non-duality magazine

Acharya Girish Jha: Let us first know that my master used to say the oldest text of yoga is ‘yoga- Vasistha’ written much earlier than Patanjali yoga sutra. Majority of masters believes that the fundamental principles of later yoga, tantra, Mahayana Buddhism, Jainism have accepted them with little modifications. Recently, when I was giving a talk on ‘authentic yoga tradition’ in Princeton University, many teachers showed their ignorance about the text. It gives details about 7 foundations of yoga but later explains and divides them into sub parts.

Astavakra Gita says –‘withdraw your mind within and allow it to rest within, you will be in peace and happiness within’. I read this verse repeatedly and developed what I call Turiya rest and relaxation program. Initially, it was 10 steps and progressively reduced to 4 and 6 steps, taking care of the fact that the verse above indicates – practice and non-practice together.

Shankara explains in Aporaksha Anubhuti, 18 steps to yoga. The same we find in ‘Tejo Bindu Upanishad’ too. These steps/limbs are

Yama, Niyama, Renunciation (Tyaga), nonspeaking (Mauna), Place (Desha), Time (Kala), Asana, Mulabandha, Balance of Body (Dehasamyam), Fixing

of the Gaze (Drik Sthithi), Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Atma-Dhyana, and Samadhi.

In Dattatreya yoga Sastra (text), I discovered another limb, termed as ‘Sanketa’ or subtle points or indications of higher consciousness. Similarly when I read and contemplated Upanishads, there are references of many steps/ limbs of yoga.

I teach yoga which means ‘Sadhana’ leading to awakening to self. People approach me for a variety of reasons, especially for mental health, wellbeing

and meditation etc. The goal of yoga remains the same – to help, support, guide, inspire, teach and give practices that drops, dissolves and

destroys ignorance/ sufferings. Instead of talking to people about Samadhi, I encourage and inspire them to practice ‘Shanti-meditation’ the

practice I designed, developed 25 years. But I always declare that it adheres to fundamentals of authentic yoga tradition and combines the wisdom

of Raja-yoga, tantra-yoga, Anapan sati, and other traditional steps. Shanti meditation has five levels which are progressive in nature and

reaches to Samadhi- meditation. The expressions, the approach and steps appear different but they conform to the one tradition – teachings of all

masters.

Shanti Meditation is simple, effortless, easy that aims at moving the mind within, that is scattered outside. There are five steps which define as

‘Dharana’ (but not concentration), Pratyahara, Antar Yatra (a term I use from Jainism), Pratyak – Chetna (withdraw mental state) and Anapan sati.

The practice is still a non-practicing as the student does nothing except moving the mind consciously within.

Based on the progress, experiences and aspiration of students, I support them to move to Shanti-meditation – level-2-3-4-5.

For example, at level-3, we awaken to Samprajnata – Samadhi and Asamprajnata- Samadhi while fourth awakens to Shakti principle and fifth

highest level.

It is not that I go by rule of the book but go with student as a student is the most important part of the trinity (teacher, teaching and taught).

Many a times, I share light movements with students and ask them – how many asana you want to practice in advancing on the path.

When I receive answers in numbers like 15 for beginners, 25-30 for intermediate and 80-100 for advanced.

I further explain then what Lord Shiva said in Gherand Samhita, ‘there are 8.4 million asana but 84 are important. Out of 84, only 32 and at last

only two asana – Siddhasana and Padamasana are the most important ones. I clarify here that ‘the practice of asana’ is different than that of ‘the

practice of physical exercises’. Yoga asks to reduce the numbers of asana practice as one advances on the path unlike physical exercise

where the number of practices and duration both increases.

NDM: Do you teach this practice to lead to "Samadhi meditation", or what is known as the eighth and final limb in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali?

Acharya Girish Jha: Yoga aims at knowledge of self which is attained by Samadhi. As I answered above in Shanti Meditation, and help people to move progressively from outside to inside and from lower to higher states based on different teachings. In Shanti Meditation-2, students awaken to Samprajnata-Asamprajnata, one after the other. It helps me and students also to awaken to different states before we move further and deeper.

Acharya Girish Jha at Princeton University

Acharya Girish Jha at Princeton University

Struat Sovtosky question: Vedanta, Taoism, Buddhism, Judeo-Christian Gnosticism, Mystical Sufism, all laud sexual transcendence of duality and desire verified by the transcendence of sex, from Buddha to Dalai Lama and millions of others in India over the millenniums. Has...Modern Nondualism created something new where sex and desire are not transcended?

Acharya Girish Jha: If you enter into your home, you leave what is outside. When there is a snow storm we experienced during the last few days, we

rush inside our home and become free from it. The goal is not to fight with the storm but move inside of a space where the effect of the storm is

absent. This may be one of the many meanings of transcending the so called sex. However, space inside and outside is the same and essentially

one but outer manifestations are different. How can I claim to have been liberated from the effect of storm until I awaken and dwell in? But the moment

I am inside or behind the veil of storm (sex), I realize what it means of transcending it. Energy at calm inside and energy dictated by the

physical, unconsciousness and unconscious nature.

Sex manifests in the body as sensations for self-preservation but due to the energy. The same energy manifests as enthusiasm, drives and urges at

an emotional level. The same energy becomes physical, mental, emotional, intellectual and spiritual energy depending on the state of the consciousness. Hence, the question of ‘practice of brahmcharya’ is not more important than ease of rising into higher states of the consciousness. As one rushes

into home and discovers ‘peace and cam’ there, even without creating it. Similarly, when one awakens to that ‘space’ or ‘higher states in meditation’,

one has already transcended the ‘very sex’, you are talking about.

My masters used to talk about it, giving a wonderful metaphor. He used to say to all of us, ‘my son, I have two darlings – Bhubhuksha and

Mumuksha. Bhubhuksha is a word represents all pleasures, pains, sufferings, cravings including sex and Mumuksha is a word represents

intense aspiration of the mind to awaken to real-self. You have to a make a choice consciously, which one you want to enjoy. When I am

alone, Mumuksha darling takes me to a state where I discover there are not two but one and only one self all around. When I allow to drop down

to Bhubhuksha, I realize the same reality becoming many and enjoy the same state inside even when I talk to you, him, her etc. Please don’t fight,

curse with sex or any pleasure, pay more attention to Mumuksha to awaken, to realize and to transcend.” I think this explains what exactly you

want to know in the question.

The problem with modern non dualism is that is more intellectual and dry, not very much supported by the practice. It relies more on a

rational interpretation than awakening. Awakening comes when we go beyond ‘waking state’ that puts reasoning’s, arguments and different interpretations. When we simply say – we need to transcend in order to awaken to the reality, it also means transcending the sex and desires. How can we

exclude desires and sex and still transcend to know what reality is. I some time laugh at my own ‘intellect, mind and the arguments that appear

in the mind’ which says, “Ah, you have transcended”. But the truth remains as long as the mind and intellect confirms “Ah, you have transcended”-

you are not THERE.

At last, my friend, I will not classify – modern or old non dualism as fundamental principle is transcending and awakening and going beyond waking

state. One transcends ‘one desire’, he transcends all. Transcending is an entry into awakened state where nothing remains – your sex, your

desires, cravings, or even which cult, dogma, belief or religion you belong to. For me, all are mine as long as I am Sadhaka and nothing belongs,

the moment awakening taking place.

Intensive Meditation by Acharya Girish Jha in Ukraine

NDM: What part of the mind has the insight or get to know the Akhandakara Vritti? Some people say that a Akhandakara Vritti, (the

formless, unbroken, unlimited thought form ) doesn’t exist outside of the brain. That with the death of the brain there is nothing more but annihilation?

No higher Self or reality other than this flesh?

Acharya Girish Jha: In the words of Sri Aurobindo- “life was involved in the matter and evolved out of it. Mind was involved in the life and evolved out of it.

” If evolution is taking place from matter to life to mind, there is ‘something’ evolving out of the brain, which is involved in it. Whatever name or label

one gives does not matter- self, nothing, nothingness, real-self, Brahman or something else. What is more important here is to know if life evolved

out of matter but both levels –matter and life are different and works at different planes. The mind simply cannot comprehend by arguments.

Similarly two planes of life and mind though interconnected in the process of evolution, appears to the mind, a difficult to comprehend. And if evolution

is continuing, this simply means, ‘something’ must evolve out of ‘mind’ that must also be different in ‘sum and substance’ than that of the mind.

How can we try or rationalize - death of the brain is but annihilation and no higher self or reality other than this flesh. Even we cannot claim ‘flesh’ in

that state. It does not mean it is not there. Flesh does not exist in deep sleep, does not mean it is not there. The masters say it is consciousness we are

talking about. Awakening is a journey from matter to highest consciousness or self. But when we are awakened, we know all lower levels of

mind-life-body-matter are merely different manifestations of the same.

There will no more puzzle for the science if we claim ‘death of brain’ is all. It also means, of reverse argument that ‘seat of consciousness’ is somewhere

in the brain. And so, what we are talking about will be reduced to just playing of thoughts and reasoning. What masters declare that ‘self’

or ‘consciousness’ they talk about is independent of the brain, mind, life, body and the matter. If these are present, consciousness can manifests

itself through them working as instruments. That is Vedanta confirms mind, intellect, ego, stuff as ‘Anatakarana” or inner instrument.

Another argument comes to the mind which is work mentioning. If brain dies, everything dies, it simply means ‘brain’ is the ‘doer’, knower whereas

our normal day to day experiences proves otherwise.

At present or until awakening takes place, the brain uses the consciousness due to ignorance and after awakening, consciousness uses the brain and

the mind. To believe that ‘consciousness’ also has to think like the mind to act, drops on its own and hence the answer to your question.