Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Unconscious pain an obstacle to effective nididhyasana

 



Basically, we are scared to feel uncomfortable feelings like fear, anger, grief, hurt, guilt, shame etc. So they stay in the unconscious and get triggered and come out in present day situations. Not only that, also based on some uncomfortable experiences certain  limiting conclusions were formed – and they too remain in the unconscious and govern our lives.

Purifying the inner instrument, the mind involves not only becoming aware of the uncomfortable emotions that are stored in the unconscious, it involves letting them go, without clinging onto them....without clinging onto the storyline attached to them. We also need to become aware of the limiting beliefs and let them go too...without clinging onto them. 

Healing emotional pain thus involves both becoming aware and letting go. 

Becoming aware of the feelings lurking in the unconscious needs lot of Grace in form of a safe environment ...because we are scared to face them and allow ourselves to feel them, without clinging to the story line, without acting on them. Letting go is possible only when we have forgiven -others and ourselves.

Nididhyasana can be effective only after getting past the kashaya. Usually in attempting nididhyasana, if heavy unconscious is there, one knocks against kashaya, and can’t proceed ahead ...it is too scary and painful. Or the mind finds a way of dodging/denying the kashaya and stays in just words. 

So learning to process the kashaya in the form of traumatic memories, feelings and getting past the limiting beliefs is very important to be able to successfully sit for nididhyasana.