Month: October 2016

What does this sentence mean from Swami Veda? “When you will have exhaled inwards and inhaled outwards twelve breaths without pause, you will have entered the Great Reservoir.”

Posted on by Mandala

Question

Swami Veda Bharati has written, “When you will have exhaled inwards and inhaled outwards twelve breaths without pause, you will have entered the Great Reservoir.” Anyone would like to explain please?

Answer

Michael Smith

Over the years Swami Veda often quoted the classic texts on Yoga in which there were quantitative prerequisites given for attaining samadhi.

One text said that if a person could sit ABSOLUTELY still for such-and-such a period samadhi could be attained. Swami Veda wrote, “Since my childhood I have heard and read from the yogis that if you can sit absolutely still, without the slightest flicker, for 3 hours and 36 minutes you will enter samadhi. Gurudeva Swami Rama has also confirmed the same many times.”

This seems like one of those quotations; however, I do not know the source.

What he is talking about, though, is samadhi coming from “effortless breath retention.”

At the 2001 Teacher Training Retreat in Milwaukee he said this:

“I have done several sessions from time to time about the meaning of closing the gap [in the transitions between breaths]. You have a tape from your center, and Ananta would have it. Actually I explained that in South Africa in Johannesburg. Then I did one session on that in Rishikesh and one in New Jersey.

“Kevala-kumbhaka, the sahaja-kumbhaka, the effortless retention occurs when you have learned to close that gap. Then, at a certain point, without any antecedent practice, without any follow-up, spontaneously, the breath will become . . . so subtle that it would seem to stop, and you will think that you’re not breathing. And you continue with that, and then it will actually stop.

“And the difference between this kind of sahaja-kumbaka or kevala-kumbaka and the sahita kumbaka, [is that] sahita-kumbaka is where you train your breath, where you train your breath, where you have to train for retention. But all the saints sing of sahaja-samādhi bhali that which just . . . happens, by itself. And that, there is no training for it; there is no preceding practice, no preparation. It just happens, because the mind has become so . . . tenuous. The mind has become so tenuous. The kleshas have become attenuated – second Sutra of the Second Chapter.[1] The kleshas have become so attenuated, so thinned down, that the breath that is the barometer of the states of the mind automatically responds to that tenuousness of the mind-thread.

“And that is sahaja-kumbhaka or kevala-kumbhaka – easy retention. And it can happen before rechaka or before puraka or after rechaka or after puraka or in the middle of rechaka or in the middle of puraka. Just . . . there you are! In your breath, in your mind – it just happens! And that is a sure entrance to samadhi. That’s why I keep emphasizing – Swami Rama has repeatedly, repeatedly, repeatedly said, ‘Learn to master the pause between the breaths. Learn to master the pause between the breaths.’

“So teachers, learn to master the pause between the breaths, if you want to be a master of the breath. [There is a break in the recording here.] . .. entrance to samadhi, learn to master the pause between the breaths. The mastery of that pause is almost synonymous with kevala-kumbhaka, also known as sahaja-kumbhaka. And what is the other kumbhaka, the one with the effort? That is called sahita-kumbhaka. Sahita-kumbhaka and sahaja-kumbhaka. And where the Ganga and Yamuna of exhalation and inhalation meet, what happens? Kumbhaka! The Kumbha Mela occurs there. I haven’t included that in my paper on the Kumbha Mela. Okay? You become a full pitcher – kumbhaka. Kumbha means ‘a full pitcher.’ Alright.

“Do you understand the difference between sahita-kumbhaka and sahaja-kumbhaka? Sahaja-kumbhaka is also known askevala-kumbhaka. Kevala: ‘alone,’ related to kaivalya: ‘becoming solo.’ It is something that happens just solo, which is the real ‘solitude.’ And some years back, Joanne Sullivan dug out for me from the Oxford English Dictionary that the word “celibacy” is also derived from this ‘celes,’ related to kevala, related to ‘solo.’ [Celibate — Latin caelibatus, fr.caelib-, caelebs-, unmarried; akin to Sanskrit kevala alone] So you might want to call it ‘celibate breath.’”

[1] Yoga-sutras II.2 – Samādhi-bhāvanārthaḥ kleśha-tanu-karaṇārthaśh cha. “[Kriyā-yoga is practiced] for the purpose of developing and nurturing samādhi and for attenuation [and elimination] of afflictions.”

Editor’s Note

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

Happy Diwali from Swami Ritavan Bharati and the entire Sanyasin Community

Posted on by Divya - Administrator

With resplendent flame of self, letting-go name & form,
awakening the inner light of insight-contemplation and meditation,
shining in polished mind with heart aglow
illuminations of life, diminishing gaps of duality.
A brilliant star draws you draws you near, ever-so-clear, ever-so-dear,
light unobscured by mirrored image, –” i am that.”
Svaha
radiant Self- AHAM;
Becoming – Hamsa — So-Ham
with virile mind enlightened, natural harmony of life ensues.
Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah
Unto That – Light, my obeisance,

– Swami Ritavan Bharati

Ashram Pramukh and AHYMSIN Spiritual Guide

(Diwali – 30 October 2016)

Exercise and Good Health

Posted on by Mandala

The two different kinds of physical exercise essential to good health are stretching exercises such as the yoga postures and aerobic exercises such as jogging. Both are very beneficial for cleansing, relaxing, and revitalizing the body and for helping it function properly.

Although quite different, they complement each other. The postures are relaxed, slow and gentle; they provide systematic stretching to all the muscles and joints of the body and massage the glands and organs. Aerobic exercise is active and stimulates the heart, lungs and muscles. Both kinds are necessary; each has unique effects which the other cannot produce. But they must be practiced regularly, carefully, and in the correct manner in order to attain the desired effect. Doing either beyond one’s capacity does more harm than good.

These days body therapies like massage, chiropractics, Rolfing, bioenergetics, and reflexology are very popular. They all have specific benefits but are limited in two respects: one needs to rely on a therapist to provide the treatment, and the effects tend to be short-lived unless one returns again and again for more treatments. The yoga posture, on the other hand, are perfected gradually. This encourages self-reliance, and as one practices, observing his physical and emotional reactions, he will begin to notice definite positive changes in both body and mind.

An obvious effect of the postures comes from the stretch and stimulation they give to the muscles, ligaments, and joints. This restores elasticity and tone to the body so that it eventually regains its natural shape. In addition, they stimulate circulation, revitalizing the internal viscera, the brain, and the nervous system.

The respiratory system performs more efficiently when one does the postures, for greater amounts of oxygen can then enter the system and more toxins can be eliminated. All the internal organs are massaged and toned, improving not only digestion but also bowel and kidney function. The endocrine system is stimulated and regulated to a fine balance. The postures increase resistance to fatigue and relieve tension. One learns how to relax, allowing the systems of the body to function properly.

So the postures are a good, gentle tonic for the entire personality, making one feel healthy and full of energy. Excess weight is also reduced; the body becomes supple, and one moves with grace and ease. The complexion glows; the eyes shine.

By practicing the postures regularly, one gains control of the body and is able to maintain a steady, comfortable pose for increasingly greater lengths of time. One then begins to observe the finer functions of breath and mind, for only when the body is still can one turn within and begin to know oneself.

The basic goals of the yoga postures are to maintain a healthy body and gain peace of mind. Yoga texts tell us that many physical complaints come about in this way: a psychological disturbance can lead to a functional impairment which, in turn, is often reflected in irregularities in the breathing patterns. If this process continues, it can lead to actual cellular damage and manifest itself in a structural alteration. The yoga postures work first to correct the structural alteration and can be used as an effective therapy (particularly in the early stages) in reversing the above process. Then breath awareness and various breathing exercises can be useful in eliminating the irregularities which have developed in the breathing patterns. They can thereby help resolve the psychological disturbance which created the alteration in the first place. Thus, changes brought about through the practice of postures are not sudden or dramatic; they are deep and permanent.

At first the postures may seem awkward, but they have been systematically developed for centuries, through direct experience and observation, to calm, balance and regulate the systems of the body. When done properly and patiently at a regular time and place, one enjoys them, and they become a habit which brings a deep sense of calmness and much satisfaction.

There are over three thousand yoga postures, but only a few are basic. Among them are the cobra, boat, bow, plow, shoulderstand, fish, forward bend, spinal twist, headstand, and stomach lift. The yogis lived close to nature and keenly observed their fellow creatures. Consequently, many of the postures (for example, the cobra, locust, fish, scorpion, frog) are based on certain unique characteristics a particular animal displays.

Editor’s Note

Reprinted from Dawn vol 4 no 2

Understanding the Mind

Posted on by Mandala

The journey on which we are now treading and being led is an internal journey, a journey within. On an external journey, you move faster and faster until it is complete – but on this journey you do not move, and yet you go ahead. The laws of this internal journey are entirely different. They comprise the science of yoga. You want to be an interior researcher; you want to know something is valuable. To do that, the first thing you need to do is to understand the four states of consciousness: the waking state, the dreaming state, the state of deep sleep and the state beyond.

Once you understand the first three states, then you definitely understand that there is something beyond. The state beyond is not known by ordinary people. But how fortunate is he who touches Infinity while he is here. Even the greatest of people cannot do that. Even
devas
, or celestial beings, cannot do that. Great is he who lives here, yet remains above. This finite vessel of the body has something great in it: it carries the Infinite all the time. It is a glass box or a glass house in which Infinity lives. All the expressions of your face, all your smiles, have been created by that Great One who peeps through these windows and through the corridor of your life.

Understand one thing first: you should always think that it is easy to meet Him. To speak to others you have to move your lips, but to converse with Him you do not have to do that. You just have to be quiet and silent. You do not have to do any work or take any action to receive great joy. If any such action is performed, it is performed in the inner world in a subtle matter.

We will begin to discuss the waking state, following the teachings of the Upanishads. They are considered to be the finest literature on the best of the philosophies in the world. The Upanishads are the finest part of the Vedas, which are the most ancient scriptures in the library of humanity today. It is not easy to understand them, however. They are composed of
sutras, or “threads”, which are small compact aphorisms, not easily understood without a teacher.

According to the Upanishads, you first need to understand the waking state and to learn to work with your mind. During the waking state, you remain awake and conscious. The entire educational system, all over the world, has only one thing to teach you: that which applies to the waking state. While awake in the external world, if you learn to coordinate your senses and to establish a coordinated function with that external world, then you are considered to be great.

But in the external world where you live, “wisdom” often means stealing, drinking, being harsh to others, being injurious, being hurtful and harming. This is because you make your own ego the center of your life. The ego is only meant to be a representative – but that representative, forgetting its true master, starts to function and control things in the external world.

Let us see how the ego is used – wisely and foolishly – in the waking state. The purpose of the ego is to hold and retain your body, to retain your individuality. But there is nothing beyond that! As long as the ego is functioning to retain your individuality, it is doing its work well. But unfortunately the ego gets involved with other things, and tried to get involved with others´ individuality as well. So if you believe that your partner is superior to you in some regard, you cannot accept that; a struggle goes on, and then the marriage or friendship falls apart.
When this happens, it means the partners have not accepted each other as they are. Then how can they really love? They have accepted each other merely for their own convenience – and to accept someone for one´s own convenience is not love, it is selfishness, it is food for the ego.

In the external world, only the ego is strengthened. Whatever we do, we do it for the sake of the ego, and the ego´s function is merely to retain this body successfully in the external world. The ego does not know anything important, but if you give all your energy to the ego and go on increasing your ego with all your mind, action and speech, then you will find that you have become a great ego. With such an ego you build walls around yourself. You share the same bed and the same roof with someone, you love somebody, and you accept them as a partner – and then you build a boundary around yourself and do not allow that person to know how you are feeling inside and what you are thinking. You cannot share your innermost ideas and feelings, even with yourself.

Therefore the vast portion of your personality remains submerged because of the walls between your ego and you, and between you and the Reality. The vastness of the mind is not known to you and remains forever submerged. What is submerged in the unconscious or subconscious, which is then not understood. Psychologists used this word “subconscious” earlier; in modern times everything is considered to be “unconscious”. The unconscious means that you own it and you have it within, but you are not aware of it. To bring forward the unconscious wealth that is the infinite library in the mind, you simply have to allow it to come forward. Even meditation will not totally help.

There is another way – the intuitive way of receiving information from the mind. Intuition dawns when you learn to calm your mind. When you calm your mind and when you meditate deeply, your mind becomes one-pointed, free from all other thought patterns. During that time one has the power to penetrate and pierce through those folds of mind that are not ordinarily penetrated by any human being.

Editor’s note

This passage has been taken from of the book Path of Fire and Light: Volume 2 by Swami Rama, pages 55 – 58, published in 1988 by Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the USA.