Wisdom, Choice: Fantastic Commentary on State of Humanity

Barry Schwartz: The paradox of choice


And finally, on wisdom... rather the loss of it






Louis CK on Conans show, explaining why you suck when you're spoiled:
(this might dissapear soon)

How Much Should One Meditate?

"Eight minutes are sufficient. It’s the attitude that is going to help your growth, not you are sitting for eight hours on one leg or something like that. There are some sadhus who just stand up and put one leg like this and they say, “We are sitting on one leg”. That’s not going to help. It’s a living process, and the living process has to be worked out in a living way. Allow it to work out. Allow it to grow."

--1986-0906,Ganesha Puja, California-USA

Hamsa Chakra: Introduction

As we head out for a capstone seminar in Toronto, for newly established students of Sahaja Yoga, I was asked to compile a handout on Hamsa Chakra. Using Nirmala Search, here is a part of what came together:

Location: Hamsa chakra is part of vishuddhi chakra and is placed at a point between the eyes.

The Expression of Ida and Pingala is given through the Hamsa ChakraWe have never yet paid much attention to this center of Hamsa, which is, I think, very important for the Western world, rather than for the Indian or the Eastern. The reason is, at the Hamsa chakra, part of the Ida and Pingala come out and manifest - means the expression of Ida and Pingala is given through the Hamsa chakra. So this Hamsa chakra is the one that, as if has not gone up to the Agnya, but is holding on certain threads or certain parts of the Ida and Pingala. And they start flowing through your nose, expressing through your eyes, from your mouth and from your forehead. So you know that Vishuddhi chakra has got sixteen petals, which look after the eyes, nose, throat, tongue, teeth. But the expression part of it comes through the Hamsa chakra, of all these. So it’s a very, very important thing in a Western mind, to understand Hamsa chakra. There’s a beautiful couplet about this in Sanskrit, “Hansa kshveta ha, baka ha kshveta ha . ko bhedo hansa bakayo ho. Neera ksheera vivek e tu. Hansa ha hansaksh, baka ha baka ha.” Meaning ‘The crane and the swan, both are white. And what makes a difference between the two? If you mix the water and the milk together the hamsa (swan) will just suck in the milk. So it can discriminate between the water and the milk while the bakha, means the crane, cannot’. It’s a very significant thing for Sahaja Yogis to understand.

Read More: Sahaja Path Newsletter, CA

The Advent in Czech, "Incognito" Prague Launch

The launching of the Czech translation of the Advent

Two auspicious events in sahaj world took place in Prague, Czech Republic, last year. The first was the publishing of the Czech translation of Gregoire de Kalbermatten’s book The Advent in the total amount of 2000 copies. The launching of the book was held in Luxor, the biggest bookshop in Central Europe, on 6th June. Since the very morning a big poster of Shri Mataji’s photo known as the „Healer“ placed next to the main entrance was vibrating the busy pedestrian precinct in Wenceslas square. The first delivery of the books (100 pieces) was sold out during incredibly short time before the actual beginning of the presentation and the amazed publisher’s distributors had to bring a new supply…

The event started by Gregoire de Kalbermatten’ speach translated into Czech which had a great impact on all the participants and was rewarded by a long applause. The translator of the book, Marta Heinlová, read short extract of the part about the author’s first meeting Shri Mataji accompanied by the sounds of the sitar. The „baptising“ of the book by the Borbera river water brought to this special occasion from Cabella was performed by Gregoire’s wife Cathrine and the translator of the book and the cheerful, relaxed atmosphere was tinged by Indian bajans interpreted by the Czech bajan group „Vítr do dlaně“ (Wind in your hands) which attracted many passer-by readers and made them to stop and listen to something that had never happened in this bookshop before. After having answered many questions, the author started to sing the newly launched book for many people happily waiting in the long queue. About 140 copies of The Advent were sold there that memorable afternoon, the Luxor record! And some 600 books has been sold so far to both the yogis and non-sahaj readers.

May this book be found by a lot of seekers of the Truth and enlighten their heart so that they join us on our journey to “our-Selves”! Jai Shri Mataji !!!

Incognito – and yet publicly!

Incognito means secretly, discreetly, hidden. Such is the title of the new booklet of Gregoire de Kalbermatten’s aphorisms, quotations and poems in Czech and English versions published 6th December in Prague. The collection shows the versatile personality of the author in the role of a philosopher and poet presenting more than hundred aphorisms, the selection of the quotations from his so far last novel The Legend of Dagad Trikon and 13 poems. They reflect some thoughts and perceptions consigned in his diary during his many travels. Beautiful pictures taken by the photographer from the whole world increase the vibrations emitting out of these fragments of wisdom and please the eyes and hearts of all perceptive readers. The main topic around which his lines as he expressed it “merely dance” is the necessity to achieve our self-knowledge.


To decode our inner Being which incognito travels with us through our worldly existence and achieve a complete transformation of our awareness is considered by the author the most important task for the human race and an essential condition of our surviving on this planet. The collection isn’t a translation of an already existing book but a completely new publication collected, arranged and edited in the Czech Republic by the translator with its absolute premiere in Prague. A lot of people came to participate in that blissful event when the book was presented to the public and the author had to satisfy a long queue and sign some 187 books. During the author’s reading Gregoire commented on single aphorisms and poems to clarify their meaning in a very interesting way. The three „godmothers“ of different nationalities and the very way of baptising the newborn baby-book by vibrated water sprinkled on it with the twigs of mistletoe, a magical plant of old Celtic Druids who once used to inhabit European territory, gave the ceremony a cosmopolitan character. We believe that the sign „Love that can be lost isn’t the love I seek“ placed on a photo of the Ganga river that was “flowing” on the screen above the stage together with Gregoire’s wise words will remain deep in the hearts of all who came to join in.
The book will be available in Cabella.
More info at: martah@sky.cz

Mentoring Comes Full Circle

Seven long years since the awakening of Kundalini energy, and now it was finally time for a fruitful mentoring relationship to come full circle.

As college age kids, we had very weak foot holding in the realm of spirituality, easily outweighed by the skepticism of a seeking rational mind. But we were fortunate to find a mentor, not too elderly, but wise enough for us to springboard to real spirituality. He is an un-assuming personality, with his own struggles through life - but manages to maintain a cool head and a sensitive heart. We were drawn to him like younger brothers. He dispensed advice, he calmed our doubts, he answered pointed questions and offered the occasional unsolicited suggestion. He came up with simple ways to enjoy the divinity of meditation and when the night wore on, simply slept off in any given position.


Well, seven years past that wonderful mentor ship and we find ourselves at the other end of the world. He is still the wandering mystic, under the guise of an engineer and I am still the wide eyed co-journer looking up to the old soul behind his quiet persona. I was more than eager to invite him home, provide comfort and conversation. But it took months for him to convince himself to get a ride and make the 2 hour trip.

Finally, the day was here. We did the usual coaxing to lead a meditation here, a clearing session there and it was like old times. Living in the occident, we forget the depth of the orient. Young yogis in their 20s would easily surpass the depths of their counterparts when it comes to guiding the attention through the journey of charkas and into the bliss of meditation. That was it, the moment of togetherness in Sahasrara. After the meditation, he made remarks about the vibrational state of America - tremendous vibrations, easy to get into deep meditation - yet difficult to sustain that state. True dat.

Then we say our good-byes and hope that the paths intersect in the future, once more.

Photo: "The Path" (cc) by Steffe