Sunday, January 31, 2016

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/pda_xtLFtFU

Watch the video MANAGING THE ANGER-Manejando el enojo  of Eckhatrt Tolle  
English with Spanish sub
Watch The video UNDERSTANDING THE LIVING INQUIRIES of Scott Kiloby
English