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YOGA MADE EASY -2

11/3/2013

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YOGA MADE EASY -2

(FROM THE TEACHINGS OF PARAMHAMSA SWAMI NIRANJANANADA SARASWATI)

In 2005, I came across a few books of Swami Ji. These books seemed quite difficult but left a deep impact on my mind. They have changed my concepts of Yoga greatly. Though I had been reading his yoga articles since many years in Yog Vidya, a monthly magazine published from Munger (Bihar). I always liked his practical, scientific and modern approach. Many of my doubts were answered in his article “KALP TARU KI CHHAON MEIN”. The older editions of Yog Vidya which contained Sri Swami Ji’s replies interested me greatly. His bold statements set my mind on fire. That was a beginning of my experimentation and faith. I concluded that here was a saint who was not trying to overload people with his mundane teachings but was challenging them to experience. To my amazement, I experienced many of his teachings. That is how I really truly believed him.

In 1998, I became a life time member of the Yog Vidya. I eagerly used to wait for the book and read it greedily. I read the different side of old preaching in the modern context.I enjoyed it, liked it and applied many of them in the course of my life. His article on spirituality inspired me greatly. He wrote, “People generally connect spirituality with God, puja etc. but it actually means going from, ‘Pravritti to nivratti’.” In your daily life if your desires are decreasing materialistic thinking is changing, that is spirituality. Heemphasized that it is a very slow process. It cannot happen over night. I instantly felt at peace with my self as I realized that I was on the right path. I repeated this teaching to my other friends also who were restless like me.

I liked his book, ‘DHARNA DARSHAN’ very much, though I could understand only a little bit of that. He has compared mind concentration with a laser beam and written that the mind is powerful like a laser beam when concentrated. Children liked it very much and understood their mental level immediately.

GITA DARSHAN is a book in which he has translated chapter 1, 12, and 15 of Gita.Swami Ji has explained each sloka in 4-5 pages. It is extremely easy and interesting. I immensely enjoyed grasping the deeper concept of each sloka by reading it many times.Daily I used to read 1 sloka and tried to assimilate each and every word. When ever I pick it up again I find something new. It has changed my version of Gita from boring and difficult to interesting.

YOG SADHNA PANORMA is another book which I liked very much. It contains his lectures in different parts of the world. It includes various meditation practices. Some of them were beyond my comprehension, but others were very simple. One of them I experimented both on my self as well as in my class proved absolutely true, easy and effective. He has written that while practicing Pawan Mukta asana with breath; concentrate your mind on each part and imagine that Prana Shakti is flowing there. If there is pain or some problem, concentrate for more time and imagine that prana flow is curing that problem. The vibrations of Prana in that region remove the obstacles in the flow of the Prana.

He has emphasized the presence of vibrations in each and every mantra and their effect on our mind and body. When Surya Namaskar was done with 12 syrya mantras in a children’s camp; all of them felt very energetic.

The concept of SWAN appealed to me greatly. S stands for strength i.e. positive points ofan individual’s personality. W stands for weaknesses i.e. negative points of one’s personality. A stands for Ambition and N stands for needs. He has explained it very clearly that in our life we should assess both our strengths and weaknesses clearly and choose ambitions which are viable (achievable). Also what is the need of the present stage of our physical, mental and emotional state should be given utmost importance. In spite of running after very high set ambitions which are out of reach, getting frustrated;we should be practical. We should strengthen our weak points and set the eyes firmly on our present requirements. Ambitions if very high should be set aside in a separate corner of our psyche; so that when ever they pop up; in spite of getting depressed; we get motivated to improve ourselves as soon as possible.

Another very simple concept of DIFS given by Swami Ji appealed to me very much. It stands for disease induced Fear Syndrome.’ He has clearly explained that disease causes problem both physically and mentally; but a greater damage is done by the fear, tension, anxiety and depression caused due to the disease. This fact, I found to be very much true in my own case. When I was suffering from the crippling disease of RheumatoidArthritis, all the time I was gripped with unnecessary tensions, anxieties and worries. Depression was all time high which is very much against my basic nature; as I am strongly positive minded. But at that time, more negative thoughts captured my imagination and worsened my pain.

For ‘Sadhaks’ he has given a 5 ‘S’ programme.

1.
Samarpan- ability to surrender to Divine Will.
2.
Swadhyaya- self study of one’s nature
3.
satsang- Being in the company of truth
4.
Seva- selfless service
5.
Sneha- Affection for all
6.
Mother ‘S’ stands for SADHNA
A) Service

B) Self analysis

C) Self observation

For attaining equanimity, 5 easy to understand steps are

1.
understanding
2.
friendship
3.
support
4.
compassion
5.
forgiveness
I do not feel justified in explaining his teachings, let alone understand and gauge their depth. I am fully aware that I am too naïve, too shallow to analyze his great works and wisdom.

Whenever I think of him, his teachings I feel too blessed, too happy to put it in words on the paper for the benefit of those, who don’t have time to go through his books. He is too great a personality to be assessed and so are his books and teachings. I consider my self fortunate, blessed by the grace of God to come in contact with him and his books; which have put me on a path of deep contentment, eternal happiness and bliss.

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Meditation Tips

7/27/2012

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In yog meditation is the culmination of different step by step easy practices. Meditation can not be done it happens.—swami satyanand. When mind stands still, totally focused on the desired object, it’s power increases many folds. A deep sense of inner happiness fills the being of practioner even if it happens for a fraction of a second. And by regular, sincere practices this duration can easily be prolonged. And when mind becomes powerful just like a laser beam, it becomes focused for a long period of time, and then meditation happens. Aasna pranayam and different practices like yognidra, anter mawn, om chanting, awareness of breath pave the way for ultimate achievement. Regularity , sincerity and perseverance are the watch words of a practitioner.swamiji has laid greater importance on regularity. NOT EVEN A SINGLE DAY SHOULD BE MISSED.The mind is always looking for opertunity to aquire old ways of laziness. Sadhna must be done daily at the same time. Time is also very important. Brahma – mahuratam i.e. 4 to 6 AM in the mornings is the best time for sadhna. The mind is comparatively quiet in the morning. The atmosphere is also full of holy vibrations of saints sages, who are doing penance in Himalayas. If an aspirant is unable to get up early gradually he can try. During sadhana north or east direction is the best if possible. If health permits , an aspirant can take bath in the morning. A bath fully awakens the aspirant and helps in lulling the mind.

Laziness is the worst enemy of every sadhak. With lot of will power one can do away with this habit. Getting up from bed, washing face awakens at once. No time should be wasted in unnecessary persuits, as morning time is very precious for sadhak. Only an agarbatti is sufficient at that time, Sadhak must select a place in the house where he can sit unientrruptedly. If possible a separate room should be chosen for sadhana. If not possible , then select a corner and isolate it with two curtains. No one should be allowed to enter that room. Simple aasnas followed  by pranayam done for a short time prove effective in quietening the mind. Sitting in padam asana, vajraaasna , siddhyoni asana helps greatly. If the physical health of a sadhak does not permit, sitting on a chair with cushion is also fine. During sadhana speacially in the morning, sleep keeps on attacking the aspirant. Swami has glorified the importance of surya namaskar in thwarting laziness and sleep. Minimum two rounds of surya namaskar if practiced at that time instantly awakens the practioner. Taking walk in the fresh air, practicing sarwang aasan or shashank aasan also prove very effective for curbing laziness and sleep.

While doing sadhana, mind starts playing tricks after some time and sadhak unknowingly waste lot of time. A cool place, total alertness, japa with japmala help to come out of this reverie. Perseverance is essential in attaining mind control. Due to many years of freedom,mind does not like the control. The old grooves of lower mind drag sadhak down again and again. With perseverance new grooves are formed and slowly and gradually mind gets trained not to wander.

A lot of patience is required. Many new aspirants gets disappointed and leave this beautiful path in desperation. Result is not important. Practice is important. Regularity and sincerity are essential. The rewards are worth all the hard work put in by sadhak. The physical presence of a self realized guru hastens the spiritual evolution. The one who has crossed this path can easly understand problems of a beginner and thus help the baby souls. But all sadhaks are not lucky to have a sadguru to guide them. Swamiji has laid lot of importance on introspection and writing a spiritual diary. During introspection higher mind analyses lower mind, reprimands it. Thus a person becomes alert to his own mistakes and can learns from them.

“Your spiritual diary is your guru by your side.” – Swami Sivananda.

 

For  quick spiritual progress, an aspirant must write all the good deeds and bad deeds of his routine daily in the night before retiring to bed. How many acts of selfless service ?. Which  indriya is troubling you?. How much sattwa have you gained?. Sattwa means cheerfulness in uour daily routine. Likhit japa is also very helpful in erasing the old samaskaras of many births. With clear, good handwriting one can write his Ishta mantra. Guru mantra is extremely powerful when written.

A pure mind and heart are essential for the success of meditation.

“Selfless service purifies the heart very easily and quickly.”—Swami Sivananda.

Swamiji has insisted to serve with ‘Narayan Bhav’. Narayan bhav means serving the other person as Lord Narayan. e.g. A doctor can treat his patients like God. A teacher can teach his students as God. Serve, serve and serve, tirelessly, selflessly is the main mantra of great guru Sivananda. Only selfless service can lead the sadhak to attain success in this wonderful path of God Realiasation. The other virtues like truth, ahimsa are also extremely important. God’s glory can only shine in a pure heart. The six steps given by swamiji are as follows:-

SERVE – LOVE – GIVE – PURIFY – MEDITATE – REALIZE.       

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Yoga and Education

1/16/2012

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The word education consists of both formal and informal education. Informal education starts from the moment of a child is born in the world. Even before the birth of a child, a mother can play an important role in educating a child indirectly. It has been proved medically and scientifically that an unborn child is receptive to all the influences the mother comes across. In the great epic Mahabharat, Abhimanyu knew chakra viyuh (a type of fighting style) without being taught formally. The mother plays an important role in the development of a child as she is his or hers first guru. Practice of mantra or yoga leaves a deep impact on the child.

          “The genetic constitution of a child can be definitely effected by yoga”-Swami Satyananda. Light pavanmukta asanas when done with concentration on breath results in deep relaxation and a lot of energy. This deep relaxation and energy gets permeated to the unborn child (foetus). Pranayama and Pratyahara   practices like AntarMouna and Yog Nidra relieve the mental anxieties and tensions of mother greatly. The importance of good physical and mental health is acknowledged world wide in all stages of life.

Yoga lays the foundation of good health right in the womb. And a healthy body is the abode of a healthy mind. A cheerful person is welcome by one and all. The very first effect of yoga is an internal relaxation and happiness, if practiced regularly. It takes a few months to show the outer manifestation of various yogic practices on our body.

Education in the modern world has become quite oppressive. A big load of books, a lot of reading, writing and cramming is seen even in the pre-primary and primary schools. Both parents and teachers are trying to overdose even the little children with material, which is many times beyond their comprehension. The tension and anxiety starts right from the early childhood. Increasing materialism, competition has stressed each and every individual. Everybody understands that children are overburdened but there is no other way out.

          If yoga is introduced right from the childhood as an integral part of child’s education many complications of the later life can be minimized. Yoga is taught through different interesting games to children, which they enjoy immensely. Swami Satyananda has devised various games like cat and mouse, tree pose, statue game for children. When I experimented these games in my yoga classes for children, I myself was amazed at the ingenuity of these games. Children feel extremely relaxed and cheerful playing these games and love and look forward to attend these yoga classes, even if it is early in the morning. Various mundane asanas when made interesting by little variation of speed or mantra chanting were immensely enjoyed by children. Children are very innocent by nature so they could visualize all the objects during yog nidra. Listening to their experiences, watching their radiant beaming faces gave immense delight to me also.

          “Photographic memory can be developed by Yog nidra.” –Swami Satyananda.

As yog nidra for children is based on classroom teachings or nature especially mountains, rivers, flowers, clouds, their imagination runs wild. Their creativity is enhanced immensely. The deep relaxation so attained helps them to concentrate, in their studies. Many children confided of increased memory and concentration when they studied right after the yoga classes.

          Sound is a powerful energy. Various mantras are devised on the basic principle of vibration. When children practiced asanas with different mantras they felt extremely cheerful and energized. And when I explained the science of vibration hidden in different mantras, they experimented. And thus were delighted by their own exhilarating experiences.

          India is a land of sages and saints. India is known for its spiritual legacy. And childhood is the right time to sow the seed of spirituality when the soil is soft and unpolluted. Chanting of ‘Om’, Upanishad mantra, ‘Matri Devo Bhav’,'Pitru Devo Bhav’,'Acharya Devo Bhav’,'Atithi Devo Bhav’ lay the strong foundation of the childhood. Praying to God Sun by various surya mantra immediately fills the being of the children with a sense of deep security. A seed of deep faith and trust of god sprouts and grows by ones own experiences. Laziness and insecurity give rise to many vices like anger, worry and depression in children in the modern world. Yoga provides a perfect sublimation of their unlimited energy and it is channelised in the right direction.

          When yoga practiced over a period of time under the guidance of a selfless, trained yoga teacher, children become capable to realize their own inner potential. Their confidence increases they become happier, healthier and calmer. All adults must give yoga a place, which it deserves in the development of the child’s personality. Yog education, if included in curriculum of school can revolutionize the whole education and society at large.

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GYM Vs YOGA

7/6/2011

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     Modern time is the times of science and technology. The west is the producer of all latest techniques, machines to improve the quality of life in general e.g. Communication, transportation has been revolutionized. Physical health is offered on platter by invention of latest gadgets in the form of various equipments installed at homes. The professional centers for regulating the physical health have sprouted all over the world like mushrooms. The different professional trainers glorify complete programmes for a perfectly healthy body.
    But it is the west & youngsters who are in dire need of peace, happiness. The west is saturated with all these latest scientific inventions and technology. The increasing suicide rates in the west especially among older people have scared westerners to the core of their beings. The level of frustration and anxiety is all time high there. The people are crying for help. In search of true, eternal peace and happiness many westerners are now exploring horizons of the east.
    India has a rich spiritual heritage of yoga. The various saints, sages and sad have conserved this even during the tumultuous times. This is high times we Indians start cherishing this training of the body. Gym is causing various joint problems due to fast and jerky machines. Many time inefficient trainers create more misery by wrong training. What about mental health? Various doctors, time and again are advising people to adopt yoga, pranayama, walk and other gentle forms of physical and mental work outs.
    Yoga is a complete science based at physical, mental and spiritual development of the individual. “Every ordinary person has an extra-ordinary talent.” Swami Satyananda. Yoga aims at bringing out this extra-ordinary potential of each and every individual. All of us want to feel wanted. If we have some thing, which we can give to the other person, which he will cherish in his heart, we will be very happy and elated.
    When yoga is practiced under the guidance of a trained yoga teacher with concentration miracles can happen. Sri Swamiji has written that for the complete development of human personality a combination of different yogas must be followed. eg. a dish cannot become tasty by only salt. Various spices if added in right proportions make if tasty. Similarly to turn our life in a song which everyone else including us would like to hear; yoga to develop hand, heart and head is must. Hatha  Yoga for the hand, Bhakti Yoga for the heart Gyan Yoga for the head.


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KAPALBHATI- A POWERFUL PRANAYAMA (A word of caution)

6/25/2011

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    Yoga is a fashion statement today. In order to remain fit and healthy, many people are opting for this science. A lot of publicity is given mainly to asanas and pranayamas. Doing various fancy asanas and pranayamas is in vogue today. Kapalbhati is one of such Pranayamas. Many people have adopted this Pranayama for weight reduction.
    Kapalbhati is a very very powerful Pranayama which literally means cleaning of the frontal portion of skull. It is one of the shaucha kriyas (cleaning process) which enables the practioner to get rid of his negative emotions e.g. Anger, greed and negative thinking. A lot of energy is spent in doing this Pranayama that may lead to temporary weight loss.
  But it is very dangerous to do it excessively.
  1. It increases the blood pressure- Paramhamsa Swami Satyananda Saraswati.
  2. “Do 10 times in 1 round. If you do it more, a heart attack will come.” Quoted to me by Paramhamsa Swami Niranjananda
       Saraswati. I am 48, no B.P.; no heart problem, no diabetes.
  3. It results in excessive dryness i.e. both internal and external. - A doctor
  4. It reduces sleep, hence causes insomnia in many people.-personal experience

Yoga can be dangerous when practiced under the guidance of an untrained yoga teacher. 


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