Ajapa Japa: As taught by Swami Satyadharma
In a perfect world you would learn meditation from a skilled Yoga practitioner in a quiet Ashram, tucked deep in the quiet countryside. As well you would learn the techniques of meditation in the company of like minded spiritual seekers, perhaps at a retreat in the depths of winter, at a time when the whole Ashram was empty except for the meditators and their teacher.
This was how I learned Ajapa Japa meditation with Swami Satyadharma. It is a meditation that I have personally been exploring since that quiet time, many years ago. And a meditation that I am still exploring long past the death of Swami Satyadharma and the fall of the Ashram.
I no longer teach Yoga but I have decided to publish on this page some of my notes and recollections of Ajapa Japa as taught by Swami Satyadharma. And perhaps these brief notes, which only catch a shadow of the practice, might be use for you, Gentle Reader, in your own spritiual Sadhana?
Ajapa Japa...
Do I remember all the details that Swami Satyadharma taught? I suspect not, and I know that I have added in much of my own spiritual exploration to the mix. As you in turn will doubtless add to the practice in your own explorations. But let us begin:
Settle the body, go within...
You have completed a full Yoga session including mantra, asana and pranayama. You are in a quiet place, perhaps in front of a small table with a candle burning and you have anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes available to you. Assuming an upright, comfortable meditation position you close your eyes, place your hands in the mudra of your choice, and begin:
- Settle the body:
- Connect to your base: Become aware of connection of the body with the ground, feeling all of the points of connection to the ground; feel the strength and reassurance of this connection. Spend some time feeling your connection to the ground...
- Find the position of your pelvis and spine: Now build on this connection by gently rocking the body forwards, to the left side, to the back and then to the right side. Repeat this several times and find the right position where you are anchored to your base and you have provided a solid position for your spine to move upwards from your pelvis.
- Feel the spine release upwards: Become aware of your spine rising, veterbrae by vertebrae, from your strong and stable base. Take some time visualising the spine growing tall and strong and also physically adjust your spine to allow for uprightness, strength and flexibility.
- Free the shoulders: Raise the shoulders towards the ears and then roll the shoulders first backwards and then forwards, moving the shoulders around in a small circle. Then move both shoulders forward followed by moving the shoulders backwards. Relax the shoulders and feel this relaxation flowing down from the shoulders through the arms and then the hands.
- Free the neck: Move the left ear towards the left shoulder and then the right ear towards the right shoulder. Allow the chin to move towards the chest and then raise the chin towards the ceiling. Finally keeping the chin parallel to the floor turn the head and look over the left shoulder, then turn the head to look over the right shoulder. Synchronise the movement with the breath.
- Repeat...: When this entire sequence has been completed with care and attention go back over the sequence again. This time see what areas of the body need more attention and give that attention. Finally feel the body balanced, tall and strong...
- Go within
- Listen to sounds: Allow your awareness to move outside the room and allow the awareness to move lightly from sound to sound. Do not identify each sound but simply become aware of each sound as you move from one to anotherd. Spend some time moving from sound to sound, there is no rush, and gradually move your awareness of sounds from outside the room to inside the room where you are seated calmly meditating.
- Become aware of your position: Bring the awareness into the room and move the awareness around the body in sequence. First bring the awareness to the front, then to the right, then behind and then to the left. Next focus the awareness towards the body from the front, then from the right, then from behind and then from the left. Finally view the body from on top, from below and then simultaneously from all sides as well as top and bottom. Move through this process slowly, methodically and carefully.
- Relax the body: Bring the awareness to the front of the body and conciously relax the body by moving the awareness like a warm, relaxing blanket down the front of the body. Relax the head, the face, the shoulders, arms and hands, chest, abdomen and legs. Then repeat the process, moving down the back of the body, relaxing the back of the head, the neck, shoulders, the whole of the back, hips and legs. Feel the entire body completely relaxed and strong.
- Become still: With the body completely relaxed become aware of stillness. Stillness is not something that has to be worked for, it comes with total body relaxation. Become aware of stillness and perhaps simply count the breaths so that eventually there is only stillness and the breath. Feel that you are a small piece of stillness in an ocean of stillness.
- Become aware of infinite space: Move the awareness now inside the body and instead of organs within the body become aware instead of infinite space. Move this awareness from the top of the body all the way down, slowly and carefully. When you have completed this visualisation spend some time seeing yourself in infinite space.
The spinal pathway...
Note: We now move to the deeper practice. The above steps can be used as preparatory steps for any deeper meditation, and this certainly what I do in my own personal Sadhana.
- Become aware of the spinal pathway: Allow the vision of infinite space to return to where it came from and slowly bring the awareness to the external spinal pathway. Allow the awareness to move slowly up and down this pathway. Move the awareness slowly, purposefully and without haste.
- Feel the breath along the spinal pathway: When the spinal pathway is fully visualised add the breath to the awareness. Allow both the breath and the awareness to travel the spinal pathway. The exploration will be slow, careful and unhurried.
- Become aware of Sushumna: Become aware now that a deeper pathway exists, the pathway of Sushumna, and bring the awareness deep within the body and allow the awareness to explore Sushumna. It can be seen as a glorious pathway, suffused with light, pulsing with light and full of strength. Give the awareness some time to fully explore this beautiful pathway. Bathe in its light...
- Feel the breath within Sushumna: Now with Sushumna explored add the breath to the awareness. Feel the awareness and the breath both moving up and down Sushumna. Rejoice in this exploration of Sushumna with both the awareness and the breath. See the light and feel the strength...
- Kerchari and Ujayi Mudras: While continuing the flow of the awareness and the breath now add Ujayi breathing: contracting the throat slightly so there will be a gentle noise on both inspiration and expiration. As well curl the tongue upwards so the tip of the tongue touches the roof of the mouth, this is Kerchari Mudra. Continue this practice for some time.
- Feel the Mantra So Ham: Continue the awareness, the breath, Kerchari and Ujayi mudras and now also become aware of sounds that have always been there but now bring your awareness to these sounds. The sounds are So Ham. Breathing in, awareness from the base of Sushumna to the top hear, feel, silently chant the mantra "So". Breathing out, awareness from the apex of Sushuma to the base hear, feel, silently chant the mantra "Ham". Continue this practice for some time.
- Sushumna Awareness: Leave the awareness, the breath, the mantra and for some time simply visualise Sushumna. Feel the strength, see the light, see the beauty and be aware of Sushumna at the core of your being. And when it is time allow this visualisation to return from where it has come. Sit in silence...
Rejoin the world, awaken the body...
With the deeper practice done it is now time to close the inner world off, unless you are in a place of complete safety and openness such as a meditation retreat, and slowly, carefully return to the world.
- Heart candle: Bring the awareness to the heart centre and see there a candle flame. The flame is constant, there is no flickering and the small light yet spreads a warmth that can be felt through the entire heart space. While observing this candle chant the Mantra Aum three time, perhaps aloud, perhaps whispered or perhaps inaudibly. When this is done allow the vision of the candle and its flame return from where it has come. Sit in silence...
- Listen to sounds: Allow the awareness to move outside the room and allow the awareness to move lightly from sound to sound. But this time identify the sounds and welcome them. Spend some time with the sounds further away and then the sounds just outside the room and finally the sounds within the room.
- Become aware of your position: Remember where you are seated, remember the room: the walls, the ceiling, the floor, the decorations of the room, perhaps also others who are meditating with you. See your body as if from outside, observe yourself sitting quietly in this room. Feel the calm and peace that this practice has brought to you.
- Become aware of the breath: Bring the awareness to the breath. Perhaps during this practice the breath has become slow and shallow. Consciously now deepen this breath, feel the life and energy flowing within you, feel the chest rise and fall with the breath.
- Move the body: Start to make small movements now. Release the hand Mudra and move the fingers, rotate the shoulders and gently move the head from side to side. Release the meditation asana that you have been sitting in and massage ankles, knees and hips that may be uncomfortable. If you are familiar with the practice do a few gentle rounds of palming...
- End the practice: The meditation practice is now complete so perhaps spend a little time with smaller things before venturing back out into the world. Read a few pages of an inspirational text kept near your place of meditation, perhaps simply tidy up and reset your Yoga space. Feel the effects of the practice and make a resolution to repeat this practice... Hari Om.
And in conclusion...
Of all the practices that I learnt at the Mangrove Ashram this practice, as taught to me by Swami Satyadharma, has been the most useful. Odd that in my time teaching Yoga I did not ever actually teach this full practice but have instead spent the long years exploring it as part of my own Sadhana. Perhaps in publishing this page I am finally teaching the practice?
I hope that this page has also been useful to you, Gentle Reader? If so please let me know... And if it has not been useful to you I wish you all the very best still as you continue on your own personal Sadhana...