A Sensational Soul Journey

PERSONAL TIME...

Take some deep cleansing breaths and notice your inhalations and exhalations. Take note of your jaw and pressure on your teeth. Notice sensations within your body and outside your body. It may help to do a checklist working up or down the body. This helps focus attention at the moment. When you're relaxed merely observe your thoughts.

Where is your attention?
What is your mind saying to you?
Just listen, only listen, do not respond, only observe.

The purpose of being silent is to not "interact with" the thoughts, but allow them to pass through you. Thoughts are tangible things so it may take practice and time to not cling to the thoughts you have. Gently and silently be with your loving self.

Treat the thoughts as if they are water and let them flow past you with you ease like a fast flowing river where no "debris" can get caught in the eddies and on rocks. Let them simply flow over, through and around you.

Three to five minutes is a good start to practice this exercise in silence and mindfulness.

INTERACTION WITH OTHERS...

It's good communication policy to listen to others but one needs to listen to the self as well. Try to listen inside what you want to say before saying it. It is good practice to listen to your self at work, home or school or anywhere else. To start out, you may only want to observe your feelings, emotions your interactions with others. Just watch yourself and be mindful of what you do and what you think. Observe, observe, observe. Do this for 10 minutes each day and work up from there.

Once you have observed and your awareness has taken on a new direction. It is time to apply it to your everyday interactions. Try to listen and hear for your best responses and answers throughout the day. Be mindful of your thoughts and feelings and process them before sharing with others. Convey only what you feel will benefit all communicators. This becomes a "Walking Meditation".

BREATHING...

The "awareness to your breath" practice is a powerful mindful exercise. In Buddhism it is a practice of being in the moment and the way to be "in the moment" is through the breath. The breath is important for revitalizing chi, ki, and overall well being. It aids in shifting awareness along with calming and centering properties. When you are in the relaxed state take repeated deep breaths:

Be aware of your incoming breath filling and expanding your lungs.
Upon exhaling, feel and hear the breath leave your lungs.
Notice the feeling in your mouth, nose, throat and body.
Just listen, and feel, do not respond, only observe your breath.

"Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts."

Breathing calms and centers your attention. It slows down your thoughts to a point of focus. In the silence it allows you to become a watcher of your own thoughts. The mind is training to step aside the normal thought process and allow the chatter to slow down. There is a realization how much mind energy is nonproductive due to the empty spaces we try to fill. There is an important shift in knowing what is important and mentally comfortable and what isn't.

Listening and hearing are perfectly paired techniques for Becoming silent. If you practice hearing yourself and your mind in a silent meditational moment or throughout the day then you are more aware of the cues for attention outside oneself.

When the mind is silent and we dwell in the open spaces of our minds we can hear Spirit's voice. To practice silence and awareness in our daily lives we need to train and monitor ourselves.

Side effects are: smiling without a reason, remaining calm and composed in chaotic situations, ability to communicate to the point and most of all peace and contentment.

The short answer is that yoga makes you feel better. Practicing the postures, breathing exercises and meditation makes you healthier in body, mind and spirit. Yoga lets you tune in, chill out, shape up -- all at the same time.

For many people, that's enough of an answer. But there's more if you're interested.

For starters, yoga is good for what ails you. Specifically, research shows that yoga helps manage or control anxiety, arthritis, asthma, back pain, blood pressure, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue, depression, diabetes, epilepsy, headaches, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, stress and other conditions and diseases. What's more, yoga:

• Improves muscle tone, flexibility, strength and stamina
• Reduces stress and tension
• Boosts self esteem
• Improves concentration and creativity
• Lowers fat
• Improves circulation
• Stimulates the immune system
• Creates sense of well being and calm.

And that's just the surface stuff. In fact, most of the benefits mentioned above are secondary to yoga's original purpose.
Well…you might (of course, it could take a few lifetimes of diligent practice). But then again you might not. But it doesn't really matter because yoga is a process, and there's a lot of good to be had along the way.

Ever say "I am hungry" or "I am stressed"? We identify with our conditions. It's like "hungry" or "stressed" is a name (Hi. I'm Stressed. What's your name?) As a result, our identities shift with our moods and conditions.

The techniques developed by the yogis to transcend also help us strip away the things that try to mis-define us -- the emotions, sensations, desires, achievements and failures of daily life. Through yoga we learn to develop a greater awareness of our physical and psychological states. As a result, we're in a position to better manage our reactions to the thoughts, feelings and responses we have to the various situations we deal with every day.

With greater awareness comes the sensitivity and skill to find and remove the physical and psychological blocks that often keep us from our true selves. We no longer identify with our conditions. Instead of saying, "I am stressed," we begin to say, "I feel stress," or "stress is present." It's a subtle but powerful difference.

Whether you pursue yoga as a spiritual path or for its psycho-physiological benefits, yoga is a methodology for developing a deeper experience of your self and the world.

Life is a stretch, frequently presenting last-minute, unexpected change. Through our yoga practice we gain experience at bending our bodies, our wills, and mind to any task with a certain amount of equanimity and ease. One of the gifts of yoga is that it teaches us that true flexibility means adapting to the change in every moment, while maintaining a spirit of calm, devotion and love. Given the time and attention we can create our own source of comfort. No matter what the circumstances we can draw flexibility and strength from our practice (and our community). This resource allows us tap into a powerful source of personal energy composed of : physical resiliency, emotional maturity, and spiritual optimism.

The great yoga master Krishnamacharya emphasized “Vinyasa” as an artful approach to living and central to the transformative process of yoga. “Vinyasa” literally means ‘linking a movement to the breath’, yet also refers to progressive sequences that are led by the flow of the breath pattern. These vinyasa sequences are considered ‘the sacred dance of the yogis’ referring to the natural, deep rhythm of the breath acting as the sacred beat. For Krishnamacharya, and his famous students B.K.S. Iyengar, Bikram Choudry, and P. Jois, Vinyasa yoga is focused on progressive sequences that unfold with an inherent harmony and intelligence.

In life, and in Krishnamacharya’s “viniyoga”, we need to make a careful assessment before we begin to determine our needs and then build a complementary step-by-step practice to meet those needs. After creating the foundation of our practice, paying attention to how we begin, we can build our practice. We complete our practice, putting the roof on, being sure if have carefully addressed our stated needs.

The flow of the breath, of life itself, and of a vinyasa practice is well-described by a sailing metaphor. All three require us to synchronize natural forces that require skill and intuition. Before we take to the ‘sea’ we must assess the conditions; boat, wind, tides, waves. These conditions constantly fluctuate, as do our physical, emotional, and spiritual states. Then we are ready to build power, take determined action, and tack with the wind as conditions change. If we get it together we are in for a fabulous ride!

At the heart of this approach is the deep honoring and attention paid to the individual. Although Iyengar, Bikram and Jois all came to develop their own “brand” of yoga, the notion that any specific yoga prescription can be given to any person is deeply counter to the teachings of Krishnamacharya. He stated that the most important thing to remember about a yogic practice is that “Yoga should be adapted to the individual, not the individual to the yoga”.

Mantra is spoken in the ancient language of Sanskrit. The spiritual masters of India consider this language divine because of its vibrational energy. Sanskrit mantras provide the opportunity to establish a connection with the highest spiritual energies .... 

Yoga is a Sanskrit word that means ‘union’. Yoga teaches us to live in unity and harmony, with tolerance and respect for all living beings in the natural world. Yoga Masters around the globe endeavour to create unity among all humans, which is the essential requisite for world peace.

Yoga leads to an understanding of our oneness with all living beings, and the whole of creation. Through the practise of Yoga, we learn that every injury we cause another inevitably comes back to us; that every positive action and positive thought brings happiness to others, as well as to ourselves.

The mightiest power in humans is the power of thought. It is time for us to apply our intellectual energy for the benefit of the world, rather than being the cause of its destruction. The path of Yoga helps us to unearth the valuable treasury of knowledge buried within and put it to good use. Every person is able to contribute something worthwhile to the planet and its recovery, and shape the future so that we may continue to live on this earth.

The aim of my life is to serve people through Yoga. My mission is to reawaken in humans the belief in God, and respect & love for His creation. This includes all living beings. In an endeavour to make the ancient science of Yoga available to people of all ages in this modern world, I developed a systematic method of practice from the authentic traditions of Yoga. It can be fully integrated into our daily life and that is why it is called “Yoga in Daily Life”.  

Mantra is spoken in the ancient language of Sanskrit. The spiritual masters of India and Tibet consider this language divine because of its vibrational energy. Sanskrit mantras provide the opportunity to establish a connection with the highest spiritual energies of the Universe, enabling ultimate peace to settle within one’s own heart and mind. Mantra is given by a spiritual master, who hails from a spiritual lineage. It is given in a ceremony called Mantra Diksha which is a very auspicious occasion.

In this ceremony, the spiritual master (the Guru) makes a life-long commitment to guide the soul of the new meditation aspirant. In turn, the aspirant remains dedicated life-long to the teachings of the master, and practices the meditation Mantra with faith. Throughout all of life’s twists and turns, the spiritual master provides simple and practical guidance. Regardless of whether one is in physical proximity to the master or far, it is through the universal potency of the Mantra that guidance is received. In this light, Mantra is truly a great blessing for life.

The authentic spiritual master, the Guru, is likened to the radiant Sun.  All spiritual paths revere that spiritual master who dispels ignorance and suffering, and showers inspiration and wisdom. Gu means darkness, Ru means light. Dwelling within the incarnation of the Guru, is the luminous light of infinite wisdom and knowledge of the Divine. Such a master has the ability to kindle this light of knowledge in the hearts of others through Mantra.

The system of “Yoga in Daily Life” offers a step-by-step guide through eight levels of yoga postures, pranayama (breath techniques) and meditation. It is steeped in the ancient teachings of Yoga and adapted for the modern lifestyle; to help people integrate the authentic teachings into everyday life and relationships. The eight levels are structured to gain the greatest benefits for body, mind and soul, therefore it is recommended that the levels be practiced in a progressive way.

Yoga however, is more than just a system of physical exercise – it is a science of body, mind, consciousness and soul. It is a source of wisdom. Yoga makes it possible for every human to discover the real purpose of life and their own true nature. Those who have recognized and experienced their own inner truth, will never again wage war or use force against others.

Meditation & Mantra

In the practice of meditation we gain spiritual knowledge which is eternal and unchanging. Spiritual knowledge differs greatly from intellectual knowledge; it cannot be taught, it can only be gained by one’s own experience. It unfolds in the heart through realisation; by following the cosmic laws of the universe, and by practicing meditation and mantra.

To acquire spiritual knowledge, it is first necessary to explore and illuminate all levels of consciousness. In the guided practice of Self-Inquiry Meditation the mind is turned to inquire into the content of one’s own consciousness, to examine personal qualities, perceptions and habits. Through this meditation technique, there occurs a recognition and analysis of our own psyche and we come to learn much about ourselves and others. As we regularly repeat the self-inquiry technique, our thinking becomes well ordered and clear. Due to this we are able to overcome and avoid many difficulties in life.

The practice of Mantra also helps to overcome daily worries and concerns. Mantra removes obstacles from the spiritual path and purifies the mind. Mantra is a word or phrase that contains great vibration and powerful spiritual energy. Mantra literally means to ‘liberate the mind’ - it liberates the mind from fear, dependency and sorrow. It gives the mind peace and guides our thoughts. The vibrational energy of the Sanskrit Mantra, as given by a genuine meditation Master, is tuned with the universal source of peace. The great saints, yogis and spiritual leaders of yester-year practiced and perfected Mantras and Prayers before conveying them to humanity for the welfare of all beings.

Paramhansa Yogananda gives a remarkable answer to the question, "What is Yoga?" in the book, The Essence of Self-Realization.

A visitor : "What is yoga?"

Paramhansa Yogananda: "Yoga means union. Etymologically, it is connected to the English word, yoke. Yoga means union with God, or, union of the little, ego-self with the divine Self, the infinite Spirit.

"Most people in the West, and also many in India, confuse yoga with Hatha Yoga, the system of bodily postures. But yoga is primarily a spiritual discipline.

"I don't mean to belittle the yoga postures. Hatha Yoga is a wonderful system. The body, moreover, is a part of our human nature, and must be kept fit lest it obstruct our spiritual efforts. Devotees, however, who are bent on finding God give less importance to the yoga postures. Nor is it strictly necessary that they practice them.

"Hatha Yoga is the physical branch of Raja Yoga, the true science of yoga. Raja Yoga is a system of meditation techniques that help to harmonize human consciousness with the divine consciousness.

"Yoga is an art as well as a science. It is a science, because it offers practical methods for controlling body and mind, thereby making deep meditation possible. And it is an art, for unless it is practiced intuitively and sensitively it will yield only superficial results.

"Yoga is not a system of beliefs. It takes into account the influence on each other of body and mind, and brings them into mutual harmony. So often, for instance, the mind cannot concentrate simply because of tension or illness in the body, which prevent the energy from flowing to the brain. So often, too, the energy in the body is weakened because the will is dispirited, or paralyzed by harmful emotions.

"Yoga works primarily with the energy in the body, through the science of pranayama, or energy-control. Prana means also 'breath.' Yoga teaches how, through breath-control, to still the mind and attain higher states of awareness.

"The higher teachings of yoga take one beyond techniques, and show the yogi, or yoga practitioner, how to direct his concentration in such a way as not only to harmonize human with divine consciousness, but to merge his consciousness in the Infinite.

"Yoga is a very ancient science; it is thousands of years old. The perceptions derived from its practice form the backbone of the greatness of India, which for centuries has been legendary. The truths espoused in the yoga teachings, however, are not limited to India, nor to those who consciously practice yoga techniques. Many saints of other religions also, including many Christian saints, have discovered aspects of the spiritual path that are intrinsic to the teachings of yoga.

"A number of them were what Indians, too, would accept as great yogis.

"They had raised their energy from body-attachment to soul-identity.

"They had discovered the secret of directing the heart's feeling upward in devotion to the brain, instead of letting it spill outward in restless emotions.

"They had discovered the portal of divine vision at the point between the eyebrows, through which the soul passes to merge in Christ Consciousness.

"They had discovered the secrets of breathlessness, and how in breathlessness the soul can soar to the spiritual heights.

"They had discovered the state which some of them called mystical marriage, where the soul merges with God and becomes one with Him.

"Yoga completes the biblical teaching on how one should love God: with heart, mind, soul-and strength. For strength means energy.

"The ordinary person's energy is locked in his body. The lack of availability of that energy to his will prevents him from loving the Lord one-pointedly with any of the three other aspects of his nature: heart, mind, or soul. Only when the energy can be withdrawn from the body and directed upward in deep meditation is true inner communion possible."

Paramhansa Yogananda goes on to say how important techniques are in our spiritual quest:

"What happens," someone asked, "to those who try to reach God without the benefit of yoga techniques?"

"A few of them are successful," the Master replied, "if they came into this life with strong spiritual karma from the past. The great majority, however, even if they start out on the path with enthusiasm, gradually become discouraged.

"'Where is that God,' they ask finally, 'to Whom I've been praying all these years?' They attain a little inner peace, but over the years their prayers become increasingly a matter of habit, less one of inspiration.

"Rarely, in the West, have the centuries seen such great saints as there have been in India."