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Advanced Yoga Practices Plus
Lesson 10 (The first in this series)
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Why This Discussion?
(Audio)
Nov 16, 2003
Everyone knows they are special, that there is something more than this birth, life, and
death. It resonates somewhere deep inside all of us. We spend our lifetime trying to reach
beyond what we are to be more in one way or another. Sometimes we make a mess of it.
Sometimes we make progress. But too often we drift along hoping someone will open a door
for us. If only they would, we'd run right through. Or would we?
This is the first crucial step, wanting to run through to that something more in us. Being
willing to do it. Craving it. Being desperate for it. I am here because I have been one of
those for many years, and I know there must be others. I want to throw out some methods,
some methods that work. Tools, you know. They are for your consideration. The rest is up
to you.
We will be talking about many inward ways here -- the ways into the divine you. How to
really open things up. Are you ready for that? Do you long for it? Not everyone does. But
everyone will sooner or later. In fact, a little practice fans the fire of divine longing.
Just a little bit of practice opens the door enough so that the divine desire wells up.
Then we are on fire and want more practice and more powerful ways in. It is a kind of
addiction -- a divine addiction. I confess to being an addict to this spiritual practice
game. It is an ecstatic spiral that pulls us out of our limited earth perception.
Everything will look different, first just a little, and later on, a lot different. So if
you are not wanting to become divinely inspired, divinely addicted, better stay away.
Because the best means are here. If you set your heart and mind to it, you can do it.
Honest. And then nothing will ever be the same. You will laugh and laugh when you see how
it really is.
This discussion is for wise souls, those who are ready to do what it takes for as long as
it takes. Were the sages of old less committed than this? Of course not. We marvel at
their remarkable stories in the scriptures. It is just the same now. You will get out of
your practices what you put in. It has always been like that.
Why bother with all this? To be honest, it is the greatest high we can have. The pleasure
is beyond anything on earth. Really. The essence of divine experience is unending
devastating bliss and an unshakable silent peace. It seems contradictory, doesn't it?
That's how it is. But don't take my word for it. Try some of these methods and see for
yourself. It's all waiting in you. Take a few baby steps, and soon you can be opening by
leaps and bounds. That is assuming you are ready, and choose each day to go for more.
Remember, it is the one thing we can take with us when we move on from this life.
Some of the practices we will be discussing include: - Cultivating permanent inner silence through Meditation. - Opening the subtle nerves through Pranayama (breath control). - Stimulating divine energy through advanced physical postures and maneuvers. - Cultivating divine desire and conduct. - Cultivating sexual energy to a new purpose. - Cultivating silent inner awareness outward in powerful ways.
Some of these practices will seem familiar. Others will seem radical. Combined together in
particular ways, they comprise a powerful system of yoga. These means are too useful to be
reserved for the few. They belong to the many. So indulge yourself. If you long for the
knowledge of human transformation, you are worthy, and you have come to the right place.
It has been more than a decade since the AYP writings began. Looking
back at Lesson 10, what can we say has changed? In some ways, nothing at all.
And in other ways, a lot has changed. The principles of human spiritual
transformation within us have not changed. The practical methods for cultivating
abiding inner silence, ecstatic awakening, and the outward flow of stillness in
daily activity have not changed, though there have been refinements in
terminology and the application of these means over the years in response to the
actual experiences of thousands of practitioners. And that points to what
has changed - the application of this knowledge by many around the world.
This has included extensions of the knowledge to reflect better
understandings of how the application of practices and their resulting
experiences work across a wide range of individual aspirants. While
"self-pacing" is not mentioned specifically in this overview lesson, it has
become a key strategy in the AYP system, enabling anyone to apply these powerful
practices for good progress with comfort and safety. And, boy, that has come in
handy, much more so than was anticipated when the lessons started in 2003. While
the basic principles of self-pacing have been known for decades in my own
practice, with the participation of many more practitioners it has been possible
to refine their application for a wide range of situations, which has been
invaluable to many using the AYP system, and to many using other systems of
practice as well. Similarly, organic methods of non-dual self-inquiry
have long been known here, particularly as they relate to the rise of abiding
inner silence, the witness, and its ability to loosen the binding
identification of awareness with the objects of perception - physical, mental
and emotional. This is referred to in the above Lesson 10 as "Cultivating silent inner
awareness outward in powerful ways." It is a reference to Samyama, which is
covered in detail in the first half of the lessons, and is also a veiled
reference to "relational self-inquiry," inquiring in stillness, which is covered
in detail in the second half of the lessons. It is also the foundation for
"karma yoga," service without expectations, a true indicator of rising
enlightenment, which is also covered in the later lessons. But all of this was
not well-delineated until much later in the lessons, and it is being brought up
now on the front end. Again, it has been the experience with many practitioners
that brought this knowledge to better definition. Whether it is
appropriate to discuss these advanced developments as an addition to the very
first lesson in the series, who can say? But I thought it prudent to at least
mention that, thanks to the many who have been using the AYP knowledge over the
years, important developments in the overall writings have been made possible.
That is to the credit of all who have participated in this endeavor. As
we continue through the lessons, additional writings will be included to offer
clarifications on the original teachings, based on the actual experiences of
practitioners over the years. So many thanks to all. May the evolution
of practical methods for cultivating human spiritual transformation continue...
Q: In a bookstore I recently found you booklet "Spinal
Breathing Pranayama." Then I ordered your book "Easy Lessons for Ecstatic
Living." Upon delving into these I sensed a kind of sadness. As a
student of an established tradition, I had to study for years and practice
beginning techniques before I could apply for initiation. After initiation I
was only allowed minimal practice and much later could ask for
permission to expand practice after additional initiation. Also I had to
promise not to reveal the techniques I learned to others.
Meanwhile, the techniques you openly offer in your
writings are much the same as advanced techniques it took me years to reach
through initiation, and your teachings seem equally effective, if not more
so. The sadness I experience is probably because now the magic of my long
awaited initiations is gone. Nevertheless, the way
you make things clear is great and inspiring. I look forward to moving ahead
more quickly on my path.
Regarding past
initiations, time of waiting, etc., nothing is ever wasted, you know. And
neither is the magic of initiation. What is initiation anyway? It is an
infusion of spiritual energy, setting a new direction for undertaking more
advanced applications of spiritual practice leading to an awakened view of
our life and the world. So every initiation is a step forward. From that
perspective, it can also be said that
encountering the AYP resources is an initiation.
There are many from a variety of traditions who have drawn on the AYP
resources and continue on their path with acceleration due to having the
infusion of additional knowledge. Others move entirely over to AYP. It is
your call. Whatever you decide. Thanks to the advent
of the information age, this is a time of increasing availability of open
systems of spiritual practice, and AYP is one of these. Accelerated
spiritual progress has been the result, which comes with some challenges of
its own, i.e., the need for self-pacing and the integration of results from
advanced practice in daily life. Everything you have
done on your path so far has brought you to this point. Next steps are
entirely up to you. It is a new day, and I wish you
all the best as you continue ahead! The guru is in
you.
Discuss this Lesson in the AYP Plus Support Forum
Note: For a detailed overview on building a daily
practice routine with self-pacing, see the
Eight Limbs of Yoga Online Book.
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