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Spiritualseeker
09 August 2011, 06:28 AM
Namaste,

So I was wondering if Mindfulness of body is useful in practice. I hear that some may think that it causes attachment to body. I do not take this view. I know that in meditating upon the third eye, you are single minded focused on that. In other meditations though mindfulness of the body can keep one attentive to the present moment. Plus the body is a manifestation of that which is is beyond concepts. Being mindful of the body creates space within you where you can experience the divine presence. I would like to hear others opinion.

sunyata07
09 August 2011, 02:24 PM
Namaste SS,

I agree with you that I don't think mindfulness of the body necessarily denotes attachment to the material world. It is, after all, one of the many koshas needed for us to live as we are on the earthly plane. Of course I will acknowledge its temporality and transcience; this is just one of many reasons why it is pointless and even harmless to become attached to the physical form we embody. But on the other hand, why try and act as if it does not exist?

I've read about this mindfulness, before, and have tried meditational sessions where you bring awareness slowly around the body. It was in relation to the art of meditation of the present moment (the Now, as Eckhart Tolle calls it), beginning first with the breathing, then moving the attention around the rest of the body, straightening the spine if it was needed, relaxing of the tightness in arms and legs, etc. Now that I have spent a little time reading about and studying Kundalini yoga, I am even more inclined to say that the body has an important role in relation to experiencing the divine essence, as you say. Pranic and mental energies most definitely correspond to the physical body (I'm pretty sure I have first-hand experience of this); therefore to become aware of one's vessel from time to time, has not only spiritual benefits, but may help to serve as an indicator of your current state of bhava. For example, if one is in a rajasic state of mind at the time, breathing will become heated, erratic; shoulders, arms and the carriage is all tense, ready for fight or flight; mind is filled with many inflamed and heated thoughts. In such a way, being totally aware of the body may be useful in bringing the mind back to sattvic baseline, like when you realise that you've balled up your fists unconsciously when you're irritated or nervous.

Om namah Shivaya

saidevo
09 August 2011, 10:56 PM
Here is a series of links about the yoga of the Tamizh siddha TirumUlar where he speaks about the importance of the physical and other bodies in sAdhana:

The Great Yoga of Tirumular
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/agamicpsychology/message/10643
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/agamicpsychology/msearch?query=%22The+Great+Yoga+of+Tirumular%22&pos=50&cnt=10

Let us beware that the siddha's methods and medicines should be tried only under the guidance of an appropriate guru, not otherwise.

Kismet
09 August 2011, 11:25 PM
Namaste,

So I was wondering if Mindfulness of body is useful in practice. I hear that some may think that it causes attachment to body. I do not take this view. I know that in meditating upon the third eye, you are single minded focused on that. In other meditations though mindfulness of the body can keep one attentive to the present moment. Plus the body is a manifestation of that which is is beyond concepts. Being mindful of the body creates space within you where you can experience the divine presence. I would like to hear others opinion.

I recall Vivekanada saying that even the devas require the eventual donning of bodies for liberation. That is how important the body is in Sanatana Dharma.

Our central "locus" of identity should be atman, however. So, you need to traverse the razor's edge of this apparent duality between soul and body.

But, what do I know? I'm just a shallow aspirant. Those are just my two cents on the matter, which I think amount to three cents. ;)

Spiritualseeker
11 August 2011, 06:47 AM
Namaste SS,

I agree with you that I don't think mindfulness of the body necessarily denotes attachment to the material world. It is, after all, one of the many koshas needed for us to live as we are on the earthly plane. Of course I will acknowledge its temporality and transcience; this is just one of many reasons why it is pointless and even harmless to become attached to the physical form we embody. But on the other hand, why try and act as if it does not exist?

Namaste,

I think your right there is a balance even if some sadhu may do acts that are of staunch asceticism. The Self really swallows up all forms and the mind.


I've read about this mindfulness, before, and have tried meditational sessions where you bring awareness slowly around the body. It was in relation to the art of meditation of the present moment (the Now, as Eckhart Tolle calls it), beginning first with the breathing, then moving the attention around the rest of the body, straightening the spine if it was needed, relaxing of the tightness in arms and legs, etc. Now that I have spent a little time reading about and studying Kundalini yoga, I am even more inclined to say that the body has an important role in relation to experiencing the divine essence, as you say. Pranic and mental energies most definitely correspond to the physical body (I'm pretty sure I have first-hand experience of this); therefore to become aware of one's vessel from time to time, has not only spiritual benefits, but may help to serve as an indicator of your current state of bhava. For example, if one is in a rajasic state of mind at the time, breathing will become heated, erratic; shoulders, arms and the carriage is all tense, ready for fight or flight; mind is filled with many inflamed and heated thoughts. In such a way, being totally aware of the body may be useful in bringing the mind back to sattvic baseline, like when you realise that you've balled up your fists unconsciously when you're irritated or nervous.

Om namah Shivaya

OM thank you for sharing. We cannot forget the influence of Yoga and how it pertains to keeping a healthy body and mindfulness of the body with its poses. I see you mentioned Eckhart Tolle. I have had deep admiration for him and it continues to grow. I do use some of the mindfulness that he speaks of including aware of body and breath that you mentioned. I even have a picture of this sage in my house along with other great teachers.I think your right that being aware of body and mind can bring you back to your baseline. In a way mindfulness of body and mind can help you trace the "I". Whoes body is this? Whoes mind is this? To Whom do these sensations occur? etc...

OM Namah Shivaya


Here is a series of links about the yoga of the Tamizh siddha TirumUlar where he speaks about the importance of the physical and other bodies in sAdhana:

The Great Yoga of Tirumular
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/a.../message/10643
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/a...&pos=50&cnt=10

Let us beware that the siddha's methods and medicines should be tried only under the guidance of an appropriate guru, not otherwise.


This was very useful in clearing up the issue and misconceptions about the body.


I recall Vivekanada saying that even the devas require the eventual donning of bodies for liberation. That is how important the body is in Sanatana Dharma.

Our central "locus" of identity should be atman, however. So, you need to traverse the razor's edge of this apparent duality between soul and body.

But, what do I know? I'm just a shallow aspirant. Those are just my two cents on the matter, which I think amount to three cents.

The duality seems to cause problems, but from the Self it is fine. I am finding the need to traverse the razors edge. I keep hearing that one of the biggest mistakes made by mankind is attachment to body or feeling that they are the body. This helps fuel other attachments. In a way this is almost like a root attachment that if weeded out may reveal the Self.

OM Shiva Shiva

FutureHumanDestiny
31 December 2011, 04:59 PM
in the first stages of light-body samadhi, after kundalini rising, your awareness goes naturally to your body; i.e. that's what qualifies it to be called: "absorption" whereby you become the object of concentration.

so i'm all for it, in many stages of spiritual development.