Sanatana Yoga सनातन योग

OM Mantra and Mandala Upanishad: Yoga Vedanta Meditation

2011-03-08T22:06:00.000-08:00

OM Mantra and Mandala Upanishad: Yoga Vedanta Meditation

A Transcript of the Teachings of the OM Mantra by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati

This pinnacle of the wisdom of the ancient and practices of the ancient sages of yoga is contained in the terse 12 Verses of the Mandukya Upanishad, which outlines the philosophy and practices of the OM, It has been said that the juice of the Vedas is in the Upanishads, and the juice of the Upanishads is in the Mandukya Upanishad.

OM mantra is also suggested as a direct grab to Samadhi in the yoga sutras. The teachings of the Mandukya Upanishad are well worth deep study, discussion, reflection and contemplation. By faithfully and intently engaging these 12 verses, all of the other written and oral teachings can be explored as the foundation principles and practices encapsulated in this succinct summary. It is not only the most insightful writing, but also a complete outline for Sadhana Enlightenment practices.

The OM mantra is the road map of the entire process of Sadhana and the most practical tool for self-realization. One of the other hundred plus Upanishads, the Mukti (or Liberation) Upanishad, explains that for those who are seeking Liberation, the understanding and practicing of the principles of the Mandukya Upanishad is sufficient for attaining that realization.

Verses 1 to 2 describe the Self and the Absolute.
Verses 3-7 explain the four-levels of consciousness.
Verses 8-12 outline the four aspects of AUM mantra.

Briefly the 12 Verses are:
1. All is OM;
2. Self - Atman - Brahman;
3. Waking state - Vaishvanara;
4. Dreaming - Taijasa;
5. Deep Sleep - Prajna;
6. Experiencer of the three;
7. Fourth state - Turiya;
8. A, U, and M of OM mantra;
9. A of AUM;
10. U of AUM;
11. M of AUM;
12 Silence after AUM.

Verses 1-2 are about the Self and the Absolute.

Verse 1: All is OM. The whole universe is the syllable OM/AUM. Following is the exposition of OM. Everything that was, is, or will be is in truth OM. All else which transcends time, space, and causation is also OM.

Verse 2: Atman has 4 aspects. 1) Gross | Physical Plane; 2) Subtle | Astral Plane; 3) Causal Plane/Source; 4) Fourth/Consciousness. All of these, everywhere is in truth Brahman, the Absolute Reality. Verse 2: The Individual Self itself (Atman) is also Brahman (the Absolute Reality) This Atman or Self has 4 aspects through which it operates.

Verses 3-7 are on the four levels of consciousness.

Verse 3: First is Waking or Gross - the first aspect of Atman is the Self in the waking state/Vaishvanara. In this state, consciousness is turned outward to the external world. Through its 7 instruments and 19 channels, it experiences the gross objects of the phenomenal world. Briefly those 7 instrument are Space, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth, along with the Individuation from the whole, and the flow of Energy. The individual operates the 19 channels (as explained in Verse 2), which are the 4 functions of mind: Manas (sensory, processing mind), Chitta (storage of impressions), Ahamkara (I-maker or ego), and Buddhi (intelligence; knows, decides, judges, discriminates). These four functions operate through 5 Pranas: 1) Prana (heart, vitalizing, inhaling); Apana (base of torso, eliminating); Samana (naval, digestion, discernment); Udana (throat; exhalation); Vyana (whole body; coordinate systems). The 5 active senses or Indriyas, Karmendriyas of eliminating, procreating, moving, grasping, and speaking, and the 5 cognitive senses or Jnanendriyas of smelling, tasting, seeing, touching and hearing.

Verse 4: The second aspect of Atman is the Self in a Dreaming state/Taijasa. In the second state, consciousness is turned towards the inner world. It also operates through 7 instruments and 19 channels, which engage the subtle objects of the mental realm.

Verse 5: Third state is Deep Sleep/Causal/Prajna. The third aspect of Atman is the Self operating in the Deep Sleep state. In this third state, there is neither the desire for any growth or subtle object, nor any dream sequences. In Deep Sleep, all such experiences have receded or merged into the ground of undifferentiated consciousness. Here one is filled with the experience of Bliss, and can also find the way to clearer knowledge of the 2 preceding stage.

Verse 6: Find the Experiencer, the one who experiences all of these states of consciousness is the omniscient, in-dwelling source, and director of all. This one is the womb out of which all of the other emerges, all things originate from, and dissolve back into this source.

Verse 7: The fourth aspect of Atman or Self is Turiya, literally the 4th. In this 4th state, consciousness is neither turned outward, nor inward, nor is it both outward and inward. It is beyond both cognition and the absence of cognition. This 4th state of Turiya cannot be experienced through the senses, or known by comparison, deductive reason, or inference. It is indescribable, incomprehensible, and unthinkable with the mind. This is Pure Consciousness itself. This is the Real Self (Atman). It is within the cessation of all phenomena. It is serene, tranquil, filled with Bliss, and is One without a second. This is the Real or True Self that is to be Realized.

Verses 8-12 are the 4 aspects of AUM.

Verse 8: Those 4 levels of consciousness are the same, with the A, U, M, and Silence. The OM, though described as having 4 states, is indivisible. It is Pure Consciousness itself. That Consciousness is OM. The 3 sound A, U, M, and the 3 letter A, U, M, are identical with the 3 states of waking, dreaming, and sleeping, and these states are identical with the 3 sounds and letters. The 4th state, Turiya, is only to be Realized in the Silence behind, or beyond the other 3.

Verse 9: The sound A is waking/gross. Vaishvanara is the consciousness experienced during the waking state, and is “A” sound, or A, the 1st letter of AUM. That simple sound of A first and permeates all other sounds. One who is aware this level of reality has fulfillment of all longings and is successful.

Verse 10: The sound “U” is dreaming, subtle. Taijasa is the consciousness experienced during the dreaming state, and is “U”, the 2nd letter of AUM. This intermediate state operates between the waking and sleeping state, reflecting some qualities of the other 2. One who knows this subtler state is superior to others, for one who knows this, knowers of Brahman, the Absolute Reality, will be born into his or her family.

Verse 11: The sound “M” is deep sleep/causal. Prajna is the consciousness experienced during the state of dreamless deep sleep, and is “M”, or M, the 3rd letter of AUM. It contains the other 2, and is that from which the other 2 emerge, and into which they recede, or merge. A knower of this more subtle state can understand all that is within himself or herself.

Verse 12: The Silence after the AUM is the True Self/Soundless. The 4th aspect is the Soundless aspect of AUM. It is not utterable, and is not comprehended through the senses, or by the mind. Withe cessation of all phenomena, even of Bliss, this Soundless aspect becomes known. It is the state of Non-duality (Advaita) Reality, One without a second. This 4th state, Turiya, is the Real Self, or True Self. One with direct experience of this extends to Universal Consciousness. OM... OM... OM... OM...OM... OM... OM... OM... OM... OM... OM.

Further reading at OM Mantra and Seven Levels of Consciousness at http://swamij.org/om.htm

V. M. Sakya Longyen
Huayen on Indra's Net
support@newhuayen.com

Yoga and Zen

2011-02-27T13:32:00.001-08:00

According Patanjali, "Yoga is freedom from mental disturbances." (The yoga sutras of Patanjali 1.2) Yoga is defined as union of the self with the super-self. When in union, the self is one with the universal consciousness. Hence, Yoga is a process by which a practitioner purifies the self physically, mentally and spiritually until such union is attained. In such a state of union, the consciousness is no longer fragmented, but is pure, devoid of subject and object. It is devoid of differentiation and the oneness is experienced as pure bliss.

In Zen, this state of freedom from mental disturbances is known as "the original look before father and mother were born." Other descriptions include original nature, ultimate reality, suchness, essence of reality, emptiness, and Sarvajnata. The Zen Buddhist eliminates his mental attachments, detaches the self until the "I", the meditator, and the object of meditation disappear. The most common methods of meditation are anapanasati, vipassana, and Zen, all of which pay particular attention to the control of breathing in their practice.

In the Heart Sutra, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara in deep prajna meditation saw that his five skandhas were all empty and so he was freed from all suffering. This state of emptiness pervades the whole universe and is the universal consciousness, the origin of all life forms and phenomena, the Creator, or God. Avalokitesvara was thus liberated from Samsara and became super-ordinary, i.e. a saint. Such realization and union with the universal consciousness has led Saint Avalokitesvara into Moksha.

In Christianity, this universal consciousness or being is called God and the hope of all Christians is to return to Heaven to be with God through the sacrifice and deliverance of Jesus Christ the Savior. When God created Adam and Eve, He breathed into his mouth and gave him life. This is the source of life and in Yoga it is known as prana. The life span of a human being is determined by the number of breaths he has in his life time. Therefore in yoga, the yogi trains his prana and harnesses the spiritual energy he can get from each prana, which technique is known as pranayama, the fourth limb of ashtanga yoga.

In Taoism, the origin of all life forms and phenomena is nothingness. From nothingness came Taichi or One, from Taichi came Yin and Yang, the female and male principles, from Yin and Yang came the four cardinal divisions of the Blue Dragon Qinglong in the east, the White Tiger Baihu in the west, the Red Phoenix Zhuque in the south, and the Grand Turtle Yuanwu in the north, and finally from the four divisions came the eight divinatory trigrams of the Book of Changes, and thus the whole universe was formed. The Taoist practitioner practices Taichi or Qigong in order to harness his Chi or breath. He knows that as the Chi pervades the whole universe it also runs in his nadis. He has to run it through each and every energy nodes in his body. This Chi or breath in Yoga is known as prana, the source and sustenance of life. Because the number of breaths a human being has is determined, whether in Qigong, Taichi, or Yoga, the practitioner never wastes each breath.

From the above, I can safely conclude that Yoga is Zen without its Koans and Huatous, and Zen is Yoga without its asanas, pranayamas and dhautis because both share the same goal and should share the same practical methods. In China, Japan and Korea where Zen is practiced, the methods of training have been reshaped by culture such that each country has its own forms. The original need for purification of the body through Yoga is neglected and their methods tend to be metaphysical. Over time, the historical methods of Yoga have been lost and only doctrinal Yogacara remains. The Yogacara doctrines have become too difficult for modern Buddhists to understand much less to practice. Therefore, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Zen or Ch'an Buddhists must now look to India, and find a guru who can illumine them on the practical methods of Yoga, and that Great Guru, the last real Great Guru of our time, is Swami Rajarshi Muni.

In 629 defying imperial proscription by Emperor Tai-Chung 唐太宗 of the T'ang Dynasty, the famous Chinese Buddhist monk Hsuan Tsang 玄奘 secretly set out on foot on his epochal journey to the land of the Buddha from Chang'an 長安 (then capital of China) to learn Yoga and brought back to China many Yoga and other scriptures.

1381 years thereafter in 2010, once again an accomplished Chinese Buddhist monk, Master Sea Cloud 海雲繼夢法師 of the Da Huayen Monastery 大華嚴寺 (Great Floral Garland Monastery) Taiwan, came to India to learn Yoga from Sri Swami Rajarshi Muni 惹查西牟尼, Founder of the Lakulish International Fellowship's Enlightenment Mission 拉克魯希神國際覺明傳道會(LIFE Mission 生命傳道會). Like Master Hsuan Tsang the first Chinese Buddhist Yogi, he is the second Chinese Buddhist Yogi in Chinese history to humbly learn from an Indian Guru. People like Master Hsuan Tsang and Master Sea Cloud only come once in a millennium. In this age, these people are few and far between. Why Yoga?

Photo of Master Sea Cloud with Sri Swami Satyanand of LIFE Mission
Sakya M. Longyen
Huayen on Indra's Net
http://newhuayen.com

Anapanna-sati and Vipassana

2011-02-21T05:55:00.000-08:00

It should be noted that in any form of meditation, the body should be fully relaxed and not hindered. Whether full lotus, half lotus, or just crossed-legged is a matter of personal preference. A picture of Pa Auk Bhikkhu in meditative sitting posture is given here: http://www.paauk.org/images/PaAukPhotoAlbum/slides/Pa-Auk%20Sayadaw%20when%20young.html.

For example, in Myanmar sarong-clad practitioners would sit with their legs folded to their side because the sarong would hinder sitting in any lotus postures.

A picture of me training in anapanna is given here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=101913446508183&set=t.100000685852482&theater.

In Padmasan on solar eclipse 2010 over the Holy Narnada River, Asha Yogashram:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=101914353174759&set=a.101455126554015.3318.100000685852482&theater.

Further reading: A Revision of Meditation Methods by Bhante Seng is given here: http://fccheonghome.com/center/Q%20&%20A.htm.

Sakya Longyen
Huayen on Indra's Net
http://newhuayen.com

Realizing Huayen Buddhism

2011-02-20T14:57:00.000-08:00

Your original nature, the nature of the Buddha, of Tathagata, the nature of all existence, of emptiness, and of totality are just the same. When you can appreciate the beauty of a single flower, your whole life would change. At that moment, look into your own nature to see who is appreciating the wondrous beauty. Then, even the sound of a thunderclap, the flash of a lightning, the sight of a distant star, the full moon, a cup of tea, a mud puddle, the wind of a hurricane, or even landslide are no more beautiful or ugly, because they are what they are. They are both many and one, and this is holistic harmony. This is the realization of Huayen Buddhism in the Dharma Realm and in real life.

Sakya Longyen
Indra's Net

Dharma: It's the Love that leads you on...

2010-12-27T14:38:00.001-08:00

Posted on Youtube by Devagenie
Same love... Same longing from birth to today...
Deva's journey.
Gratitude to Swami Kripalu and Amma, my mother, daughter and granddaughters, friends, lovers and husbands, past and present.
The greatest teacher is life itself.
She leads us where we need to go.
Put one foot in front of the other and follow the love.
(I didn't say it would be easy!) Music: "Water" by Wah!

Bapuji - Swami Kripalvananda

2010-12-27T14:23:00.000-08:00

Biography of Swami Kripalvananda, Great Yogi-Saint of India. Born: January 13, 1913; Left His Body / Mahasamadhi: December 29, 1981
For More Information, see: Pilgrim of Love: The Life and Teachings of Swami Kripalu by Atma Jo Ann Levitt and Sayings of Swami Kripalu: Inspiring Quotes from a Contemporary Yoga Master by Richard Faulds

Rajarshi Muni

2010-12-27T14:15:00.000-08:00

Founder of the Lakulish International Fellowship’s Enlightenment Mission

Between 27 and 29 December 2008, Master Haiyun Jimeng led a pilgrimage to Lakulish International Fellowship's Enlightenment Mission (拉克魯希國際覺明傳道會) or in short LIFE Mission (生命傳道會) in Rajarajeshwardham, Gujarat, India. Swami Rajarshi Muni, a practicing advanced yogi and Founder of LIFE Mission, performed a Diksa granted Ven. Haiyun Jimeng the most secret Shaktipata initiation (literally, the passing down of spiritual energy but also connotes the right initiation of someone into the order or the right conferring of Dharma name/practice to someone.) This removed all obstacles from his path and ensure his rapid progress on the spiritual path. Swami Rajashi Muni opened his inner eye (bestowed on him the Kundalini spiritual, instinctive, or unconscious force/power) and blessed him with the ability to perform, teach, and pass down the tradition of Divine Yoga under Mahayana Buddhism. Since then, Haiyun has started to teach Mahayana Yoga Practice in Taiwan.

In order to spread Sanatana Dharma to the west, Swami Rajarshi Muni has instructed and authorized Swami Satyanand to set up a yoga teacher training facility in the US. The facility Lakulish Yoga and Health Retreat located in North Carolina is now open to the public at

8136 NC Highway 119 South Mebane, NC 27302
Phone: 1-336-421-0690
Email: lifemissionusa@gmail.com
Website: www.lifemissionusa.com

Jay Bhagvan, Glory to God, and Hosanna

2010-04-27T14:48:00.001-07:00

"Jay Bhagvan," "Victory to God," "Glory to the Highest," "Hosanna," "Blessed is He who has come in the name of the Lord," are some of the praises we honour the Supreme Spirit. Different religions may have different ways of hailing the Supreme One or some higher deities, but the underlying meaning and purpose are the same. In our tradition, we honour One Divine Supreme Spirit, or the ParamÁtmÁ. Since the Supreme Spirit is omnipresent, it follows that this highest spiritual potential exists within all beings.

In Buddhism, when one is initiated into Buddhism, one says Namo BuddhÁya or BuddhÁya Nama½, which translates as "To the Buddha I take refuge." Here Buddha refers to the historical Buddha Sakyamuni. One then repeats the chant and says, "To the Buddha within my nature I take refuge." This second chant is the recognition of the highest spiritual potential within us and expresses our intent to fully develop and realise such inherent qualities. Such is the common base of all religions.

What happens when we honour our Supreme Spirituality? What is the effect of putting our faith in the highest source? Today we seek to relax our body, mind, and spirit through the practice of Sanatan yoga. To relax is to lay everything down, to let go of the "self," not of oneself, to live a little, and to relinquish all that are immmaterial and inconsequential to the realisation of our highest spiritual potential. Spiritual relaxation requires a very deep letting go, relinquishing control of both body and mind, and putting our trust in the highest source. By deeply letting go, we can experience a profound inner peace, equanimity, and silence.

Subhashita

2010-04-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

FORGIVENESS AND SACRIFICE

narasya aabharaNaM ruupaM
ruupasya aabharaNaM guNaH .
guNasya aabharaNaM jñaanam
jñaanasya aabharaNaM kShamaa .

The physical form adorns the man;
Virtue adorns the physical form;
Knowledge adorns virtue;
Forgiveness adorns knowledge.

Rivers don't drink their own water;
Trees don't eat their own fruit;
Clouds don't eat their own crops;
Working for the welfare of others is the mark of excellence of a virtuous man.

pibanti nadyaH svayameva na ambha
svayam na khaadanti phalaani vRukShaah .
na adanti sasyaM khalu vaarivaahaaH
paropakaaraya sataaM vibhuutayaH .

Click here to hear me chant the subhashita (good saying).

Om Brahmām namah

2010-04-10T12:36:00.001-07:00

Om Brahman alone is being, without shape and form, One without a second, all pervasive, blessing incarnate. To him, the Supreme Lord, we offer our salutations.

Are there things in the physical world?

2010-04-04T12:20:00.001-07:00

A thing is a noun. A noun isn't a part of nature it's a part of speech. There are no nouns in the physical world, but are there things in the physical world?

Let's just say that from the smallest thing like an atom or the biggest thing like a star and everything in between, living or not living, everything is made up of matter. We can see matter that takes forms. Matter can be transformed into energy because E=MC square. Like electricity.

Human beings and animals have three bodies, a gross body made up of matter, a subtle body and a causal body. The gross body by definition is gross. It is made up of the food the being eats and it is subject to aging, disease and death. The subtle and the causal bodies move on to take up new form after death and the soul is reborn. This is Samsara. Ghosts don't have gross bodies and they sometimes possess people to achieve certain good or bad aims.

A spiritual person knows how to make good use of her gross body and use it as the instrument for spiritual practice and therefore eventually leads to liberation from Samsara. The dogs around you have chosen to stay with you because they have a strong affinity with you. In Buddhist and Hindu beliefs we say that you and they knew one another in former life times and there were unfinished business. Therefore in this life, you and they come together again. And so is your marriage and so are your children and so are your parents whom you chose to take up your form in this life.

Non-living things get trashed when their useful lives expire. The earth on which we live has an expiration date and therefore we need to love it. It doesn't have unlimited regenerative power. And so are our natural resources. And so I call for global reduction in demands starting with me. Do not buy a new X when you can still use your old X. Don't listen to ads of any sorts and be your own Lord when it comes to needs and wants and buying things. And this is how we should relate to things. For development of natural resources is limited whereas development of spiritual and humanity resources is unlimited. Transform all economies based on consumerism and therefore physical resource exploitation into economies based on development of spiritual and humanity resources. No more statistics on GNPs, GDPs, profit margins but instead statistics on how much spiritual progress the human race as a whole has made.

Yoga, Zen, and the Mind

2010-04-02T16:05:00.001-07:00

Book 1 Sutra 2 of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra reads योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः yogashchittavṛittinirodhaH, which means Yoga is to block the functions of the mind.

In Mandarin Chinese it is rendered zhixin yichu (置心一處), literally 'to put the mind at rest.' This is the Huayen Zen Buddhist philosophy and practice of the Da Huayen Monastery.

From these two references you can clearly see the parallel between Huayen Zen that Ven. Haiyun Jimeng teaches and Yoga that Patanjali taught.

When we forget our own true identity and get involved with the changing patterns or modifications of our minds, we experience all the emotions and feel their good or bad effects. If we realise that we are the mere spectator of a play, we can remain detached from the emotions and their effects. This is very difficult to do but we can do this by blocking the functioning of the mind and developing an impartial attitude of true self towards these activities of mind.

Patanjali Yoga Sutras Ch. 1.1 - 1.3

2010-03-25T11:56:00.001-07:00

Samadhi Paada समधि पाद Part on Enlightenment
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali contain four chapters, a total of 196 sutras.
Chapter 1: Samadhi Paada The Part on Enlightenment, 51 sutras
Chapter 2: Sadhana Paada The Part on Practices, 55 sutras
Chapter 3: Vibhuti Paada The Part on Progress, 56 sutras
Chapter 4: Kaivalya Paada The Part on Liberation, 34 sutras

Chapter 1 Sutra 1
Text with Sandhi [1] :
1.1 अथ योगानुशासनम् atha yogaanushaasanam
1.1 Now, the instruction in Yoga follows.

Text without Sandhi:
अथ योग अनुशासनम् atha yoga anushaasanam
अथ atha indeclinable
योग yoga [2] noun masculine derived from the root 'yuj' to join
अनुशासनम् = अनु anu [3] + शासनम् shaasanam [4]

1.2. योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः yogashchittavrittinirodhaH [5]
1.2 Yoga is the restraint (cessation) of fluctuation (modification) of the mind.

योगः चित्त [6] yogash chitta वृत्ति निरोधः vritti nirodhaH
योगः yogaH (masculine) derived from the root ‘yuj’ to join
चित्त - chitta [7] (neuter) mind, reason
वृत्ति – (Feminine) modification / fluctuation
निरोधः- (stop) नि ni [8] (prefix) + रोधः ( restraint / control)

1.3. तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपे अवस्थानम् tadaa draShTuH svaruupe avasthaanam
1.3 Then there is abiding in the seer’s own form.[9]

तदा tadaa (ind. अथ indeclinable) then
द्रष्टुः drashTuH (masculine genitive, singular) of the seer, the one with insight inner insight, perceive, understand
स्व sva own
रूपे ruupe (neuter, locative singular) form, shape, figure (cf. वस्तु vastu substance)
अवस्थानम् avasthaanam (neuter, nominative, singular) standing, dwelling, abiding (living and residing in)

_________________________________

1. the grammatical relation between two syllables in the internal process of the Sanskrit sentence structure, which has its origin in chanting the Vedas with proper accent and rhythm

2. Yoga or yog: It is the natural habit of certain dialects such as Hindi and Gujarati to drop the last letter of a word, but Sanskrit, which is an absolutely scientific language, requires all sounds to be pronounced as written. Hence one who says Yoga is closer to heaven because one has more merits in pronouncing the word correctly. One may choose to say yog casually in one's own dialect, but that is not speaking Sanskrit.

3. the prefix denoting what follows (one of the 22 prefixes in Sanskrit)

4. in standalone usage, shaasanam means rule or teach, as in Buddha shaasanam; when used with the prefix anu it means instruction.

5. in the vowels ri rI, there is a dot under the r as the correct dialectic mark

6. (त्त double tt त्त, त single t and त्त tt)

7. cf. chit universe consciousness as in sat (true nature), cit (universal consciousness), ananda (supreme bliss)

8. prefix ni: as in gacchati go and ni + gacchati to come out.

9. then be in your own form, to visualize your own form, your inner true nature, to be in Samadhi, where there is no movement because all modification of the mind has ceased and be in your own internal form.

Hṛdayam

2010-03-21T23:15:00.001-07:00

Hṛdayam

Hṛdayam [Skrt. heart, spirit, soul, mind, intelligence, consciousness, core]

Heart here as always means the inner core, spirit, compassion, emotion.
Soul, here as always in Indian scripture, means individual soul.
Consciousness as always means personal spiritual consciousness.
Oversoul means Divine Consciousness, Supreme Essence, Ultimate Reality, Absolute Truth, Sanatan (Eternal) Dharma (Law), Nirvana, Enlightenment, Dharmadhatu, the primeval Buddha, Shiva, or God.
Mind here as always means the inner most part of the Mind.
Intelligence, here as always, means heart intelligence, not head intelligence. Head intelligence is logical, critical thinking, always analysing, calculating, arguing and differentiating. Heart intelligence is undiscerning, non-discriminatory, accommodating, and all encompassing and hence begets communion, union, oneness and harmony.

Through yoga (yuj), individual Soul attains Union with Oversoul, and personal consciousness attains Union with Divine Consciousness, and the mortal becomes immortal and enters the eternal.

Hṛdayam is the Way to the Oversoul – Path to the Inner Core of the Heart

In Mandarin Chinese, the Way to Hṛdayam is rendered Xin Fa 心法 where Fa[法] as a noun means law, standard, way, method, path, knowledge, knowhow, function, or working.

As a verb, Fa[法] is to follow. In order to know the meaning of existence, one must follow the path to the inner core of the heart. When a person follows the path to the inner sanctum of his heart, he knows his purpose in life and will realise himself. The way to
Hṛdayam is therefore the Way to become one with the Oversoul.

Raj Yoga is the Way to Hṛdayam

Dharana, Dhyan and Samadhi, the final three limbs in Astanga Yoga are practiced in Raj Yoga and constitute the Way to Hṛdayam. We follow this spiritual path with the ultimate aim to become one with God.

Oneness cannot exist apart from Supreme Consciousness. Harmony cannot exist apart from the Supreme Consciousness. Hence the Oversoul is omnipresent, all pervading, and timeless.

21 March 2010
Akira Tomiyama

Nīlakantha Dhāranī - The Great Compassion Mantra

2010-03-19T22:22:00.000-07:00

大華嚴寺釋隆嚴持梵文大悲咒

Master Longyen chants the Nīlakantha Dhāranī in Sanskrit. Commonly known as the Great Compassion Mantra, this Dharani can work miracles. Master Sea Cloud recommends that everyone chants this mantra 10,800 within 2 months.

Master Longyen chants the Nilakantha Dharani in Sanskrit. Commonly known as the Great Compassion Mantra, this Dharani can work miracles. Master Sea Cloud recommends that everyone chants this mantra 10,800 within 2 months.

This mantra is 105 sec. long. If you wish to complete 10,800 within 2 months, you need to chant 180x per day or devote 315 minutes, i.e. 5 hrs 20 minutes each day. Plan your practice wisely and you will make it.

Master Sea Cloud recommends 54,000 times up to 108,000 times per year for advanced learners. The clip is available at
Nīlakantha Dhāranī in 105 sec.

नीलकण्ठ धारनी
namo ratnatrayāya namah ārya avalokiteśvarāya
नमो रत्नत्रयाय नमह् अर्य अवलोकितेश्वराय
bodhisattvāya mahāsatvāya mahākārunikāya
बोधिसत्त्वाय महासत्वाय महाकारुनिकाय
oṃ sarvarabhaya sudhanadasye namaskrtvā imam
ॐ सर्वरभय सुधनदस्ये नमस्क्र्त्वा इमम्
āryāvalokiteśvara raṃdhava namo narakindi.
आर्यावलोकितेश्वर रंधव नमो नरकिन्दि।
hrih mahāvadhasama sarva athadu śubhuṃ ajeyaṃ.
ह्रिह् महावधसम सर्व अथदु शुभुं अजेयं।
sarva satya nama, vastya namo vāka, mārga dātuh.
सर्व सत्य नम वस्त्य नमो वाक मार्ग दातुह्।
tadyathā oṃ avaloki locate karate, e hrih
तद्यथा ॐ अवलोकि लोचते करते ए ह्रिह्
mahābodhisattva. sarva sarva, mala mala, mahima hṛdayam,
महाबोधिसत्त्व। सर्व सर्व मल मल महिम हृदयम्
kuru kuru karmuṃ, dhuru dhuru vijayate mahāvijayate,
कुरु कुरु कर्मुं धुरु धुरु विजयते महाविजयते
dhara dhara dhirīniśvarāya, cala cala, mama vimala muktele,
धर धर धिरीनिश्वराय चल चल मम विमल मुक्तेले
ehi ehi, śina śina, āraṣaṃ pracali viṣa viṣaṃ prāśaya.
एहि एहि शिन शिन आरषं प्रचलि विष विषं प्राशय |
huru huru mara hulu hulu hrih
हुरु हुरु मर हुलु हुलु ह्रिह्
sara sara siri siri suru suru bodhiya bodhiya
सर सर सिरि सिरि सुरु सुरु बोधिय बोधिय
bodhaya bodhaya. maitriya nārakindi
बोधय बोधय । मैत्रिय नारकिन्दि
dharṣinina bhayamāna svāhā siddhāya svāhā
धर्षिनिन भयमान स्वाहा सिद्धाय स्वाहा
mahāsiddhāy svāhā siddhayogeśvarāya svāhā
महासिद्धाय् स्वाहा सिद्धयोगेश्वराय स्वाहा
narakindi svāhā māraṇara svāhā
नरकिन्दि स्वाहा मारणर स्वाहा
śira saṃha mukhāya svāhā sarva mahā asiddhāya svāhā
शिर संह मुखाय स्वाहा सर्व महा असिद्धाय स्वाहा
cakra asiddhāya svāhā padma hastrāya svāhā
चक्र असिद्धाय स्वाहा पद्म हस्त्राय स्वाहा
nārakindi vagalaya svāhā mavari śankharāya svāhā
नारकिन्दि वगलय स्वाहा मवरि शन्खराय स्वाहा
namaH ratnatrayāya namo āryavalokiteśvarāya svāhā
नमः रत्नत्रयाय नमो आर्यवलोकितेश्वराय स्वाहा
oṃ sidhayantu mantra padāya svāhā
ॐ सिधयन्तु मन्त्र पदाय स्वाहा

Floral Garland Meal Time Dharma

2010-03-16T11:55:00.001-07:00

Floral Garland Meal Time Dharma
Saying Grace Before a Meal

We offer this meal to the Floral Garland Ocean Assemblies of Enlightening Beings in the Floral Bank Immaculate Oceans of Worlds.

We offer this meal to the Buddhāvataṃsakamahāvaipulyasūtra.

This food is light, pure and prepared according to the Dharma. It contains all six tastes and we offer it to the Buddhas and the Sangha. We wish all sentient beings in the Dharma realm universally partake of it.

When we eat, we wish that all sentient beings take meditative joy as their food and feel joyful of the Dharma.

Ending a Meal

namaḥ saptānām samyak-saṃbuddha-koṭīnāṃ tadyathā oṃ cale cule cunde svāhā

A truly giving person will always reaps his rewards. If he gives for happiness, he will reap peace and happiness.

Meal time is over. May all sentient beings complete their tasks according to the teachings of Lord Buddha!

Giving in money or in kind (dharma) is one and the same. It is danparamita, complete and perfect.

華嚴道場　二時臨齋儀

供養　華藏莊嚴世界海　華嚴海會佛菩薩　大方廣佛華嚴經
　三德六味　供佛及僧　法界有情　普同供養
　若飯時時　當願眾生　禪悅為食　法喜充滿

結齋儀
薩多喃　三藐三菩陀　俱胝喃　怛姪他　唵　折隸　主隸　準提　娑婆訶
所謂布施者　必獲其利益　若為樂故施　後必得安樂
飯時已訖　當願眾生　所作皆辦　具諸佛法
財法兩施　等無差別　檀波羅蜜　具足圓滿

The Most Superior Wealth of All

2010-03-13T16:14:00.001-08:00

What is the most superior wealth of all

That cannot be stolen by thieves

That cannot be taken away by kings

That cannot be divided among brothers

That does not cause a load on your shoulders

That if spent indeed keeps growing?

atha ekādasyām aham ishvarm samarāmi

2010-03-12T00:05:00.001-08:00

अथ एकादश्याम् अहम् ईश्वरं स्मरामि।
अहं धर्मं स्मरामि
अहं गुरुदेवं स्मरामि
अहं बुद्धं स्मरामि
अहं धर्मं स्मरामि
अहं संघं स्मरामि

atha ekādasyām aham ishvarm samarāmi
aham dharmam samarāmi
aham gurudevam samarāmi
aham buddham samarāmi
aham dharmam samarāmi
aham sangham samarāmi

On this auspicious Ekadasi day I remember God
I remember Dharma
I remember my Lord Guru
I remember Buddha
I remember Dharma
I remember Sangha

Indian Oriental Pomelo Taro Hotpot with your favourite green and other veggies

2010-03-10T17:33:00.001-08:00

10 March 2010. Indian Oriental Pomelo Taro Hotpot with your favourite green and other veggies. Of course I couldn't finish what I cooked last night. Not even after I shared it with my yoga student. So I added my favourite green and other veggies and this was what I got! Other ingredients added were baby Bok Choy, baby mustard green, wolfberries, preserved Chinese mustard green, lily, seaweed, black fungus and snow fungus. No one showed up for dinner tonight so I just ate all the fresh greens. Gee, what am I gonna do with the whole pot?

Indian Oriental Pomelo Taro Hotpot

2010-03-10T00:05:00.001-08:00

1 Pomelo Peel cut to 2” chunks
1 lb Taro, cut to ½” thick pieces
200 g Bamboo Shoot, cut to bite size
2 Tsp Soybean Paste
1 Tsp Fried Soybean Paste
4 Tsp Ghee
50 g Fresh Coriander Leaves
1 tsp Fennel Seed Powder
1 tsp Ground Coriander Powder
4 Tsp Cane Sugar
3 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Tsp Whole Cloves
3 Cups of Hot Water

1. Divide a Pomelo peel into six equal pieces when opening the Pomelo. Remove the yellow astringent outer skin and boil for 5 to 8 minutes until soft to the poke. Immediately under cold water. Soak for 35 hrs changing water every 6 hrs. Before changing water, squeeze off excess water by pressing each piece between palms.
2. Fried taro pieces over high heat in ghee. Add in the oriental pastes, Pomelo, bamboo shoot, spices, sugar, and salt with 3 cups of hot water and braise until golden brown. Remove Pomelo to prevent overcooking after 5 minutes.
3. Continue braising the taro and bamboo shoot until taro is soft.
4. Throw the Pomelo peel back on top and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
5. Serve with rice or chapattis.

6 - 8 Servings

9 March 2010 Created by Longyen
9 March 2010 Recipe by Longyen

अथ योगनुशसनम्

2010-03-09T06:49:00.001-08:00

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Excerpt from Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - An Introduction
by Brianna/ shantiprana

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are divided into four chapters, the first of which is called Samadhipada. In it, Patanjali gives his definition of yoga, and discusses various problems one might confront on the path to yoga.

1.1 "atha yoganusasanam"

The first word, atha, is a kind of prayer, for both an auspicious beginning, and a successful conclusion of the work. This sutra can be translated as, "Here begins the authoritative instruction on yoga." Patanjali has not made any claims as to being the founder of yoga. He has studied under his own master, and is passing on the wisdom of the tradition.

- http://holisticonline.com/Yoga/yoga_yoga-sutra-introduction.htm. Mar.-9-10

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Excerpt from Yoga Sutras - Introduction
by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati

Sutra 1:
• Sanskrit: Atha yoga anushasanam
• English: Now, at this auspicious time, and after having done previous preparation, begins the study and practice of yoga.
Atha = now, at this auspicious moment; implying the transition to this practice and pursuit, after prior preparation; implying a blessing at this moment of transition
Yoga = of yoga, union; literally, to yoke, from the root yuj, which means to join; same as the absorption in samadhi
Anu = within, or following tradition; implies being subsequent to something else, in this case, the prior preparation
Shasanam = instruction, discipline, teaching, exposition, explanation; Shas implies the imparting of teaching that happens along with discipline

Discussion:

This introductory sutra suggests that after our many actions in life, and whatever preparatory practices we might have performed, now, we are finally ready to pursue the depths of self-exploration, the journey directly to the center of consciousness, Atman, or Self, our eternal and True identity.

-http://swamij.com/yoga-sutras-intro.htm. Mar.-9-10

Linguine Portobella in Balsamic Style

2010-03-07T23:02:00.000-08:00

1 lb Tomato
0.4 lb Portobella Mushroom
½ lb Bamboo Shoot in water
100 g Cool Charbroil Veggie Ham
200 g Linguine
150 g Tomato Paste
2 Tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Fine Herbs
1 Tsp Ghee

1. Cut bamboo shoot into bite size pieces and marinate with 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp of fine herbs for ½ hour.
2. Cut tomatoes, Mushrooms and Veggie Ham
3. Boil Linguine in hot water over high heat for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, cover and let it soak for 5 minutes.
4. Heat ghee over high heat. Fry bamboo shoot, cut tomato and veggie ham.
5. Add Balsamic vinegar, tomato paste and cook tomato until soft.
6. Throw in the Portobella Mushroom last and mix well with sauce for 1 minute. Do not overcook. If the contents in the pan are drying up, scoop some hot water from the pot of linguine and add to the frying pan.
7. Turn off heat.
8. Drain the linguine and serve immediately. Sprinkle 1 tsp of fine herbs over dish.

4 Servings.

Created by Longyen 7 March 2010
Recipe by Longyen 7 March 2010

Fasting and Its Meaning

2010-03-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

"This Fasting Day Calendar for the Year 2010 (contributed by Chirag-bai in Rajrajeshwardham, Jakhan, Gujarat) with explanation by Swami Satyanandji." - Mutsumi Urano

"Fasting is considered as vows which earn religious merits.
In addition, it purifies body and brings senses under control. Again self confidence is enhanced. It saves money and food also.

During fasting one should do prayer, Mantra chanting and should remain connected with God. Fasting is called Upvas in Sanskrit. Up means near and Vas means to seat. Upvas means sitting near God (remembering God). Fasting squares up our sins because we are undergoing voluntary pains of starving that day.

Fasting is done many ways.

Best way of fasting is not to take anything except warm water.
Next is to remain on fruits and milk.
Third way is to take meal one time a day.

In our lineage 7 days fasting in a month is suggested; four thursdays, two Ekadashi and one Purnima (full moon day). You can take one time meal on four thursdays and Purnima and total fasting or remain on fruits and milk for two Ekadashi." - Swami Satyanand

Something that may be of interest about Purnima: "The Purnima Fasting begins at Sunrise and ends after sighting the Moon. Most people only take food after seeing the moon or after evening prayers." - Laura Pham

"Using a Lunar Calendar, we can calculate the 1st and 2nd Ekadashi days in any Zodiac month.

Let's take March 2010 as an example. We know that the last full moon was on February 28. Counting 11 days from March 1 gives us March 11, which is the First Ekadashi, the 11th day after the moon wanes from full moon. From the Lunar Calendar we check that the moon loses all its light on March 16 and begins to wax. So the Second Ekadashi falls on March 26, the 11th day after the moon waxes from new moon.

Even if you don't have a Lunar calendar, just by looking up at the clear night sky and observing the light from the moon you will be able to calculate your Ekadashi Fasting Days in any Zodiac month if you are observant enough." - Longyen

Hope it helps everyone!

Steamed Veggie Tofu

2010-03-06T19:43:00.000-08:00

Steamed Veggie Tofu - a nourishing high protein dish of great taste.

700 g Medium firm fresh tofu, chopped.
75 g Cool charbroil veggie ham, chopped.
50 g Preserved mustard green, chopped.
25 g Wolfberries
3 Tsp Shredded Veggie Soy Fibre
1 Tsp Ghee
4 tsp Corn starch
2 tsp Sea salt
1 tsp Cane sugar
1 tsp Black sesame oil
1 tsp Fine herbs
½ tsp White pepper

1. Mix tofu, ham, mustard green, and soy fibre in a deep bowl.
2. Add ghee, salt, pepper, sugar, herbs, corn starch and sesame oil and mix again.
3. Dish mixture in a porcelain dish,
4. Boil water in a large 12” frying pan or wok.
5. Place a steaming rack to support the dish, cover and steam for 5 minutes.
6. Rinse wolfberries with hot water and sprinkle over steamed tofu.
7. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve with rice.
4-6 servings

Created by Longyen 6 March 2010
Recipe by Longyen 6 March 2020

Oriental Veggie Hash Brown Potatoes

2010-03-05T21:47:00.000-08:00

Oriental Veggie Hash Brown Potatoes

1 lb Potato, grated
150g Rice flour
225g Cool Charbroil Veggie Ham, finely chopped
50g Preserved Mustard Green, finely chopped
6 Tsp Shredded Veggie Soy Fibre
1 tsp Fine Herbs
2 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Cane Sugar
1 tsp Black Sesame Oil
4 Tsp Ghee

1. In a large bowl mix the potato, ham, soy fibre, mustard green and rice flour with a spatula.
2. Add the fine herbs, salt, sugar, sesame oil and 1 Tsp of ghee and continue mixing until mixture is sticky.
3. In a 12” frying pan, heat a table spoonful of ghee at high temperature. Scoop three table spoonfuls of the mixture and place them on the hot ghee.
4. Press on each scoop slightly and round off the sides. Do not turn over until the undersides are crisp and brown.
5. Turn each one and fry the other side, reducing the heat to medium.
6. Flatten each patty with the spatula and remove when both sides are crispy and brown.
7. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
8. Dish and garnish with fresh coriander and sliced tomatoes.

Serve with rice.

Makes 12 patties.

Created by Longyen on 5 March 2010
Recipe by Longyen on 5 March 2010

Shatkriyas

2010-03-04T21:34:00.000-08:00

Jay Bhagvan.
My yoga student in Vancouver 2010 BC Canada performing Shut Kriyas under my guidance. She is the only yoga student in Vancouver BC Canada able to meet all criteria of LIFE Mission. Her record in Vastra Dhauti was 15 minutes and this was only her second trial. Her sutra neti record was under 30 seconds.
Posted Ven. Sakya Longyen

Lotus of Enlightenment 碧綠雪裡一點紅

2010-03-03T17:54:00.000-08:00

Lotus of Enlightenment 碧綠雪裡一點紅
A high protein, high fibre oriental vegetarian dish for the serious yoga student
Dried Ingredients
1. 50g Black fungus (Auricula-judae)
2. 50g Yunnan Black fungus (regional Auricula-judae)
3. 25g Snow fungus (Tremela)
4. 150g Tea Tree Mushroom (Agrocybe Aegerita)
5. 50g Lily
6. 25g Wolfberries rinsed (as garnish)
7. 50g Seaweed

Fresh Ingredients
1. 1 lb Baby Bok Choy
2. ½ lb White Cabbage

Seasonings
1. 3 Tsp Ghee
2. 1 tsp Mixed Herbs
3. 1 tsp Fennel Seed Powder
4. 1 tsp Ground Coriander Seed
5. 1 tsp Dill weed
6. 2 tsp Sea Salt
7. 2 tsp Cane Sugar

Preparation
1. Rinse all dry ingredients thoroughly, esp. the sand off the surface of the seaweed.
2. Soak dry ingredients separately in warm water for half an hour. Do not soak the Wolfberries.
3. Drain and filter off the liquid for use as soup stock.
4. Cut seaweed, black fungi, and tea tree fungus into bite size.
5. Marinate seaweed, fungi, mushroom, and lily with salt and sugar for 1 hour.
6. Rinse fresh vegetables and cut the cabbage to bite size. Cut some of the baby Bok Choy and leave a few intact.
7. Heat ghee over high heat in a 12” pan and throw in the marinated ingredients. Mix well and add seasonings no. 2 to 5. to the mixture. Turn off heat and place the cooked mixture in a large bowl.
8. Use the soup stock to cook the cabbage for 2 minutes. Add salt and sugar to the cabbage soup to taste. Remove the cabbage and set aside.
9. Use the same pan to cook the fresh baby Bok Choy and cabbage over high heat with no oil, ghee, or seasonings. Mix well for 2 minutes. Do not cover or overcook. Baby Bok Choy should be dark green and crisp and cabbage should be sweet and crisp or tender depending on taste. Turn off the heat.
10. Dish the contents from the bowl of seaweed, fungi, mushroom, and lily and add from the cooked vegetables. Garnish with wolfberries.

4-6 servings. Serve with rice, noodle, or ramen.

Created by Longyen 1 March 2010
Recipe by Longyen 3 March 2010

Maha Ganapati Mool Mantra - thebless4ever

2010-03-01T14:12:00.000-08:00

This video is dedicated to the great lord, the son of lord Shiva and Parvati, Ganesh...Very peaceful to listen...
...........SUBSCRIBE..................

album: Divine chants of Lord Ganesha

More labels and 108 names of Ganesha
Akhuratha One who has Mouse as his Chariot/Vehicle
Alampata Ever Eternal Lord
Amit Incomparable Lord
Anantachidrupamayam Infinite and Consciousness Personified
Avaneesh Lord of the whole World
Avighna Remover of Obstacles
Balaganapati Beloved and Lovable Child
Bhalchandra Moon-Crested Lord
Bheema Huge and Gigantic
Bhupati Lord of the Gods
Bhuvanpati God of the Gods
Buddhinath God of Wisdom
Buddhipriya Knowledge Bestower
Buddhividhata God of Knowledge
Chaturbhuj One who has Four Arms
Devadeva Lord of All Lords
Devantakanashakarin Destroyer of Evils and Asuras
Devavrata One who accepts all Penances
Devendrashika Protector of All Gods
Dharmik One who gives Charity
Dhoomravarna Smoke-Hued Lord
Durja Invincible Lord
Dvaimatura One who has two Mothers
Ekaakshara He of the Single Syllable
Ekadanta Single-Tusked Lord
Ekadrishta Single-Tusked Lord
Eshanputra Lord Shiva's Son
Gadadhara One who has The Mace as His Weapon
Gajakarna One who has Eyes like an Elephant
Gajanana Elephant-Faced Lord
Gajananeti Elephant-Faced Lord
Gajavakra Trunk of The Elephant
Gajavaktra One who has Mouth like an Elephant
Ganadhakshya Lord of All Ganas
Ganadhyakshina Leader of All The Celestial Bodies
Ganapati Lord of All Ganas
Gaurisuta The Son of Gauri
Gunina One who is The Master of All Virtues
Haridra One who is Golden Colored
Heramba Mother's Beloved Son
Kapila Yellowish-Brown Colored
Kaveesha Master of Poets
Kirti Lord of Music
Kripalu Merciful Lord
Krishapingaksha Yellowish-Brown Eyed
Kshamakaram The Place of Forgiveness
Kshipra One who is easy to Appease
Lambakarna Large-Eared Lord
Lambodara The Huge Bellied Lord
Mahabala Enormously Strong Lord
Mahaganapati Omnipotent and Supreme Lord
Maheshwaram Lord of The Universe
Mangalamurti All Auspicious Lord
Manomay Winner of Hearts
Mrityuanjaya Conqueror of Death
Mundakarama Abode of Happiness
Muktidaya Bestower of Eternal Bliss
Musikvahana One who has Mouse as His Charioteer
Nadapratithishta One who Appreciates and Loves Music
Namasthetu Vanquisher of All Evils and Vices and Sins
Nandana Lord Shiva's Son
Nideeshwaram Giver of Wealth and Treasures
Omkara One who has the Form Of OM
Pitambara One who has Yellow Colored Body
Pramoda Lord of All Abodes
Prathameshwara First Among All
Purush The Omnipotent Personality
Rakta One who has Red Colored Body
Rudrapriya Beloved Of Lord Shiva
Sarvadevatman Acceptor of All Celestial Offerings
Sarvasiddhanta Bestower of Skills and Wisdom
Sarvatman Protector of The Universe
Shambhavi The Son of Parvati
Shashivarnam One who has a Moon like Complexion
Shoorpakarna Large-Eared Lord
Shuban All Auspicious Lord
Shubhagunakanan One who is The Master of All Virtues
Shweta One who is as Pure as the White Color
Siddhidhata Bestower of Success and Accomplishments
Siddhipriya Bestower of Wishes and Boons
Siddhivinayaka Bestower of Success
Skandapurvaja Elder Brother of Skanda
Sumukha Auspicious Face
Sureshwaram Lord of All Lords
Swaroop Lover of Beauty
Tarun Ageless
Uddanda Nemesis of Evils and Vices
Umaputra The Son of Goddess Uma
Vakratunda Curved Trunk Lord
Varaganapati Bestower of Boons
Varaprada Granter of Wishes and Boons
Varadavinayaka Bestower of Success
Veeraganapati Heroic Lord
Vidyavaridhi God of Wisdom
Vighnahara Remover of Obstacles
Vignaharta Demolisher of Obstacles
Vighnaraja Lord of All Hindrances
Vighnarajendra Lord of All Obstacles
Vighnavinashanaya Destroyer of All Obstacles and Impediments
Vigneshwara Lord of All Obstacles
Vikat Huge and Gigantic
Vinayaka Lord of All
Vishwamukha Master of The Universe
Vishwaraja King of The World
Yagnakaya Acceptor of All Sacred and Sacrificial Offerings
Yashaskaram Bestower of Fame and Fortune
Yashvasin Beloved and Ever Popular Lord

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om - Vyanah

2010-03-01T13:54:00.000-08:00

"Mantra. "Shanti," which means "peace," is chanted three times. As a spiritual aspirant, one chants shanti in desire for the occurrence of circumstances conducive to a spiritual education. But these mantras can be chanted for peace in a general sense as well."

- Vyanah www.myspace.com/vyanah

Shanti Mantra - Peaceful by thebless4ever

2010-03-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

The Awakened Heart

2010-02-27T08:15:00.000-08:00

The Awakened Heart - Heart Intelligence vs. Mind Intelligence
- Anke Nowicki

Part 1. The deepest human connection is through the heart. A broad, elevated, deep, driving and full heart depends on the expansion of all its dimensions. In our ordinary life experience, the mind has taken the lead and limited the huge reservoir of the human potential.

The focus of the work with Heart Dimensions is to expand the width, height, depth, forward and inner dimensions of the heart. This allows us to access its natural, radiant architecture of love and wisdom. When the heart begins to open, expand and shine into our life, it initiates the fulfilment of our unique talents and gifts. It creates a Sacred Mandala.

In this approach we recognize the heart as multi-layered. It is a physical structure that circulates the blood, creates hormones, and through its rhythmic beat, informs and regulates every aspect of the body. It is also an energetic-emotional centre. Its magnetism and light is a powerhouse for the body and our emotional life. Its spiritual layer operates as the core connection to source and the essential self.

The first step is to explore the dimensions of the physical, emotional and spiritual heart. The second step introduces the methods of energizing the heart. The training offers a profound opportunity for directly experiencing the great heart of compassion, vision, creative expression, confidence, courage, and cooperation.
This is the Awakened Heart.

By using the body as an instrument for the work, directed by heart-centred attention, we enter into a beautiful holistic alliance.
http://ankenowicki.com

"Contrary to social opinion, it is the heart, not the mind, that provides us with the avenue to become fully human. It is heart intelligence that produces a sound beyond the objective intellect and entrains the mind. Heart intelligence is a multi-layered composition that reveals itself when we enter more and more fully into its space. This space, or the lack of it, is the foundation that governs our entire relational life. Navigating this heart space is nothing less than a divine science. It is the alchemist that gathers and refines the debris of all our wounding experiences. This heart-alchemist transmutes the pain into expressions of love and wisdom. Within its fires our meticulously fabricated defense strategies give way to our true passion and creativity." - extract of Anke's blog http://www.aliveawakeandfree.blogspot.com/

Mantras for Meditation

2010-02-26T13:49:00.000-08:00

Spirituality - The Sanskrit Language and Mantras

2010-02-26T13:03:00.000-08:00

Is Sanskrit the Only Language For Mantras?
TOTAL TRANSFORMATION TALK
By Dr. Acharya Yogeesh
At Yogeesh Ashram 2008

http://www.siddhayatan.org
http://www.yogeeshashram.org
http://www.siddhalishree.com

Sanskrit is the only language available that has the letters and sounds to make up the mantra. No other language can meet the power and energy of the true divine sound.

Transcription
Is Sanskrit the only language for Mantras?

Chanting mantras means that you will always be protected. Sanskrit has powerful sounds used in recitation of mantras that other languages lack. Sanskrit has 52 vowels and consonants and their combination makes very powerful sounds. It is a mystery how these powerful sounds were discovered but we are fortunate to have them available to us. A mantra is a combination of sound and this combination is divine. While you chant a mantra everyone around you will be protected.

In Sanskrit each letter of the alphabet has a meaning. No other language has this. This is another reason why a mantra cannot be in any other language. Now, when different sounds with different meanings are put together these sounds affect the mind, thoughts, and the body. A mantra is divine. For example, when a, u and m are combined it becomes AUM. AUM is the root of all languages. A stands for Brahma, U stands for Vishnu, and M for Shiva. AUM is the equivalent of God the divine.

Other languages may have rhythm, harmony and poetic sounds. Sanskrit has all of that plus more. Know that when mantras are recited the mind, body, and thoughts are affected.

*tags* spiritual, spirituality, spiritual teacher, spiritual guru, spiritual master, seeker, truth, enlightenment, peace, self-realization, meditation, awareness

Sanskrit Grammar

2010-02-26T12:49:00.000-08:00

Talk related to Sanskrit Grammar by Sadhvi Vrnda Chaitanya on 'it prakaraNaM' at SSVT, Lanham, MD. For more information visit http://speaksanskrit.org/ or contact info@speaksanskrit.org

Numerology in Hinduism and Buddhism

2010-02-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

My beloved Gurudev Sri Swami Rajarshi Muni once answered my question on the number 108 in regard to the rosary of rudrasha.

“Muniji, why is the number of rudrashas in a rosary always 108 or in shorter ones, 54, 27, 18, or 9?”

“My son, 108 is the highest possible in this universal. No number is greater than 108. 109 is not greater than 108; nor is 1080 greater than 108. The reason is this. 9 is the highest number in an integer series that begins with 0 and ends with 9. When you add 1 to 9, you have 10 and 10 falls back to 1, so you cannot go higher than 9.
9 being the highest of all numerals from 0 to 9;
18=1+8=9
27=2+7=9
54=5+4=9
108=1+8=9

So it is clear that all the combinations in a rosary of rudrasha are made up of numbers that will add up to 9, the highest possible number.

In India, it is customary for people to print business cards with the prefix 108 before one’s name. Instead of introducing oneself as Mr, Miss, Mrs, Ms and so forth, we say “I am 108 so and so, meaning I have the highest number in me.” Nowadays, people have misunderstood the true meaning of 108 and strange phenomena can be observed. People prefix their names with numbers such as 1080 or 10800, thinking that 1080 or 10800 must be greater than 108. Obviously you see that cannot be true.”

“Why are the rosaries of rudrashas used by the Buddhists also consist of 108 rudrashas?”

“My son, this is because Buddhism comes from India and is rooted in Hinduism.”

Incredible Young Yogini

2010-02-25T23:57:00.000-08:00

Indian Saag Aloo

2010-02-25T23:03:00.000-08:00

• 60g / 2¼oz butter or ghee
• 5cm / 2in piece root ginger, peeled and grated
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped (optional)
• 2 onions, chopped (optional)
• 2 green chillies, chopped (optional)
• 125g / 4oz potatoes and
• 125g / 4oz sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 4cm / 1½in pieces
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp mixed fine herbs
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp masala
• 60g / 2oz fresh coriander, rinsed, chopped stems and put the leaves aside
• 500g / 1lb 2oz spinach leaves, rinsed

* Choose optional ingredients according to your dosha. Curry, tumeric, and masala are hot and so are ginger, garlic, onion and chilli.

Boil potatoes and sweet potatoes using as little water as possible, for 3 minutes. Cover and turn off heat. After 2 minutes, drain and cool down.

Melt butter or ghee in large saucepan over medium heat. Fry ginger, garlic (optional), onions (optional), chillies (optional), and coriander stems, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.

Add potatoes and continue stirring for 1 minute. Then add curry, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, masala, fine herbs, and salt. Continue frying and stirring for 1 minute.

Throw in the spinach at the very end. You want it to stay nice and fresh, so take the saucepan off the heat after you’ve stirred it in, as it will continue to cook for a while with the heat from the potatoes and sweet potatoes. Serve hot.

2-4 servings.

Vastra Dhauti has new record time

2010-02-25T22:57:00.000-08:00

25 February 2010 Vastra Dhauti new record time 4 minutes!

I taught Ciyu my Yoga student in Vancouver the Vastra Dhauti this morning. I gave her five minutes to swallow as much as she could. She gave up after five minutes and refused to try again, saying it was impossible. So I showed her nothing is impossible. I beat my own record again. Last record maintained was 8 minutes and now the newly recorded time in Vancouver BC Canada is four minutes. Try beating that!

Brahmeshwar Temple - Kayavarohan Gujarat

2010-02-23T20:56:00.000-08:00

Brahmeshwar Temple at Kayavarohan, 25 km south of Baroda, Gujarat, India

Jyotirlingam of Lord Lakulish in the sanctuary of the Brahmeshwar Temple at Kayavarohan

Swami Kripalvanand or "Bapuji" (13-01-1913 - 29-12-1981), to honour his guru, "Dadaji" or Lord Lakulish, the 28th Incarnation of Lord Shiva, founded the Brahmeshwar Temple at Kayavarohan in 1974, after almost 20 years of construction. A peek inside the Brahmeshwar Temple. Dadaji is garlanded with flowers following the arati (offering of light) ceremony. Sanskrit texts of Hindu scriptures, and pictures of Swami Kripalvanand demonstrating Asanas, Bandhs (locks) and Mudras (seals) are carved on the walls. Not visible in this photo is a device that rings all the bells in the temple during the arati.

What is Om and How to Chant Om?

2010-02-23T02:55:00.000-08:00

What is Om and How to Chant Om?

THE PRANAVA OR OMKĀRA — Excerpt from THE MĀNDŪKYA UPANIṢHAD by Swami Krishnananda with English Translation by R. E. HUME

The Vedas, in their form as the samhitās, constitute an introduction to the subject dealt with in the Vedānta or the Upaniṣhads. The Upaniṣhads are secret teachings containing wisdom beyond the realm of the earth and revealing proclamations of the great sages of yore on the nature of Reality. Among the Upaniṣhads, the Māndūkya may be regarded as the most important, and it is aptly said, - māndūkyam ekam eva alam mumukshūnām vimuktaye - for the liberation of the mumukṣhū or seeker the Māndūkya alone is enough; and if you are able to understand the true meaning of this single Upaniṣhad, there may not be a necessity to study any other Upaniṣhad, not even the Chhāndogya or the Brihadāranyaka, because the theme of the Māndūkya Upaniṣhad is a direct approach to the depths of human nature. It does not give analogies, tell stories or make comparisons. It states bare facts in respect of man in general and Reality in its essential character. A very comprehensive Upaniṣhad is this, containing only twelve statements called mantras, in which the whole wisdom or knowledge of the Upaniṣhads is packed into a nutshell. The Upaniṣhad commences with a prayer. All Upaniṣhads start with a prayer, - prayer to the guardians of the quarters, the deities or the manifestations of God, who rule the whole of creation, that we be blessed with health and understanding in order to go into the secrets of the Upaniṣhads, to meditate upon them and to realise the Truth proclaimed in them.

The Māndūkya Upaniṣhad is attributed to the revelation of a great sage called Māndūka. That which pertains to Māndūka is Māndūkya. The Upaniṣhad or the secret teaching revealed to the sage Māndūka is the Māndūkya Upaniṣhad. It commences with a solemn declaration:

Ōmityetadakṣharamidam sarvam, tasyopavyākhyanam, bhūtam bhavatbhaviṣhyaditi sarvamomkāra eva; yaccānyat trikālātītam tadapyomkāra eva.

The Imperishable is OM, and it is ‘all this’. Everything else, whatever be of the past, present or future, is like an exposition, explanation or commentary on the meaning of this great Truth, - the Imperishable Om. Sarvam Omkāra eva: Everything is Om, indeed. This is how the Upaniṣhad begins. Ōm ityetadakṣharam idam sarvam: All this, whatever is visible, whatever is cognizable, whatever can come within the purview of sense-perception, inference or verbal testimony, whatever can be comprehended under the single term, creation, - all this is Om.

We have been reciting ‘Om’ many a time, and it is a custom with most of us to greet one another with Om, to recite anything with Om and start japa of any mantra with the chanting of Om. The implication is that Om comprehends all things and it makes also a very auspicious beginning to everything. OM and Atha are supposed to be two auspicious terms: ‘Om, Atha; Om, Atha; Om, Atha; Om;’ do we recite daily. In the beginning, Om is supposed to have been the first vibratory sound that emanated as the seed of creation. Om is Praṇava. It is a bīja-mantra for all the other mantras, whether vaidika or tāntrika. In the recitation of Om we comprehend not merely all meaning but also all language. All verbal implication as well as objective reference is included in Om. Om is both nāma and rūpa, name as well as form. It is not merely a sound, though it is also a sound, and a very important aspect of Om that you have to bear in mind is that Om is not merely a chant or a recitation, a word or a part of human language but it is something more than all this. It is something which exists by its own right, something which is usually called vastu tantra, as distinguished from puruṣha tantra; - that which exists not because it has a reference to anything else but because it is something by itself. We do not create Om by a chanting of it, but we only produce a vibration sympathetic with the vibration that is already there by its own right and which is called Om. Om is a cosmic vibration. It is not a chant made by us, created by us or initiated by us. Why do we chant Om? To establish a connection between ourselves and that which exists by its own right and which manifests itself as a sound-vibration in the form of Om.

The Supreme Absolute is the rūpa (Form) of Om which is the nāma (Name). As everything in the world is designated by a name, we designate īsvara, God, also, by a name. As we summon into our consciousness a form by calling out its name, remembering its name, so also we summon into our consciousness the Being or the Form of īsvara, God, by summoning His Name. And just as the name of a particular object is connected with that object by a description of the character of that object, Om also, as the Name of īsvara, describes īsvara, and by this unique description of it, it enables us to contemplate the form of īsvara. A mountain is a name, a river is a name, fire is a name, man is a name, woman is a name, Rāma is a name, Kriṣhna is a name; and so on, we have many names, - nāma. These names correspond to particular forms which they connote and also denote. When you utter a name, the form corresponding to that name comes to your mind automatically, spontaneously as it were, because of a permanent connection that has been established between the particular name and its corresponding form. How much we are influenced by a name, every one of you knows very well. If you are called by a particular name, you may be pleased or displeased. There are names, by which you may be called, which may annoy you, put you out of your balance, because of the reason that you have created a permanent association in your mind between a particular nāma and its corresponding rūpa. For example, if you are addressed as ‘mahārāj’, you are pleased; but if you are addressed as an ‘ass’, you are displeased. The reason is the association that you have established in your mind and feeling between the name ‘mahārāj’ and its corresponding significance, or the name ‘ass’ and its corresponding significance. Names create vibrations within us. Suppose one of you suddenly cries out, ‘snake! snake!’ just now, you will all get up suddenly, and listen to nothing that I say. What sort of vibration it creates in your mind, - the word snake! You have established a contact in your psychological being between the name ‘snake’ and its corresponding meaning or significance, and its connection with you. What it means, you know very well. Every name in the world has a form and a meaning attached to it. Every form is not merely a counterpart of the name with which it is connected, but it has a relation with other forms, as well.

Now, we come from what we call īsvara-sriṣhti to jīva-sriṣhti. īsvara-sriṣhti is the form corresponding to a name, as it is by its own right. jīva-sriṣhti is the psychological connection that you have established between yourself and the corresponding form of a particular name. You are affected because of the jīva-sriṣhti, and your understanding of the form corresponding to a name signifies merely jīva-sriṣhti. We are now concerned not merely with īsvara-sriṣhti, but also jīva-sriṣhti; perhaps with the latter we are more concerned than with the former because what binds us or liberates us is the nature of jīva-sriṣhti, not so much the nature of īsvara-sriṣhti. Things as they are do not concern us very much. But things as they are to us mean very, much to us, and this meaning it is that binds us to what we call samsāra (earthly existence). Every name has a corresponding form, and the form is a content of īsvara-sriṣhti; the creation of īsvara, God; and you, as a jīva or an individual, though you are also a part of īsvara-sriṣhti, create a cocoon round yourself, coil yourself in a web that has been created by your own imagination, and this imagination connects you with the other jīvas, other things, other contents of creation, socially. You do not merely exist as a content of creation; you also have a connection with other contents in creation in several ways. This is the difference between you as a part of īsvara-sriṣhti and you as a centre of jīva-sriṣhti. You have an aspect of īsvara in you, and you have also a jīvatva in you. The aspect of īsvara is your dignified nature, and the aspect of jīva in you is what binds you to this realm of samsāra. So, you have a twofold nature, a double personality, a character that distinguishes you by means of your relation to īsvara, and your relation to this earthly life.

This is the situation we find ourselves in through nāmā and rūpa, name and form, the designator and the designated, in this creation of which we are parts or contents. Now, it is the summoning of the forms into relation with ourselves that has been the cause of our pleasures and pains. Every day we summon into our consciousness different forms of the world, and this summoning is nothing but a psychological contact that we establish between ourselves and these forms. This is samsāra. Every relationship, external, is samsāra, and the whole life of ours, throughout the days and nights that we pass, all this is samsāra from which we seek liberation or freedom. We want mokṣha from samsāra and mokṣha is that status in which we establish ourselves not in a relation of jīvatva, but in the condition of īsvara, that is, existence by its own right, and not existence by means of a relation to other things. You are something by yourself, independent of what you mean to others, what you may appear to others or what others may appear to you. You want to transfer your existence from jīvatva to īsvaratva. You want to exist by your own right, in your own essential nature, to be independent rather than dependent on things. You do not want to think objects for your subsistence. You want to be absolutely independent as a kevala. You want to attain kaivalya. This is called mokṣha; - absolute freedom.

This Upaniṣhad, the Māndūkya, suggests a very simple method for the establishment of jīva in īsvara, to transfer the relation of the personality to the non-relation of īsvara and to achieve this by a direct method of invoking the presence of īsvara, or Brahman, into our being, summoning īsvara into our consciousness. Give īsvara a place in your heart. Instead of thinking of an object corresponding to a particular name, think of īsvara who is designated by a comprehensive Name. All the names of the world like mountain, river, etc. are particular names corresponding to particular forms. But īsvara is not a particular form; He is a Universal Form, and therefore you cannot call Him or summon Him by a particular name. You have to call Him by a Universal Name, because He is Universal Form. No particularised language can describe īsvara, because īsvara is not a particularised object. He is not a man or a woman or a human being; He is not here or there; He is everywhere. That which is everywhere cannot be designated by a language that belongs only to particular country or a man or a woman or a particular person. You require a very comprehensive language to describe the comprehensive Form of īsvara. There is no comprehensive language; all languages are local. You have many languages, and there is no single language that can be applied to the whole world. And even if there be a language that can be valid for the whole world, even that is a local language from the point of view of the vaster cosmos. Is there a language that can be valid for the whole universe? That language alone can describe īsvara, because He is Universal. There is no such language. The only language conceivable, revealed to the ancient riṣhis, is Om, or Praṇava.

The recitation of Om is the speaking of a universal language, a language which comprehends within itself all other languages; and the vocal organ, in the recitation of Om, or Praṇava, vibrates also in a very comprehensive manner. When you utter A, B, C, etc., a particular part of the vocal system begins to vibrate, but when you recite Om, the entire soundbox begins to vibrate. This is a matter for experiment. Anyone of you can experiment with it and observe the result. The whole soundbox begins to function, not merely a part of the soundbox; and all the languages are supposed to be contained in Om because of the fact that in the recitation of Om every part of the vocal organ begins to vibrate, and naturally every word, every phrase should be somehow included in the root-sound that is created when Om is chanted. Not merely this; the recitation of Om has another significance or meaning. The chanting or the calling out of a particular name produces a vibration in you. You have a feeling generated within you by the recitation or the calling out of a name. Rasagulla, laddu, kheer, coffee, tea, rice: these are certain names of certain objects, and you know that when you utter these names, different ideas occur to your mind and you have different sensations in your body. Scorpion: a different sensation; disease, ugliness, earthquake, atom bomb, war;—all these ideas produce vibrations in your system. They are not merely words; they are vibrations that are conveyed to your system by a particular word or a phrase; and Om is also a vibration, not merely a word or a sound. Om is a vibration, a Universal vibration with which creation commenced, as they say.

The Manusmṛiti, the Mahābhārata, the Purānas and the Upaniṣhads describe the nature, the constitution, the structure and the glory of Om. With Om, Brahma created this cosmos, and from Om constituted of the three isolated letters A, U, M, the vyāhṛitis came forth: bhūh, bhuvah, svah. From these three vyāhṛitis, the three pādas of the Gāyatri-Mantra emanated. From the three pādsas of the Gāyatri-Mantra, the meaning of the three sections of the Puruṣha-Sūkta emerged. From the meaning of the Puruṣha-Sūkta, the meaning of the entire Vedas emanated. From this vast meaning of the Vedas, Brahma created this cosmos, say the scriptures. So important is Om, not a chant uttered by Brahṃa, but a vibration that rose from the Supreme Being in the initial stage of creation, - a comprehensive vibration. And when we chant Om, we also try to create within ourselves a sympathetic vibration, a vibration which has sympathy with the cosmic vibration, so that, for the time being, we are in tune with the cosmos. We flow with the current of the cosmos when we recite Om, and produce a harmonious vibration in our bodily and psychological system. Instead of tearing ourselves away from the world outside, we flow into the current of the world. Instead of thinking independently as jīvas, we start thinking universally as īsvara. Instead of thinking in relation to objects segregated from one another, we think in terms of nothing at all. There is thought thinking itself, as it were. Can you imagine thought thinking itself? This is īsvara’s Thought. When a thought thinks of an object, it is jīva’s thought. When the, thought thinks only itself, it is īsvara’s Thought, īsvara’s Will and when we recite Om properly, with an understanding of its real connotation, we think nothing in particular. We think all things in general; this is īsvara thinking. We do not think at that time; it is īsvara who thinks through these individual minds of ours. We, as persons, cease to be for the time being. We exist as the thing-in-itself, īsvara, who exists by His own stature, mind and status. He does not exist as a jīva in terms of other objects. We always exist in relation to something else. īsvara exists with relation to nobody else, and we, as seekers of the status of īsvara, or Brahman, wishing to exist by a universal nature, try, by this means of the recitation of Om, to flow into īsvara’s Being like rivers trying to flow into the bosom of the ocean. We are like streams wanting to rush into the sea, and just as by the force of the inclination of the waters, the rivers enter the ocean, we, by the inclination of the vibration of Om, enter the Universal Form of īsvara.

When you recite Om properly, you enter into a meditative mood. You are not merely reciting a sound or a word or a phrase, you are creating a vibration. To point out once again; you are creating a vibration. What sort of vibration? Not a vibration which agitates you, irritates you, or creates a desire in your mind for a particular object, but a vibration which melts all other particular vibrations, puts an end to all desire, extinguishes all cravings and creates a desire for the Universal. As fire burns straw, this desire for the Universal burns up all other desires. A recitation of Om, even three times, correctly done, is enough to burn up all sins, to put a cessation to all desire and make you calm, quiet and satisfied within yourself. The test of a correct recitation or chant of Om is that you become calm in your mind and feel satisfied with what you are and what you have. When you come out of your meditative mood with a desire persisting, it would only point out that your contemplation has not been perfect. The desire for things was lurking within while you were in a mood of contemplation; even the chant of Om was not properly done. The chant of Om should go together with the thought of the Universal. It is a japa and a dhyāna combined. While other japas may lead you to a mood of dhyāna or meditation, while other mantras may lead to dhyāna, the japa of Om suddenly becomes dhyāna when it is properly done. Here, japa and dhyāna combine, and nāmā and rūpa are brought together. Here, you do not have a distinction between the designator and the designated, because the nāmā (name) which is Om, being Universal, merges into the rūpa (form) which is also Universal. There cannot be two Universals; there can only be one Universal. So the designator and the designated, in the case of Om, become one. japa and dhyāna mean the same thing in the case of the chanting of Om. It is a sudden entering into a realm which the individual mind cannot understand. A rapture of ecstasy may take possession of you if you chant Om, thus. Omityetadakṣharamidam sarvam, - Om is, verily, everything.

Om is imperishable. All name in this world is perishable, for it goes with the corresponding form. But this Universal Form is imperishable, this Universal Name also is imperishable, comprehends everything. Omityetadakṣharam: Om is akṣhara, and akṣhara is imperishable. Tasyopavyākhyanam, bhūtam, bhavat, bhaviṣhyaditi sarvam Omkāra eva; yaccānyat trikālātītam tadapyomkāra eva... All that was in the past, all that is now in the present, all that will be in the future, all this is Om, because Om has no past, present and future; the Universal has no time. What a grand description of Om is given in the Māndūkya Upaniṣhad! Whatever is in time, as past, present and future, is Om. Not merely this; that which is above time, also, is Om. Om has a twofold nature, the temporal and the eternal: it is śabda and śabdātita. It is constituted of A, U, M, representing all creation; but it has also a fourth nature which transcends these distinctions of A, U, M. It is called amātra and chaturtha-bhāva: The soundless form of Om is amātra, the immeasurable, and it is not audible to the ears. This amātra, or the immeasurable, eternal nature of Om is not a sound or even a mere vibration, but it is just existence, pure and simple, known as satchidānanda-svarūpa, - Existence-Consciousness-Bliss.

That which is past, present and future is the temporal comprehension of the gamut of Om, and that which transcends time is the eternal nature of Om. To give the analogy of the river and the ocean: the river is the temporal form; the ocean is the permanent form. There is a name and a form for the river, but there is no such name and form of the river in the ocean, as all rivers become one in the ocean. In the temporal form, Om may be said to designate all that is existent in creation; in its eternal form it cannot be said to constitute any kind of particular form, but it is formless, durationless and spaceless. Om, therefore, is name and form; form and the formless; vibration and Consciousness; creation and satchidānanda. All this is Om.

How to chant Om? This doubt may arise in your mind. We have tried to understand something about the magnificence of Om, but how are we to recite Om? Are we to think anything when we recite Om? The usual procedure prescribed is that the recitation of Om should neither be too short nor too long. There is a short, middling and elongated pronunciation, no doubt, but for all practical purposes of meditation, I would suggest that you may take to the middling duration of the recitation of Om. There is what is called a mātrā or a measure, and you may regard one mātrā as the time taken by the fist of the hand to go round your knee, in leisure, neither too fast nor too slow, and to snap the fingers. Take your hand once round your knee. This is the time taken for the measure called one mātrā. Bring the hand round your knee once and make a snap of your fingers. How much time have you taken? This is one mātrā. Bring it twice, these are two mātrās; bring it thrice, these are three mātrās. Now, when it is once, it is a short mātrā. When it is twice, it is a middling mātrā. When it is thrice, it is the elongated mātrā. You may choose whichever mātrā is convenient to you. There is no compulsion as to the measure. Whichever is convenient, practicable and agreeable to your temperament and capacity may be chosen by you as the required mātrā for the recitation of Om.

What have you to think when you recite Om? You are the ocean, and all the rivers of objects enter you. Remember the śloka of the Gītā: āpūryamanam acalapratishtham... etc. You are the ocean into which all the rivers of objects rush. There are, then, no rivers, no objects, you are the ocean. Imagine your feeling at that time, a feeling that I cannot describe. Each one of you should feel it for himself or herself. Chant Om, and entertain this feeling in your mind for even five minutes continuously, and record your experience in your diary, and tell me whether it has made any difference to you or not. Definitely, it will make a difference, and if God blesses you with the time and patience necessary to do this practice for even half an hour daily, you should regard yourself as a thrice-blessed seeker. The world enters you; and where is the world, then, to agitate you! Samsāra is a network of agitations, and all these are like currents of rivers rushing into your universal being. You have swallowed them up in the bosom of universality; and the roar of the river ceases when it enters the calmness of the ocean. The vexations of the world cease when they enter the solemn existence of your universality.

This is īsvaratva, for the time being. This is the gateway for the sākshātkāra (realisation) of īsvara, and if, for even half an hour daily, you are in a position to continue this chant and meditation; - who knows, the bubble may burst one day! The bubble of jīvatva may open up into the ocean of īsvaratva. Be prepared for this glorious achievement. And who can describe your majesty at that time! You will start shedding tears even by thinking of this condition. Tears will flow from your eyes; the body will tremble, because it will not be prepared for this experience. There will be angamejayatva, as Patanjali describes, - a tremor of the body. The river is beholding the ocean: ‘O, how big! How am I to go there? I have been a small channel up to this time. Now I am entering into something which does not seem to have a limit at all from any side.’ Terror may take possession of you; hair may stand on end, and you may experience a thrill, as if an electric shock is being administered to you. These are the experiences you may have, commonly speaking. I do not mean that the same experience will come to every person, but generally speaking, with some difference in detail, this experience will come to everyone. And if, by God’s Grace, the prārabdha is to come to an end, well, you may realise Him today. And if you enter into this bhāva or mood of dhyāna with a hopeful chant of Om, even hunger may be appeased, thirst can be quenched, and a weird strength will enter your body. You may have a feeling that you can even lift a mountain. You may not be able to do it actually, but you will have an inspiration and a sensation. Such strength may enter into your being, and if sākshātkāra comes, if there is real realisation, you may even do this feat. How did Lord Sri Kriṣhna lift a mountain! We cannot do it because we are jīvas, but īsvara can do it. And it is not the jīva that acquires the siddhi or the power of working such exploits. The jīva is no more there. It is not you as a siddha or a yogin that do these marvels. It is īsvara who does this through these instruments of His. Just as when you lift a small stone with your hand, it is not the hand that lifts it, it is you that lift it, so also, when a yogin does a marvel, it is īsvara who does it, which, to the other jīvas, may appear as a marvel, because they cannot do it. For an ant, the man lifting a stone would be a marvel. We are all giants to the ant; and, likewise, to us, jīvas, the siddha-puruṣhas are wonder-workers. But it is a divine power that glories in all the siddhas. Just as the equalised bodily power works through a particular hand and raises a weight, for example, the harmonised Universal Power, which is īsvara’s śakti, works a miracle through a siddha-puruṣha or a jīvanmukta, which anyone of us can be, may be, any day. If we become instruments in the hands of īsvara, that would be our blessedness; and when we become real instruments in the hands of the Universal Power, we become God-realised souls. We become divinities walking on this earth. We become tīrthas, or holy waters, ourselves, and this is mokṣha from samsāra, liberation from bondage, which is attained by a simple method, according to the Māndūkya Upaniṣhad, - a correct recitation of Om or Praṇava, with contemplation on its Universal Form which is īsvara, or Brahman. — End of excerpt from The Mandukya Upanishad — http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/mand/Mandukya_Upanishad.pdf. Feb 23, 10.

The twelve Mantras of the Mandukya Upanishad — Translated by R. E. HUME. Realization.org. http://www.realization.org/page/doc0/doc0022.htm. Feb 23, 10.

1. Om!—This syllable is this whole world.
Its further explanation is:—
The past, the present, the future—everything is just the word Om.
And whatever else that transcends threefold time—that, too, is just the word Om.
2. For truly, everything here is Brahman; this self is Brahman. This same self has four fourths.
3. The waking state, outwardly cognitive, having seven limbs, having nineteen mouths, enjoying the gross, the Common-to-all-men, is the first fourth.
4. The dreaming state, inwardly cognitive, having seven limbs, having nineteen mouths, enjoying the exquisite, the Brilliant, is the second fourth.
5. If one asleep desires no desire whatsoever, sees no dream whatsoever, one is in deep sleep. The deep-sleep state, unified, just a cognition-mass, consisting of bliss, enjoying bliss, whose mouth is thought, the cognitional, is the third fourth.
6. This is the lord of all. This is the all-knowing. This is the inner controller. This is the source of all, for this is the origin and the end of beings.
7. Not inwardly cognitive, not outwardly cognitive, not both-wise cognitive, not a cognition-mass, not cognitive, not non-cognitive, unseen, with which there can be no dealing, ungraspable, having no distinctive mark, non-thinkable, that cannot be designated, the essence of the assurance of which is the state of being one with the Self, the cessation of development, tranquil, benign, without a second (a-dvaita)—[such] they think is the fourth. He is the Self. He should be discerned.
8. This is the Self with regard to the word Om, with regard to its elements. The elements are the fourths; the fourths, the elements: the letter a, the letter u, the letter m.
9. The waking state, the Common-to-all-men, is the letter a, the first element, from apti (obtaining) or from adimatva (being first). He obtains, verily, indeed, all desires, he becomes first—he who knows this.
10. The sleeping state, the brilliant, is the letter u, the second element, from utkarsa (exaltation) or from ubhayatva (intermediateness). He exalts, verily, indeed, the continuity of knowledge; and he becomes equal; no one ignorant of Brahman is born in the family of him who knows this.
11. The deep-sleep state, the cognitional, is the letter m, the third element, from miti (erecting) or from apiti (immerging). He, verily, indeed, erects (minoti) this whole world, and he becomes its immerging—he who knows this.
12. The fourth is without an element, with which there can be no dealing, the cessation of development, benign, without a second. Thus Om is the Self (Atman) indeed. He who knows this, with his self enters the Self — yea, he who knows this. — End of English translation by R. E. Hume.

Om Gann Ganapataye Namoh Namaha - chamundamaa

2010-02-23T01:46:00.000-08:00

Lyrics in Sanskrit

Om Gan Ganpataye Namho Namha
Sri Siddhivinayak Namho Nahma
Ashta Vinayak Namho Namha
Ganapati Bappa Morya.

902 NAMES OF LORD SHIVA - Artijangra9

2010-02-23T00:34:00.000-08:00

MAHALAXMI MANTRA - Artijangra9

2010-02-23T00:20:00.000-08:00

MAHALAXMI MANTRA JAI LAXMI MAA

If you are look to improve your finances, this Mantra will help. Just by listening to it will give you blessings from the the Goddess of Wealth Maha Lakshmi.

Jay Maha Laksmi - May Mother Laksmi shower you with all her blessings!
Namastetu

Sri Gayatri Ramayana Mantra drjramkumar

2010-02-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

Vishnu Maha Mantra - drjramkumar

2010-02-22T23:48:00.000-08:00

Om Namo Vasudevaya - drjramkumar

2010-02-22T23:41:00.000-08:00

Divine Flute Music of Lord Krishna - drjramkumar

2010-02-22T23:33:00.000-08:00

Shiva Sahasranama Mantra

2010-02-22T23:05:00.001-08:00

Mandukya Upanishad — Om

2010-02-22T22:32:00.000-08:00

Our Spiritual Lineage

2010-02-21T12:19:00.000-08:00

Sansara vs. Moksha

2010-02-19T22:15:00.000-08:00

"But those who fully worship the unmanifested, that which lies beyond the perception of the senses, the all-pervading, inconceivable, unchanging, fixed and immovable -- the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth -- by controlling the various senses and being equally disposed to everyone, such persons, engaged in the welfare of all, at last achieve Me." – Bhagavad Gita 12.3-4.

We exist in this world in relation to other beings, things or creation. These beings, things or creation appear to us in form. We designate every form by name. When we summon into our consciousness a form by calling out its name, we also summon into our consciousness the descriptions of its characters. This enables us to contemplate the form of a being, thing, or creation in relation to its name. When we call a name, the form corresponding to that name comes to our mind automatically and spontaneously, because we have established a particular form with a particular name. If you are called by a particular name, you are pleased or displeased. If one called you as ‘Maharaj,’ you are pleased but if one called you an ‘ass,’ you explode. The reason is that you have established in your mind feeling corresponding to the name. Name creates vibrations within us. If one says, “Snake!” you immediately jump because you have established a form and meaning with every name. Every form hence is counterpart of the name and it has connection to you.

We have established a psychological connection between corresponding form and particular name. Perhaps we are more concerned with the creation of our individual soul than with Ishvara, Universal Soul, or God’s creation. Things as they are do not concern us, but things as they are to us concern us and this meaning which binds us is what we call Sansara.

Form is the content of creation and creation belongs to Ishvara, Universal Soul or God. Having created a cocoon around us by our own imagination, we connect this form with other souls, other things or other creation. We do not live as a content of creation but we also have a connection with other contents of creation. This is the difference between you as a miniature universe and you as centre of your individual soul. You have an aspect of Ishvara in you and you have your own soul in you too. The aspect of Ishvara is your dignified nature and aspect of your own soul is what binds you to the realm of Sansara. So you have double nature, double personality. This is the situation we find ourselves in through name and form and it is the summoning of the forms into relation with ourselves that has been the cause of our pains and pleasures. Every day we summon into our consciousness different forms of the world and thereby summon a psychological contact that we establish between ourselves and those forms. This is Sansara. Every relationship external is Sansara and our whole life throughout the days and nights that we spend, is Sansara from which we seek liberation or freedom. We want Moksha from Sansara and Moksha is that status of ourselves in which we establish ourselves not in relation to form but in condition of Ishvara. That is existence by its own right and not existence by means of a relation to other things. You want to exist by your own right, independent rather than dependent on things. This is Moksha.

Why Yoga?

2010-02-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

In this photo: Master Sea Cloud (centre), Founder of Huayen World and Spiritual Head of Da Huayen Monastery (Floral Garland School of Buddhism) and his disciple Wayne (right, as translator) in India with Sri Swami Rajarshi Muni (left), Founder of Lakulish International Fellowship's Enlightenment Mission (拉克魯希神國際覺明傳道會) or in short LIFE Mission (生命傳道會).

In 629 defying imperial proscription by Emperor Tai-Chung of the T'ang Dynasty, the famous Chinese Buddhist monk Hsuan Tsang secretly set out on foot on his epochal journey to the land of the Buddha from Chang'an (then capital of China) to learn Yoga and brought back to China many Yoga and other scriptures.

1381 years thereafter in 2010, once again an accomplished Chinese Buddhist monk, Master Sea Cloud of the Da Huayen Monastery (Great Floral Garland Monastery) Taiwan, came to India to learn Yoga. Like Master Hsuan Tsang the first Chinese Buddhist Yogi, he is the second Chinese Buddhist Yogi in Chinese history to humbly learn from an Indian Guru. People like Master Hsuan Tsang and Master Sea Cloud only come once in a millennium. In this age, these people are few and far between. Why Yoga?

Photo of Master Sea Cloud with Swami Satyanand of LIFE Mission -

Om

2010-02-18T12:58:00.000-08:00

Ayurveda - Art of Being Part 10

2010-02-18T12:44:00.000-08:00

Ayurveda - Art of Being Part 9

2010-02-18T12:43:00.000-08:00

Ayurveda - Art of Being Part 8

2010-02-18T12:39:00.001-08:00

Ayurveda - Art of Being Part 7

2010-02-18T12:38:00.001-08:00

Ayurveda - Art of Being Part 6

2010-02-18T12:37:00.003-08:00

Ayurveda - Art of Being Part 5

2010-02-18T12:37:00.001-08:00

Ayurveda - Art of Being Part 4

2010-02-18T12:36:00.001-08:00

Ayurveda - Art of Being Part 3

2010-02-18T12:35:00.000-08:00

Ayurveda - Art of Being Part 2

2010-02-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

Ayurveda - Art of Being Part 1

2010-02-18T12:33:00.000-08:00

Food as Medicine - Cook with Vaidya R. K. Mishna

2010-02-18T12:32:00.003-08:00

Ayurveda - the 5 Elements

2010-02-18T12:32:00.002-08:00

Ayurveda - History

2010-02-18T12:32:00.001-08:00

Asanas for Specific Diseases

2010-02-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

What are the proper asana or asanas for patients suffering from the following illnesses?

Two cases are under consideration. They involve specific patients requiring your inputs.

Inguinal Hernia
Description of Symptoms
Read definition and symptoms description - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hernia#Other_abdominal.2Finguinal_hernias.

Cause:
This patient has been lifting heavy objects for many years, resulting in this condition. He is currently awaiting surgery.

Relevance:
He has found out that by doing the head stand, he can alleviate his pains associated with his hernia.

Questions:
1. Can yoga cure this medical condition?
2. Is yoga practice helpful in controlling the symptoms?
3. Which asanas and other methods do you suggest for this medical condition?
4. In your opinion, should he undergo surgery?
5. After surgery, should he take up yoga? If so, what type?

Abnormal Heart Rhythm
Description: http://www.medicinenet.com/arrhythmia_irregular_heartbeat/article.htm.

Cause:
Congenital heart disease. The patient has undergone heart surgery and has a titanium valve in her heart.

Relevance:
She practises a specific asana every morning, which is supposed to help regulate her heartbeat. She does not feel that the asana is making any difference.

Questions:
1. Can yoga cure this medical condition?
2. Is yoga practice helpful in controlling the symptoms?
3. Which specific asanas and other methods do you suggest for this medical condition?

Living an Ayurveda Lifestyle

2010-02-16T21:21:00.001-08:00

Living an Ayurveda Lifestyle

2010-02-16T21:21:00.000-08:00

Food For The Soul

2010-02-16T09:44:00.000-08:00

THE FOUR PILLARS OF HEALTH

In the view of the Ayurvedic science, the four pillars of health are diet, exercise or yoga, sleep, and celibacy. These Ayurvedic requirements accord with the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s definition of health, which states that “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

DIET

Diet means food for the soul and the body. This temporal corporeal body houses the soul that needs it to carry out its mission on earth. Illusion and ignorance have prevented most people from know their true purpose of life. They go through repeated rebirth, old age, disease, and death. As a result they remain ignorant of the Ultimate Truth. A true yoga sadhar (practitioner) knows his purpose of life and is concerned with the food for his soul. Just as the physical body requires food to sustain, the soul also requires spiritual food to sustain.

FOOD FOR THE SOUL

Yams and Niyams
Yams and Niyams are the dos and don’ts that establish the foundation for the practice of any type of yoga. “Yam means restraint, abstinence and control. In yoga, restraint or control is applied to the conduct or behaviour of an aspirant. Yams are the moral codes of conduct or rules for good behaviour designed to instil ethical values and self-control. Niyams means observance, discipline and rule. In yoga, discipline or rule is applied to the body and mind of an aspirant. Niyams are meant to decrease and remove the impurities of body and mind. Therefore, Niyams can be called purifiers, observances, or rules of self-discipline designed to inculcate physical well-being and peace of mind. Both Yams and Niyams forbid any kind of misuse of body or mind. Through their practice, an aspirant cultivates unselfish behaviour, health, real happiness, concentric focus of mind and willpower. Ultimately, he is led toward perfection and self-realisation, the final goal of yoga.” [1] (Rajarshi Muni 2007, 14).

Major Yams
1. Ahimsa (Non-Violence)
2. Satya (Truth)
3. Astey (Non-Stealing)
4. Aparigrah (Non-Possession)
5. Brahmacharya (Continence)

Major Niyams
1. Shauch [2] (Purity)
2. Santosh (Contentment)
3. Tapa (Austerity)
4. Svadhyay (Study of Self)
5. Ishvar Pranidhan (Dedication to God)

Minor Yams
1. Daya (Compassion)
2. Arjar (Straightforwardness)
3. Kshama (Forgiveness)
4. Dhruti (Fortitude)
5. Mitahar (Moderation In Diet)
6. Shauch (Purity)

Minor Niyams
1. Astikya (Faith)
2. Daan (Charity or Gift Giving)
3. Hri (Sense of Shame or Embarrassment)
4. Mati (Intellect)
5. Japa (Repetition of A Sacred Formula)
6. Vrat (Observance of Vows)

__________________________
1. Swami Rajarshi Muni. 2007. Tenets For The Spiritual Life. Vadodara: Life Mission Publications.
2. The Trishikhi Brahman Upanishad and Yajnavalkya Samhita have included shauch as one of the ten yams. However, Patanjali includes shauch as one of the five niyams. We also have chosen to include shauch among the niyams.

Guru Vandana

2010-02-13T15:54:00.000-08:00

CHANTING (Bhajan) is a part of the path of Devotional (Bhakt) Yoga.

"Yatha pinde tatha brahmande यठ पिन्दे तठ ब्रह्म्मन्दे - as it is in the microcosm, so it is in the macrocosm" - Indian sages and seers

"When we see the beauty of our own being, we are seeing the beauty of the 'Being that is the One' of which we are all a part. And when we turn towards that One, love is the natural reaction of the heart. " - Krisna Das

गुरु वन्दन
GURU VANDANA

(Reference: बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् 1.3.28
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28.)

आसतो मा सद्गमय
Asato maa sadgamaya
Lead Us From the Unreal To the Real,

तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय
Tamaso maa jyotirgamaya
Lead Us From Darkness To Light,

म्रित्योर् मा अम्रितम्गमय
Mrityor maa amritamgamaya
Lead Us From Death To Immortality,

(Reference: Shanti Mantra from Kathopanisad)
ॐ सहन ववतु
Om Sahana-vavatu
May He protect both of us

सहनौ भुनक्तु
Sahanau Bhunaktu
May He protect both of us

सह विर्यम् कर्ववह्ऐ
Saha Viryam Karvavahai
May we both acquire the capacity (to study and understand the scriptures)

तेजस्विन्औवधितमस्तु
Tejaswinauvadhitamastu
May our study be brilliant

म विद्विश वहे
Ma Vidwisha Vahe (x3)
May we not argue with each other

ॐ शांति शांति शांति - बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् 1.3.28.
Om Shantihi Shantihi Shantihi
Om (the universal sound of God)
Let There Be Peace Peace Peace. - Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28.

गुरु ब्रह्म गुरु विश्नु
Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu
Guru is verily the representative of Brahma Vishnu

गुरुदेवो महेश्वरह्
Gurudevo Maheshwarah
and Shiva

गुरु श्क्शत् पर्ब्रह्म
Guru Sakshat Parbrahma
who by Itself is verily the Supreme Absolute

तस्म्ऐ स्रि गुरवे नमह्
Tasmai Sri Gurave Namah (x3)
I salute the Guru

स्रि सद्गुरुदेव् कि ज्ऐ
Sri Sadgurudev Ki Jai
Hail Holy True Guru god

स्रि क्रिश्न छन्द्र भगवन् कि ज्ऐ
Sri Krishna Chandra Bhagavan Ki Jai
Hail Lord God Krishna

ॐ नमह् पर्वति पत्ऐ हर हर मह्देव
Om Namah Parvati Patai Hara Hara Mahdeva
Om great god Shiva remove (obstacles)

Sanatan Yoga

2010-02-13T09:55:00.000-08:00

SANATAN YOGA

SANATAN YOGA is now on Facebook.
Call to all 2010 Rajrajeshwardham Yoga Teachers and other yoga lovers and practitioners of the world to join Sanatan Yoga

You are cordially invited to join Sanatan Yoga, a new group to unite spiritual brothers and sisters under the divine guidance of God and our beloved Gurudev and to share our experiences in the practice of Divine Yoga.

SANATAN YOGA is a meeting place for members of LIFE Mission and any seekers of Truth regardless of age, gender, caste, race, creed, religion or nationality.

Our Vision:
Sanatan Yoga supports, promotes, and celebrates the Vision, Mission, Core Values of the Lakulish International Fellowship's Enlightenment Mission (LIFE Mission) founded by His Holiness Sri Swami Rajarshi Muni for the worldwide reawakening of of people towards moral, cultural and spiritual values through the practice of yoga.

Our Mission:
Sanatan Yoga is to attain the Three Perfections of (i) awakening our individual soul, (ii) promoting peace and harmony among peoples, and (iii) maintaining eco-balance on earth by:
1. Promoting right understanding in the Sanatan (Eternal) Dharma
2. Supporting LIFE Mission in training persons to propagate the Sanatan Dharma
3. Supporting LIFE Mission in training persons in the practice of the Divine Yoga Sadhana (practice)
4. Helping to promote programs of studies in Sanatan Dharma and Divine Yoga Sadhana offered by LIFE Mission and LIFE Foundation USA
6. Advancing educational and cultural exchanges in Yoga and promoting harmony among peoples by helping in organising Yoga training retreats, and
7. Undertaking community services that benefit all peoples regardless of age, gender, caste, race, creed, nationality, and religion.

Solar Eclipse Over the Holy Narmada River

2010-02-12T15:29:00.000-08:00

THE HOLY NARMADA is part of the Asha Yogashram with its north bank at the foothill 10 minutes from the Ashram's main compound. When the construction of the Ashram is finished, there will be steps leading down the slope into the river bank for people to immerse themselves in the river. During the maha vad, the month between February and March, it is considered the most auspicious to immerse oneself in the Narmada River to purify the soul of all its sins. Devotees do this one and one-half hours (48 minutes to 96 minutes) before sunrise every morning. During our training in Asha, Laura and Nisarg and Sri Swami Advaitanand did this every morning. The water was warm while the air was cool.

This picture of me in Padmasan was taken by Safah at sunset. After Virat and Nisarg splashed me completely wet, it was cold at first but my prana was released to heat up my body and I easily sat there without feeling cold.

Our Spiritual Lineage

2010-02-10T21:19:00.000-08:00

LORD LAKULISH

JYOTIRLINGA in black is the image of Lord Shiva. Jotir means "Light" and linga is a statue. The Jyotirlinga is not an artifact but a solidification of Lord Shiva pure energy into material form when he appeared as Lord Lakulish on earth circa 4,500 years ago. Lord Lakulish was the 28th incarnation of Lord Shiva. During the time that he remained on earth he undertook the preaching of Sanatan (Eternal) Dharma and the science of Divine Yoga. With the passage of time the spiritual tradition founded by him ceased. He once again started his spiritual tradition in modern times for the spread of Sanatan Dharma and the science of Divine Yoga. Sri Swami Pranavanand received Shaktipat initiation from this timeless being in 1913 and acquired the profound secrets of Divine Yoga. In this manner, this spiritual tradition was revived. Swami Pranavanand spent his Sannyas life in secluded practice of Divine Yoga and conquered hunger and thirst. Subsequently he taught the knowledge of Divine Yoga to Sri Swami Kripalvanand in 1931, installing the latter as Yogacharya and the third Kulguru in the modern day spiritual lineage of Lord Lakulish. During his time on earth, Lord Lakulish predicted the invasion of India by the Muslims and asked to be buried alive underground. He told his disciples that his pure energy would leave all the lingas once they buried him. The Muslims came and destroyed all the lingas and forced many Indians to give up their religion to believe in Islam. They slaughtered the village and burned down ashrams. But all they destroyed were only stones for Lord Lakulish had already left His linga. The whole village was in chaos. His linga was later unearthed on 26 May 1866 by a farmer near Kayavarohan village in Vadodara District in Gujarat in Western India. Sri Swami Kripalvanand (Bapuji) recognised this was his Guru Dadaji immediately when he first viewed the Jyotirlinga in 1955 during his visit to propagate Sanatan Dharma in the village.

SRI SWAMI KRIPALVANAND

AFTER RECEIVING YOGI DIKSA or Shaktipat initiation in the profound mysteries of Divine Yoga from Swami Pranavanand in 1931, Swami Kripalvanand faithfully practised yoga sadhana for 40 years and observed silence for nearly 23 years. In 1956 the Divine Guru Lord Lakulish appeared before him during meditation and gave a command to construct a new temple and work for the resurgence of Indian culture. In compliance of the command of his Divine Guru he had a new Lakulish temple constructed at Kayavarohan and performed the Pran Prathishta (ceremonial installation of the idol-cum-linga and so reactivated this ancient teertha (pilgrimage place). Likewise, in compliance of the command of his Guru, he propagated the spiritual principles of Sanatan Dharma in India and abroad for the resurgence of Indian culture. This is a vast task and no one person can accomplish it in his lifetime. Swami Kripalvanand attained nirvana in 1981, leaving the work of the resurgence of culture unfinished.

SRI SWAMI RAJARSHI MUNI

SWAMI KRIPALVANAND gave yoga diksa to his chosen disciple Swami Rajarshi Muni in 1971 and initiated him into the profound mysteries of Divine Yoga. He is thus the present Guru of the spiritual tradition founded by Lord Lakulish. Like his Guru, he too had interest in abstaining from all external activities and pursuing his Yoga Sadhana in seclusion. He was in fact exclusively so engaged but in 1993 Lord Lakulish appeared to him in divine form and command him to advance the task of cultural resurgence left unfinished by his Guru Swami Kripalvanand. To do this, Swami Rajarshi Muni has established the Lakulish International Fellowship's Enlightenment Mission (LIFE Mission). Through this Mission the work of securing the spiritual welfare of mankind and turning the attention of people towards spiritual, moral and cultural values is being carried on. Swami Rajarshi Muni has accepted a voluntary cut in his secluded yoga practice and has launched a campaign for world wide reawakening of people towards moral, cultural and spiritual values.

Om Shiva

2010-02-10T09:18:00.000-08:00

MY RELATIONSHIP WITH LORD SHIVA began when I visited India this January for my Divine Yoga teacher training courses level one, organised by the Lakulish Institute of Yoga under the Divine guidance of the Lakulish International Fellowship's Enlightenment Mission (LIFE Mission), Rajrajeshwardham, Jakhan, Gujarat, India.

To know Lord Shiva, one must know Dada Gurudev Bhagwan Lakulish, Lord Shiva's 28th Incarnation, who manifested before my Guruji His Holiness Swami Rajarshi Muni on 15 February 1993, or on the 9th day of maha vad under the Vikram Samvat 2049, or the Indian Holy calendar, which started 57 years earlier than the Christian calendar. During this Divine interaction, Rajarshi Muni was given the Divine command to carry out the mission left imcomplete by his guru Swami Kripalvanand. That mission given by Lord Lakulish to Swami Kripalvanand was two fold: (i) Revival of Kayavarohan as a sacred Pilgrimage centre and (ii) bringing about a revival of Indian Spiritual Culture. Swami Kripalvanand fulfilled the first part of the mission and did his best on the second part, but he could not fulfill that completely during his life. Lord Lakulish awakened Rajarshi Muni to his responsibility as the spiritual head in the lineage and gave guidance for carrying the mission further.

The command includes the establishment of an International University of Yoga, an International Organisation for Spreading Spiritual enlightenment throughout the world and an International Spiritual order having a special wing of dedicated disciples who may render selfless service for humanity irrespective of race, religion, sex or nationality.

Swami Kripalvanand inaugurated the Lakulish Institute of Yoga on 13 November 1976 with these words, "Today I experience great satisfaction by inaugurating Lakulish Institute of Yoga. In fact I had done its subtle inauguration six years ago by way of initiating Rajarshi Muni as my Sannyasi (renunciate) disciple. A real Institute is not the building made of bricks and cement but a pious, renunciate and realised yogi.

On the Silver Jubilee celebration of the Institute, November 2001, Swami Rajarshi Muni, described the ultimate objective of a yogi as liberation of final beatitude, which means freedom from the cycle of death and rebirth. In order to fulfill the goal of liberation a yogi must attain Divine Body (Divya Sharir) which has no death or rebirth. Read about the state of Divine Body in the life of Swami Pranavanand, Swami Kripalvanand's guru. Swami Rajarshi Muni has designed the courses and conducted the Institute for the past 30 years. It was during my training course that I began to know Lord Shiva.

Lord Shiva is for giving Moksha (Supreme Bliss upon liberation) through yoga. So Shiva is also called Yogeshvar (Lord of yogis) according to Scriptures of Sanatana Dharma . 4 Vedas. As Swami Kripalanand once put it, "India is the birthplace of Yoga and she has spread the light of this spiritual knowledge in the world since ancient times. In present time the light of Yoga has been flickering. We shall have to be careful in preserving this precious treasure of life, namely Yoga, which is a gift given to us by our ancient sages and seers."

In a spiritual exchange in later December 2008 between Sri Swami Rajarshi Muni and my guru Master Sea Cloud, Spiritual Head of the Da Huayen Monastery of Taiwan, the Avatamsaka (Huayen) School of Buddhism's own reference to the Tathagata/Bodhisattva Samantbhadra consists of "Samanta" or "King of the Universe," and "Bhadra," one of the many names of Lord Shiva. Samantabhadra is also the primeval Buddha, Sunyata, Suchness, Ultimate Reality, Supreme Consciousness, or God, which has no beginning, no end, no attribute, form or name. This is Brahm. Brahm is beyond the power of the mind to grasp. The Scriptures of Sanatana Dharma define Brahm as "It is not, it is not, it is not." Whatever the mind can think of, it is not. It is not anything. It is not nothing. The ultimate purpose of Divine Yoga is union of our Atman (soul) with the one and only God (Brahm).

Shut Kriyas

2010-02-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

VASTRA DHAUTI AND NETI

VASTRA DHAUTI

Yoga connotes purification of the all the internal channels in the physical body. Vastra Dhauti is done to cleanse the throat, oesophagus, and stomach of Kapha (mucus) and Pitt (excess bile). Neti is the method used to cleanse the mucus in the nostrils, sinuses and throat using a sutra (string) or a cathetor (rubber tube).

Picture showing the 11 feet long 1.5 inches wide cotton cloth for performing Vastra Dhauti

5:52 AM Vastra Dhauti
Vancouver was sound asleep.
I wanted to time my Vastra Dhauti and so I filled up my Indian copper mug with warm water, soaked the 11 feet cotton cloth, set the clock and started swallowing. It went down quickly this time but I choked twice. Mucus ran down from my nose and tears from my eyes. I stared at the second hand and shifted to high gear as I gagged and choked. This is the trick - since I'm already gagging and choking, I couldn't feel worse. So I took in larger chunks during the gagging. As the roll of wet cotton grow thinner and thinner, I sped up and finished in 8 minutes, beating my own my own records and all those who took the Vastra Dhauti exam in India. A standard Vastra Dhauti cloth is 22 feet long and 3 inches wide, double when we used. So we better be prep up ourselves for our next training trip to India next year!

SUTRA NETI

Sutra and Cathetor for Neti

6:00 AM Sutra and Jal Neti
I did this to cleanse my nose, sinus and throat. A sutra is a cotton string with beeswax at one end to stiffen it for easier insertion through the nostrils. A cathetor is a piece of rubber tube for beginners to practise with before trying with the sutra. The sutra is hard and can cause too much friction and discomfort on the nasal membrane, sinuses and throat. On first trial even with a cathetor, one is bound to sneeze continuously before one can insert the cathetor through the nostrils to the throat. Then there is the gagging effect resulting from having to pull the thing out from the mouth. Once done, one has to take the nose end with one hand and the mouth end with the other and pull the cathetor or sutra back and forth to create friction for cleansing the nostrils, sinuses, and throat. Adept practitioners can insert two sutras at the same time through both nostrils and pull them out with ease and a smile without seconds.

Jal neti is done with luke warm saline solution with a neti pot after sutra neti. The warm saline solution is both soothing and disinfecting and helps to heal common cold and sore throat. It is superior to blowing the nose with Kleenex because blowing agitate the nasal membrane further and can even break the small blood vessels in the nasal cavity. Use of Kleenex is detrimental to our planet earth because billions of trees from natural forests and habitats for wild life are destroyed each years just to fuel this crazy misguided health extravagance in the west. I've been doing Neti and have taught my dearest pupil to do Jal Neti since I returned to Vancouver. I shall start her on the cathetor when she is more prepared.

Yoga Experiences

2010-02-08T10:32:00.000-08:00

Lighting the Lamp as an offering to Lord Lakulish to inaugurate the Yoga Teacher Certificate Training Course in the Asha Yogashram, Gujarat, India

MY YOGA TEACHER TRAINING EXPERIENCES IN INDIA

I was asked to address the audience before my spiritual guru Swami Rajarshi Muniji on 3rd February 2010 on graduation day that marked the end of my Yoga teacher training for this year in Rajrajeshwardham (王者之王自在天) Jakhan, Gujarat, India. I summarized my speech into four main points.

Firstly, I have found the missing piece of puzzle that helps me see the big picture and find my way home. Before I went to India for Yoga teacher training, friends and peers in my Buddhist community were not supportive and asked me why I had to learn Yoga from non-Buddhists when Buddha himself relinquished Yoga practice to meditate on his own and later succeeded in realising Supreme Enlightenment. They were disappointed and had lost faith in me. I told them to have an open mind because I would learn from my guru with an open mind. So I came to India with a blank notebook and now I know that the missing link is the sequential purification of our gross body, subtle body and causal body through Yoga practice, and thus attenuating the afflictions and tattva in this process of involution. Specific to this process are the Yamas and Niyamas, Shat Kriyas and Mudras, Asanas and Pranayamas not known in traditional Chinese Ch'an. Here I also observed how young Swamiji Advaitanand (Non-Duality) purified his food by pouring from his silver cup into his scooping hand water and dripping a circle around his platter of food before offering it to God. After this he partook of it.

Traditional Chinese Ch'an meditation requires that the practitioners to sit in a fixed posture, usually padmasana, for hours on end, and then on the sounding of a wooden stick on the floor, also requires them to run around in circles called running meditation. Anyone who are caught in wandering thoughts will be caned with a wooden stick. They claimed that this way will wake the practitioners to his original undefiled identity. This way of meditation is still practized in some famous Ch'an monasteries in China, e.g. the Gaomin Temple (高旻寺) in Hangzhou. Now I know that even with the slightest bit of impurity in our body, there is no way a Ch'an practitioner can realise everlasting enlightenment. He is bound to fall back on his old habits no matter how many times he has awaken himself.

Secondly, diet comprises spiritual and physical components. Yogic diet adheres great significance to his spiritual diet by first observing the yams and the niyams. This forms the foundation for other limbs in the eight-fold path for yoga practice. Knowing my body type and learning how to balance my doshas is another gain. A yogic diet is a sparing diet. Food is considered the medicine to alleviate hunger only. To the Yogi, his tongue is the knot of Lord Vishnu (God of Virtue) where he sleeps. Most people eat three meals per day and answer to Nature's calls only once a day if he/she can afford to be regular. A yoga practitioner is careful to eat a sparing diet consisting of 50% of solid food and 25% of liquid food and leaving 25% of his stomach empty to ease digestion. Fasting is also used to consume undigested food and as a remedy for many kinds of diseases according to Ayurveda.

Thirdly, I have learned to love the Indian culture and her people. Food delicacies such as home made sweets, chai, ghee, and chapati are some of the things I must learn to make when I get home. In fact, I cooked four pounds of organic butter to make ghee and shared half of my virgin creation with my dearest pupil. I also made a carrot sweet cooked with my own ghee and mixed with crushed cashew nuts and almonds and organic sun dried black currants and organic cane sugar. You will notice that everything I used are organic because as a yoga practitioner, I don't want to feed toxins into my body and later have to swallow 11 feet of cotton cloth to cleanse my stomach! Cry ...

Then there are the cows in the ashram. They listen to devotional songs before they let anyone milk them. And this is exactly how the Indians treat their cows. Guruji drinks only the milk of one cow and she has a name. Their caretaker take them for a walk twice a day. They are very friendly and they love people. When they hear us resting and talking in the yard, a cow will walk into the yard and let us pet her. Once you start petting one cow, you will attract other cows to come for your attention and love. During their walk, their caretakers make sure that their shed are cleaned and washed. A group of volunteers are there all the time to prepare feeds for them. When they return from their morning and afternoon walks, they are ready to feed. Beside their shed, Muniji has instructed to have a Cow Temple built and construction is underway now. Now you wonder why you keep saying Holy Cow in the west!

Then comes the traditional Indian devotional and classical music and classical dance forms. Each dance always tells the story of some gods or goddesses. During our training and cultural exchange, LIFE Mission has arranged to have a thirdteen year old girl perform her collection of classical Indian dances for us including one that tells three stories of Gautama the young prince and later Buddha. This makes the Indian dancers and the Indian people in general exceptionally spiritual. In my opinion, the Indian is by far the most spiritual people I've ever met in my life.

Lastly, and closely related to the spirituality of the Indian people, everywhere you meet people, they greet you with joined palms and say Jay Bhagwan or Namaste, meaning Hail God or Homage to God. Here they serve you with all their hearts and might and when you say, "Thank you," they say, "No, not thank you, Jay Bhagwan!" literally, don't thank me, thank God. So when I told Master Sea Cloud about this, he decided that when the Taiwanese group return home, they will start saying Jay Bhagwan instead of "Xie, Xie" (Thank you in Mandarin). I have translated that into its Chinese equivalent, "Rongyao Gui Sanbao!" (榮耀歸三寶) literally, "Glory to Buddham, Dharmam, Sangham!"