Hi Holy,
That was interesting and well said. Thank you.
Hi Yogsadhak 
I don’t think I was doing it quite right or rather omitted a part. When I first tried the Chidakasha Dharana, for the visualization part I switched my visual focus to be looking straight ahead. I don’t know if one can call looking straight ahead shambavi. Perhaps it is looking through the third eye just the same, even though the eyes are not turned upwards.
I thought I would mention this: At the end of that day after hitting samadhi during Chidakasha Dharana, I experienced a tremendous overload. My hands and face were burning hot and I started to crawl the walls as the evening progressed. My whole body felt like it was made of electrical currents and I had quite a nervous tension in the solar plexus. This overload was gone the next day.
I’m still trying to identify where exactly the eyes should point and where to focus internally (third eye sight). I’m not even sure what third eye sight is because I have three different kinds of visualizations happening.
The first kind is, without even focusing on the eyes because it doesn’t matter, I mentally look forward from the inside of the head at the forehead, and there is this space which is rather large and I can faintly make out scenes. The scene is usually stationary. Many times there is someone sitting in a yoga posture in the space or on a chair. This space has the feeling of being very large, airy and very fine. It is like a mostly stationary place with little movement or change.
The second kind is to push my attention through what resembles a small colorful eye directly between the eyebrows. When I succeed in doing this to look at the outer world, people look like flames and all objects and scenery continually move like you are looking through a mirage. It is not easy to push my viewpoint out of this center and requires a lot of effort although some days it is very easy. But, maybe this is third eye sight? In this one it doesn’t matter where the eyes are focusing, it really has nothing to do with where the eyes are pointing. The important thing is where you place your attention, that it is pointing out through that colorful eye.
The third way is roll the eyes upwards and try to look at the point between the brows, while relaxing the face. This makes the little blob of white light a few inches behind the center of the brow appear. It also feels like you are falling asleep and dreaming. But if I keep focusing on that little blob of light that appears there it becomes ripe with visions and images, kind of like a dreamland. Putting your attention on that area, behind the center of eyebrows and inward is also an area in which there is a little cave, and, it contains a direct link to the perineum. If you keep your attention on that area, the perineum gets stimulated (starts to pulse, emit ecstatic conductivity…).
So, I’m not really sure where exactly one should try to visualize the object in Chidakasha Dharana and I’ve been experimenting. Perhaps the instructions are accurate, that one simply looks straight ahead with eyes closed and visualizes the object right in front of your face at eye level. Perhaps the line of attention from the center of you head pointing straight foward produces a flow or current which then links the pineal, pituitary and third eye and activates all three at the same time…
TI
Hi Yogsadhak
I don’t think I was doing it quite right or rather omitted a part. When I first tried the Chidakasha Dharana, for the visualization part I switched my visual focus to be looking straight ahead. I don’t know if one can call looking straight ahead shambavi. Perhaps it is looking through the third eye just the same, even though the eyes are not turned upwards.
I thought I would mention this: At the end of that day after hitting samadhi during Chidakasha Dharana, I experienced a tremendous overload. My hands and face were burning hot and I started to crawl the walls as the evening progressed. My whole body felt like it was made of electrical currents and I had quite a nervous tension in the solar plexus. This overload was gone the next day.
I’m still trying to identify where exactly the eyes should point and where to focus internally (third eye sight). I’m not even sure what third eye sight is because I have three different kinds of visualizations happening.
The first kind is, without even focusing on the eyes because it doesn’t matter, I mentally look forward from the inside of the head at the forehead, and there is this space which is rather large and I can faintly make out scenes. The scene is usually stationary. Many times there is someone sitting in a yoga posture in the space or on a chair. This space has the feeling of being very large, airy and very fine. It is like a mostly stationary place with little movement or change.
The second kind is to push my attention through what resembles a small colorful eye directly between the eyebrows. When I succeed in doing this to look at the outer world, people look like flames and all objects and scenery continually move like you are looking through a mirage. It is not easy to push my viewpoint out of this center and requires a lot of effort although some days it is very easy. But, maybe this is third eye sight? In this one it doesn’t matter where the eyes are focusing, it really has nothing to do with where the eyes are pointing. The important thing is where you place your attention, that it is pointing out through that colorful eye.
The third way is roll the eyes upwards and try to look at the point between the brows, while relaxing the face. This makes the little blob of white light a few inches behind the center of the brow appear. It also feels like you are falling asleep and dreaming. But if I keep focusing on that little blob of light that appears there it becomes ripe with visions and images, kind of like a dreamland. Putting your attention on that area, behind the center of eyebrows and inward is also an area in which there is a little cave, and, it contains a direct link to the perineum. If you keep your attention on that area, the perineum gets stimulated (starts to pulse, emit ecstatic conductivity…).
So, I’m not really sure where exactly one should try to visualize the object in Chidakasha Dharana and I’ve been experimenting. Perhaps the instructions are accurate, that one simply looks straight ahead with eyes closed and visualizes the object right in front of your face at eye level. Perhaps the line of attention from the center of you head pointing straight foward produces a flow or current which then links the pineal, pituitary and third eye and activates all three at the same time…
TI
Wow! what amazing experiences! There are so many variations of results in the yogic science. How long have you been practicing Yoga? What have you been practicing? What are your thoughts on Satyananda's Kriya yoga in comparison to Lahiri Mahasaya's Kriya yoga?
Hi Yogsadhak
I have been practicing many things including Yoga for about 43 years.[quote]
What have you been practicing?
[/quote]
My first yoga book was “The Complete Yoga Book by James Hewitt”. I used to be able to do the full lotus and then go into the head stand.
I also got heavily involved in “Carlos Casteneda - Don Juan” and spent many hours gazing, searching for power spots, looking for my hands in my dreams etc.
I also always wanted to astral travel and got into Robert Monroe and Paul Twitchell.
Then I joined the Rosicrucians for a couple years. Then I joined the SRF for a couple years.
I’m also a Reiki master and have many crystals ( I used to cut and polish rocks when I was a kid).
I discovered AYP 2 1/2 years ago and have practiced twice a day, often more than twice a day, since then. I also do alot of other practices and try many things (like kunlun). It’s like my curiousity is insatiable.
I have written about some recent experiences here:
http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3691
You know, I’m not looking for any fans or followers and I’m not a guru. The more I learn the more I realize I don’t know and probably won’t know in this lifetime.
I’m currently reading “Wings To Freedom: Mystic Revelations from Babaji And The Himalayan Yogis By Yogiraj Gurunath Siddhanath” and I just finished the part where a guru manifests enough food for a banquet out of astral substance. That reminded that I also wanted to be able to levitate, become invisible and manifest objects from astral substance. I’ve always believed that these things were possible and that it’s just a matter of knowing the right technique.
Lately, though, I’m trying to focus more on “the being that exists behind the eyes that is looking out and never changes”. That and trying to consistently achieve samadhi, nirvikalpa or otherwise.
Sorry, I’m not familiar enough with either of those versions of kriya to warrant commenting on them. I’m familiar with SRF practices but I never received the initiation. I’m also familiar with Norman Paulsen’s (disciple of Yogananda) meditation and spinal breathing technique and I have the books by Ennio Nimis. Much to my dismay, it seems that every teaching has variations. It is hard to distill everything down to something that works consistently.
What about you? What are you practicing? What is your history?
TI
[quote=“Tibetan_Ice”]
Hi Yogsadhak
My first yoga book was “The Complete Yoga Book by James Hewitt”. I used to be able to do the full lotus and then go into the head stand.
I also got heavily involved in “Carlos Casteneda - Don Juan” and spent many hours gazing, searching for power spots, looking for my hands in my dreams etc.
I also always wanted to astral travel and got into Robert Monroe and Paul Twitchell.
Then I joined the Rosicrucians for a couple years. Then I joined the SRF for a couple years.
I’m also a Reiki master and have many crystals ( I used to cut and polish rocks when I was a kid).
I discovered AYP 2 1/2 years ago and have practiced twice a day, often more than twice a day, since then. I also do alot of other practices and try many things (like kunlun). It’s like my curiousity is insatiable.
I have written about some recent experiences here:
http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3691
You know, I’m not looking for any fans or followers and I’m not a guru. The more I learn the more I realize I don’t know and probably won’t know in this lifetime.
I’m currently reading “Wings To Freedom: Mystic Revelations from Babaji And The Himalayan Yogis By Yogiraj Gurunath Siddhanath” and I just finished the part where a guru manifests enough food for a banquet out of astral substance. That reminded that I also wanted to be able to levitate, become invisible and manifest objects from astral substance. I’ve always believed that these things were possible and that it’s just a matter of knowing the right technique.
Lately, though, I’m trying to focus more on “the being that exists behind the eyes that is looking out and never changes”. That and trying to consistently achieve samadhi, nirvikalpa or otherwise.
Sorry, I’m not familiar enough with either of those versions of kriya to warrant commenting on them. I’m familiar with SRF practices but I never received the initiation. I’m also familiar with Norman Paulsen’s (disciple of Yogananda) meditation and spinal breathing technique and I have the books by Ennio Nimis. Much to my dismay, it seems that every teaching has variations. It is hard to distill everything down to something that works consistently.
What about you? What are you practicing? What is your history?
TI
Hi Tibetan Ice, The first book on Yoga I read was " The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga" By Swami Vishnudevananda. Back then I had achieved many advanced postures and shatkarmas. I've been studying/practicing yoga for about 14 Years, And like you the more I learn,the more I want to learn. More info later.....
Sometimes I wonder whether it really matters which practice we do, as long as the intention and bhakti are present…
Yes I agree. Bhakti and regular meditation are all you really need. Nothing wrong with all the other practices of course. but those of us who don’t do all the other practices don’t have to feel like we will never “get there”.
Agreed a 100%… just have to add to that, consistency with practices. Sticking with one set of practices over time is more effective than trying something new often.
If you want to strike water, keep digging in one place.
I just came across this thread and a question popped into my mind (regarding “One size does not fit all”). After years of practice and still lacking much of the direct experience mentioned in the text, can a system (such as AYP or an arbitrary other one) be trusted as working (for everyone) given enough time and patience? Or should the sails be set to another shore when direct experience still does not show up after a prolonged time?
Hi Cato,
Everyone has their own path. If one path is not working for you, after giving it your best shot, then you should certainly try something else. The measure of success of a spiritual path is in how you feel during the day. Do you feel better than you did a week ago, or last month, or last year, or three years ago? Do you feel more peaceful, more forgiving, more loving? If the answer is “no”, then I would suggest trying another path. After all, the only purpose of a spiritual path is to bring about an improvement in our lives.
If you do try out something different, do keep us posted on how it is going for you.
Christi
Cato, I know you have long-time sensitivity issues and hope things are smoother for you. Whether a particular system works or not may also be influenced by what you brought with you. AYP was my first and only meditation practice, and I can report it works as advertised, but I know for many here, in particular those in premature awakenings, AYP may prove to be too much. Even if AYP is not for you, at least you have a better understanding of what it takes to become accustomed to an ecstatic body, from the hefty amount of knowledge provided in the free lessons.
True.
Tbh, momentarily there is no other path that speaks to my heart. Be it TM, zazen, SRF, or else. Guess I’ll keep going and see what comes along the way.
Enjoy the end of the year! 
Hi Cato,
What is your current daily practice routine? And do you manage to practice every day, or does your practice fluctuate?
Are you still experiencing energetic overload symptoms?
Christi
Dear Christi,
after several years of AYP, I felt the urge to make a digression and dip into the teachings and practices of SRF. I did that for a few months. I very much like the writings, teachings and thoughts of Yogananda, but the practices felt kind of rigid. I had to do that step for myself after thinking about it for a while and came back to AYP.
Like the time before, I’m doing 15 minutes of DM and 5 minutes of rest. I do the practice twice every day. I cannot satisfactorily answer your question concerning overload symptoms as I started the practices recently. I will do my routine for a while and get back to your question.
Hi Christi,
perhaps one more question along the way: In DM (mantra meditation), my body repeatedly tenses slightly. Even though the mind gets calm, the body tenses. Every time I realize, I try to relax. Probably those things should just let be with favoring the mantra. Is that correct?
Hi Cato,
Yes, if you notice things happening in your body during meditation, simply easily favour the mantra over anything else that is happening. The body will take care of itself. The same thing would apply, for example, if someone notices that they have stopped breathing. They would simply come back to the mantra. The body will start breathing again on its own.
Christi
Dear Cato,
When I notice my body tensing like that, I take a moment to breathe (one breath is sufficient) and let go, to release the straining. It is usually indicative that I am straining on the mantra as well instead of easy favoring. Then I resume favoring the mantra.
Sey