Guided relaxation ~ Atman Nityananda

 

Guided relaxation

We relax the body by passing slowly our attention like a scanner from the toes to the head. We can do this one or more times if necessary.

While we pass our attention from each part of the body we stay there for a while and we say mentally ''my toes for example are relaxed or loose and relaxed''. All tension is letting go my toes. My toes are loose and relaxed.

My toes are loose and relaxed, my feet are loose and relaxed, my ankles are relaxed, my legs are relaxed, my shins are relaxed, my calves are relaxed, my knees are relaxed, my thighs are relaxed, the buttocks are relaxed, my lower back is relaxed, my abdomen is relaxed, my pelvis is relaxed, my waist is relaxed, my spine is relaxed, my back is relaxed, my neck (back) is relaxed, my shoulders are relaxed, my arms are relaxed, my forearms are relaxed, my wrists are relaxed, my palms are relaxed, my fingers are relaxed, my belly (navel, solar plexus, stomach) is relaxed, my chest is relaxed, my throat (front) is relaxed, my chin is relaxed, my mouth is relaxed, my jaws are relaxed, my cheeks are relaxed, my eyes are relaxed, my forehead is relaxed, my temples are relaxed and my head is relaxed. Repeat the above process more than once if we deem it necessary, until the body feels relaxed. As we feel the different parts of our body and become aware of their condition the tensions relaxes.

After relaxing the body through the above process, we can remain in this state of relaxation without doing anything other than remaining aware of the body, mind and inner silence.

Alternatively we can focus on the breath (the rhythm of our breathing) and stay in the breath or repeat the mantra ‘Om, 'Om Nama Shivay' (or some other mantra) in combination with the breath if we will. We can also repeat phrases-affirmations related to our true Self (e.g., ‘I am Brahman, Om Brahman’) or make positive affirmations in relation to a virtue or quality we want to develop (e.g., peace, love, patience, will-power, tranquility, etc.)

Om! DESIRE AND LUST FOR SEX PLEASURE (lasciviousness) - Atman Nityanada

Sexual desire (lasciviousness) is the most fundamental desire. The desire for sexual pleasure  is satisfied by various means and ways, (natural or perverted) and most  psychological disorders (perhaps all) have to do with sexuality directly or indirectly. Sexuality influences our behavior in many ways. (Watch the video "The science of lust").

Gurgieff a great spiritual teacher once said: 

"At the same time sex plays a tremendous role in maintaining the mechanicalness of life. Everything that people do is connected with 'sex': politics, religion, art, the theater, music, is all 'sex.' [..] One thing only. Sex: it is the principal motive force of all mechanicalness. All sleep, all hypnosis, depends upon it. 

Paramahansa Ramakrishna said about lust:

 Lust is like the root of the tree, and desires are branches and twigs.". 

Swami Sivananda said about lust: 

"This whole world is a play of ego. Ego, sex and world are inseparable."

" Passion reigns supreme in all parts of the world. The minds of people are filled with sexual thoughts. The world is all sexy. The whole world is under a tremendous sexual intoxication." 

"A man has a thousand and one desires. But the central strong desire is the sexual desire. The fundamental desire is the urge for a mate. All hang on this central basic desire. The desire for money, the desire for a son, the desire for property, the desire for houses, the desire for cattle and other desires come later on.” 

"If lust, which is the source of all enjoyments in this world, ceases, then all worldly bondage, which has its substratum in the mind, will cease."

SEX & ADVERTISEMENTS

Burger ad

The companies know very well how functions the emotional and desirous mind, that's why they use a lot of sex in their Ads. They want to cause an association between the desire mechanism (related to lust) and their product. Once this association has happened then we are at least positive with their product, and in the appropriate circumstances we will buy it. In relation with the cheap products that we can get easily in order to experience pleasure (like beers, chocolates etc.) the ads have great succeed. Most of the consummation of these products is due to ads. Since the majority lives identified with the desirous vital ego and hypnotized by it (and especially the kids and adolescents which they haven't developed their intellect and intelligence) they become very easily victims of the propaganda of the advertisements. The funny thing (not funny at all), is that young people think that they do what they like while are only imitating what they see, which is what some want to see. Young people are brainwashed by what they see in the media. 

Desire and Buddhi (intellect)

Fortunatly 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 The desire modifies or 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.

Extract from ENQUIRY ABOUT DESIRE ~ Atman NItyananda

Building Emotional Awareness - Positive Psychology

Building Emotional Awareness

A way to explore, know and become familiar with your emotions

By Seph Fontane Pennock και του Hugo Alberts / Positive Psychology Toolkit.

This exercise invites you to become aware of your emotions. It’s your chance to really get to know your emotions. By practicing emotional awareness in this way, you can build your emotional intelligence.

Step 1: Emotional awareness meditation script

1. Find a comfortable seated position. Either sitting on a cushion on the floor, or in a chair. Allow your spine to be straight and long, and let your shoulders drop. Gently close your eyes, or, if you’d prefer, simply gaze down in front of you with a soft focus.

2. As you sit here, notice where your body is making contact: your feet touching the floor, perhaps your back on the ground, your sit bones on a chair...

3. Notice your breath. For the next five or so breaths, follow each inhale and exhale, feeling or imagining the breath flowing into and out of the body.

4. Now, shift your awareness from your breath to your body, and begin to scan through the body slowly from

head to toe, observing any feelings or emotions that are present.

5. You might detect numerous feelings or emotions throughout the body. For the purpose of this exercise, choose

one feeling or emotion to focus on for now.

6. Notice where in your body this emotion located... so what part of the body is holding this feeling?

7. How big or small is the feeling?

8. Where are its edges? Are these edges sharp or soft?

9. Does the feeling have a color? And if so, is the color changing or remaining the same?

10. Is the feeling heavy, or light?

11. Is the feeling moving, or still?

12. Is the feeling hard or soft? Is it rough or smooth? If I could touch this feeling with my hand, what would its texture be like?

13. Now, if you were to give a name to this feeling or emotion, what would it be? Can you identify it? Can you give it a label?

14. If a name for this feeling doesn’t come to mind, that’s OK. Be kind to yourself, and continue to observe the feeling in the body with curiosity and without judgment, until the nature of this emotion becomes clearer to you.

15. Continue to get to know this emotion for another five or so minutes. When you feel that you have reached a level of comfort with and understanding of this feeling, gently open your eyes and bring your attention back to the room you are in.

Step 2: Reflection

In the space below, write about your experience in Step 1 in as much detail as possible. Writing about your experience of this emotion will enhance your understanding and familiarity with it.