India News voices AD's views on Pranayama!!

Beloved Souls,

Today's post would be particularly enchanting for our Hindi readers. I am posting an article of our beloved Acharya ji that was recently published (4th to 10th June) in one of the most widely distributed weekly publication, "India News". India News acknowledged the fact that in the scenario where there are yoga gurus budding as mushrooms all over the world, there is a need to guide yoga lovers and disciples towards the Vedic tradition of yoga, as Vedas are the root of yoga. The article was written by Acharyaji in view of many mails received asking for more information on Nadi-shodhan, particularly concerning its correct method. We are thankful to India News and its responsible editors in supporting us to spread the word.

Needless to say that correctly attempted Pranayama is highly beneficial in helping a person to maintain balance and poise on all levels that is physical, mental and spiritual. Acharya ji has always emphasize to complete Nadi Shodhan before trying any other Pranayama technique. The article gives a glimpse about the vedic method of Nadi-shodhan. Although it is still advised to the readers to learn the method directly from a Master in person.

If you think this information can be of help to others use the share option below.. who knows someone somewhere is getting victim of TV Yoga! To enlarge the image double click on it.

 

Namaste!

- Devpriya

Japan in Tsunami - Holi in the India!

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Beloved Friends and Disciples,

I deliberately restrained myself from making my views public ahead of festival to be able to see how amid this festivity this so called spiritually evolved nation and its people who take pride in quoting  "Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam"  would like to express their empathy with their fellow family members who are grief-struken and devastated first due to a horrifying natural calamity and then followed by a technological disaster, probably one the severest so far but..

Don't you seem to be untouched.. totally unaffected as if nothing has happened? But thats not true.. it definitely excited you. You exclaimed to your friends and family members upon seeing the gigantic waves of Tsunami swaying away cars, ships, aeroplanes and whatever came their way. You were definitely not unaware of what was happening out there but what happened to you and why did you lose your sensitivity altogether? Seems you have already attained the 'Nirvana' and completely resting in the understanding on "Na hanyate hanyamane Shreere"... I know that is not true but..

There is always a difference between a "Siddha" and a "Saadhaka". For Siddhas everything, including their own death is nothing but a divine dance of elements. They are free from bondage of mind and body.. resting in blissful company of their real being. For them the indifference is always impregnated with a deeper empathy and unconditional love. In contrast to "Siddha" a Sadhkaha is someone who is still trying to discipline himself, inculcating values, trying to create love for all, searching for his/her own real identity.. real face. During this journey he is supposed to behave as humans.. rather he does so compulsarily because he is still not free. He would feel good, elated and ecstatic on receiving something good and would feel devasted, insulted, defeated, frustrated and angered when he is faced with unpleasant scenario. All the indifference and so called ditachment displayed during the "sadhaka" phase is made up or at best imposed discipline and that is why a Sadhaka seems to be choosy in his responses, although not so if you scrutinize it further. You would see he/she is still behaving like a slave to his/her attachments and desires. It is so because unlike "Siddha" there are still multiple reactions and streams flowing in his/her psyche. The mind is not yet stabilized.. the heart is not yet open and flowered, the being is not yet bloomed with enlightenment or the "highest realization" so there are choices innumerable.. confusion abound and dilemma ad infinitum. So I know all those who decided to stay quiet and practice silence without giving slightest of attention to the agony of their fellow co-passangers living a bit eastward on this planet are guilty of not exercising correct choice at this moment. There is no excuse for not empathizing and praying for those in distress, for the ones who are anyways seeking the path of universality... the so called spirituality.

Even for normal social animals in the name of humans, who deliver lenghthy speeches explaining how our national boundaries are dissolving, how our economy is so much interwoven and how we are in so much love for each others (money?) and how our hearts coming near using the technology (Twitter and facebook...) and thus creating a virtual global village. It seems it will always remain virtual village only for in the face of cruel reality I did not see much of love, compassion, prayers and empathy being emnated from these so called elite and intelligent. What excuse they have to explain why they did not respond to this moment through their techno-IT-enabled hearts? None.. I presume! however you can prove me wrong if you wish.

Not much time has elapsed as yet.. 11-3-11 is still not buried in the debris of past for Japanese are still struggling individually and as a nation with the by gone disaster.. and any real spiritual seeker or Guru would not leave them to their collective racial fate but send out prayers, healing and moral support through their compassionate words and gestures. Do pray for them and tell them you understand how much it hurts when....

Love and Light

- Agyaatdarshan

Is there a way to stop expecting?

Below is a chat session between Manjulata and AD. Manju is an experienced teacher of English language at a reputed school in Bhopal, M.P., India. She has been associated with AD on a Child education project while she was in Delhi and since then she is closely following AD's activities in the cyber world and elsewhere too..

ML: AD think u r good at that..You can make a person reach the resolution.. one question bothers me.. How can we do away with expectations as it leads u to bitterness.

AD: expecting is human.. why not to expect? :-)

MD:  but You land up nowhere with it.

AD: wherever we are today.. is it 'nowhere'?

MD: I mean in ur relations.

AD: See.. all we expect in relations is love, understanding and care.. but unfortunately these are the things which can only be given and received.. These are like rain, sun and wind.. which come to us because existence loves us.. we do not have any right on these.. Similarly love, understanding and care can not be expected.. it depends whether other person is capable of giving it or not. If he/she is empty, skewed, already void of these you can just let go. These things can only be given..

MD:  hmm there u r..but when u give u expect.

AD: Have you ever thought what exactly you give..?

MD:  whatever u do for others u care for others and that sort of things..

AD: Correct. Lets first disect this 'doing or giving'. In fact 'doing or giving'  is either your action, your caring speech, your body or your tender thoughts.. nothing beyond is possible. If you include money in this list then I would suggest you better open a credit and thrift society with laid down rules and take 5 sureties before you give your money to someone.

MD: :-)

AD: Further you would notice that While you do something.. which gives YOU joy you can be sure that it is doable.. The simple fact is when you are giving or doing a thing which gives you JOY, the feeling of 'i am 'doing it for him/her' is not possible. Right? Your joy is the motive here.. so this can not counted in 'doing or giving'..

ML: hmm..

AD: Lets evaluate mental action.. When you naturally think 'soft and good' about someone those thoughts and care that can also not be taken as 'doing something for someone' because it is something which is giving you happiness. In fact more good you thing of others more happy you feel.. and if you aren't feeling this way you are not doing it right.

MD: But sometimes u need the same when u feel low or little disturbed. Isn't it?

AD: I will come to that later..

Now about your body - When you give your body volunteerily.. 'it is naturally pleasurable process in which you always 'receive pleasure'.. in this case also there is no possiblity to think that you gave something to other.. or did something for someone because it gave equal amount of happiness, joy and pleassure to you too.

We have ruled out two options (Thought and Body) where we could have felt the sense of 'giving'... Still there is no dispute on your experience that there are actions on which you feel like 'i am doing it for others'. Well..  Lets see why and when.

 If we look from a broader perspective.. whatever we tend to do for others.. fall in two categories.

1. we are doing something which is giving me instant gratification and pleasure, happiness.
2. where we are giving, doing sometihing now.. projecting happiness, joy, return in future..

MD: hmm

AD: If we refrain from step 2. the problem is solved..:) Simple.. isn't it?

MD: Not so easy.

AD: I know.. So before you do something.. evaluate it.. Think if it gives YOU joy or not. If it does not.. you can choose to stay unmoved. But if you, out of fear of losing a person... or something of that sort engage in any activity which is painful... you will definitely expect returns.

I know it is not as simple as I told you.. but having two pronged approach in practical life is necessary.. 1. Start moving from selective goodwill to omnipresent good will..
2. Learn to be fearless and wise.
MD: Some times we do things because of fear of losing the person or the relation.Then what?
AD:  Thats a situation where your fearlessness will come handy. Also if you start expanding your consiousness you will naturally help someone rather than out of fear.
MD: I want to correct u,we don't expect something very great,May be aliitle attention or acknoledgement.
AD: :-) Thanks for correction. A small tiny hair in the eye is really not a very big thing.. but gives really too much pain and irritation. Those little expectations hurt us where we are most tender.. 'our emotional expectancy center'.
You are right.. very little are our expectations.. but then when they fall in our eyes.. we cant rest or be at ease.
MD: hmm,so what do we do? It disturbs u for along time. We can't get away with it?

AD: Another way to look at it is.. we are expecting great troubles through our little expectations. Isn't it?
MD: yes I agree

AD: Will it be wise to expect then?

MD: No but it remains there

AD: The art of being at ease is about being wise. Nothing else.

And if that pain or hurt doesn't go and we feel that we are struggling to not think and act that way despite knowing the fact that it hurts to expect.. Shouldn't we accept that we are really stupid.. unable to see merit in a particular way of action.

And mind you the moment you think and declare (if mentally it doesn't help... i suggest do it vocally with a smile on face) that 'it will be idiotic to expect' you would see this pattern is gradually vanishing. Affirmations are needed here to break the pattern and remind yourself.. Teach yourself that you need to be wise and thus not do or wish a thing which can be painful. You have all the rights to keep yourself happy and if you decide to that.. you will be at ease for sure.

It works.. because no one including the most idiot person under the sun wouldn;t want to declare it every day to him/herself that she/he is an idiot.

MD: :) hmmm

MD: but.. For me I know it already I'm a fool and i'm so cosidered by others :)

AD: But I know you are wise.. just unveil yourself.

MD: hahaha

AD: People say discover yourself.. I have a lighter word.. just 'uncover' yourself.

MD: I've discovered and uncovered myself thats why I made that comment about myself

AD: If you really made that comment.. it is time to decide if you want to stay like that or change?
MD: I want to change ofcourse

AD: There are people for whom challenging Affirmations work.. on mental declaration like 'I am stupid if I expect' they feel like fighting out the pattern and winning over it. For some the challenging or negatively loaded affirmations/self-reminders dont work.. they need something like "I am wisel.. why will I expect and feel pained. I know people dont come up to expectations and so it is not good for a wise person like me to think differently."
Just see which one works for you...

MD: ok

AD: And also.. You should try stop working out of  'fear of losing'..

MD: hmmm
AD: These two jointly can uncover you completely and uncover you and expose the wiser woman in you..
MD: sounds good :)

AD: Then practice it.. and let me know how it sounds when it is hit against the wall of your behaviour pattern.. metallic or a thud :-)

MD: sure.. Thank you so much.

Yoga books - Selfhelp book on how to read!

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Beloved readers and friends,

Someone visited my blog and pasted a link in his comments which read "Have you read these books on Yoga and Pranayama?". This was a link which was pointing towards some publishing house's directory. Although I did not follow the link but I know what it would have been like if I had! In juicy, emphatic language they would have told the merits of why I should purchase a particular book to learn how to master Yoga and Pranayama. I had only two choices - either to smile on his foolishness of showing candle to halogen lamp or empathize on his grave sickness of CAD Compulsive-Advertising-Disorder of visiting all related or unrelated sites, rated or unrated sites and showcase his products to lure his prospective customers. I admit that I exercised both the choices at the same time.

I have never seen any individual so far who has been foolish enough to get into deep waters just after reading a book  "How to perfect swimming in 10 days". If you find one - please do tell me immediately as my sincere search has not ended as yet. I am still searching for such a person.

On the other hand- I find everyday thousands of books on meditation, yoga, pranayama disappearing from shelves of Crosswords like book joints and outlets and all these so called literate wise people behaving utterly foolish to usher themselves ceremonically in to deep waters of Yog Sadhana.  Sooner or later we shall expect invitation to attend to their last rites. Why?

Without having proper guidance of a master and in the absence of following the correct sequence of Yoga and Pranayama, it has been clearly stated in  Yogchoodamani Upanishad, verse 117

Hikka Kaasah tatha Shwaasah Shirah Karnaakshi vedanaah|

Bhavanti Vividha rogaah pavanavyatyayakramaat||

that if Sadhaka is liable to suffer from hiccups, Asthma, cough, headache, pain in eye and ear and angered Vayu (evergy flow in uncleansed Nadis) creates innumerable of both curable and incurable diseases.

If you are having any Yoga book in hand my request is just throw it in the dustbin right now. If the downslide of economy prevents you from taking such a vehemently merciless decision towards your own hard earned money then place the book in the locker instead and try searching for an authentic, seasoned master who can guide you. Who can help and guide you in taking your first baby step into discipline of Yoga.

Learning Yoga and Pranayama - Playing with fire it is if you are not under personal and direct supervision of an able master. For your information even simple looking Yogic postures need preparation. They are definitely designed to strengthen your body, nerves, energy bearning capcity and immune but before that you must be scanned for what is your capacity. What is your current status of health. What is the state of your nerves, muscles and bone structure. Only an experienced master has that capacity.

In our body we have 72,000 nadis. These are energy channels which carry information and instruction (conscious and unconscious both) to and fro. It should not be a surprise if I tell you that your brain itself consumes so much electricity in just one day that the same amount of electricity would be able to lit a 20 watt CFL for some time. Yes, it is true! And what carries these electric currents in our body? It is only these Nadis which are responsible for conduction of such a massive electric current day in day out.

Will you take chance to fuse these delicate conductors? I hope not. And what should we be called if we knowingly start breaking these life-supporting network of Nadis by indulging in such an intricate and complex practice such as Yoga and Pranayama after reading such self-help books? I would call such a person an idiot - you may rename as you please.

I have received comments and messages after people read my earlier posts that even they have seen many cases where people suffered by practicing Yoga. Their issues range from minor injuries to as severe as brain stroke. But what they did not see or can not see is how much internal nadi system has been destroyed by their irresponsible act of taking up Yoga and Pranayama without preparation and supervision of an able master.

I have also received so many requests to elaborate upon the right methods of practising Yoga and I would definitely write on that yet I must warn you in advance. Whatever I write on the subject of Yoga. Even if I tell you certain methods elaborately here.. please don't try it home. For that you would definitely need a master.

Hope I am clear now to my readers. Also I have given enough number of warnings by now so I can now fearlessly dwell upon elaboration of the subject from next post onwards.

I will come back to you shortly with a series on preparations for Yoga and also elaborate upon each step of Yoga.

Love and light to all of you..

- AD

Divinity of confession.. Sach Ka Samna

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The confession had not fetched us money so far. Confession was never a game which could be played on screen. Confession has never been a publicity stunt as it has become now. This pious act ignited by realization of one's own mistakes and misdeeds has always been a very sacred and personal activity.. primarily to unburden ourselves. The confession in isolation is of no value unless it is associated with Forgiveness, Gratitude and attitude of self-correction.

In Bible Jesus is believed to say - "“I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and what you lose on earth will be losed in heaven.” (Matt. 16:19)"

It is my personal conviction that this pious statement of an enlightened person was later cunningly twisted to give authority to church priests to accept confession.

There are only two choices in making confession.. the first one is to confess in front of the person whom you think have hurt, cheated, betrayed, humiliated etc.. and second place is in front of an enlightened Guru. Although Christianity may have taken this idea of confession to asssociate it with purification and freedom from your past Karmas but in Buddism there is no place for freedom from Karma even if you have confessed. Always keep in mind that repercussions of Karma (action) can never be undone by mere confession.

Why do we find two enlightened souls speaking different language? Superficially it looks so but in fact there is no difference in the statement. Their concern is your growth.. your freedom.. but they are speaking to different audiences. One is speaking to shepherds and uneducated and the other is talking to people of an educated and intellectually rich country of that time. (just to refresh your memory - India has oldest universities in the world, Taxila and Nalanda are example). Also their personalities are different. One is radiant intellectual and logical, the other is driven by heart and feelings.

It is definitely because of their own characteristic they are putting the same thing in different ways. They both are interested in you however they are least interested in your past. They know your journey can begin any moment and that moment is now. So whatever you are you will have to accept that or free yourself from that and move on. Jesus is trying to use confession in unburdening you out of his compassion and thus he is declaring you shall be free in heaven of what you free yourself from here. But Buddha is brutally hammering the intellectual people on the other side. He is reminding them of repurcussions of not being sane. He is saying so on account of Karma-Phala (Action-Result) principle. The gestalt has changed but the target remains exactly the same, your freedom.

I find these on-screen confessions are just a way of exploiting man's innate desire to peep into other person's life and find out how wrong he could be. And you wonder why would we want that to know? Because that gives a sense of 'Holier than thou' we start feeling we are not as bad as that man on the screen. He slept with a girl younger than his own daughter and fiddled with genitals of his cousin, that he slept with men too. Isn't it s breather for some of you? It is not at all important for us to know what is wrong in this world because that can never help us grow and become ideal for others. The greatest impediment in self-growth is to find fault in others.

Even god knew this when he designed the human body. All the holes which could smell bad or expell out smelly waste have been hidden by him in our body. He could have designed it otherwise but he did not and thus we have writers writing beatiful prose, singing about bodily beauty in their poetry..

There are definitely more better ways and more better things to confess than what is being professed by today's most popular Guru - The TV Guru!

Do I need say more.. I find it is getting shitty..

- Agyaat Darshan

What do you think "Did Michael Jackson killed himself?" -BB

 

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AD:

 It sounds funny and devastating both that people are so much worried about the lives of others. While they are unaware of the fact which foot they had put on the ground while getting down from bed this morning.. they are busy finding out what a particular famous person does in his day to day life, what he eats, how many glasses of water in a day, what are his views about Gay Movement..

People may like to defend themselves this peculiar, ignorant, unproductive, foolish behaviour in the name of "being informed" but the fact is these are the people who have not been able to crystallized their own persona and thus looking out for certain kind of pseudo gratification of ego by associating themselves in "fan-ship" of some or other famous, powerful, popular, unique person. I have never found someone being fan of a beggar. It may sound totally illogical desire of mine to see some perosn as fan of a street beggar but I ask Why not?

Psychologists say all Idol worship emnates from personal incompetancy whereas in the field of spirituality if we attach ourselves to imperfections, if we worship imperfections, if we indulge in anything with is less than "Poorna - The whole"  it is worthless and leads us to darkness. The only light is of that "Poorna Parmaatma-The one whole God" which lights up the universe and its reflections, although beautiful but just carries the imperfections of the objects from which it gets reflected.

Why bother whether Micheal Jackson killed himself or not, BB? Become aware of your own death which is nearing every moment and if you do not get aware of that in fact you are commiting suicide. Michael Jackson will not come to take you when you die. But people still don't give up. You may still like to feel like jesus on your dying..

I have heard.. An old preacher was was on his death bed. He sent a message for his Insurance agent and his Lawyer (they both happened to be his church members), to come to his home. When they arrived, they were ushered up to his bedroom. As they entered the room, the preacher held out his hands and indicated them to sit on each side of the bed. The preacher clintched their hands, sighed contentedly, smiled and stared at the ceiling. For some time there was pin-drop silence, no one said anything. Both the agent and Lawyer were touched and flattered that the old preacher would ask them to be with him during his final moment.

At the same time they were also puzzled because the preacher had never given any indication that he particularly liked either one of them.

Finally, the Lawyer gathered courage and broke the ice , "Preacher, why did you ask the two of us to come?"

The old preacher gathered some strength, then said feelbly, "Jesus died between two thieves, and that's how I want to go, too.

Think of your death BB. Plan it.. and only way to plan your death is to become aware of self. Then there is no dying.. there is no death at all.

- AD

Pranayama is killing people! - ||Vedic Yog Rahasya||

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My Beloved disciples and Friends,

In these times when everyone is indulging in some kind of Yoga practices it becomes necessary for me to give correct information on:

 Why one should choose Yoga?

 What are parts of complete Yoga System?

What are precautions one should observe?

The Yoga is a discipline for self-realization. This is such a powerful practice oriented  system that it can never fail irrespective of your individual faith, cast, creed, color of skin. The Yoga is scientific - It is about control of mind. Its central part which is known as Pranayama or breath-control is today being recognized by psychologists and medics. The simple fact that breath can serve as a handle to our emotional state of being and also clarity of thought. Choosing Yoga not only develops you physically but also gives you a solid foundation to take a quantum jump within i.e. Dhayan. It can be summarized that our state of being depends on what is in our mind and thus the control which Yoga gives you over your thoughts and emotional and desire-sets is astounding. It is sure shot theraputic-transformative therapy which elevates normal humans to the domain of super-Humans.

The Yoga is divided in 8 Parts:

1. Yama  2. Niyama 3. Asana 4. Pranayama 5. Pratyahara 6. Dharana 7. Dhyan 8. Samadhi

Just a note - First four parts are to be executed, done by you. These four things require your efforts. Rest four are effortless attainment based on the preparation - naturally.

The precautions:

As a central part Pranayama is not only most essential but most powerful and unavoidable too. No amount of efforts or courage can make you successful in your inner journey if you do not have control on your breath. If you do not have capability to absorb huge quantities of raw energy (prana) from outside word it becomes impossible to attain elevation of your inner consciousness also known as Kundalini. But there is a most important preparation as per our Vedas which is known as Nadishodhana before you indulge in any sort of Pranayama. If you dont do Nadishodhana before practicing Pranayama it is extremely injurious to your physical and mental health and its devastation doesn't end here - your vehicle for spiritual growth i.e. nadi-tantra is destroyed thus stopping your spiritual growth forever. Of course longer your practice heavier price you pay!

The need of Nadishodhana has been validated by every texts and treatise on Yoga by Gherand, Matsyendranath, Gorakhnath and many other including our Vedas. These books are not in chronoligical order even then they echo the same view about the of practice of Nadishodhan before any other Pranayama.

It is my duty to inform the you and all through this medium that people who are not following the Vedic dictum of Nadishodhana before any other Pranayama are heading towards the catastrophe if they are not following the rules inscribed in Vedas and validated by hundreds of Yogis at later date. Today so many people are practicing pranayama before Nadishodhan around the world that I fear tomorrow India may be blamed for spreading this epidemic.

To make all of you aware about this subject we broadcasted a programme on Shraddha MH1 Channel. This program was presented by my yoga guide Yogi Shri Balenduji Giri Maharaj.

Program Name : Vedic Yog Rahasya

Channel : Shriddha MH1

Time : 18:10 IST - 18:30 IST*

The program was telecasted in the month of Septemeber' 09 for 21 days!

Right from the day this post was made public I have been receiving questions about the authenticity of my claim. People doubted my statement as they felt how come commercially successful teachers like Baba Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravishankar have never warned them about it. Intelligent observation it is and surprisingly the answer too lies in the question itself.

This age is of quick-fixes. People are keen to get  ready to consume materials. If someone comes to you and says that Yoga preparation itself would take almost a year... will you have guts to save your enthusiasm for the 366th day? Will you be able to keep the humble learner's attitude for so long? People want quick results.. even if that comes with its side-effects! They want instant breast implants, cosmetic surgeris to get rid of acne, consume kilograms of antibiotics in their much-shorter-lifetime, consume bottled juices and junk,fast or even precooked food.. I wouldn't be streteching it beyond limits if I say that his madness to save time has become an epidemic, a compulsive disorder rather than just the need of hour. Who has time for the elaborate step by step practice of Yoga?

The market-Savvy Gurus understand this very well and this understanding of these cunning Gurus comes handy in popularizing themselves and making them public icons. It is so easy to identify how these gurus are exploiting people's scarsity of time to their advantage. It only needs little bit of intelligence and courage to ponder and question..

If you are serious seeker and devout yoga learner you may want to explore and understand what basic mistakes are knowingly and repeatedly being propogated by these TV Gurus. Do read following posts -

 http://agyaatdarshan.wordpress.com/2009/09/13/yoga-books-selfhelp-book-on-how-to-read/
http://agyaatdarshan.wordpress.com/2009/09/07/pranayama-dont-indulge-in-it-without-preparation/

May existence bless you with health, love and light..

- Ach. Agyaatdarshan