Excerpts:

Introduction
Charging the Mantra of Peace
The Body and the Soul
Table of Contents

The Body and the Soul

In this next step, we must learn how to pay attention properly. We will do so by awakening our inner awareness of our body, operating two trainings at once.

Our attention usually wavers from one subject to another, rocked by the wind of our thoughts, without our conscious intervention. Even while we watch a movie, we think that we are paying attention to the same thing for two hours in a row, while in fact, the movie is continuously sending in new scenes and sounds, to keep our attention flowing with the story. Or else, we would not even be able to concentrate on the movie. We are unacquainted to pay attention to the same thing for more than a few seconds. If there is not change, if there doesn't seem to be movement, sounds or variations, our mind will try to pay attention to something else, hoping to be stimulated.

On another note (even a completely different subject), we are not used to know exactly where we exist. We assume that we exist in our body, but we are not really aware of that fact. We take it for granted and our ability to exist in our body fades away. Some people are not even in their body. We could see them hovering here and there, around their bodies, or partially in contact with it.

During this exercise, we will simultaneously practice ourselves at paying attention, and consciously existing in our body. Hence, we will pay attention to our body. You will have to do this exercise sometimes while sitting on a chair, lying down, or sitting in meditation, cross-legged. The environment, as usual, must be peaceful; not even music. We don't want your mind to be distracted during this exercise. It would only make you believe that you are paying attention, while, in fact, you are constantly entertained by the music. If a sense of panic settles in, it means you are on the right track. At first, the mind will be unsettled at focusing consciously at a single thing without other distractions. Again, let your polluting thoughts go free while your mind is cleaning up, and pay attention to the exercise.

Sometimes, by reflex of conditioning, we approach a technique thinking that we are a body, and that we have a mind, and a soul. It is the other way around. We are a soul, and we have a mind and a body. It is a question of self-identification. While we endure the program in our cells that tells us we are the body, we will never be able to look at the world from another point of view than from our physical eyes. In order to become aware of your body, you must also entrain yourself in remembering that you are not the body, and that you are paying attention to it, like to an exterior object, even though you are within it, as a soul. For a moment, there might seem to be a duality of opinions while your mind changes its point of view. You must remain aware of this unsettling feeling, without pushing it away.

Step 1: Feel your body. Become aware of your body. Make contact with your body using your mind. Awaken to every physical sensation of the body. Be at peace. Relax and keep paying attention. It is like a closed-eye meditation on the physical body. After you feel you have a good connection with your physical body, start repeating yourself "I am not the body, I am the Soul", over and over again, in a very calm manner. Keep paying attention. Do this technique many times, for periods of 10 to 30 minutes. It is totally acceptable for you to transcend, pass out or fall asleep. Gently but certainly, repeat to yourself "I am not the body, I am the Soul,… I am not the body, I am the Soul,…". Technically, the body is a part of the soul. Yet, when you say to yourself "the body is a part of the soul, thus, I am the body", you are still identifying yourself to the limited physical envelope of the soul. We wish to destroy this belief, and we do so by saying "I am not the body, I am the Soul". Hence, your body is a part of you, but it is not entirely you. You are a Soul.

Step 2: When you succeed in feeling your body like if you were living into it, do the same technique as in step 1, but without the phrase. Simply keep your attention on your body, knowing you are something greater, but don't use words. Try to identify the un-worded pure thought of this abstract concept. When we use words, pure thought becomes human thought. We want to become aware of the difference between human and pure thought; to grasp concepts without the words that describe them. You may want to use the phrase "I am not the body, I am the Soul" a few times at the start of the practice, then elevate the attention to the pure un-worded thought. During that same time, you are also paying attention to your body.

Once you grasp the concept of this practice. Use the Sanskrit mantra that means "I am not the body, I am the soul". The mantra is: Ma Dehane Me Atma Om. This mantra is charged with a mala during the Atma Yoga process, which is not the scope of this book. Thus, practice this mantra when going to bed, or when doing a lying down meditation.

This might seem to be difficult when you read the technique, but it becomes clear after a few hours of non-linear practice. After a while, you might feel yourself as a living being inside your body. It might trigger a soothing emotional response from your sensitive body. You might have stuff projected on your minds diaphane. Accept the presence of these other events, but keep your attention to the main purpose of being the soul in the body, without human thoughts.

The answer to most of your questions is: practice makes perfect. Most questions persist because the experience of altered consciousness did not happen yet. Thus, practice, and give yourself time.

Practicing this technique will: have you re-enter your body if you were out, have you become aware of your soul, have you become aware of your human thoughts and spiritual thoughts, practice your concentration on a simple unmoving concept while your mind cleanses out. This technique is actually very healthy for your body and your mind.

Stay fixed as much as you can on the base thought, feeling and concept "I am not the body, I am the Soul". But while you use your will to stay focused, you must also relax and passively pay attention, without implicating yourself against the disturbances of the mind.

Extra-sensory perception means that perception is occurring beyond the senses. This also means that it is not your body perceiving, but something else of a more subtle nature. The only way to develop these special abilities is to awaken the spiritual bodies, starting by awakening your Self at the level of the Soul.

You may proceed to the next step of the training whenever you feel like it. Be gentle with yourself. You will have results with practice. You will have to go over each step of the training many times before you get tangible results in each of these exercises.

It is recommended to fall asleep each night while saying to yourself "I am not the body, I am the Soul", or the equivalent Sanskrit mantra. The effect of this training will also work at night, during your sleep. Falling asleep while focusing on your Self as the Soul will also have great benefits while you sleep. For some people, this is where they have their first conscious experience of the diaphane when they wake up. But for this to happen they also trained during the day, when awake.