YOGA - PARAMHAMSA SWAMI SATYANANDA, THE SADHANA OF A SAGE

by Arun Srivastav

Suddenly,I got a glimpse of the events of the new millennium. In this millennium, yoga will move to the background. Devotion will acquire a major role in people's lives. Devotion means reverence, and love, pure love. This will definitely happen, not as a proposition but as a science.
—Paramahamsa Swami Satyananda

It is virtually impossible to meet Swami Satyananda these days. There was a time, not too long ago, when as the founder-head of the renowned Bihar School of Yoga (BSY) in Munger, India, he was never far from the public eye. Then, in 1983, after almost 20 years of managing BSY, he handed over the reins to his spiritual successor, Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati and moved into solitary sadhana (spiritual meditation practices).

During his tenure at the helm of the BSY, Swami Satyananda's fame spread far beyond Munger and yoga began reaching people on an unprecedented scale. Yoga aspirants from around the world started thronging to Munger. In 1984, the Swami founded the Sivananda Math, a charitable institution, and the Yoga Research Foundation to scientifically establish the efficacy of yoga as a therapy for a variety of health problems.
When he left the BSY and everything he had created over the years, it created a revolutionary redefinition of renunciation. He relinquished not only the ashrams but also his disciples. He took with him only Rs 108 and two dhotis (lower garments worn by Indian men).
Later, Swamiji performed the panchagni sadhana in which he meditated under the scorching summer sun, with lamps burning near him in the four corners. He would not meet anyone during that time and his dog, Bhairav (whom he considers a disciple from a previous incarnation) would guard against any intrusion by curious onlookers. Growing old, he lived alone in a remote hut.
After emerging from his rigorous panchagni sadhana, Satyananda began the annual ritualistic ceremonies of Sita Kalyanam and Sat Chandi Yajna at Rikhia in Jharkhand as an occasion to meet his old disciples and infuse them with his newfound mantra—Bhakti Yoga. He says: "I never talked about God before, but now I can't speak on anything except this. Technology was the science of last century; bhakti (devotion) would be the science of this century."
Having heard so much about this legendary saint and curious to meet him, I decided to attend the Sita Kalyanam in December. From what I had gathered from my talks with his disciples and students at the BSY in Munger, I expected an ascetic well advanced in years, and the picture of an infirm and humble seer living in a lonely hermitage flashed through my mind.
Earlier, Satyananda used to give darshan (divine glimpse) to devotees every Sunday morning for which, people would come from as far as Australia and Greece. But for the past six months, he has stopped all interaction, informs a BSY sanyasin (monk). The reason for the Swami's self-imposed exile is his sadhana. Further questions about that are met with silence as sadhana is something very personal and not to be talked about, I am told.
As one begins the 10 km journey from Deoghar to Rikhia, it's impossible not to notice the natural beauty of the place. Vast tracts of barren and hilly land spotted with palm trees. No plastic bags, no overflowing drains or garbage dumps, no chaos of excessive traffic. The calmness makes it a wonderful place to be in.
In Rikhia, I see a sprawling campus with high boundary walls, inside which there are blocks of multistoried buildings. This surprises me, as the place hardly seems ideal for the kind of solitary sadhana the Swami is supposed to be immersed in.
A one-on-one meeting with him seems impossible, considering the multitudes that had gathered for his darshan. I did get the opportunity to hear him speak, though. Following are extracts from his discourse:
"All of you have come from far off places to take part in this ceremony. This occasion should facilitate a change in your mind. Change of thought is not necessary but that of mind is important. There is something called destiny; you can call it fate, too. What is it that can change this destiny? Action, your honest efforts, cannot change your destiny. After all, your actions are not meant to bring about undesirable results, which they do at times. Destiny can be changed only by God's grace. Indian mythology is full of such stories in which this has happened.
"So, the question before us is how to attain God's grace. I always knew God exists, but never saw Him, never heard Him. I tried all the tricks of the trade—did millions of japa (chanting mantras), visited all temples, shrines and pilgrimage places, did yoga for decades—but did not find God. I was aware of a divine presence but did not know how to have it. I was searching for a door, where there was none. Now, I have it. The divide between you, the devotees, and myself helped me find It."
Suddenly, in the middle of his discourse, he turned to Niranjanananda and said: "Bhajan karao. (Begin the bhajans or devotional songs)'' Soon, a saffron-clad band of sanyasins seated on the tastefully decorated stage got into action. A mellifluous voice sang familiar lines, which were repeated by the audience. Satyananda also pitched in. The bhajan (devotional song) singing reached a crescendo, sweeping the crowd into a swinging and clapping frenzy, transcending body consciousness.
In the days that followed, there were more bhajans, community meals, with the Swami's discourses thrown in. He enjoyed bhajans and said that one can get into bhav samadhi (intense spiritual ecstasy) by the mere singing of them.
What really struck me about Satyananda was his childlike chortle that would echo in each sentence he spoke. And he seemed to not carry any weight at all, either of his physical being or of his knowledge, or of old age. His chortles echoed deep within me. Maybe an invisible layer of divinity does envelop him, as he believes.
As I set off for home, the impressions about the recluse swami that I had carried there had changed. He was no doubt old but not at all infirm. He wore good clothes and his ashram had an air of refinement and perfection.
I wondered about what truly represents Satyananda's legacy—the lavish ashram and dedicated clan of devotees, or the yoga, bhajan, spiritual discourses and a feel of the divine? And what is his message to his followers, and the world?
In his writings, Satyananda explains abstract concepts of spirituality with remarkable lucidity. He does not agree with the western philosophy about the mind and its functioning. He writes that the mind is not fear, neurosis, desires, passions and memory. These are simply vrittis (mental patterns). The individual mind is a part of the universal or total mind. So long as we remain within the confines of the individual mind, we cannot understand the universal mind.
He prescribes meditation as the instrument through which we can go beyond the individual mind and experience or perceive the cosmic or total mind. This total mind is the experience of samadhi. When you meditate and go beyond name and form, and gradually merge the individual, limited consciousness with cosmic consciousness, there comes a point of attainment of homogeneous awareness, where there is existence, but you are not there. The 'I' is completely dissolved and the self does not exist any more.
Therefore, in any form of yoga, all the training is for the discovery and proper mastery of the mind.
Swami Satyananda is emphatic about the fact that yoga is not exclusively for sanyasins, as is commonly believed. He asks: "Why should yoga be for sanyasins alone? They have few worries. Their needs are meager and their lifestyle frugal. It is those who have responsibilities, obligations, worries, anxieties who need yoga."
He believes that yoga commences when you are totally frustrated, when your mind is not under control. When you get angry, when you are assailed by passions and depressions, what do you do? You try to steady yourself. This effort to stabilize the mind and make it free from anger and depression is the first step in yoga.
What best epitomizes the Swami's teachings is the concept he evolved—Karma Sanyas. This has come to be recognized as a way of life, which anyone with adequate motivation and appreciation for the spiritual life can adopt. This allows the practitioner to view life from a different standpoint. Life then is not one fraught with pains and miseries. Rather it symbolizes human efforts and one's true involvement in one's work. This is exemplified by the Swami's life and those of his disciples who successfully manage the BSY, the only yoga university in the world and also one of the best equipped and excellently managed institutes in India.
The tenets of Karma Yoga are so well ingrained in Swamiji's disciples that for them, success is not a matter of chance but a fact taken for granted. This is because Karma Yoga says that no matter what or where you are, all you need to do is make sure that you are completely dedicated to your work. Keep steady on the path of yoga which will purge your mind and body of all impurities and you would be able to choose and do the work that best suits you and fits into the universal plan. These two tenets should take one further towards success, spiritually and otherwise.
But for a God experience, don't forget devotion, as prophesied by Swami Satyananda. 

http://www.lifepositive.com/body/yoga/swami-satyananda.asp

YOGA CHUDAMANI UPANISHAD: CROWN JEWEL OF YOGA

Book Review: Yoga Chudamani Upanishad: Crown Jewel of Yoga commentary by Swami Satyadharma (Yoga Publications Trust 2003)

This is a Tantric treatise on kundalini yoga from the quite late Yoga Upanishads of medieval times in India. Swami Satyadharma is a student of Swami Satyananda Saraswati who was a student of the famed Swami Sivananda. This text translation and commentary are published in cooperation  with the Bihar School of Yoga in India. The commentary is from Vedantic perspective.

I found this book to be very practical and filled with interesting tidbits of information as well as technique. It is every bit as informative as the Hatha Yoga Pradapika but has very little hatha yoga and is an earlier text. The introductory chapter notes the traditional organization of the Vedas and the Upanishads and some variations where there are different numbers of Upanishads. The word – upanishad – means to – sit near – referring to learning spiritual knowledge and technique by sitting near the master, or guru.

The Yoga Chudamani Upanishad is thought to have been composed between 700 AD and 1000 AD although the authors are unknown. It is a concise text of about 121 mantras, or short statements with traditional commentaries enhanced by Swami Satyadharmas commentary and info. The subject is the esoteric kundalini yoga of the prana, nadi, and bindu – or the winds, channels, and drops.

First described are the shatanga – or six-limbed yoga. Basically this is the same as Patanjali’s ashtanga – or eight-limbed yoga without the yama and niyama as preliminary conditions. So we have Asana (posture), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), Dharana (holding the concentration on an object), Dhyana (stabilized concentration), and Samadhi (integrated non-dual meditative stability). Asana is used to regulate the prana and Pranayama is used to expand the prana. Dhyana is also called spontaneous meditation or contemplation and Samadhi is also referred to as the transcendental state of equanimity. There is some interesting info in the commentaries about the five akashas of the Vedas and the three akashas of the yogic tradition. These refer to the etheric planes. In yoga they are: 1) Chidakasha – infinite consciousness in head region or ajna chakra. Consciousness is said to become more refined as it rises up through the chakras so here it is most subtle. 2) Hridayakasha – the experience of personality transformation after awakening the energy within associated with the heart region or the anahata chakra. 3) Daharakasha – the psychic dimension of the manifest universe – the deep etheric plane – chakras and elements.

There is some very good detailed information on the chakras and how one meditates on them and what happens as the kundalini rises through them. Kundalini-shakti in dormant state is said to be coiled at the base of the spine at the root chakra (mooladhara). When it is awakened it may rise up through the swadhisthana chakra but may then fall back down. When it rises to the level of the manipura chakra it is said to be irreversible so for this reason it is sometimes said to begin its journey upward here. Of the 72,000 channels in the body there are three main ones in importance – the Ida, Pingala, and Shushumna. Shushumna is the central channel and in most of these yogic systems the method is to gather energy into the central channel and also to remove obstacles and knots in the other two – the lunar and solar channels. There is information about the panchavayus – or five pranas and mention also of the five secondary pranas. Straight from the text translation:

“The vital airs are named prana, apana, samana, vyana, udana, ....” “Prana is located in the heart and apana is always in the lower regions. Samana is located in the navel region and udana in the throat region. Vyana moves in the entire body....” The five secondary pranas – or upa-pranas are related as well to specific bodily functions: naga is the energy that controls belching, vomiting, or spitting. Koorma controls the flickering of the eyelids. Krikara controls sneezing. Devadatta controls yawning. The all-pervading dhananjaya stays with the body for a time after death. i am pretty sure that these secondary pranas can also be considered aspects of the respective primary pranas.

Jiva – the individual soul (or Jiva Atman – the spark of divinity as yet unrecognized) is said to move with the breath and prana. Breath itself represents entry into the dualistic universe of the duality of inhalation and exhalation. Jiva moves with prana, the upward-moving active aspect of breath as inhalation and with apana, the downward-moving passive aspect of breath as exhalation. Jiva is also said to move through Ida and Pingala nadis at the speed of light and difficult to detect but since these nadis terminate at the nostrils one may control this flow through pranayama, or breath awareness and control. Breath itself is aid to be the mantra Hamsa (or HamSo or SoHam). Since this is automatic and without deliberate sound it is called ajapa gayatri – or spontaneous mantra. Ha is associated with Shiva/Purusa and Sa is associated with Shakti/Prakriti.

The knower through experience of prana and kundalini-shakti may access the eight siddhis, or magical powers: 1) the ability to infinitely small 2) infinitely large 3) infinitely heavy 4) infinitely light 5) ability to fulfill wishes 6) ability to fulfill desires 7) ability to subjugate others 8) attainment of absolute supremacy. These refer to the eight coils of kundalini although some texts refer to three coils sometimes equated to Nada – the primal sound, Bindu – the primal point source and Bija – the seed of creation. Others say the three coils represent the three aspects of shakti: will, action, and knowledge necessary to create the world of name, form, and idea. Other say omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence.

Kundalini in dormant state as the sleeping coiled serpent is said to block the Door of Brahma (access to Shushumna that leads to knowledge of the Infinite). It is said in the text translation that: “She can be awakened (through) the mind along with the prana by the fire of yoga.”

Next there is explanation of the bhandas, or yogic locks and other information regarding diet and discipline. The Jalandhara Bhanda, or throat lock is explained. The Moola Bhanda, or pelvic/anal lock is explained as is the Uddiyana Bhanda, or pulling up and in the abdomen into a lock. These are means to work prana and their benefits to the yogi are given. As for diet the recommendations are soft, sweet, and milky and to avoid harsh and pungent foods and to keep sexual abstinence for best results.

The subject of the Khechari Mudra is explained. This is a rather strange mudra where one attempts to place the tongue as far up into the sinus cavity from the throat as is possible. It is said that yogis will hang weights and otherwise try to stretch their tongues over long periods of time in order to do this mudra. Parts of the tongue and inner mouth may be cut in a gradual fashion to help affect the changes. This should be considered the external form of khechari mudra according to hatha yoga. According to raja yoga method one just attempts to get the tongue along the upper palate as best one can towards the nasal cavity. The gaze is fixed at the eyebrows – at the ajna chakra, or third eye. That is where the effect is said to be observed. This practice is said to keep the nectar that drips from the bindu (point) at the top back of the head from going down below the throat chakra and is said to free the yogi from the effects of (and need for) sleep and food. The yogi is freed from karmic effects and overcomes death.

The bindu (drop, or point) is said to be the source point of the human body and may have a few different meanings: 1) Bindu chakra at the top back of the head important in kundalini yoga; 2) Drop of nectar/ambrosia which falls down from bindu chakra to empower the whole bodily systems; 3) Semen, or Seed Potential in humans; 4) Vital Energy which creates and sustains the physical.

If the bindu (ambrosial drops) do fall down they can be brought back up through the yoni mudra. If it falls down to the manipura chakra it may be burnt in gastric or metabolic fire. The yoni mudra is said to prevent this. This practice is similar to the Shanmukhi mudra where the seven apertures of the head are closed with the thumb and fingers (as in the method for pratyahara), the breath is held, and the attention is placed on the bindu point in the head. This is the method for bringing the fallen drops of nectar back up.

Next we come to the merging of the red bindu and the white bindu. I am familiar with this process as interpreted in the Buddhist Tantric Texts where it is said that at death they merge at the heart before the most subtle consciousness leaves the bodily abode. The yoga to merge them while living is very similar to the kundalini yoga described here. The red bindu is at the manipura (solar chakra) and is associated with the female reproductive cycle (menstuum) and also with the guna of rajas – dynamic activity. It is the prana shakti. The white bindu is associated with the male sperm within the seminal fluid and is situated either at the swadhisthana chakra (at genitals) or at the bindu visarga – also referred to as the place of the moon - in the top back of the head – depending on context. It is the citta shakti – or consciousness energy. This merger is said to be exceedingly difficult and is referred to as a gateway to divinity. I have heard Buddhist teachers refer to this as the physical basis of enlightenment. Here is a related quote given in the book from the Shiva Samhita, “Know that the seminal fluid is the moon and the menstrual fluid is the sun. It is necessary to unite the two within one’s own body. In fact,  I (Shiva) am the seminal fluid and the menstrual fluid is Shakti. When the two are united in the body of a yogi, he attains a divine body.” This union can be seen as a more detailed basis of the goal of yoga as the union of jivatma – the individual soul – with the paramatma – the universal soul of divinity.

Next is given instruction in the method called maha mudra and maha bhedra mudra. This practice involves khechari mudra, shambhavi focus on third eye center, and all three bhandas – moola, uddiyana, and jalandhara. It is done in utthanpadasana, or a forward fold posture with one foot tucked back under the perineum to apply pressure at the mooladhara chakra. In both forms the breath is retained. One benefit of the practice is that it is said to make all foods equally digestible as it greatly increases the digestive power – this awakens the agni mandala. The lower chakras then assist in reversing the bindu nectar-energy back upward. It is even said that at this level of digestive functioning that one could even consume poison without harm. The fall of the bindu is said to be responsible for the onset of aging and of all diseases. It is said that disease can be prevented or removed by reversing this process. The method is said to be very good for men especially. The method is also said here in the text to best be kept secret. The author being female goes on to explain the difference between the genders in this regard: “The nature of the female system differs in this respect. It relates with rajas, the red bindu, which is established in the lower centers and associated with the reproductive system and the menstrual cycle. Rajas is united with the Sun at manipura, which means that the natural tendency of women is to create and support life. Women do not need to transcend the material world in order to undergo spiritual experience. Their inner receptivity is enhanced through the natural processes of life, especially the production of children, resulting in direct experience of higher reality. Therefore, in the past women generally did not seek to perform practices to derive spiritual awakening and powers. However, should a woman choose to rechannel her force to the higher centres, she can undergo a more powerful awakening than a man because rajas is stronger than shukla, especially in the lower centres. This is why a female countertpart was often sought in the tradition of Tantra.”

Next covered is the meditation posture of padmasana, or lotus posture. The eyes gaze on the tip of the nose – nasikagra drishti - and one chants the mantra AUM. The nature of AUM as Brahman is covered as well and commented on according to the Mandukya Upanishad of much older vintage. The four states: waking, dreaming, deep sleep, and the 4^th, or turiya state of Brahman are equated to the four matras, or meters of AUM – the last being the silent integrated whole. In the commentary the author states that,

“Therefore, the goal of yoga is to transcend the modifications and associations of the mind. This can only be achieved through realization that the entire manifest existence, in all of its change and complexity, is the projection of the unmanifest reality. Behind the world of name and form there abides one eternal reality, symbolized by AUM.” The experience of AUM in the heart center – or anahata – is described as the anahad nada – or unstruck sound which leads the yogi upwards into unmanifest reality. In nada yoga there are four classes of sound – audible, whispered, mental, and transcendental. One may practice mantra audibly, whisper, mentally hearing the sound, or one may experience the transcendental mantra if one is so inclined – as the unstruck sound. The powers of AUM are given as will, action, knowledge, creation, maintenance, and destruction.

The subject of pranayama is covered as well in the text – often re-iterating the benefits of controlling the prana. Prerequisite to pranayama is clearing the channels with the practice of nadi shodhana – alternate nostril breathing which includes chandra bheda and surya bheda which are simply breathing in from each nostril and holding the breath while visualizing the luminous white moon at bindu while retaining inhalation from the left nostril and visualizing a fiery sun at anahata (although I have heard also at manipura) while retaining inhalation from the right nostril. The benefits are said to be good health, activation of the fire, and hearing of the inner sound.

As regards kumbhaka, or breath retention, it is stated that it should be held in the confines of the region of prana in the heart space, or hridayakasha, moving up and down within its confines. That way it would not be burned up in the agni fire in the manipura region. Inhalation, retention, and exhalation are equated to A, U, and M of the pranava. The ratio for the Omkara Pranayama is 12:16:10 rather than the typical ratio of 1: 4:2 in other pranayamas. Omkara Pranayama is done while focusing on AUM symbol and sound. Three levels of pranayama effects are given: sweating, trembling, and stability.  The kundalini practice is to close the 9 gates (seven of the head with the mudra) as well as the anal sphincter (with moola bhanda) and urinary tract (with vajroli mudra). Then the kundalini-shakti is drawn up through shushumna nadi. This practice is the Shaktichalini Mudra that leads to the union of Shiva and Shakti, Consciousness and Energy, at the Sahasrara, or Crown Chakra.

Asanas destroy disease and pranayama destroys unskillful karma. Pratyahara removes mental impurities. The process of purifying the mind through pratyahara is said to be gradual and one improves with practice. Eventually one observes the arising of thoughts and discards them by not attaching to them and purity increases.

This is a wonderful book for a yogi, more detailed and useful than the Hatha Yoga Pradapika, but also a great companion to it. Technique is emphasized as well as expected results and benefits of practicing. Highly useful text and commentary.

http://chakra37.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/yoga-chudamani-upanishad-crown-jewel-of.html

THE "THIRD-EYE" MAY BE MORE THAN WHAT YOU THINK IT IS!!!!

Uploaded by da1sun on 24 Dec 2009

Many folks have a misconception about the anatomical-third-eye of Man...It is not the Pineal gland alone but consists of the pituitary, pineal and optic-thalamus gland...read " God-Man, Word Made Flesh" for moor insight into your Brain and its functions @ http://www.mediafire.com/?jf5mmy0il1t
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BREATHING TECHNIQUE | RELEASES DMT IN THE LIGHT HEADED SENSATION OF THE BREATH

HOW TO KNOW WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT TO ASTRAL PROJECT

A description of common astral projection exit symptoms and related phenomena, including childhood OBE experiences and how this can affect your efforts to achieve OBE as an adult.

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NEW CYMATICS EXHIBIT AT THE SMITHSONIAN

by Jodina Meehan on July 25, 2012

The Sound Of The Sun Imaged On CymaScope

A new cymatics exhibit at the Smithsonian, which runs through to December 9th 2012, features a “Star Station” in which visitors can see the “songs of stars.”
John Stuart Reid, co-creator of the world’s first CymaScope, was asked by Deborah Stokes, curator for education at the Smithsonian Institute, to image four ’songs of stars’ for their  African Cosmos Stellar Arts Exhibition.
The star sound files, which include the sound of the sun, were fed into a CymaScope, which makes the star sounds visible by imprinting them on the surface of ultra pure water, transcribing the sounds to periodic wavelets, effectively rendering the sounds visible.
The CymaScope imagery was captured on-camera and sent to James Stuart Reid, John’s son, who provided colorization and titles.
The completed videos were then sent to the Smithsonian where Michael Briggs used them to create the “Star Station,” a booth where visitors can experience the stars-sounds-made-visible for the first time.
“This is an important milestone for the CymaScope and for cymatics in general,” Reid says. “It will help cymatics gain acceptance in the world as a useful scientific technique.”
Initial visitor reaction to the Star Station has been very positive and children, in particular, love it.
You can watch the four star-sounds-made-visible videos by clicking here.
The star sounds were processed by the following scientists:
Star: RR Lyrae Dr Elisabeth Guggenberger, University of Vienna, Austria
Star: Chi Hydrae Dr Conny Aerts and team, University of Leuven, Belgium. ?Sound file created by: European Southern Observatory.
Star: PG1159+035 Michael Breger, Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, USA.
Star: Sun Dr Guenter Houdek and Dr Douglas Gough, University of Vienna, Austria.
http://cymatica.com/2012/07/25/new-cymatics-exhibit-at-the-smithsonian/