Sutra 1.29
ततः प्रत्यक्चेतनाधिगमोऽप्यन्तरायाभावश्च॥२९॥
tataḥ pratyak-cetanādhigamo'py antarāyābhāvaś ca
Translation:
- From that the absence of obstacles and the realization of the Self is directed inward. – CT
- From this practice all the obstacles disappear and simultaneously dawn knowledge of the inner Self. -SS
- From this comes the realization of the inner consciousness and freedom from all disturbances. -EFB
Vocabulary:
tataḥ—from that/this
api—indeed, also
adhigama—comes to know, knowledge, realization
cetana— conscious being, Self, consciousness
pratyak—center, inner
ca—and
antarāyas—obstacles, interruptions
a-bhāva— disappear, absence
Key Concepts:
By devoting oneself to the Divine, through holding the mind (meditating ) on the Divine through the repetition of the seed sound OM, the yogin has a divine experience, that reveals their true nature. The commentaries describe this as a Divine Grace giving you a vision of the whole. With that vision, you understand the Supreme Consciousness and realize yourself as an expression of this Supreme Consciousness.
I think that it is safe to say that Patanjali did not mean meditate on OM for ten minutes a day. That it requires more depth and more focus to receive a transmission of this kind, that the underlying expression of your being in every action, in every moment is surrender and devotion to the Divine.
There are many tales in Indic traditions, however, of random people and average seekers receiving a spontaneous transmission by Divine Grace, without the level of devotion described here.
In Sanskrit the term Shakti-pata is used to describe the spontaneous transmission of wisdom. This is called by many the descent of Divine Grace on the ripe aspirant. In many traditions, this transmission is considered to happen at the time of initiation, by a guru. The guru is often said to be the granter of wisdom, or as Gods channel for wisdom. On the other hand, there are certainly a great many accounts of these transmission occurring without the need for initiation or a teacher. There are also a large number of people who believe that this Shakti-pata experience comes in varying degrees, not necessarily all at once, at least not for everyone.
Practice
Practice because you love yourself so much, not because you need to fix yourself.
Prayer Ritual
Practice 5X Rounds
Mantra:
- Use your mantra.
- Say your mantra to yourself 5 times out loud.
- Say your mantra in a whisper 5 times.
- Say your mantra silently in your mind 5 times.
*When you catch your mind engaged in an activity that you find harmful, use your mantra to get reset your mind.
Pranayama:
Viloma
- Start ujjayi, create a nice long breath, balancing the inhalation and exhalation.
- Inhale into the belly for a count of 2 and pause for 2.
- Inhale into the chest for 2 and pause for 2
- Inhale into the shoulders for 2 and pause for 2.
- Exhale slowly, smoothly and completely, pausing for 2.
- Reapeat for 5 minutes.
Meditation:
- Draw your attention into yourself. Removing your awareness of the objects of your senses.
- Focus your minds eye on your object of meditation or on OM.
- Practice for 10 minutes.
- When you feel your mind wander be so gentle in bringing it back. *Remember we are like infants in this journey. Treat yourself as you would your own child.
Try ending your practice by touching your heart and repeating your birth name 3 times.
Reflection
Often when we start to experience more focus (meditation) we enter a middle realm, somewhere between the physical and celestial. Touching the heart and repeating your name is thought to bring you back to the physical so you can perform your human tasks.
- How did ending by touching your heart and repeating your name feel?
- Have your heard any stories of sacred transmissions, shaki-pata?
- Have you ever had a shaki-pata experience?
