PDA

View Full Version : Jangama Dhyana



Arav
24 August 2010, 02:24 PM
This is a form of meditation that is talked about in the Yoga Sutras, Ramakrishna used it to get to Nirvikalpa Samadhi, and Swami Vivekananda spoke about it. Also, Shivabalayogi used this to remain in Samadhi for 23 hours a day and gave this meditation the name Jangama Dhyana. Jangama means "Eternal Existence" Dhyana means "meditation" so Jangama Dhyana means "Meditation on the Eternal Existence of the Self". Here is how Shivabalayogi described the technique:

"Sit, closing the eyes.
Concentrate the mind and sight in between eyebrows.
Keep watching there by focusing the attention.
Do not repeat any mantra or name.
Do not imagine anything.
Do not open eyes until the duration of meditation is over."

What happens is that you put all attention on the space between the eyebrows. You are only paying attention to that, nothing else. Then the mind begins to lose awareness of that and all thats left is your own Consciousness, turned completely inward and only aware of itself. In this state one is completely unaware of the external world but is only aware of their own existence. Shivabalayogi said to do this for an hour a day and that one day you will rise up to samadhi naturaly.

yajvan
24 August 2010, 08:24 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

For someone just beginning meditation, I would consider this approach of 'Jangama Dhyana ' durlabha dhyāna or difficult to obtain (durlabha) + meditation, reflection (dhyāna).
To remain focused (dhāraṇa) without any support is a substantial undertaking. Can some accomplish this meditation that are new to this approach? I am sure there are some.
Yet for one just starting it is wise to consider āṇavopāya. And what is this āṇavopāya ( or āṇu + upāya ) ?

āṇu अणु = fine , minute , atomic is known as 'atom' - which is another name for the individual jiva.
upāya is the means whereby the āṇu or the individual jiva uses his own kāraṇa-s or instruments i.e. senses, prana and manas for self-realization. It includes disciplines concerning the regulation of prana, japa, concentration, meditation, etc.Hence one is able to gain support (dhāra) with the instruments within (or even outside) the aspirant or practitioner.
What would be an example? Sound or mantra, breath or praṇa; there are many more.


praṇām