Category: Dear Yoga Mentor, My question is

Question

I think, Kundalini yoga is all about tapping into your spiritual energy, raising awareness, and a whole lot of yogic breathing….Is it so ??

Answers

Swami Ritavan Bharati, Michael Smith, Stephen Parker (Stoma), and Wolfgang Bischoff have answered this question.

Swami Ritavan Bharati

Dear Yoga student of the Tradition,

As you know, Kundalini was a favored and endeared subject for both Swami Rama and Swami Veda. Swami Rama called the primary Prana force kundalini, referring in Saundarya-lahari that Shiva is not able to “stir” without the Shakti force, which is referring to Kundalini;
and Swami Veda has spoken in the most beautiful ways of the feminine divine force of shakti as the primal powers of creation and dissolution returning to the source as consciousness.

Thus, Spirit as Brahman is Transcendental unalloyed Consciousness, with Shiva-Shakti the primary spiritual “energies” of consciousness.

The “movement” associated with “raising” is to awaken the awareness of the chakras or centers of the primary prana or kundalini forces.

And to understand prana as a vehicle for “breath”, awakens the twin guardians of the subtle body and regulates these internal forces through the breath. Much practice is needed to develop the appreciation and skill of regulating breath to transform unconscious breath into the awakening force for kundalini in the chakras.

Again practice, begin with subtle body work through asanas, pranayama, and through pratyahara, leading to samyama you will slowly develop the awareness and skill of the subtle levels of consciousness known as “kundalini-rising.”

References:
Path of Fire and Light Vol.1 by Swami Rama
Kundalini: Stilled or Stirred by Swami Veda Bharati
and many more

Michael Smith

Swami Veda’s book Kundalini Stilled or Stirred might be a good place to start.

Here are some other books that Swami Veda has recommended:

Sacred Journey by Swami Rama
Mantra and Meditation by Swami Veda Bharati
Life Here and Hereafter: Katha Upanishad by Swami Rama
Apocalypse Unsealed by James Morgan Pryse (Recommended by Stoma)
“Here are some references for further reading. They may not be the easiest books to find but they are currently in print and are very good in their categories. Note that by definition no reputable book on kundalini will tell you how to awaken your kundalini. Either by effort or by shaktipat initiation, practicing kundalini yoga requires the instruction of an experienced teacher. Some introductory practices for cleansing the channels can be learned from books.” – Swami Veda Bharati

Good introductory survey:
White, John (Editor) (1990). Kundalini – Evolution and Enlightenment. New York: Paragon House.
Classical Works:
Svatmarama (1985). The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (Swami Muktibodhananda Saraswati, Trans.). (First ed.). Munger, Bihar: Bihar School of Yoga.
Silburn, L. (1988). Kundalini – Energy of the Depths (Jacques Gontier, Trans.). Albany, NY: State University of New York.
Where can I learn more?
On the web there is an interesting and, I think, important site which has very large bibliography on Kundalini collected by Kurt Keutzer from Berkeley: Kundalini Bibliography. Also Kundalini FAQ. There is a section in the Bibliography titled “Literature of the tradition of Swami Rama” which includes:

Rama, Swami. 1980. Living with the Himalayan Masters. First ed. Honesdale, PA: Himalayan Institute International,490 pages.
Rama, Swami. 1988. Path of Fire and Light -1. Third ed. 2 vols. Vol. 1. Honesdale, PA: Himalayan Institute International,180 pages.
Rama, Swami. 1988. Path of Fire and Light – 2. First ed. 2 vols. Vol. 2. Honesdale, PA: Himalayan Institute International,226 pages.
Rama, Swami, Rudolph Ballentine, and Alan Hymes. 1979. Science of Breath. Honesdale, PA: Himalayan Institute International,166 pages.
Tigunait, Rajmani. 1993. Sakti Sadhana. Translated by Rajmani Tigunait. Honesdale, PA: Himalayan Institute International,196 pages.
Tigunait, Rajmani. 1996. The Power of Mantra & The Mystery of Initiation. Honesdale, PA: Himalayan Institute International,248 pages.
Also there is “Kundalini Awakening” on the website of Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati.

 Stephen Parker (Stoma)

I would just repeat Wolfgang’s response to the last time this question arose. It really says it all.

Wolfgang Bischoff

(December 2017):
Swami Rama was 3 times in my house visiting my family and our Institut. During his second stay he called me early in the morning around 4am and asked for an important letter of a doctor. I told him that this letter was on my desk in my office 15 minutes from us away and I asked him whether I shall run over and get it. He said no, not necessary, kneel down and open your hands, look to the ceiling and out of the air came the letter flying like a butterfly. When I was holding the letter in my hands, the miracle was over and he asked me what I think.

So I answered that I was surprised and whether he can teach me that siddhi. He answered:

“Be patient and practice the simple method of breath awareness and meditation every day. If you are selfless in your actions and honest, full of love and dedication in your meditation, everything which is important for your special destiny will happen by itself. You have to do nothing. Realise the fact that you cannot breathe in and not breathe out. Every inhalation and exhalation you get every moment new as a present for which you have nothing to do, from a power which loves and respects you as you are, with all your weaknesses and strength. Realising that will show you the power of non acting while you true and honest practise meditation in life in the way of selfless service for humanity.“

So I asked Guruji why he has written the books Path of Fire and Light, 1 and 2. And he answered: “I regret that I have written and published Volume 1. It is a knowledge which should not be published but I was persuaded to do so.”

I said that all the described practises gave me an impression of a very complicated hard life and that I may need several lifetimes to achieve anything important. He answered:

“No, that is not true. You can achieve anything in this lifetime even in this moment when you learn to practice with an open heart, an open mind, doing nothing only experiencing yourself as a witness. Truth will come to you in its own ways, you only have to open yourself for it. Become a good receiver, the Himalayan Masters send their messages all the time, you only do not receive that messages.”

So he encouraged me, not to imitate anybody, not even Swami Veda, who was a great soul in himself, but cannot be copied by anybody. He said find your own destiny through selfless service and a simple way of meditation, doing nothing but enjoying to sit still, becoming silent and starting to wonder like a little child about everything, which happens then by itself.

From my point of view, that is the most simple way and at the same time the most complex practice he ever gave me, and it takes all my life to learn this simplicity. From that time on, I tried to live a life in the service of others and practise nearly every day at 3 am in the morning. I try to listen to people and stopped preachingly teaching them; instead I opened my heart and mind, learned to asked questions and to understand the human being sitting in front of me. I stopped pretending to be a teacher and started to become a friend who lovingly shares with others what the celestial world is presenting to me. Since then I started to enjoy life because it became easy and beautiful and lost the hardness of effort and greed for spiritual achievements. They come by themselves when you are honest, pure enough. So I slowly understood Guruji’s teaching : If you want to make one step ahead in meditation, first do 2 steps ahead in your ethical development of self realisation (according to the Yamas and Niyamas ).

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Editor’s Note

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

Question

Does a long challenging and purifying the mind not subtly take you to an ego of the mind? Because you are still in the gross body/mind and extremely far from Brahman…nothingness. How much time and how many lives do we go through “neti, neti”?

Answers

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

Stephen Parker (Stoma)

In a word, no. If you live a mindful life, depending on the density of your karmic accumulation, you can substantially cleanse the mindfield in one lifetime. If you observe your life from buddhi, which is causally beyond ahamkara, this breaks the self-identification with samskaras and keeps the ego in its minimal role. The problem with ego is that it gets the idea that it is the Self. That needs to be corrected from time to time. But without an ego one cannot have a body and without a human body one cannot purify samskaras. So until the mindfield is cleansed enough to dissolve, one needs an ego in order to progress.

Lalita Arya (Ammaji)

Great precise reply by Stoma.

Sometimes I feel sympathy for the impatience of seekers, but that is understandable when such questions are asked as they are done is in all innocence.

Treading the path requires a lot of cleansing which purifies body, mind, samskaras, ahamkara, etc, etc. Once that cleansing REALLY starts, all such questions answer themselves as we proceed on the path. It takes lifetimes upon lifetimes to get anywhere close to understanding anything. It is great to have someone be able to explain, but to comprehend on one’s own is the revelation that leads further. Meditation does not follow logic.

We people of the modern world do not really know the meaning of patience…once I asked my Guru a really dumb question – “Baba”, I queried, “I am bored with my present mantra that I been meditating on for over 20 years. Can I have another one?”  He laughed, looked at me and said, “Beta (Child), no, carry on with this until your last breath….”
He has also reiterated in almost every lecture – “Do not believe what I say, go home and practice on your own.”

So the more we keep to our practice sincerely, daily, patiently with discipline the greater the chances that answers reveal themselves when you least expect.

Michael Smith

Swami Rama talked about “polishing the ego,” but personally, I agree with you – a polished ego is still the ego. I have heard many things about how long it takes until the final liberation – from “it takes millions of lifetimes” to “it can happen in a single lifetime.” I think it depends on the readiness (adhikara) of the student. Personally I like Yoga-sutra I.14 and what Sri Nisargadatta wrote:

Sutra I.14
Sa tu dirgha-kala-nairantarya-satkarasevito drdha-bhumih:

That practice, however, becomes firm of ground
only when pursued and maintained
in assiduous and complete observance
for a long time, without interruption
and with a positive and devout attitude.

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“You are never without a Guru for He is timelessly present in your Heart.
Sometimes he externalizes Himself and comes to you as an uplifting
and reforming factor in your life:
a mother or father, a wife or husband, a child or teacher;
or he remains as an inner urge towards righteousness and perfection.
All you have to do is obey Him and do what He tells you.
What He wants you to do is simple:
learn self-awareness, self-control and self-surrender.
Though it may seem arduous, it is easy if you are earnest.
And it is quite impossible if you are not.
Earnestness is both necessary and sufficient.
Everything yields to earnestness.”
— Sri Nisargadatta

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Editor’s Note

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

Question

How many people do Agnisara and Ashwini mudra and 2:1 breathing? And its benefits?

Answers

Rajah Indran, Lalita Arya (Ammaji), and Carolyn Hume have answered this question.

Rajah Indran

Practicing this has helped me to enjoy a reasonably good health.

Lalita Arya (Ammaji)

Agnisara practice is well explained by Swami Rama in his book Path of Fire and Light Volume 2. As he tells it, agnisara is not the stomach lift, as most people think and do, but the lower abdomen lift.

Ashwini mudra is the anal lock – a simple practice – and also fully explained in his Science of Breath.

How many people practice these will be difficult to tell. And what people practice should not be our concern. Rather we should try to find a good Master/Teacher of Meditation & Yoga to guide us and concentrate on our own discipline in practice of Yoga asanas.

I compliment students for being curious and wish all the best in their pursuits.

Carolyn Hume

SRCindia (Swami Rama Centre) has recently added these videos on YouTube, and you may enjoy watching them:

• Swami Rama Talks: 2:1 Breathing Digital Method
• Swami Rama Talks: Agnisara
• Swami Rama Talks: Ashwini Mudra

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Editor’s Note

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

Question

During my study of four Vedas, I could not find any mantra relating to Yoga as physical Exercise. Can any learned Vedic Scholar guide me to this subject in Vedas? In Patanjali Yoga Shastra relevant reference to Veda mantra is not quoted.

Vedas do refer to maximum life/age of a person up to 300 years if the individual strictly follows Rtam (eternal Laws of God).In Rtam there is no mention of Physical Yogas but if a person assists God in the maintenance of this Grand wondrous Brahmand by ensuring no physical, spiritual or social pollution in Brahmand, a person can live up to 300 years.

Answers

Michael Smith and Stephen Parker (Stoma) have answered this question.

Michael Smith

I think the mantra that people generally do for health and stamina is Maha-Mrityunjaya Mantra. Swami Veda has said quite a bit on that Maha-mrtyunjaya Mantra. It is primarily a mantra for spiritual well-being and stability . . . and for transitioning.

In the USA, there is so much talk (and advertising) about longevity, health, physical fitness in old age etc.

Anytime anyone says they want to live a long time, I think,

“Why?”
“Why do people want to live a long time?”
“Why do you want to live a long time?”

More pleasure, sex, adventure, drama?

The only good reasons I can think of would be

1. to have more time to help people or
2. to expand one’s spiritual awareness.

Swami Veda put it into a nutshell:

“Love others and do your meditation.
The rest is entertainment.”

Stephen Parker (Stoma)

Swami Veda often said that the practices of yoga, including references to Kundalini and the chakras are there in the Vedic literature but under different terms. Yoga practices are usually referred to under the term tapas. Meditation practices in the heart chakra are described in the Dahara-vidya section of the Chandogya Upanishad. You are correct that there is no reference to yoga as a physical exercise. That is an artifact of the confluence of the physical culture movement and the disciples of Krishnamacharya in the 20th century fueled by American interest in weight loss and physical fitness.

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Editor’s Note

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

Question

Swami Rama stresses often on internal dialogue while I find it is a practice on which we (or at least myself) put enough time and effort. It is also hard for me to properly understand what really internal dialogue is. I hope someone will clarify…

Answer

Stephen Parker (Stoma) has answered this question.

Stephen Parker (Stoma)

Internal dialogue happens automatically in the form of a running commentary that we all make on the experience of our lives. Swamiji simply recommends beginning to participate in that dialogue consciously in order to gradually move our mind in a more sattvic direction. It can take many different forms depending on what works for you. The simplest is just to ask your mind when you sit for meditation whether there is anything that needs to be done first so that meditation is undisturbed. You may be surprised how readily your mind answers the question and gives you a “to-do” list so that as you meditate, your concentration doesn’t have to be on these items.

We can also begin to alter the quality of our self-conversation about the events in our life as a way to shift our emotions in a more constructive direction. This is the basic premise of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy which is really just a modern rephrasing of the ancient technique of self-dialogue or self-inquiry (atma-vichara).

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Editor’s Note

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

Question

We feel sometimes that nothing is happening even after doing meditation….but actually we are clearing our past samskaras…is it right what I think?

Answers

Michael Smith, Lalita Arya (Ammaji), Stephen Parker (Stoma), and Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati have responded to this question.

Michael Smith

In meditation we cultivate the skill of watching and samskaras naturally dissolve. When we become the Watcher, then samskaras do not have a home.

Lalita Arya (Ammaji)

Ref the above query about “meditation… clearing past samskaras…”

I remember Dr. Arya’s story/reply to a similar question –

“Imagine”, he said, “a dove flying by every so many years swiping with a feather a granite mountain. How long will it take for that granite to dissolve?”

Swami Rama also tried logic to explain the phenomenon of dissolution of past karmas (samskaras) by explaining – How long did it take for those samskaras to form/become habit? Meditate, meditate, meditate and do not anticipate results. Expectation can hurt and disappoint.

My personal experience – Meditate to change the personality affected by negativities – either internal or external – so that we do not re-create the kind of samskaras that need dissolving. The nature of divinity in the human will unfold if we keep practicing. It is challenging for as humans we want/expect results, but that is not what meditation is about. No expectation, no disappointment…just BE sincere, disciplined & devoted along the Path chosen.

It’s like doing “japa”…we do not interrupt a japa to check the mala or the clock to see when it will end. Same for the meditation, Just keep doing and don’t keep asking – have I progressed? When progress evolves you will know, you will not need to ask.

Stephen Parker (Stoma)

Increasingly these days I recommend the Nike slogan: “Just do it (meditation)!”—Without any thought for the quality or the results. That is the guru’s job; our job is to make ourselves available.

Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati

“Just do it”… was one of the Mottos of Swami Chinamayananda, from the Chinmaya Mission …so not just Nike……!

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Editor’s Note

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

Question

I have a few questions:

That blissful feeling that comes from self-realization, is it permanent or breaks up? How does bliss feel? Can you describe it?

Secondly, I take it that to achieve self-realization, one has to master the art of restraint and concentration. How does one go about doing this? Like what are the first steps as a starting point?

Last but not least, what is your take on meat-eating and vegetarianism?

Answer

Michael Smith has answered this question.

Michael Smith

These are three analogies that Swami Veda used to give:

“How can you describe what water is to a person who has never seen, tasted, or swam in water? or
“How can you describe what it is like to fall in love romantically to a three-year old child?” or
Let’s say you are a Martian and came to the planet earth. And let’s say that Martians never needed sleep. How would you, as a Martian, ever be able to understand the phrase “sweet dreams”?
How does one go about achieving self-realization; what are the first steps? A regular daily practice of yoga, a life style that supports it, a good teacher, and determination.

As a person’s meditation intensifies, there comes a greater appreciation for nature and all living beings. With that appreciation comes a strong inclination not to harm them or contribute to their harm. Sometime this is not easy. An excellent book on this subject is GANDHI: All Men Are Brothers: Autobiographical Reflections compiled by Krishna Kripalani with an Introduction by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

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Editor’s Note

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

Question

How are the Gunas and Karma related to each other?

Answer

Lalita Arya (Ammaji) has answered this question.

Lalita Arya (Ammaji)

Relationship of Gunas and Karma

It is assumed that the questioner knows what Guna and Karma mean. However, just for the clarity of reply I will try to define the two.

GUNAS are the properties or tendencies of a human personality that determine which direction that person chooses in the challenges of life – The Gunas according to our philosophy of Samkhya are recorded as 3 qualities – 1. Sattva, Pure; 2. Rajas, Active; and 3. Tamas, Dark/Confused.

There are many books, articles and videos of both Baba Guruji Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati (Pt. Dr. Usharbudh Arya) that discuss these.

The Sattvic personality seeks always the clear, pure choice when faced with decisions, Pursuit of this path has many challenges, difficulties. Guidance, encouragement and early childhood training help.

Rajas offers an active sometimes what seems like violent actions or re-actions to challenges.

Tamas is the dark, confused mind that is impulsive obscured, and tamasic actions lead to incorrect decisions.

The human personality is neither only sattvic, rajasic or tamasic. It is made of all these qualities but in various and differing quantitative patterns…some inherited from previous life-times, some developed in childhood and some deliberately pursued in maturer years.

KARMA – Are actions that determine the future of a human being – based on past actions influenced by the Gunas.

This is the connection between Guna and Karma.

Karma can be determined by Awareness, understanding the human mind through meditation and guidance of the learned ones. Baba always advised us – Don’t believe what I say, practice for yourselves.

On a personal note, whenever we would run to him for answers, he would sometimes gently tell us to find our own answers or sometimes he would just yell and say – Become independent, Learn from your erring choices.

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Editor’s Note

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

Question

They say that as you practice your mantra repetition becomes faster, but mine is becoming slower.

Answers

Two have answered this question: Michael Smith and Stephen Parker (Stoma).

Michael Smith

There is a talk by Swami Veda titled “How to do Long Mantras Faster (in Less Time).”
Maybe that will help.

Generally, when my japa slows down, it’s because I’m tired or because I have a lot of distracting thoughts.

Stephan Parker (Stoma)

The slowness of the mantra may be attributable to making an effort in its repetition. It likely also has to do with remaining attached to the syllables, which are the gross body of the mantra. See what happens if you simply listen for the mantra to naturally arise in your mind when you have gone inward and relaxed. One of the secrets of yoga is that the deeper path is found by deeper relaxation, not by more effort and advanced technique.

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Editor’s Note

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

Question

Is a guru able to remove a person’s karma or transmit shakti to awaken the kundalini or accelerate one’s journey towards enlightenment? I think: There are unfortunately no short cuts to attaining Self-Realization. It has to be a personal practice to go within oneself and experience for oneself that awareness of the true nature of the self or the atman. It is not possible for anyone to transmit this experience to another.

Answers

Five have answered this question: Michael Smith, Dr. Stephen Parker (Stoma), Pandit Hari Shankar Dabral, Lalita Arya (Ammaji), and Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati.

Michael Smith

The answer that the sages have given is that it is a matter of effort and preparedness from below – clearing the path – followed by Grace from above, symbolized by the interpenetrating upward and downward triangles (the hexagon) at the Heart Chakra.

I once asked Swami Veda whether in the shaktipati experience, the Guru (1) removed the final blockages so the “natural” energy could flow, or whether (2) s/he added additional energy. Swami Veda said, “Both.”

After his own shaktipati, Swami Veda asked Swami Rama, why didn’t you come earlier? How come you waited until 1969 (or whenever)? Swami Rama said, “What?! And get into all your karma?!”

Stephan Parker (Stoma)

Both things are true. Progress on the path is a collaboration between the seeker and the guru force. The seeker makes his/her best effort and when they have exhausted their ability, the Guru removes the last obstacle and the flow of shakti through the Guru raises the seeker up, showing them a higher state to which the seeker must find a way to return.

The Guru can alter the expression of karma but cannot completely eliminate it. As Swami Rama said several times, “Sometimes where life has placed a period, I can place a comma. But the person has to suffer something.”

The seeker is responsible for their own enlightenment, but the Guru also helps when the student has made an honest effort but remains trapped in their ego.

Panditji

Shri Swami Rama of the Himalayas has said many times that “There are lengthy routes but I know the short cuts”.
Only Guru can give you short cuts.
Only Guru can burn all your karmas and give you enlightenment. There are so many stories like that where Guru has given direct enlightenment to students. So it’s all possible and available. It’s all depends on student and his or her dedication.

One more point:
Shri Swami Rama also has said that He could transfer all the knowledge in one night into student if student is ready to take or receive.

Lalita Arya (Ammaji)

My comments on the last question about “guru’s abilities” – Guru is a powerful force that dwells in a physical body temporarily until that body is given up. As regular human beings we tend to identify with these “bodies/persons/images” as we have not learnt how to contact the force directly. The Guru guides us to that force, which is part of a perennial consciousness.

Both Baba (SR) and SVB had requested that no images, statues, photos, etc. be kept prominently displayed after they had left the body. Shouldn’t we ask ourselves WHY? But we poor dependent beings could not adhere to that and still hang on to those images.

I recall once both my husband (Dr. Usharbudh Arya) and I being yelled at by Baba for running to him with what he considered minor questions. His remark was that he accepted us as his students so we may train ourselves (under his guidance) to be independent individuals responsible for our actions and the results of those actions.

A dependency on the Guru is a continuation of dependency on the seniors in our lives – parents, etc. While their grace & blessings are necessary for us to feel ‘good’, the dependency on the Guru may be sought but is not encouraged, as the whole idea is to find out who we are, be responsible for our karmic thoughts/actions/deeds. These cannot be wiped out totally.

It takes a long time to achieve the equanimity required to change from what we were to where we want to be – sometimes lifetimes – we must make the effort ourselves – the Guru watches over us – will not abandon us if we are sincere. Dependence on the Guru that he/she will take care of everything is not recommended. Believe that Faith & Trust will keep us on the Path where the Guru walks and has led us.

Patience & Practice are highly recommended.

Just another way at looking at the question.

Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati

It all depends what we understand by the word guru. Swami Rama said: “My job is to introduce you to the teacher within”.

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Editor’s Note

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