Shri Pattabhiram at Arya Samaj Mississauga

Shri Pattabhiram at Arya Samaj Mississauga! Presentation on Antar Dharshan (Science of knowing oneself) and Family Harmony. 

Part 1 of 3

Part 2 of 3.

Part 3 of 3.

Guruji - US & Canada Tour details

Dear All,

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.

Guruji Pattabhiram

Guruji’s Itinerary 2014:

Aug 18 – 27 (JACKSONVILLE)

Padma Sikaria - Ph: 904 471 3040

Sep 3 - 12 (MINNEAPOLIS)

Shivani & Vidyotham - Ph: 763-221-9281

Sushmi - Ph: 612 710 2453

Sep 13 – Oct 3 (Toronto)

Vijay Muthukrishnan / Bhanu - Ph: 905 591 2382

Leena / Sanjiwan Bhole - Ph: 416 221 6626

Oct 4 – Oct 5 (Kincardine)

Kalpana Pandita Rao - Ph: 519 396 9874

Oct 6 – 16 (CALGARY)

Murugavel Kannan - Ph: 587 586 1500

Oct 6 – 16 (COLOMBUS, GEORGIA)

Dr. Ramesh Rao - Ph 706 478 0570

Oct 20 – Nov 5 (NEW JERSEY)

Suresh Paliwal - Ph: 732 274 9068

Vinod & Neelam Chaudhry- Ph. 732-906-9795

Subhadra Mattai - Ph: 732 887 7188

Jai Gurudev, Vande Guruparamparam...

Guruji & Amma US & Canada Tour details

Guruji & Amma in US & Canada

Dear All,

Guruji & Amma would be travelling to following places in US & Canada for public programmes. You may please share these details with your family & friends in these locations to attend the program & get benefitted. For any query regarding program details, venue, times etc., respective location coordinators provided below can be contacted. 

Place	Date	Contact
Minneapolis	Aug 16-23	Vidyotham - 763-420-6565
St Louis	Aug 23-29	Kumuda - 314 395 2584
Toronto	Aug 30 - Sep 3	Vijay - 905 591 2382
Vancouver	Sep 4-8	Prasad Karanth -778-985-6704, 604 999 9325
Calgary	Sep 9-22	Murgavel - 403 919 2506
Toronto	Sep 23-26	Vijay - 905 591 2382
Ottawa	Sep 27-29	Vijay - 905 591 2382
Kincardine	Oct 1-4	Kalpana Pandit Rao - 519 396 9874
Toronto	Oct 5-14	Vijay - 905 591 2382
London, Canada	Oct 15-17	Mohan Khandekar - 519 660 1183
Chicago	Oct 18-20	Anil Saigal - 847 765 6525
Milwaukee	Oct 21-23	Himalayan Yoga & Meditation - 414-273-1621
Pittsburgh	Oct 24-27	Dr.Srinivas - 724 327 3277
New Jersey	Oct 28 - Nov 8	Suresh Pauliwal - 732 274 9068
Washington DC	Nov 9 - Nov 11	Kusuma Bhimesh - 703-464-7932

Jai Gurudev, Vande Guruparamparam...

Sadhana Sangama Public Program - New Delhi

Guruji & Ma would be visiting New Delhi on 25th July, 2013 and they have kindly accepted to conduct two public programs this time before they leave for US & Canada. Please find below the program details. Kindly share and invite all your family & friends to this free program and get benefited. 

Himalayan Kriya for Rejuvenation

Concept of Dhaaana

Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara - Day3 update

Guruji started the session by explaining how the Upadesa Sara came into existence. He remembered a great tamil poet by name Muruganar who lived when Ramana Maharshi was in his physical body. Guruji also narrated the incident between these two that made Ramana to create Upadesa Sara on request of Muruganar.  Guruji then gave lot of importance & significance to one’s own Sadhana and how we can relate Ramana Maharshi’s Upadesa Sara with our individual Sadhana. Below is the brief synopsis of Day 3 program.

Guruji's talk on Ramana's Upadesa Sara

When you start contemplating on Ramana’s Upadesa Sara, it gives the essence of Atma Gyana (Self Knowledge).  In the name of Meditation or Sadhana people have become lazy & lousy people by condemning the outside world and stopped working in the external world. However if you see, All great masters, they work continuously 24 hours non-stop. If you are a true meditator, every cell in your body should charge with enthusiasm. If that transformation is not in us, then it means there is no Atma Gyana. If we are struck with the act of irresponsibility by not taking care of our health, body & family, there is no Atma Gyana in us. 

Guruji then recollected the first sloka from Ramana Maharshi’s Upadesa Sara. Whatever happening is at the will of the karthu only. Without karthu, no activity, no action, no effort can take place. So one has to find out who is this karthru? How to find out? One should start from negating the false karthru’s. After beautifully explaining this, Guruji then moves on the 2nd Sloka of Upadesa Sara:

Krithi mahodadhau pathana kaaranam
Phalam asaashvatham gathi nirodhakam

Krithi mahodadhau – One action takes me to next action, one krithi is taking us to another krithi. It has become like addiction.

Pathana Kaaranam – Where is one failing miserably? Ramana says Krithi mahodadhau. Find out yourself how you are adding activities after activities. Any desire we create, we have to maintain them, and for the same maintenance, we are building up another set of activities. Go back to your life and analyze how we are expanding and how we are behind activities after activities.

Phalam asaashvatham  –  All our identification are with the krithi’s which are not permanent. They are temporary in nature. Since it is temporary, it leads me to frustration. Any pleasure or any emotions are all temporary. Anything which is impermanent, it is like a speed breaker, it blocks you and it does not make you to proceed further. Deep inside there is a seeking for something permanent and we are going in search of that in external world. The outside world does not give anything which is permanent. So the very seeking gives us the frustration, dejection, depressed etc. Every experience is creating extended dissatisfaction in me. This is creating another karthru called 'craving'.

If you do your Sadhana sincerely, you would realize 70% of the things that are in our home are nothing useful to our path of Sadhana. But do we have the guts to throw them out? Who is creating this kind of web and getting caught & suffocating in the web? It’s all because we have not identified the karthru.

Do your 'Sadhana'

The problem with most of us is that we don’t wake up and we don’t want to wake up, that is the crux. We are not interested to know the original karthru. So what needs to be done? Guruji now moves on the 3rd Sloka of Upadesa Sara:

Ishwara arpitam na icchayaa kritam
Chitta shodhakam mukti sadhakam

Guruji says, Ramana is suggesting a Sadhana for all of us. What is that?  Ishwara arpitam. If you are not able to find out the true karthu, Ramana says, you feel there is something called Ishwara, and you feel this Ishwara is very affectionate, respectable & revered personality. Guruji says, you keep working in the external world, after performing every activity, you offer them to Ishwara. Before starting an activity, you feel that you are doing this to please the Ishvara.

For e.g. if Guruji is coming to your house, your every action/ selection / attitude is guided by Guruji and you do everything for Guruji. You don’t prepare something which you like it; you prepare something which you think Guruji likes it. Another good example is 'Sabari' in Ramayana. Every day, while getting up in the morning, it is 'Lord Rama', the day starts with the thought that my Rama is going to come today; every activity of hers was on Rama. In the night, if Lord Rama does not come, she says to herself, “OK, I know my Rama might be busy, he may come tomorrow, whatever I have done today, let me take it as a Prashada from my Lord Rama". 

Guruji puts a question to us, Is it possible for us to develop that feeling in us?

Guruji says, Every action is completely guided by that which you respect the most. So here, if Ishwara is everything for me, I do everything to please my lord. Here our Gurudev Shri Pattabhiram shared about his personal Sadhana that is given by His Gurudev, Swami Rama of Himalayas. "Selfless Service" is the sadhana our Guruji has been doing over the years for the humanity. 

Why one has to do this sadhana? Because for Chitta Shodhakam, Mukti Sadhakam. The purification is the purpose of our life. Mukthi sadhakam, mukthi means liberation, liberation means freedom. The purpose is to free this consciousness completely from everything.

Na icchayaa - In every action, I have to see, whether 'Icha' the desire is entering or not. If 'Icha' is entering, then we have to purify.

Guruji says, Purification is a very painful process.  That’s why very few get onto this kind of Atma Sodhana. Is it possible for us to purify ourselves every minute? Ramana says, Ishwara is the karthu. At the command of the Ishwara, everything is going on. 

Guruji here also gave lot of insight on how he relates with the Sadhakas & His students and why He does not impose a rigid approach to His students.

Moving on, Guruji then explained why we have to surrender? According to Ramana, We have to surrender because, chita sodhana & mukthi sadhana has to happen. The individual self has to move from its entanglements and experience the universal consciousness. To experience this, impurity has to be removed. The purpose of our life; is to expand the consciousness so that it merges with the universal consciousness.

Life is nothing but, unconditional energy of joy. When this unconditional energy is confined within the boundary, then it becomes misery. When you put any boundary and divide that is impurity. If you put boundary in your own self and if you have separated other Sadhana Parivara, you have created a poison. Direct approach is to take the poison out. All other solutions are temporary, and it’s expensive if you go into temporary treatment.

We don’t see the last step, and we always take step after step. So see the last step, then take the first step. What is the last step? Mukthi sadhana is the last step. What is the first step, chitha sodhana is the first step. How to do Chita Sodhana? Through Ishwara arpitam. What is the dynamism here?  Naa ichaya kritiam, that’s all.

Friends, Hope you liked the Day 3 coverage of Guruji's program on Upadesa Sara at New Delhi. What we have put in here is very brief synopsis and there were lots of insights that Guruji talked on Upadesa Sara. If you want to listen to his previous lecture on Upadesa Sara, you can get the DVD & get benefited.

Happy Sadhana...

- 'Bansuri'
(the messenger)

Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara - Day 2 update

Sadhana Sangama Day 2 program on Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara at New Delhi (Malai Mandir) started with Guruji's guided Meditation. Below is a brief synopsis of 2nd day's program.

Guruji at the start of Day2 Program

Ramana’s language is direct, he does not believe in indirect way of understanding the reality. Ramana’s language is like a telegraphic language, it is direct, similar to our Gurudev Swami Rama’s language. There would be no ambiguity. Their languages are coded and when we start chewing them, the coded language starts releasing signals after signals.
 

Guruji then recited the first sloka of Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara:

Karthru ajnayaa prapyathe phalam
Karma Kim Param Karma Tad jadam

Karthru ajnayaa – Everything happens at the command of the Karthuh, i.e. at the will of the doer.  If everything is happening at the command of the Karthru, then as a Sadhaka what is our responsibility? So friends what is our responsibility as a Sadhaka if everything is at the command of the karthru? Our responsibility is to find out who is this Karthru.
 

A person who has known his true Karthru, starts sharing everything he has. If we don’t realize our Karthru, our life contracts. We are interested in storing, possessing, keeping our possession in secret chambers, that’s why all our experiences are stale experiences. That’s the reason there are no joy in all our experiences.
 

Guruji says, Anything that is known is not tasty. Anything which is unknown is always tasty. Spiritual experience never repeats. Material experiences are called as "pleasure" as it keeps repeating whereas Spiritual experiences are called as "bliss" because it never repeats. We are always in pursuit of pleasure and not the bliss. To experience bliss, it is important to know the true Karthru.
 

We go through this material experiences in the form of various pleasures and we start craving for that experience again and again. As the pursuit continues, a monster keep developing inside. It is very difficult to satisfy this growing pleasure and it has become our habit. So Ramana, a great spiritual master, an innovative scientist, not guided by any written literature, simply asking us to find out the karthru who is behind all these.
 

Guruji is asking us to use this as a formula, without questioning. He is asking us to find out the true Karthru. We are only seeing the actions and getting identified with the actions. However we are not seeing the real Karthru who is behind these actions.
 

We have so much noise inside that we are not able to sit in silence. We don’t have that rejoicing resort in us and we go in search of such resort outside. Guruji says there is nothing needed from outside for this self-enquiry.
 

Guruji is asking us to study ourselves from morning till evening,  to be aware how we behave, how we relate with people, how we talk with people,  how we relate with the situations outside, how do we behave with our relations. Guruji says when we start seeing them; we would then start seeing the intentions, the experiences, the suppressed thing, unexpressed things that are all behind each actions. This would help us to find our Karthru.
 

When we see a person going to temple, then immediately we identify that person as very pious. Same person if we see going to bar, we immediately identify that person as being spoiled. So here depending upon action the person is judged. It might be so that the person might be going to the bar only to convey a message or to see someone. So it’s not the action through which we can decide but it’s the intention, the motivating energy behind the action that would give us a real picture. So if there is hurt in us, hurt becomes the driving energy, and then all our reactions are controlled at the will/command of the hurt.

Why people behave differently? Who is guiding all their reactions, movements etc.? Karthru ajnayaa, Guruji says, please go into & explore the karthru, don’t worry about the crisis, betrayal, dejection, depression, disappointment, failure, pride, joy, pleasure etc. Don’t even try to analyze the action; just find out who is that Karthru inside who is making you do it. We are only seeing the kriya but not the Karthru. Outwardly we may be a very good human being, but inside, every sweet word that is coming out might be dipped in the poison.
 

When we try to find out the Karthru, then we realize, action is not the Karthru. Ramana says Karma Tad Jadam, your Karma is dull & lame, it cannot move. Without creating any guilt or hurt you start studying & understand that there is something behind every action. There is something hidden which is acting.

When Karma is Jada, then Ramana says, Karma Kimparam, why are you glorifying it? Guruji says, don’t think you are working & slogging for family, all nonsense. Your existence is nothing to do with the external things. We are run by the agencies like hurt, discontentment, pleasure, expectation, emotions etc., which is making us to perform these activities.

We are suffering because we go into into self pity and don’t have the guts to see the reality and look at the truth as truth. We always try to glorify our actions. Karma Kimparam Ramana Maharshi says, why are you glorifying them? The moment one start glorifying, then they miss the reality.

Guruji here asks a question back to us, why are you doing so much service for your Guru?  Why are you serving Guru when He visits your place? And after serving Him, we then start glorifying our actions, stating "Look how much I am serving or helping my Guru”? Guruji is asking us to see who is working here and what is that which is making you to serve the Guru.  Please see this impartially, then one can find the true Karthru. Once you have identified your true Karthru, then the life would become full of enthusiasm, one would see opportunities everywhere. The moment you see it, the fear, suffering, all would disappear. 

Find out your true 'Karthru'

Guruji also said that mere by doing pooja or asanas, no transformation is going to happen, unless one realizes & understand the Karthru who is making these actions. We are glorifying our karma, because we don’t know our karthru. So what needs to be done?. Guruji says detach yourself from the karma and start looking at the Karthru. That’s why we have to so our Sadhana and be silent.  For e.g. when you try to sit straight keeping your back, head and the neck along the same straight line, you can identify hundreds of Karthru’s attacking you, by not allowing you to sit straight. Once you start analyzing these karthru’s, then they would lead you to identify the true Karthru.

Today parents are becoming victims of our own children, and the children become helpless. We don’t have any strength to relate with the kids & we have pampered them so much. Guruji is asking a question here, “Have we allowed our child to cry to its last stroke? We don’t because we are scared. We keep feeding them and we don’t allow the children to know what appetite is. We as a parents have failed to show our children the true Karthru here which is in the form of appetite.

So one has to ask this question, Karthru ajnayaa -  who is guiding, commanding, dictating, pushing, motivating us to perform actions in the external world. Who is that? So when you see a action, try to see the immediate Karthru behind it, it may lead you to another Karthru and keep searching until you find out the true Karthru.

You may ask how to look at it. For example, I have gone somewhere and return home with hurt feeling. So who am I now? (Naan Yaar?) I now related myself with the hurt feeling. So the doer is hurt now. When the doer is hurt, all the actions is going to be hurt only. Here Ramana says you are angry because you are hurt. Ramana says, if you are hurt, depressed, anger, frustrated, feeling helpless, these qualities are only the effects. But find out who has created this? In this example, because of my hurt, i become angry. So here the karthru is not anger, but hurt is the karthru. So catch this hurt and look into it, and ask who are you? The hurt says, I am ‘expectation’, I was hurt because my expectation was not met. So who is the karthru of the hurt, punctured expectation is the karthru. So come to the expectation, ask who are you? The expectation says, I am assumption. So expectation is not the karthru and we go to assumption and ask who are you? Assumption says I am not the karthru, and you go further. As you keep going, you will find out it’s the ignorance which is our karthru.

We assume karthru is god, and we blame & throw everything on Bhagwan (God). It’s the act of irresponsibility. There are two karthru that are working in us, one is the karthru created out of ignorance and another is the karthru of something else which is in its true form. If we have to experience the later,  we have to negate the false / fake karthru’s mercilessly.

Most of us are identifying the wrong karthru because of our ignorance. This leads to hurt, expectation, assumption, anger etc.  Go back and find out who is the true karthru in you.

Friends as you can see, in Day 2 of the program, Guruji has repeatedly asking us to go inside and find out the 'Karthru' in us. Instead of literally translating the bookish meaning for the word 'Karthru' as 'God', our Guruji is asking us to find out who is this 'Karthru' as it would lead us to identify that True Self.  So in search of that true Karthru, let us spend our day today.

With Pranams

'Bansuri'

(the messenger)

Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara - Day 1 Update

Guruji’s Morning lecture on Ramana Maharshi’s Upadesa Sara started today at Malai Mandir, South Delhi.  After walking through the aspirants who have come for the program on the guided Meditation, Guruji started the lecture session.  Below is a brief synopsis of Day 1 of Guruji’s lecture.

Guruji lighting the lamp & starting the Day 1 session

Guruji praying to Baba & Devi Gayatri

Ramana Maharshi is a self-realized Master & has given a wonderful path of silence.  He has shared that joy of self-knowledge to the entire humanity, based on His experiences. If we look into ourself, the entire life is for self study. 'Svadhyaya'. Sva-adhyaya, when I start studying myself then this 'I' starts unfolding.

More you try to ponder over, the greater the space it’s going to create deep within. In the beginning this enquiry, we all feel it’s a boring activity, not getting the clue, agitated. Guruji says these are the beginning stages of sadhana.

Modern mind is a very impatient mind. To study oneself, one has to be prepared themselves with qualities such as Love, patience & endurance filled with joy. We are not fit to start 'Svadhyaya' if we don’t prepare the mind with these qualities.  Because of our impatience it’s not happening in us. It’s going to open out once we have the 'Shamatha' (patience / perseverance) & 'Shanthatha' (calm or serenity) in me. This is the whole preparation required for Atma Gyana.

If you only show curiosity to collect information, this kind of impatient approach would not reach you anywhere. If you look at great masters life, every master has gone through so much of hell & crisis. One may wonder, with all these tortures & crisis, is it really worth going for this inner search? This question usually appears in all the sadhakas and this in turn leads to breaking / collapsing.  Many people go through this frustration and develop aversion which finally leads to frustration and aversion towards the Guru & His teachings. One may think they were wasting their energy & time so far. But friends, we don’t realize even otherwise we are wasting our energy & time in the external world.

Don't give any excuses for your 'Sadhana'

If you feel, the Sadhana given to you is difficult, doing your spiritual practices is difficult, one may please ponder what in life is easy otherwise? It is difficult to maintain the family, difficult to raise our children with good education & wisdom, difficult to take care of parents, difficult to maintain a healthy body etc.  So if everything is difficult, why one complain that our individual Sadhana is difficult?

In external world, we slog & suffer so much and go through so much of humiliation, but we don’t understand that what we are going through are all nonsense & are of least importance. However in our Sadhana, we often complain stating, “Oh Guruji, doing meditation is very difficult, getting up in the morning for Meditation is very tough, keeping the back, neck & the head along the same straight line is difficult” etc. Since you have accepted your personal life, you don’t have any complaints, however in your spiritual life, since the total acceptance is not there, you have hundreds of excuses & complaints.

Your external world, your problems & crises keeps multiplying & it keep demanding & it keep asking for your blood & sweat. However your inner world only asks for little time daily to travel inside.

Samarpana Kar (Surrender yourself) & leave the rest to the Grace of the Masters

Our Gurudev, Swami Rama says, “Bete, Samarpan kar, don’t worry about the transformation”. It’s a promise from our Gurudev. You spend time with your Inner Guru, rest leave it to the Masters. Spending time together is Samarpana here.  You are staying with the Inner Guru and He is staying with you and you are staying together in the space of silence, that is Samarpana. Here there is no expectation, misery, complaint between the two.

Is it possible for us to sit in that silence, where you don’t expect anything and have no complaints?

Then Guruji started narrating one childhood incident of Ramana Maharshi life, which transformed Him and how He happened to reach the abode of Arunachala hills in Thiruvannamalai.

Guruji then explained what was Ramana Maharshi's search and what was His Sadhana. Guruji said that His sadhana was pondering over a very basic but important question, “Naan Yaar?” (“who am I?” or "Mein Kaun Hoon?"). 

When people meet Ramana with lot of problems, crises or any of their personal dream related queries, he simply asks them back “OK, you went through these crises, problems or bad dreams, but before analyzing them, first you tell me who has gone through these experiences”?.

Ramana Maharshi is asking us repeatedly to go back with this question “Who am I"?. We make statements like, “I am depressed", "I am agitated", "I am frustrated” etc., Ramana Maharshi says, they are mere adjectives and One has to ask this question, who was depressed, who was agitated, who was frustrated etc. 

Guruji then stressed the importance of knowing the center within. Guruji asks us to find out what is that constant in you which is trying to relate with all variables that is constantly going on outside? Ask yourself, who is that “I”. If you understand this, then Ramana Maharshi’s “Upadesha Shara” would give strong foundation. 

Only for connecting with the external world, you need everything. However to study yourself, you don’t need anything but your own self. Ramana Maharshi says that which is not you, just drop them. The challenge here is, it is so painful for us to drop, remove, and uncover our external identities. It is very easy to add but it is very very difficult to subtract. We keep adding, possessing, collecting but we find it difficult to uncover, subtract, remove them. Unless we do this uncovering, Self Realization is not possible.

Guruji says, we have to mercilessly break all fake forms to identify our true self. Guruji then recited Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara's first sloka:

Karthu rajnayaa prapyathe phalam
Karma Kim Param Karma Tad jadam

and briefly gave the meaning for this Shloka and said this sloka would be further discussed & explained in the subsequent days.

We are eagerly waiting for the Day 2 for Guruju to unfold Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara for us.

Till then, let's ponder over "Naan Yaar?" (Who am I?), thank you & Happy Sadhana

- "Bansuri"  

(the messenger)

Guruji program update in Indore

As published in leading newspaper Hindustan Times here

Everyone is living a hectic life in order to achieve goals. This causes stress and in the process one forgets to think about his own well being. As a result, it causes physical and mental problems. Such problems are the root cause for building up stress and stress-related issues.

This was stated by spiritual guru Pattabhiramji at a stress management workshop organised by Tavleen Foundation here on Sunday. He demonstrated yogic ways to overcome stress.

Addressing the workshop, he said people tend to create stress in their mind by worrying about some or the other thing. “But we do not know how to de-stress ourselves,” he remarked. Stress, he said, causes anxiety, restlessness, helplessness, insecurity, frustration and all the negative feelings in mind and body.

“For instance, a person cannot sit alone without any movement for even two minutes. We have so many things running in our mind that we need to engage ourselves into some thing or the other. In order to relax and de-stress yourself, you need to meditate for at least 20 minutes,” Pattabhiram said.

He said that the first indication of stress is visible in the eating habits of a person. When a person is in stress, he starts eating unhealthy and spicy food. His eating capacity increases by what he usually eats. The reason is the erratic mental energy which comes out in the form of eating habits. Another indication of stress is behaviour.

According to Pattabhiram, stress is reflected in a person’s behaviour. He said, “When a person is in stress, he will run away from difficult situations or will choose alcohol as a medium to divert his mind. If not this, he may end up in fights with family members, colleagues and friends. A stressed person is full of negativity which gets reflected in his/her behaviour.”

He said developing detachment helps in de-stressing and is the first step of stress management. Yoga helps in releasing stress easily. “Stress management yoga is a technique,” Pattabhiram said. “The best technique,” he continued, “to de-stress is to detach yourself from the outside world by sitting in a straight posture without taking back support and meditating for 20 minutes.” In this posture, the body does not develop any negativity. Meditation helps in releasing the negativity in the body, he added.

Guruji Program update - Mumbai

Year after year, Chembur is fortunate to be graced by Guruji Shri Pattabhiram's lively discourses each of immense relevance to our daily lives, enriching and uplifting.     
                 
This year's programme held from 28th January 2013 to 02 Feb 2013 was on the most powerful Gayatri Mantra,the highest form of meditation known in the Vedas .

The programmed was preceded by Soulful Bhajans by Chembur Mahlia Mandal. Lighting the lamp by Guru Ji, and sadhaks on stage heralded the inauguration. The Chief Guest Mr. K.Ventatraman, a learned, eminent and yet unassuming personality then addressed the gathering. Mr. O.P. Khunger gave a good overview of Guruji’s illustrious background, his spiritual awakening, his mission and of Sadhana Sangama Trust, the trust founded by Guruji , its objectives and social activities. 
                      
Guruji during his daily talks on Gayatri Maha Mantra, enthralled the audience with his thorough rendering of the subject in his typical lucid and captivating manner.
  
He beautifully dealt with all aspects : What is a mantra,  the types of mantras, the sage Vishwa Mitra to whom Gayatri mantra got revealed in his deepest meditation on divine, the detailed significance and power of Gayatari Mantra , the seed syllable OM, word by word meaning and explanation of the Gayatri mantra, its importance in our modern daily living, the feeling with which the mantra needs to be recited for maximum benefit, the best time for its chanting etc. .  

Vande Guru Paramparam

Aspirants who have come for the Guruji's Session

Aspirants who have come for the Guruji's Session

Guruji explaining Gayatri Mantra Meaning

Lovingly and with missionary zeal, Guruji  held the daily practice sessions, teaching the correct posture, how to have inner  purification including at material, emotional and spiritual planes, awareness of  breath as it travels simulating our various energy centers  with  mental connection with divinity -- all these being  preparatory exercises. As he said, mantra is an inner journey. The purpose of life is to lift our consciousness and merge it with supreme reality. In Gayatri mantra, we meditate on and connect with the eternal, who is the store-house of all energy, illuminating the entire cosmos and who by its very nature is Sat-Chit- Anand. This mantra is a prayer to the Lord to bless us and awaken not only our individual intelligence but also that of all our fellow beings. Thus the mantra connects us with entire universe and expands our horizon to cosmic level -- from “I to We” Daily during the sessions, the sacred chants reverberated in the air as all present had lofty experience of reciting the mantra with Guruji.

Daily for half an hour, before the lectures, Mahila Mandal used to present melodious music and bhajans to the delight of the audience.

On the last day, there was special session during which Guruji did his best to answer whatever questions were asked and remove doubts not only regarding the mantra and its practice but also on other topics of  general spiritual nature.

Guruji interacting with the aspirants

Guruji accepting pranams from Sadhaka's

The lectures were well attended. Every body who came would long cherish the experience and get greatly benefitted, but for this regular practice of the Gayatri Mantra, is essential.

In his efforts to impart maximum possible spiritual knowledge, Guruji also conducted morning discourses on the famous Upadesa Sara, of Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi  in which apart from explaining the essence of text, there was a close interaction between Guruji and earnest sadhaks.

- Report by Mr. Niranjan Hemmady and Mr. O.P.Khunger (SST Mumbai Chapter)

Guruji Program update - Chennai

Guruji's program in Chennai was successfully completed. Guruji again thanked the organisers for arranging the program in a professional manner and encouraged the Chennai chapter to arrange for more programs in the future. The audience appreciated the practical approach from Guruji's teachings.

Guruji's next programme would be in Mumbai from Jan.28 to Feb.2. He would be conducting public programme on "Gayatri Meditation". SST Mumbai chapter group are actively awaiting Guruji's presence.

Guruji Program at Hyderabad - An update

Guruji's program at Hyderabad location was a grand success, thanks to the enthusiastic, active coordination & planning from the Sadhana Sangama Hyderabad Chapter.

Our Gurudev was in Hyderabad from Jan 18 to Jan 22. He conducted Satsang on "Upadesha Sara" in the morning for the group of Sadhakas and in the evening a public program on "Heal the Mind, Treat the Body" for the general public.

Guruji public program - Hyderabad

Around 80 people actively participated in the evening program and the program was well received by the public. Our Guruji was extremely happy noticing many enthusiastic and like minded sadhakas who came forward to take up the path of spirituality.

Last Sunday at Hyderabad, Guruji also performed "Gayatri Havan" along with roughly 150 participants. All the people who were part of the Havan could feel the positive vibration and grace of the lord while performing the Gayatri Maha Mantra Havan.

Guruji Performing 'Gayatri Havan' - Hyderabad

Guruji expressed his utmost happiness on the sincere work being displayed by the SST Hyderabad Chapter on the overall arrangement & coordination of the programs & the Havan. 

Today Guruji is travelling to Chennai and would be performing Satsang & Public program from Jan 23 to Jan 27 at Chennai.  Our sadhaka's are requested to pass on this information to their friends & relatives residing in Chennai to get benefited.

- A report by 'Bansuri'

Sadhana Sangama - Multi Dimensional Activities

Sadhana Sangama Trust organizes workshops, lectures and seminars on spirituality, yoga, Indian culture and art forms. These are aimed at addressing the needs of individuals at the physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual levels. Sadhana Sangama has a group of volunteers living in different cities of India as well as in USA and Canada who are dedicated to coordinating these activities. We conduct these workshops annually during summer/fall seasons.

Some of our workshops, lectures and seminar topics are listed below:

Exploring Patanjali Yoga Sutras: Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are often viewed either in a scholarly or hatha yoga perspective. In reality 196 aphorisms of yoga sutras present the human integral science. Organized in four distinct chapters, yoga sutras unveil scientific and psychologically proven that can lead to a blissful life.

Yoga Anushasanam : Freedom from the KNOWN

Patanjali Yoga Sutras proclaim that you are defined by your mind stuff! You could live in any corner of the world, you could belong to any social, cultural or religious group, you could belong to any family situation or adopt any professional life, but your mind defines your personality.

Developing a clear understanding of oneself at different levels is the key to leading a healthy, happy and harmonious life. This effort starts with understanding one’s own mind and its modifications.

In this workshop, based on the the first chapter of yoga sutras, Sri Pattabhiram presents simple and practical ways to understand the MIND.
 

Chant the sutras and learn how to practice - Contemplation and Meditation
 

Ashtanga Yoga : Eight fold approach to integrated personality

Patanjali Yoga sutras reveal a scientific eight-fold approach of adopting a balanced middle path in the external life and systematically integrating body, mind and intellect through a discipline of inner life.

Sri Pattabhiram presents this ancient wisdom to the taste of modern mind but with the fragrance of ancient times.

Chant the sutras and learn how to practice:

Yama…Niyama…Asana…Pranayama…Pratyahara…Dharana… Dhyana…

Prati Prasava : Counter evolution through Kriya Yoga

In our day to day life, we face numerous problems. We often resort to treating the symptoms but the problems keep resurfacing as we have not resolved the underlying disease. Be it in personal, professional or social life, the reason for stress, anxiety, insecurity and conflict is because we do not understand the root cause.

Sri Pattabhiram shares his insights and experiences in applying Patanjali Yoga Sutras to modern day life. He presents a systematic flow chart for the process of Counter Evolution through Kriya Yoga

Chant the sutras and learn how to practice - Contemplation and Meditation

Gayatri Mantra Meditation : Awakening Cosmic Intelligence:

Since time immemorial Mantra, a seed of sound energy, has been used as a powerful tool for inner purification by focusing one’s attention inwards. Gayatri Mantra is empowered with radiant energy to integrate Body, Mind and Intellect.

In this workshop, Sri Pattabhiram explains the profound meaning of Gayatri Mantra, and reveals the relationship between Mantra, Mind and Breath.

Join us and learn how to practice: Mantra japa, Pranayama & Gayatri Mantra Meditation

Mrityunjaya Maha Mantra Meditation : Art of fearless living

Life in the modern world is full of stress, anxiety and conflicts. These three elements arise from the foundation of fear and insecurity. To experience 3H – Health, Happiness and Harmony, we must learn to be fearless.

In this workshop, Sri Pattabhiram presents Mrityunjaya Mantra in a rare yogic perspective as a scientific tool to overcome the negative tendencies of fear and insecurity.
 
Join us and learn how to practice: Mantra japa, Pranayama & Mrityunjaya Mantra Meditation

Antar Darshana : Art of blissful living

Lectures

• Art of Relaxation – foundation for stress-free life
• Importance of Posture & its significance
• Science of Breath
• Unveiling Meditation as a tool for stress-free & harmonious living 

Practice  

• Art of relaxing the body
• Basics of sitting posture
• Breath awareness and effective yogic breathing techniques
• Systematic and sequential learning of meditation

Dhyana Yoga : The science of meditation

In chapter six of Bhagavat Gita, Lord Krishna reveals the Science of Meditation. The student - Arjuna represents every individual striving to realize one’s true nature. And the battle field is in essence our own life context where we aspire to experience 3H – Health, Happiness, and Harmony.

In this lecture series, Sri Pattabhiram reveals this profound wisdom in a modern perspective.
 

Learn the practice of Relaxation, Pranayama & Meditation 

Chakra – Prana – Mantra Meditation

Systematic yogic practices to energize your being. Understand the esoteric science of Chakras, the associated philosophical system and energy practices

Chakra is a center of activity that receives, assimilates, and expresses life force energy. Chakras control the body parts and functions associated with them. Through systematic practice of Chakra-Prana-Mantra meditation energy blockages can be removed and positive energy released to rejuvenate the body and activate the mind.

Practice ways to activate and balance the 7 chakras through Prana, Mantra and Meditation

Stress Management

Understand

• Why, what and how of stress
• Yoga way of stress management
• Freedom from stress, anxiety and depression

Practice  

• Simple joints and glands exercises
• Relaxation & Breathing techniques
• Guided Meditation

Love and Family Life

Healthy, Happy and Harmonious families have been the foundation of human evolution. The Himalayan Tradition recognizes the importance of family life in the evolution of an individual. These teachings can be understood and applied in the context of modern family life

We live in a time where families are facing tough challenges in relationships due to selfishness, lack of commitment, egoistic attitudes, and measurement of love by materialistic values. Family is a sacred institution that provides a context for fulfilling ones aspirations in the external world while allowing practical spiritual evolution of individuals.

In this workshop, Sri Pattabhiram presents simple and practical methods for individuals to guide their families blossom into the space of listening, selfless sharing and unconditional loving.  

Yoga Bala

Awaken the hidden power of yoga as taught by the masters of the Himalayan tradition

Yoga Bala – Why

• Stress is the source of a negative mind
• A negative mind generates toxins.
• Toxins harden the pranic passages in the glands, joints, muscles and nerves.
• This deposition of toxins leads to psychosomatic disease.
• Disease destroys joyous life.

Yoga Bala – What  

• Easy but effective yogic practices for joints, glands, muscles and nerves
• Powerful nerve purifying, health rejuvenating, “Pranava Prana Kriya”
• Art of Relaxation
• Four Stage Meditation for spiritual enrichment

Jyothi Pattabhiram is a direct disciple of Swami Rama of the Himalayas, a great yogi, artist, musician, and dancer too. Having received the blessings and spiritual tutelage from her master, Jyothi successfully blends spirituality and the art of dance into a holistic personality of bliss in her following workshops to lead a stress-free blissful life.  

Rasa Yoga

Workshop on ‘BODY TO BLISS DYNAMICS’  Sail through YOUR - Physical, Emotional & Spiritual BEING

• Envigour and strengthen your physical being by systematized beats, dance movements and yoga postures
• Cultivate and refine your emotional being  through rhythmic breathing and richness of expressions
• Integrate your Body-Mind-Intellect to land onto your spiritual being through RASA YOGA i.e. by harmonizing the inner state 

 The Holistic Dancer

A Holistic blend of Art-aesthetics and Life-aesthetics in a dancer’s personality – an awareness and insight into this concept is the objective of this workshop. The skills of a classical dancer, in terms of rhythm – movements – expressions – need to be yoked with a Holistic inner self, to achieve COMPLETENESS & TOTALITY OF THIS DIVINE ART OF DANCE.

The Holistic Dancer’ workshop is inspired by “Three” concepts: 

•  “Annadasya Sarve Jeevaha Maatram Upajeevanti” i.e. from this Bliss, all living beings derive happiness – Ananda is at the base of all life.  This is the Vedantic insight into Holistic personality.
• Bharata Muni in his treatise Natya Shastra refers to “Samaahita Manas” i.e. only a serene mind can produce pure satvic feeings, which are not touched by personal emotions, yet spontaneous, creative and fragrant with human essence.  
• A dancer’s personal emotions to be analysed in the light of this insight and refine the Satvika Abhinaya.The Holistic concept of man’s personality in five sheaths of existence – “Panchakoshas” as presented by the Taittareeya Upanishad is the third source of Inspiration in this workshop.

What do you learn and experience during the workshop?

• Specific physical movements training to enhance most effectively the dancing skills of a dancer. 
• Subtle but powerful breathing technique – PRANA MOVEMENT – to accelerate the physical efficiency in terms of Stamina, flexibility coupled with mental efficiency such as concentration, memory, spontaneity, and creativity.
• Unique techniques of Demonstration of Satvika Abhinaya – facial expressions of inner emotions. 
• The Holistic Dancer workshop concludes with a Meditation technique with Mantra Incantation and a special Relaxation – “Yoga Nidra” – to touch the depths of one’s Being.

  

The Tradition: We are citizens of two worlds – Inner and Outer. The teachings of the Himalayan tradition help to build a bridge between the two worlds by prescribing a two-fold approach of being skillful and wise in the external world, while following the path of exploring our inner dimensions and realizing our true SELF.