Kundalini and deepening meditation, changes in mind and body - Meditation Record, July 2019.

2019-07-04 記
Topic: :スピリチュアル: 瞑想録

After the Kundalini experience, Kumbhaka (breath retention) became difficult.

After the Kundalini experience, I have become extremely bad at "Kumbhaka," which is breath retention in the yogic breathing technique called Pranayama. I was not particularly good at it to begin with, but I could barely hold my breath for 1 minute and 30 seconds to 2 minutes. However, within a comfortable range, I can only hold my breath for 30 seconds, and even if I try very hard, my limit is 50 seconds to 1 minute. It's strange...

My breathing has also become shallow, and I've even become bad at deep breathing. What is this...?

However, I don't feel like I'm accumulating stress.

It's not quite like that, but as I wrote in the previous article, I have regained my energy. The only thing that's still a mystery is my difficulty with breathing and Kumbhaka. The mystery remains unsolved.

When I asked my yoga teacher, she said, "Maybe you have too many distractions?" While I have always been bad at Kumbhaka, and that comment was true at the time, regarding the difference before and after Kundalini awakening, it doesn't seem like distractions are the reason. I don't think distractions have changed that much before and after Kundalini awakening, yet the time for Kumbhaka has decreased from one-third to two-fifths. It's clear that the reason is not distractions, but Kundalini.

P.S.
Later, I came across a blog post that said, "Capacity ÷ Strength of Energy = Kumbhaka Time." If that's the case, it makes sense that the time for Kumbhaka has decreased because the energy has become stronger with Kundalini, causing the capacity to fill up quickly. The same blog post says that to extend the shortened Kumbhaka, you should practice to increase the capacity. I agree with that.

■Kevala Kumbhaka
Before the second Kundalini awakening, Kevala Kumbhaka, where my breath automatically stops, often occurred. This usually happened with a sense of stability and peace of mind. However, after the second Kundalini awakening, my breath has become shallow, so Kevala Kumbhaka has stopped occurring.

The tornado in Fū no Run changed the momentum from Manipra's advantage to Anahata's advantage.

On July 5, 2019, I had a slight experience that felt like Kundalini.
Actually, I have a fractured ankle right now, so I'm at home doing rehabilitation exercises like stretching. This morning, I was stretching and then dozed off and lay down.

In a dreamlike state, a yoga practitioner named Professor Masaharu Natsuse, whom I've never actually met, appeared in my dream, and he was twisting his waist in a spiral motion. I thought, "Ah, I remember this person..." and for some reason, I started to want to imitate him, so I tried to move my waist, but I couldn't because I was lying down. Even though it's a dream, I couldn't move. So, I wondered what to do, and then I suddenly had an idea. I started moving my finger (I think it was my right index finger) around my body, as if creating a whirlpool in water. I wasn't using my physical finger, but moving my finger in the dream. At first, I tried moving it counterclockwise, but nothing happened, so I decided to try moving it clockwise. Then, a whirlwind started to form around my body, especially around my waist. What is this! This is all just a dream. I was surprised, but my finger continued to rotate and create a whirlpool. A light flow of air, like a "wind," formed around my body, and it felt like a whirlwind. I wondered what to do with this whirlwind, so I tried moving my finger slightly upwards, and the whirlwind moved upwards! It was initially rotating around my waist, so I raised it to just below my chest. I hesitated for a moment before raising it further. This is because I thought that these kinds of things are generally dangerous if you don't have a "straight back." Since I was lying on my side, my body might not be straight, so I thought I should change my position in case something strange happened. However, I felt like the whirlwind might disappear if I hesitated, so I decided to "just go for it" and moved my finger upwards. As a result, the whirlwind reached my head, and it dissipated by spreading around my head. There seems to be nothing strange about it. There doesn't seem to be any danger. While the whirlwind was swirling, there was a slight sound, like "shurushurushurushur."

At that point, I woke up and thought, "Hmm, was that a dream?" Then, I felt a slight tingling sensation in my chest for a few minutes, and the blood in the upper part of my spine, around the protruding bone below my neck (the "daitsui" bone?), was pulsating. The sensation of pulsating blood below my neck (daitsui?) was similar to the feeling I had when I had a Kundalini experience (the second time), when I felt pulsating blood just below my lower back. So, even though it was a much weaker sensation, I decided to interpret it as an experience related to Kundalini. It was a much smaller power compared to the previous time.

On July 5, 2019, I had a slight experience that felt like Kundalini.
Actually, I have a fractured ankle right now, so I'm at home doing rehabilitation exercises like stretching. This morning, I was stretching and then dozed off and lay down.

In a dreamlike state, a yoga practitioner named Professor Masaharu Natsuse, whom I've never actually met, appeared in my dream, and he was twisting his waist in a spiral motion. I thought, "Ah, I remember this person..." and for some reason, I started to want to imitate him, so I tried to move my waist, but I couldn't because I was lying down. Even though it's a dream, I couldn't move. So, I wondered what to do, and then I suddenly had an idea. I started moving my finger (I think it was my right index finger) around my body, as if creating a whirlpool in water. I wasn't using my physical finger, but moving my finger in the dream. At first, I tried moving it counterclockwise, but nothing happened, so I decided to try moving it clockwise. Then, a whirlwind started to form around my body, especially around my waist. What is this! This is all just a dream. I was surprised, but my finger continued to rotate and create a whirlpool. A light flow of air, like a "wind," formed around my body, and it felt like a whirlwind. I wondered what to do with this whirlwind, so I tried moving my finger slightly upwards, and the whirlwind moved upwards! It was initially rotating around my waist, so I raised it to just below my chest. I hesitated for a moment before raising it further. This is because I thought that these kinds of things are generally dangerous if you don't have a "straight back." Since I was lying on my side, my body might not be straight, so I thought I should change my position in case something strange happened. However, I felt like the whirlwind might disappear if I hesitated, so I decided to "just go for it" and moved my finger upwards. As a result, the whirlwind reached my head, and it dissipated by spreading around my head. There seems to be nothing strange about it. There doesn't seem to be any danger. While the whirlwind was swirling, there was a slight sound, like "shurushurushurushur."

At that point, I woke up and thought, "Hmm, was that a dream?" Then, I felt a slight tingling sensation in my chest for a few minutes, and the blood in the upper part of my spine, around the protruding bone below my neck (the "daitsui" bone?), was pulsating. The sensation of pulsating blood below my neck (daitsui?) was similar to the feeling I had when I had a Kundalini experience (the second time), when I felt pulsating blood just below my lower back. So, even though it was a much weaker sensation, I decided to interpret it as an experience related to Kundalini. It was a much smaller power compared to the previous time. On July 5, 2019, I had a slight experience that felt like Kundalini.
Actually, I have a fractured ankle right now, so I'm at home doing rehabilitation exercises like stretching. This morning, I was stretching and then dozed off and lay down.

In a dreamlike state, a yoga practitioner named Professor Masaharu Natsuse, whom I've never actually met, appeared in my dream, and he was twisting his waist in a spiral motion. I thought, "Ah, I remember this person..." and for some reason, I started to want to imitate him, so I tried to move my waist, but I couldn't because I was lying down. Even though it's a dream, I couldn't move. So, I wondered what to do, and then I suddenly had an idea. I started moving my finger (I think it was my right index finger) around my body, as if creating a whirlpool in water. I wasn't using my physical finger, but moving my finger in the dream. At first, I tried moving it counterclockwise, but nothing happened, so I decided to try moving it clockwise. Then, a whirlwind started to form around my body, especially around my waist. What is this! This is all just a dream. I was surprised, but my finger continued to rotate and create a whirlpool. A light flow of air, like a "wind," formed around my body, and it felt like a whirlwind. I wondered what to do with this whirlwind, so I tried moving my finger slightly upwards, and the whirlwind moved upwards! It was initially rotating around my waist, so I raised it to just below my chest. I hesitated for a moment before raising it further. This is because I thought that these kinds of things are generally dangerous if you don't have a "straight back." Since I was lying on my side, my body might not be straight, so I thought I should change my position in case something strange happened. However, I felt like the whirlwind might disappear if I hesitated, so I decided to "just go for it" and moved my finger upwards. As a result, the whirlwind reached my head, and it dissipated by spreading around my head. There seems to be nothing strange about it. There doesn't seem to be any danger. While the whirlwind was swirling, there was a slight sound, like "shurushurushurushur."

At that point, I woke up and thought, "Hmm, was that a dream?" Then, I felt a slight tingling sensation in my chest for a few minutes, and the blood in the upper part of my spine, around the protruding bone below my neck (the "daitsui" bone?), was pulsating. The sensation of pulsating blood below my neck (daitsui?) was similar to the feeling I had when I had a Kundalini experience (the second time), when I felt pulsating blood just below my lower back. So, even though it was a much weaker sensation, I decided to interpret it as an experience related to Kundalini. It was a much smaller power compared to the previous time.

My chest opened up, and it became easier to breathe.

[Two days after the tornado experience with the wind of Run]

■ Breathing has become easier.
As mentioned in a separate article, after the second Kundalini experience, my breathing became shallow, and I became extremely uncomfortable with Kumbhaka (breath retention). Similarly, before, Kevala Kumbhaka, an automatic breath retention that would spontaneously occur during meditation or rest, had stopped occurring after the second Kundalini experience. It is said that Kevala Kumbhaka occurs automatically when the mind is calm and still. It's not a state of continuously holding your breath, but rather a type of breath retention where breathing automatically resumes as needed. In my case, after I started practicing yoga and around the time I started hearing Nad sounds, my mind became calmer, and Kevala Kumbhaka started occurring frequently. However, after the second Kundalini experience, while the power increased and I became more positive, my breathing remained shallow, and Kevala Kumbhaka did not occur.

However, since this experience, my breathing has suddenly become deeper, and Kumbhaka has become much easier. Although it's still the same day, I can feel a significant difference in my breathing, and I'm not quite at the level of Kevala Kumbhaka yet. Until yesterday, I felt like something was blocking my chest, making it difficult to breathe, but now I can breathe deeply into my chest. It's amazing how much things can change so suddenly. It's a mystery.

■ Is shallow breathing a state of "something being blocked"?
As I added to a separate article, there seems to be a relationship between "container divided by the strength of energy = time for Kumbhaka." During the second Kundalini experience, the energy increased, which relatively made my breathing shallow and shortened the Kumbhaka time. However, in this case, it feels like the container has become larger, allowing for deeper breathing and a longer Kumbhaka time.

In spiritual teachings, a state of shallow breathing is said to be a state of "something being blocked, so it needs to be removed." The basic meaning is that "something that wasn't blocked has become blocked, so it needs to be removed." However, if we interpret this in conjunction with the "container" and "strength of energy" in the calculation formula mentioned above, it could also mean that "the energy has increased, so the container feels smaller, and it needs to be expanded," or "the energy has increased, so a blockage (block) that was previously unnoticed has become apparent (it may have been blocked originally, but we didn't notice it). A new blockage (block) needs to be removed." It's like when you didn't realize that a balloon wasn't properly inflated, but then you inflated it properly, and the fabric stretched, or like when you put more air into a balloon, and the rubber at the edges stretched and became more taut.

■ The relationship between Kevala Kumbhaka and maintaining a straight spine.
Along with the easier breathing, Kevala Kumbhaka (automatic breath retention) has also started occurring occasionally again. Sometimes, it occurs so much that I hold my breath for too long, and I have to consciously inhale, and at times like that, I think, "This is a hassle." However, even with Kevala Kumbhaka, there are times when I can automatically and unconsciously inhale, and I wondered what the difference was between those times and the times when I have to consciously inhale. Through observation, I realized that when my spine is straight, my breathing is natural, but when my spine is curved, I can't inhale properly after Kevala Kumbhaka. I never thought that maintaining a straight spine would have such a significant impact on my breathing in my daily life or during meditation. Have I become more sensitive? I'm still observing this. Nevertheless, I'm surprised that the teaching of "maintaining a straight spine" in yoga has such a subtle effect. I thought it was just about straightening the Sushumna to make it easier for energy like Kundalini to flow. It turns out it was more than that. Well, it's just my feeling for now.

■ The relationship between Kevala Kumbhaka and "pillows."
Even when I sleep, Kevala Kumbhaka occurs automatically. However, when I sleep on my back with a pillow, I can't inhale properly, as mentioned before. However, when I lie on my side and keep my spine straight, I can inhale without any problems. This is a problem that didn't occur before the second Kundalini experience, and it's only become a problem now. I wondered what to do... Then, I tried sleeping on the floor without a pillow, and I was able to inhale properly. It seems that I was slightly hunching over when I had a pillow. Perhaps, by not using a pillow, my spine became straighter. I haven't often slept directly on the floor because I used to feel unwell, and I've only tried thin pillows. However, it seems that it's okay for now. I'm also observing this. It might just be a problem during the transitional period. I'll continue to observe it for a few more days.

■Has the Anahata chakra opened?
I'm not sure if this is what's considered the "opened" state. I'm observing. It's become easier to get air into my chest than before, so I can say it's opened a little. It seems to be moving gradually rather than opening all at once, so maybe this is okay for now.

■One should be optimistic and positive.
Yoga teacher Honsho Honayama, in "Esoteric Yoga," quoted the teachings of Sachchidananda, stating, "Those who aspire to awaken the Anahata should be optimistic." "The attitude of seeing everything as good is one of the practices that awakens the Anahata."

■If you go beyond Anahata, you do not follow karma.
According to "Esoteric Yoga" (written by Honsho Honayama), karma influences the Manipura chakra, but those who have reached beyond Anahata generally do not follow karma. It says that even though those who have reached Anahata know that karma is real, they can transcend it and be free. That's a big difference between Manipura and Anahata. Manipura is related to emotions and is basically controlled by karma, but you can control it with the power of your will. On the other hand, if you reach Anahata, you are basically not bound by karma.

This is reflected in the difference in the feeling I had when I meditated and said, "I forgive [〇〇]" for past traumas. Before the recent tornado experience, every time I remembered past traumas, I felt a slight shock to my nerves. These traumas had accumulated since childhood, and some of them were traumas that I had remembered repeatedly for decades. So, I tried my best not to remember them, and even if I did, I controlled the reaction to those traumas. The basic principle was to notice it as soon as possible and control it. Recently, I've been feeling that the shock from the traumas has been decreasing, but it hasn't been zero.

However, after the recent tornado, I no longer feel any shock when I remember traumas. There was no shock at all. And this was true for all of my traumas. I had many traumas, but it was strange that I didn't feel any shock. So, I consciously tried to remember other traumas, and none of them caused any shock. Indeed, most of the traumas had gradually become smaller over time, but each trauma still had some lingering effect. So, it was strange that after the recent tornado, I completely stopped reacting to all of those traumas.

Well, it's not zero, but it means that even when I remember traumatic memories, there is no reaction, so the traumatic memories remain, and those memories sometimes surface from deep within. That still happens occasionally, so it hasn't changed much in that regard. However, the reaction when those memories surface is zero, which is the change. But, if I observe it more closely, it might be an exaggeration to say it's zero. Perhaps it's more accurate to say that it's less than one-tenth of what it used to be, almost zero. It's at a level where it's not a problem unless I intentionally try to evoke those traumas.

In fact, in yoga, karma is a subtle "impression" called samskara, and these impressions lead to reincarnation. Because of past traumas, you are drawn into similar problems, and because you remember past joys, you seek future joys, which leads to the emergence of new joys and sufferings. However, the disappearance of traumas means that those "impressions" have disappeared. Even though the memories remain, the "impressions" have disappeared, so I interpret this as a significant reduction in karma related to traumas. To be clear, this is only in relation to traumas. Even if someone says something unpleasant to me, I might still feel a little annoyed, but not to the point of being very unpleasant. That's the extent of it.

When I first read about Anahata, I thought, "Hmm," but I think the actual experience is quite different. Indeed, there seems to be a part of Anahata that goes beyond karma.

However, even so, some of the "habits" or patterns of thinking remain, so even though the reaction to traumas is almost non-existent, I still occasionally feel like I might think negatively. That's still a part of the growth process. Even when that happens, it's much easier to control now, so even if I feel like I'm about to fall into old thought patterns, I say to myself, "Oops, I'm falling into a negative thinking pattern. I forgive that. I forgive that." The memories are still there, and the habits remain, and the thought patterns are still largely the same, but only the "impressions" have disappeared, and the traumas have almost disappeared. So, it seems that I still need to continue working on breaking those thought patterns. Well, that's still a significant amount of progress.

By the way, during the second Kundalini experience, two lines of light rose, and at that time, an increase in energy and vitality occurred, and negative feelings temporarily almost disappeared. However, that was a resolution of negativity due to the increase in vitality. Immediately after the second Kundalini experience, the energy level was the highest, and then it gradually decreased. As the vitality decreased, some negativity emerged (although the vitality was still higher than before, and the negativity was less). It was through this experience of a vortex that the remaining negativity was dramatically reduced.

By the way, there is a famous warning about Anahata in the same book and in several other books, including a book by Sachchidananda, and in other yoga books.
- It is said that if Anahata is awakened, everything, both good and bad, will be realized based on thought, so one should think positively. This seems to be the tantric interpretation of "one should think positively."

The same book also contains another warning from Sachchidananda.
- If Kundalini rises to Manipura and then goes down, it can be raised again through yoga practice. However, if it rises to Anahata and then goes down to Muladhara due to negative thoughts, it becomes very difficult to raise it again.

■From Heat to Warmth
During the second Kundalini experience, I strongly felt "heat." Since then, that heat has gradually decreased, and I interpreted that as a decrease in energy. Even though it has decreased, the energy level is still higher than before, but I still feel that it is decreasing. The main basis for this is the "heat" itself, and the degree of positivity was also a criterion. The heat was mainly located around the abdomen.

Perhaps, this understanding was indeed correct, and there was a decrease in energy. However, recently, I have come to understand that the change was not only that, but also that the quality of energy simultaneously changed from "heat" to "warmth."

In "Yoga and Meditation" by Keiko Naito, there is a classification that Muladhara to Manipura is "heat," Anahata is "warmth," and Vishuddha to Sahasrara is "cold."

It seems that the second Kundalini experience was mainly up to Manipura. I understand that the Kundalini in Muladhara was activated, and that rose mainly to Manipura, increasing the energy level and positivity. At that time, I felt that something was blocking it from rising further, even though the energy seemed to want to go beyond Anahata. When energy reached Anahata, negative feelings that were sleeping in the depths of my memory emerged and hindered the increase in energy. Although energy sometimes reached Anahata, it basically seemed to be blocked just before reaching Anahata.

This obstacle was removed by the third Kundalini experience, and energy seemed to flow to Anahata, but it felt more like "warmth" than the "heat" of the second experience. Basically, it is an internal temperature sensation, not a physical body temperature, but after the second experience, I felt hot and warm, but recently, I don't feel as hot. If I were to put it into words, I would say "warmth." Also, unlike before, the "warmth" is mainly located around the chest.

■Timeline
In the same format as before, I will describe the flow of events in chronological order.

■Feeling the "Wind of Lun"
This time, I've grasped the basic idea, so perhaps, as Shibanda Sensei said, repeatedly raising energy through creating a vortex like this might be possible. I think I'll try it carefully sometime.

The specific method is as follows: First, create a swirling motion of air or energy around your lower back. Imagine moving your palms. You don't actually move your body, just the image of your palms moving. Imagine your palms moving smoothly in the following order: slightly in front of your lower back, to the right of your lower back, behind your lower back, and to the left of your lower back, creating a swirling vortex of air or energy. After about 5 rotations, when the image of your palm moves from the left of your lower back to the front of your lower back, imagine moving your palm in front of your chest, then in front of your face, and up to the top of your head, and at the same time, imagine raising the swirling vortex of air along with your palm upwards. Then, you'll feel a "whoosh" sensation that rises from your chest and spine, and passes through your body to the back of your head. Of course, this doesn't immediately change anything, but it seems similar to the famous meditation techniques "So Hum" or "Xiao Zhou Tian." I'm not recommending this to anyone, but this is how I recreate what happened in my dream.

■Difficult to feel if you're not vegetarian
The sensation of the "Wind of Lun" passing through your body when you imagine it as described above is, at least in my case, difficult to feel if you're not eating a vegetarian diet. I'm not completely vegetarian now, but I eat a diet that emphasizes vegetarianism, and I felt it more easily when I was strictly vegetarian. However, I feel that occasionally eating meat disrupts my internal energy and makes it difficult to feel. This may vary depending on the individual. Since I have a physical body, I think eating only vegetarian food would disrupt my nutritional balance, so I try to eat a mixed diet. However, at least for the mind, I think a vegetarian diet is better.

Aranba stage, the "sound of ornaments touching" in the Anahata chakra.

[Three days after the experience of the whirlwind of Fū no Run]

■Aramba Stage
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, as published in "Yoga Fundamental Sutra" (written by Tsuruichi Saho), states the following:

4-69) [The Four Stages of Yoga] Aramba, Gata, Parichaya, and Nishapati are the four stages in all yoga.
4-70) [Aramba Stage] When the Brahma Granthis is broken through the practice of Prana, a continuous, diverse sound like the touching of ornaments arises in the emptiness of the heart, and this Anahata Chakra sound is heard within the body.

The Granthis are said to be three knots in the body. The Brahma Granthis is a knot within the Anahata Chakra. I would like to discuss the Vishnu Granthis, but I will first provide a basic explanation, as it may be difficult to understand otherwise.

■Granthis (Knots, Bindings)
There are three Granthis. A Granthi is a blockage or a place where energy stagnates, and in Sanskrit, it means "spiritual knot." When the blockage is released, energy can flow through. The act of "breaking," "destroying," "piercing," or "releasing" a Granthi means that the blockage is removed, not that something is destroyed.

The sound of "taiko" drums at the "gata" stage and the sound of pulsating blood. Changes in the quality of meditation.

[ Four days after the tornado experience ]

■ "Sound like a drum" at the "Gata" stage
The specific sound of the "sound like a drum" at the next "Gata" stage is somewhat ambiguous, but after the tornado, if you remain quiet, you can hear an abnormally strong "vibration sound like the beating of a heart." I interpret this as "not a Nāda sound, but the sound of the physical heart," but this heart sound could also be called a "sound like a drum." However, I've never heard my own heartbeat so clearly before, so I'm curious about what's going on. As mentioned before, after the tornado, breathing has become easier, and my chest opens during breathing, so it's possible that this is related. Nāda sounds are internal sounds, but the Anahata-Nāda is a sound that comes from the Anahata chakra, so it's not surprising to hear it from the heart. I don't think I heard this heart sound before the tornado. While I think it might be a physical sound, I'm also wondering if it could be a Nāda sound, so I'm observing it. It says that it "occurs in the emptiness of the throat chakra," but it seems to be resonating around the chest, although I can't pinpoint the exact location. It feels like it might be coming from the throat, but it could be my imagination. I'm sure it's resonating somewhere, but not necessarily in the throat. It feels more like my earlobes are pulsating and I'm hearing the beat of my heart, rather than hearing a sound from below my earlobes. Although I don't feel like I'm hearing a sound from below, the vibration seems to be coming from below, and the sound seems to be coming from my ears. I wonder if this is just the sound of my physical heartbeat. It's different from the clearly audible high-frequency Nāda sound that I've always heard.

Later, during meditation, I tried to find the source of the heartbeat sound, but it seemed to be coming from the area "below the nape of the neck (Sushumna?)", where I felt heat and a pulsating sensation a few days ago. There's no certainty, but that's what it felt like.

This "sound like a drum" seems to be a relatively minor sound, as I've only seen it mentioned in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. It's quite subtle. I wonder if the sound of a heartbeat can be called a Nāda sound. It might be included in a broad definition, but if it's a sound that can be heard from the physical body, it's probably not a Nāda sound in the basic sense.

... I suddenly realized that the Hatha Yoga Pradipika doesn't say that this sound is a Nāda sound. It simply says that there is a sound like that, so it could be interpreted as a physical sound. I think I was too fixated on the definition of Nāda sound. I should interpret it more flexibly. Well, most of these descriptions probably mean Nāda sound, but there might be exceptions.

■ Changes in the quality of meditation
Even before the tornado experience, I had significantly reduced mental chatter, and even when mental chatter arose, it rarely affected me. However, after meditating after the tornado, as I went deeper into meditation, even when mental chatter arose, it would disappear like writing on sand, and mental chatter would often disappear before it could form a complete sentence. I can consciously try to think or focus on something, but if it's just random mental chatter, it disappears as if it's being scattered and broken down, even if it arises. It's as if the quality of my meditation has deepened. This is what it feels like when meditation has deepened to some extent. It's a strange feeling. Just to clarify, this doesn't mean that all mental chatter disappears completely in 2 or 3 seconds. Some mental chatter lingers longer, and some disappear more quickly. It's more like the mental chatter that isn't very important disappears very quickly.

I felt that this state is what it means to be "concentrated" in meditation. Then, during meditation, I heard a voice that said, "Dharana." I think it was the voice of my inner guide. Dharana is a stage in the eight limbs of yoga, which comes before Dhyana (meditation). It seems that I was only thinking that I was meditating, but I may not have even reached the stage of Dharana (concentration). What I thought was meditation might actually be Pratyahara, not Dhyana or Dharana, according to the Yoga Sutras.

I've heard the explanation that "Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi are a continuous process" for a long time, and I've thought, "Maybe so. I probably think so. I understand it intellectually," but actually experiencing this state of Dharana is like being "pulled into a deeper state," "mental chatter breaking apart little by little," "mental chatter automatically collapsing," and "meditation automatically deepening." Now I think that's true. I think that perhaps you can't reach Dharana unless you can experience this. Until now, I thought Dharana was just a single point of concentration. It can certainly be described as a single point of concentration, but it might also be that Dharana means the absence of mental fluctuations in the mind, or the concentration of consciousness (not the concentration of the mind) that occurs when the mind stops fluctuating, or that it's the absence of fluctuations in the soul's consciousness when the mind has stopped fluctuating. Well, this is just my speculation.

Then, I thought that perhaps the dharana and dhyana in the Yoga Sutras might correspond to the first dhyana in early Buddhism. I had always thought that the samadhi in the Yoga Sutras directly corresponded to the dhyana and samadhi in early Buddhism. Of course, the prevailing view is that samadhi corresponds to samadhi and dhyana, but perhaps it varies slightly depending on the school of thought. Perhaps it is something like the following?

Above, it was mentioned that "Dharana," "Dhyana," and "Samadhi" are three consecutive stages, and that as meditation deepens, they "progressively transition." However, in Yoga, there is another term called "Samyama," and it is said that Samyama occurs "simultaneously" with the above three. This means that as meditation deepens, it starts with only Dharana, then progresses to Dharana and Dhyana, and finally, all three occur together. By the way, when I asked a teacher who is knowledgeable about the Vedas and Yoga philosophy in Rishikesh, India, he explained that including the preceding stage, "Pratyahara," "Dharana," "Dhyana," and "Samadhi" are consecutive, and that these four occur continuously in meditation. In early Buddhism, a sensory and psychological perspective is introduced, and as mentioned on a separate page, "how one feels" is used to determine states such as Zen (Jhana). Therefore, it seems that it doesn't quite fit into the Yoga Sutra's classification. Perhaps, when people in the past classified things, they may have categorized the contents of the Yoga Sutra and early Buddhism, and equated Samadhi with Zen. However, it seems that the perspectives are subtly different.

The following expression might be easier to understand, although it's just a feeling.

This is not intended to overturn the conventional wisdom. The conventional wisdom is that samadhi and satori are good, and I simply believe that when it comes to this kind of story, it is important to compare what is written in books with one's own sensations, and to translate it into language or understanding, rather than simply accepting what is written in books. The above is, in a sense, a linguistic expression to deepen one's own understanding. It can also be said to be a linguistic expression to confirm the content of the realization and deepen understanding. Therefore, the conventional wisdom is fine as it is, and I am simply accumulating truths within myself. As long as one's internal understanding deepens, it does not matter how the conventional wisdom is. I think we can leave the conventional wisdom to some scholars or swamis. The final understanding may be the same as the conventional wisdom, and that is perfectly fine.

With that said, I am looking forward to my meditation even more.

■Shakti Chalana Mudra
A few days after the experience of the vortex, I was taking a light shower when I suddenly received an instruction in my mind: "Do Shakti Chalana Mudra." What was that? I looked it up and found that it was described in "Zoku Yoga Konpon Kyo-ten (written by Tsuruji Saho)" in the Goranda Samhita (P73, Chapter 3, 49-59) and the Shiva Samhita (P236, Chapter 4, 105-109). It seems to be a practice to activate Kundalini, and if you do it, you will live longer, be free from disease, and acquire what is called Siddhi (various abilities) in yoga. However, the content is quite difficult to decipher.

This was explained in detail in "Kundalini Yoga (written by Masaharu Narse)." (It seems to be the same content, although the numbers are slightly different). In Mr. Narse's method, it is centered around the Mula Bandha technique. When I read the book, it seems to be quite difficult, so I might just observe it for a while. It's a bit scary to try it alone, and there is a note that says not to do it alone.

■Below the nape of the neck (Dahuti?) and "Energy Leakage"
While reading "Kundalini Yoga (written by Masaharu Narse)" to confirm Shakti Chalana Mudra, I happened to discover that the movement of energy along the spine is "energy leakage." However, in my case, it is not "moving," but simply that the area below the nape of the neck (Dahuti?) is hot and remains hot all the time, so I don't know if this is the same thing, but I will keep it in mind.

Integrated chakra and "half a step" (equivalent to Gran Tier).

[Five days after the experience of the tornado in the Winds of Luna.]

■ Grant's interpretation based on the Flower of Life.

In the second volume of the spiritual book "The Flower of Life" by Drunvalo Melchizedek, what is likely equivalent to the granthi is described as a "half-step." There are two of these, located "between the Manipura and Anahata chakras" and "between the Ajna and Sahasrara chakras."

According to the book, "Once energy discovers this half-step (between Manipura and Anahata) and passes through it, it flows to the heart, throat, pituitary gland, and pineal gland. Then, it encounters another wall or half-step, which stops the flow. This wall (half-step) is located between the base of the skull and the pituitary gland."

An interesting point is the description that, when passing through the "Void" between the Heart Chakra and the Vishuddha Chakra, the polarity changes from "female" to "male." The energy enters as female from the Muladhara chakra, remains female up to the Anahata chakra, and then passes through the "Void" to become male polarity after the Vishuddha chakra.

It is unclear what relationship, if any, exists between the "Void" and the "polarity shift" and the area "below the nape of the neck" (possibly the greater occipital nerve). However, the book does not provide an answer.

Based on my interpretation of the book and my own inner sensations, I do not experience the granthi itself. However, after the second Kundalini experience, I felt that the energy was stuck at the Manipura chakra and was not progressing further. Therefore, I can understand the description that there is a "wall (half-step)" between the Manipura and Anahata chakras. While it may be a matter of wording, saying that it is "within the Anahata" may not be so different. Since I now have a sense of the Anahata chakra, it would be reasonable to say that it is "within the Anahata" even before the granthi is broken. Therefore, it feels more accurate to say that it is between the Manipura and Anahata.

According to the book, people live their lives up to the Manipura chakra until they spiritually grow. When they overcome the "wall (half-step)," they enter a spiritual life centered on the Anahata to Ajna chakras. Indeed, the explanation that chakras develop one by one, as often seen in books, felt inconsistent with my inner sensations. However, the idea that they progress in stages as a set feels more accurate. The book's claim that overcoming the "wall (half-step)" leads to significant spiritual growth is consistent with reality, considering the relationship between the chakras and the "wall (half-step)."

Regarding "Meditation and Mantra" by Swami Vishnu-Devananda and "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" by the same author, they also explain that chakras do not develop one by one. These books describe the granthi as something that must be broken for spiritual growth. They also state that the chakras develop not one by one, but by integrating all chakras. This seems to be the case after overcoming the "wall (half-step)," and I felt that way for a while after the second Kundalini experience. However, the "wall (half-step)" still exists, and even if I felt that some energy had passed through the "wall (half-step)" after the second Kundalini experience, it seems that I had not truly overcome it this time. The relationship between the chakras working together or integrating into a larger chakra, and the granthi or "wall (half-step)," is something that is difficult to understand until one experiences it. However, I now have a general idea of what it is, although it is difficult to explain.

According to another spiritual book, "The Ra Material," at a certain stage (the seventh level), the Heart Chakra (Anahata chakra) becomes dominant, and eventually, all other chakras open, and the chakra system merges into what is called the "integrated chakra." At this level, the pineal gland and pituitary gland also begin to open, which seems to be consistent with the stages described in the previous books. It is likely that they are simply describing the same stage in different ways. This seems to be a spiritual expression of the stage where the Vishnu granthi is transcended and the Heart Chakra (Anahata) opens. Each perspective is helpful.

After the second Kundalini awakening, the area around my abdomen felt warm, and my body felt warm and comfortable. At that time, I could say that it was similar to what is called "integrated chakra," as my whole body felt enveloped and as if the entire body was chakra-ized, and it was a state where the whole body was activated to such an extent that it was hard to tell where the chakra was. However, that was a warm feeling centered around the Manipura chakra, and it is different from the "integrated chakra" in the sense of "awakening of the light body." In the book, the "integrated chakra" refers to the state of the chakra integrated by the Anahata (heart) chakra, which is the next stage.

From Manipur to Anahata. The feeling of "liking." Sublimation of sexual desire.

[ Six days after the tornado experience of Wind Rune ]

■ From the "Muladhara-Swadhisthana-Manipura" stage to the "Anahata-Vishuddha-Ajna" stage.
Overall, it seems that after this, rather than progressing to the "Anahata-Vishuddha-Ajna" stage, the three stages of "Anahata," "Vishuddha," and "Ajna" will grow in coordination. This is because, in recent meditations, I have been feeling sensations of "Anahata," as well as "Vishuddha" and "Ajna" (between the eyebrows, back of the head, etc.), suddenly and in various ways after the tornado experience, so I feel that this is probably the case. I feel that these three will gradually become dominant.

■ Changes in emotions. "Heat" is joy, and "warmth" is calmness. Relationship with Zen meditation.
There have also been changes in emotions. After the second Kundalini experience, there was a lot of joy, but now there is more calmness than joy. As mentioned in the previous article, the first Zen meditation is "joy," and the second Zen meditation is "cessation of thought and ease," and it is interesting that the deepening of Zen meditation is similar to the stages of the chakras. In other words, the state after the second Kundalini experience and before the tornado was similar to the first Zen meditation, with "joy," while the state after the tornado is similar to the feeling of "cessation of thought and ease."

In the state after the second Kundalini experience, "Muladhara-Swadhisthana-Manipura" was dominant, and emotionally, there was "joy." Now, "Anahata" is dominant, and "Vishuddha" and "Ajna" are not so dominant, but sensations are emerging, and emotionally, it is more like "calmness," and when I look at my expression in the mirror, it feels quite normal. After the second Kundalini experience, the changes were dramatic, and there was so much joy that my expression showed it. Now, my expression is quite normal. Although there is still a warm feeling in my chest, perhaps externally, I may have looked more radiant before, after the second Kundalini experience and before the tornado. Human-like qualities, such as affection and emotional attachment, are governed by "Manipura," while "Anahata" governs love, but it is a different kind of love than affection, so it is difficult to express this feeling. Emotionally speaking, after the tornado, it is like the "cessation of thought and ease" in the second Zen meditation. In "Manipura," there is a distinction between good and bad, and there is an attachment that heals through empathy and sympathy. In "Anahata," there is no such thing as bad because everything moves according to the laws of the universe, so a peaceful state is achieved. In "Manipura," emotions and sorrow work, but in "Anahata," it is more like a deeper appeal or request, and if necessary, help is given, or the body moves on its own.

■ Differences in sexual desire
As written in the previous article, after the second Kundalini experience, sexual desire decreased considerably, and the energy changed to something more positive, or the primal energy was not used for sexual things, but for more positive things. However, there was still some sexual desire. At that time, sexual desire had decreased considerably, and although it was much easier to control, I sometimes fell into the lower world if I was attracted to sexual desires. Each time, I focused on positive things and meditated, temporarily bringing my state, which had fallen into the lower world, back to a positive and upward state. After the tornado experience, the degree of that fall has become less severe, or it seems that the sexual desire itself has changed to a higher, more positive state. Originally, after the second Kundalini experience, sexual desire had been largely resolved into something positive, and if quantified, sexual desire had decreased to one-tenth, and that amount of energy and vitality was used for positive things, making me feel energetic. However, at that time, the potential quality of the remaining sexual desire was still the original quality, and only the amount of sexual desire had decreased to one-tenth. After the tornado, the quality of the remaining sexual desire itself seems to have changed. Previously, even though sexual desire had decreased, the quality was the same, and if sexual desire was dominant, there was still a feeling of the usual, ordinary sexual desire. Now, although it is not complete, the quality of sexual desire itself has changed to a more positive energy, so even if sexual desire is dominant in the current state, it seems to have changed to something closer to the activation of positive energy. This is difficult to explain in words. It is not that sexual desire has disappeared. If expressed numerically, it is as follows:

■There is no specific target, but the feeling of "liking" continues.
After the second Kundalini experience, I became positive and remained in a state of "joy." This can also be called love, but it was not love for a specific person, but rather love for myself. While I might appear to like someone based on my cheerful demeanor, that joy was universal and felt the same way towards anyone, which might lead to misunderstandings. The "joy" at that time was not as intense or "dirty" as passionate love, but it was still a "warm" feeling. I naturally felt joy towards things and people around me. The basic feeling was a sense of warmth and happiness within myself, and I tended to treat everyone around me in a similar way. It wasn't a feeling of "liking" someone based on specific conditions. However, this feeling gradually subsided, and the "joy" became less emotional, sometimes causing a loss of balance and disrupting my state. This was further changed by the recent tornado.

After the tornado, the feeling of "liking" has continued. It's not as "warm" as before, but perhaps "mild" is a more accurate description. Although I say "liking," there is no specific target. It's a strange feeling. I haven't experienced this kind of feeling before, so I'm confused. Because I'm confused, my mind seems to be searching for a target. My mind says, "Is there a reason for this? Where is the target of this feeling of liking?" I tend to search for a target, but it doesn't seem to be for any specific reason. I'm not "liking" someone, looking forward to something, or expecting anything. I'm simply "liking" without a reason. If I were to put it into words, I might say "I love the Earth," but while I do think the Earth is wonderful, this feeling of "liking" doesn't seem to require a specific target, so even saying "I love the Earth" feels slightly off. It's different from the "love" or "liking" based on "affection" in romantic relationships. There's no reason, I'm just "liking" it. It's similar to familial love. Perhaps it's what it feels like when family is nearby. This feeling continues regardless of whether or not family is present, which is a strange sensation. I've only had a few days since the tornado experience, so I'm still observing. I suspect that my mind's "habit" is still lingering, and that previously, because there was a target for this feeling, my "mind" was searching for a "target" based on old habits. However, I have a feeling that eventually, my mind will either get tired of searching for a target or give up, and simply remain in this state of "liking." Currently, I'm in a transitional period, so my mind is confused, and it can't find a target, even when it searches. The target isn't the "heart," nor is it the mind itself, and it can't be found anywhere. For now, I'm calming my confusion by focusing and calming my mind, similar to meditation, but I have a feeling that it will eventually settle down. Also, I feel that I'm gradually entering a stage where I'm calming my mind not only during meditation but also in my daily life, which is essentially turning life itself into meditation. I have that feeling.

■Removing invisible foreign objects from my body.
I also remembered that I felt very unwell the night before or the morning of the day I experienced the tornado. I don't know how much this is related to the wind rune and the tornado, but since these events occurred within half a day of each other, I'm writing it down. At that time, without any basis, I felt like something was being torn from my upper body towards my right arm. This is a feeling I sometimes experience when I'm outside. I understood that I probably picked up some invisible, heavy object outside. In most cases, it goes away after a light shower, but this time, the feeling persisted. While lying in bed, I tried to imagine what it was. I could only say "probably," but an image came to mind of something like a vine or a conscious entity with a tactile sensation wrapped around my right arm, from just above my elbow to my heart. I then used my imagination to make a peace sign with my right hand, and slightly bent my index and middle fingers to hook the vine-like object and pull it out, and then threw it away. I felt relieved. The heavy feeling in my head suddenly eased, and the tension disappeared. It was definitely something that was draining energy. Recently, there's a lot of focus on the positive aspects of spiritual experiences, but in my experience, this kind of interaction with foreign objects is often quite scary. After removing the vine, I further explored to see if anything else remained in my body, and I pulled out a thin, thread-like object that was still clinging to the area around my heart, and I cleaned up the sticky, cobweb-like or net-like substance around my heart. After pulling it out, I imagined smoothing the surface to cover the wound, and completed the procedure. Of course, it's just an image, but the tension suddenly disappeared, and even that made a significant difference in my state of mind. It might be a placebo effect, but even if it is, I think it's okay as long as it has a mental effect. From a spiritual perspective, it's possible that a strange, otherworldly consciousness that feeds on energy has latched on, or that someone has used their ability to plant a "pipe" to draw energy from others. Most people are indifferent to these things and wouldn't believe it, but spiritual "techniques" are quite dangerous. Unless you develop your own power or are protected by a powerful guardian spirit, this world is quite dangerous. As I mentioned before, spiritual growth does not necessarily correspond to the strength of a technique, so there are evil and powerful beings.

Deepening of meditation. Towards dhyana?

[ Seven days after the tornado experience of "Wind Rune" ]

■ Deepening of meditation. Towards Dhyana?
As mentioned above, after the tornado experience, the quality of meditation began to change, becoming deeper. However, about a week later, there was a further change. Immediately after the tornado, stray thoughts still arose, but they would dissipate and disappear after a short time, like "three Hiragana characters." While this was a deeper level of meditation compared to before, it has now transformed into a state of quiet meditation, like a still surface of water with occasional ripples caused by tiny insects (dragonflies, perhaps?).

What has changed is that "meditation has deepened," but observing how it has deepened, I believe the key is "observing sensations." When stray thoughts arise, observing them creates a slight ripple in the mind. When observing stray thoughts, they remain present until they subside. Similarly, in meditation focused on "Nada" sounds, the mind is calm, but stray thoughts remain until they subside. However, when observing "sensations," specifically the tingling sensation in the forehead or around the crown of the head, for some reason, the stray thoughts scatter and disappear, as I mentioned before, like "three Hiragana characters." A week ago, I thought it was simply a deepening of meditation, but not all stray thoughts scatter in this way, and I wondered what conditions were necessary for them to dissipate. I experimented with various things, and I realized that observing "sensations" causes stray thoughts to scatter. However, before the tornado experience, observing sensations did not cause stray thoughts to scatter in this way, so I believe there are certain preconditions. Immediately after the tornado, I felt a pulse in the "lower back (near the Oshii point)," but gradually, the location of that pulse has been moving upwards, and a week later, I could feel the pulse in the center of both ears and near the forehead. Feeling a pulse in the forehead is something I haven't experienced before, and at the same time, I also felt a sensation of electricity flowing around my head. Observing this pulse in the forehead and the electrical sensation around the head causes stray thoughts to scatter. This is strange.

After observing the scattering of stray thoughts in this way during meditation for a while, gradually, periods of time without stray thoughts began to increase. It was like a still surface of water. At that time, my consciousness was simply observing the pulse in the forehead. Then, suddenly, my consciousness "jumped" somewhere. "A state of concentration...". "(That is) Dhyana." Dhyana is one of the stages in the Yoga Sutras, and while the Japanese translation is "meditation," it refers to a relatively specific type of meditation. The general understanding of meditation often involves sitting with closed eyes, but in this context, Dhyana refers to a state where the mind is relatively stable. I may have experienced Dhyana in its true meaning for the first time. "Concentration" can also refer to Samadhi in a broader sense, but here it simply means that the mind is calm. However, since this is an inspiration during meditation, it may be incorrect in many ways, so it is just a hypothesis that "it might be true." Intuitions during meditation need to be verified later, but I feel that it is close to the truth.

I then tried "observing sensations," but it was actually inspired by the Vipassana meditation of Theravada Buddhism. Until now, I haven't really understood the "observing sensations" aspect of Vipassana meditation, but if it has such a great effect, I think it's good, and that's what I thought this time. However, it seems to have strict preconditions.

■ The location of the pulse has moved to the lower part of the head.
A week has passed, and the sensation of "hearing a sound like waves rippling from the earlobes" remains, but the location of the sound seems to have moved from "the lower back (near the Oshii point)" to a slightly higher position, towards the lower part of the head. It feels like the sound is coming from around the ears, but the pulse sensation is located in the lower part of the head. I will continue to observe.

Granti (half-step, wall, node) should be used as an adjustment valve without being broken.

[ 8 days after the tornado experience ]

■ Grantis (half-step, wall, knot) are regulators
During meditation, I received the image that Grantis are regulators. Although this is based on a meditation experience, and there is no concrete evidence yet, according to this inspiration, their basic function is to keep the aura within a certain range. The aura from above (Anahata to Ajna) mixes within that range, and the aura from below (Muladhara to Manipura) mixes within that range. In addition, the aura with low vibrations generated in the upper part (such as Anahata) automatically passes through Vishnu Granti (between Anahata and Manipura) to the lower part (Muladhara to Manipura), and conversely, light energy from below goes up through Vishnu Granti. This allows each area to maintain the aura appropriate for that area, while the regulator acts as a filter, increasing the purity of the aura in each area. Therefore, if this regulator is missing, the aura mixes between the upper and lower parts, making it difficult to "refine" or "maintain" the appropriate vibrations for each. This is my understanding gained through meditation.

In Hatha Yoga, the basic practice is to "break" or "release" the Grantis. Similarly, some esoteric traditions in the West, such as Christian mysticism and those dealing with what is called magic, also consider "breaking" the Grantis as a fundamental practice. However, this can sometimes cause a shock, often referred to as "Anahata shock." As a result, in some cases, the aura may mix, causing rough aura to rise from the lower part (Muladhara to Manipura) to the upper part (Anahata to Ajna), which can lead to mental disturbances. Conversely, if the aura from the upper part (Anahata to Ajna) goes down to the lower part (Muladhara to Manipura), the highly spiritual energy may become associated with lower desires and karma, creating what may seem like a miracle but is not based on high understanding or spirituality. Ultimately, this can lead to exhaustion of the mind and body, resulting in destructive consequences for oneself and those around them.

Recently, in spiritual teachings, the "breaking" or "releasing" of Grantis seems to be less emphasized, or hardly mentioned at all. This understanding, based on my meditation, is that Grantis are not meant to be "broken" or "released," but rather used as they are. This understanding also includes observations of my condition after the tornado experience.

Separately, the concept of "nadis" (energy channels) being blocked in yoga is similar, but slightly different. While it is true that Grantis are complex structures and prone to blockage, the complexity of the structure means that careful cleaning and maintenance are necessary. It would be reckless to simply break the Granti and pass through it, as if it were rusted and stuck.

I have never seen such an interpretation anywhere, so I am simply writing this down as a note, and I will not necessarily mention it elsewhere.

■ Hatha Yoga uses the "Bastrika" breathing technique to break the Grantis
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika states that "only Bastrika can break the Grantis." Bastrika is considered a dangerous breathing technique, and some traditions state that "it should not be performed alone unless under the supervision of an experienced guru." This seems natural, considering the above. Since the practice involves breaking a regulator that should normally function, it is only natural that it would be dangerous without the guidance of a guru who is proficient in the practice.

■ Increased energy in the chest
8 days after the tornado (July 13, 2019), while lying down and resting, I felt a tingling sensation in my Muladhara (perineum) for the first time, and then a mass of energy seemed to enter from below, slowly traveling up my spine to my chest. As it rose, it felt like it was being forced through a narrow channel, causing some pressure. It stopped around the Anahata chakra, but afterward, my chest, upper arms, and the lower half of my head felt very warm. What is this? Previously, I had a similar warm sensation in my lower abdomen, but now I have a similar warm sensation in my chest. It's not quite "hot," but it's a bit closer to "heat" than the "warmth" I felt after the tornado experience. It's probably somewhere between the heat after the second Kundalini awakening and the "warmth" after the tornado, when you add them together and divide by two.

■ The rattling sensation in my throat has subsided
Even before the tornado, I often felt a rattling, clogged sensation in my throat, and I probably thought I was weak in the Vishuddha chakra. However, especially after the tornado, I had a persistent rattling, clogged sensation in my throat. During meditation on the 8th day after the tornado (July 13, 2019), the sensation in my throat changed, and my throat felt like elastic skin, and the dryness and rattling sensation decreased significantly, making it much more comfortable. It doesn't seem like the Vishuddha chakra has become dominant, but it seems to have recovered to a somewhat normal state from being weak.

■The Timeline and Scope of "Awakening" Kundalini
Various schools of yoga, as described in texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, emphasize "awakening" Kundalini. However, the timeline and scope of this process seem to vary among different schools. Here are some key points:
- Whether to break the "granthis" (energy knots) or utilize them.
- The timeline for awakening Kundalini.
- The range of Kundalini's ascent, from its starting point to its destination.

In the Hatha Yoga tradition, it seems that "granthis" are broken, the timeline for awakening Kundalini is "several minutes to several hours," and the range is "from the Muladhara chakra, ascending as far as possible. The goal is to allow Kundalini to reach Sahasrara and beyond." This approach seems surprisingly similar to certain classical Christian mystical traditions and magical practices. Conversely, some spiritual traditions (perhaps including Theosophy?) suggest "not breaking the granthis," a timeline of "several months to several years," and a distinction between Kundalini's presence in the "Muladhara to Manipura" stages and the "Anahata and beyond" stages. While these are generalizations and may not apply universally, they represent a broad overview of different approaches.

■Tradition and Emotional Instability
While some Hatha Yoga practitioners are excellent, others exhibit low emotional thresholds. From the perspective of "granthis," breaking the granthis might lead to emotional instability because it mixes the emotional center (Manipura) with the higher consciousness of Anahata. If the granthis are broken, the lower energies of Muladhara might flow to Ajna, potentially allowing Ajna to manifest even without significant consciousness development. However, the lack of harmony between Muladhara and Ajna would likely result in distorted experiences. Similarly, the higher energies of Ajna or Anahata flowing into Manipura could be used for spiritual abilities or even magic, creating seemingly miraculous effects. However, the underlying cause might still be emotional instability.
Therefore, it might be best to avoid breaking the granthis, refrain from seeking magical powers, and instead focus on consistent spiritual practices appropriate for each stage of development.

■The Mystery of "Muladhara and Ajna Being Directly Connected"
Swami Satchidananda's explanation, as found in "Yoga: The Secret of the Eastern Masters" (by Glen Harold Edgerton), states that "Muladhara is directly connected to Ajna." This explanation attributes it to the direct connection of the major nadis, Sushumna, Ida, and Pingala. However, this raises the question of why only Muladhara and Ajna are considered special, given that all chakras are supposedly connected. Furthermore, I have not personally observed Ajna activation when Muladhara is activated during the second stage of Kundalini awakening. Based on Swami Satchidananda's explanation, activating Muladhara is said to awaken Ajna. I suspect that this method might only be applicable to practitioners who have broken their granthis, as the energy from Muladhara would likely flow directly to Ajna. Conversely, if the granthis are intact, activating Muladhara might not necessarily lead to Ajna awakening.

Currently, my own experience suggests that when Anahata is active, the energy is predominantly from Anahata rather than Muladhara. Since Anahata and Ajna are relatively close, it might not be necessary to activate Muladhara. However, this is currently a hypothesis, as my Ajna is not yet active.

■The Location of Kundalini
Generally, Kundalini resides in the lower part of the spine, near the coccyx. However, it seems that after Kundalini awakens, its location itself can change. This aspect is often described in esoteric texts, but the following passage from "The Chakra System" (by C.W. Leadbeater) provides some insight:

"When the meditation is over, the Kundalini should be returned to the Muladhara. But sometimes, it is returned to the heart chakra. There, it is placed in what is called the 'room of the Kundalini.' Some texts mention that Kundalini resides in the navel chakra, but this is usually not the case for ordinary people. This likely refers to individuals who have already awakened Kundalini, and the 'fire serpent' energy is stored in that chakra."

There is no further explanation, but even with this, a considerable amount of information can be read.
- For ordinary people (those who have not yet awakened Kundalini), Kundalini is dormant in the sacrum.
- After Kundalini is awakened, Kundalini gradually moves from the sacrum towards Manipura, and resides there (as I interpret it).
- Kundalini's residence further ascends, and (after transcending Vishnu Granti), moves to the Anahata chakra (heart chakra) and resides there (as I interpret it).

When I say "resides there," it means that the energy is constantly present in that location 24 hours a day, not only during meditation or yoga practices, but also in everyday life. Although Kundalini energy may consciously move during practices, the basic meaning is that the energy remains in the locations mentioned above. However, this probably varies depending on the lineage. If the Granti is "destroyed," it may not be like this, and the energy may remain in the Muladhara or Manipura areas. However, I have not experienced the "destruction" of the Granti, so this is just a hypothesis.

■Is the Granti "destroyed"? Or is it "unbound"?
Since I practice yoga, I may have the opportunity to practice practices like bastrika in the future. However, now that I understand this much, I don't think I would try to "destroy" the Granti with practices like bastrika. I might practice it if I am given a task, though.
In the past, when I read scriptures, I thought that "destroying" the Granti (unbinding it) was "interesting." However, this is another difficult part of the scriptures, and perhaps the original meaning in the original text was literally "unbinding." It is possible that later people misinterpreted it and interpreted it as "destruction." That is also a possibility, but it is just speculation from the past.
Perhaps a guru monitors to prevent accidental "destruction." This may vary depending on the lineage.

The area below the nape of the neck (near the Tianzhu point?), the back of the neck, and the depression in the lower back.

[ 9-11 days after the whirlwind experience of Fū no Run ]

■ Below the nape (Oshii?), "back of the neck," and "Bon no Kubo"
For a few days, the location of the pulse has been moving from below the nape (Oshii?) to slightly above the neck. Today, I confirmed that the pulse has subsided to the point where it is not felt by hand, but the warmth remains in the neck area. Although the pulse is not felt by hand, the pulsating sound and sensation that seems to be located below the head is still continuing. Like the blood pulsation around the sacrum during the second Kundalini experience, this seems to be temporary. However, previously, the feeling of warmth lasted for a while, so it seems that the surrounding area may continue to feel slightly warm.

A little higher than that is the area called "Bon no Kubo" or "daikō(large hole), but the warm area is not that high. It may be an error.

■ Shakti Pad
I was taught through inspiration during meditation: "In some yoga traditions, a guru performs Shakti Pad (placing the guru's finger on the disciple's forehead to send a special aura and accelerate spiritual growth. Some traditions also call it initiation). Some traditions require a certain degree of purification as a condition, while others perform it immediately after the disciple joins. Even if there are conditions, Shakti Pad is usually performed before the Kundalini experience, and in most cases, it is before the Vishnu Granti stage (this whirlwind experience, the third Kundalini), and even before the Kundalini experience of the Mūlādhāra (in my case, the second Kundalini). However, in that case, there is a high possibility that the disciple is not ready, and there is a high possibility that the disciple will have problems. Therefore, the guru's supervision and care are essential. The guru must monitor the disciple with psychic eyes, constantly observing their condition from a distance, and if they are not doing well, they must psychically adjust them remotely or directly. This is one of the reasons why the guru is considered essential in India, not just for cultural reasons. However, in this case, the stages are being followed, so the risk is small. Because it proceeds through the Mūlādhāra Kundalini, then the Vishnu Granti, and now the Anahata stage, the risk is small. This is the Tibetan method (of my guardian spirit). Shakti Pad is faster, but it skips the intermediate processes, so you don't know what's happening in the middle. (The message giver's opinion is) that for long-term growth, Shakti Pad is not good. It is better to take time." There are also things that cannot be verified as to how true they are, but I will just make a note of them and check the literature if I have the opportunity.

■ Anahata tingling
During meditation, the skin around the Anahata in my chest felt like it was charged with static electricity. This is unusual, so it's strange. I wonder what it is. I will observe.

■ Tingling on the face
This morning, during meditation, my entire face felt like it was trembling with static electricity. The left cheek felt slightly stronger. I don't think this has happened before.

The meditation on the space between the eyebrows is stable. "Integrated chakras" and manipura. Vipassana meditation and the Four Noble Fruits.

[ 12 days after the experience of the whirlwind in Fū no Run ]

■ Stability in the brow center
Before the experience of the whirlwind, focusing on the brow center sometimes caused instability, and focusing on the back of the head was more stable. The same was true for focusing on the top of the head, which was also unstable. However, after the experience of the whirlwind, both the brow center and the top of the head are stable. Now, I no longer consciously focus on the back of the head. Before the whirlwind, Manipura was dominant, but now Anahata is dominant. Also, before the whirlwind, I didn't feel anything particularly present in the back of the head, but now, even without consciously focusing on it, something is always present, so there is no need to consciously focus on the back of the head; it's simply a matter of whether or not to focus on the brow center.

■ "Integrated Chakras" and Manipura
The "integrated chakras" that I quoted before are centered around Anahata, but even before that, when Manipura became dominant after the second Kundalini awakening, I felt that the chakras were unclear. Although it is different in that it is centered around Manipura, it might not be so different from the state of "integrated chakras." Some people argue that chakras are unnecessary, but in this state, one might misunderstand.

Here, I was contemplating (probably from my inner guide), and inspiration struck. The explanation was "(in the aftermath of the second) Kundalini awakening, the aura was dissipating." This was coupled with the diagram in "Shinto Mysteries" by Kihiro Yamashita, which shows "drawing your spirit (aura) into your abdomen." According to that book, "the souls of ordinary people are scattered and confused around the body. 'Soul purification' is the process of consolidating them."

The book states that people who are considered spiritual or have strong intuition are actually in a state where their aura is loose and not centered. The dissipating aura is reacting chaotically with the surroundings, and they feel like they have strong intuition, but it's actually uncontrolled and a dangerous state of insufficient practice. It says that it is necessary to draw the spirit (aura) into one's center (abdomen) through practice. I thought that if I had misunderstood and thought "this is complete" without doing anything after the Kundalini awakening, I might have remained in the same state of loose aura. The aura exists separately from the body, and I don't quite understand the idea that the aura fits completely into the abdomen as described in the book, but I feel that I have recently become a state where it is not so dissipated. After the Kundalini awakening, the aura tends to dissipate, making it difficult to control, but I interpreted that it is necessary to properly control the aura to the point where one can perceive the chakras, and then move beyond Vishnu Granti to Anahata, and only then can one reach the state of "integrated chakras."

■ The "mind" is finite and impermanent. So, what does it mean that "I" am also finite and impermanent?
As I wrote before, I have become quite adept at entering a state where "scattered thoughts" collapse into something like "three hiragana characters" by observing the sensation between my eyebrows during meditation. This, I think, was experiencing the "mind" being finite and impermanent. Previously, I had knowledge from scriptures that the mind is finite and impermanent, and therefore not the soul (Atman in yoga and the Vedas), but I didn't really understand what that meant. This time, by vividly observing the appearance and disappearance of scattered thoughts, which are manifestations of the mind, I think I was able to "experience" what it means that "the mind is impermanent." This has lifted a veil from my understanding of the "mind," and I feel more refreshed. Perhaps, I could only experience impermanence by simply meditating and observing the disappearance of scattered thoughts because there was a prerequisite of having transcended Vishnu Granti. It's like saying that observing with mere concentration is different from experiencing impermanence with the heart.

Thus, the fact that the mind is finite and impermanent was confirmed through meditation. However, I don't think this is the end of the path of meditation. What should I do next? When I thought about it and consulted books, I realized that the next task is to experience that "I" am impermanent. The book "The Ladder of Enlightenment" by Akira Fujimoto states, "I thought I was 'I,' but it was a misunderstanding. Not only are things impermanent, but even this 'I' is just a continuous series of disappearing minds and perceptions." This is a fairly common story in books. I have not yet experienced the "impermanence of the mind," but I have read this before, and I think that the premise for understanding it was not yet in place. Now, I feel that one premise has been fulfilled by experiencing the "impermanence of the mind." There may be other prerequisites, but at least one has been met.

This is the meditation on "What is 'I'?" or "Who am I?" Ramana Maharshi often asked this question. There may be further clues in that area. It's interesting to reread the same book after your perception has changed, and you can discover new things.

■ The throbbing and warmth in the lower neck (Oshii?) and the warmth in the back of the neck have almost disappeared.
As I mentioned before, the throbbing and warmth in the lower neck (Oshii?) disappeared at an early stage, and the warmth in the back of the neck, which was still present until a few days ago, has almost disappeared, and there is only a slight warmth remaining.

■ "Effortless" observational meditation (Vipassana meditation) in daily life.
Although I can't always do it, I have recently become able to continue daily activities without effort, especially after meditation, when there are no scattered thoughts. At that time, I feel like I am doing "effortless" observational meditation (Vipassana meditation) (meditation that does not require concentration, and does not even need to be consciously observed). Until now, when I acted, I acted with some impulse or scattered thoughts, so I was more like moving my body while watching my mind. However, I realized that when the body is moving without scattered thoughts, it is possible to observe the movement of the body in detail without effort. Previously, I thought that Vipassana meditation was about observing "something" like the breath, thoughts, or sensations, but in a state without scattered thoughts, you can observe your entire movement more broadly. For example, to consciously enter this state, I take a deep breath and initially focus on the breath to stop scattered thoughts, and then, while keeping the scattered thoughts stopped, I expand the observation of the breath as much as possible to the entire body and act. Then, I feel a very light, strange sensation, as if my body is floating. At that time, I can feel a thin aura on each part of my body, on the surface of my skin. However, I haven't noticed it deeply yet, so the state often breaks.

Previously, I focused my attention on my vision and, similarly to observing meditation, I tried to perceive all movements from corner to corner within my field of vision, which I found interesting. This time, however, it feels more like a body scan meditation, focusing on bodily sensations rather than my field of vision. Of course, I can't currently do observation meditation focusing on both my field of vision and bodily sensations at the same time.

■ Four Stages of Enlightenment (Shijamonka)
The book "The Ladder of Enlightenment" by Akira Fujimoto explains the four stages of enlightenment based on Theravada Buddhism. Here is a quote from the book.

I will compare these with my own condition.

Reduce distractions and live in the "present."

[Fifteen days after the tornado experience]

■The correlation between "living in the present" and "wandering thoughts"
I realized that being able to "live in the present" is directly related to the absence of wandering thoughts. When the mind is clear, like a mirror without clouds, or the surface of water without ripples, that is when one can truly live in the present. This is because wandering thoughts often pull the mind towards the "past" or the "future." Whether it's imagining future hopes or dwelling on past memories, wandering thoughts make it difficult to connect with the "present." This is similar to what I wrote before about Vipassana meditation (mindfulness meditation) in daily life. When you are truly living in the present, you can observe your entire body during meditation, and when you are able to observe your entire body, you should feel calm and peaceful with fewer wandering thoughts.

When there are no wandering thoughts, you can live in the "present," observe the state of your body in detail, and feel joy or peace. Conversely, when there are wandering thoughts, you are not living in the "present," you cannot observe the state of your body in detail, and you may not feel much joy or peace. There seems to be a correlation between "living in the present" and "wandering thoughts."

It is often said in spiritual teachings that "living in the present" is important, and while I intellectually understood this, I have now experienced it intensely through my body. While I have gradually reduced wandering thoughts before, and sometimes felt like I could say "I am living in the present," those moments were often just "points" in time. This time, however, I have been able to maintain a state of "living in the present" for a "line" (a period of less than 10 seconds) during my actions, which I believe is a state I have only recently achieved after the tornado experience. After the tornado experience, I realized that this state might be what is referred to as "living in the present" in spiritual teachings.

I don't know whether this state will continue for a longer period of time or evolve into something else, but I will continue to observe the "present" as it is. I will not say "I hope for future changes," although I may feel that way. However, that feeling is a wandering thought about the future, and it is not necessary when living in the present.

According to "The Resonance Keys," at a certain stage (the seventh level), one begins to act within the "now."

In this karmic game, your mental body lives in the future. It is always living as if "what if." Your emotional body lives in the past, triggered by experiences you have had. Therefore, what is happening in front of you is, in a sense, something you have not truly experienced. At the seventh level of the light body, you begin to experience the "now." It is truly a wonderful feeling.

I feel that my state is close to the seventh level described in this book. This level is when the Anahata chakra begins to activate. The "mental body" in this book refers to future desires and hopes, and the "emotional body" refers to past traumas. It becomes easier to understand how these two things make it difficult to live in the present. It is easier to understand when divided into these two categories. And if you only begin to live in the "present" after reaching this level, then I have finally reached a rather interesting stage.

Since realizing this, my perspective on meditation has changed slightly. Previously, the goal was to reduce wandering thoughts and achieve a state of peace and tranquility, but now I am using meditation to "live in the present." It's like "adjusting myself to live in the present by meditating when I am not living in the present." Of course, this doesn't mean that the previous type of meditation has disappeared, but rather that a new purpose or way of using it has been added.

This is something that I was unable to do before the Anahata chakra became dominant (for me).

Borrowing the words from "The Resonance Keys," I feel like I have "somehow caught up." This applies to both "living in the now" and "living according to the soul (spirit)." Previously, even though I intellectually understood it, something was not quite clicking. It is only after the Anahata chakra became dominant that I began to understand and feel with my entire body what it means to live in the "now" or to live according to the soul (spirit), and I feel that my overall aura has finally "caught up" with what I had previously understood intellectually. Living in the "now" and living according to the soul (spirit) are things that I did not fully understand before, but I now feel that I have finally begun to experience them in reality, as described in the seventh level of this book.

The meaning of "kanjiru koto".

[ Sixteen days after the experience of the tornado in Fū no Run ]

■ The meaning of "feeling" in spirituality
About four days after the tornado, my meditation began to change. Since then, when I focus my awareness on my forehead and observe sensations, distracting thoughts disappear as "2 or 3 hiragana characters." Today, I was able to continue meditating while observing sensations for a certain period (30 seconds to a few minutes?), with very few distracting thoughts. The exact time is unclear. This is because if I were to count in my mind or chant a mantra, I would know how long it lasted. However, when observing "sensations," even if distracting thoughts arise, my awareness moves in a direction that eliminates those thoughts, so the time is often unclear. It is very difficult to express, but the basic principle of this observational meditation is "sensation." Specifically, the basic practice is to "feel (observe) the breath" through sensation, and in addition to that, to feel the sensations in various parts of the body. This observation is carried out in the "deeper" part of my awareness, but at the same time, the so-called "mind" in the "shallower" part of my awareness moves as distracting thoughts. When the "mind" moves in the shallower part, I feel a slight discomfort, so my body reacts, rejecting the distracting thoughts, which appear as "hiragana characters" or not. At that moment, when distracting thoughts appear as the so-called "mind," I feel a "prickly" sensation and reject them. It's as if the distracting thoughts disappear with something like "0.5 hiragana characters." This happens when meditation deepens, but it's not always the case. However, when I reach this kind of state, observation continues uninterrupted, and the sense of time fades away. Furthermore, I become less interested in the so-called "rough" sensations of the mind. Perhaps, because my focus is on subtle sensations, the more intense movements of the mind feel too overwhelming and uncomfortable. It's not exactly "relaxation," but it's more like a sense of relief and tranquility. If observing "sensations" is a "subtle" sensation, then the movement of the "mind" is a "rough" sensation. In the past, I couldn't distinguish between the "mind" and "consciousness" very well, but recently, I understand the difference between these "subtle" and "rough" sensations quite well. This may be the meaning of "feeling" that is often talked about in spirituality. This kind of "subtle awareness" is different from the so-called distracting thoughts, which are "heard (received)" or "thought (transmitted)" by the mind. It is a more fundamental "feeling" sensation.

In the mind, "hearing (receiving)" and "thinking (transmitting)" are paired, but currently, regarding subtle awareness, it is only "feeling (receiving)." If the mind has the function of "transmitting," there may also be a function of "sending (transmitting)" sensations, in addition to "feeling (receiving)," but that is not yet known. Currently, I am only sitting and meditating alone, so I have not been able to try "sending (transmitting)" sensations. For now, I would like to continue focusing on "feeling (receiving)."

■ The difference between the so-called "emptiness" and the current state
The "so-called emptiness" that I wrote about before was when I had a lot of distracting thoughts. I was suppressing both (subtle) awareness and (rough) mind, "tightly," to obtain a temporary sense of peace. However, in this case, the subtle awareness continues to move, and the mind is almost stopped, but it no longer requires the same forceful exertion of willpower to "tightly" suppress it. Instead, the mind's distracting thoughts appear or do not appear in an instant, and automatically, due to some kind of "catalyst," those movements stop. When focusing only on the movements of the (consciousness compared to the rough) mind, this state may seem similar to the "so-called emptiness," but it is not being suppressed by awareness, and in this case, "awareness" is still active, so it cannot be called the "so-called emptiness." In a sense, it may be said to be similar to Vipassana meditation, but it is different from the various schools of Vipassana meditation that I know, so it is difficult to simply call it Vipassana meditation. I haven't learned anything specific to achieve this, but it feels different in many ways.

Expansion of mind and consciousness.

[ 17 days after the tornado experience ]

■ Expansion of consciousness? Spreading and strengthening of light?
When observing things like breath without engaging the mind, the awareness in the chest has been expanding. There's a sensation of the area around the chest "widening." At the same time, awareness has become clearer. This could be called "expansion of consciousness," or perhaps "spreading and strengthening of light."

■ Supplement regarding the experience of the impermanence of the mind
I'm adding a bit more to what I wrote before about "feeling the limitations of the mind." This time, by exceeding Vishnu Granti and becoming dominant in Anahata (the heart chakra), what is commonly called "consciousness" has become activated, and awareness has emerged from about half of what is commonly called the "mind" to a similar extent. In this state, by observing the "mind" with "consciousness," one experiences impermanence (from the heart). Before becoming dominant in Anahata, "consciousness" was not clear, and the "mind" was dominant over "consciousness," so even when trying to observe the "mind" in meditation, the "consciousness" that is the "observer" was vague, making it difficult to observe properly. By becoming dominant in Anahata, the "consciousness" that is the "observer" becomes activated, and only then can one observe the "mind" in that state.

■ Until Anahata becomes dominant, is Vipassana meditation (observational meditation) the same as Samatha meditation (concentration meditation)?
As I've mentioned before, I think the foundations of Vipassana meditation and Samatha meditation are the same. This is also described in "The Stages of Enlightenment" by Fujimoto Akira, which states that the external methods and the necessary concentration are almost the same. I wasn't quite sure where the differences arise, but it seems like they might appear around the stage of becoming dominant in Anahata.

However, different schools of thought may use different terminology, and in reality, even in yoga-related meditation (which is generally considered to be Samatha meditation), it may actually be Vipassana meditation. Therefore, it's important to note that you cannot simply apply general statements to the specific meditation methods used in each school.

■ Should one observe with the mind or with consciousness?
As mentioned above, before becoming dominant in Anahata during the tornado experience, "consciousness" was vague, making it difficult to observe. However, even when trying Vipassana meditation, I was trying to observe "sensations" with the "mind," but that didn't work well. And after becoming dominant in Anahata, it seems like "consciousness" has become the "observer." This is a significant difference.

I now think that observing with the "mind" is quite roundabout (or rather, not fundamental?). It seems like you should simply observe the sensations as they arise in the body and manifest as a "buzz" in "consciousness," rather than having to create so-called mental chatter from that point. Because that mental activity requires energy, while simply feeling it with consciousness is very energy-efficient.

Rather, if even the "mind" is something that can be "observed," that's a relief. If "consciousness" observes not only "sensations" but also the "mind," then it becomes possible to observe both the movements of sensations and the subtle movements of the mind. In this state, ordinary sensations can be observed simply with consciousness, but when unusual sensations arise, the mind can observe them all the way to the point of verbalization. You can observe in detail how it feels and how the mind interprets that sensation as a word. This is what I think is Vipassana meditation. It is possible to separate the "sensations" as "as they are" and the "mind" that governs "interpretation," so you can replay only the "(mental) interpretation" later without changing the "sensations" as they are.

That's right, in yoga, the "mind" is a "tool," not the observer. Furthermore, yoga says that the "mind is not oneself," but in general psychology, it says that "the mind is me," so there is some confusion in this area. In Vipassana meditation (observational meditation), one can easily misunderstand and think that "I (the mind) am observing," but in reality, it is "consciousness" that observes. Sometimes, people use the word "mind" to mean "mind and consciousness," so it can be difficult to interpret the context, but here, I am writing that the "mind" is a tool that governs mental chatter and analysis, and that "consciousness" is the observer of that.

■ "Integrated chakras" and the feeling of "not knowing the chakras"
I've mentioned "integrated chakras" several times before (first time, second time), but in this kind of state, the chakras sometimes become unclear. Here's a summary of my sensations regarding the chakras:

■Vegetarian
I am not a complete vegetarian, but I had been eating very little meat for several months before the tornado experience. I have concerns about the nutritional aspects of being a vegetarian, and I wanted to eat meat and fish in a balanced way, but about two years ago, I started reducing my meat consumption slightly, focusing on chicken. Then, about a year ago, I started reducing my meat consumption even further, and in the past few months, I have almost stopped eating meat. However, in Japan, fish is often used in seasonings, broth, and soy sauce, so I was not aiming to be a strict vegetarian. The main motivation was simply that "I started feeling sick when I ate meat." I just wanted to eat fresh vegetables and fruits, or something else, and that happened to reduce my meat consumption.

I especially dislike pork, and I sometimes eat it with miso seasoning for nutritional reasons, but I have hardly eaten it recently. I also eat beef for nutritional reasons, but I used to enjoy it, but recently, I don't find it delicious, and I don't even crave beef steaks. I still ate chicken occasionally until recently, but the frequency is much lower. It might be that I find the sauce delicious rather than the meat itself. I have memories of delicious, expensive yakiniku restaurants, but I don't really feel the need to eat that kind of thing. Well, I suppose those expensive yakiniku restaurants are delicious in their own way. Probably.

The tornado experience was not a clear turning point in my vegetarian diet, but it seems that my meat consumption had been decreasing and reached a certain threshold before the tornado experience. I had almost stopped wanting to eat meat before and after the tornado experience, and while I eat it when it is given to me or when I eat out, I have almost no motivation to actively eat meat.

Also, there is a feeling that my recent diet has become too simple and lacks variety. However, it's not as simple as "rice porridge with salt and one side dish" like a monk. It's not that simple, so I think it's probably sufficient.

Zen's Ten Ox Herding Pictures, from "Liberation of Body and Mind," to the Yoga Sutras and the Upanishads.

■Zen's Ten Ox Herding Pictures: "Detachment of Mind and Body"
The book "Meditation on the Ten Ox Herding Pictures" (by Koyama Ichio) states the following:

The first detachment of the mind occurs when the body dissolves into the surrounding space. While the field that receives sensations remains, a unique harmony is maintained, which prevents almost all extraneous thoughts from arising. It is a feeling of simply watching the surface of a quiet spring. There are no storms or ripples in the heart. Consciousness is clear, and one is aware of the tranquility of the mind.

This is very similar to what I wrote recently. It seems that I am at this stage. This corresponds to the third picture, "Seeing the Ox." The book continues as follows:

However, true detachment of the mind is not about preventing extraneous thoughts through a certain harmony, but rather about stopping the very function of the mind, as stated in the Yoga Sutra, Chapter 1. (Omitted) This is nothing more than the process from "Riding the Ox Home" to "Forgetting the Ox, Remembering the Person."

I still don't fully understand this final state. In fact, I thought that the former explanation was about the "stopping of the function of the mind" in the Yoga Sutra, so this book made me realize that my current state is only halfway there.

■Comparison of Zen's Ten Ox Herding Pictures and the Yoga Sutra and Upanishads
The book also makes comparisons between these.

This clarifies the position of the Yoga Sutras. The "cessation of the fluctuations of consciousness," often considered the ultimate goal in the Yoga Sutras, is not the ultimate goal of enlightenment. This also helps understand the position of Vedanta, as it deals with the Upanishads. However, for most people, the Yoga Sutras seem more appropriate. It feels like it's difficult to reach the next stage after the Yoga Sutras.

I had been wondering, "What should I do next?" because I was starting to experience what the Yoga Sutras describe as the "cessation of the fluctuations of consciousness," but only partially. So, I've found a direction.

■ Subject and Object, Separation of Intention and Consciousness, Object and Self
In "The Ten Bulls Meditation Method for Enlightenment" (by Koizumi Ichio), regarding what I wrote before, "Should we observe with the mind or with consciousness?" it explains as follows:

In yoga, the object to be calmed is "intention" (I), not "consciousness" (Shiki). This is because "consciousness" is the field in which intention operates, and it cannot be calmed by yoga techniques. In other words, without consciousness, there is no individual existence. Also, this consciousness is connected to the whole, beyond the individual. Therefore, the path to the Upanishads, which is the unification and fusion with the whole, opens up. Yoga targets "intention" and the "consciousness of the individual level," while the Upanishads target a deeper and broader realm beyond the "individual."

This is another interesting description. This expression of "intention" and "consciousness" seems to be a unique way of expression by the author. It becomes easier to understand when combined with the previous explanation. The book also introduces "intention" and "consciousness" from another perspective.

The Yoga Sutras state: "(Omission) When only the object remains, and the self is lost, that is called samadhi." Dr. Sabota explains this psychologically as "a state where the subjective state is forgotten, and only the object occupies the field of consciousness."

I searched for the original text and found it in "The Fundamental Texts of Yoga" (by Sabota Tsuruji), Yoga Sutra 3-3. This is described as an explanation of samadhi, but it was a bit surprising to me how it connects to "intention" and "consciousness." This is because I thought the definition of samadhi was "the unification of subject and object (no duality)." If that's the case, I'm already in a kind of samadhi, but I don't quite feel it. There are many types of samadhi, and it's hard to understand which one is which just from the text. I re-examined the books I have, and it seems that the initial samadhi still has a duality of subject and object, and gradually moves to a samadhi without duality. I had been ignoring samadhi because I thought it was such a high goal, but it seems I had already achieved some of the basic elements of samadhi.

I have expressed it as "mind" and "consciousness," but as you can see, there are various ways to express it.

People often use the word "objectivity" casually, but if this refers to the narrow, yoga-like or psychological definition of "objectivity," then only a few people can achieve it. If "objectivity" in the broad sense is technical or logical, then the narrow objectivity mentioned here is something completely different. It's interesting. Well, there are probably many things we could delve into, and there might be objections depending on the definition, so I'll stop here for now. I'm wondering what the logical implications of the quoted text would be if we were to investigate the definitions of words like "object," "subject," "objectivity," and "subjectivity." I can infer what the author is trying to say because I "know the answer" through my meditation, but otherwise, it's a difficult expression to understand.

■ Changes in the "Observation" of Breath
As a supplement to what I wrote before about "observing the breath," I used to make sounds like "soo" and "haa" with my "mind" or describe the breath as "Inhaling" or "Exhaling" when "observing" the breath in meditation. I don't think that counts as "observation" anymore. In the past, my expressions might have been mixed up, so reading my old articles might be confusing. Until recently, I thought that even "observing" the phenomena with my mind was "observing", but recently, I think that when we say "observing the breath," it means "observing with consciousness" rather than with the mind. Therefore, what is written above, "When you observe the breath without moving your mind," does not mean verbalizing the movement of the breath with your mind, but rather "observing with consciousness" (with the mind hardly moving). This difference is significant. This "consciousness" can also be rephrased as "feeling."

■ Samadhi in the Yoga Sutras
I'm looking for some books.

I will pick out the points that I am concerned about.

As you can see, it can be quite difficult to interpret things if you don't know the original state or meaning.

Western mind and the unconscious.

■Western "Mind"
This is a continuation of the previous article, "Mind" and "Consciousness"
https://w-jp.net/2019/1560/
When we use the English word "mind" (Kokoro), it generally refers to conscious awareness and does not include the subconscious. However, when discussing deeper aspects of the psyche, the subconscious can sometimes be included as part of the "mind." This creates confusion. For example, in the Yoga Sutras, Chapter 3, verses 1-3, the word "mind" is sometimes used to refer to the subconscious.

Some scholars differentiate the terms, for example, Osho Rajneesh refers to the subconscious as "no-mind" in contrast to the normal conscious mind. It would be clearer if they were distinguished, but the confusion arises from using "mind" to refer to both.

I apologize if my previous article used similar terminology, which may have caused confusion. In that article, "mind" referred to conscious awareness, while "consciousness (as felt)" referred to the subconscious. If I were to simply write "conscious awareness" and "subconscious," it would sound like psychoanalysis, and the intended meaning might not be conveyed. Ideally, the terminology would be standardized.

■Galaxy Express 999
I believe there was a memorable, poetic expression about "mind" in Galaxy Express 999, but that poetic expression likely referred to the subconscious "mind."

■Mind and "One Mind"
Carl Jung, a key figure in the study of conscious and subconscious awareness, analyzes the following in his book "Psychology of Eastern Meditation" (by C.G. Jung):

The knowledge about what is commonly called the "mind" is widely known.
This refers to conscious awareness as the "common" mind, and attempts to explain something in contrast to it.

The "One Mind" is, in essence, emptiness, possessing no foundation. Similarly, the human mind is like the sky, empty. (Omitted) In its true state, the mind is not created, but shines on its own. (Omitted) For readers who still have doubts about the identity of the "One Mind" and the subconscious, this section should dispel those doubts.

Jung uses the terms "mind" or "One Mind" to express what is called the "soul" in yoga, such as Atman or Brahman. While sometimes "mind" is used and sometimes "One Mind," it can be confusing. He lists the following expressions for "mind":

The name given to the heart.The various names given to it are countless.
Some people call it the "self of the mind."
Others call it the "self" (Atman).
Some, belonging to lesser schools, call it "the essence of the teachings."
In the Yoga school, it is called "wisdom."
Some call it "the method of attaining wisdom beyond" (Prajna-paramita).
Some call it "the essence of the Buddha."
Some call it "the great symbol."
Some call it "the single seed" (Bindu).
Some call it "the potential power of truth" (Dharmadhatu).
Some call it "the foundation of everything."
In everyday language, it also has other names.

Some of them may seem a little different, but it is interesting to see how Jung, as a Westerner, tried to understand Asia.

What is a prayer to ask for forgiveness from God?

■ Changes in "Prayer to God" Accompanying the Diminishment of the Sense of "Self"
Recently, I wrote about forgiveness meditation. At that time, the subject was "I," and the meditation was "I forgive." However, as the sense of "I" diminishes, the meditation has naturally changed from "(I) forgive" to "(God) please forgive."

Before the experience of the tornado, I still had a certain sense of self (ego), so the meditation was "I forgive." Now that the sense of "I" as a self has diminished, it feels awkward to say "I forgive," so "God, please forgive" feels right. It's not that I came up with it logically, but rather which one "feels right." The words that resonate naturally come to mind. This is not about depending on others (or a personal God), but rather that forgiveness without a self is like this. When there is a self, perhaps "I forgive" is sufficient.

Perhaps this is the level of prayer for forgiveness in Christianity. One may not understand the essence of forgiveness and prayer until the self diminishes. Praying to God for forgiveness is a way to resolve past karma, as there is no other way. Who else could one receive forgiveness from? I don't have a specific image of a particular God. I'm just saying "God" because I can't express it any other way, but it could be Brahman, nature, the universe, or something else. For me, "God" simply resonates. Even for trivial things, I think of God as the one who can grant forgiveness. Of course, some people might say "guardian spirit," "great spirit," "Amaterasu," "Christ," or "Allah," and I think they are all the same.

If someone is forced to do a forgiveness meditation while still having a self, they might feel fear towards God, like a bad habit in Christianity. However, if the true meaning is to spontaneously do this kind of forgiveness in a state where the self has disappeared, there is no compulsion or fear, but only peace (a calmness that even the word "peace" feels awkward). When expressed in words, it feels like something different, but it's a feeling of having to entrust it to God. Again, this is not dependence on God. When expressing a prayer without a self, the only way to express it is through prayer to God, which is just a matter of expression.

Looking back, I have been resolving major past traumas through forgiveness meditation directed towards "myself." Based on that, for very small, remaining issues, I feel that I need to pray to God to completely purify them. Perhaps those with less self from the beginning can simply pray to God from the beginning.

Here, the word "God" is used in a Brahmanic sense, meaning a vast existence that can also be called nature or the universe, so it is not a personal God. However, those who stubbornly think of God as a "person," or who stubbornly think of God as some "will or existence other than oneself," or as an absolute personal God, might think that this is the opposite. Such people might think, "God helps with big sins, and we handle small sins ourselves." However, the God I am referring to here is not a personal God, so what I am saying here is simply changing the way of meditation or prayer from the perspective of whether the self is strong or weak. Prayer and meditation are essentially the same. The essence of this prayer is "forgiveness," and essentially, there is no self or other, so it is natural that if the self is strong, one can only say "I forgive," and if the self is weak, one naturally has the perspective of "God (who also includes oneself) forgives." Misunderstanding this can lead to moral hazards, so it is a difficult issue. If one misunderstands and says "I forgive," there may be people who think, "I forgive, so I can do anything." However, if one does something terrible, one will inevitably suffer the consequences of karma. Setting aside that danger, what I want to say is that as the self decreases, prayer to God naturally emerges during meditation.

■ The Feeling of "Like" Has Subsided
The feeling of "like" that I have been feeling has gradually subsided. The waves have become so small that I feel a little nostalgic for the past emotional ups and downs (perhaps an attachment?), but I think it's okay as it is. I have also stopped feeling much "joy" during meditation. Perhaps I have moved on to the next stage.

■ The feeling of "liking" and the Third and Fourth Dhyanas
Based on "The Ladder of Enlightenment" (by Akira Fujimoto), it states that in the Third Dhyana, "one becomes a peaceful (shita) mind, detached from joy. There is still a sense of happiness." In the Fourth Dhyana, it says, "Even the last remaining sense of happiness disappears. However, this does not mean becoming unhappy, because suffering, joy, and sorrow have long since vanished, so the mind becomes a truly pure and peaceful (shita) state, neither painful nor pleasant. Moreover, the mind firmly confirms this peaceful state, and awareness (nien) does not cease. Only the peacefulness of the quiet mind is experienced, even without joy or happiness." I believe that the fact that my feeling of "liking" has subsided means that I am in either the Third or Fourth Dhyana.

"The Ladder of Enlightenment" (by Akira Fujimoto) is based on Theravada Buddhism, but a similar concept is also written in the Tibetan Buddhist book "The Dalai Lama: Opening the Eye of Wisdom." It states that in the Third Dhyana, "a sense of happiness without the emotion of joy (shita) is achieved."

I think I am probably in the Third Dhyana. I have a feeling that "something is a little lacking."

According to "The Dalai Lama: Opening the Eye of Wisdom," in the Fourth Dhyana, one obtains "the four boundless minds (simu ryo shin)."

And, it is said that the third dhyana has a flaw: "the pleasure and pain of the mind that arises from the basis of sensation (mano)." What is lacking in the above-mentioned fourth dhyana is probably around this area. While the mind is calm, there is still a feeling of longing for the joys and sorrows of the past, deep down in the heart. I think the difference between the third dhyana and the fourth dhyana lies in that area.

■ Supplement to "feeling with consciousness"
This is a supplement to the "feeling" mentioned the other day.
"Feeling with consciousness" and "feeling with the skin (of the five senses)" are different things. The article deals with the former meaning.

■ Where is the Atman?
During meditation, following the "Ten Bulls Meditation Method" (by Ichio Kobayashi) that I read the other day, I aimed for the "appearance of the pure observer (true self, Atman)" from the Zen Ten Bulls diagram "detachment of body and mind" (from the article the other day), and tried to find where the Atman (pure observer) is, after calming the mind during meditation. At first, I thought it might be around the chest, but the chest is indeed warm enough to be described as "warm," but it's not clear whether it is the Atman itself. When I tried to find it with my senses, it felt like it was floating in front of my chest, slightly in front of my face. It's a slightly forward position, overlapping a little with my body, and it's round, from around my face to slightly in front of my chest. Well, this is just an observation. I don't really feel like I've found it yet.

Kundalini has risen to the Anahata chakra. Permission is granted. Where is the Atman?

■Kundalini has reached the Anahata chakra.
Since the experience of the "Wind Rune's vortex" a few days ago, the Anahata chakra has become dominant. I haven't written about it in detail, but I think this is what is commonly referred to as "Kundalini rising to the Anahata chakra." This is the second time I've experienced something similar to Kundalini, and while the sensation wasn't the same as the vortex, the Anahata chakra is now dominant. The first time, the sensation was primarily "heat," but this time, it felt like "wind" rising. I think it's a difference in energy.

When reading books on Kundalini yoga, there are methods described for raising Kundalini from the Muladhara chakra to the Anahata chakra, and even beyond to the Ajna and Sahasrara chakras, in a matter of minutes or hours. However, I don't fully understand these short-duration Kundalini-raising practices. I've read about them in books, but I haven't personally experienced such rapid movement of Kundalini. I wonder if it's not ideal to try to raise the "heat" of the first Kundalini experience directly to a level beyond the Anahata chakra, as the types of energy may be different.

When I say "Kundalini has reached the Anahata chakra," I mean that the "location" of Kundalini has moved (risen) from the Muladhara (or Manipura) chakra to the Anahata chakra. I suppose that's why people say "Kundalini has reached the Anahata chakra." This may vary depending on the school of thought. Some schools may not consider the change in the location of Kundalini as "rising."

Not only is it rising, but the quality of the energy has also changed from "heat" to "warmth."

If you read the article from that day, it turns out that this happened "in a dream," so readers may think, "Wait, it's not real, it's a dream?" However, in yoga and spirituality, dreams are also real. Therefore, I don't feel any discomfort about experiences in dreams affecting reality.

■Continuation of the Forgiveness Meditation.
This is a continuation of the "Forgiveness Meditation" I wrote about recently.
First, it was a "Forgiveness Meditation" (link to the relevant article).
Next, it changed to a "Meditation of Asking for Forgiveness" (link to the relevant article).

Today, the forgiveness meditation changed to simply "being forgiven."

It's not "being forgiven by God."
It's not "being forgiven by someone."

It simply changed to "being forgiven."

While articles and subjects are not always necessary, if I were to add them, "being forgiven by the sun" would be acceptable. It feels more natural to say "being forgiven by the sun" than "being forgiven by the sunlight."

There's not much else to add, but if I were to explain it, it's like "being allowed to exist," "being allowed to exist by the sun," or "nothing in this world can exist without the permission of the sun." If that's the case, then simply existing on this earth means being allowed to exist by the sun. It's amazing that simply existing on this earth means being permitted to exist by the sun. The power of acceptance is immense.

■Is Atman in the shape of a cross?
This is a continuation of "Where is Atman?" (link to the relevant article).
Today, I searched for Atman again, and it was in the same place in front of me, but its form seemed to be "cross-like." There was something in the shape of a cross, with a halo around it. The area around the cross was slightly darker. I'm not sure what this is yet, so I'll observe it for a while longer.

■Third and Fourth Samadhi.
This is a continuation of the discussion about the third and fourth samadhi from the other day.
Although almost identical, there is a description of the third and fourth samadhi in "The Life of Shakyamuni Buddha" by Nakamura Tsunesaburo.

Third samadhi: "Calm, with mindfulness, and abiding in bliss."
Fourth samadhi: "Having abandoned pleasure and pain, and having extinguished joy and sorrow, it is neither pleasant nor unpleasant, and is purified by calmness and mindfulness."

While this is almost the same, in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, the fourth samadhi is not enlightenment, but something beyond that. However, the original text, which is not Buddha's own writings but rather the writings of his disciples, may not always be accurate, and it is said that Buddha used different language depending on the person he was speaking to, so we cannot simply accept it as truth. However, the fact that the fourth samadhi leads to enlightenment is interesting.

The throbbing in the back of the head and between the eyebrows. Rudra Granti was shaken.

■ Pulsations in the back of the head and between the eyebrows
This morning, the back of my head, which I place on my pillow, was pulsating at a speed that was about twice my pulse rate. At the same time, the area between my eyebrows was trembling finely at the same speed.
The pulsations in the lower part of my head felt the same as they did recently, but when I checked, there was no pulsation in the "lower back of the neck" as there was before. There is a pulsation at the same speed as my pulse in the lower part of my head, and there is a pulsation in the back of my head and between my eyebrows that is about twice the speed of my pulse. These three areas may be related to each other, but they are essentially different things. Well, I'll just observe.

■ Today's Forgiveness Meditation
The forgiveness meditation, which has been changing recently, did not feel that way today. There were no particular problems with it, and it was just a peaceful meditation.

■ Awakening
After the Kundalini experience, I basically woke up well, but recently, my awakenings have been poor. However, yesterday and today, I woke up relatively normally. Could it be related to the forgiveness meditation? Or is it something else? I'll just observe.

[Added on 2020/11/18]
Looking back, I think this might have been the experience of the Rudra Granthi (slightly) being released?

Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, and "intention" and "consciousness."

■ Did the misunderstanding that "the mind is a single rock" lead to the creation of Vipassana meditation?
As mentioned in "The Life of the Buddha" by Moto Nakamura, Buddhist scriptures seem to indicate that enlightenment is achieved in the fourth dhyana. Dhyana is what is commonly referred to as samatha meditation. This is generally how it is understood. In Abhidhamma Buddhism, the concept of Vipassana meditation is used, and it is explained that enlightenment is achieved by performing observational meditation after samatha meditation.
What does it mean that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the fourth dhyana?
As a hypothesis, it is also possible that the dhyana practiced by the Buddha at that time was equivalent to Vipassana meditation.
This is truly confusing. However, the meaning changes depending on whether the "mind" is defined differently. It seems that the premise that "the mind" is only "conscious awareness (the surface awareness of logical thinking)" creates two concepts: samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. On the other hand, the "mind" that the Buddha refers to includes not only "conscious awareness" but also "subconscious awareness," and it is the "subconscious awareness" that is the center of the "mind." Therefore, the distinction between samatha and Vipassana may disappear.
■ Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, "intention," and "consciousness."
Dividing them makes things much clearer.

	■ Did the misunderstanding that "the mind is a single rock" lead to the creation of Vipassana meditation? As mentioned in "The Life of the Buddha" by Moto Nakamura, Buddhist scriptures seem to indicate that enlightenment is achieved in the fourth dhyana. Dhyana is what is commonly referred to as samatha meditation. This is generally how it is understood. In Abhidhamma Buddhism, the concept of Vipassana meditation is used, and it is explained that enlightenment is achieved by performing observational meditation after samatha meditation. What does it mean that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the fourth dhyana? As a hypothesis, it is also possible that the dhyana practiced by the Buddha at that time was equivalent to Vipassana meditation. This is truly confusing. However, the meaning changes depending on whether the "mind" is defined differently. It seems that the premise that "the mind" is only "conscious awareness (the surface awareness of logical thinking)" creates two concepts: samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. On the other hand, the "mind" that the Buddha refers to includes not only "conscious awareness" but also "subconscious awareness," and it is the "subconscious awareness" that is the center of the "mind." Therefore, the distinction between samatha and Vipassana may disappear. ■ Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, "intention," and "consciousness." Dividing them makes things much clearer.	■ Did the misunderstanding that "the mind is a single rock" lead to the creation of Vipassana meditation? As mentioned in "The Life of the Buddha" by Moto Nakamura, Buddhist scriptures seem to indicate that enlightenment is achieved in the fourth dhyana. Dhyana is what is commonly referred to as samatha meditation. This is generally how it is understood. In Abhidhamma Buddhism, the concept of Vipassana meditation is used, and it is explained that enlightenment is achieved by performing observational meditation after samatha meditation. What does it mean that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the fourth dhyana? As a hypothesis, it is also possible that the dhyana practiced by the Buddha at that time was equivalent to Vipassana meditation. This is truly confusing. However, the meaning changes depending on whether the "mind" is defined differently. It seems that the premise that "the mind" is only "conscious awareness (the surface awareness of logical thinking)" creates two concepts: samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. On the other hand, the "mind" that the Buddha refers to includes not only "conscious awareness" but also "subconscious awareness," and it is the "subconscious awareness" that is the center of the "mind." Therefore, the distinction between samatha and Vipassana may disappear. ■ Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, "intention," and "consciousness." Dividing them makes things much clearer.	■ Did the misunderstanding that "the mind is a single rock" lead to the creation of Vipassana meditation? As mentioned in "The Life of the Buddha" by Moto Nakamura, Buddhist scriptures seem to indicate that enlightenment is achieved in the fourth dhyana. Dhyana is what is commonly referred to as samatha meditation. This is generally how it is understood. In Abhidhamma Buddhism, the concept of Vipassana meditation is used, and it is explained that enlightenment is achieved by performing observational meditation after samatha meditation. What does it mean that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the fourth dhyana? As a hypothesis, it is also possible that the dhyana practiced by the Buddha at that time was equivalent to Vipassana meditation. This is truly confusing. However, the meaning changes depending on whether the "mind" is defined differently. It seems that the premise that "the mind" is only "conscious awareness (the surface awareness of logical thinking)" creates two concepts: samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. On the other hand, the "mind" that the Buddha refers to includes not only "conscious awareness" but also "subconscious awareness," and it is the "subconscious awareness" that is the center of the "mind." Therefore, the distinction between samatha and Vipassana may disappear. ■ Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, "intention," and "consciousness." Dividing them makes things much clearer.
■ Did the misunderstanding that "the mind is a single rock" lead to the creation of Vipassana meditation? As mentioned in "The Life of the Buddha" by Moto Nakamura, Buddhist scriptures seem to indicate that enlightenment is achieved in the fourth dhyana. Dhyana is what is commonly referred to as samatha meditation. This is generally how it is understood. In Abhidhamma Buddhism, the concept of Vipassana meditation is used, and it is explained that enlightenment is achieved by performing observational meditation after samatha meditation. What does it mean that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the fourth dhyana? As a hypothesis, it is also possible that the dhyana practiced by the Buddha at that time was equivalent to Vipassana meditation. This is truly confusing. However, the meaning changes depending on whether the "mind" is defined differently. It seems that the premise that "the mind" is only "conscious awareness (the surface awareness of logical thinking)" creates two concepts: samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. On the other hand, the "mind" that the Buddha refers to includes not only "conscious awareness" but also "subconscious awareness," and it is the "subconscious awareness" that is the center of the "mind." Therefore, the distinction between samatha and Vipassana may disappear. ■ Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, "intention," and "consciousness." Dividing them makes things much clearer.	■ Did the misunderstanding that "the mind is a single rock" lead to the creation of Vipassana meditation? As mentioned in "The Life of the Buddha" by Moto Nakamura, Buddhist scriptures seem to indicate that enlightenment is achieved in the fourth dhyana. Dhyana is what is commonly referred to as samatha meditation. This is generally how it is understood. In Abhidhamma Buddhism, the concept of Vipassana meditation is used, and it is explained that enlightenment is achieved by performing observational meditation after samatha meditation. What does it mean that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the fourth dhyana? As a hypothesis, it is also possible that the dhyana practiced by the Buddha at that time was equivalent to Vipassana meditation. This is truly confusing. However, the meaning changes depending on whether the "mind" is defined differently. It seems that the premise that "the mind" is only "conscious awareness (the surface awareness of logical thinking)" creates two concepts: samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. On the other hand, the "mind" that the Buddha refers to includes not only "conscious awareness" but also "subconscious awareness," and it is the "subconscious awareness" that is the center of the "mind." Therefore, the distinction between samatha and Vipassana may disappear. ■ Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, "intention," and "consciousness." Dividing them makes things much clearer.	■ Did the misunderstanding that "the mind is a single rock" lead to the creation of Vipassana meditation? As mentioned in "The Life of the Buddha" by Moto Nakamura, Buddhist scriptures seem to indicate that enlightenment is achieved in the fourth dhyana. Dhyana is what is commonly referred to as samatha meditation. This is generally how it is understood. In Abhidhamma Buddhism, the concept of Vipassana meditation is used, and it is explained that enlightenment is achieved by performing observational meditation after samatha meditation. What does it mean that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the fourth dhyana? As a hypothesis, it is also possible that the dhyana practiced by the Buddha at that time was equivalent to Vipassana meditation. This is truly confusing. However, the meaning changes depending on whether the "mind" is defined differently. It seems that the premise that "the mind" is only "conscious awareness (the surface awareness of logical thinking)" creates two concepts: samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. On the other hand, the "mind" that the Buddha refers to includes not only "conscious awareness" but also "subconscious awareness," and it is the "subconscious awareness" that is the center of the "mind." Therefore, the distinction between samatha and Vipassana may disappear. ■ Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, "intention," and "consciousness." Dividing them makes things much clearer.	■ Did the misunderstanding that "the mind is a single rock" lead to the creation of Vipassana meditation? As mentioned in "The Life of the Buddha" by Moto Nakamura, Buddhist scriptures seem to indicate that enlightenment is achieved in the fourth dhyana. Dhyana is what is commonly referred to as samatha meditation. This is generally how it is understood. In Abhidhamma Buddhism, the concept of Vipassana meditation is used, and it is explained that enlightenment is achieved by performing observational meditation after samatha meditation. What does it mean that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the fourth dhyana? As a hypothesis, it is also possible that the dhyana practiced by the Buddha at that time was equivalent to Vipassana meditation. This is truly confusing. However, the meaning changes depending on whether the "mind" is defined differently. It seems that the premise that "the mind" is only "conscious awareness (the surface awareness of logical thinking)" creates two concepts: samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. On the other hand, the "mind" that the Buddha refers to includes not only "conscious awareness" but also "subconscious awareness," and it is the "subconscious awareness" that is the center of the "mind." Therefore, the distinction between samatha and Vipassana may disappear. ■ Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, "intention," and "consciousness." Dividing them makes things much clearer.
■ Did the misunderstanding that "the mind is a single rock" lead to the creation of Vipassana meditation? As mentioned in "The Life of the Buddha" by Moto Nakamura, Buddhist scriptures seem to indicate that enlightenment is achieved in the fourth dhyana. Dhyana is what is commonly referred to as samatha meditation. This is generally how it is understood. In Abhidhamma Buddhism, the concept of Vipassana meditation is used, and it is explained that enlightenment is achieved by performing observational meditation after samatha meditation. What does it mean that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the fourth dhyana? As a hypothesis, it is also possible that the dhyana practiced by the Buddha at that time was equivalent to Vipassana meditation. This is truly confusing. However, the meaning changes depending on whether the "mind" is defined differently. It seems that the premise that "the mind" is only "conscious awareness (the surface awareness of logical thinking)" creates two concepts: samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. On the other hand, the "mind" that the Buddha refers to includes not only "conscious awareness" but also "subconscious awareness," and it is the "subconscious awareness" that is the center of the "mind." Therefore, the distinction between samatha and Vipassana may disappear. ■ Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, "intention," and "consciousness." Dividing them makes things much clearer.	■ Did the misunderstanding that "the mind is a single rock" lead to the creation of Vipassana meditation? As mentioned in "The Life of the Buddha" by Moto Nakamura, Buddhist scriptures seem to indicate that enlightenment is achieved in the fourth dhyana. Dhyana is what is commonly referred to as samatha meditation. This is generally how it is understood. In Abhidhamma Buddhism, the concept of Vipassana meditation is used, and it is explained that enlightenment is achieved by performing observational meditation after samatha meditation. What does it mean that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the fourth dhyana? As a hypothesis, it is also possible that the dhyana practiced by the Buddha at that time was equivalent to Vipassana meditation. This is truly confusing. However, the meaning changes depending on whether the "mind" is defined differently. It seems that the premise that "the mind" is only "conscious awareness (the surface awareness of logical thinking)" creates two concepts: samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. On the other hand, the "mind" that the Buddha refers to includes not only "conscious awareness" but also "subconscious awareness," and it is the "subconscious awareness" that is the center of the "mind." Therefore, the distinction between samatha and Vipassana may disappear. ■ Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, "intention," and "consciousness." Dividing them makes things much clearer.	■ Did the misunderstanding that "the mind is a single rock" lead to the creation of Vipassana meditation? As mentioned in "The Life of the Buddha" by Moto Nakamura, Buddhist scriptures seem to indicate that enlightenment is achieved in the fourth dhyana. Dhyana is what is commonly referred to as samatha meditation. This is generally how it is understood. In Abhidhamma Buddhism, the concept of Vipassana meditation is used, and it is explained that enlightenment is achieved by performing observational meditation after samatha meditation. What does it mean that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the fourth dhyana? As a hypothesis, it is also possible that the dhyana practiced by the Buddha at that time was equivalent to Vipassana meditation. This is truly confusing. However, the meaning changes depending on whether the "mind" is defined differently. It seems that the premise that "the mind" is only "conscious awareness (the surface awareness of logical thinking)" creates two concepts: samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. On the other hand, the "mind" that the Buddha refers to includes not only "conscious awareness" but also "subconscious awareness," and it is the "subconscious awareness" that is the center of the "mind." Therefore, the distinction between samatha and Vipassana may disappear. ■ Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, "intention," and "consciousness." Dividing them makes things much clearer.	■ Did the misunderstanding that "the mind is a single rock" lead to the creation of Vipassana meditation? As mentioned in "The Life of the Buddha" by Moto Nakamura, Buddhist scriptures seem to indicate that enlightenment is achieved in the fourth dhyana. Dhyana is what is commonly referred to as samatha meditation. This is generally how it is understood. In Abhidhamma Buddhism, the concept of Vipassana meditation is used, and it is explained that enlightenment is achieved by performing observational meditation after samatha meditation. What does it mean that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the fourth dhyana? As a hypothesis, it is also possible that the dhyana practiced by the Buddha at that time was equivalent to Vipassana meditation. This is truly confusing. However, the meaning changes depending on whether the "mind" is defined differently. It seems that the premise that "the mind" is only "conscious awareness (the surface awareness of logical thinking)" creates two concepts: samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation. On the other hand, the "mind" that the Buddha refers to includes not only "conscious awareness" but also "subconscious awareness," and it is the "subconscious awareness" that is the center of the "mind." Therefore, the distinction between samatha and Vipassana may disappear. ■ Samatha meditation, Vipassana meditation, "intention," and "consciousness." Dividing them makes things much clearer.

Seven Awakening Personnel (Seven Awakening Branch) and the abandonment of attachment, the end of poverty and greed, and the cessation of desire.

I was wondering what I should do specifically next, so I did some research. I found clues in a Vipassana-related scripture, "The 'Breath' Meditation of the Buddha" by Thich Nhat Hanh. It's in the form of a question from Venerable Ananda.

"Is there a way to practice such that, upon the fruition of practice, one can acquire the ability to maintain the establishment of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (awareness of the body, sensations, mind, and mental objects), the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and the two factors of Wisdom and Liberation?"

... (omitted) ...
"When the factor of vigor (effort) is complete, it opens the way to the accomplishment of the factor of joy. This is because the mind naturally becomes filled with joy."

This is similar to the first dhyana, although it is not explicitly stated. I believe this scripture is generally interpreted as Vipassana meditation, but if we assume, as I wrote the other day, that Vipassana meditation and Samatha meditation are not so different, then it can be considered a dhyana, which is generally considered Samatha meditation. This is my personal interpretation, so it may not be understood elsewhere. It is just a hypothesis.

... (omitted) ...
"When the factor of tranquility is complete, the body and mind are fulfilled, and it helps to open the way to the accomplishment of the factor of concentration."

This is also not explicitly stated, but it is similar to the second dhyana.

... (omitted) ...
"When the factor of concentration is complete, greed disappears, and it opens the way to the accomplishment of the factor of equanimity."

This is also not explicitly stated, but it is similar to the third dhyana.

"When a noble disciple observes sensations in terms of sensations, mental activity in terms of mental activity, and phenomena in terms of phenomena, just as one observes the body in terms of the body, he can complete the Seven Factors of Enlightenment."
"Ananda, this is the practice of establishing the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, which is for the purpose of observing the Seven Factors of Enlightenment."

This means that the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (awareness of the body, sensations, mind, and mental objects) are practiced to reach the third dhyana (although it is not explicitly stated). Of course, this is based on the assumption that Vipassana meditation and Samatha meditation are almost the same in the aforementioned sense.
After this, Ananda asks about the method to reach "understanding and liberation," which seems to be the so-called "enlightenment."

"What kind of practice should one undertake to complete understanding and liberation through the Seven Factors of Enlightenment?"

The Buddha said to Ananda:
"When a monk practices mindfulness, which is a factor of enlightenment, based on the abandonment of attachment, the cessation of greed, and the cessation of desire, he will walk the path to tranquility, and through the power of the factor of mindfulness, he will achieve the accomplishment of the practice of clear understanding and liberation. When a monk practices the other factors of enlightenment - the identification of phenomena, vigor, joy, tranquility, concentration, and equanimity - based on the abandonment of attachment, the cessation of greed, and the cessation of desire, he will similarly achieve the accomplishment of the practice of clear understanding and liberation through the power of these factors of enlightenment."

As mentioned in previous articles (1, 2, 3), the requirements for the fourth dhyana are slightly different. It can be interpreted as the same by expanding the definition, but it is quite different from the third dhyana, so why is that? It's a mystery. Even if we put aside the difference, the key point here is the overcoming of "attachment" and "greed." These are "afflictions," so it is natural to have afflictions before enlightenment, and it makes sense that afflictions disappear when one becomes enlightened. If that is the case, then what the Buddha is saying here is the path to enlightenment. If we interpret the Buddha's words directly, it means that all the "Seven Factors of Enlightenment" necessary for enlightenment are complete by the third dhyana. Then, by using those Seven Factors of Enlightenment, one can reach enlightenment (or the fourth dhyana).

According to "The Ladder of Enlightenment" by Akira Fujimoto, the fourth dhyana is not enlightenment in Abhidhamma Buddhism. However, in the Buddhist scriptures, there are often expressions that can be interpreted as enlightenment even in the fourth dhyana. The original scriptures are simpler and more straightforward than the commentaries, and perhaps enlightenment is a much simpler thing than we think.

Perhaps what is generally called "enlightenment" refers to something like the fourth dhyana.

If we assume that the fourth dhyana is what is generally meant by "enlightenment," even though there is something beyond the fourth dhyana, as I quoted the Ten Bulls, the Yoga Sutra, and the Upanishads, then that might be the case.

Of course, when I say "fourth dhyana" here, it is not just the fourth dhyana of samatha meditation, but the fourth dhyana of vipassana, where the body and mind are detached, "citta" (manifest consciousness) has stopped, and "Shiki" (potential consciousness, what is commonly called the "atman") is present.

■ Forgiveness Meditation
This is a continuation of what I discussed previously.
The changes in the series of "forgiveness meditations" have been from "(I) forgive" to "(I am) being forgiven" to "(I am) being healed by the sun." Perhaps healing is like this?

During the day, it feels like that, but at night, it feels like "(I am) being healed by the stars."

If I were to write down the changes from the beginning, it would be from "(I) forgive" → "(God) forgive" → "(being forgiven) without a subject" → "(being forgiven) by the sun" → (during the day) "(being healed) by the sun" & (at night) "(being healed) by the stars."

The relationship between somatic dissociation and Zen meditation.

This morning, I was meditating, observing my breath and bodily sensations, trying to find out if any attachments or desires were lurking somewhere in my body. Then, without realizing it, the sensation of my feet faded to about half, and only the sensation of my hands touching my feet remained. It's not that my feet completely disappeared, but the sensation is fading. This could be described as a "sensation of a part of the body disappearing." Until now, I haven't been very aware of my bodily sensations, but this time, because my consciousness reached my entire body, I felt like a part of my body was disappearing. If you're not aware of your body, you can't have a "sensation of disappearing," so I didn't experience this before. I'm not sure if I'm expressing it well in words. Until now, even when observing my breath or body, I was observing only specific parts. For example, when observing my breath, I would focus on my nose or lungs, and when observing the flow of energy, I would focus on internal bodily sensations, or when observing skin sensations, I would focus on the area where I felt a reaction. But this morning, I felt a faint sensation spreading throughout my entire body, and I felt like an aura-like substance was spreading throughout my body. During meditation, I felt like a part of my foot was fading or disappearing. This might not be that it disappeared, but rather that the aura thinned out in that area, or that an energetic imbalance occurred in a part of my body. I'm just observing for now.

In "The Ten Ox Herding Pictures Meditation Method" (by Ichio Kobayashi), it says, "The initial shedding of the body is a sensation of dissolving into space, and immersing yourself completely in that sensation leads to the cessation of mental activity."

This corresponds to the passage I quoted the other day. It seems that the direction of what I'm doing is correct, so I'll continue. It seems easier to do while sitting, but it doesn't seem like something that can only be done during seated meditation, so I'll observe the sensations in my daily life as well. According to the book, the "body" sheds first, and the "mind" sheds later. Personally, I feel like it's the same thing, that if the body sheds, the mind also sheds, and it's not that everything falls off at once, but that if the body sheds a little, the mind sheds a little, and if the mind sheds a little, the body sheds a little, and they fall off in coordination. But will the body shed first in the future? In theory, according to the book's logic, that's the order, but I wonder what will actually happen? Well, I'll just observe for now.

■Relationship between Body-Mind Shedding and Zen Meditation
This is a continuation of the previous discussion. I haven't found such a classification in the books, but I'm summarizing the relationship between body-mind shedding and Zen meditation based on my own sensations. I don't think this will make sense to others. This is more like a memo.

Ten Cows Diagram and Nada Sound.

There seem to be several versions, so I will quote multiple ones.

■Figure 1: "Seeking the Cow (Jingyu)"
Going to seek, the cow in the mountains is not seen, only the sound of cicadas is heard.
Seeking, the cow is not seen in the summer mountains, only the sound of cicadas.
(From "Introduction to Zen Practice" by Morimasa Omori)

■Figure 1: "Seeking the Cow (Jingyu)"
(Omitted) Although both body and mind are exhausted, there is no clue. Only the sound of autumn cicadas is heard in the maple trees.
(From "Ten Bull Charts Meditation for Enlightenment" by Kazuo Koyama)

■Figure 1: "Seeking the Cow (Jingyu)"
(Omitted) Exhausted and with no energy left, the cow being sought cannot be found. Only the sound of cicadas in the night forest is heard.
(From "The Ultimate Journey" by Osho)

■Figure 3: "Seeing the Cow (Kengyu)"
In the spring day within the thread of willow,
What form is constantly seen?
While marking the sign of the roaring cow,
As one sees the shadow of the wild cow, one goes seeking.
(From "Introduction to Zen Practice" by Morimasa Omori)

■Figure 3: "Seeing the Cow (Kengyu)"
Entering the entrance according to the sound, one encounters the source in the realm of seeing.
(Omitted) The sound of a nightingale perched on a branch is heard.
(Omitted) The majestic horns of that cow are difficult to draw.
(From "Ten Bull Charts Meditation for Enlightenment" by Kazuo Koyama)

■Figure 3: "Seeing the Cow (Kengyu)"
I hear the song of the nightingale.
(Omitted) If one hears that sound, one can feel its source. When the senses merge, one is already inside the gate. No matter where one enters, one sees the head of the cow.
(From "The Ultimate Journey" by Osho)

What is common to these is the "sound of cicadas" and the "song of the nightingale." In various countries of India, there is a bird called the nightingale, which is very similar to the nightingale, so if we think in Japanese, it would be fine to consider them all as "uguisu" (Japanese bush warbler).

In the passage I quoted about Nada sound the other day, there is a mention of seven types of sounds, and the first sound is precisely "the sweet voice of the nightingale (a bird similar to the nightingale)," which matches. Therefore, although it is a hypothesis, I think that the "song of the nightingale" in Figure 3, "Seeing the Cow (Kengyu)," refers to the Nada sound.

On the other hand, there is no direct mention of the "sound of cicadas" in the sacred texts. In my own records, the first sound I heard (or realized) was the "chi-chi-chi-chi-chi" sound, which sounds like the song of a nightingale, so I didn't notice it before. However, when reading various books, including "Fundamentals of Yoga Sutra" by Tsutomu Saho, it seems that the order is not always the same as the seven mentioned above, so some people may hear the "sound of cicadas" first.

Since I could not confirm that the "sound of cicadas" is a Nada sound, it is possible that the "sound of cicadas" is also a Nada sound, but I will withhold my judgment and consider that the "song of the nightingale" in Figure 3, "Seeing the Cow (Kengyu)," is a Nada sound (personally).

By the way, none of the books I quoted mention that these sounds are Nada sounds.

The only similar poetic quote was in the explanation of Figure 3, "Seeing the Cow (Kengyu)," in "Introduction to Zen Practice" by Morimasa Omori.

"If you hear the voice of a bird that does not sing in the dark night, it is the father of the unborn who is sad," but if you can hear the voice of the heart-cow in the "dark night when all cows become black," you can say that you have "encountered the source," which means you have touched your own root. (Omitted) Seeing the cow means encountering this source, that is, seeing the true nature. However, even at this stage, what is seen is seen, but whether it is the same "seeing," the degree of "seeing" varies from person to person, such as seeing the shadow of a cow vaguely in a haze.

This is a subtle point, so perhaps it was not explicitly written in the books.

As mentioned in my previous discussion of the Ten Bull Charts, the Yoga Sutra, and the Upanishads, the idea that Figure 3, "Seeing the Cow (Kengyu)," is the stage of seeing one's true nature or Atman seems to be common. However, since there are several versions of the Ten Bull Charts, there are some that do not match. The fact that the explanation of Figure 3 says that "the appearance of the cow cannot be clearly drawn" or "it is not clearly visible" is also common in that it means that Atman cannot be seen clearly at this stage.

(Previous article) → Yoga meditation, samadhi, mindfulness, vipassana, etc.

The depths of magic and meditation, an exploration of Samyama - Meditation Notes, August 2019. ← (The following article)

Topic: :スピリチュアル: 瞑想録

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