Questions & Answers

Q: I have just completed your six week "American Meditation" class. Is there some additional advanced course you now offer?

A: Yes. Throughout the year we offer numerous one-day wellness seminars on various subjects in addition to a new "Intermediate Meditation" class. As the dates for one-day seminars get closer, you will be notified by the newsletter and through the mail. Additionally, you might want to consider two very real options. First, take the six-week class again. Many of our students have found that having taken the course once before, they were better prepared to assimilate more of the knowledge. Remember, with each day of practice, your personality is transformed and your negative attachment to fears, anger and self-willed desires is diminished. By taking our "American Meditation" course a second or third time, you'll be more focused and one-pointed in your attention and the information presented will be of even greater value to you. Secondly, as we've so often mentioned in our classes, the post-graduate course which will be of greatest benefit to you is how you react to your next thought. If you have been conscientious in your practice, when a thought comes into your awareness, the power of your mantra will come forward to supply you the necessary amount of love, fearlessness and strength either to withdraw your attention from the preya or, to give your attention to the shreya. That process is called "meditation in action," and it is an ongoing process, occurring moment by moment by moment.

Q: I am often angry at people. Sometimes I'm angry at those with whom I share close, personal relations and sometimes I just feel angry at politicians who do stupid things. I know that being angry will only cause me more pain, yet at the moment of anger, it is very difficult for me to withdraw my attention from the emotion. Could you make a specific recommendation?

A: Anger, like fear and selfish desire, is a root cause of illness and dis-ease. When you give your attention to an angry thought, a torrent of hormones is released which, in turn, harm the body. The time to begin dealing with your anger samskara is not in the midst of an angry reaction, however. Practice japa (repetition of the mantra) continuously every day. The action of repeating your mantra will generate love, fearlessness and strength to help you deal with the anger when it surfaces. Think of this practice the same way you think about putting money away in your IRA. You're banking energy now to be used at a later date when you'll need it. Second, when you do find yourself aware of a thought which evokes an angry response, seek the good counsel of your buddhi. Remember, every thought is only a suggestion of what to give your attention to. If your discriminatory capacity advises that the angry thought you're attracted to is a preya (short-term ego or sense gratification), then lovingly, but firmly take hold of that subtle object and humbly offer it back to the Divine Reality from which it has been manifest. You can accomplish this by visualization. Simply imagine taking the angry thought and offering it into a fire in the "cave of your heart." As you do this, fashion a little personal prayer: "O, Inner Dweller, right now I feel so angry because of this thought. But I hear the advice of my buddhi and I know this anger is not leading me for my highest and greatest good. Please, Dear Lord, accept this offering which I give to you lovingly, earnestly and humbly. Please consume it in the fire of your light and lead me for my highest and greatest good." Then, after you've given the thought back to the Divine Reality from which it has come, repeat your mantra for all you're worth. If you can, go for a brisk fifteen minute walk, repeating your mantra. By freely and consciously giving up the thought of anger, that samskara is weakened and some of its energy is transformed into positive, useable energy which can be accessed later in service to the shreya. But don't take our word for it. As a yoga scientist, begin to experiment for yourself and mentally record your experiences. That's the only way you'll ever begin to know the truth of the knowledge of yoga.