Yoga—I
Yoga is a perfect practical system of self-culture. Yoga is an exact science. It aims at the harmonious development of the body, the mind and the soul. Yoga is the turning away of the senses from the objective universe and the concentration of the mind within. Yoga is eternal life in the soul or spirit. Yoga aims at controlling the mind and its modifications. The path of Yoga is an inner path whose gateway is your heart.
Yoga is the discipline of the mind, senses and physical body. Yoga helps in the co-ordination and control of the subtle forces within the body. Yoga brings in perfection, peace and everlasting happiness. Yoga can help you in your business and in your daily life. You can have calmness of mind at all times by the practice of Yoga. You can have restful sleep. You can have increased energy, vigour, vitality, longevity and a high standard of health. Yoga transmutes animal nature into divine nature and raises you to the pinnacle of divine glory and splendour.
The practice of Yoga will help you to control the emotions and passions and will give you power to resist temptations and to remove the disturbing elements from the mind. It will enable you to keep a balanced mind always and remove fatigue. It will confer on you serenity, calmness and wonderful concentration. It will enable you to hold communion with the Lord and thus attain the summum bonum of existence.
If you want to attain success in Yoga, you will have to abandon all worldly enjoyments and practise Tapas and Brahmacharya. You will have to control the mind skilfully and tactfully. You will have to use judicious and intelligent methods to curb it. If you use force, it will become more turbulent and mischievous. It cannot be controlled by force. It will jump and drift away more and more. Those who attempt to control the mind by force are like those who endeavour to bind a furious elephant with a thin silken thread.
A Guru or preceptor is indispensable for the practice of Yoga. The aspirant in the path of Yoga should be humble, simple, gentle, refined, tolerant, merciful and kind. If you have a curiosity to get psychic powers you cannot have success in Yoga. Yoga does not consist in sitting cross-legged for six hours or stopping the pulse or beating of the heart or getting oneself buried underneath the ground for a week or a month.
Self-sufficiency, impertinence, pride, luxury, name, fame, self-assertive nature, obstinacy, idea of superiority, sensual desires, evil company, laziness, overeating, overwork, too much mixing and too much talking are some of the obstacles in the path of Yoga. Admit your faults freely. When you are free from all these evil traits, Samadhi or union will come by itself.
Practise Yama and Niyama. Sit comfortably in Padma or Siddhasana. Restrain the breath. Withdraw the senses. Control the thoughts. Concentrate. Meditate and attain Asamprajnata or Nirvikalpa Samadhi (union with the Supreme Self).
May you shine as a brilliant Yogi by the practice of Yoga. May you enjoy the bliss of eternal.
Yoga—II
Yoga is primarily a process of self-culture. Its aim is the attainment of spiritual perfection or Self-realisation. The process of Yoga pertains to the control of the physical organs, the breath, the mind and the senses.
Practice of Yoga bestows a rich and full life. It is, in fact, the science of living a pure and healthy life.
Practice of self-restraint, mental equipoise, truthfulness, compassion, purity and selflessness constitutes the process of Yoga.
Practice of Asana, Pranayama, Bandha and Mudra also constitutes the process of Yoga.
A nation composed of physically strong and mentally healthy people can surely be great.
Physical culture should start at an early age. Both body and mind should be trained. Exercises should provide both recreation and physical and mental development.
Asanas keep the muscles supple, the spine elastic, develop mental faculties, lung capacity, strengthen the internal organs and bestow longevity.
Sirshasana develops the brain, confers good memory and improves eyesight and hearing capacity through extra circulation of blood in the brain box.
Sarvangasana develops the thyroid gland, strengthens the lungs and the heart, and makes the spine elastic.
Bhujangasana, Salabhasana and Dhanurasana increase the peristaltic movement of the bowels, remove constipation and cure the diseases of the abdomen.
Viparitakarani Mudra and Paschimottanasana tone up the pelvic muscles and the pelvic organs. They improve the digestive system. Agnisara Kriya, Uddiyana Bandha and Mayurasana also help digestion and give good appetite. Ardha-matsyendrasana is good for appetite. Ardha-matsyendrasana is good for the liver and the spleen.
Rolling from side to side in Dhanurasana gives very good abdominal massage. Matsyasana is good for the development of the lungs, the brain and the eyes; it also strengthens the upper part of the spine. Savasana relaxes the body and the mind and gives perfect poise and rest.
Women and children (above seven years) are not exempted from practising Asanas.
Every Asana should be practised only for a minute or two, but the period could be gradually extended to a limited duration as per the advice of a competent teacher.
Pranayama bestows vigour, vitality and longevity. It develops the lungs and strengthens the muscles of the chest.
First practise deep inhalation and exhalation. Then try to hold the breath as far as it is comfortably possible. Practise a few rounds of deep breathing in the early hours of the morning.
In winter practise Bhastrika Pranayama and in summer Sitali and Sitkari.
Mild practice Of Pranayama needs no dietetic regulation or any particular condition of living.
Never exert yourself. Use your common-sense. If you find any substantial benefit, continue your practice. If there is any discomfort, discontinue the practice and seek proper guidance.
Withdraw the mind from the external objects and try to fix your attention on a particular object or subject. Concentrate on the symbol of Om or on the picture of an Avatara or a saint.
Meditate on the divine qualities of auspiciousness, holiness, peace, sanctity, grace, equanimity, nobility, sincerity and selflessness. Try to cultivate these qualifies in your day-to-day life. Speak the truth always. Be kind-hearted.
Live the life of detachment and egolessness. Try to control your emotions. Try to restrain your impulses. Do not be domineering. Be humble, polite and courteous. Do not be jealous of another’s prosperity. Do not be pessimistic. Do not try to become prosperous or famous at the expense of others.
Analyse your motives. Scrutinise your thoughts. Enquire into the nature of things. Do not run after the false glitter of the world. Restrain yourself. Forego personal comforts and luxuries if thereby you could be of some help to another. Always remember your essential, divine nature.
This is the process of Yoga.
Ideal Yoga
Some Yogic students think that only he who can fly in the air, walk on the water, and do such other miracles, can be called a Yogi. It is a sad mistake. To be peaceful, to be calm, to radiate joy, to have an intense aspiration to realise God, to have the spirit of service and devotion, to be self-controlled—this is real Yoga. Flying in the air is not yoga. Why should one aspire to fly like a bird after attaining the human birth? You must have a willing heart to serve everybody and a desire to possess all divine virtues. This is Yoga.
Your ideal should be to be good, and to do good. Be ever willing to share what you have with others.
You should have a knowledge of the scriptures, devotion to your preceptor, saints and sages. Even Nirvikalpa Samadhi is not necessary. Why do you want to get yourself merged in the Absolute? Have a small veil of individuality and serve here as Nityasiddhas. Possess divine qualities and move as a divine being on this earth. Aspire not for powers. Powers will come by themselves. Possess all noble virtues. Be free from hatred and malice. Elevate others by your own example.
Spread the message of the Rishis. Lead a righteous life. Speak the truth. Worship mother as God, father as God, teacher as God, guest as God. Give; but give with modesty. Give with goodwill. Give with love.
There is one eternal Atma, one universal Consciousness that dwells in the hearts of all.
Realize this through aspiration, renunciation, concentration, purification.
Control anger. Do not get irritated through misunderstanding. Try to understand everybody. Understand the feelings of others. Bear insult. Bear injury. Be ever intent on the welfare of all—Sarvabhutahite ratah. You should practise these—not merely study the Brahmasutras and the Upanishads. The Upanishads should come from your heart through purification, through Service.
Selfless service is the highest thing on this earth. Service will make you divine. Service is divine life. Service is eternal life in God. Service will give you Cosmic Consciousness—Service that is selfless, without attachment. But nobody wants to serve! Everybody wants to be served by others. You will have to kill the ego. You will have to pulverize it, make it a powder. You will have to extract oil from your bones and burn it for six months. Such is the toil, as it were, to progress in the path of self-realisation.
Be good; do good. This is the essence of the teachings of all scriptures and prophets of the world. Those who want inner life are very few. All are thirsting for happiness, but they do not know where they can get happiness. They search for it in wealth and material possessions. Maya is clever. She never allows people to taste the bliss of an inner life in the Atman. Deluded by her power, man thinks that there is no transcendental realm, that there is nothing beyond the senses. “Eat, drink and be merry,” this has become the motto of life. The path to the realm of God is open only to those who have got the Divine Grace.
May you all know the true import of Yoga, and base your life on selfless service to humanity with Atma Bhava, and the development of all divine virtues. May you all have sustained aspiration. Practise deep meditation and attain Self-realisation. May you all shine as Nityasiddhas, radiating joy and peace all round.
Ten Commandments For Yoga-Students
1. Practise Asanas and Pranayama in the early morning or three hours after food.
2. Offer prayers to Guru and God before commencing the practice.
3. Take Sattvic food, avoid hot, pungent, sour articles of food and stimulants, like tea, coffee, etc.
4. Keep a clean room under lock and key; let it be well-ventilated, cool, free from insects and from other sources of disturbance.
5. Observe strict Brahmacharya; avoid unnecessary talks.
6. Reduce your wants. Develop contentment.
7. Take bath before the practice; if that is not possible, have a wash before and bath at least half an hour after the practice.
8. Sit facing East or North.
9. Be regular and systematic in your practice.
10. Obey your Guru implicitly in all respects.
Yoga And Its Consummation
Yoga is the art of uniting the individual soul with the Supreme Soul, of uniting the Kundalini Sakti lying dormant in the Muladhara Chakra with Siva in the Sahasrara Chakra. By convention, all practices that help the attainment of this goal are also called Yoga.
Vedanta says that the individual soul is enveloped by five sheaths—Annamaya Kosha (the gross body), Pranamaya Kosha (vital sheath), Manomaya Kosha (the mind), Vijnanamaya Kosha (the intellect), and Anandamaya Kosha (the bliss-sheath or the ignorance that immediately veils the Self), and that the goal of life, viz., Self-realisation is attained by negating the five sheaths and piercing the veil of ignorance.
When do we regard a particular part or organ of the body as perfectly healthy? When we are not made aware of that organ. The ear is in perfect health when we are not aware that that organ exists; if there is pain we are conscious of its presence. In order to transcend the five sheaths, therefore, they must all be free from afflictions. Yoga helps you to do that.
The purificatory Kriyas of Hatha Yoga and Asanas ensure health of the body and free it from ailments. Pranayama revitalises the vital sheath. Pratyahara (withdrawal of the rays of the mind and restraining them from flowing outwards) and Dharana (concentration) strengthen the mind. Meditation brings about a happy blending of the intellect and intuition; and the Yogi’s intelligence becomes intuitive. Samadhi illumines the soul and reveals the Self, by piercing the veil of ignorance. This is Yoga, the perfect system of all-round self-culture.
But no one can embark on this noble enterprise without preparing the vessel. Yama-Niyama or the canons of right conduct, ensure this. One who has not controlled his senses, who is not truthful, kind, compassionate and pure, cannot make any progress in Sadhana. Energy leaks out through all the avenues of his body. His vital sheath is debilitated. His mind is completely extroverted. His intellect is dull. His soul is enveloped in dense darkness. Meditation for such a man is only a dream. Therefore I insist on all spiritual aspirants that they should:—
1. Engage themselves in Nishkama Karma Yoga, for self-purification and cultivation of virtues; and
2. Practise as much Japa as possible, in order to earn His Grace.
These two—Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga—cannot be overemphasised.
Once the senses are controlled, and the heart purified, control of mind, concentration of its rays, and meditation become very easy. The aspirant would do well to remember the two great watch-words of Sadhana—
(a) Abhyasa (unrelenting, intense, unbroken, regular and systematic practice),
(b) Vairagya (dispassion, aversion to all sensual enjoyments, non-attachment to objects of senses).
To the extent to which the aspirant grows in these two, to that extent will his mind want to meditate. There will be joy in meditation. The mind will look forward to the period of meditation. When this condition becomes intense, then the mind will be in a constant state of meditation. As your hands are engaged in the work of the day, the mind will be blissfully detached from the world, peacefully witnessing—Sakshi-Bhava—the play of the senses and the sense-objects. When you are established in this state, you are a perfected Yogi. You have only to sit and close your eyes; you will instantly transcend the five sheaths and merge in the Supreme Soul. Your actions will be in tune with the Divine Will. You will have the superhuman powers of intellect, mind and body. You will never be tired, dull or depressed. Your words will have life-transforming power. Your heart will be full of compassion and love for humanity, and all humanity will be drawn towards you. You will become a spiritual magnet. You will shine as a Yogi, sage and Jivanmukta. You are liberated. This is the Goal.
May God bless you.
The Gradational Ascent Of The Mind
The Chakras are centres of Shakti as vital force—in other words, these are centres of Pranashakti manifested by Pranavayu in the living body, the presiding Devatas of which are the names for the Universal Consciousness as it manifests in the form of these centres. The Chakras are not perceptible in the gross senses. Even if they were perceptible in the living body which they help to organise they disappear with the disintegration of organism at death.
Purity of mind leads to perfection in Yoga. Regulate your conduct when you deal with others. Have no feeling of jealousy towards others. Be compassionate. Do not hate sinners. Be kind to all. Success in Yoga will be rapid if you put your maximum energy in your Yoga practice. You must have a keen longing for liberation and intense Vairagya also. You must be sincere and earnest. Intense and constant meditation is necessary for entering into Samadhi.
The mind of a worldly man with base desires and passions moves in the Muladhara and Svadhishthana Chakras or centres situated near the anus and the reproductive organ respectively.
If one’s mind becomes purified the mind rises to the Manipura Chakra or the centre in the navel and experiences some power and joy.
If the mind becomes more purified, it rises to the Anahata Chakra or centre in the heart, experiences bliss and visualises the effulgent form of the Ishta Devata or the tutelary deity.
When the mind gets highly purified, the meditation and devotion become intense and profound, the mind rises to Vishuddha Chakra or the centre in the throat and experiences more and more powers and bliss. Even when the mind has reached this centre, there is possibility for it to come down to the lower centres.
When the Yogi reaches the Ajna Chakra or the centre between the two eyebrows he attains Samadhi and realises the supreme Self or Brahman. There is a slight sense of separateness between the devotee and Brahman.
If he reaches the spiritual centre in the brain, the Sahasrara Chakra, the thousand-petalled lotus the Yogi attains Nirvikalpa Samadhi or superconscious state—He becomes one with the non-dual Brahman. All sense of separateness dissolves. This is the highest plane of consciousness or Supreme Asamprajnata Samadhi. Kundalini unites with Siva.
The Yogi may come down to the centre in the throat to give instructions to the students and do good to others (Lokasamgraha).
Experiences On Awakening Of Kundalini
During meditation you behold divine visions, experience divine smell, divine taste, divine touch, hear divine Anahata Sounds. You receive instructions from God. These indicate that the Kundalini Shakti has been awakened. When there is throbbing in Muladhara, when hair stands on its root, when Uddiyana, Jalandhara and Mulabandha come involuntarily, know that Kundalini has awakened.
When the breath stops without any effort, when Kevala Kumbhaka comes by itself without any exertion, know that Kundalini Shakti has become active. When you feel currents of Prana rising up to the Sahasrara, when you experience bliss, when you repeat Om automatically, when there are no thoughts of the world in the mind, know that Kundalini Shakti has awakened.
When, in your meditation, the eyes become fixed on Trikuti, the middle of the eyebrows, when the Sambhavi Mudra operates, know that Kundalini Shakti has become active. When you feel vibrations of Prana in different parts inside your body, when you experience jerks like the shocks of electricity, know that Kundalini has become active. During meditation when you feel as if there is no body, when your eyelids become closed and do not open in spite of your exertion, when electric-like currents flow up and down the nerves, know that Kundalini has awakened.
When you meditate, when you get inspiration and insight, when the nature unfolds its secrets to you, all doubts disappear, you understand clearly the meaning of the Vedic texts, know that Kundalini has become active. When your body becomes light like air, when you possess inexhaustible energy for work, know that Kundalini has become active.
When you get divine intoxication, when you develop power of oration, know that Kundalini has awakened. When you involuntarily perform different Asanas or poses of Yoga without the least pain or fatigue, know that Kundalini has become active. When you compose beautiful sublime hymns and poetry involuntarily, know that Kundalini has become active.
The Quintessence Of Yoga
Yoga is union with the infinite through meditation and Samadhi.
A Yogi is freed from Karma or the law of cause and effect, from births and deaths and from the trammels of mind and flesh.
The Yogi has perfect control over his life-forces and mind. He can dematerialise at will.
The Yogi practises discipline of body and mind. He has control over his body and mind. He meditates on Om.
Yoga illumines, renovates and helps the Yogi to attain the highest point of perfection.
If one awakens his superconsciousness, there will be no problems at all. There will be only love, peace, harmony, unity and happiness in this world.
Practise Yoga To Prolong Life
The practice of Yoga lessens and prevents the decay of tissues, by increasing the life-force, and fills the system with abundant energy.
By the practice of Yoga the blood is charged with abundant oxygen. The brain and spinal centres are rejuvenated.
By the practice of Yoga, the accumulation of venous blood is stopped. The body is filled with abundant energy. The brain-centres and the spinal cord are strengthened and renovated. Memory is improved. Intellect is sharpened. Intuition is developed.
How can one who does not know his own body hope to achieve success in Yoga? First have a strong, firm and healthy body through the practice of Hatha Yoga and then take to Raja Yoga.
Breathing plays an important role in prolonging human life. Therefore, practise Pranayama regularly.
A rabbit that breathes very rapidly does not live very long. Practise rhythmic breathing and deep breathing.
There are detailed practices in Yoga for cleansing of the food-tube (Dhauti) and the stomach, as simple and effective as cleansing of the teeth.
There are methods in Yoga (Trataka) for strengthening the eyesight and cleansing the nose.
People who suffer from overweight, constipation or dyspepsia will specially find this Yoga-practice very useful.
Through the practice of Yoga, the evolution of man is quickened. What he can gain in hundreds of births, he can gain in one birth through the practice of Yoga, and attain final emancipation. He can attain longevity and attain perfect health. He can compress in one life the experiences of several hundreds of births.
He who practises Basti or Yoga-enema never suffers from constipation and other abdominal disorders.
Perfection In Yoga
A Yogi can switch his life-currents, to and from the senses. He takes the Prana and the mind to the Sahasrara or the thousand-petalled lotus at the crown of the head. He enters into Samadhi. He is dead to the world. He experiences superconsciousness or Nirvikalpa Samadhi. He is in blissful union with the Lord.
Savikalpa Samadhi is subject to time and change. There is Triputi, the seer, sight and seen; or knower, knowledge and knowable. There is some link with Prakriti or matter. Savikalpa Samadhi cannot give the final emancipation. This is also an obstacle to Nirvikalpa Samadhi. The aspirant gets false contentment and stops his meditation or Sadhana. Hence this is an obstacle to the final or higher realisation. Nirvikalpa Samadhi alone can burn all Samskaras and Vasanas in toto. Savikalpa Samadhi cannot destroy all Samskaras and Vasanas. In Savikalpa Samadhi the life-force or Prana of the Yogi is withdrawn from the body. The body appears to be dead, motionless and rigid. Breathing is suspended. He is aware of his bodily condition or suspended breath.
Nirvikalpa or Nirbija Samadhi is timeless, changeless. This is the highest state of Samadhi.
Double Consciousness
In Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the Yogi’s consciousness merges with the absolute consciousness. There is no bodily fixation. In his ordinary waking consciousness, even in the midst of worldly duties, he is in communion with the supreme consciousness. He has double-consciousness.
The crow has one eye-ball, but two sockets. It turns the eye-balls, now to one socket and afterwards to the other socket. Even so, the Yogi has double-consciousness.
Wise Guidance For Sure Success
The practice of Yoga should be gradual and step by step. Extremes are to be avoided. No sudden and violent methods should be employed. Common-sense is an essential part of Yoga. Boldness is also equally essential.
Fickle-mindedness will not do on the path of Yoga. Vacillation and oscillation will retard progress and result in stagnation.
Reflect gradually and choose a method; choose a method and stick to it and persevere in it continuously. This Nishtha is necessary.
A man who digs a well should not dig a foot here, a foot there, a few feet in another place and then a fourth. If he does this, he will not find water even after digging in fifty places. Once a spot is chosen, he must dig on and on in the same place and lo, he will reach the water. Even so in Yoga, one teacher, one path, one method, one master, one idea and one-pointed faith and devotion—all the above make up the secret of success in spiritual life.
Practice Of Yoga Asanas
1. The practice of Yoga Asanas helps to prevent disease and maintain a high standard of health, vigour and vitality. It cures many diseases.
2. It is conducive to higher intellectual and spiritual attainment and provides a co-ordinated system of health for all people.
3. There are as many Asanas as there are living creatures.
4. Siddha, Padma, Svastika, Sukha—are the four chief meditation-postures.
5. Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Halasana, Paschimottanasana—confer wonderful health and cure many diseases.
6. The practice of Asanas is always accompanied by Pranayama and Japa of Mantra.
7. Moderation in diet and observance of Brahmacharya are necessary for realising the maximum benefits of the practice of Asanas. A Yogi should always avoid fear, anger, laziness, too much sleep or walking, and too much food or fasting.
8. Regularity in the practice of Asanas is of paramount importance.
9. Lakhs of people have derived real benefit from the practice of Yoga Asanas.
10. Even in Europe and America, many have taken to the practice of Yoga Asanas.
11. Several Schools of Yoga in the West and India, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Denmark, Holland, show a record to prove the therapeutic value of the Asanas.
12. I have written several books on Yoga Asanas: 1. Yoga Asanas, 2. Hatha Yoga, 3. Yogic Home Exercises, 4. Radiant Health Through Yoga, 5. Practical Guide to Students of Yoga; and a number of other books like 1. Easy Steps to Yoga, 2. Yoga in Daily Life, 3. Practical Lessons in Yoga, etc., contain lessons in Yoga Asanas and Pranayama.
13. This system costs nothing. It is inexpensive. It is simple. It is specially suited for the people of the whole world at large.
14. Even women can practise it with great advantage to themselves. Irrespective of age, all can join in the practice of Yoga Asanas.
15. The benefit of Yoga Asanas should be made available to every family in the whole world. Doctors’ bills can be saved.
16. Ethical culture, practice of divine virtues, a rigorous discipline of the mind, spiritual culture and meditation are also very necessary for attaining integral perfection. Asanas and Pranayamas are only a part of Yoga.
