Ψηφιακή Παιδεία

We often hear about the importance of thinking and “staying” positive, even in the midst of an inner turmoil and suffering. I find this to be tricky business, because it may produce a counter-effect of detaching even further from the feelings, and from the potentially repressed causes of those feelings. And I cannot resist connecting it – as a phenomenon - to do the social facade our dominant society has come to wear most of the time. “How are you doing?” has spontaneously become a convenient question declaring that we don’t really want to hear the more meaningful answer of how the person is actually feeling. And even in the case of “how are you?” the automatic response is “I’m well” even when this is far away from the truth. People don’t seem willing to mess with the not-being-well of another person.
Putting on a happy face in front of others only reflects the overall stance we adopt towards ourselves. Certain feelings that we experience, however primordial and natural, we label as bad, and we rush to overcome them.
Pain is a suggestion that something requires our attention. But when we are hurting, we rarely allow ourselves to use, for instance, the healing power of tears. Instead, we use all the coping mechanisms and distractions we can find to dull our mind (consumption, sedatives, over-sleeping, too much television watching, over-talking, over-working etc). Anything goes that will help us avoid sitting with, and giving meaning to the feelings.


For this peculiarity to be happening, it must be that deep down we carry a huge amount of guilt for the way we feel. More often than not we believe that we should not feel the way we do. Alas, there is no such thing as should when it comes to feelings – they simply ARE. Whether socially imposed or even inherited, the guilt around feelings has come to shape much of our behavior. Therefore, it is a good starting point for practicing giving attention. Once the attention has been given, there will likely be attunement to the feeling, expression and more attention to the consequent changes.


To harbor honesty about the way we feel at any given moment means to surrender to it. As long as we resist what goes on inside us, we are intensifying the anxiety and unnecessarily burdening ourselves. The “think positive” manual doesn’t usually work in such cases. Being true to our feelings may initially frighten us but, in my opinion, it is very well worth the risk. In the long run it brings forth the feeling of freedom, sincerity and clarity. And it provides great relief, if for no other reason, then because of all that saved energy that we otherwise waste into pretending to be all right.

In yoga practice it is irrelevant how “far” one’s body can go. It is a common mistake to force the body off its limits and to seek satisfaction in the “advanced” versions of a pose. This is why we are constantly reminded by teachers never to go beyond the level of pain. We are patient until the body itself invites us to go deeper. We honour the body’s state – degree of strength, elasticity, endurance – without imposing on it the state that the mind believes the body should be at. The key to all poses is staying in the present moment and focusing on feelings and thoughts that arise.
How do we get to appreciate where we are? In our daily life, when we think of our body, we usually do so with a negative connotation – a need to lose weight, to get rid of this or that, to add hair here, to eliminate hair there, and so on. The whole industry of fashion, cosmetics and thousands of thousands of beauty products thrive on this brain hypnosis of ours. With magazines and television always ready to teach us what we can or must do to look better, we practically exercise violence upon ourselves. We are taken away the right to enjoy the only real beauty there ever is - that which resides inside us.
When it comes to an illness or chronic pain, we also tend to add negativity to the situation. We get to see ourselves through the lenses of the condition, connecting everything to it, and identifying fully with it. We think of it as MY migraines, MY scoliosis, MY pain. When it comes to states involving mental dimension, we even BECOME the labels, so the identification goes as far as I AM phobic, I AM obsessive compulsive, I AM moody and so on. Burdened by these false identities, many people come to yoga to do “their best” to get rid of an illness or to quickly improve their body condition. The truth is that doing one’s best starts with the lesson number one: reconciliation with the present reality.
Then how do we change?
The energetic openings experienced in yoga bring about a more positive outlook to the world. Coming to a place of acceptance is not a denial of the situation. It does not mean to force positive thinking upon oneself. Rather, it is recognition of the situation/condition for what it is, preferably without labels. This recognition means becoming aware of all those thoughts that accompany the condition, thoughts that make things worse or at least seem worse. Such thoughts usually have to do with the past or future. They render the person unable to see that the condition is what it is, but that their true nature is beyond whatever ailment or limitation the body and mind are experiencing.
With mental and energy opening, this extra, psychological pain (worry, guilt, and condemnation) created around the physical condition can give way to peace and love. Without extra psychological burden, the person is not becoming passive. On the contrary, she or he can become clearer about taking action in the right direction. And he or she can start to let go of the idea of the condition being the essential part of them. The identity created around it can start to dissolve.
This is how the act of honouring where we are at any given moment takes us to another dimension of being in the world – dimension of inner peace – which by itself, sooner or later, brings about healthy changes in our lives.

Osho, Eckhart Tolle and many other spiritual thinkers and leaders of our time make a clear distinction between merely believing in God (Spirit, Consciousness, Universal energy or however one may call it) and experiencing it. When God is believed in, they suggest, this entails the work of the thinking mind. Thinking mind is designed in a way to help one preserve the sense of self, the sense of separation from others. It sees everything in the form of duality, and it seeks identification.
Once God becomes a belief, the person identifies with it. “My belief” is created and then the ego feels the need to protect it. Different beliefs of the thinking minds of other people challenge My belief because they attack the identity that I have created, and that my ego thinks that it depends on. Minds with similar beliefs become my friends because they strengthen this illusion of the ego. Others become enemies.
The often overlooked part is that the true depths of consciousness can only be experienced in the absence of ego, or rather, in the absence of the identification with the ego. That is to say, identification with the ego stands in the way to these experiences.
Furthermore, having god as a mere belief system may prevent one from embarking on the journey of the search for god. This journey entails a great shift of the daily attention from outside inwards. It entails getting to really know oneself and one’s depths. This is essential according to many - if not all - spiritual traditions. At first one becomes aware of the mental noise and chaos, and it may seem pointless to give it any attention. But that’s only the suggestion of the mind again. The truth is that this attention and presence are slowly but surely taking one to the place of stillness, silence and spaciousness. This is the place of experiencing the pure, formless Being, the source of all creation. It is the place of love. Then the realisation comes that this source is not something separate from us, but rather, that it is the essence of who we are.
It is very obvious why the mind wants to cling to the belief about god, and to avoid really experiencing it. The mind is trying to keep its role. In order to experience god, one needs to reach the state where mind fluctuations (Patanjali’s chitta vritti) lessen, vanish or are there, but are being observed. The thinking may be happening, but the identification with it gives way to awareness of the thinking process.
I heard an interesting story from a yoga teacher once – He went to India to spend some time in Ashram with his guru. After a while of being there, the guru noticed that my teacher carried around a picture with him – a picture of Jesus Christ. So he asked my teacher if he would like to have it at the place where everybody prays, right next to the image of Lord Krishna. In surprise, he agreed and there they were – two gods different in appearance – side by side in the Indian Ashram. It was immediately clear to my teacher that the wise guru didn’t care what image represented God for us. All the images we choose around the world serve only as a doorway to reach the same heights and feeling of unity.
There is no need for one to abandon, change or acquire any particular religion. Any religion can help individual’s spiritual evolvement, just like any religion can hamper it. Wherever one finds themselves with their beliefs at this very moment, is exactly the point from which their spiritual awakening can begin.

"Στην κύηση πριν γεννηθούμε το τσάκρας που λειτουργεί είναι αρχικά το 7ο γιατί είμαστε ακόμα συνδεμένοι με το Θεϊκό Ον.

Σταδιακά μέχρι την γέννηση αναπτύσσονται τα υπόλοιπα τσάκρας με αντίστροφη σειρά και μέχρι την ώρα της γέννησης το ριζικό τσάκρας που είναι τελευταίο μας προετοιμάζει να βγούμε στον υλικό κόσμο. Όταν γεννιούνται τα μωρά το πάνω μέρος του κεφαλιού τους είναι ανοικτό (στο σημείο του 7ου τσάκρας) γιατί ακόμα δεν έχουν διακόψει την επαφή με το Θεϊκό Ον σύντομα όμως προσαρμόζονται και συντονίζονται με τον υλικό κόσμο.
Η γέννηση είναι μια εμπειρία βαθιά εντυπωμένη μέσα μας που προκαλεί το πρώτο μπλοκάρισμα των ενεργειών (τσάκρας). Απότομη διακοπή της ηρεμίας και ασφάλειάς μας και ο ερχομός μας σε έναν ψυχρό,θορυβώδη κόσμο μπλόκαρει το ριζικό μας τσάκρας.

Πώς καταλαβαίνεις ποιο τσάκρας είναι μπλοκαρισμένο:

Μούνταρα (1ο):

Αιτία: κατάχρηση του σεξ,του φαγητού,προσκόλληση σε υλικά αγαθά.
Μπλοκάρισμα:
Υπολειτουργία: Αίσθηση ότι χάνεις τη γη κάτω από τα πόδια σου, ανασφάλεια, σε περίπτωση άγχους διάρροια.
Υπερλειτουργία: Θυμός,επιθετικότητα,πάχος.

Σβαντιστάνα (2ο) του σταυρού:

Αιτία: μαύρη μαγεία, υπερβολική σκέψη και προγραμματισμός, αλκοόλ,ναρκωτικά.
Μπλοκάρισμα:
Υπολειτουργία: δυσκολία εκδήλωσης αισθημάτων όταν έχετε άγχος
Υπερλειτουργία: ανεξέλεγκτα αισθήματα και δάκρυα.

Μανιπούρα (3ο) του ηλιακού πλέγματος(αφαλού):

Αιτία: οικογενειακά ή οικονομικά προβλήματα, αλκοόλ, ανθυγιεινή διατροφή
Μπλοκάρισμα:
Υπολειτουργια: όταν δέχεστε πίεση αίσθηση ναυτίας στο στομάχι ή νευρικότητας.
Υπερλειτουργία: σε κατάσταση πίεσης, αντίδραση με θυμό, νεύρα ή υπερκινητικότητα.

Αναχάτα (4ο) της καρδιάς:

Αιτία: έλλειψη αυτοπειθαρχίας,ανευθυνότητα, προβλήματα με έναν από τους γονείς ή το σύντροφο, υπερβολική άθληση ή πειθαρχία.
Μπλοκάρισμα:
Υπολειτουργία: αίσθηση ότι θα σταματήσει η καρδιά ή χάνει ένα κτύπο.
Υπερλειτουργία: ταχυπαλμία σε κατάσταση άγχους.

Βισούντα (5ο) του λαιμού:

Αιτία: αίσθημα ανωτερότητας ή κατωτερότητας,ενοχές, υποταγή, κάπνισμα, αλαζονεία.
Μπλοκάρισμα:
Υπολειτουργία: κόμπος στο λαιμό,τραύλισμα, τρεμούλιασμα κεφαλιού.
Υπερλειτουργία: ασταμάτητη και ακατάσχετη ομιλία.

Άτζνα (6ο) το τρίτο μάτι:

Αιτία: έμμονες ιδέες, έντονες σεξουαλικές σκέψεις, βιαιότητα και έλλειψη συγχώρεσης στον εαυτό μας και στους άλλους.
Μπλοκάρισμα:
Υπολειτουργία: κατάσταση άγχους ή σοκ, έλλειψη καθαρής σκέψης και εγρήγορσης.
Υπερλειτουργία: έντονοι πονοκέφαλοι.

Σαχασράρα (7ο) του στέμματος:

Δεν υπάρχουν μπλοκαρίσματα σε αυτό το τσάκρας, μπορεί να είναι ανεπτυγμένο σε μικρό ή σε μεγάλο βαθμό ανάλογα με τα μπλοκαρίσματα των άλλων τσάκρας"

http://www.facebook.com/pages/%CE%95%CE%A1%CE%95%CE%A5%CE%9D%CE%A9-%CE%91%CE%A1%CE%91-%CE%A5%CE%A0%CE%91%CE%A1%CE%A7%CE%A9-What-the-Bleep-Do-We-Know-/139278009458609

(Ο τρόπος για να τα ενεργοποιήσεις όλα αυτά είναι η αναπνοή, με την τεχνική Sudharsan Kriya)