By
unfolding your Inner potentialities through ‘Astanga Yoga’
What is this camp all
about:
The life of any living being is primarily guided by its intelligence. The
purpose of life is to expand & sharpen the Intelligence and make the
intelligence a powerful tool to face the challenges of life. This intelligence
is a combination of intelligence from within and that acquired from outside.
The intelligence that is there within is pure and profound and therefore no
need to do anything with that. However, there is a problem with the
intelligence that is acquired from outside.
Intelligence
acquired from outside includes our memories, opinions, prejudices, etc. When
these are active, the intelligence that is there within gets suppressed and
is not being allowed to manifest. Therefore, our conscious effort should be
to make the inner intelligence shine with brilliance and radiance. This can
be achieved by ‘Chitta Vritti Nirodaha’.
Maharishi Patanjali
has not only identified this problem but has also given us a solution in the
form of Ashtanga Yoga– 8 fold yogic approach for Chitta Vritti
Nirodaha. It is an evolved yogic science that covers both the physical as
well as psychological dimensions in a human being. Ashtanga yoga is a
beautifully graded holistic approach to understand purify and expand that
intelligence so that it becomes a powerful tool in creating a complete life
full of health, happiness & harmony.
Request: Friends Guruji
will be taking us all through Practical Sadhana of Ashtanga Yoga as practiced and taught by the
Himalayan Masters to make the intelligence within to express itself in our
daily lives. As you all are aware, our Guruji haven’t done any program for
more than a year and hence he doesn't want us to miss his lectures this time around!
Just book your
tickets and land up in Ashram for the camp and leave the rest to the
Parampara. Kindly confirm your participation by this week through contact
number provided below:
Further Info:
Venue
Kanva Reservior Road, 4th K.M., Sriramapuri,
Kanva Post, Kannamangala Village, Channapatna
Taluk, Ramnagar District (Bangalore Rural),
Karnataka – 562108, INDIA
Contact:
Mr.
Sanket +91-7760555918
Other Sessions that are part of Camp:
Sessions
on Yoga , Pranayama, Meditation, Guest lectures etc.
I am extremely happy to tell you that construction of 8 new classrooms at Sadhana Vidyalaya has completed, out of which 4 classrooms are built under the sponsorship of NTPC Ltd. and remaining 4 classrooms built with the humble support of Sadhakas. Classrooms have come up in an aesthetic way, in perfect synchronization with the natural environment in which the school is built.
Now, Sadhana Vidyalaya’s immediate need is to build a Toilet Block for the school children and staff. As in the case of many rural schools of India, our school too lacks the basic facilities like toilet blocks for about 300 young girls, 400 boys and 50 staff members in our school. The entire nation is thankful to our Hon’ble Prime Minister, who has created awareness and appealed to Corporate Sector to allocate the financial resources under CSR this year mainly for construction of toilet blocks as envisaged under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. We are thankful to NTPC Ltd. that they are extending their financial support for the construction of Waterless Toilet Blocks in Sadhana Vidyalaya.
After the construction of these classrooms, School also needs a place for children to assemble for Morning Prayer, organizing functions and other group activities. Hence, preserving the beauty of the school building and serene environment around the school, we have started the construction of an Open Air Theatre. This Open Air Theatre can be used for multi-purpose activities. Since lot of planning and investment has to be done to preserve the trees around; this construction will cost Rupees around 5 Lakhs to complete.
Sadhana Sangama is a charitable trust and the donation/contribution to the Trust is exempted under IT section 80G. Hence we appeal to all for the continued support which you have been providing us all through this journey.
Eagerly awaiting to meet you all in the upcoming Summer Camp which starts from 17th May 2015.
With love,
Jyothi & Pattabhiram
Open Air theater under construction pics:
School construction under watchful eyes of our Guruji
"Hi Bansuri!, I have not seen you here for quite some time, what happened, all well" ? asked Sankara with smiling eyes.
"Well Sankara!, I had gone into an oblivion state that I decided to take a brief brake" ?
"Oblivion state? What do you mean by that"?
"Haven’t you heard players in sports take some rest in between by skipping few matches and come back after they feel fit"?
"Yes that’s sound valid for sports, so"?
"In same way, I thought I will take some break in Spirituality Phase and now I am back"!
"What nonsense are you talking Bansuri? BREAK in Spirituality!!!, are you OK"?
"Yes!, I am. I was so active in my daily life that I couldn't take some time out for spirituality, so I thought let it wait… "
"Hahaha, I have never seen such a fool like you Bansuri…"
"Why you say so"?
"First you are comparing your so called 'Spirituality Phase' to Sports. Second you think you have put in so much efforts all these days, that you wanted a break for yourself. Come on Bansuri! give me a break…!"
"….."
"There are so many great human souls in the world who are in search of real "Self’ for many life’s together without giving a break yet not giving up. But your ‘Ego’ feels you have done enough in this few years of your spiritual association that you felt like having a break!. Now I feel like breaking your bones…!"
"Eh! Sankara! Cool. I felt I was so occupied in my daily family & professional needs that I really didn't get time for this…"
"Well..Well..!, for people like you, I would like to share Swami Rama' small clip from YouTube for people who say they don’t have time in the World. Ah! Here it is..."
(Both Sankara & Bansuri together watch the video on Sankara's mobile)
"Bansuri!, you are fortunate enough to get a place along with other sadhaka’s in the bus which is driven with all love & kindness by our Guruji to take all of us to the right destination. If you feel that you are getting over burdened or doesn't like the bumpy rides or feeling suffocation inside the bus and if you wish to get down, then please remember your action may even end in waiting for many more years or life’s to get another bus like this! It’s your call my friend…!"
"Sankara! Are you are threatening me...?"
"No! certainly not. Who am I to threaten you? As a friend, I am suggesting you what I feel right. It's up to you to take it or not. All I am saying is, don't lose the golden opportunity that is in front of you".
"Yaar! Don’t confuse me with too many concepts. OK!, that video was cool and I accept there is nothing like taking a break from Spiritual search".
"That's like my friend. Remember it’s all the play of your own mind playing tricks on you. That’s the reason why it is good to be in Satsang so that you don’t deviate from your path".
"I am lucky to get you Sankara…!"
"OK, OK! Stop this… so how’s is life otherwise"?
"It’s going on in routine path beating around the bush. Leave that, I am now curious to hear the continuation of the story about Jayadeva that you were telling me…"
"Hmm.. so you still remember that? Do you even remember whatever I have told you so far"?
"I guess so..!"
"Its OK!, even if you don’t you can scroll up and find the previous episodes to get yourself recollected….and so let me continue from where I left..."
"There lived a king by name ‘Sathvik’ in the city of Jagannath. He also like Jayadev had so much of love & affection towards Lord Narayana. The king with his knowledge towards poetry writing made a wishful thinking & desire to compose poems on the lord similar to 'Gita Govind'. But it did not stop with that. He also wished his fellow countrymen & people should sing his songs as part of their daily ritual to the lord instead of any other in particular Jayadeva's 'Gita Govind'.
Contrary to his desire, he found his people praising Jayadeva’s Gita Govind more than his own hymns. By his power & authority, he made sure that his songs alone are sung in the temples. Fearing to his orders, people without any real interest, were outwardly mumbling his songs in the temples but deep inside they were singing Sage Jayadeva’s Gita Govind with pure ecstasy.
One day when he visited the temple with his close alliance, he saw pundits contrary to his orders, were chanting ‘Gita Govind’ instead of his own written chants. With loud thundering voice, he ordered to stop it immediately. The king then asked:
“Even I have written beautiful songs on Lord Hari, but still why you all are so persistent in rendering only Jayadeva’s sloka’s in front of the lord”?
One of the surroundings who was brave enough came forward and replied:
“Oh your Majesty, you have composed a book which is pleasing to yourself and have put it in equality with that of Jayadev. But don’t you know it is not wise to praise your own work in your own lips? Moreover asking all of us to memorize and sing only that song in front of the lord, isn’t it a sin”?
Now one more joined and said:
"Oh King, don’t you know anything given by force like knowledge, service, mantra, skill or a particular Guru will have no value"?
"So you mean to say that my work is inferior compared to Jayadeva’s composition"? King asked in angry tone
"Oh King! We are not here to argue. When we sing jayadeva’s Ashtapathi, we get peace deep inside, the Bhakti flows so naturally in us" replied one of the people gathered there.
"So you have decided to ignore my work, that’s the outcome of this discussion. OK! Let me propose a solution to this", said the king.
The people gathered in there were looking with eager eyes & ears to know what new solution or problem the King is going to bring now to the city of Jagannath!
"OK Bansuri! It’s time up now, we will see tomorrow.."
"Eh! wait Sankara! please tell the rest and go, I still have few minutes..."
"I fear if I tell the whole story, you may want to take another break in your so called Spiritual search. I am not going to allow that to happen, so you better wait and come again, we will certainly continue…"
"OK! , who can argue with you, bye Sankara, have a good time ahead..."
-'Bansuri'
verse from Gita Govind
(Story of Sri Jayadev inspired from 'Maha Bhakta Vijaya'. Poem extracts are from the book 'Sri Gita Govinda')
Dear All, on the occasion of Mahasivratri on 17th of February 2015, let us make Sankalpa of
doing our Sadhana fearlessly and at same time with full harmony..
Do your sadhana with full dedication and with full belief
on Guruparampara. Everybody is blessed.
With blessings & love
Jyothi & Pattabhiram
Guruji performing abhisheka to Lord Mrityunjaya at Sadhana Dhama
Practice:
1. Assume a comfortable posture. Keep the body
still till the end of the practice. Relax the body completely.
2. Focus on Sushumna for 3 minutes.
3. Come to Guru Chakra. Feel the presence of Swami Rama. Meditate there with the special mantra (minimum 1 mala
– 108 times)
“OM HREEM GURUDEVAAYA NAMAHA”
Seek the blessings of Baba.
4. Come to Ajna Chakra. Feel the presence of
Lord Shiva in the form of Jet Black Shivalinga surrounded by Blue Light indicating Health, Harmony and Bliss.
5. Meditating on the Shivalinga in Ajna chakra,
chant 108 times Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra.
Om Thrembhakam Yajaamahey Sugandhim Pushti
Vardhanam
Oorvaa ruka miva bandhanaan
Mrityoar Muksheeya Maa Amrutaath
Mrityunjaya Mantra
6. After completing, come out of meditation by chanting the prayer –
Meditate on "Newness" (Nava) in the "Dark Nights" (Ratri)
Navaratri is a festivity of nine (Nava) nights when the Divine vibrations of Great Mother – Lalitha is in the highest sensitivity filled with compassion to grace every soul to embark upon the spiritual journey during these nine days.
Most of the time the whole life looks bleak filled with despair, confusion, conflict and occasionally rare moments of joy. Such a mechanised, dull and burdensome life lacks purpose. We have to break this cycle of monotonous un-rhythmic days and nights and create space within for the transformation to happen.
Divine Mother Lalitha the brightest charming light, the treasure of knowledge, the essence of absolute freedom, the grace of prosperity, harmony and enthusiasm is the centre which is “New”, “Fresh” and “Ever expanding filled with joy”. This eternal sacred centre should be our hope, refuge and guide in the dark nights of our journey.
Let us invoke the benevolent grace of Newness - Lalitha filled with grace, rhythm and wisdom. Let us connect with that centre - Lalitha firmly by doing Navaratri Anushtana. (Sep 24th - Oct 3rd)
May you and your family be blessed by Divine Mother.
With yogic fragrance
Pattabhi & Jyothi
Practice Sequence:
1. Assume a comfortable posture. Keep the body still till the end of the practice.
2. Relax the body completely.
3. Focus on Sushumna for 3 minutes.
4. Come to Guru Chakra. Feel the presence of Bhole Baba (Swami Rama). Meditate there with the special mantra (8 times)
“OM HREEM GURUDEVAAYA NAMAHA”
Seek the blessings of Bhole Baba.
5. Come to Anahada Chakra (Heart). Feel the presence of Divine Mother in her blissful, graceful and benevolent form.
6. Meditating on The Mother, Chant a minimum of 108 times everyday.:
"Om Aim Hreem Shreem Lalitha Maha Tripurasundaryai Namaha "
(ओम एम ह्रीं श्रीम ललिता महात्रिपुरसुन्दर्यै नमः )
7. Chant with intent feeling that Divine Mother is present and remember the meaning and the message above.
8. After completing japa, come out of meditation by chanting the prayer:
SUNSAT 12 was conducted by Guruji himself on August 17, 2014 at Prof.Iyerji's residence. Guruji emphasized mainly on Saakshi Bhaava i.e., whatever is happening to you and through you is not YOU. Meaning, the processes are happening but you are not the process. What we have to do is to just detach ourselves from the process and look at the process.
Satsang with Guruji Pattabhiram
Satsang with Guruji Pattabhiram
Full audio of Guruji's discourse can be downloaded from here:
SUNSAT 13 went on as usual. We wanted to play Gurudev's audio and follow the instructions. But since the audio was not available on time for the SATSANG we continued with the old format.
SUNSAT 14: We could get the audio of Gurudev and we played it and followed the instructions. Gurudev suggested us to do Sumeru Dhyana till November, 2014. Accordingly we prepared an audio file of Gurudev's Sumeru Dhyana programme. It is about 50 minutes and the remaining 10 minutes we chanted Hanuman Chalisa and dispersed. We will stick to this format till November, as suggested by Gurudev.
The group felt happy as we were all guided by the voice of Gurudev for 50 minutes.
Guruji has reached US safely and he would be travelling to following places in Canada & US for public programmes. You may please share these details with your family & friends in these locations to attend the program & get benefited. For any query regarding program details, venue, times etc., respective location coordinators provided below can be contacted.
As
Jyothi Maa was in Delhi the 11th SUNSAT was led by Amma.
Sadhakas
assembled at the house of Shri Vasanth Pandey and the Satsanga was slightly
advanced to 7 am as yesterday was Raksha Bandan.
The
group was given guided meditation by Amma using Tattawa Shuddhi technique,
which was enjoyed by all.
After
the meditation Amma briefly touched upon the significance and need for
Satsanga.She said:
“Left
to ourselves, we will not be disciplined to do the practices given by the
Spiritual Masters. Therefore, we need to come together as a group, at least
once in a week, to do the practices taught. It is the Grace that delivers us.
No doubt. But that should not be construed to convey that no human effort is
needed in the evolution of a human being.
Satsang with Jyothi Ma
The
fruits of whatever action we have done in the past (here past includes
countless previous births also) has to be enjoyed by us. It is here that the
faith of a disciple in the Guru will be tested and it is quite possible that
the disciple move away from the Guru. Because, when the disciple undergoes his
/ her karmas and feel helpless, and feels that no help is forthcoming from the
Guru, who is looked upon as nothing but God, the natural tendency is to move
away. But remember for a fact that it is the Guru’s Grace which is unseen that
acts as the protecting hand in the most trying circumstances of a disciple’s
life.
This
may sound very simple and insignificant when put in words and the mind will say
that I will never move away from my Guru and I am totally devoted to him; but a
disciple should understand that these trying moments will shake the faith to
the core. It is only Satsanga that will come to the rescue of a disciple during
such a phase.
The
hallmark of any Spiritual Master, if you observe carefully, is love and
compassion. These are the traits of Sattva Guna. Till such time a Sadhaka
attains this trait of Sattva Guna, i.e., love and compassion, the sadhaka has
not perfected his / her sadhana and he / she needs to be in the company of
spiritual aspirants – Satsangis.
For
the above two reasons Satsanga is a must for every spiritual aspirant. The word
‘Sat’ in Satsanga refers to the Sattva Guna of Spiritual Masters that I
referred to above.
In
the Siddha Tradition (Himalayan Tradition is also a Siddha Tradition) the Guru
does nothing and the disciple also does not do anything. Both Guru and disciple
simply sit together and do nothing. But the fundamental criteria for a person
to be accepted as disciple is unconditional surrender to the Guru. Then, in
that doing nothing, everything happens through the Guru.
Satsung with Jyothi Ma
Satsanga
is one such occasion where the Guru and the disciple sit together, doing
nothing, but allowing everything to happen for the spiritual upliftment of the
disciple.
Therefore,
it is my earnest request that please do not ignore the Satsanga. You somehow or
the other find time, one hour, for this activity and it is my promise that you
are going to experience progress in your spiritual sadhana.”
With
this affirmation the Satsanga concluded with a happy note.
It
rained heavily during the afternoon because of which the evening was cloudy but
it was humid and sultry.
Jyothi
Madam started today’s session by explaining very briefly about the 36 tattwas
of which we are made up of. She was telling that there is no need to go deep in
to all the 36 tattwas and it is enough if we have a broad idea of what they
are. (Please see chart below for reference)
36 Tattwas - Tattwa Shuddhi
As
she was explaining about the Tattwas I was wondering the perfect hierarchy that
functions within us and how, if there is disturbance at any level, whether the
lower level of the hierarchy or the higher, the entire system gets disturbed.
It is a wonderful management principle and if we learn to become a good manager
of our inner being, I am sure we will be excellent managers in the outside
world !
I
was wonderstruck when I realized the spread of Tattwa Shuddhi starting from the
grossest tattwa till the Ishwara tattwa in us. Just imagine then how important
it is for us to do Tattwa Shuddhi if we are really serious to know who we are
beyond the body–mind–intellect combine.
Every
day when we do tattwa shuddhi all the 36 tattwas gets cleansed. We will not be
touching individually each and every one of the 36 tattwas while practicing. We
will be using only 5 yantras and the corresponding 5 bheejakshara mantras. But
with this 5 we will be cleansing all the 36 tattwas.
Madam
was explaining even when we touch the Ishwara Tattwa, that state is not 100%
pure state. But with human effort we can reach only up to that state and beyond
that it is purely Grace that has to work for the Mega Merger to happen. Mega
Merger of the Jivaatma with Paramaatma. This Mega Merger will be possible when
Shiva and Shakti commune with each other and this communion happens purely by Shiva’s
Iccha Shakti.
With
this background Madam took us all through the practice session. During today’s
practice Madam was taking us through the yantra – mantra practice taught on the
first day but today she taught us to merge one tattwa into the other. For
example, we start with the Prthvi Tattwa and ascend to Aakasha Tattwa and after
that we again come back to Prthvi Tattwa and move up to Aapa Tattwa and in Aapa
Tattwa we merge the Prthvi Tattwa. From Aapa Tattwa we move up and come to Agni
Tattwa and staying in Agni Tattwa we merge Aapa Tattwa (remember Aapa Tattwa is
now Prthvi + Aapa). Then we move to Vaayu Tattwa and in Vaayu Tattwa we merge
the Agni Tattwa (Agni Tattwa is Agni + Aapa + Prthvi) and finally we merge all
the Tattwas into Aakasha Tattwa. This way we dissolve all the Tattwas into
Aakasha Tattwa.
Madam
was telling that Guru is part of Aakasha Tattwa. Staying in Aakasha Tattwa we
have to let ourselves loose. From here it is an unpiloted journey and from here
on Guru takes charge of us.
Jyothi Ma on Tattwa Shuddhi
Jyothi
Madam summed up Tattwa Shuddhi and remarked that 3 days is practically
impossible to impart Tattwa Shuddhi but she somehow completed the syllabus. But
during practice we could experience ‘no mind’ state when we merged all the
Tattwas into Aakasha Tattwa and suspended ourselves there in Aakasha Tattwa. It
was a wonderful experience to be in a state where you can listen to the
instructions, and your mind follows it, yet you realize that you are not
putting any effort in listening or following the instructions. You are simply
observing that these things are happening in you, including the observation
that you are observing !! This may sound confusing when expressed in words but
Tattwa Shuddhi definitely bestows this state to the practitioner.
Today Jyothi Madam started the lecture by helping
the participants to understand how rich our Indian culture is and how sad it is
that we are losing touch with them rapidly.
She said,
We all think that religion, rituals, spirituality,
etc., they are all different from each other. But in reality they all lead to
one source, i.e., Tantra.
Our Masters were so advanced, they realized that
the ways of the mind are innumerable and therefore devised many methods and
ensured that the mind is not allowed to escape from the reality which is that
we are nothing but the Primordial Energy. Primordial Energy is nothing but
Spanda (In Kashmiri Saivism) or Vibrations.
Tattwa Shuddhi - Jyothi Ma
As we have seen yesterday, Tattwa Shuddhi employs
Mandala (Idol worship), Yantra (abstract images using lines like square,
triangle, circle, etc.) and Mantra (potential sound vibrations) to clean
ourselves. This cleaning is essential if meditation has to happen us.
Meditation can happen only when we can train our body and mind to be still and
observe itself. This sitting still is a struggle for us because we are not able
to come out of body consciousness and the mind is scattered and is on the move,
like mercury. Very difficult to consolidate and hold it in a place.
Masters say, begin from where you are. Many
interpretations can be assigned to this statement, all of them rightly so. But
the most relevant interpretation got revealed to me (it is the understanding of
the writer of this report and hence subjective) today when Jyothi Madam
explained the effect of Tattwa Shuddhi. Tattwa Shuddhi starts with the energy
vibrations that we have at present and helps us to gradually cross over
different energy levels and finally experience the vibrations within us that
matches the vibrations of the Primordial Energy – merging with GOD. It is here
that the seer and the seen becomes one. Our energy vibrations becomes one and
identical with the cosmic vibrations. It is not so now because there is an
imbalance due to impurities. Through Tattwa Shuddhi when we start cleansing,
our energy vibrations attains equilibrium and starts unfolding its true and
pure potential. Suddenly and instantly the realization occurs that we are in no
way different from that Cosmic Consciousness !
Tattwa Shuddhi involves visualisation and
imagination, yantra and mantra. When we apply these on different parts of our
body what happens in reality is that unconsciously and without much effort our
mind crosses the barrier of body, meaning that we are no more conscious of our physical
body but at the same time we are aware of what we do using our body. This, in
other words, means that our consciousness shifts from the gross physical body
and touches another dimension that we have i.e., energy vibrations.
Yes, this actually happened when we practiced the
application of yantra and mantra, with visualisation and imagination on our
body, we no more experienced the physical body but the subtler level of
vibrations. When we chanted the mantra associated with each yantra, different combinations
of energy had different effects on the energy patterns in our body.
The mind was so focussed during the practice,
without consciously forcing it to stay with what we are doing, it simply was
doing its job like the fragrance simply gets carried away by the air.
Jyothi Madam said, it is my promise that if you do
this practice regularly, soon you will learn how to overcome your body
consciousness within seconds,
whenever you sit for meditation.
This is what Madam was referring to yesterday when
she said sharpening the perception. The mind was spot on, on what it was
assigned to do without anything distracting or disturbing it. This state is
referred to as ‘Atha’ by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutra. Atha means staying in the
present without the interference of past or future. When we learn to prolong
this Atha and make it an effortless happening in us, we are in meditation.
This Atha is a sure result when we start
practicing Tattwa Shuddhi.
Madam had a word of caution for us which is that
this practice has to be done with Bhavana, complete emotion (not sure whether
this is the appropriate English equivalent for Bhavana). Intelligence has no
role to play. If intelligence shows up during this practice, then this method
will not work, however hard one may try.
Madam shared the beauty and purpose behind the
culture of temples and the innumerable Gods that we have and how they are
related to this Tattwa Shuddhi. Since we are focussing in this programme on a
particular technique of doing Tattwa Shuddhi, I am not providing the gist of it
here apprehending it may take away the focus of the reader from what is being
shared through mandala, yantra and mantra technique.
