Otoharo!
Back in the fifties, young people from here had gone to India and returned eager to teach us all these yoga practices they had learned. I attended a Unitarian church which had no paster, so they brought in any passing through who wanted an audience. (This was in Savannah, Georgia). One morning, I was in the group being led by this young man who knew he could impart to us the great treasures of India. The only problem was that he thought he had first to get us (stiff) women to first get into a lotus position and hold it for a hour or so while he ----- whatever he wanted to impart. we couldn't do it right off the bat like that.
After they gave up and passed on through, we tried to continue learning these lessons, but we simply sat against the wall, legs crossed and did our bit of breathing preparatory to meditating.
In the seventies, one of my neices learned this new yoga, called Ananda Marga. She got her father (my brother) interestted. (He was at that time one of the scientist of the Atomic Energy Lab in New Mexico). He then, got me interested when I visited. I stayed and attended his classes. He no longer required the lotus position, though he himself maintained it throughout. During these meditation sessions, I observed energy streaming out of the side of his body into the room where it filled the space and engulfed all of us. I was utterly amazed! Somehow, I knew this was real if I could just limber enough to get into it!
Eventually, I lay flat on the floor for my practices with arms outstretched and in this utterly relaxed position was able to concentrate on breathing. Our intent was to go deeper with each breath. I could go so far down but got stuck. I heard my guide say (as clearly as if someone in a physical body at my ear), go up.
So as I counted my breaths, I took each breath higher up the musical tone I heard. Higher and higher it went until I could hear no higher, but my inner ear continued to hear. then a limit was reached, my body jerked and I was somewhere else where the air was so very fresh! I simply lay and breathed in this freshness for as long as I had time free.
During the nineties when I had opportunity to talk with Xaris, I asked her about this. She had me demonstrate and grinned. She said, I put myself into a different universe!
I have tried to teach every student I have had since that time, and no one has caught on to it. Perhaps someone wants this.
finality
