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Tag Archives: pranayama
Let us rid ourselves of our pesky and nasty fears
Are we under the control of our fears?
Do we allow the fears to rule us?
What does it mean to be governed by our fears?
What is fear really? Continue reading
Hridayadi Nyasa
Why should we perform Hridayadi Nyasa? The answer is to connect with the Divine and to become aware of our inner divinity. Continue reading
The pursuit of happiness
The Gita offers a method of attaining happiness. It introduces the concept of the three gunas (qualities of nature): sattva (goodness), rajas (passion) and tamas (inertia). It suggests that happiness derived from tamas (ignorance) is fleeting and ultimately leads to suffering. Happiness derived from sattva (pure consciousness) is lasting and leads to true joy. Continue reading
Awakening our Awareness
How can we take care of our three bodies, five koshas and five elements? The three bodies are the physical, subtle (astral) and causal (karmic). The five koshas or sheaths are annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnanamaya and anandamaya. The elements are earth, water, fire, air and ether. Continue reading
Live in the present moment
My Guru, Swami Satyananda stated that freedom was living in the present moment. He said that it was important to be present without being influenced or entrapped in the past or future.
It happens in little steps by being conscious of one’s actions and not being swept away by the fluctuations of the mind. Continue reading
The last message of Sri Krishna
Extracted from the Uddhava Gita.
The Uddhava Gita is also known as the Hamsa Gita. It is a discourse delivered by Sri Krishna to his devotee, Uddhava. It is considered a sequel to the Bhagwad Gita. It offers a detailed explanation on detachment and devotion. It takes place before Krishna departs from the material world. Uddhava was a scholar, disciple and a cousin of Krishna. He wanted to follow Krishna as he could not contemplate his existence without him. Continue reading
Loneliness
We are all aware of the word, loneliness. It is something which terrifies many of us. Why do we feel alone? Is it because we have nobody to speak to? Is it because we have no companion? Is it because we are not close to our family? Is it because we have no family? Is it because we do not have faith in ourselves?
Are we ever really alone? The answer is No. Our soul is within us always. Our breath is with us always. Our thoughts are a constant? Then what is happening to us? Continue reading
Tummy upset
Tummy upsets can happen any time. A meeting, a lecture, an engagement or some other important event missed because of it. Oh dear, a perfect holiday spoilt because of it. No one is immune of it. What if one had many plans, maybe a seminar to attend, enjoying ice cream, swimming or sightseeing.
How can we remedy it? Continue reading
Antahkaran Shuddhi
Antahkaran is the inner instrument, through which one experiences the world. It is made up of four parts: mind, intellect, consciousness and ego.
- Mind is manas and it is constantly engaged with one’s thoughts, attachments and impressions.
- Intellect is buddhi and it is the discriminating faculty that helps in understanding and making decisions.
- Consciousness is Chit and it is the inner awareness that enables the soul to experience the world.
- Ego is ahankara and it is the sense of Me, I and the feeling of being separate. Continue reading
How should Paramatman be worshipped?
Uddhava was the recipient of Krishna’s final teachings. He was Krishna’s cousin and counsellor and he asked Krishna how should Paramatman be worshipped? Krishna answered his question in detail. Continue reading
Exhaust your karmas
Two processes are recommended for exhausting one’s karmas, Tapasya and Titiksha.
Tapasya means to burn or heat. It is purifying every part of the body through a particular process. It is undergoing a process of suffering spontaneously and willingly. In the Bhagwad Gita different forms of tapasya, physical, mental and emotional austerity are given. Continue reading
With Spring comes Karuna
Spring means change in the weather and new burgeoning happen. The spring flowers burgeon once the warm weather is around the corner. Burgeoning means growing, expanding and developing rapidly. Continue reading
I yearn to be a Yogi
We all have this image of Shiva meditating and we wish we could go into this wonderful state. However, the path to reach a meditative state is full of pebbles and sharp stones. Our conscious, subconscious and unconscious thoughts are the thorns, which are in the way. Continue reading
Why does one sit in a classic meditative pose?
Swami Niranjananda explains the importance of performing sadhana in a classic meditative pose. There is a technique called Yantra pranayama, which is to be practiced in Kaya Sthairyam. I have written about it and there is a YouTube of mine on it. However, dear ones, I will refresh your memory. It is a guided meditation, where one learns to become still and comfortable. Its origin is in Yoga. Kaya Sthairyam is also a wonderful standalone practice. Continue reading