Gregor Maehle's upcoming book, working title : "Yoga meditation: Through Chakras, Mantra and Kundalini to Spiritual Freedom”.

Gregor Maehle's status update this morning...

"Good Morning!
I am today posting an outline of my meditation book, working title ‘Yoga Meditation: Through Chakras, Mantra and Kundalini to Spiritual Freedom”.
As I’m only on the third draft I’m still able to change things around so feel free to give me feedback if you have any strong feelings either way.

Outline
The book is the result of my 35 years of meditation experience, combined with as many years of study of scripture and 15 years of direct instruction from Indian masters. The book is laid out in 18 chapters, each describing what I believe to be a ‘law’ or principle of meditation.
The 18 laws come in three parts, with six laws each pertaining to Hatha -, Raja –, and Bhakti Yoga. It is explained that these components in ancient days formed one Maha Yoga or ‘great yoga’ and only through the lapse of time we have lost it. Patanjali called the architecture or structure of this yoga 'Ashtanga Yoga'.

Part 1 'Hatha Laws or the physical dimension of meditation'
This part describes how the physical practices like asana, pranayama and kriyas create the foundation for yoga practice. The reasoning is that I want to entice physical yogis to practice meditation, too, and meditators to include asana, pranayama and kriya into their practice. In the now following laws I will show in a scientific matter how physical yoga lays the bedrock for meditation.

Law 1 Success in meditation is powered by Kundalini.
Meditation is powered by Kundalini
What is Kundalini?
Why does Patanjali not mention Kundalini?
Exercise: How asana alignes the spine for Kundalini

Law 2 Apana driven up is the 1st engine of Kundalini.
What is apana?
Peristalsis, fasting and Basti
Basti and Ashvini Mudra
Exercise: increase fruit and vegetable intake and decrease meat and starches to prepare for Kundalini

Law 3 Converting metabolic fire (pitta) into fire of intelligence (agni) is the 2nd engine of kundalini.
the ignition of intelligence.
Exercise: Sankalpa (creative thinking)

Law 4 The Oceanic breath powers the Oceanic experience in wave-like motion.
The linking of breath and mind
Exercise 3 How breath waves lead to the oceanic breath

Law 5 Prana rises only if there is a balance of lunar and solar forces.
Are there any dangers to meditation?
Nostril balance
Exercise: alternate nostril breathing

Law 6 Pratyahara is attained once lunar prana (amrita) is arrested in the cranium.
Amrta siddhi and the senses
Exercise 3a Extending your inversions

Part 2 'Raja Yoga or the Mental Dimension of Meditation''
In this part of the book the essential technique of yogic meditation is taught in six steps subdivided into some 24 or so sub-steps. It also explains that Raja Yoga is not a separate discipline but a continuation of Hatha Yoga.

Law 7 The mind automatically attaches itself to the next object arising.
Do not start by meditating on awareness
Exercises

Law 8 The type of meditation object chosen determines the mindset created
Inner and outer objects
Tamasic, rajasic and sattvic objects
Why is the central energy channel (sushumna) important?
Location and colour of Sushumna
Exercises

Law 9 Directing prana and vrtti simultaneously is the 3rd engine of Kundalini.
How to structure meditation.
Meditation and its elements.
Exercise
Why not meditate on one chakra only?
Exercises

Law 10 The lotuses (padmas) are always facing Kundalini.
Origin of the bija mantras
Exercises

Law 11 Dharana occurs once the audio, visual, kinaesthetic/tactile, olfactory and gustatory components of mind are bound to their respective places.
Exercises

Law 12 Mastery over the five sensory components of mind slows the breath and enables the increase in the elements of meditation.
Exercises
This method can be extended ad infinitum until Kevala Kumbhaka is reached

Part 3 'Bhakti Yoga or the Spiritual Dimension of Meditation'
This part shows that Bhakti Yoga is not a separate discipline but the fruit of Hatha and Raja. Without Bhakti, that is devotion to the Divine Hahta and Raja will remain dead. This part is spiked with my own spiritual experiences.
What determines the speed of your spiritual evolution?

Law 13 The Chakras constitute stages of brain development towards life as Divine Love.
Exercise
See only the Brahman in any Divine image.
Link between moon in water chakra (chakra of lower emotions) and moon in Ajna

Law 14 Internal kumbhakas make visible the Divine in Sahasrara.
Exercise

Law 15 External kumbhakas ignite Kundalini below Muladhara.
Exercise

Law 16 Apana gati, activating the inner upward-force within apana through the double-up wave, is the 4th engine of Kundalini.
Law of negating forces
Exercises

Law 17 The meditation experience can be integrated into life only then when it is ‘understood’.
Importance to integrate and “understand” the meditation experience, understand that the world is an expression of divine love, creativity and intelligence
The true meaning of understanding
Understanding the chakras
Exercise

Law 18 The Jnana Yoga: When Shakti comes to rest in Muladhara, consciousness becomes invisible and the world becomes visible. When Shakti (Kundalini) unites with Shiva in Sahasrara, consciousness becomes visible and the world invisible.
The Nagaraj, a metaphor for the unified field
Mountain-top metaphor
Practices
Stance of the Bhakta towards the Sahasrara experience
Do not go straight to Jnana Yoga
Svadharma first and only then think of merging into Sahasrara

Epilogue
Yoga is set to make a major contribution towards the spiritual evolution of humanity. Once you made break throughs, do not take off into ‘nirvana’ but make a contribution to this evolution.

Anyway that’s it for today. Please excuse the typos, etc. I feel that this will become my most important book until now. Mainly because I am practising meditation longer than asana and about double as long as pranayama. You can expect however that this book will describe meditation not in a wishy-washy fashion but explain meticulously every minute facet and also give exercises for each step so that you can experience for yourself. Please let me know what you think of the content so far and whether you think something is missing (or in fact shouldn't be there). (:
Thank you
Have a great weekend.
Gregor