Yoga Asanas (Yoga Poses)

Yoga means the union of mind and body. Asanas means postures. So the word yogasanas means postures for the union of mind and body.

Four Asanas are prescribed for the purpose of Japa and meditation. They are Padmasana, Siddhasana, Svastikasana and Sukhasana. You must be able to sit in any one of these four Asanas at a stretch for full three hours without shaking the body. “Then only you will get Asana-Jaya, mastery over the Asana”, says Swami Sivananda… Asana system is the 3rd in ashtanga Yoga. Yogasanas help achieve physical health, control over mind and power of concentration. Patanjali has described Yogasana as “Sthir Sukham Asanam”, which means a yoga pose that is stable and pleasant. A more broad definition of Yogasana according to Patanjali is “Tatodwanabhighatah” which means practice of Yogasana leads to disappearance of duality of cold-hot, sadness-joy, happiness-sorrow and so on.

Yoga is different from exercise as it doesn’t involve speedy movements, but very slow and steady movements. Yoga helps achieve relaxation which reduces stress & strain. Very few calories are consumed during Yogasana practice and metabolism rate of the body also drops which means reduced Aging Process. Less food is required as digestive power is increased. Yoga must be co-ordinated with the breath. We breathe in when our hands or legs move against gravity and we breathe out when our hands or legs move towards the earth. Yogasanas are practiced to remain in good health. However, if combined with pranayama, they are the perfect antidote to illness. Continued practice of yogasanas and pranayama leads to not only good health, but to stillness of the mind, which is a pre-requisite for meditation. It is said that if one can sit in the same yoga pose without moving for more than two hours, one is a yogi.

Hindus believe that spirituality must encompass a sound mind and a sound body. Yogasanas are therefore designed not just for physical fitness but also mental strength. Simple yogasanas should be practiced everyday.

Surya Namaskar is one of the important group of asanas. Hindus acknowledge the importance of Sun and sunlight in their daily lives and begin their day by paying tribute to the Sun God (Surya Devata). The Suryanamaskar is a prayer to the Sun God. In fact, it is a perfect combination of exercise and prayers. These exercises activate the endocrine glands and the chakras, energizing the entire body in a balanced way. Surya Namaskar accords overall strength and flexibility to the body, which is why it is generally performed before other asanas. It is a sequence of 12 asanas. These simple exercises fight aging and rejuvenate the entire body.

First of all, we need to sit errect whether we are going to practice asanas, do pranayama or meditation. When we sit cross-legged on the floor with our spine erect, we feel comfortable. So this is known as Sukhasana. Padamasana or the lotus pose is when we fold one leg first, then entwine the other in it. It is more difficult to sit in padmasana than in sukhasana.

Siddhasana seals the lower apertures. Siddh means to having come through a process or to complete a process. It is an important asana. It is a meditative seating yoga pose in which the left heel presses the perineum. The perineum is one of the outlets of our body, i.e. anus, vagina or testes. So when the left heel presses this region, the outlet is closed. This stimulates the mooladhar chakra. It is also called the pose of perfection. This helps us go within. The chin must be pressed to the chest. Our gaze should be in-between the eyebrows. So this is a form of meditation.

In the Swastikasan, both the hands are kept below the thighs and with the body straight, when one sits calmly in this posture, it is called Swastika. One seems to be sitting in the shape of the swastika. Shavasan is an important asana which is done for complete relaxation. The body lies still like a corpse, with the spine erect and the hands and legs straight but slightly apart from each other. In the advanced stage of shavasan, the yogi mentally feels each part of the body relaxing. Yog Nidra, a meditation and relaxation technique, requires the practitioner to be in shavasan. Other important asanas are pawanmukt asana for the stomach, trikon asan and ushtra asana for the spine, sarvangasana, halasana and chakrasana for the whole body, bhujangasana for the neck and upper back and shalabhasana for the legs. The advantages of practicing yogasanas are manifold.

• Yogasanas and pranayama increase the capacity of expansion and contraction of the lung, which results in purification of the lungs.
• They help in keeping the body flexible.
• They help the body to relax.
• Glands in the body secrete horomones, which get stimulated through yogasanas and keep the hormones balanced..
• Diseases like constipation, gas-trouble, diabetes, blood-pressure, hernia, headache, etc. can be cured by practicing Yogasanas and Pranayama.
• Yogasanas make possible not only physical and mental development but also intellectual and spiritual development.
• There is no restriction of age and sex for Yogasana aspirants. Our ancient sages had adopted this system for thousands of years with the result that they enjoyed sound health for a long time.

Seema

The Philosophy of Love

The thoughts and words of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi are creating a stir in the world even after 700 years of his passing away. One way in which he described himself is, “My Mother is Love, My Father is Love, My Prophet is Love, My God is Love, I am a child of Love and I have come only to speak of Love.”

A steady husband and father, Mevlana taught in the medrese (a center of learning similar to a university of the time), gave judgements on religious matters, and had many followers. But when he met the dervish of Tebriz, Shamsuddin Shams, Mevlana’s whole life of book learning, canonical views, and conservative behavior changed radically as the burning of Divine Love swept through him. He was completely absorbed with Shams, stayed in seclusion with him for months, and humbled himself in his attempt to meet his every wish. The moment of their meeting is referred to as “the meeting of two seas”. Each of them had attained an in-depth spiritual awareness, which distinguished them from others . Now these two would complete each other in the boundless Sea of Unity.

The spark of passion for the Divine in Rumi was kindled by Shams.All Rumi’s works are based on love. He says that love is the basis and essence of life. God created the Universe out of love. The origin of creation is love. His thoughts on love have been classified under four headings: comparison between intellect and love/ ascendancy and value of love which is for mortal beings; and lastly, the pitiable situation of those who have not a share in love. As per the Sufi philosophy, metaphysical realities cannot be fully understood by science and intellect. However, one with wings of love can soar to great heights.He considered the distance between man and god as an ocean, with intellect being the swimmer and love the ship to take us across the ocean. Only those who can taste this love can appreciate its worth. According to Rumi,”Love for all living beings is every moment fresher than a bud in the spirit and in the wine that increases life. Choose the love of Him from whose love all the prophets gained power and glory.” Someone asked,”What is love”?, the answer was,”you will know when you become me”. ”Whilst the pen was making haste in writing , it split upon itself as soon as it came to Love”, says Rumi.

Mevlana, who found out that the essence of creation and man’s exaltation of his worldly body was in love alone, never considered a loveless life as a real life. When years of fasting and abstinence took their toll on Rumi’s body, he fell seriously ill and on his deathbed comforted his family by saying, ” Don’t grieve that I am leaving this world . Whatever may happen to you , I am with you . As our Prophet said , ‘ Both my life and my death are auspicious for you .’ The purpose of my life was to show the true path and my death is to aid you along the way . ”

Husemuddin Chelebi, who regularly attended the sema and music assemblies as well as discourses of Rumi, documented the Mevlana’s words into the six volume poem known as The Mesnavi.

It is left to the followers of Rumi and those who believe in his philosophy to awaken in themselves an awareness of the need for the gentle and tolerant views, thoughts, and way of a Lover of the Divine.

Seema

Meditation for the Corporate World

Meditation is one of the greatest stress busters. Corporate employees all over the world are suffering from extreme stress today due to the constantly changing nature of their jobs and tight deadlines. People are losing control over their lives due to the craze for money and power. In these turbulent times,meditation is the only activity that can give us peace and take us to that inner centre from where we emerge refreshed and energetic to face the travails of life.

Meditation is a must for the Corporate World and we are fortunate in having realized Gurus in India like our revered Anandmurti Gurumaa who has made it her life’s aim to teach meditation to the troubled souls and bring them on the right path towards God-realisation. Along with a few subtle yoga exercises and pranayams, Gurumaa’s unique methods of guided meditation have been successfully adopted by individuals as well as employees of Corporates to lead a more fulfilling life.

Gurumaa has devised a special workshop for businessmen, industrialists and bureaucrats hard pressed for time and living a stressful life. This two day workshop aims for change in lifestyle, making it stress-free, happy and comfortable. It also helps in physical ailments and introduces the aspirant to the spiritual path, which fulfils a void in his or her life. The purpose of the workshop is to bring awareness about the correct methods and use of meditation to make the benefits and the change in behaviour of the aspirants long-term or permanent.

The aspirants are taught how to know their minds, clean their minds and declutter their minds of the non-stop chatter. The mind is emptied of all thoughts for a while, which ultimately leads to purging of negative thoughts and establishing of positive thoughts.

Gurumaa’s Pranav Meditation which blends Bhramari Pranayam and the chanting of ‘Om’ against the backdrop of soothing music, brings deep relaxation and a feeling of lightness in the mind. This rejuvenates the participants both physically and mentally and restores equilibrium in their lives. They are able to do more quality work within the schedules given to them and achieve the desired results.

Nishkriya Meditation and Yog Nidra allow the participants to experience conscious and aware sleep, at the same time being aware of various parts of their body. This ultimately leads to thoughtlessness and deep relaxation. It enables the mind to get connected with the subconscious. These are very relaxing meditation techniques.

Gurumaa’s Sakriya meditation enables the meditator to get rid of all frustrations, pent-up anger, aggression and conflict related problems. It uses a unique blend of pranayams to bring thoughtlessness and empty the mind of its incessant chatter and thoughts very quickly. The meditator feels very light and invigorated after doing this activity. He may slip into meditation or just rest in this new-found joy of cleansing of the senses.

All the above guided meditation methods have proved very beneficial, both mentally and physically, by aspirants who have been practising regularly, individually as well as in groups and have been declared by them as the ultimate panacea for their ills.

Seema

First Visit to Gurumaa Ashram

In November of the year 2003, I left my job at the Unit Trust of India after working there for 12 years. I had had two operations, one major and the other minor in the past 1 ½ years. My vitality was at a low ebb. At that point of time, there was only one thought in my mind, I must start meditation. I fervently prayed to God to send a Guru, who would guide me in my spiritual life, which I was yearning to start.

I was aware of Gurumaa’s talks on the TV and sometimes listened to these. It was also my practice to attend the programmes of saints visiting the city of Kolkata where I live, if possible, for atleast a day. In February of 2004, my future Guru, Anandmurti Gurumaa arrived in Kolkata to give her discourse for the first time. I attended her discourse for two days out of the 5 days she was there. My first live interaction with her was transforming. As Gurumaa said, those who were able to imbibe what she said would feel a tremble in their bodies, a softness in their hearts and tears in their eyes. Friends, this is what happened to me when I first saw and heard her live! When she got up to leave with her characteristic namaskar, I surged forward with thousands of others to catch a closer glimpse of her and also offer my pranams to this noble soul who had made a dent somewhere in my mind.

Unfortunately, I could not get deeksha during this visit of hers. However, I pledged that I would start doing seva for my Guru immediately. I requested the organizers to give me some work. I was given the task of making a list of the participants of the ‘Amrit Varsha’ satsang which had just concluded. I was offered money to do this ‘seva’, but politely declined, offering this seva at the feet of my Guru. I joined the group which started regular weekly meditation in Kolkata. To my surprise, I found myself going into deep meditation right from day one. Such was the grace of my Guru. Throughout the year, I continued meditation at home as well as at the Centre. During this time, I started working again as I got an assignment as an HR Consultant with an NGO, which had been my inner wish after leaving my full-time job.

As winter approached, we got the news that Gurumaa was gracing us with her presence yet again this year! With hearts full of happiness, we started preparations for our Guru’s coming. We visited and called up people, inviting them to the programme and accepting their contributions. I also gave my name for seva during the satsang. When the auspicious day arrived, I was given seva in the VIP Book Store. I cannot tell what joy and enthusiasm I experienced during this seva, along with my other co-devotees, even though our darshan and listening to her discourses was almost impossible since our stall was outside the pandal and we had to really concentrate to even listen to her voice!On the last day, deeksha was announced and I was among the privileged ones to be accorded initiation.

In June, our party proceeded to Gurumaa Ashram for the Eastern Region Dhyan Shivir. Each moment of ours passed with remembrance of our Guru and the wait seemed interminable till we reached the Ashram.

My first sight of the Ashram filled me with awe that such a vast and beautiful structure could have been built in the wilderness. I along with our group of devotees who had come to the Ashram for the first time, visited each part of the Ashram and interacted with the sevadaars with utmost humility and devotion. We could not wait for the Gurumandir to open so that we could have darshan there and kept standing there and offering our obeisance till we were asked to go to our rooms, take lunch and rest in the afternoon.

I loved the metal bed allotted to me along with the built-in cupboard under it to keep my belongings. I went around to all the buildings – Gyaaneshwar Aavas was where I was put up, Nanak Dhaam and all the buildings named after rivers and found the atmosphere serene and full of energy.

I appreciated the hard work done by Gurumaa and her devotees in building up the Ashram from scratch. As I entered the Sambuddh Sabhagar for the first time to attend the shivir, I felt detached from those who vied to get a seat closer to the platform. I just sat in a corner and gazed at my Guru and imbibed the knowledge that poured from her lips. After meditation, I felt myself not wanting to leave the hall. However, when she gave darshan at the Madhushala, I vied for her attention by raising my hand, moving forward just to have a word with her and was like ‘ tan man hoye nihaala’ when she smiled and reciprocated(merey sadguru deendayala). I also felt her affection through the friendliness and closeness of other devotees.

The morning and evening aartis were magical moments which left us entranced and we never felt like leaving the spot.

On the last day of the program, our group sang a Rabindra Sangeet for Gurumaa and we could feel her blessings in the way she looked at each one of us with her inward gaze and divine smile. I loved the way devotees put up their palms to receive the roti offered as Prasad in the Annapurna community kitchen.

Ofcourse, needless to say, this visit made a tremendous impact on my spiritual development and for days afterwards I felt like remaining in meditation day and night, feeling the presence of my Guru. We left the Ashram, vowing to come back soon and reveling in the grace and serenity flowing from this messenger from God – our Guru, and wondered how much more full of beauty and grace God would be. We felt as if we had got a glimpse of God himself!

Jai Gurudev!

Seema

Gurumaa gave me the reason to Love and Celebrate

Guru literally means the complete & the one who spreads the sea of knowledge and love to shishyas (the disciples). And a true shishya is one who grasps and withstand to gospel of his guru. Nobody is inborn shishya and the same is the case with me. i.e. I came to know about the reality of life in this unreal world only when I encounterted the Great Master ‘Anandmurti Gurumaaji’.

girl-meditator.jpgGurumaa gave me the reason to love and celebrate my life and feel the essence of love. The annual meditation retreat is the one & foremost way where I comfort her & recharge myself by her heart warming, mind-boggling and inspring words. Yoga Retreat enhances our lifestyle by making it disciplined but only if one follows the rules and regulations led by the Master.

The theme of this year’s winter meditation retreat was ‘Shreemad Bhagavad Gita‘. It created such a feeling that Gurumaa seemed like ‘Krishna’ & I, ‘the Parth’. Another thing was the Yoga Nidra which is very important to lead our life free of any fear or stress.

There were many steps taken up by Gurumaa out of which one was to improve our selflessness for what we perfomed many duties out there, which at the end of the day gave the inner satisfaction of being in the ashram.

Last but not the least we were made to know about various aspects of yoga & its importance in our life. Yoga not only helps us to develop ourselves physically but also mentally & spiritually. Atlast I would like to say that the rays of Gurumaa had such wavelength that penetrated into my inner soul and purified it, for which I would like to thank Her from the bottom of my heart.

–Monika Khaneja, Delhi.

Everyday Spirituality

Life in itself is complete and the moment we say spirituality, it has every thing to do with your each moment of life. This is as I see it, this very life is there only because the spirit is there. This very moment which is pulsating, throbbing, why? Because there exists a spirit in life. Religion has named this existence in all different kind of words and all sort of symbolic languages have been used. But the Truth is this: none of the words can sufficiently explain what existence is? Because it is beyond words and periphery of the mind to perceive what exactly is truth. That's the reason all enlightened masters have always felt this sheer helplessness, that even they have spoken so much yet the truth remains unsaid.

Buddha once was asked by one of the great philosopher of that time. He was 82 years old at that time, relaxing under a tree in a jungle. It was autumn time. All dried leaves were scattered on the ground. One could hardly see the face of the ground. So many leaves were there as if a lush carpet of dry leaves has been laid down by the nature for the Buddha only. Because I think, the nature is working for the enlightened ones and it is also working for those who are not enlightened yet those who are unenlightened will be enlightened one day. This philosopher asked Buddha, "You had been speaking since your enlightenment for forty years or so. Don't you think so, you have said whatever you wanted to say." Buddha held leaves in his hands and said, "My dear friend, the leaves in my hand denominate that much which I have spoken and the leaves in this forest you are seeing on this ground, this is the amount which is yet unsaid."

Mind you, Buddha has been speaking for more then forty years and it was not like as today we people are doing. We have very organized programs which are too short to explain everything. I go on the invitation of the people. I speak for, say, two hours and come back. Buddha was always, surrounded by seekers, day and night. There is always some one, with questions, seeking answers from this great master. See this continuous speaking of forty years and yet Buddha is saying that what he has spoken amounts to be a handful of the leaves and what is yet to be spoken is the leaves in the garden.

The philosopher was totally amazed and asked, "Why aren't you saying that is yet not said?" Buddha smiled and he said, "I cannot because no one can do that. It is impossible. The vast magnitude of the truth cannot be put into the small vessel of the words. I am trying my best, whatever I can do, in whatever way, whatever expression, in whatever gesture. I am using everything to pour my compassion & love. And when I am speaking with the earnest prayer that whosoever comes to me becomes a Bodhisattva, becomes a seeker and becomes enlightened does not die with the ignorance with which we all born."

The scriptures are the words collected by the disciples and later being compiled to be given a shape of a book, to be known as a holy book. Every religion has its own holy book. No doubt every book is talking about the truth but it can not be compared to a master speaking to pour the truth. One can feel the freshness of a dew drop during this. A book will always be a book as a recipe book can not satisfy ones hunger. It can not be one of the famous chefs of the world. Although, it can carry the most delicious recipe and beautiful pictures with exuberant colours, but seeing these pictures, reading the recipes, knowing the method to prepare a dish cannot offer you to satisfy your hunger. Your hunger doesn't go away. You have to cook it or someone else does for you, only then you can eat it. That's the only way with which your hunger can go.

Similarly, every mind is carrying that hunger: to know, to seek... Some time people are not aware. They do not know at their conscious level they are seeking the truth only. They have different names for it. In most cases they give name to this seeking as searching for happiness. Whether you are a theist or an atheist, a believer or non-believer, each & every individual who is walking on this earth has a brain and heart and is looking for happiness.

I say happiness is the other name of the "Truth". It can be called an immature name of the truth. But yet it is another name of truth. So there is one stage in every human beings life, one is looking for this happiness, in carnal pleasure, in sensuality, in food, in eating well, in merriment, in dance, in copulation. After all this wonderment, still one remains unsatisfied with the outcomes. One remains unhappy even after pursuing what one thinks is right and can provide happiness.

But man is cunning and now he realize that what if he is not happy today. He thinks, 'I will be happy tomorrow'. So, one thing remains and that is hope.. Hope that tomorrow definitely, I will be happy. If the circumstances change, then definitely, I will be happy. Then he plans and thinks that if things go according to what he has planned and if his strategy works, no one can stop him to be happy. So here we associate certain conditions which we apply to our happiness. So there is no need to worry for our today which is unhappy. Since we have great dreamy plans for our tomorrow and we always have this hope, it never dies. It never leaves us. It is a constant friend which is walking with us every step since our birth.

The religion, practiced by the masses is being fed upon this edifice of hope. And everyone is being told, everyone is being educated that a day will come when you will be really happy. And if you want that day to arrive soon, do something. For example, go on a pilgrimage or do some charity or chant mantras or seek an astrologer who will let you know when your good time is coming. Have a great hope! I respect astrology as a science, but there are very few of the practitioners who are doing it with scientific temper.

One of the naïf astrologer was approached by a man and was asked, "Please look into my horoscope and let me know what's going to happen in my life, when will I be happy." The astrologer went through his chart, gave him predictions and asked him to wear some gem stones, do this and do that. This gentle man had another friend along with him. The astrologer intriguingly asked his friend, "Wouldn't you like to know that what is there for you in your future?" Man said, "No thank you very much, I am happy with whatever I have. I am O.K. with that." Astrologer would not let him go and said, "No, No, you have to do it. Since you are claiming to be happy, I will look for your future with reducing my fee to fifty percent." Man said, "O.K. I don't mind." So he asked his date of birth and did his calculations. And said whatever he wanted to say. Both of them stood up to leave and the man said, "O.K., we will leave." On this astrologer enquired," What about my fees?" The man said, "So didn't you check your own horoscope that this man will not pay me. It could have been that simple because, I was already saying that I am not interested but you were pushing me into it. You should have better checked before, you could have seen my forehead line or my hand lines or my horoscope but my horoscope has turned out to be horror scope for you now."

The beauty of the spirituality is thus, "As long as you are hoping to be happy in your future, that future will never be your present because the present will always remain a present and the future will always remain a future and we can not change the future into the present." Can you? Do you have any magic, do you have any mantra or do you have any SIDDHI to do that? Do you have miraculous power to change the future into the present if your present is unhappy? Do not fool yourself with the hope that one day in future, by chanting mantras, by going to the pilgrimage, my stars will be favourable. These are nothing but the lame excuses.

Let me remind you one thing: the religion being practiced by the masses turns out to be shallow. They tend to depend too much on the belief system which is been offered by their respective religions. It turns out to be more of a ritualistic jamboree, whereby one is assigned to be a Hindu, a Sikh, a Buddhist, a Christian. Each and every person has a typical way of doing things which their religion and their scripture has asked them. And in some cases, they are being told by the priest who asks them to do this and do that.

I have found in my experience that thousands of people don't even really read their scriptures, but they just carry it as a trophy in their homes. So they may have a picture of a great painter which hangs in one of the corners of the wall deco rating their home. They may have a scripture which might be decorating a bookshelf or a room by which they can claim themselves to be religious. They really don't delve into that, they really don't dig deep into that. Who has the time? The strangest of the strange thing is that they are looking for the happiness. Each and every one is looking for happiness and yet they don't know where to look for.

I am reminded of a story. A beggar, day in and day out, would be seen on the same place begging in his worn-out clothes, disorderly beard, famished body and with weak physique. And one day he died. Since everyone saw him daily sitting and begging at the same place, they decided to form a graveyard right there. So they dug up the earth and to their astonishment on reaching three feet down, they found a box full of treasure. Just see that he kept on sitting on the treasure box whole of his life yet he remained a beggar. Why? He didn't have any clue. No one even had a clue that a beggar is sitting on a treasure worth millions and still he is a beggar