Theta

Hey there, recently I found this software called notion, which hasn't been mentioned here a lot. Its basically a note taking system, a bit similar to one note, but I think it has a lot of value to offer. It is highly flexible. I guess you could setup almost any kind of life-tracking, note-taking, calendar, productivity system with it. You are the architect of your system. The downside of it is, that its somewhat online and you can't have the files on your computer. Its free, if you don't upload too much. If you have a university email address you can get the personal pro version with more storage space for free. I would highly recommend to check it out. https://www.notion.so/ I also found an in-depth tutorial series on how to build a "Life Operating System" using notion. You can basically automate your life using notion, so that you know exactly what to execute. You can go from a long term view of your life into the short term view and know hourly what to do to align with your highest goals and values. Its systems thinking for daily life. I'm excited to check it out more.

To get a feeling for the chakras it was helpful for me to put some external pressure on them. For example the posterior ksetram of Manipura was hard for me to feel. So I touched that spot where its described to be. I felt the slight pressure of my finger on my spine and concentrated on that sensation for a while. Then I removed my finger and still tried to feel the spot. When I lost the sense of it, I put my finger there again. You can do this with all the chakras. I am still having problems with feeling the root and sacral chakra after a couple of months. But no worries, try your best and eventually it will work out. I only tried chanting at the chakras after I was able to locate them properly. Chant aloud in the beginning. Try to feel the very slight vibration of your voice at the chakra. When you can do this, you can chant mentally and feel the "mental vibration" at the chakra.

I have too little experience for that Okay, I didn't know that. I kind of assumed that you should, because every time that I hold my breath longer I feel a stronger effect. But especially JCS says that you should chant at Bhrumadhya as often as possible during Yoni Mudra. Thank you for this description

I have developed a lot of resistance towards the exercises which include breath retention, especially Maha Mudra and Yoni Mudra. Every time I do them, I notice myself just kind of rushing through them. I stop the breath retention too early although I know that I could still go further and therefore don't have the full effects of them. But it is so mentally uncomfortable that I almost can't continue. Does somebody experience something similar? Or does somebody has tips on how to continue holding your breath more easily? Another question I have is regarding Kriya Pranayama. There are so many different variations and I am not sure about which one to choose. Some say you should feel the energy moving up and down the spine while breathing, some say you shouldn't and just chant at Bhrumadhya. I am not experienced enough yet so say which variation is better suited to me. Which variation of Kriya Pranayama are you practicing and why? Is there some more theory on the different variations? In the end every teacher basically says that their variation is the best one... This frustrates me.

But why?

A few questions came up for me these last couple of days: Firstly, what exactly is Parvastha? I have read about it a couple of times now, but without a proper explanation. Its supposed to be the "After Kriya State" but what does that mean? Secondly, why should you do Yoni Mudra only once a day? Is it too intense? Thirdly, when can you move your point of concentration in Kriya Pranayama or Yoni Mudra up from Ajna to Sahasrara? Santata Gamana suggests Saharsara. But this sounds a bit dangerous for a beginner.

At which time throughout the day do you guys do your practice? Would it be the best to do it in the morning, everyday, at the same time, with some light exercises to wake up the body? Or what is generally recommended by the gurus? I struggle to find the perfect time. In the morning I'm often too tired. In the evening the food in my stomach bothers me. In the afternoon its mostly the best, but there I often don't have time. And switching around with practice times confuses my system.

JCSs explanations are a bit confusing. I found this video to be helpful. There he goes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Bindu, Medulla, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, without pauses. This is the sequence you also do in Navi Kriya, which is a later variation of Om Japa.

I have only been doing it for a few days, but I noticed that I get into a "spiritual mood" while repeating my mantra throughout the day, similar to the feeling after having practiced kriya yoga

Emotional Neglect basically happens when your parents don't meet your emotional needs enough throughout childhood. When they don't pay enough attention to your unique emotional nature, and don't respond competently. There was one paragraph I especially liked: In the first part of the book there is a description of 12 types of parents, which was quite helpful for me: The Narcissistic Parent The Authoritarian Parent The Permissive Parent The Bereaved Parent: Divorced or Widowed The Addicted Parent The Depressed Parent The Workaholic Parent The Parent with a Special Needs Family Member The Achievement/Perfection Focused Parent The Sociopathic Parent Child as Parent The Well-Meaning-but-Neglected-Themselves Parent The second part is about signs and signals of emotional neglect with a list so that you can identify them yourself. Emptiness Counter-Dependence Unrealistic Self-Appraisal Inadequate Compassion for Self Guilt and Shame Self-Directed Anger and Blame The Fatal Flaw (If people really know me they won't like me) Difficulty Nurturing Self and Others Poor Self-Discipline Alexithymia Then in the third part its about what you can do to heal your emotional neglect. There is also a chapter on suicidal feelings, how to give your child what you have never got, or how therapists can apply this concept of emotional neglect. The book was helpful for me, because the "usual kind of shadow-work" has not been working for me so well. But through this book I could finally recognize these patterns within me. I have not been able to see them before, because no particularly bad things happened throughout my childhood. The section about how to heal the emotional neglect was not that helpful for me. Its more about common knowledge, which some emotionally neglected people might not have.

Last night I did Yoni Mudra for the first time properly before going to sleep. Just one or two minutes after laying down (on my stomach) it felt as if I would be sliding out of my body. Maybe this is what happens when you do astral projection, but I never did that. This has happened to me a couple of times since starting, but not this strongly. Has somebody experienced something similar?

@Spence94 I make a new vision board when I notice that my values and goals and perspectives have changed a bit - when some pictures dont give me the feeling anymore that I used to get. I dont carefully chose the right images. I download a big collection of images that I might put onto the board. But when I put the board together I eliminate like 90% of it by what feels right. For me its an emotional process, where I am looking for what is resonating with me at the moment. I dont plan anything. I can always make a new one.

@Matt23 My most effective "technique" up until now has been to sit alone, journal, and release emotions through crying. I wrote about my memories, my family members, and tried to understand why it happened the way it happened. But this was not mentioned in the book. I cannot know what the specific cause for the emotional issues are. I have been searching for answers through different ways. I have been doing different kinds of shadow work and always get a certain direction, but nothing specific. Then eventually you can combine everything you have learned to get a sort of clearer picture.