We begin to develop:
- A priority for peace. The value we place on a peaceful life and the amount of peace in our lives increase.
- Expanded creativity. We find new outlets for creativity to express itself and/or we are more tuned in to the voice of Inspiration.
- Faith. The need to judge people and events as right or wrong diminishes and the embrace of what is grows. We feel on a cellular level that everything is perfect and karma is unfolding exactly as it should.
- Fear diminishes. Fear based thought patterns decrease and we develop the courage to let our light shine.
- The capacity for love, compassion, forgiveness, empathy, generosity and joy expands. We become more even keeled and find that negative emotions no longer overwhelm us.
- Our experience of the 5 senses becomes heightened yet we find that more and more we are not a victim to our animal urges. We gain more control over the 5 senses.
- Psychic Faculties. Intuition develops, people call when we think of them, the gut instinct grows and synchronicity or meaningful coincidence happens more and we begin to see synchronicity as Divine guidance.
- Interpersonal skills are cultivated. Studies show that with 7 years of meditation our ability to develop positive, nontoxic relationships is enhanced.
- Prosperity, yes prosperity. When we work on transforming all aspects of ourselves in a balanced way, prosperity is the natural outcome.
- We become more globally aware. We understand that we are indeed affected by the price of tea in China and by the suffering of any of the planet's inhabitants.
- The ability to go consciously into the alpha state develops. (That state where the mind is quiet, peaceful and very powerful, a state we are now able to see in the laboratory with brain wave monitors.) As the Yogi gains more and more control over the inner world, she finds that she has more of an impact on the outer world. The Yogi becomes an instrument of peace for her family, workplace and friends.
- Miracles happen. Every single sage that has walked the planet and performed miracles has stated unequivocally that we all have the ability to do what they did and more.
- And yes, the body may surprise you in asana practice. Advanced poses may become available.
So how does one attain the siddhis of advanced practice? A regular asana practice is just the starting point. Yoga teaches us of 4 possible states of consciousness. One is waking state, the second the dream state and another is deep, dreamless sleep. We all have access to these 3 states yet there is another state that is possible for those who begin the journey of faith. The Turiya state or transcendental state. This is the state beyond waking state. Every master from every tradition has found a way to move into this expanded state of awareness. Many Yogis with dedicated practices may experience the Turiya state through temporary glimpses but the master has learned to dwell in the transcendental state. The Turiya has not been well studied by modern science, but one of the outcomes of the Chinese invasion of Tibet has been that Tibetan monks with advanced meditation practices are now in the west and some are being studied as we speak. Perhaps the Turiya state is the maturing of the alpha state.
Yoga gives us 3 practical ways to experience the transcendental state. Pranayamas- breathing techniques, especially with long retentions of breath. Meditation- there are many, many techniques. And Yoga Nidra- the Yogic sleep or conscious relaxation. One way to take your Yoga practice to the next level is to begin a practice of one of the 3 stillness techniques on a daily basis.
Practice and all is coming.
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois
