Secret practices for rapid spiritual development
 

Lets pretend I'm sitting in isolation and have a large amount of energy and determination to perform some mental Olympics but I don't know what to do.

What are some of the best techniques you know about for achieving an altered state of consciousness?

For example maybe I just sit here, close my eyes and repeat "I love everyone, I love every thing". As I go on and on there would be thoughts that come up, reasons for saying I do or don't love everyone, etc. So the development would be in examining what comes up and why it comes up.

Another possibility. Sit there and say "(I AM) not this, not that". Then over time the mind comes up and gives reasons for not this, not that, or reasons for being this or that. We examine the thoughts and why it comes up, then move on, etc.



These are very old techniques and well known. I'm more interested in lesser known techniques.

This one has worked well for me in the past. "I want nothing from you".

It seems like question mantras don't work well, but statements are perfect. And the less sense they make the more the mind begins to speak up and give us material to work with.



The idea is to attempt to open up a dialogue with the inner and deeper self. The trick is to not engage the thinking mind when the deep self begins to talk to itself. Just be aware of it and how it has the ability to carry on both sides of a conversation. Keep repeating your mantra or statement and let it talk to itself. If you feel like it question why there are two sides and to which parts of you those sides correspond.


Another type of statement I've noticed works well to rouse the inner self is "I will" statements.

"I will do ____" and they have to be logical or the deep self won't reply. If you make blunt threats or empty threats then the deep self won't reply. It won't even give an emotional response.

Try something easy that is on the verge of something you would do.

"I will go help the homeless tomorrow. or maybe. I will volunteer this weekend" etc.

Watch how quickly the dialogue begins. At first the "I don't want to", but if you are determined eventually the dialogue will change. "maybe I can help out a little, if it's on my way to work or errands". But if you keep with the determination eventually your deep self will begin to help align your other aspects to fulfill your will. It will give you reasons to volunteer and it will give you the emotions and motivation necessary to carry out that will. But it won't do it easily unless you have been doing it for a long time. for a beginner there is always a learning curve. The ego is lazy, it enjoys comfort and it's willing to put up a fight to keep that comfort and safety.

Maybe bump it up and try "I will make healthier choices, even if I don't feel like it at that moment in time". At first the voice of "reason" jumps up and tells us how irrational that is. Or maybe it plays possum and says "oh yeah, great idea, im game" but then next day you find yourself eating comfort food and binge watching netflix.

Challenging yourself is an excellent way to rouse the deep self.

Those only focus on the psychological side of things. You should look into energy cultivation as well. Secret practices are secret for a reason. There are prerequisites you have to meet before you can learn that sort of thing.

I'm OK. I don't need rapid Spiritual development because I'm OK, and I realise that if I need rapid Spiritual development not only am I telling myself I'm not OK I'm telling myself I'm inadequate or lacking. I'm telling myself I don't Love myself any more because I'm not good enough and y'know, I've been doing that most of my Life.

Being OK with myself creates the space for other things to move into, simple common sense tells me that if my consciousness is full of fretting over inadequacy there's no room for anything else. It also lets me see what the Universe is showing me and brings the two of us into alignment. It's not what I look at that's important it's how I see it, and if everything goes past in a blur of motion?

The Universe is OK with me being OK with myself.

Yes, energy affects psychology side and a great thought.

A good staring realization.

Do you unconditionally accept the totality of REALITY just as it is beyond any opinions or narratives about it?

The one that I used is finding a scared place. A place of focus and energy. It can be anyplace to you that is your proverbial temple some place you are drawn to. This was a new technique I found that aided me.

It could be your living room in stead of a church or other building that are equal. It basally realizing you can be spiritual anywhere where you are grounded and connected. Energy is so important.

Still I think old techniques serve us well.

You know this is New Age stuff. :smile:

Absolute deep reflection is what I'm saying to myself. Combine reflection with mediation or mediate on, finding the H.S. of it?

any tips on where to start?

how does a person know they are connecting with the simple sincere part? What are the attributes and signs I should look for/feel?

More rapid development for me. nom nom nom.

Thats a tough question to answer simply.

What do you consider reality to be? What do you consider "the totality of reality" to be? And by beyond narratives and opinions, do you mean something like "being aware without thinking about it"?

I'm open minded about the pursuit for knowledge and consciousness. New age may be more perilous but it has treasures at the bottom of its seas just like tried and true ancient religions.

I suppose in this context, "the totality of reality" could be consider all that exists/occurring/unfolding in the Universe and in the world in general. Narratives and opinions could be consider various view points and perceptions that a person may hold about reality. In such a case perceiving reality through the lens of your personal story VS the ability to witness reality as it is are two different things. :)

"Being aware without thinking about it" as you said is an excellent example of this. For instance, everyone has their particularly set of world view and how they make sense and participate in the world. "Being aware without thinking about it" would be seeing the world as it is in its simplicity without being burdened by the thoughts and bias one might have. Therefore you are perceiving reality outside the confines of your conditioning and there is a complete and profound sense of silence, grace, peace, and acceptance.

I don't know what it means to accept reality as it is without the egoistic narrative. I'm learning. I assume what you mean is to see from the enlightened perspective. To see reality without the concept of a self, to become reality basically. Right now I can do that with very limited success, for brief windows, I would consider that I do know how to do it when I do it all the time and without effort.

What I currently do is flip flop between seeing the narrative of others, seeing my narrative, and seeing without a narrative. I like it this way. I feel it gives the most amount of learning for where I currently am on my path. When I only tried to see without a narrative I failed. The more I learn about what my narrative is, by being aware of it, by letting it go, and by adopting the narrative of others, the better I can handle it.

That sounds like a wonderful way to develop compassion and empathy. :)

Most could use a clean slate away from the 'I'm not worthy' mentality, which is often what triggers a perceived need for Spiritual growth. Your Spirituality begins and ends with yourself and when you know that better your Spirituality makes more sense. What are the reasons you (wider you) want Spiritual growth and what does it mean to you?

Often too many answers and far too few questions.

That's the irony of Spiritual development, 'rapid', 'Spiritual' and 'development' are pretty relative. The understanding there is what are the reasons they matter so much to you, and that they matter at all?

Sometimes putting oneself 2nd is how it feels to me. Again, how dose one achieve this! Once you answer this, as in any question, you can begin. It's kinda surprising, it's in what we don't do. :smile: Anyway, this is what I have seen and fit's me. Who knows if it's real.... :hug3:

There's lots of sources and different ways to cultivate energy. Depends what you have affinity with. Try a few and see what works for you.....

Elemental energy....earth, fire, water, air, ether, trees and plants, crystals, elemental spirits
Source energy.... Reiki, seventh plane, oneness
Divine energy.... Sacred sites, icons, statues, prayer. Gods, angels, guides, elemental spirits
Soul energy....Akashic record, past lives, the collective unconscious, soul aspects, ego aspects
Psychic energy.... Crowded places, cities, train stations, nightclubs, especially useful in countries with high population density,

If you have trouble I can talk you through it or design a ritual to connect. (Pick one). I have used all of the above at various times. Some people use dreams too but I have no affinity for that. There can also be issues with integration of energy to begin with and you need some level of connection with soul energy to begin working with mana. More connection with soul energy gets you into the higher realms. As you progress into each realm your maximum mana capacity increases so you can get stronger if you do the cultivation necessary.

Put the self second to what?

When you have eternity you gotta get creative, ya know? lol

The 2nd self is the higher self. :smile: The "I" is selfish and is it's center. The "I" is the illusion. The higher self has all the answers..... you need. And one does not need every answer. The 2nd must be 1st. Knowledge! Experience! We may look at experience in terms of "I" focus, ego.

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Give me a moment, "I" am gathering my thoughts to present an experience which I hope will further explain.

Startling thought. My experience so have to agree. Many times we may not know the place we are coming from. Where I once felt the extreme I was not, I hope I am not at the extreme I am entitled, only I am.

And in the process other's will challenge it and so irrelevant.

I love this last statement and because I'm sure my perception is so different then what I believe is meant, yet I would say in the exact same way to say something different.

I was going to talk about altered consciousness through the flow of the minds energy, the technique of communication with the self. Still you must choose the way. I spent many years in study and reflection and it was no easy task. I would not be able to guarantee it would work. Since I believe you see the discussion in traditional ways and that information is willing to be shared so I would say you will have to decide. I had no such offer made to me, choice is great. :smile:

It doesn't matter which you choose as only can be chosen. :smile: But this worked for me as I did have the luxury of another. It is taken again from New Age practice. Many years ago I engaged in study and learning everything I could on the question I had. I spent years on it. I remember people telling me to meditate, it was the way. I tried all the exercises and such and it did not work. And even if you can it takes years to do. But I couldn't even get started.

it was here I decided to take what all the teachers and scholars said. You asked how do you begin, it is time. No matter what you do it will come to you. :smile: You need patience and time. I find that conversation is the way for me. Since a person cannot lie to themselves it's the perfect person to have a conversation with. I began by giving myself permission to. I also do this with the subconscious, I tell my subconscious it has freedom to speak to me.

Has any ever done this? This is not a secret practice but a powerful one and one that is not practiced much, it's writing, auto writing in total immersion in dialogue with self. One day I decided to put into my words all that I heard and read. I don't know what happened but one day my mind opened to me. During that period I wrote 131 pages of thoughts, I personally don't know how I altered my mind to do it. It wasn't me. Craziest experience I ever had. It lasted about 2 weeks and I thought it never would end. I no longer know why I can't do it and I suppose back then I would. I put many of my questions to rest upon finding my answer. You do not need every one answered when you learn to enjoy the ones you got.

Speaking is important to us, so important we can't stop doing it so why not use it. I was writing to myself, it is so natural. The thing is it can't be controlled so it may not work. The thing is, though it did not last forever it did answer some my questions forever..... maybe. They haven't changed yet.

So do whatever makes sense I believe the higher self is the way.

Namaste, Shivatar.

I'm a born gazer and gazing comes very naturally to me, so I will light a black candle (signifying the light of the Jyotir Lingam arising from out of the inertia of Tamas, or the Light of Shiva arising out of the Yoni of Kali/Shakti) and I'll just fully focus on it, slowing down my breath. This procedure is called Trataka.

I'll bring my awareness to the flame and watch it dance and flicker...I'll try not to blink, but if the urge comes, I'll surrender to it and allow blinking to happen...after a while the blinking reflex also slows down by itself.

Thoughts will come and go and I'll allow them to pass as well, but if I find myself becoming too attached to a thought or hung up on it, I'll just bring my awareness back to the candle flame itself.

After about 5 minutes of fixed gazing this way, I'll close my eyes and centre the 'after image' into the Third-Eye (Ajna) Chakra area, focusing on the glow in that Chakra until slight pressure/pain is felt, but that goes away after a while as well...then, when the after-image fades, I'll open my eyes and gaze at the candle again for another 5 minutes before closing my eyes...and I'll keep the whole practice up for about an hour.

I'll also find other things to gaze at other than a candle as well, like my own eyes in a mirror, focusing on the space between them until I can see my whole face change or my third-eye becomes visible, like a small halo of luminescence.

I will also place myself or an object in a mirror-tunnel and try to gaze to ascertain where the reflection of the reflection ends and I compare that to the reflection of Brahman in Maya. I'll also gaze at the space between two objects until that space disappears (like the tips of my index fingers placed half an inch apart).

This is one of my main practices (Trataka) and the other four are a certain Pranayama practice called Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), a progressive muscle relaxation technique leading into a state of Yoga Nidra, direct self-inquiry as to the nature of Consciousness and a form of mental worship of Shiva called Shiva Manasa Puja...but lately I have swapped that last one out in favour of Shakti Vidhi Manasa Puja for the duration of Navaratri (and possibly beyond that).

I shall expand on each of my other techniques in subsequent posts, but these are the only spiritual practices I ever do!

It is also the fastest way to open the Third-Eye and raise Kundalini.

Om Namah Shivaya

Can anyone make the sun rise any quicker?


x daz x

Of course!

You can always jump aboard an airplane and travel in a westerly direction. :D

I appreciate your point though and if it's meant to happen, it will and if not, it won't.

What I am getting at here are those techniques that were taught to me (via the Tantric way), but they may not work for other people.

Nadi Shodhana

Rather than go into a full, detailed explanation of it, many good articles exist online, so I'm just going to be lazy and copy paste one, seeing as how the server is disagreeing with my attempts at posting my own long-winded essays.

https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/inf...ana-pranayama/

Having posted that, the reference material used is awesome! When I was a lot younger, I studied "Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha" by Swami Satyananda Saraswati until the covers fell off.

I am an advocate myself in regards to promoting certain techniques and practices, I have undergone a few that worked wonders for me .

Like you say what you practiced worked wonders for you .

You hear of some that didn't entertain any practices or enquiries as such and the penny still dropped .

That is not to say that in previous incarnations one wasn't a slave to their own techniques and practices .

If your not ready, your not ready, if you are, you are .

Some are ready to entertain self enquiry, meditation, yoga and self healing but depending on what baggage one has to let go of will dictate / reflect how seemingly rapid one works through it .

Is their heart really in it . Is one totally dedicated to realize what they are, is one disciplined enough to self enquire and think of nothing else?

How long is anyone's piece of string .

For an individual that has minimal baggage that has purified themselves prior to incarnation may simply sit and become quiet and realize what they are, for another one may sit quietly for 50 years and not realize anything other than what quietness is .

Like said I am an advocate for certain practices but there are no short cuts .

There can seem like stagnation and there can seem like rapid advancement, but it will be down to where your at and where your heart is at in the grand scheme of things ..

Self realization doesn't happen by chance or by accident, it happens when all the right ingredients are present .


x daz x

Point taken with due respect.

I admit to approaching this from a Kriya Yoga and Tantric viewpoint, as that was the whole culture and tradition I was raised in, which was probably my own 'past-life baggage' itself! :wink:

According to my own tradition and my ways, there is one sure-fire way of hastening the 'rising of the sun' but there's no way I am ever going to do it! Hell would have to freeze over first!

The technique is called 'Khechari Mudra' or 'flying in the Akasha' and it consists of severing the connective tissue of the tongue at the point of the frenum linguae, milking the tongue until you look like Gene Simmons out of KISS and then shoving the tongue up through your nasal cavity and into your brain, catching the drops of nectar/soma produced by the Bindu Chakra before they drop down into the Manipura Chakra to be consumed by the fire there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khecar%C4%AB_mudr%C4%81

Yeah, I have seen the yogis who do that...they cannot speak...they cannot eat...they often choke on their own tongues, ya know?

I mean, I've done other stuff...sutra neti...shoving catheters in my nose and out my mouth...I've done dhauti...swallowing meters of muslin cloth bandages to collect bile before regurgitating them...doing Shank Prakshalana...drinking 3-4 litres of very hot water with epsom salts and lime mixed in...then doing nauli kriya to massage my intestines with the water, before walking around in Kakasana (crow-pose) to aid fast bowel elimination..what I went through back then...what I did...but there was no way I would mutilate my body in the name of spiritual enlightenment...but alas, some do.

I just thought Shivatar may also appreciate 'my ways' as we are pretty close in the whole 'spiritual sense', but yeah, we are also very different as well.

Having said all that 'God-like' you are totally correct.

I spent about 10 years of my early adult life trying to raise Shakti (Kundalini) using all the traditional methods and all of that was just a primer for what occurred 2 years ago.

There was a time when I wanted it...when I expected it...and nothing happened because I was 'trying too hard' and wanting it to happen.

Then back in mid 2015, I was doing trataka on an image of Lord Shiva...not focusing on Kundalini at all...just doing what I was doing out of unconditional love for Shiva - nothing more or less than that.

Then, it happened...and before I could say; "do NOT want" and "I'm not ready yet" and "not NOW" it was like "too bad, ready or not, here I come" and all I could do was just surrender to it.

Then, I was like this for months after:

The absolute fastest way of getting there is to....

1. Contemplate the value of a human birth for progressing spiritualy.

The incarnation is rapidly spent sleeping or indulging in various sense desires causing more an more desires and new karmas to experience.
Contemplating the fact that death may strike anytime, can aid in cultivating this true desire to be free,
and finding the inner bliss that is the birthright of all.
Seeing the fact that one is stuck in suffering due to ignorance of the truth.

This will lead to the "fastest technique".

Which is.....

2. The strong intense prayer, urge, will, true desire to merge with the Source which constitute the reality of Oneness.

What comes out of that is foolproof answer/response from the Universal Consciousness, in form of the appearance of a path/technique/ or teacher which will be the fastes route for you.
"Initiation"

So this step is crucial.

Without it, all techniques are just techniques......

I think people need to listen to what they are drawn to do (or not be it the case) . Then test the waters or not depending on how strong the urge is . Some will just window shop and stick their big toe in while others will dive in head first .

Sometimes the hare's speed wins the day, but there are many more days to to come, just ask the tortoise . :D

One I would say can't help but go at their current pace and from a position of the blatantly uninterested to the extremely devoted and depending on who fits into which category won't necessarily end in one's desired result . Perhaps the desired result entertained is part of the parcel of why things don't go as planned .

Like an individual that wants a short cut to enlightenment or Self realization or the fastest possible way to achieve bliss or peace .

Things in life have a habit of manifesting in a manner of all ways and the results of such manifestations can really only result and end in one way .

What results in is down to each individual and it will depend on themselves and not so much in that which is practiced or desired . ...


x daz x

It also depends on whether the path you tread is a well-established one, based upon practices and disciplines that have been steeped in tradition and culture.

It could be the case that I have been a Hindu in many births...I may have even been a Sadhu in quite a few.

I was propelled head-long into this whole tradition, culture and religion from a very early age, with the full awareness and knowledge that this is what I was in the whole 'spiritual sense' but not in the whole existential sense.

For I also know that (what we identify as) Brahman, has no religion, no creed, no tradition, no spirituality because it is just pure spirit, pure consciousness itself.

Yet, there has been 5,000 years worth of teachings from the Vedas to Patanjali to Satyananda to Osho to Swami Lakshmanjoo saying "if you want Samadhi, here's what you need to do to get it" and yeah, that would only apply to another of the whole Hindu/Tantric bent...or may not even apply at all in the end.

Therefore, putting all hares and tortoises aside, to answer the question of "secret practices for rapid spiritual development" one would first need to ask "according to what sampradaya (path)?" and if one doesn't have any path, like Shivatar does not, the whole question, point or anything arising from the asking would all seem pretty moot anyway.

Then I would have others say "why are you telling Shivatar what has worked for you?" and I'd be like "because it's the internet and it allows me to do such things". lol

I think certain worthy practices have stood the test of time . I believe there is a science behind certain practices that compliment one's mind-body-spirit relations .

If harmony is one of the keys to attain then yoga and meditation works as a well trodden path rather more so than hand clapping .

Like you say in regards to the question of "secret practices for rapid spiritual development" one would first need to ask "according to what sampradaya (path) .

My initial venture / enquiry into 'Who Am I' some 20 years ago led me to simply sit quietly and meditate . Yoga gave better results at first because it took 3 years for me to get what meditation was about or what it can potentially reveal about oneself .

Again, yet another 5 years before realization occurred .. and I am still experiencing awareness in meditative states 12 years on ..

I would put money on yoga and meditation over and above anything else but what if it took another person 15 years to just get the jist of it ...

It doesn't put meditation in a good light from that perspective, but like I said .. it's not so much the proven practice that is the problem or the answer, it is to do with whom is partaking in the practice ...

The practice works just like a car works, but cars can respond differently depending on who's driving .

Are they blind? Are they drunk at the wheel? These are the contributing factors that one has to consider before getting behind the wheel .

Once established one can work on their weakness .. just another process within a process .. where meditation and yoga helps / transforms / transmutes .


x daz x

Yes, I get this.

What you are saying, in a nutshell is what is 'rapid' for one, may be tardy for another according to karmas, samskaras and whatnot.

Some of us take to yoga and meditation like a fish takes to water - also noting there are different types of yoga and meditation as well.

I could do asanas for years and all that will happen is I get better physical health, but after an hour of Bhakti Yoga, I will get what Hatha Yoga cannot give me.

There's a beautiful story in regards;

My mother wants to learn meditation and I am not the one to teach her, even though she has asked me countless times and countless times I have tried - because I can go into a meditative state at the drop of a hat.

She's always saying to me; "why can't I meditate"?

The other day, we were in the car and to pass the time, I put on some mantras.

So it was, my mother goes "that is so boring...they are just saying the same sentence over...and over...and over...it's annoying me and frustrating the hell out of me!"

I was like "duh! because they are chanting a Mantra". lol

She says 'why can't they just chant the mantra ONCE and be done with it?"

...and of course I go; "wanna know why you can't meditate? case in point!". :D

For my mother, she will ask if there's any secret practice for rapid spiritual development and all I could ever say would be "for you?...nope".

Yes exactly ..

For the fruits of your labours to eventually bloom, you first need the fertile soil .

It's easy for prize winning roses to bloom in the right environment just as it's easy for masters to be at peace .

Getting the right environment within yourself is the difficult part .

Certain practices can create an environment that allows one to create another and another, all that will result in the right environment eventually, but as you and I know and many know, creating a fertile environment is not going to happen while one is deep rooted in the previous environment created .

You have to do the work / labour to some degree in order to create the right environment .

At a point it becomes less work / effort and the environment eventually takes care of itself .

Finding the right method of working will come eventually, for some it happens because they have tried everything else and nothing has seemingly worked ..


x daz x

Of course then it all boils down to how much time are they personally willing to give it before deciding it 'doesn't work'.

So, in the case of 'rapid spiritual development' the delineation must be made 'what is rapid?' instantaneous? a week? a month? a year? compared to what is NOT 'rapid' in regards?

For some, becoming enlightened in this birth is 'rapid' or becoming enlightened within the next three births is 'rapid' compared to reincarnating a hundred times before it eventually occurs.

Some people will try something a few times, notice nothing is 'happening' and go 'well, this doesn't work'...like me hoping to cure an infection by taking antibiotics for a few days only then discontinuing with the course of them because my infection is still there. lol

Why in this forum there's only one type of practice that can become God like. They're Buddhism of others practice and the result is much more "real". Kundalini is suffering and not a fast type of practice of God like method.

I use forty years after my mentors have integrated into my body and teaching me. I can use my third eye to see outside my body when I'm three years old.

So there's no fast method that can fasten your energy levels of become an enlightened or awakened or ascended person. It all depends on that person's ability or capacity to gain what he can or what he can't.