What is your opinion on adding another yoga practise into my routine? I have had a lot of barriers to my meditations – some I have fixed or am in the process of fixing. However, some of my problems related to health I simply cannot fix. I have tried going to the doctor, of course, but reading about Sadhguru’s shambhavi mahmudra kriya practice, I feel a strong need to learn it and practice it, for the sake of improving my ability to do my meditations properly, without discomfort. What would you recommend?
—Victor, Sweden
Dear Victor,
You can try. But I am not sure that changing the technique will solve your problem. If your barrier is also mental, a resistance toward your present technique, then yes, try another one. (But if you follow a guru you shouldn’t try this and that – just practice exactly what your guru teaches).
If the barrier is exclusively health-related, I would try adding a few yoga postures, done slowly, with awareness, and with deep, regular breathing. Yoga is amazing in its power to give health and solve physical problems. The asanas need to be done properly, of course.
I’d do, just before your meditation, a forward bend, a backward bend, a sideward bend (both directions), and a twist. Then, if your body allows it, an inverted posture (there are relatively simple ones), which helps to enter meditation (stimulating the higher chakras). This whole routine just takes 20 minutes.
If, however, the physical trouble still cannot be solved, then you need to strengthen your mind, your concentration, to rise above your physical condition. Mind is higher than the body.
How to strengthen concentration? Concentration is strong when your heart is involved: whatever you love, your mind will be automatically concentrated on it, strongly. So involve your heart in your meditations, your devotion. It will truly give your meditations the power of concentration, and with that you will be able to soar above your present physical barriers. Dry technique won’t do that, not this technique, not that technique.
God bless you and your concentration,
Jayadev
