillar takes hold of another object before it leaves its hold of an object, so also the soul has the vision of the body to come, before it leaves the present body.


pranams


1. A reference from the wise Ramana Maharisi ; http://www.hinduism.co.za/reincarn.htm#Reincarnation

soham3
08 April 2008, 01:44 AM
(1) There are so many realms or lokas. There is constant mingling of purush (spirit) & prakritti (matter). To get liberated, man has to transcend all desires ( physical, subtle and causal ) and settle all karmic accounts. Even great beings also have weaknesses and they have to overcome them.
(2) Karma is a complex subject. Killing in national wars does not create sin. Sin is due to selfish motives & egoistic acts. Intentions are very important.
(3) Universe moves as per larger picture. There is a glimpse of it in the teachings of Bhagvad-Gita.
Eating non-vegetarian foods hardly creates sin. If a butcher does the alloted duty of his caste by killing goats every day, he does not incur any sin.
(4) Subtle realm is sukshma loka where I had lived before earthly existence. But I had desires for sex & violence which caused my birth on the earth. Here on earth, people have got chance to fulfil their physical desires. For any subtle desire to be fulfilled on the earth, they get dreams.
(5) Jada Bharata when he was deer had memory of his earlier birth as a king. Similarly did I have.
(6) Sequence of births is generally in the ascending order of evolution. It is plant, tree, reptile, animal, bird and human. In some rare case, person falls back to lower yoni / species and again resumes the journey to liberation.
(7) Much depends upon one's evolution. Persons like Kabir take birth at will, die at their will and move to various realms or lokas as per their own whims & fancies.

yajvan
08 April 2008, 06:15 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~

(1) There are so many realms or lokas. There is constant mingling of purush (spirit) & prakritti (matter). To get liberated, man has to transcend all desires ( physical, subtle and causal ) and settle all karmic accounts. Even great beings also have weaknesses and they have to overcome them.
(2) Karma is a complex subject. Killing in national wars does not create sin. Sin is due to selfish motives & egoistic acts. Intentions are very important.
(3) Universe moves as per larger picture. There is a glimpse of it in the teachings of Bhagvad-Gita.
Eating non-vegetarian foods hardly creates sin. If a butcher does the alloted duty of his caste by killing goats every day, he does not incur any sin.
(4) Subtle realm is sukshma loka where I had lived before earthly existence. But I had desires for sex & violence which caused my birth on the earth. Here on earth, people have got chance to fulfil their physical desires. For any subtle desire to be fulfilled on the earth, they get dreams.
(5) Jada Bharata when he was deer had memory of his earlier birth as a king. Similarly did I have.
(6) Sequence of births is generally in the ascending order of evolution. It is plant, tree, reptile, animal, bird and human. In some rare case, person falls back to lower yoni / species and again resumes the journey to liberation.
(7) Much depends upon one's evolution. Persons like Kabir take birth at will, die at their will and move to various realms or lokas as per their own whims & fancies.

Namaste soham,

yes, you inform us of wonderful things, thank you . Yet ( for me) I am still intrigued with your experience and what you remember.

I pursue this line of thinking due to you offering the following:


Before I came to earth, I was in some other subtle place. After coming to earth, I have completed 23 births out of which one birth is non-human. After death of my present physical body in about 10 years, I will be going to astral realm and that will be a permanent goodbye to physical existence. Of course, that does not preclude my helping the earthly people in my disembodied state.


I would suspect if one remembers 23 births (I cannot remember what I had for lunch yesterday http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/images/icons/icon7.gif) one would be able to recall the mechanism of the coming and goings - that was my request/question from my last post.

If you do not recall, then fine, I will leave it there. But that said;
A simple question - what do you attribute your memory to? Why is it that you are able to recall these past incarnations and/also one non-human?


what triggered this? or
what is the clarity of mind that allows for this look back? for your accuracy of recall?
What helped you or jogged this rememberance?
and what then allows/supports you to suggest that you will achieve the next level ( astral realm) as you mention?I can only think of what Krsna said to Arjuna - I remember all My past births you remember none. Bhagavad Gita¹ Chapt 4.5

pranams

1. sri-bhagavan uvaca bahuni me vyatitani
janmani tava carjuna tany aham veda sarvani
na tvam vettha parantapa

soham3
08 April 2008, 10:44 PM
Actually, I went to Himalayas for penance. There I was told by one 1800 years old saint to go to South India. After coming to South India, I was picked up ( so to say ) by advanced yogis. They took away the karmic burden from me as had been decreed from earlier birth and revealed to me my past existence. Future became obvious after that.

izi
13 April 2008, 10:13 AM
I don't think you can leave the "physical" plane, as far as I see it is all physical right up to the supreme absolute...

A misunderstanding of physics is common.

I think it is better not to remember past lives, they get in the way of what is to be done now more often than the memories help.

soham3
14 April 2008, 11:38 PM
I don't think you can leave the "physical" plane, as far as I see it is all physical right up to the supreme absolute...

A misunderstanding of physics is common.

I think it is better not to remember past lives, they get in the way of what is to be done now more often than the memories help.

Buddha uplifted whole humanity after he recollected his past births. He became wiser enough to guide his followers.
Once you discard your physical body, physical plane loses much of its significance.

srivijaya
25 April 2008, 07:43 AM
How have people here been able to remember their past lives? What good comes out of it? How does one confirm that it was true? Have you verified by going back to historic records in the home town etc.?

Hi satay,
I have had one very powerful past life recall and it was not anything like I would have expected it to be. I have been unable to verify it, as I do not know the name of the person in question, when she lived and died or the exact location of where she lived.

The biggest surprise was not that I was a woman (I'm a man now) but the kind of person she was. Whereas I tend to be very relaxed, a little lazy and prone to sensuality, she was quite the opposite; focussed, disciplined and exacting - the sort of person who would not tolerate someone like me.

This came as a massive shock. Until I experienced this recall I had always kept an open mind but had assumed that any past incarnations (regardless of race or gender) would be in some way 'me'. This was not the case.

The experience served to illustrate the extent of what we abandon through death. Of course we get a new body, name etc. but it goes much deeper than that. Each life is like a self-contained pearl on an invisible string.

You are merely one custodian of a process and the invisible thread is no more your property than it is any other past or future incarnation's.

That was, for me, the fruit of this experience. I don't feel the need to know of more past lives - that event taught me what I needed.

Fishing around for more than that would be (for me at least) indulging in my ego.

Namaste

izi
19 January 2009, 10:31 PM
Buddha uplifted whole humanity after he recollected his past births. He became wiser enough to guide his followers.
Once you discard your physical body, physical plane loses much of its significance.

*physics* is a concept, a science. It is not a place you go to...the physics of *wherever* you are talking about may be revealed. If not to us, perhaps to supreme absolute. This does not mean it is not *physical*

Leave division to heaven and hell, if you like, it's little good to us except as a reminder that, for example, fish and man may be divided by water, but they are all one.