Page 72 - Wisdom Unfurled

the origin of the consciousness of thoughts, the awareness in our minds of thoughts being thus caused by the rejection by our minds of such extraneous matter. This is the most profound theory of the Master on the nature of the mind. Once this is grasped, the control and utilization of thoughts, the prime object of Yoga, becomes easier to practice. When the mind is given the single idea of the Master, the Master here being taken as the Divine itself, as the goal of human life, it accepts the same and gets absorbed, it being the very nature of the mind to do so. Thus the complicated exercises of breath control are unnecessary for the objective of mind control. It may be noted here that breath being external, the mind gets externalized when engaged in the various processes connected with breath control. Further the more one succeeds in control of breath and control of mind and acquires in the process certain lower order attainments, the more he develops ego, the most serious obstacle in the path towards the Ultimate. This is the biggest drawback of Hathayogawhich does not even in the best cases allow one to proceed beyond ajna chakra, according to the Master. Whereas in the Pranahuti aided meditation system, we are exhorted to yield to the Master, the Supreme Master who is governing all of us, God Himself, instead of trying to control the mind and body through the various breathing exercises and involved postures.
Otherwise entire lifetimes were being spent in the very control process itself and it is due to the great work and prayers of the Adi Guru, that the abhyasis in SRRY(PAM) are able to receive the Divine grace which comes not because they are capable of compelling the Divine but through their yielding to the Divine and seeking His grace.
Another important aspect is the application of Pranahuti for diversion of mental tendencies from the state of preoccupation with the base and animal needs, wants and desires, the chief cause behind the agitated and disturbed states of mind, to the divine levels of consciousness that humanity is capable of. The diversion process helps immensely in bringing the mind to a state of poise and equanimity which has remained beyond the reach of even determined aspirants struggling for entire lifetimes without the benefits of Pranahuti.
Thus, in SRRY(PAM) the first four steps of the Ashtanga yoga are taken care of in a different way as compared to the traditional manner. We start from the fifth step Pratyahara, where the object of meditation, namely, the Divine light without luminosity is given as literally ‘food for thought’. The other steps Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi follow but there is a world of difference in how the words are understood and the associated processes are undergone in the New Darsana as compared to the Ashtanga yoga.
Efficacy of Pranahuti