Dear James,
After initiation in the Navanath sampradaya I have been doing sadhana for the last two years. I am a devotee and highly attracted by reading the “Nirupanas” of Nisargadatta Maharajl.
I have probably listened more than 5 times to each part of your Vedanta retreat Westerwald that I found on YouTube. I’ve been doing meditation since 2014 regularly. From your Vedanta retreat, I’ve learned a lot. I’ve listened to some other important discourses on soundless sound and about the light of awareness also on YouTube. Now I have two sincere questions.
I consistently listen to the soundless sound when I am awake even at work. It stops only when I am sleeping. What is it?
James: It is the reflected light of Awareness, your true Self, the silence that is not opposite sound or thoughts.
Mani: Second. I can see a pure white light that initially appears and increases and then disappears again over and over for a few seconds when my mind is calm. I see it from my third eye when my physical eyes are closed.
I recall you speaking of a highly advanced yogi in Sri Lanka who constantly experienced the same light but was taking the light to be an object when it is actually herself. So, please guide me in this regard. I am trying to contemplate it but can’t resolve it. Please, guide me in this matter. I appreciate your help.
James: This “light” appears when the mind is sattvic due to your meditation. It comes and goes because rajas and tamas appear after it. When your attention goes to the rajasic/tamasic vritti (thought) the “light” of sattva is “hidden.”
What you call the “third-eye” is the true you, unborn pure existence shining as awareness. It is the subject and the blinking on and off of the gunas is the object.
If your attention is fixed on the “third-eye,” which means non-dual existence shining as awareness, that is true meditation. Nirupana, means meditation without form. The true self is formless and nameless.
Unfortunately, you can’t fix your attention on it all the time because you are a busy person with worldly karma. Therefore, you need to practice karma yoga until your extroversion and your karma is reduced. Karma Yoga is taught to Arunja, a rajasic extrovert, in the Gita by Sri Krishna his wise friend. I explain it in the Westerwald series and everywhere else all the time. Without karma yoga you are spinning your wheels spiritually.
Good questions. I hope this helps. If you want to speak with me sometime om June you can make a donation to ShiningWorld and write me at swartz.jb@gmail.com and we will set up a time to discuss your spiritual life.
Om and Prem,
James