Dear Dan,

Thank you. We need more well-informed, respected public figures advocating and promoting meditation. God bless you.

Please forgive my complete lack of humility, but if you’ll indulge me:

Only 10%? Keep practicing!!😊

The science of mind control or meditation is prehistoric.

Long before the advent of written language and modern religion, the original discipline was memorialized in an epic 200-line poem: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

Patanjalian or Raja Yoga was developed in India at a time in human history when it was becoming apparent that sacrificing THINGS (God forbid live ones) only worked about 50% of the time.

Patanjali and his predecessors turned the practice of trying to influence that which can’t be influenced into a practice of trying to better understand and serve it. These ancient sages effectively reverse-engineered the human experience from our outer gross physical body to the essence of our being: consciousness…

…for the purpose of reducing human suffering FOR ALL MANKIND FOREVER.

Over the millennia, the practice of meditation (trying to tap into our divine essence) morphed into the modern practice of prayer.

That said, you are absolutely correct that meditation can be practiced in a entirely “secular” fashion….

…(i.e., without a sense of sacrifice and devotion to the Source) but that’s like walking along a beach on a beautiful day with a paper bag over your head!! Sorry – but how did none of those experts make this point?!

Here’s the “non-secular” science in a nutshell:

It’s based on Sankhya, the realization that consciousness (the awareness OF our thoughts) is not a mental function; rather, it’s as distinct from our mind and thoughts as our thoughts are from our bodies!

Consciousness alone in the entire universe is not subject to the vagaries of time and space (i.e., it’s the ONLY thing not subject to karma).

AND IT’S IN EACH OF US! Oooops, you can see how the “non-secular” aspect of the practice creeps in: life changes when we realize our own essentially divine nature.

Back to the “secular” science…

Humans exist in at least three distinguishable spatial dimensions: physical, mental and consciousness – the latter being the awareness OF the former.

Here’s the thing about consciousness that makes it unique in the universe: IT NEVER CHANGES – NEVER.

How do we know that something that’s literally intangible and never changes even exists?! And why should we care?!

Without consciousness we wouldn’t know we’re alive – let alone reading this!!

Try to imagine the nature of something that’s aware yet NEVER changes.

This aspect of OURSELVES – our intangible, essential awareness – has been described by people a lot smarter than me as eternally and infinitely compassionate and curious.

When we meditate we eventually settle through four energetically distinct states of mind before encountering our essence. The good news is there’s no wrong way to do it and the benefits are almost immediate and cumulative.

However if we practice with the original intent – as scripted by Patanjali to deepen our connection with the Source – THAT Sir, is an entirely different, much deeper, fulfilling, life-affirming and holistically healing experience.

Physiologically

Over time as we lovingly expose otherwise sub-conscious fears and desires to the light of our own self-compassion – those very tangible fears and desires dissipate, providing a physiological sense of lightness, relief and restoration lasting long after our time on the mat!

But to turbo-charge those physical and mental benefits – to experience something that will literally blow your tangible mind away – meditate with love, devotion and heartfelt gratitude as you ponder the nature of the Source of our very essence.

Thank you again for spreading the word – and your indulgence!

Blessings, Allan

Patanjali❤️😊🕉

https://www.rajamarblehead.com/2017/05/21/patanjalis-yoga-sutras-chapter-1-loosely-translated/

https://www.rajamarblehead.com/2017/05/21/patanjalis-yoga-sutras-chapter-2-loosely-translated/

https://www.rajamarblehead.com/2018/01/06/battling-addiction-insights-60-year-old-addict/