SELF REALIZATION IN PRACTICE by Nityananda Atman

ADVAITA ATMA YOGA 
 “The Path of Fire” - The double approach 

Self-realization in practice

If we want to experience real happiness, freedom, peace and love we have to eliminate totally the ego which like a virus has occupy our psych with all its desires, passions, negative emotions, likes, dislikes etc. and realize our self as pure consciousness and identical with the universal consciousness (That we call as God, spirit, Brahman etc.).

Fiery aspiration, sincerity, steady determination, faith, self-confidence, will-power, adaptability, perseverance, patience, self-control, purity of heart and mind, one-pointed mind, dispassion and discernment are important qualifications to realize our true self.  

In order to develop these qualities we have to follow a spiritual oriented life based on Spiritual sadhana and Sattvic living

 I classify the main practices of spiritual life in three parts. These three directions of spiritual practices aim to specific aspects of spiritual development. 

 In our daily program there are certain practices that enable us to become conscious of all egoic patterns in us and eliminate them from our psych. Other practices enable us to discriminate between the real and the unreal in order to cognize what is our true nature or our true identity.

There are also special purificatory practices and other that give us a lot of energy.

All practices are related between each other and the development of the one facilitates the development of all.

 

FIRST	SECOND	THIRD
Self-awareness Self-observation Japa-mantra   Devotion Prayer Affirmation and positive suggestions Control of senses (Pratyahara) Control of mind DIVINE-SHAKTI-Shadana* Self-surrender	SATTVIC LIFESTYLE Sattvic: food-impressions-relations-actions-virtues Development of discernment, dispassion & other virtues Positive attitudes Study of spiritual books  Participation in Satsangs,  Sadhana at Ashrams or spiritual centers	Self-enquiry One pointed discriminative enquiry Reflection Concentration Meditation

 

COMMENT. THE DIVINE-SHAKTI-Shadana*: The main aspects of our work with the Divine Mother are: prayers, recitation of mantras, recitation of stotras, recitation of Her divine names, singing Shakti-kirtans, the fire ceremony (Yagna), the Suria yoga or Sun gazing, transformation of sexual energy through special practices that include mantra and pranayama.

These three directions of practice have as a goal the elimination of the ego and the realization of our true Self (Consciousness):

More specifically through the practices we want to achieve:

First: The purification and transformation of our (vital-emotional) energy field and the subconscious mind. We need to increase the quality of sattva in our system and remove rajas and tamas qualities. If we manage increase the sattva guna (in the mind and in our energy field) in a great degree then we have created the foundation upon which all other practices can easily flourish. To increase the  sattva guna we have to maintain sattvic associations at all levels of the existence and participate in satsangs. Our food and drink must be sattvic as well as all sensory impressions (sounds, colors, sights, smells), we must read sattvic books, listen to sattvic music and songs, make relations with sattvic people and spiritual teachers, keep contact with nature that is sattvic etc.

In addition in order to eliminate the egoic energies are needed specific practices such as breathing, prayer mantras, sacred chants, pratyahara, detachment, dispassion, meditation, and also natural treatments like taking Bach flowers, fasting, reiki etc.

Second: The cultivation of certain virtues as discernment, dispassion, self-confidence, will-power, perseverance, patience, etc., which are necessary to remove the ego and overcome successfully all obstacles on the spiritual path towards liberation.

Third: To discover all egoic propensities that are within us (desires, negative emotions, greed, attraction-aversion, etc.) and remove them completely.

Fourth: The Re-discovery of our true nature. By hearing, reflecting, meditating and do self-enquiry. First by hearing and reading about the nature of our true Being and then reflecting on what we have read and heard. And then through discernment, meditation and self-inquiry realize our divine Self.

Fifth: To establish ourselves in our true nature through nirvikalpa samadhi, which we can achieve by incesant meditation and self-enquiry.

Apart of the fundamental practices mentioned above there are other methods and practices that support and facilitate the development of the basic practices.

Here's an example. I mentioned earlier the importance of eating sattvic foods. But from the spiritual point of view, it is not important only the quality and quantity of the food we eat. Equally important is the way we eat because it affects a lot mind. It's totally different to eat fast, without attention and emotionally disturbed than to eat in silence and do some mantra or prayer (this is a sattvic attitude). When we eat with a sattvic attitude, eating becomes a yoga practice. (This way of eating the teacher Omraam Aïvanhov calls Hrani yoga). Thus not only we assimilate better the nutrients but absorb more vital energy and nourish our mind and heart with subtle energies.

Therapies such as reiki, natural essences as Bach flowers or doing consciously simple things like shower, purify our energy field and increase the sattva guna. And thus, all these things help us in concentration, meditation and self-inquiry.

By doing the spiritual practices regularly and constantly will result in the gradual increase of the sattva guna at all levels (physical, vital and mental level). This will enable us have better physical, emotional and mental health, harmony and balance between the physical body, the vital body, the emotional mind and intellect. In order to eliminate the ego is very important to have good health and balance, since the ego will resist and react with all possible means to continue live in our psychology.

By doing regularly the practices mentioned above and all other practices which are related to them, we will manage to make the mind our friend and a very strong instrument that will play the main role in the elimination of the ego and the realization of our true nature.

The mind becomes our friend and a great tool in the spiritual path when it is pure, steady, tranquil, introverted, focused, detached, dispassionate, attentive, and discriminative.

When we are regular in our daily practice (sadhana) our level of  practice gradually increases in quality and quantity and so we become able to develop all the qualities of our heart and mind to such a degree that allows us to move decisively towards self-realization and liberation. 

~ Nityananda Atman