In Tantra there are two important poles of energy known as Shiva and Shakti. Many of us associate practices of Tantra with sexual awareness and expertise. This is not the case. It is a misunderstanding created by teachers, who misuse their powers. In Tantra, Shakti is the creator and Shiva is the instrument. Continue reading
We use the word Shakti, very freely in our daily life. Shakti is the presiding deity of Tantra Shastra. She is the feminine principal to whom all mantras, mudras and other elements of worship are devotionally dedicated. Continue reading
Take a walk in a garden and look about you. The most wonderful thing is that one can take a walk anytime of the year, anywhere and appreciate nature. It can be very hot or very cold but it is possible to be appreciative of the greenery or the different shades of brown. Step out on the beach, in the park, forest or even playground. Become aware of everything around you. Of course switch off the phone. Once you are in a space, take a few breaths, normal, spontaneous ones and become comfortable with yourself. Focus on what you are observing. Continue reading
Awareness is the mantra for maitri. Be sensitive of your feelings towards others when you engage with them. Have you built a wall round yourself or are you open? Continue reading
When I wrote the title, I immediate thought of the witness protection programs, we see on television. If you think about it, our samskaras haunt us, and samskaras are based on our past experiences. We want to be free and it is like running away from a crime. How do we become rid of them? Continue reading
Negativity comes in all shades and colors. We have negative feelings, reactions, and emotions. Negativity makes us more angry and unreasonable. It overtakes us and it is very difficult to remember at that time, that we could turn it into a positive thought, feeling or emotion. Continue reading
Our individual consciousness is known as awareness. It is immortal and it is mixed with sense, body and mind awareness. This awareness is the form of ‘I am’. With this comes awareness of my body, my senses, my mind, and my identity. We learn how to purify our awareness in the sadhana of Yoga. Continue reading
Om Namah Shivaya means, ‘I salute Shiva,’ and ‘I bow down to Shiva.’ According to Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati, there are six different mantras in Om Namah Shivaya: Continue reading
When you are asked to close your eyes and visualize a garden. What do you see? Pause and enjoy what you see. Is it dusk or dawn? Are you in summer or winter? Are the birds singing and is the fragrance of the flowers everywhere. Is it a winter garden? Is it covered in snow and the purity of the snow is blinding? Is there a pond there? Does it have fish, ducks, or swans? What is the light like? What is the colour of the sky? Or are you in a desert and there is sand everywhere? Or is it a place where everything is dead and barren? What is the state of your mind? Continue reading
Burn out is a word used by all of us. Many of us have been burnt out. It is a very frightening word as burnt down means destroyed, wrecked. It is used much more now than in the 20th century. Have we paused to consider why this is happening to us, and why we are not able to prevent it? Is it not our thoughts which have occupied the centre stage of our mind? Our fears, anxieties, frustrations, and miseries have become the actors. They are getting better and better and are ready for an Oscar. The question is what can we do? How should we recognize them and be rid of them? Continue reading
Ajapa Japa is chanting from the heart. It is the spontaneous repetition of the Mantra Soham for developing awareness of the psychic breath in the psychic passages of the body. The meaning of psychic is spiritual in the Yogic sense and Ajapa Japa sadhana enables the flow of prana. Continue reading
Swami Sivanananda said that by helping others we are cleansing our mind. When we give money to charity, it is used for medicines, food, clothes, education and whatever else is necessary. If we give something to someone, we are purifying our mind. Continue reading
Observation, kindness, and concern are words. They are used freely and frankly. How many of us understand those words and apply them. Look around you and you will see many acts taking place. Do they register or are you so lost in yourself that you ignore everything? Continue reading
In all yogic practices you are asked to become aware and at the same time you also have to control your awareness. How is this done. Your goal is to quieten your mind and see a blank screen. You are to distance yourself from your impressions. When you stand in front of a person you are using your ocular awareness and your eyes are looking and it is registering in your mind. You close your eyes and you still see that person. Continue reading
We step out and what do we see. Do we see the green of the trees, and the birds twittering about. Do we see how much dust covers the leaves. Thoughts go through our mind, it is so dusty. And the crows are making a racket, I wish they would shut up. I am giving small examples from day to day living. Continue reading
