Concentration in general is called any connection, collection, condensation. Concentration of thoughts requires the absolute dominance of one thought (or a whole series of thoughts), complete detachment from all external impressions, self-absorption and complete concentration on one’s work. The whole system of my teaching depends on this state, and the main part of it depends on active concentration, and therefore we want to deal with it at the very beginning.
Anyone who wants to influence with thoughts must learn to think intensively. He must develop the ability to think persistently, persisting on one thought, and have the power to suppress all other thoughts, images and ideas that are not in connection with the thought on which he needs to concentrate, that is, to suppress them immediately at the moment of their origin.
At the same time, one must completely detach oneself from all external influences. No irritation or sensation should be perceived through sight, hearing or any other sense organ. Concentration on one chosen thought must embrace all its parts; it is even possible to completely identify our spiritual self, so to speak, with this thought.
The bodily shell of the initiate and everything around him ceases to exist for him during the exercises, as if disappears, and only his spiritual world and chosen thought remain.
This thought, accustomed to be transferred from one idea to another, must be fettered and collected in one focus, as if by an optical glass.
There is a direction in science that considers thoughts as real material things, which, being concentrated intensely and continuously on one point, exteriorize odic and, perhaps, electrical forces that have an effect on matter bordering on a miracle.
The following experience confirms the above. Let us gaze for a long time at any part of the body and, through concentration of thoughts, let us renounce all extraneous thoughts. After some time, depending on the nature of the concentrated thought, this Place turns red and an increased flow of blood begins to flow to it. If you resort to this method systematically, it is possible to promote increased growth or more complete development of this part of the body. Here one involuntarily recalls the phenomenon of growing a plant in front of spectators, carried out by Hindu fakirs.
I remember a story I read about a lady - an Englishwoman with an almost atrophied left breast. By repeating this exercise many times, it was possible to force the underdeveloped breast to become equal in size to the other. Among the advertisements of well-known periodicals there are advertisements about the surest means supposedly to reward all ladies with luxurious busts. In any case, the above remedy is harmless and cheaper than all the charlatan’s vaunted waters and lipsticks.
In order to be able to direct all thoughts with special force to the central point, it is necessary to arrange a closed room, which, if possible, would be protected from street noise. Where this is not feasible, close the windows and exercise at a time when traffic subsides, best to do this between approximately 9 and 10 pm or early in the morning.
Later times are of little use, as the body is tired and one can easily fall asleep during quiet exercise. Night time is chosen only in exceptional cases.
Anyone who wishes to share the place chosen for exercise with another person fences himself off from him with a curtain made of a large scarf or exercises behind a screen. In an alcove arranged in this way there should be a sofa or bed so that during subsequent exercises the student can sit here to bring the muscles to a state of rest. No matter how primitive such a niche may be, through it the student achieves his goal, finally feeling himself in solitude.
I repeat once again that such devices should be eliminated very quickly, and that, in general, they serve only as a beginning, since a person skilled in concentrating thoughts is able to go deeper even with the loudest noise, and, using willpower, isolate all his feelings from all external influences. A serious obstacle to the development of concentration of thoughts is the previously mentioned bodily restlessness.
The student's first exercises should be aimed at acquiring complete mastery over muscular contractions. Let us take, for example, the case when someone has the habit of turning his head at any noise to where he suspects the cause of the noise. This kind of habit can be very difficult for a beginner. He should, during his free time with a book or some other work in the open air, place himself in some place where there is heavy traffic, or in a children's playground, and firmly resolve that nothing can interfere with his work: not even those walking people, nor the noise that rings in your ears. He does not turn his head away from his work under any circumstances; he forces himself to be absolutely calm.
The student will initially be able to perform such an exercise only for a short time, perhaps only for 10 minutes, but little by little he tries to lengthen the duration of this exercise by 5 minutes more each time. Whoever is diligent in his development will soon be able to continue his exercise for a whole hour...
In general, don’t be discouraged by occasional failures, which applies to all the exercises described in this book. Whoever aims his gun may not shoot a hare and will learn to hit the target only after many misses.
It is necessary to accustom yourself to pedantic punctuality. It is extremely important for the success of the exercises to start at one minute (exactly). Through the power of habit, the body will become more obedient and the exercise will become more intense.
MOST people constantly move their arms, and the following exercise should be recommended against this. They put them, as teachers once used in relation to children who came to school for the first time, put their hands on the edge of the table and bend them thumb bottom Everyone is in this voluntary enslavement. free time while reading an interesting book.
The combinations can be very diverse here. Anyone who has such habits and shortcomings will soon create such exercises himself that will be suitable for all kinds of habits and shortcomings and will lead directly to the goal, so that the practitioner should not lose diligence and perseverance.
Concentration of thoughts is the key to all psychic powers. Both in active and passive form, concentration is the basis of mental phenomena caused by everyone consciously. There can be, therefore, no conscious manifestation of an astral being without active concentration of thought; telepathy, therapeutic odism, influencing matter by willpower, etc., are possible only with the help of precise, intense concentration of thoughts, just as psychometry, clairvoyance and clairaudience (Hellhoren) largely depend on the art of inducing a complete passive state, which is opposed to active concentration of thoughts . Therefore, let the student constantly remember that the upcoming exercises, which lie at the basis of all mental abilities, must be performed accurately and with special diligence and should be stopped no earlier than the time when the student can say with a clear conscience that both states (active and passive) are at his complete disposal. Further success depends solely and entirely on the intensity with which a given person is able to concentrate his thoughts on one point or, as will be explained in the next chapter, to become completely free from all thoughts.
If the student performed the above exercises patiently and calmly, then he can begin the exercises in concentrating thoughts.
Everyone has made a more or less long journey at least once in their life. This should give us material for our first exercise.
Every day at the appointed time they retire to their closed room and close their eyes and ears in the indicated way, sit down comfortably and begin to think about one of their travels. They try to recall all its details and mentally imagine that they are making the same journey again. The train of thought should be similar to the following.
Let's imagine a case where the journey began early in the morning. Let's imagine our awakening, how we get out of bed, wash ourselves, get dressed, pick up a travel suitcase and, perhaps carefully, so as not to wake up the sleeping family members, tiptoe along the creaking stairs and go to the exit. It is still dark outside and the gas lamps cast a faint light in the thick and damp fog. Finally we arrived at the station. In a restaurant, a sleepy waiter or maid brings breakfast. There is enough time before the train departs; we sip the fragrant coffee with pleasure and feel how an unusually pleasant warmth spreads through our stiff limbs. Now it's time! We quickly buy a ticket and enter the carriage. The locomotive whistles, the train moves and we roll through the thick fog that spreads before our eyes every time we look out the window. We look at our companions and suddenly a familiar face catches our eye in the corner. A closer look allows us to recognize our friend X., whom we have not seen for a long time. We hastily change seats and cordially greet our unexpected sweet companion, etc.
In one way or another, we can travel again during the entire time, of course, until the alarm clock signals the end of the exercise. You just need to beware of giving way to thoughts that have no connection with the journey, which a beginner, unfortunately, rarely pays attention to. As soon as such an extraneous thought begins to grow too much, it must be decisively rejected. Thoughts should be directed only to the journey and the circumstances connected with it. If this is not initially completely successful, then you need to put in more work, on which a lot depends in this exercise. If we do this exercise once every day, for approximately 1214 days, then after that it will get better and better every day. This exercise should not be continued for a very long time, 20-30 minutes is enough. You can also advise setting an alarm clock for this purpose, which would ring at the appointed time.
It is not necessary that the journey be completed; When the alarm clock rings, the exercise must be stopped immediately. The next time they start again from the very beginning and not at all from the place where it was interrupted the day before. With each exercise, the journey will be reproducibly more intense and it is possible to reach the point where they will actually experience this journey again and thoughts will acquire vital plasticity.
When this state has been achieved and it is possible to reproduce the entire journey without the slightest interruption, you should move on to a new exercise. They choose some small object, for example, a penknife, a pocket watch or a match and concentrate all their thoughts on this object.
It goes without saying that the eyes should remain open, only the ears should be constantly blocked
So, they take this object in their hands and carefully examine it. First they think about the purpose and use of this object, about the material from which it is made, and finally about the method of its fabrication.
It is absolutely necessary to avoid the slightest retreat. You only need to think about what is closely related to this object.
It can often happen that when thinking, for example, about the method of making a penknife, one gets an idea of all the workers who worked on this knife. This would already be a significant deviation and could cause great harm further progress of the exercise. As soon as the desire to evade arises, it must be suppressed immediately. This should be reminded more often because this is precisely the dangerous place that not many can bypass. They do not want to make efforts to contain their imagination within strict limits, and in despair they give up the exercises. For anyone who has managed at least once in such a case to once again direct his thoughts with full power to the subject of the exercise, repetition will not present any difficulty.
It is quite correct, of course, if, while thinking about a mother-of-pearl tablet on a knife, one retains the idea of the shell from which the tablet is carved, but it would be a significant deviation from the real goal if one were to imagine in addition the sea, perhaps even the seabed with its wonders and monsters. This idea, of course, has no connection with the penknife.
Further, it must be noted once again that an absolute, passive state contributes to the successful outcome of such exercises, therefore it is necessary to completely weaken all muscles and try to take the most comfortable position possible in order to avoid all harmful influences.
To make it easier for the student, a portion of such an exercise will be given here. The student fixes his sharp and motionless gaze on some object, say, on a penknife. Then a train of thought arises similar to the following: “Here is my penknife. It has two small blades and one larger one. A cork stopper is attached to the back. The small blades are used to mend a pencil or scrape paper. The large blade is used for various jobs and is therefore slightly jagged. The cork maker is made very skillfully. It is a very elegant knife (I am holding it in my hand now) and is made of good material. It has served me for more than 10 years and is suitable for a long service. The handle is very beautifully made of mother-of-pearl with golden shiny studs. Here "Here my name is engraved on an oval copper plate. The blades are made of Solingen steel, and the remaining parts are some of copper, others of iron." They describe the entire knife to themselves in a similar way. Then they reflect on the art of its fabrication. This part of concentration should be left solely to imagination, since not everyone, of course, was able to see the making of penknives themselves. Therefore, here we limit ourselves to only imagining which parts were forged, which were cast, how it was possible to make the handle and how the individual parts were put together.
This exercise should last only 5 minutes at the beginning, but little by little it will need to be increased to 15 minutes.
If the train of thoughts is completed, then, not allowing extraneous thoughts to arise, they immediately return to the very place from which they started and continue the exercise again until the alarm rings.
In order to protect yourself from mental deviations at first, it is good to whisper your exercise, thanks to which you can control yourself to some extent. But this relief should not be made into prolonged use, since this, strictly speaking, is a loss of strength, precisely because with blocked ears, the whisper is noticeable only by the movement of the lips, and this is equivalent to some deviation. In no case should you resort to this method more than 4 or 5 times, and then only until the habit of energetic thinking has been acquired. Anyone who can avoid such an auxiliary remedy should better not use it. It goes without saying that objects can be changed, 3 or 4 exercises can be done with a penknife and then the same number of exercises with some other object; Note, however, that the rule is to move to simpler subjects from more complex ones. The simpler the object, for example, a button, the more difficult it will be to occupy all your thoughts with this object for a long time.
Whoever is able to concentrate his thoughts in this way on the simplest object for 1/4 hour or more, and he is completely occupied only with his subject and throughout the entire time does not allow his thoughts to deviate from the topic in the slightest, and even if this person is pleasant, soon changing ideas are not able to overcome, then, inspired by hopes, he can move forward and take on the next exercise.
It consists of a clear mental representation of an object.
They take the object into their hand again, but only this time they should follow the reverse order. They start with the simplest ones and gradually move on to more complex ones.
They look at an object for a long time, for example, a pencil, and then close their eyes and imagine the most accurate mental image of the pencil that was perceived when contemplating it. When the student opens his eyes again and compares his idea with the actual object, he will notice various defects in his mental image.
The student will have the task of correcting these shortcomings by, with his eyes closed, trying to imagine the object exactly the same as the original in reality. Then they look at the object again, opening their eyes. This exercise should continue until it is possible, after one minute of concentrated examination of a complex object, to form a true, flawless mirror image by closing your eyes. The duration of this exercise should not exceed 30 minutes.
If satisfactory results are obtained, then it is possible to move on to the next more difficult exercises.
They concentrate their thoughts on any object without actually considering it, i.e., they focus exclusively on a mental image of this subject. So, for example, they imagine an image of their pocket watch and then concentrate their thoughts, as was done in the second exercise, on the purpose, material and fabrication of this object. Later they return to simpler subjects again. Little by little we move on to familiar faces that serve as material for our experiments, also to domestic animals, and finally to abstract concepts, etc.
If these exercises were successful, then they change them as follows: as quickly as possible they are distracted from one train of thought and move on to another, then with impeccable accuracy they return again, as if on command, to the very point of the first reasoning that they just interrupted. This is a deliberate deviation.
This exercise should be preceded by the easier task described below. Even earlier, before the second exercise, they use 23 free minutes and solve the following problem: they begin to think about some concept, object or creature and try to reproduce the idea of some opposite concept as quickly as possible. They think, for example, about the word “empty” and must immediately formulate the concept “full”. “Water” should be followed by “fire”, “bright sun on a blue sky” - “cloudy rainy day”, “dove” may be followed by “snake” or “eagle”, etc. They try to do it as quickly as possible each time this task and, moreover, every day. This task in itself would not be so difficult if it were not for the need to imagine every concept, every object, every being so clearly that the idea of them instantly appeared before the mind's eye with tangible plastic clarity. Through these exercises, over time, sufficient skill is acquired that is necessary when moving on to the next exercise.
I direct, for example, all my thoughts to my little daughter and immediately, next to this, I imagine that the little child hugged me with her tender little arms and leaned her curly head on my shoulder. Here it looks at me with clear, cheerful eyes and calls me half-petitioningly, half-affectionately with the usual gentle name “daddy.” Instantly I shift my distinct thoughts to another idea. I imagine a newly invented calculating machine, which I recently saw at my friend’s place, and I concentrate in a certain way on this subject. Then again (after about 2 or 3 minutes), I try, with perfect, impeccable clarity, without delay or deviation, to quickly and confidently return to the first reasoning, precisely to the very place from which I began. If the whole exercise goes on without stopping, I continue my train of thought in a well-known way further. During one exercise, you can resort to changes 4 or 5 times, and the duration of this exercise should not exceed 30 minutes. Now you can do all the exercises done earlier with your ears open.
Here we are faced with great difficulty and it is necessary to discover an enormous amount of willpower, but let the student not be afraid, it will succeed; nothing can be successful after the first try. In no case should you be frivolous; you must practice for so long that you can concentrate your thoughts even in loud noise.
While the exercises are being done with your ears open, the following tasks must be performed daily.
When there is free time, they go out into the air, but not to a quiet, secluded place, but to a place where there is strong movement and noise, or, if the weather condition and time of year do not allow going outside, then to some room where There are many people who, with their talking and walking, make a lot of noise, for example, in a restaurant.
They take a newspaper or book in their hand and read the part that we like most or seems attractive to us. Then they try, despite the noise, to reproduce what was printed in their memory. The more a student can concentrate his thoughts on what he read, the better his memory will function, and the more he practices concentrating his thoughts with his ears open, the less people around him will distract him with noise.
It is not at all necessary that what has been read be repeated word for word; a comprehensive summary is sufficient. Of course, the more often a student succeeds in repeating the main content of what he read, the more successful he will be.
Here you can move from easier to more difficult. The more interesting and exciting the content of what you read during the exercises, the easier it is to reproduce it. Little by little they move on to less interesting reading, which may even be at odds with the student’s interests. If a student, for example, is a person of an ideally artistic nature, then concentrating his thoughts on a newspaper stock exchange chronicle will obviously not give him the slightest pleasure and reproducing this chronicle will initially be very difficult for him. The same thing will happen to a person who is devoted to the serious study of his spiritual world, and who forces himself to spend time in exercises over fashion reviews and sports news.
Initially, small articles, news, notes containing approximately no more than 30 lines are taken. Then they move on to longer articles. Just don’t continue the exercises for more than one half hour. It is better to repeat it again than to continue for a very long time.
The highest concentration of thoughts is considered fully achieved if the student can solve difficult problems even with the loudest noise.
To achieve greater art, they allow themselves to interrupt their work or stop its progress, and then return again with unflagging strength and attention to the very place of their work where it was interrupted.
Concentration of thoughts must be constantly and persistently practiced. Such training can accelerate the achievement of amazing results by students, and this is part of the secret of many financial geniuses, generals and other darlings of fate.
There are two large groups of methods aimed at cleansing the psyche, developing energy and achieving a state of mental silence (two groups of yogic-type meditation methods, as opposed to magical ones). These are concentration meditation and awareness meditation. Both have been known in the East since time immemorial. In Southern Buddhism they are known as shamatha (concentration) and vipashyana (awareness). In Chinese Buddhism (Tian-Tai school) - as “zhi” (concentration) and “guan” (awareness). In classical Indian yoga - how sabija-samadhi(seed meditation) and nirbija-samadhi(meditation without seed). Sabija Samadhi is nothing more than concentration meditation, or meditation with an object. The Sanskrit word "bija" means "seed", that is, an object chosen for meditation-concentration. Nirbija Samadhi is already meditation without a seed, that is, without a permanent object. In other words, nirbija samadhi is the awareness meditation we discussed earlier, in which the expansion of the sphere of awareness is cultivated. In the case of concentration meditation, attention is purposefully kept on one single object. This achieves one-pointedness of mind and a state of inner silence.
The path of spiritual development that is outlined in this book is based on realistic methods of meditative practice, with the rejection of fantasy meditation. For our path, such a refusal is of fundamental importance. When applied to concentration meditation, this means that we do not practice concentration on artificially constructed objects created by the “creative imagination.” For us, fantasy visualizations, so widespread in Tibetan Buddhism and various magical and religious teachings, are unacceptable. If we do concentration meditation, we do it exclusively on real objects: on the flame of a candle, on the lower abdomen, on the ticking of a clock, etc., but in no case on the products of one’s own imagination. We work only with reality and do not cultivate illusions, no matter how sweet and beautiful they may be.
Awareness meditation and concentration meditation were very highly valued in the East, considered the most important means of spiritual development. These methods were especially important in the Tian-Tai Buddhist school. As the master of this school, mentor Shi Yi, said: “Zhi Guan is the main gate to the great Nirvana, the unsurpassed path of self-improvement, leading to the acquisition of all virtues and the achievement of the Supreme Fruit” 1 .
In another place they are told:
"He who has achieved and zhi And guan- fully competent to achieve the highest good for oneself and to help others in this.”.
I am deeply convinced of the correctness of these words and believe that the true (as opposed to the illusory) spiritual development is achieved only through the practice of these two great methods - both awareness meditation in its two varieties - introspection and presence, and concentration meditation. As the enlightened masters of the Tian-Tai school said: “Zhi-guan is the highest Path and the greatest jewel.”
So, in this type of meditation, focusing attention on one, specially selected object is used as the main technique. There are a huge number of practices built on this principle and differing in the chosen object of meditation. Various energy centers (chakrams) of our body can serve as such an object. For example, in Taoist yoga, meditation-focusing on the lower Tan Tien 2 is used as the most important, key technique. In Indian yoga, focusing on the Ajna Chakra (the center between the eyebrows) is most often practiced. Concentration meditation can be performed on many other energy centers: the crown, the tailbone, the solar plexus, etc. In principle, any area of our body can be used as an object for concentration meditation: the tip of the nose, the middle of the chest cells (Anahata chakram or heart center), navel center, palm centers (Lao Gong points) or sole centers (Yong Quan points) and so on. The object of meditation can also be a specially selected point in the surrounding space. For example, in one of the Taoist qigong schools, called “Heavenly Form,” the basic exercise of the first stage of practice is to concentrate on a point located on the floor in front, about two to three meters from the student sitting on a chair. Meditation on a candle flame (a point in space in front) is also known, as well as meditation on the sound of a ticking clock (or metronome) located behind, at the level of the back of the head.
Various forms of mantra yoga (long repetition of short verbal formulas performed with full concentration) are also types of concentration meditation. The object of meditation in in this case is a sacred syllable or short prayer.
The method of focusing attention has been known in the East since ancient times. The essence of the method is to stop the mind from wandering by fixing attention on one object. This achieves a state of one-pointedness of mind, called in Sanskrit ekagrata. Despite all the methodological simplicity of this method, achieving success is not at all easy. During the practice of concentration, attention is constantly distracted, the necessary focus is disrupted from time to time and it has to be resumed again and again. As soon as we notice that attention has gone to extraneous thoughts or has been distracted by external stimuli, we must immediately return it to the chosen object; if we have lost control again, we must return it again. For beginners, throughout the entire period of meditation, attention is repeatedly distracted, which is completely natural and should not be a cause for concern. You should take the inevitable disruptions in focusing your attention calmly, without placing excessive demands on the quality of your meditation. When attention is distracted, each time you should calmly and patiently resume the lost focus of attention.
So don’t demand perfect quality of meditation from yourself, don’t get annoyed or angry with yourself when your attention is distracted. There is no reason for such concern. Over time, with practice, your ability to concentrate will increase, and the number of deviations will steadily decrease.
Imagine that you need to fell a huge oak tree, and you only have a pocket knife in your hands. At first, the situation seems hopeless, and the work is completely meaningless. If, in spite of everything, you nevertheless begin your daily work, sooner or later you will discover that your penknife has turned into a cleaver, which has become incomparably more convenient to work with. Then the cleaver will turn into a sharp ax, and things will go very well.
This metaphor is quite applicable to the growth of your ability to concentrate, to the growth of the quality of meditation during your practice. All that is required of us is simply to persist and not stop our meditation, despite the apparent lack of results. If you are capable of this, then sooner or later, after a few months or after a few years of regular practice, you will certainly come to a great breakthrough into a new quality of consciousness, to spiritual transmutation. This is one case where optimism is entirely appropriate.
Meditation - focusing on one object - is discussed in detail in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra. In this treatise, according to the yogic tradition, the Sanskrit word “samyama” is used to denote the method and process of concentration.
Samyama , being the same meditative method, the same mental process, depending on the depth of concentration achieved, can be performed either at the initial student level (the stage called “dharana” in Sanskrit) or at a more advanced level (the second stage - “dhyana”), or at the master level (the third stage, called “samadhi” in Sanskrit).
Dharana , according to the Yoga Sutra, is “keeping the mind in one place.” In dharana (the first stage of the samyama process), the mind (attention, consciousness) is held (fixed) within a limited area defined by the object of concentration. During the process of meditation, attention is kept within a limited mental territory and, with any deviations to the side, it immediately returns back. However, on this initial stage During the meditative process of samyama, the ability to concentrate attention is not yet developed and there is a constant defocusing of attention, the mind running away to extraneous thoughts. Thus, in the dharana stage, the main work is to repeatedly and patiently return the wandering mind to the object of meditation.
Dhyana , according to the Yoga Sutra, is the second stage of the samyama process, which is characterized by continuously maintaining attention on the chosen object. Regular practice of dharana leads to a gradual reduction in the occurrence of distractions during meditation. When such distractions of attention are completely eliminated, and the student is able to maintain attention on an object for a long time in the complete absence of extraneous thoughts, then he reaches the second stage of the meditative process - the stage of dhyana.
Concentration meditation at the dhyana stage is no longer discrete in nature (as it was at the dharana stage), but continuous and resembles oil flowing in a continuous stream from a jug.
Samadhi . The definition of samadhi (the third and highest stage of meditation-concentration) is given in the third aphorism of the third section of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Due to the great complexity of the theory presented in the Yoga Sutras, combined with the brevity of the aphorisms, there is no uniform understanding in the vast commentary literature, and often the same sutras (aphorisms) are interpreted in different ways. The concept of “samadhi” is one such stumbling block. Therefore, I will risk offering my own version of the translation of the third aphorism of the third part of the Yoga Sutra.
Tad evarthamatra-nirbhasamsvarupa-shunyam iva samadhih
Interlinear translation from Sanskrit:
Tad eva - the same;
Arthamatra - object of meditation (what one meditates on);
Nir - only (but only);
Bhasam - shining or appearing in this place;
Svarupa - the inner essence, the true subtle (energy) essence of the object of meditation, in contrast to rupa- coarse material, material, accessible to ordinary perception form of the object of meditation;
Shunya - emptiness;
Willow - ostensibly;
Samadhi - samadhi.
Translation of the aphorism as a whole:
“The stage of samadhi is reached when the same meditative process leads to emptiness from which the object of meditation appears in its luminous subtle form.” It is simply impossible to understand the meaning of this statement without a detailed commentary.
After meditation-concentration on a certain selected object (for example, on a zone of the body corresponding to a certain energy center-chakram) has reached the stage of dhyana (continuity of maintaining attention on the object and the absence of its distractions), then a highly amazing process begins, the full understanding of which impossible in the absence personal experience. Here we return again to the three stages of the development of meditation. Because of the special importance of a full understanding of what happens during our practice, let me once again repeat the description of the three stages of development of the meditation process.
The initial phase of this process can be designated as rupa samprajnata samadhi, intermediate - like asamprajnata samadhi and the final one - like svarupa samprajnata samadhi. Term samprajnata samadhi (meditation with “knowledge”) means that during the meditative process, information content is present in the field of consciousness - a reflection of the object of meditation by our psyche. Rupa - this is the gross material form of the object of meditation, the way it is perceived by ordinary senses. Thus, rupa samprajnata samadhi is a reflection by our psyche of the object of meditation in the usual, gross material mode of its perception. (Anyone who has never engaged in energy meditative practice does not know any other mode of perception).
Meditation in the mode of rupa samprajnata samadhi sooner or later leads to a completely unusual state. Suddenly the object of meditation disappears, although the process of meditation is not disturbed, the mind is completely focused and under complete control. This stage of “emptiness” or “entering the cloud” in the yogic tradition is called asamprajnata samadhi, or meditation “without knowledge”. At this stage, the practitioner’s consciousness passes through a “partition” between the gross material (material) and subtle material (energy) planes of existence. Thus, at the stage of asamprajnata samadhi, there is no information content in the field of consciousness, although the meditative process continues. The situation can be characterized as follows: there is a subject, but there is no object. At this stage the coarse material already is not perceived, because it dissolved during the process of meditation; and the subtle more not perceived.
If we continue to meditate, patiently focusing our consciousness and not being embarrassed by the absence of an object, sooner or later the passage through the “partition” between two planes (bodies) will be completed, and our consciousness appears on the other side of this “partition.” At the same time, the previously lost object of meditation appears again, but not in its previous, gross material form, but in a “shining” subtle material (energy), revealing its true essence (svarupa). The practitioner again returned to the phase of samprajnata samadhi, again in the sphere of consciousness information content corresponding to the object of meditation appeared, but this content is already of a subtle material nature, therefore the third phase was called “svarupa samprajnata samadhi”.
Each of the three stages of development Samyama(meditation-concentration) corresponds to the level of energy filling of the practitioner. Let me remind the reader that our attention is the channel for the flow of energy. Focusing attention on any part of the body, for example, on the Tan Tien (the center of gravity of the body, located in the abdomen below the navel) leads to filling this area with vital energy. The volume of incoming energy and the level of energy filling depend entirely on the quality of meditation, on our ability to focus attention. At the first stage of concentration meditation, which in classical yoga is called dharana, attention is often distracted, the ability to concentrate is insufficiently developed. Therefore, the energy level is the lowest. Thus, from the point of view of “usefulness” and effectiveness, the dharana stage is at the lowest level. Metaphorically speaking, it can be described as: “A beggar knocks at the gate of a rich house and receives alms.”. On the one hand, in terms of efficiency it is the most low level, on the other hand, the unfortunate and hungry beggar still receives food.
Second stage - dhyana, is characterized by an incomparably higher ability to concentrate attention. At this stage, the practitioner is already able to maintain continuous focus of attention with a minimum number of distractions. The difference between dharana and dhyana is that dharana is a discrete process in which concentration is often disturbed and is, so to speak, dotted in nature. In the Dhyana stage, concentration becomes continuous and distractions occur very rarely. This is a completely different quality of meditation, accompanied by a much higher level of energy filling. Continuing our metaphor, the stage of dhyana can be designated as follows: “Dear guest sits at the festive table”.
Finally, the third stage of the samyama process is the stage samadhi means a qualitative leap accompanied by the opening of the energy center (chakram). Long practice of concentration meditation was eventually crowned with success. This practice, figuratively speaking, drilled a hole into a thin plane. When this arduous process is completed, the practitioner gains access to the unlimited energy resources of the subtle-material sphere. This is similar to drilling an artesian well in a waterless desert, with the only difference being that meditation begins to bring benefits from the very beginning, and this benefit increases as the ability to concentrate develops. On a metaphorical level, this final stage can be called "Master of his own house".
Of course, in practice, all this does not happen at all as beautifully as it looks in theory. Drilling a hole into a thin plan is not an easy task. It requires enormous patience and perseverance. The fact is that this process inevitably leads us to a meeting with a blockage, which is that barrier, that wall that fences us off from the inexhaustible source of Strength and Grace. It is the dissolution of this blockage, overcoming this barrier that constitutes the main content of the first stage of meditative practice. Ultimately, this practice will lead to breakthrough and opening of the chakram. However, a meeting of consciousness with a blockage is always discomfort, always a meeting with an unpleasant and sometimes very painful psychosomatic state. The presence of such discomfort in the first stages of practice is quite natural and inevitable. However, it is through patiently staying with this discomfort that we gradually dissolve the blockage. Sooner or later this difficult period will end and sitting in meditation will be comfortable and beneficial. The first two months of practice are usually especially difficult. The body is in the way, the posture is unusual and uncomfortable, attention constantly wanders to the side, the head is besieged by numerous thoughts. Extremely unpleasant and difficult to bear psycho-emotional states constantly arise. This is a feeling of boredom, impatiently waiting for the end of the allotted period of meditation. This is annoying irritability due to the confusion of one’s ideas about meditation as a sublime and blissful process, with the complete absence of all this in the initial stages of practice. We can say that at this stage of the beginner takes away from practice. Just as there is “psychological resistance”, which is well known to practical psychologists and psychotherapists (something inside the patient resists very strongly, preventing healing), so, similarly, there is meditative resistance, gradually increasing as practice progresses. After about 2-3 weeks it reaches its maximum. Thoughts appear and become more and more intense that there is something wrong with this practice and, perhaps, I need a completely different method. Or a person is generally disappointed in all this, they say, they talk and write about it very beautifully, but in reality all of this is either the baseless fantasies of eccentric fans, or a direct deception on the part of shameless businessmen selling spirituality. Or maybe this practice is only for especially gifted, exceptional people, but I honestly tried it (tried it) - and nothing worked for me. What's the point of continuing?
It is at this phase, as I said, after about 2-3 weeks, that most beginners become disillusioned with meditation and stop the practice. Such disappointment is usually associated with excessive and completely inadequate expectations. The method of energy meditative practice received by the student is like a small seed. Looking at this seed lying in the palm of your hand, it is very difficult to imagine that it hides a huge, powerful tree capable of producing beautiful flowers and wonderful fruits. At first, it is very difficult to see its hidden content and enormous potential resources. However, if we plant this seed in the soil and water it regularly, without missing a single day, it will first send out a root, then shoot out a stem. A small tree will appear, which will gradually, year after year, grow and develop. In the end, the period of quantitative changes will end and a qualitative leap will occur - the tree will bloom, and then, over time, fruits will appear on it.
The same is true with the practice of meditation. It is completely absurd to expect the fruits of meditation until your practice has reached true maturity. Waiting impatiently for results simply eliminates the possibility of achieving them. True progress begins only when the process of meditation becomes the main thing, completely forgetting the expected result.
“Friends knew that I had achieved success in curing diseases through meditation, and visitors came to me asking me to teach them, but out of hundreds and thousands, only one or two achieved results. Failures occurred due to an impatient desire to get quick results. They didn't see that my success was due to my persistence and not my impatience. Many students were completely serious when starting meditation, but suddenly gave it up when they did not find it as effective as they expected. Some even suggested that I had secrets that I refused to tell them.".
As I have already mentioned, a beginner's meditation is very imperfect, but gradually its quality improves. With practice, concentration meditation gradually develops and is performed at an increasingly higher level. Even if the practitioner's attention is not distracted, it still does not have good focus. Instead, it wanders within a fairly large area (volume) around the center of concentration. Gradually, the area of attention fluctuations is reduced and, finally, concentration meditation becomes fully focused. This may require several months of daily practice. When this is achieved, attention begins to work like a lens, like a burning glass, collecting the sun's rays into one point. Thus, the most important factor determining the success of concentration meditation is the degree of its sharpness.
This refers to the fact that there are serious differences in the quality of concentration even when it is present, even when there are no distractions! This difference lies in concentration areas.
It turns out that when a beginner sits down in meditation, his attention does not rest at all on one point corresponding to the chosen center of concentration. It is in constant wandering, in constant oscillatory movements within a certain spatial region around the center (see Fig. 5).
With practice, this area (volume) gradually decreases, the level of focus increases and, ultimately, quantitative changes turn into qualitative ones. This qualitative leap occurs when the sharpness of meditation-concentration reaches the stage point concentration, when the area (volume) degenerates into a point. The qualitative difference is due to the fact that a geometric point has no dimensions. Imagine a sphere (ball), the diameter of which decreases infinitely and tends to zero. It turns out that on the one hand, the point exists, but on the other, it does not exist. Exists and does not exist at the same time. Why does it exist? Yes, because there is a difference in the perception of this place in space from any other, because this point elected our consciousness. Why doesn't it exist? Because it has no spatial dimensions, its diameter is an infinitesimal value, tending to zero and inaccessible to any measurement.
Thus, we come to the conclusion that the geometric point relates entirely to sphere of subtle. Therefore, mastering a point means a breakthrough into the sphere of subtle matter. This is the essence of concentration meditation. From this follows a very valuable recommendation regarding the technique of meditation-concentration. It turns out that you should meditate not just, say, on the center of gravity of the body (Tan Tien), but on the center of gravity of the body like on an immaterial point. At the same time, the meditative attitude is that we constantly reduce and reduce the sphere within which the concentration of attention occurs. In other words, we make our concentration more and more pointed and thereby increase the pressure on the wall separating us from the sphere of subtle material. Advanced Stage Difference sharpness attention from the preceding stage of concentration within a certain volume around the Center is approximately the same as the difference between a push with an open palm and a poke with an awl. It is during this transition to sharpened or pointed meditation that that miracle, inexpressible in words, occurs, which we call opening of the Center. A pinpoint concentration of attention has drilled a hole in the invisible shell in which we are enclosed and which separates us from the sphere of the subtle. What happens is incredibly powerful and incomparable. Access to the subtle plane, access to its energy and information resources is opened. As I said earlier, this is like drilling an artesian well in a thirsty desert. In this case, the energy channel corresponding to this chakra is opened, the light of consciousness illuminates the corresponding sector of the psyche, and those systems and organs of the physical body that are associated with this energy channel are healed and healed. Finally, in this case, the practitioner acquires a whole range of paranormal abilities (siddhis, Skt.), corresponding to a given chakram and its energy channel.
Any form of meditation is a systematic effort aimed at maintaining a certain mode of functioning of consciousness. The main tool for this is our voluntary attention. Meditation methods differ precisely in their specific internal orientation, the special focus of voluntary attention. Formation, and then preservation and maintenance of this attitude throughout the entire period of practice is the essence and qualitative originality of this form of meditation. In the case of concentration meditation, this means that you must constantly strive to increasingly reduce the area of concentration and, ultimately, reduce it to an immaterial point. Briefly, this can be described as an attitude towards the sharpness of meditation.
Until now, we have talked about the quality of meditation-concentration during the period when this concentration takes place, when concentration is maintained, no matter whether it is within a large area (volume) around the Center or a small one. It is important that this concentration exists. However, as we know, a beginner’s attention is often distracted, that is, it completely leaves the given zone. The practitioner thinks about something completely extraneous and there is no concentration at all on the chosen Center. If earlier we discussed greater or lesser focus of attention, now we will talk about distractions in which concentration stops altogether. During these periods of distraction, the proper meditative attitude is absent and there is no meditation as such. This is, so to speak, empty, ballast time, which needs to be gradually reduced, and ultimately completely eliminated.
So, the second important point in the concentration meditation technique is systematic effort and self-control aimed at achieving undistracted attention. It is important not to allow attention to be diverted from the object of concentration to something extraneous. Briefly this can be described as sustainability or continuity concentration. At first, as I said earlier, distractions are natural and inevitable. Therefore, the task of the first stage is not to completely eliminate them, but only to gradually reduce the number of distractions and the time spent in a state of “falling out” of meditation.
The requirement for focused meditation (to achieve one-pointedness of the mind) simultaneously means the need to be distracted, to abstract from everything else, the need to remove conscious attention from the surrounding world, from the physical body, and from introspective contemplation of one’s own psyche. Thus, full concentration on one thing automatically means disconnecting from the perception of everything else.
Therefore, the essence of concentration meditation is the cessation of the process of awareness. If introspection has as its goal the expansion of consciousness, then concentration, on the contrary, narrows it, up to reaching the level of pinpoint sharpness. Thus, these are two diametrically opposed methods, two options for the functioning of consciousness, located at different poles of a single continuum and forming a pair of dialectical opposites.
So concentration is the exact opposite of introspection. Where there is one, the other is completely excluded. In classical Yoga this was well understood. Awareness (Nirbija Samadhi) was clearly different from concentration (Sabija Samadhi). Both methods of meditation were seen as completely different and complementary. However, in modern yoga, this understanding seems to have been lost. Thus, Swami Satyananda Saraswati, in his three-volume work “Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya,” argues that the object of concentration meditation serves as a kind of guide for awareness.
« Guide to Awareness. In order to be able to direct awareness into the depths of the mind, a symbol, process or sound is required to act as a guide or means of fixing attention.". And further:
“You will be able to achieve deep Concentration more easily if an object captures or holds your attention, since your awareness will be less likely to wander here and there and will be directed into the areas of the mind…
Almost anything can be a vehicle for awareness. If you belong to a particular religion, you can use an image or form of God. That is, if you are a Christian, then you will most likely achieve success using an image or image of Christ. If you are a Buddhist, choose Buddha, and if you are a Hindu, you can choose any of the incarnations or avatars of God, such as Krishna, Rama and so on…
If you have a guru, focus on his image, or you can focus on the cross, the Yin-Yang symbol, the Aum symbol, the breathing process, any mantra, rose, lotus, moon, sun, candle, etc.” 4 .
Alas, Satyananda really confuses different things: concentration-meditation and awareness-meditation (Sabija Samadhi and Nirbija Samadhi). I'm not even talking about the fact that for him there is no difference between the path of yoga of consciousness and the path of religious worship, there is no difference between fantasy meditation and realistic meditation. As you know, the vastness and encyclopedic nature of knowledge are not at all a guarantee of clear understanding.
But in fact, awareness and concentration are two different methods that cannot be mixed! From a content point of view, they represent directly opposite modes of mental functioning. In awareness meditation (Nirbija Samadhi), we strive to expand the sphere of awareness, to simultaneously perceive all objects accessible to our awareness. In concentration meditation, on the contrary, we strive to focus our attention, naturally arbitrary attention on one single selected object while simultaneously excluding all other objects. How can we say that the object of concentration meditation serves as a “conductor of awareness” if introspection and awareness are methods of opposite psychological content? In the same book, Swami Satyananda talks about concentration meditation as follows:
“You should not force yourself to concentrate. It must be allowed to arise spontaneously.”. And further:
“Concentration is something that happens by itself(?!) with complete relaxation of mind and body" 6. (Ibid., volume I).
But this cannot happen by itself! Concentration is a purposeful activity that requires certain volitional efforts, patience and perseverance. Another thing - How perform this concentration. Concentration must certainly be combined with relaxation and calm. Concentration meditation is not at all a type of mental rigor. In addition, there is no need to strain your soul, trying your best to avoid any distractions. The attitude that the mind should not wander is not realistic, at least for a long initial period of practice. In fact, when, during concentration meditation, attention is distracted from its object, the first thing that needs to be done is to realize the very fact of distraction and realize what exactly our attention was diverted to. Thus, for a short time we stop focusing and, instead, realize the obstacle (external or internal) to which our attention has been distracted. What happens can be described as follows:
a) Basic meditation of focusing attention on a chosen object is performed. This is done until distraction occurs.
b) As soon as we discover the very fact of distraction, we should move on to short-term awareness meditation, that is, to a completely different mode of work. Awareness of the interference (distraction factor) should be detached, without annoyance or irritation due to the distraction. Awareness of hindrances, the purpose of which is to dissolve them, should be seen as a natural part of the overall practice of concentration meditation, like the Yin within the Yang.
Of course, such work (awareness of distractions) should not be too long. It is quite enough to simply identify these obstacles with consciousness. We should not forget that our main practice is concentration meditation.
c) After a short-term awareness of the interference, you should mentally repeat the setting formulas for mental self-regulation: relaxation(refers to the physical body) and calmness(refers to mental state).
We then return to focusing on the chosen object (basic practice). We try to do this gently, maintaining the state of calm and relaxation achieved at the previous stage. Then the cycle repeats.
It is important to keep in mind that periodic short-term use of mindfulness meditation here is a necessary measure. There is no deliberate stopping of concentration meditation in order to move on to awareness of distractions. In fact, the starting point of such a technique is the distraction of attention from the object of concentration that has already happened against our will. Therefore, the above technique is just a description of the correct way getting attention back.
Thus, awareness of distractions is a necessary measure. This meditation technique is only suitable for the Dharana stage (the first, crudest and most undeveloped form of concentration meditation). During this initial stage, the practitioner's attention is periodically diverted.
Persistent practice of Samyama (concentration meditation) gradually develops the ability to focus one's attention and, sooner or later, the practitioner comes to the second stage, which is called Dhyana. At this stage there is uninterrupted concentration without any distractions and hence there is no need for periodic awareness of distractions.
Let me remind you that the stage of Dhyana is usually likened to oil flowing from a jug in a continuous stream. Thus, the above technique is intended only for beginners, for those who are at the first stage of concentration meditation.
So, those who begin the practice of Samyama 7 need to concentrate their attention, trying, if possible, not to disturb relaxation and calmness - the most important conditions for the effectiveness of any meditation. The general rule is that concentration should not be too rigid. Chinese masters say about concentration meditation: “Concentration is as if it is there, as if it is not.” This is a very good way of expressing the idea that concentration meditation should be soft, that is, carried out against the background calm relaxation. There should be no brute mental effort to concentrate. Genuine concentration meditation is the art of fine tuning, not the psychic equivalent of swollen veins and tense muscles. At the same time, the “spontaneous” concentration that Satyananda spoke about is, in my opinion, nonsense. Concentration is not spontaneous, but purposeful mental activity. It’s a completely different matter that it should be performed against a background of calm relaxation, with periodic working out of emerging interference.
In meditative practice, as we see, two opposite mistakes are possible. The first is the frantic samurai approach characteristic of Japanese Zen Buddhism, requiring the utmost effort of all forces to achieve complete concentration on the chosen object. The second, diametrically opposite, mistake is a complete refusal of volitional effort, of deliberately focusing attention on the object of concentration. This is the approach to Kriya Yoga as stated by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. Here we again discover duality - another type of multifaceted duality, in this case - methodological duality.
It is quite obvious that correct and highly effective concentration meditation avoids both extremes and in its method of practice harmoniously combines Yin and Yang: calmness and gentle relaxation on the one hand, and volitional focusing of attention on the chosen object on the other. In my opinion, this is so clear and obvious that there is no point in discussing this matter.
So, on the one hand, Satyananda talks about concentration meditation, on the other hand, that it should be spontaneous, which leads the reader into great confusion. We, in our naivety, believed that meditation-concentration is nothing more than systematic effort of voluntary attention. It turns out not! Satyananda encourages, during concentration meditation, to let go of your consciousness and not make efforts to focus it. But then it will no longer be meditation-concentration, but meditation-awareness!
In my opinion, Swami Satyananda deserves to be reproached for such sloppy handling of words and meanings.
In classical yoga, Patanjali distinguishes eight components of the yogic path of self-improvement (Sadhana). It should be said right away that this eight-fold scheme of the yogic path is in fact very conventional, suffers from incompleteness and contains a number of logical contradictions and often gives rise to completely erroneous ideas about yogic practice. Therefore, in my opinion, it should not be fetishized and taken too seriously.
So, classical yoga of Patanjali identifies the following eight components.
1. Pit. These are various moral precepts, among which the most important are Ahimsa (not causing harm to any living beings) and Satya (absolute, uncompromising truthfulness).
2. Niyama- rules of conduct prescribed to the yogi, the most important of which is considered moderation in food.
3. Asana 8 . These are different body positions (asanas), each of which has a special effect on both the physical body and the psyche of the practitioner. The practice of breathing (pranayama) or meditation is always performed in strictly defined asanas, without which it will not be effective.
4. Pranayama. These are various breathing exercises. Classical yoga identifies eight most important pranayamas, eight basic methods of breathing practice.
5. Pratyahara. This is the yogic ability to completely switch off indriyas(organs of cognition and organs of sense) from their objects. Upon achieving this ability, the yogi draws his conscious attention, his ability to perceive various objects, inside, just as a turtle draws its limbs - legs and head - under its shell 9 .
6 - 8. Dharana. Dhyana. Samadhi.
The last three components have already been explained by me. Let me remind you that they represent different levels of development of the same process of meditation-concentration, called in Sanskrit Samyama. The first five components (Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara) are traditionally referred to as “external practice”, while the last three (Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi) are called “internal Sadhana”, that is, they relate to internal practice. The Yoga Sutra says:
“These three (Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi) are more internal means, unlike the previous five (III, 7)”.
“But even these are external to Nirbija Samadhi (meditation without seed) (III, 8)”.
It means that Samyama(meditation-concentration) belongs to the category Sabija Samadhi, that is, to meditation with the seed ( bija, Skt.). A seed is a permanent object chosen for meditation and concentration. A higher level of yogic practice, in fact the highest and going beyond the eightfold Ashtanga yoga- This Nirbija Samadhi, that is, meditation without seed. In other words, we are talking about introspection meditation, free awareness meditation, which is qualitatively different from concentration meditation.
Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are in no way independent methods, and therefore their isolation as separate components of Ashtanga Yoga is completely unjustified. These three parts of Patanjali's Yoga should be replaced by one - Samyama (aka Sabija Samadhi, i.e. meditation-concentration). Well, if we single out Sabij Samadhi as an integral part of yogic Sadhana, then we need to add Nirbija Samadhi (meditation-awareness) to the general scheme, which for some unknown reason is placed outside the brackets of the classical eight-part scheme.
From the above, it is not difficult to see the entire convention of distinguishing eight components in the classical Yoga of Patanjali. And the classics themselves are, in fact, very conventional. In another revered classic treatise on yoga, the Gheranda Samhita, there is no longer an eight-part, but a seven-part scheme of yogic Sadhana, which is very different from the “classical” scheme of Patanjali. It includes the following components:
1. Shat Karma (six purification methods)
4. Pratyahara
5. Pranayama
7. Samadhi
In fact, “classical yoga” as a generally accepted, unified and only true teaching does not exist. And it never happened. Both in ancient times and today, each teacher has his own understanding and his own version of Yoga. Both in the past and at the present time, there is a huge variety of yogic schools and it is not possible to single out any one of them as classical and the only true one.
In my opinion, classifying the fifth “stage” of yoga - Pratyahara - into the group external funds, is completely unjustified. In fact, it has the most direct relation to the process of Samyama and should be classified in the same group of “internal means” as Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi.
Further, commentators on the Yoga Sutra unanimously repeat the clearly erroneous thesis that Pratyahara is an independent yogic technique, a special method of abstraction from the outside world with the disconnection of the senses from external perception.
In my opinion, Pratyahara as a separate independent method does not and cannot exist, just as it is impossible not to deliberately think about a polar bear or a yellow monkey. The more we try to abstract ourselves, to disconnect, say, from the sounds of the outside world, the more we will listen to them. However, the mindset of disconnecting from everything else (and not only from the outside world, but also from sensations coming from the physical body and from one’s own psyche - thoughts, emotions, experiences) is very useful and simply necessary in the context of meditation focusing on one object. Talking about Pratyahara without Samyama (concentration on one thing) is simply ridiculous. In fact, concentration meditation consists of two complementary technical aspects that must be constantly monitored throughout the entire period of meditation. This:
a) pointed sharpness of meditation;
b) distraction (abstraction) from everything else - from everything that can be perceived in one’s own body, in the psyche and in the surrounding world.
Thus, if point (a) tells us about the need to be fully present in the object of concentration, then point (b) tells us about the need to fully disconnect from everything else. As we see, Samyama (concentration) and Pratyahara (the ability to “absorb indriyas inside oneself”, the ability to disconnect from everything extraneous) are just two aspects of the same process of meditation-concentration (Samyama).
Dharana is Pratyahara. Through focusing on one thing, disconnection is achieved indriya from everything else. Thus, Pratyahara as an independent yoga technique without Dharana is simply impossible.
Any form of concentration meditation ultimately affects its corresponding energy channel and its chakras. This happens even if the practitioner knows nothing about them at all. So, for example, any mantra certainly correlates with a certain zone of our energy system, with a certain channel and chakram. The chakram (energy center) is a kind of motor, the energy heart of this channel. Thus, any a form of concentration meditation, after a certain period of practice, turns into concentration on the chakram, BJ(seed, Skt.) of which she is. When the practice of repeating a mantra reaches a certain maturity, the connection of this mantra with concentration on its center automatically occurs. In other words, the mantra begins to be recited from the center.
There is no method of meditation that does not influence the human energy system in a very specific way, specific to this method. Therefore, any methods of meditation and concentration ultimately come down to influencing a certain part of our energy system, a certain energy channel. There is no meditation that affects only the psyche, consciousness, and at the same time does not affect the human energy system. That is why it would be more correct to talk not about meditation, but about energy meditative practice.
Methods of energy meditative practice can be divided into the following two groups:
1) methods of general influence;
2) specialized methods.
Methods of general influence include: meditation-introspection, meditation-presence (in particular, “standing as a pillar”) and breathing practice. Specialized methods include all types of concentration meditation. Of course, when we talk about methods of general influence and specialized methods of energy meditative practice, we should remember the relativity of this distinction. In fact, even those methods that I categorize as “non-specialized” (self-observation, presence, basic breathing, some forms of dynamic meditation) are also specialized, but not as rigidly and not as pronounced as concentration methods. As we already know, self-observation provides, first of all, informational development, while meditation-presence provides energetic development. Breathing qigong and dynamic meditation using the “slow meditative walking” method have their own special characteristics.
Both the first and second groups of methods have their advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of general impact methods is comprehensive and harmonious development, especially if they are practiced in combination. For example, the practice of self-observation meditation goes well with the practice of breathing qigong. If a feasible gymnastic complex (dynamic work) is added to this, then the entire system is methodically balanced and guarantees the safety of the practitioner. These are the virtues of non-specialized methods of practice. In short, this is the balance (harmony) of development and its safety.
However, this group of methods also has its disadvantages, which, as is quite rightly argued, are a continuation of their advantages. Such a serious drawback, first of all, is the inability to carry out a targeted, focused impact on the weakest link of the energy system. Meanwhile, if a person has some serious problem with physical health (with somatics) or with a psycho-emotional state, then the most competent methodological solution would be to use a specialized, diagnostically targeted method of energy meditative practice. It will be possible to switch to general developmental methods later, after this problem has been completely resolved, after complete recovery.
Another disadvantage of non-specialized practice methods is that progress is slow and unnoticeable to the practitioner himself. Beneficial changes occur slowly, in the mode of gradual maturation of consciousness. To achieve success, the practitioner requires great patience and complete conviction in the correctness of the chosen path. Not every student possesses these qualities to the extent necessary for successful practice. This is why modern Zen Buddhist teachers rarely prescribe the practice to a beginner. shikan-taza(meditation-introspection). Of all the varieties of Zen practice shikan-taza considered the highest, but at the same time, the most difficult. As Zen teachers say, the practice of shikan-taza leads to a natural and gradual maturation of consciousness and can last for years (ten years or more), until a spiritual breakthrough is achieved. According to Zen teachers, nowadays it is difficult to find people with the necessary patience for this.
These are the advantages and disadvantages of non-specialized methods of energy meditative practice.
As for the other group of methods, there are also advantages and disadvantages here. The great advantage of concentration meditation is, first of all, the ability to specifically influence the weakest link in the energy system. However, in order to realize this advantage, a competent mentor is required who can diagnose and select a meditation method for the student.
Another advantage of concentration meditation is its high effectiveness. Concentration meditation has a very strong effect, but over a very limited area, whereas the effect of awareness meditation is distributed over a large area. Anyone who practices concentration meditation can well count on receiving its fruits within a relatively short period of time (from three months to three years daily practice).
Concentration meditation is a very powerful method of practice. However, great power is always associated with great danger, especially when handled ineptly and carelessly. The practitioner must always remember that the practice of concentration meditation has a very powerful effect on the chosen energy center and energy channel, the “heart” of which is this chakram. In this case, there is an exclusively beneficial effect on those systems and organs of the physical body, the proper functioning of which is ensured by this energy center. An equally beneficial effect is exerted on the corresponding sector of the psyche. Moreover, over time, various paranormal abilities (Sanskrit, siddhis) begin to appear, corresponding to the overdevelopment of a given part of the energy system (channel and chakram).
For example, meditation on the crown center (Sahasrara chakram or “thousand-petalled lotus”) and on the space above the head can lead not only to the ability to enter into lucid dreams, but also to a number of very undesirable consequences. Pathological intake of energy into the crown center in women inevitably leads to the development of uterine fibroids, and in men - to troubles with the genital area. Both may develop chronic anxiety, phobias (fears) and general mental inadequacy. To this bouquet of diseases one should also add diseases of the gallbladder and pancreas.
Once again I will repeat a very important conclusion. The wrong choice of a concentration meditation method (a specific object on which attention is focused) is dangerous and can lead to extremely dire consequences for the practitioner.
This is clearly evidenced by the history of a group of Russian esotericists who, in the eighties of the last (XX) century, practiced the so-called Kunta Yoga (yoga of magical symbols) in Leningrad. Of the fifteen main members of this esoteric group, ten years later only 3 people remained alive (!), and young men in the prime of life died (for a variety of reasons).
As we see, the practice of meditation is far from a harmless activity; in the absence of proper guidance, it can lead to undesirable, and sometimes simply tragic, consequences. Fortunately, many modern esotericists are saved by laziness and inability to make systematic, regular efforts.
So, it is extremely important right choice method of practice based on preliminary energy diagnostics. But even this is not enough. Even if the method of meditation-concentration that is optimal for this person is chosen, aimed at strengthening the weakest link in the energy system 10, a second method is still needed to complement it. The purpose of this second method is to relieve exacerbations that will inevitably arise as a result of the practice of the first method. As we see, for successful and safe practice it is necessary to know the structure and functioning patterns of the human energy system; know the connection between energy channels and various somatic and psycho-emotional problems. Finally, you need to know the methods of influencing certain energy channels and centers. In addition, it is absolutely necessary to clearly understand what mental and somatic problems this method of practice relieves, what aggravations should be expected from it, and also to know the methods for relieving these aggravations. A holistic methodology of energy meditative practice can only be built on the basis of such knowledge.
Ideally, such a holistic technique includes two methods, practiced in a pulsating mode of optimal alternation: we practice the first method, cause an aggravation, and move on to the second method. The practice of the second method relieves this aggravation, after which we return to the first method and so on. The energy system operates in a pulsating mode: release - filling, release again - filling again. This is nothing more than the alternation of Yin and Yang in full accordance with the principle of Tai Chi. This practice ultimately leads to a breakthrough into the realm of the subtle. This is expressed in opening energy centers (chakrams) and the appearance of corresponding (specific to these chakrams) paranormal abilities. At the same time, great positive changes also occur in the psychosomatic state with getting rid of long-term ailments and a qualitative improvement in health, mood and performance.
1 Quoted from Lu Kuan Yu's book "Secrets of Chinese Meditation."
2 The center of gravity of the body is located below the navel.
3 I introduce the term “conscious attention” as the opposite of involuntary attention, in which there is no special, intentional attitude towards awareness within a certain selected area. However, strictly speaking, there is also a certain level of awareness in involuntary attention.
4 Satyananda S. “Ancient tantric techniques of yoga and kriya.”
6 Italics are mine. - VC.
7 The general name for concentration meditation, while Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are names different stages its development.
8 The word “asana” is pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable.
9 A classic, traditional metaphor that explains the essence of Pratyahara.
10 Chinese wisdom says: “A self-improving man is like a shepherd who follows the flock and urges on the lagging sheep.”
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Triple preparation IN In this chapter we will look at a method by which one can free oneself from attachments. This method is based on three practical steps, namely morality, concentration and wisdom (intuitive insight), collectively known as the threefold preparation (sikkha).
The first step of the threefold preparation is morality. Morality is simply appropriate behavior, behavior that meets generally accepted standards and does not cause suffering to oneself or others. It is collected in the form of five vows of moral behavior, or eight, ten, two hundred and twenty-seven, or in some other codes. It is observed at the most basic, common level through the body or speech, which is aimed at finding peace, achieving comfort and freedom from adverse consequences. Morality has to do with social relationships and various types property necessary for life.
The second aspect of the threefold preparation is concentration. (samadhi). This aspect consists of forcing the mind to remain in the most favorable conditions necessary for achieving success in the area in which it intends to achieve it. What is concentration? There is no doubt that most of you always understand by concentration to be a completely calm mind, steady and motionless, like a log. But these two characteristics alone, stability and calmness, do not describe the real meaning of concentration. The basis for this statement is the words of the Buddha. He described a concentrated mind as a mind fit for work (kammaniyo), in adequate condition to do the job. “Ready to work” is the best definition of a properly focused mind.
The third aspect is the training of wisdom, or intuitive insight. (Pannya). These are the exercises and practices that lead to correct knowledge and understanding of the true nature of all things. Usually, we know nothing about their true nature at all. Basically, we either stick to our own ideas or follow public opinion, and what we see is not the truth at all. For this reason, Buddhist practice includes the training of wisdom or insight, the last aspect of the threefold training, designed to provide complete understanding, insight into the true nature of things.
In a Buddhist context, understanding and insight wisdom are by no means the same thing. Understanding in some form relies on inferences and rational thinking. The insight goes further. All objects cognized by insight become absorbed. They were penetrated and confronted. As a result of study and research, the mind becomes absorbed in them completely and so thoroughly that the result is not just a rational, but a genuine and sincere disappointment in these things and complete absence emotional attraction to them.
Therefore, Buddhist insight training is not the kind of intellectual understanding that is used today in academic and scientific circles, where each person can have his own special kind of truth. Buddhist insight must be intuitive insight, pure and direct. It is the result of such penetration into the object as produces a definite and indelible impression on the mind. For this reason, the objects of study in insight training should be those things with which a person comes into contact in Everyday life. Or at least they must be things of sufficient importance that they actually bore the mind and disappoint it as fickle, unsatisfactory, and devoid of personality.
However, no matter how much we think rationally, evaluating the characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and impersonality, it will not yield any results other than intellectual understanding. Rational thinking alone will never lead to loss of illusions, to disappointment in worldly things. We need to understand that a state of disappointment replaces the desire that we felt for things that once delighted us. It is a fact of nature that the emergence of clear, genuine insight presupposes genuine disappointment. Disappointment replaces the desire for an object; it arises inevitably, immediately.
Learning moral behavior is simply a basic preparatory practice that enables us to live happily and helps us to balance the mind. Morality provides various benefits, the most important of which is preparation for the development of concentration. Other benefits, such as the promotion of happiness, or the possibility of rebirth as a celestial being, were not considered by the Buddha to be the main intention of developing morality, which he considered primarily as a means of stimulating and developing concentration. As long as something continues to disturb the mind, it can never be concentrated.
Learning to concentrate is about developing the ability to control your mind to make it useful so that it can perform its tasks in the best possible way. Morality is good behavior through body and speech. Concentration consists of good behavior through the mind, and is the fruit of its careful training and discipline. A focused mind is devoid of all bad things, bad thoughts, and is not distracted by objects. It is in the right condition to do its job. Even in ordinary, mundane situations, concentration is always necessary. No matter what we do, we can hardly succeed if we do not have concentration. For this reason, the Buddha considered concentration to be one of the marks of a great man. Whether one is trying to succeed in worldly or spiritual affairs, the ability to concentrate is absolutely necessary. Take, for example, a schoolchild. If he lacks concentration, how will he learn to count? The kind of concentration that is necessary for arithmetic calculations is a concentration of the natural order, not yet thoroughly developed. Concentration, as the basic element of the Buddhist practice we are discussing here, is concentration of a kind that is developed to a higher level than could be achieved naturally. Therefore, when the mind is successfully prepared, it receives a great many special abilities, capabilities and properties. A person who has achieved the fruits of developing concentration can be said to have advanced one step towards understanding the secrets of nature. He knows how to control his mind and thus has abilities not available to other people. Improving morality is a common human ability. Even when someone exhibits good morality, it is not a superhuman display. On the other hand, achieving deep concentration was classified by the Buddha as a superhuman ability, which monks never openly demonstrated. Anyone who boasted of this ability was no longer considered a good monk, and was no longer even considered a monk at all.
Achieving concentration requires sacrifice. We must accept difficulties of varying degrees, practice and practice until we achieve a level of concentration that matches our capabilities. Ultimately, we should get much better results at our jobs than the average person can, simply because we have better tools at our disposal. So, take an interest in developing concentration and don't think of it as something stupid or old-fashioned. Developing concentration is definitely of a high degree of importance, relevant at all times, and especially today, when the world seems to be spinning so fast that it is about to burst into flames. Today we need concentration much more than people needed it in the time of the Buddha. Don’t think that this is the lot of only people in churches and eccentrics.
We now come to the connection between learning concentration and learning insight. The Buddha once said that when the mind is concentrated, it is able to see things as they are. When the mind is focused and ready to work, it will know the true nature of all things. It may sound strange, but all the answers to all the questions that a person is looking for, albeit secretly, are already present in his own mind. He does not know about this because these answers are still only at the subconscious level. And if a person is busy solving a problem, but it does not come yet, then the reason is that his mind is not yet able to solve it. If, at the time of preparation for any mental work, a person has developed correct concentration, this means that he has made his mind capable of work, and the solution to his problem will come easily and naturally. As soon as the mind becomes concentrated, a solution will immediately appear. But if the solution does not come, then there is another method by which we can direct the mind to investigate the problem, namely, the practice of concentrated introspection, called insight training. On the day of his enlightenment, the Buddha came to understand the law of conditioned arising, that is, he came to realize the true nature of things, or comprehended “what is what.” He understood the sequence in which things arise as a result of the method of concentration that we have just described. The Buddha told his story in detail, but essentially it boils down to this: He was able to study the matter once he achieved a good concentration of mind.
Once the mind becomes calm and equanimous, in a state of well-being, not distracted, well focused and fresh, solutions to pressing problems immediately come. Insight always depends on concentration, even if we have never noticed this fact. In general, Buddha demonstrated even more close connection between insight and concentration. He noted that concentration is necessary for insight, and insight is necessary for a high level of concentration, because concentration requires understanding certain properties of the mind. One must know how to control the mind in order to stimulate concentration. So, the more insight a person has, the higher the degree of concentration available to him. In the same way, an increase in concentration leads to a corresponding increase in insight. Both of these factors contribute to each other.
Epiphany involves clear vision and therefore boredom and disappointment. This is expressed in the abandonment of all the things that once fascinated us madly. If a person has insight but still rushes at things, is overly attracted to them, appropriates them, clings to them, gets carried away by them, then the insight he has is not insight in the Buddhist sense of the word. Stopping and throwing back does not imply a physical action. There is no need to collect all your things and throw them away, chop them into pieces, tear them to shreds, and run to live in the forest, this is not what we mean. What is meant here is precisely a mental stopping, a mental cessation and refusal, whereby the mind ceases to be a slave to things and instead becomes free. This is what happens when passion for things gives way to disappointment. This does not mean that you need to commit suicide, or go to live as a hermit in the forest, or burn your property. Outwardly, we deal with things quite normally. Inside, however, there is already a difference. The mind is independent, free, no longer a slave to things. This happens through understanding. The Buddha called this result Liberation, an escape from the bondage of things, especially those things that we like. Actually, we are also enslaved by those things that we do not like. We are bound by them because we dislike them, and therefore we cannot be indifferent to them. By rejecting things, we are active, we experience emotions towards them. They control us in the same way as the things we like, influencing each of us to one degree or another. Thus, the expression “slavery of things” refers to reactions of sympathy and antipathy. All this points to the fact that we can break free from the bondage of things and become free through the wisdom of insight. The Buddha summed up this principle very succinctly when he said, “Insight is the means by which we can purify ourselves.” He did not say that morality or concentration are the means by which we could purify ourselves, but it is insight that enables us to be saved, it is insight that frees us from things. He who is not free from things remains uncleaned, corrupted, carried away, subject to passions. The liberated one becomes pure, unsullied, enlightened, calm. This is the fruit of insight. This is the state one arrives at when insight has done its work completely.
Look closely at wisdom, the third aspect of the threefold preparation. Once you know it, you will perceive it as the highest virtue. Buddhist insight is the understanding that lies in leaving things behind through complete destruction four types attachments. These four types of attachment are the bonds that keep us bound, and understanding is the knife that cuts these bonds and sets us free. With the disappearance of the four types of attachment, there is nothing left to tie us to things. Can these three types of preparation stand the test? Are they valid and suitable for everyone to practice? Check them out. When you take a closer look at them, you will see that these three factors do not contradict any religious doctrine at all, if you keep in mind the fact that the true intention of any religion is the elimination of human suffering. Buddhist teachings do not contradict any of the world's religions, and yet, there is something in it that is not found in any other religion. In particular, there is the practice of insight, which is an excellent technique for eliminating the four types of attachments. It frees the mind, making it independent. Practice makes it impossible to bind the mind, enslave it, suppress it by anything, including God in heaven, spirits or celestial beings. No other religion prepares an individual for complete liberation, or to become completely self-sufficient and self-reliant. We must be well aware of the principle of self-sufficiency, which is a key feature of Buddhism.
Once we see that Buddhism has everything that every other religion has, and also a few things that none of them have, then we immediately understand that Buddhism is for everyone. Buddhism is a universal religion. It can be practiced by anyone, at any age and at all times. People everywhere have the same problems. They strive to be free from the suffering that is caused by birth, aging, illness and death, from the suffering that stems from desires and attachments. All without exception, celestial beings, people, animals, have the same problems, and everyone has the same thing, namely, to completely eliminate desires, unskillful attachments, which are the main cause of these sufferings. Thus, Buddhism is a universal religion.
Concentration. Ernest Wood. Do you want to have success in life? Do you want to take action to ensure this success? Do you want to make a choice and say to yourself: I want to be rich; I want to be famous; I want to be virtuous. Let your imagination revolve freely around the chosen thought and watch how this airy hope will gradually turn into a real possibility. Give free rein to your imagination, because more beautiful than any picture drawn by the imagination will be the future to which a person with a strong will has the right. Having drawn in your imagination what you have chosen, tell yourself: I want. And there is nothing, neither on earth, nor in heaven, nor in the waters, nor under the earth, that could hinder you for a long time, for you are immortal and the whole future is obedient to you.
Read the book Concentration online
SUCCESS IN LIFE
Do you want to have success in life? Do you want to take action to ensure this success? Do you want to make a choice and say to yourself: I want to be rich; I want to be famous; I want to be virtuous. Let your imagination revolve freely around the chosen thought and watch how this airy hope will gradually turn into a real possibility. Give free rein to your imagination, because more beautiful than any picture drawn by the imagination will be the future to which a person with a strong will has the right. Having drawn in your imagination what you have chosen, tell yourself: I want. And there is nothing, neither on earth, nor in heaven, nor in the waters, nor under the earth, that could hinder you for a long time, for you are immortal and the whole future is obedient to you.
Perhaps you will say that death will block your path? It will not happen. Will you say that poverty or illness or friends can become a hindrance to you? It will not happen. You just need to make a choice and then never want anything again. You should not wish, but say “I want,” and really want, constantly, in thoughts and actions, and not just in words. And from now on, you should never change your goal for a minute, directing everything that you come into contact with from now on along the path to it. And then, unless the chosen goal is harmful, it will be achieved by you in the near future.
Are you talking about the insignificance of a person, lost in the bends of the huge mother earth, which itself, in turn, is just a speck of dust among endless space? This is wrong. You talk about weakness and fatigue, about madness, about the pleasures and accidents of life - how they limit and oppress the little person. This is wrong. The body is just clothing, and the feelings are just holes in the body, and when the body is calm and the senses are obedient and the mind contemplates your immortal possibilities, then a window opens inside you and through it you see and know that you can become only what you yourself are want to be, and nothing else.
Like a tiny grain buried in the ground, which, when it bursts forth, sends forth a tender shoot that pushes through the earth to emerge into the open air, just as it grows into a mighty oak tree that sows the earth with its offspring, or like a great banyan tree sprung from a small seed and spreading its branches over an infinite space to give welfare and shelter to thousands of beings - so you too, from now on, throw out from yourself the first gentle but definite sprout of will and choose what exactly you want to be.
What will you choose? Do you want power? Then let others have greater freedom and greater power because that is what you want for yourself. Do you want knowledge? Then let others become wiser because you have chosen wisdom. Do you want love? Then let others enjoy love, since you yourself have so much to give. Thus, your will will be in agreement with the Great Will and the Great Law and your life will be one with Great Life, without which lasting success is impossible. What will your funds be? Everything that comes your way, both small and great; for there is nothing that cannot be applied to achieve your goal. But once again, may all people and all things that will serve you benefit from this service. In this way, your luck will become theirs and the Great Law will be respected.
But whatever you choose, one thing is necessary everywhere and always - this is the concentration of intention, thought, feeling and action, so that, like a powerful magnet, this concentration can polarize everything that comes your way. In all tasks of life, this is necessary for success. All people who succeeded in business, in social or political life, in art, in science and philosophy, in power and virtue - all of them were distinguished by unwavering constancy of purpose and power over their thoughts, although many of them neglected the Great Law. Wasn’t this always the case before, isn’t the same thing repeated now, and won’t it be the same in the future, that as far as a person’s progress depends on himself, it is achieved only by systematic and sustainable activity, control over desires and concentration of thought, without which progress is unattainable? Reread the biographies and philosophies of significant people of all types, and you will find the same fact evident in all of them. The Epicurean of ancient times focused his thoughts on the present and tried to live in harmony with natural laws. He did not allow his mind to dwell with regret on anything past or fear for the future. The Stoic focused his attention on objects in his sphere of influence, refusing to distract himself with anything beyond the limits of his power and purpose and to waste his thoughts and feelings. The Platonist sought to focus his mind on a reverent exploration of the mysteries of life. Patanjali, the great teacher of Hindu Yoga, certifies that man can achieve his true state only through the successful exercise of complete control over his mind. A devout ascetic, filling his life and everything around him with rituals and symbols and constantly repeating in his mind the names of God, strives to evoke ever stronger pious feelings in his soul. A person who excels in science is so focused on his goal that he draws knowledge from the most insignificant objects that come his way. Such is the power of thought that with its help all things can be directed towards the intended goal, and such is the power of man that he can subordinate the very power of thought to his will.
Don't we know that indecision, worry, worry and fuss cause physical suffering, weakness, indigestion and insomnia? Even in these small circumstances, regular exercise of mind control in its simplest form works like magical healing. This The best way get rid of envy, jealousy, annoyance, dissatisfaction, delusion, self-deception, pride, anger and fear. Without control of the mind it is impossible to undertake character building, but with it success is guaranteed. Successful learning of anything depends on mental concentration, and constant exercise in such concentration greatly increases the reproductive power of memory.
Mrs. A. Besant describes the great efforts and successes achieved by concentration of thought in these words:
"The practitioner should begin with great moderation in all things and strive to maintain an even and bright disposition of mind; his life should be pure and his thoughts chaste, his body should be in complete subordination to the soul, and his mind should be concentrated on noble and sublime objects; he should exercise compassion, sympathy, readiness to help others and at the same time to be indifferent to personal troubles and difficulties, he must develop in himself courage, stability and reverence. Having achieved by successive exercises some control over his mind, so that it can be directed for some time along a certain line of thinking, he must then begin to train it more strictly by daily exercise in concentration on some difficult or abstract topic or sublime object of reverent veneration.This concentration means the unshakable focus of thought on one point, not allowing itself to be distracted by external objects. , neither feelings, nor the mind itself. The mind must be brought to an unshakable steadiness and calmness until it gradually learns to withdraw its attention so far from the outer world and from its body that the senses are silent, and then the mind is ready to direct itself with all the force of its energy concentrated within to a certain center of thought , the highest he can rise to. When the mind can hold itself thus comparatively freely, then it is ready for the next step; by a strong and at the same time calm effort of will he can rise above the highest thought accessible to the physical mind, and in this effort he can merge with Supreme Consciousness, freeing himself at the same time from the physical body."
About this higher life beyond the brain you can read more in Mrs. Besant's valuable theosophical books. Thus, this life opens up to man endless prospects of knowledge and power, completely unimaginable to the limited concepts of the brain. If you pursue the spiritual life through reverent love, you will again encounter the same need to concentrate on one goal. One ancient scripture says that a pious person should see God in everything and everything in God. Whatever you do, whether you eat, sacrifice, give or strive for anything, do everything as an offering to Him. Only one who has achieved concentration can do this. And then what else could he need, since he always contemplates the face of his Father? And for those who knock at the gate of the Holy Path, we find in the recently published book "At the Feet of the Teacher" an indication that the seeker must achieve concentration and control of the mind.
Self-discovery through insight exercises Hall Manley Palmer
Concentration
Concentration
From comprehending the esoteric meaning of body position as a symbol of being in the Law, we now move on to mastering the first of seven practical exercises. For convenience, we will call this first exercise concentration.
Concentration - and it is very important for us to understand the meaning of this word in its true mystical sense - is the gathering together of all the faculties of the mind, the direction of attention towards achieving a single goal. We use the word concentration in the sense expressed by Eastern adepts as follows: Sitting alone, wrapped in a robe, the master entered samadhi.
The expression sitting alone refers to the position of the body and means being in the present. The words wrapped in a robe indicate that he has brought together or integrated all manifestations of his mind. This is the meaning of the doctrine of the mean.
Think about the mystery that shines through in the words of wrapping yourself in the mantle of wisdom. The insignia of Buddhist patriarchs was the robe. Each arhat, or master of the school, wore a cape of a certain color. The robes of the Zen sect were green, and Daruma, the Zen arhat, is depicted wearing a robe with one end draped over his head in the form of a hood. The disciple was not allowed to wear such attire, since this was the prerogative of the high priests.
Apollonius of Tyana, an initiate of the Pythagorean school, also wore a special robe made of wool. When starting esoteric practice, he sat on his robe and wrapped himself in it, even covering his face. It was believed that, sitting in this way, he traveled to the most remote corners of the world. During one of these out-of-body visits, he is said to have witnessed the assassination of Emperor Domitian.
We are so accustomed to taking symbols for real entities that few students wonder what the magical meaning of the mantle is. The mantle, like the magic Baghdad carpet, the magic ring of Solomon and the ring of the Nibelungs are symbols of concentration - gathering together and directing all the abilities of the soul to achieve one goal.
How then can we define concentration? The essence of concentration, like any other genuine exercise, is inexpressible. It must be comprehended from within. It can be realized because the exercise itself develops in the student the ability to practice it. It is clear that to practice concentration one does not need to put on a physical robe; the adept wears a robe that is not of this world. The features of his traditional clothing (by which the adept is distinguished from ordinary followers in the physical world) are only reflections or allegories of his true appearance.
Concentration is a soft and unobtrusive concentration of attention without volitional efforts. It is based on comprehension of the Law. Concentration can be called steadfastness of intention. Like a candle that burns steadily on a windless night, realization shines unwaveringly in the womb of concentration.
Concentration is the constancy of spiritual movement in the direction of the One. This is how the commentary to the Zohar describes him: The follower of the spiritual Mysteries looks with perfect attention into the face of Reality.
If there are no false interpretations, the simple practice of concentration is completely harmless. However, there is a big difference between the true understanding of concentration exercises and popular interpretations of this exercise.
From the author's bookConcentration From comprehending the esoteric meaning of body position as a symbol of being in the Law, we now move on to mastering the first of seven practical exercises. For convenience, we will call this first exercise concentration. Concentration - and for us it is very
From the author's bookConcentration as a Type of Experience It is sometimes difficult to understand that concentration is an essentially non-intellectual process. And although the mind is the instrument in this case, concentration exercises are useless if they are
From the author's bookConcentration 1. Determine in which part of the body inhalations and exhalations are felt most clearly.2. Watch every breath, the rhythm of your breathing: whether you take long or short inhalations and exhalations, whether you breathe deeply or superficially, whether you breathe hoarsely or silently.3. Count your inhalations and exhalations,
From the author's bookExercise 6 (for concentration) Take an object (watch, key, pacifier); look at it carefully for 30 seconds, then close your eyes and try to reproduce it as accurately as possible. If some details are not clear, look at the item again, then
From the author's bookExercise 7 (on concentration) Here is an exercise called “brain boxes”. Choose 3 things to think about: for example, your plan, a scientific or literary plot, and a personal memory (vacation, travel, etc.). Spend 3 minutes thinking about each of the three
From the author's bookExercise 8 (for concentration) Imagine the face of a person you see often; you will notice that you only have a general idea about it, and the details disappear. Add to your observations when you see the person again and start the exercise again; until the moment
From the author's bookExercise 9 (on concentration) Do this wonderful experience, which will develop your ability to pay attention and concentrate on sounds. Turn on the radio, then gradually reduce the volume; set the volume to the lowest limit when you can still understand that
From the author's bookExercise 10 (for concentration) Choose a poem (poem); read it slowly and carefully, stopping yourself at every important word to accurately reflect the content in your mind. Don't let your attention wander to problems that are not related to
From the author's bookConcentration Concentration is the cornerstone of the practice of full awareness. Your awareness will be as complete and clear as you can calm and stabilize your mind. If there is no peace, the mirror surface of the fullness of awareness will become clouded and
From the author's bookFOCUSING ON VISUALIZATION Another approach to OSIS, most commonly accepted in Tibetan traditions, involves impartial visualization of the symbol while concentrating on hypnagogic imagery. The symbolism of these images can help preserve
From the author's book5. Concentration Since the practice of concentration and the practice of wisdom are discussed in a separate chapter, here I will only briefly touch on this issue. Concentration, concentration is one-pointedness of the mind, which serves as the basis for each specific meditation. IN
From the author's bookChapter IV. Concentration Along with purity and as a means to help achieve it, concentration is necessary. In fact, purity and concentration are two aspects - feminine and masculine, passive and active - of one state of being; thanks to the cleanliness
