Signs you're ready to advance
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Signs you're ready to advance ✦
You’ll know you’re ready to dive deeper when…
You have the desire to advance
Your twice-daily sits have become solid and consistent, and you rarely miss. It's becoming second nature.
You have stabilized the effects of the previous mantra or advanced technique. You might think, “I don’t know if my mantra is as powerful as it used to be, or it feels like it’s hardly there.” This means you’ve progressed and normalized more of a meditative state, which can feel as if you aren’t getting the same results you received when you first learned, but you are. This is when your mind has calmed, and it’s ready to advance
You find the Yogic and Vedic viewpoint of the world nourishing and connects with your soul
There’s a curiosity around yogic techniques that keep coming into your awareness
You are ready to have more profound experiences and are devoted to unstressing your psycho-physiology
There is a lot to explore and experience. First let’s dive in into what each advancement is, then I’ll outline a sample path of a meditator who feels called to keep progressing.
Below is an accordion/toggle with more details on the range of advancements that you either (a) incorporate more selectively as needed, (b) layer into every vedic meditation, or (c) dive deep into with Vedic knowledge courses & retreats…
TOOLS IN YOUR TOOLBOX
✦ Additional Practices ✦
(think of these as tools in your toolbox that you PICK UP when relevant or as you desire)
a.k.a. you do not do these with every VM sit.
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WHAT IT IS: a 15-minute gentle sequence of asana (body poses), 5 mins pranayama (Breathwork), 20 mins Vedic meditation, and a yummy lie down)! It is truly one of my favorite techniques to share with my students. It’s so gentle, healing, and powerful. I will teach you how to approach asana from a transcendental perspective to achieve the full value of the practice. Learning this technique will deepen your meditation. The simplicity and effortless nature of the technique produce powerful results. Performing the proper progression with the correct intention allows deep-rooted stresses to release and brings the nervous system back into balance. It's easy to learn Rounding regardless of your physical fitness. Custom modifications are available for those with physical limitations.
WHEN YOU USE IT: As needed, during times of transition/growth/expansion, when you feel like you need a dose of “industrial strength meditation.” Some new meditators enjoy incorporating rounding once a week, bi-weekly, or once a month; some only round during extended retreats. It is also the primary technique used for training teachers in Vedic Meditation and Deep Meditation Retreats. Regardless of how you engage rounding, it is a beautiful technique to have in your life as needed. → Learn to Round
HOW SOON CAN YOU LEARN: as early as 60 days of consistent VM practice? When you are in awe of the outward stroke of meditation, you see the healing benefits and are ready for more. You are dedicated to stressing your psycho-physiology
LEARNING FORMAT: a 4-hour workshopDescription text goes here
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WHAT IT IS: an additional eyes-open practice with repetition of specific mantras with meaning. You do not have to be a Vedic meditator to experience the benefits of a japa practice. Japa meditation is very different than Vedic Meditation. Japa is a practice we use with a clear intention and focused effort to help correct the mistaken intellect, refine our contemplative thinking spectrum and enhance specific fields of awareness/consciousness. We use a string of beads (Mala) to help keep count.
WHEN YOU USE IT: you will walk away doing a 40-day Sadhana with each God/Goddess. Once that practice is initiated you will use daily or as needed in between your twice-a-day Vedic Meditation practice
HOW SOON CAN YOU LEARN: anytime (no Vedic Meditation practice required)
LEARNING FORMAT: a set of four 2-hour workshop sessions (either over four evenings or stacked on a 2-day deep-dive weekend.
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WHAT IT IS: This is a powerful tantric Siddhi’s practice of the 10 Wisdom Goddesses. It is a deep dive into Mother Divine and the enhancement of the divine feminine for all genders. You will learn about each Goddess, receive 10 mantras for each one + a Siddhi, and learn how to practice with them. You will also learn a Rounding technique (Surya Namaskar, Pranayama sequence, Japa Meditation, lie down) which will become the primary practice of the retreat.
WHEN YOU USE IT: you will walk away doing a 40-day Sadhana with each wisdom Goddess. Once that practice is initiated you will use daily or as needed in between your twice-a-day Vedic Meditation practice
HOW SOON CAN YOU LEARN: After you have done the Level 1 Japa Meditation Course and finished practicing the 40-day Sadhana of each mantra given
LEARNING FORMAT: A 4-day consecutive non-residential retreat, a YDM, or residential retreat.
TECHNIQUES USED IN EVERY VM SIT
✦ Layered-In Techniques ✦
WOVEN into every VM siT
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WHAT IT IS: a simple technique that instructs your cellular system to awaken bliss consciousness.
WHEN YOU USE IT: every single sit after you meditate with your mantra.
HOW SOON CAN YOU LEARN: after six months of consistent twice daily VM practice
LEARNING FORMAT: puja, initiation + knowledge (2 hours)
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WHAT IT IS: a technique that expands cosmic consciousness + universal nature and sharpens your awareness + attention with intention.
WHEN YOU USE IT: every single sit after Bliss Technique.
HOW SOON CAN YOU LEARN: after six months of consistent twice-a-day VM practice? When your sits are naturally becoming longer, and you enjoy it. You feel ready for more.
LEARNING FORMAT: puja, initiation + knowledge (2 hours)
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WHAT IT IS: a technique from the great Master Patanjali called Sanyama. With this technique of Samyama (Dhāraṇā , Dhyāna, Samādhi ), you learn how to use sutras within our meditation designed to refine and enhance your human capabilities. There are five sets of sutras (4-5 sutras each) per course that build upon each other and must be learned and practiced sequentially.
WHEN YOU USE IT: every single sit after Bliss Technique + Cosmic Body Technique.
HOW SOON CAN YOU LEARN: ‘Siddhis I’ can be learned after taking ‘Living Aligned Series’, Bliss Technique + Cosmic Body Technique, and consistently practicing those for 2 years. Each Siddhi set is offered annually. Each following Siddhi's initiation is provided 3 or 4 months apart.
LEARNING FORMAT: for each set of Siddhis, it’s a weekend course with one evening of puja, initiation, learning sutras + 1 afternoon of knowledge
→ Email Yashoda@YDMmeditation.com to express interest in the Siddhis journey.
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WHAT IT IS: an evolution of your original, initiated bija mantra to continue expanding after that frequency stabilizes in your system. There are 8 Mantra Advancements for each bija.
WHEN YOU USE IT: every single sit.
HOW SOON YOU CAN LEARN IT: every 9-12 months (there’s some wiggle room in here, but 9+ months of consistent non-negotiable meditation is key). I recommend receiving your next mantra advancement with each additional year of consistent practice.
LEARNING FORMAT: short weekend courses with puja, initiation + 2 afternoons of knowledge
→ Receive Mantra Advancement 1, 2, or 3 (Sign Up Link)
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WHAT IT IS: a breathwork technique activates the vagus nerve and gamma waves. It enhances cosmic consciousness, energy, vitality, and the brain. We are learning how to tune our breath.
WHEN YOU USE IT: every single sit before meditating with your mantra
HOW SOON CAN YOU LEARN: You’ve meditated consistently twice daily for at least 6 months, taken the Rounding Workshop and are practicing the breathwork from the Rounding Technique daily.
LEARNING FORMAT: 1 initiation session (2 hours)
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WHAT IT IS: a breathwork technique that enhances God/Goddesses Consciousness - Supreme Wisdom and Supreme Love, bringing unity and more dynamism. The intention of working with this breathing technique is to activate heart intelligence, shakti energy and allow us to live a more heart-centered life.
WHEN YOU USE IT: every single sit before meditating with your mantra
HOW SOON CAN YOU LEARN: after you’ve received your 3rd Mantra Advancement and are practicing Kriya 1 breath daily.
LEARNING FORMAT: 1 initiation session (2 hours)
→Email Yashoda to express interest in learning Kriya Breath 2
DIVE DEEP INTO VEDIC WISDOM
✦ Knowledge Courses & Retreats ✦
Wisdom ✦ Community ✦ Transformation
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WHAT IT IS: this is a foundational Vedic knowledge six part series in a non-residential retreat setting. We explore what it means to live aligned with our higher Self, the rhythms of Nature and begin to gain support of nature. These weekends are designed to be deeply transformative, give an understanding to the Vedic perspective and how to embody this knowledge in our daily lives.
1 - Foundational Knowledge of where Yoga came from
2 - Deepen our understanding of how consciousness works
3 - Aligning with the rhythms of Nature and how we practice bringing this into our everyday life.
4 - Relationships and how our goal is to create more shared experience; unity.
5 - God Consciousness and higher value living
6 - Change is inevitable, growth is optional. How do we be agents of change, identity when change is on the horizon and how to move towards it progressively.
WHEN OFFERED: Each installment is offered annually.
HOW SOON CAN YOU SIGN UP: as early as 90 days of consistent VM practice. Each installment offered every 3 to 4 months so you can integrate and enliven the knowledge into your life.
LEARNING FORMAT: Retreat style deep dive weekends. Friday night - opening ceremony, puja, breathwork meditation, group connection and laying down the foundation. Saturday + Sunday - a.m. Rounding, 11a-1p Knowledge, lunch break, 2:30-5:30p knowledge, p.m. Rounding
→ LAUNCHING FALL 2023 (email Yashoda@YDMmeditation to express interest in joining)
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Held at nourishing and inspiring destinations, these ‘Reset Retreats’ are designed to purify our systems emotionally, mentally, and physically and release any deep-rooted stresses through sequenced rounding that our 20-minute, twice-a-day practice hasn’t been able to get to yet. The Rounding Technique is referred to as ‘industrial strength meditation.’
Advance ONLY whEN Charmed
a Sample Path to Progressing
The Vedic Traditions and teachings are based on worthy inquiry. When you begin to have Self-inquiry, it is a sign to leap forward. It is not made to be consumed; rather, it is designed to discover and unfold. This is not a linear process, so let it unfold as you become curious. It will feel natural, innocent, and with reverence. Everyone will approach advancing in their own timing.
However, if you’d simply like a path mapped out for you, below is a sample “Path of an Advanced Meditator” who is loving diving deeper into vedic wisdom and technologies.
A PATH OF PROGRESS
After establishing your twice-daily practice with ease and non-negotiable consistency, and only if you are charmed, you could explore some of these advancements…
Brand New Meditator
Here’s how to create a successful + stable practice:
➢ Attend monthly Free Group Med + Knowledge Meetings
➢ Attend the monthly Free Refresher Course • 1 or all 3 sessions as often as possible or when charming (you are never too advanced)
➢ Drop in to a private 30-min or 60-min mentoring session to excel your growth, gain insight on your blind spots, understand the perspective and approach to life
First-Year Meditating
You love the practice and rarely miss a sit.
➢First do all of the above as the “Brand New Meditator”
➢Take the Rounding Workshop and add this into your routine
➢Attend workshops offered
➢Attend the Japa Meditation Course
➢Begin the journey of taking ‘Living Aligned’ Knowledge Series
➢Read some of the Recommended Books to support your practice and learn more yogic knowledge
After at least a year of meditating…
Your nervous system is regulating, baseline stresses disappearing, ready to dive deeper
➢If you missed some from above, explore those
➢Continue to attend Group Med + Refreshers
➢Continue Rounding as it’s relevant
➢Continue doing Japa meditation as needed
➢Book a mentoring session when feeling stuck or lackluster or want to advance with private curated Kriya + breathwork practice specific to where you are at.
➢Get your first Advanced Mantra Technique
➢Get initiated into Bliss Technique
➢Get initiated into Cosmic Body Technique
➢Get initiated into Kriya 1
➢Enjoy a Reset Retreat
Second Year Meditating
You have overcome a lot of your baseline stresses, practice is easy and effortless
➢If you missed some from above, check them out
➢Continue to attend Group Med + Refreshers
➢Second Advanced Mantra Technique
➢Initiation into 10 Wisdom Goddesses (Advanced Japa)
➢Continue with Rounding, Japa, Self-inquiry, Self-study, and Reset Retreats as you feel called
Third Year Meditating
You are solid in your advanced practices, life is expanding, abundance + joy + peace + adaptability is increasing
➢If you missed some from above, explore those
➢Continue to attend Group Med + Refreshers
➢Third Mantra Advanced Technique
➢Initiation into Kriya 2
➢If you completed ‘Living Aligned’ series, you will be ready for the Siddhi’s Initiation Series
➢This might be the time to see if you want to pursue becoming a teacher of Vedic Meditation
After Your Third Year & Beyond
You are becoming more and more self-sufficient, less questions more knowing.
➢ Continue to attend Group Med + Refreshers
➢Receive annual mantra advancements (in total, there are 8 Advanced Techniques with Mantra)
➢ Reset Retreats
➢ Experience any advanced techniques, knowledge course, new course and other retreats as you’re called
➢ Self study of other Vedic practices to support your journey: Ayurveda, Vedic Astrology, Bhakti, Asana, Kriya, Pranyama, Mantra, Sanskrit
➢Become VM teacher
Evolution is the only thing that is ever happening.
Change is inevitable, growth is optional. And your willingness is a key ingredient to a more loving evolutionary process. As Vedic Meditators, we are interested in evolutionary action, and creating more unity individually AND collectively.
with love,
ydm
A REMINDER
Welcome to YDM Meditation
A practice & community with effortlessness in mind.
Let go of concentration, control, sitting in an uncomfortable position and “trying” to meditate.
This isn’t your average meditation studio.
This is the easiest meditation technique with profound results.
True power isn’t created through force.
It comes through letting go, easing through resistance and showing up consistently.
Transformation starts here
DIVE INTO THE UNKNOWN
Learn to Meditate
Attend the free Intro Talk in-person or online to learn & ask questions about this mantra-based meditation technique before choosing to take the 4 Day Meditation Course.
Advanced Immersions
For existing YDM Meditators :
Deepen your knowledge, correct the intellect, dive deep in weekend immersion to deepen your evolution + practice.
WELCOME
Clear the mind.
Activate the heart.
Meditation & practices for elegant, high-value living
with Yashoda Devi Ma