Month: August 2019

Why Do We Do Joints & Glands Exercises?

Posted on by Mandala

Buddha

What we did this morning – three-quarters at the beginning when we did the leg stretches and the ankle rotations – this was not classical yoga asanas. This was known as Joints & Glands movements. These are the preparations for classical asanas. We were preparing. Three-quarters was preparation. And then we went into just a few postures: Spinal Twist, Sitting, the Cat, and the Sideways Stretch, etc. The rest was preparation which was needed; otherwise you suffer when you practice asanas. Why do we do it? I want to relate this to what we have practiced.

When we are practicing asanas, we are directing energy in different parts of the body; we are circulating the energy. If you are watering plants at a garden at home with a long hose, you connect the hose to a faucet, and then you open the tap to full power, and the water comes out. But, let’s say at some point in the hose, there is a kink.  You attach one end to the tap and open the tap full power, and the hose bursts because there is a lot of pressure coming, but it cannot go farther.

When we are doing the asanas, we are forcefully directing the energy in a certain direction, especially the people who are doing the intense classical postures combining bandhas and mudras, which makes the energy flow even more powerful. They are pushing energy in a certain direction, but there are blockages in the way. Energy is pushing, but cannot go further.  Inner pressure is created, and it can really create trouble for people.

So, what do we need? A clear passage!  Wherever the joints are in the body, there are not only the physical joints or skeleton joints, but there are many chakras in the body – a finite number of chakras, energy chakra, some are major, some are minor. Wherever we have joints in the body, there are many minor chakras located there. When the energy is blocked there, you cannot go farther. So when we do all the Joints and Glands series – all those movements – we are releasing the energy which is stuck in different regions there. It’s not only the muscles and the joints. It seems that way, but the exercises are done for a different purpose. You are releasing the energy that is stuck there.

When the practice is free, the energy can circulate, and then when you go into the asana, you can direct the energy to wherever you want to direct it – very easy. The blockages are gone. You are freeing those blockages in the energy chakras.

Is it clear?  These movements are not just to warm up. We just use those words: “to warm up,” and it’s working on the muscle level, the ligaments, muscles tissues, joints – no doubt – but the main work is on the energy system.

It’s so beautiful how the yogis describe the body-energy relationship. They never said that there is an energy system in the body, or that there is a nadi system in the body.  You know that the nadis are the subtle channels through which subtle energy flows. What do they say then? They say that the body is arranged around the nadi system. They don’t say that the nadis are in the body. They say that the body is arranged around the nadi system. Why? They were so meticulous. They were so clear. There was no confusion. What came first, the matter or the energy? The energy manifested into a body. So they say the body is arranged around the energy channels – so beautifully mentioned.

We need to understand in yoga science that whereas when people today talk about asanas and say “Oh, this muscle” or “this joint” or “this ligament,” the yogis did not talk about muscles and ligaments and joints. They talked only about different pranas flowing the body, different vayus, and they talked about the energy system. They talked purely about the energy system.

Many teachers do not have an idea of all that, and therefore they just see asana as “this muscle, this bone, this joint” and go more into the physio-therapy direction. If you look around, mainly that has developed. I was sitting with someone, I don’t remember when, but I said that it is so rare to find a proper school of yoga nowadays – so rare!  One has to be very lucky to find someone who has an idea of what it is all about.

Everything — health study, bhakti yoga, breathing practices, asana, mudra, bandha, shakti — everything is designed for what?  For meditation!  It’s all designed just for meditation!

So many people are practicing this and that, and reading and trying and doing a lot, but they are missing the meditation.  What is the use of all of that?  There is so much to study, so much to learn. There are so many sciences there. But if you want to have a shortcut, focus on meditation. You won’t have to spend your time on so many things – because everything are just for that!

But, we are using the body for sitting. There is the breath, which is also a component of meditation. So we need to refine the breath a little bit. We need to learn how to refine the quality of the breath, how to prepare the body. All those basics are needed. But if your focus is on meditation, not too much is needed.

But if you want to become a yoga teacher, fine, then you have to learn a lot. Otherwise it is not too complex.

Editor’s Note:

This is a transcript of a talk by Ashutosh Sharma on 14 February 2019 in Thailand. The video of this talk was posted by Thaniya Kevalee and can be seen by clicking here.

Paradise on Heart

Posted on by Mandala

I lived for three years, almost continuously, at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama (SRSG). I felt that as my home, and people there as my family. I was a Gurukulam student, and when the program was over, I left.

Then life takes its courses, back to my country, reorganize a life after three year spent only in yoga, meditation, studying philosophy… it took some time. Everything was different; any meaning of life was different. It took me quite some years to decide to come back to India (who knows who decides?). One’s own karma, fears, difficulties, insecurities…

Another strong desire: to visit Kashmir at least once in my life…. So this year everything fell into places (as did my will). First stage: Srinagar. Right out of the airport a shining light “Welcome to Paradise on Heart”.

Indeed everything was beautiful!!

02b fire ceremony SRSG July2019A week later…SRSG for Swami Veda Mahasamadhi Anniversary and Guru Purnima. The Guru family was there welcoming as ever. I felt like I never left. The atmosphere was simply great: hours and hours of fire offering (Havan) every day. The Guru Gita chanted continuously in the Meditation Hall 24 hour a day. The energy was so vibrant, so full, so alive! I decided to do silence for all my time there, just not to miss in chattering such an intense atmosphere. I didn’t want to leave the ashram even for a small walk.
… and above all… Swami Veda presence… still there, still so vibrant and alive… his love almost touchable.

02c Meditation SRSG July2019And I know this is everyone’s feeling. It was so good to dive back into his energy field which remains there, and get rejuvenated and re-inspired!

THIS is Paradise on Heart. Nothing more to say.

On Mahasamadhi day many SVB friends and disciples from all over the world were present.  In the morning the last fire offering was performed, and after, we all gathered in the Meditation Hall.

Many were invited to say something, some did, others preferred to stay in silence.

Bhagavan Dev
Senior teacher and senior disciple of SVB:

“First time I met SVB, introduced by Sanjayji, I was so much attracted by his figure! I felt a desire to stay by him and serve him. I stayed for meditation, had tea, and then I left. Before I could reach my home, he phoned Sanjayji he would like me to come and serve. I was so happy! Next day I came with just a bag with three clothes.

In the first six months SVB put me in so much trouble! I cannot say how much trouble. He would ask me to do ten things. Before you reach one, he would give another. Before you attend the second one, he would give the third. When you attend the third, he will say: did you do that? The first thing or not? And he would look at your face. I was getting very bad. What kind of human being is this? But I never reacted on my face. He used to look at my face, but I was not reacting. Although inside my heart there was great agitation. I thought what he is asking is not possible for a human being. In six months so many things happened! Then one day something happened. I reached my edge and I was so angry I was about to say Swamiji I am not going to tolerate these things and I’m going to leave right now! At that very moment another fellow pinched me from behind, so somehow he distracted me and I just kept quiet. Then I understood he was testing my emotions. That was my test, and he said ‘You have passed the examination and now the entire responsibility of my place will be on you’. I served him for 10 years.

With his blessing we crossed all the tests, and we could serve him for ten years. I learnt so many things from him! I served him tirelessly.

He used to say: unless and until you conquer sleep, you cannot do anything. You should be like Arjuna. If you sleep 10 hours a day, how do you get time to serve the world? So I hardly got 3 to 4 hours sleep a day. He would come, knock at my door and wake me up. I am a little man, coming from a small village in a dark part of India, and whatever I have achieved is due to his blessings, to his training and his presence. Thank you very much to all of you”.

Mrs. Lalita Arya (Ammaji):

“I welcome all of you here, and I am so happy to see so many people present here from all walks of life. My oblation to Baba and to Swami Veda, to the present Swamis and to all the friends and those who have come from a far.

A swami doesn’t fall out of the sky. They have a previous life and that life has been chosen for them to train them for the future. Whatever path, aim and inspiration put them on the path, a lot goes on before.

As far as the Mahasamadhi is concerned and as far that I am concerned, there is no time. Third Mahasamadhi, fourth Mahasamadhi, this things have no time. Time doesn’t mean anything. And this is how we have seen him as a person training from childhood on this path, and having to go through Grihastha routine for many years… these are all training on the path. So that when one has to give up, how do you give up that which you have become so attached to? That have some meaning in your life?

I’m saying that whatever we are doing, don’t be so much attached to it because we will have to give it up someday. Even if you are not to become a swami. The personality who developed in this swami who was Swami Veda Bharati took a long time to develop. Babaji grace, Baghavan grace, the love of his family. He was a good husband, a good father, a good son. All these build up good relationship in the small family that later, when you adopt the whole world as your family, you must know what you are adopting.

There is so much to share, but I would prefer, as Baba used to say, Experience for yourself: when you come here, with what devotion do you come?

From Swami Veda throughout his life, I learnt two things: LOVE totally, unconditionally. And SURRENDER in the same way. If you can do those two things you can be a swami in Grihastha or whatever ashrama you are in. However, when you adopt the garb of a swami and you take those vows, than it become really serious.

I wish you all the blessing that I know Swami Veda wants to give. We are all blessed that he came in our life and whatever we have learnt, as student, as people who have been friends, those who served, those who are in the Himalayan Paramparam I greet you, but always when you come to the ashram, take one thing away with you. If you come for silence, then take that silence with you. But take one thing with you. I thank you and I feel so happy to share this time with you”.
So many people bowed down at Mrs. Arya’s feet!

02d DrPrakashKeshaviah and MrsLalitaArya SRSG July2019

Dr. Prakash Keshaviah:

“I have known him for 50 years. He was a professor of Sanskrit at the University of Minnesota. He organized a talk with Swami Rama at the university so I met him. I’m so glad to him to have brought him into my life.

When I think of Pandit Arya, who became Swami Veda, so many adjective come to my mind… he was a kind, gentle person, warm hearted, compassionate, a great scholar and academic, teacher, mentor, philosopher, a writer, a humanist. Many of you have met him in his last time, having a sick body, but when I met him he was so strong… the nauli he could do would make Baba Ram Dev look up in wonder. He was a goody and a foodie, a scuba diver. He used to say that when you go deep down into the depth of the ocean you experience a silence that only in deep meditation you can know that kind of silence.
He received the best teacher award at the University of Minnesota and just one year later he gave up his academic position to devote full time as a director of Dhyana Mandiram, The Meditation Center in Minneapolis (which this year is celebrating its 50 years)”.

…from my little side…

I was just so happy to be there. I kept feeling a stream of love and grace almost constantly pouring itself into my being… and nourishing, and healing, and accompanying my way… whichever it might be.

(Photos by Jay Prakash Bahuguna.)

Sanatsujata – The Child Saint

Posted on by Mandala

It is in this tradition that we find saint-philosophers like Shankaracharya who began writing his commentaries at the age of sixteen.

Sanatsujata was another such saint. His date is lost in antiquity. Regarded as one of the twenty-four incarnations of God in orthodox Hinduism, he was one of four brothers who are equally venerated in the scriptural tradition and to whom have been ascribed the eternal purity of childhood and youth. Their names are Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanatkumara. Sanatsujata is another name of Sanatkumara. According to the Puranas, all four roamed about as adepts at the age of five, teaching their disciples.

In the Chändogya Upanishad (7.1-26) Rishi Narada asks Sanatkumara for instruction. Sanatkumara inquires about what he has already studied. Narada replies that he has studied the four Vedas, phonetics, ritual, grammar, etymology, poetics, astronomy, the physical sciences, and so on. But I have not yet crossed the channel of sorrow. I have heard from preceptors like yourself that he who knows the atman can so cross; would you therefore help me across this channel of sorrow?

Sanatkumara says:

All that you have said is only words; the wise man rises above name and form…

and proceeds with more detailed instruction.

In the Puranas and Mahabharata, there are numerous episodes of Sanatkumara imparting his knowledge to sages and kings. One such episode is recounted by Bhishma in Moksha-dharma-parvan of Mahabharata (chapter 329, verses 5-60). Narada narrates to Çuka (another child sage, son of Vyasa) how Sanatkumara taught the munis and rishis. This narrative contains such gems as these (paraphrased here):

The fleshless ones do not suffer and grieve. Therefore one should renounce the self’s flesh. Abandoning the flesh, O Saumya, be liberated from the burning of sorrows. (21)

A silkworm wraps itself with a cocoon of its own making and is thereby destroyed. Why do you not wake up seeing yourself in the same situation as that of such a cocoon-maker? (28-29)

Renounce virtue, renounce vice. Renounce both truth and untruth. Having renounced both truth and untruth, renounce that wherewith you renounce. (40)

Such sayings of the immortal sages still need to be collected and translated.

Energy of Consciousness in the Human Personality, part 4

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The Current of Consciousness

Are there special procedures, processes, connections, which consciousness follows in running our personalities? The universal consciousness principle may be compared, for our purpose here, to a current into which, through many sockets, various electric appliances are plugged. The same one current supplies cooling power to the cooler, heating power to the heater, helps a radio to tune into sound waves, and the TV to gather and project visual images. So also is the consciousness principle (the primary force from which all other energies are derived, whose variations on the theme they all are) connected into all living beings, supplying to each its/his/her power for will, knowledge, and action.

In human beings this primary consciousness becomes operative through a system of psychophysiological centers. So far we have been traveling along the finest current. Now we begin to look from the opposite, the grosser end called the physical body. This body with all its cells, as we said earlier, is run by prana; the prana is directed by the mind and the mind is guided by consciousness. There are areas in our human personality where these various energies are joined together in close consonance, resonating to each other’s vibrations, deriving the power from consciousness which, however, is absolute in itself and resonates to no other. In these specific areas the vibration passes from consciousness into the mind/prana/body system—and from these areas the energy is distributed into the rest of the personality. These are the psychophysiological centers which are plugged into the current of consciousness, and they respond to its universal rhythms.

Take, for example, our breathing process. What is the origin of breath which, when looked at physically, is nothing but a series of pockets of air trapped into certain cavities? What turns that air into flowing breath? Rhythm of the movement of certain organs. What moves the organs? The prana. What causes the prana to vibrate so that the organs linked to its specific areas should thus move rhythmically? The mind, of course. The mind is moved by consciousness. Again, look at it differently. The universal consciousness, which makes the world dance by its power, sends a tiniest spark of its thrill through the mind into our psychophysiological centers in such locations as the navel, cardiac center, throat, and the pineal area. The thrill creates a pulsation in the prana system which in turn creates certain rhythmic movements in the organs connected therewith. The rhythm is synchronized, coordinated because it originates in the same single original thrill. Through this process, air, which would otherwise remain trapped in the cavities (as in a dead body) begins to flow as a smooth stream, and we say that the child has begun to breathe! On the other hand, when the thrill of consciousness is withdrawn, the breath simply becomes trapped air, and the doctor says that the person is dead. He who understands the source of the thrill knows that the rhythm of his breath responds to the same vibration which produces pulsations in the hearts of suns. It is thus that the yogis give to some of their breathing exercises names such as “piercing through the sun,” Surya-Vedhana.

The Chakra System

We need to elaborate further on the way consciousness becomes operative in the personality. It is not subject to limitations of space, time, dimensions, personalities in its full universal identification. It is sent forth into our being which is made of lower and denser frequencies, like a straight beam of light penetrating through a rocky cave. Because the lower frequency energies vibrate in a time space reference, creating a physical body, a physical locus has to be assumed in us for that light which transcends all loci. So the yogis say that this immense, intense energy beam of consciousness, the kundalini, is located in us in a channel extending from the base of the spine up to and engulfing the entire brain region. Though nonphysical (and therefore not tangible), it is experienced by the yogis in deep meditation as an unceasing flash of rod-like lightning shining with a light like that of ten thousand suns, yet as slim as though it were a ten thousandth of a hair’s breadth in width.

Editor’s Note

Reprinted from Revision, Vol 3, No. 1, Spring 1980

How can I keep my practice on track if I can visit Rishikesh only once or twice a year?

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Question

I can only visit Rishikesh once or twice in a year, in that case how can I keep track of my practice?

Answers

Lalita Arya (Ammaji) and Stephen Parker (Stoma) have answered this question.

Lalita Arya (Ammaji)

I love to tell stories and lessons we learnt from Baba, Swami Rama, that may help others on the Path. Once when in the very early stage of Baba coming into our lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, my dear husband, who later became a swami, said to Baba that he wished to go to the Himalayas. So Baba queried –

“Why?”.

My husband – “I want to find God.”

Long pause with Baba smilingly replied – “So God does not live in Minneapolis?”

End of Lesson.

However, maybe this lesson might not be applicable to the question asked if the student is seeking direct guidance from one of the teachers/initiators in our Tradition. I would like to suggest that you do not need to ‘keep track’ – just meditate if you have taken classes/or been guided by/or initiated in the Himalayan tradition.

Sincere, dedicated meditation will take you to the place within yourself where you will find the answers you seek…it takes a looooong looooong time, you just have to be devoted. Coming to our Rishikesh ashram helps to renew the focus as it is an ashram of peace, quiet, meditation and devotion. It is important in one’s life to have the experience of that kind of space, just like taking time off to relax the body by getting a massage or some such relaxing session. Proper ashrams provide the tranquility needed for this Path. Come when you can but don’t stress about it.

We as humans get anxious about stuff – and we mistakenly put meditation as some kind of goal we have to achieve. Meditation is the journey, meditation is the goal. It guides you to where you are supposed to not GO, but BE.

Stephen Parker (Stoma)

I loved Ammaji’s response and, in general, I think that is the answer. From time to time if you are working on a specific skill or habit some kind of journaling may be helpful in tracking how it’s going or in keeping track of positive outcomes, in case you are the kind of person who needs to be reminded of them.

Aside from that, it is my Guru’s job to track my progress. If I ever found out that I was in samadhi, I’d just get a big head about it. So I leave that to Him/Her.

Editor’s Note

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

The One-Pointed Mind

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From the beginning of history there have been two major paths that people have taken in life in order to seek the goal of a deeper happiness and peace. A few sincere souls have decided to genuinely renounce the world’s attractions in order to attain the highest wisdom. The path of renunciation actually means not keeping or possessing anything for oneself. Instead, these wise ones serve others, knowing that by doing so they are utilizing their time and energy in the best way. Living their lives in service to others is the characteristic by which you will recognize them.

Most people, however, still experience strong and compelling attractions to many things. They want to fulfil the desires for marriage, parenthood, and the conventional life. Thus, there is a second path, which is travelled by most people in the world, called the path of action. Throughout history, there has been confusion about which of these paths is superior.

A story is told to help clarify this confusion. Once, an arrogant swami, who had meditated in the mountains for many years, boasted about his spiritual advancement, thinking that he was superior to householders. He came down from the mountains to exhibit the powers he had gained in his studies. He had such a powerful gaze that if he looked at a bird flying overhead, its wings would catch fire and burn, and the bird would fall to the ground. He was very egotistical about his supposed spiritual power.

Eventually in his travels, he came to the home of a couple and he said rudely to the woman, “I want food, and I have no time to waste. It is your duty to feed me because I devote all my time to the Lord.”

The woman, who was serving her husband’s dinner at the time, said to him quietly but firmly, “Right now, I am doing my duty toward my husband lovingly, but don’t ever make the mistake of thinking I am as powerless as that bird you killed! I have far more power than you; if you think you can hurt me, you are mistaken!”

The swami was stunned to realize that she had acquired the power to know many things about him while she was still living in the world, doing her duties as a wife. He fell at her feet and said, “Mother, clearly I have yet to understand the path of the world. Now I see that it, too, is a great path.”

But the swami was not unusual; many people do not realize the power of family life. This is a path of living in the world, loving others, and also seeking and attaining the highest wisdom. Some people who want to follow the spiritual path are not content with their lives in the world. They do not appreciate how the path of marriage and parenthood helps them to fulfil life’s ultimate purpose.

The path of a human being is not meant to be that of a loner who travels through life by himself or herself. If we want to express the meaning of life in a single sentence, it is that life means having relationships. Without relationships, life has no significance at all. The closest relationship in the world is that between a wife and husband, and the next most intimate relationship is that between parents and children.

Editor’s Note

This passage has been taken from the book Love and Family Life, pp 27-29, by Swami Rama, published by Himalayan Institute India.

For all Swami Rama’s and Swami Veda Bharati’s published works, please visit www.yogapublications.org or email info@yogapublications.org.

Published works of Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati are also available at other venues.

Commencing the 50-Year Celebration of the Meditation Center

Posted on by Divya - Administrator

Celebrating the Spirit – Jayee!

by way of the Eternal and Omnipresent Spirit,

this perennial wisdom illumines and love is born in the “golden-womb” of mind;

minds “in-joy” celebrates 50 years of Spirit in the Himalayan Yoga Meditation Tradition.

We gather together to share this journey, mindful of life, heartful of happiness, life lived with purpose.

The wholeness and holiness of life we celebrate,

now and in each will-filled breath;

now and in each chosen sentiment-filled emotion.

Meditate and Awaken, The Time in Now.

We gather to collectively reflect, re-viewing these 50 years by way of the mysteries of Spirit.

We gather in meditation now, and each day in unity of the collective minefield of
awareness.

We gather in prayer and japa purifying, thus bringing peace of mind into each action and
word.

We gather to acknowledge meaningful relationships supported-by and inspired-by our
journey on spiritual path of life.

We gather with the entire Lineage, Past-Present-Future, respectful of our birth through
mantra-initiation.

At our recent AHYMSIN global sangha retreat, we acknowledged the birthing role of the
Himalayan Tradition in the USA,

through the Meditation Center now 50-years ago, and maintain the resolve to preserve the purity of the Tradition.

Meditate and Awaken, The Time in Now.

Editor’s Note:

This has also been published in the July 2019 edition of the AHYMSIN Newsletter.

Guru Purnima Blessings from the Himalayan Sages

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“Sacred goblet where full moon flooding soma forms sahasrara atop your skull. There the guru sprinkles inspired sweet streams of poetic speech, the voice of your soul, as divine sound – mantra. These streams are beyond the touch of death; These are the beautiful waves (sundarya-lahari), the waves of Infinity that touch the shores of your mind. Shreem, unto that Guru-Shri, my prostrations, my homage, my surrender, my ‘not mine’ is offered in love.”

So it is with the layers of the mantras that are granted to us by the lineage, by the Guru-parampara that constantly infuses into our minds the sparkling rays of intuitive wisdom, knowledge, awakening.

Have you cultivated that aspiration? Are your acts inspired by, motivated and guided by this intense longing to reach the personal knowledge of Infinity. Learn to live in the awareness that all spaces of the universe and beyond are immaculately filled with luminous waves of Infinity, ocean-like Infinity sending waves through you day and night reminding you that these bondages are no longer “you”.

This is the teaching passed on by countless generations. This is being passed on to you also; so practice this and prepare yourself and the next and next generation.

Om shreem gurave namah.

Editor’s Note:

This message has also been published in the July 2019 edition of the AHYMSIN Newsletter and by The Meditation Center.