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Blue Mantis Registered: 05/28/04 Posts: 27,202 Loc: Iceland |
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THE BOOK OF THE MANTIS A Grimoire, elucidating a comprehensive theory, philosophy and practice of self development and self transcendence, initiating the reader into a lifestyle directed towards the use of esoteric, mystical, spiritual, occult and hermetic doctrines and techniques to achieve a variety of desired results and altered states of consciousness. Within, the reader will discover a set of foundational practices, the use of which will develop the mind, body and spirit in a unified system of personal growth that is holistic, profound and powerful. All of these techniques are experiential, and by using them you will immediately begin to reap the benefits and feel the positive effects directly. These techniques are to be lived and experienced, and are intended to allow you to not only improve your functioning, happiness and well being within this reality, but also to access other realities that although equally perceptually real, are of a profoundly different nature. The Book of the Mantis is a key to the exploration and application of your own consciousness and the powers inherent within it. Humans are multi-dimensional beings. We have an intrinsic ability to exist in and perceive more then one realm or layer of reality. In addition to the day to day, consensual, physical, shared reality we exist in during the day, we also have access to other realms that can be called astral, spiritual or simply "non-ordinary states of consciousness". When we are in them, these realities can be just as vivid and real as daily life. For example, each of us dream every night, whether we remember it or not. But very few of us fully realize the true potential of our dreams and even fewer will experience first hand the mind-blowing realms accessible through the practice of dream disciplines such as the ones you will read in this book. You will also learn physical disciplines, martial disciplines, exercises for the body and for the mind, spiritual and meditative disciplines, as well as many techniques that can be described as spiritual, mystical, occult, hermetic, esoteric or magical. The Book of the mantis integrates a full spectrum of personal growth and development techniques into one holistic and comprehensive lifestyle system. Through simple, step by step levels of initiation, you will be able to grow and develop to the point where you have acquired powers and experiences you may never have imagined. Following these simple, clear steps, you will gradually but surely transform your life, your consciousness and your experience. You will become physically stronger and healthier, you will improve your balance, endurance, dexterity and coordination. You will become more peaceful, more tranquil, more confident and more fulfilled. You will regain the full potential of your consciousness. Every night you will have and remember numerous amazing dreams, your dream recall will become near perfect, you will have lucid dreams regularly and even proceed through further gates of dreaming even more remarkable. You will develop your powers of contemplation and mental focus, you will practice and master magickal and esoteric techniques and learn fascinating arcane concepts. You will be invited to try all these techniques for yourself, and abandon any that do not mesh with your own personal preferences. This is not a religion to be followed or a dogma to be accepted, it is a manual, a guidebook and a journal, inviting you to follow along with me on a journey of self exploration, mystical attainment , meditative discipline and occult knowledge. Let us begin. THE PATH OF THE OCTOPUS The aspirant utilizing the book of the mantis is to begin by following the Path of the Octopus. Like the octopus, the Path of the Octopus has eight limbs, each with their own necessity and utility. BEGINNING THE PATH Before we delve into the spiritual philosophy, arcane knowledge and mystical systems, we must ground ourselves in the simple, straightforward and absolutely essential practices that will allow you to reap the benefits of the Book of the Mantis. This is the first of three levels at which you shall understand the Path of the Octopus: THE EIGHT TENTACLES OF AWAKENING (NEOPHYTE): Throughout this process, you will be introduced to more and more practices, techniques and methods to achieve enlightenment, awakening, satori, nirvana, liberation, freedom, Moksha, ascension, transcendence, awakening, bliss. The first eight are the core foundational practices of the Neophyte. By adopting these eight practices daily, and then reading the material provided below, you are now granted the Grade and Rank of NEOPHYTE, with all the rights and privileges thereof. 1. DIET: Simply follow these easy rules. First, you must eat nothing that is heavy in refined sugar. No pop, no cakes, no donuts, no candy. Second, you must eat one fresh salad consisting of at least four raw vegetables a day, without any dressing aside from olive oil and balsamic vinegar or olive oil and apple cider vinegar if desired. Avoid processed food as much as possible, and eat as much natural, simple, fresh and unprocessed food as possible. 2. EXERCISE: Simply work out, in whatever way you prefer, for at least one hour every day. You may take a maximum of two rest days a week, meaning you must work out at least every five days a week. Your rest days must not be consecutive. You must work out vigorously enough to work up a sweat and have an elevated heart rate and heavy breathing. 3. YOGA: At least three times a week, you must do a yoga practice (Hatha/Asana Yoga). You do not need to buy any equipment, pay any fees or attend any classes. All you need to do is go to Youtube, find one of the countless free yoga practices online, and follow along with the instructor in your bedroom and living room. If you find one you like, you can stick with it, or you can try a different one each time. Your Yoga classes should be approximately one hour in length and not less then 30 minutes in length. Your Yoga practices can count towards your exercise from 2. Ideally you should alternate a workout of your choice with yoga, so that you are doing workout of your choice one day, yoga the next, your choice, yoga, repeat. 4. MEDITATION: Every day, you must meditate for at least 30 minutes. You should sit down cross legged or in lotus in a peaceful, quiet spot, away from distractions. Close your eyes and fold your hands in your lap, one atop the other, thumb-tips touching. Inhale deeply through the nose, focusing all your attention on the inhalation of breath, feeling it flow in your nostrils, feeling it fill your lungs, concentrating solely on your breathing, then exhaling through the nose, focusing all your attention on the exhalation of breath. Repeat this for at least 30 minutes, aiming for one hour a day. This practice of meditation is the one taught and practiced by the Buddha himself, and through which he attained enlightenment. Here is the Buddha's own instruction on how to carry out the meditation: "Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, is of great fruit, of great benefit. Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, brings clear knowing & release to their culmination. Now how is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to be of great fruit, of great benefit? "There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect, and setting mindfulness to the fore.[1] Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out." 5. DREAM JOURNAL: The fifth step is to buy or find a journal that you like. Place it and a pen or pencil beside your bed. First thing every morning, before you do anything else, strive with all your might to remember as much of your dreams as possible, and write them down in as much detail as you possibly can. Do this every single morning and your dream recall will continue to improve steadily until you are remembering several full intricate detailed dreams every single morning. Like all these eight steps, this will be developed more in further grades. These are the foundational practices. 6. SUPPLEMENTATION: Select one single supplement from the following list. Research them and decide which you most want to try. Obtain it and begin consuming it daily according the dosage guidelines on the bottle. Observe how you feel over the next weeks until the product is gone or until you have taken it daily for one month. Make sure there are no interactions with any other medication you may be taking, or any other contraindications. Choices: Reishi Mushroom, Turmeric, Chaga Mushroom, Chlorella, Spirulina, Jiaogulan, Ginseng, raw cacao. 7. PURIFY: Drink only pure, uncontaminated water, that does not contain added fluoride or other pollutants, or at least minimize this as much as you possibly can. Purchase an 18.9 Litre water cooler jug and take it to your local grocery store. Find the reverse osmosis water dispenser and fill it up. Use this for all your water drinking, for making tea and coffee, and for cooking rice or other foods where the water will absorb into the food. Your body is mostly water, and you drink water every day of your life. It is the foundation of your health, and for many reasons the purity of your water is important to your spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health. I also recommend switching to a fluoride free natural toothpaste, and as much as possible to use natural cosmetic products, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, hygiene products etc. As much as possible try to reduce the amount of artificial chemicals you are exposed to. 8. MANTRA CHANTING: Chanting of mantra was a concept of the Vedic saints that includes mantras as one of the main forms of worship, whose end is seen as salvation. Basically, Mantra Jaap means repeating the mantra. Reciting Mantra has become an established feature of the Hindu practices. Mantra Japa involves repetition of mantra again and again, usually 108 times completes one cycle. Due to this, the rosary (mala) used for mantra jaap has 108 beads in it. It is believed that through mantra jaap, the devotee attains concentration and focus on the chosen deity or the main idea of the mantra. One can attain peace of mind quickly by chanting mantra. With prolong and constant practice, the inherent power of the Mantra (Mantra-Shakti) will be awakened, which will fill your very existence with the Divinity of the Mantra. At least twice a week, practice chanting the Mantra "OM" 108 times. Ideally you should purchase a maala or prayer rosary with 108 beads (you can find them in many eastern stores, make your own or find them online), Inhale deeply and fill your lungs, then vibrate/chant the mantra OM with the full exhalation, then repeat. This will take almost exactly half an hour. If you don't have a maala, simply set a timer for 30 minutes and chant OM for that period of time. You can count your mantra chanting session as one of your meditations from 4, and you can alternate silent breathing meditation with mantra meditation, or you can do 30 minutes of one and 30 minutes of the other for one hour of meditation a day, either together or morning and afternoon/evening. You have now begin given the first eight practices. By adopting these practices daily and reading the material that follows, with all sincerity and earnestness, you are now formally granted the grade and rank of Neophyte. After maintaining all of these practices for a period of not less then one month, you will ascend to the rank of Initiate. You will then be given a new set of eight practices, whereby you can rise to the rank of Adept, and then a final eight practices which will elevate you at last to the rank of Magus. Each set of eight practices will also be accompanied by some necessary reading material that you are encouraged to think about and apply to your own life as much as possible, and to practice to the best of your abilities. A final recommendation is that you keep a journal, not only of your dreams but also of your progress, thoughts and feelings as you go through this practice. I recommend you record the time and date of each exercise, meditation, yoga and mantra session as well as any thoughts, feelings or reflections that come up as your work through the practices and the reading material. The Reading Material for the Rank of Neophyte follows: These eight limbs can first be understood in terms of the eight limbs of Yoga. The Eight Limbs , The Core of Yoga The practice of yoga is an art and science dedicated to creating union between body, mind and spirit. Its objective is to assist the practitioner in using the breath and body to foster an awareness of ourselves as individualized beings intimately connected to the unified whole of creation. In short it is about making balance and creating equanimity so as to live in peace, good health and harmony with the greater whole. This art of right living was perfected and practiced in India thousands of years ago and the foundations of yoga philosophy were written down in The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, approximately 200 AD. This sacred text describes the inner workings of the mind and provides an eight-step blueprint for controlling its restlessness so as to enjoying lasting peace. The core of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is an eight-limbed path that forms the structural framework for yoga practice. Upon practicing all eight limbs of the path it becomes self-evident that no one element is elevated over another in a hierarchical order. Each is part of a holistic focus which eventually brings completeness to the individual as they find their connectivity to the divine. Because we are all uniquely individual a person can emphasize one branch and then move on to another as they round out their understanding. In brief the eight limbs, or steps to yoga, are as follows: Yama : Universal morality Niyama : Personal observances Asanas : Body postures Pranayama : Breathing exercises, and control of prana Pratyahara : Control of the senses Dharana : Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness Dhyana : Devotion, Meditation on the Divine Samadhi : Union with the Divine The first two limbs that Patanjali describes are the fundamental ethical precepts called yamas, and the niyamas. These can also be looked at as universal morality and personal observances. Yamas and niyamas are the suggestions given on how we should deal with people around us and our attitude toward ourselves. The attitude we have toward things and people outside ourselves is yama, how we relate to ourselves inwardly is niyama. Both are mostly concerned with how we use our energy in relationship to others and to ourselves. The yamas are broken down into five "wise characteristics." Rather than a list of dos and don’ts, "they tell us that our fundamental nature is compassionate, generous, honest and peaceful." i They are as follows: I. Yamas (Universal Morality) 1. Ahimsa – Compassion for all living things The word ahimsa literally mean not to injure or show cruelty to any creature or any person in any way whatsoever. Ahimsa is, however, more than just lack of violence as adapted in yoga. It means kindness, friendliness, and thoughtful consideration of other people and things. It also has to do with our duties and responsibilities too. Ahimsa implies that in every situation we should adopt a considerate attitude and do no harm. 2. Satya – Commitment to Truthfulness Satya means "to speak the truth," yet it is not always desirable to speak the truth on all occasions, for it could harm someone unnecessarily. We have to consider what we say, how we say it, and in what way it could affect others. If speaking the truth has negative consequences for another, then it is better to say nothing. Satya should never come into conflict with our efforts to behave with ahimsa. This precept is based on the understanding that honest communication and action form the bedrock of any healthy relationship, community, or government, and that deliberate deception, exaggerations, and mistruths harm others. ii 3. Asteya - Non-stealing Steya means "to steal"; asteya is the opposite-to take nothing that does not belong to us. This also means that if we are in a situation where someone entrusts something to us or confides in us, we do not take advantage of him or her. Non-stealing includes not only taking what belongs to another without permission, but also using something for a different purpose to that intended, or beyond the time permitted by its owner.iii The practice of asteya implies not taking anything that has not been freely given. This includes fostering a consciousness of how we ask for others’ time for inconsiderate behavior demanding another’s attention when not freely given is, in effect, stealing. 4. Brahmacharya - Sense control Brahmacharya is used mostly in the sense of abstinence, particularly in relationship to sexual activity. Brahmacharya suggests that we should form relationships that foster our understanding of the highest truths. Brahmacharya does not necessarily imply celibacy. Rather, it means responsible behavior with respect to our goal of moving toward the truth. Practicing brahmacharya means that we use our sexual energy to regenerate our connection to our spiritual self. It also means that we don’t use this energy in any way that might harm others.iv 5. Aparigraha - Neutralizing the desire to acquire and hoard wealth Aparigraha means to take only what is necessary, and not to take advantage of a situation or act greedy. We should only take what we have earned; if we take more, we are exploiting someone else. The yogi feels that the collection or hoarding of things implies a lack of faith in God and in himself to provide for his future.v Aparigraha also implies letting go of our attachments to things and an understanding that impermanence and change are the only constants. The Yoga Sutra describes what happens when these five behaviors outlined above become part of a person's daily life. Thus, the yamas are the moral virtues which, if attended to, purify human nature and contribute to health and happiness of society. II. Niyama (Personal Observances) Niyama means "rules" or "laws." These are the rules prescribed for personal observance. Like the yamas, the five niyamas are not exercises or actions to be simply studied. They represent far more than an attitude. Compared with the yamas, the niyamas are more intimate and personal. They refer to the attitude we adopt toward ourselves as we create a code for living soulfully 1. Sauca - Purity The first niyama is sauca, meaning purity and cleanliness. Sauca has both an inner and an outer aspect. Outer cleanliness simply means keeping ourselves clean. Inner cleanliness has as much to do with the healthy, free functioning of our bodily organs as with the clarity of our mind. Practicing asanas or pranayama are essential means for attending to this inner sauca. Asanas tones the entire body and removes toxins while pranayama cleanses our lungs, oxygenates our blood and purifies our nerves. "But more important than the physical cleansing of the body is the cleansing of the mind of its disturbing emotions like hatred, passion, anger, lust, greed, delusion and pride." vi 2. Santosa - Contentment Another niyama is santosa, modesty and the feeling of being content with what we have. To be at peace within and content with one's lifestyle finding contentment even while experiencing life’s difficulties for life becomes a process of growth through all kinds of circumstances. We should accept that there is a purpose for everything - yoga calls it karma – and we cultivate contentment 'to accept what happens'. It means being happy with what we have rather than being unhappy about what we don't have. 3. Tapas – Disciplined use of our energy Tapas refers to the activity of keeping the body fit or to confront and handle the inner urges without outer show. Literally it means to heat the body and, by so doing, to cleanse it. Behind the notion of tapas lies the idea we can direct our energy to enthusiastically engage life and achieve our ultimate goal of creating union with the Divine. Tapas helps us burn up all the desires that stand in our way of this goal. Another form of tapas is paying attention to what we eat. Attention to body posture, attention to eating habits, attention to breathing patterns - these are all tapas. 4. Svadhyaya – Self study The fourth niyama is svadhyaya. Sva means "self' adhyaya means "inquiry" or "examination". Any activity that cultivates self-reflective consciousness can be considered svadhyaya. It means to intentionally find self-awareness in all our activities and efforts, even to the point of welcoming and accepting our limitations. It teaches us to be centered and non-reactive to the dualities, to burn out unwanted and self-destructive tendencies. 5. Isvarapranidhana - Celebration of the Spiritual Isvarapranidhana means "to lay all your actions at the feet of God." It is the contemplation on God (Isvara) in order to become attuned to god and god's will. It is the recognition that the spiritual suffuses everything and through our attention and care we can attune ourselves with our role as part of the Creator. The practice requires that we set aside some time each day to recognize that there is some omnipresent force larger than ourselves that is guiding and directing the course of our lives. vii III. Asanas (Body postures) Asana is the practice of physical postures. It is the most commonly known aspect of yoga for those unfamiliar with the other seven limbs of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra. The practice of moving the body into postures has widespread benefits; of these the most underlying are improved health, strength, balance and flexibility. On a deeper level the practice of asana, which means "staying" or "abiding" in Sanskrit, is used as a tool to calm the mind and move into the inner essence of being. The challenge of poses offers the practitioner the opportunity to explore and control all aspects of their emotions, concentration, intent, faith, and unity between the physical and the ethereal body. Indeed, using asanas to challenge and open the physical body acts as a binding agent to bring one in harmony with all the unseen elements of their being, the forces that shape our lives through our responses to the physical world. Asana then becomes a way of exploring our mental attitudes and strengthening our will as we learn to release and move into the state of grace that comes from creating balance between our material world and spiritual experience. As one practices asana it fosters a quieting of the mind, thus it becomes both a preparation for meditation and a meditation sufficient in and of itself. Releasing to the flow and inner strength that one develops brings about a profound grounding spirituality in the body. The physicality of the yoga postures becomes a vehicle to expand the consciousness that pervades our every aspect of our body. The key to fostering this expansion of awareness and consciousness begins with the control of breath, the fourth limb – Pranayama. Patanjali suggests that the asana and the pranayama practices will bring about the desired state of health; the control of breath and bodily posture will harmonize the flow of energy in the organism, thus creating a fertile field for the evolution of the spirit. "This down-to-earth, flesh-and-bones practice is simply one of the most direct and expedient ways to meet yourself. … This limb of yoga practice reattaches us to our body. In reattaching ourselves to our bodies we reattach ourselves to the responsibility of living a life guided by the undeniable wisdom of our body."viii To this B.K.S. Iyengar adds: "The needs of the body are the needs of the divine spirit which lives through the body. The yogi does not look heaven-ward to find God for he know that He is within."ix IV. Pranayama (Breath Control) Pranayama is the measuring, control, and directing of the breath. Pranayama controls the energy (prana) within the organism, in order to restore and maintain health and to promote evolution. When the in-flowing breath is neutralized or joined with the out-flowing breath, then perfect relaxation and balance of body activities are realized. In yoga, we are concerned with balancing the flows of vital forces, then directing them inward to the chakra system and upward to the crown chakra. Pranayama, or breathing technique, is very important in yoga. It goes hand in hand with the asana or pose. In the Yoga Sutra, the practices of pranayama and asana are considered to be the highest form of purification and self discipline for the mind and the body, respectively. The practices produce the actual physical sensation of heat, called tapas, or the inner fire of purification. It is taught that this heat is part of the process of purifying the nadis, or subtle nerve channels of the body. This allows a more healthful state to be experienced and allows the mind to become more calm.x As the yogi follows the proper rhythmic patterns of slow deep breathing "the patterns strengthen the respiratory system, soothe the nervous system and reduce craving. As desires and cravings diminish, the mind is set free and becomes a fit vehicle for concentration."xi V. Pratyahara (Control of the Senses) Pratyahara means drawing back or retreat. The word ahara means "nourishment"; pratyahara translates as "to withdraw oneself from that which nourishes the senses." In yoga, the term pratyahara implies withdrawal of the senses from attachment to external objects. It can then be seen as the practice of non-attachment to sensorial distractions as we constantly return to the path of self realization and achievement of internal peace. It means our senses stop living off the things that stimulate; the senses no longer depend on these stimulants and are not fed by them any more. In pratyahara we sever this link between mind and senses, and the senses withdraw. When the senses are no longer tied to external sources, the result is restraint or pratyahara. Now that the vital forces are flowing back to the Source within, one can concentrate without being distracted by externals or the temptation to cognize externals. Pratyahara occurs almost automatically when we meditate because we are so absorbed in the object of meditation. Precisely because the mind is so focused, the senses follow it; it is not happening the other way around. No longer functioning in their usual manner, the senses become extraordinarily sharp. Under normal circumstances the senses become our masters rather than being our servants. The senses entice us to develop cravings for all sorts of things. In pratyahara the opposite occurs: when we have to eat we eat, but not because we have a craving for food. In pratyahara we try to put the senses in their proper place, but not cut them out of our actions entirely. Much of our emotional imbalance are our own creation. A person who is influenced by outside events and sensations can never achieve the inner peace and tranquility. This is because he or she will waste much mental and physical energy in trying to suppress unwanted sensations and to heighten other sensations. This will eventually result in a physical or mental imbalance, and will, in most instances, result in illness. Patanjali says that the above process is at the root of human unhappiness and uneasiness. When people seek out yoga, hoping to find that inner peace which is so evasive, they find that it was theirs all along. In a sense, yoga is nothing more than a process which enables us to stop and look at the processes of our own minds; only in this way can we understand the nature of happiness and unhappiness, and thus transcend them both.xii VI. Dharana (Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness) Dharana means "immovable concentration of the mind". The essential idea is to hold the concentration or focus of attention in one direction. "When the body has been tempered by asanas, when the mind has been refined by the fire of pranayama and when the senses have been brought under control by pratyahara, the sadhaka (seeker) reaches the sixth stage, dharana. Here he is concentrated wholly on a single point or on a task in which he is completely engrossed. The mind has to be stilled in order to achieve this state of complete absorption."xiii In dharana we create the conditions for the mind to focus its attention in one direction instead of going out in many different directions. Deep contemplation and reflection can create the right conditions, and the focus on this one point that we have chosen becomes more intense. We encourage one particular activity of the mind and, the more intense it becomes, the more the other activities of the mind fall away. The objective in dharana is to steady the mind by focusing its attention upon some stable entity. The particular object selected has nothing to do with the general purpose, which is to stop the mind from wandering -through memories, dreams, or reflective thought-by deliberately holding it single-mindedly upon some apparently static object. B.K.S. Iyengar states that the objective is to achieve the mental state where the mind, intellect, and ego are "all restrained and all these faculties are offered to the Lord for His use and in His service. Here there is no feeling of 'I' and 'mine'."xiv When the mind has become purified by yoga practices, it becomes able to focus efficiently on one subject or point of experience. Now we can unleash the great potential for inner healing. VII. Dhyana (Devotion , Meditation on the Divine) Dhyana means worship, or profound and abstract religious meditation. It is perfect contemplation. It involves concentration upon a point of focus with the intention of knowing the truth about it. The concept holds that when one focuses their mind in concentration on an object the mind is transformed into the shape of the object. Hence, when one focuses on the divine they become more reflective of it and they know their true nature. "His body, breath, senses, mind, reason and ego are all integrated in the object of his contemplation – the Universal Spirit."xv During dhyana, the consciousness is further unified by combining clear insights into distinctions between objects and between the subtle layers of perception. "We learn to differentiate between the mind of the perceiver, the means of perception, and the objects perceived, between words, their meanings, and ideas, and between all the levels of evolution of nature."xvi As we fine-tune our concentration and become more aware of the nature of reality we perceive that the world is unreal. "The only reality is the universal self, or God, which is veiled by Maya (the illusory power). As the veils are lifted, the mind becomes clearer. Unhappiness and fear – even the fear of death – vanishes. This state of freedom, or Moksha, is the goal of Yoga. It can be reached by constant enquiry into the nature of things."xvii Meditation becomes our tool to see things clearly and perceive reality beyond the illusions that cloud our mind. VIII. Samadhi (Union with the Divine) The final step in the eight-fold path of Yoga is the attainment of Samadhi. Samadhi means "to bring together, to merge." In the state of samadhi the body and senses are at rest, as if asleep, yet the faculty of mind and reason are alert, as if awake; one goes beyond consciousness. During samadhi, we realize what it is to be an identity without differences, and how a liberated soul can enjoy pure awareness of this pure identity. The conscious mind drops back into that unconscious oblivion from which it first emerged. Thus, samadhi refers to union or true Yoga. There is an ending to the separation that is created by the "I" and "mine" of our illusory perceptions of reality. The mind does not distinguish between self and non-self, or between the object contemplated and the process of contemplation. The mind and the intellect have stopped and there is only the experience of consciousness, truth and unutterable joy. The achievement of samadhi is a difficult task. For this reason the Yoga Sutra suggests the practice of asanas and pranayama as preparation for dharana, because these influence mental activities and create space in the crowded schedule of the mind. Once dharana has occurred, dhyana and samadhi can follow. These eight steps of yoga indicate a logical pathway that leads to the attainment of physical, ethical, emotional, and psycho-spiritual health. Yoga does not seek to change the individual; rather, it allows the natural state of total health and integration in each of us to become a reality.xviii THE PATH OF THE OCTOPUS: PART TWO The Eight Limbs of Yoga described in The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali is the first way to conceptualize the path of the octopus. The second way is the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism. The guide to the end of suffering: the Noble Eightfold Path. The eight parts of the path to liberation are grouped into three essential elements of Buddhist practice-moral conduct (Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood); mental discipline (Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration); and wisdom (Right Understanding, Right Thought)-discussed further in the following sections of this book. The Buddha taught the Eightfold Path in virtually all his discourses, and his directions are as clear and practical to his followers today as they were when he first gave them. 1. Right Understanding (Samma ditthi) 2. Right Thought (Samma sankappa) 3. Right Speech (Samma vaca) 4. Right Action (Samma kammanta) 5. Right Livelihood (Samma ajiva) 6. Right Effort (Samma vayama) 7. Right Mindfulness (Samma sati) 8. Right Concentration (Samma samadhi) Practically the whole teaching of the Buddha, to which he devoted himself during 45 years, deals in some way or other with this Path. He explained it in different ways and in different words to different people, according to the stage of their development and their capacity to understand and follow him. But the essence of those many thousand discourses scattered in the Buddhist Scriptures is found in the Noble Eightfold Path. It should not be thought that the eight categories or divisions of the Path should be followed and practiced one after the other in the numerical order as given in the usual list above. But they are to be developed more or less simultaneously, as far as possible according to the capacity of each individual. They are all linked together and each helps the cultivation of the others. These eight factors aim at promoting and perfecting the three essentials of Buddhist training and discipline: namely: (a) Ethical Conduct (Sila), (b) Mental Discipline (Samadhi) and (c) Wisdom (Panna). It will therefore be more helpful for a coherent and better understanding of the eight divisions of the Path if we group them and explain them according to these three heads. Ethical Conduct (Sila) is built on the vast conception of universal love and compassion for all living beings, on which the Buddha's teaching is based. It is regrettable that many scholars forget this great ideal of the Buddha's teaching, and indulge in only dry philosophical and metaphysical divagations when they talk and write about Buddhism. The Buddha gave his teaching "for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world". . . . According to Buddhism, for a man to be perfect there are two qualities that he should develop equally: compassion (karuna) on one side, and wisdom (panna) on the other. Here compassion represents love, charity, kindness, tolerance and such noble qualities on the emotional side, or qualities of the heart, while wisdom would stand for the intellectual side or the qualities of the mind. If one develops only the emotional, neglecting the intellectual, one may become a good-hearted fool; while to develop only the intellectual side [and] neglecting the emotional may turn one into a hard-hearted intellect without feeling for others. Therefore, to be perfect one has to develop both equally. That is the aim of the Buddhist way of life: in it wisdom and compassion are inseparably linked together, as we shall see later. Now, in Ethical Conduct (Sila), based on love and compassion, are included three factors of the Noble Eightfold Path: namely, Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood. (Nos. 3,4 and 5 in the list). Right speech means abstention (1) from telling lies, (2) from backbiting and slander and talk that may bring about hatred, enmity, disunity and disharmony among individuals or groups of people, (3) from harsh, rude, impolite, malicious and abusive language, and (4) from idle, useless and foolish babble and gossip. When one abstains from these forms of wrong and harmful speech one naturally has to speak the truth, has to use words that are friendly and benevolent, pleasant and gentle, meaningful and useful. One should not speak carelessly: speech should be at the right time and place. If one cannot say something useful, one should keep "noble silence." Right Action aims at promoting moral, honorable and peaceful conduct. It admonishes us that we should abstain from destroying life, from stealing, from dishonest dealings, from illegitimate sexual intercourse, and that we should also help others to lead a peaceful and honorable life in the right way. Right Livelihood means that one should abstain from making one's living through a profession that brings harm to others, such as trading in arms and lethal weapons, intoxicating drinks or poisons, killing animals, cheating, etc., and should live by a profession which is honorable, blameless and innocent of harm to others. One can clearly see here that Buddhism is strongly opposed to any kind of war, when it lays down that trade in arms and lethal weapons is an evil and unjust means of livelihood. These three factors (Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood) of the Eightfold Path constitute Ethical Conduct. It should be realized that the Buddhist ethical and moral conduct aims at promoting a happy and harmonious life both for the individual and for society. This moral conduct is considered as the indispensable foundation for all higher spiritual attainments. No spiritual development is possible without this moral basis. Next comes Mental Discipline [see also pages 121-175], in which are included three other factors of the Eightfold Path: namely, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness (or Attentiveness) and Right Concentration. (Nos. 6, 7 and 8 in the list). Right Effort is the energetic will (1) to prevent evil and unwholesome states of mind from arising, and (2) to get rid of such evil and unwholesome states that have already arisen within a man, and also (3) to produce, to cause to arise, good and wholesome states of mind not yet arisen, and (4) to develop and bring to perfection the good and wholesome states of mind already present in a man. Right Mindfulness (or Attentiveness) is to be diligently aware, mindful and attentive with regard to (1) the activities of the body (kaya), (2) sensations or feelings (vedana), (3) the activities of the mind (citta) and (4) ideas, thoughts, conceptions and things (dhamma). The practice of concentration on breathing (anapanasati) is one of the well-known exercises, connected with the body, for mental development. There are several other ways of developing attentiveness in relation to the body as modes of meditation. With regard to sensations and feelings, one should he clearly aware of all forms of feelings and sensations, pleasant, unpleasant and neutral, of how they appear and disappear within oneself. Concerning the activities of mind, one should be aware whether one's mind is lustful or not, given to hatred or not, deluded or not, distracted or concentrated, etc. In this way one should be aware of all movements of mind, how they arise and disappear. As regards ideas, thoughts, conceptions and things, one should know their nature, how they appear and disappear, how they are developed, how they are suppressed, and destroyed, and so on. These four forms of mental culture or meditation are treated in detail in the Satipatthana Sutta (Setting-up of Mindfulness). The third and last factor of Mental Discipline is Right Concentration, leading to the four stages of Dhyana, generally called trance or recueillement. In the first stage of Dhyana, passionate desires and certain unwholesome thoughts like sensuous lust, ill-will, languor, worry, restlessness, and skeptical doubt are discarded, and feelings of joy and happiness are maintained, along with certain mental activities. In the second stage, all intellectual activities are suppressed, tranquillity and "one-pointedness" of mind developed, and the feelings of joy and happiness are still retained. In the third stage, the feeling of joy, which is an active sensation, also disappears, while the disposition of happiness still remains in addition to mindful equanimity. In the fourth stage of Dhyana, all sensations, even of happiness and unhappiness, of joy and sorrow, disappear, only pure equanimity and awareness remaining. Thus the mind is trained and disciplined and developed through Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. The remaining two factors, namely Right Thought and Right Understanding, go to constitute Wisdom. Right Thought denotes the thoughts of selfless renunciation or detachment, thoughts of love and thoughts of non-violence, which are extended to all beings. It is very interesting and important to note here that thoughts of selfless detachment, love and non-violence are grouped on the side of wisdom. This clearly shows that true wisdom is endowed with these noble qualities, and that all thoughts of selfish desire, ill-will, hatred and violence are the result of a lack of wisdom in all spheres of life whether individual, social, or political. Right Understanding is the understanding of things as they are, and it is the Four Noble Truths that explain things as they really are. Right Understanding therefore is ultimately reduced to the understanding of the Four Noble Truths. This understanding is the highest wisdom which sees the Ultimate Reality. According to Buddhism there are two sorts of understanding: What we generally call understanding is knowledge, an accumulated memory, an intellectual grasping of a subject according to certain given data. This is called "knowing accordingly" (anubodha). It is not very deep. Real deep understanding is called "penetration" (pativedha), seeing a thing in its true nature, without name and label. This penetration is possible only when the mind is free from all impurities and is fully developed through meditation. From this brief account of the Path, one may see that it is a way of life to be followed, practiced and developed by each individual. It is self-discipline in body, word and mind, self-development and self-purification. It has nothing to do with belief, prayer, worship or ceremony. In that sense, it has nothing which may popularly be called "religious." It is a Path leading to the realization of Ultimate Reality, to complete freedom, happiness and peace through moral, spiritual and intellectual perfection. This concludes Chapter One of the Book of the Mantis. The techniques and teachings contained in this post provide everything you need to attain the rank of Neophyte within one month of adopting the practices and doing the reading. The next Chapter will cover the teachings and practices required to attain the Rank of Initiate, and will be released in one month, allowing you time to adopt these practices and incorporate them into your own life, and to remove the temptation to skip ahead, as each set of eight tentacles builds on the ones before. If anyone has any questions about any part of the Book of the Mantis, or needs any advice or assistance, please feel free to PM me and I will help in any way I can. NAMASTE Edited by Moonshoe (08/07/15 01:33 PM)
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ANIMALS (the RAINBOW SERPENT) Registered: 11/12/11 Posts: 26,370 Loc: Boston |
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on 4.5 grams of mushrooms there was a mantis-type entity on the foot of my bad with visuals emanating from it
-------------------- Something there is mysteriously formed, Existing before Heaven and Earth, Silent, still, standing alone, unchanging, All-pervading, unfailing, I do not know its name; I call it tao. If forced to give it a name, I call it Great (ta). Being great, it flows out; Flowing out means far-reaching; Being far-reaching, it is said to return. It's just a shot away..
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Registered: 06/28/11 Posts: 8,292 Loc: USA Last seen: 1 year, 2 months |
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tl;dr?
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Admiral Admirable Registered: 04/22/14 Posts: 3,800 Loc: Netherworld Last seen: 1 year, 4 months |
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Blue Mantis Registered: 05/28/04 Posts: 27,202 Loc: Iceland |
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Quote: That was me.
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satta massa gana Registered: 01/26/14 Posts: 12,051 Last seen: 2 years, 8 months |
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Looks kinda cool, thank you for compiling this. I need to improve my lifestyle -------------------- Connoisseur said: oh ive cried on drugs sunshine said: Tragic. I told the cop not to do it but he didn't listen.
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ANIMALS (the RAINBOW SERPENT) Registered: 11/12/11 Posts: 26,370 Loc: Boston |
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Quote: Well ill be damned..
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He's off on a tangent Registered: 05/03/12 Posts: 11,795 Loc: the desert |
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nice post moonboots
I have never meditated in my life sounds very cleansing
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Nam Sayin Registered: 08/24/14 Posts: 4,389 Loc: I don't believe Last seen: 5 years, 3 months |
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Nice read! Haven't read the whole thing yet but I will. Just sayin thanks. I really need to get my shit together and get some structure in my life. I'm just wasting it at this point.....
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Registered: 05/17/16 Posts: 24,068 Last seen: 10 minutes, 43 seconds |
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Strange R Registered: 04/24/03 Posts: 38,323 Loc: subtropics |
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I thought he was back for a second, lol.
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- Registered: 05/22/13 Posts: 17,839 Loc: TX |
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I saw him posting not too long ago.
Holy hell the OP is long as fuck
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IM WALKIN ON SUNSHINE Registered: 05/06/13 Posts: 19,227 Loc: Upstate |
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I overlooked this.
Pretty good shit. Obviously takes a patient person to read through it but if someone followed this to a T they really would improve. Atleast physically Moonshoe is back around but has sworn only to post in WCA for his return
-------------------- Anyone got a lowpass filter in this biiiiash?
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