The 8-Step program for self transformation

The 8-Step Program for Self Transformation by Swami Rama provides the overview of the inner journey to all those on the path of self-knowledge and Self Realization.

The below mentioned 8-Step Program is an excerpt from the book Path of Fire and Light, Vol. 2 by Swami Rama. For the complete discourse on each of these steps refer to Chapters 6 - 8 of this book.

Program for Self Transformation and Self Realization

Step One: Practice sitting in meditation at the same time every day to create additional patterns, new grooves or habits in the mind.

Step Two: Learn to have an “internal dialogue” with yourself within your mind.

Step Three: Develop a still, steady, yet comfortable posture for meditation.

Step Four: Develop a pattern of serene breath.

Step Five: The next step is cultivating sankalpa, or determination; that is, establishing your willpower. Before you do something, you have to determine that you will do it, that you have to do it, and that you can do it. That is determination.

Step Six: Learn to let go of any distracting thought that comes into your mind. It should not remain there. You should not brood on any particular thought, no matter how wonderful or how bad it is.

Step Seven: The seventh step is a process of inspecting your thoughts, called introspection, which means seeing which thoughts are worthwhile to cultivate. The yoga manuals talk about two types of thoughts, klista and aklista. The first is helpful and the latter is harmful and injurious. Helpful thoughts are those that inspire you or encourage your effort. Injurious thoughts involve thinking, for example, that you are good-for-nothing or inferior. These are negative thoughts. You need to inspect your thoughts to determine which help you and which should be eliminated.

Step Eight: After introspection, the next step is to learn another wonderful process, called “witnessing.” When you have learned to witness the things of the world, when you are not identifying with the things of the world, then you have become a Seer.

Path of Fire and Light Vol. 2, Chapter 6

While the first five steps are relatively easy to understand, most seekers of self-knowledge struggle with the last three steps. In the following excerpt from his lectures on The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Swami Rama elaborates on the subtler steps on letting go, introspection and witnessing. The words in parentheses have been added for ease of reading and are not spoken by Swami Rama in the lecture itself.

“You are going inside, so you are never lost. You don’t have to be afraid, because you are not outside. So meditators are assured safety in all ways. Yes, a time comes when you think, ‘I might lose my mind.’ When does it come? When you start working with your unconscious mind, you are afraid of losing consciousness. Exactly like this, suddenly one day, for no rhyme or reason, you think, ‘I might die, I might die. What happens if I die tomorrow? What happens if I get sick and nobody is there to look after me.’ (There is)  negativity hidden in the unconscious. There are many levels, where these impressions are stored. You come in touch (with these negative impressions). One day you are smiling for no reason, one day you are very sad, because of the influence of those (negative impressions), which are hidden in that memory box. That’s why Patanjali said, 'They (the impressions in the unconscious) should also be controlled.’ And with the help of meditation, you do it. For conscious mind, you have to use the next step — sitting, breathing, conscious mind — to let go. You have to learn — anything comes in my mind, I should learn to let go. For some time I can do it, but then again I cannot, because I am slowly expanding the field of my consciousness to unconscious — increasing my field of consciousness to that (which the) unconscious is bringing forward. Then, I have to learn another point. First let go, (then) I have to learn witnessing. You (the thoughts in the mind) are different from me, why should I be affected? The seen is different, I am the Seer. Third step comes — inspecting. I have the power not to be distracted. I am a Seer, constantly a Seer. I am a drishta. I can inspect this particular thought. Hey, what has come? From where has it come? I am not affected. This (is a) good thought — okay. This way with the power of — to let go first, then to witness second, then to inspect.”

Yoga Sutras Lecture 6 (1 hr. 24 min.-1 hr. 27 min.)

Having read both these excerpts do you notice a discrepancy between the two? What is the difference between the messages from the book and the video lecture? Do you  believe that an error has been made in the book? If so, why?

The 8-Step Program is the basis of the inner journey for all meditators. While the rare few may find themselves diving into the subtler steps of letting go, witnessing and introspecting within a few months, most aspirants may need several years to navigate these. Even the first steps of the inner journey may prove to be arduous for the average meditator due to the distractions created by the mind itself, which like a magician is full of tricks and deception!

The master key to progress is gentle discipline without self-condemnation. Do not give up!