The focus and resolve needed to dive deep in meditation is cultivated in the hundreds of ways throughout our day that we resist and transmute self-will. Every time we do what we know is right for us, we strengthen our ability to go deeper in meditation.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian
When we begin a meditation practice, we become aware of the myriad disorganized thoughts that come into our mind. Over time using a technique like focusing on the breath, we learn to let the thoughts fall away and bring the mind to a single point of focus. Next we become aware of a new way of making decisions. We learn to differentiate between the selfish promptings of ego and the enlightened intuition unleashed by our meditation practice. Making the ego a useful helpmate instead of our boss deepens our meditation day by day. We have embraced the virtuous cycle where right living strengthens meditation and meditation returns the favor.
Developing one-pointed attention is valuable on the meditation cushion and off. When the mind is calm, not flitting from one thought to the next, energy is conserved. Vital force is available for the task at hand.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian
Conservation of energy is one of the five techniques that constitute the first of the eight 'limbs' of yoga practice. The goals of these practices are the cessation extraneous thought activity and the experience of pure transformative awareness during meditation. One pointed-attention frees us from the distractions of busy mind. I remember that many years ago when I started high school, a printed time planner seemed to help me get organized, limit wasting time and focus on the task at hand. Now in our modern world, we have instant access to electronic calendars, but the devices that enable this are laden with enticing distractions. The default mode network of our brain seems to induce a tendency to change thoughts every three or four seconds unless we make an effort to concentrate. It is like an inner TikTok lying in wait inside us. My personal preference to enhance concentration is mantra, but many find that focus on the breath works best while waiting for the gentle shift from concentration into the flow of meditation itself. Experiment and find which technique works best for you.
Ego identity is maintained through our desires in the form of likes and dislikes. Constantly seeking to get what we want and avoid what we don’t want obscures the perfection of what is.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian
In the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, ancient Yogic scripture thought to have been written around the 2nd century BCE, we read in Chapter 1, Verse 15 that "dispassionate nonattachment enables one to consciously control urges, cravings and instinctual drives." (1) We naturally have things in our personal world that we like or dislike. These likes and dislikes come from our previous experiences and color our perceptions. Some can affect us positively and others negatively. Those likes and dislikes can cause suffering if we let them. We may crave things we like, become attached to having them and get upset when we can't have them. They may even become addictions. When we dislike something we may get angry when or upset when they occur. Fear of these things that we dislike may control our actions. These likes and dislikes may eventually define who we think we are. Our likes and dislikes can control how we live our life. When we let that happen we are forgetting that we are greater than these. When we observe our likes and dislikes objectively and unemotionally, we can then make the right choices, live in the way we desire to and enjoy life for what it is.
(1) Roy Eugene Davis, The Science of Self-Realization
Life is truly more enjoyable when we give. The whole self is engaged in giving -- heart, mind, body and soul.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian
In Eastern scripture called the Upanishads, there is a teaching that says "From fullness comes fullness. If you take away from this fullness, only fullness remains". Generosity flows from a full heart. When we see ourselves as full and complete, generosity flows easily. We are nature, and nature doesn't hold back its myriad gifts. Holding back our generosity comes from fear of not having enough. But it is not natural to us to hold tightly to what we have. That is why it we don't feel right when we hold back our generosity. One way we can let go of the fear of not having enough is to practice gratitude. Just looking around us and seeing and appreciating what we do have opens us up to the abundance that is our birthright. We begin to realize our fullness and want to share it. That is why Yogacharya O'Brian says that life is truly more enjoyable when we give.
To bring forth abundance and experience the fullness of life, we start by accessing it within us. We change our thoughts. We change our internal conversation. We change our speech. And we change our viewpoint —our way of looking at the world and interpreting our experience. Affirmation gives us a new way of seeing.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian quoted from the Jewel of Abundance: Finding Prosperity Through the Ancient Wisdom of Yoga
When we combine meditation with the practice of affirmation we can change our experience from one of lack to one of abundance. Begin with gratitude after meditation each day. Voice out loud or silently all the things you are grateful for. Then choose an affirmation such as: 'As I make wise choices, all my needs are met on time and in abundance'. Then be receptive to the ways the universe supports you. As we work with the affirmation we will begin to experience new and positive opportunities.
The power of imagination can elevate the mind, help us touch the holy, and live in awe and wonder. Use the power of imagination for good.
~Yogacharya O'Brian
Roy Eugene Davis, Yogacharya O'Brian's guru said that "imagination can and should be used to fulfill wholesome desires, enhance all aspects of our lives, accomplish purposes of value, and facilitate rapid, satisfying spiritual growth." He also said that "imagination is an innate spiritual power."(1) We are all spiritual beings, expressing through these bodies and minds that we have been given. We can align our minds with the power for good that runs the universe. When we first hear these teachings often we doubt that can be true. Many of us have had many years of hearing that we are not good enough and that we are separate and less than that power for good. Unfortunately that belief holds us back from being all that we can be in this life. As Yogacharya says, when we are ready to touch the holy, at first we can use the power of our imagination to see the Truth about ourselves. We can use our imagination and see ourselves as holy. Then we begin to see holiness all around us and we begin to actually experience that holiness within us. Spending time in silence each day, quiets our minds and helps us observe negative thinking and allows our thoughts to be elevated. We can then live in the world in a more positive way and bring that positivity to all our speech and actions. In this way we are using the power of imagination for good.
(1) Roy Eugene Davis; How to Use Your Creative Imagination p.21
The focus and resolve needed to dive deep in meditation is cultivated in the hundreds of ways throughout our day that we resist and transmute self-will. Every time we do what we know is right for us, we strengthen our ability to go deeper in meditation.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian
When we begin a meditation practice, we become aware of the myriad disorganized thoughts that come into our mind. Over time using a technique like focusing on the breath, we learn to let the thoughts fall away and bring the mind to a single point of focus. Next we become aware of a new way of making decisions. We learn to differentiate between the selfish promptings of ego and the enlightened intuition unleashed by our meditation practice. Making the ego a useful helpmate instead of our boss deepens our meditation day by day. We have embraced the virtuous cycle where right living strengthens meditation and meditation returns the favor.
Live only in the present, not in the future. Do your best today; don't look for tomorrow.
~Paramahansa Yogananda
Yogananda reminds us to be present in everything we do. On most days, I can watch thoughts of worry arise and let them fall away because I know that this is just a waste of energy. When I am tired this takes more discipline and effort, but the results are worth it. The same goes for regrets about the past. How free we can be when we just remain fully in the present moment. This is just one of the many benefits of our meditation practice. Do your best today.
Just as body, mind, and soul are intricately intertwined, so it is with body, mind, soul, and nature. All of it—everyone and every form of life—is our neighborhood. Only one cosmic neighborhood—that is a fundamental principle of yoga. All of life is one, and we are That. One Supreme Consciousness expresses as all that is.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, from her blog Yoga, Consciousness and Climate Change
During this week of celebrating the earth with Earth Day, we are reminded that we are nature and it is us. In this quote Yogacharya is reminding us that all of nature gives to us and we, as beings in nature, give back. It is all One and we are not separate from that One. We have all had experiences of being in nature and feeling at peace with life. By having a regular meditation practice we can more easily stay connected to that peace. Remembering our connection with nature supports all of life including ourselves. We remember that we are not here to use the benefits of nature but to honor and cooperate with it. In her blog post Yogacharya quotes ancient Vedic wisdom that says "Take care of nature, and nature will take care of you." In this time of so much upheaval in our world let us remember our connection to all of life and do what we can to take care of nature.
Avoid relying on everyday events and personal experiences for your happiness and sense of well-being. Learn to be happy and optimistic from the inside.
~Roy Eugene Davis
A steady meditation practice offers us much more than enhanced health and a heightened ability to concentrate. When we meditate regularly and make it a priority to lead an ethical life, we open our access to the deep happiness within. We become less dependent on the outcome of events or the opinions of others. We remain balanced and content and are more available to be of service even when our environment is unsettled. Happiness is an inside job.
Balance renders life fruitful.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian
We often hear about having balance in our life, but what does that really mean and how do we achieve balance? The teachings of Kriya Yoga are all about balance. At the basic level we can look at what we eat. Do we eat food that bring us health and well being or do we eat food that might taste good in the moment but bring us discomfort in the long run? Are we getting enough sleep so that during our waking hours we are able to respond to stressful situations with discernment rather than react and maybe say or do something that is not useful? During our busy day do we take breaks for rest and sweetness? Do we take time to sit in the silence of meditation each day? Do we take time for light exercise each day? Can we turn away from what we find stressful (like the talking heads on the news) and turn towards things, situations and people that are uplifting and bring us joy. Turn away from what you know isn’t good for you and towards what lifts you up. As Roy Eugene Davis, the esteemed teacher of Kriya Yoga said “Do what you know you should do.” When we do that we find more joy and ease in our lives. When we have balance our lives are more grace-filled - our lives are fruitful. That is balance.
To cultivate inner stillness, speak calmly, cultivate Self-contentment, and avoid activities and situations that overly stimulate the senses, weaken vital forces, or activate harmful subconscious or addictive tendencies.
~Roy Eugene Davis
What we do during the rest of the day after meditation is just as important as our meditation practice. Life can be joyful, even filled with bliss, when we move from one activity to another, just doing what we know is the right thing in each situation. Our own inner wisdom says that what we really crave is contentment, not excitement. Observe all of the positive aspects of life and enjoy them. Be content. Life lived in this way strengthens our meditation, and our meditation practice allows us to move with grace through life.
The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. . . Live each moment completely and the future will take care of itself. Fully enjoy the wonder and beauty of each moment.
~Paramahansa Yogananda
When we first begin to meditate we notice the whirlwind of thoughts that move through an uncontrolled mind. As our meditation practice becomes more steady, we learn to bring the mind to a single point of focus, such as the breath, and we experience longer and longer moments of peaceful presence. In meditation we form the habit of being fully present. Then in daily life we can observe events and act appropriately without the stress of upsetting reactions to what is happening. Freedom comes from moving away from reactions to being able to respond in appropriate ways. We can live the freedom that we seek. This is what is described as enlightened living.
Just noticing the arising of desire as a wave, frees us to ride the current of divine energy beneath it. Wave upon wave of desire arises. Watch. Wait. Move through life with astounding freedom.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian
With our daily meditation practice we become exquisitely aware of the many thoughts that arise and fall away in the mental field. This witness consciousness can carry over to daily activity and give us some distance from the arising of desire in our own minds. With practice, we can discern when these are the passing desires of restless ego that hold us back or desires that are beneficial for our own and the world's greater good. When we nurture this ability to recognize the peaceful energy of what is right, it is easier to follow it. This is freedom.
Peace in our homes, community, and world begin with a vision of it, faith in it, and the commitment to realize it by working for it. Bring forth the light of peace by first experiencing it directly in meditation, and then transmit that divine peace to others.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian
Most of us would agree that we want peace in our homes, in our families and in our world. This week we are all watching and praying for a peaceful solution to the events in eastern Europe and Ukraine. We pray for all those who are fearful for the safety of themselves, their families, and their homeland. We may feel helpless, here, so far away. The best way that we can experience peace and to contribute to peace is to cultivate peace within our own hearts through our practice of meditation. When our mind is calm, we can discern what is ours to do—what action is right for us to take. When we feel peaceful, we radiate that peace outwardly to all of those we personally encounter. It is a natural energy that we just allow to flow. This peaceful energy radiates out and can affect the entire world. We don't just meditate to meditate. We don't just meditate for ourselves. Meditation is not for our benefit only; it is for the benefit of the whole world. Imagine if every person in the world meditated and could manage their fear, anger and frustration and were able to emanate peace from their hearts. What a world this would be!
The belief “I need this or that to bring me happiness or security” affirms lack. Realize your wholeness now. Then watch what is added unto you from your abundance consciousness. Watch.
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian
Our daily meditation practice makes us aware of the contents of our mind and gives us the power to change what goes on in the mind. When we catch ourselves complaining, we can recall the principle that 'like attracts like.' Thoughts of lack attract that experience in the real world. A strong gratitude practice can liberate us from lack and attract abundance in an entirely graceful way. I like to affirm my gratitude before sleep each night and have found this very helpful. Try practicing gratitude every day for a week and you may be surprised. Affirm abundance.
The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. . . Live each moment completely and the future will take care of itself. Fully enjoy the wonder and beauty of each moment.
~Paramahansa Yogananda
When we first begin to meditate we notice the whirlwind of thoughts that move through an uncontrolled mind. As our meditation practice becomes more steady, we learn to bring the mind to a single point of focus, such as the breath, and we experience longer and longer moments of peaceful presence. In meditation we form the habit of being fully present. Then in daily life we can observe events and act appropriately without the stress of upsetting reactions to what is happening. Freedom comes from moving away from reactions to being able to respond in appropriate ways. We can live the freedom that we seek. This is what is described as enlightened living.
