Mark Griffin and Hard Light Center of Awakening

[Trunk]

Dug don_vedo's post. Also checked out your blog for the first time just now.

[Rishi Das]

Mark Griffin is pretty awesome! Still processing all that I took from the event, so much was given it's hard to even know where to start. What a great experience, that man is the truth!

[Trunk]

Yeah, two things I find I have to do after any meditation w/ Mark:

1. Scooch eye-brows down from top of forehead.

2. Pick up jaw from floor.

[Rishi Das]

Yeah, two things I find I have to do after any meditation w/ Mark:

1. Scooch eye-brows down from top of forehead.

2. Pick up jaw from floor.

 

You can say that again! Literally mind blowing.

[Mokona]

You can say that again! Literally mind blowing.

What are the beneficial effects of the energy? From your personal experience. I'm just interested becuase i've never been blessed by an in person transmission of any power, but maybe for a single projected 'master'.(I miss her )

[Rishi Das]

What are the beneficial effects of the energy? From your personal experience. I'm just interested becuase i've never been blessed by an in person transmission of any power, but maybe for a single projected 'master'.(I miss her )

 

I'd say for me, it has allowed an all around deeper more intimate connection to life and merely living. Probably the best way to sum it up; my journal goes into more detail of the actual energetic effects.

 

My Journal

Edited May 7, 2012 by don_vedo

[Mokona]

I'd say for me, it has allowed an all around deeper more intimate connection to life and merely living. Probably the best way to sum it up; my journal goes into more detail of the actual energetic effects.

 

My Journal

 

Does he teach how to become as strong energeticly as he is, without his own transmissions? I'd say he just learned to feel the magnetism(chi) and has been powerhousing it, and using neigung from his description. Sounds very cool. I hope you enjoy your path!

[thelerner]

He hasn't updated it in a while, but Mark has his own podcast called 'Guru Radio' with 23 episodes. If you have Itunes (free), they're available for free download.

[Mokona]

He hasn't updated it in a while, but Mark has his own podcast called 'Guru Radio' with 23 episodes. If you have Itunes (free), they're available for free download.

Thanks! I might just hit those up while I do homework tonight. Daaaamnable philosophy!

 

Have you practiced from the podcasts yourself?

[Rishi Das]

Does he teach how to become as strong energeticly as he is, without his own transmissions? I'd say he just learned to feel the magnetism(chi) and has been powerhousing it, and using neigung from his description. Sounds very cool. I hope you enjoy your path!

 

This might be better answered by Hundun or Trunk, so don't hold me to the response. That being said, from what's been gathered on this end, it seems that Mark abides in some of the highest states of realization (fully risen Kundalini) and therefore is able to transmit that. Not sure that I can explain it from the qi perspective, but basically Mark transmits Shakti through Shaktipat which ultimately leads to the awakening of one's Kundalini, this in turn can definitely be felt as I have described in some of my posts.

 

As far as teaching how to become strong energetically, i'm not sure that's what he's all about; it's more about self-realization and awakening to one's true potential. Having said that, any and all perks along the way might include becoming a "powerhouse," however ultimately that added accumulation is just part of the journey and not the ultimate goal.

Edited May 7, 2012 by don_vedo

[Trunk]

Broadly (and obviously), two things:

1. The Teacher's part. The transmissions that Mark, supported by the Lineage, provides to the students. Light, depth, stable structure, precision skill in transmission.

 

2. The student's part. The knowledge & skill of the student in order to absorb the energy such that it fosters the student's own connection with Light. Admittedly, a lot of the time at Hard Light, it's all that a student can do to show up, breath, still the mind, and surrender to the structure of the meditation coming through Lineage ~ Guru and that is tremendous support. Classically the Path does not happen without blending one's mindstream with such Enlightened Support, Enlightened Cause. .. but still the knowledge, skill of the student to integrate Light into their own centers, really important. Does he teach it? Yes. Does each student understand conceptually and develop the skill, and to what degree? Varies a lot.

 

A big part of the knowledge is about integrating into the "deep-centers", some people call the "mysterious pass", where sushumna intersects the major chakras... it's a big key to integrate Emptiness & Light, and it's in most systems and schools (including Hard Light). Which ever school you're in, important to look for methods that go to that... the tiny quiet place in the center that, just as a part of spiritual mechanics, has an especially potent connection to Vast Quietude and Vast Light. .. at least potentially, if developed.

 

"The secret of the golden flower" itself refers to Vast Light hidden within a center's deep-center.

 

The golden flower is light. What color is light? It is symbolized by the golden flower, which [in Chinese characters] also conceals [the words] "One Light" within. This is the absolutely unified real energy of celestial immortals; this what is meant by the saying, "The lead in the homeland of water is just one flavor."

 

- from The Secret of the Golden Flower, pg 10

[thelerner]

Thanks! I might just hit those up while I do homework tonight. Daaaamnable philosophy!

 

Have you practiced from the podcasts yourself?

Just found them. After reading this thread. What's nice is many are short, 10 to 15 minutes, others over an hour. Locked and loaded 5 onto my ipod, so I'm ready.

[Rishi Das]

...

 

Thanks for sharing that Trunk, beautifully put.

 

Found these videos to give a nice reference point...

 

 

 

 

Quoted this from the last video in the segment

"Live notoriously, scare your neighbors, their too complacent anyways. Nothing bugs me more than normal complacent people."

- Mark Griffin

Edited May 7, 2012 by don_vedo

[thelerner]

Thanks! I might just hit those up while I do homework tonight. Daaaamnable philosophy!

 

Have you practiced from the podcasts yourself?

Okay, now I have. I thought 'The Fourth State' podcast was very profound. Guided Meditation on the Breath was good and practical.

[Trunk]

Last night was my first time streaming HL.

tip: I didn't have time to test beforehand, and couldn't get it to work through FireFox (maybe I'm missing something simple) - but it worked like a charm through iTunes. And, yes, powerful like being there. Nice to be able to walk into my own kitchen afterwards to remedy shakti-munchies.

 

A few quotes re: integrating Light. This goes to the topic of students knowing to and learning to focus into their own deep-centers in order that they can increasingly gain skill in integrating the refined energies that are offered through transmission, develop their own relationship with Light. Whatever tools (methods) you find that work for you to foster that deep concentration.

 

Mark, Thurs night:

One of the ideas of shaktipad

and the kindling of the kundalini

is to cause the kundalini to enter into the sushumna

and illuminate the entire sushumna

from the base of the spine up to the crown of the head

so that the sushumna is indeed burning with its own light,

steady and unwavering.

from Tsongkhapa's Six Yogas of Naropa pg 42

What are the stages of absorption? One focuses in single-pointed meditation upon emptiness, and then causes the vital energies to enter into the central channel, to abide and to dissolve, giving rise to the signs, until the clear light occurs. At that time one has arrived at the place wherein can be unobstructedly achieved the state of great union, ...

The 6 yogas book repeats "enter, abide, dissolve" over and over and over. A big part of this book.

 

from The Three Principal Aspects of the Path, pg 42

According to sutra the root of cyclic existence is our misconception that things have true existence. According to tantra this [mis]conception and the energy wind on which it rides are responsible. Since mind and energy are always together, tantric practice concentrates on halting the activity of the energy winds which serve as mounts for such [mis]conceptions. By gathering these coarser energies into the central channel of the subtle body and by causing them to remain and dissolve there, their activity ceases as does that of the coarser mental states allied to them. This allows subtle awareness to become active. One of the main purposes of tantric practice is to make manifest the actual clear light, namely subtle awareness in a blissful state experiencing reality.

This is the only paragraph in this book (that I recall) that goes into this process.

[Trunk]

"Clearing of Obstacles",

it's a meat grinder.

[Mokona]

Can't find Mark's podcasts, tried several podcast options. oh well.

Edited May 19, 2012 by Mokona

[konchog uma]

Can't find Mark's podcasts, tried several podcast options. oh well.

 

i used the DownloadHelper addon for firefox to download them from hardlights podcast page in mp3 format so i can listen to them anytime

[thelerner]

Can't find Mark's podcasts, tried several podcast options. oh well.

They're under 'Guru Radio'. there are 23 of them. Good stuff, I particularly liked his 'The Fourth State'. If you join his HardLight site, you get a free booklet and a 40 minute audio from one of his intensives.

 

 

Trunk he has many guided meditations. Are there any you'd recommend?

Edited May 20, 2012 by thelerner

[Trunk]

Trunk he has a many guided meditations. Are there any you'd recommend?

I mostly studied in the 1990's w/ M. I'm only just starting to re-engage now. There has been much work in HL in the interim to provide structured knowledge and practices, much of that new material I'm unfamiliar with. The following is just my experience and orientation... well, not only that... I've also been in some limited communication with students that studied w/ M after the time that I was there. There's a pattern, imho&e.

 

The main offerings of HL, BY FAR, are the transmissions. He is an extremely advanced meditator. It's like, "siddha?, or maha-siddha?". What he offers in meditation is 10,000 times more than anything he says, and that's not even doing justice to it. I just started sitting w/ M via streaming and, yes, it is very powerful. Go to M for that: the transmissions.

 

The studying? Could be you'll learn good/important material, theory, some method. But there is a tendency in this school that M talks at such a high level that people are confused. There has been a lot of work to fill in this gap, but it is still not the strongest suit in this school. For instance, I've heard a lecture on the breath that was perhaps the best lecture I've heard on the breath. Technical and clear. But it started from basic just breathing and ended in nirvakalpa samadhi!!! He describes the steps as best he can, but many people get lost somewhere along the way and need to work much more incrementally at this or that step. It's hard (impossible) to provide all the steps needed for each person in HL. People vary, a lot.

 

So, my observation, is that the people who get into HL get into the transmission stream. Either in-person or over the internet. And they do stillness meditation every day. And they also do whatever other practice suits them personally from whatever source. *Any* practice that works for you (+ stillness meditation).

 

So, if you're looking for good methods at HL, from the lectures, maybe you'll find something for you. And yes you should become familiar with the basic material. But, really, the method at HL IS transmission. I can't emphasize that enough.

 

- Keith

[Creation]

Trunk he has a many guided meditations. Are there any you'd recommend?

The thing about the guided meditations is that many of the instructions he gives are things that only very advanced meditators can do. But they are quite inspiring to listen to and to try to practice along with, as long as you know from the get go that you may not be able to follow very far.

 

Mark says the foundation for everything is meditating on the breath. There are good free podcasts on this, like "Gravity and the Breath." His emphasis on gravity in meditation is very satisfying to the Taoist in me. Did you know Mark was also a student of Tai Chi while studying with his siddha gurus? He also emphasizes the focusing on the sound of the breath, aka the soham or hamsa mantra or ajapa japa, and the space between the breaths.

 

In terms of techniques employed beyond meditating on the breath, two that he often mentions are pratyahara (shutting off the senses) and guru yoga (connecting to the lineage energy through the crown). I really like the "Guru Radar" guided meditation, which is for guru yoga.

 

Pratyahara is too advanced for me right now, but if you want to get a feel for it, there are actually several very interesting and informative podcasts on it, complete with practical instructions, but they are not on the Hard Light site for some reason. You can find them here:

http://homepage.mac.com/zorgon11/podcasts/podcast1.xml

(Pratyahara Kunda 1-5 and Condensed Pratyahara Meditation 1-2)

Edited May 20, 2012 by Creation

[Sahaj Nath]

Hey everybody! it's been a long time.

 

HARD LIGHT CENTER OF AWAKENING

Excerpt of a talk by Mark Griffin...

 

"The optimum situation is one in which you maintain a sense of identity as the universal identity is brought forth. If a person gets too much energy too fast they lose touch with the world. The landmarks of their reality change so quickly that they can't keep up with them and become disoriented. The Guru moderates the speed of the unraveling of the karma so that you feel more or less like yourself as you go through all this. You feel a constant sense of pressure and change, but maintain a sense of identity and remain connected to the world."

 

 

wanted to let everybody know that Mark is coming back to the Bay Area for a SECOND TIME this year! the past couple of years he's only come once. so if any of you in NorCal would like to spend a day with a truly incredible being, he's going to be in Sebastopol, August 11th at 7415 Hayden Ave. the Intensive will be held from 10am to 6pm.

 

 

earlier tonight i was watching a video from one of Mark's 2009 retreats, and his presence came through with so much intensity that i felt just like this guy!

 

 

 

genuine, loving relationship. it's the highest sadhana

Edited July 19, 2012 by Hundun

[RiverSnake]

 

 

"The optimum situation is one in which you maintain a sense of identity as the universal identity is brought forth. If a person gets too much energy too fast they lose touch with the world. The landmarks of their reality change so quickly that they can't keep up with them and become disoriented. The Guru moderates the speed of the unraveling of the karma so that you feel more or less like yourself as you go through all this. You feel a constant sense of pressure and change, but maintain a sense of identity and remain connected to the world."

 

 

Wow, what an awesome gem. I have never heard that perspective before. Thanks for sharing.

 

-My 2 cents, Peace

[Sahaj Nath]

Hey everybody!

 

lots of new videos on the Hard Light YouTube channel. i encourage all of you to check it out, and if you like the videos, SUBSCRIBE. we're gonna be posting 2 to 5 new videos each week. i'm really happy with the latest videos from the dual Darshan in honor of Muktananda's 100th birthday. might even post some of the beautiful singing and chanting from that event. but for now, check out the two talks from Mark Griffin and Gurudev Nityananda.

 

Mark's talk

 

Gurudev's talk

[konchog uma]

is that nityananda gurumayi's brother?

 

i have been loving the new vids, thank for updating the hardlight channel

 

i did my first streaming intensive last saturday, it was electric