Meditation Practices

[NinduP]

Hi all,

My question is, does being a Sikh, allow things such as watching the mind, or watching the watcher. I'm not too sure if it's vipassana meditation?

Also enquiring, "Who am I?" from Ramana Maharshi. Which directs you from the mind to the source, inside you, the atman, ever present, watcher, God - if you like.

Also naam simran and contemplation of gurbani and other religious texts, dependent on where I'm at.

This stuff suits me at various stages, but is any of it against gurmat?

Thanks guys, appreciated

NinduP

 

[BhagatSingh]

I think you are on the right track. I have tried vipassana among others. It comes from the Buddhist tradition. Here you observe your breath. Acknowledging but not reacting to any thought content. And if you find yourself reacting to thoughts then not reacting further. Easier said than done Hahaha

It brings me to the same sense of peace as meditation practices in the Sikh tradition as simran and contemplation on Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and other scriptures. I would also try Listening as a meditation. Listening very attentively to kirtan, to other sounds even. As Guru Nanak says in Japji Sahib suniya dookh paap ka naas

Here's a shabad from Gubani which I think you will recognize instantly if you are familiar with the teachings of Ramana Maharshi or any of his students.

Read the whole shabad: http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=KeertanPage&K=441&L=3&id=20136

ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥
मन तूं जोति सरूपु है आपणा मूलु पछाणु ॥
Man ṯūʼn joṯ sarūp hai āpṇā mūl pacẖẖāṇ.
O my mind, you are the embodiment of the Divine Light - recognize your own origin.
ਮਨ ਹਰਿ ਜੀ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਲਿ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਰੰਗੁ ਮਾਣੁ ॥
मन हरि जी तेरै नालि है गुरमती रंगु माणु ॥
Man har jī ṯerai nāl hai gurmaṯī rang māṇ.
O my mind, the Dear Lord is with you; through the Guru's Teachings, enjoy His Love.
ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣਹਿ ਤਾਂ ਸਹੁ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਮਰਣ ਜੀਵਣ ਕੀ ਸੋਝੀ ਹੋਈ ॥
मूलु पछाणहि तां सहु जाणहि मरण जीवण की सोझी होई ॥
Mūl pacẖẖāṇėh ṯāʼn saho jāṇėh maraṇ jīvaṇ kī sojẖī ho▫ī.
Acknowledge your origin, and then you shall know your Husband Lord, and so understand death and birth.
ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਏਕੋ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਤਾਂ ਦੂਜਾ ਭਾਉ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥
गुर परसादी एको जाणहि तां दूजा भाउ न होई ॥
Gur parsādī eko jāṇėh ṯāʼn ḏūjā bẖā▫o na ho▫ī.
By Guru's Grace, know the One; then, you shall not love any other.
ਮਨਿ ਸਾਂਤਿ ਆਈ ਵਜੀ ਵਧਾਈ ਤਾ ਹੋਆ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥
मनि सांति आई वजी वधाई ता होआ परवाणु ॥
Man sāʼnṯ ā▫ī vajī vaḏẖā▫ī ṯā ho▫ā parvāṇ.
Peace comes to the mind, and gladness resounds; then, you shall be acclaimed.
ਇਉ ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਅਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥੫॥
इउ कहै नानकु मन तूं जोति सरूपु है अपणा मूलु पछाणु ॥५॥
I▫o kahai Nānak man ṯūʼn joṯ sarūp hai apṇā mūl pacẖẖāṇ. ||5||
Thus says Nanak: O my mind, you are the very image of the Luminous Lord; recognize the true origin of your self. ||5||

[SIZE=-2]Guru Granth Sahib Page 441[/SIZE]

 

[NinduP]

Cheers for that post BhagatSingh. It took quite a while and quite a bit of discrimination to get to where I'm at.

I feel that my mind for a long time has taken a lot of my power, and it is quite powerful, the ego is very strong. So depending on where I am, I use various practices so I have a larger tool box against the mind.

I respect Ramana Maharshi, and when it comes to vipassana I use it when my thinking gets stuck in an infinite loop.

But naam simran can easily get me into a samadhi state so I cannot stress stongly enough that it was a technique that did not work for me before, but as my mind gets punctured by God, naam simran is a very powerful meditation by the blessings of all ancient teachers of world religions.

Thanks again BhagatSingh

 

[BhagatSingh]

Yes.

Nindup ji, if you are able to achieve samadhi while in solitude, I think the next step would be to try and achieve it outside of solitude, in public, while speaking to a difficult person, etc. Have you tried that? How did that go?

Keep us updated on your experiences in this area, as you go about practicing meditation. I find this stuff fascinating.