Meditation styles and Yoga practice

Guru Patanjali Preaching in Sadhana Yoga

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Part 5
Mistaking the transient as permanent, the impure as pure, pain giver as pleasure giver and untrue self as true self -all this is called lack of spiritual knowledge. It is lack of spiritual knowledge which gives rise to the knowledge of self-ego. It is lack of spiritual knowledge, which makes a person regard non-eternal as eternal; the impure as pure; pain giver as pleasure giver and the untrue self-ego as the real self-conscious. lack of spiritual knowledge lies in regarding the human body and the human senses as eternal. It lies in regarding a living being, worldly goods, worldly pleasures, wealth and children, worldly positions, powers and honors as eternal or ever lasting and pleasure giver where as the fact is they are transient , temporary and ultimately turn the root cause of all misery and suffering in human life. Lack of spiritual knowledge lies in experiencing the non-eternal worldly things, considering them and believing them as eternal.

The second type of lack of spiritual knowledge lies in regarding the impure things and living being of matter world as pure. It lies in being angry, in being greedy and in being arrogant and considering them peace or pleasure giving. Lack of spiritual knowledge lies in regarding and believing these traits as pure. The third type of lack of spiritual knowledge lies in regarding pain giving things or affection to living being of matter world as pleasure giver. It lies in regarding the five types of thoughts of the unconscious mind and thoughts of enmity as pleasure giver and remaining engrossed in them. Lack of spiritual knowledge lies in keeping the mind restless with thoughts for revenge and enmity.

The fourth type of lack of spiritual knowledge lies in regarding the untrue self-ego as the true self. The subtle and formless self-ego in human mind is house given by subtlest nature essence to self-conscious while entering in nature essence. It is a mere subtlest cosmic instrument of true nature essence. Regarding the human body or mind as self-conscious is the fourth type of lack of spiritual knowledge.

The Great Guru Patanjali says that thoughts of unconscious mind are of five kinds. They are true thoughts, false thoughts, verbal thoughts, and memory thoughts and sleep thoughts. All these thoughts produce pain, unease or sorrows. At the most they lead to heavenly worldly life but none of them leads to supreme bliss, serenity or tranquility and liberation from the cycle of birth and death. There are five causes and reasons of these pain, unease or sorrow provoking thoughts. They are lack of spiritual knowledge, self-ego, worldly affection, worldly enmity and fear of death. Out of these five causes, the main cause is lack of spiritual knowledge. The remaining other causes is bye- products of lack of spiritual knowledge and emerges from lack of spiritual knowledge in unconscious mind itself.

Lack of spiritual knowledge is forever a part and parcel of spiritual knowledge. It is wrapped around spiritual knowledge of conscious mind. As such, knowledge is not to be searched in the outside matter world. During, concentration, meditation and spiritual union, a disciple pierces the outer layer of lack of spiritual knowledge in unconscious mind and tries to go beyond in inner conscious mind. By doing so he realizes knowledge of lack of spiritual knowledge. Attainment of this knowledge however, does not eradicate his lack of spiritual knowledge. But a change does take place in its status. It is then that concentration and profound meditation enters the state of spiritual knowledge with self conscious in conscious mind.

There are four states of lack of spiritual knowledge. The first state is known as the dormant state. It is a subtle state. In this state, lack of spiritual knowledge remains un-operative in the form of a sleepy seed. The second state is known as attenuated state. In this state a disciple experiences lack of spiritual knowledge while remaining in a state of conscious. It is in this state that the disciple consciously pierces the veil of lack of spiritual knowledge and goes beyond it. The third state is called the intercepted state. In this state, distress not manifests itself but due to the predominance of another manifested distress, attention is not paid to the original distress. It is in this state that a disciple pierces and unconsciously goes beyond the veil of lack of spiritual knowledge. The fourth state of lack of spiritual knowledge is called the operative state of lack of spiritual knowledge. In this state, distress is unconsciously experienced. The distress is unbearable. It manifests itself in full form in the body, in the sense organs and in the unconscious mind.

Lack of spiritual knowledge is of four types. In the first type, non-eternal things are regarded as eternal. In the second type, impure things are regarded as pure. In the third type of lack of spiritual knowledge, pains giving material desires are regarded as pleasure giver and in the fourth type of lack of spiritual knowledge; the self-ego is regarded as the self-conscious. The Great Sage Patanjali says that lack of spiritual knowledge about material things, body, senses, mind and lack of spiritual knowledge of the self-conscious leads the mind and its concentration towards worldly pursuits.

On the other hand, knowledge about these aspects of lack of spiritual knowledge leads the conscious mind and its concentration and meditation towards inner oneness of self conscious that is outer part of soul essence. When lack of spiritual knowledge is disciplined, it becomes spiritual knowledge. When knowledge dawns, even the unconscious mind, which is the breeder of lack of spiritual knowledge and guardian of distress provoking thoughts and self-ego, gets eliminated. It is then that the self-conscious that are outer part of soul glow in its purified form and in a thought free and intellect free state of conscious mind enters into seeded spiritual union called Samadhi as a viewer and a spectator or a visionary.

Yoga Tip: - Select any one spiritual form & remain above any blind worship or superstition attached to it. Meditate on it with devotion regularly and consciously. Here is offered spiritual painting of Yogic Christ in spiritual union with Nature. While fixing attention on spiritual form, hear, recite or remember its name repeatedly and continue to feel it for 15 minutes or so. It could work as short cut medicine to control and cure various kinds of bodily and mental strains and diseases such as sleeplessness, blood pressure, physical strains, mental worry and/ or mental fears. It also improves concentration and meditation cosmic power and makes mind refreshing. Many religious scholars suggest that Yogic Christ was initiated into yogic practice, perhaps within the mystical traditions either by the true nature essence itself or the Vedic Hindus. Mark (1:3) reports that Yogic Christ was in the wilderness... and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered unto him. From such retreat comes the peace, which passes understanding, the deepest wellspring of spiritual life. This painting of Yogic Christ reminds us that the true kingdom of heaven lies within each of us and is conscious living in spiritual union with self-conscious.