1 2 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 6 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 2 0 scribedĀtma vichāra processes do not change. The quality of the ahamkāra including the vāsanāsof the practitioner will always bring into the sādhana also individualized elements. It this way, we have to rely on the available resources for finding a solution to ourĀtma vichāra related problems. Fortunately, there is a number of sources, e.g. the books on dialogues with Ramana Maharshi, in theMountain Pathpublished by Sri Ramanasramam or in the texts and videos of David Godman (2015, 2018) and of other commentators (e.g. Dojčár 2017, 65–103) that contain valuable information in this respect. Further, courses, where the basic techniques related toĀtma vichāra are taught are also a way, how to learn the basics. To give an example, Rao (2010, 9–19) describes the process ofĀtma vichāra as transcending first the koshas through dissociation from their products caused by vāsanās . He also mentions that there is a stage of the process, when there is no effort possible. This is when we have reached the limits of the instruments included in the ahamkāra bundle (Venkataramiah 1968, 283). Here, as already noted, the help of a guru , i.e. a qualified expert, may be of importance (Maharshi 1966, 9, verse 20). Much more so as he also noted regarding the practice ofĀtma vichāra that in this way the mind and the vāsanās – other than that which enablesĀtma vichāra – are willing to subside during the practice. They melt into the Heart and rest there and – after jñānahappens – re-emerge in a new, attachment andmāla (impurity) free form (Maharshi 1966, 5, verse 12). There is undoubtedly a strong reason to visit the Ramanasra - mam in Tiruvannamalai, South India, because that locality is conductive to sādhana . Further, we may also experience that sometimes a strong, fiery inner purification may occur during a stay in the āshram. We could say that Ramana Maharshi acts also as an inner ‘fire’, that burns up all the inner granthis , “inner obstacles”, to all who came near him physically or inwardly with a genuine desire for enlightenment. His imprint in the psychospiritual environment is such that the help in sādhana can be felt even now. So our psychophysical structure can be burnt clean of its predispositions, vanities and ignorance ( Who is a Genuine Guru2020, 3–7). It is like a deep, intensive fiery burning sensation in the whole body and mind, which one could sometimes experience during meditation in the Virupaksha Cave, where Ramana Maharshi lived for some years and where sage Virupaksha is buried. The way ofĀtma vichāra is usually a long one. The author learned about Ramana Maharshi andĀtma vichāra in 1965, but had to meet and get help from yogis like Shri Deoraha Baba (in 1977), through whom the process ofmystical death and also ofĀtma vichāra could be truly opened. As the author is also a yoga teacher since 1979, on some yoga courses, Ātma vichāra type sādhanawas also practiced. Since 1980 a number of such courses were held in various countries and up to 1000 participants attended them. Some participants attended the courses repeatedly, some not. The practices were aligned around the techniques described above. The sādhana thus included prānārodha , ajapa japa that is resting the attention during involuntary inhalation and exhalation on the sound produced in the upper respiratory parts, then pratyāhāra , i.e. withdrawal of attention from all mentally perceivable processes, and finally withdrawing attention from all processes and states that need the energy of attention, andmajjana . These courses were not designed for research, so only the feedback from the participants can be summed up as follows: 1. Depending on the personality type of the participants, thus on the content of ahamkārawith its databases, the disentanglement of mental processes from the energy of attention and merging the attention to the spiritual Heartwas variable. Only people with more thorough meditation practice had experienced the first stages of passing beyond the realm of the ‘world created through the mind.’ This means a perception of inner stillness. 2. Only very few people could achieve significant slow - ing the breath rate, maximum 1 cycle per 90 seconds, was observed. Only about a dozen participants experienced longer kumbhaka as a result of longer prānārodha and ajapa japapractice. Involuntary breath retention was seen, however on holotropic breathwork sessions, where the involuntary suspension of breath lasted maximum for 6–8 minutes and brought about a deep state of meditation. 3. Majjana as a part of theĀtma vichāra sādhanawas very interesting in the sense that this was where the course participants realized how many desires are keeping them from really “ diving into ” (here the “ diving into ” has no directional reference).
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