Basis, path and fruit
In the teachings of Laya Yoga, there are three concepts: basis, path and fruit.
The foundation
The basis is a non-dual vision of Reality beyond words and concepts, achieved only in a pure state of mind (samadhi). In its original aspect, it is the supreme Source, the Brahman of the Vedas, incomprehensible, infinite, unsullied, spontaneously perfect and all-pervading, like the infinite space of Consciousness.
This Primordial Self is everyone's natural state (Sahajya), but it is overshadowed by the veil of dualistic thoughts and obscured states (kleshas). When the yogi is in contemplation, his natural state is revealed, revealing the empty essence of Consciousness.
The nature of Consciousness is absolutely pure, empty and incomprehensible. Its innermost essence is devoid of qualities and images, an out-of-thought Clear Light, luminous radiant clarity.
With the ability to emanate, this clarity manifests itself in the form of five pure lights of the color of the rainbow. The five lights, endlessly refracting and intertwining, become denser and form the entire visible world (samsara), which in itself is unreal and is like a dream, an illusion. He is only a manifestation of the Supreme Self, the primordial Wisdom (Prajnana).
The Master explains the basis using three types of transmission: non-conceptual, symbolic and logical.
Way
The path is the methods of contemplation, meditation, control of internal energy. The path consists of three main principles:
direct introduction to the natural state with the help of the Teacher (shravana);
clarification through reflection and elimination of doubts (manana);
unswerving continuation of contemplative presence with the help of special methods of Laya Yoga (nididhyasana).
The main method of practice is continuous mindfulness to the natural state, contemplation, self-liberation of dualistic perception through the presence of awareness.
The path to enlightenment is described as vision, meditation, behavior.
Vision is the ability of continuous stay in the Foundation in a state of non-dual contemplation, transmitted by the root Teacher by special methods of “direct comprehension”.
Contemplation in Laya Yoga means the effortless presence of alert awareness that does not focus on anything in particular. The yogi does not cling to the past, does not fantasize about the future, does not grasp the concepts of the present. He is beyond concepts in a natural state. The natural state is neither inside nor outside, it is like the sky without borders and center. It is the mind in its true suchness, although it is like a space without qualities, yet all qualities arise from it.
Meditation includes the five paths (yantras) of Laya Yoga:
The path of wisdom (Prajna-yantra) presupposes mastery of a continuous contemplative state, immersion in the supreme Source (sahaja-sthiti). For this, the yogi trains in sitting and moving meditation.
Sitting meditation practices include:
concentration (Dhyana) for mastering the one-pointedness of the mind;
meditation on the sense of "I" (Aham-Vritti);
meditation on the empty state of mind (Mahashanti);
meditation on the "great saying" (Mahavakya);
meditation on incoming and outgoing breath (Anapanasati);
solving paradoxical problems;
meditation on the space of the sky;
meditation on the enlightening forces of the universe;
meditation on the five elements;
meditation on light space and others.
Practices for contemplative walking include:
body surveillance;
breathing monitoring;
walking with maintaining sankalpa;
self-remembering;
contemplation of light;
contemplation of endless space;
attunement to the descending forces of the universe;
integration with five elements and others.
The path of energy (Shakti-yantra) includes the practice of working with channels (nadis), winds (prana) and centers (chakras) for:
awakening Kundalini;
gaining experience of the nectar of immortality;
exits of the subtle body;
gaining continuous consciousness in samadhi;
disclosure of the four bliss and five spaces in the body.
For this, the following practices are used: asanas, mudras, bandhas, pranayama, visualization of chakras, channels, merging with the five elements of the elements, and others.
The Illusory Body Path (Nidra Yantra) develops awareness in dreams and includes the practices of the illusory body and pure land in the context of the teachings of the subtle body path, dream yoga, sleep and clear light yoga, illusory body yoga, and pure land yoga.
The path of yoga of sound (Nada yoga) includes ten stages of focusing on inner sounds to achieve nirvikalpa samadhi and the practice where the yogi works with the unity of sound and void awareness.
The path of yoga of light (Jyoti yoga) involves secret methods of contemplating light, which in a short time generate light visions: deities, mandalas, spheres of light, etc. Exercising in contemplation, the yogi works with visions, successively going through four stages: "beginnings", "vessels", "growth" and "exhaustion". The path of Yoga of Light is considered a very deep sadhana that allows you to make a quick leap in practice - in one life to realize the immortal body of Light.
In behavior, the main principle is the application of awareness to everything. If awareness is not applied, then any actions that we do fall out of the general pattern of our practice and become samsaric actions that generate karmic imprints.
In the external behavior, the yogi adheres to the principles of Vinaya, in the internal - the principles of samaya, i.e. in all situations, he shows a pure, positive vision, in secret - a single samaya of contemplation.
The highest everyday state of the practice of Laya Yoga in behavior is samadhi of the "flowing river", "mad wisdom", spontaneous play activity for the benefit of sentient beings.
Fruit
The final stage on the Path are:
- Two types of dissolution (lays):
dissolution of mind, karma of the subtle body and ego (antahkarana-laya-chintana);
dissolution of the five elements of the body (panchabhuta-laya-chintana);
attaining the four types of Liberation (salokya, sarupya, samipya and sayujya).
- Awareness and cleansing of the three dimensions:
material (vishva);
astral (taijas);
causal (prajna).
- Acquiring three enlightened bodies:
bodies of void wisdom (jnana-deha);
divine illusory body (pranava-deha);
the perfect manifested body (siddha-deha).
- Acquisition of three complete freedoms, when three dimensions manifest themselves without restrictions:
body;
speech (prana);
mind.
Reaching the seventh land of wisdom (jnana-bhumi), i.e. states of transcendence (turyaga).
Reaching the sixteenth stage of the growth of the Moon of inner awareness (kala), i.e. the state of the divine Player, Brahma the Creator, creating a new Universe, possessing five main powers:
by the power of divine wisdom (jnana-shakti);
divine freedom (svatantriya-shakti);
divine will (ichkha-shakti);
divine power (aishvarya-shakti);
divine action (kriya-shakti) of five types, i.e. ability:
create (srishti);
support (sthiti);
destroy (samhara);
to conceal divinity (tirodhana);
to manifest it (Anugraha).