#shivarudrabalayogi

[lazyyogi]

Do you have a “favorite” or “primary” spiritual practice?

Yes, Jangama Dhyana is my gold standard. This is the method that my guru and his guru practiced for the complete realization of enlightenment, and the method that my guru Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi continues to teach.

For many years, this technique was all I needed. As a college student at an Ivy league university, as an unemployed graduate living at home, as yet again a student at a different ivy league university, my life was sheltered enough such that it resembled similar protections as that of a monk. I didn't have to concern myself as much with life in human society.

As I faced some health problems and then the challenges of adult life in American society, I found that other spiritual practices in addition to jangama dhyana were particularly helpful--tantric methods that addressed our body's auric and energy systems in harmony with divinity.

I am not enlightened and I am navigating a path that is relatively new in our world. Ignorance is timeless, of course, but as I try to find methods for self-liberation even as I endeavor to live as a modern-day householder, I have to be a little creative in the utilization of certain teachings and practices.

Jangama dhyana is what I rely on as my touchstone. It is what orients every other practice and philosophy I may encounter. And it is thanks to the blessings of my guru that I enjoy any degree of peace and clarity.

LY

[zenon413]

Prologue

Le 7 février 2021

Attiré par le spectacle des corps beaux et l’exploration de troublantes paraphilies je crée Sexploration en août 2017.

A partir du 17 décembre 2018 Tumblr annonce le bannissement des nombreux blogs adultes qui fleurissaient sur cette plateforme. Suite à cette censure j’arrête d’alimenter le blog mais je continue à suivre certains blogs spirituels américains qui contribuent à faire naître chez moi une sérénité qui ne m’est pas vraiment naturelle.

Il s’agit notamment de

Sam  bouddhiste californien un peu plus jeune que moi

The Lazy Yogi  jeune médecin disciple de Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi

Zen Mister  qui diffuse quotidiennement un court et limpide enseignement dans l’esprit du zen

Il me vient de plus la tentation d’explorer le versant francophone de la plateforme. Mon blog étant devenu pratiquement inaccessible je me décide donc après de longues hésitations à créer ce nouveau blog qui sera par la force des choses assez différent de l’ancien.

[bookmania]

Real surrender is when the mind becomes quiet.

Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi

[lazyyogi]

A traveling altar. It may look like randomness to some and weirdness to others. The answer is yes. But it is also orienting. Today I moved into a new apartment that is mine for the next month. In my own home, I have an extensive altar. What to bring? Such a situation requires reflection on utility versus attachment. I didn’t think too much about it. I took what I felt would be helpful and trusted it would come together in its own way. Ta-da. #altar #invisibles #guru #yoga #tarot #ganesha #ultraculture #shivarudrabalayogi https://www.instagram.com/p/BzW05yInjWI/?igshid=1di4y8z46qghq

[lazyyogi]

[lazyyogi]

Meditation: Why, What, and How?

Why Meditate?

Life pulls us in every direction but one: inward. As we go about our walk through this world, we not only have our own desires and needs to contend with but also those of the people with which we come into contact. In meditation, you come back to your Self as you truly are.

From birth onward, we are told what we are and what we are not. Meditation is the way to discover what it really means to exist; and the way to rest peacefully in that awareness.

Until you come to know the silence and stillness of your Being, you will remain a victim of your human body/mind. Your body/mind’s problems will be Your problems. Once you realize through experience that your body/mind is in You but You are not your body/mind, everything changes. 

The world becomes a benevolent place without fear and without selfishness. Only then can you love all beings unconditionally and be of real service to the world. 

What is Meditation?

In meditation, there is nowhere to go and nothing to do. In that way meditation is unlike every other activity in which we have been forced to engage. 

To quote Eckhart Tolle:“Doing is never enough if you neglect Being.”

There is nothing this world can give you that you do not already have within you. The pleasure that you think you get from experiences and people are really only your own reaction to those things. If you kick your dependency on the outer to give you permission to experience the inner, then you will know permanent joy. 

When you sit for meditation, you observe and experience your human body and mind without judgement or analysis. In doing so, you will slowly come to a place of stillness and silence that bears witness to the body-mind without identifying with it. Far from creating a sense of depressed detachment, this experience brings with it a tremendous sense of relief. And when we are relieved, we can be ourselves as we truly are.

You are like space itself, uncuttable and untouchable. And yet through the form of your human existence you may interact with this world as you please, with utter love and compassion. 

How do I meditate?

Meditation is most effective when it is a daily practice. Otherwise it is very easy to forget your Self in the bustle of human living. 15-20 minutes a day would be a good starting point, but feel free to do less or more so long as you can continue that practice every day. 

You can find meditation instructions I have written here.

There is no perfect meditation or bad meditation. Every meditation is the meditation you needed. It is a process and it can take some time for certain mental karmas (the impressions and judgements of the mind) to fall away. 

As my guru Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi insists, the three qualities of dedication, determination, and discipline are necessary for anyone who truly wishes to discover the nature of existence. It’s worth it.

LY

[lazyyogi]

The Inner Guru VS. “Be Your Own Guru”

There is a spiritual teaching that states, “The outer guru leads you to the inner guru.”

Or another that says, “The outer guru pushes you inward while the inner guru pulls you within.”

A true human guru is fully enlightened or self-realized. Such realization reveals that there is no such thing as a discrete separate self; there is only that ocean of awareness. As such, there is really only one guru: that divine ocean.

And that is why I personally feel that the new age spiritual saying, “Be your own guru” is unhelpful.

There have been and continue to be many false gurus who create cults around themselves. It has given such a bad reputation to the guru-disciple relationship that to tell any “normal” person you are a disciple of a guru is met with immediate judgment and skepticism. This same attitude is why the “be your own guru” concept has gained popularity in the west, especially in the spiritual lifestyle circles (as opposed to those seeking enlightenment).

A true guru will impart a spiritual practice onto a seeker, along with a blessing. The guru will instruct in the proper methods, dispel doubts and confusion, and give encouragement. A guru will not walk the path for you nor will they try to control you.

At the same time, the fundamental spiritual teaching is that you are That; you are already the divine ocean of awareness. You have only forgotten it due to illusion, which is called ignorance. This ignorance is removed via spiritual practice.

As a result, the guru is not essentially different from you and the guru sees all as the divine. The inner guru to which your spiritual practice brings you is a kind of knowingness, a kind of grace-filled silence.

When your spiritual practice fascinates you and attracts you inward, it is the activity of the inner guru, your real Self. This is the guru worthy of your absolute trust and devotion. It is not your personality or your mind or your thoughts.

When I first met my guru, Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi, I asked him how can I find my guru. He told me to pray to the divine and the divine would lead me to my guru. If no physical human guru were available, then the divine itself would descend to be my guru.

If you are seeking that thing many have called enlightenment, self-realization, awakening, or whatever, it makes sense to meet and receive guidance from other humans who have managed this task. Many make false claims and so a seeker must have an open mind but also some common sense along the way.

Namaste

[lazyyogi]

“Real surrender is when the mind becomes quiet.”

— Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi

[lazyyogi]

Hi, lazyyogi! Who are your favorite authors fictional and spiritual? And what are the books that you think helped you the most in your journey? Thank you! I don't use tumblr that much anymore but your site is still a favorite :)

My all time favorite work of fiction is probably The Invisibles by Grant Morrison. Reading this comic series was an initiation that reverberated throughout space-time. I’m actually rereading it now for the first time in almost a decade. 

This is followed closely by Promethea by Alan Moore. Another magickal story and transformative comic to read. 

Another author I love is Neil Gaiman, both his Sandman comic and his books. 

My favorite spiritual author is probably Nome.

Spiritual books that helped me most are:

The Power of Now by Eckhart TolleThe Places That Scare You by Pema ChodronSelf-Knowledge by Nome Belonging Here by Judith BlackstoneZen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu SuzukiThe Avadhuta Gita as translated by Sri Purohit SwamiThe Ashtavakra Gita as translated by Thomas Byrom

There are many more books I have read and loved on my path. These are the ones I feel were probably most influential on me. 

There is also my guru Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi and his books as well. I value and cherish his direct presence, teachings, and guidance above all else. 

Namaste :)

[lazyyogi]

what types of meditation do you practice specifically also can you give me a few book recommendations? thanks :)

I practice Jangama Dhyana as taught by my guru Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi, which you can learn about on the meditation page of my blog. 

A few book recommendations:

The Power of Now by Eckhart TolleThe Places That Scare You by Pema ChodronThe Enlightenment Process by Judith BlackstoneSelf-Knowledge by NomeThe Awakening Body by Reginald Ray

Namaste :)

[lazyyogi]

How’d you get to have so much knowledge? So open minded and wise? What did you read and/or practice? Thanks!

Wisdom is natural and belongs to no one. Practicing daily meditation destroys the obstacles that obscure wisdom so that it may shine naturally, self-revealed. I am forever grateful for the grace of my guru Sri ShivaRudrabalayogi and for the people who have helped me along my way. Check out the books I am constantly recommending. And, again, daily meditation. Namaste :)

[lazyyogi]

What are some quotes that have changed your perspective? ❤️

Too many! Here are some teachers that have helped instead:

Sri ShivaRudraBalayogiSri Ramana MaharshiSri Nisargadatta MaharajMaster NomeCeeAnnamalai SwamiEckhart TolleMoojiAdyashantiByron KatieGangajiPema ChodronThe Dalai LamaShunryu Suzuki

And probably many more that I am forgetting. But those above are awesome!

Namaste :)

[lazyyogi]

One becomes poor through desires. Reassure yourself that God will help you, that you are that Immortal Soul, and that you have that Eternal Peace. Practice so that you will overcome the mind and attain perfection.

Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi

[lazyyogi]

When you meditate you realize we all belong to one single space.

Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi

[lazyyogi]

The Guru

There is nothing more precious on this planet than a self-realized human being. For those who seek peace, freedom, and happiness, there is no greater resource. 

If you want to become a doctor, you can read books and run your own experiments. Yet by spending time with a doctor and learning from their direct experience, you gain your own direct experience. Accumulated wisdom of lifetimes can be transferred into you. Inspiration can be given and doubts can be dispelled. 

So it is for those who seek the ultimate supreme peace discovered through enlightenment. 

Despite my final exams this coming week, I took time tonight to see my guru at his event in Nyak, New York. Just being in his presence again brought me back to many tranquil evenings on retreat, listening to his words accompanied by the background chorus of nature. 

Three things he said tonight really struck me:

There is only one thing that is not an imagination and not a thought. It is your own existence. That existence is the point of focus during meditation. You don’t bother about whether it is a body or not a body, male or female, this story or that story. In doing so, you awaken to the supreme truth that this existence is the Divine Soul itself. 

If you want to live a spiritual life, give up your attachment to results. We have the right to put in the effort to achieve anything we wish in this world. Being able to plan and execute our plans are necessary for worldly life. Yet it is the tension created by our fear and desire regarding the outcomes that mar our sanity and put limits on our happiness. Surrender. 

The real guru is within. The outer guru instructs as to the proper technique for meditation and gives inspiration and dispels doubt. Then he or she pushes you inward. The inner guru also inspires and directs and then pulls you inward. 

My guru, Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi (Babaji), has a swami who accompanies him everywhere. Her name is Ambaji and she was his first disciple. I have known her for nearly a decade and she is the embodiment of love and kindness. Seeing her tonight filled me with love and joy. She told me that someone in India came to their ashram, having discovered them through my blog here. They truly enjoyed her presence and marveled at how technology can facilitate such discovery from across the world. 

I also ran into a wonderful young fellow named Vijayan, who is a fellow disciple of Babaji. I first met him when I was on retreat at Babaji’s ashram in India. It was a fantastic surprise to see him again, as he lives in London. 

At the end of the evening when Ambaji was making announcements about their website, she lovingly added a mention of my blog The Lazy Yogi. My heart swelled at the sweetness of her thought to mention me. 

Everything I offer here is so imperfect, so limited compared to the guidance and presence of an enlightened master such as my guru. Whenever I see him, I marvel at his simple, direct, and technological approach to the spiritual path. He leaves no scope for the ego to distort the teachings. He favors no one, loves everyone, and charges nothing for his wisdom. 

He is a blessing to this world and I am grateful for all he has done for me and continues to do for me as my guru. 

May all beings in all worlds know peace, freedom, and happiness. 

Namaste everyone. Much love. 

[lazyyogi]

hi. how can I have an ego death?

Ego death is a term that has been used to describe the phenomenon of enlightenment, or self-realization. 

Those who are capable of guiding you to such an accomplishment are humans who have already succeeded in bringing it about. I am but a fellow practitioner but I can point you in the right direction. 

Try reading the works of: Nisargadatta, Ramana Maharshi, Adyashanti, Master Nome, Eckhart Tolle, Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi, and Judith Blackstone. That will give you a sense and a feeling of what “ego death” or enlightenment means. 

Enlightened humans still living from whom you can learn and potentially meet are: Master Nome, Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, Judith Blackstone, Gangaji, Byron Katie, and my own guru Sri ShivaRudraBalayogi. 

The practices that lead to enlightenment are: meditation, self-inquiry, mindfulness, compassion meditation, vipassana, prayer, devotion, and selfless service. Making these a part of your daily life will help to awaken you while also increasing your experience of peace, freedom, and happiness. 

Death comes for us all. To have a human birth is a precious opportunity to practice meditation and walk the spiritual path. The efforts you put in now are never wasted even if you were to die tomorrow.

Namaste. May your way be blessed.