581 – Atma deepo bhava

Be your own light.

Heraclitus’s famous analogy of life to a river: “Upon those who step into the same rivers, different and ever different waters flow down.” Heraclitus was an ancient Greek philosopher. The central idea of his philosophy was the unity of opposites and the concept of change. He observed the world as being in a state of constant flux. Nothing remains the same and the world is impermanent. It is changing continuously. Our ignorance is responsible for this false perception. Adi Shankara calls this ignorance avidya and to remove this we need that light, which is from within. Continue reading

533 – Are We Needy?

What are our basic needs? Food, water, shelter, clothing, sunlight and sleep. Abraham Maslow was an American psychologist who created the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. His description is given below. The first is physiological needs, second is safety and security, third is love and belonging, fourth is self-esteem and last is self-actualization. Continue reading

512 – Satyananda Yoga

In Satyananda Yoga Asana and Pranayama are the first and second steps. These steps give one an understanding of annamaya kosha, the experience of matter and pranayama kosha, the experience of energy. The balancing of matter and energy is enabled through the practice of asanas and pranayama the third and fourth step, the practice of pratyahara and dharana are taught, in order to make the mind one pointed. Continue reading

467 – The rules of disengagement

The world is such a beautiful place. The sky is blue, the sun is shining, the flowers are fragrant and dazzling with their colors, the fragrance is enveloping us and the taste of a fruit lingers in our mouth. The sound of the rustling of the leaves and the brushing of the breeze on our face. All our senses are tuned to these wondrous gifts of responses from mother earth. What happens our senses are very seductive; they ensnare us and we become their willing victims. Continue reading

385 – Pratyahara

This sadhana to bring you closer to the Supreme Goddess.

What is pratyahara? It is described as withdrawal of one’s senses. The maximum dissipation happens when one is involved with everything that is happening around one. One’s eyes are gazing at some object or happening, the ears are listening, there may be a smell, a sense of lingering taste and lastly the sense of touch. Continue reading

348 – Satyananda Yoga

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

288 – Eternal sayings of Parmahamsa Satyananda Saraswati

What is the meaning of Parmahamsa? Its literal meaning is supreme swan. Why a swan? The swan is at home on land and water. A true sage is equally at home in the realms of matter and spirit. To be in divine ecstasy and simultaneously to be aware in the world is the state of parmahamsa. Continue reading

273 – Be selfish and engage in meditation and prayers

We are in a state of misery. We are deluged by misfortunes. Famine, floods and war. There are shortages everywhere. Innocents are being shot in schools, fires raging. Our miserable nature is overtaking us. We are crushing and destroying what is dear to us. Hurting others who have not harmed us. Wars are erupting everywhere. War does not only mean a battle but there is also an ongoing war against disease and pestilence. It has afflicted our thinking. There are politicians who are talking about maintaining peace but actually they are preparing for war to preserve peace. Continue reading

263 – Shiva Yoga

The Yoga described in Pashupata Tantra, is neither hatha yoga nor raja yoga, it is a yoga named by Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati as Shiva Yoga.

Shivenasaha yogah: Shiv yogah “The teachings of yoga as associated with Shiva will be called Shiva Yoga.” Shiva Yoga is the most important as it has four parts: hatha yoga, raja yoga, bhakti yoga and karma yoga. Continue reading