Theos-Talk Archives (April 1999 Message tt00124)

April 12th 1999

Dear Jerry:

MEDIATION WITHOUT A SEED - Patanjali.

A phrase that appears p. 19 of the translation I use, Verse 51 of
Book 1.

It speaks there of a self-reproductive train of thought arising
from the state of "wisdom" reached by the devotee.

"51 - This train of thought itself, with but one object, may also
be stopped, in which case, "mediation without a seed" is
attained."

"Meditation without a seed" is that in which the brooding of the
mind has been pushed to such a point that the object selected for
mediation has disappeared fro the mental plane, and there is no
longer any recognition of it, but consequent progressive thought
upon a higher plane."
This comment is s by the translator:  Wm. Q. Judge.

The whole of Patanjali's aphorisms relate to the question, as I
understand it of resolving the duality of the Mind.  We have a
duality because one part  of the Mind is attached to BUDDHI and
the other side is attached to KAMA.  Mind thus is the link
 antaskarana ) between the two Manases and we employing it are in
the "middle" so to say.

So our Mind is a tool.  WE use it.  WE use it to study the nature
of our desires.  WE use it to select a train or a plan of
procedure.  WE seek to define the probable futures of such plans
as we may adopt.  WE are the USER OF THE MIND.

If we make poor or improper choices the results being faulty and
disharmonious to Nature, we become the focus of Karmic attention
as there has to be a readjustment of the distortion and that can
only be done through our voluntary action in seeking to reverse,
or mitigate the effects of our poor choices.

This is as I see it, as the whole of Patanjali revolves around
the capacities we can develop if we use our minds to the best
proper level.

Dallas

===========================


I hope this may be of some help.

Dal


              Dallas TenBroeck
               dalval@nwc.net




-----Original Message-----
From: owner-theos-talk@pippin.imagiware.com
[mailto:owner-theos-talk@pippin.imagiware.com]On Behalf Of Gerald
Schueler
Sent: Monday, April 12, 1999 7:10 AM
To: theos-talk@theosophy.com
Subject: Theos-World Meditation w/o Imagination?


>>How about the "meditation without a seed" spoken of by
Patanjali? <<

It takes a good bit of imagination to envision "formlessness."

Whatever the goal or target of any meditation, it first must
be visualized or imagined by the yogi before it can be
directly experienced.

Jerry S.














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