How does Aum connect to Aakash?

There are two descriptions of Aakash-Space. In the scriptures, space is known as Brahman, Kham Brahman is the statement of the Vedas, Kham means space and Brahman means the all-pervasive reality. Kham also means ether or the all-pervading, subtle element in which everything exists. Brahman is the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality of the universe in Hindu philosophy. Continue reading

Understanding the Observing of specific Nyasas

Nyasa means a ritual practice that involves placing Bija (seed) or shakti mantras often in conjunction with a specific deity or chakra. I am describing Shakti Nyasa and Bija Nyasa. Nyasa are advanced forms of Hindu worship. They are performed to energise the Sadhaka’s body with Shakti and Bija mantras. Continue reading

Oh Mother, Oh Mother, Oh Mother

The Saundarya Lahiri declared,

Shiva is powerless without Shakti.

Mother in the Vedic tradition appears as Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati. These are three aspects of the Primordial Energy. Primordial energy is the existing energy even before the creation of the Universe. Mother is life giving, infinitely forgiving and compassionate. The sages proclaimed, “You alone are the mother, “and then “You alone are the father.” Continue reading

Understanding the Divine Feminine

From woman man is born,
Within woman man is conceived,
To a woman he is engaged and married.
Woman becomes his friend,
Through woman future generations come, when his woman dies
He seeks another woman,
To a woman he is bound,
So why call her bad?
From her kings are born,
From woman, woman is born.
Without woman there would be no one at all. – Guru Nanak

We must honour the Divine Feminine, which is in all of us. Shakti symbolizes power—divine force that creates, sustains and evolves. Shakti is the essence of existence. Continue reading

How many options are there?

Dear ones, I am writing today about Ardhanareshwara and the understanding of Transgenders. Ardhareshwara is a Hindu form of Shiva combined with his consort Parvati. Ardhanareshwara is depicted as half male and half female. Ardhanareshwara represents the synthesis of masculine and feminine energies of the universe—Purush and Prakriti. Another name for Prakriti is Shakti and they are inseparable. The right half is usually Shiva, and the left half is Parvati. However, the timeline is pre-Vedic. The earliest depiction of Ardhanareshwara (Shiva and Parvati as a single androgynous form) are found in the Kushan period art of Gandhara, dating back to 1st Century CE. Continue reading

The shakti of Mantra chanting

A tonoscope is a device that helps to make sound visible by displaying vibrations. This phenomenon known as cymatics happens when sound frequencies are driven through inert powders. Meaning of cymatics is the study of wave phenomena, especially sound and their visual representations. Simply explained it is the sound of visualizing audio frequencies. It is an acoustic instrument for enabling a singer or player to see instantly any deviation from proper pitch of the tone being produced. Continue reading

Oh, Mahadevi have mercy

As Hindus we struggle in our lives be free of karma. The effects of karma are far reaching and the mother is keen to show us how to exhaust our karmas. What does this mean? God’s unique quality is mercy and She is Sarvani—the knower of all things. Since God is all knowing, all our misdeeds and actions are known to her. God is Sarva Sakthan and is all powerful and omnipotent. God may create a new hell and we may be pushed into it. However, the divine mercy, which is present in God guides us and it can be our salvation. Continue reading

Surya Namaskara

I bow to the Sun.

Surya atma jagasthushsch yadaditya gatam tejo jagadbhasayate akhilam.

The Sun is the soul of a whole universe; Sun is the source of life for all living beings.

We have just celebrated a three-day festival called Chhaat, praying to Surya Devata, at sunrise and sunset. The concept is beautiful as one bathes in running water at dawn and dusk. Fasting is observed for three days, and one is purified. Continue reading

Hail to the Divine Creatrix

Oh, Mother I entreat you to save the earth. Now is the time, when all of us are praying to you. Please end all the wars, discriminations and hatred.

Swami Sivananda, was a Devi Bhakta as all Gurus are. He addressed Devi as the Supreme Shakti of the Supreme Being. He gives his arguments for his faith and beliefs.

The 13 arguments

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947 – Who are Shaktas?

A Shakta is a devotee of the Mother Goddess and his/her prayer can be described like this verse:

May all my idle talk be your japa, sound divine,
May all my gestures be your mudras,
May all my steps be around your seat,
May all my lying down be your pranam,
May all your oblations be my only food,
And may all acts of mine be in joy for you.

Extracted from a hymn dedicated to Tripura Sundari from Saundarya Lahiri. Continue reading

937 – What the ancient sages believed

The ancient sages believed that life is nothing but an expression of consciousness and energy. Mind and matter are the expressions of consciousness and energy. Consciousness and energy manifest as life in the form of spirit, mind, senses, intellect and ego. Both are present in every aspect of creation in the form of Astha prakriti, the eight-fold aspect of manifest nature. Continue reading