Response by Learner NJ
Traditionally concentration needed withdrawal- Pratyahara: example given is that of tortoise withdrawing its organs in shell. Bahyasparsha (outer contact) is to be cut off or at least suspended for the time being. But when a person comes down from this stage and again contacts the world the effect is lost. Such truncated possession is not our aim in Integral Yoga.
The three methods mentioned are: concentrate on object, on subject and watching your own thoughts.
“We may be able to call down that to take possession of the lower being to shed its light and power on our ordinary being and consciousness (p. 324). Ideally there should not be strenuous concentration but free concentration and will. This will re-mould the lower faculties in the form of Divine.
Concentration, Does not aim an effect, but simple and persistent.
Euphorbia milli, Crown-of-thornss
Response by Learner JT
When we look at the process/methods of concentration and we look at the nature and scope of renunciation, we wonder, what leads to what?
As the only principle of concentration is renunciation, there can be different processes which could increase or decrease the aspect of renunciation. But then we have to ask, what is renunciation?
In general, we have terrible misconceptions about renunciation. So there are schools of thought that think renunciation completely depends on the clothes we wear and foods we eat. So you are the most renunciating person if you restrict yourself from wearing different kinds of clothes and wear only a particular kind of cloth and eat a particular kind of food. Exclusivity of your clothes and foods along with minimal amount of consumption are grades of renunciation for them.
Are we talking about real renunciation here?
If this is real renunciation, renunciation would mean fixing limits in our life...
There is another school of thought which tells renunciation is something related to leaving homes, parents, family, cities and towns and becoming a wanderer.
