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| AHYMSIN newsletter, Issue - October 2011 | ||||||||
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To Give People a Daily Practiceby Giancarlo ColomboI'm writing to you because Swamiji asked me to send you a report about the seminars I've been invited to teach in some schools in Italy during the summer. He asked me to send some pictures and write a report about the teachings given. The seminars were in Torino and Padova; in Torino there were around 40 people and in Padova around 15. I've been invited to teach again in both schools, ShandrahS in Padova and Nisargadatta in Turin, next summer too, receiving also invitations to go to teach in another center in Milan for next year because this year we didn't have enough time to organize it, even though we are still trying to see if we can even only do one day seminar in Milan the second Sunday of October; let's see :-) The purpose of the seminars was to instruct people about Meditation. My main desire was to give people a daily practice that would be complete while not being too long. The purpose was to make them understand the importance to practice daily and how this is possible also in the western world with only one hour a day. Too many seminars are organized with the purpose to impress people, make them reach a very pleasant state during the days of the seminar, but then after two or three days the effect is gone and people don't know what to do. Based on the basic principles of our Tradition, I have explained in details to people about the importance of developing a diaphragmatic breath, teaching them makarasana and guiding them into the practice of it, inviting them to practice it three times a day for 7 minutes each. . Afterwards, we went through Dynamic and Traditional Surya Namaskar, observing the different purposes of the two, the physical, psychological and devotional aspect connected to them. The suggestion was to practice them in the morning: after 7 minutes makarasana, a short warm up with Joints and Glands, then 7 repetitions each side of dynamic Surya Namaskar and then the Traditional Surya Namaskar holding each posture for 7 breaths each, both sides. After this physical part, a short systematic relaxation while lying down in shavasana. The following lecture was on Nadi Shodhanam, explaining to them about nadis, subtle body, chakras, the yogic purpose of nadi shodhanam and the therapeutical effect of Nadi Shodhanam in daily life, training them afterwards on how to practice it with the chart that makes it easier to understand the dynamics of the practice. The suggestion was to start with three rounds, going up to five, and then, of course, the magic number! 7 rounds three times a day of nadi shodhanam. Afterwards we went through meditation, beginning with teaching them how to sit, correcting every one of the participants showing everybody the different difficulties. Then we went through the steps of a basic meditation with the different options about the mantra to use. Would it be So-Ham or a count of "one and two" or the favourite name of a deity. We also tried to go through the possible obstacles and the attitudes to observe during meditation, the entire practice, and the daily life. We went through a progression; at the end of every subject, I guided a complete practice of one hour, so that at the end of the two days the people have already gone through the same practice four times and had the possibility to explore it, understand it, and memorize it and to ask questions about the obstacles they met Here is an easier chart to summarize the practices taught and the daily practice recommended: Morning:
Before lunch:
Before dinner or before going to sleep:
People have also been instructed to practice as many times as possible two minutes meditation in a systematic way, to relax their forehead as many times as possible, and to check their breath throughout the entire day observing the differences in moments of emotional turmoil. The main message was that if they would follow this practice every day they would become balanced in a few months and the benefits in their life and on their nervous system would be immense. It has been a lovely experience; people seemed to be very interested and very happy. They were inspired by receiving a simple daily practice. A group from Turin will come to visit the Ashram in February/March; other people contacted Silvia to come for the Children's Retreat; others have already reserved rooms to come during the year for personal studies. It has been a real blessing, I hope with the Grace of the Gurus that this will keep on growing and growing. People wrote me beautiful emails to thank the Tradition for what they have received, for finding a hope in the middle of sufferance. A woman of 70 years old who brought for the first time her husband to a seminar confessed to their teacher, the person that invited me, that her husband after the seminar had a sexual awakening! :-) Sorry about adding this but it made me laugh a lot and I found it really sweet. I would just like to say thank you to the amazing teachers that through those years have helped me so lovingly to develop myself making this possible: Stomaji, Ashotosh, Peter, Swami Ritavan, Swami Nittia, Swami Ma Radha, Athul, Chandramaniji, Pier and all my colleague students of the Gurukulam for all the sharing. Three special thanks are needed: The first is for my brother and teacher and adored friend Jella; he has had an immense role in my growth, in the development of those seminars, and in the support during the difficult moments. This year he will not be back in the Ashram; I already know I will miss him so much. The second is for Swamiji and Swami Rama and all the Masters of the tradition. It is impossible to explain that feeling of being there in front of many people guiding them and to know and experience through your veins Their presence inside the room, inside your soul, feeling that the only thing you have to do is to take care to not interfere with the miracle of Them teaching those people through you. The third thank you and the dedication of those seminars goes to Maya. I’ve met her for too short but it was enough to receive so much inspiration and love.. She is the first person I met of the tradition, she looked at me and said: “Come to do the Gurukulam” when that idea was not even far from me. She was my teacher during my first TTP and there, like a mother, she directed me towards God and toward my destiny making me feel encouraged, inspired and protected. Can’t express how grateful I am towards her. Serving Swami Veda and the Masters of the Himalayan Tradition with all my love and devotion. Giancarlo Editor’s Note:Giancarlo Colombo has studied as a student in the Gurukulam. The Gurukulam is a 3-5 years study programme at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama (SRSG) in Rishikesh, India. For more about becoming a Gurukulam student: http://www.ahymsin.org/main/index.php/Ashram/we-are-now-accepting-international-applications-for-a-3-5-year-study-programme.html The Himalayan Yoga Tradition – Teacher Training Program (HYT-TTP) has a website: http://www.himalayanyogatradition.com/.
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