Meditation
The reason why many turn to substance abuse is that they are unable to d
eal with life’s problems. Depression and anger, sadness and frustration are further fuelled by drug-dependency, alcoholism or both.
Daniel Goleman in a book entitled Emotional Intelligence says that it is the lack of application of intelligence to emotions that makes one lonely, depressed, angry, unruly, prone to worry, impulsive and aggressive.
A scientific assessment of the emotional and spiritual mind has emerged in an attempt to understand why we can be reasonable one moment and irrational the very next moment. Goleman attributed it to two minds, one emotional and the other rational; one that feels and one that thinks. The rational mind is prominent in analytical approach while the other one can be impulsive, powerful and at times illogical. He argues that the emotional mind is far quicker than the rational mind at making split-second decisions without analytical reflection about the potential consequences. This can be bewildering to the analytically inclined rational mind.
Spiritual teachers such as Buddha and Jesus touched their disciples’ hearts by speaking the language of emotions. This is why their teachings are so effective.
Why is improving the emotional quotient (EQ) or imbibing spiritual intelligence important? Because it helps us deal with problems in a constructive manner, and stops us getting addicted to harmful habits like substance abuse.
Family members can take an interest in improving the EQ and spiritual quotient (SQ) of their near and dear ones as an effective way to combat drug abuse. One method is practising yoga and meditation to enhance emotional intelligence and manage stress. To manage stress, we need to leverage intelligence without having to make drastic changes in lifestyle. Not everyone can retreat to the Himalayas or engage in difficult Hatha Yoga.
Sahaja Yoga, founded by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, is a method which helps achieve self-realisation in a simple and practical manner. Sahaja Yoga is based on the principle that enlightenment and good health require proper balance within the seven major chakras.
Shri Mataji says, “En masse inner transformation by self-realization is the reality now. Sahaja Yoga is the spontaneous union of individual consciousness with the all-pervading power through the awakening of the residual power of the Kundalini.
“Just as an egg gets transformed into a bird or a seed into a plant, Sahaja Yoga helps transformation of a person to a higher awareness level. The awakening of the inherent dormant energy can be accomplished in a practical and simple manner.”
Adapted from India Times
Anti-Domestic Violence / Happy Relationships Day will be held on Saturday November 25, 2006 at Villawood Family Park, Villawood (opposite the Go-Lo shop). Sahaj Band will be present between 1.15 pm and 1.45 pm.
It is a very significant place for Sahaja Yoga to be represented, as it provides an opportunity to share the spiritual tools given to us by Shri Mataji for rising above stress, anger, jealousy, fear and other factors that contribute to domestic violence.
Sahaja Yogis will be present to help seekers gain an understanding of Sahaja Yoga.
When you meditate, try not to … make some sort of a function out of it. No. Meditation is something silencing yourself, silencing your thoughts and the going to that deep ocean which is within you…
But supposing you don’t do that; if you don’t meditate, I can make out immediately those who are meditating and those who are not – it’s not difficult for me. Those who do not meditate are always hesitating; they are confused; they can’t understand.
And that’s why meditation is the most important thing in Sahaj Yoga. Just like a light burns, in the electricity flowing in it, you can say, or … because of the candles, in the same way meditation is a continuous availability of the Divine force.
Shri Mataji, 2002
I am prompted to write about the experiences that have helped me in the areas of health and well-being. In the early 1990s I had reached a bit of a crisis point in my life, with my physical and emotional health suffering. I had tried various alternative healing techniques which seemed to help for a while, but didn’t “cut the mustard” on all levels for me.
In 1992 my sister-in-law, Sharon, suggested I try Sahaja Yoga as she had been to a program held in a private house nearby at Wynnum. What she explained to me blew me away – that people practising Sahaja Yoga could teach you how to raise your own kundalini. From what I had read previously, this was usually only possible after arduous study and with many years’ meditative practice. Sharon had felt her own kundalini quite easily at the program and when practising Sahaja Yoga meditation at home. She suggested I try to attend a program in my area.
To my delight, I found that a program was being run nearby in a private house at Ascot. The people running the program were very welcoming and knowledgeable on the subject of the chakras and kundalini, and offered all possible assistance to my desire to feel this meditation experience. They explained that when the kundalini is raised in a suitable manner, the student experiences pure meditation, or thoughtless awareness. The brain stops all its “chitter chatter”, allowing the nervous system to be nourished and enlightened.
I would say that on that first night I only felt a brief moment of thoughtless awareness, but went home determined to improve on that experience. With further practice each day, I was soon able to meditate with strong sessions of thoughtless awareness. This experience was so nourishing and balancing that many of my health problems disappeared. To this day I have continued to practise Sahaja Yoga meditation and I am still in awe of the experience that one feels when the kundalini is raised.
For others who may be interested, I will attempt to give a brief overview of how the process works. The kundalini is a spiritual energy lying dormant in the base of the spine. When activated, it moves up the central parasympathetic nervous system, nourishing the chakras and bringing them back into alignment. There is a tiny gap between each of our thoughts, and as the kundalini passes through the third eye chakra, it widens that gap so that we become thoughtless. The kundalini then passes out through the top of the head, manifesting as a cool breeze that can actually be felt. That cool breeze can be also felt on the hands when one is in balance. The great thing is that if one is out of balance, the kundalini indicates this problem on our fingertips as an experience of heat or a small pain. The fingertips become “enlightened” and allow us to determine which chakras need more work.
If you would like to find out more about the chakras, kundalini and meditation, you are welcome to come to any of the free Sahaja Yoga programs conducted at various places around the world. Contact details can be obtained from this website.
BR Qld