Is Cosmic Samyama a Core Practice?

06. Discussions on AYP Deep Meditation and Samyama
1

My question concerns the role of cosmic samyama. Some of the lessons convey cosmic samyama as a fairly important baseline AYP practice routine.
In lesson 204, Yogani writes “now we have come to the point where all of the main advanced yoga practices have been shared”. However, at this point in lesson 204, cosmic samyama has not been mentioned (it is not mentioned until lesson 299). Additionally, later on in lesson 204 under the “practices” section, cosmic samyama is not specifically mentioned in the list.
Additionally, in lesson 209, Yogani gives an example of a “full plate” AYP routine as follows:
Asanas - 10 min
Spinal breathing - 10 min
Chin pump - 5 min
Spinal bastrika - 5 min
Meditation - 20 min
Samyama - 10 min
Yoni mudra - 5 minutes
Targeted or crown bastrika (optional) - 5 min
Rest - 5 min (or more)
In this example, cosmic samyama is also not mentioned.
But then, there are lessons like 385.1, wherein cosmic samyama is given its own column in the chart, implying that it is a fairly significant baseline practice.
As we all know, there are an endless number of spiritual practices one could take on, and AYP does a great job figuring out which ones are the best bang for your buck in terms of time investment.
I’ve always categorized AYP practices in terms of importance as follows (ranked roughly from most impactful to least impactful. Or perhaps another way of looking at it, which practices one should add before adding others)

  1. Deep meditation
  2. Spinal breathing pranayama
  3. Asanas, Samyama
  4. Chin pump, spinal bastrika, yoni mudra, cosmic samyama
  5. Targeted/crown bastrika, dedicated navi kriya
    There are some practices such as targeted/crown bastrika that are extremely discretionary, with likely very few practitioners taking them on.
    Let’s say one wanted to construct a routine that had the whole AYP enchilada. Where does cosmic samyama fit in terms of the “full plate” of AYP practices? Is it a tried and true later stage baseline practice such as chin pump, spinal bastrika, yoni mudra, etc? Or is it more discretionary, such as targeted/crown bastrika?
    In some ways it seems to be presented as a core practice. However in other posts, it seems to be left out of the “full plate” AYP routine.
2

Judging from the lessons alone, I think it is clear that cosmic samyama is not a core practice.

  1. In the cosmic samyama lesson (https://www.aypsite.org/299.html) Yogani calls the previously introduced samyama practice (with the 9 sutras https://www.aypsite.org/150.html) “core samyama”.
  2. In lesson https://www.aypsite.org/317.html Yogani writes “This review is for newcomers to samyama, and for those who may have taken on expanded applications beginning with Lesson 299, for cosmic samyama (advanced yoga nidra), samyama with yoga postures, and using the principles of samyama in prayer.”
    I decided to add cosmic samyama to my twice-daily practice routine, and enjoy it a lot. It has added an incredible amount of finesse to my ability to sense and locate chakras and generally sense my body, and it made the rest phase even more fascinating. After releasing the final sutra I often drop into a very robust type of samadhi. So for me personally cosmic samyama has become a core practice.
3

Thank you TensorTympani,
Yes, I suppose it does come down to what we mean by “core” practice. From one interpretation, the only truly core practice to AYP would be DM, with everything else being optional to a degree :slight_smile:
That’s awesome to hear of the benefits you experienced by adding the practice. I think I will likely add it fairly soon.
Thank you!