Hari Om
Hello Sadhu,
For those that are esoteric at heart, I thought to post this topic of Vasanas , or those impressions that are gained by the native life-to-life. These vasanas form the foundation of the individual, birth after birth. Some say they are the root cause for re-birth, as the impressions for unfulfilled desires are brought life-after-life to be fulfilled. Becoming enlightened stops this progression.
I bring this up because as we gain deeper silence in the discovery of SELF, these vasanas have smaller impressions on us as our consciousness becomes clearer and we lose the clutter.
Patanjali talks much of this in his yoga-sutras… you probably know vasana by another name, samskara, which is an approximation.
I was taught this analogy. In ignorance consciousness we receive impressions in chitta and its like a chisel making a line on a piece of granite. Its deep and it stays for a very long time. As one meditates and gets clearer, the impressions are more like a stick drawing a line in sand. Its there, you see it, yet the sand falls in on itself and the line is “captured” back into the sand. Then we meditate a bit more, consciousness expands, more purity and the impressions are like a line being drawn in water. Its there and then its not. More transcending , more purity (sattva infusion) and now the impressions are like drawing a line in the air! subtly there, but then gone. NO binding influence; No karmic baggage, no lasting impressions, no vasanas. Bingo! your done.
The only remnants is the thing called Lesha-avidya, or the remains ( left overs or coloration) of ignorance just due to acting in this world.
Now, you may want to note how you handle situations over time (this really has changed for me)… this gives you a glimpse of how impressions are made into your circuitry. Are they deep, shallow? are you craving for things or do objects and desires have less hold on you? A good gage to consider the vasana impressions.
As we progress, a few things arise:
Sattwapatti or purity of mind. All mental modifications are reduced to identification with the Self.
Asamsakti or detached state. Being unaffected by anything in the world, due to the knowledge of the Self.
Peace and abundance in your practices,
Frank In San Diego