Meditation: How-To & Importance

In this video, recently posted, one can know the importance of meditation. Shri Mataji elaborates on meditation, achieving the meditative state and benefiting from the process. What is the role of meditation? At what point are we in meditation? What happens to us in that stage? These questions are answered in this brilliantly selected extract:

Lifestyle Changes to Become Centered

Welcome to another edition of the Learn Sahaja Yoga blog! Today's quote teaches us how to deal with our ego and superego, the two sides of our brain. Ego is the left brain, the terminal end of the right side and the superego resides in the right brain, the terminal end of the left side. (Refer to chakra chart in the sidebar).

Now we have to see that we have problems for superego and ego. Now superego is the left side, is darkness, tamo guna and our past. Those who have left side problems should think of the future - gives them balance, if they think of the future. For example, a person who is lethargic should take to working. Put your mind into working for the future planning: what to do, where to go, how to do. That will keep you away from drag of the left side, and gradually then you can balance yourself also.

Now the right side of a person, when it is activated very much, he has to balance it, not with the left side but with the center. That is, a person who is very hard-working must develop a witness state. You try to do a work, any work, indulge into work in thoughtless awareness, as a witness. Whatever work you are doing you just say that “I am not doing it.” This you can do it after Realization, become thoughtlessly aware and start doing your work.

So the compensation of the left side is done by movement to the right; and of the right side, movement in the center. Left side is the tamo guna, right side is the rajo guna, the center is the sattwa guna. But still these are three gunas. That’s not the state which we have to achieve.

Star Wars & Sahaja Yoga

It is a cheesy, yet endearing thing to compare pop culture with spirituality. But in the case of Star Wars it comes even closer because Goerge Lucas consulted with various eastern scholars in formulating the story and characters of the original Star Wars.

I was introduced to Star Wars quite late into my life, by my wife, of all the people. I was a trekkie, and the trekkie fire had been dwindling because it is actively atheist and Greeko-Roman in it's search for truth. Star Wars came as a breath of fresh air. It was a lot like Mahabharata, where evil burgeons into an empire and the good is sent into exile, but eventually good prevails. And there is no confusion between good and bad. The bad are ugly, black and distinct... well mostly. Here are the top 10 quotes from the Sahaja point of view, IMO. Share your favourite moments in the comments:

You underestimate the power of the Dark Side! -Darth Vader

You know, sometimes I amaze even myself. -Han Solo

Who is more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him? -Obi Wan Kenobi

Your eyes can deceive you; don't trust them. -Obi Wan Kenobi

The Force is strong with this one. -Darth Vader

Oh, great warrior, hmm? War does not make one great. -Yoda

My ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Its energy surrounds us. -Yoda

Your father was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true-from a certain point of view. -Obi Wan Kenobi

-- (Original compilation: Associated Content)

Incognito: New Book by Kalbermatten

"Love that can be lost isn’t the love I seek"


(Press Release) A new book by Gregoire de Kalbermatten , "Incognito", in Czech and English, published in Prague, Czech Republic, soon!



This eternally valid quotation from Gregoire de Kalbermatten’s Legend of Dagad Trikon is to be seen on the posters in the streets of Prague, introducing two auspicious events that take place there on 6th December – public presentation of the tiny collection of Gregoire se Kalbermatten’s Aphorisms, quotations and poems, both in Czech and English, under a symbolic title „Incognito“, and the public programme with his lecture, meditation and music by the bajan group „Vítr do dlaně“ (Wind in your Hands).

The booklet is illustrated by the photos taken by sahaj photographers in Cabella, India and New Zealand and its graphic design has the souvenirlike character. We hope the content will please both intellectually and poeticly-oriented readers. The very intention to collect these fragments of wisdom was motivated by the desire to share their message with other soul mates and spread dharmic sahaj culture throughout the world. The book will be available at our Borotin stand in Cabella at Sahasrara puja.

Everybody is warmly invited to join the launch in Prague (more info at martah AT sky.cz).

Thank you for supporting us with your enlightened attention and for spreading the news to other sisters and brothers!


Jai Shri Mataji!!!

On behalf of the author’s team
Marta Heinlová, the translator

Guided meditation: Video

Today's meditation lesson comes from the fantastic Canadian website: freemeditation.ca

There are all possible permutations and combinations of the basic self-realization exercise available, my preference of media (video/text/images) and time constraints! Isn't that just great?

Check it out: http://freemeditation.ca/workshop/

Sahaj vs. Mental Solutions

Often we forget our nature as spirit and run around like headless chicken, looking for solutions in the old human way: legal, mental, financial, medical and material solutions to problems of life.

Then the moment of zen arrives when we would introspect and dispel the darkness under the lamp itself through introspections. I was happy to cure myself overnight of the flu by the elegant power of self-realization, introspection and dropping false emotional ideas clogging up the left side. 

The Flowers

There are places troubled and poor in the whole wide world
People cry for our help but nobody would like to go
And only suddenly fair like a message of God
Among those poor grounds beautiful flowers grow:

Flowers don’t know the bad and good
Comforts and prestige they don’t know
They grow in every country, in every neighborhood
On stones and on sands the Flowers grow.

People like to create and compare brands
And according to taste they make divisions
And so they turned the earth into separate lands
And so they turned the truth into separate religions

But Flowers don’t know the bad and good,
Comforts and prestige they don’t know,
They grow in every country, in every neighborhood
On stones and on sands the Flowers grow.

And if we go all out and listen to our hearts
We’ll see that each person around is our sister or brother
We will feel that the earth is the whole and we’re only a part
And so we will not judge, but we will love each other

For Flowers don’t know the bad and good,
Comforts and prestige they don’t know,
They grow in every country, in every neighborhood
And lets wish that in our hearts these Flowers grow.

-- Alla Levitan

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Poem (c) 2008 All Rights to the poetic words reserved by the poet. No part of the poem can be reproduced, performed or published without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.

Images CC licensed by Martin_Helgan 

Music of Joy: Joie de vivre in Argentina

Music of Joy concerts celebrate the arts and culture in Sahaja Yoga. These musical presentations are filled with world music, not just Indian classical and folk. They are increasingly popular in Argentina and Brazil, apart of a few other countries in Europe. Videos from the most recent one in Argentina:







Update! New Bharatanatyam Video out:

Achieving Self Mastery

Being our own master sounds too good to be true, however when you consider it is based on the living work of the true masters (Lao Tse, Confucious etc.), it starts being plausible. Vedic commentary does mention that the work of powerful saints, yogis and siddhas permeates into society via the ether through ideas that travel in the sub-concious. The ten most important masters of knowledge of this world have achieved the distinction of not only doing living work during their lifetimes, but the work remains within all humanity as the ten petals of the "void" region within us. The void region is the region surrounding the third chakra of peace & generosity below:



Religions followed the true masters, but the essence of their teachings stays within us as it is born with us (sahaja).


Toni, a yogi, recently came up with a mnemonic to remember the 10 primordial gurus, which was the inspiration behind this blog post:

R espected
A nd
M ighty
Z eus
L eads
C ourageous
S ouls and
M any
G ood
S aints

R aja Janaka
A braham
M oses
Z oraster
L ao Tse
C onfusius
S ocrates
M uhammed
G uru Nanak
S ai Baba

On Rails Of Fire

Inspired by the Life of Lal Bahadur Shastri

The Train of Life

Is rushing through

The country side

Through silent lands you go deep

Where joys and worries are asleep

And then in evening’s humble verse

You’ll hear the pulse of the Universe

The pulse of Love inside your being

The flow of Love the heart would bring

Across the night,

Across the day,

Beyond the Time

That flies away,

And all the wars and troubles you cross

To pour Love on the Universe. . .

The night is dark

When only Star

Of hatred

Lies on its Altar

But if you simply open your heart,

It’ll bring the world Another Light,so

Let your Spirit shine across

The battlefields of the Universe:

There is no force that is stronger than Love

All the weapons melt in the Fire of Love . . .

Across the night,

Across the day,

Beyond the Time

That flies away,

And all the wars and troubles you cross

To bring Peace to the Universe.

The winds of hatred, the snow and rain

They cannot stop or slow your Train

The life might want to hit you hard

But There Is God inside your heart!

And if you want to help the world

Become a flute in the hands of God

And let the melody of Grace

Just flow freely through the space

Across the night,

Across the day,

Beyond the Time

That flies away,

Beyond empires that fall and rise

TO TURN THE EARTH INTO PARADISE . . .

-- Alla Levitan

(c) 2008 All Rights to the words & image reserved by the poet. No part of the poem can be reproduced, performed or published without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.

Mountain

(CC) licensed photo by philipbouchard

I see a mountain from my window
Standing like an ancient sage
Desireless, full of love.
So many trees and so many flowers
They plunder the mountain all the time.
Its attention is not disturbed
And when the rain pours like
Many pitchers of clouds bursting
And it fills the mountain with greenery.
The storms may come soaring,
Filling the lake with compassion
And the rivers flow running down
Towards the calling sea.
The sun will create clouds and
Wind carries on its feathery wings
The rain on to the mountain.
This is the eternal play
The mountain sees
without desires.

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

Crossing Roads: Beautiful Reggae Song on Borotin

Self Realization in a New York School

A yogini from Yonkers had the opportunity to give realization to 25 graders, at her son's school in Yonkers. Here is her recollection:

I briefly talked about the mothering quality of mother earth and how it nourishes us and that we also have mother earth inside of us called mother kundalini and we can feel it in the form of cool breeze. These children became very attentive. They simply placed their hands on their hearts and closed their eyes. You could imagine a class room in silence. I asked them to say quietly, "Mother kundalini, please come in my heart”.

A few minutes, as they opened their eyes, they placed their hands over their heads and you could hear them, "wow, so cool!” They all felt the cool breeze and commented that they felt "peaceful", "calm" and "calmer" inside. So was Nishad's teacher who had previously invited me to do the meditation with her class. Then, at the end of the session, they asked many interested questions about Who is "Shri Mataji”, "Could I do it at home?" "What does the colors mean on the hands and feet?" and "what are the colorful flowers (chakra) for?". The teacher even suggested that I do it for the other classes also because of the beautiful results. Yesterday, I met with the school's principal who apparently knows about kundalini and are now planning a date to give realization to the entire staff.

(names hidden to protect identity)

East Meets West

I am just beginning to recognize the face in the mirror, though I have seen her endless times. Know Thyself. It is in the Bible, in the Koran, in all the religious scriptures of the world. Why this should be at the heart of spiritual ascent is a mystery. As we move into the global awareness of the twenty-first century, where multi-culturalism is an everyday occurrence, and Anglo-European rationality meets eastern mysticism, what happens to this journey of self-knowledge?

The subtle realm is no longer the exclusive domain of eastern philosophy. Physicists all over the world are now doing research into unseen dimensions, illusive quarks and vibrating strings of energy. Yoga classes are as American as apple pie. My own personal story of cultural and self-integration began twenty years ago, when, as fate would have it, I found myself in the Himalayas, a Jewish girl a long way from home, learning to meditate.


I was on assignment for the Jaipuri Times of India. My husband, one-year-old daughter and I were staying on the family estate of an Indian lawyer in the foothills of the Himalayas. I find India to be a deep and aesthetically beautiful culture, albeit with social problems we are lucky enough not to have.

What it lacks in material comfort is made up for in the generosity of the people, and the general feeling of glee inspired by walking down a street in the company of two camels, three cows, an elephant and a wall mural that is probably a thousand years old. Once you start gaining altitude, the terraced slopes are dotted with wild goats and stone huts, and ringed with dense jungle. The mountains tower up all around, surreal; misty-peaked and sharply etched against the sky. Our friend had just met an extraordinary woman, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi.

(Mahatma Gandhi had sought her advice as a child; now, as the founder of Sahaja Yoga meditation, she has become Spiritual Mother to millions.) In 1981, Sahaja Yoga was slowly growing in India, attracting the attention of restless westerners like us, searching for a spiritual place to call home.

I took to it right away. One unusual aspect that struck me was that Sahaja Yoga starts with the awakening of the spiritual energy Kundalini and self-realization, instead of ending with that. Traditionally, first one's chakras are completely cleansed, which takes ages, and then the Kundalini rises. Maybe. Old-style gurus used to pass on this experience to one or two disciples at most, after years of arduous lessons and privation. Offering this experience right away is pretty outrageous; it implies a bunch of normal people walking around in an awakened state, not just saints living in caves who have practiced severe austerities for lifetimes. The premise is that once you have the light inside yourself, you can see your own problems clearly, and are then better able to work them out. You get in touch with yourself. More than that, the process is expedited, so what used to take people five or ten years to figure out, can be seen much more quickly through meditation and introspection. After learning about Shri Mataji's meditation, I was lucky enough to go to her house in Delhi.

I was standing in the doorway, holding my infant daughter in my arms. Putting her hand lightly on my shoulder, Shri Mataji's eyes sparkled as she said, "Kundalini has risen. They've both got it." It was a fabulousfeeling, like a cool breeze blowing gently over the top of my head.

The basics of Sahaja Yoga are simple. There is Kundalini, a spiritual energy. There is the subtle system of energy, chakras (a Sanskrit word meaning "spinning wheel") and the three channels of the autonomous nervous system. It's not hard to understand. The truth of the matter is that all of our quirks and problems and all of physical reality can be addressed at the level of energy.

Reality is what it is; energy once created is never destroyed…so once you have an understanding of how you are put together in this way, you can really get down to the business of self-knowledge. For example, let's say you suffer from chronic guilt syndrome. Jewish? Catholic? Whatever. That particular problem involves the chakra located on the left side of the neck. By working on that spot, you can really alleviate the problem. Moreover, you start having insights into the inner workings of the situation, and as things start to become clear, you become more and more the master of the situation. Most importantly, you start to transform yourself
from the inside out. You can begin right now. Close your eyes, and imagine a coiled up twist of silken energy threads at the base of your spine. (The Greeks called this the sacrum, the sacred bone: they knew what they were talking about.) Now ask yourself, do you want this energy to waken? Ask yourself the question, "Am I the pure Spirit?" Now hold your hand over your head. Do you feel a cool breeze coming out at the top? This is the Kundalini, newly risen. Now, you've got it.

After my meeting with Shri Mataji in India, I had another serendipitous moment. I was in Jaipur, riding in a horse-drawn wagon with my daughter on my lap. On the sidewalk market, among the red and purple turbans, the richly hued saris, the shining brass plates hanging mirror-like behind pyramids of oranges and mangoes, there appeared a young Muslim woman covered from head to toe in swaths of cloth. A black cotton scarf covered her mouth. Only her eyes were revealed to the world. These eyes caught mine, and my breath as well. We were from completely and utterly different worlds. Her life was unfathomable to me, and mine to her. Yet here we were, on the same side of the world, the same street, the same square hundred feet of red Indian earth between us. Somehow for a fraction of an instant, we made a connection. Everything, the barefoot children laughing behind the long silken braids of their mothers, the cows and camels sauntering insolently among the chaos of India, the fragrance
of earth and incense and spice, everything blurred into formless color, leaving the two of us alone in sharp relief. I could barely breathe. Then she did the outrageously unexpected, an act of
courage: she undid her scarf so that I could look directly into her face.


Her face was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, by any standard of beauty. What could I do? Wave, or yell out? I could only stare back at her, and it seemed as though she looked triumphant. I felt her femininity, her strength. Her look said, "I may be bound in cloth and fierce tradition. But inside, I am intelligent and present. I want you to see, that, to see me." In one blinding moment our cultures collided, and then it was over. The horses clopped on, we turned a corner, and she was gone. I ponder that moment sometimes. In one way its meaning has remained a mystery, like an archetype, as pure and necessary as a prime number, too deep to plumb. It is evocative, however. As we two made a connection, so a bridge needs to be built, and then crossed, between borders and boundaries, linking us all together. The spiritual path finally is not about eastern mystical paradigms meeting western rational thought. It is about self meeting Self, across all cultural values and interpretations. In today's world, we must bind our hearts to a new pattern, an integration of east and west, giving birth to a modern world free from fear. It will take intelligence, and great courage, to gain possession of our collective ascent. Yes, it is time to drop the veils that blind us to our essential self, that place where we are one beyond individuality, beyond cultural definition. Change is possible. The intelligent beauty of that young woman's face comes back to me clearly now. Her challenge to me is one I put to the mirror, to the face I am coming to recognize, to my daughter grown so quick and fine, to get to work, connect to life, and hurry up! For time waits for no man, or woman, no matter what color earth lies under their feet.

-- By Nancy Partridge


Creative Commons Licensed Photos by Nagesh Kamath, Soqotra (Yemen)

Children with ADHD Benefit from Sahaja Meditation

The ADHD Blog Reports on the benefits of Sahaja Yoga meditation on children:

A Sahaja Yoga practitioner shares her vision of the country, with reference to the specific problem of unemployment on http://www.change.gov/

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(cc licensed picture from gadl on flickr)

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"I wanted to share my vision on how to solve/ease the problem of unemployment.Many people in US nowdays are required to work overtime and cannot take vacation days which they have. This means that the companies don't want to create new workplaces and hire more people. This also violates human rights. Previously we had 8 hour day and 40 hour week, no more. However in the last 9-10 years I noticed a change that companies require people to work overtime. Many people work 50-80 hours week, especially in IT. Also people cannot take vacation days that are accumulated as employer doesn't give leave. People cannot defend their right of working just 40 hours. They fear to lose the workplace. As a result of that some people work more hours and some people don't have employment at all because complanies don't create new work places. Also this creates disbalance in the society,people cannot do their family duties, children are neglected without enough of parents attention.So I suggest to change working policies - the government needs to control how many hours people work and they need to take their vacation days.The companies need to create new workplaces. The people working 80 hours - means 2 workplaces working 40 hours instead of one.Also in Europe vacation time is 45 days/year and there is nothing wrong with that. Balance between work and family time is good for everyone in the society and more work places will be created, more people will be employed. For ladies - many would like to work part time - 20 hours or so.We need this time for families and children. But employers are not creating part time work opportunities. For people with BS and MS very hard to find part time jobs in their field. So always we, ladies, have to either sacrifice a career or family commitments. It would be nice if government enforces companies to hold part-time job opportunities for every field of work.This will mean that more people will be employed and balance of family life will be maintained. The future generation will thank the government for that. And rate of unemployment will reduce dramatically."

-- A.L.

A Prince & A Promise

The Crown Prince wrote this beautiful letter to the people of America:

"I am writing to congratulate Senator Barack Obama for his histoiric election as the 44th President of the United States. He is a dynamic and unifying leader who will reach across geographic and political divides and forge new partnership to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
I also want to congratulate the people of the USA - one of the world's oldest democracies - for participating in this election in unprecedented numbers, for making their voices heard and for truly "being the change they want to see in the world".
History will record this election as having enormous long-term positive consequences for America's most valuable export: democracy.The 2008 Election will hold a place
alongside the election of 1796 when George Washington's decision not to run for a third term assured American democracy; the election of 1828 when Andrew Jackson's victory led to greater public participation in the country's democratic process; Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860 leading to the emancipation of African-americans; and the 1960's election of John F. Kennedy, which cast a backlight on America's religious tolerance. Each and everyone of these elcetions sent a message to the world.
The 2008 election of Barack Obama makes clear that America embraces diversity as its greatest strength and that its people are committed to elcting the best person capable of leading the country and the world forward and upward by, in the words of President Abraham Lincoln, appealing "to the better angels of our nature."In light of its historical importance, the 2008 election results are a mandate for change - not
just for the United States but for our entire global community.For this very reason, the election was followed closely around the world - from London to Lima, from Manila to Mexico City, from Nairobi to New Delhi, from Ryadh to Ras al Khaimah, my homeland. Ras Al Khaimah, a member of the UAE, strategically
located along the Straits of Hormuz, a small emirate with big plans for the future. We have long supported the UAE's effort to promote a strong relationship with the United States in the spirit of peace and prosperity to the benefit of all.
In the coming weeks, I will be proposing to the people of Ras Al Khaimah A Pledge For Progress that calls for 1) Building an economy that serves the people and not just the powerful, 2) Pursuing clean and renewable energy indepenence, 3) Preserving our soverignty as a proud member of the UAE, 4) Increasing educational opportunities for the next generations, 5) Promotong the rule of law, including respect for intellectual property and 6) Encouraging greater participation in government. I look forward to working with President-elect Obama, just as I worked with President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush, to the mutual benefit of the people of the USA and Ras Al Khaimah."

Windsor Enlightened

Free Meditation Classes featuring Sahaja method of meditation are now being offered at the Windsor, ON College Ave. Community Center. Citizens of Windsor who attended the meetings have expressed great satisfaction at the content of the classes and enjoyed the collective learning, which features stress management, learning about the subtle being (chakras & channels) and balancing techniques.

For meeting directions, click here.

Udrang: The All Pervading, Living Force

There is a subtle power which is described as the all-pervading Power of God’s love, as Paramachaitanya, as Udrang, as, so many other words have been used for this power, which does all the living work. Like we see the flowers so beautiful as they are but we take them for granted. We don’t see how they have come from a little seed, how they are blossoming in these different colors. All this living work we take for granted. We have also taken our evolution for granted and everything that autonomous nervous system does we have taken for granted, it’s a good thing in a way because it’s too much of a worry and botheration if you start thinking why of everything. But there is a power, which does all these things.

-- Shri Mataji, Miami, 1990

On Forgiveness "It just doesn't matter"

Dave, a Sahaja Yoga practitioner shares views on forgiveness and its aspects in this beautiful message:

In my experience, there is always a good reason why people do (bad) things. If someone hurts you deliberately, try looking for why they did it. If you dig deep enough, you'll find there is always a good reason. It is the necessary action for them. If you were in their exact place (including their spiritual development), you would do the same thing.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't protect yourself. Or that it is OK for them to hurt you. They will incur their own Karma, which they will have to work off in full. You can feel free to prosecute them legally, or other naturally occurring consequences for their actions. But this must be done, not at all out of revenge, but because this is a nature consequence.

Occasionally, someone wronged me strongly. I took my best judgement of appropiate action. But I recognized that the anger I felt inside was MY problem. It took time for me to let go of this anger (in one case, two years -- now I have a better method with bandhans), but I did not put the anger on them. Actually, I felt sorry for them, that they did such a foolish action.

Finally, it may be that what seems hurtful to you may end up being for your benifit (if only learning to let go of the anger). I believe we are not qualified to judge others, or ourself. "Let he who is without sin...". But also, we are just not in a position to determine what is bad, simply because we don't like it.

It just doesn't matter.
Dave

One

Poetry on Forgiveness by Walter L., USA

One

I am one

One with myself

One with the child inside of me

One with joy bubbling in my heart

One with the spirit of eternity

I am one

One with the Mother in my heart

One with the Mother nurturing me from the earth

One with the Mother in the space of the universe

One with the Mother silently protecting me

I am one

One with the here and now

{{Download PDF}}

The Borotin Song

Aunties and Uncles from Borotin Jam Session, enjoy!

From Light Headed to Strong Hearted

Chronic fainting and me, went hand in hand. Sight or mention of blood would mysteriously induce blackouts which was a lost frontier. However, the unthinkable happened today as I went in for a blood test, anticipating the mandatory dizzy spell.

The last time it happened was about seven years ago, when I went in for a mandatory health check with my friend IP who introduced me to Sahaja Meditation. At the time we were just room-mates and landed jobs at the same company after graduation. After my test, I passed out in the waiting area. IP was back from his blood exam as I was coming around and put attention on my chakras and felt weakness and blockage in the heart chakra quite strongly.

So today, walking into the pathological clinic, the question was - how far has the heart healed? Without thinking much, I focussed on the experience: ready or not here I come.

I disclosed to the medical practitioner my fantastic ability to slide off, laid down and waited for the anxiety to set in. It triggers with the 'hosital smells' and increases to the point where the ears are ringing and I slip into blissful black. So I waited, and I waited.

Nothing happened, the heart was beating steady. The mind was still functioning. Apparently the heart chakra had healed a long time ago. Enough water had flowed under the bridge and enough love of the divine had marinated the heart chakra over the years. Many devotional divine moments, years of affirmations over the heart in meditation and brought about a transformation which was evident in the small victory today. Thank you Sahaja Yoga.

Photo: dizzy heights (CC) by by stuant63 on flickr

Festival of Lights in Romania

There is no better way to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, than meditating itself. Shri Mataji has encouraged practitioners of Sahaja Yoga to consider lighting the light within and celebrate the spirit of the festival which marks the victory of good over evil. I personally love Diwali in Sahaja yoga because no longer we are mindlessly blowing up crackers and creating noise & air pollution. Rather growing deep and let our lights spread into the world.

Learn & Fun Videos: Footsoaking

Footsoaking is a wonderful exercise to clear out our lower chakras. The benefits are direct: at the first chakra you get grounded, at the second, reduce thoughts and at the third, reduce worries.

The first item here is a youtube video explaining footsoaking. The second one is a fun video showing two Canadian yoginis beating the odds to do a successful and fun footsoak: Enjoy!

Self-Realization Through Kundalini Awakening

In the last two blog posts we got introduced to the concept of Sahaja and the inner being, our sublte system. Here we will follow a short guided meditation by founder of Sahaja Yoga, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi.

Fun Frolick Footsoaking Video

Do you feel the need to clear out, but just dont know if getting a footsoak is too challenging? Two brave women in Canada risk everything to perform this amazing miracle of getting a little tub and enjoying a refreshing footsoak.

Kingdom Come & Gone?

by flickr user: WTL Photos (CC)

(What If) The Kingdom of Heaven
Might have come and gone
What if you didn't see it come,
blinded by the siren song.

Ages and centuries,
It took to finally come
it wasn't a moment or a flash
but it stuck around quite long

When angels from heaven
made earth their second home
When the merciful God
Sent His power all alone

(What If) The Kingdom of Heavan
Might have come and gone
What if you didn't see it come,
blinded by the siren song.

There was distinct laughter,
of children and grown-ups,
There was a new smile, everlasting
Like a sun beyond the dust

There was much rejoicement,
And celebration of Truth
There was no written word,
There was no silly book

(What If) The Kingdom of Heaven
Might have come and gone
What if you didn't see it come,
blinded by the siren song.

There was an open door, And everyone came in
Tasted the bread, giving up on their sins
The door remained open, free to come and go
But now there's a shining light, beyond the closing door

Be careful of the company, you may choose to keep
Be careful of the leading voice, that tends to weep
Be aware of the boat, your feet are standing in
Don't drift too far, as you wanna be on the inside, yes within

(What If) The Kingdom of Heaven
Might have come and gone
What if you didn't see it come,
blinded by the siren song.

Now the play is almost over, the curtain callers rise
The doors of the theaters will close at some time tonight
In your happiness you want to see, that you don't exit
That lie as trap for fools and tools, on the left and right

The lights turn off,
the blind scamper, To find a solid shore
The drifters who drifted too far,
They find themselves in heaven no more.

(What If) The Kingdom of Heavan
Might have come and gone
What if you didn't see it come,
blinded by the siren song.

Knowing Your Inner Being

Before getting to inner peace and balance, it is important to know the inner being. This animation introduces you to the system of chakras and channels within us. To know more about chakras and channels you can read on Sahaja Yoga Intro Book website.

Loving the Weather

How does your mind react to weather and changes in weather? I was 21, and in my infancy of self-realization. I had just come across a wonderful friend, Rupesh, who was practicing Sahaja Yoga for a few years and carried a genuine calm demeanor that would disarm the most aggressive people.

creative commons licensed pic by tamaki on flickr

His sage advice that one must not indulge in cursing the weather went deep into the heart and built reverance for nature like never before. Self-realization had once again transformed the inner being in a Sahaja (spontaneous) manner. The natural urge to curse extreme weather has dissolved into reverance for the elements of nature: sun, wind and yes, even Michigan snow.

Yesterday there was snow in mid-Michigan, and I was picking up two friends from MSU - one Indian and one from Togo, Africa. They saw snow for the first time and were mesmerised. I am sure, being yogis, they will cherish snow for its beauty rather than hardship for a long time to come.

How Does Sahaja Work?

Welcome to the Learn Sahaja Yoga blog! This is the place to get some info on Sahaja Yoga form of meditation through videos, text and informative links to other educational websites. To start off, lets answer the question: What is Sahaja? Amongst other things, Sahaja means simple, spontaneous and easy. It is a way of doing things the smooth and easy way. Sahaja Yoga means getting union or awakening in a spontaneous way. The following video demonstrates the method aptly:

Kuchipudi Dancer's Website & Blog from Brazil

Stumbled across a blog of Ana Paiva, showcasing an upcoming dance presentation in Brasilia. Check it out, and turn on your portuguese-to-english translator. Ana is a talented kuchipudi dancer trained in India at the PK Salve Academy of Arts, where many practioners of Sahaja Yoga go to learn music and dance, with a spiritual focus. Meditation and ascent play a far greater role in the development of students as compared to other schools of indian performing arts.

Ana's Website & Blog

Do you feel sleepy while meditating?

We are at a fair and I just worked on a person who has tried meditation but would always fall asleep.

She was describing a problem which I experienced in my first months of sahaja yoga meditation.

The problem comes from the right side being overworked. Right side, or pingala nadi, is the sun channel. It gets exhausted when we are overworked and under rested.

When the kindalini rises and finds over stressed chakras, she does not force herself. But out of concern for the meditating subject, she induces action of the left side to balance out the right. Sleep is a blessing of the left side, and a cure for many right side issues like hypertension.

At the end, our dear subject, flora, revealed she indeed suffer from high blood pressure. This confirmed the relationship between meditation, hypertension and sleeping off.

It took me about four months before I was able to meditate without dozing off... But that was seven years ago and well into the past.

Looking for Links to Mother's Visits?

Here is the place:
http://sahaj-az.blogspot.com/2008/11/visits.html

Audio Podcast 1.1 from GLM

The audio podcast for the new programs has begun with the first 10 minute installment of music and mother's words here:

Kingdom of God in the Gospels

I am reading Tolstoy's The Gospels in Brief. The description of the kingdom of God is so amazingly true. Especially the part where the filtering of chosen ones is described by two parables: the farmer and the fisherman. And also the clear warning by Jesus that the parables might eventually be twisted by knaves for selfish purposes.

Programs in USA, Australia - Weekend of Diwali

AUSTRALIA November 7, 2008
9:00 am	to	4:00 pm

Sahaja Yoga is again holding a Self-realisation Stall in Chatswood Shopping Mall, Chatswood in Sydney, on Friday 7th November, from 9.00 am till 4.00 pm.

This will be held as part of the twice-yearly Charities Day held in Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, just down from Chatswood station.

USA (Michigan)

Catch us in the bodyworker area of the Phenomenews BMS festival!

The Body Mind Spirit Festival Fall 2008: November 8!

MACOMB COMMUNITY COLLEGE - SOUTH CAMPUS
SPORTS & EXPO CENTER

Directions: TAKE I-75 FROM EITHER NORTH OR SOUTH TO I-696 EAST TO THE HOOVER/SCHOENHERR EXIT (24)
GOING UP THE THE RAMP TO THE LIGHT AT HOOVER.
TAKE A LEFT TURN ON HOOVER GOING NORTH TO 12 MILE ROAD
TURN RIGHT ON 12 MILE GOING EAST TWO MILES TO HAYES
AND FOLLOW THE YELLOW SIGNS THAT WILL SAY
BODY MIND SPIRIT FESTIVAL.

JSM!!

A Prayer and A Reason for Creation

Two beautiful posts coming from Australia offering a prayer and answering the eternal question of why the world was created?

The prayer is beutiful as it builds surrender and gives strength in the process. Such a blessing of Sahaja. The reason for creation explores the need for reflection of beauty. Without reflection of God's own glory in creation, God would not be able to enjoy that reflection.

“Why has God created this beautiful universe?” has been a question asked for thousands of years. The reason is very simple to understand. This beauty that is created cannot see itself. In the same way, God who is the source of beauty, cannot see His own beauty. Like a pearl cannot enter into itself to see its beauty, like the sky cannot understand its own beauty, the stars cannot see their own beauty, the sun cannot behold its brilliance. In the same way, God Almighty cannot behold His own being. He needs a mirror. And that’s how He has created this beautiful universe as His mirror. MORE

“Forgive me for what I’ve done, and forgive those who have done harm to me.” More

Labels Dissapear

And in the beginning, we were handed a kite,
That would soar high, bring day to the night,
We took it high in the sky,
Now it comes down, but it's spirit is high.

We took a name, but whats in a name?
We took an identity, now its lost the same.
We took in everyone, and they stole the gates.
We took in thieves and thugs, now the plunder us on.

Now why will anyone trust another vagabond?
Now why should anyone keep faith in time?
Now why should anyone expect any better?
Now why shouldn't anyone become a go-getter?

We have been taken care of,
by a Soul much greater than ours.
A Soul that encompasses, the expanse
of this earth.

This Soul has taught us, how to
live a life of sacrifice
How to give away your last pennies
Without putting up a fight

We have been made stronger,
Cause our faith runs much deeper
Our beliefs may now and then suffer
but we shall always be in surrender.

O! This Sahaja life...

How does the brain responds to Sahaja Meditation?

The following informative page answers questions on how the brain responds to Sahaja meditation. It's calming effect can be seen from the brain activation patters observed via EEG. Here is an extract. Go here for the full article.

Electrophysiological studies (EEG) measure the electrical activity from groups of neurons on the surface of the scalp. EEG studies comparing the brain activation of long-term Sahaja Yoga practitioners (11) to short-term Sahaja Yoga meditators (16) found specific brain activation patterns corresponding to the subjective feelings of thoughtless awareness and happiness experienced by the Meditators (Aftanas and Golocheikine, 2001, 2002, 2000). In their EEG measures, the long-term meditators showed increased power in low band frequency EEG activity of theta and alpha, which was particularly pronounced over the left frontal regions.

Can meditation help your body & mind?

from the BBC, a report on meditation and its benefits. To locate a meditation meeting near you, visit (for USA) www.sahajayoga.org ; To learn about meditation related topics with live online workshops, visit www.freemeditation.tv

Only we can destroy ourselves

Children of one Mother

Listening to the wisdom of old

We feel safe

Playing with each other in her watchful gaze

We feel safe

Her feet in the corner of our eyes

We feel safe

Climbing on the mountain – aware of her presence

We feel safe



The stranger’s voice is whispering

May sound like fun

The stranger’s gaze is tempting us

May make us feel all grown up

The stranger’s tasks lead us to new adventures

May make us feel curious



The voices of wisdom sound so stale

When we start to grow up

The children’s playful gestures seem so boring

When we start to grow up

The Mother protective gaze appears so limiting

When we start to grow up



In the strange world

We don’t need our Mother

In the strange world

We are above the others

In the strange world

The stranger’s affection sets us apart



The Mother feels so far

When the confusion sets in

All grown up

The safety of her voice has lost its comfort

Being lost in our greatness looses its fun

When the guilt sets in



Luckily the Mother’s loving hands are never far

When we become small again

Luckily her gaze is still as loving

When we move back into the presence of her being

It may take a little time

But the play of the children will be sweet again

- by Walter L., USA

Only we can destroy ourselves

Children of one Mother

Listening to the wisdom of old

We feel safe

Playing with each other in her watchful gaze

We feel safe

Her feet in the corner of our eyes

We feel safe

Climbing on the mountain – aware of her presence

We feel safe



The stranger’s voice is whispering

May sound like fun

The stranger’s gaze is tempting us

May make us feel all grown up

The stranger’s tasks lead us to new adventures

May make us feel curious



The voices of wisdom sound so stale

When we start to grow up

The children’s playful gestures seem so boring

When we start to grow up

The Mother protective gaze appears so limiting

When we start to grow up



In the strange world

We don’t need our Mother

In the strange world

We are above the others

In the strange world

The stranger’s affection sets us apart



The Mother feels so far

When the confusion sets in

All grown up

The safety of her voice has lost its comfort

Being lost in our greatness looses its fun

When the guilt sets in



Luckily the Mother’s loving hands are never far

When we become small again

Luckily her gaze is still as loving

When we move back into the presence of her being

It may take a little time

But the play of the children will be sweet again

- by Walter L., USA

SahajaTravel as a Guru

Photo by MusMs

Traveling for Sahaja is a great equilizer. It exposes you to new energies. Sometimes the new energies can be strong awakenings brought about by concepts hitherto unknown. New ways of spreading the love, new ways of strengthening collectivity, new ways of connecting and new ways of looking at the self.

And it works both ways. When you travel out and when others travel to you and bring an invisible bag of goodies, which are ideas.

This past weekend, two dynamic yogis from Toronto landed in Michigan. In the tradition of Sahaja hobbithood, we did what we usually do. Spread love, poster around, eat, sing, make merry and share stories. We sown seeds in each other's hearts and lands. We'll try to nourish these seeds by visiting each other more often and see the seeds sprout in the light of truth and rain of Mother's love.

Karma cola

I don't wanna get my karma cola (F# maj)

Sitting in a leaky, black gondola

of blind faith, that's just not me!

 

I don't wanna get instant nirvana,

I'd rather just have a nice banana

of the Truth, that sets me free

 

I'd rather be a little disillusioned

Waiting for dawn in mild confusion

in the night, of ignorance

 

I'd rather be miles from the nearest shore

Than give in to a lie, fable or lore,

from a vagabond, just out of jail

 

I'd rather go hungry, parched and weary

than turn around, regretful & sorry

for a life, lost & wasted.

 

I'd rather be poor man of sound mind,

Than win a contest of the popularity kind,

that'd do no good, to the brotherhood

 

I'd rather be a star pale and faint,

Than a comet that shines for just a moment,

And dissapears, leaving us here

Leavin' us here.....

 

I'd rather be a bathroom singer & crazy,

memories of love clear some hazy,

In the heart, where its always summer

 

I'd rather be a million dollars in debt,

Than have binding obligations set,

to be a slave, of a twisted knave

 

'Rather be dissolved the grand illusion,

Than stay afloat in false confusions,

of the torrid mind: rational & unkind

 

Rather be person, kind and wrong,

Than sing a dry, boring, rational song,

from the mind, that illusive find

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solution for Insane Times

Los Angeles, and then Detroit has become a the latest newsmaker for violence related to the financial meltdown. Insanity draws closer. If you feel mildly worried or concerned and need peace, I recommend meditation using Sahaja Yoga. There is even a local meeting place close to Detroit. So do not wait and act now for a balanced life.

Marocco Sahaja Yoga Tour

A group of European yogis currently on a realization tour in cities of Morocco, in Northwest Africa. As you see in the attached pictures they also offered a piece of cloth worn by Shri Mataji to the Atlantic ocean, the cloth was placed in a lamp and the offering was done on the request of Shri Mataji Herself.

Couchiching Seminar Recollections (Late September 08)

Toronto area collective organizes 4 or 5 "Going Deeper" seminars for their newly established seekers (as 'young' as 2 weeks). This is not the International Toronto Seminar that happened in early August ,when Mother was expected to visit Canada. 

The best part is that they make the Sahaj vidya teaching (treatments, Sahaj culture) a fun experience! Here is a quick rundown of some nice things we observed:

How to make an alter: Instead of a "talk-by-yogi" two yogis used a role-playing improvisation skit to educate and entertain everyone on all aspects & principles of making a decent alter at home. The audience was forced to participate as the 'actors' made well rehearsed 'mistakes'. Being an instructional person, I was amazed at the power of skits to impart Sahaj concepts.

There were some men-only sessions (head massage) and women only sessions (how to wear a sari) and combined sessions (how to clear house of negativities.) 

The evenings started with talent shows - skits, music etc by yogis. After a tea break, the bhajan group would break out their well polished bhajans which alone make the trek to toronto worth it. 

These are two day seminars. Recent synergy has resulted in Toronto and Detroit collectives to think about supporting programs in the border cities of Detroit/Toronto. More on that later.

Bullesha's Master, Shah Inayat - On Love

The nature of life on earth is illusory and in the Sanskrit tongue it
is called Maya or illusion, and every soul having the spark of the
divine love, forgets the use and the purpose of that spark and begins
to love itself most.

By a keen study of human life, man will find that as a rule, when he
claims that he loves, in reality he loves himself, he loves his own
benefit in life, he loves another for the help that other gives, for
his goodness, for his kindness, for his service, but in all this he
surely loves himself, and it is for himself all the while he thinks he
loves another.

It is a very high stage in the path of love when man really learns to
love another with a love that asks no return, when he does not seek
love for the sake of love in return, then love becomes pure, the lover
gives, and gives and gives, but even that is not the purpose of life,
it is still greater. The Perfect One who is the source and origin of
the whole creation, is the Perfection of Beauty. All beauty on earth
or in heaven belongs to Him, and the purpose of the creation of every
soul is to progress in the path of love until the soul arrives at a
stage where it may find the Perfection of Beauty.

The development of love is often hindered by different obstacles in
life. The first obstacle is ourselves. We begin our life with
selfishness, and all that we want is for self, and if there is a
tendency to love, it is for one's own happiness, and one's own joy.
When the question comes, 'How much do you love me, and how much do I
love you?' it has come to be a trading in love. 'I love you, but you
do not love me' is as much as to say, 'I have bid so much, and I
expect a return of love'. This is trading in love, and trade cannot
lead anywhere, because it makes one think of the self, and love is
beyond that. To love is to give; it is not to take at all. The true
lover never speaks of what he has done for his beloved, for he loves
for love's sake, not for the sake of a return.

Bullesha's Master, Shah Inayat

If: Rudyard Kipling (High School Time Inspiration)

If 

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

                                                                                                                                                     - Rudyard Kipling    

Centered, in some respects...

Ganesha Puja in Cabella Part 4/4

The Ganesha puja started after Mother's joyous arrival.

The welcome program was unique as birthday delicitations from the state of Connecticut, president George bush and CA governor Arnold
Schwazzeneger. 

In the entire puja Mother radiated smiles, bathe all in pleased attention and gave detailed instructions to the pujari and others. Always smiling, acknowledging like what we've seen many years before. She talked and joked with the children at length, smiling laughing and attending to their every word with expressions, gestures and words.

She talked in detail, almost 10 - 15 minutes to all gift presenters, taking it back to many years before. She talked to USA yogis for almost 20mins. Hope the presenters can share what Mother's advice for America was. We desired Mother's words could be heard by everyone. When the Chinese came on,  she was given a mic and we could hear her concern for china to approach it's manufacturing in a different way. To direct production to silk and handi crafts.

From memory, Mother's comments about China are reproduced roughly at the end.

But first, to share a twist in the tale. After the hosting countries and a couple of gifts, the end of the ceremony was announced with the vote of thanks for puja in closing. But Mother.indicated that She would like to go on with all the country gifts that evening! The pendal broke into thunderous applause as the program continued with Mother pleased beyond anything seen before. And then this happened again, and we went into a third round of gift giving!

Mother's presence was almost 7.30p to 11p local time.

China comments, not exact:

Handicraft and handmade goods are great in china. In this country
(Italy) you can buy a lot of Chinese silk, but in china you cannot get
it! [laughter]

It (production.of artistic and handicrafts) should all come back
through sy. There is no demand for nonsensical things.

As communists you can progress if you understand what is important(to
manufacture), and that you can produce. You have so many things you
can develop, handi craft.

I am very much for handicrafts' but people have lost faith for handi
crafts. But if you make it in your country, they wil buy here at a
good price.

Make artistic things. Handi crafts.

I've been in china twice. Very nice people, very good character.
Should take to something artistic, that's very important.

The rest of the gifts continue without audible comments. However, Her
keen interest in all gifts and presenting countries is evident.