Author: ahymsin

There are many misunderstandings about yoga. There are many paths in yoga and different yogis choose different paths. Here we shall speak only of two paths to clear up some misunderstandings. There is a common perception that all yogis are glowing with health and youthfulness. Sometimes we hear questions like: If he is a yogi why does he wear eye glasses? We shall explain a little.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa died of cancer. Swami Vivekananda died of diabetes. Paramahamsa Yogananda died of heart attack – so we hear. But we do not doubt their achievements in yoga.

Here, there are two paths. The path of dhyana-yogis and the path of hatha-yogis. The hatha-yoga practices that grant youthfulness and glow of health are time consuming. The dhyana-yogis do basic hatha just to enable the body to sit in meditation. They prefer then to spend more time in the internal meditative practices to achieve the goals of the realization of eternity and moksha.

Even the practices of dhyana-yogis and hatha-yogis differ on many grounds. For example, hatha-yogis teach kumbhaka, retention of breath. The genuine dhyana-yogis, both of the Himalayan tradition of yogis and of the Buddhist orders, teach awareness of the soft and suavely flowing breath and related practices. These latter prefer to perfect kevala-kumbhaka, which is when the breath becomes so subtle that it goes into akasha-tattva, the ‘space’—element. This can be understood only experientially. Very few know these practices and have mastered them.
Then among the dhyana-yogis (and jnana-yogis), there are those who sit in the solitude of caves (if any caves are left by now!) and monastic cells of solitude. They do not take many disciples, and remain absorbed in their contemplative practices.

Then there are those who have chosen, or have been ordered by their guru, to serve and teach widely out there in the world. They travel around the world, meet and guide thousands of people and manage to find time only for their spiritual practices, besides giving the necessary attention to guiding and helping others, not to mention often undertaking massive charity projects. In such a life, because these demands on their time are so heavy, there is no time for these guides of dhyana-yoga and jnana-yoga for their own physical well being.

So, with the few minutes or few hours jealously saved, one can either go into meditation or do eye exercises to take off the glasses!

Then, is there no physical benefit to the path of meditation? That would also be erroneous.

First of all, these dhyana-yogis dwell in the inner world of the mind from where they derive endless flow of inner knowledge which they continue to share.

Secondly, such yogis do not make body conditions into mind conditions and their spiritual practices give them the ability to endure even when, in the course of service, their bodies collapse. They have served the mission of their guru lineage and die in satisfaction and inner peace.

Third is the greatest benefit to the body. The practices of meditation awaken their prana bodies and it is the prana that gives them the inner strength to continue to serve far beyond the capacity of ordinary people.

Here I will give a personal example.

I started full-time traveling and lecturing, domestic and international, in 1946. It has been non-stop for 68 years of my current 81 years.

For many decades those serving close to me have seen me often at the verge of collapse and suggested I cancel appointments, travel or lectures. I go through special and subtle internal prana-revival practices, not known to hatha-yogis. Half an hour after those practices and deep meditation, the same people are surprised to see me give my lectures, teachings and appointments with full force.

Have you ever heard of a case where a person with six heart arteries 100% blocked for a number of years has done several round the world lecture tours? That is my case, by the power of dhyana-yoga.

So, the path of dhyana-yoga is not totally useless in the body’s care!

Swami Veda Bharati took a 5 year vow of silence on 10^th March 2013 at the 2013 Sangha Gathering at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama (SRSG) in Rishikesh, India. The gathering started on 28^th February 2013, and Swamiji lectured each day from then until 10^th March.

To read transcripts of Swami Veda’s talks in this series, please click on a title below:

Lecture #1, 28th February 2013
Lecture #2, 1st March 2013
Lecture #3, 2nd March 2013
Lecture #4, 3rd March 2013
Lecture #5, 4th March 2013
Lecture #6, 5th March 2013
Lecture #7, 6th March 2013
Lecture #8, 7th March 2013
Lecture #9, 8th March 2013

Lecture #10, 9th March 2013 (Practice for the next 5 years …)

Recordings of these lectures

The Signs of Progress in Spirituality and in Meditation: During the 2013 Sangha Gathering, Ahymsin Publishers recorded Swami Veda’s lectures to help those on a spiritual path recognize the signs of progress. He also gave cautions and ‘pitfalls’ to watch out as one navigates their practice. This 9 part series is now available and is invaluable for all seekers wishing to enjoy the guidance of Swami Veda Bharati over the next years as he shifts deeper and deeper into silence. Contact AHYMSIN Publishers at http://ahymsin.org/main/book-and-dvd-orders.html

(Chinese translation below)

There is an annual silence day in the traditions of India. It is called Mauni Amavasya. Mauni means ‘of or for silence’, and amavasya means ‘no-moon day.’

It occurs on the no-moon day of the Maagha month in the Hindu calendar when sun and moon are both supposed to enter the sign of Capricorn (makara rashi).

It is held in the tradition as the day when Manu, the Archetypal Man first appeared on earth; he wedded Shata-roopa (She of a Hundred Beautiful Forms) and generated humankind.

This year it falls on 30th January by the western calendar.

Last year it was also part of the grand kumbh mela and thirty million people are expected to take the holy immersion on that day at the sangam (meeting place of three holy rivers) in Allahabad.

Whether you accept the story or Manu or not, we do need to institute a day of silence every year.

On the other hand, if you prefer to be true to some western tradition you may research if there was a day sacred to Harpokrates, the Greek god of silence whose statues have been found as far away as the Gandhara country (present day Afghanistan). Harpokrates was derived from the Egyptian god Harpa-khruti, the child Horus, representing the daily new born sun, the source of light.

Of course, there is an amplitude of Christian saints who have taught silence and there are numerous monasteries of various orders dedicated to silence.

As I have entered the five-year vow silence, I would like many of my friends to set aside at least one day to share the silence with me just as you have shared the full moon day for an hour each month for more than a decade now.

So, please note:
2014 the day of mauni amavasya is now on 30th January.
2015 the day will be on 20th January.

If you plan from now, you can arrange your worldly affairs in such a way that they do not interfere with your one-day vow of silence.

On that day, no driving (except for emergencies), no TV, no conversation, just self-observation, contemplation, japa and learning (1) to give love in silence while (2) learning to love silence.

May I ask all our swamis, initiators, spiritual advisers, teachers, centre leaders to kindly popularize this concept and take this year to prepare the people to undertake this one-day vow of silence.

Editor’s Note

Mauni Amavasya Silence Retreats are planned each year to take place at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama in Rishikesh, India. For more details, please see the event calendar.

Chinese Translation

by Francine Kuo

印度傳統上每年有一天的靜默日，稱為Mauni Amavasya, Mauni 意為靜默的或為了靜默，而amavasya意思是月蝕之日。

印度年曆中的Maagha月份(西洋月曆的一二月)中的月蝕之日，太陽和月亮會同時進入魔羯星座(Makara rashi)

傳統上這一天也是摩努(Manu),第一位地球上出現的原人，他迎娶夏塔茹帕(Shata-roopa，據傳擁有百種美形)的日子，然後才有人類的起源。

今年這一天落在西洋日曆中的一月三十日。

去年的這一天也是偉大大壺節的一部分，當天阿拉哈巴德三聖河匯流處(sangam)，擁入了三千萬人參加神聖的聖浴。

不管你是否相信摩努的故事，我們都需要每年有一個這樣的靜默日。

另外，如果你比較能接受西洋史，你們可以去研究是否在同一天，也是希臘祭祀荷波卡拉帖斯Harpokrates, 希臘的靜默之神的日子，他的雕像遠至干達拉國(阿富汗的古名)都能被看見。荷波卡拉帖斯源自埃及的神Harpa-khruti,孩童荷魯斯，象徵每天新生的太陽，光的源頭。

當然，還有許多的基督教聖人都被教導靜默，各種社會文化不同的修道院也都有靜禱的傳統。

我正在五年的靜默誓約中，希望我的朋友們，也能至少在一年空出一天與我ㄧ同靜默，如同我們過去十年每次滿月共同靜坐一般。

所以，請記得，2014的靜默日在1月30日，2015年則在1月20日。

如果你現在開始計畫，你可以安排你在世俗的事情不會干擾你這一天的靜默練習。

在那一天，不開車(除非有緊急事件)，不看電視，不交談，僅做自我的觀察，沉思，持咒和學習這兩件事情： (1)在靜默中給予愛 (2)學習愛上靜默

容我邀請所有的斯瓦米，啟引者，靈性導師，老師，各中心領導人仁慈的把這個觀念普化，並用這一年幫人們為接受一天靜默誓約做準備。

斯瓦米韋達 帕若堤

[備註：每年在印度瑞詩凱詩都會舉辦靜默日營]

॥संवत्सरोऽग्निः प्राणः संवत्सरो
वसुर्वसुतमो महान्।
संवत्सरं ते द्युतिमन्तमच्छं
शं यच्छन्त्वभिषिक्तमाः॥

Year is Fire. Year is Prāṇa;
Wealth of wealth,
the Great Habitat.
May the most holy anointed ones
grant to your year
a clear luminous light of peace

संवत्सर अग्नि है।
संवत्सर प्राण है।
वसु ओं का वसुतम
महान् आवास है।
पवित्र पूर्णाभिषिक्त
श्री अवतार देव
आपके संवत्सर को
स्वच्छ द्युतिमती शान्ति का
अमोघ वरदान दें॥
इत्यो३म् श्रीं शम्॥
Ity. Om SHREEM SHAM
स्वामी वेद भारती
Swami Veda Bharati
२०१४ 2014

Every secret crevice of every living being’s mind chamber
Be filled with radiant tranquil illumination of samadhi
Of the purest light of you, crystal soul who are
A spark of God’s universal consciousness-flame,
Divinity’s mega-lamp.
Be a well-lit lamp on this festival of lights.
May all your prayers come true.

His micro-spark,
Swami Veda Bharati
Dipawali 2013

Silence is such a profound and deep experience of human existence that only when we have understood silence would we understand all the inspiration that has ever flowed to humanity from the minds and mouths of its great saints and sages. To understand silence as an act, as a habit of mind, is to know a person’s disposition and most natural urge. We can look to the monks or “silent ones” of our society for example; however, even a householder with an active life can learn the art of “speaking” while in silence. Such a paradox has a very clear lesson.

Silence is creative; silence is dynamic; silence speaks when all words fail. So celebrate an hour, a half day, a day of silence. Start slowly with full permission of all those involved. Then begin with the attitude of celebrating. When you come upon noisy persons, sprinkle a cloud full of silence on them. We have only to look at the examples of saints and sages that understood the secrets of silence. They did not respond to conflict with conflict. When they spoke, their speech was measured, beneficial, and pleasant. Only then did they reach into their vessel of stillness and became silent.

Try it!

Sprinkle silence out the windows of your eyes, of your senses, out of your heart and through your words. Convey your inner peace, stillness and emotional equilibrium. See how this silence “speaks” to other minds at that deep level. Silence impacts the psyche as no spoken word can.

So learn to build up that energy within yourself. It is not the silence of being “shut up.” It is not that silence with which you come home angry and you say, “I’m not going to say anything to anybody.” That is not silence, because then you go to your room and you bang your door and your spouse says, “What happened, honey” “Nothing happened, I didn’t say anything.” Well, you’ve said enough. You’ve said enough for 10,000 years; that is not the silence we are speaking of. It is the other kind of silence. The kind when someone has banged the door you stand there and immediately on that person’s face who has banged the door comes a serenity, a silence. This is the silence of the saints of the ages. It is the smiling silence of the Buddha. Practice it again and again. Experience that stillness again and again.

But ‘you have no time’– you say. Ah, you have no time! There is time between the breath and the breath. For a fraction of a moment between the inhalation and the exhalation there comes a moment of silence. Just learn to experience that in the middle of your noisy day.

I wish you the art of learning to live in silence, and I wish you the discovery of that still depth of mind in which all words cease, from which all spoken words arise. May your meditations and contemplations lead you to be “the silent one”. May it lead you not to be a super man, but to be a silent woman, a silent man.

When a child is disturbed, you place yourself into deep silence and take the child and put the child to the left side of your bosom, where he can feel your heart beat, where the child can feel your depth of breath and the crying child, if it is not a matter of great physical discomfort for him, if it is not an illness or something, just wrap your arms around the child. The child will pick up your mood of silence, and he will learn that communication which will come in handy for him for his entire life.

Let silence be part of your education for your children and then you too will enjoy in your great nations the same kind of silence that the people of Bali I Indonesia enjoy on the Nyepi day, that the entire nation goes into silence.

May you keep your silence even while walking through the traffic of downtown in any city. Blessings to you.

Question

I recently read your thought provoking and heart touching book “meditation the art and science”. i am a novice in the path of spirituality and meditation. I want to know one thing which I missed in the book is experiences, visions, miracles in meditation .what are the inner experiences while meditating i want to know it earnestly from you. i don’t know why but the void will be filled when I receive your reply swami ji.

Answer

In my meditation I seek only the durable peace and total quiet. No other experiences that are distractions on spiritual path of atman-realization and are games the mind plays. Seek only tranquility. That is all I teach by the methods taught by my Gurudeva Swami Rama of the Himalayas. These we teach at our Ashram in Rishikesh.

Love and blessings — Swami Veda Bharati

Editor’s Note

Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama in Rishikesh, India, offers guest programmes in the form of spiritual retreats. A series of classes that introduce, orient and share the foundation practices and philosophy of the Himalayan Tradition are offered in a daily schedule of instruction in meditation, pranayama (breathing practices), relaxation, hatha yoga, and yoga philosophy. With the welcome interview, the programme is tailored for the individual. Please see: http://ahymsin.org/main/ashram/guest-programmes-at-swami-rama-sadhaka-grama.html

Meditation, The Art and Science by Swami Veda Bharati is available at Amazon.com as a paperback and in Kindle. It is also available at other bookstores. In India, inquire at ahymsinpublishers@gmail.com

The Times of India – Speaking Tree publication published “You Needn’t Be Lonely” by Swami Veda Bharati on 7th April 2013. The text reads as follows.

SWAMI VEDA BHARATI takes up a question from seekers that he is frequently asked at satsangs.

I was rejected as a child. I want to feel loved but I do not know how to find love and end my loneliness.

I am often asked many variations of this question. I tell them that there are others who have set an example with their lives; that they had felt rejected, lonely, unloved, and are today the most widely loved individuals with tremendous satisfaction in their lives. How did they do it?

Here are some basic but effective principles:

1. Learn to give love, instead of asking for it.
2. For this, cease to be self-centred, no longer crying inside all the time ‘I was rejected’, ‘I am unloved’, ‘I am lonely’. When you do this, you are reinforcing the same psychology in yourself over and over. People see you and move away because they are afraid about what you might demand.
3. Have no fear in giving; trust in yourself.

Ask yourself, when last have you been in a potluck dinner or a party and filled a plate and gave to someone?

When was the last time you stood in line for food and volunteered your place in line to another?

When was the last time you saw someone feeling cold and put your shawl around her shoulder?

When was the last time you saw someone feeling lonely and gave him a genuine, spontaneous and truly loving smile?

When was the last time you have known that someone is sick and alone and you have gone to take care of him, without expecting thanks?

Loving and not expecting a return is the secret of being loved. However, avoid clinging and save yourself from the temptation of wanting to pour out your own story for hours. If you do this, you lose it. Think of similar selfless ways of loving, without fear of rejection.

Just do it.

Even before you begin to feel that you are being loved, you will begin to feel a sense of satisfaction simply out of the fact that you have been selfless. Also, there are special heart-centre meditations that will help you; but you need to learn these from an experienced, genuine and selfless guide. Go ahead, change your life.