As I wrote before, recently, I have been meditating and focusing on my forehead, and while thoughts (conscious awareness) appear, they quickly disappear, allowing me to enter a stable state, which could be called "samadhi." However, in that state, something emerges from deep within, causing a disturbance or shaking me, or I see fleeting, seemingly unimportant images, or I momentarily feel like I'm seeing the outside world, or suddenly, a flurry of random thoughts arises, and I think, "What is this?" I have been observing my meditation, considering the possibility that something might be wrong or that I might be regressing, and trying to return to that "samadhi" state without being drawn in, but sometimes it doesn't work, and I'm wondering what to do. The basic principle of yoga meditation is to ignore anything you see or hear, as it is not important. Therefore, the specific images I see are not as important as understanding the general phenomenon of these occurrences.

At that time, I was researching and found this description, which might be similar to my situation.

"As anyone becomes accustomed to sitting meditation and develops a certain degree of concentration, they will gradually lose the sensation in their hands, then the sensation in their feet, and so on, blurring the distinction between oneself and the external world." (Omitted) "When concentration becomes so refined that it feels good and induces a state of bliss, various phenomena may appear during meditation. These phenomena can be good or bad, but they are collectively referred to as 'magical realms' in ancient teachings." (Omitted) "The appearance of magical realms is undoubtedly evidence of a certain degree of concentration." (Omitted)

Recently, I started experiencing a loss of sensation in my body, and then suddenly, I entered a state that seems to be a "magical realm." I haven't yet encountered a truly severe "magical realm," but will it become worse? Is it true that a "magical realm" is not the same as a state of confusion caused by random thoughts?

"When we enter zazen samadhi, so-called 'intentional horses, monkey minds, and desires' become quiet, entering a state of stillness. In this state, the activity of subconscious desires surfaces, and that is what manifests as the so-called 'magical realm.' Because the movement of consciousness ceases, the unconscious layer hidden beneath it appears. This can be considered an effect of concentration."

It can be interpreted that "impressions" (samskaras in yoga terminology) that are dormant in the unconscious emerge from deep within and create the "magical realm." The author continues as follows:

"Since we meditate to realize our true self, we cannot be manipulated, even if it is the realm of the unconscious. Therefore, we must awaken our courage with 'cut off the Buddha when you meet the Buddha, and cut off the ancestor when you meet the ancestor,' and crush all phenomena that appear during meditation." (Omitted) "During meditation, whether it is the appearance of the Buddha, the appearance of light, or the appearance of absolute nothingness, whether it is a good realm or a bad realm, you should treat everything as a 'magical realm' and crush it into pieces."

"Cutting off the Buddha" is likely a reference to the "magical realm," which is different from cutting off ordinary random thoughts. It might be both. The author, Omoson Sogen, who makes such a definitive statement, is apparently a person who served as the president of Kaikan University and is a member of the Rinzai sect. Because such a person says so, it must be true.

I probably interpreted that the basic approach is to continue my current meditation practice.

■Chakra Petals (Lotus Flower)
I felt a sensation of petals spreading from the back of my head towards the front. It felt like a baby's bonnet or hood was floating around my head. Unlike a bonnet, it was divided into individual "petals." Initially, it was quite uncoordinated, spreading and swaying back and forth. This was just the feeling that the shape of the aura looked like that (or I thought it did), and there weren't actually any real petals. It also looked like a sunflower. In traditional yoga, the chakras are represented by lotus petals, but it felt like an aura with petals blooming. Initially, it was swaying gently, but as my concentration deepened and my focus and observational skills increased, I felt that my awareness extended to the tips of those aura petals. Initially, it was swaying like being blown by the wind, with no regularity, but as my concentration deepened, the tips of those aura petals felt like they were being consciously stimulated, like the tail of an animal that has been awakened. Then, the aura petals gradually became cylindrical, extending from the base, and the tips of the petals pointed forward. I couldn't count the number of petals, but there were more than 10. It might not be the Ajna chakra, as there are two. I thought it might be the back of the head, but maybe it was the Vishuddha chakra? If it was the Vishuddha chakra, it might be 16. After that, the petals of the heart chakra also started to point forward as my awareness entered. As my concentration and observational skills further increased, I felt a slight tightening in my abdomen. I didn't feel any petals in the abdomen. This time, the petals were only in the back of the head and the heart. I think the stability of my concentration was higher than before. The movement of the petals seemed to change depending on my concentration and observational skills. Well, it's just a feeling I had during meditation.

■Feeling of Floating
After the chakra petal meditation, I had a feeling that my body was sitting still, but my consciousness felt like it was floating a few centimeters.
This is a story that is often heard from yoga practitioners. It doesn't seem to be that unusual. I haven't paid much attention to it before, but it might have been a "sign" of some stage. I'll check some books again sometime. I remember reading about actual physical levitation in the yoga fundamental scriptures, but I wonder where the story about "just consciousness" was. Well, it might be something to ignore as one of the "demonic realms." I don't want to search for books so diligently, but if I happen to find it sometime, I'll check it.

■Eraser
I suddenly remembered something I read in a spiritual book about 20 years ago: that to erase the ego, you can use an eraser to erase the ego, or use an imaginary eraser to erase the boundaries between your body and the surroundings, or erase traumas with an eraser. I remembered this because the explanation of "detachment of mind and body" in "Ten Ox Herding Meditation Method (by Kosan Ichibu)" mentioned a method of erasing the boundaries with the surroundings. It seems to be a method of dissolving the ego by erasing the boundaries with the surroundings during meditation. I don't particularly recommend this, but I remembered it, so I'm writing it down.

■Demonic Realm
Continuing from the previous time, although the basis is unclear and further confirmation is needed, according to what my inner guide told me during meditation, so-called "demonic realms" occur when the meditation method is wrong (or the combination is not good, or it is caused by the compatibility between the meditation and the person). For example, for some people, the method of dissolving the boundaries with the surroundings creates a demonic realm. In my case, there is a tendency in that direction to some extent, so I received instructions not to use things like erasers to erase the boundaries with the surroundings during meditation. The explanation of the inspiration at that time was that erasing the boundaries with the surroundings is something that happens naturally, so there is no need to use an eraser, and if you try to erase the boundaries with an eraser or the power of your will, your aura will dissipate. It is more important not to dissipate the aura than to erase the boundaries and erase the ego, so purifying the quality of the aura is the means, and the disappearance of the boundaries with the surroundings is the result, so there is no need to erase them intentionally. If the aura dissipates, it may take in the surrounding chaotic impressions, as in the story of the Shinto mystery of appeasement I mentioned before, which can trigger a demonic realm. This is what my inner guide told me.

Regarding my understanding of the book the other day, I thought that unconscious "impressions" that seem like yogic samskaras would surface and create a "hellish realm." However, this explanation is slightly different from that. Well, I'm still observing this. Perhaps both exist. In theory, samskaras are accumulated things, so they are finite and can be purified. However, if the aura becomes unstable and it picks up things from the surroundings, it could continue indefinitely. The former can be dealt with, but the latter seems impossible to resolve in that regard. Perhaps the latter can only be dealt with by closing the aura or keeping it within one's surroundings.

■ Nostalgic Desires
Things I once played with, things I once enjoyed, things I once desired. That nostalgic feeling.
A nostalgic something. A faint desire to regain something I have forgotten.
That desire flows within me, like a gentle breeze in the midst of meditation.

It is something that once existed. Something that once occupied a place within me, as a matter of course.
That desire has become a flickering flame, and now remains within me only as a faint breeze, like the autumn wind.

That gentle breeze lightly stirs the surface of my mind.
The mind is the surface of the unconscious, so what is stirring my mind now is likely those nostalgic desires.

The unconscious is subtly stirred by those nostalgic desires. At the same time, my mind is also being stirred.

However, within the meditation, that desire gradually lost its strength and disappeared.
I don't know if it completely disappeared. But it is certainly weaker than it was recently.

As the desire subsides, the mind becomes more peaceful.

Suddenly, I heard the cheerful voices of children from the houses around me. It was a weekend evening.
Even if I hear those voices during meditation, it doesn't matter. Whether or not those cheerful voices are present, my mind is completely peaceful.
Unless it is a significant amount of noise, my meditative state will not change much.

Now, only the observing mind, when breathing, stirs my mind.
When I breathe, my mind observes it. Then, ripples of observation spread within my mind. That is all.

In other words, faint ripples spread on the surface of the mind, which is like a lake of the unconscious, and those ripples eventually disappear.
Those nostalgic desires once created ripples many times greater than that. But now, only the ripples of observing my own breath remain.

■ Beneath the Surface of the Unconscious
Now, I am finally looking into the lake of the unconscious. However, it is still murky.

Even though the surface of the water has become calm, the unconscious seems to be still murky because it was previously stirred by the wind.
I suddenly thought that this might be what is meant by "seeing the cow slightly" in the Ten Ox Herding Pictures.

Will I be able to see what is within the unconscious when I maintain a flat surface of water?

I still cannot see the bottom of the lake of the unconscious.

Will the impurities sink to the bottom of the lake, and the water of the unconscious become clear, if the days without wind continue for a long time?

The surface was previously like a thin liquid that was easily ruffled. Even a small breeze created large ripples.
Now, it has become more like a viscous liquid, although it is transparent.
Because it is viscous, even when the wind blows and ripples spread, those ripples quickly subside. Yet, it is a transparent liquid. It is a strange feeling.
Moreover, the wind does not blow strongly, so the ripples hardly spread.

Is this related to the quality of the aura? I have a feeling that it might be.

■ Quiet
The world is quiet, not only during meditation but also after meditation.

I only feel my breath. Only my breath stirs my mind. The wind enters through the window and caresses my skin. That sensation stirs my mind.

There is nothing I need to add to that sensation. Anything I add would be superfluous.

I am simply being quiet. That is all that is needed.

■ Exploring Past Memories
The unconscious is what yoga calls samskaras, which are past memories.
There are things hidden within the unconscious that make me want to shout. Indeed, this is a dangerous place.

I have been searching for it all along.
The recollections from the unconscious are not limited to this stage, but now I can explore them with peace.

■ 2 minutes for meditation, 30 minutes for Samadhi
This morning, I was able to observe my breath without distractions for a while. Because there were no distractions, I couldn't even count the seconds, but I think it was probably within a few minutes. Swami Vivekananda's "Raja Yoga" states the following:

If the mind can concentrate on its object for 12 seconds, it is Dharana (concentration); 12 such Dharanas are Dhyana (meditation); and 12 such Dhyanas are Samadhi.

I'm not entirely sure about this. Perhaps it was longer, even though I wasn't conscious of it. According to Swami Vivekananda's definition, "concentration" means that the mind is focused. In my case, there's a difference in that I'm "observing my breath," but I think it probably means the same thing in essence. In other words, it's like, "if you concentrate on your breath for 12 seconds, that's Dharana (concentration); if you do that 12 times, that's Dhyana (meditation); and if you do that 12 times again, that's Samadhi." That's a conversion of 2 minutes for Dhyana (meditation) and 30 minutes for Samadhi (enlightenment). Based on this, I think I'm currently at the Dhyana (meditation) stage. It's a subtle point how to count if you briefly interrupt the meditation due to distractions. It seems like there are often such interruptions that I'm not even aware of.

■ You're only truly excellent when people stop thinking you're amazing
I remembered reading something like that in "Zen Introduction" by Osumi Kosho.
It said that you're still not truly excellent as long as people think you're amazing; you only become truly excellent when you're overlooked and ignored.

I think, in terms of chakras, if the Manipura chakra is dominant, you seem energetic and lively.
However, when the Anahata chakra is dominant, that energy becomes calmer. If Manipura is "heat," then Anahata is "warmth," so I can see how the "heat" of Manipura might seem more impressive at first glance.

When it's Manipura that's dominant, I can kind of understand it because it's "warmth." But when it gets to Vishuddha or Ajna, according to books, it seems to become "cold," so I imagine it would become even less noticeable to others. I think I'm currently in a state where Anahata is dominant, so it's like a "normal" state. I don't think I'm particularly "amazing," and I actually think that the ordinary old men and women I see on the street probably understand the truth more than I do. In recent years, I've even thought, "Maybe a lot of people are already enlightened, and I'm just behind." This feeling is especially strong since I became dominant in Manipura. So, I think there are probably a lot of enlightened people in this world. Well, that's just my observation in Japan.

■ Meditation, Nada sound, and breath
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika also mentions meditating on the Nada sound, but this morning I was focusing on observing my breath, so I wasn't paying attention to the Nada sound. Or rather, when I'm observing my breath, I don't notice the Nada sound; it doesn't enter my consciousness. It's not that the Nada sound has disappeared, but rather that when my breath observation is interrupted, I become aware of the Nada sound. It's like that with ordinary sounds, too. If there's a sound that's constantly playing, you might not consciously notice it, but that sound is still there. The same is true for the Nada sound; it's always there, but when I'm observing my breath, the Nada sound doesn't enter my consciousness.

Perhaps this is connected to the following passage in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika:

(Chapter 4, verses 101-102) "As long as the echo of Anahata is heard, thoughts of the void still exist. It is said that where there is no sound, that is the supreme Brahman, the supreme Self." "All forms are not different from Shakti. It is the field into which all beings merge, and the formless is the supreme Self." (Anahata sound refers to the Nada sound. The supreme Self refers to Atman. From "Yoga Fundamental Text" by Sabota Tsuruji.) There are other versions by other authors. See past articles for more information.

In today's meditation, I became calmer as I observed my breath. When my breath observation is interrupted, I hear the Nada sound. When my breath observation is ongoing and my conscious mind is almost not moving, the Nada sound doesn't enter my consciousness. I don't think I've grasped Atman at all, but based on the relationship between conscious mind and the sound of the Nada sound, there's a part that's similar, even if it's not exactly the passage in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. The "void" in the quoted passage is a subtle interpretation, but if "when the Nada sound is heard, thoughts exist," then it can be interpreted as "when the Nada sound is heard, the conscious mind is moving." Where is the place where there is no Nada sound? That's probably "the breath." There seems to be a secret there.

■Gratitude Meditation
Until recently, I was doing "forgiveness meditation," but today I naturally transitioned to gratitude meditation. I didn't have any specific plans, but I just felt drawn to it. Like before, I repeated phrases like "Thank you, Mr./Ms. 〇〇," and expressed gratitude to people, things, nature, and even the Earth, as I felt inclined. Following the method from before, I started with "I am grateful to Mr./Ms. 〇〇," and then gradually shifted the subject to "God is grateful," or "I am being grateful (by God)."

When I do this meditation, my awareness focuses on my forehead, and I feel something like a spiral vortex in my forehead. Eventually, energy gathers in my forehead, but it seems like there's something negative accumulated around my solar plexus, and when I do gratitude meditation, the energy flow in that area isn't very good, and I feel a slight discomfort. However, as I continue the gratitude meditation, the energy flow around my solar plexus has been improving.

After the experience of the vortex from before, the balance shifted towards the heart chakra, but at that time, I didn't feel much energy in the throat or third eye chakras. Before the vortex experience, I didn't have much energy in the throat or third eye chakras either. So, while the vortex experience allowed energy to flow to the head, it still didn't feel like there was a lot of energy. Even during meditation, I can concentrate and temporarily gather energy from the heart chakra to the throat or third eye chakras, but the heart chakra is still dominant. It was roughly a 2:8 ratio, with the heart chakra being dominant.

However, when I did this gratitude meditation, the ratio changed to about 4:6. While the heart chakra is still dominant, it seems like energy is staying in the throat and third eye chakras more easily. I feel like there's a key to something in gratitude meditation. Well, gratitude meditation has been considered good for a long time, so I don't think it can be bad. After doing this gratitude meditation, I feel a static-like sensation in my third eye for a while after the meditation ends.

Samayama, as described in the Yoga Sutras, occurs when Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (absorption) happen simultaneously, but this is quite mysterious.

According to the Yoga Sutras, Samayama brings about the "light of knowledge." (From Swami Vivekananda's "Raja Yoga")

This allows one to gain knowledge of things, the human mind, and the past and future lives. According to the same book, knowledge is obtained by creating Samayama on words, meanings, and knowledge. Furthermore, it is said that by creating Samayama on Samskara (impressions), which are the root of Karma, one can know the past and future. This means that one can know the past events that created the Samskara (impressions), and regarding the future, it is not a matter of a time machine, but rather a glimpse of the future that will be brought about by the Samskara (impressions). However, this is my interpretation and a hypothesis regarding the future. Another Yoga Sutra commentary, "Integral Yoga (Patanjali's Yoga Sutras)" by Swami Satchidananda, does not address anything related to the future. Regarding the past, it is clear if one considers the reason behind the Samskara. However, the idea that one can know the future remains a mystery. If my interpretation is correct, it is still not entirely clear what Samayama truly is. In particular, it is unclear how Samayama differs from Samadhi. Does Samadhi not bring about knowledge? If both bring about knowledge, what is the difference?

The book "The Light of the Soul" by Alice Bailey contains several points.

Chapter 3, Section 4: "When concentration, meditation, and contemplation become a single, continuous act, Samayama is achieved." By achieving this, the Yogi can distinguish between the object and what it conceals. He comes into contact with the reality behind it. In other words, one achieves useful knowledge about duality.

Here, "what it conceals" is likely Maya, as mentioned in the Vedas. In some schools of thought, the veil of Maya is removed by achieving a specific Samadhi. For example, in Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi," it is written that the veil of Maya can be broken through Nirbikalpa Samadhi.

Breaking the veil of Maya is to unveil the mystery of creation. Those who have seen the true nature of the universe are true monotheists, while others worship idols. As long as one is captivated by the two-dimensional illusion of nature, one must serve the two-faced goddess Maya, and cannot know the one true God. The deceptive Maya in humans is called Avidya, which manifests as ignorance (sin). Both the cosmic illusion (Maya) and human ignorance (Avidya) cannot be broken by analysis or conviction alone. It can only be broken by entering a state of consciousness called Nirbikalpa Samadhi.

It seems that there are commonalities between Samayama and Nirbikalpa Samadhi, even though the expressions are different.

Incidentally, some schools of thought in the Vedas believe that enlightenment can be achieved through knowledge alone, and that Samadhi is not necessary. Therefore, the above description should be considered as a reference, and not necessarily taken as gospel. Nevertheless, it is interesting that each school of thought has its own truth hidden within its arguments.

The definitions of Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (absorption) described in "The Light of the Soul" by Alice Bailey are basically the same as the commonly known definitions. It is written that Dharana (concentration) is the continuation of concentration, and that the mind (Chitta) becomes identical with the object in Samadhi. Therefore, they are basically the same, but what is interesting in the same book is that Samadhi is described as "contemplation."

In another book, such as Swami Vivekananda's "Raja Yoga," it is explained as follows:

Chapter 4, Sections 1-3: Dharana is concentrating the mind on a specific object. The continuous flow of knowledge of that object is Dhyana. When that becomes all forms and only reflects the meaning, that is Samadhi.

I often see similar definitions. The definition of "abandoning all forms and only reflecting the meaning" makes Samadhi a very mysterious thing, but if it is described as "contemplation" like in "The Light of the Soul," it becomes clearer. Based on this meaning, it can be interpreted that Dharana (concentration) and Dhyana (meditation) are performed with conscious awareness (so-called "intentionality"), while Samadhi is performed with unconscious awareness (so-called "knowing"). From the perspective of "stopping and looking," Dharana and Dhyana achieve "stopping," and Samadhi achieves "looking."

Now that we have come this far, the mystery of what Samyama is becomes much clearer.

- Fix the mind (conscious mind) with Darana (concentration) and Dhyana (meditation).
- Observe from the realm of the soul with Samadhi.

"The Light of the Soul" by Alice Bailey describes the state of Samyama, but these prerequisites are necessary to understand it, otherwise, the text is quite difficult to decipher. The book also contains various details, but it can be interpreted that Samyama is recognizing things with both the mind (conscious mind) and the soul (which the book refers to as the unconscious realm).

Therefore, Samadhi is only one aspect of Samyama, and if Samadhi is achieved, Samyama is likely to be achieved as well.

A little bit of the mystery has been solved. Sometimes, during meditation, I feel a light (probably not the light of the sun) in my field of vision. Perhaps this is the kind of light. However, it might just be a hallucination, so we must not be careless.

Related articles:
- Samyama and Samadhi from an aura perspective.
- Unraveling the mystery of Samyama with Zokuchen as a hint.

Yoga Sutra 3.5. The Sanskrit translation varies depending on the book.

"When this (samayama) is attained, the light of knowledge comes." ("Raja Yoga" by Swami Vivekananda)
"Through the completion of samayama, the light of knowledge is born." ("Integral Yoga (Patanjali's Yoga Sutras)" by Swami Sachidananda)

This is the meaning that is often seen, and I think it is probably what the Sanskrit text means.
In "The Light of the Soul" by Alice Bailey, it is translated as follows:

"As a result of samayama, light shines forth." ("The Light of the Soul" by Alice Bailey)

The book explains it as follows:
"The nature of the soul is light, and the soul is a great revealer. Through consistent practice of meditation, the yogi becomes able to direct the light emanating from his own being in any direction, and to illuminate any object. Therefore, nothing is hidden from him, and all knowledge is at his disposal."

If the meaning of "the light of knowledge comes" in the first translation is such, it makes sense. If it is simply said "the light of knowledge comes," it is not easy to understand, but if it is said that "the soul is light, and knowledge becomes clear as the light shines forth," it is easy to understand.

The effects of samayama are also described as follows:
"As this process (samayama) becomes more frequent and established, changes occur within the physical human being. He becomes increasingly attuned to the soul. The element of time in transmission recedes, and the illumination of the realm of knowledge by the light of the soul, and the enlightenment of the physical brain, become instantaneous events. The light within the head increases accordingly, the third eye develops and functions. Corresponding "eyes" also develop in the astral and mental realms, and in this way, the ego, or soul, can bring illumination not only to the realm of the soul but to all three realms."

The series of practices leading from meditation (dhyana) to samadhi, and finally to the third eye, has reached the third eye. It can be interpreted that the ajna chakra is activated at the stage of samayama. When reading the book, it is written that only lower psychic qualities are developed in the stages below Manipura, and that the development of lower psychic qualities hinders the development of higher psychic qualities. It is said that it is only when one "moves" (a metaphorical expression) from Manipura to Anahata or higher that the development of higher psychic qualities becomes possible. Therefore, it can be interpreted that samayama is possible only after reaching Anahata or higher.

Related articles:
- Samadhi and samayama from an aura perspective
- Unraveling the mystery of samayama with Zokuchen as a hint

The main purpose of the Yoga Sutras, as I interpret it, is to transition from the lower psychic realms (below Manipura) to the higher psychic realms (above Anahata).

This is more of a Theosophical interpretation than one from Indian yogis. While I believe they are similar, I checked several commentaries and found that only "Light of the Soul" by Alice Bailey explicitly stated this. Other commentaries mention higher states of consciousness, but the eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) are primarily focused on overcoming the lower psychic realms (below Manipura). The higher psychic realms seem to belong to the Upanishads.

Yoga Sutra 3.7-8 describes the position of the eight limbs.

3.7-8: "These three [Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi] are more internal than the preceding ones [Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara]. But even these are external to the seedless [Samadhi]." (from "Raja Yoga" by Swami Vivekananda)

This can be interpreted Theosophically as follows:

- The first five limbs [Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara]: Preparation stage.
- The last three limbs [Dharana, Dhyana, the so-called Samadhi (seed-pearl Samadhi)]: Internal aspects, related to the lower psychic realms (below Manipura).
- Beyond the eight limbs: True Samadhi (the so-called Nirbija Samadhi, seedless Samadhi), related to the higher psychic realms (above Anahata).

So, the Yoga Sutras are fundamental. I believe that a strong foundation is important in everything.

Vivekananda describes the Samadhi that precedes the true Samadhi (Nirbija Samadhi) as follows:

Commentary on 3.9: "In this first stage of Samadhi, the changes in the mind are controlled, but not completely. For if they were completely controlled, there would be no appearance. If there is a change that bursts forth through the senses, and the yogi strives to control it, then that very control is a change. One wave is stopped by another wave. Therefore, it is not the true Samadhi in which all waves subside. Even this control is a wave. Nevertheless, this lower Samadhi is much closer to the higher Samadhi than when the mind is bubbling and agitated."

In other words, even if there are some waves in the mind, it can be called a basic Samadhi. There are so many types of Samadhi that it is hard to understand which is which, but at least the ultimate goal seems to be much clearer now. Just as with meditation, there are often self-proclaimed Samadhis, which makes it difficult to understand.

"Light of the Soul" by Alice Bailey explains it as follows:

3.9: "The mental states occur in the following sequence: the mind reacts to what is seen, and a moment of mental control follows. Then, the Chitta (mind-stuff) reacts to both of these elements. Finally, these disappear, and the conscious awareness completely dominates."

This is a subtle and somewhat difficult to understand explanation. I think I need to meditate on this a bit more. The mind is the conscious mind, and Chitta is the Sanskrit equivalent of the mind (although it is subtly different). The translation is a bit awkward. It would be better if everything was written in Sanskrit, but I suspect the original Sanskrit is also subtle.

"Integral Yoga (Patanjali's Yoga Sutras)" by Swami Satchidananda translates it as follows: "The arising impressions [Samskaras, mental impressions] are extinguished by the appearance of the effort of restraint that produces a new mental function in their place. This moment of the union of the new function and the mind is Nirodha-Parinama [cessation-transformation]."

Apparently, this is what "Nirodha" is. This is because "Nirodha" is mentioned in the famous definition of Yoga at the beginning of the Yoga Sutras. The passage I quoted earlier is as follows:

"Yoga is the cessation of the modifications [Vritti] of the mind [Citta]."
"Then the observer is established in his own nature."

It can be interpreted that achieving true Samadhi (Nirbija Samadhi, seedless absorption) allows one to attain Dwi-loka (the two realms).

The next definition of Yoga, which is often overlooked, is also important, and I think it refers to the so-called "emergence of Atman."

Meditating and reaching Samadhi, achieving true Samadhi (Nirbija Samadhi, seedless absorption), attaining Dwi-loka (the two realms), and causing the emergence of Atman, is what I believe falls within the scope of the Yoga Sutras. This is similar to what was revealed when I previously examined the Ten Bulls of Zen, where the domains of the Yoga Sutras and the Upanishads became clear, and I believe they mean the same thing.

This is a note about the relationship between Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) and Kundalini.

This is a note about the relationship between Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) and Kundalini.

This is a note about the relationship between Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) and Kundalini.

This is a note about the relationship between Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) and Kundalini.

This is a note about the relationship between Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) and Kundalini.

This is a note about the relationship between Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) and Kundalini.

This is a note about the relationship between Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) and Kundalini.

Swami Sivananda and his disciple, Swami Vishnu-Devananda, explain as follows:

Without the help of meditation, you cannot attain knowledge of the Self. Without its aid, you cannot grow into the state of God. Without it, you cannot be liberated from the disturbances of the mind and attain immortality. Meditation is the only royal path to freedom. It is the mysterious ladder that leads from the earth to heaven, from error to truth, from darkness to light, from pain to bliss, from restlessness to peace, from ignorance to knowledge. From death to immortality.

This is the ultimate goal of religion.

Through meditation, the play of the mind is witnessed. In the initial stages, nothing more happens than discovering that the ego incessantly asserts itself. However, as you become familiar with this game, you begin to prefer a state of contentment and peace. When the ego subsides, you can constructively utilize energy for personal growth and the service of others.

This is an intermediate stage. Generally, reaching this stage is sufficient, and you can live a constructive life. Mindfulness, which is popular in the West, also aims at this stage. Improving business efficiency and relieving stress can be achieved at this stage.

There are many paths, but it is said that the truth is one. By meditating regularly, the mind becomes clearer, and more pure motives are obtained. The subconscious releases hidden knowledge, making better understanding possible. The ego slowly disappears. Eventually, the subconscious and energy are liberated, leading to a life of wisdom and peace.

Even if the initial purpose is business or mental tranquility, ultimately meditation will lead to these states. Whether or not you seek it is up to each individual.

Source: Translated from "Meditation and Mantra" by Swami Vishnu-Devananda.

According to the translator's afterword of "How to Recognize Higher Worlds" (by Rudolf Steiner, translated by Ken Matsuura), there are three main approaches to spiritual training:
- Indian
- Christian (Gnostic)
- Rosicrucian (Theosophy, etc.)

The Indian approach involves dissolving the ego and entrusting everything to the guru (teacher).
The Christian approach involves imagining and reliving the scourging and crucifixion of Christ. In this case, Christ is considered the ultimate guru, and the human guru acts as an intermediary. This is said to be effective for people with strong emotions.
In the Rosicrucian approach, the ego, freedom, and autonomy are valued, and there is no guru, but only a teacher who offers advice as a friend.

In any case, ultimately, a feeling of compassion and a desire to contribute to humanity emerge, so the final destination is the same.

I am somewhere between the Indian and spiritual approaches. I do not necessarily entrust everything to a guru, and, in fact, I do not have a definite guru. However, I basically use the Indian method of dissolving the ego, but my approach is more in the direction of spirituality. I myself thought I was Indian, but in the sense that I do not entrust everything to a guru, I might be more like the Rosicrucian approach.

I have never personally practiced the Christian approach, but the book "Spiritual Exercises" (by Ignatius of Loyola) written by one of the founders of the Jesuit order contains specific meditation methods (training methods) and is of interest.

It is difficult to say which category the spiritual approach falls into, but I think it is more likely to be the Rosicrucian (Theosophy, etc.) approach. The spiritual approach seems to take the best of everything, so I think it incorporates whatever is good. Even when it is said to dissolve the ego, some spiritualists entrust everything to a guru, while others relive the experience of Christ to know God, and many spiritualists value the ego and autonomy. So, it might be 60% Rosicrucian + 20% Christian + 20% Indian, in a sense. This is just a feeling.

I went to the "Healing Fair" at Tokyo Big Sight.JCETII listened to a performance by that organization. They said some interesting things, but I might be misremembering.

■ Sirius residents
Cat-like face (!).
Likes yoga (!).

■ Pleiades
Famous.

■ Arcturus
Image of a face like the movie Avatar. Gregory S. Sullivan, the performer, is from here.

■ Andromeda
Angel (!).

■ Orion
Likes drums and festivals.
Survivors of the Orion War (a space war). I wouldn't say this is the absolute truth, but I find it interesting how the characteristics of people can be represented by constellations, similar to how animal signs work. I know someone who has some of the characteristics associated with Sirius having a cat-like face and liking yoga, which was interesting. The performer also said they were from Arcturus, which felt "fitting." The idea that Andromeda is an angel is strangely convincing. And the fact that Orion likes drums and festivals makes sense, even though it's not Orion beer.

I'm not entirely familiar with this organization, but I remember buying and briefly reading their book, "UFO Technology Cover-Up," which gave me a general understanding of their direction. It was mentioned in a book titled "The Sacred Rituals of the Hakarigami Tradition (authored by Hakuo Bo)," which piqued my interest.

When I was a child, I experienced out-of-body experiences and saw past lives, which included connections to extraterrestrials. Personally, I'm familiar with extraterrestrials, but in this lifetime, I don't have a direct connection. I remember that my classmate's father, who volunteered as a translator, translated a book by a Swiss UFO contactee named Billy Meier, and my classmate kept bragging about it, which was annoying (laughs). I also went to UFO viewing events (laughs) when I was a college student. It brings back memories.

Speaking of which, I remember that one of my elementary school classmates was channeling with what seemed like an extraterrestrial, and their thoughts would leak out like a directional speaker if you got too close. If you spoke to them, you could use that channel, kind of like eavesdropping or thought-catching (laughs). They would say things like, "Who are you?" If you said something strange, the channel would be cut off. Now that I think about it, I believe they were using spaceship technology to forcibly open a channel for channeling. It was easy to do when I was a child, so I think extraterrestrials could easily do it if they wanted to. Therefore, channeling itself isn't a big deal. The thought waves are very clear, so even when I was a child, I could clearly tell "what" it was without meditating. Reading the voice or will of your higher self is probably more difficult, but I think anyone (literally anyone) can channel if the extraterrestrials open a channel using their technology. If you are chosen and given a role, anyone can do it, so don't think of yourself as special just because you're channeling. If you develop a sense of superiority while channeling, you'll be cut off and it's over. Sometimes, they channel to raise your consciousness, and sometimes they channel for a specific purpose, so extraterrestrials are more advanced than us. Therefore, even if you're channeling, it's best to be straightforward and true to yourself. Speaking of which, in the book "The Adventures of a Meditator (authored by Bob Ficks)," the author's mentor, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, expressed a negative view of channeling, and I think that's the basic principle. It's essentially no different from ordinary conversations.

In a past life, I think it was around the medieval period, and for those extraterrestrials, Earth was an unknown place. They came to Earth to make contact with humans to learn about Earth, and in that past life, I had contact with extraterrestrials, spent half my life on a spaceship, and in a subsequent reincarnation, I was born on a spaceship or reincarnated on another planet for a mission. I saw those past lives during out-of-body experiences, but I don't know how much of it is actually true. It's possible that extraterrestrials have been in contact with Earth for much longer. I wonder if that organization or group started contact at that time, or if it was just a dream in my imagination. Well, there's no evidence to support it.

In this lifetime, I don't feel like I have a specific mission related to that lineage to be born on Earth. If something happens, that's fine.

Speaking of which, I bought and read the book "From the Arcturians to Humanity," which I found very interesting.

■Mindfulness
The book published by that organization emphasized mindfulness meditation.
When I spoke with the representative, Gregory Salibian, it seems their ultimate goal is to raise the consciousness of humanity.
If that's the case, I understand the direction.

■Higher Self
My group soul, or higher self, is from that world, so from Earth's perspective, it might be classified as an extraterrestrial. Well, it's not a big deal. I don't know what word in Earth's language would fit what that is. I probably have a word for it, though.

I came to a certain spiritual mountain in a dream. It was a very realistic dream, and it felt like reality.



While riding a train, I got on a bus, and got off at the foot of the mountain, and then hiked for a whole day. At first, I climbed stairs in a tunnel. It was still morning, and it was completely dark.



There is 500ml of water in the shoulder bag. After exiting the tunnel-like stairs, I thought I was entering a hiking trail, but suddenly I found myself near the summit.

I left early in the morning with the intention of hiking for the entire day, so it was still dark. I turned on my flashlight and saw a sign indicating that there was a temple nearby.

As I approached, the lights at the ticket booth turned on, and the person sold me a ticket. When I asked the person at the ticket booth where I was, holding the pamphlet I had, they said the pamphlet was for a different place and gave me a different, thicker pamphlet. It seems that there are more than 50 temples densely packed throughout the mountains.

It was starting to get a little brighter, and I could faintly see temples and other things. I was about to enter a temple nearby, but then I looked up and saw a very, very large Buddha statue emerging from the temple. It's so large and magnificent that it doesn't seem like something from this world (it feels like a dream, haha).



It is said that the temple has both an elevator and stairs, so I decided to go up the stairs. There was a dining hall on the first floor. For some reason, there was something that looked like a coin slot for binoculars attached to the seats in the dining hall. What is this?
The dining hall seemed to be closed because it was early in the morning. I decided to go up. As I was climbing the stairs, the sun seemed to be rising, and I felt the sunlight.



I was climbing the stairs to watch the sunrise, but then my alarm went off and I woke up.
Ugh.
I wanted to see the view from where I was.
I wonder if I'll be able to see it in a dream sometime.

I received several counseling sessions at the booth for the "Healing Fair" at Tokyo Big Sight.

What they all said was that what I need is, "to enjoy myself more."

A psychic person looked at my chakras, and they said that while my chakras were activated up to the Vishuddha, my Ajna and Sahasrara chakras were stagnant.

I asked for hints on how to activate my Ajna chakra, and they said that "enjoying myself" is the key, and that if I enjoy myself, it will burst through the top of my head.

This can be accurate sometimes and inaccurate at other times, so it needs to be verified, but several people told me the same thing, and I felt it resonated with me, so I think it might be accurate. Indeed, I've been feeling a bit more serious lately, so I probably need to enjoy myself more.

It might be a misrepresentation, but since my Anahata chakra became dominant, I've generally been energetic and positive. However, that's just because my heart chakra is warm. Even though my heart chakra is activated, my Ajna chakra is still a bit heavy. I've always had a certain level of seriousness in my head.

It started with my Manipura chakra being dominant, and at that time, I was energetic due to "heat." Then, my Anahata chakra became dominant, and I was energetic and positive due to "warmth." Even then, my Ajna chakra wasn't very activated. When I had a counseling session about future hints, the keyword for activating my Ajna and Sahasrara chakras was "enjoying myself."

As I mentioned before, I didn't have much of a sense in my head until my Anahata chakra became dominant, but since then, I've started to have sensations in my head, so my head has become much more activated than before. However, when a psychic person looked at it, they said that my Ajna and Sahasrara chakras were still not very activated, which I found strangely understandable.

So, recently, I've been trying to enjoy myself by dreaming, remembering stories about angels, thinking about the universe, and going to the forest. I can't go too far because my ankle fracture hasn't fully healed yet.

By the way, with psychic people, there are hits and misses, but recently, I can somehow tell whether they are good or bad, so I don't have many misses. I used to try various things.

As an aside, I had a brief consultation with a counselor, and they said that some people are naturally gifted, while others are not. However, even those who weren't naturally gifted have improved their abilities by going to school. I also had a consultation with a lecturer at a psychic school, and it seemed appropriate.

■How to interact with a psychic counselor
The basic principle is to use them for "verification." Psychic counselors can be helpful in verifying whether the content of your meditations or dreams is accurate. Therefore, it's a good idea to ask questions to see if the answers match your own understanding. Of course, the counselor can be wrong, but you might also be wrong. It can be difficult to determine which is correct and which is wrong. However, I think that counselors, not just psychics, should be used for "verification." The same goes for consultants. Ultimately, you are the one in charge, and the consultant is just an assistant.

The joy of emotions, and the joy that transcends emotions.

The joy of emotions is connected to Manipura.
The joy that transcends emotions is connected to Ajna (I speculate).

In my case, the latter is not yet present.
Based on what I heard in the counseling and seminar the other day, the key to Ajna seems to be "joy."

When I connect it to Kundalini, when Kundalini awakened and Manipura was dominant, I was simply happy and positive. It was a feeling of "heat." It was a joy that welled up from within. My emotions became richer.

After that, now that Anahata is dominant, there is not as much joyful emotion as when Manipura was dominant, but there is a quiet sensation of "warmth." There is a refreshing feeling like the wind. It may seem like "refreshing" and "warmth" are contradictory, but the "warmth" is the sensation of heat, and the feeling is refreshing, so it is correct. It might be better to say that it is not "refreshing" but rather that there are fewer distractions.

I have been exploring what the key to reaching Ajna is, but some books associate what is above Ajna with "coldness," so I thought, "Is it suppressing emotions?" But that is not the case, and it seems that the key to going beyond Ajna is "joy."

When Manipura was dominant, it felt like the energy was being released outwards, but now that Anahata is dominant, it has become a little more inward. In terms of heat, if the outside is "heat," then the middle is "warmth," and the inside is "cold," which makes sense. If the outside and inside of the aura correspond to the sensation of heat, then the sensation of Ajna when the aura is contracted seems to be "high vibration," "joy," and "overflowing." Similar to the story of Anahata dominance, it is possible to have "joy" as a sensation even when the sensation of heat is "cold." This is still a hypothesis.

It seems that there are keys related to this in the "Kojiki," and I heard in the seminar the other day that the story of Ama-no-Iwato symbolizes the awakening of Ajna, so I thought, "Ah, I see." The story of Ama-no-Iwato is that the door (Ajna) opens when you feel joy from the outside, so it makes sense that it is dark and you can't see anything before the door of Ama-no-Iwato opens.

As I wrote before, since the quality of my meditation started to change, I can now clear distracting thoughts in 2-3 seconds by focusing on my forehead. This is because there is a kind of energy, a "buzzing" sensation in my forehead, that cancels out the distracting thoughts. However, until recently, I didn't really understand what that buzzing sensation in my forehead was.

It seems that the buzzing sensation in my forehead is due to an energetic "instability" caused by not being able to focus enough.

Especially in the past week, I've felt like there's a "wall" above my head, which might be considered unstable, but it's a state that might be a misrepresentation. It's much more stable than before, but even within that stability, there's a "wall" or something that is disrupting the sense of stability when I meditate.

So, for about a week, I've been wondering what that "wall" is, and I've continued to meditate by focusing on my forehead. Suddenly, the degree of focus in my forehead deepened, and a small "ball" formed in my forehead. This is a focal point, a point of concentration. At the moment that "ball" formed, the level of distracting thoughts suddenly decreased even further.

It seems that the effect is continuing even after the meditation is over.

The buzzing sensation in my forehead has almost disappeared, and instead, a "ball" has formed at the focal point.
The buzzing sensation is a feeling caused by a large amplitude of vibration, and now I feel that the amplitude has become smaller and the frequency has increased.

Previously, there were various "buzzing" sensations rising and falling from various places around my forehead, and each individual vibration had a larger amplitude and a lower frequency than it does now. The range of that sensation was not a circle, but rather quite wide. Now, the range is like a "ball" or sphere, and I can hardly feel the "boiling" ups and downs, and the amplitude has become smaller and the frequency has increased.

I think it's similar to that toy where you pull a string attached to a disc with both hands, and it spins around. That toy is unstable when it spins slowly and weakly, but it becomes stable at the center when it spins with force. It's like a "ByunByun Master."

There are fluctuations in the level of distracting thoughts, but as I wrote about a month ago, I've been living in the "present" as distracting thoughts have decreased. However, for the past week, I've felt a bit of a "rebound," with the distracting thoughts slightly increasing, as I mentioned above, feeling like there's a "wall." Even though I say that the distracting thoughts have increased, they are still much less than a few months ago, so it's more of a "rebound" compared to a month ago.

In that state, I've been meditating for the past few days, and I've experienced the changes I described above.

A month ago, it was like "distracting thoughts appear during meditation, but the buzzing in my forehead clears them up in 2-3 seconds. The effect is only during meditation." However, in today's meditation, there's a difference: "As long as there's a "ball" at the focal point, distracting thoughts are less likely to arise, and the effect lasts even after meditation."

Since living without distracting thoughts is living in the "present," this change, which makes it even less likely for distracting thoughts to arise, makes it easier to live in the "present." It's a matter of degree, of course.

This is a continuation of the previous discussion.

A sensation like a ball formed at the focus point, making it harder for extraneous thoughts to arise. In addition to that, the following changes occurred.

Previously, there seemed to be a dependency relationship between concentration and extraneous thoughts. If you concentrate, extraneous thoughts would be suppressed, or conversely, if extraneous thoughts arise, concentration would be disrupted.

With this change, this connection has become much looser.

Concentration continues as a ball forming at the focus point between the eyebrows, and even when extraneous thoughts (which I'm tentatively calling extraneous thoughts) occasionally arise, they don't interfere with the concentration. Conversely, even if some kind of input arises that seems like an extraneous thought, it doesn't disrupt the concentration, and the ball continues to form at the focus point between the eyebrows.

It feels like something even more subtle than extraneous thoughts. Although I'm calling them "extraneous thoughts," it seems like a more subtle sensation than what is commonly referred to as the "mind" or "consciousness." Perhaps the words "mind," "consciousness," or "extraneous thoughts" are the closest we can get to describing it.

In this way, "concentration" and "extraneous thoughts (mind, consciousness)" have become separated.

The expression "concentration and extraneous thoughts (mind, consciousness) have become separated" may be a bit misleading, so another way to put it is as follows:

"Concentration" is linked to the "mind," "consciousness," and "extraneous thoughts" as "thoughts" in the conscious mind. While concentrating, "thoughts" stop, and extraneous thoughts at the same level also stop.
On the other hand, even when concentration is maintained and "thoughts" have stopped, the "mind," "consciousness," and "extraneous thoughts" as "sensations" continue to move. Or, those sensations may be flowing in from somewhere.

Is that what it is? I think that might be the case.

Perhaps, previously, "thoughts" and "sensations" were mixed up, and this change has revealed the "sensations."

The term "sensations" may not always be the correct term, but in contrast, it's something like that.

■Objective Observation
Some people might have called this "objective observation" from ancient times, but if I were to express this sensation as it is, the term "objective observation" seems to be a misleading way of putting it. This is because, when you think of "objective observation," you tend to imagine yourself, like a character in a game, looking down from somewhere "far away." However, in this type of observation of sensations, you don't go anywhere; rather, you are completely "here," and it is because you are "here" and "now" that you can see the sensations. Therefore, calling it "objective observation" might lead to confusion. While those who understand might say, "Ah, objective observation. Ah, yes," it's likely to cause a lot of misunderstanding as an explanation for those who don't know the state. It's a potentially misleading expression.

Personally, I think true objective observation is like astral projection, observing from the outside.

Rather than "objective observation," it might be more accurate to say, "It has become possible to recognize the separation between 'thoughts' and 'sensations,' and to recognize that what was previously thought of as 'thoughts' is actually 'sensations,' while being able to observe those sensations."

I wonder if people have been calling this "objective observation" since ancient times. The part about "ancient times" is a guess and a hypothesis. Although I don't quite understand the concept of "objectivity" since "you" are not going anywhere but are "here" and "now" and "observing sensations," I think that this type of "observation of sensations" is probably what people call "objective observation," depending on the school of thought.

Recently.I have been experiencing a sensation of a ball-like feeling at the concentration point between my eyebrows, but recently, I have also started to feel something like a large ball in my abdomen. It feels like my abdomen is tightening and holding a ball. When I continue meditating in that state, I feel like the ball between my eyebrows is connected to a space or void.

When I meditate, I often do silent meditation, but sometimes I meditate by chanting "Om" in my mind. When I chant "Om" in my mind while feeling the ball between my eyebrows, I have noticed a change from before.

Previously, when I chanted "Om" between my eyebrows, I felt a tingling sensation on the skin between my eyebrows. Even when I simply concentrate on my eyebrows, I feel that tingling, but when I chant "Om," that tingling becomes stronger and more distinct.

With the ball between my eyebrows, as I wrote in a previous article, I feel very little of that tingling sensation. Even when I chant "Om," I don't feel that tingling, but instead, I feel like "Om" is resonating within the ball between my eyebrows. It's as if the ball between my eyebrows is connected to a space or void, and when I chant "Om," it resonates beyond that space or void.

I remember reading the following about the awakening method for the Ajna chakra in "Mikkyo Yoga" by Honzan Hiroshi:
"Concentrate your mind (consciousness) on the Ajna chakra between your eyebrows, and while imagining that you are drawing prana from your eyebrows, chant "Om" in your mind and slowly and deeply inhale. Next, while imagining that you are releasing prana from the Ajna chakra into the universe, chant "Om" in your mind and slowly exhale. Repeat this for as long as possible."

When I read this before, I didn't understand what "drawing prana" or "releasing it into the universe" meant. Now, even though I don't have a clear sensation of drawing or releasing anything, I wonder if this part might be referring to the feeling of being connected to a space or void?

Of course, this feeling doesn't happen every time, depending on how my meditation is going. This sensation is quite subtle and difficult to perceive.

According to Theravada Buddhism, it is said that bad language is eradicated by the third stage of enlightenment, which is called "Anupubbisat-magga" (the path of non-return).

It is only at the third stage that the meditator can completely overcome greed, anger, and dissatisfaction. Incorrect thoughts (miccha-sankappo), slander (pisunavaca), and harsh words (pharusavaca, bad language) are eradicated. ("The Journey to Freedom: Mindfulness Meditation Practical Lectures" by U Jotiika).

The third stage can be interpreted as Anupubbisat-magga.

In my case, I have never liked dirty words, but after living in society for many years, my language has become worse. However, since the experience of "wind" two months ago, which led to the dominance of Anahata, I have been unable to listen to or speak dirty words. When I hear dirty words, I feel unwell and have headaches, and it feels impossible to speak dirty words.

The fact that bad language is eradicated at the third stage of enlightenment, Anupubbisat-magga, seems to correspond to the state of Anahata dominance in my case.

It makes sense that if Anahata becomes dominant, one cannot use bad language, and that is actually the case. This is not about discipline or morality, but rather, I have come to feel that dirty words are impossible and physiologically unacceptable. In a sense, it has become very difficult to live.

I don't know about others. This is how it is for me.

■ Correspondence between the Four Fruits and Chakras
It may not be common to make such correspondences, but based on my own feelings, if I try to correspond the Four Fruits to the chakras, it would be as follows:
- Sotapanna (Stream-enterer): Before Kundalini awakening. Almost no chakra sensation.
- Sakadagamin (Once-returner): After Kundalini awakening. Manipura dominant.
- Anupubbisat-magga (Non-returner): Anahata dominant.
- Arahant (Fully enlightened): Ajna and Sahasrara dominant (my speculation).

I have quoted these contents in previous articles.

■ Different Perspectives
The book I quoted above, although it is also Theravada Buddhism, has a different perspective from "The Ladder of Enlightenment" (by Fujimoto Akira) that I quoted before. For example, it explains Sotapanna and Sakadagamin as follows:

According to Theravada Buddhism, it is said that bad language is eradicated by the third stage of enlightenment, which is called "Anupubbisat-magga" (the path of non-return).

It is only at the third stage that the meditator can completely overcome greed, anger, and dissatisfaction. Incorrect thoughts (miccha-sankappo), slander (pisunavaca), and harsh words (pharusavaca, bad language) are eradicated. ("The Journey to Freedom: Mindfulness Meditation Practical Lectures" by U Jotiika).

The third stage can be interpreted as Anupubbisat-magga.

In my case, I have never liked dirty words, but after living in society for many years, my language has become worse. However, since the experience of "wind" two months ago, which led to the dominance of Anahata, I have been unable to listen to or speak dirty words. When I hear dirty words, I feel unwell and have headaches, and it feels impossible to speak dirty words.

The fact that bad language is eradicated at the third stage of enlightenment, Anupubbisat-magga, seems to correspond to the state of Anahata dominance in my case.

It makes sense that if Anahata becomes dominant, one cannot use bad language, and that is actually the case. This is not about discipline or morality, but rather, I have come to feel that dirty words are impossible and physiologically unacceptable. In a sense, it has become very difficult to live.

I don't know about others. This is how it is for me.

■ Correspondence between the Four Fruits and Chakras
It may not be common to make such correspondences, but based on my own feelings, if I try to correspond the Four Fruits to the chakras, it would be as follows:
- Sotapanna (Stream-enterer): Before Kundalini awakening. Almost no chakra sensation.
- Sakadagamin (Once-returner): After Kundalini awakening. Manipura dominant.
- Anupubbisat-magga (Non-returner): Anahata dominant.
- Arahant (Fully enlightened): Ajna and Sahasrara dominant (my speculation).

I have quoted these contents in previous articles.

■ Different Perspectives
The book I quoted above, although it is also Theravada Buddhism, has a different perspective from "The Ladder of Enlightenment" (by Fujimoto Akira) that I quoted before. For example, it explains Sotapanna and Sakadagamin as follows:

According to Theravada Buddhism, it is said that bad language is eradicated by the third stage of enlightenment, which is called "Anupubbisat-magga" (the path of non-return).

It is only at the third stage that the meditator can completely overcome greed, anger, and dissatisfaction. Incorrect thoughts (miccha-sankappo), slander (pisunavaca), and harsh words (pharusavaca, bad language) are eradicated. ("The Journey to Freedom: Mindfulness Meditation Practical Lectures" by U Jotiika).

The third stage can be interpreted as Anupubbisat-magga.

In my case, I have never liked dirty words, but after living in society for many years, my language has become worse. However, since the experience of "wind" two months ago, which led to the dominance of Anahata, I have been unable to listen to or speak dirty words. When I hear dirty words, I feel unwell and have headaches, and it feels impossible to speak dirty words.

The fact that bad language is eradicated at the third stage of enlightenment, Anupubbisat-magga, seems to correspond to the state of Anahata dominance in my case.

It makes sense that if Anahata becomes dominant, one cannot use bad language, and that is actually the case. This is not about discipline or morality, but rather, I have come to feel that dirty words are impossible and physiologically unacceptable. In a sense, it has become very difficult to live.

I don't know about others. This is how it is for me.

■ Correspondence between the Four Fruits and Chakras
It may not be common to make such correspondences, but based on my own feelings, if I try to correspond the Four Fruits to the chakras, it would be as follows:
- Sotapanna (Stream-enterer): Before Kundalini awakening. Almost no chakra sensation.
- Sakadagamin (Once-returner): After Kundalini awakening. Manipura dominant.
- Anupubbisat-magga (Non-returner): Anahata dominant.
- Arahant (Fully enlightened): Ajna and Sahasrara dominant (my speculation).

I have quoted these contents in previous articles.

■ Different Perspectives
The book I quoted above, although it is also Theravada Buddhism, has a different perspective from "The Ladder of Enlightenment" (by Fujimoto Akira) that I quoted before. For example, it explains Sotapanna and Sakadagamin as follows:

In yoga meditation, you are instructed to ignore what you see or hear during meditation, as it is not important.
A similar concept exists in Buddhism, and I'm noting down a clear explanation I found.

The bright light that arises during meditation can occur through pure concentration in samatha meditation, and it can also arise through the insight wisdom of vipassana meditation. Because understanding becomes very clear and sharp, you feel an extraordinary radiance within yourself. (Omitted) Some people may see different images, such as the form of the Buddha or scenes filled with peace. ("The Journey to Freedom: Mindfulness Meditation Practical Lectures" by U. Jotiika)

These two points are interesting. There is a similar explanation in yoga. The book continues as follows:
Sometimes, you can interpret it. However, interpretation is not important. (Omitted) Such images are called "nimitta." ("The Journey to Freedom: Mindfulness Meditation Practical Lectures" by U. Jotiika)

The following is a quote from a scripture cited in the book:
When you see various things, whether they are anything, simply notice them or pay attention to them, and do not interpret anything. Because when you interpret, you are thinking. When you are thinking, you lose awareness and concentration, and the level of mindfulness decreases. ("The Journey to Freedom: Mindfulness Meditation Practical Lectures" by U. Jotiika)

I thought this was a clear point. Images and sounds are created by the mind, so they can help you understand the current state of your mind, but it is more important to maintain a state of mindfulness (vipassana, awareness meditation).

■Light in Kundalini Yoga and Taoism
Some schools of Kundalini Yoga involve entering the light seen during meditation, but I don't really understand it.
Similarly, there seem to be similar practices in Taoism, but I don't understand that either.

This is not about the light seen during meditation, but rather the "so-called" light that appears when the "soul" seems to emerge from the Sahasrara chakra or the back of the head during an out-of-body experience, which serves as a sign or indicator, or the light that appears transiently when switching from the three-dimensional eyes to the eyes of the astral body (or both are moving, but the astral eyes become dominant). I think that's what it is, but entering the light seen during meditation seems to be mixing different contexts. For the light that appears during normal meditation, I think it's okay to ignore it.

As I mentioned before, especially since the Anahata chakra became dominant two months ago, I've been wondering, "Could it be that many people around me are actually enlightened?" I was a little hesitant to express this before, but I think that in some regions, almost all of the residents might be enlightened. I've even felt this way in Japan. I've had this feeling, "What if I'm the only one who hasn't been enlightened, and everyone else is already enlightened?" Now I realize that this might be an illusion, and the feeling has become less intense, but I still have that feeling.

In "Study of Shobogenzo" (written by Kayoichi Monwaki), it says:

"When a person attains enlightenment, it is like the moon reflected in water." (Omission) "This means that when a person attains enlightenment, they understand that the true nature of things resides in all beings, just as the moon resides in the water." This is the same as saying, "When a person sits in meditation, they become enlightened to all things in the universe." In this case, the enlightenment (the true nature of things) is reflected in people and all beings, just like the moon is reflected in the water. However, people and all beings are originally Buddhist principles, so they are inherently enlightened. When a person becomes enlightened, the fact that people and all beings are enlightened becomes apparent.

Therefore, the feeling I had, "I feel like everyone is enlightened," might be a glimpse of a certain aspect of enlightenment.

There are many stages of "enlightenment," but in this case, I personally think that "enlightenment" probably refers to things beyond the Anahata chakra. Perhaps, with deeper understanding, I will feel this more strongly and come to a firm conviction. But at the Anahata level, it's more like "I feel that way."

Until the Manipura chakra became dominant, I could understand this intellectually, but I didn't really experience it. When the Manipura chakra was dominant, it was more like "understanding it intellectually, but not experiencing it."

On the other hand, since the Anahata chakra became dominant, I feel like "I feel like everyone is enlightened, even before I think about it. But when I think about it, I realize that's not possible." If I didn't think about it, I would probably just accept it and say, "Everyone is enlightened!" But that's not possible. I feel like everyone is enlightened, but when I analyze or observe their actions, I understand logically that they are not enlightened.

Perhaps even those strange actions are part of "enlightenment." If everything, including worrying, getting angry, feeling sad, laughing, and being happy, is "enlightenment," then maybe everyone around me is already enlightened, and I'm just not aware of it.

When Manipura was dominant, there was a feeling of a wall between Manipura and Anahata, and it felt like I was stuck in Manipura and couldn't move upwards.

Now that Anahata is dominant, the energy is reaching about half of my head, but it's not going any further. It's the same as when Manipura was dominant, feeling stuck in the middle of my head.

■Granthi (nodes, knots)
I believe that there is a feeling of "getting stuck" at each stage, such as Vishnu Granthi between Manipura and Anahata, and Rudra Granthi between Ajna and Sahasrara.

■Some people pass through them all at once
In my case, I am passing through the Granthi one by one, but when I read books, there are people who pass through all of these Granthi at once during the initial Kundalini awakening.

As I wrote before, it seems that there are three types of Kundalini awakening. There are cases where the Kundalini rises after the Granthi are released, cases where the Kundalini is raised before the Granthi are released and the Granthi are not released immediately, cases where the Granthi are destroyed simultaneously with the Kundalini awakening, and cases where the Kundalini awakens and gradually crosses the Granthi.
In my case, during the Kundalini awakening, it felt more like two streams of light passed through, rather than the Kundalini moving completely. So, the Kundalini is gradually starting to move, and I am gradually crossing the Granthi one by one.

By the way, I used to feel that Kundalini was something special, but now I feel that it is simply the creation and activation of energy pathways. It is often described metaphorically as the power of a snake, but since the quality and strength of energy differ from person to person, it is natural that Kundalini is different for each person, I think.

Secular thoughts empty the mind and cause anxiety, while spiritual thoughts bring deep peace and joy. We have reached the conclusion that the devil stirs up all anxious and empty thoughts, while God evokes spiritual reflection accompanied by quiet joy. (Omitted section)
Christ is the King, and the saints are his knights, and the human heart is the battlefield where the devil and God clash. "The History of the Jesuits (Volume 1)" by William V. Bangert.

This seems to be the basic understanding of Ignatius of Loyola, one of the founders of the Jesuits. His work, "Spiritual Exercises," appears to be one of the fundamental texts in Christianity, so it may help us understand Christianity as a whole, not just him.

There seem to be several versions of the Japanese translation of "Spiritual Exercises," but the version by José Miguel Bara that I have includes the following:

"Spiritual Exercises" means all methods of examining one's conscience, meditation, vocal prayer, and mental prayer. Just as walking, running, or jogging is called exercise, so too, all methods of preparing and ordering the soul are called "Spiritual Exercises." The purpose is, first, to abandon all disordered attachments, and then to seek and discern God's will regarding the ordering of one's life for the salvation of the soul. "Spiritual Exercises" by Ignatius of Loyola, translated by José Miguel Bara.

The book also contains other interesting information, such as the expression of the state of the heart.

It assumes that there are three types of thoughts that appear in one's mind. One is one's own, arising from one's own free will. The other two are from outside, one from a good spirit, and one from an evil spirit. "Spiritual Exercises" by Ignatius of Loyola, translated by José Miguel Bara.

Understanding this helps us understand the basic position of Christianity. Classical Christianity does not have a concept like the higher self or Atman, but rather a classification of "self" or "other." In this case, the so-called higher self would be included in the good spirit.

According to different books and schools of thought, there are various opinions on the location of the Ajna chakra.

According to different books and schools of thought, there are various opinions on the location of the Ajna chakra.

According to different books and schools of thought, there are various opinions on the location of the Ajna chakra.

In "The Mysteries of Shinto" (by Yamaoka Motoo), the concept of "spiritual vision" in the San'in Shinto tradition is divided into the following stages:

1. Delusion: Visions appear as blurred black and white images. Accuracy rate is 30% or less.
2. Illusion: Colored images. Accuracy rate is 50% or less.
3. Intuition (Shitsuu): Transparent images within black and white. Accuracy rate is 70% or higher.
4. Clairvoyance (Kanto): Only glimpsed by the predecessors of San'in Shinto.
5. Spiritual Communication (Reito): Very few people can reach this stage.
6. Supernatural Power (Shindo): Very few people can reach this stage.
From "The Mysteries of Shinto" (by Yamaoka Motoo).

According to the book, most spiritual individuals are at the level of "illusion." Some people may mistakenly believe they are divine at this stage, but the book cautions against such misconceptions.

■Be Careful of Low-Level Spirits
Even low-level spirits such as foxes and raccoons can see glimpses of the future. The book also warns about this.

■Mother Earth
In the documentary "Mother Earth" (by Deguchi Kazuo) about Deguchi Nenshiro and the Daibonkyo, there was a story about being deceived by a fox. People were told that gold and silver treasures were buried and went to search for them, causing a lot of trouble, but ultimately they couldn't find anything, and it seemed they had been deceived by a fox.

I have heard and read many stories about "being deceived by foxes and raccoons" in various places, and I believe the origin of these stories is likely from the Daibonkyo.

■Saniwa
Shinto has a tradition called "Saniwa" for distinguishing these low-level spirits.
In Shinto, one person is typically responsible, but in the present world, it is better for everyone to have a basic understanding of Saniwa to avoid being misled by low-level spirits.

There are various aspects to Shinto, but for beginners, it is important to be aware of "deceptive language." Even if a message appears to be high-level, if it does not convey a sense of nobility, purity, and freshness, it is probably not a very high-level entity. The more high-level the entity, the more it exudes an atmosphere similar to that of a shrine. It is good to avoid being misled by words and to focus on the atmosphere.

This is a continuation of the previous article about the levels of psychic perception and clairvoyance.

Low-level clairvoyance can occur unintentionally when a person's aura is radiating and comes into contact with another's aura.

As I mentioned before, auras contain various types of information. The "random thoughts" that come to mind when auras make contact are essentially the state of the other person. The aura is initially received as a sensation, and by interpreting that sensation in the mind, it manifests as words or simply as a feeling. In either case, the aura contact allows one to understand the other person. This is also considered low-level clairvoyance.

While it often comes across as a mere sensation or random thought, in some individuals with the aptitude, it can manifest as a visual image. The principle is the same as when random thoughts arise. The information received depends on the individual.

Therefore, just as random thoughts are related to auras, clairvoyance is also related to auras.
Just as random thoughts can arise unintentionally due to aura contact, clairvoyance can also arise unintentionally due to aura contact.

However, this aura contact should be avoided as much as possible.

■About Aura Emission
As I mentioned before, some people who are considered mediums or psychics have auras that radiate and spread around them. This can lead to unintentional contact with the auras of others, resulting in the reception of various information. However, it is important to keep the aura close to the body rather than allowing it to radiate outwards.

While allowing the aura to radiate may make one feel like their senses have become sharper, true sharpness lies in being able to extract a lot of information with just a slight contact. It is not considered sharp to indiscriminately pick up information by constantly exposing oneself to auras.

■Spiritual Affliction
In a previous article, I mentioned that the ethereal or aura strands extend and pick up information, and that during this process, one's aura can mix with the other person's aura, and the other person's aura can mix with one's own. This is often the cause of spiritual affliction in people who are considered mediums or psychics.

There are cases where one's aura is radiating and cases where the other person's aura is radiating. At the very least, one should try to control their own aura.
If the other person's aura is radiating, it is best to avoid them if you sense a strange atmosphere. However, if one's own aura is radiating, it will inevitably collide with the auras of those around them, which is unavoidable.

Even if one is careful to prevent their aura from radiating, when performing clairvoyance during counseling, the aura will mix with the other person's aura, and one may receive negative energy, leading to spiritual affliction.

■"Sharply" Mixing a Little Aura to Obtain Information
When mixing auras to see the other person during counseling, it is best to take a "sharp" sample of the other person's aura with just a little of one's own aura. However, if one mixes a large amount of aura, they will also receive a large amount of negative energy.

It seems that many people who believe they have psychic abilities do not understand the mechanisms of auras. Therefore, many people are not concerned about aura contact.

However, if clairvoyance requires a large amount of aura contact to obtain information, it may be too early for that person to become a counselor.

■Surprisingly, This is Not Well Known?
The mechanisms of auras are surprisingly not often discussed by people in the spiritual community. For me, personally, I learned about these things during out-of-body experiences when I was a child, so it is common knowledge. However, it is surprising that this knowledge about auras is not widely known.

Even if people have a general understanding, it is often slightly off. Of course, I believe my understanding is not complete either.

■The Basic Principle: Do Not Emit Your Aura
The basic principle is to keep one's own aura close to the body.

■Next, How to Use Your Aura?
Once the aura stops radiating, the next question is: how to use the aura?

■Cutting the Aura Cable
The basic principle is to connect and then disconnect the aura cable.
If the connection is made unintentionally, the basic principle is to disconnect it.

There are techniques like "Kuji-in" (nine-character mantra) that are well-known. However, one does not need to perform such elaborate rituals. Simply use a mental "sword" to lightly cut the connection in all directions. This can be done with just the mind, without moving the body. People who practice Kuji-in often seem to put a lot of effort into it, but it only requires a clear image and intention.

By the way, Kabbalah crosses also create barriers in four directions.
Recently, in spiritual practices, there are things like creating a shell-like structure around the body to act as a mirror.
It would be ideal to have the power to defend constantly and the ability to maintain that image, but many people probably can't maintain that level of awareness. For ordinary people, it might be better to break it down into smaller segments.

It's possible that I was simply unaware, but perhaps similar techniques exist in each tradition.
It's also possible that the rituals remain, but their meaning has been lost. The word "barrier" is often used in magic.

■Negative Energy
If negative energy is received, it is separated if possible.
Since putting energy in is essentially healing, negative energy can also be resolved in this way.

■The Importance of Aura Knowledge
Knowledge of auras is quite important. If you know about auras, your approach to children in school and your interactions with people in society would be quite different.

I'm starting to feel that even people who are spiritual often lack knowledge about auras.

In spirituality and yoga (or the Vedas), the mind (which yoga refers to as the "chitta") is said to be like a mirror that reflects the person or object.

For example, a commentary on the Yoga Sutras states the following:
"Humans consider the image of themselves reflected in their mind to be themselves." - "Integral Yoga (Patanjali's Yoga Sutras)" by Swami Satchidananda.

If the mind is distorted, one thinks of oneself as a distorted self; if the mind is clear, one thinks of oneself as a clear self; if the mind is filled with joy, one thinks of oneself as a joyful self. This is what is generally taught in education. However, yoga argues that this is a misunderstanding. The true self is not the mind. The true self is not influenced by the mind, and the mind is a tool, so the true self is not affected by how the mind moves. Yoga (or the Vedas) teaches that the true self is unchanging, whether one is happy or sad.

"The 'seer,' which is your true self, is reflected in your 'mind,' which is your mirror. However, normally you cannot see your true 'self' because your mind is colored." - "Integral Yoga (Patanjali's Yoga Sutras)" by Swami Satchidananda.

Therefore, yoga teaches that by calming the mind and making it like a still surface of water, one can discover one's true self. Well, this is what is commonly believed in yoga, but while it seems true in practice, there are times when it doesn't feel like a mirror, so there are parts that I don't quite understand.

However, I realized that if we interpret this in terms of aura, it becomes quite clear.

■ The relationship between the mind and the aura.Previously.As I wrote in several parts, the mechanism is that the aura extends and, when it mixes with the aura of the other person, you can understand what is happening to that person. This is exactly the same as the "mirror" story. The schools of thought are slightly different, with aura being a relatively spiritual concept and the mind (chitta) being related to yoga, so they were understood as separate things. However, I suddenly thought of comparing the two and realized that they were saying almost the same thing. Of course, that's because the truth is the same.

In the Yoga Sutras, it is stated that "stopping the activities of the mind is yoga," and this has become the definition of yoga. Here are some translations:
(2) Stopping the activities of the mind is yoga.
(3) At that time, the observer (self) remains in its original state.
From "Integral Yoga (by Swami Satchidananda)."

(2) Yoga is the cessation of the activities of the mind.
(3) At that time (when the thought waves are still), the knower remains in his own true state.
Translated from "Meditation and Mantra (by Swami Vishnu-Devananda)."

(2) Yoga is the suppression of the mind (chitta) taking on various forms (vrittis).
(3) At that time (when concentrated), the observer (purusha) rests in his own (unchanged) state.
From "Raja Yoga (by Swami Vivekananda)."

■ Interpretation of the Yoga Sutra definition in terms of aura
If we interpret the famous verse in the Yoga Sutras in terms of aura, it would be something like this:
"Stabilizing the movement of one's own aura (is equivalent to yoga).
At that time (when the aura's movement is stable and staying close to the body), the observer (self, purusha) becomes calm."

In the Yoga Sutras, "when the mind is active" can be interpreted in terms of aura as "when the aura is flickering and moving" or "when the aura extends like a line and connects to the other person." If that is the case, then stabilizing the aura and cutting off the connection (cable) between the aura and the other person (object) would make the self calm, which is very easy to understand from an aura perspective.

■ About the "mirror"
The same applies to the "mirror." Since the aura extends like a line, or sometimes unexpectedly contacts the other person (object) and connects, transmitting information about the other person, it can be compared to a "mirror." Personally, I find it much easier to understand and more convincing to think in terms of the movement of the aura than to use the metaphor of a "mirror." This may also depend on the individual, so it may be better to understand it in the way that is easier to understand.

If you understand the relationship between the aura and the movement of the mind, you should be able to understand the Yoga Sutras more easily.
Classical texts are difficult to understand because they are read in old language, but the truth is not that complicated, so it is simple in reality.

What I was originally concerned about was the fact that there are many times when it doesn't work like a "mirror," so I had a question of whether it is really a "mirror" or not. I think I have been subtly uncomfortable with the "mirror" analogy since I was a child. I no longer remember when I first heard it, but I felt that it was half true and half not. I asked experts, but I only received vague answers like "Well, the mirror is just a metaphor." I wondered if I should just understand it vaguely because it is a metaphor, and I was a little troubled, but it was easily resolved when I thought about it in terms of aura.

If they had explained it with aura from the beginning, I wouldn't have had to worry so much (laughs).