Hi nirmal,
Natural elongation and stretching of the spinal cord at the cervix can be quite relaxing. However what you describe could be evidence of jalandahara bandha wanting to occur( you might see here referred to in ayp as' automatic-yoga')I used to get it a few years ago,after asana practice and then sitting down entering meditation. I won't talk about that though.
quote:
Is this falling of the chin to the chest an indicator of deep meditation?
Losing the mantra and then realising you have lost it is a good sign of deep meditation.Whatever else is happening consciously above gently making the effort to favour the mantra is what we call here as "scenery"- you can observe,also be aware of it but it is not your primary focus- saying the mantra is.
quote:
If so, do I consciously try to maintain
this posture to further enhance my practice?
Anything else does'nt sound like DM.I would stick to the logical steps for taking on additional practices layed out in the lessons. DM then SbP( i am never quite sure what acronym ppeople use here for spinal breathing pranayama).You can add jalndahra bandha later, if you like. BUt one suggestion,i'm sure others here can offer theirs, is always
favour the mantra(i.e it is your main focus)Whatever happens let it happen.
However if you have lost the mantra and then realise your are somewhere else, ,i.e lost it,-a sign of the dm working and therfore more growing inner silence,opening,, and your neck is down then in the following sequence-
-assume an erect posture,spine neutral and upright in your most comfortable sitting poistion that will acheive this(cushions on the ground or a seat)
- do a BODY SCAN(I.E do you feel tension at your neck?- if so place your attention there. let it dissolve
-then return to favouring the mantra.
If the neck is down whilst in the midst of favouring the mantra then don't do anything that will interfere with foloowing the simple DM procedure.
You mentioned you have a pain in th neck in other post(s).Well what i do is i do a body scan( i know the left handside of my body- thhe whole left handside body is tight) so i place my attention there ( it is mentioned in the little blue book) before returning to favouring the mantra.
quote:
It seems I loose track of the mantra and by gently going back to it, my head comes back up only
for a short period before going back down.
Losing track off the mantra is a reminder your practice is working, and you are being effective.That is fantastic!!Great!
When you realise you have lost the mantra.
That is fine as long as you are on the mantra, and have'nt forgotten it and realised you have lost it,and then assume a postrue different from that receomended in the lessons.
If you analyse this- .The procedure is-favour the mantra ( ie. over everything else that might be occuring)
If the neck down is secondary-something one is aware of also,apart from saying the mantra, then that engenders a thought - my neck is down,as does 'i must correct it' or whatever.
In a nutshell as long as it does'mn interfere with the procedure. Whatever happens during let it occurr.But before you enagegw the procedure assume an upright posture, with the neck up.Then relax all tensions in the body( neck,wherever),acheeived ultiamtely through complete surrender,enter the bliss state before returning to the procedure- favouring silently saying the mantra gently.
others may offer their own thoughts.I hope this might help. perhaps it does. Perhaps it does'nt.
Love,
Akasha[^]
