--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Alex Stanley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > ---"The only thing that blanks out is the little ego > > > which takes on > > > the > > > form of the big Ego or God almighty" > > > > > > The above is actually half right because it continues to assume > > there is an experience or a "thing" called "me" that becomes > > something different than what it was before. The ego does "blank > > out," but it is not then replaced with a bigger or cosmic version > > of itself. The little "me" does not become a big cosmic "Me". > > This is a good narrative while one is on the path towards > > Realization because it is the only way the mind can conceptualize > > Realization. It assume that there will be a different "me" or a > > different experience of "my self" and that this new me will be > > blissful and all knowing, in-tune-with-the-laws-of-nature, etc. > > But all those are simply constructs, thoughts of the mind. What > > happens in the first step of Realization is the me "blanks out" > > or, more accurately, the "me," either suddenly or gradually, is > > differentiated from boundaries. Specifically, consciousness (that > > apperception present in waking state, that feeling of "me") > > separates itself from space-time boundaries; it becomes > > unlocalized. When this occurs, there is no "me" any more. What > > remains are the same thoughts, the same, feelings, the same body > > of course, but there is no "me" or localization of consciousness. > > To say one has become "unbounded," "absolute," "eternal," is > > misleading because these are "qualities of consciousness" derived > > from the mind. Consciousness can not be comprehended by mind. It > > is utterly, totally, and completely, outside of mind. So you > > really can't talk about it, your really can't think about it, and > > you really can't feel it. But there is "That," consciousness > > conscious of consciousness. Time and space are inside it. You are > > That when that "you" (I-thought) differentiates from its subtle > > boundaries of identification. Then what you are is content-less, > > limitless, utterly free. It makes your hair stand on end and you > > run around going, "oh..oh..oh...oh!" I am neither the King nor > > the village idiot. I am neither before nor after. I am neither > > eternal nor limited. I am neither outside nor inside. I am neither > > concrete nor abstract. I am not not and not not not. ;-) > > I grok what you're saying, Peter, but what about all that esoteric > ooga-booga, like nadi granthis in the sushumna blocking kundalini in > the third chakra? What's the connection between that stuff and > Realization?
Grace and *effort* are required to remove the three esoteric 'knots' or granthis'. Something MMY didn't want to scare you with, and yes, effort *is* required by living the ethical principles delineated by Patanjali in his first two limbs of Yoga! If you think TM is going to remove all of your bad habits and you're just waiting for it to kick in, you'll be waiting a long, long, long time. Get with the FULL Patanjali program and start making real progress!! (I'm sure Peter has his own suggestions....).
