Watching the Mind.

[FlipAsso]

Is there a place for this kind of meditation in hinduism?
I read in Sri Aurobindo's Synthesis of Yoga, that this can be used to attain samadhi, i.e., watching the mind until it stops.
Is this a kind of hindu meditation?

Thx in advance

[saidevo]

Very much Hindu meditation, I think. Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati, who was ordained in the Himalayan Tradition of Yoga Meditation by Swami Rama, has elaborate discussions about the role of mind in Yoga Meditation. You can read his articles here:
http://www.swamij.com/index-yoga-meditation-mind.htm

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté


Flipasso writes,

Is there a place for this kind of meditation in hinduism?
I read in Sri Aurobindo's Synthesis of Yoga, that this can be used to attain samadhi, i.e., watching the mind until it stops.
Is this a kind of hindu meditation?

One could say practicing an approach (upāya&#185 until the mind becomes unminded. That is, nirvikalpaṃ manaḥ kṛtvā . This says¹ having done (kṛtvā) ~accomplished, completed, the mind (manaḥ) becomes unwavering, free from change or differences (nirvikalpaṃ) or unminded.

Why use the term unminded? It has a few meanings: In this condition there is no mind (un). It no longer exists in this condition.
Also one can say 'unminded' from the POV that the mind no longer needs to be managed e.g kind of like not minding the store when the worker goes home for the day - it is no longer on his mind and therefore no effort is needed to manage it.

This approach ( upāya ) is the 31st kārikā of the Vijñāna Bhairava. More on the various kārikā-s can be found at this HDF folder: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2323

praṇām

words

• upāya उपाय - that by which one reaches one's aim ; a means ; coming near , approach
• kṛtvā कृत्वा - having done; rooted in kṛ कृ - to do , make , perform , accomplish , cause , effect , prepare , undertake
• manaḥ = manas मनस् - mind; its widest sense as applied to all the mental powers) , intellect , intelligence , understanding , perception , sense , conscience ,
• nirvikalpaṃ is nirvikalpa निर्विकल्प - not wavering ; it also means not admitting an alternative , free from change or differences

[FlipAsso]

Is it compatible with Raja Yoga of Patanjali?

[Eastern Mind]

Namaste all:

One of Subramuniyaswami's older books was in fact titled 'Raja Yoga'. The mind was divided into 5 parts: conscious, subconscious, sub of the subconscious, subsuperconscious, and superconscious. Beyond that mind is pure Awareness, the eyes of the soul. This awareness is constantly flowing through these various states of mind. So you have the ability to move awareness through these various states with the use of your will. You can consciously move awareness as needed, and also watch yourself doing this. it is a very beneficial practice. It allows you to also consciously move thge awareness of others, even without them knowing it. This operates on a subtle level, as most people are not consciously aware, they just sort of are drug through these various states by their envirionments and circumstances.

To illustrate this ability, I recall doing an experiment on the power of suggestion in a subtle way. At the beginning of a staff meeting, myself and another more astute mind watcher decided that we would try to get every single person (about 30) to yawn at least once. All you have to do is make eye contact, and yawn. Within a couple of minutes the targeted person will also yawn. We were successful in all people, either directly or via the secondary way via another person.

In similar ways, awareness can be moved through anger, sadness, intelligence, intuition , etc. The study of the mind and controlling your own is a pretty BASIC step on the path.

Aum Namasivaya

[amoli]

According to the yogis, true happiness, liberation and enlightenment comes from union with the divine consciousness known as Brahman, or with Atman, the transcendent Self. The various yoga practices are a methodology for reaching that goal.
In hatha yoga, for example, postures and breathing exercises help purify the mind, body and spirit so the yogi can attain union.

Pranayama breathing exercises help clear the nadis, or channels, that carry prana the universal life force, allowing prana to flow freely. When the channels are clear and the last block at the base of the spine has been opened, Kundalini rises through the spine, through the central channel called the sushumna-nadi, and joins the crown chakra. According to the tradition, the release of Kundalini leads to enlightenment and union.
Retreat yoga