In my post https://vedanta.manishverma.site/living-without-eating/ I had mentioned about the book “Autobiography of a Yogi” written by Shri Paramhansa Yogananda. The contents of the original edition of this book are available in .pdf form at this link. This eBook should be useful to a spiritual seeker or to someone facing questions like “Who am I?” or “What is the purpose of life?”.
All posts by Engineer Manish Verma
Living Without Eating
The tests on Shri Prahlad Jani brought this seemingly impossible thing and something that could be brushed aside considering it as a quackery into mainstream discussion a few years ago. Please check this (or alternate link here) for a report on DIPAS (DRDO) study. Shri Prahlad Jani is said to be living without eating, consuming liquid and excreting.
In the book, “Autobiography of a Yogi”, Shri Paramhansa Yogananda writes about Smt. Giri Bala who was considered as a yogi who did not eat and who was tested by Maharaja of Burdwan for this ability. From the book it appears that she did not consume liquid also and would not have bodily excretions.
While Shri Prahlad Jani is not seen too much himself in the media teaching people about the technique, there is Shri Hira Ratan Manek who is actively sharing a technique for the same. Shri Manek himself has been reported to have fasted for long periods by surviving on just sun energy and water.
Going by the ancient texts pertaining to the variants of, “Tratak” and third eye meditation techniques, and with the above case studies, the possibility of living without eating can be explored.
Seeking Infinity
We always want more. Since more never ends, it seems that what we want is infinity. It is said by many saints that the source is within us. Kabir said this nicely in, “Moko kahan dhoondhe re bande” (My Vocals + Guitar version for the same is embedded below. For vocals only version, please refer this. ).
Kabir has said the same thing in different ways. For example the following essentially mean the same:
ज्यों नैनों में पुतली, त्यों मालिक घट माहीं
मूरख लोग न जानहिं बाहिर ढूंढ्न जाहीं
पानी में मीन प्यासी, मोहे सुन सुन आवे हासी
आत्मज्ञान बिना नर भटके, कोई मथुरा कोई काशी
जैसे मृग नाभी कस्तूरी, बन-बन फिरत उदासी
कहत कबीर सुनो भाई साधो, सहज मिले अविनासी
Jesus has also said that the kingdom of heaven is within you. Instead of looking outside for it, one needs to look inside.
What is Meditation and How to do Meditation Video
The video is embedded below. The large player version is available here .
Continue reading What is Meditation and How to do Meditation Video
Continue reading What is Meditation and How to do Meditation Video
I am not body-mind proof
While a spiritual guru would often say that certain knowledge is beyond intellect, I will still try an approach in two parts to prove logically that a being is beyond a body-mind complex.
Part-A
Let us consider the following statements:
- If I can witness a book lying on the table, I am not that book. The book is separate from me.
- If I can witness my pen, I am not that pen. My pen is separate from me.
- If I am a witness to myself listening to music, I am not music. The music is separate from me.
This can go on and on…….
Based on the above, we have the following axiom:
Axiom: If I can witness something or if I am a witness to something, I am not that something. I am separate from that. Now, consider the following deductions:
- I can witness my hands, legs etc. or my body, so I am not my body.
- I am a witness to the reflex action that happens due to electric shock, sudden pain etc., so I am not my nervous system.
- I am a witness to my drowsy state at the time of sleeping. So, I am not my subconscious mind.
- I am a witness to the emotions of being happy, sad etc. and am a witness to the sensations of taste, smell etc. So, I am not my conscious mind.
- I am a witness to my intellect making choices, so I am not my intellect.
Part-B
During deep sleep, while my mind is unconscious or it does not seem to exist, I do find myself when I am awake. This means that I did exist even when the mind did not seem to exist. So, I cannot be my unconscious mind.
What is meditation?
Further to https://vedanta.manishverma.site/you-are-not-your-body-a-talk/, https://vedanta.manishverma.site/are-you-the-body/, http://facebook.com/VedantaManishVerma/posts/557381750947813, http://facebook.com/VedantaManishVerma/posts/204139029731685 and considering the fact that one does not know where one was during the sleep or under the influence of general anesthesia, the question arises that if a being is not the body-mind then who is he/she/it? Let us call the inner nature of being as inner-self for the moment.
Generally, a person identifies himself/herself with body-mind and is not aware of the presence of the source. In some moments one can experience a silent presence if one pays attention. In such moments the inner-self becomes aware of itself.
Meditation (ध्यान/dhyan) is the experience of the inner-self. It is a state where one does not identify with the body-mind and experiences the inner-self. In this state one can observe the activities of the body-mind without getting attached to the thoughts. Since most of the human suffering is due to the attachment with the thoughts, it ends when this attachment ceases. In deep state of meditation, one identifies with the inner-self itself (which means witnessing body-mind as a separate entity) and eventually there is a sense of oneness with everything which is called Samadhi. Samadhi is like deep sleep with full awareness. In the highest state of Samadhi, the individual being identifies with the universal field or experiences expanded-self.
Karma Yoga Related
Here are some statements/quotes:
1. A flower blossoms with its natural beauty and smell whether anybody notices it or not.
2. I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think – Rumi.
3.
– Gita
The above implies that you control your actions, but never the fruits of the actions. Let not the fruits of actions be your motive, nor let your attachment towards something be a cause of inaction.