In laying out the skeleton for the GeeVees series, it seems evident by the extent of it that some items must have gone missing... Here's a call to the readers to pitch in and let me know of any missing themes.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Theologically Speaking
- Non-duality of name and named
- Three levels of experience
- The standard mantra
- Song and repetitive recitation
Early Experiences
- Japa beginnings
- Spring of ecstasy
- Covered over
Grid of Offences
- The ten offences
- Offending a devotee
- The unwholesome root
Applications of Mantra-japa
- Three kinds of japa
- Concentration and withdrawal
- Connecting with a deity
- Weaving the vibration
Extended Practice
- 100,000 names
- Chanting all day long
- Benefits and harms
Common Problems
- Ignorance of methods
- Uncontrolled mind
- Exhausted with repetition
- Physical obstacles
- Unfit environment
Alternative Methods
... for easy application beyond situation, culture and religion ...
- Breath watching and body scan
- Chanting other mantras
- Trataka and object meditation
- Vipassana introspection
- Other yogic and tantric traditions
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
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16 comments:
On the bottom there in "alternative methods", it appears you left out "LSD, psilocyben, Peyote, Salivia Divinoram and Ganja".
Just joking.
Looks like an interesting outline.
If "breath watching" includes deep breathing and breath control during japa, then the method I use and refer to as "pranayama japa" is covered.
In hatha-yoga, control of the breath is mandatory in controlling the mind.
Krishna refers to it in his instruction in the Gita.
All the great yogis mastered pranayama.
I try to keep that in mind when chanting japa.
At a certain stage, chanting the Holy Name actually has a very sweet and addictive flavor even to the physical tongue.
Then, the monotonous repetition ceases to be drudgery and become very exhilarating.
The sweetness of the Holy Name is not just a metaphor. It is an actual flavor experienced by the tongue.
I don't know if age has anything to do with it, but I have noticed that japa seems to be a lot more fruitful at a mature age than it was when I was a young man in my early 20's.
Actually, the mundane habit of chewing gum is a perverted reflection of tasting the nectar of the name.
People like to chew on something sweet and refreshing like tutti-frutti gum, but the original spiritual form of chewing on something sweet and refreshing is the chanting of the Maha-mantra.
Oh, by the way, I am the proud owner of www.maha-mantra.com and am thinking of some ideas of how to develop the domain in to a first class resource on the science and Nama bhajan.
I was kinda hopin' Ananda would help me with some ideas, but now that he has become a freelance European party hound I guess I will have to find some help elsewhere.
Dear Ananda
How do you feel about Srila Prabhupada?
Fuck all of you! I quit! I give my Godhead-dom to Mr Ronald McDonald. Oh yeah, all of your karma is absolved.
You are the hallucinatory being ASS HOLE!
Go crawl back in your hole and wait for death you fucking worm.
Do you know what SOL means?
Well, you mutha F are out of luck!
No f-words directed to others or otherwise used in harsh ways. No talk about other member's expected death or tragic accident. Further such will be deleted.
Oh, but you didn't say that until I replied to the jerk that started the shit?
Anonymous: "How do you feel about Srila Prabhupada?"
I have mixed feelings.
On one hand, I admire his tale of determination and achievements. His publications with original Sanskrit and word-for-word translations still serve as handy reference-works. And I am of course happy of the continuation of the informative legacy in the world of new media by his followers.
On the other hand. I feel uneasy over some of his underlying personal motivations and attitudes in his grandiose mission. I am also not terribly happy about the quality of his works, the purports are quite basic and repetitive, the translations frequently leave room for improvement. And I needn't speak about the disaster of an organization he left behind, ISKCON that is, and what it's done with all too many adherents.
I definitely do not subscribe to hagiographic narrative of his fantastic descent from the spiritual sky for his mission, or his being the prophecied general of the predominant religion of the era. That's what grandeur creates — delusions. Anyhow, I'm certain he was a wonderful man in many ways, and I feel overall positive about his life and accomplishments, disagreements notwithstanding.
"Oh, but you didn't say that until I replied to the jerk that started the shit?
I read them both at the same time. I don't live here reading comments in real time.
Ok,Anandaji,
Now that you have given us your critique of Bhaktivedanta Swami also known as "Prabhupada" to his followers, can you now please give us a critique of your good self?
Please don't spare us the naughty details.
And, why is it that you consider the Acharya who spread the Gaudiya cult all over the planet to be someone of nominal glories within the Gaudiya cult?
Do you ever think that you might possibly be over-estimating your own glories whilst belittling great souls of immense accomplishment?
I don't know why I should go into a detailed self-critique here just because I have an opinion of someone. I have opinions of many people. I understand he is important for someone inside a Gaudiya Vaishnava context, but outside it he is only of nominal interest.
Self-critique is so important and useful for making progress in personal growth as a human being.
Go ahead Anandaji, confess your sins, spill the beans and face the truth of yourself.
A little honesty is long overdue for one who is so eager to broadcast himself across the internet in a shameless act of self-promotion.
At least you must qualify yourself in order for your critique of "Prabhupada" to have any value or meaning to whomever it is you are speaking to.
So, when did you fist notice you have a proclivity for self-aggrandizement and a quick reaction for finding fault in elder Vaishnavas?
Please tell us who in this world or in history do you consider as more intelligent and spiritually cultured than your good self?
I am your true God. You must hand me bottles of water and admire my perfect dance moves. Behold my mighty gaze! My sternness is unmatched (except maybe by that of Chuck Norris).
Vegman, don't make me lose my temper, for I am invincible. Not even a hallucinatory god will come to rescue you when I get mad.
Das Viking, you have now become a personality cult...resign from your position as god immediately, or else your shadow may reveal itself.
To the detriment of believers.
Vegman: "Self-critique is so important and useful for making progress in personal growth as a human being. Go ahead Anandaji, confess your sins, spill the beans and face the truth of yourself."
While the first sentence is certainly true, it doesn't lead to the second. My truths are quite adequately faced without my typing them in for the resident blog trollensons.
OK, Anandaji, we understand.
XXX-rated material is not allowed on the blog.
And you are correct.
Even Chanakya Pandit wrote that one should not reveal his own faults to others.
I certainly am not about to go into a liturgy of my own sins and faults.
It would take a very large book to contain all that.
I am interested to inquire from Jagat some etymological characteristics of some Sanskrit words, so how would you recommend I can contact him?
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