Editor Aparigraha Jain
Editor Carla Geerdes
Munishree Kishanlalji (middle) accepting to give meditations sessions to editors Karuna & Aparigraha Jain for five weeks and a half after completion of IPMC;
on the left: Munishrees Kumar Shramanji & Jai Kumarji.
When 3rd IPMC in Ladnun was finished, we asked Munishree if it would be possible to have meditation sessions with him during the five and a half remaining weeks. We were more than happy when he accepted.
Munishree Kishanlalji and Munishree Neeraj Kumarji in the assembly hall, giving the details of Munishree Neeraj Kumarji's data for documentation in the glossary of HereNow4U, Munishree Neeraj Kumarji in the correct posture, indicating respect to the head of group and elder Muni
Every morning between 09.30 and 10.15 a.m. we went for meditation to the place where he was staying with the two monks of his group, Munishrees Neeraj Kumar and Madhan Kumar. For overnight accommodation, they shared an assembly hall with at least four more groups of monks, each of them occupying as little space as possible. During the day and after the monk's Pratikraman, the location was used for lectures and religious gatherings with Yuvacharyashree. When we arrived, the monks were about to finish breakfast and to clean their eating bowls. Gathered in circles of six, corresponding to two groups of monks, they were sharing their Gochari, first meal of the day. They produced amazingly little noise without being uncommunicatively; even the younger Munis practised silence. The atmosphere was vibrating with joie de vivre, every single day.
For us, it was a unique experience to meet so many good-tempered people in the morning. By simply imaging the faces of people in metro, everyone knows what we are talking about… Once again, the little quantity of the Muni's necessities was impressing. After getting up, their few belongings might be put away quickly; in Ladnun, built-in wardrobes were available in the hall. Cartons are used as mattresses for not being exposed to the bare floor; thin wooden blankets for protection against the cold of winter nights, one piece for each monk. During the day, the cartons are put aside or installed to separate partitions of the room. Amazing, what kind of confidentiality for visitors is created by this. Further, little desks, not higher than two feet for easy use while sitting cross-legged on the floor, for writing and storing utensils thereof, and then only three white manufactured cloths, daily cleaned by own hand wash. All heavy utensils would be left when the wanderings would restart.
Munishree Kishanlalji arriving from Acharyashree's room to give meditation sessions.
In the background, the result of morning hand wash…
The first encounter with Munishree seemed to follow directly that one four years ago; as if no time had gone by. In the location where meditation sessions took place was only a little difference. It was no sanctuary-like room, but adjoined to the main hall, frequented by many visitors. After 10.15 a.m., Acharyashree delivered his daily morning lectures in this hall; his sermons were broadcasted all over the campus of Jain Vishva Bharati and transmitted by Jain Television. The staff controlled the micros, checked the sounds, installation of cameras, i.e. there was a lot of noise around, when we had the meditation sessions. We were wondering if concentration would be possible under those circumstances. Munishree was firm as a rock; thanks to him, nothing else than meditation mattered. When he reminded ‘deep concentration!' there was no more question of visitors talking to him or any other sounds.
Munishree Kishanlalji sitting on the stage of the main hall where Acharyashree gave his morning lectures
In the first session, the timely prerequisites were cleared, as we wanted to work on negative emotions. We wondered if it is possible to create panoply against it through Preksha Meditation. Munishree explained that the changing of emotion generating chemicals in the body system would take about four weeks. Then it would take at least one week to focus attention on it, for the fickle mind has to be disciplined. All these processes take place all the time, without being accompanied by attention. To live consciously, perception of the process has to be trained, no like and dislike, no attachment and aversion...
Munishree Kishanlalji explaining the changing of emotion generating chemicals in the body system
We were happy to know that we had enough time to get into the process. The first step was Kayotsarg for separating body from soul, followed by internal trip to provide the energy for the process. Breath is used for transport of energy upwards the spinal cord. Downwards empty handed breathing in, upwards breathing out with energy, while imagining an empty vessel downwards, and filled upwards. After this, concentration on psychic centres together with colours.
During the first days, attention was focused on the centre of bliss near the heart, green colour, then on centre of purity in the throat, peacock's neck blue colour, then on the centre of intuition in the middle of the eyebrows, colour of morning sun. After some days, attention was focused directly on centre of intuition. When we had repeated this for about ten days, we became aware of the fact that the process had started, guided by Munishree's instructions, confined to ‘deep concentration, use deep concentration'.
Our whole being was occupied with this process, and we were lucky being able to communicate on it. First, we noticed fatigue and exhaustion after the meditation sessions; later on, we had progressed to perceive it in detail. One day, Aparigraha had such a strong experience of emotions that he felt simultaneity between life and death, there was no time in between. He was deeply moved by this experience, for he saw himself as a happy newborn baby, and on the other hand the remains of life in a cemetery, what a shock! He got the explanation that he had got an indication by this experience that he had entered deeply into meditation and contacting deeper truth.
Karuna experienced the reality of the soul and visualised its subtle energy moving inside, an orange-red pulsating energy, moving with the heartbeat. When she had this vision, she was happy to get confirmation in this process from Munishree Dulheraj.
These experiences are agitating and unknown, for this reality of our being normally is not perceived. We are protected by our ‘normal' state of consciousness, and after experiencing them, we feel changed and blessed. Generally, they can only be experienced under guidance of a Guru.
One day, when we came for meditation, a young woman was already there, her relatives accompanied her. With closed eyes, she was sobbing and did not notice anything around for two hours. Then her family members took her home. They looked a little helpless with the situation, but were reassured by Munishree's presence. In the evening, she came to thank Munishree for this experience, making clear to her the reasons of her actual life's problems. Munishree had guided her back to a former life where she visualised the karmic bondages as reasons of her actual misery. She had recovered, but was still very emotionalised, and had taken the vow to work on the situation finally clear to her.
There would be lots of more details, the best we might suggest, meet Munishree and meditate yourself, and discover under his guidance the wonders we are.