AHYMSIN Full Moon Illuminations - July 2023 (2)
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Selflessness~ Swami Rama 
Sit down and quietly think about what you have done in your life, because in the end, during the period of transition, you will have to face yourself. What have you done that is satisfying? Have you done anything selfless–totally selfless? … Do not work for yourself; that is not the way of life. You will become selfish. Learn to work for others. If the wife learns to work for her husband, and the husband learns to work for his wife, they will both be happy. Problems come when they both become selfish, demanding, and expecting. Learn the path of selflessness. That is the only way to liberation. Learn to give to each other, and then slowly that learning will expand to the whole universe. One day you will feel that the whole universe is your family, and you are one of the members of that family. On the path of selflessness there is great joy. Selflessness is the singular expression of love. Read more |
Love, Meditation, and Service~ Swami Veda Bharati I have received a question from a spiritually advanced friend who has a following of his own: “I have one question in mind. A person decides to go to a world-famous Meditation Centre (Ashram) in South India, for 10 days. Supposing that the person, while leaving the city finds family person seriously ill, but continues with journey to that Ashram, will it be fair? Especially if the ill person at home has no one by his/her side and needs emotional support, more than anything? My brief reply was: “If meditation does not teach compassion, love and service to be rendered to the ill, poor and the bereaved, it is not a meditation; it is escapism. This simple answer should not need any elaborate commentary but, still, here are a few thoughts to share. Read More |
News from the AshramGuru Purnima celebrations at SRSG 
We were blessed with the presence of the Guru Lineage here at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama, as the 9-day akhanda patha, 24 hours non-stop recitation of the Guru-Gita, daily pujas, and yajna with the Akhanda-manadalakam-mantra came to a conclusion on the 3rd July 2023 with the purnahuti. We all enjoyed a tasty bhandara and a silent meditation at the Sadhana Mandir. Mahamandaleshwara Swami Veda Bharati’s 8th Mahasamadhi 
On this sacred day, we gathered together in reverence, to pay homage to our beloved Swami Veda Bharati. The 8th Mahasamadhi anniversary celebration was held at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama Ashram in Rishikesh, India. The event was marked by a quiet and silent simplicity. Many invited saints, students, and initiates paid homage to him on this sacred occasion. We had pujas and yajna in the morning dedicated to our dearest Swamiji, lead by Swami Ritavan Bharati and 12 priests. This ceremony was also a conclusion to the special mahapurashacharana that the Ashram residents and initiates had undertaken in the past 11 days. Each initiate at the Ashram offered japa of more than 50 malas of the special mantra given to us by Swami Ritavan—Om Shreem Gurave Namah each day. The eleven days of this special observance passed by with many smiles on everybody’s faces. It was as if we were all wrapped in Swamiji’s boundless love and grace, as our japa felt more effortless than ever before. Everyone was joyful and excited to do the japa, as if wanting to return to the lap of the Guru Force through the Mantra. Some people did as many as 175 malas in one single day, with many people offering more than a 100 malas on multiple days. Not only did we collectively manage to complete our sankalpa of the 700,000 mantra repetitions quite easily, we joyously managed to extend the numbers far beyond. It was a special moment in the AHYMSIN office every day, as we would all come together to crunch the numbers. The purnahuti of the observance was special to each one of us at a very personal level. Many family members across the world also shared news of their japa from their own homes and centres. Swami Ritavan Bharati, Dr Vijay Dhasmana, Dr Prakash Keshaviah, and Dr Vijendra Chauhan paid their tributes to Swamiji by recalling their many personal experiences with them over the past many decades of spending time with him. About 400 people joined the celebrations, along with 21 sadhus and 108 Sanskrit students. The Sanskrit students offered special mantras in the Meditation Hall on this auspicious occasion to pay their homage. In loving remembrance of Swamiji, a bhandara was also offered at the Niranjani Akhada in Haridwar for 250 sadhus, of which Swami Veda was a Mahamandaleshwar. The event concluded with prasada, as we all retreated to the Dining Hall for the bhandara. May the love and joy we experiences on this sacred occasion full our lives and give strength to our resolve to walk on this Path of Love, Serve, Remember as guided by our Gurudeva Swami Rama of the Himalayas and our beloved Swami Veda Bharati. Swamiji’s love and presence is felt in the hearts of all. Om Shreem Gurave Namah. Swami Ameyaandanda Bharati’s Shodashi Celebrations 
On the auspicious day of the Devashayana Ekadashi, 29th June, 2023, our beloved mother Swami Ameyaananda Bharati left her body. Within the customs of sanyasa parampara, the 16th day Shodashi ceremony for Swami Ameya was held on our beloved Swami Veda Bharati’s Mahasamadhi Day, 14th July at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama. The purnahuti of the Gayatri Mantra japa was held, followed by a bhandara for 21 sadhus. We all came together to offer our loving respects and prayers, while remembering the many moments spent with her. New Book Release: Path to Successful Relationships We are delighted to share that our newest publication titled Path to Successful Relationship was released to commemorate the 8th Mahasamadhi anniversary of our beloved Swami Veda Bharati ji. The occasion was graced by Swami Ritavan Bharati, Dr Vijay Dhasmana, Dr Prakash Keshaviah, Dr Vijendra Chauhan, Sadhana Mishra, and our resident Swamis. Path to Successful Relationships helps us understand the complexities of relationships; brimming with practical wisdom that guides us through the complexities of relationships, it also helps us in our spiritual development. This book is compiled of Swami Veda’s lectures given in 1980s. Swami Veda ji has written in the preface, “Most of what has been said or written here comes from the author’s own many experiments with life.” “The first ingredient for a good relationship is conviction. Belief in the power of an unquestioning love, a love that has no need to defend itself.” - Excerpt from the book Path to Successful Relationships. This book is now available for purchase in paperback through our bookstore and as an ebook on Amazon Kindle. |
Soul or the Body?~ Mokshadeva (Randall Krause) The great Himalayan yoga master Swami Rama said, "Humans are not so much bodies with souls as they are souls with bodies." What did he mean? The difficulty in understanding this quote comes from thinking the person is the body. If I think this, I am identifying with the body, thinking I am my body. But am I the body? According to yoga philosophy, I am not; rather, I am the soul. Saying I am a body and have a soul is like saying my clothes have a person. No, I a person, have clothes. They do not have me. The body is dead and has the semblance of being alive only due to the presence of the soul. ... In 2015, I stood beside my father. We were in the hospital after he was taken there by ambulance. Having just consulted with the doctors, I explained to dad that he had heart failure and it didn't look like he was going to survive the crisis that brought him into the hospital. He seemed to accept that, and than said, "how old am I?" I said "you're 93, dad." He said, "almost 100!" A little afterward, he drifted off to sleep, and then, suddenly, his heart went into tachycardia and finally stopped. He was gone. In that moment, seeing this lifeless body before me, this body that I loved, I realized that I'd always recognized this body as my father. But I was mistaken in that. Dad wasn't the body; he was the soul. Now that dad, the soul, had left the body, all that was left was his lifeless garment, the body. Read more |
Experience of Living in the Gurukulam~ Dr Swati Saharan As the one-year Gurukulam program approaches its conclusion, I find myself reflecting on the multitude of experiences gathered throughout this transformative journey. While this chapter of the Gurukulam is reaching its end, it feels more like the beginning of a long and continuous journey of self-transformation. As Swami Veda emphasized, every action throughout the day should be a preparation for our meditation practice, and that was the underlying theme of the Gurukulam. Everything we learned and were introduced to had the purpose of nurturing our minds and preparing our mind’s soil for the seed of meditation and spiritual transformation. The teachings were always centred around applying them in our daily activities. The exposure to these profound texts helped me develop a personal philosophy of life and refine my spiritual goals. The philosophy classes provided insights into the purpose of my life, my spiritual practices, and understanding questions like Who am I, what is the meaning of human existence, how does the mind function, what are the obstacles to watch out for and many more such thought-provoking queries. Though I still consider myself a novice in my understanding, the learnings of this year have taught me the right attitude to approach these texts and align my life with the wisdom imparted by the ancient sages. The learnings I have gained in this one year are too vast to be contained in a single article. My experiences at Gurukulam have made me understand the utmost importance of satsanga (spiritual association) and Swadhyaya (self-study). I have learned to align my lifestyle, goals, and vision to support my spiritual practices. I have developed the ability to analyse whether my thoughts, actions, and words are conducive to my spiritual growth or not. Though I am an amateur in my understanding, I acknowledge that this year at the Gurukulam has provided me with insights into how to approach and live my life. Although my understanding has not yet reached its full depth and sensitivity, I am appreciative of the newfound wisdom that has already enriched my journey so far. This year has been the most profound and meaningful experience of my life, and the knowledge gained here will serve as the strong foundation for the years to come. I am eternally thankful for this incredible journey and the life-changing experiences it has offered me. Read more |
Guru Purnima Celebrations~ At Himalayan Yoga Meditation Centre Noida Guru Purnima was celebrated in HYMC NOIDA on 3rd July, 2023 (Monday morning) with great enthusiasm by all those present. Gurudev's blessings flowed in abundance to all. The program started with Guru Paduka Poojan. Meditation which followed thereafter, was an important part of the program. The event concluded with bhajans and aarti. 
One of the intiates, Prateek, shared a beautiful message in Honour of Gurudev and The Himalayan Tradition with all the members present: महती एषा हिमालयस्य परम्परा। प्रचलति श्रीमच्छङ्कराचार्यादपि प्राचीन-ऋषिकालात् अबाधितरूपेण एषा परम्परा। तस्य ज्ञानस्य प्रकाशकः श्रीमत् स्वामीराम आधुनिकयुगे। अस्य ज्योतिः स्वामी वेदभारती। अस्माकं कृते जया गुरुमाता तस्याः द्वारम्। गुरुपूर्णिमा अवसरे सर्वेभ्यः पुनः पुनः अभिवादनम् चरणवन्दनम्। Meaning: |
Message from Japanese Group~ Motoko Saito Sixteen people from various parts of Japan had the opportunity to stay here at SRSG for two weeks, from June 11 to 25, 2023. When it was decided to hold a course in Rishikesh to learn the practice of Pranayama from Dr. O. P. Tiwari-ji who is the director of Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute, the organizer of Kdhama strongly recommended us to stay at this Ashram. Being able to deepen our learning while staying here made this 2-week course an invaluable and precious experience for us, and it continues to fill our minds and bodies even now that we have returned to Japan. 
What remained constant from the moment we entered the ashram until the moment we left was the warm hospitality of the teachers and staff towards all guests. No matter what happened, everyone there was willing to take responsibility for their own actions, and their immediate attitude of moving on was a great comfort to us. The wonderful fact that all the teachers and staff are learning and upholding the teachings of Himalayan Tradition, which filled the premises with a pure vibration that enveloped us, was a great comfort. Read more |
Global Meditation ReminderFull Moon Meditation New Moon Meditation 
You are invited to sit in meditation for an hour wherever you are, in your home or with friends. Total beginners and longtime practitioners, non-initiates and initiates are welcome. If you cannot sit for the entire hour, sit as long as you are able; as Swami Veda has said, “Let the quietness of the mind continue even after you rise...” Global Meditations ScheduleFull Moon New Moon |
Upcoming Events~ Specialty Retreats with Senior Teachers HYT-TTP Level 1 & 2 Retreats with Senior TTP Faculty Sun Salutations as Worship with Pt Priyadarshan (Pierre Lefebvre) 
Mauni Amavasya Silence Retreats at SRSG with Swami Ritavan Bharati Intensive Meditation Retreat with Swami Ritavan Bharati 
Entrance to the Subtle Body Retreat with Swami Ritavan Bharati HYT-TTP Level 1 & 3 Retreats with Senior TTP Faculty 
~ Dive Deeper into Philosophy with these Retreats Navaratri Retreat – Cultivating the Divine Feminine with Swami Ritavan Bharati and Rabindra Sahu Choosing a Path with Rabindra Sahu 
Narada Bhakti Sutras - Treatise on Love and Surrender with Rabindra Sahu Navaratri Retreat – Cultivating the Divine Feminine with Swami Ritavan Bharati and Rabindra Sahu 
~ Retreats for Beginning, Refining, and Advancing in your Practices Hatha Yoga Retreat: From Movement to Stillness 
More Events
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Yours in service, AHYMSIN Office |
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