User:Visarga/Hridaya Yoga

Overview
The purpose of Hridaya Yoga is to bring an end to suffering by changing the way we see and interpret the world and ourselves. At the center of this change is the spiritual heart.

We are all subject to the limitations of our human condition - we suffer from incompleteness, unfulfillment, illness and death. There is no escape from physical limitations, but we are still free to value them as we want. By changing one's view of the world suffering and separateness melt away. In order to bring about this transformation, the elevation of our consciousness is needed.

In order to achieve this change we apply the traditional practices of the yoga system - self inquiry, meditation, breath awareness, sense interiorization and postures all the while surrendering to the spiritual process.

Before embarking in the study of this system, a number of fundamental axioms must be posited. The first one is belief in the supreme reality which is unique and universal; it acts as the substrate of everything. The second axiom: the nature of supreme reality is consciousness. The third: our essence is the Self - Atman, pure consciousness and beatitude; Atman can be revealed through yoga practice. And the last one: the Supreme Reality is identified with the Self.

So, the focal point of our practice is awareness - it is the transforming agent, the guide and the destination itself.

Mental void
Calming the mind is the first attitude in the Hridaya Yoga practice. The spiritual heart is a form of consciousness that exists beyond the thinking process, in the realm of a-conceptual perception. In order to seek it we need to go above the forest of thoughts.

We are used to live inside our heads. An almost continuous stream of words flows through our mind all day long and we live inside them. The problem is that they are not reality itself but labels, pointers towards something which is much more complex and dynamic.

For example, take the concept of "apple". The word "apple" can immediately conjure a whole set of knowledge - how apples look, how they taste, how to use them to make cakes, juice, etc. But that is just a limited knowledge about apples. In reality an apple is much more complex. If we take the time to really look at an apple we realize we only apprehend a small part of its complexity with the word. The word is a simplifying label. It acts as a stand-in for reality itself and a link to our past experiences.

We want to go beyond these labels into the realm of direct perception. If, when we see an apple, we think "Oh, it's just an apple" then we substitute the label to the direct perception, in effect flattening the experience. Instead we need to enrich the perception and that can be achieved by looking at the thing itself instead.

The first stage in this process is to obtain a calm state of the mind. In order to do that a number of techniques are presented. The first one is based on breath mindfulness. The second one requires that we become aware of the moments when movement stops, the gaps that exist in-between inhalation and exhalation. A third way is to shift our focus from the forehead to the back of the head where is the cerebellum or alternatively, towards the heart. In order to deepen the mental void, analysis of our predominant desires and motivations is necessary. Let's start with the first:

Breath mindfulness
What link is there between breath and the mind? Ever since time immemorial, spiritual practitioners have observed that breath follows our emotional state: a calm state of mind is associated with a calm breath, an agitated mind (and affect) are linked to agitated breath.

So, the wisdom goes, instead of calming the mind directly, why not calm the breath first, then the calming of the mind will follow suit automatically. In this practice the focus is not on absorbing or moving about of the energy (prana) contained in the air, but on simply being aware of the breath.

Breath awareness is a form of bodily awareness and it is useful for maintaining the mind in the present. Every time we follow a train of thought we wonder either in the past or into the future - we remember about past events or make plans. This kind of activity must be set aside in meditation otherwise the same state of duality continues. Fortunately, breath is always immediately available and it is a wonderful meditation object.

Direct breath mindfulness
The breath mindfulness technique is deceptively simple: when you breathe in, know that you are breathing in. When you breathe out, know that you are breathing out. That is all. It is easy - you just have to be aware of the breath - but it is also hard because it requires that we put breath awareness, as simple as it is, in the center of our activity. We are used with much more appetizing thoughts and imaginations so we need to learn to be content with this plain awareness and go steady with it until the quality of the mind changes.

Mindfulness of the gaps between inhalation and exhalation
In order to deepen the state of mental void, we need to become mindful of the moments when the chest movement stops - the gaps that exist between inhalation and exhalation, both when the lungs are full and empty.

These gaps (hiatuses) are moments of equilibrium. Exhalation is yang, emissive, + and inhalation is yin, receptive, -, so the gaps are neutral (0). Thus, we have access to two neutral moments in each cycle of breath.

The ancient texts claim that these neutral moments are associated with the deepening of the mental void. Void itself is a state of equilibrium, when all the parts are present in equal quantity and they cancel each other out. Thus, becoming aware of the void that exists in breathing we translate it to the void that exists in the mind.

In the execution of this technique we need to maintain the body still and slightly accentuate the duration of the pauses without forcing. These pauses should be 0.5 to 2 seconds long. With each one we are aware to feel a reverberation in the body, especially in the region of the heart. We are careful to avoid forceful breathing, there should be no sensation of lack of air or dizziness or tensions. Breath should follow naturally.

There are three levels of the void we are going to gradually develop. The first level is the pauses in breathing - this develops the pranic body and promotes the mental void. Then we should be mindful of the pauses between thoughts, the second level. This mindfulness leads to the development of the heart. In the third level we are aware of the heart, witness consciousness, as the void-substrate of all cognitions. This stage is related to the revelation of the true Self, Atman, in the heart.

As a side note - when the mental void is advanced, the pauses in breathing appear naturally. We should see this whole process as one single thing, a gradual surrender into our true nature, which is Atman.

Mindfulness of feelings and motivation
In the quest for mental void we discover that breath mindfulness is invaluable, but we need to do even more in order to achieve perfection. We need to change the whole emphasis of the mind from casual thoughts and worries to the wonders of the Self.

Look into your heart - what is your main preoccupation? If the preoccupation is not predominantly spiritual, then naturally many casual thoughts will continue to disturb your meditation. So, a state of mental void is promoted by an intense spiritual aspiration and learning.

Practically, every time a train of thoughts takes us out of the void we need to seek what was the emotion behind it. If we calm the emotional disturbance, the thoughts will settle naturally.

The Jean Klein technique
This is a surprising technique for achieving mental void based on a change of focus inside our heads. Jean Klein presented this method as a way to "stop the thought factory", which he placed in the region of the forehead.

Klein maintains that the forehead is our main locus of awareness in the head, and this leads to mental agitation. In order to counter that he proposes the focus on the back of the head, in the region of the cerebellum (the exact place is the 7th cervical vertebrae).

Maintaining centeredness in the back of the head leads not only to the calming of the mind, but also to a global relaxation of the head. After a few executions we learn the feeling of being in the back of the head and can assume this new attitude spontaneously.

An essential point of this technique is not to fight against thoughts. The more we fight them, the more we feed them. Instead, just move the focus to the back of the head and thoughts freeze up on their own.

The practice of this method promotes a diamond like clarity of the mind and can induce an altered perception of the passage of time. Secondary effects are vivid dreams and an improved ability for astral projection.

Counting meditation
In this technique a trick is used in order to stop ordinary thoughts - we take a mental task that is demanding enough not to be able to have any secondary thoughts and which is itself less detrimental than them. We are going to count each breath.

The technique goes like this: inhale, exhale, mentally say "one", then inhale, exhale, mentally say "two" and so on up to seven. Then start a second cycle, this time from 1 to 14, the a third cycle from 1 to 21 and so on, with multiples of seven.

If you forget the count, or if you forget the cycle you are in, or over-count, the you are to start again from 1 in the first cycle (1...7).

The effect of this technique is to change the global state of the mind and reorient it inwards. At the end we feel a state of calmness, centeredness and alertness.

This is to be used at the beginning of meditations, especially in the first meditation of the day, and every time we become agitate and other methods don't suffice to reach a calm mind.

Walking meditation
This is another "trick" meditation where the mind is calmed by loading it with a specially designed cognitive task - in this case it is the mindfulness of the sensations of walking.

In essence it entails walking very very slowly in a circle or ellipse, avoiding sudden changes of direction or rhythm. It is better to do it inside or outside if there is good weather, barefooted. The orientation of the circle is traditionally clockwise. Breathing follows normally, through the nose; eyes looking ahead, on the ground.

Each step takes two-three seconds and must be be witnessed in detail - the moment when the foot lifts from the floor, the moment when the foot is in the air, the moment when the foot touches the floor again.

In the first stage we are mindful at the steps and breathing. Inhale during as you step with the left foot, exhale as you step with the right foot. Do this for 10 minutes to get into the rhythm.

In the second stage, every time a foot touches the ground, imagine it is kissing the ground. With each step, deepen into the state of gratitude. Continue like this for a few minutes, until you become accustomed.

In the third stage, every time a foot is lifted from the ground, imagine a lotus flower blossoms in its place. Maintain the synchronization with breathing and the visualization of kissing the ground.

At this stage the whole process is so complex that you need to be fully involved in order to maintain it. After a few minutes of practice the mind is calmed and anchored into the present. It is a very efficient meditation technique with the added benefit of putting the whole body in movement. When carrying out prolonged seated meditations it is necessary to stretch the body from time to time, so, walking meditation is a natural fit there too.

Stabilizing the mental stillness
As mental void develops we don't need to keep using the crutches - breath mindfulness, counting, focusing on the back of the head or using the walking meditation. We should simply center into the heart instead, maintaining an attitude of non-reactivity towards thoughts.

Avoid feeding the thoughts by becoming an external observer. Don't judge your thoughts, there are no good or bad thoughts, so don't encourage even the "good" ones. Don't struggle against them because opposition makes them stronger.

There is nothing to do, just purely existing, being vividly aware without effort. There are no dreams, no plans, no worries, no past, no future, just pure awareness witnessing the body and the mind while itself being detached.

This state is called open awareness, a form of surrendering intentionality while maintaining sharpness. Open awareness is the fundamental attitude leading to the revelation of the heart.

In this state we should surrender our will and just wait. Become like the space, which bears all, good and bad, equally. Allow positive cognitions to come and pass without grasping at them. Allow negative cognitions to come and pass without avoiding them - it requires a lot of courage, especially when the negative thoughts are intense. It is like a determination to accept everything equally, to be present for all your experiences in an equal manner, not to have favorites.

Open awareness slowly transforms the mind and the brain. After a number of hours of open awareness, a permanent change occurs. Life becomes more spontaneous, more vivid and beautiful. A feeling of joy emerges without any reason at all - the pure joy of existence.

Coping with problems
If your mind is too inert straighten up the spine and be aware of your body. If your posture leans too much in front, it could cause drowsiness. If the drowsiness does not go away after correcting your posture, slightly open the eyes, looking ahead, defocussed. If even this doesn't stop drowsiness, stand up and continue meditation on your feet. Another advice is to contract the region of the anus in order to stimulate the vital energies of Muladhara Chakra.

If your mind is too active you might be concentrating too hard. Ease off a little and apply one of the techniques for calming the mind.

Interiorization - pratyahara
After achieving a calm mind we have gained a lot of extra energy for our meditation - it is the energy that we would have invested in our rumination otherwise. But we can accumulate even more energy if we turn the senses inward.

Interiorization is the attitude of stillness realized in the sphere of the senses. It brings a lot of energy into the heart, preparing the energy required in the quantum leap from concentration to meditation.

We know from neurology that each sense organ has afferent regions of the brain processing the data it collects. These regions encode complex patterns as we encounter them and function on an unconscious level, but they are more than processors of the external sensations themselves. They can also project sensations from memory, imagination or dreams.

In yoga, a similar concept exists - the sense energy (jnanendriya). These sense energies are normally oriented outwards, sending our consciousness to meet external objects. We'd like to recuperate the awareness sent outside through the gateways of the five senses and use it in the process of the revelation of the spiritual heart.

The method consists of centering awareness into the heart and then bringing all sensations in there, too. In the beginning, orient the inner sight (while eyelids remain shut) towards the heart. Attention naturally follows sight so it will be fixated there with no effort.

The core of the practice is to transfer all sensations from their external locus into the heart. You hear something, but the sensation is like a reverberation into your heart. You touch something, but it is as if the sensation is experienced into the heart directly. Everything coming towards you, you experience it in the heart, and your awareness is open.

As the spiritual heart is developed, integrating the senses is like a process of transfiguration. Then you see only love, touch only love, hear only love, taste only love and smell only love. It is a gestalt change, a new way to assemble the world in your mind, a gravitational field bringing all sensorial perceptions into the Self together with the mind itself.

>From that point on, I was seeing the world from a non-human perspective. Everything I beheld, including my ordinary thoughts, were bliss-like. The food I ate was bliss, the trees I saw were bliss—even the sun was, which I could look into for as long as I wished (my friends could also do this). 

Bringing the self-feeling back to its source
Self-feeling (aham vritti) is the sensation we feel when thinking "I" or "myself". It is an apprehension of our own personality, the center of our mental activities. We need to start becoming aware of the self-feeling and its modifications.

The self-feeling is initially identified with the ego. In this state it assumes agency over all experiences we encounter: you eat an apple -> "I am eating an apple", you meditate -> "I am meditating". The ego inserts itself everywhere and acts as a central point in our mind. It functions as the knot between the Self which is Pure Consciousness and the physical body which is inert and insentient. The ego is therefore called the cit-jada granthi - the consciousness-body portal.

We then move from the ego to the witness consciousness, and dis-identify from the activities of the mind. In this stage aham-vritti is above the contents of the mind, a detached observer. It is not detached in the sense of lacking implication, but just in the sense of lacking preference for certain mental states. As we are mindful of the aham-vritti our self becomes more and more transparent, its awareness shines through all activities as a background state.

Then it opens up completely and appears as Atman, the true Self. In this stage we experience only sat-cit-ananda, pure existence, pure consciousness, pure beatitude. Thus, the aham-vritti is the axis connecting the ego to the spirit. Mindfulness of this axis opens the most direct way for the revelation of the spiritual heart.

Another way of putting it: open awareness is the way we advance. But mindfulness of the subject itself, the self, is the best kind of mindfulness as it ties into all the other cognitions. If the self is perceived directly, without conceptualization, in a totally open manner, it reflects on all the other states. By bringing the self into the open awareness we bring everything into open awareness and dissolve the most important barrier - that of the duality between us and the world.

If the self-feeling is limited then our experience of the world is limited, dual and incomplete. We feel small, we need to protect ourselves from the outside world which might harm us. But if the self-feeling is infinite, there is no more separation between us and the world. Then we can live in the present and discard all sorts of cognitive dissonances. Pure happiness emerges from just existing. This is the purpose of the whole path.

A method to focus on aham-vritti is to ask ourselves "Who am I?" without giving any conceptual answer. Just ask the question and contemplate the sensation, the feeling of "I am" that follows. Another method is to just say "I am" and remain in a state of open awareness. No matter how you seek the self-feeling, just be aware of it without judging yourself. No matter what you do, remain aware of your self-feeling. Surrender to this practice.

Blowing upon the ambers of the heart
This is an advanced breathing technique for the amplification of the energies in the heart. Just like calming the mind and interiorization of the sense energies, this breathing technique prepares the way for the revelation of the Self.

How to do it: as you are mindful of your heart and breath, become aware of a subtle friction sensation in the chest as the air passes through. It should feel like a gentle caressing and a centeredness into the heart area of all breathing sensations.

You might experience various effects such as constriction, vibration, release, relaxation, heat, longing, aspiration, love, compassion, pain or a sharp pricking. They should all be openly accepted into your awareness as they are the language of the heart. Positive or negative, they all are part of your awareness and should be equally attended to. Assume a state of detached witness - a witnessing consciousness of the heart.

With practice, a kind of radiance starts to emerge from the heart. It is as if the ambers of the heart caught fire from all this energy and they are kindled by each breath as it blows over. Let yourself flow with this radiance, it will make you feel very alive and pure. An intense conscious energy, like an inner light, will take us to the revelation of the Self, depending on how well we can surrender to the process.

The sublimation of energies in the heart
The alchemy of the heart we have embarked on is well under way. We have prepared the necessary materials by bringing the senses, mind, breath and awareness into the crucible. Now we need to use fire to transmute them into the pure consciousness of the self.

As we have quantitatively accumulated energy into the heart, we are now focusing on a qualitative change. This change is prompted by the orientation of our aspiration firmly towards God. The orientation of our will energy (iccha-shakti) is what determines the transmutation of the lower energies into Spanda, the sacred tremor of the heart.

As we orient towards infinity, we gradually leave individual states and enter the realm of universal experiences. When this transfiguration of the heart takes place, an unprecedented increase in energy follows. States which were beyond the horizons of the ego now flow effortlessly. The self-feeling is now identified with that which exists beyond individuality - that eternal, universal feeling of pure existence.

The essence of the sublimation process is to have an ardent aspiration towards the revelation of the Self and the experience of nonduality. It is a process of volition, desire and yearning, a fire into the heart leading to the dissolution of all that is limited. It is a process where beauty is so fascinating that we forget about the limits of our egoism.

As a result we feel we have transcended the ego. We live a state of universal awareness and nonduality. It is possible that the Kundalini energy awakens and raises at this stage. It is the fundamental energy of the body coming to join consciousness and form the radiant cit-ananda of the self.

This expansion is guided by the descent of grace. As we are seeking the transcendental, the transcendental is seeking and guiding us. We need to surrender to the intelligence of our heart and let it show us the way outside limitation.

Centering on the middle state - madhyama
The middle state is a metaphor for emptiness, the natural state of being. We can distinguish a number of levels of this center. When the center is the pause between inhalation and exhalation, we are learning to calm our minds and emotions.

When the center is the mental void, we are learning to transcend limited cognition (conceptualization) and perceive directly. This leads to the unfoldment of the heart.

When the center is the spine, we experience the awakening and raising of the Kundalini energy. It is an inner guru and transformative force of evolution. Not all meditators have this experience but when it is encountered in a proper setting, under the observance of an experienced guide, it is very propitious.

When the center is the witness awareness we are gradually assembling the puzzle of the heart, healing our wounds, bringing it all together into the self.

Thus the practice of unfoldment of the middle is the essence of the hridaya practice. It is in the middle state (0) that the yin (-) and yang (+) are united and from their union emerges the revelation of the Self.

Open awareness vs. concentration
In order to clarify the concept of open awareness let us make a mental experiment. Can you focus on a whole room? It can't be done. We can focus on an object, but we can't focus on the whole mental theatre. We can be aware of the whole field of consciousness, but we can't concentrate on it.

Open attention is the exact opposite of concentration. Concentration is an attitude of the mind, open awareness is of the heart. Concentration picks one object and excludes the rest, open awareness embraces all simultaneously.

Open awareness requires that we don't have any expectations, filters or preconceived ideas. We can maintain open awareness without tiring, but concentration always involves an effort. In concentration we accumulate energy, but in open awareness we enter in harmony with the sensations in a spontaneous way. It is a synergistic process.

Is it difficult to be aware of your lover when you are together? Of course not. Awareness flows constantly and without effort, it is something that never tires you. Open awareness is a kind of awareness similar to the mind of a person in love, it is an absorbing fascination with what we perceive.

Imagine you are in a forest, alone. It is very quiet. Suddenly, a noise comes from afar. In second two your hearing is opened to the maximum. How is that sensation when you are trying to apprehend the source of the noise? It feels like you are a blank slate, open to all sensations and extremely receptive. This is how open awareness is.

Learn to become a blank slate of consciousness, a consciousness like space. Space is open to all equally. So should your awareness be. In this state there is spiritual growth. In this state you become more integrated, a unitary whole. It is not spectacular but rather completely natural and relaxed, yet, it is the best attitude during meditation and outside of it.