Har-Prakash Khalsa

In Spiritual Practices and the Sliding Scale of Identity I wrote about using the TSSFIT approach to the human sensory system. The practical applications of using the TSSFIT chart are many, and this article will elucidate how it can be applied to Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan.

I began studying with Yogi Bhajan in 1984, and my love and gratitude for his teachings continue, almost five years to the day after Yogiji’s physical death. Combining Shinzen Young’s Vipassana (mindfulness meditation) training over the last ten years, particularly his sensory clarity, his TSSFIT chart component, and his “taking the mist out of mysticism”, has helped me clarify Yogi Bhajan’s deep yogic teaching of moving from “mystery into mastery”, in a form that is “trackable, and therefore tractable”.

So having laid my cards on the table above, let’s revisit our chart below (if you’re unfamiliar with TSSFIT you might want to read the previous post for a clearer understanding).

HUMAN SENSORY SYSTEM

More Objective “T-S-S” Space                 More Subjective “F-I-T” Space

& More Other/World                                  & More Self – I, Me, Mine

Kundalini Yoga is akin to the tantra example I used in Spiritual Practices and the Sliding Scale of Identity because we replace the more subjective F-I-T space (and more) with the components of our kriya or meditation. This gives us the opportunity to jump out of the system of our usual Feel-Image-Talk activity, and temporarily at least, the usual Feel-Image-Talk identity.

Posture, mudra, pranayama (breath patterning), mantra, visual focus, listening, rhythm and movement may all come into play. We focus intensely on just the particulars of the meditation or kriya which can lead to a deepening of concentration and absorption. As we constantly attend to these particular components of the meditation or kriya this helps to separate out the sense strands. Separating out the sense strands helps deconstruct the limited identity. We can also deepen our awareness of the sensory spaces themselves, which increases sensory clarity.

Adopting a non-reactive attitude to whatever else is arising in addition to the particulars of our meditation helps develop a yogic neutral mind. All of these facets that are deepened in Kundalini Yoga and meditation help break the habitual attachment to the Feel-Image-Talk limited identity patterning. The more we deconstruct the limited identity patterning, the more the True Self is revealed. In addition to our deconstruction, we construct new, positive  neural pathways with the addition of the vibration of the mantra or chant, flavoured with devotion when appropriate.

Let’s use the meditation of chanting Wahe Guru Wahe Guru Wahe Guru Wahe Jio 8x per breath with hands in gian mudra while focusing at the third eye as our example.  The components of this meditation as situated throughout the sensory system would be as follows:

The activity of chanting has a touch component to it expressed as the physical movement of the mouth, jaw, and any other vibrations due to the sounding of the chant. The sitting posture and mudra would also be considered a touch, as would any sensations produced by the particular breath cycle and the use of muscles required to position and keep in place our focus at the third eye.

Listening to the sounds of the chant has a sound space and talk space component to it, listening “outside” and “inside”.

Focusing, eyes closed, inward and upward at the “third eye” positions our inner seeing in a specific location in image space without intentionally producing visual content.

Except for some external light that may bleed through the closed eyelids sight space is not a factor. Feel space may be activated unintentionally during the meditation but it is not something we’re asked to focus on.

WAHE GURU WAHE GURU WAHE GURU WAHE JIO 8x PER BREATH MEDITATION - T-S-I-T Space

Deepening into the meditation starts with being able to have all of the components working as per the instructions. If we lose track of the chant we resume chanting. A little deeper would be to get caught up in thinking while still keeping up chanting correctly. We then use the muscle of our concentration to deepen into the main components of our meditation. As this happens the memory, planning, or fantasy aspects of thinking will naturally shift from a foreground prominence to a background position in awareness.

“If you’re with God, God rubs you the right way. When you’re without God, God rubs you the wrong way.”

- Yogi Bhajan

To notice the what and how of what gets in the way of deepening into yoga or meditation is to identify the patterning that distorts perception and drives unconscious behaviour. If this patterning is clearly identified, such as “I often space out into fantasy that has pleasurable feel, image, and talk components while meditating”, it becomes easier to let go of. The intention of consciously working with our patterning leads to a diminishing in frequency and duration of space-outs, judgements of self and other, and unconscious reactivity. This results in deeper meditation and contributes to a happiness that is independent of conditions.

Now when meditation is deep, awareness will cover and/or free-float throughout sensory space without distraction and chanting may continue effortlessly on it’s own, without a need for our limited identity to arise fully if at all.

“You must experience shunia.”

“Love is an experience of selflessness within the Self “

- Yogi Bhajan

The unconscious patterning of the Feel-Image-Talk subjective sensory components may quiet down, be dis-identified with, or disappear altogether (relative shunia). A sense of vibratory spaciousness may occur. Distinctions between the sensory spaces may disappear. There can be a merger into the vibrations. On occasion, the entire TSSFIT sensory self and world may completely dissolve temporarily (absolute shunia) into Zero (or the Source, God, or whatever name, if any, you prefer) .

Each occasion the unconscious patterning in the sense strands is identified and let go of it’s habitual grip is loosened. Every time the components of the meditation are applied and deepened into, and every occasion that the sense strands become clarified, the grip of unconscious patterning is further weakened. As outdated patterns are dis-identified with or dissolve completely the unconscious becomes more conscious. Over time and with the momentum created through the application of our spiritual practice in formal meditation and throughout daily activity, we notice change for the better. Qualities associated with enlightened perception and behaviour are revealed, shared and further cultivated endlessly for the greater good of all. These qualities include love, compassion, generosity, radiance, relaxation, clarity, intuitive ability, insight, wisdom, skillful means, spaciousness, stillness, spontaneity, humility, and service.

(with much love and gratitude to Yogi Bhajan and Shinzen Young)