Nachiketa's Choice

Nachiketa’s story in the Kathopanishad begins when his wealthy father, Vajashravas, is to perform a special sacrifice. The sacrifice required Vajashravas to give all his wealth, all his possessions, and distribute them to the great seers and Brahmins. It was a rare sacrifice performed only by the most highly advanced aspirants. One who could give up all transitory things would have the knowledge of Brahman, the knowledge of Reality.

The story is not unlike the New Testament meeting of Jesus with the rich, young ruler who asks what it will take to have eternal life. After the rich man assures Jesus that he has obeyed the commandments against murder, stealing, adultery, and lying all his life, and has honored his mother and father, and loved his neighbor, Jesus gives him a single instruction. He tells the rich man he must give away all that he has to the poor, and come with him.

The rich man cannot. Although virtuous in every respect, he is too attached to his worldly possessions and wealth. The scriptures tell us that the rich man went away sorrowful.

Nachiketa’s father also could not part with his wealth, despite the assurance that the knowledge of Brahman would follow the sacrifice.

The Kathopanishad tells us he brought cows for giving away as part of the sacrifice, but only those cows that were old, dry, blind, diseased, and of little or no use to anybody. Vajashravas kept the good cows for himself.

Nachiketa saw the old and useless cows his father brought for the sacrifice and knew such an unworthy gift would bring misery to his father. Eager to help his father, Nachiketa reminded his father that as his son he was also his property and should be included in the sacrifice for distribution.

“Father, to whom will you give me?” asked Nachiketa.

Vajashravas, haunted by the knowledge of his halfhearted sacrifice, focused his negative emotion on his son and chose to interpret Nachiketa’s offer as impudence.

Three times Nachiketa asked his father to whom he would be given. After the third time, Vajashravas angrily retorted. “You I shall give to the Ruler of Death, Yama.”

Nachiketa, with a pure heart and an abundance of faith, cheerfully took his father at his word.

“There is nothing in death,” said Nachiketa. “All beings flourish like grain and die again. Now I shall be the first one to discover truth and reveal the mystery of death.”

When Nachiketa went to Yama’s abode, the Ruler of Death was not at home. Three nights passed before Yama returned. To make amends for not being there to welcome his guest, Yama gave Nachiketa three boons, one for each night he had waited alone without proper hospitality.

Nachiketa’s first boon, demonstrating again the respect he had for his father, asked Yama to soothe Vajashravas’ heart, to allay his father’s anger, and to remove any worry Vajashravas might have because Nachiketa was now away from home.

Yama granted the wish and said, “Oh, Nachi-keta, your father will happily recognize you and treat you with the greatest love and kindness. “For his second boon, Nachiketa asked Yama to show him the fire sacrifice and all the rituals and ceremonies that went with it.

“In heaven,” said Nachiketa in his request for the second boon, “there is neither fear nor death, neither age nor decay, neither hunger nor thirst, neither pain nor suffering. There is perpetual bliss. Ruler of Death, you alone know how, by performing sacrifice, mortals can attain this blissful heaven. This is my second boon that I ask. I want to know the nature of the sacrifice which leads a mortal to heaven.”

Yama granted it, and taught Nachiketa the fire sacrifice. Yama then told Nachiketa to choose his third boon. After going within himself and quieting himself, Nachiketa said to Yama:

“There is a belief that after a man departs from the world he is gone forever. There is another viewpoint that he is born again, that even after death man does not die in the real sense but remains on a subtle plane with his subtle body, and only the outer physical garment is discarded; and that is called death. There is yet another belief that one who dies, lives. Which of these is true? What exists after death? Explain it to me. This is my third request—the truth relating to the mystery of death.”

Yama did not want to explain the mystery of death to Nachiketa without testing the eagerness and sincerity of his young disciple. Yama told Nachiketa that even the gods had difficulty understanding this mystery.

“It is very difficult for anyone to grasp,” said Yama. “Ask any other boon and I shall grant it to you with great pleasure.”

Nachiketa was steadfast. He told Yama that even though the gods were once puzzled by the mystery of death, and even though the subject was difficult to understand, there was no better teacher than Yama to explain it.

“Oh King of Death,” said Nachiketa, “I shall not make any other request. There is no boon equal to this and I must know the secret.”

Yama tried another route and tested Nachiketa with the temptations all human beings face, the choice between God and mammon, between passing material pleasures and eternal joy, between illusion and reality.

Yama offered Nachiketa a life span of as many years as he might wish, with all the pleasures there are in heaven. Yama said he would grant Nachiketa children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, fine horses and elephants, gold, jewels, and rare gems. He said he would give Nachiketa the kingdom of earth to rule. He did not want to grant the third boon requested by Nachiketa.

“Take all of this wealth and power instead of the third boon that is asked for,” said Yama to Nachiketa. “I shall fulfill all your desires,” Yama continued, “except this, for it is the greatest secret of life. All the maidens in the celestial regions, such as cannot be had by ordinary mortals, shall be yours if you want them. Do not ask me that question again. I do not wish to divulge the secret of life and death.”

Nachiketa then showed the depth of his faith and resolve to know the purpose of life and the relationship between life and death. He was not interested in the temptations Yama offered him. He did not hesitate in answering Yama. He told the Ruler of Death.

“What shall I do with all these transitory and perishable objects? Everything that is perceived by the senses is momentary, and life on this plane is subject to change by death and decay. Even life in heaven is not worth living without acquiring the knowledge of liberation. All your dancing maidens and worldly attractions are merely sensual pleasures. Oh King of Death, keep them with you. No one can acquire happiness by worldly wealth. All the material enjoyments of this world and even heavenly life are subject to change. After knowing the fleeting nature of this world, who will long for mere longevity? I don’t care to live for a thousand years. What shall I do with such a long life if I cannot acquire the highest wisdom and attain the supreme knowledge?”

When Yama saw the clarity and determination of Nachiketa, he gladly offered to grant the third boon.

Now the Kathopanishad begins in earnest to reveal the secret of immortality, the meaning of death and life.

Worldly, transitory life, with all of its charms, is not the purpose of human existence. The world is full of objects and temptations. People want them, choose them, and organize their lives around getting them, lifetime after lifetime.

Today a person develops a pattern of identifying with the world, with its objects, and with the emotions that go with having those objects or with the possibility of losing them. He begins to think that joy will come with having glamorous possessions, a new car, a new suit, or a new spouse. With each new acquisition there is a flash of satisfaction followed by a prolonged sense of dissatisfaction.

A person identifies with the emotions that go with the objects and relationships. He thinks he loves someone, that he must have her to be happy. When he has her, so often the relationship settles into something else that is not very loving. He may hurt the person he said he needed. Then he says he is sorry. A month passes and he does the same hurtful thing again. Finally, they separate. So he finds another person he thinks he needs for his happiness, and the process begins all over again.

There are many variations of this theme. The point is that a human being becomes attached to things and relationships, and the thoughts and emotions attendant to the attachments. That creates suffering because none of those things or relationships lasts. Nonetheless, human beings keep trying to find peace in this way, lifetime after lifetime.

“Those who are dwelling in the darkness of ignorance and are deluded by wealth and possessions are like children playing with toys,” says Yama to Nachiketa. “Such foolish children are caught in the snares of death and come again and again under my sway. They remain in the snares of death. They cannot get beyond the limits of the dark realm. They travel back and forth.”

Fortunately, this condition is not permanent. Eventually a time comes when the desire for all of those objects—what the nineteenth century Bengali saint Ramakrishna repeatedly referred to as lust and greed—begins to appear as empty and pointless.

Growth and expansion are the nature of the soul, so inevitably what happens is: a person comes to recognize the pattern that behind every pleasure is pain, behind every expectation is disappointment, and following every fulfilled desire is yet another desire. For all the world’s charms, the bottom line and the sum of it all adds up to an inordinate amount of suffering, loneliness, and emptiness.

That arithmetic is instructive. The bottom line awakens the human soul. Suffering teaches and trains a person in the necessary art of discrimination.

The Kathopanishad outlines a pure, unequivocal choice. Yama tells Nachiketa that there are two alternative paths before us in the world. One is good and the other is pleasant. One, though difficult, leads to the knowledge of the highest Truth. The other, though appearing very pleasant, is ephemeral and when an apparently pleasurable experience passes, as it inevitably will, there is pain. The wise choose that which is good, and the ignorant rely on that which is pleasant.

That is the nature of life. The purpose of life is to grow, expand, and completely realize one’s own true identity. If the path toward that goal is not taken, then the world will bring one around toward it. Blow after blow, one misfortune will follow another, one disappointment, then another, until the person begins to understand. The choice between good and pleasant becomes clear.

The theme of Kathopanishad is that the treasure of human life, the real Self, is to be found within. Within is immortality. Within is where Atman or Reality resides. The journey to the discovery of the real Self is the goal or the purpose of life. One who has realized one’s own real Self can then realize the cosmic Self who encompasses the entire universe.

The dualists believe that the individual, the universe, and the cosmic Self are entirely separate units, having their independent existence. According to this belief, by knowing one’s own Self one acquires only a partial knowledge. A wide gulf separates this school of thought from Vedanta. The most valuable and elevating contribution of Vedantic literature is that the Self, or God, is not separate or far away from us, but dwells within the inner chamber of our being. This is the central tenet in the philosophy of Vedanta.

- Swami Rama

(Extracted from sites.google.com/site/swamiramateachings)

Point to Ponder

Buddha, one day, was on deep thought about the worldly activities and the way of instilling goodness in human. The following is the text of conversation between him and his disciple.

One of his disciples approached him and said humbly “Oh my teacher! While you are so much concerned about the world and others, why don’t you look in to the welfare and needs of your disciples also?”

Buddha: “OK... Tell me how I can help you.”

Disciple: “Master! My attire is worn out and is beyond the decency to wear the same. Can I get a new one, please.”

Buddha found the robe indeed was in a bad condition which needed replacement. He asked the store keeper to give the disciple a new robe to wear on. The disciple thanked Buddha and retired to his room. Though he met his disciple’s requirement, Buddha was not all that contended on his decision. He realized he missed out some point. A while after, he realized what he should have asked the disciple. He went to this disciple’s place and asked him “Is your new attire comfortable? Do you need anything more?”

Disciple: “Thank you Master. The attire is indeed very comfortable. I need nothing more”

Buddha: “Having got the new one, what did you do with your old attire?”

Disciple: “I am using it as my bed spread”

Buddha: “Then… hope you have disposed off your old bed spread”

Disciple: “No... no.. master. I am using my old bedspread as my window curtain”

Buddha: “What about your old Curtain?”

Disciple: “Being used to handle hot utensils in the kitchen”

Buddha: “Oh.. I see.. Can you tell me what did they do with the old cloth they used in Kitchen?”

Disciple: “They are being used to wash the floor.”

Buddha: “Then, the old rug being used to wash the floor…???”

Disciple: “Master, since they were torn off so much, we could not find any better use, but to use as a twig in the oil lamp, which is right now lit in your study room…”

Buddha smiled in contentment and left for his room.

If not to this degree of utilization, can we atleast attempt to find the best use of all our resources – at home and at office.. It becomes imperative in the critical time of Recession…

(Received this piece of Article from one of the Sadhakas)

Antardarshana

“tapah svadhyaye svara pranidhanani kriya yogah”

Many people think tapas means austerity and torturing one’s own self. People also imagine, tapas means that which people did in ancient ages – standing on one leg for years, immersing oneself in water, standing on thorny foot-rest etc. They were, in a way, tapas in the early ages. But, in the Kali Yuga, such kind of tapas is not helpful. For sadhakas like us, tapas means to close one’s eyes, look within oneself and find out what comes in the way of experiencing the bliss within. After identifying the obstacles, one has to create a dynamic counter energy within oneself to overcome such identified obstacles.. For example, if one is more talkative, the tapas would be to observe silence. If one is in the habit of bossing over, the tapas would be to not to boss over, but to become accommodative. If one overeats as a habit, the tapas is to eat in moderation.

If you sit with a bent back, the tapas here is sitting straight and standing straight. Every minute should become tapas for you. Don’t be under the impression that fasting is tapas. You just watch the kind of fasting people do. If you are in the habit of withdrawing from challenges with a feeling of “what to do” in helplessness, explore the possibilities of doing something positive. Once you create this kind of a positive attitude, you would really be happy. That is the effect of tapas.

The literal meaning of tapas is taapa, heat. That is, one should generate the requisite heat in him so that it burns away one’s negative tendencies, karmas, and vasanas. It is wise to attend to the habit patterns that are coming in the way of Sadhana and to continuously work on it. When you slowly, but consistently, work on them, the conditioned habit patterns would lose their power to dominate you and, in turn, you grow stronger. Such tapas would lead you to svaadhyaaya. Sva stands for self, adhyaaya for study. Many people mistake svaadhyaaya to studying scriptures. It really means that when one puts oneself in tapas, many reactions start coming up. As they come up, it gives an opportunity for one to study one’s reactions, as to wherefrom they come and why do they come. Let me tell you of my own experience. Sometime ago, I suddenly decided to observe silence. I asked the volunteers not to disturb me during my silence. I confined myself to a room, and the volunteers started discussing what to do next, because things were to be organized in my absence. Then, I heard them deciding to contact a particular set of people, whom I knew to be non-cooperating. There was an urge to tell them the truth by breaking the silence. The urge would come up to the lips, but my inner personality would remind me of my vow. I would keep quiet. After sometimes, again the urge would come with a vengeance, and again I would keep quiet.

This happened for nearly ten days and it was a terrible struggle. My mind started questioning the very purpose of my observing silence. My ego would say, “I am running the organization, and if I don’t work, the organization would die, and with its death my existence too would disappear.” The run of thoughts was like this. I began to study all these reactions. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that it is not because of me the things are moving, but they are moving as they would . I also understood that I am merely an instrument in the hands of divinity, and I should not have any attachment to the organization. In such a self-study, the Ishvara Pranidhaana happens. As I experienced a turmoil in me, I understood that I am merely an instrument of my Master who said “Bete, I am with you. You simply stay with your sadhana and I would do the rest.” This is the way of Kriya Yoga. Give importance to tapas and svaadhyaaya; then surrender happens on its own accord. You would start experiencing glimpses of the divinity. This would strengthen your faith in the divinity; this would also build a tremendous confidence in you.

May you succeed in your tapas.

Sri Pattabhiram

My "Sadhana Vidyala"

Namaste,

I'm CM Shrinidhi, studying class VI from Sadhana Vidyalaya.

On the ocassion of First Anniversary of Sadhana Sangama e-Newsletter, I would like to share few of my experiences about my school - Sadhana Vidyalaya.

I come from a rural background and children of my age group are fond of play and whiling away our time in the vast open areas. Schooling was never in our life. When Guruji uncle started Sadhana Vidyalaya, we came to know that schooling is fun too.

Presently, my school has up to standard 6th. Around 240 children are studying in my school. My school has a very peaceful and clean environment. The teachers are extremely polite and loving and they use easy methods to make us understand what is taught in class. We learn things through fun. My school has a play area wherein we have swings, sea-saw and open space for football and running around during play hours.

My school also has a vast open area wherein all children assemble and learn yoga. Its really fun learning all the yogasanas. we enjoy the yoga session with the teacher.

All children also sit in Meditation Hall and practice Meditation. Morning Prayers is also part of our daily schedule.

During lunch time, my school provides good, hygienic food to all children, teachers and other staffs. Myself and others relish the tasty food that is being served every day.

My school has 4 buses that brings us to the school from our homes. I enjoy my school because all the children spend our time like we do at our homes. I thank Guruji uncle for providing me this wonderful experience called Sadhana Vidyalaya.

With Love
CM Shrinidhi

Hello! How are you?...

VASHA-SHAVA-SHIVA

Our ancestors categorised days/moments for prayers, for personality development / transformation and for attaining the true Self within. The observance of such performance on a particular day / moment is called vrata. Shivaratri has been given a special importance to move from darkness to light.

Shiva means auspiciousness. In order to reach ‘Shiva state of being,’ we need to follow the process of attaining that. If you jumble the Sanskrit letters in shi-va, it can be combined to get the word va-shi, meaning ‘gripped by’ or ‘in the grip of’. We are in vasha, in the grip of certain things. Whose grip? One needs to ponder dispassionately in order to understand that. If you jumble the letters in va-sha, one can coin sha-va. Then, what is shava? What is Shiva? What is vasha?

If one observes one’s life-style, one would realise that everybody is in the grip of sensory organs. We are immersed in the grip of sensory pleasures. We have forgotten ourselves, as we are under the grip of desires, under the grip of greed. Our bonded life, filled with rajas, has made our life miserable. With the grace of the Lord, the Guru, the awareness of ‘I am none of these’, ‘my state is something else’ dawns on sadhakas often. When you are gripped by anger, when you are immersed in the depth of greed, when you are caught by passion, in those situations if you realise that ‘I am none of those’, ‘It is not my true nature’, then, you are in the ‘Shiva state of being.’

Who am I? Under whose grip am I? How did I enter those grips? Such thoughts would lead you to Shiva Consciousness. That is the state of Shiva. In order to attain the Shiva Consciousness, in order to identify that, the dance of prakriti attached to it should be stopped. The life engrossed with prakriti should cease to exist. Becoming ‘shava’ is that.

I need to become Shava, a corpse, in order to become Shiva. Shiva-Shakti means the combination of nature and consciousness. We are struggling to have harmony between within and without. We are trying to lead a happy life. We are not able to attain that. It is a tragedy. In order to be free from the dance of sensory organs, an awareness of ‘I am none of these’ is a must. We should also be aware that whatever happens is with the Grace of the Lord.

In order to attain the Shiva state of being, may we live in that awareness.

Finally, With this issue we have entering second year of publishing Sadhana Sangama E-Newsletter. We sincerenly believe that you have cherished the contents of this newsletters. Many seekers, who attended my programs wanted the contents of the programs they attended in a written form so that they could remind themselves of the path again and again. In a way, in the 12 issues brought out, we hope you could find out sections more relevant to you.

In service of Guru Parampara,
Sri Pattabhiram

Guru Poornima Celebration

Guru Poornima was celebrated at “Kala Yoga” Headquarter of Sadhana Sangama Trust with great enthusiasm. Sadhakas participated in the function with fervor and enthusiasm in large numbers.

On the occasion, Guruji spoke briefly about the importance and significance of Guru Poornima and taught us a new method of meditation on Guru. He said Gurupoornima is an important day wherein all sadhakas meet and pledge their faith and belief in the Guru Tatva and seek the blessings of the Guru and the Guru Parampara on the auspicious day.

Adhi Guru is Shiva. Shiva means auspicious light. Shiva Swaroopa is in our breathing in the form of “Soham”. This soham becomes mantra when awareness follows this breathing. Then it takes the form of energy – Hamsa. We should try to focus and stay with that divine light – shiva swaroopa.

In the Himalayan Tradition, the Gurutatva started with Hiranya Garbha – Golden Womb supposed to be Brahma’s Manasa Putra. From there on the Guru lineage is continuing through Aadhi Sesha and Vyasa without any break and working in the entire universe. Pujya Swami Rama is the recent link in our Tradition. This Guru Tatva takes the form of Guru with a definite Mission on earth and works, by joining and uplifting sincere souls that are interest to uplift themselves..

It is much easier for us when the Guru energy takes form of a human being, to see, relate, talk, discuss and communicate and get connected with that energy. When the Guru is not limited by the human form becomes the Mantra, the Mantra, then becomes the Devatha and all the three – Guru, Mantra & Devatha become one.

The emotion that obstructs in relating with the Guru energy should be given up. This message of the Masters should be remembered and reinforced within us by all of us on the occasion of Guru Poornima. .

Our experiences in the Sadhana & Mantra should translate into Bhakthi. This Bhakthi should become Shakthi – Strength and this Strength should become the weapon for destroying all the obstacles in the path of Sadhana. For this to happen we should create proper environment that will facilitate the Guru Kripa to flow uninterruptedly. We should become the magnet attracting the Guru Tatwa and for that there should be a clear and sustained transformation in our nature, habit pattern and attitude.

Anybody can invoke Guru Kripa, provided one strives sincerely for it to happen.

Life is a procession, a parade. Ups and downs are part of life. We have to seek the grace of the Guru to give us strength to retain our individuality and not be affected by the ups and downs of life.

The celebration ended with puja and arati to Guru Swami Rama and after partaking of Prasadam.

Discipline Means Self Commitment

You have to light your own lamp. No one will give you salvation. I am talking of enlightenment. All individuals have the responsibility to enlighten themselves. Do not think you cannot do it. You have that spark. You are fully equipped. You simply need to discipline yourself. Discipline is not a prison. It simply means practice.

Patanjali says that you have the capacity to unfold yourself and lead yourself to a state of tranquility. Then you will understand things as they are. Otherwise, you create darkness for yourself and you are not able to see things clearly. The human mind remains clouded because the external world does not provide correct data. In the external world everything is fleeting. The moment you want to study something in the external world, that thing changes its name and form and you cannot study it. First, you will have to remove the clouds of ignorance from your mind. When you have clarity of mind, then you can study things as they are, and there will be no confusion.

Thus, when Patanjali says, “Atha yoganush-asanam,” he means that if you really want to unfold yourself, you first should learn to discipline yourself. People are afraid of the word “discipline.” Discipline is not a punishment. You will enjoy it once you know it. Discipline means self-commitment. When you commit yourself to your progress, then slowly you will find that the light is within you. These external lights—the sun, moon, stars, and electric lights—are superficial lights. The Upanishads say again and again, “hiran-mayena patrena satyasyapihitam mukham, tat tvam pushann apavrinu satya dharmaya drishtaye.” (Isho-panishad 15). “The face of Truth is hidden by the golden disc. Oh Lord, help me so that I can see the Truth within.” You keep trying to find Truth in the external world, but it is not there. Those who have found Truth within themselves can express that same Truth in the external world, and they are considered to be great people.

The discipline you need to learn this science, to follow the path for the inward journey, is not the discipline that you already have. You have to understand this subtle point. You had to have discipline in the colleges and universities to study things in the external world and to verify things in the external world. Learning in the external world is entirely different from yoga discipline. In the external world you move. However, when you want to go to the deeper levels of your being, stillness is important. In all other journeys you have to move. In this journey you do not have to move at all. The Bible says, “Be still and know that I am God.” It is a simple formula, but very difficult to apply. From your childhood onward you are taught to move. Nobody teaches you how to be still. You have to learn not to move. “Anushasanam,” the discipline that you have to follow, you have not yet learned. Since it is a completely new undertaking, it seems difficult.

To learn yoga science, which leads you to the highest rungs of life, which takes you to the summum bonum of life, which leads you to the kingdom of wisdom, peace, and bliss, and which leads you to freedom from all pains and miseries, you first have to discipline yourself. In modern education there is enough knowledge, enough books, and enough freedom, but there is no training program for discipline. No one tells you how to study yourself or how to practice. Patanjali says this is not the way. That knowledge which you consider to be knowledge is not fruitful or helpful. First, learn to discipline yourself.

At any age, at any time, you can discipline yourself. It is not too late. You have to discipline yourself. Discipline is real learning. Learn to say no to yourself. Listen to that part of mind that tells you “no.” If you really want to practice, for some time don’t listen to that part of mind that says “yes.” If you understand “no” well, you will understand yes easily. When you want to steal something, mind says, “Don’t.” Another part of mind says, “Oh, yes. Come on, do it. You’ll enjoy it. You’ll like it. You should have it.” Don’t listen to the “yes.” Listen to “no” first. Tell yourself you’re not going to do that. You have to understand the impact of “no” and learn to use it with yourself and not with others. Never use the word no with others, with those with whom you live, or with those whom you love. Learn to use that no for yourself. This will give you strength.

Discipline should not be forced by teachers or by others. Patanjali says the whole foundation of samadhi is anushasanam. You have to understand the word “anushasanam” in a practical way. Discipline means to regulate yourself on three levels: mind, action, and speech. Determine that from today you will begin to discipline yourself. It is a simple thing. Do not make big plans or too many rigid rules for yourself. Start with small things: “I will wake up at four-thirty.” One simple rule. “After that, I will go to finish my ablutions and do my exercise. Exactly at five-thirty I will sit down in meditation.” Discipline yourself. If you do not have the zeal, vigor, and determination to discipline yourself, you cannot follow the path. When you have decided something, you need determination to act according to your decision. If you lack determination, you will not be successful, even though you have decided. If you have decided that you will practice yoga, that decision must be supported by determination. “Yes. I will practice it every day. The day I don’t practice, I will not eat.” The next day you will say, “I have to practice because I have to eat.”

When a student comes to a teacher he wants to see a miracle. You yourself are a miracle. How did Christ change water into wine? Only a perfect yoga master could do that. Do you know what Christ did? There was an essay contest on this topic among the writers of Britain when I was studying in Europe. One person answered the question in one line and he won the prize. The line was, “When the master looked upon the beloved, she blushed.” When Christ looked at the water, the water changed its color. Anything around you is subject to change according to the way you look at it. The day you understand this principle your entire environment can be changed if you are really disciplined. Do not blame nature, God, or others. Ninety-nine percent of your problems are self-created. You know it, though you do not accept it.

You say you cannot get enlightened, you can never see God. You have a desire to see God, yet you have no concept or understanding of what God is, so nothing is going to happen. You are searching for enlightenment in the external world, but that is not the way. Are you prepared for the journey from the grossest to the subtlest aspect of your being? Are you competent enough to discipline yourself on all levels? Can you practice? Are you prepared to know life within and without? If you are, come along. How will you do it? “Now, yoga science is being expounded.” What is that exposition? How can you create a bridge between the external and the internal? How can you understand all the mysteries of life here and hereafter? How can you understand your relationship with the universe? How can you understand the purpose of your life? All this will be explained, but first you should understand mind and its modifications.

- Swami Rama

(Extracted from sites.google.com/site/swamiramateachings)

Guru Poornima Day Meditation

July 7th, 2009 is a very auspicious day for a Sadhaka. It is “Guru Poornima Day”. It is a day for introspection, celebration and affirmation. Through introspection, let us remove the impurities of our inner sky and celebrate the benevolent presence of our inner Guru, shining in Chidaakaasha (sky filled with pure consciousness) at Sahasrara. Let us resolve on this day that the inner space will be always kept clean, transparent and radiant with the Guru intelligence. It is the day to experience joyous communion with the Guru within. Listen to Guru’s messages, which splash in the fathomless ocean of silence; decode the messages; use them as the guiding light to navigate in the confused stress-ridden world, which the man has created out of his selfish, greedy, ignorant, and arrogant behavior.

On the Guru Poornima day, please sit for a while in silence and ponder on how to experience the affectionate tender touch of the Master within. Here, I would like to share some clues with you. These are the clues which help you reach the treasure, in the game of treasure-hunt.

a. Sit quietly in your meditation posture
b. Chant the following mantra:

Hiranya-garbhaad-aarabdhaam
shesha-vyaasa-aadi madhyamaam
swaami-shree-raama paadaantaam
vande guru paramparaam

c. Focus your attention at the root of your nose and practice 21 rounds of sushumna pranayama.

d. Go to Sahasrara and practice 18 rounds of `Soham’ Pranayama (inhale with sound `So’ from Sahasrara to Mooladhara and exhale with 'Ham' from Mooladhara to Sahasrara. While practicing this pranayama, listen to the naada, the musical Anaahata naada (unstuck sound) of Soham (sah-aham), which means `That is me, That is me, That is me’.

e. Stay in Sahasrara and feel the blue sky of SILENCE, BLISS AND RADIANCE and listen to the voice of the Master during the moments of absolute stillness. Visualize a golden dot---the centre of silence, bliss and radiance---in the centre of your sahasrara. Let this golden dot be your Guru. Then let the following mantra reverberate in a spiral fashion around the golden dot in the Chidaakaasha at Sahasrara:

Om Shreem Hamsah Soham Abhaya Karunaananda Guru Chetase Namah

Chant for a minimum of 516 times. Then feel that the same spiral light is enveloping you and protecting you from all negative influences. Now, let this light permeate from you, in all directions, to protect the entire humanity.

f. Feel that you are shining like a bright star in the sky. You are the nucleus of an atom and all the movements of the world revolve around you like the electrons---the movements having no effect upon you. Feeling that deeply, with great reverence, conclude your meditation by offering humble salutations at the lotus feet of the Guru within.

g. End meditation with the following mantra:

Sarve bhavantu sukhinah
Sarve santu niraamayaah
Sarve bhadraani pashyantu
Maa kaschit duhkha bhaag bhavet

Suggestions:

• On the Guru Poornima day, select your comfortable time and practice this meditation at least for 40 minutes, either alone or with your family members.

• In different centers of the Sadhana Sangama Trust, I suggest the sadhakas get together and practice this meditation in the ambiance of Guru Festivity.

Hear the Mantra from Gurudev by clicking on 'Play' below:

Guru Poornima Blessing - Swami Rama

I pray to the divinity in you.

The day of Guru Poornima is considered to be the holiest day for the students of life, for those that have been treading the path of light, for those aspiring to attain enlightenment in this lifetime. They remember this day and celebrate it by becoming aware that the purpose of life is to attain enlightenment, this state of mind, internal state, that makes one free from all pains and miseries. So as you celebrate other days like Father’s Day, Mother’s day, this is a little bit different; it is very auspicious. The student mentally, religiously follows the spiritual teachings imparted by the tradition because the tradition is considered to be the highest. It is a tradition that follows truth that leads one to the highest peak of wisdom.

In our tradition there have been many, many sages. If you find any obstacles on the path, there will be help. Always you will be guided by the spiritual beings, those who watch your progress.

I want you to faithfully tread the path of light and life by doing your duties selflessly, lovingly and skillfully in the external world, and punctually meditate. Meditation is one method that helps you fathom the internal sates, those levels of life that are not normally understood by the human being. And in meditation you should be patient with yourself. You should gradually go ahead. Nothing is lost inside, everything is lost outside.

It is not external method; it is an internal method. It is a journey within you. When you go from your gross self to your subtlest self of life, when you know yourself, you can relate well to the world.

Don’t ever miss your meditation. Meditation is helpful in understanding yourself and knowing yourself. And the same meditation helps you in action in your daily life. While doing your duty in meditation, you remain aware of the Reality all the time.

This day is a day of determination. When you determine, you do your sankalpa, you decide that I will devote my time and energy towards enlightenment and that I will attain enlightenment in this lifetime. Determination is one of the greatest powers, gifts, given to the human being by Providence. That sankalpa shakti should not be broken, should not be scattered. The more your mind becomes one-pointed and inwards, the more you will find yourself. Sankalpa shakti, determination must be developed.

Be punctual. Learn to sit in meditation and do it systematically. See that your body is in a state of steadiness and is not uncomfortable. Learn not to move in meditation. Learn to have physical stillness first. Then make your breath serene without any noise, without any jerks, without any pause, and then you will find your mind becoming calmer. And whenever thoughts rush from the unconscious mind, learn to let go. This sort of introspection will lead you to a deeper state.

A day will come when you can go beyond the mire of delusion created by your mind, and you will have control. Meditation, contemplation and prayer should go hand-in-hand. I pray to the mighty Lord to help you. I pray that you all will be happy and enjoy, and let the flower of your life bloom so that you can serve one another and helps others. Enjoy all the time. Be happy. Learn to be happy.

Let me tell you something. If you learn to do human effort sincerely, then that ascended power suddenly comes in touch with descending power that is called Kripa, blessings, as the grace of God, the grace of the highest, the grace of the Absolute One.

So, human effort is Sadhana. It needs the grace of God. When you are doing your sadhana, you are bound to receive the grace from Providence, from the Highest Level.
May God Bless you. I love you. I will continue praying for your. That is my wish for the Guru Poornima Day.

I revere this day because I too have a Guru. The spiritual path can’t be tread with-out kripa, Guru’s graces. But if you want to have the Guru’s grace, you would have to have your own grace. You should make sincere efforts, and then the grace of God will come. Let you be graced today, the day which reminds you that you have to follow the path of enlightenment, loving all and excluding none. That is the way to the Divine.

Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi. May God bless you.

Summer Camp at Ashram

OUR EXPERIENCES AT SADHANA SANGAMA ASHRAM

Myself and my wife spent a few days in May 2009 in Sadhana Sangama Ashram to better understand and practise yoga for effective management of our health. The experience was very rewarding and we recommend it to all people who want to manage their life and health better. However, minor but essential improvements are needed at the systems and maintenance level at the Ashram, as the visitors may not be able to adjust to the environment.

Let me put first things first –

I have been practising yogasanas and have been propagating Yoga Nidra for the past several years for improving the health of people. I have introduced it in our companies for our workers and managers and in our Trust for our patients. I had my training in yoga from an early age through Bihar School of Yoga and the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi group who taught us very easy ways to meditate called Transcendental Meditation. The methods of both organisations are highly impressive and easy to follow. I have seen the practitioners even lifting themselves (If they are very well trained) and floating in air. Their systems are very effective.

However, I have not been able to graduate beyond this to a higher level and experience the true power of meditation. I used to get emotionally stressed with all my office work after meditation. I used to get angry quickly and agitated on small disturbances and wrong happenings. Possibly I must not have been meditating properly and had little time to go back to the Ashram and relearn. Things were alright as long as I meditated only for about 15 minutes. However, I continued to do yogasanas regularly. Yoga Nidra has always been a great energizer.

The programme at Sadhana Sangama under the guidance of Guruji opened my eyes. Suddenly I realized what was going wrong in my previous attempts to meditate deeply. Guruji guided us on the ways to deal with the Chakras and the Pranic energy associated with them. I also realized the true meaning of the statements in the Bhagwad Gita on Yoga. My wife practices both Asanas and meditation regularly now. I enjoyed the meditation inside the Guha (the cave), deeply dark and difficult to enter when you enter from the outside natural light. But after meditating there, one can easily see the light around, possibly because the eyes got used to the darkness and improved its light recognition capability.

Another thing that impressed and made us to come closer to the Sadhana Sangama was the way Guruji projected the teachings of Bhagwad Gita in terms of Karma Yoga and Yagnya. His explanations clarified quite a few things than what I had perceived as the meaning, quite a few years ago. These meanings match with the principles of management. Thanks once again.

Guruji highlighted that instead of talking just intellectually we must aim to experience the teachings. Our experiential knowledge has been taken farther by learning directly under Guruji. Many of the Japanese Holistic Management practices have similarity with this. Importantly, experiential realization is superior to intellectual. This is the true power of yoga.

Most important of all, we learnt to live close with nature and lead a life with all participants in community spirit. We also realized how easily one can practice yoga and meditation while being a good householder.

Guruji gave us a prayer for helping the world to become a better place of living. We all must daily pray so that the economic condition improves throughout the world and job security and mental poise of the modern youth is protected and not allowed to get highly stressed, driving them in wrong directions.

With infinite thanks to Guruji and his wife, and prayers for the happiness and well being of all who studied with us.

- K S Madhavan

Grace Navigate through Crisis

Dear Sadhaka,

Blessings from the Masters of unbroken lineage of love-light, wisdom and bliss.

I have been receiving shocking calls from our students about losing jobs, insecurity, trauma, health break-down, differences in the family relationships etc. Naturally, my concern deepened in the depth of prayer during meditation. The Divine Mother, through our Gurudev, has blessed a powerful mantra of a wonderful combination of Ganapati- Hanuman-Sarasvati-Lakshmi, with a yantra too. I am sharing this with all our sadhakas.

Please follow the method of meditation given here and freely share the message to the entire mankind going through the crisis. (click on the image below for better viewing)

Meditation sequence:

- Sit in a comfortable posture with back, neck and head along the same straight line.

- Travel through the body and relax.

- Focus on your heart centre and breathe deeply 12 times as if you are breathing only to your heart -- Anahata Pranayama.

- Focus on Guru Chakra, just above the space between the two eye-brows. Feel the presence of your Gurudev and seek the blessings.

- Focus on your heart centre and experience the yantra given.

- Feel the bright yantra and mentally worship and offer pranams.

- Chant the Mantra with the meaning and the feeling for 108 times (you can chant any number all through the day).

- Conclude with a prayer as below (click on the image below for better viewing)

After the prayer, experience as if you are receiving special blessings from Divine Mother in the form of Confidence-Intelligence-Harmony.

Stretch both the hands out and generously share this benevolent energy with one and all, who are going through the crisis.

Let us do this practice individually, as family, or in group and build up the energy field to ward-off all the negative effects of the crisis. Keep in touch with me and when we cross over the crisis, let us conclude this practice with a collective homa, offering the mantra again back to the Divine Mother.

Dear Sadhaka, this is a special message received from the Masters to save the sincere sadhakas from the ill-effects of the economic crisis. Please practice with devotion, dedication and heart-full of Divine love. Let the bright energy radiate and bring solace to the ailing mankind.

Those who would like to take up this practice, please inform us at Email ID: sadhanasangamatrust@yahoo.co.in for further guidance and to inform you about participating in the homa so that you will receive homa prasada of this Anushtthana.

Please circulate this to as many friends/relatives or needy persons as possible.

With Yogic Fragrance
Sri Pattabhiram

(for exact pronunciation of the above Mantra hear it from Guruji's voice by clicking on 'Play' below)

Gabcast!