As your vibration increases, it becomes less important whether or not you have thoughts. This is literally true, and it is experienced and actually happens, rather than being understood through words and logic. When your vibration increases, you instantly realize this. If the word "vibration" is unclear, it refers to energy. When you are filled with energy, it becomes less important whether or not you have thoughts. At such times, generally, the number of distracting thoughts decreases, but even if thoughts or distracting thoughts arise, they are appropriate for that vibration, so they are not a significant obstacle. The main reason why you feel that distracting thoughts and thoughts are bothersome is that your own vibration is low.

There are two things: the height of your vibration and the strength of your aura and energy.

The height of your vibration is to some extent consistent with the height of your physical vibration, and this is generally true, as it is commonly said in yoga and spirituality. However, position and vibration are relative, and the same location is used in stages, like octaves. Therefore, although it is not said in spirituality, if we were to use a musical analogy with sheet music and notes, the lower chakra in a higher octave would have a higher vibration than the lower chakra in a higher octave. In spirituality, the dantian or the Swadhisthana chakra are often the focus, but the octave being discussed changes depending on the context.

The amount of energy that each person is born with is different, and so is the height of their vibration. Generally, men have lower vibrations than women, but even among women, there are those who fall into lower vibrations. On the other hand, even men can reach higher vibrations.

However, it is important to note that a higher vibration is not always better. This world exists from physical things to higher dimensions, and they are equivalent. If you forget this, you may misunderstand or act in a way that looks down on or despises things or people with lower vibrations. The harmony between higher and lower dimensions is the form of this world. Lower vibrations have their own kind of suffering, but that is because there are worlds corresponding to those vibrations. In each of those worlds, people are learning and growing. Where is your vibration? Even on the same Earth, people live in worlds that correspond to their vibrations. Therefore, people are attracted to those with similar vibrations.

Starting with the lower vibrations, there are vibrations that are similar to those of animals. There are vibrations that are like the best of animals, and in such a state, you tend to have many distracting thoughts, and spiritual understanding does not progress easily. In such cases, "stopping thoughts" becomes important for spiritual growth.

As your vibration gradually increases, you will become less troubled by distracting thoughts. However, to some extent, it is still better to "stop thoughts." At this stage, meditation that involves listening to the so-called "nada" sound can be helpful. This is the stage of concentration meditation. This continues until you reach a certain "state of silence," but even if you reach that state of silence, there is still a barrier to overcome in order to awaken to the "consciousness" that exists in the higher vibration. When you awaken to that higher "consciousness," it is initially temporary, and there is still a sense of separation, which is a state called "two minds." This is a state where the lower mind and the higher mind exist separately.

Eventually, the lower mind and the higher mind will merge, but in reality, it is a process where the activity of the lower mind weakens and the higher mind becomes dominant, rather than a true fusion. As this happens, the "two minds" gradually transform into "one mind." This process occurs in stages, starting with two minds and then becoming one. The first two minds that appear are the ones that undergo the most significant change, and they are generally called the "lower mind" and the "higher mind."

What is meant by "it is better to stop thoughts" is the "lower mind." The higher mind, on the other hand, is fundamentally vast, silent, and always full, and that fullness means that it "never disappears." If you awaken to such a consciousness, why would it be necessary to "stop thoughts"? Because that awakened consciousness is always present and open, it is a consciousness that does not require "stopping." Therefore, it is fundamentally impossible for such a thing to happen. What is possible is that the higher consciousness may be temporarily clouded, but if that happens, it means that you have switched to the lower consciousness, so in that sense, it is clear that "stopping" is not desirable. Continuing to work with the higher consciousness without "stopping" is what activates the awakened consciousness, and if that is the case, it is easy to understand that "stopping thoughts" is not only unimportant but also completely unnecessary. However, sometimes, contact with a strong lower consciousness can temporarily affect you, so in that sense, temporarily stopping thoughts may be effective in suppressing or detaching from the activity of the lower consciousness. However, even that is fundamentally unnecessary for the awakened consciousness, just as raindrops in strong sunlight evaporate naturally. The heart that has such a purifying power is what awakens to the higher consciousness, so that is why "stopping thoughts" becomes less important when you awaken to the higher consciousness.

The flow of energy is like water, moving gracefully and effortlessly, and like ripples on the surface of water, it eventually subsides naturally.

Energy generally manifests from either below or above. Energy from below is grounding, while energy from above is also grounding, but it comes from the heavens or the universe. It consists of both. Energy from below primarily manifests in various parts of the body, while energy from the heavens or the universe enters through different parts of the head.

Initially, activating the body by drawing in energy from below is fundamental, but even then, drawing in energy from the area between the eyebrows helps to balance the left and right sides. It's not necessarily about which comes first, but initially, activating the body by balancing the left and right sides through yogic breathing and then drawing in energy from below is a good approach.

The first energy to manifest is often a strong, earthy energy, also known as Kundalini. A rough, magma-like vibration initially appears, and as it gradually rises and mixes with the heart, one experiences a basic sense of love and unity. Eventually, the energy rises towards the head, but this initial energy is still too raw to merge with the energy from the heavens, so it serves as a catalyst for that process. Even so, raising this raw energy to the head helps to activate the energy. At this stage, one may experience a sense of basic unity and tranquility, but there are still many distractions, and "stopping thoughts" can be somewhat effective.

When I observe people practicing yoga, most seem to remain at this stage without experiencing Kundalini. Some experience Kundalini, but it ends at the head, or they experience what is known as Kundalini syndrome due to forcing the energy to the head, resulting in overheating. They believe this is the ultimate goal of Kundalini or Kundalini yoga, and they stop there, thinking they have "achieved" something. While this may be unavoidable, in most cases, this two-stage process seems to be the limit.

- No Kundalini experience
- Kundalini experience, but only reaching the head, or Kundalini syndrome

To go beyond this stage, it seems necessary to have an influence from a higher level of consciousness, not from the lower self. The lower self may not be capable of going beyond this. And there are many people who are perfectly content at this stage, and for them, living their lives with that level of awareness is their destiny. So, there is no need to be particularly disappointed, and it's not necessarily a matter of being "chosen" or not.

The difference lies in the total amount of aura. Even in Kundalini yoga, it is possible to strengthen the aura, but in reality, it is difficult to surpass the aura one was born with on this earth. Basically, people either live with the same aura or become tired and consume or lose their aura. It is quite difficult to increase the aura. Even if the aura can be increased, it is usually by absorbing aura from the natural world, but higher-level auras, such as those of human consciousness, cannot be acquired from the natural world. Instead, they require additional assistance from the group soul, which is the higher-level entity from which one originated. Since a person's life begins with the creation of a soul fragment based on the "intention" of the group soul, the aura generally does not increase throughout life. People essentially live their lives based on their total aura. Therefore, even if one practices Kundalini yoga, their total aura generally does not change, so it is difficult to develop the personality and body necessary to handle a temporarily elevated aura. While the aura in the dimension of energy that is closer to the human body can be increased, and the aura in that dimension also strengthens with the increase in food and muscle mass, the higher-level aura does not increase easily.

In reality, this is why the fundamental principle of spiritual growth is to move closer to a higher vibration based on one's current state, to raise the vibration, and to cultivate and increase a higher-vibration aura. Conversely, trying to increase the aura all at once is a rather unorthodox method. There are methods such as Shakti pads and initiations that claim to provide aura and promote rapid growth, but such effects are temporary and can create a "separation" in one's own aura. This can lead to a situation where one falls back down because they have acquired a higher vibration without a solid understanding. On the other hand, when growth occurs step by step, even if the vibration temporarily drops, one has the understanding to persevere and recover. Therefore, it is important to remember that the method of being given aura and growing is unorthodox and not common.

And, regarding the Kundalini experience, it seems that those with inherently high vibrations and abundant aura tend to avoid Kundalini syndrome and smoothly progress to awakening.

Basically, that's the core concept, and I don't think there's much more to it.

However, it's possible to overcome this barrier through the influence of the Group Soul, which is the source of one's being, or through the guidance of a guiding entity, or through the higher aspects of oneself, often referred to as the Higher Self. This influence resonates with the lower self's call in the conscious mind, acting as a form of assistance. In yoga, this might be called Purusha, while in spirituality, it might be the Higher Self, or for Christians, it might be feeling Jesus Christ within oneself. In any case, it involves contact from a higher level, which saves the lower self, including the physical body and conscious mind.

Those who initially have high vibrations or abundant aura, or those whose vibrations and aura are enhanced by the call of the Group Soul or Higher Self, proceed to the next stage.

In my case, the Higher Self gradually approached from the "back" and eventually merged. There were also instances where a strong mass of aura forcefully entered from the crown of the head. This deepened the sense of oneness and activated the heart. However, whether this happens to everyone is unknown. Some books describe the connection originating from the "back," suggesting a certain degree of commonality.

As the aura strengthens, it begins to permeate the entire body, allowing one to feel the aura in the palms of the hands and the tips of the toes, and to experience the aura emanating from and entering these areas. This can also occur in earlier stages, but it becomes a more distinct and natural awareness throughout the body.

Furthermore, the aura enters the head, and the brain begins to activate. Initially, various parts of the head loosen randomly, and this loosening gradually and steadily progresses.

Eventually, as described in the book "Flower of Life," pathways are created within the head. The basic pathway extends from the energy channels along the spine to the neck, and then straight upwards. From there, branches extend to create pathways leading to the area between the eyebrows and the nose. While various parts of the forehead and crown loosen, the following points seem particularly important:

* The nasal bridge (bikon)
* The center of the head (pituitary gland and pineal gland)
* The back of the head
* The crown

The center of the head is a particularly important area that has been frequently discussed, especially in Theosophy, where it is said that for ordinary people, the sixth and seventh chakras (Ajna and Sahasrara) are related to the pituitary gland. On the other hand, some people have the seventh chakra related to the pineal gland. ("Chakra" P94).

My current understanding is that the energy pathway extending from the area between the eyebrows, particularly the nasal bridge, reaches a receiving point such as the pituitary gland. When the nasal bridge is activated, the Sahasrara at the crown is also activated to some extent, so it seems that one perceives Ajna (Ajna, the sixth) and Sahasrara (Crown, the seventh) through the area between the eyebrows and the nasal bridge. I have only recently begun to realize this, and there is still much more to experience, but I suspect that further progress will lead to a better connection between the pineal gland and the Sahasrara.

In fact, at this stage, the meaning of "stopping thoughts" changes once again. Especially when energy flows through the nasal bridge and the connection to the Sahasrara is strengthened, the need to "stop thoughts" becomes less necessary. This also means that grounding becomes stronger, and the power of stillness and stability increases. The nasal bridge is only just beginning to open and is still weak, and it can sometimes become blocked. However, by repeatedly opening the pathway between the nasal bridge and the pituitary gland through meditation, grounding and stillness can be strengthened.

As for my current stage, this is where I am, but I am now confident that I can see the next stage. I will continue to progress through meditation, yoga, or pranayama breathing techniques. And with each stage, the need to "stop thoughts" decreases.