More questions - advise, please!

[kami]

I'm sure these have been addressed before, but I'd like to still get some advice:

1. Order of kriyas: Currently, this is my routine:
Asanas (30-45 min, 5 days a week, at least 5 min on busy days)
SBP (10 min)
Bastrika (2-3 min)
Jalandhara (2 times each direction)
DM (20 min)
Samyama (5 min)
Yoni mudra kumbhaka (3 reps)
Rest (5-10 min)

Is this correct?

2. When short of time (this happens often), I cut out everything but SBP and DM - should I add short versions of anything else to keep up the momentum?

3. I go through phases of intense longing and bhakti that levels off (a sine wave) and starts back up after weeks - how can one keep up the intense hunger and thirst all the time?

4. One major conflict I have is this - I like nice things! Clothes, etc. yet I'm always mindful that I somehow should not! I've noticed that I'm not emotionally attached to physical things as in the past - I wonder when the real detachment sets in ? Please share your experience - it might help with this intense inner conflict..

As always, thank you to all!

kami

[christiane]

Dear Kami,

first welcome

second: I prefer letting other long term AYP practitioners answer your question concerning the practices.

But allow me to answer your concern about "attachment to nice things"

I will ask you a simple question: why "shouldn't you" appreciate
beautiful things? This simply means you are sensible to beauty!
What's wrong in enjoying what life offers, the simple wordly pleasures? Clothes, food, going out, fashion, etc..
As long as you stay connected to your inner "nice world", I see no wrong in that..
Inner conflict comes from the fact that you are split into 2 "you".
The one who is thirsty for spiritual nourishment, prana, silence, and all the bliss and peaceful feelings it brings, and the other "you" who is still not ready to drop the pleasurable sensations and satisfaction of material things.. And there's nothing wrong in that!
Simply accept both dimensions simply because they are not separate.
The separation is in you. You draw the line that split s both "worlds".
I don't know how long you've been practicing your kriyas, and where you are now in term of inner space of silence and awareness, but all I can say is just keep on loving whatever practice you do, treat your practices like you would take care of a baby () and by and by you'll start to notice that the external attachments starts losing intensity.
Maybe you will - like it happened to me - start looking at clothes with a less feverish eye, with more peace inside..
you will start seeing clothes as they are: something useful and nice that covers the body. And maybe your taste for colours will change ..
you'll star noticing how colors and textures influence your mood and energy..etc. etc.
Your increasing sensitivity and inner silence will spread out of you to reach the 'outer' world whereas it was the opposite way before..
And when you reach a certain inner silence and stability, you'll enjoy with even more intensity whatever you were finding nice before..
So instead of being "mindful that you should not" like nice things,
just enjoy nice things with awareness.. just try to watch yourself loving those nice things.. how does it feel inside, how your emotions and thoughts are affected.. just feel without judging..

Nature is nothing but pure beauty!! all the clothes and fashion stuff we create are nothing but copies (somtimes pale copies) of mother nature's beauty..
We come from the same nature, the same beauty... it's natural we tend to seek beauty around.. and when we can see our inner beauty, we will automatically be sensible to every beauty around.. in a subtle and fresh brand new way..

From a beauty lover..

[CarsonZi]

Hi Kami.....

quote:Originally posted by kami

I'm sure these have been addressed before, but I'd like to still get some advice:
1. Order of kriyas: Currently, this is my routine:
Asanas (30-45 min, 5 days a week, at least 5 min on busy days)
SBP (10 min)
Bastrika (2-3 min)
Jalandhara (2 times each direction)
DM (20 min)
Samyama (5 min)
Yoni mudra kumbhaka (3 reps)
Rest (5-10 min)
Is this correct?

In Lesson 209: http://www.aypsite.com/plus/209.html Yogani calls the rountine below "our moderate "full plate" routine:

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)"

So you might want to consider switching the place of your Chin Pump with your Bastrika pranayam.  I think this is the "optimal" routine in Yogani's experience.  Personally I like doing bastrika BEFORE SBP (and occasionally do Bastrika during particular asanas) because I find Bastrika "lights up my spine" really quickly and I can get into SBP easier.  That's just me though.  Only you will know what the best order for your practices will be for you.  Yogani's order above is a good place to start from though....lots of personal experience and experimentation went into creating that rountine.

quote:Originally posted by kami

2. When short of time (this happens often), I cut out everything but SBP and DM - should I add short versions of anything else to keep up the momentum?

It's up to you, but personally I find SBP and DM in a time pinch to be perfectly adaquate.

quote:Originally posted by kami

3. I go through phases of intense longing and bhakti that levels off (a sine wave) and starts back up after weeks - how can one keep up the intense hunger and thirst all the time?

This was discussed recently here: http://www.aypsite.com/plus-forum/index.php?topic=5989 ...Think you may find reading this thread will be of some use in answering this question.

quote:Originally posted by kami

4. One major conflict I have is this - I like nice things! Clothes, etc. yet I'm always mindful that I somehow should not! I've noticed that I'm not emotionally attached to physical things as in the past - I wonder when the real detachment sets in ? Please share your experience - it might help with this intense inner conflict..

See Christiane's response above[].....nothing more to be said by this soul.  Wishing you Bliss!

Love,
Carson[^]

[kami]

Thank you!

Christiane - you are lovely, thank you for that sensible response. It clicked inside. For the last month or so, I notice that I watch myself looking at nice clothes etc definitely with a less feverish pitch, but mostly with humor (something like "look, a pretty sheath for the food sheath.. or some such thing"). My appreciation for nature has increased by leaps and bounds and I get emotional looking at trees, flowers, anything.. this has extended to everything else in life as well. I find myself constantly redecorating the house, rearranging things to look better, etc.. your explanation makes sense, and gives me peace. Thanks again..

Carson, thanks as always. I will change the order of the chin pump and bastrika.. and try bastrika first, to see if it will light up my spine as well .

kami

[CarsonZi]

Probably doesn't really need to be stated as you likely already know this, but please remember to watch for overload symptoms and pace accordingly....that's a pretty full routine you have going on.  Likely stating the obvious, just felt it should be stated anyways.

Love,
Carson[^]

[grihastha]

Hi Kami,

As regards the things, it's doesn't matter if you like nice clothes and everything else, as long as not having them doesn't cause you any disturbance. Passion is brilliant. But attachment isn't. As that old crypto-Buddhist () William Wordsworth said:

 

quote:The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;

Be as easy with not having as you are with having, and vice-versa.

Re bhakti, I find it comes in waves as well. You do want it to be strong all the time because it feels so intense, but it can turn into just another attachment - at which point you've lost the plot. I've been there!

Emaho!

gri