Close your eyes. Be comfortable. Spine straight. Be still as still as you can be. Now open your eyes and pick up an object. You may take a small walk, but be concentrated on finding such an object. It can be a flower, a leaf or a fruit. Now sit down again and be still. Gaze at the object deeply. It is like the practice of trataka. Continue reading
Which arise in the mind during puja and meditation.
A saying of the Paramhamsa Swami Satyananda Saraswati.
Explanation by the Master
All of us when we meditate find that we encounter our latent fears. What are these fears? They range from passion, lust, anger, desire, envy and of course unexplained fear. One feels completely blocked as they are churning in the mind. It is a self-defeating battle to suppress them and they keep regenerating and multiplying. Fear is an essential part of Puja with bhava, it pussyfoots in and in dhyana also it comes in. Continue reading
There was once a sannyasin, called Swami Yogeshwar Ananda, who had travelled to all the centers of meditation in India. Last he came to the Sivananda ashram in Rishikesh. He observed the inmates at work and there was never any time for meditation. The sannyasins were working all the time and were joyous in their tasks. After observing the inmates at work for a week, Swami Yogeshwar Ananda went to Swami Sivananda with folded hands and after touching his feet said, “I would like to spend more time with you, but there is no time for sadhana.” Continue reading
Shiva and Parvati had an equal relationship, so why is it that it cannot be emulated by the human and animal species. I am so cross about what happened this morning. Continue reading
The power of the word lasts forever. It cannot fade away. I read that when we say something hurtful to someone intentionally, it never leaves the ether. Words are made of prana as we utter them by using our prana. They themselves have the energy and power which can heal, help, hurt, harm or hinder, humiliate and humble. Continue reading
The sadhana in Satyananda Yoga is different to Patanjali’s eight-fold system. An explanation is given for the purification of the five sheaths which enclose our spirit. Asana and pranayama are the first and second steps which give us an understanding of Annamaya Kosha (sheath). Continue reading
Pungent is an intense taste. It is created from the elements fire and air. The pungent taste is one of dry, intense heat and it can be found in spicy foods and many herbs and spices. It creates a sensation of sharp and fiery heat. Body odor is described as pungent. Common examples of pungency are mustard and ginger. It is said to induce heat. It is hot, dry, and aromatic. Continue reading
How many of you remember this advertising campaign? It was very popular in India, years ago and Nescafe, instant coffee came into great demand. There was a very sweet joke about it and the kids used to love telling the joke. A man lost his dog and every day he visited the grave of the dog with a cup of coffee. He was asked why was he doing this and he replied that his dog would come alive with the coffee. Think about it, it is funny and sad. Continue reading
“In fact, our sorrows and joys are nothing; our individual exaggerated fantasy makes them appear magnified a thousand fold.”
How do we practice so that we remain neutral in our behavior? Many of us imagine that it is only us who are being singled out for tragedy and hardship. Continue reading
So much is written about beauty. Kingdoms have been lost and gained. The price for perfection is exorbitant and sometimes devastating. This morning reading the newspaper, all I could read was about body shaming, how to look more radiant, what to eat and what to buy to look more attractive. Continue reading
We require to unblock our left and right nostrils. It is extremely uncomfortable when our nostrils are blocked and we cannot breathe. We breathe through our mouths and it also leads to bad breath. The Ida nadi flows through the left nostril and the pingala nadi flows through the right nostril.
We are hedonists. Seekers of assuaging our senses. We are all engaged in the pursuit of pleasure, and this leads us to wanting more, excesses and dis-satisfaction. Every day is spent in seeking excitement and challenge. However what happens is that we develop a void in our lives, and we experience negativity in all its aspects. For many a short cut is consumption and abuse of stimulants. We want to chase the boredom away. What is the solution? How do we handle this ennui, and we have to face reality. Continue reading
Getting rid of our negative experiences and unhappy thoughts enables us to feel lighter. Our negativity, and isolationism excludes us and it is a vicious cycle. How do we come out of this cycle. It is at the back of our mind and it colours our feelings and we see everything in grey and black. Continue reading
How do we develop it? I have learnt through the blessings of my master and his blessings led me to the worship of the Mother Goddess that sadhana is the answer. Continue reading
Thursday is considered the Guru’s day. I want to share a story with you, which my Guru shared with his disciples.
It was a stormy night. There was thunder and lightning. A sannyasin was walking with a lantern. It was a road in the hills. When a motorcyclist whizzed past him. He had no lights. The Sannyasin called out, “Hey, take my lantern. The roads are slippery.” Continue reading