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Eric11235
13 March 2011, 12:30 PM
Vannakam,

Today marks the completion of a 40 day sadhana, but I'm not sure what that really means. Can anyone help?

What are you supposed to do upon completion of a sadhana? I'm confused on this point and help would be greatly appreciated

Eastern Mind
13 March 2011, 01:31 PM
Vannakkam Eric:

You just return to the way it was, knowing ot trusting that the dutiful performance of that sadhana was effective in raising awareness to a new level. Its like a pilgrimage ... you go, you focus on God a lot more than normal, then you return, a slightly altered soul.

Aum Namasivaya

yajvan
13 March 2011, 02:17 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté


sādhana साधन - is defined as furthering, leading straight to a goal , guiding well. sadhana ( without the long ā ) is possessing riches, wealth.

sādhana can be viewed as sa+adha+na

sa are names for viṣṇu or śiva ; in the feminine gender, lakṣmi or gaurī
adha - now , then , therefore
na - in the 3rd derivative is defined as 'identical'.So, one can say with sādhana one therefore (adha) becomes identical (na) with viṣṇu or śiva (sa).
It is with sādhana one furthers or is guided well to the goal ( sa) viṣṇu or śiva. One possesses the riches ( sadhana) of the Supreme.

praṇām

yajvan
13 March 2011, 02:35 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté






sādhana साधन - is defined as furthering, leading straight to a goal , guiding well. sadhana ( without the long ā ) is possessing riches, wealth.

sādhana can be viewed as sa+adha+na

sa are names for viṣṇu or śiva ; in the feminine gender, lakṣmi or gaurī
adha - now , then , therefore
na - in the 3rd derivative is defined as 'identical'.
Lets offer one alternative... lets change na to nā ( long ā added). This nā is defined as 'knowledge'. Then sa+adha+nā could mean:
Now (adha) one is guided well ( sādhana) to viṣṇu or śiva (sa) through knowledge (nā).


This could not be the knowledge of 2+4, or knowing the earth's geography. It is the direct knowledge of the Self or turyasvastha ( some spell turīyasvastha) . It means/defined as Self-abiding , being in one's Self or really 'in the Self' , one's natural Being.

praṇām

yajvan
13 March 2011, 06:02 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

We can take note that it is the sādhu that practices sādhana. This word sādhu means straightened , not entangled. But not entangled in what?
One can say not entangled in the bonds of ignorance - of relative existence.

We sometimes use this word to mean holy man, holy person. This is based upon the extended definition of the word meaning good, virtuous , honourable , righteous - a person of dharma.

We can also say the sādhu exhibits sādaka. This word means destroying , also exhausting. The sādhu destroys the bonds of ignorance and
exhausts birth and re-birth via his/her successful practice. So that said, I now wish to offer a POV to Eric's question:

Today marks the completion of a 40 day sadhana, but I'm not sure what that really means. Can anyone help?

If after the 40 days one should feel some upliftment, some movement. It is from the standpoint of another defintion of sādhu - it is defined
as a jeweler. The jeweler takes various stones and polishes them - makes them bright. He/she is skilful at this - making a stone turn into a gem.

Like that, there sould be some feeling after the 40 days that some polishing has gone on.

praṇām

Eric11235
13 March 2011, 09:15 PM
I don't want to start a new thread for this, but I need serious help.


The last few days have been really rough, but I have a question, is it possible to overdo it? I'm fairly sure it is.

I did more than I intended today in terms of meditation and now my mood is completely down the proverbial toilet. I feel god-awful and nothing is helping.

I have fallen back into my ego and my detachment is completely absent, I'm fairly sure this is to test me in some capacity, but words of encouragement or advice would be appreciated.

And thank you for the previous advice in this thread

sm78
14 March 2011, 12:14 AM
I don't want to start a new thread for this, but I need serious help.


The last few days have been really rough, but I have a question, is it possible to overdo it? I'm fairly sure it is.

I did more than I intended today in terms of meditation and now my mood is completely down the proverbial toilet. I feel god-awful and nothing is helping.

I have fallen back into my ego and my detachment is completely absent, I'm fairly sure this is to test me in some capacity, but words of encouragement or advice would be appreciated.

And thank you for the previous advice in this thread

It is for this reason experimentation and self-help is never recommended in sadhana. The fact that you went in with this on the belief that you would achieve something like overcoming your ego (since you are saying that you are falling back to ego), makes it tremendously egotistical.

Many people regularly knock on the doors of insanity in order to achive super-humaness, when admitting their humanity would have been so much better for themselves and their sorroundings.

Sadhana is to be undertaken with humility, only on the advice of one's teachers and with one's humanity and sanity intact, and most importantly with joy. The very pressumption that you are about to undertake something extraordinary which will make you overcome ego (or any other similar absurdity) makes it counter-productive. You end up worse than you were to start with.

People will be lot better and less psychotic if they are humble enough to admit their present position and do justice to their ordinary occupations.

Eastern Mind
14 March 2011, 07:21 AM
I don't want to start a new thread for this, but I need serious help.


The last few days have been really rough, but I have a question, is it possible to overdo it? I'm fairly sure it is.

I did more than I intended today in terms of meditation and now my mood is completely down the proverbial toilet. I feel god-awful and nothing is helping.

I have fallen back into my ego and my detachment is completely absent, I'm fairly sure this is to test me in some capacity, but words of encouragement or advice would be appreciated.

And thank you for the previous advice in this thread

Vannakkam Eric: I think this is pretty normal when we first encounter mystic Hinduism. Change is slow. In my experience, born Hindus are more patient. In the grand scheme of things, you have 100 lifetimes. There is no hurry. I also think that one reason we do this (I've done it as well) is a retention of the belief in one lifetime only from an Abrahamic subconscious. So from my view, it is an extremely valuable lesson.

Aum Namasivaya

Eric11235
14 March 2011, 07:49 AM
Vannakam,

SM,

I would like to say this, I had no intention of gaining any superhumanness, I wanted to re-enter the world of meditation and find that sadhana's generally help me with discipline of going through them (I'm generally busy enough that meditation is hard to fit in if I don't have a legitimate reason).

Also, you should be aware that I am severely mentally ill in terms of mood and psychosis, I had no intentions of removing the ego, just bringing about humility and the fact that you misread and attack my intentions so thoroughly offends me a great deal. I know self disclosure can be dangerous, but I feel it is necessary, I have been diagnosed and treated for Schizoaffective bipolar type, which if you don't know is a mixture of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. So the next time you mention psychosis in my presence, please have the courtesy of being medically accurate

This sadhana has been very fruitful for my well being, VERY fruitful, the seas of my mind have stopped raging for a long enough time to enjoy life, I have experienced the pleasant inner peace associated with detachment, I have become closer with god, but most of all, I have become comfortable in my own skin. This is a temporary (but severe) dip in my mood. And you should know it is not polite to attack someone when they are down.

Next time I'll be sure to rephrase myself so I don't sound like a tool.

I apologize if I have offended you, but you took the first swipe.

EM: Thank you, I believe that this is a necessary experience (albeit not a very pleasant one) During my sadhana I have come to terms with the fact that sometimes my emotional states will be bad and I have to be able to control it despite the difficulty. As I said in a previous post, I had done more than intended to do and I think it was part of an emotional purgation. And I believe it's a little more than 100.

if I have offended anyone I apologize.

Namaste

Adhvagat
14 March 2011, 10:09 AM
Eric, I think SM meant that it's just like any other thing in life.

We can act with our best intentions but the fruits are not really in our control.

Don't identify yourself so much with your mind or even worse the disease it is suffering. The mind comes and goes, it's really fluid.

Are you in some kind of therapy? Since you're a spiritual minded person, try some Junguian (analytical psychology) psychotherapy.

I'm a student of it right now, and the mere study is helping me identify and deal with great problems within.

Om Tat Sat

Eastern Mind
14 March 2011, 10:24 AM
And I believe it's a little more than 100.

Namaste

Vannakkam Eric et al: Just a rough estimate. plus or minus another 100 or so. Who knows?

But your post brought up another idea or thought that I think is sometimes forgotten here on HDF, and that is how little we all know about each other. In fact that's true for the internet entirely. Sure it seems like a nice friendly open honest place, but how many of us have actually met in person? This place is words on a screen of light mostly. The words originated in some other mind in a far away place. Some are lies, some are fakes, some are baring of the soul, some come from English masters, some don't. Some come from ego, others less so. When it boils down, we really know very little.

I remember vehemently disagreeing to the concept once proposed in education circles: that of the disappearing teacher ... being slowly replaced by computers, machines, etc. My claim was it could never happen. The human touch (I mean figuratively) can just never be replaced. Reading a book written by a saint, and sitting in the presence of a saint are two entirely different experiences, light years apart.

Aum Namasivaya

Eric11235
14 March 2011, 10:35 AM
In regards to the over 100 i'm saying that we probbaly experience more lives than we can number.

I am currently suffering from a mixed state (an episode of depression with symptoms of mania), so I'm volatile, which is why I took such strong negative emotion to SM's statements. this is my own diagnosis based on observed experiences.

You are right, we know very little of each other, but there is still a sense of community in this and I like this forum because the vast majority are kind and show care (something I am not very used to).

I don't really know what to say other than I hope meditation and perhaps being in the presence of others will help alleviate my current episode.

yajvan
14 March 2011, 11:13 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté Eric



I did more than I intended today in terms of meditation and now my mood is completely down the proverbial toilet. I feel god-awful and nothing is helping.

I have fallen back into my ego and my detachment is completely absent, I'm fairly sure this is to test me in some capacity, but words of encouragement or advice would be appreciated.

That which has a birth ( mood) will also have a death. These things come and go. Same with wonderful spiritual experiences - these too come and go - they are born, run their course and then subside.

Now there is one thing a sādhu ( one who that practices sādhana) needs to be mindful of. Deep meditation releases stress. It must go somewhere. When it is in the mind, one may have a negative mood, a coloring of the mind. Sometimes when it is released in the body, one may have a twitch, a flexing of the muscles, a crackling of bones in the back as they release stress. This is normalization of the system.

So what does one do? Take it easy. Avoid any massive contrast . What would an example be? Like jumping into a cold river, going to a rock concert, eating something that is out of ones daily routine that is unusual. Contrast will trigger more unstressing , as the stress looks for a vehicle to mount.

Last, it is wise to manage one's expecations. They become habits no? I felt great before, I expect to fell great now. This is a habit, an expectation for a result - another snafu. What does one do? We observe. I observe that I felt good last time, this time , well not so much. Observing , being aware, and not caught up, is a tool .

...feelings come and go, but 'I' (ahaṁ) go on forever.

praṇām

Eric11235
14 March 2011, 11:25 AM
Vannakam Yajvan

As always your words are fraught with wisdom.

I have been preparing for this the entire sadhana, I was hoping it wouldn't be quite so powerful as it is, but such is life. I've been mentally telling myself bad things will happen as will good things, and I am trying to take it as best I can, but my brain chemistry is preventing that somewhat.


I also think that I overdid the meditation yesterday, instead of my usual 5 rotations of the mala I did 10, now this in itself is not inherently bad, but with that concentration of meditation removed more spiritual and emotional problems than I can currently handle, so I induced a mixed episode because of my overdoing of the meditation. Luckily this is my spring break so I will be able to take it easy.

Thanks again for the words of wisdom

Namaste

yajvan
14 March 2011, 11:55 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté



Now there is one thing a sādhu ( one who that practices sādhana) needs to be mindful of. Deep meditation releases stress.

It is the cleaning process that abhinavagupta-ji¹ says in this way:
Just as by washing the dirt or impurity lying in the inner fold of a cloth, the dirt lying on the upper portion ( the outer folds) gets automatically washed or cleansed ; even so, by the removal of the dirt (mala) lying at the subtle levels, the dirt residing at the madhyamā levels get automatically removed.

We dip into pure awareness then come back. Each time this is done, some purification happens, mala-s are being removed, but more importantly we are infusing more and more pure awareness into our daily awareness. We are 'refreshing' the system.


praṇām

1. From abhinavagupta-ji's work called pratyabhijñā darśana. Pratyabhijñā means to recognize , re-member and darśana is knowing
(sometimes we use this word to define a philosophy , a knowledge). So this pratyabhijñā darśana is 'knowing' and re-membering
who you are.

charitra
14 March 2011, 12:13 PM
Wise words all around. Extreme sadhana practices are well documented. In 1800s, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa locked himself up in front of Kali maa, went on a couple of months of severe sadhana trip and almost died as a result.
At 20 it is very natural for us to go through a lot. Just recently, sipping coffee in a lounge a colleague declared ‘I don’t ever want to be 20 again’, and most smiled and nodded affirmatively. A very young woman took offence and shot back ‘whats wrong with that (being 20)?’. Everyone looked at her in sympathy. Our world view is different now and life looks peaceful and more importantly less exciting.
A skilled astronaut circling the planet for weeks and months may lament life is boring, uninspiring and even dumb. A guy living in a luxury villa, driving a sports car may be hurting inside, he just won’t tell you thats all. Just please work hard since the body is meant to, and when you are low think of a child in a wheel chair, Haiti, Japan etc, reminisce how fragile life is. And then…..move on. In the cosmic scheme of things we are all pitiably equal, just flakes, worse than snowflakes, the sooner we realize the better! Cheer up. Chin up. Shanti.