Author: Skip

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EH?

One of Sue’s favorite new TV shows is “Grown-ish”, a spinoff of “Blackish”. Skin color aside, I’ve discovered another reason I may be having trouble enlightening today’s youth: we don’t speak the same language!!

I watched an entire episode, after which I told Sue, “I have NO idea what they were talking about!”

One of my teachers believes that our species has literally evolved: that children born after 1990 have developed a new predisposition. Give a two year old a phone and watch what happens!!

Evolutionary time warp or not, we haven’t changed physiologically in thousands of years.

The holistic practice of Raja Yoga (meditation) is timeless.

 

It’s the oldest (read most time-tested!) form of self-care known to man – of any age!

Mind control or meditation hinges entirely upon a single principle: that consciousness is NOT a mental function!

 

Once that “clicks”, well……..you and your problems seem somehow lighter, certainly less stressful!

😊❤️🕉

Meditate – you can’t do it incorrectly [just more efficiently – that’s why I’m here]!!

$15 – scheduled group “meditation prep” classes

Current class schedule

  • Skype lessons
  • seminars
  • lectures
  • private lessons

Proud sponsor of Yoga Instructors Association (MA)

#BringBackPatanjali

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OPEN LETTER TO DAN HARRIS

Dear Dan,

Thank you. We need more well-informed, respected public figures advocating and promoting meditation. God bless you.

Please forgive my complete lack of humility, but if you’ll indulge me:

Only 10%? Keep practicing!!😊

The science of mind control or meditation is prehistoric.

Long before the advent of written language and modern religion, the original discipline was memorialized in an epic 200-line poem: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

Patanjalian or Raja Yoga was developed in India at a time in human history when it was becoming apparent that sacrificing THINGS (God forbid live ones) only worked about 50% of the time.

Patanjali and his predecessors turned the practice of trying to influence that which can’t be influenced into a practice of trying to better understand and serve it. These ancient sages effectively reverse-engineered the human experience from our outer gross physical body to the essence of our being: consciousness…

…for the purpose of reducing human suffering FOR ALL MANKIND FOREVER.

 

Over the millennia, the practice of meditation (trying to tap into our divine essence) morphed into the modern practice of prayer.

That said, you are absolutely correct that meditation can be practiced in a entirely “secular” fashion….

…(i.e., without a sense of sacrifice and devotion to the Source) but that’s like walking along a beach on a beautiful day with a paper bag over your head!! Sorry – but how did none of those experts make this point?!

Here’s the “non-secular” science in a nutshell:

It’s based on Sankhya, the realization that consciousness (the awareness OF our thoughts) is not a mental function; rather, it’s as distinct from our mind and thoughts as our thoughts are from our bodies!

Consciousness alone in the entire universe is not subject to the vagaries of time and space (i.e., it’s the ONLY thing not subject to karma).

AND IT’S IN EACH OF US! Oooops, you can see how the “non-secular” aspect of the practice creeps in: life changes when we realize our own essentially divine nature.

Back to the “secular” science…

Humans exist in at least three distinguishable spatial dimensions: physical, mental and consciousness – the latter being the awareness OF the former.

Here’s the thing about consciousness that makes it unique in the universe: IT NEVER CHANGES – NEVER.

How do we know that something that’s literally intangible and never changes even exists?! And why should we care?!

Without consciousness we wouldn’t know we’re alive – let alone reading this!!

Try to imagine the nature of something that’s aware yet NEVER changes.

This aspect of OURSELVES – our intangible, essential awareness – has been described by people a lot smarter than me as eternally and infinitely compassionate and curious.

When we meditate we eventually settle through four energetically distinct states of mind before encountering our essence. The good news is there’s no wrong way to do it and the benefits are almost immediate and cumulative.

However if we practice with the original intent – as scripted by Patanjali to deepen our connection with the Source – THAT Sir, is an entirely different, much deeper, fulfilling, life-affirming and holistically healing experience.

Physiologically

Over time as we lovingly expose otherwise sub-conscious fears and desires to the light of our own self-compassion – those very tangible fears and desires dissipate, providing a physiological sense of lightness, relief and restoration lasting long after our time on the mat!

But to turbo-charge those physical and mental benefits – to experience something that will literally blow your tangible mind away – meditate with love, devotion and heartfelt gratitude as you ponder the nature of the Source of our very essence.

Thank you again for spreading the word – and your indulgence!

Blessings, Allan

 

Patanjali❤️😊🕉

https://www.rajamarblehead.com/2017/05/21/patanjalis-yoga-sutras-chapter-1-loosely-translated/

https://www.rajamarblehead.com/2017/05/21/patanjalis-yoga-sutras-chapter-2-loosely-translated/

Me

https://www.rajamarblehead.com/2018/01/06/battling-addiction-insights-60-year-old-addict/

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ISHVARA PRANIDHANA

According to SIVA REA:

“Many of us have only experienced surrendering to a higher source [Ishvara Pranidhana] as a last resort, when we’ve confronted seemingly insurmountable problems or in some other way hit the edge of our individual will and abilities.

But in the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali transforms “surrender” from this sort of last-resort, emergency response into an essential ongoing practice.

 

Patanjali repeatedly highlights Ishvara pranidhana as one of the five niyamas, or inner practices, of the ashta-anga (eight-limbed) path and, along with discipline (tapas) and self-study (svadhyaya), as part of kriya yoga, the threefold yoga of action.”

Source: yogajournal.com/yoga-101/the-practice-of-surrender

Patanjali: 

  • divine awareness eliminates desire;
  • self-control eliminates fear; 
  • self-awareness eliminates sorrow.

Sound familiar?

GOD GRANT ME THE:

  • SERENITY to accept the things I can not change;
  • COURAGE to change the things I can; and
  • WISDOM to know the difference.

😊❤️🕉

Tap into the power within. Meditate.

$15 – scheduled group “meditation prep” classes

Current class schedule

  • Skype lessons
  • seminars
  • lectures
  • private lessons

Proud sponsor of Yoga Instructors Association (MA)

#BringBackPatanjali

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THE POOR ME’S

The Dis-ease

Alcoholics Anonymous used to have an expression for mild, inexplicable depression: the “Poor Me’s”, characterized by:

  • Physical, energetic and mental lethargy or heaviness;
  • Lack of motivation, bordering on a sense of giving up;
  • An internal emptiness that manifests as grief: loss of appetite and caring.

Frustratingly, there’s no obvious rational explanation or cause; from the outside it doesn’t look like we have anything to bitch about!

When we do give up and stop practicing healthy habits (or practice unhealthy ones!) it takes EXTRA effort to get back on our feet again!

The Remedy

Here’s the only true relief I’m found in 60 years of looking:

Know this with absolute certainty: there is a part of each of us that’s utterly PERFECT IN EVERY SENSE: our awareness, or consciousness. 😊❤️🕉

 

Consciousness is NOT a mental function! FAR from it! Without it, you wouldn’t realize that you’re alive – let alone reading this effort to enlighten you!!

Once that clicks, it becomes possible to differentiate between “You” and “Your body/mind” (after all, whose body is it? Yours!!).

Raja Yoga is a loving, holistic, personal practice in self-awareness and control – intended to PERMANENTLY relive the emptiness and symptoms of the Poor Me’s without leaving a hangover. Here’s how it works in part:

Mentally – the objective is to take a step back from our body/mind and witness the pain, rather focusing on the parts of our body/mind that are hurt. [Extremely difficult to do without constant practice – especially, when the pain is at its worst.]

Spiritually – the objective is to identify with the eternally-aware “You” (your consciousness – aka your “soul” or “spirit” in religious vernacular! Yeah; it’s real) – rather than your temporary body/mind.

Transcend temporal suffering. Tap into the divine power within.

Meditate.

$15 – scheduled group “meditation prep” classes

Current class schedule

  • Skype lessons
  • seminars
  • lectures
  • private lessons

Proud sponsor of Yoga Instructors Association (MA)

#BringBackPatanjali

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PUBLIC APOLOGY

To the recipients of my latest marketing masterpiece, my apologies for any and all real or imagined unbalanced – specifically, “aggressive” – energy communicated!

I hope there are people in your life who love you unconditionally – and if not, a pet of some sort!

I’m uber-blessed to have both. Thankfully, my daughter Sarah is one of them. She and I have a three-tier cause > effect response system for my behavior:

  1. flinch
  2. flinch & eye roll
  3. “DAD!!”

My latest snail-mailing (pictured) elicited a wide range of responses: from loving support and encouragement from my mother-in-law Gladys to various versions of “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” from business associates which were received with more incredulity than sympathy.

As I told an old friend this morning, almost two years ago I either:

  1. a) completely lost my mind, or
  2. b) became divinely-inspired

AND SCHOOL’S STILL OUT!!!

 

The good news is that between faith, family & friends, I WILL expedite someone’s enlightenment before I die!! 😊❤️🕉

Sorry – back to the point: Sarah said my most recent mailing – with the HOT PINK insert and BOLD font was

“a bit aggressive”

Thankfully, it didn’t warrant a #3 but was “worthy of comment!”

LMAO!!❤️

It’s difficult not to channel my inner Joan of Arc! [Yes Mr. L, it’s OK to have female heroes; they’re called heroines. After all, some of the fiercest Greek gods were female!!]

Inner-self guide for hire!

$15 – scheduled group “meditation prep” classes

Current class schedule

  • Skype lessons
  • seminars
  • lectures
  • private lessons

Proud sponsor of Yoga Instructors Association (MA)

#BringBackPatanjali

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I SEE SOMETHING

I was given a gift that isn’t mine to keep – it’s mine to share.

The gift is simple: I see something you don’t (yet!!) and my purpose is to help you see it for yourself!!

Here’s how it works: we’re born spiritually blind, but at some point we will each come to terms with our own true nature.

We can wait until we’re literally dying (read “Gone From My Sight – The Dying Experience” by Barbara Karnes, hospice nurse and 2015 International Humanitarian Woman of the Year) or we can explore THAT aspect of ourselves while we’re STILL HERE!!!!!

 

Seeing yourself differently only requires a paradigm shift. It’s like the attached picture: initially we see either an old or young woman’s profile. It’s not until someone points out the other image that we see it’s actually both!

Spread the word: There’s a LOT more to you than you see in the mirror and hear in your head!! Please forward this to friends interested in their own spiritually – particularly if they’re in a position to influence public opinion!!!

God bless, Allan

$15 – scheduled group “meditation prep” classes

Current class schedule

  • Skype lessons
  • seminars
  • lectures
  • private lessons

Proud sponsor of Yoga Instructors Association (MA)

#BringBackPatanjali

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WANT TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE?

Learn the oldest form of Yoga for the oldest reason:

to REDUCE SUFFERING

find FAITH, SERENITY, COURAGE & WISDOM within yourself!

 _________

 HOW?

Consciousness 😊❤️🕉

WHY?

 Allan’s Why

WHAT?

 Patanjali’s Poem

 

Raja Yoga is the ancient science of mind control (aka meditation) a discipline that fosters faith in self, life and God.

The prehistoric practice was memorialized by Patanjali in a 200-line poem, the Yoga Sutras, a treasure map to nothing less than eternal bliss!

The allure and promise of Raja Yoga is that with constant practice you WILL smile (contentedly!) more often than you frown.

Meditation will take you to a place that transcends earthly experience – and THAT will change your life!!

 _________

Raja yogi’s tip o’ the day (says the Irishman in me): faith comes before enlightenment. I only say that because it took me 13 years to find faith that God exists – but I haven’t figured out to levitate yet!!

I can help you get there in less time; however,…

… YOU have to put in the time and effort. For better or worse, I can only guide you!

God bless, Allan

$15 – scheduled group “meditation prep” classes

Current class schedule

  • Skype lessons
  • seminars
  • lectures
  • private lessons

Proud sponsor of Yoga Instructors Association (MA)

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DO YOU HAVE A PATRON SAINT?

Joan of Arc was raised on a farm.

At the age of 18 she became divinely-inspired to persist and ultimately succeed in leading the French to victory IN BATTLE against the English [think about THAT the next time you’re at the gym]!

A year later, again IN BATTLE while serving the same king whom she’d help liberate France, she was captured by the English.

The French king turned his back on her, making no effort to rescue the young French heroine.

After publicly besting and embarrassing her captors, at the age of 19 Joan was burned at the stake…

…FOR DRESSING LIKE A MAN!!

 

That was the only public charge made against her.

Faith engenders a sense of purpose and “CAN’T TOUCH THIS!” attitude that Joan of Arc embodied – that and a lot of love and a bit of craziness!

Joan of Arc is my patron saint. Who’s your’s?

January meditation class schedule

Inquire about Skype lessons:

Joan of Arc post source

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FIND THE REAL YOU. MEDITATE.

Here’s Patanjali’s message in a nutshell:

We are OF God.

 

Without consciousness we wouldn’t realize we’re alive!

Yes. Consciousness is a HUGE deal. It’s essentially divine – and we ALL have it!!

Consciousness is awareness OF thought. If you’re aware of your thoughts You aren’t those thoughts, nor your body. You are the awareness OF those things.

What does that make You?

 

Things like immortal, eternal, immutable. Let’s just say the common cold, flat tires and spoiled milk…

 

…CAN’T TOUCH THIS!

 

The prehistoric yoga texts say no amount of water or fire (covering the entire spectrum between them) can touch this part of us; today the ancients would say this part of each of us is bulletproof!

AND YOU KNOW IT’S REAL BECAUSE YOU’RE AWARE YOU’RE READING THIS!!

Find the real You. Meditate.❤️🕉

January meditation class schedule

Inquire about Skype lessons:

 

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