Why is this better?
Hi Mykal,
According to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, we suffer not because forces outside ourselves, but because our misperception of who we are and what the world is. This misperception makes us look for fulfilment in the outside world. The world is changing continuously, and it cannot provide any stable fulfilment. What we actually look for is in us – the inner silent stillness. This silent stillness in our true nature and it is within us constantly.
Compared with focused-attention and mindfulness, the self-transcending meditation techniques like deep meditation and transcendental meditation direct the attention to the inside and quiet the mind, so we could see beyond the veils of ignorance to our true Self. The practice of DM and TM is supposed to be effortless. Even the meditative technique is left behind; thus, nothing disturbs the mirror of the mind. Only a focused and tranquil mind allows an undistorted perception of the Self.
Samyama and Cosmic Samyama expand the awareness. For example, when practiced as Yogani advices before falling asleep, I find that I easily maintain awareness during sleeping and dreaming. Over time, this increase awareness results in a general mindfulness. For example, it is easy to notice the details of day to day life – it seems to me that these details were there before, they were recorded before this generalized awareness became stable, but I had trouble retrieving them from the memory.
Focused-attention and mindfulness do work, but self-transcending techniques seem to work faster, at least in my experience. Let me know if this makes sense to you.
Best wishes for your practice,
Blanche
Makes sense to me! 
Dogboy
Hi Blanche, maybe I don’t understand your two posts, but I don’t agree with that view. To me, this idea of self-trascending sounds like a new separation. I am not looking for that kind of evolution in my life and in my yoga practices - I am trying to connect as much as I can with that continuously changing world. A quiet, silent mind is a pleasant thing, no doubt!, but it can also make you very disfunctional/disconnected in daily life (unless you live a life without family, job, …).
Hi Ecdyonurus,
An increasing sense of separation is not the experience here. It is a gradual falling out of the identifications with the body-mind-person. What we are is beyond words, and any description is limiting. What we are is the unbounded awareness that expresses itself in the world. There is only One here, that is everything - and you are that. You feel connected with everything because you are everything. You function better because your resources are unlimited, your joy is unlimited, everything you focus on opens to your knowledge.
In the end, these are only words - the truth is in the practice, and it does not matter if we agree or disagree. 
Hi Blanche, thank you for your reply.
Now I completely agree with that last quote. But I don’t find that view in Patanjali’s scripture. What you say is more rooted in a tantra view, IMO, which is a quite different thing.
4.34 then the seer the seeing and seen is one, resting in his own nature.
4.6 Mind born from meditation is crystal-clear
1.17 vitarka-vicara-ananda-asmita-rupa-anugamat samprajnatah…amongst others.
Sorry, have to defend Patanjali
All great teachers and scriptures say the same, in different words…
Hi Charliedog, do you really consider that those few Patanjali sutras do encompass what Blanche wrote?! My POV is quite different. And, by the way, I don’t think that all great teachers and scriptures say the same.
Hi Blanche,
I have 4.5 years of xp in AYP, and 10.5 in the other type.
Can I ask what your experience is? And how do you measure?
I prefer mindlessness 
,
c
Hi Blanche, thank you for your reply.
Now I completely agree with that last quote. But I don’t find that view in Patanjali’s scripture. What you say is more rooted in a tantra view, IMO, which is a quite different thing.
Hi Ecdyonurus, Could you explain what you mean when you say that my replay was rooted in Tantra rather then Patanjali? I wrote based on the text and my yoga practice. My understanding is that Tantra is a set of practices meant to promote the union of Shiva and Shakti within the individual, as a path to attain a state of non-duality between the individual and the corresponding macro-cosmos. The union of Shiva and Shakti in the body seems to be the fundamental of SB. My experience is that there is a correspondence between micro-cosmos (the individual) and macro-cosmos (the universe), as each part of the creation is whole, complete, it is a hologram of the entire creation. Patanjali says something different, as Charliedog points to with the quotes from the Yoga Sutras. The same argument is made right in the opening sutras (translated by Egenes): 1.2 Yoga is the complete settling of the activity of the mind. 1.3 Then the observer if established in the Self. 1.12 Through practice and non-attachment, the (mental) modifications are stilled. 1.13 Practice is the endeavor to become established in the state of yoga. 1.16 The highest state of non-attachment is freedom from all change, which comes through knowledge of the Self. 1.51 In the settling of that state {nirbija samadhi] also, all is calmed, and what remains is unbounded wakefulness. Patanjali is a practical teacher, whose philosophical ideas are subordinated to the most effective methods for self-realization. He says that by stilling the mind we get access to the Self. This brings liberation from the constrains of a changing world. What is left is unbounded awareness. I am interested how this is approached in Tantra.
Hi Mykal,
37 years of asanas and pranayama, 24 years of mantra meditation (last 4 with AYP), some familiarity with attention-focused and mindfulness (they are not my daily practice).
Mantra meditation has worked for me. I know a number of people who have practiced DM for 1-2 years, report “glimpses”, and enjoy the benefits of it, while they practice at a moderate pace and maintain a householder life. I know a number of long-term TM practitioners who went through significant shifts. I know two mindfulness practitioners who have had glimpses and even significant shifts. Both of them spend some months every year in retreats. I also know practitioners of loving-kindness meditation and Buddhist Zen. They do report some benefits. Thus, when I recommend DM, I do it because I am familiar with it, and I can testify that it works in the context of an active life.
I am not sure if this answers your questions. What is your experience with mindfulness and DM?
Cosmic,
Mindlessness = Bliss 
Ahhh…being in the mind, but not of it…the way of the yogi. 
Hi Ecdyonurus,
My reply was a bit short, still find it not easy to express what I really would like to say in English.
Patanjali opened my eyes, it was/is my bible for a long time, everything inside me said yes when I purchased the book. The book was/is my roadmap, where I was/am at this journey.
Blanche is a key in explaining where I am not. Thank you Blanche
In the meantime I’ve read many books of many traditions. First the differences where noticed. Different practices, but as I thought also different outcomes. Some speak of emptiness (shunya) some of love, non-duality, wholeness. Finding Self, Soul, God, That.
I was comparing them. I thought for instance, I don’t like Zen, they talk about nothingness and emptiness, it’s so cold with Zen, I prefer Love. I prefer Shiva and Shakti. So the writings of tantra where preferred. Each individual can find the teaching that speaks to him/her and also that can change during the journey.
One day was realized all teachings are tools to remove the veils of ignorance and see That. To practice and experience That.
It’s like the finger pointing to the moon, I was looking at the finger.
Patanjali is in my eyes complete but without any emotion written.
Yogani is the one who explaines all in very clear language IMO, his writings answered many unasked questions.
Sorry for this simplicity, however I read many English books, the writing stays behind
[quote=“Blanche”]
At the moment, I practice AYP only. I can see that there is progress, and I believe it works, although I adjusted the practice to my preferences.
But when I look at the benefits and skills that I developed which help me in real life, I can see only those from the practice of mindfullness techniques (at least those benefits that I can with certainty link to practices).
They enabled me to see that thoughts and emotions are not all mine, and although I am not at the point where I can say ‘I am’ 
, at least I have gained a lot of help to deal with the drama to which my life has lead me.
There has been help from the members of this community here, and I believe their love has helped and is helping me still to grow to a better something.
But concerning the technique I am still a sceptic , although I am obviously still giving it the benefit of the doubt.
When comparing the progress I gained from the two, I am very much in doubt that I could say something like: “the progress I gained from AYP is something I wouldn’t get from mindfullness techniques had I continued with my old practice…”
That is why, I asked you, could you explain, in detail, why do you say:
And I apologize if I disregard references to Patanjali & Co., I was never the one to follow the sciptures.
Charlied-
Simplicity is best because Truth is simple.
Hi Charliedog,
Your English is very good, and you express yourself clearly. I enjoy reading your posts.
Bodhi