Om! The Turn to Self-Knowledge and Spirituality by Atman Nityananda

 The Turn to Self-Knowledge and Spirituality

Ιntroduction

The journey towards self-knowledge and spiritual awakening rarely begins in a state of comfort or satisfaction.

Often, it arises from a sense of saturation with external life—when sensory pleasures, career achievements, entertainment, or relationships no longer provide satisfaction, meaning in life, and joy. Also from a great unexpected unhappiness due to death or illness, or when we intensely experience the existential void, when we go through a personal crisis that forces us to look deeply within ourselves, when we feel that we have “hit rock bottom.”

Such moments of crisis are often accompanied by an intense desire to discover the deeper meaning of life, who we really are, why we are here? These questions ignite the beginning of a search for knowledge and some inner path or teaching.

Deeper Desire

From my experience, I believe that in order for someone to change the course of their life, to turn towards spiritual life and to begin serious inner work, beyond the crisis there needs to be an inherent deeper interest in the meaning and mystery of life. This interest is not simply curiosity or a simple desire for change, but a more sincere and deeper desire.

Inner Work

On this inner path, inner work is the essential tool for discovering the mysteries of the mind and the truth that lies beyond the level of the senses, emotions, thoughts, the mind, and the body in general.

In order to progress on the inner path and remain steady in practice, sincerity, determination, practicality, and the courage to abandon habits, comforts, conveniences, pleasures, and activities are required, as well as to confront the darkest aspects of ourselves, to acknowledge our weaknesses, and to consciously strive for transformation.

Inner transformation and awakening is a gradual journey beyond the illusions of the “ego” towards a reconnection with our true nature, the core of our existence, the silent presence of Consciousness.

The work gradually deepens our awareness and develops the higher aspects of the mind and heart, brings us closer to authentic happiness, fulfillment, and freedom, and cultivates a lasting inner peace.

The Inner Journey as the Purpose of Life

This journey is neither easy nor quick, but it is the most important and liberating journey of life.

Ultimately, the search for truth is itself the purpose and meaning of our life, which ultimately is the ultimate purpose of life.

Meditation Through Feeling the Body

 

Meditation Through Feeling the Body

Feeling the body is a simple way to disidentify and disengage from the mind and thoughts and to come into conscious attention and awareness, into awareness that we exist and into awareness of the inner silent presence, (which is our true nature, always peaceful, whole, free and blissful).

Most of the day we identify with thoughts, emotions, and sensory experiences. Identification happens mainly through thoughts and also includes the “stealing” of attention by the ego. One of the easiest and most effective ways to disidentify from thoughts, gain control of attention, and become aware of the inner silent presence is to withdraw attention from the mind and turn it toward our body. Through conscious awareness of the body, we become aware of our existence and of the inner silent presence.

The process of disidentifying from thoughts (but also from anything else we are identified with) and coming into awareness of the inner silence is simple and requires no effort. We simply withdraw our attention from the mind and bring it to the body by consciously feeling our body. As we feel our body, we come into contact with the feeling that we exist and with the inner silent presence, which is always present, peaceful, and blissful, but we do not pay attention to it, both out of ignorance and because of the continuous movement of the mind and our identification with the mind and sensory experiences. Through my experience, I have found that, in order for the transfer of attention to where we want it to go to happen easily and effortlessly, small phrases help us, either in the form of an affirmation or in the form of a question. As soon as we think of the phrase, our attention effortlessly goes where we are thinking and we become aware of what we want without any effort.

In this case, I have chosen four phrases which will help us to disidentify from the mind and become conscious of the inner silent presence at the center of our existence.

You can use the process I propose below both for seated Meditation and at any moment during the day to return to awareness of the inner silent presence (self-awareness) and remain in contact with the peace and fullness of our true nature. Practicing this method at home will help us apply it more easily and effectively during the day as well. I remind you that, in order to have results with any method we have decided to apply, we should practice it steadily and systematically until it becomes automatic.

The Practical Application

Say each phrase mentally and feel calmly. Say:

· “I feel the body” and feel the body,

· “I feel that I exist” and feel that you exist,

· “I feel the silence” and feel the silence,

· “I remain in the silence” and remain in the silence as the silence

You can also say the phrases as questions/inquiries.

Ask yourself:

· “Can I feel my body?” And feel your body,

· “Can I feel that I exist?” And feel that you exist,

· “Can I feel the silence?” And feel the silence,

· “Can I remain in the silence?” And remain in the silence as the silence.

With the last phrase, we become aware of the inner silence and remain there without trying any more for it. If our attention moves elsewhere, we say the first phrase again, “Can I feel my body?” and come into contact with the body and continue with the remaining phrases until we once again come into contact with the feeling of existing and the inner silent presence. 

Every time your attention moves away, do the whole process again from the beginning, starting with the first phrase, “Can I feel my body?” or “I feel my body,” and continue with the remaining phrases.

When you are in awareness of the silence and notice that you are tensing up in order to concentrate more on the silence, or you are tensing up in order to remain in contact with the silence, the following question/inquiry will help you relax: 

“What do I need to try in order to experience the silence?” “Is it a matter of effort to experience the silence?” or “Do I need to make an effort to feel the silence within me?”

Remember that the recipe for success is continuous daily practice, steady determination and the will to achieve our goals, self-confidence, patience, perseverance, and endurance in the face of difficulties.

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Expressions of Ego! ~ Swami Sivananda

Expressions of Ego!

by Swami Sivananda

Wherever there is ego, there are mine-ness, selfishness, likes and dislikes, lust, anger, greed, hypocrisy, pride, jealousy, delusion, arrogance, conceit, impertinence, Vasanas (desires, tendencies), cravings (Trishna) and Vrittis (thought-wave; mental modification) or Sankalpa (resolve to do something), clinging to this earth-life (Abhinivesha), agency, doer (Kartha) and enjoyer (Bhokta).

This ego wants to exercise power and influence over others. He wants titles, prestige, status, respect, prosperity, house, wife, children. He wants self-aggrandisement. He wishes to domineer and rule over others. 

If anybody points out his defects, his vanity feels offended. If anyone praises him is elated. 

This ego says, ‘I know everything’. He does not know anything. ‘What I say is quite correct’. What He says is quite incorrect. ‘He is inferior to me’. ‘I am superior to him’. He forces others to follow his ways and views.