What is Meditation? Video - Atman NItyananda

 Podcast - 4. Meditation and Self-enquiry - Atman NItyananda

Om! Connection with the silence of Being by Atman Nityananda

Connection with the silence of Being

Inner peace and silence are our natural state, but when we lose contact with them, the mind becomes extroverted, turning outward toward distractions and agitation. This disconnection gives rise to restlessness, thoughts, and emotions. However, the mind’s turbulence can subside, and its natural stillness can return when we consciously reconnect with the silence and peace within.

The methods we can use to restore a deep and complete connection with the inner silence are as follows:

1. Questioning Thoughts or Emotions: When thoughts or emotions arise, we can inquire into their source. For example, ask, “To whom have these thoughts arisen?” The answer is “To me.” Then, question further, “What is the source of the ‘me’?” This helps in tracing the origin of our sense of self and reconnecting with inner silence.

2. Focusing on the Sense of ‘Me‘: We can also direct our full attention to the sense of ‘me’ or ‘I.’ In this method, we first use the approach of questioning, but instead of seeking the inner source of ‘me’ or ‘I,’ we focus completely on the sense of ‘me’ itself. We can facilitate the concentration on the sense of ‘me’ by asking these questions: “Can I feel completely this sense of ‘me’?” or “Can I be fully aware of this sense of ‘me’?” By deeply concentrating on this sense of ‘me’, we align ourselves with the inner silence.

Meditation differs according to the degree of advancement of the seeker. If one is fit for it, one might directly hold on to the thinker, and the thinker will automatically sink into its source, namely, pure consciousness (the silent space of consciousness).

Ramana Maharshi

3. Another way to connect with inner silence and deepen it is to focus our awareness fully on the sense of “I am” or “I exist.” To make our attention and mind effortlessly focus on this sense of “I am,” we can use questions like, “Can I fully feel that I am?” “Can I be fully aware that I am?” and “Can I fully attend to the sense of ‘I am’?” By gently being aware of this sense of “I am” or “I exist,” we gradually get in touch with the background of the “I am,” the silent, empty space of consciousness.

4. Inquiring About Connection: Another method is to ask, “Can I connect with the inner silence?” After asking this once or twice, we simply turn our attention within and focus on the inner silence.

Every time our attention strays away from the sense of “I am” or the inner silence, we can use one of the above methods to reconnect with the inner silence. If we use the inquiry method, we ask, “To whom does this thought arise?” The answer is, “To me.” We then connect with the “me” and ask, “What is the source of ‘me’?” If we use the sense of “I am” method, whenever our attention strays, we can ask, “Can I feel the sense of ‘I am’?” “Can I feel that I am?” or “Can I feel that I exist?”. Our focus of attention thus returns to the Sense “I Am”, and we remain gently there, deepening in this Sense “I Am”. Through it, we connect with the silence within.

5. Another way to connect with inner silence is to mentally repeat the mantra “Om.” Repeat the mantra slowly, prolonging each sound, (Ooooommmmmm..) and focus initially on the sound itself and then on how it fades away. After the sound has completely subsided, remain fully aware of the silence that follows. Then, repeat the mantra again in the same prolonged manner, focusing first on the sound and how it gradually fades out. Finally, direct your attention to the silence that remains after the sound has completely vanished, maintaining awareness of this silence. When the mind becomes deeply quiet, we can cease repeating the mantra and focus solely on the silence. If the mind starts to wander or generate thoughts, we use the mantra to regain control and return to inner silence. Each time our mind strays, we repeat the mantra “Om” in a prolonged manner to refocus and reconnect with the inner silence.

How capable we are of maintaining a complete connection with the inner silence and avoiding the extroversion of the mind—thus preventing the loss of contact with it—or, when we do lose contact, how easily we can regain it, depends on the purity of our mind, the extent of our practice and on how much we have developed various capacities such as dispassion, discernment, concentration, devotion, and the desire for truth and liberation.

The ‘secret’ to a plentiful life, a life of harmony, happiness and contentment is to have a sattvic mind free from desires and ego and to live in every moment in conscious contact with our true Self (Consciousness).

🌺 Peace, Love, Harmony

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM by Inquiring into emotions and impulses!

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM 

by Inquiring into emotions and impulses!

Whenever an emotion or an impulse arises in you, you can contemplate the following questions:

To whom this arises?

Am I this emotion (or impulse) or is it something that happens in me?

With this you will be very attentive, you will connect with the inner silence and fully aware of the emotion and distancing yourself from the emotional reaction and thus avoid or stop identifying with it.

With this inner state you can realize that:

- you are not that emotional or impulsive reaction, 

- it is only a mechanical compulsive reaction of the lower nature, and 

- is only agitating your mind and distracting you from inner peace and bliss by a mere meaningless energetic puppetry.

Once you realize this, the emotion or impulse loses its importance and the charm it exerts on you and diminishes.

However, if the emotion persists,  is very alluring, and you find it difficult to disidentify from it, you can also ask yourself:

What do I prefer, to experience, this ephemeral emotional disturbance or to be free, in peace and plenitude?

This contemplation makes you remember the freedom you long for and feel happiness, which results in letting go of the emotion or impulse.

The more attentive and in deep contact with the inner silence we are, the easier it will be to notice the emotion as soon as it arises and the easier it will be to avoid identification with it and let it go.

We can maintain a high level of alertness and Self-awarenes by repeating a mantra, the name of God or an affirmation of our true Self.

I strongly recommend concluding this process by praying for Divine Mother to eliminate the emotional energy and fill you with peace, love and light!

Later at home you can dedicate some time to investigate thoroughly the emotions, impulses and the associated situation to know and understand them in depth and utilize some method for further eliminating their energy. 

You can use for their elimination prayer along with affirmations and visualizations, EFT, the Healing Code, cleanse the energetic channels, chakras and subtle bodies and elimination in the 49 subconscious levels.

OM! Devotion and Self-enquiry are the same by Ramana Maharshi

DEVOTION & SELF- ENQUIRY ARE THE SAME

Ramana: Jnana Marga (advaita self-enquiry) and Bhakti Marga (devotion to God with form) are one and the same.

Self-surrender leads to realisation just as enquiry does. Complete self-surrender means that you have no further thought of 'I'. Then all your predispositions (samskaras) are washed off and you are free. You should not continue as a separate entity at the end of either course.

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi

The 'secret' to a plentiful life, a life of harmony, happiness and contentment is to have a sattvic mind free from desires and ego and to live in every moment in conscious contact with our true Self (Consciousness).

🌺 Peace, Love, Harmony

Self-enquiry, Self-knowledge and Freedom - Nisaradatta

Freedom from the ego-self is the fruit of self-enquiry

Turn away from your desires and fears and from the thoughts they create and you are at once in your natural state.

Q: Is not self-knowledge the reward?

Nisargadatta M: The reward of self-knowledge is freedom from the personal self. You cannot know the knower, for you are the knower.

Q: Myself, full of desires and you, full of desires; what difference would there be?

Nisargadatta M: You identify yourself with your desires and become their slave. To me desires are things among other things, mere clouds in the mental sky, and I do not feel compelled to act on them

The mind cannot know what is beyond the mind, but the mind is known by what is beyond it. The jnani knows neither birth nor death; existence and non-existence are the same to him.

Immortality is freedom from the feeling: 'I am'. Yet it is not extinction. On the contrary, it is a state infinitely more real, aware and happy than you can possibly think of. Only self-consciousness is no more.

The death of the mind is the birth of wisdom

Q: The person goes and only the witness remains.

Nisargadatta M: Who remains to say: 'I am the witness'. When there is no 'I am', where is the witness? In the timeless state there is no self to take refuge in.
The man who cherishes the feeling 'I am' is self-conscious. The jnani holds on to nothing and cannot be said to be conscious. And yet he is not unconscious. He is the very heart of awareness. We call him digambara clothed in space, the Naked One, beyond all appearance. There is no name and shape under which he may be said to exist, yet he is the only one that truly is.

Q: What about the witness? Is it real or unreal?

Nisargadatta M: It is both. The last remnant of illusion, the first touch of the real. To say: I am only the witness is both false and true: false because of the 'I am', true because of the witness. It is better to say: 'there is witnessing'. The moment you say: 'I am', the entire universe comes into being along with its creator.

The trinity: mind, self and spirit (vyakti, vyakta, avyakta), when looked into, becomes unity. These are only modes of experiencing: of attachment, of detachment, of transcendence.

Om! The three main objectives self-inquiry - by Atman Nityananda

 

The three main objectives self-inquiry

The three objectives we use self-enquiry is discerning our divine essence from apparent or lower self, investigate the psychological issues and tendencies and maintain conscious contact with our divine essence (the silent space of consciousness within) and be established in it.

1. To Discern our Divine Essence from the layers or 5 sheaths.
2. To inquire into the Psychological structures and tendencies.
3. To Establish our attention in our True Self, that is, in the silent space of Consciousness.

The 5 Sheaths: According the Advaita Vedanta our apparent self is constituted by five Sheaths.

The five sheaths are:
1. Annamaya Kosha (food-sheath),
2. Pranamaya Kosha (vital sheath),
3. Manomaya Kosha (mental sheath),
4. Vijnanamaya Kosha (intellect-sheath)
5. Anandamaya Kosha (blissful sheath).

‘Maya’ means full. ‘Kosha’ means sheath

You can read about the 5 Sheaths in the following text of Swami Sivananda: Discrimination between the Self and the non-self by S. Sivananda  

You van also read the book Vivekachudani: Adisankarcharya Vivekachudamani.pdf

A brief analysis of the different types of self-inquiry

Discerning our Divine Essence from the layers or 5 sheaths

Explore our divine essence beyond the body, energy, mind, intellect, and ego. Self-inquiry reveals the true Self within.

This type of inquiry is based on the teachings of great masters and spiritual traditions that help us to investigate our immediate experience. Based on the knowledge we explore one by one the layers of our apparent existence.

The purpose of this inquiry is to realize that we are not them and to discern our immortal divine essence (Consciousness) from all the layers.

Inquiring into the Psychological structures and tendencies

Dive deep into your psyche. Self-inquiry unveils the layers of your mind, helping you understand, overcome and eliminate egoic tendencies, emotional and mental patterns, false beliefs and overcome psychological issues.

We dedicate time every day at our place to investigate and delve into the issues and psychological reactions and tendencies we have observed during the day manifest in us.

This process allows us to realize their mechanical repetitive nature, their illusory quality, their causes, and consequences. Through this process we realize that we are not these emotional and mental reactions and we become able to stop identifying with them.

Finally, we use certain means, such as prayer, mantras and EFT, to dissolve part of their energy and weaken them as much as possible for the time being.

Short and Long prayer for the dissolution of Ego

However, it is highly recommended this aspect of self-enquiry to be used throughout the day whenever it is necessary to avoid or cease identification with sensory reality or mental and emotional reactions and make them subside.

Establishing our awareness (attention) in the silence space of Consciousness

The self-inquiry is perhaps the most powerful means to cease identifying with psychological expressions and sensory impressions and anchor our attention in the silent space of consciousness.

This type of Self-inquiry is a process by which we withdraw our attention from any objective experience and focus it on the silent space of Consciousness within ourselves. To facilitate this process we use some question or questions such as, “To whom do these thoughts arise?”, or “To whom does this emotion or impulse arise?”, or “To whom does this perception arise?”. The answer is, “To me.” And then we ask: “Who am I?”, or “What am I?”, or also, “What is the source of the Me or I?”.

This aspect of self-enquiry is practiced in both cases, as a seated meditation and as a means of remaining in self-awareness and detached witnesses of the inner and outer world moment by moment throughout the day.

However, this practice can be successfully practiced as the main or only method of practice by mature aspirants who have developed a pure sattvic mind that involves the development of important sattvic qualities or skills such as devotion, self-awareness, detachment, discernment, dispassion, clarity, one-pointedness of mind and steadiness of mind.

Less mature aspirants should follow a more comprehensive practice that will include a variety of practices related to all aspects of our existence aimed at the purification of the mind and heart and vital energy, the elimination of egoic tendencies of all kinds, and the development of the sattvic qualities of mind and heart.

This is the most direct way or method to focus and stabilize our awareness on our essential divine nature and finally establish ourselves in it.

You can read about the practice of Self-enquiry, The Practice of Self-Enquiry Enquiring ‘Who Am I?’ -Ramana Maharshi

The ‘secret’ to a plentiful life, a life of harmony, happiness and contentment is to have a sattvic mind free from desires and ego and to live in every moment in conscious contact with our true Self (Consciousness).

🌺 Peace, Love, Harmony

Om! THE PRACTICE SELF-ENQUIRY II - Atman Nityananda

THE PRACTICE SELF-ENQUIRY II

What is Self-inquiry  - In general

Self- enquiry is profound investigation of ourselves in order to discover and realize our essential nature, our true Self (Atman) which is Sat-chit-ananda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss absolute). Self-inquiry is perhaps the most powerful way to investigate and realize our true nature.

Self-enquiry is a powerful method to disidentify our attention from the mental, emotional movements as well as from the body and the ego and turn the mind and attention insight towards the source of the mind the inner silence within.

Although Self-enquiry in its traditional form it is a way to turn our mind and attention within in order to discover our essential nature and be established in it we can use it also to explore the lower or egoic self. 

Read sri Ramana's Maharshi instructions about Self enquiry:

THE PRACTICE OF SELF-ENQUIRY by Sri Ramana Maharshi

Especially in the beginning of our journey we must investigate first what we are not.  By one pointed discriminative enquiry we must investigate the nature of our body, the energy field, our perceptions, our mind, our thoughts, emotions, and the ego (the agent of all our experiences and actions) which are impermanent, changing, limited, time bound and an object of perception. By one pointed discriminative enquiry we must discern the permanent from the impermanent, the changing from the changeless, the finite from the infinite, the time bound from timeless, the real from the unreal.

The main factor that prevents us realize our true nature is the ego which deludes us through imagination, identification, projection, superimposition and association. The ego together with rajas and tamas gunas veils our true Self and hypnotizes and distracts the mind by its innumerable desires and thus the mind loses its capacity to discern the real from the unreal. With a deluded by the ego mind we fail to realize that we are the Atman (consciousness) and not a limited body-mind entity which suffers due its apparent separation from the Truth and its consequences (desire, attachment, pride, fear, anger, depression, ).. 
Read about the identifications and the illusions that the ego creates: ENQUIRY INTO THE NATURE OF EGO - by Nityananda ...

Identification and superimposition  are the main factors that ego uses to keep us identified with the body and make us believe that we are a body-mind entity, called Mr-s. So. By self-enquiry we can observe and study all levels of our existence and especially the mind and the ego and by right knowledge, reflection, observation and discrimination to unveil the illusory identifications and superimpositions and realize our true nature.

This enquiry can be done effectively only by a pure, one-pointed, discriminative, dispassionate, clear, tranquil, sharp mind. This doesn´t mean that we cannot practice self-enquiry before we acquire a pure mind with all its capacities well developed. We can practice self-enquiry along with other practices but not as the only one practice of our sadhana.

The dissolution of ego and self-enquiry

As long as the ego exists in us we have to apply various methods or practices in order to eliminate it and free our mind from it. This is a long process and demands a systematic well designed daily practice. One of the main goals of the practice is to stop identification with the egoic mind and its conditioned emotional and thinking patterns and be aware of its play. 

Self-enquiry - Focusing the mind and attention in the source

By questioning who am I? or to whom this thought or emotion arises? We stop mind´s distraction and the identification with mind´s stuff or the ego itself and we turn our attention fully in its source within (inner space of silence and deep peace). As long as the mind remains calm, still and focused in the space of silence and goes deeper and deeper in it there is nothing more to do. But when the mind due to some egoic pattern or tendency, comes out from this state and the ego begins its play we make again the question: to whom this thought arise? And by doing this we bring back our attention in the source of the mind (the luminous silence within. We do this each time the mind begins to move and turns away from the point of focus (the silence). Even if we have advanced in the practice of concentration and we have control over the mind and senses we use self-enquiry as a mean to establish our mind and attention in the silence within. Each time the mind is distracted we make the question and we bring it back to the focus point in order to establish it in the silence within.

Read more about the practice of self enquiry THE PRACTICE OF SELF - ENQUIRY by Atman Nityananda

Self-enquiry and awakening

Our true Self is the silent space or the alive self luminous, peacful empty space within us; It is the immovable and eternal substratum in which all thoughts, emotions, sensations and perceptions appear and disappear constantly. If we manage by practicing self-enquiry become fully aware of the inner silence and if we perceive our ego sense as an object (just as we perceive external objects) we are very close to wake up to our true Self. That is to say, it will be realized by none that we are the self luminous silence itself and not the ego, abody-me that until now we thought we are. Remember that we cannot awake by a voluntary action or by manipulating our mind. We can only create the conditions which are favorable and enable awakening to happen.

Some important steps towards liberation from the egoic mind

These are: 

• to remain alert and self-aware observing with dispassion and discrimination the mind stuff, 
• the disidentification from all egoic patterns and the ego itself, 
• the recognition of our true nature (Self, Silence, Consciousness, luminous emptiness), 
• the awakening that we are the inner silence and 
• finally the establishment on the Self which implies the total dissolution of the ego. 

The time that it will take to happen the awakening and the establishment in the Self varies from one to another and is directly related to the maturity of the soul, the purity and the mental and emotional capacities and the intensity of practice..

The role of Self-enquiry in the sadhana and the importance of mental qualities

The practice of self-enquiry can be the main or the unique practice in our daily sadhana only when our mental and emotional capacities are developed highly and the sattva guna is highly predominant in the mind. It will be effective to practice exclusively self-enquiry  only if we have prepared the mind for several years through an integral sadhana (that included various spiritual practices) and have developed certain mental and emotional skills in a high level.

The purification and the increasing of sattva in the mind, is the basis on whish all important qualities can develop. The concentration, an one-pointed mind, the detachment, the dispassion, the control of mind and senses, the development of discernment (to discern the real from real), the intense longing to know the truth, a calm and tranquil mind, the devotion to truth are some of the most important qualifications to succeed in the practice of self-enquiry and realize the truth. Together with them is also important to develop patience, perseverance, strong will and determination, self-confidence, faith (faith in God, Scriptures and Guru), sincerity, coherence and endurance to difficulties and adversities.

If we have not yet developed all these aforementioned capabilities does not mean that we cannot or it is not appropriate to practice self-enquiry. We can practice it together with other important practices which are appropriate for beginners as well as for advanced aspirants. Certainly we can have quicker and easier success and concrete results in the practice of self-enquiry if we already have developed all the above capabilities in a high level.

It is also true that our ability to apply the self-enquiry effectively will increase more or less quick to the extent that we do it with enthusiasm, with great interest, steadfastness and regularity.

Applying the practice of Self-enquiry

When we are practicing actually the self-enquiry the important factors to succeed are: an as much possible tranquil and serene mind, a concentrated or one pointed mind, attention, dispassionate observation and discernment as well as a very well knowledge about the nature of ego and the Self. It is also important to make the practice with interest, with sincerity, without haste and without strive or fight with the mind.

The practice will give poor results if we do it as a duty, mechanically and without interest. On the contrary we will get great results if we do it with inerest, an open and flexible attitude of the mind, and the curiosity and innocence that children have when they discover new things in the world.

Ego’s resistance

It is certain that the ego will create many obstacles and will resist strongly our efforts to disindetify from it and eradicate it from our psyche and it will try its best to obstructs the awakening to our true nature. 

Until now the ego had the sovereignty over the mind, senses and body and did what it wanted thus now it will not leave its kingdom without to fight for it. The ego in order to continue according its old habits, ways, desires, likes and dislikes it will try to discourage us by any mean and with various ways it will try to make us give up the practice. 

This is the challenge we have to face in the spiritual life and we have to overcome again and again the external adversities and the strong resistance of the ego. Using our intelligence together with steady determination and faith and with the help of all other previous mentioned capacities it is certain that we are going to triumph over the ego; we will overcome all the obstacles and eventually we will be established in our true Being and will live forever in the fullness, the peace and the bliss of Atman.

The forms that assumes the ego’s resistance

In general all egoic reactions are a kind of resistance to life. Bur here I am referring especially to the resistance that the ego puts forward in our efforts to dissolve the egoic tendencies and realize our true Self. The resistance of ‘I’ (ego) assumes various forms and each person has to face in greater degree some of the forms of resistance.

Two forms of resistance

The ego’s resistance in relation with our effort to wake up and dissolve the ego itself assumes mainly two forms .

The first form of resistance has as a purpose to make us abandon the spiritual practices. The ego will try to do this with various ways. I will list here the some of them:

Fear of change, fear to see what happens in our mind and heart, fear of the new, fear of the unknown, refuse or dislike to do the practices, discouragement, laziness, boredom, guilt (I am not worthy), despair, impatience, lack of self-confidence (I cannot do it, I am not able etc.), it is not interested for me the spirituality or some practices, attachment the old habits and refusal to abandon them, disregard of the results and the success we have achieved so far etc.

The second form of resistance has to do with the ego´s effort to maintain us identified with ego itself and its expressions. The ego doesn’t want we to be aware of it and disidentify from it and its expressions (emotional and mental patterns); it doesn´t want let us be conscious of them and understand their play. Ego wants to keep us identified with the mental and emotional patterns in order to feed itself with this particular energy and perpetuate its existence; because ss long as the ego keeps us identified we cannot free ourselves from it. 

Ego´s reaction mode

Reaction is one of the favorite games of the ego. The ego reacts against everything outside which ego thinks that is against its likes, dislikes, opinions, its conditioning etc.. 
But the ego reacts also against its own expressions. The ego in order to keep us indentified with it,  reacts also against the egoic pattern with anger, resentment, complaining, dislike, guilty, impatience, fear, anxiety, agony, indignation, making us believe that we as something different from the ego fight with egoic pattern. But in reality what happens is that the ego itself is fighting itself. By this play the ego hypnitizes our capacity to discern what really happens and thus keeps us trapped in it.

Distraction mode

Another way that the ego uses in order to impede us be conscious of it and its games is to distract our mind using various tricks. Thus while we are trying to observe it and disidentify from it the ego pos up a thought about an important issue we have to do and thus instead of doing enquiry of the nature of ego and be conscious of the silence within we are identifying again with mind stuff.

Remember that complaining, justifications, distractions, fear, guilty, dislike, discouragement, disappointment, laziness, boredom, procrastination, guilt (I am not worthy), despair, impatience, lack of self-confidence (I cannot do it, I am not able etc.) are some of the main ways that ego wants to impede us have progress and continue dominate us.

Read also Ego's illusory mechanisms by Atman Nityananda

How can we overcome the ego’s resistance and all egoic tendencies in general?

We can overcome the ego’s resistance, by developing all capacities mentioned above, by increasing the sattva guna and decreasing the tamas and rajas gunas, by stopping identify with the egoic patterns (mental and emotional) and by decreasing  the strength of the egoic tendencies .  To achieve this, we can use various ways, techniques, practices and methods. There are different paths, yogas and spiritual teachings that give a different approach to achieve this. Each one according his-her capacities, his personality, his needs, his temperament, the past experiences and destiny is going to follow that which is more appropriate for him.

When we cannot by any mean to overcome the resistance of ego especially when it takes the form of inertia, laziness, boredom, discourage, disappointment, despair the best way to get rid this situation is Satsang.

Satsang is the most powerful mean to overcome resistance and have quick progress in all aspects of spiritual life. Satsang is to be in the company of self-realized beings, to practice near them, to listen to his words or to have his blessings. If this is not possible then Satsang with saints or devotees which have achieved a great degree of purification and are fully devoted to spiritual life is of great help. Another way is to stay for a long time and practice in ashrams and especially ashrams which are founded by spiritual masters, such a as Haidakhan Babaji, Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Swami Sivananda, etc. If this also is not possible reading books of Self-realized beings, saints, sacred texts such us Upanishads, Baghavad Gita etc. It is also a great help to participate in the events of a spiritual centre in our city.

Self awareness and acceptance

Self awareness and acceptance are central factors to overcome the ego’s resistance and all egoic expressions in general. It is very difficult to disidentify from the thoughts, desires, emotions if we are not aware and alert enough and if we are not willing to see and accept what we carry in our psych. Acceptance has two aspects: it is the willingness to see and admit that certain thoughts or feelings or emotions exist in us (regardless of whether we like them) as well as to well come them consciously when they arise, without complaining and be angry. There are various techniques to eliminate the egoic tendencies but we cannot go much further without to develop self-awareness and acceptance. Both can be cultivated by steady daily spiritual practices and by increasing the sattva guna in the mind.

The role of acceptane to Overcome egoic patterns

Acceptance it is a very important and effective attitude which enable us be aware and disentify from ego and overcome its resistance. Accepting the external conditions as well as the inner mental and emotional states it is very important because disarms the ego and cancel its power over the mind. As I said before, the ego will consistently and strongly resist and undermine our efforts to eliminate it and transform our mind, our heart and vital energy.

The most powerful antidote to the ego’s resistance and especially to its reactive form is the acceptance of what happens or of what there is in the moment, each moment. When we accept the external conditions as they are, we give little space to the ego to play its games.  When an egoic pattern is functioning in us by do not reacting against it by allowing it to happen by remaining self-aware and as a witness of this happening we do not give to it more energy to perpetuate itself; we are not lose ourselves in this egoic pattern (or to the reactive pattern) and we have the opportunity to observe it, to know it, to undersatand it and finally we can take any action to confront the situation (to pacify the mind and dissolve part of the egoic energy) from a higher level of consciousness.

It is very difficult for us to overcome and eliminate the egoic patterns if we are in a state of resistance, because resistance keeps us trapped in the egoic mode. On the contrary by accepting our psychological state without any reaction and being self-aware we cancel the ego’s power to entrap us in it and we are in a favorite position to pacify or eliminate the egoic energy.

Accepting does not imply a mental interpretation of the situation which usually happens also mechanically or compulsively. Accepting means not reacting compulsively and mechanically (mainly emotionally) to the external situation or to the mental and emotional egoic state that is occuring in our psych; it means not to react compulsively in order to escape from the conditions we are confronted or the inner emotional and mental state.

Accepting requires a higher level of alertness or presence in order not to lose ourselves in the unconscious egoic pattern, to witness and observe clearly what happens in us. Accepting is to see what we experience within without judgment and at the same time ‘trying’ to remain connected with the silence or empty space within. From this inner state of alert presence we are in a position which allows us to disindentify from the emotion or the thinking pattern, to understand its nature and movement and at the same time we can take any action we consider appropriate that moment to paciify it or dissolve it. 

The subside of the egoic pattern and the partial disolution of the egoic energy can happen simply by being alert and connected with silence within or by applying some other technique such as an affirmation, a prayer, a mantra etc. This depends on the circumstances and the intensity of the pattern. The elimination of the egoic energy only by being present and self-aware demands a great degree of Self-awareness and a strong presence and a 'download' of the  inner peace in the lower mind.

When self-awareness is well developed and this attitude of acceptance has become strong enough we will not be afraid any more to see what we carry in the subconscious; we will not be angry when we see again and again to arise in us the same egoic patterns and we will not feel guilty or disappointed because we carry in us all these angly egos. In the state of acceptance we will simply recognize what happens within us, we will become more conscious and present, and from this state of consciousness we will apply some technic to dissolve the mental or emotional pattern.

Mental resistance emotions and desire

 The mental resistance and the negative mechanical  compulsive thinking is caused and sustained by the power of emotions and desire. Therefore we have to learn to deal with our emotions and release little by little the negative emotional energy which is stored in our vital-emotional body. The emotions are vital formations which are related with the desires as well as with certain beliefs, opinions and concepts (we may be conscious or unconscious of them) we have about life, the things of the world and ourselves.

How to deal with emotions

Due to the fact that emotions are associated with the desires, the beliefs, the concepts and the mental patterns we can deal with them with various ways.

As I said before the basis of the work we do in order to dissolve the negative emotions and of course all other egoic tendencies (greed, jealousy, gluttony, pride etc.) is to cultivate self-awareness, to develop the attitude of acceptance and the detached or dispassionate observation towards them.

It is very important little by little to develop the capacity of self-awareness and the attitude of witnessing our thoughts and emotions with dispassion. This capacity of dispassionate witnessing can be developed by practicing witnessing itself and by various other practices such us concentration, meditation, self-enquiry, pranayama, hatha yoga, relaxation etc..

Beyond this fundamental basis (self-awareness, acceptance and dispassionate observation) there are also other important ways to deal with emotions and the egoic tendencies. Our capacity not to identify and remain as dispasionate observers of the egoic patterns increases also by reducing the strength of the patterns and by eliminating the egoic energy. This dissolution is achieved by various practices and technics such as prayer, repetition of mantras, visualization with pranayama, EFT, purification of chakras and prana.

Various ways to free ourselves from negative emotions

I would like to mention that these techniques and practices can be used to dissolve not only negative emotions but all egoic tendencies such as desires, pride, codicia, avaricia etc.

There are techniques or practices that have the power to release the blocked vital-emotional energy directly which has as immediate result to pacify and calm the mind. It is very important to remember that the state of mind it is depended directly from the emotional state. Both create a vicious circle and the one affects the other but the fuell that keeps the mind busy is desire and emotions.

We can pacify the turbulent emotions and release the energy by practicing pranayama, hatha yoga, visualizations, affirmations, prayer, EFT, mantras, japa nama, kirtan, dancing especially with kirtan etc. We can apply each of the above practices on its own, or we can use a combination of them.  For example we can combine pranayama with mantra or with visualization.

There are also various healing methods which are very effective to neutralize and release the negative emotional energy, with a passive way. Such methods are reiki, pranic healing, the Bach’s remedies, Australian Bush Flower remedies, ayuverdic massages, pancha karma etc.

In order to maintain emotional balance, it is very important to establish healthy habits. We must abandon bad habits and develop good habits that will enable us maintain emotional and mental stability. Some of the most important are: to feed ourselves with sattvic food and eat with a calm and concentrate mind, to have enough rest and good deep sleep, to do often bodily exercises, to keep moderation in all activities, to do sattvic actions, to have often contact with nature, to reduce as much as possible disturbing, passionate, violent impressions (some of them totally), to avoid healing asmuch as possible with chemical medicines, to keep the three doshas (vata-pitta-kapha) in balance etc..

The development of virtues such a compassion, love, patience, kindness etc. is another powerful way. By default positive always triumphs negative and creates inner harmony and equilibriium, hence by developing the virtues the negative egoic tendencies and energies gradually will be reduced. If we want to eliminate a particular egoic tendency we can develop the virtue which is opposite to this. For example we can eliminate the jealousy by cultivating in us the happiness for the prosperity and the happiness of all others, considering their happiness as our happiness. We can do this by affirmations, visualizations, reflection and prayer and by expressing our happiness with words and actions in every occasion.

Another important factor to eliminate a negative emotion is to deal with the desire that is behind the emotion, because all negative emotions are directly related with desire. In fact the negative emotions are only modifications of desire itself that’s why the intensity of emotions we express are proportional to the power of desire. The stronger the desire is, the stronger is the anger, the fear, the anxiety, the impatience and the disappointment or the depression we express in relation with this desire. Thus if we reduce the strength of desire for something we reduse the strength of the emotions which are related with this desire.

It is important also to change all wrong beliefs, ideas, opinions and concepts we have about life, the things of the world and ourselves; because the wrong beliefs support the expression of negative emotions and give to the ego the power to doubt our efforts to eliminate it.  

We can change our wrong beliefs by reading books, by listening the words of the wises, by doubting their validity and rightousness, by reflecting and contemplating on them in order to recognize, comprehend and realize the fallacy or the falsity of them. It is important to substitute wrong beliefs with beliefs based on truth and which we  will accept them as true after a profound study, reflexion and comprehension based in the knowledge of sages and our personal experience. Otherwise, if we are not convised enough for the truthfulness of our convictions or beliefs the ego will easily confuse us with its imaginations, projections and false ideas and make us doubt our efforts and make us abandon the spiritual life. Therefore is necessary to examine deeply our beliefs that our living is based.

Very effective methods which can be used not only to release emotions but to eliminate also all the types of egoic tendencies, patterns and habits are: EFT, Hoʻoponopono, the method of Sedona, the Gestalt Therapy and Laughter therapy.

Finally another factor that can help us to dissolve the egoic emotions and the egoic tendencies is to be more conscious of their illusory nature, to reflect and understand the damage and the suffering they give to us and realize that they undermine our emotional and mental well being and the experience of peace, bliss and happiness of our true nature. 

We must have a deep understanding and a deep conviction about the above. We can develop this conviction and understanding by reflecting daily for a while on the suffering we experience due to them and the positive states (peace, plenitude, contentment, love, happiness, freedom, etc.) we will experience if we remove the egoic energies and patterns. This understanding will increase also by being more aware and observing the damage they do when they are active in us and be more aware of the peace and happiness we enjoy when we are free from their play. By eliminating its energy also we will have a more clear view about emotions and their functioning and effects.

READ about the control and elimination of anger and impatience

Conclusion

We can overcome and decrease gradually the resistance of ego and all egoic expressions by increasing self-awareness, by accepting them, by witnessing and observing them with dispassion, by disidentifying from them using self-enquiry and discernment, by reflecting on them, comprehending them, by being aware of their illusory nature and the great damage they do to us and by eliminating them by appropriate methods.

 

QUESTIONING and SELF-ENQUIRY

A very important and effective way to apply the practice of self-inquiry and which very effectivly enable us to disidentify from the egoic mind and be aware of our Self is to make appropriate questions. Questioning the mind is essential and has a great power to stop the identification with the thoughts, emotions and perceptions and bring us in an alert state of presense and self-awareness. This state of presense brings light to what happens in our mind and heart and enable us notice clearly the ego´s games. We can be aware of ego´s ways that the ego uses to manipulate our mind and make us its puppet and faithful servient. By questioning the mind we become aware of the ego's play, its likes, dislikes, desires etc. by which the ego direct us to pleasurable experiences or  makes us suffer.

The moment we question and doubt what we experience (thoughts, emotions, painful or pleasurable sensations ) we give a shock to the mind which brings back the mind in a state of alertness which by its turn stops the identification with this mental- emotional stuff and we become aware of ourselves. This process bring us in a state of alert presense in which we can observe clearly the nature of the egoic expressions and eliminate them from our psyche.

With appropriate questions, such as: 

Who am I? From where does the ego arise? To whom this thought or emotion arises?, Why this thought arise to me? etc. 

we create a shock to the mind, and we enter in a state of intense mental alertness and attention and thus we can turn part of our attention towards the source of the ego that is the silent and peaceful inner space, which is our true Self.

If the egoic pattern is expressed  strongly and the mind continues to think the same things, in order to stop the identification and make the thinking process  subside  we can make another kind of questions: Where are all these things if I do not think about them?, Are these thoughts real? 
Or we can make a statement: These are only thoughts, there is not reality in them. By saying that these are only thoughts and not a reality we become more aware and concious about the ilusory nature of thoughts; they gradually lose their charming and thus the mechanical thinking process disolves.

Indeed there is a charming when a thinking stream is playing in the mind due the association of the thinking with emotions and the illusory sense that these thoughts is a reality; thoughts appear as real due to the superimposition of Reality on the mind stuff. This superimposition of the Reality (consciousness) on the mind and body is the main factor of our ignorance and causes the illusion that the world is real and  the Reality itself (Atman, Brahman ,Consciousness) etc.) is something that we cannot recognise at all.

Another main factor that the compulsive  mecanical thinking happens is that  the ego associates these mental forms with emotions in the same way that does it with external objects and experiences. The emotions function in the same way either we are experiencing an apparently external reality or either we think and imagine about objects and external situations. In reality even the external objects are mental forms as the thoughts and imaginations.

The ego habitually and easily attracts the attention (attention is conscioiusness itself) on itself in order to experience the thoughts, emotions and sensory perceptions and identify with them. By this process  the ego does not allow free space to us (to our conscious mind) to be aware of the silence space within and observe consciously the movement of ego and its egoic patterns. Thus the ego keeps us in a waking sleep state preventing us discern what is our Self and be aware of It. 

The ego has a miraculous capacity like a magnet to attract the whole field of attention on it creating in us the false sense that attention belongs to ego and at the same time that we are the ego. Moreover as I said the ego keeps us  hypnotised and identified with thoughts and emotions, prevending us realize our true nature and lose completly ourselves in the ego. 

That's why it is very important time and again to do these questions giving a shock in the conscious mind in order to disintetify  from the egoic patterns and redirect the atention in the silent space within.

Even by doing so, due to the fact that the ego is very strong, the mechanical and compulsive thoughts and emotions and the identification with them will continue to happen. That's why is necessary to try with patience and perseverance  to remain as much as posible alert and vigilant, in order to impede identifiacation to happen, and keep our attention focused on the centre of our existence within. This process will continue until the complete dissolution of the ego. Of course as we advance in the practise and as the ego will be redused in our psych the power and the frequency with which the egoic thoughts and emotions  will arise in us will also be redused and at the same time it will be increased the time and the frequency we will remain conscious of ourselves. Also will increase the quality of self-awareness, that is to say that we perceive more clearly and profoundly the peace and fulness of our true nature.

This is the great battle between the egoic mind and the higher mind (buddhi). This is a revolutionary process that has as goal to free us from the mechanical egoic way of living which is imposed on us since we were kids and live the freedom, peace and bliss of our true nature.

READ about  the practice of Self- enquiry: