Discernment: NJ Reddy, founder of Yoga Prana Vidya

Discernment: NJ Reddy, founder of Yoga Prana Vidya

NJ ReddyUpdated: Saturday, July 04, 2020, 01:45 PM IST
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There are many levels of discernment. In every situation, we must examine what is happening and what are the causes? Everybody comprehends based on their emotional body and mental body make up, which in turn has to do with their past experiences, good or not so good.

We form our own opinion called perception. Everyone’s perception is different. You must discern based on various factors. You must view from at least two or three distinct points of view. There are seven levels of interpretations and further at each level there are at least seven discrete standpoints. So, there are about 49 different ways of perceiving. Thus, do not get perturbed with the fact that another person’s perception is different from yours. It cannot be the same! This is comparable to diverse shades of colours. White light consists of rainbow colours and additionally each colour has several shades. Likewise, unlimited possibilities of perspectives!

There are three primary colours. Using these you can generate other colours, but every colour has a different combination. You can also get white light from these three primary colours. That’s how our TV works. Consequently, there are three main perspectives from the standpoint of light, love or power aspects. Using these aspects, people view the issue or throw light on the subject in diverse ways. While they all may be right at the same time, they may not agree and stick to their respective understanding. Each one may have his own way of addressing the issue. Hence, for balancing these three aspects, emerges a new aspect, the fourth, referred as harmonizing conflicting factors.

Depending on the various experiences right from childhood, you form some opinions, firm beliefs, calcified ideas, certain superstition, blind faith, etc. These produce an effect of programming in your minds, either positive or otherwise. They are probably necessary initially in life. However, you must validate some of them as you grow. When you use your discretion, verify and then accept, it becomes your internalised knowledge.

For a child, it is good for him to be obedient because he doesn’t know many things. This might protect him from unnecessary injuries. He has no means to validate what is better for him. Nonetheless, he might have experienced in the past that when he did not oblige, he landed in some problem. So, he learns to be obedient! That is good at that stage. As he grows up, he accepts some of these. Thus, he develops a belief system. Similarly, everyone forms their own belief system. As long as they do not cause harm to others by their beliefs, it is fine. Respect others beliefs, because they are comfortable with it. To take it away from them, causes pain or discomfort. As long as it is not excessive, not wasting much time, resources, money or causing problem to others, it is fine. Sometimes, these beliefs are based on religion. Within the same religion, different communities have different beliefs, customs, traditions and rituals. If they are comfortable with it, then let them be. Let them perform any ritual or follow any tradition. Certain structure is necessary sometimes, or you are not accepted by others in the community. You do not want to be a rebellion in every situation. You may avoid entangling with others when not necessary. There are some important and some not so critical issues. When the issue is not so significant, just accept other’s belief system and move on as it is not going to bother you much. Nevertheless, when it comes to usage of huge resources, time, energy and money, you must validate what is right. You must take major decisions not based on custom or tradition but based on what is important, what is real, what is practicable. That is discernment!

Do intelligent evaluation of important issues, where it really matters. That is, you don’t have to deeply discern trivial or not so important matters. 95% of the issues can be ignored. Only 5% of things need deeper insight. Slowly with practice, you will know what to consider and what not to consider for further comprehension. You must distinguish between what is more important, what is less important and what is not important.

In order to move forward, you must accept people as they are. For which you need to develop your heart centre. Some amount of peace is required in order to practice discernment. Learn to maintain your heart chakra bigger.

How to validate? You have certain information available. Analyse, why and how is it being done? What is the procedure of the ritual/ practice? How did it all start? What is its significance right now? Examine, where you are spending your time, resources, energy and money. Such deeper evaluation is called understanding meditation.

When you don’t find much significance, and do not feel the need to spend time, money and energy in that direction, you may slowly drop such practices. While others can still be practicing it, you may drop it. Instead if you find something useful or essential, then adopt it. With validation, it becomes your internalised knowledge or faith. This is how you develop conviction.

Let us consider an example. If you are practicing our live morning sessions, you must validate each component - how is it important? You may reap certain benefits, though you may be following it blindly for the first few days. However, slowly you must validate. People who do not validate would not continue the program after few days. But people who validate, understand the importance and may continue. Give people space and time. Let them discern and join. You may help people with the information that you know and your experience. First, you need to understand the various components that are integrated into the session, in order to motivate others.

We shall ponder on one component of the morning live session, the breathing exercises. If people really understand the importance of Rhythmic Yogic Breathing, Complete Breath and Cleansing Breath, they would practice it regularly to improve their immunity. According to Yogi Ramacharaka, if breathing is done appropriately, disease will become rare, it will be looked upon as a curiosity! This must of course be combined with exercises and right diet. Breathing is extremely important because we start our life with breathing and end it with breathing. You may refer to the article on Rhythmic Yogic Breathing to understand how it works and the various benefits. Once you deeply discern, you can internalize the teaching and hence, practice it regularly.

The problem is, like a child is obedient, some people are grown up but are still only obedient. They have not gone to the next stage of validating. And few others are stuck with the already formed belief system. They are not ready to validate! They are like a child who is not grown emotionally and mentally.

Lord Buddha suggested not to accept anything because it is written in scriptures, or even because he himself said so. He said, accept it only when you understand it after validation. Your discernment will be tested again and again. That’s how you will develop. Your viveka will help you evolve.

You do what is right, give space to others to do what they consider right. Accept them as they are and have positive thoughts about them. Practice instant inner forgiveness to yourself, others and mentally ask for forgiveness immediately. It must slowly become your second nature to create positive thoughts about others around. Visualise that the person is changing for good. If you continue to persist your positive thought, it will manifest sooner than later. Everybody has to learn their lessons; you cannot learn for them, but your thought can help them move forward. Therefore, please look into your thoughts regarding your family members and people around. Your thought must be uplifting and positive only! If you are a healer, you can further help by healing them to rid them of the tendencies which they need to improve upon. After meditation, you may bless them with the positive change that you are wishing.

Kindly look for all the thoughts and criticism that you project on your near and dear on a regular basis. Watch for all the blames, put downs, labels, comparisons, blackmails, tendency to induce guilt, sarcasm, etc. Use your energy to uplift, help and improve others and not for putting down in the name of facts or truth. It can cause serious injury. Unknowingly, injury of this nature is done by many, quite often. Affirm and genuinely try that only positive thoughts emit from your mind, only wholesome emotions radiate from your being and you utter only nurturing words. Undeniably, you must take right action when needed. Taking right action means using right kind of force, right amount of force at right time. That is, watching the intention behind using the force in order to avoid excessive action.

Discernment at Causal Level

What are the causes, and how to understand the causes? Your thinking, feelings, speech and actions generate entitlement or karma. Your speech pronounces your feelings and thoughts behind it. So, reflect within, erase such thoughts and emotions so that external action and speech become appropriate. Accept the situation and people as they are! You need to flow like a river and not get stuck. Let people be, give them space and you move forward. They may be right, or may be not. Do not get entangled. Live and let live. Do not get triggered and do not trigger others. Or else your energy will be wasted. Your energy must be utilised in the direction of the target.

In order to see things clearly, certain amount of purification is required. Our sadhana and techniques are designed to help achieve this purification:

-         Exercises and Breathing Exercises to purify and strengthen at physical level and to calm down emotionally.

-         To lift your consciousness by chanting the mantra OM. You can tune up to higher vibrations and drop all diseased, dirty, grosser energies, unpleasant thoughts and emotions.

-         Practice Inner Reflection and the Erase Technique to specifically remove undesirable perceptions, presumptions, assumptions and disagreeable feelings. Then replace them with Positive Affirmations.

-         Practice forgiveness to free yourself.

-         You can now feel lighter and practice Planetary Peace Meditation (PPM) to fly in the inner world. That is to say, your consciousness expands tremendously! You experience immense peace and bliss.

As you achieve some purification, your aura expands, your ability to discern improves. Imagine using a flashlight in a dark room. It gives light in a circular area. It has certain intensity. In that intensity, within a circular range, you can see everything clearly. For example, you can see a radius of 20 cms with a good flashlight. Beyond that extent, you cannot see clearly. Now, imagine you increase the intensity to cover 40 cms range. You can now see a bigger area, which is comparable to deeper ability to comprehend. That’s why the prayer, “Tamso maa, jyotirmagaya” - let there be light, let there be discernment. How does light come? Your aura needs to be expanded to see better. Deeper discernment requires expanded aura which also comes from bigger chakras. Hence, discernment is proportional to the development of your aura. Aura develops by the above mentioned techniques of PPM, Forgiveness, chanting of the mantra OM, Inner Reflection and making Positive Affirmations and Rhythmic Yogic Breathing! Increasing your aura also improves your immunity and strength.

Ultimately what is right thing to do now - that which is useful for yourself, humanity and to the entire Earth as a whole?

Make your immune system stronger. Help your family and friends to improve their immune system. Our live sessions are intended to sustain, maintain and strengthen the immune system; maintain emotional calmness, better mental state, lower stress and to fill us with hope and confidence. Practicing in a group has a synergy or multiplied effect. The same practice done in a group has better outcome. That’s why Lord Buddha said, “Sangham Sharanam Gachami”. Hence, it is important to pick up statements stated by the Great Ones and deeply comprehend. Take refuge in sangha. Sangha or group has certain vibration. When you align with it, you become an asset for the group. This is a faster way of moving forward. Be smart! Lone ranger cannot accomplish much, you must align with a group.

Take feedback from others to see more clearly and improve yourself. Let go of the past. Try to validate everything that you are practicing. Till such time you are able to confirm yourself, you may consider it as tentative truth. After you validate, accept it as truth. For example, practice discernment on our Rhythmic Yogic Breathing. Do not accept it blindly. As mentioned earlier, there is an article that is published on this breathing. Kindly read it to understand how it works, how it benefits the lung capacity, about the research and much more. Study that article deeply and discern. You may then practice this breathing exercise at least 3 times daily. It would automatically become your priority as you would understand its significance and practice it.

We have free YPV Sadhana app which has all these techniques which can better your discretion, strengthen your immune system and upgrade you.

Our Facebook live sessions are extended up to 31st July 2020 @ www.facebook.com/ShriNJReddy. Timings: Morning 7.15 AM, Afternoon 1.00 PM, Evening 6.30 PM.

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