Month: May 2016

Please tell me about sun gazing in the morning/evening as a practice of Tratak to improve steadiness of mind.

Posted on by Mandala

Question

Please tell me about sun gazing in the morning/evening as a practice of Tratak to improve steadiness of mind.

Answer

Panditji Dabral has answered this question.

Namaste to ALL,

Sun gazing is not the only practice to make one’s mind steady; rather it may be harmful or may not be helpful at all.

In the Himalayan tradition Trataka practice is done in steps where one starts the Trataka practice by gazing a reflection of a flame. Trataka practice is only done when one has learned basic breathing practices.

Hope this info is helpful.

Yours in service of Gurudeva,

Panditji Dabral

Editor’s Note

If you have any questions about your spiritual practice, you may write to the AHYMSIN Spiritual Committee at adhyatmasamiti@gmail.com.

Invitation to 1st Mahasamadhi Anniversary: 14 July 2016

Posted on by Divya - Administrator

Dear Divine Soul,

Last year, our beloved Swami Veda left his body, departing from this material plane into “Eternal Silence”. Swami Veda had lived in “Samadhi” while he was still in his physical form. When he left his body, he became free from its restraints and entered “Mahasamadhi”. He indeed was a master of Love, kindness, compassion, light of wisdom and peace. He transcended all boundaries and touched the hearts of millions.

Now as he is no longer in the body, it is even more important that we join our spiritual entities together as disciples of the Tradition to continue on the path that he has shown us.

As a mother feels pleased at the sight of the clean face of her infant, so the Guru-Lineage is pleased at the sight of purified, meditative minds, and grants them the favour of love.

Please join us on this occasion of first Mahasamadhi (Thursday, 14th July, 2016) of our beloved Swamiji to offer Japa and Meditation to his memory. You are welcome to join as ‘Yajamana’ of 5 days Guru Gayatri Yajna (from 10 to 14 July 2016).

I look forward to your joining in the AHYMSIN family for this sacred celebration and heartily welcome you and your family, along with friends & relatives, to attend this celebration at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama, Rishikesh, India.

Let us all carry Swami Veda’s divine love and blessings in our heart. May the wave of grace elevate you, uplift you, guide you and purify you.

With love and grace of the tradition,

Swami Ritavan Bharati

Editor’s Note:

Note from Medhawati (assistant to Swami Ritavan): “…all are welcome to contribute to the Yajna as well as Bhandara.”

We encourage you to make your booking soon. To book accommodations for the celebration or for more information, contact ahymsin@ahymsin.org

Bhakti, Meditation and Guru

Posted on by ahymsin

I am the purest consciousness, chit. I am the supreme joy and bliss, ananda. I am the deity meditating within known as Shiva, the resting place of all things. I am Shiva. I am Shiva. Will you join me in this chant affirming your pure nature?

Tonight we are going to be talking of bhakti yoga, yoga of devotion, love, emotion. In this branch of yoga, chanting is the greatest expression of emotion. When the spirit is filled with love the song bubbles out. There are certain mantras which are collective and common. You may call them a thousand names of the deity. You may call them a thousand affirmations of your own divine nature and as your mind is filled with the thought of peace and quiet from your heart center an emotion wells up and it bursts into a chant.

The first chant with which we always begin is devotion to the teaching spirit of the universe, the Guru, for it is from that teaching spirit of the universe that all inspiration, all chant, all meditation flows. Meditation is not your act. Don’t be under a wrong impression. Please do not think that you can meditate. You can do everything else but meditation is beyond your power. So long as you say I meditate, you meditate not. Only the teaching spirit of the universe, the Guru, meditates in you and when you know this truth then meditation just flows from inside and takes over. So long as you keep trying to meditate you cannot meditate. That’s all. Therefore we pay homage to Guru.

Editor’s Note

This passage has been taken from the transcription of a lecture given by Swami Veda Bharati (then Pandit Usharbudh Arya) in 1973 in the lecture series Yoga in Daily Life.

Source of Positive Emotions

Posted on by Mandala

The power of emotion arises from desires, and desires arise from the four primitive fountains, but there is another basic urge in human beings. This is the drive to know the Truth, the desire to love the Truth. This dormant inborn desire within does not arise from one of the four fountains. It is the source of positive emotions – joy, forgiveness, peace. It is not possible for a human being to be free from desire, because it is the nature of the mind and the senses to be attracted to objects and ideas. This is not bad; it is a fact that can be used. Even that desire which is one´s greatest burden can be a means for his liberation if he learns to direct it properly. When that force is directed toward the divine instead of toward the external charms and temptations of the world, then one´s journey is propelled by the power of love, for love is the strongest force. One can use that natural tendency to desire something as a means for attaining the highest goal in life. When one does not allow his mind to be dissipated and agitated by the senses and the ego, then he finds that centre of love within. When that spark is ignited, it becomes a burning desire to reside always in union with the Divinity. Then that great conflagration burns away all little desires, and there is only one perennial flame burning in the altar of the heart.

Editor’s note

This passage has been taken from page 70 of the book Choosing a Path by Swami Rama, published 1996by The Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the U.S.A., Honesdale, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.