lot of heat while doing japa or self enquiry

[ksksat27]

dear devotees

I request practical advise to this.

Nowadays I have resorted to three kind of main sadhanas --  one is reading talks,be as you are, guru vachaka kovai, yoga vashistam etc. and contemplating on them.

next is japa of arunachala shiva.

thrid is self enquiry.

During japa or self enquiry,  as i do for lot of time,  (esp with japa),  lot of heat is produced in the brain.  There is increased activity of thoughts, with confusion,  a sort of peaceless state. If I still force myself and continues, it results in headache.  Ultimately mind then runs to relax by seeing TV or playing games or thinking on lust.

Further I have observed,  the more we increase on the rigour and frequency of the sadhana,  mind tends to get confused . Suppose I extend my japa to 24 hours continuosly,  I feel like going mad.

This becomes like studying for a Phd examination.   

Anybody encounters this problem?  Any solution and useful insights into this?

[Anand]

Bhagavan has said that even our sadhana should be gradual corresponding to our ripeness and extent of our vasanas and possibly if there is some kind of uneasiness,it is quite okay to digress to alternate activity and then go back whenever we feel upto it.In such digressing to  what one may call excursions , we should not  have any regrets over any actions of ours and be totally self accepting of ourselves .THIs is one key aspect of sadhana -i.e never be hard on ourselves.
We should not give any importance to any such activity , thus denying the importance that the mind craves.We should just try to let go and begin sadhana again.
THanks ,Anand .

[atmavichar100]

I posted the message below in another thread but I feel they will be useful here also .

D: People practising meditation etc., are said to get new diseases; at any rate, I feel some pain in the back and front of the chest. This is stated to be a test by God. Will Bhagavan explain this and say if it is true?

B: There is no Bhagavan outside you and no test is therefore instituted. What you believe to be a test or a new disease resulting from spiritual practices is really the strain that is now brought to play upon your nerves and the five senses. The mind which was hitherto operating through the nadis to sense external objects and thus maintaining a link between itself and the organs of perception is now required to withdraw from the link and this action of withdrawal naturally causes a strain, a sprain or a snap attendant with pain, which people term disease and perhaps tests by God. All these would go, if you would but continue your meditation bestowing your thought solely on understanding your Self or on Self-realization. There is no greater remedy than this continuous yoga or union with God or Atman. There cannot but be pain as a result of your discarding your long acquired vasanas.

D: Hatha Yogic practices are said to banish diseases effectively and are therefore advocated as necessary preliminaries to Jnana Yoga.
B: Let those who advocate them use them. It has not been the experience here. All diseases would be effectively annihilated by continuous Self-enquiry.

~from ‘Crumbs from His Table’ by Ramanananda Swarnagiri

[Jewell]

Dear Sri Krishnan,

I agree with Sri Anand. I came across similar problems,even,at some moments it seems like all my emotions are 100 percent stronger,also,headashes,heat,etc. I have read that the heat is a good sign,it is a cleaning process. Many thing related on that i found in Sri Aurobindo writings and it is quite helpfull for me. I also came to understand that it is best not to pay much attention on that,which is,i must admit very hard at times. But,we stumble once,twice,and every next moment,is much better,we tend to learn from it. Whatever happens,just try to keep awareness on that,that is the best remedy for me.

Also,from my own experience,dont force yourself when your mind is not responding. In the end,we are our best guides,and whatever feel it is giving you uneasiness,like headashes,etc,it is a time for rest. Just listen some devotional music,pray,try not to go to other extreme. But,even if you do,do it with awareness,and just be gentle to yourself. It is all play of gunas,so it will pass soon,and when sattwa is predominant You use that time in the best possible way! With sadhana 24 hours a day. Just dont worry,it is all natural,and like i said,it is happening to me too,and it truly look like madness. At these moments try to remember that it is only mind playing with you,that it is not real,and try to be observer.

With love and prayers,