Acceptance, attention, enquiry and the dissolution of emotions - Atman Nityananda

Acceptance, attention, enquiry and the dissolution 

of emotions and all egoic tendencies

(anger, fear, impatience, gluttony, jealously, inferiority, fear of rejection, reputation, lust, etc., 

The important factors for the dissolution of all the egoic tendencies are: Self-awareness, acceptance, disidentification from mental and emotional forms, focused, attention, enquiry with discriminative observation, braking the emotion's identification with the thoughts and be aware of the silent space of awareness.

Many spiritual teachers say (this is my experience also) that the perhaps the most effective way to free out mind from the negative or painful emotions as well as of all egoic tendencies, desires, addictions etc. is to welcome them when they are manifested in us, accept them, pay attention to them and stay with them consciously. In the contrary resistance keeps us entrapped in them and empowers them because resistance comes also from the same source the ego. By avoiding to pay attention to them, to observe them, to investigate them, we remain unaware of them and thus our psychological functions and behavior are conditioned and limited by them.

They give to this practice different names like mindfulness, presence, inquiry, etc. but this is not the important thing. The important thing is that this practice works and gives great results. 

I have seen also that even though the core of the practice is the same, each one of them does this practice with a different way.   Despite the differences all teachers affirm the effectiveness of their practice.

To understand that the differences are not so important and do not affect the efficiency of this practice a similar is the great sport players of football, tennis etc. All top players perform in a very high level the same skills and even though the fundamental principals of their movements are the same for all, each one performs every skill with a very unique way.

The same happens with the spiritual practices. Each one will apply and develop any spiritual practice in a unique way, according its own understanding, capacities, experiences and mental constitution. 

After many years of practice I have also found a similar way that I name it, one-pointed discriminative enquiry by which I can disidentify from the mental and emotional stuff and observe them with a laser like attention, recognize its nature as well as the egoic tendency which is behind them, and dissolve them by bringing on them the power of the silent vibrating space of awareness and also by prayer and mantra.

 I make some allusions relative to this  practice in my previous article "Emotions and identification with the thinking process",
http://elmisattva-nonduality.blogspot.com.es/2016/01/emotions-and-identification-with.html

Similar is the self-enquiry I explain in this essay: http://elmisattva-nonduality.blogspot.com.es/2015/03/the-practice-of-self-enquiry-by-atman.html,  This enquiry it is not the same as the practice I am referring above but it is very close to it and very important to practice it too.

It is of great importance (there is no other way) not to identify with them (emotions, impulses, sensations, desire) and be aware of the inner silent space of awareness. Moreover to let them be and embrace them with full attention. If they are not expressed strongly only by paying full attention they will subside but if they are strong enough they will continue to manifest. In this case we must observe them carefully in order to discern and realize its illusory identification with thoughts, imaginations, sensory inputs(sounds, images etc.), to break its identification with the mental forms and observe them as energy movement; this will help us disedentify more from them and perceive them as an energy movement as something that happens in us due to illusory identifications, projections and perceptions and that we are something more than them. Of course the most important of all is to realize that we the awareness or consciousness (which is our real identity) and that as awareness we are distinct from these and not affected at all by them. But this usually happens after many years of practice (the time depends on the maturity of aspirant ) when our mind becomes pure enough.

 As happens with all skills physical or mental, it is necessary to exercise this 'technique' regularly and consistently in order to be able to apply it skillfully. It is certain that we will have greater results when this practice flows 'automatically'; that means that we will become masters of this practice.

 Thus a regular and persistent practice is needed in order to see a great change in relation with the emotions or the desire we work although will see changes to happen from the first times.

To do this with consistency great motivation, interest, aspiration, willingness and determination to free ourselves from the tyranny of ego are required.

Thus, although every one can succeed with this practice, this is possible for those with a great motivation, interest, determination and regular diligent practice.

I would like also to mention that a clear, one-pointed, sharp mind (sattvic) is of great importance to succeed to this and any other practice; that's why according my experience I suggest an integral sadhana which includes various practices that purify the mind and increase the sattva guna. Some of them are japa nama (Repetition of mantra), prayers, pranayama, meditation, devotional singing, study of sacred texts, satsang, practice in sacred places and a sattvic way of living.

This doesn't mean that we cannot apply this practice from the beginning, but only that an holistic approach is more effective and a basis for an harmonious development of all aspects of human being.

Those who are interested to learn and practice the "One pointed discriminative enquiry"  can be in contact via email.

I suggest you watch the videos of Thich Nhat Hanh, Eckhart Tolle, Hale Dwoskin and Scott Kiloby, in order to hace a broad view about the various approaches for the dissolution of emotions and egoic tendencies. This can be helpful to imrove your practice.

Watch the video: MINDFULLNESS -LA ATENCIÓN CORRECTA Y EL ALIVIO DEL SUFRIMIENTO with  Thich Nhat Hanh,
English, with Espanol sub
https://youtu.be/CflDO9klo18

Watch the video: METHOD OF SEDONA exercise 2 and the BASIC exercise. 

English with Spanish sub

https://youtu.be/n1yxy0C3p9Y

https://youtu.be/pda_xtLFtFU

Watch the video MANAGING THE ANGER-Manejando el enojo  of Eckhatrt Tolle  

English with Spanish sub

https://youtu.be/K6jX50mySC0

Watch The video UNDERSTANDING THE LIVING INQUIRIES of Scott Kiloby

English

https://youtu.be/CGesHzoyw_k



Om! Emotions and their identification with the thinking process - Atman Nityananda

Emotions and their identification with the thinking process

When there are not strong emotions associated with the thinking our identification with the thoughts is very weak. In this case the thought process subsides very easily only by giving attention to it.

But when there are emotions or a desire behind the thoughts, the identification is strong and becomes difficult to us to stop the identification and the thinking process.

The stronger the emotions or the desire associated with the specific thoughts the stronger the identification  will be and more difficult the disidentification will happen and the subside of the particular thoughts. That's why for example when we are angry we cannot control our mind and usually we regret for the words we said and the action we did under the influence of anger. The same happens with fear. When fear is expressed in relation with something then particular thoughts occur repeatedly in the mind. The same happens with desire. When desire for sex is activated the mind is filled with sexual thoughts.

Thus it is necessary to investigate not only the thoughts but what emotions, desire, need and belief is behind these thoughts.

When we are in the self-observation mode (we must be always or as much as possible we can) we must also focus our attention to our body in order to discover what emotions, sensations, impulses are functioning in relation with the thoughts that appear in the mind.

By being conscious of our emotional and mental patterns we have the opportunity to free ourselves from its dominion. We cannot free ourselves from something that we ignore or we do not know well enough. 

Then with the power of laser like attention, discrimination and enquiry* we must stop the identification of emotions or the desire with the particular thoughts which of course are related with some object or situation aw well as we must  apply some ´technique´** in order to eliminate the emotional or desire energy.

This is the only way to free ourselves from the egoic tendencies and enjoy the peace and bliss of our true nature (Atman, consciousness).

NOTE:

attention, discrimination and enquiry*:

ENQUIRY BY QUESTIONING: Appropriate questions are perhaps the most helpful way (especially in the first period of our sadhana) to stop our identification with the thoughts and the emotions and also to disassociate the emotions from the thoughts (viz. to perceive thoughts and emotions as separate). By questioning what we feel and think we take the energy from the mental and emotional stuff and also we gather our attention and we become alert and self-aware. From that state (of self-awareness and alertness) we can take farther 'steps' to eliminate the emotional energy (of course the dissolution of all egoic tendencies and emotions needs a more holistic approach). Together with questioning is also necessary a focused discriminative attention.

The energy of emotions or the desire starts to fade out already by disidentifying from the stream of thoughts and the emotions and much more by perceiving the emotions or the desire (which nature is also emotional) as separate 'things' from the particular thoughts that are associated. We can manage to perceive the emotions and thoughts as separate by putting full attention on them alternately (on the thoughts only and then to the emotions only) and by the capacity of discrimination.

In the case of desire in order to stop identification with it, perhaps the most powerful way is to change the imagined image of the desired object. The desire always in order to delude us projects itself on an image. By the power of imagination the desire makes this images to appear very attractive. So if we change this image with a disgusting image then the attraction fades out and the desire subsides. Together with this we can apply a ´technique´** (see below) to dissolve the desire energy.

For example if the desire for sex arises in us and is projected on an image of a woman with blond hairs etc. then we must change this image and imagine this woman without skin, seeing the flesh, the blood and the bones behind the skin or we can imagine how this woman will be at the age of 80, with a wrinkly skin, without hairs etc.

Another way is to think about the momentary nature of pleasure and that one day we have to abandon it any way as well as the suffering that is associated with pleasure. Of course a tamasic and rajasic mind cannot do these reflections; it sees the pleasures as paradise on earth.

´technique´**: 

We can pray to divinity or the Divine Shakti to dissolve this particular energy. 

We can also repeat a mantra of God or the Divine mother (Om, Om Sri Durgaye namaha, Om Jesus Christ namaha, Om nama Shivay etc.). 

Another more advanced way (if we are capable to do so) is to 'download' the power of the silent space within on the emotion by focusing our attention in the source of the silent space and then without to lose connection with it to put our attention also to the emotion.

READ 

PRÁCTICA PARA LA DISOLUCIÓN DEL EGO

The struggling ego and the blissful Soul ~ Atman Nityananda

The struggling ego and the blissful Soul 

The worldly life is a struggle to overcome the innate emotions of uneasiness, discontentment, something is lacking and dissatisfaction through pleasant experiences, sensual pleasures and comforts, as well as to overcome the fear of rejection, to be not accepted and the feelings of insufficiency, and inferiority and feel that we are recognized, accepted and special.

When our ego do not achieve this we become angry, depressed, more insecure, we are overwhelmed by resentment, disappointment, frustration, loneliness, isolation, etc.

But that is the game of ego which limits us to the body, the senses and the lower mind. It is the ego that as a cloud covers our essence which is always free from all suffering and pain; which it is an inexhaustible source of peace and happiness without limits.

Even in the moments that the ego has totally dominated us, in our heart reins deep peace, freedom and bliss.

Stop identifying with the vital ego, this thief of happiness and eternal peace.

Wake up, remember that you are the King of the mind, the light of consciousness that illuminates the mind, the light which is eternal existence, freedom absolute and boundless bliss!

There is only one desire - Atman Nityananda

There is only one desire

I have written in previous essay that in reality there is only one desire: the desire to experience pleasure and satisfaction. The desire tries to find pleasure and satisfaction in association with the sensory experiences and objects.

That means that the objects are only the means that fulfill the main goal which is pleasure and satisfaction. The objects may vary but the goal is the same pleasure and satisfaction.

These days 'by chance' I found in a website that some researchers also found that humans are addictive to seeking itself and not only to the substances. That the main problem is more the constant impulse of seeking itself than a specific addiction to some object or substance.

~~~~~~~~

I put here an extract from this article:

""A new study by researchers at the Universitat Jaume I of Castellón seems to confirm this finding. The study says that the widespread belief that dopamine regulates pleasure should be discarded.

According to the study, dopamine is not connected to the moment of pleasurable attainment of an end result of seeking, but rather to the ACT OF SEEKING ITSELF. This may explain why people spend hours, days, months and years enslaved in the act of seeking eating the best donut in the bakery, purchasing the nicest clothes, drugs, porn,....

That’s how we get a continuous “hit” of dopamine — through the act of seeking itself. 

We could be addicted to anything – as long as the seeking for it is continuously giving us the hit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

They call it 'act of seeking itself' but according my own experience this is the desire mechanism which impels us continuously to find pleasurable experiences. And as I said in previous essays in reality there is only one pleasure, the sexual pleasure. All other objects (like food, drinks, substances etc.) are substitutes for the sexual pleasure. The most common substitute is food pleasure because the mouth is made from the same tattva with genitals.

The desire is illogical and projects itself to innumerable objects through imagination and identification. That's why the companies spend millions of dollars to adverdise their products. 

And what is the main way to delude the consumers?  Sex. Most of ads have a woman mainly or a man which tries by any mean to trigger the sexual desire of the consumers in order to associate this desire with the image and the name of their product. If the desire mechanism or an emotion arises during the play of the ad then the association has been made and the consumer's mind is programmed and conditioned by this. You may say no but it is certainly yes. You cannot avoid this. This becomes a seed in your subconscious and will flourish when the time will come. Only a yogi with great capacity of detachment and self-awareness could avoid this. 

Thus the desire mechanism through imagination, projection, association and identification multiplies and associates itself with different objects. Thus the innumerable desires are born.

Of course desire creates in us the uneasiness,, discontentment, incompleteness, boredom, so as to impel us seek something pleasurable to overcome these negative states at least for a while, because desire is insatiable and wants more and more pleasure (greed). The three characteristics of desire is that wants more, better, more intense pleasure. And when doesn't find pleasure and satisfaction then transforms itself in disappointment, depression, melancholia, etc.

Fortunately the desire mechanism is not the unique factor that functions in us. From our Soul comes the impulses and aspirations for happiness, love, intimacy, freedom, creativity, Truth, immortality etc.

Every human being is a field in which play all lower and superior powers and energies of the universe. Our lower self clings towards pleasurable exhilarating experiences which give short term satisfaction and sense pleasure and our Soul impels us find everlasting happiness , freedom, love, peace etc.

The intellect is between the lower self and the soul. If the intellect is hypnotized by the illiusive power of desire then we become victims of desire and suffer in various ways. If the intellect clings more to the deeper aspirations of the Soul then it becomes our faithful servant and the powerful instrument by which we can free our mind from the desire mechanism and all its modifications and branches (The desire expands as greed, attachments, addictions, likes-dislikes, attraction-aversion and also as impatience, fear, anger, envy, disappointment, depression, etc. and then to all mental and emotional distortions).

According my experience it is of great importance for the aspirants after truth to investigate how this desire mechanism functions, how deludes us, how we are caught in its teeth and how can we liberate our mind from its clutches.

Association, projection, identification, superimposition and imagination are the arms of the desire mechanism.

We must investigate how identify with the impulse of desire and how we are deluded by the imaginations and projections of desire on the objects.

Discrimination, self-control (control of senses and mind), dispassion, detachment, self-awareness, constant vigilance and alertness, concentration, prayer, japa nama meditation as well as patience, perseverance, determination, forbearance, self-confidence and a sattvic living are essentials in order to eliminate the mechanism of desire.

The relation of ego with negative emotions and desire - Atman Nityananda

 The relation of ego with negative emotions and desire

The ego is so deceitful that makes us sense and believe that 'we, are angry, 'we, are afraid, 'we, are discontent, 'we, are impotent.., while in reality only the ego itself is afraid, is angry etc... While in reality 'we are something more than the ego; the ego, which is only a part of the whole human structure), hypnotize our intellect and our discernment and make us perceive, sense and believe that we are the ego itself and due to the identification of the ego with the body we think we are a body-me.

If you are attentive you will note that when a negative emotion is expressed in you, (anger, fear, depression, irritability, discontentment, guilty...) this ego-sense or 'Iness becomes stronger. You feel the ego-sense more strongly and you are more identified with this 'Iness as well as you experience more intensively the sense of separation.

Why happens this?

Because the ego, the negative emotions as well as the desire are not different or separate 'things'. Emotions and desire are just modifications of the ego itself. The same ego-energy which assumes the form of 'Iness or ego-sense assumes also the form of the negative emotions (anger, impatience, discontent, guilty, jealousy) as well as the form desire, greed, avarice, gluttony, like-dislike, etc..

The relationship of the ego with the negative emotions is like the relationship of the trunk of a tree with its branches.

Thus when for example the anger, which is a strong emotion, is expressed in us, the whole field of the egoic-energy is vibrating; that’s why the sense of 'Iness or ego-sense becomes stronger. The ego-sense (as well as the sense of separation) intensifies according the intensity of the vibration of the egoic-energy; the stronger is the expression of the emotion or the desire the stronger will be the ego-sense.

The ego-sense remains in subtle state until (due to some trigger) it happens an emotional (mainly) and mental reaction of the mind (viz. when arises in us a negative emotion or a desire); this emotional and mental movement vibrate the egoic-energy field and thus the subtle state of 'Iness intensifies and becomes strong. It is always the expression of some egoic reaction that makes the ego-sense stronger.

That's why when we eliminate from our psych an emotion or a desire the whole field of egoic energy is reduced. That means that even the 'Iness is reduced a little bit. And the opposite also happens; when we reduce the energy of ego-sense all its expressions lose a little bit of their power. Of course we cannot note an observable difference when we reduce only a little bit of the egoic energy especially in the beginning of our spiritual journey.

That's why it is better in the beginning of our journey to work with certain expressions of ego; viz. to work with some particular expression of the negative emotions or a particular desire. For example we may become angry when the others do not accept (or we think so) our opinions. We must release this anger energy related to this situation and thus we will be free from it and we will have concrete results of our work. Thus we can evaluate the efficiency of our practices and our capacity to apply them efficiently.

How we eliminate the egoic tendencies, negative emotions? There are different ways and approaches but there are some common requisites.

Motivation, aspiration, willingness, sincerity, coherence, determination, self-confidence, patience, perseverance, diligence, as well as to practice and develop self-awareness, self-observation, disidentification, dispassion, control of senses and mind, concentration, meditation, self-enquiry.

THE MOVEMENT OF DESIRE - Atman Nityananda

THE MOVEMENT OF DESIRE

When the impulse of desire arises in us, arises together with thoughts, imagination and emotion. The desire through the imagination creates a blurred image of the object and projects on it a portion of the pleasure that we will experience when we will be in actual contact with this object and usually associate with this image some sensory memories which are related to this object (color, shape, touch, sound, odor).

For example if arises the desire for coffee, together with the image of coffee and the projected pleasure on it, it will emerge from memory its smell and taste. That´s why some times when you drink the coffee and its taste don´t suits to the imaginary taste of the memory, you may not enjoy your coffee as much as you expected.

When the impulse of desire arises in us, (along with imagination, thoughts, emotions and sensory memories), puts in motion the body the senses and the intellect and uses them as servants to get what it wants and arrive this ´blessed´ moment of pleasure. Usually, together with the desire arises also the impatience to experience the desired object as quickly as possible. The more intense is the desire the stronger will be the impatience. The other ´followers´ of desire and in reality modifications of desire itself are the fear, anguish, anger, and ultimately the depression and disappointment. (read about  the ´followers´ of desire http://elmisattva-nonduality.blogspot.com.es/2015/09/the-main-cause-of-suffering-is-desire.html

If for some reason we refuse to fulfill the desire, (this happens especially with spiritual aspirants) then the energy of desire transforms in an uncomfortable and torturous sensation which is intolerable and pressing. This ´small´ but unbearable torture is the way that uses the desire to make us unable to resist it and eventually giving in and fulfill it.  

But usually the desire doesn’t always maintain this unpleasant and pressing form constantly. The desire alternately assumes its unpleasant and torturous form and then its pleasurable. Thus the desire in order to make us give in, on the one hand tempt us with an imaginary foretaste of the pleasure that we will have when we experience the object of desire,  and on the other hand makes us suffer assuming a torturing intolerable pressing form. The desire assumes these two forms alternatively very fast; it tries its best to dominate us using both ways.

Some of the times the desire make us give in because its pleasurable form is very strong and we cannot resist it and lose the ‘promised’ pleasure and other times because we cannot bear the torturing form of desire and other times because of both.

In this battle with desire, sometimes the desire wins us and others times we win the desire. Sometimes the desire subsides temporarily but arises again after a while, and when we are unprepared or without energy makes us give in too easily and without great resistance. That’s why it is important to keep our energy high and be constantly vigilant and alert. That’s why great masters like Jesus Christ have said repeately:  Be on guard! Be alert!

In this inner battle against desire we must prepare ourselves more and more and every time that the desire will arise again we must be more prepared to free ourselves from it. We must work with each desire separately as a different ego and dissolve the association of the desire-energy with the abject which is attached. We can also work with the core of desire which is the impulse that wants to externalize the mind and express itself in relation with objects; but this is possible only for advanced aspirants.

Discrimination, self-control (control of senses and mind), dispassion, detachment, self-awareness, constant vigilance and alertness, concentration, prayer, japa nama meditation as well as patience, perseverance, determination, forbearance, self-confidence and a sattvic living are essentials in order to eliminate desires.

The ego and all desires, samskaras and vasanas are totally burnt out in deep Nirvikapla samadhi says the great sage Swami Sivananda. Until then we have to follow an intense unbroken sadhana with patience and diligence.

The desires we have to work most are: desire for sex, for food, for drinks, for substances (alcohol, tobacco, etc.), for superiority, to be accepted and recognized, to be special, for money, to have right, desire to speak... You can fill this list with your personal desires.

In reality there is only one desire: the desire to experience pleasure and satisfaction. The desire tries to find pleasure and satisfaction in association with the sensory experiences and objects.
And this action of desire expands as greed, attachments, addictions, likes-dislikes, attraction-aversion and also as impatience, fear, anger, envy, disappointment, depression, etc. and then to all mental and emotional distortions.

In our effort to eliminate the desires the questions that arise and need an answer (not intellectual but practical) are: 

How the desire functions and how we identify with it?

How the desire associates images, sensations, impulses, emotions and creates an illusory reality?

What is that or what part of ourselves is that which gives in to the urge of desire for enjoyment and consents to the experience of pleasure? 

What is that or what part of ourselves is that which cannot stand the torturing sensations that creates the desire? 

How can I cancel the mechanism of desire which creates pleasure in mind in order to lead us to the enjoyment of pleasure? 

How can I cancel the torturing mechanism of desire which is pressing us in order to give in and experience the pleasure that desire wants? 

How can dissolve the desire for an object? 

The force of impressions is tremendous. Unless all the impressions are thoroughly burnt through entry into the state of the pure Nirvikalpa Samadhi, it is not safe for one to stay a long time in one’s native place. He will still be in the danger zone.

When Brahman is realised by means of Nirvikalpa Samadhi, then the heart’s knot viz., Avidya (ignorance), Kama (desire) and Karma (action), is destroyed.
~ Swami Sivananda

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