Yoga Life (Jan 2024)

Om Ganapathaye !
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
M O N T H L Y
C O N T E N T S
Vol.55 No. 01, JANUARY 2024
FIFTY FIVE YEARS IN THE PROPAGATION
OF CLASSICAL RISHICULTURE ASHTANGA YOGA
The official publication of Yoga Jivana Satsangha (International); Vishwa Yoga Samaj (Worldwide Yoga Congress); Sri
Kambaliswamy Madam (Samadhi Site); SPARC (The Society for the Preservation of Ancient Rishi Culture); ICYER
(International Centre for Yoga Education and Research) at Ananda Ashram, Tamil Nadu. Published from Ananda
AshramCity Centre at YoganjaliNatyalayam, 25,IICross,lyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry-605013,India.
EditorandPublisher:AmmajiYogachariniMeenakshiDeviBhavanani,
Editor:(I/C)YogacharyaDr.AnandaBalayogiBhavanani.
Phone: +91-0413-2241561. E-mail:ananda@icyer.com; Website: www.rishiculture.in
Printers:SarguruPrintographs,Villupuram,TamilNadu,India.
SubscriptionRate: IndianRs.500/year; International50Euros/year.
Note: All subscribers will be sent e-copies of Yoga Life every month from January 2021 onwards and hence are requested
toregister their preferrede-mailat icyer2021@gmail.comtoensureuninterrupted receiptofthe journal.
- 02
- 04
- 10
- 13
- 17
- 25
- 27
- 29
- 31
SUKKHU MERU THE JOURNEY IS NOT
SIMPLE…BUT EASY
TO WORSHIP GOD, BECOME A GOD.
HOW GITANANDA YOGA TEACHINGS
FIT IN THE MODERN WORLD
INDO-US YOGA CHIKITSA SYMPOSIUM
AND WORKSHOP: A REPORT
EVOLVING AND INVOLVING WHEEL OF BEING
A TIME FOR RELATIVITY
TEACHINGS FROM SRI RAMANA MAHARISHI
LIVING THE LAW
EXPERIENCE OF GURU DAKSHINA
On behalf of Param Pujya Ammaji and the
entire Rishiculture Gitananda Yoga Family
Worldwide we wish all our readers a very happy
andprosperousNewYear 2024!
Our beloved Ammaji as Editor of Yoga
Life always put Lord Vigneshwara, the 'obstacle
to all obstacles' on the January cover, and we
continue the tradition with this colourful image of
the Divine Lord. We pray to the benevolent Lord
Abhayakaravinayaka to bless us all in the New
Year with wellness, happiness, prosperity and
successin allourendeavors.
The inner covers highlight memorable
moments from the wonderful time we had hosting
the Yoga Studies team from the Loyola
Marymount University, USA during their study
tour of India. The front inner cover depicts special
moments during the Indo-US Yoga Chikitsa
Symposium at Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth that was
graced by the present Vice Chancellor Prof NR
Biswas and the past Vice Chancellor and Emeritus
ProfessorofIHPEDr KRSethuraman.
The back inner page depicts the wonderful
time the LMU team led by Prof Lori Rubenstein
Fazzio had at the ICYER Ananda Ashram during
the two day Yoga Chikitsa Workshop as well as at
the Sri Kambaliswamy Madam. They were
blessed by Param Pujya Ammaji and Yoga
Chikitsa Ratna Dr Madanmohanji who
participated actively inallthe sessions.
On the back cover Dr Anandaji as the
Madathipathi welcomes all dedicated Sadhakas
th
for the 150 Annual Guru Puja for Srila Sri
th
Kambaliswamigal and 30 Guru Puja of
Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri Guru
th
Maharajtobe heldon11 January 2024.
Yoga is the path of self-re-discovery, and
we are fortunate to be guided by our illustrious
Guru Parampara. May we always be worthy of
their potent blessingsandbenevolent grace.

02
www.rishiculture.in
Vol.55 No. 01, January 2024
TO WORSHIP GOD, BECOME A GOD.
Param Pujya Ammaji Yogacharini MEENAKSHI DEVI BHAVANANI,
Director ICYER at Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry
We are born with the bundle of Samskaras and Vasanas which we have
collected over thousands of past incarnations as we wandered through the forest of
worldly life on Earth. These habits or 'repeated thoughts, words and actions' are
what we perceive as our character (personality). They may be compared to a bundle
of sticks which we carry on our back. In the days of the Rishis, the Chelas (students)
when they approached the Guru for the first time presented him with a bundle of
twigs. It was the Dharma of the Guru to 'burn' those twigs, symbolically 'burning
out the Samskaras and Vasanas' of his student. In this way, the student could
'recreate' himself and become in the words of the Upanishads, 'the image in the
Guru'seye.'
The true preceptor (one who perceives accurately the Sat - Reality of persons,
places and situations), the true Acharya, sees the potentiality of every sincere
student who comes to him with love, devotion and an open heart. He/she sees not
only what the student is in the present moment of time, but also the potentiality of
what the student can become. The teacher then 'lends a hand' to the student as
he/she goes about the arduous task of 'recreating themselves'. It is not easy work to
be born anew. The metaphor often used is that of a Silpi, a sculptor, who works with
granite stone. The Silpi fasts, meditates and prays until he 'sees in his mind's eye the
complete form of the sculpture he wishes to create'. Then, the Silpi starts his work,
chipping away everything that prevents that image from emerging. Our South
Indian temples are overflowing with such gorgeous, mind-blowingly beautiful
statues of gods and goddesses who have been patiently carved out of huge chunks
of granite. Like that, the Sadhaka undertakes the chiselling of his own being into a
thing of grace, light and beauty. He offers his own personal 'block of granite' to the
Guru or the Acharya and willingly allows the Cosmic Energies which flow
throughtheseinstrumentsto carve aGodor Goddessoutof theirownbeing.

03
www.rishiculture.in
EDITORIAL
That essential Divine Beauty is there in all creatures. But, it must take shape
under the skillful hands of one who knows how to coax such beauty into existence.
Tocreate abeauty whichhasnotyet existedisthe workofa skilledGuru.
For those who long to worship God / Atman / Purusha / Over Soul / the
Cosmic Spirit, this is the finest worship of all! Allowing oneself to be carved into a
god-likebeing by Karma,DharmaandGuru.
One becomes an Adikaran, or a person fit for the Higher Life. As an
Adikaran, one becomes competent to offer the Highest Worship of All - one
becomesaGodto worshipGod!
GITANANDA NADA YOGA
Understanding the Yoga Darśana: Vibhūti Pāda
8-Week / 25-Hour Online Course
With Puduvai Kalaimamani Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani
Director ISCM, Vice Chairman IYA-Pondy and Chairman ICYER
With assistance by Yogacharini Yoga Thilagam Dr. Sangeeta Laura Biagi
Course Dates:
March 14, 2024 - May 14, 2024
The course teachings will include:
An introduction to the Yoga Sutras (cultural context, the four padas, ashtanga
yoga concepts, principles and practices)
An in-depth study of the Vibhūti Pāda
An in-depth practice of the pronunciation and intonation of the Sanskrit sutras
Join us!
For more information and to enroll, email Dr. Sangeeta
<sangeetalaurabiagi@gmail.com>

04
www.rishiculture.in
HOW GITANANDA YOGA TEACHINGS FIT IN THE MODERN WORLD
XENI ARSALIDOU,
Student of Yoga Step by Step guided by Yogacharini ANANDHI
The ego in today's society is thriving. Understandably since we are in Kali
Yuga, where our existence is formed as 99% material and ignorance, making the ego
so strong that it seems to control human behaviours. While the soul comes to the
material world to fulfil its dharma, learn its lessons and burn karma, the ego
nowadays appears to sabotage the soul's plans. In this report, I will go through the
biggest lessons I have learned about life and human behaviour, through the theory
and practice of Yogacharini Anandhi's Wholistic Spiritual Training, based on
Gitananda Yoga teachings. Moreover, I will dive deep into the values that felt
engravedinmysoulbut neverunderstoodwhy, the YamaandNiyama.
Today's society is built in a way that drains humans of Prana. Not only does
it drain it, we're not taught about Prana unless we search for the answers. Lacking
Prana misaligns our Pancha Koshas and our existence feels all over the place.
Energy is spent on over-analysis (mental Nara), uncontrollable emotions
(emotional Nara) and fixation on the outer image (physical Nara). The overly-
processed food we consume and the plastic presence in our everyday life disturbs
our alignment, leaving us feeling disconnected from our Higher Self. Balancing the
Prana in our first 3 bodies beneath the ego will assist us to reach the Anandamaya
Kosha and Vijnanamaya Kosha. However, in order to achieve this, we need to
befriendandclearthe egosoit allowsustousethesespiritualtools.
We shouldn't take things too personally and instead observe what life is
trying to teach us. Learning about control dramas allowed me to feel empathy
towards people lacking Prana, who will test others' boundaries in order to get a
reaction out of them and steal their energy. I always took this behaviour personally
and my ego would retaliate, giving away all my energy. Each of us perceives life in a
unique way based on our experiences, primarily through our childhood
environment which shapes us as people by the age of seven. Due to this, control
drama behaviours/actions might vary, but the end result is always the same –
creating friction that wastes energy. However, understanding the reasons is not

05
www.rishiculture.in
enough to protect ourselves from the control dramas. Accepting such behaviours
might sneak into our subconscious and create wrong perceptions about ourselves,
based on other people's experiences and traumas. Honouring Ahimsa is key in this
case;placingboundariesandnotletting peoplecrossthoseboundaries.
Stop resisting merely uncomfortable life situations. Within appropriate
boundaries, a range of discomfort will likely continue to challenge us. Allowing
ordinary irritants to pass, rather than engaging with every minor issue, can help life
to flow more easily. Looking at life with detachment from ego creates space to view
problems with creativity. From my experience, when we organically stop resisting
and learn to move through unpleasant situations, the issue that we perceive as a
problem might feel less of a burden. It's as if karma does its job and moves on to the
next challenge.
Pancha Yama
Satya
As a child, every time I told a lie I felt an inner turbulence. I never understood
what it was or why it was happening. Understanding the importance of the Yama, I
now feel that my alignment was being disrupted by this behaviour. Moreover, lying
requires a lot of energy in order to keep a story straight, leaving me feeling
exhausted. Growing up and getting out of survival mode, I decided there was no
reason to lie. Honouring Satya gave me an inner peacefulness and instead of lying
or tellinga hurtfultruth,I choseto remain silent.
Ahimsa
Ahimsa is one of the most important values for me and honoring Ahimsa
towards animals and our Earth has become a conscious effort. Through the
Activated Vegan Food Seminar, I learned how to respect animals and the Earth by
avoiding animal products and plastic waste. Unfortunately, our everyday life
doesn't leave much time to carry out everything that I would like to incorporate in
my life. Nevertheless, I am consciously trying to alter my lifestyle in a way that
doesn't end up draining my energy, but at the same time doesn't impact the world in
a negative way.

06
www.rishiculture.in
Asteya
As children, we crave for our caregivers' approval and this behaviour might
unconsciously continue in adulthood, seeking approval from other people and
enforcing people-pleasing behaviours. These actions force individuals to spend
their energy ensuring that others' needs are met, while disregarding their own. It's
important to acknowledge that we are not responsible for other people's feelings.
Understanding how to place boundaries and respecting other people's boundaries
as well allowed me to choose where I spend my energy. Honoring Asteya also
taught me to respect myself and my boundaries, without having the need to steal
energy from other people.
Aparigraha
Learning about Aparigraha helped me notice all the unnecessary clutter I
have around the house that ends up swallowing my energy. More importantly, I
began to understand how my mind keeps unnecessary information from personal
experiences to protect me from potential harm. When emotions are felt deeply, they
make the experience harder to digest, forcing the brain to keep those memories so as
to warn us the next time we see similar behaviours or situations. However,
rationalising an experience and understanding why it has happened (Kleshas,
Karma, etc.) may help us to feel the emotion and let go. We merely have to learn
from these experiences instead of finding ways to protect ourselves from harm.
Understanding how the ego works made me more confident about not ruminating
on bad memories and traumas and to feel safe. Letting go and honouring
Aparigrahabecamemucheasier.
Brahmacharya
Brahmacharya gave me a sense of complete relief, simply because society is
built in a way that drives humans towards burnout. Especially women, who are
idolised if they are a top executive and a great mother figure at the same time.
Driving myself towards burnout levels by achieving everything felt like a duty.
Understanding that saving my energy is vital and a duty to myself, allowed me to
consciously choose where I spend my energy. It gave me a new perspective in life,

07
www.rishiculture.in
where energy is to be cherished and spent carefully on things that ultimately matter,
insteadofbeing wastedonmaterialvalues.
Niyama
Saucha
Saucha is probably the most difficult Niyama to emerge. Through the course
on Yama and Niyama, the awareness increased about how my ego resists letting
go of rumination and tends to over-analyse situations to avoid unpleasant
experiences. I struggled to change this rumination habit to clear the mind, with little
success.Nonetheless,Ibelieve the universesent mea helping handinthe matter.
One day during May, as I was waking up to get ready for Hatha Yoga, I heard
a loud kitten cry coming from the field next to my apartment. When I went there, I
saw a black kitten about 10 days old screaming for warmth. Its eyes were completely
shut from Herpes virus and couldn't see anything. I kneeled and held the kitten,
while talking to it so I could soothe it. As I was talking to the black kitten, my eyes
caught something moving under the leaves. It was an even smaller and much
quieter grey kitten. Its eyes were shut as well, but quite swollen too. I noticed the
kitten following my voice and if I stopped talking, it would walk in a different
direction. The more I talked, the faster and the more determined the kitty was
crawling towards me. I thought: “Look at the little one fighting to come towards me
with complete faith and blind trust, how does it know I won't hurt it? Is that
Saucha?” I choose to remember the brave grey kitten and push myself to trust more
andreleaseunhelpfulbarriers.
Unfortunately, the black kitten didn't make it. The vet said that the chances
were against us for both due to the Herpes virus. The grey kitten, which was in a
worse condition and eventually completely blind, is thankfully still with us. I
named her Saucha and she's the gentlest little soul. She reminds me every single
day that sometimes trusting in the goodness of others might end up saving a life
or even your soul. Due to the fact that she's blind, I have no choice but to keep my
housecleanandclutterlessforher tonavigate easily,enforcingSauchaeven more.

08
www.rishiculture.in
Santosha
Santosha takes a lot of conscious effort to emerge due to the ego's
interruptions. However, meditation helps connect with the soul and hushes the ego,
making Santosha emerge much easier. The ego reacts to life situations, making
Santosha tougher to maintain. The bliss and peacefulness felt through this
Niyama is a treasure for the chaotic mind, and so I choose to help it to emerge with
the hope it remains while I go through life. Reaching Santosha makes the Yamas
easier to follow, as the ego's disruptions are much less. Gratitude is key, and I
deliberately try to have gratitude by writing a list of all the things I am grateful for,
whichcalmsdownthe egoandhelpsSantoshaemerge.
Tapas
Tapas is easily emerged and active very often. Instead of complaining about
life's difficulties, I constantly search for the lessons behind them, as I feel that there is
a reason I am experiencing whatever it is that comes in my way. If I am in an
unavoidable situation where there's resistance from the ego, I push through and
look at it as sacrifice or service, to help my soul grow and learn. However, if it feels
like I am enduring the situation instead of simply living the experience, I accept that
I might not be ready to see it as a sacrifice and try again another time. While in the
past I used to avoid difficult situations, I now choose to take on any challenge and
learnfromit togrowasa person.
Swadhyaya
Swadhyaya is at the forefront and constantly active. Self-study has been my
main objective for the past 4 years. I acknowledge that I am quite fortunate in this
life, with a roof over my head and the ability to have food on the table. Swadhyaya
increased awareness of mental and emotional patterns that were not serving me.
When I dove deep into my psychology, I realized that there is a lot of work to be
done. Understanding and getting to know my ego and its issues, allowed me to
differentiate it from the soul and notice when the ego is active, making my
choicesmore consciousandsoulfeeding.

09
www.rishiculture.in
Ishvara Pranidhana
Letting Ishwara Pranidhana emerge has given me a sense of inner fulfilment.
The quieting of the ego allowed my soul to be heard and helped me see further than
the material world and to feel the energies around me. A few years ago, I
experienced a deep connection with nature and felt more empowered. I embraced
the strong energies without expecting an explanation. Shortly after that, I
encountered Anandhi's Wholistic Spiritual Training as I was searching for yoga
classes and chakra insights. I believe I was finally ready to learn about the soul and
the higher powers, when I couldn't have before due to the ego's persistence of
beingthemaincharacteranddecisionmaker inmy life.
GITANANDA NADA YOGA
Gitananda Nada Yoga Residential Program
150-Hour Gitananda Nada Yoga Immersion Ananda Ashram / ICYER
The Healing Power of the Human Voice:
Nada Yoga, Music Medicine and Music Therapy
Course Dates: July 18, 2024 - August 1, 2024
Daily Sadhana at Ananda Ashram with principles and practices of Nada Yoga;
Learning Experiences with local musicians, Yoga and Music Therapists at ISCM,
Curated visits to sacred sites
Email Dr. Sangeeta to receive a program and to
enroll: <sangeetalaurabiagi@gmail.com>

10
www.rishiculture.in
INDO-US YOGA CHIKITSA
SYMPOSIUM AND WORKSHOP: A REPORT
School of Yoga Therapy, Institute of Salutogenesis and Complementary
Medicine (ISCM) of Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (SBV), Pondicherry, organised and
conducted the three-day Indo-US Yoga Chikitsa Symposium and Workshop, in
collaboration with the Loyola Marymount University (LMU), USA; SVYASA Yoga
University, ICYER at Ananda Ashram and the Indian Yoga Association
(PondicherryChapter) from13th to15th ofDecember2023.
The first day's programme was organised at the ISCM of SBV. The team from
LMU were given a warm welcome and were taken on a tour around Mahatma
Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute after which they went over to ISCM to
participate inthe day'sevents.
The symposium started with an inaugural programme chaired by
Honourable Vice Chancellor of SBV, Prof Nihar Ranjan Biswas and Dean
Academics, Prof Ashok Kumar Das. The Registrar of SBV Prof A R Srinivasan,
Clinical Director of Yoga Therapy, LMU, Dr. Lori Rubenstein Fazzio, and Clinical
AssociateProfessorofPsychology,LMU,DrDeannaCookefelicitatedthe occasion.
The first session was rendered by Director ISCM, Prof Ananda Balayogi
Bhavanani on Yogachikitsa and Salutogenesis: How does it work? This was
followed by Dr. Lori Fazzio on the topic of Yoga Therapy in Modern Times. Both
the interactive sessionswerewellreceived.
The afternoon session brought together another round of eminent speakers:
Prof K R Sethuraman; Prof Emeritus AIMST University & Endowed Chair, Health
Professions Education, IHPE, SBV who emphasised the importance of
Salutogenesis, Ikigai and their role in wholistic healing; Prof Ashok Kumar Das
(who highlighted mind-body medicine); Prof Meena Ramanathan; Vice-Principal
of SYT, Prof Sobana R, Administrative I/C of SMT, and Prof Ananda Balayogi
Bhavananiinan openforum,YogachikitsaasMind-BodyMedicine.
The programme of the next two days was shifted to ICYER at Ananda
Ashram to enable the international participants to have an opportunity of the

11
www.rishiculture.in
traditional Guru Kula environment as well as the teachings. The days started with
Hatha Yoga practice sessions with Yogacharini Devasena Bhavanani, General
Secretary of ICYER and YOGNAT on the rooftop in a natural environment along
with a beautiful sunrise. She along with Ms Dhivya Priya Bhavanani, Deputy
Director of YOGNAT ended the day's sessions with energising Bhajans which the
participantsenjoyedwell.
Prof Jayaraman Mahadevan was an invited Resource Person from SVYASA
Yoga University and he stressed the importance of bridging the teachings from the
traditional texts and their commentaries in understanding the various Yogic
techniques in their proper connotation. He also highlighted the concept of Adhi-
Vyadhi – the afflictions of the mind and body respectively, from the classical text
Yoga Vashishta. Prof Ananda Balayogi, the Chairman of ICYER led the excellent
and informative sessions on the concept of Salutogenesis and how it promotes
wholistic healing in an individual. He also explained how the effects that are
somato-psychic are translated into benefits which are psycho-somatic in nature. On
the second day Dr Ananda threw light upon the traditional 12-point diagnostic tools
devised by Swami Gitananda and emphasised its importance in the modern
healthcare scenario.
The post-lunch session included an experiential session on Understanding
Yoga Therapy: Practices & Findings emphasising the review of findings from SYT,
ISCM of SBV led by Prof Meena Ramanathan, the Vice Principal of SYT, ISCM. She
discussed various qualitative & quantitative research studies and evidence for
application of Yoga as a preventive, promotive, rehabilitative & curative therapy
and how the role of Yoga Therapy (YT) is being investigated as an adjuvant to
standard medical care in different medical conditions. The Yogic techniques taught
by Swami Gitananda used in these studies were practiced with zeal and zest. Dr
Meena also had them do a few practices which have been copyrighted by ISCM on
Divyanga Yoga and how these sound-based Yogic practices are taught Making
Yoga Fun for Special Children (MYFSC). Excellent demonstration by Ms Dhivya
Priya (Dep Director, YOGNAT) and MrAnandraj (Junior Chairman of ICYER) and
enthusiasticallyreciprocatedby the participants.
INDO-US YOGA CHIKITSA SYMPOSIUM AND WORKSHOP: A REPORT

12
www.rishiculture.in
Smt Lalitha Shanmugam, one of the senior Yoga teachers of the Gitananda
tradition threw light on how these traditional practices are being taught to children
over the past few decades at the City Centre of Yoganjali Natyalayam. She along
with her husband Sri C Shanmugam also takes care of the individual one-on-one
Yoga therapy sessions at YOGNAT. Dr Balaji, Sri Dayanidy and Dr Vasundhara
highlighted on their respective PhD thesis work, methodologies and their findings
in Yoga as an adjuvant therapy in Metabolic Syndrome, Psoriasis and sleep
deprivation in pregnant women respectively. They, along with PhD Scholars of
ISCM Sri Nilachal and Ms Anjali Rai, made up a wonderful team, who coordinated
the successfulconductofthe SymposiumandWorkshop.
On the final day everyone joined the Sunday Guru Puja at Sri
Kambaliswamy Madam where they experienced the traditional rituals done in
honour of the Rishiculture Guru Parampara. This spiritual ceremony left a deep
imprint on their hearts as they felt connected to one of the rare living traditions of
Yoga in the modern world. Yogacharini Devasena presented an amazing Natyam
performance well appreciated by all. The present Madathipathi of the Madam Dr
Anandaji was assisted by Master AnandrajBhavanani who serves as the Junior
Madathipathi. Arrangements were coordinated by Yogathilakam Shri E
Gajendiran,SriSelvakumaranandotherdevoteesofthe Parampara.
The highlight of the two-day event at ICYER was the presence of respected
Ammaji Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani along with Prof Madanmohan
(Emeritus Prof in Physiology), Hon Advisor, ISCM and our beloved mentor, each
having more than 5 decades of experience in sharing lives of Yoga. Both were
honoured in the presence of the international participants from LMU and others as
both had been honoured with the recognition of Yoga Chikitsa Ratna by the Indian
Yoga Association during the International Yoga Summit at Haridwar. The event
ended with a valedictory during which presents and certificates were distributed to
all participants. Dr Lori Rubenstein Fazzio and Dr Deanne Cooke were honoured
speciallyforhaving ledthe LMUteamtoIndiaandcoordinatingthe activities.
INDO-US YOGA CHIKITSA SYMPOSIUM AND WORKSHOP: A REPORT

13
www.rishiculture.in
Few Questions Addressed by Dr. Sir during the Pranayama course.
Yogamaharishi DR. SWAMI GITANANDA GIRI GURU MAHARAJ,
Founder Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry
Involution and Evolution: When through the Law of Karma, man takes on a
body at birth, involution ceases and although his cells may grow and expand to
produce an adult body, this whole process will end only in the grave, a process of
devolution. Most of man's attempts at living are equally devolving and it is only
when man learns to think that he begins to evolve. Evolution for man is only through
the mind.
Many 'think' that they 'think' and they love the politicians and religious
leaders who assure them that they are really 'thinking' people because they belong
to this and that party, organisation or creed. This is not thinking. Many others, feeling
themselves to be great intellectuals, proudly announce they are 'thinkers', but careful
observation will show that they are simply reacting to outer and inner
environmental,chemicalandsensorystimuli.
To really 'think' may be the most shocking single experience of the present
incarnation. When the power of higher thought consciousness surges through the
mind/brain pathway to take over the entire human nervous system, the
transformation which takes place is near-irreversible and is the beginning of
evolution, a return through mind to the source from which we came. A powerful
force may be necessary to aid us in this return, and Yogis and Tantrics alike have
aroused a unique power for this evolutionary propellant known as Kundalini
Shakti, found to be residing within the human nervous system, dormant in most
people.
Involution and evolution are the two sides of a great wheel. All that the
present scientific evolutionists term 'evolution' is yet only of the Divine
evolutionary process. It would be more appropriate to classify much of the
'thinking' going intomodernscientificresearchintoevolutionasre-volutionary.
Involution/evolution may be grandly described in the following manner: all
energy, mind, sense and matter manifestations are a Srishti, an involutionary

14
www.rishiculture.in
unfoldment from the whole, the homogenous Mula-Prakriti into Khanda
(diversified), Paricchinna (finite), Vikriti (heterogenous), and then, evolutionarily,
back again through mind into a Pralaya (dissolution), into the Akara (causeless),
Arupa (formless), Purna (complete), Akhanda Purusha, the Indivisible Causeless
Cause. The power of Srishti is Shakti, the Great Mother of the Universe. Her Lord,
Shakta, the Power-Holder, is the same eternal Aparicchinna Purusha (Infinite
CauselessCause).
Evolution begins from a healthy body, like a healthy seed to bear forth good
fruit. The body is poised 'pregnant with the seeds of evolution'. In a firm seat, Asana,
the breath is made silent by controlled Pranayama. The senses are drawn away from
their sense enjoyment by Pratyahara. The mind is freed from its constant agitation,
the Vritti, by right concentration and the powerful evolutionary forces in Shakti
now begin their 'lift' through the lower Chakras into the worlds of consciousness,
then Manas, into the Buddhi, the purified intellect. In this realm the most powerful
Shakti forces of the mind are made available to pierce through the higher regions of
the Ahamkara into the Maha Tattva, the Samavit, the Abode of Pure
Consciousness, Chit.True meditation may now be experienced in this pure Consciousness.
Out of pure meditation comes the Samadhi, the identification with the infinite,
indivisible Atman-Purusha. In this complete state some call the supreme
consciousness,there isnovestige ofmind,Amanah,nofinite limitations.
THE MIND: Western studies of the mind have been confined principally to
the behavioural patterns of certain lower states of humanity and of some higher
animals. Indeed, that study of the human mind which is known as 'psychology' has
not really been a study of the mind at all, but rather of the actions of certain parts of
the brain made manifest in external actions in the environment. The Western
preoccupation with materialistic benefits from its various studies may be its
short-coming. These empirical pragmatists demand to be able to 'see' the mind, and
finding only the brain instead, have concluded that mind is brain. This same
attitude of mind used in Western scientific investigation as a whole, accounts for the
empty churches and synagogues. This same Western pragmatist has not been able
tomeasureorweigh the 'Soul'.

15
www.rishiculture.in
Any Western dictionary definition of the mind usually suggests actions
attributed to the brain alone, confirming the discoveries of the illustrious Russian
psychologist Ivan A. Sechenov (1829-1905).Sechenov was the first to discover the
phenomenon of inhibition in the central nervous system. In his textbook THE
REFLEXES OF THE BRAIN published in 1863, he pragmatically states that
consciousness arises only in the study of Hindu Yantra, a system of mystic
symbolism where the development of the human mind falls into certain categories
orpatterns translatedintoEnglishas'group consciousness'.
The supra-conscious state may include what the Westerners refer to as the
'super-consciousness', but it is more than the Western term portends. The super-
consciousness of Hindu thought contains vibrant powers to motivate the high
intellect. Iccha Shakti is will power; Jnana Shakti is the power of knowledge; Prema
Shakti is the power of Universal Love, the Love that makes the world go round and
the Love that keeps it going. It is truly the power of Kriya Shakti, the power to act.
All actions not motivated by Universal Love are but reflex actions of the lower cerebral and
visceral activity.
The All-Conscious state, the Chit, and also the power of the Paramatman,
Self-Existing, is the highest state of consciousness, an undivided state. This is the
state where 'The Reason of Being' dwells. Self exists above and beyond cause and
effect, which are subjective states of the lower consciousness. Below the conscious
mind are many planes or worlds of sub-consciousness. In our Hindu thinking there
is a state of mind directly below the conscious which contains concepts akin to the
Western idea of heaven and hell. Both heaven and hell are subconscious states and
not higher states of mind as believed by Western theologians. Heaven is here
called Swargha and hell, Naraka. The wise Yogi raises himself out of these
subconscious planes of heaven and hell into Swa-Jna, self realisation, the realisation
that Atman and Paramatman are one. Naraka is a subconscious state of
conditioning to anxiety, worry, the fear of pain and the lust for pleasures
unresolved. In consciousness man may pursue Sukha or pleasure, fearing pain or
punishment, which is Duhkha, or he may be filled with Bhaya, the fear of fear itself.

16
www.rishiculture.in
These three: Sukha, Duhkha and Bhaya- all condition the sub consciousness so that
these become anxieties or irrational fears, fear of fear itself. This is one's personal
sub-conscious hell, a man-made hell in which one can be tortured for one's errors,
burned but not consumed by unresolved, fiery passions. Your subconsciousness
contains the evil of your life, your past acts, the devil, the Satan whom you must
command, "Satan, get thou behind me!" The proof of this semantic Truth can be seen if
you reverse the letters of the words 'Evil', 'Devil' and 'Satan'. 'Evil' is to 'live' life
backwards; the 'devil' is your past, the false way in which you have 'lived', and
'Satan' is'natos',tobe bornintothe worldofKarmaandaction.
There are seven sub-conscious worlds below Naraka, your personal hell.
These are actual low states of the subconscious mind, independent of your personal
condition. They are:Satala, Vitala, Tala-tala, Mahatala, Rasatala, Atala and
Patala. The foundation of all the states of consciousness is even lower yet in a non-
conscious or inert state. In Tantric symbolism we find the sleeping Vishnu reclining
upon Ananta, his serpent couch, the Shesha Naga, with the entire world impressed
upon his crown, like a diamond. Here the Shakti Varuni manifests her power as
atomic vibration into the molecular structure of all non-conscious or inert things. In
Hindu thinking there is another state between the subconscious mind and that state of no-
consciousness. It is a non-conscious state, like deep dreamless sleep. It is typified by a state
of 'no-mindedness' as in a coma or a state when you are knocked senseless. Keep in
mind these seven states of consciousness in your Yoga and Tantra Sadhana, and
free yourself of thelimitationsimposedbyWesternthinking.
When you know everything, you are not
bothered by anything; but when you
know nothing, you are bothered by
everything.
- Yogacharya Dr. Anandaji

17
www.rishiculture.in
SUKKHU MERU THE JOURNEY IS NOT SIMPLE… BUT EASY
DIEGO BEVILACQUA,
Graduate Yoga Step By Step, Italy
Continued from last month...
7.Franknesswiththeself
Frankness. This term I like very much. My grandpa, his name was also Frank.
It was used by Swamiji in his book 'Frankly Speaking' and I think it well represents
hisapproachtostudentsandtolifeingeneral.
I am doing my best to put into practice what I have learnt. Still I am human,
still am I falling, still short of glory, still making mistakes. This is Prakruti mixed
with Vikruti, our Nature plus…how we distort it with our way of living. But one
thing issure,Iget every daymoreawareofhowunawareIam.
If I am lying to myself, I must admit! I must be frank and straight. This means
todigdeeperthan the surface,tofindwhat isreally blocking me.
At the end, this Yogic journey is of the self to a better version of itself. We must
be content with our best efforts towards a better, Yogic life, accepting failure as a
human characteristic. This is the teaching of the Gita, failure or victory, just do! It is
tooeasytostop,onlybecausewehavefailedinthe past.
Another funny example from Swami Chinmayananda is that of a guy who
was offered some money to invest in a new business but he refused. He was afraid.
Because he opened a business in 1973, and he failed. He opened a new one in 1980
and failed. Then he tried with another in 1989 and failed again. 'What if I fail again?'
The man who was offering the money explained: 'Swamiji', I am offering this money
to this poor guy here, you know why? Because he is the only one in the village who
has had so many failures in the past…that he cannot fail again! If I give this money to
a newentrepreneur, he willsurelyleavemewith nothing!Butthisone,Itrust him!'
Many times, at a younger age, struggling to perfection in the realm of
spirituality, I used to get sad and depressed because of how I could not proceed
steadilyorbecauseofhowIwouldlosemyconcentration.
Now I see things differently, because the effort is important, more than the
result.

18
www.rishiculture.in
The effort must be, according to Ammaji, 'Repetitive, Rhythmical, Regular'.
Once this is done, good purposes of 'I can, I will, I am able' will give value to the
practice. And then, if a thousand times I fall, many more shall I rise again. RISE
AGAINANDSTOPNOTUNTILTHEGOALISREACHED!
8.Forgetfulness
Many times, the mind works in disguise. The mind is very weak and finds all
excuses to show strength. This can be observed under a Yogic perspective, what is
calledthe Yoga Drishti.
Since my life got busier – as I will explain later, I started to write in my daily
diary everything I have to do day by day, hour by hour, such as normal
maintenance, paying taxes, washing the car, washing clothes, calling this man or
that client,andsoon.Soit isnoteasyformetosay 'Iforgottodothat'.
One interesting thing happens, and I have noticed this by trying to practice
oneofthe fiveNiyamas,Swadhyaya,Self-ObservationorIntrospection.
I had noticed some time ago how weakening to the soul is the sound of words
like 'I forgot', 'I did not remember to…', 'I missed it'. These are just excuses, words of
the mind to keep itself on a lower level of uncertainty and a state of limbo. I felt like I
was being less than a human when answering with words such as 'Oh, it went out of
mymind',asifIwasanunconsciouspuppet onthe stage oflife.
The truth was simple: I was guilty because it was never in my intention to do
that thing! Itdidnot'gooutof'mymind:Ijustneverput it intomymind.
Sometimes we have to do things that are boring, but we have to resolve to do
them.
Yet...if the intention is not there…the body won't be there either. The
unconscious mind will avoid it and put it away as if nothing happened, but we men
will point the finger to 'forgetfulness', as if some type of wind blew away thoughts
fromourmemory.
So what I noticed is that, with all the efforts to include certain things in my
dailybusinesses,Ikept certainthings outjustbecauseIwishedIcouldavoidthem.
SUKKHU MERU THE JOURNEY IS NOT SIMPLE…BUT EASY

19
www.rishiculture.in
What I found, more practically and experimentally, is that the thing I should
have done was just not even written down in my notebook, it was not there in my
agenda! I did my best to write everything, so I knew 'Scripta Manent', no excuses:
things are written. But that particular thing was not. It skipped. And why? Because I
didnotwant it tobe there!Ididnotadmitit explicitly: Iwasnotfrank enough.
I already knew, but then I experienced more deeply, that the meaning of
'forgetting' is 'to have no desire to deal with something'. The mind points the finger
to 'fate': 'it happened', 'I forgot'. The truth is that nothing really 'happens'. What is
behind that really? The answer is: we are responsible for the 'happening'. When the
mind is not strong enough, not interested enough, it leaves things out, delaying the
progress of evolution in this lifetime. There I understood that the meaning of
'forgetting' is 'not putting one thing into the heart'. I will be more clear. In Latin, the
word 'to remember' is made up of two words: 'ri-cordare'. The root of the second
word, 'cordare' is 'cor, the heart', from the Greek 'kardias'. 'Ri' means 'to put back to'.
So when we 're-member, or 'ri-cordare', we actually put things in the heart, meaning
we have the intention, we care. On the contrary, when we forget, in Italian we say 's-
cordare', letting things off the heart. And interestingly, the same word “scordare” is
usedwhenamusicalinstrumentisofftune.
What is to forget then? To hide from the conscience, to be out of tune with
Dharma. Who does this? The subconscious mind. When self-observation turns on,
the conscious mind starts to link with the unconscious through a prefrontal cortex
stimulation that enables us to make positive decisions to make changes in life. This
makesthe realdifferencebetween the humanraceandallotherliving creatures.
Yoga helps with Swadhyaya to have an objective, personal, elevated point
view of the self and see how it tries to hide mistakes under the name of 'fate',
'chance', 'forgetfulness', 'daydreaming', or 'missing something'. The reality is that
wedonotdowhat wedonotwant to.
To help us, let us quote the encouraging words of Ammaji: 'Remember to
Remember'.

20
www.rishiculture.in
9.Integrating theselfor dis-integratingtheself?
'Mysterious' events we suppose to be out of our control, such as forgetting
things or being late, always have a reason…under the Yoga Drishti, the X Ray
machineofthe true searchers.
I remember in the footage Swamiji saying 'If you are truly interested in living
Yoga you cannot miss the knowledge about the Pancha Kosha'. Till that time, I was
not so much interested in the detailed knowledge of Yoga anatomy, although I came
across it many, many times. There, I eventually got to understand the importance of
the Five Bodies.
The Pancha Kosha are the Five Bodies or Sheaths of Existence that make up
what we are. Everyone has a physical body, a mind and many emotions. This is
apparent. According to Yogic science the physical body (Annamaya Kosha) is just
one of the bodies, the most condensed and material one, vibrating at a certain speed.
TheFive Bodiesare like invisibleeggs oneinthe other.
Annamaya Kosha, Pranamaya Kosha (the energy body where Prana
circulates and gives vitality to the organs, influencing the state of the mind and the
emotions), Manomaya Kosha (the calculating, conscious mind, rational thinking),
Vijnanamaya Kosha (the intellectual and abstract mind, capable of artistic
expression, compassion and empathy) and the Anandamaya Kosha (this is a trans-
personal field of existence, encompassing all lives and filled with bliss, as in it every
reality isconnected).
For a balanced existence it is required that all of these bodies be harmoniously
working together. We know that if one gland of the body is out of balance the whole
body is not well. The same is true for the Pancha Kosha. If one body is out of
alignment with the others something goes wrong. If there is no unanimity of intent
between what we think and what we do, disorder takes place. This condition is
calledNaara, or PsychicDissociation.
The specificity of this Yogic perspective is that Naara deteriorates our life with
its many aspects that we are not used to considering, such as minor and major
accidents, being late, emotional breakdowns and many more events. Very similar to

21
www.rishiculture.in
what happens with forgetting about things. We used to give everything over to fate,
to a bad day, to a bad star; or, when the body is sick the guilty one might be a virus,
the weather ormisfortune.Anyway, anything but…ourselves!
SwamiGitananda exploresthe topicofthis'PsychicDisassociation'.
Dissociation is a state of non-union, and if this is of a psychic nature things can
really go wrong. The term 'psychic', it must be noted, is used not only for the psyche,
the conscious/subconscious, but also for the realm of subtle energies governing
mind, emotions and body, spoken of in Yogic (Eastern, in general) anatomy,
physiologyandphilosophy.
The most interesting disassociation case to me is that between the physical
andthe pranicbody. Here the mostcuriousthings happen, suchasbeing chronically
late or always missing job opportunities and being prone to accidents. These things
weneverrelate toourresponsibility;wenever feelresponsibleforthem.
In the light of this knowledge, if we do not integrate the reality of our own
existence, if we do not interlink and integrate the Five Bodies with each other, what
wefaceisdis-integration,pureandsimple.
In order to achieve this balance, we need two main things: Yogic practice and
willpower to change. The Yogic practices will strengthen Pranic flow and equalize
the energetic charge in us, for a clearer mind to develop. Will power is essential to
detachfromthe state ofdormancytooneofwakefulness.
The point is, nobody can do it for us. No surgeon can sew back the mind with
the emotions and the body on an operation table. Only through self-effort can we
achievethat goal.
10. Senseof coherence
I have tried to observe myself in relation to what Swamiji calls 'Naara'. I have
also observed people. I've found it so interesting because it refers to all those
situations we cannot explain, situations my own mother used to get angry at me for,
andIcouldnotunderstandwhy at that time.
In this, one of the most penetrating quotes of Swami Gitananda, is: 'You
don'tHAVEproblems,YOUare theproblem'.

22
www.rishiculture.in
It is important to develop responsibility and understand that man was born to
be happy and healthy, and no outer force, no Guru, no doctor can liberate him:
'Health and happiness are your birthright', as the Lion of Pondicherry would roar,
soWEmustworktoregain andmaintainthem.
When the Five Bodies are united and harmoniously aligned there should be
no malady, no suffering, no sadness. We can also perceive this reality as a “state of
coherence”, when we do what we think and we think what we do, and live for who
weare,inthe CosmicDanceofLifeandDharma.
When everything is in balance, even material wealth will follow and new
opportunities in society will just pop up. 'Do your best, leave the rest'. It always comes
back!
11. Giving upattachmentandduality
Many times, I have observed, before knowing about Yoga, that when we love
something or someone so much, we must consequently hate so much the absence of
that person or object. Or, when we say “I have never been so happy because now I
finally got my vacations”, the Yogi will smile at the comedy our life is: 'this poor guy
is happy BECAUSE he has something finally, but the rest of his life is just sorrow,
BECAUSE what he has now will soon finish'. There, love becomes hate, and it is a
necessary mutation of the emotional state. Observing this, I used to find it quite
miserable:loveisinsorrowandsorrowisinlove!
Things got clearer after listening to Dr. Anandaji's 'Scintillating Saturdays'
onVairagya andtheKleshas.
Vairagya is a state of non-attachment, where man is no more bound to objects
he loves or hates. Attachment means to let our existence depend on an object of
desire: if it works, we are happy, if it breaks, we fall into despair with it, following its
destiny as if we were tied with a rope to it. I buy my new drum, and I am happy as
long as somebody does not steal it. I have a new girlfriend; I cannot live without her.
Attachment is not only to objects of desire in the material world, but even to
knowledge: I am becoming more intelligent, and I have to know more and more
Yoga Sutras by heart, my happiness depends on that. Attachment might even be on

23
www.rishiculture.in
a subtler level, to ascetics and to the very non-attachment: 'I depend on non-
attachment!' What a contradiction! Being attached to non-attachment! But…we
humansare so.
Now, attachment by nature is mixed up with the Klesha. There are five
Klesha, or psychological afflictions. They are Avidya (thinking of knowing what we
do not know), Asmita (life is good only when the ego is satisfied), Raga (attraction),
Dwesha (repulsion) and Abhinivesha (the survival instinct that holds us down to
the animal level of existence). Two of them are particularly interesting to me. These
are Raga and Dwesha, Likes and Dislikes. They go together. In fact, as I have written
above,attachment istoan objectthat couldbe inspiringeither loveorhate.
How many times did we fall in love with somebody and think only of
her/him all day long? At the same time, how intensely do we think of those we hate,
unable to stop that grudge feeling. This is attachment, binding our Karma to the
Karmaofthe objectofdesire/repulsion.
I find these Kleshas so tricky because what we attach to are actually the
feelings we nurture towards the object, more than to the object itself. We are
attached more to the emotions that result from a relationship than to the person
himself: our best friend could turn into our worst enemy, and the more we loved
him then, the more we hate him now! In both cases the feelings burn like fire! Or we
fear losing a loved one, not for him but for the feelings it gives to see him no more.
This is the reason indeed for the name 'psychological afflictions', because it is like a
dog biting its own tail, a vicious cycle of the mind that turns into a mental affliction,
woundingitself.
To make things worse, Raga and Dwesha are two faces of the same medal, so
one cannot escape Pain if there is Pleasure and vice-versa. Where there is much love
there must be much hate. When there is a High there is a Low. This can lead many to
madness,findingnoescapeinlife.
In time, I could witness how these Klesha would disturb my tranquility, and
howthey wouldgenerate eachotherinan endlesscycleofsorrow.

24
www.rishiculture.in
On the other hand, I have also witnessed how, Kleshas or not, our reality is
based on the alternation of the opposites. So, after hot there is cold, after day comes
night, after success there is failure, after life there is death and until we do not accept
thisandknowhowtomanageit, we'llloseourselvesindespairforever.
Whatisthesolutionthen?
First of all, being aware of the Klesha. They are so important, as they are the
root of Karma, the load of past actions and present attitudes we inherit from other
lifetimes. Once their mechanism of action is comprehended one can choose for non-
attachment. Emotions are important and we cannot deny them. What we can do is
notlet themtake holdofusandtake away ourfocus.
Secondly, getting to know that 'All you need is less'. Yes, it is so! When you
know “all you need is less” you stop adding desires, desire to have or desire to repel,
and you start working on the real source of happiness which is like a pearl hidden in
the oyster of the Self. Like a crafter makes a sculpture out of stone by carving out the
external pieces to create the desired shape, so also what is essential in us is at the
very core. We must cut off the unwanted pieces. How to get rid of the 'more' and stay
with the authentic 'less'?Howtoattune ourlittle lifewith the UniversalExistence?
Onesimplebutvery effective way isto harmonize thebreathto arhythm.
The breath is the main door of access to our wellbeing, linking unconscious/
subconscious/consciousmind, emotions and body. Rhythm is a healing force, as we
shallseebriefly.
(to be concluded in the next issue...)
Each human is a manifestation of matter
in time and space which will never
be duplicated.
- Yogacharya Dr. Anandaji

25
www.rishiculture.in
Param Pujya Ammaji, Yogacharini MEENAKSHI DEVI BHAVANANI,
Director ICYER and YOGNAT, Pondicherry.
Editor's note: Our beloved Param Puja Ammaji leads us on another beautiful
metaphoricaljourney inthisessay reprinted fromthe June 2010issue ofYogaLife.
Time is relative for all of us who have come after Albert Einstein. Thanks to
hisgenius,weknowit asa scientificfact,notjustapsychologicalperception.
Time, like fresh water and pure air, has become a scarce commodity in this
urbanized, industrialized, globalized age. No one ever seems to have enough of it.
Perhaps one day soon, we will have to 'pay for time' just as we now have to pay for
water andinsomecases,cooledorheatedorpurifiedair!
In a sense, that time has already come, as many activities are paid for by the
minute (like parking meters), hours (like various kinds of classes including Yoga)
and days, weeks and months (such as rentals of various kinds). Time is money and
every minute is valuable for its potential to earn us a buck, a Euro or a Rupee! In this
context one no longer has time for the finer things of life (like small courtesies, polite
speech and behaviour). There is no money in such things and hence, no time. There
is no time to dine (just gulp fast food or dunk that donut quickly.) No time to cook or
to talk, just Swift Message Service and Twitter have to do the job of quick
communication!
Speed has now become the highest value. How fast can we go-do-make-eat-
sleep-run!Afterall,it isoneofthe OlympicMottos–(higher, faster,andstronger).
Quick Yoga is also infected by this virus. Samadhi in a breath, enlightenment
with a ten-minute Kriya or Mantra, joy and happiness with just fifteen minutes of a
formulated practice per day. True! One should not be as dull and slow as a buffalo –
but there is something to be said for turtles that make it to the end, when the rabbits
collapsemidway.Thistime-businessisa matter worthcontemplating.
We need correct and accurate timing if trains are to run, and airplanes are to
fly. When we move as large groups, adherence to time structures enables
harmonious interaction. Time awareness also can serve as a discipline and a way of

26
www.rishiculture.in
using our consciousness efficiently and accurately in respect to our life span. But
certainthings havetheir owngrowth timecyclesandcannotbe forced.
A five-year old child cannot suddenly overnight become a teenager. A mango
seed cannot become a fruit-bearing tree in one week. Growth time cycles must work
out in their own phased time structure. One cannot fast-forward spiritual progress
either. There are 'teachable moments' when truths finally seep into the very cells
of one'sbeing.
There are points in time when all the previous years of Sadhana fructify in a
major realization.
Swamiji said that all of us experience Samadhi once in a nine-year time cycle.
But, he pointed out, 'Sadly, most are so busy doing something else that they miss the
moment,thinkingthatthe oddsensation isaheadache.'
The Zen people said, 'Lightning Flashes, Sparks Shower, in a blink of an eye we miss
seeing!' It is difficult to see anything clearly when we are moving too fast. We see
hardly anything of the landscape over which we pass in an airplane. But how much
wedoseewhiletraveling in abullockcart.
Thereisagreat jokeabout the relativity oftime,spaceandperspective.
A man, thinking himself to be very clever, praises God, 'God, you are so great!
You see everything much differently than we humans.' God modestly
acknowledges this fact. The man then asks slyly, 'God, is it true that for you a million
years is just a second? God says, 'Yes.' The man then asks, 'Dear God, is it also true
that for you a million pounds of gold is like a grain of sand?' God replies, 'Yes, my
son.' 'Then,' says the man eagerly, 'May I make a small request to you?' 'Of course,
my son,' says God. The man says, 'May I have a grain of gold, please?' 'Of course,'
Godreplies,'Justwait onesecond.'
Time is indeed relative, in more ways than one.

27
www.rishiculture.in
Shri VS KRISHNAN
in The Times of India
While walking through the streets of Madurai, the young Venkataraman
happened to meet an elderly relation. When asked why he was not being seen
around and where he had been, the relative replied: 'Arunachalam'. The very name
ArunachalammadeaprofoundimpactonVenkataraman.
A few days later, while at home, suddenly, he was struck by fear of death.
This prompted him to enquire all about death. He soon realized that death happens
only to the body and not to the Self. Transformed with this knowledge, he
proceeded to Tiruvannamalai. He went straight inside and said 'Oh Lord,
Obedient toThycall,Ihavecome'.
On September 1, 1896, the one who came out of the temple was not
Venkataraman, the young school student, but an enlightened soul. He soon moved
to Virupaksha cave, up the hill where he remained in Samadhi most of the time. He
was unaware of his body and its needs and remained unresponsive to external
matters. Though he studied sacred books, he said they were analyzing what he had
alreadyfelt intuitively.
Seekers, scholars and pundits came to him to get his grace and advice. Some,
like Paul Brunton, went back to tell the world about a saint who is totally impersonal
and detached. Some came to him and stayed with him like Muruganar and Kunju
Swami to imbibe the nectar of knowledge that flowed from the saint. It was
Ganapati Muni, a renowned Sanskrit scholar who described this saint as 'Bhagavan
SriRamana Maharishi'.
Though many sought his Upadesa, rarely did Maharishi give any specific
advice. According to him, the Self, the reflection of Brahman, is the eternal Guru. It
is enough if one looks within and contemplates. But, since the mind has an out-
going tendency, it would respond more actively to external factors than to internal
factors. So, in order to bring the outgoing mind to the source, Guru appears
externally in the form of a human, so that the mind responds. Guru then holds the

28
www.rishiculture.in
attention of the extroverted mind and redirects it to its source, the Self. 'The greatest
service the disciple can give to the Guru is to engage himself in Self-enquiry
sincerely',he said.
Once, a visitor to Ramanashram asked Maharishi which path he should
follow.The saint replied: 'Before you speak of a path, first find out where you are now.
Know first where you are and what you are and then the path will be visible. In fact, there is
nothingtobereached. Youare alwaysasyoureallyare.'
Self is Consciousness by which one is able to experience existence in all stages
of life like youth, middle age and old age and in all states like deep sleep, dream and
waking.
Though Consciousness reveals itself at all times, the individual is not able to
realise it because he falsely identifies himself with the mind and body. The false
notion of 'i' the ego continues to delude the individual. As he grows, it becomes a
conviction;with the resulthe forgetsSvarupa,hisinnate, realandessentialnature.
To rescue the individual from delusion, Maharishi advised him to enquire:
'Who Am I?' When he negates those elements like mind and body which do not
constitutehisnature, the pure'I'aloneremains,leadingtoSelf-realization.

29
www.rishiculture.in
LIVING THE LAW
Yogamaharishi Dr SWAMI GITANANDA GIRI GURU MAHARAJ,
Founder Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry
We are subject to laws of various types from the Cosmic Universal Laws
through the Laws of Nature, to man-made Laws. Usually, one would say that we are
subject to 'THE LAW'... but for a Hindu practising Yoga, Dharma is the collective
termforalllawsandonemustbe 'livingthe law.'
There is really only One Law. This is a Cosmic Universal Law under which the
Universe exists and functions, indeed, has its very state of being and all in that state
of BEING are subject to the Laws of the Cosmos of Nature, of man…Yes and even an
InnerLawwhichwemustinterpret asour SWADHARMA.
Most religions have developed religious laws that must be kept against dire
consequences, even damnation and eternally being cut off from the God or gods of
that particular religion. But the Yoga concept of Dharma is that in living the law
these living concepts must be lovingly obeyed, held in highest respect at all levels,
and complied with willingly. One must be 'willing to live the Law'. Sadly, most of us
are 'rebels' against Dharma, against the Law of Life. It is the ego that rebels at the
observance of Dharma and Right-Use-Ness. We want to be free from the Universal
Cosmic Law, even the Laws of Nature, and have our own libertine existence as the
destructive Ego. The Ego or Asmita constructs its own laws... becomes a Law unto
itself. In this, those pursuing the Ego become 'law breakers' and serve the Ego as
their God, which in actuality is the only Devil or Satan or Rakshasha which really
exists.
When the Ego is brought under control by Self Discipline, then Truth- Justice
– Love – Honour – Harmony – Balance – Happiness and Health result. The
observanceofDharmanever fails.Followingthe Egoisasureway tofail.
In following the Ego, selfishness becomes the rule. Only what we want and
not even the needs of others are considered. The ego will not tolerate anyone else's
existence, even that of God! When we are living the Law, we naturally want to be
clean and pure, observing the laws of the Cosmos, nature, and of man. These laws of

An Ode to Gitananda Yoga
There once was a Swami named Gitananda,
Who knows? He may of evolved from a panda! However,
'The Lion of Pondicherry' he became known, From all of the spiritual
developments, he had grown.
And in his incarnation of human life,
He found himself a strong, supportive wife...
Amma is what this lady was called,
And what they created together I'd like to applaud.
As if that wasn't enough of a lottery won,
They became the proud parents of a very special son.
Dr Ananda, his dharma became, And his journey much followed the same.
From a small Ashram in Pondicherry,
This ancient practice reached out and touched many. So, not just from blood,
their family did grow,
We're even a part of it, don't you know!
And now here I stand, about to become one,
Who can help spread this Yoga, that is second to none.
Eternally grateful for this journey I'm taking,
With thanks to Kalavathi, I'm now a 'Yogi in the making'!
Lee Taylor, 2020, Om Studio Graduate
30
www.rishiculture.in
man include the rules for health, happiness, and social conditions that will allow us
toevolvespiritually.
Lawmen and women, those living the Law, believe in evolution, in its truest
sense, rather than the egocentric type who want destructive revolution. The choice
is ours. Evolve into harmony or destroy ourselves with ego pursuits. Yoga teaches
ustochoosetolivethe Law...theLawofHarmoniousUnity.
LIVING THE LAW

31
www.rishiculture.in
Colin Colley, Student of Yogacharini KALAVATHI DEVI,
Om Yoga Studio, Cardiff, Wales, UK
I did not know what to expect with this so I was a bit unsure of how to feel
about it beforehand. I thought it may be interesting or it may turn out to be a bit
boring. Iwaspleasantly surprisedat howmuchIenjoyedit.
At first, I had no idea what my offering would be. I knew it had to be
something meaningful and from the heart so that is why I decided to go with a
poem. I had considered maybe drawing a picture but that would take more time
than I had available for me to end up with something I was happy with. Sending
flowersfelt abit impersonalinmycase.
Having decided on writing a poem, I then had to find the words. I have not
written a poem in a long, long time and I have never had the inspiration or desire to
write either. Anyway, the words began to come, and I wrote a few lines, changed
words, and deleted things until I came up with the completed poems. At the
beginning, I always had in my mind to write two poems; one for Swami Gitananda
as gratitude for giving us the amazing Yoga practices, and one for Jonn Mumford to
showmygratitude forallhehasdoneforme.
During the ceremony, I got a little bit panicked when everyone had their turn
and spoke for a while. I was expecting to just read out my poems and that would be
it, so I was wondering what I was going to say as I had not prepared anything. What
came out was from the heart. Luckily, I have a lot to be grateful for. I was glad that I
was able to give my tribute to Jonn Mumford, as I am eternally grateful for having
had the chance to learn from him. My life changed a lot when I started studying
withhimandhehasdonemore for me thanhewillever know.
It was through him that I learned of our great Guru, Swami Gitananda.
Everything happens for a reason, and everything happens at the right time. I
strongly believe that I started learning yoga when I did because only then was I
ready to learn and appreciate the teachings. I had other important life lessons to
learnbeforehandin ordertopreparemeforthe worktocome.
Getting to talk about how I started in Yoga and share about my journey so far
was enjoyable. Although the Covid lockdown was a terrible time, it gave me plenty
to be grateful about. Because of Yoga teachers moving on to Zoom, I now had the

32
www.rishiculture.in
chance to learn Swamiji's teachings, whereas before this would have been unlikely
to happen. It has been amazing so far and a lot of what I am learning is new; I have
never seen it practiced anywhere else. I don't think that Swami Gitananda is very
well known in Scotland, if at all. When I have mentioned him, no one has heard of
himbeforesomaybe Icanchangethat.
I enjoyed listening to what everyone had to say, and the stories were all
unique, different. I loved hearing all about Ammaji. She sounds like an amazing
person and a real strong presence. I am looking forward to meeting them later on
thisyear.
Lil's poem was great, it was a mixture of emotions – happy, a bit of sadness
and some of it was funny too. You could tell that the letter that Natalia read out had
been written from the heart and what she said had a lot of personal meaning to her.
When she started crying, I said to myself “oh man, that will set the rest of them
crying” andIwasright.
Claire came on and she was in tears before she started lol. She had good things
to say that resonated with me and how I felt – that though lockdown was bad and
socialdistancingwasmeanttokeep usapart, it actually brought usclosertogether.
Eleri made me laugh when she talked about how buying a cookbook brought
her to yoga. It's funny how a totally random event can change the course of your life.
It just takes the right spark to light the fire. She also talked about how she now feels
connected to something bigger, higher and has a feeling of “coming home”, which is
alsosomethingIcanrelate to.
There was definitely an energetic connection going on between everyone
during the Guru Dakshina. I could feel the emotions of the people speaking through
the ether and I think the others would say the same. It created a feeling of
community, togetherness which was quite nice. It was good to have everyone
sharing a part of themselves and showing their gratitude for the great gift of Yoga
that we have been given. If there was more gratitude in the world it would be a
betterplace.
Kalavathi, thank you for being so warm and welcoming to me and making me
feel part of the community. The past while has been a time of great learning and
personal growth for me and I have enjoyed it all, even the homework (mostly). I
don't think I ever did as much homework at school, and at times I felt I struggled a
bit trying tofit it inwith everything else,but it hasmademelearneverything better.

Yoga Life (Jan 2024)

More Related Content

Similar to Yoga Life (Jan 2024)

More from Yogacharya AB Bhavanani

Recently uploaded

Yoga Life (Jan 2024)