Winter Camp - Final Day Updates

Sadhaka's has to have the feeling that everything is divinity & every act is an act of divinity. Lord is a Leela vinothini .. he enjoys playing, so accept whatever happening is his leela only. Guruji Lecture session started with this mesmerizing statement on the final day of Sadhana Sangama's Winter Camp. Guruji then beautifully explained on how we should work on our issues which are mostly created by us.

He then stated, every jeeva writes his/her own script. Meditation means this very second, again & again the script writer has to detach himself from the script and allow the script to go on. If you become the character of the script, you get lost. Now the question is what kind of script I am writing? If the script is already written, we can’t do much, unless we have the power to scrap the whole script, which only yogi’s can do.  As a sadhaka, our approach should be to see it in a detached way.

It’s nothing wrong in any thought that arises, but if we give any energy to that thought, then the problem arises. If we respond to that thought, then we get agitated. If someone irritates you, insults you .., immediately the “I” or the EGO gets agitated and reacts.  Instead we should see them in the detached way. Thoughts come because of our habit patterns, vasanas, desires etc. Here, Detachment doesn’t mean suppression. When we yield, react to a thought, then it brings all sort of distraction. Thought has a freedom to attack us, but we too should have a freedom not to react to the same thought.

Meditation is the space given by lord to every soul to understand, and respond and to enhance the harmony. All great masters, they are detached, that’s why they slog so much and do service to the humanity, however the attached people cannot do this.

Now the question is, if I detach, I need something to hold on. What is that? Remember I am that satchindanda roopa, I am that unbroken, infinite joy. Every soul is a soul which cannot be broken. Your idea, your thought, your desire, your expectation can be broken, but you are not broken. Contracting is not our nature, our very nature is always expanding.

Action is the very quality of a jeeva. In what way one has to act. Patanjali says, if yoga has to take place, if oneness has to take place, then start with TAPA , i.e. Discipline. Discipline means that which follows. If transformation has to take place in me, first I have to become a disciple. Discipline means I become a disciple of my own self. Only when I become a disciple then discipline comes. So why am I not able to become a disciple. Because of Avidhya, Asmita, raaga, dvesha and agnivesha (five tensions that are described here)

So here TAPA is the answer for all these disorders. What is TAPA, I become the disciple, I don’t expect anything and I only trust and follow that comes. To become a disciple, the quality I have to nurture is the TRUST. It is not hoping, not seeking. Don’t seek, you only TRUST, that is TAPAS. Self discipline is the strong foundation for the Sadhana. This leads to Antardarshana.

Then Guruji narrated a beautiful story to make us understand better

One man fell into well, somehow he came to the water level and he saw a small stem/plant by the side of the well through which he could hold & get some support to stand in the water. He rested for a while and then started shouting for help raising his one hand while another hand holding the plant. One person who went by heard the shouting & decided to help. He sent in a rope down and shouted back at the person who is drowning in the well to catch the rope and climb up. He suggested to trust him and catch the rope tightly so that he can lift him up. The person who is in the well, got confused because he could not see the person who is sending the rope and so he started worryiing how can I trust the rope, when I am not able to see the person who is helping. 

The person at the top says, if u want to come up, detach from the plant and catch the rope. The person in the well, thinks, "How can I detach from the plant, because of the plant only I am able to stand in the water without getting drowning. How can i leave this and trust something which I am not able to see except the rope, how can I trust? "

Friends, We are all like the person who is inside the well, that is why we are neither here or nor there. If you  want to come out from drowning, thank the plant, leave it & catch the rope with Trust and come out. Though Plant gives me security, I am not able trust the rope because I am not able to see anything. This is Isvara pranidhaana, detach and attach,. If you are able to do this, then the self awareness is going to be your experience.

Pranidhaana means expansion of our awareness. J. Krishnamurthi says, "freedom from known". I know my anxiety, I know my disappointment, I know my frustration, I know my discontentment, I know my hurt, I know my hate, I know my love, I know my desire. Every condition / discipline we put, it should help in studying something. If study does not take place, this discipline is of no value, it only hurts & creates violence in you.

We don’t have the deservedness to talk about the liberation because all miseries are created by our own self. Wrong way of food, wrong thinking, wrong way of living, hurt, self pity, dejection, expectation, all are created by our own self.  We are not serious in one particular Sadhana and we are jumping like monkeys stating I want to do this sadhana, I want to do that sadhana, this sensation that sensation. We really don’t know what we are really seeking for. Indiscipline mind is the block in the path of sadhana. Discipline yourself, which leads to Self Study.

Friends,

Yoga brings Harmony.
What is harmony? It means togetherness
What is togetherness? It means joy
What is joy? It means lightness
What is lightness? It means silence

We are failing in sadhana, because we are not creating one voice deep within. There is nothing to gain in spirituality, there is only to lose, lose and keep losing all the conditions of the mind. As a Sadhaka remember this, behave like an responsible human being and grow in your Sadhana. 

So it is first TAPA i.e. Self Discipline, then it is SVADHYAYA i.e. Self Study and finally ISVARA PRANIDHANA i.e. Self Awareness

Go back with this messsge of Pranidhana, let me develop the Sankalapa Shakthi of self discipline, through that let me study myself, by studying, let me free myself from all problem so that I can identify what is the block in my growth & work towards it.  Develop that power to design your own destiny. This is the message of pranidhana.  May Bhagavathi, bless you all.. Thank you very much...

Friends, apart from Guruji's session on Isvara Pranidhana and Jyothi Ma session on Sri Vidhya, the aspirants also had great time in doing Yogasanas sessions daily in the morning led by our beloved Srinivasa Murthy ji. The aspirants also were hugely benefited with the Pranayama sessions daily in the evening led by our beloved Shastri ji. Below are some of the moments captured from the camp:

Om Shreem Guru Devaya Namaha

Aspirants helping in the kitchen

Delicious Roti's in making

Jyothi Ma session

Jyothi Ma performing Sri Vidhya pooja

Guruji explaining the steps in the Pooja and reciting the mantras for the pooja

Jyothi Ma performing pooja to Sri Vidhya chakra

Jyothi ma cutting the new year cake

Dosa preparation by one of our Senior Sadhaka

Monitored by Sadhana Sangama Staff

Start Camera, ACTION...

Winter Camp Daily Schedule

Steamy delicious food was served in the Winter camp

Walking with the Master

Karma Yoga

Karma Yoga by one of our Sadhana Vidhyalaya teacher

Sincere couple who took care of all the aspirants food requirements

Sri Chakra Pooja

Guruji & Jyothi Ma in lighter moods with the aspirants

Yoga session with Srivasa Murthy

Aspirants Daily Yoga session

Sadhana Vidyalaya School teachers performing Yogasanas

Guruji welcoming guests to the Ashram

Yoga Simplified

Shastri Ji session on Pranayama

Aspirants interaction with Jyothi Ma

When should we plan for next camp?

Oh, No! the camp got over so soon!!

Aspirtants relaxing with a cup of hot 'tea'

Thank you & Come Again...

All the aspirants who came for the winter camp, could feel that they have got something to take back. They felt blessed to receive the message from the Guru Parampara, that lineage which always showers unconditional love to all of us.

I hope you liked the coverage of Winter camp, if the message has not come out well, it is this untrained mind's job. If you feel you have got the message, then it's Guru's Grace... Vande Guru Paramparam...

- 'Bansuri'