Divinesahajayoga

2009-05-09T02:23:00.002-05:00

Symbol of Shalivahanas

2009-05-09T02:17:00.005-05:00

Symbol of Shalivahanas

They put up a ‘Gudi’ means a flag and a small pitcher is put on it as a symbol. This pitcher has a particular shape which represents Kundalini. So they were the worshippers of Kundalini and followed it. That is the reason they made this symbol in this way. All those who follow Kundalini put up a ‘Gudi’ in their houses and also put a flag on it as a symbol to welcome the Kundalini and exhibit in a special way. But all these people are moving in the rut. They are doing all these rituals without knowing the cause of it. One should know the reason for doing certain things. What is it? Because the Satvahanas were the worshippers and protector of Kundalini and they started their New Year like that. In the New Year they made their symbol in the form of a small pitcher and the flag put on the stick. But here in this part people do not know about it nor do they celebrate this festival.
(H.H. Shri Mataji, Gudi Padwa Puja (Translated from Hindi)
Palam Vihar, Gurgaon, India, 13.04.2002)

Shrimataji with Grand daughters

2009-04-16T23:01:00.001-05:00

Ashtavinayaka

2009-04-15T23:47:00.002-05:00

Subtle System SlideShow

2009-04-15T23:39:00.000-05:00

2009-04-15T23:17:00.006-05:00

Belongs to 5600 BC,This is a golden imprint of the Mooladhara symbol from the excavations on the island of Skyros, in Central Aegean sea.

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT-Spiritual Dimension

2009-04-15T00:55:00.000-05:00

Sahajayoga in Suriname

2009-04-15T00:40:00.000-05:00

Stress Management Through Sahajayoga Meditation Part 2

2009-04-14T23:35:00.001-05:00

Stress Management Through Sahajayoga Meditation Part 1

2009-04-14T23:32:00.002-05:00

2009-04-13T00:39:00.001-05:00

Dutch Sy Newsletter Nr 3 5 March 2009

View more presentations from divinesahajayoga.

Different patterns of Shri VishnuMaya over Dubai

2009-04-12T11:07:00.007-05:00

Different patterns of Shri VishnuMaya over Dubai (esp. Burj Al Arab). A prior announcement of the arrival of world's tallest personality in Love, Compassion, Truth, .... and everything else...... in UAE.

Shree Hanuman Chalisa

2009-04-12T10:50:00.003-05:00

SahajaYoga 'can help asthmatics'

2007-09-30T15:58:00.000-05:00

Severe asthmatics may benefit from yoga

A type of meditation based on yoga may ease asthma for some.

However, there is little evidence that other relaxation techniques can help.

Two studies carried out at the Department of Complementary Medicine at the University of Exeter looked at a variety of techniques.

The first compared patients taught to carry out Sahaja meditation with another group using other forms of relaxation, such as "positive affirmation", visualisation and progressive muscle relaxation.

Sahaja meditation aims to create a state of "full or heightened mental alertness".

The researchers found that after four months, the patients, who had moderate to severe asthma which had failed to respond to conventional drug treatment, showed distinct differences.

The responsiveness of the patients' airways was measured, and in the meditation group, responsiveness to asthma medication was noticeably better than those simply carrying out relaxation techniques.

The extra effect they experienced was similar to the other group being given an extra dose of medication.

The mood of both groups was also assessed - both had improved - but by more in the case of the meditating asthmatics.

Quality of life

However, there were no noticeable differences in the overall measured "quality of life", or, significantly, in the use of inhalers, reported symptoms or breath strength.

Another study carried out at the university reviewed a number of other trials looking at the effects on asthma of several relaxation techniques.

The benefits of Sahajayoga, or any other relaxation techniques, are additional to the benefits of conventional drug treatment, and it is vital that patients continue to take their prescribed medication

Dr John Harvey, British Thoracic Society

These included progressive muscular relaxation, hypnotherapy, "autogenic training" - which aims to create a state of "detached but alert awareness".

Of 15 trials, two involving progressive muscle relaxation or muscular and mental relaxation showed significant improvements in lung function - but the researchers suggested that the "poor quality" of the research might be harming the chances of reliable answers from the studies.

Dr John Harvey, from the British Thoracic Society, said: "Complementary therapy is becoming more popular with patients as they seek to relieve the emotional, as well as physical symptoms of their condition.

"Simple relaxation techniques and exercise can help regulate breathing patterns and also improve lung function.

"As a result, some asthmatics may find yoga helps them to manage their condition by easing symptoms."

However, he added: "The benefits of yoga, or any other relaxation techniques, are additional to the benefits of conventional drug treatment, and it is vital that patients continue to take their prescribed medication."

Reflections on some new hypertension research

2007-07-11T13:42:00.001-05:00

Reflections on some new hypertension research from Bristol, UK:

High blood pressure is pandemic in proportions. Hypertension medication is proving ineffective and there are ongoing efforts to understand its roots; University of Bristol scientists have suggested something radically new: They suggest that the brain, rather than other physiological factors may hold the key. A protien in the brain traps white blood cells, cutting off oxygen supply to the brain causing a inflammatory vascular condition resulting in high blood pressure situations.

Although it might be a stretch, but I try to correlate it with the working of the Agnya chakra, situated at the brain level. When the agya chakra is dysfunctional, it blocks the path of the rising Kundalini by closing the gates of the central channel to the brain. The cumulative effect of this blockage - which accompanies thoughts about people who have hurt us - induces emotions of anger. Anger is the trigger for Hypertention!

So lets bring things to a full circle here: Scientists have seed evidence of a mechanism of high BP which has a parallel in the knowledge of the workings of the Agnya chakra: The dilation of constrictions at the agnya chakra by the kundalini. The modern scientific evidence will take a bunch of more studies before the theory can be tested, supported and suitable treatments be developed based on it. However, there are solutions to working out the agnya chakra problem of forgiveness and balancing the state of anger within the path of Sahaja - available free and ubiquitously.

Hypertension Research Links:
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2007/5401.html
http://www.sahajayoga.org/researchandbenefits/default.asp
http://www.sahajahealthcentre.com/Researches.htm

Sahaja Yoga medical research in Ukraine

2007-04-05T20:02:00.000-05:00

The effects of divine vibrations on the immunological parameters of blood.– Sahaja Yogini Seleznova Tetyana N, Ph.D., Kiev, Ukraine.

In 1994/1995, in Saint Petersburg, and in 1998 in Moscow, the International Scientific Conferences "Medicine, Self-knowlege, Morality: East-West", and "Morality, Health, Peace: East-West", took place. The main event of the conferences were the reports and the appearance of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. Shri Mataji spoke about the essence of meta-science – Sahaja Yoga. A number of reports about the positive effects of Sahaja Yoga practice upon the moral and spiritual life of the human being, as well as upon his health, were presented. The author of this article has been blessed by Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi to report the results of her own scientific researches. The article below is adapted for the general public from the results of research by the author, based on reports the author presented at these conferences.

A well-known fact, from a number of scientific publications, is that patients with raised blood pressure, bronchial asthma, or epilepsy are cured using the techniques of Sahaja Yoga [U.Rai (1992,1993,1994); Y.Mahajan (1990,1994); S.Nigam (1992, 1994); M.Talvar (1992)]. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate visually the wonder-working properties of All-Pervading Cosmic Energy, the union (yoga) which is given by Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. The energetic centre Anahata (the Heart), in its central aspect, was chosen as the object of research. It is known, that blocking at this Chakra leads to serious damage to the functioning of the immune system. In similar cases there can be heavy diseases of stressful character, autoimmune diseases (diseases in which a person’s own immune system perceives healthy parts of the organism as diseased, and attacks them), and various sorts of immunodeficiencies (abnormal functioning of immune system), cancer, etc. Physicians understand the list of such diseases, their complications, sometimes incurability, in their attempts to help patients. At the physical level the function of the central organ of immunity is fulfilled by a gland which is called the Thymus. It is placed in the region of the chakra projection – the Central Heart. The T-lymphocytes differentiate and mature in this gland, which play an important role in formation of the immunological response and the protection of the body. Hormones (factors) of Thymus induce transformation of pre-T-cells into the matured immunocompetent cells. The biological activity of the serum factor (FTS- Hormones of Thymus) in the blood of practically healthy people and patients with various diseases were investigated. It is known that level FTS decreases with age. Its real reduction comes after the age of 35-40 years. That is why the blood serums of persons between the ages of 12 to 37 years were investigated. The results of the investigation showed that the reliable reduction of thymic serum factor activity, in comparison with the test level according to their age, in the blood of patients with the following diseases: breast cancer; stomach cancer; blood cancer; ischaemic heart disease; systemic lupus, erythematosus; rheumatoid arthritis; diabetes; etc. It was found that the cause of such reduction is the appearance of substances capable of inhibiting this activity. These substances are identified and described. Every Sahaja Yogi has experienced the healing properties of water, and of various food stuffs, which have been vibrated in front of the photograph of Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. That is why it was decided to examine the vibratory effect of the photograph on the level of FTS Activity in the serum of donors’ blood and the blood of patients with various diseases. Blood serum donated by patients with ischaemic heart disease, and by children and teenagers who had been evacuated from the zone of the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Station Accident (1986), was placed for 24 hours near the photograph of Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. It was shown that the level of FTS Activity under the effect of the Divine Vibrations into the serums of:

• normal subjects was not changed;
• the children from the Chernobyl AES zone was renewed from a reduced one up to normal;
• the patients with ischaemic heart diseases had the tendency to rise sharply from a reduced to an increased one.
Under the influence of Divine Vibrations, inhibitors of FTS in the investigated samples of blood serums of:
• practically healthy people - not found;
• the children evacuated from the Chernobyl zone - disappeared;
• the patients with ischaemic heart disease disappeared.
Similar results have been received with samples of serum blood of experimental animals with a decreased level of FTS Activity.

The received results of scientific researches have evidently shown the wonder-working regulating influence of the Divine Vibrations from of the photograph of Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi on the biological activity of the thymic hormone in the blood serums in test-tube passing an element of consciousness. These results give the incontestable, clear proof of the Divine origin of Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, the proof that She is Adi Shakti. (But the author and loving children of our Holy Mother do not require these proofs). The experimenters express their gratitude sincerely to Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi for Her ideas, presented by Her during the development and performance of the investigations described above. And everything presented herewith belongs completely to Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi.

Sahaja Yoga to Offer Meditation Workshop at NBC-King 5 Alternative Health Expo

2007-03-16T13:39:00.000-05:00

Sahaja Yoga, a free meditation taught globally, to offer workshops at Seattle Alternative Health Expo. Seekers are encouraged to come as they are, no lifestyle changes required to meditate.
Seattle, WA (PRWeb) March 12, 2007 -- Sahaja Yoga, an internationally acclaimed meditation founded by Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi in 1970, has been invited by NBC-King 5 Healthy Living Expo to teach people to meditate. Sahaja Yoga is an easy, "user friendly" meditation which is being followed in over 90 countries today. The Expo will be held at the Seattle Qwest Field, March 17 and 18.

Sahaja Yoga employs scientific and anatomical knowledge of the human body to harness a powerful energy present in each human being. This energy is called the "Kundalini". It is a compassionate, innocent and motherly energy, lying dormant at the base of one's spine. The Kundalini works by stopping unnecessary thoughts of the past and future afflicting one at all times. By bringing the seeker "in the moment", this energy soothes restless minds and corrects the emotional, mental and physical imbalances that arise as a result of today's chaotic lifestyles. Kundalini awakening (called Self Realization across ancient cultures), empowers the individual to integrate his/her strengths. One feels strong, positive and nimble to handle the challenges that the day brings. Sahaja Yoga is always taught free of cost worldwide and Shri Mataji has designed it to fit in with today's busy lifestyle. It takes about 10 minutes to awaken the Kundalini and for the seeker to reach a blissful state of meditation, while remaining completely aware and in control of his/her surroundings. The mind and heart become clear, feel light and strong to focus their energies on the task at hand.

Shri Mataji is the wife of a very senior United Nations diplomat Sir C.P. Srivastava, who received the Lal Bahadur Shastri award from the Government of India in 2005.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/2005/10/02/stories/2005100204251000.htm

http://www.banet.free-online.co.uk/108/english/index2/17.html

The world has accoladed Shri Mataji as a deeply humanitarian and spiritual personality. The United Nations has invited her for four consecutive years to speak on ways to achieve world peace, as did the Government of China. She was presented with the key to the City of Brasilia following official sponsorship of Sahaja Yoga programs in Brazil, and named "Personality of the Year" by the Italian Government in 1986, apart from many other honors bestowed upon her. Claes Nobel, (grandnewphew of Alfred Nobel, Nobel Peace Prize Foundation), and Chairman of the United Earth Organization says "Shri Mataji's discovery brings genuine hope to humanity." Her father, Prasad Salve, a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and helped write free India's first Constitution.

http://www.sahajayoga.org/ShriMataji

Many high profile physicians and scientists, in addition to countless people around the world from all age groups, race and nationalities have come together to benefit from this meditation which is heralded as "profound but simple enough for even children to follow. Just like breathing!"

Sahaja Yoga runs several non profits and clinical research centers in London, Paris, Mumbai, Vienna, Moscow, Kiev, Toronto and Sydney. Many acclaimed physicians have researched and applauded the effects of Sahaja Yoga on stress related and other ailments like Asthma, ADHD, Diabetes, Migraine, IBS, Infertility, MS, Spondylitis et al.

Sahaja Yoga has a large presence coast to coast in America. Pls visit

http://www.sahajayoga.org/worldwidecontacts/default.asp or

call 1-800-745-YOGA.

Shri Mataji says that after Kundalini awakening, one finds a deep peace inside, and radiates joy and security. Global unity of mankind can be achieved through it, as more and more people transform to become wise, tolerant, forgiving and loving.

2007-03-05T21:32:00.001-06:00

Spiritual Secrets of the Carbon Atom

Effects of Sahaja Yoga

2006-12-21T15:09:00.000-06:00

Sahaja Yoga: Clinical Applications for Stress and Psychosomatic diseases
Gabriel Kabar Trust-Bolack

Thesis Statement

Topic: Sahaja Yoga Meditation as effective medicine for stress and psychosomatic diseases.

Thesis: Sahaja Yoga Meditation is effective medicine for the treatment of stress and therefore the treatment of psychosomatic diseases.

In the United States, about 1 in 5 adults aged 18 or over suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year (Reiger et al., 1993). In the fast paced American Lifestyle stressors are constantly inundating us, making us more susceptible to various illnesses by way of weakening our immune defenses. “Stressors cannot be eliminated, so our goals should be to control and manage stress,” says Elaine Shepp, LCSW, a psychotherapist at Rush North Shore Medical Center, Skokie, Illinois. Meditation is increasing in popularity as a means of treating stress and enhancing psychological well being (Manocha, et. al, 2003). The role of meditation has been well established in alleviating stress-related disorders (www.sahajayoga.ca, 2003). Stress of various descriptions is regarded as a probable etiological factor in common health problems including HT, (Shapiro, 1982; Fredrickson 1990) heart disease (Rozanski, 1999) anxiety, and depression (Mcgonagle, 1990). According to the ADAA, 20 to 30 million Americans have some form of anxiety disorder (CBS, 2003). Cardiovascular diseases kill 235,000 people each year (Stress-the Facts, Health Magazine, 2002). The cost of stress to the workplace in regard to loss of productivity, worker turnover, and health and safety issues is estimated at $17 billion nationwide (Taylor, 1995). According to studies done in 1998 the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that “health care expenditures are nearly 50% greater for workers who report high levels of stress.” It has been found that 50-80% of all illnesses are stress-related and estimated that 75 to 90% of all primary care visits are for problems affiliated with stress (Britannica Student Encyclopedia 2003; http://www.stress.org/, 2003).

In 1970, Dr. Nirmala Devi Srivastava introduced a simple method of meditation rooted in the ancient knowledge India called Sahaja Yoga (meaning spontaneous union with the Divine). In order to cope with stress more efficiently, we need to develop a greater sense of self-awareness. The key to achieving this awareness lies in shifting one’s attention from the immediate external environment to one’s internal environment, which is easily learned through the practice of Sahaja Yoga (Srivastava, 1992). Sahaja Yoga Meditation is effective medicine for the treatment of stress and therefore the treatment of psychosomatic diseases. Recent studies with Sahaja Yoga Meditation in the treatment of anxiety, depression, work stress, hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms, hypertension and heart diseases, asthma, and epilepsy have shown significant results (Manocha, et. al, 2003, Rai, 1993, Chugh, 1987). Limitations of these studies, barriers to the use of Sahaja Yoga in clinical practice and the need for future research are considered.

Dr. Nirmala Devi Srivastava on Psychosomatic Disorders

Dr. Nirmala Devi Srivastava has traveled worldwide and given thousands of lectures on the Science of Sahaja Yoga. The internal mechanism of Sahaja Yoga and the subtle effects that it has on the body are very complex and not easily comprehensible without practice. (Srivastava, 1994) But, the benefits of this simple technique of meditation can easily be understood through the experience.
NIH Conference on ‘Meditation and Health:’(2000)
On June 19, 2000, Dr. Srivastava, a scholar and world renowned speaker, was at the Masur Auditorium, NIH, Bethesda to explain how Sahaja Yoga Meditation helps in stress-management. At the NIH conference, Dr. Srivastava offered a new hypothesis about the causation of psychosomatic disorders and an alternative approach to addressing them. This hypothesis addressed some of the most fundamental issues about the etiology of disease and provided innovative methods for its prevention. The basis of this hypothesis rests on the use of a dormant energy source, known in Sanskrit as “kundalini (meaning ‘coiled up’),” that exists innately within us.

Every human being has a “subtle body” consisting of three main nadis (or energetic pathways) that are called in Sanskrit as the Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna. These nadis correspond with the left and right PNS (the Ida Nadi on the left and the Pingala Nadi on the right side) and the CNS (the Sushumna Nadi). Aligned with these nadis there are seven major chakras (wheels of energy) that correspond to nerve plexuses in the spinal cord, respectively governing the physiological functions of the related area. The chakras, in order from the base of the spine to the top of the head, are called as Mooladhara (between the reproductive organs and the anus), Swadisthan (at the root of the reproductive organs), Nabhi (in the umbilical region), Anahata (in the heart region), Vishuddhi (situated at the level of the throat), Agnya (at the forehead, between the eyebrows), and Sahasrara (at the crown of the head, associated with the limbic system). In the sacrum bone (originating from the word meaning “sacred” in Greek), lies the kundalini energy in three and a half coils. The coiled kundalini is the dormant energy existing in latent form in every human being. During Sahaja Yoga Meditation, practitioners can actually feel this kundalini energy as a “cool breeze” as it rises up through the CNS and out of the Sahasrara chakra (Rai, 1991).

“When the fetus is about 2 to 3 months old in the mother’s womb, the column of rays of consciousness emitted through the all-pervading Divine Love, pass through the brain to enlighten it. The shape of the human brain being prism-like, the column of rays falling on it gets refracted into four diverse channels corresponding to the four aspects of the nervous system. They are: Parasympathetic nervous system, Sympathetic nervous system (right), Sympathetic nervous system (left), and the Central nervous system. The set of rays that fall on the fontanel bone pierce in the center (Sahasrara chakra) and pass straight into the medulla oblongata through a channel (Sushumna). This energy, after leaving a very thread like thin line in the medulla oblongata, settles down in three and one-half coils in the triangular bone placed at the end of the spinal cord. This is known as ‘Kundalini.’”
-Dr. Nirmala Devi Srivastava (1987)

There is some difficulty in establishing proof of the existence of chakras and kundalini because Western Science has not yet reached a level where it can measure these subtle (quantum) energies. But through the Science of Sahaja Yoga, anyone can verify this information through experiment and feel the vibrations of kundalini on your CNS.

What is Stress East and West?

Modern medical researchers have come to recognize the role of stress in disease and yet despite their efforts in the field, there are some very basic questions that have gone unanswered. One of the most important questions is, “What is stress?” For the Western Mind it is a very difficult feat to come up with a succinct definition for stress and yet it pervades almost every aspect of our lives. In the Eastern view of stress, we find one of the most pragmatic and useful explanations. From the Eastern perspective, stress is defined as a byproduct of thought. The most common tendency of the mind is to relate experiences to two vast categories: the past or the future. If you introspect you will, through observation, find that this is a true condition of the human mind. Whether the experience was a quarrel with a dear friend yesterday (past event), or an upcoming interview (future event), a subconscious memory of a catastrophic childhood hardship (past event), or anxiety about the potential death of a loved one (future event) we will find that every one of these past and future thoughts results in a stress response. So, another important question that we must consider: “Is it possible to think about the absolute present?” If you experiment you will find evidence of a contradiction: thinking and being absolutely present. (Manocha, 2000) The goal of Sahaja Yoga is to cultivate and sustain “thoughtless aware ness” where we are living completely in the present moment in the state of reality.

Frontal Midline Theta and Lower Alpha log During Meditation

Stress is a manifestation of a subtle fear or anxiety caused by ever growing thoughts in the human mind. Meditation is the state of complete inner silence where the mind is thoughtless, yet completely aware.

In recent studies done at the State-Research Institute of Physiology, it was found:
According to recent investigations, theta and alpha oscillations defined in marrow frequency bands are regarded reflecting activity of multifunctional neuronal networks, differentially associated with orienting, attention, memory, affective, and cognitive processing. In this respect, it is tentative to reveal how complex functions of attention and emotional processing are interwoven with these oscillations in meditation as in a model of conscious mental process, characterized by internalized attention and emerging emotionally positive experience. In the model of Sahaja Yoga Meditation that involves mental states of internalized attention and emotionally positive experience of ‘bliss’ the high-resolution EEG was recorded, and spectral powers along with EEG coherence estimates were analyzed in narrow EEG frequency bands. Summarizing, the most reliable effects of meditative emotionally positive state and internalized attention were differentially reflected by local theta and lower alpha power as well as theta coherence changes. There were 27 subjects included in this study; consisting of 2 experimental groups: short term meditators having lesser than ½ year of practice (n = 11, five males, six females, age: M = 35.18) and long term meditators having 3-7 years of practice (n = 16, seven males, nine females; age: M = 35).” (Aftanas, & Golocheikine, 2001)

The course of this study yielded several significant findings. Initially, during the EEG readings of the meditators, widespread, intense alpha wave activity was shown. Alpha wave activity is often coupled with relaxation and thought to be beneficial. Yet, most remarkably, when the meditators signaled that they had arrived into a state of “thoughtless awareness” or “oneness,” theta waves became present in the EEG readings that were focused specifically in the front and top of the brain. These regions, according to yogic tradition, are associated with the chakras. The agnya is at the front of the brain and the sahasrara chakra located in the limbic region of the brain. Through these results it could be hypothesized that the movement of the kundalini through these plexuses was, in part, responsible for the meditators’ increased alpha and theta wave activity and “emotionally positive experience of ‘bliss’.” (Afranas, & Golcheikine, 2001)

Links between the Physical and the Emotional

Dr. Jane Butlin (2001) of the Wholistic Research Company believes that one of the fundamental components that must be considered in the process of restoring health is the emotion of patients. Strong connections have been found between the sub optimum health of people and stress, depression, or other emotional events. (Butlin, 2001) Through research done by Dr. Candice Pert, a biochemical basis for self-awareness and consciousness has been discovered, linking the mind and body as one. The studies have demonstrated that emotions are formulated in the cells of the body and brain through chemicals binding to specific receptors on the surface of the cells; thereby transmitting information into the cells. The changes in the cells are then transmitted by nerve impulses across the cell membrane to produce the corresponding changes in behavior, physical activity, and mood. Through this mechanism, repressed emotions are stored (Pert, 1997, Butlin, 2001).

It is important to recognize that most illnesses have a psychosomatic component. Psychosomatic illnesses are categorized as conditions where dysfunction or structural damage in bodily organs occurs through inappropriate activation of the autonomic nervous system and the glands of internal secretion. Hormones such as adrenaline and cortisone can and do play a significant role in the development of psychosomatic illnesses. The hypothalamus is in part a controlling center of the autonomic nervous system and is very sensitive to internal and external changes that affect the individual’s emotional equilibrium. The autonomic nervous system is intended to help maintain homeostasis of the body, but in cases of psychosomatic illnesses, the nature of the stresses and the nervous responses to them produces a pathological reaction. (Psychosomatic Symptoms, http://www.cyc-net.org/, 2003) Psychosomatic symptoms emerge as a physiological response to an emotional state and stress is considered a major factor in these diseases (Psychosomatic Disorder, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2003).

How can the Mechanism of Sahaja Yoga Help?

It is well established that the hypothalamus is a major substation of the limbic system and one of its most important roles is to integrate complex responses via the autonomic and somatic nervous systems. Numerous effects like decreases in blood pressure, skin temperature, decreases in blood lactate and urinary vanillylmandelic acid and increases in skin resistance could be due to inhibition of the posterior hypothalamic area; or these changes could be due to the effects of the hypothalamus as it acts on the medullary centers through the reticular activating system. The influence of the hypothalamus on the adrenal medulla via the sympathetic nervous system can decrease the output of adrenaline, which can account for decreases in blood lactate. Decreases in adrenaline and lactated concentrations result in decreases anxiety symptoms. This affect, coupled with states of deep relaxation that are experienced through the rising of kundalini during Sahaja Yoga Meditation, reinforces the hypothalamus’ ability to bring about tranquility. (Chugh, 1987)

According to Dr. Deepak Kumar Chugh (1987):

Inhibition of median eminence nuclei of the hypothalamus in turn affects the anterior pituitary gland and thereby its hormones. Decreases in corticotropin releasing hormone from the hypothalamus causes the anterior pituitary to produce less ACTH, which in turn decreases the syntheses of corticoids. The corticoids are responsible for activating phenylehtanolamine N-methyl transfer (PNMT). Consequent to sympathetic inhibition and decrease in PNMT activation, there is less catecholamine formation.

Anatomical connections of the hypothalamus to thalamic nuclei that project to the frontal and central cortex may explain how the hypothalamus could influence alpha wave activity as recorded in electroencephalogram readings. The hypothalamus is connected to the reticular activating system in part by the mamilary tract and has the ability to influence the incoming flow of sensory stimuli through its action on synapses of all afferent sensory systems. The inhibition of the reticular activating system can lead to stoppage of the flow of irrelevant sensory information allowing certain thalamic nuclei to facilitate specific alpha wave frequencies in the cerebral cortex that indicate a relaxed state of mind. Therefore it could be hypothesized that the practice of Sahaja Yoga Meditation could help to alleviate deeply rooted stresses and tensions of everyday life and in turn could be useful in the treatment of psychosomatic diseases. (Chugh, 1987)

Evidence from Research

Approximately 18.8 million adults in America, or about 9.5% of the U.S. population aged 18 and older in a given year, have a depressive disorder (Narrow, 1998, Reiger, 1993). And approximately 19.1 million Americans aged 18 to 54, or about 13.3% of the population this age group in a given year, have an anxiety disorder. It has been estimated that 4 million adult Americans ages 18 to 54, or about 2.8% of the population in this age group in a given year, have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. (Narrow, et al., 1998)

Recently a study was done with 24 participants that compared a ‘waiting list’ control group (n=10), a cognitive behavioral (CBT) based stress management group (n=6) and a Sahaja Yoga Meditation group (n=8) on patients referred for help with anxiety and depression. The severity of symptoms was measured at pre and post-treatment using the 12 item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). The results of the questionnaires prior to treatment showed no significant differences in the reported levels of anxiety and depression. The outcomes of the study lend support to the hypothesis that the participants in the Sahaja Yoga group would show significant decreases in their reported levels of both depression and anxiety. Post treatment questionnaires showed that the symptom severity of the Sahaja Yoga group decreased considerably. On the other hand, the control group and the CBT group did not show a similar reduction. (Manocha, et al., 2003)

In the American workplace one-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives (Northwestern National Life, 1992). Twenty-six percent of American workers reported that they are, “often or very often burned out or stressed by their work (Families and Work Institute, 1998).” In a survey done by Yale University in 1997, 29% of U.S. workers said they feel “quite a bit or extremely stressed at work.” It is clear from these findings that stress is a problem for workers in America.

Ramesh Manocha (2003) and his colleagues set out to experiment with a randomized controlled trial of Sahaja Yoga Meditation for work stress. The trial was composed of three groups: a Sahaja Yoga Mediation group (using mental silence as its primary means), a relaxation meditation group (based on visualization techniques from several popularly used commercialized strategies), and a control group that was told that they were on a waiting list. The instructional program lasted for eight weeks composed of two-hour sessions that happened twice per week. The participants were also asked to practice daily on their own and were given audio and written materials to facilitate this. Both intervention groups were conducted at the same locations, on the same days, and for the same duration. Both of the meditation instructors were experienced health professionals with considerable proficiency in meditation instruction. Following the eight-week program the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) test and the Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI-PSQ) test were used to evaluate the outcomes. The most important findings of this study indicate that Sahaja Yoga Meditation is effective in reducing work related strain (more specifically, “work stress”) as measured by the PSQ-OSI and the STAI. It is clear from the results that Sahaja Yoga Meditation is more effective that the commercialized “relaxation meditation” techniques.

The symptoms of menopause involve vasomotor phenomena that may induce sweats poor quality of sleep, and hot flashes (Daly, E., et al., 1993). It has been estimated that hot flashes affect around seventy percent of women for up to several years following the onset of menopause (McKinley, S.M., et al., 1992). Dr. Manocha and Psychologist Barbara Semmar (2003) set out to discover the affect of Sahaja Yoga on hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Ten menopausal women engaged in the study. These women had not undergone any other treatments for their symptoms for a period of six weeks prior. The research included an eight-week program with two-hour classes that happened twice weekly. These women were also encouraged to meditate twice daily at home. The assessment of the program included a battery of psychometric questionnaires commonly used to assess menopausal symptoms (Kupperman Index, MENQOL, Profile of Mood States, State/Trait Anxiety Index, and the Greene’s Climateric Questionnaire). The analysis showed a considerable reduction in the frequency of menopausal hot flashes. Added benefits were observed in the reduction of both psychological and somatic symptoms, specifically the symptoms related to anxiety. These outcomes suggest that the practice of Sahaja Yoga Meditation may be effective in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. (Manocha et al., 2003)

From 1988 to 1994 twenty-three percent of the American population had hypertension. In the year 2000, twenty-three thousand seven hundred and sixty-one people died from hypertension. (Hypertension, http://www.cdc.gov/, 2003) In 1987 Chug embarked on a sixteen-week study to research the affects of Sahaja Yoga Mediation on patients suffering from essential hypertension. Fifteen participants practiced Sahaja Yoga Mediation. Ten subjects did not engage in Sahaja Yoga. For all of the participants: blood pressure (recorded bi-weekly), blood lactic acid, urinary VMA, and galvanic skin resistance were recorded. The results for the Sahaja Yoga group provided outstanding, consistent reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure; significant reductions in levels of urinary VMA; a considerable decrease in blood lactic acid levels; and substantial increases in galvanic skin resistance. Whereas, the group not practicing Sahaja Yoga showed some variation in blood pressure, blood lactic acid, urinary VMA, and galvanic skin resistance but no significant reductions. This evidence may lead one to assume that the practice of Sahaja Yoga could be a beneficial treatment for patients with essential hypertension.

In 1998 approximately 17.7 million and people in the U.S. reported having asthma. In 2000 there were four thousand four hundred and eighty-seven deaths from asthma. (Asthma, http://www.cyc.gov/, 2003) A study was done (Manocha et al., 2003) on the affects of Sahaja Yoga on medicated asthma patients. Twenty-one asthmatics were assigned to the Sahaja Yoga group and twenty-six people were assigned to a group practicing general relaxation techniques. Each person attended weekly two-hour sessions for two months (all the while they continued their medication). Researchers found that the meditation could improve lung function and reduce the frequency of attacks. The Sahaja Yoga group showed improved airways and some benefits on overall quality of life and mood. Sahaja yoga had more positive effects than the relaxation techniques alone. (Smith, M., http://www.webmd.com/, 2002)

In 1996 it was recorded that nearly 1.4 million Americans had epilepsy. In 1988 Professor Umesh C. Rai sought out to document the affects of Sahaja Yoga on patients diagnosed with epilepsy. The study divided its subjects into three groups. The first group (n=10) was comprised of epileptics who were on anti epileptic drugs and practiced Sahaja Yoga for a period of six months. The second group (n=10) was comprised of epileptics who were on anti epileptic drugs and practiced postural exercises mimicking Sahaja Yoga for a period of six months. The third group (n=12) was comprised of epileptics who were on anti epileptic drugs and did not participate in Sahaja Yoga or mimicking exercises. For group number one results yielded very remarkable improvement, showing a decrease in the duration, frequency, and severity of seizures. But, in groups two and three, no such evidence of reductions in seizures was found.

Conclusion

After reviewing literature on the subject, I have discovered convincing evidence that Sahaja Yoga Meditation could be considered as effective medicine for the treatment of stress. I have also found that the treatment of stress could be considered as a means for treating psychosomatic diseases; and that anxiety, depression, work stress, hot flashes, hypertension, asthma, and epilepsy are among those treatable diseases. The data included in this thesis from Sahaja Yoga trials with psychosomatic diseases was gathered from research that was quite limited. It is important to consider the fact that the trials conducted for research were with small numbers of participants and for limited periods of time. Another important aspect to consider is that none of the researchers involved in the studies claimed to have complete expertise in the Science of Sahaja Yoga. One of the outstanding barriers to the use of Sahaja Yoga in a clinical setting is the fact that the Science of Sahaja Yoga is a spiritual experience. I would assess that much more diligent research is needed in order further understand the possibilities involved in using Sahaja Yoga as medicine (Manocha et al., 2003; Rai et al., 1993). My investigation in Sahaja Yoga led me to the hypothesis that Sahaja Yoga Meditation could be useful as medicine. Moreover, the literature shows that Sahaja Yoga Meditation could be considered effective for the treatment of stress and therefore the treatment of psychosomatic diseases.

Gabriel Kabar Trust-Bolack
Mary Sitterley
CSP 250

References

Butlin, J. (2001). Links between the Physical and the Emotional. Wholistic Research Company, 1-3. Retrieved April 29, 2003 from http://www.wholisticresearch.com/info/artshow.php3?artid=24
Annotation: Information about emotional influences on the physical body.
Chugh, D. (1987). Effects of Sahaja Yoga practice on the patients of psychosomatic diseases. Delhi University.
Annotation: Information about mechanism of Sahaja Yoga and research on psychosomatic diseases.
Dally, E., et al. (1993) Measuring the impact of menopausal symptoms on quality of life. Br. Medical Journal, 307, 836-840.
Annotation: information about menopausal symptoms.
Information about psychosomatic disorders from the International Child and Youth Care Network. Retrieved April 25, 2003 from the International Child and Youth Care Network, http.cyc-net.org: http://www.cyc-net.org/reference/refs-psychosomatic-levenstein.html
Annotation: Information about CNS and psychosomatic disorders.
Information about Sahaja Yoga and affects on stress from Vishwa Nirmala Dharma. Retrieved April24, 2003 from Vishwa Nirmala Dharma, http://www.sahajayoga.org/: http://www.geocities.com/s_arora_2000/
Annotation: Information about the affects of Sahaja Yoga on stress.
Information about work stress from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Retrieved May 1, 2003 from NIOSH. http://www.cdc.gov/: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/stresswk.html
Annotation: Statistics about stress in the American Workplace.
Kahn, A.P. & Fawcett, Jan (2001). The Encyclopedia of Mental Health. New York, NY: Facts on File, INC.
Annotation: Information about stress management.
Manocha, R. & Semmar, Barbara, (2003) A preliminary study of Sahaja Yoga Meditation as a treatment for hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Annotation: Information about Sahaja Yoga research for the treatment of menopausal symptoms.
Manocha, R., et al. (2003). A randomized controlled trial of meditation for work stress.
Annotation: Info on research with Sahaja Yoga for the treatment of work stress.
Manocha, R. (2003). Sahaja Yoga: An Ancient Path to Modern Mental Health?
Annotation: Research done with Sahaja Yoga for the treatment of anxiety and depression.
Manocha, R. (2001, March). Clinical Applications of Meditation. CSA Online, 3-7. Retrieved April 24, 2003 from http://www.cancersupportwa.org.au/Spotlight/archive.htm#meditation
Annotation: Information on Sahaja Yoga and epileptic seizures, asthma, and stress.
Manocha, R. (2001, June). Researching Meditation: Clinical Applications in Healthcare. Diversity Magazine, 3-10. Annotation: Information about the research in regard to Sahaja Yoga as treatment for asthma, headache, menopause and depression.
Mcgonagale (1990) Chronic stress, acute stress and depressive symptoms, American Journal of Community Psychology, 18, 681-706.
Annotation: Stress and its relation to other, specific, psychosomatic diseases.
Mckinley, S.M., Brambilla, D.J. & Posner, J.G. (1992). The Normal Menopause Transition. American Journal of Human Biology.
Annotation: Information about the frequency of menopause.
Mental health statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved April 28, 2003 from the National Institute of Mental Health, http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/numbers.cfm
Annotation: Statistics on anxiety and depression.
Neeta, R. (2002). Role of Sahaja Yoga in stress management and control of other diseases. Retrieved April 24, 2003 from http://www.sahaji.net/neeta_rai.htm
Annotation: Role of Sahaja Yoga in stress management.
Pert, C.B. (1997). Molecules of Emotion.
New York: Scribner.
Annotation: Information about physiological aspects of emotion.
Psychosomatic Disorder. Britannica Student Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 30, 2003, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
http://www.search.eb.com/ebi/article?eu=298651
Annotation: Information about psychosomatic disorder (definition).
Psychosomatic Disorder. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved April 30, 2003, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article?eu=63301.
Annotation: Information about psychosomatic disorder (“psychophysiologic disorder”).
Rai, U. C. (1993). Medical Science Enlightened.
New Delhi: The Life Eternal Trust.
Annotation: Information about Kundalini awakening, various studies on psychosomatic diseases, role of Sahaja Yoga in stress management.
Rozanski (1999). Impact of psychological factors on the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and implications for therapy. Circulation, 11, 112-135.
Annotation: Info about Heart disease and its relation to stress.
Shapiro (1982). Behavioral perspectives in hypertension. Journal of Consulting Clinical Psychology, 50, 841-858.
Annotation: Information about hypertension and its relation to stress.
Sharma, H. S. (1993). Sahaja Yoga.
Shakarpurl Delhi. Shanker Publishing House.
Annotation: Quotes from Shri Mataji, clinical information (if needed).
Smith, M. (2002, January). Can you relax your asthma anyway? Web MD Health, 1-2. Retrieved April 24, 2003 from http://my.webmd.com/content/article/16/1660_50972
Annotation: Information about research on the effects of Sahaja Yoga on Asthmatics.
Srivastava, N. D. (1970-2003) Quotes and talks from seminars throughout the world. [Videotapes and audiotapes] Vishwa Nirmala Dharma.
Annotation: Information about kundalini and the workings about Sahaja Yoga.
Statistics archived in the National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved April 25, 2003, from the National Center for Health Statistics, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats.htm
Annotation: Statistics about psychosomatic diseases.
Stress information from the American Institute of Stress. Retrieved April 25, 2003 from the American Institute of Stress, http://www.stress.org/problem.htm
Annotation: Information about stress and its frequency in the U.S.
(2000). Clinical Applications of Meditation. Knowledge of Reality. Retrieved April 22, 2003 from http://www.sahajayoga.org.hk/clinical.htm
Annotation: Frontal Midline Theta: log (power) during meditation.
(2001, June) National Institute of Health: Meditation and Health Conference. Press

Release.

Retrieved April 24, 2003 from http://www.sahajayoga.ca/Ontario/NIHJune19th2000.html
Annotation: Information about NIH Health Conference related to Sahaja Yoga.
(2002). NIH seminar on Sahaja Yoga. Retrieved April 24, 2003 from http://www.sahajayoga.org/Events/NIHSeminar.html
Annotation: Information about NIH Health Conference related to Sahaja Yoga.
(2002, December). Stress-the Facts. Health Magazine, 1-5. Retrieved April 29, 2003

from http://www.channel14.com/health/microsites/H/health/magazine/stress/facts_heart.html
Annotation: Information about the links between stress and heart problems, depression and anxiety, high blood pressure, anger.
(2003, March 23) Stressed out? Here’s what to do. CBS, 1-3. Retrieved April 30, 2003

Our Subtle System

2006-11-21T20:33:00.000-06:00

"We have the Mother within ourselves, in our hearts, and if She is awakened, She is going to look after us. She is going to give all the protection that is needed. And there is nothing to be frightened of anything."

"Kundalini cures you, she improves you, she bestows all the blissful things upon you. She takes you away from the worries of the grosser level."

Freedom and Liberation

2006-11-01T14:35:00.000-06:00

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi was born on March 21, 1923 to a Christian family in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Her parents were Prasad and Cornelia Salve, direct descendants of the royal Shalivahana dynasty. Seeing the beauty of this child who was born with a spotless brilliance, they called her Nirmala, which means 'Immaculate'.

Later on she came to be known by the multitudes by the name of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi - the revered Mother who was born with her complete Self Realization and knew from a very young age that she had a unique gift which had to be made available to all mankind.

Sahaja Yoga - Yogi Knights

2006-11-01T11:19:00.000-06:00


A short (15mins) film titled 'Yogi Knights' following the theme that Sahaja Yogis are the real world Jedi using their powers to battle the negative forces and spread love and peace. In this film you will see real peoples' experiences after receiving realisation both in Manchester during the Commonwealth Games, and Easter tour in 2003.

God is closer than you think

2006-11-01T11:17:00.000-06:00

Inspite of achieving heights in science and technology & Space, we realise how small we are
in front of the grandeours of space and time. We have still to find out how to be in balance both in happiness and sorrow. We still have to find out why we do not have cure for numerous diseases inspite of great advances made in medicine.
Why we do wrong things inspite of knowing that it is wrong? Why we succumb to temptations and why we want more and more and more inspite of knowing that we shall not live to consume or enjoy all that we accumulate?
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, has unlocked the mysteries by enabling the seeker to make a big jump to the last stage of evolution namely
Kundalini awakening. She has created history by giving enmasse realisation that no prophet, saint or guru has been able to achieve. Visit www.sahajayoga.ca to know more about yourself. Yes to know more about yourself, know your mother, your own mother Kundalini and awaken her which is your birthright, so as to get bountless blessings.
To know about the centre nearest you visit www.sahajayoga.org and one more thing, it is FREE.
Now and forever.

Vaitarna Music Academy

2006-11-01T11:13:00.000-06:00


Music is Divine Inspiration to become the spirit. This is the prime goal of the Music Academy. The academy is an institution of learning art and Research center where people get generous time to introspect contemplate and conduct a spiritual research on themselves. On a subtle and Gross Level Art is the medium to know and experience their inner selves and raise it to a higher degree of divinity.

The Guru Principle

2006-10-31T13:17:00.000-06:00

The Void, the Ocean of Illusion (Bhavasagara) surrounds the 2nd and 3rd chakras: the Swadisthan and Nabhi chakras. When the Kundalini is awakened the ten valencies (The Ten Commandments) are awakened within. The religion becomes innate, and our whole priorities change. For the religion in Sahaja Yoga is the ultimate of every region of any form. It is not limited to one religion, but has the best of all religions. All real religions are leading to one aim, to one goal. That goal is to achieve Self knowledge through our second birth.

The Beginning of Sahaja Yoga

2006-10-31T13:09:00.000-06:00

Sahaja Yoga is a method of meditation, which brings a breakthrough in the evolution of Human awareness. It was created by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi in 1970 and has since Spread all around the world.

This Self Realization experience is our second birth, and it frees us from the domination of our minds and our emotions. This transformation comes about when a subtle energy called Kundalini is awakened and rises within us to establish our Yoga, or Union, with the primordial energy.

Realize Yourself

2006-10-30T21:54:00.000-06:00

One can actually feel the all pervading divine power as a cool breeze, as described in all religions and spiritual traditions of the world.

This is the actualization of such transformation, which is taking place now, worldwide, and has been proved and experienced by hundreds of thousands in over 90 countries.

Spiritual Quotient Leverages IQ & EQ

2006-09-26T11:10:00.000-05:00

Solving logical or strategic problems involves the use of rational intelligence. Psychologists who devised tests to measure rational intelligence termed their measure as “Intelligence Quotient (IQ)”, their hypothesis being that higher the IQ more is the rational intelligence. Initially the IQ included only verbal and mathematical-logical capabilities.

Howard Gardner’s 1983 book “Frames of Mind” refuted the narrow IQ view and extended the concept to include spatial capacity, physical fluidity musical capability, inter-personal intelligence, intra-personal intelligence etc. The operative word in his view of intelligence was multiple. While the utility of IQ in identifying potential performers is not disputed, according to renowned psychologists IQ contributes only about 20 percent to the factors that determine life success, which leaves 80 percent to other forces. As Gardner in one of his articles observes, “One’s ultimate niche in society is determined largely by non-IQ factors, ranging from social class to luck”.

In the mid-1990s, Daniel Goleman popularized the “Emotional Quotient (EQ)” a degree of emotional intelligence, awareness of one’s own and other people’s feelings such as empathy, compassion, motivation and the ability to respond to pain or pleasure appropriately. His basic hypothesis was that for an effective use of IQ, EQ is a necessity. He writes: “In a sense we have two brains, two minds and two different kinds of intelligence, rational and emotional. How we do in life is determined by both; it is not just IQ, but emotional intelligence that matters”.

The millennium contribution in the area of intelligence was from Danah Zohar and Ian Marshall who coined the term “SQ” for “Spiritual Intelligence”. They argue that the SQ is the basic foundation for an effective use of EQ and IQ. They also refer to it as the soul’s intelligence. While rational, logical thinking gives one’s IQ, and associated habit-bound, pattern recognizing, emotive thinking gives one the EQ, the creative, insightful, rule-making, rule breaking thinking with which we reframe and transform our previous thinking gives one the SQ. On a scientific plane, the brain’s serially connected neural tracts, and neural networks, are associated with the IQ and EQ respectively.

Singer’s work on the unifying neural oscillation offers the first evidence of SQ. Just as the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts, SQ allows one to add larger, deeper and richer context to the present. She evolves a model of SQ based on the six petals of the Lotus and its center, corresponding to the seven charkas described by the Hinduism’s Kundalini Yoga.

Can we identify, measure and improve on our SQ, and thereby effectively use our EQ and IQ? The Indian Philosophical treatises – the Upanishads, attribute perception to the mind, conception to the intellect and “illumination” the Self.

They speak of the ascent from Intellect (IQ) through meditation and cool Meditation is the route to the highest knowledge (illumination), when self-realization, which is the integration of inner self or spirit into the cosmic spirit. For instance, in the Sahaja Yoga mode of self-realization it is propounded that body is the whole self. The vehicle of influence is the subtle body parallel to physical body wherein there are seven charkas, chief nerve centers; three tracks of nervous energy called nadis; and the latent energy coiled within called Kundalini. When Kundalini rises from the base of the spine, it integrates the seven main charkas, and the subtle experience manifests itself in a flow of cool vibrations, which can be felt on the hands and also over the crown of the head like a cool breeze. It is through these vibrations that we gain a new awareness beyond thought, beyond emotions; with this subtle awakening we become sensitive to the state of our charkas and those of others.

This degree of sensitivity to the state of our charkas those of can be termed as SQ. Our EQ is enhanced with the rise of SQ as each chakra when cleaned with the Kundalini energy enhances our ability to emote. For instance, as per Sahaja Yoga, the first chakra enhances our ability to be “child like”, the second enhances creativity/aesthetics, the third inculcates a feeling of satisfaction, the fourth helps you control anger, the fifth improves your communication skills so that you do not offend other, the sixth enables you to forgive, while the seventh, the crown chakra allows you to integrate all these qualities so that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

(Times of India article)

Extracts from Nadigrantha

2006-09-13T22:38:00.000-05:00

These are extracts from the book "Nadigrantha" written by Shantaram Athvale. The author provides information about several so-called Nadigranthas, which are great, ancient books on astrology e.g. Bhrigu Samhita, Satya Nadi, Kak Nadi and others. In these particular extracts the author refers to the scripture of Kak Nadi written by Kakayyar Bhujander who was a great astrologer and seeker and lived nearly 2000 years ago.

"While Jupiter is in Pisces a great Yogi will incarnate on the Earth. By 1970 it will have become quite evident to many people that a new era will have started. Kaliyuga will end and Krutayuga will start. The axis of the Earth will depress and the Earth's orbit will come closer and closer to the Sun. Human life will undergo a complete revolution. A great Yogi will incarnate at this time. This Yogi will be the Incarnation of Parabrahma and will have all the divine powers. Until this time a yogi or devotee could achieve the bliss of Moksha and find the ultimate meaning of his live only by following the path of devotion, knowledge and Pantanjali Yoga. But he would have to go through severe penance in order to awaken the sleeping powers of various chakras of his body and finally enlighten the Kundalini Power.
By the new method of yoga devised by the great Yogi, human beings will be able to attain the joy of Moksha within one lifetime. It would no longer be necessary to sacrifice one's body or to die in order to achieve Moksha. The Brahmananda which so far only great saints had been able to experience and then only by entering into the Samadhi state at the point of death, due to his new type of yoga could be achieved by ordinary human beings without entering Samadhi state while dying. In the beginning it would be possible for one person in crores to attain this Yoga and Moksha. However, after some time the whole human race with the help of this Yoga will be able to defeat itself. People won't have to worry about food, shelter or clothing. While living ordinary lives people will achieve Yoga - Union with God.

There will be no necessity for hospitals as there will be no diseases. In the beginning the great Yogi will be able to heal diseases with a mere touch. Old age with it's destruction of the body will not exist and people will possess heavenly bodies. The world will have to suffer the consequences of a third world war. This world war would end by interference of the Great Yogi. In the end all the nations of the world will come together with the feeling of oneness. They will agree on the destructiveness of war. There will be a great international conference in a big city of the world. Yogis will lead this conference rather than intellectuals or politicians. Then the world will recover from the aftermath of war. The whole of the humanity will understand the importace of prayer and all the nations will unite together.

Due to new scientific discoveries science and religions would become one. With the help of the science the existence of God and the Soul could be proved. The veil of ignorance and Maya would be drawn aside and Brahmananda, Moksha which could previously only be attained by yogis as a result of very hard work and severe penance would become easily available to many human beings. In this new era every person would have his position in the system according to his individual qualities and merit. It will be possible to fulfill people's needs and desires and so it will no longer be necessary to accumulate money. Without poverty and diseases society will be healthy and carefree."

Listen to the whisper

2006-07-24T11:24:00.000-05:00

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and drove the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car, shouting, "What was that all about and who are you?
Just what the heck are you doing?
That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money.
Why did you do it?"
The young boy was apologetic. "Please mister ... please, I'm sorry... I didn't know what else to do," he pleaded.
"I threw the brick because no one else would stop..."
With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car.
"It's my brother," he said.
"He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."
Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."
Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out his fancy handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay.
"Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger.
Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the little boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!

God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us.
It's our choice: Listen to the whisper ... or wait for the brick!

Say 'No' to Drugs, Turn To Sahaja Yoga for Help

2006-06-15T23:49:00.000-05:00

The reason why many turn to substance abuse is that they are unable to deal with life's problems. Or their expectations are unrealistic. Depression and anger, sadness and frustration are further fuelled by drug-dependency, alcoholism or both.

Daniel Goleman, in Emotional Intelligence says that it is the lack of application of intelligence to emotions that makes one lonely and depressed, angry, unruly, prone to worry, more impulsive and aggressive.

A scientific assessment of the emotional and spiritual mind has emerged more recently, trying to understand why we can be reasonable one moment and irrational the very next moment. Goleman attri-buted it to two minds: one emotional and the other rational; one that feels and one that thinks.

The rational mind is prominent in analytical approach while the other one can be impulsive, powerful and at times illogical.

He argues that emotional mind is far quicker than the rational mind making split-second decisions without analytical reflection of the consequences which can be bewildering to the analyti-cally inclined rational mind.

Spiritual teachers like Buddha and Jesus touched their disciples' hearts by speaking the language of emotions. Why is improving the emotional quotient (EQ) or imbibing spiritual intelligence important?

Because it helps us deal with problems in a constructive manner, and deflects us getting addicted to harmful habits like substance abuse.

Family members could take an interest in improving the EQ and spiritual quotient (SQ) of their near and dear ones as an effective way to combat drug abuse. According to Zohar, SQ can be improved by Hinduism's Kundalini Yoga or explained in terms of the lotus model with its centre and six petals.

One way could be yoga and meditation for enhancing one's emotional intelligence and managing stress. To manage stress, we need to leverage intelligence without having to make drastic changes in lifestyle.

Not everyone can retreat to the Himalayas or engage in difficult Hatha Yoga. Sahaja Yoga, founded by Mata Nirmala Devi, which helps achieve self-realisation in a simple and practical manner.

Sahaja Yoga is based on the principle that enlightenment and good health require proper balance between the seven major chakras. According to the Kundalini Chakra system, the dormant force within a person resides in the sacrum bone at the base of the spine.

Mata Nirmala Devi sums up: "En masse inner transformation by self-realisation is the reality now. Sahaja Yoga is the spontaneous union of indivi-dual consciousness with the all-pervading power through the awakening of the residual power of the Kundalini.

Just as an egg gets transformed into a bird or a seed into a plant, Sahaja Yoga helps transformation of a person to a higher awareness level.

The awakening of the inherent dormant energy can be accomplished in a practical and simple manner a Sahaja Yogi would facilitate this and the resulting state is both verifiable (in the central ner-vous system) and consistent..."

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1641294,curpg-1.cms

Shankaracharya’s praise of the Divine Mother

2006-05-15T13:20:00.000-05:00

AI GIRI NANDINI NANDIT. MEDINI Oh Beloved daughter of the mountains, Who bring about great joy on earth
VISHW. VINODINI NANDANUTE The One Who bring Joy to the whole Universe, I prostrate myself to You
GIRIVAR. VINDHYA SHIRODHINI VASINI The Holy abodeis in the king of the mountains, the Vindhyas
VISHNU VILASINI JISHNU NUTE Shri Vishnu is filled with joy when He meditates on You
BHAGAVATI HE SHITI KANTK. KUTUMBINI Oh great creatrix of the Universe, the wife of Lord Shiva
BRURI KUTUMBINI BHURIKRUTE You belong to the universal family and for You the whole Universe is Your family.
You are the one who does the greatest actions namely given self-realisation
JAY. JAY. HE MAHISHASUR. MAR.DINI (Chorus x3) Victory to You, Who killed Mahishasura
RAMYAKAPAR.DINI SHAILASUTE You are the One with the beautiful luminous face
SUR .VAR.VARSHINI DUR.DHAR. DHAR.SHINI On the gods You shower auspicious blessings
DUR.MIKH. MARSHINI HAR.SHARATE You are the destroyer of the evil faced ones
TRIBHUVAN. POSHINI SHANKAR. TOSHINI You are the sustainer of all the three worlds. The one who is the
ultimate joy of Lord Shankara
KILBISHA MOJINI GHOSHARATE You alone can destroy all our sins which You do by giving us self-realisation.
Yet for those who are the enemies of the gods and your children, You always wear a ferocious expression
DANUJ. NIROSHINI KSHITISUT. ROSHINI You show to the gods that you are pleased with them. Yet to the
sons of Diti, who are demons, You always show your displeasure
DUR.MUD. SHOSHINI SINDHUSUTE Even though there may be strong demons, You take their strenght away
AI SHAT. KHANDA VIKHANDIT. RUNDA Oh Goddess You cut the demons into 100 parts. And then cut them
again and scatter the pieces
VITUNDIT. SHUNDA GAJADHIPATE And pulverise the remaining parts into less than dust. Even those demons
that can be described sa powerful as king of elephants
RIPU GAJA GANDA VIDARANA CHANDA The demons who are strong as elephants and ferocious as lions
PARAKRAMA SHUNDA MRUGADHIPATE You alone, Oh Goddess, cut them and smash them into nothing
NIJABHUJ. DANDA NIPATIT. CHANDA All this You do using Your own powerful arms. You scatter themaway
VIPATIT. MUNDA BHATADHAPATE You cut off their heads in one sweep and loss them away like balls
DHANURANUSANGA RANAKSHANASANGA In the battle field You are so absorbed in the battle that Your arm
moves continuously shooting arrows, Your entire body shakes as if You are dancing and Your bangles create sounds
PARISPHUT. DANGA NATATKATAKE (All these denotes that even while She is continuously vanquishing the
force of the gods, She does it with total concentration, with grace and beauty)
KANAK. PISHANGA PUSHATKA NISHANGA Oh Great Goddess,You destroyed the demonVatuke
RASAD BHATA SHRUNGA HATA BATUKE Your arrows look like flashes of gold, yellow shining lights
KRUT. CHATURANGA BALA KSHITI RANGA And Your very presence makes this army of gods fitted with
enthusiasm, joy and valor, and even their arrows which are in the quiver of backs
GHATADA BAHU RANGA RATADA BHATUKE shine forth with new colours and seeing all these Lord Bhairava
dances in front of You in great ecstasy, repeating over and over again "Jay Shri Mataji", "Jay Shri Mataji "
JAY. JAY. JAPYA JAYE JAYASHABDA Oh Great Goddess, Who brings salvation to the world, our complete
prostrations before You, constant incarnation of your Holy Name is yhe most supreme prayer that a devotee can take for his
own meditation.
PARASTUTI TATPARA VISHWANUTE and when he gets absorbed in saying Your Name, need for other sounds
and language falls away. Oh Goddess, who hasbrought salvation in this world, we constantly prostrate ourselves before You
(Tapar = constantly)
JHANA JHANA JHINJITA JHINKRUTA NUPURA Lord Shiva who, though beyonds sounds and language when
he hears the sound of Yours wondrous ornaments moving against one another
JHINJHITA MOHITA BHUTAPATE when You are in battle or in dance and make sounds like Jhana Jhana Jhinjita
and Jhinkruta, he becomes totally filled with joy and leaving his meditation desires to hear this sounds again and again
NATINA NATARTHA NATINA NATA NAYAKA Oh Great Goddess, Who took the form ofShri Ardha Nashwara
NAATITA NATYA YUGANA RATE When You dance You put them all to shame accompainded by great musicians
AYI SUMANAS SUMANAS SUMANAS With the beautiful mind You are also like a soft flower. Though we are
seeing you in the form of Shri Durga, your mind is as that of Lord Shiva ans Shri Parvati
SUMANAS SUMANOHARA KANTIYUTE Your being is so beautiful, and seeing You in this beautiful form our
minds become as pure as those of the gods
SHRITA RAJANI RAJANI RAJANI The night takes Your protection, You are the One whose arti we do
RAJANI RAJANI KARA VAKRAVRUTE You are eternal, You hold a lotus, Your noble face shines like the moon
SUNAYANA VIBHRAMA RABHRAMA RABHRAMA And we see your beautiful eyes under the lovely dark eye-brows,
that look like a cluster of bees
RABHRAMA RABHRAMA RADHIPATE And Your name is also Shri Bhramatri Devi, that when You raise Your
eyebrows the three lines that are formed on Your forehead are the three worlds themselves and simply by the movement of Your
eye-brows You create and dissolve the three worlds
SAHITA MAHARNAVA MALLA MATTALIKA In the battle field when You are faced with great fighters
VALLIKA RALLIKA MALLARATE You do battle with them in the way in which they fight
VIR.CHITA VALLIKA PALLIKA MALLIKA When You are confronted with such powerful demons who use no
weapons, You become totally absorbed in the battle
JHILLIKA BHILLIKA VARGAVRUTE and make plans to destroy them after You have tired them and all this brings
great joy to the Bhil tribals who were being harassed by the Maltas
SITAKRUTA PHULLI SAMULLA SITARUNA Your actions are so beautiful, like the rays of the rising sun
TALLAJA PALLAVA SALLALITE as if flowers are suddenly blossoming on creepers, Lord Shiva is pleased
KAMALA DALAMALA KOMALA KANTI Those beautiful pure cluster of lotuses that emit very gently light
KALA KALITAMALA BHALA LATE You have kept them in Your hair
SAKALA VILASA KALA NILAYA KRAMA Heavenly swans have the power to discriminate, and when they recognise
all your great work
KELI CHALAT KALA HAUNSA KULE they are filled with complete joy and move around in an excited manner
ALI KULA SANKULA KUVALAYA MANDALA As clusters of bees are attracted to groups of fragrant lotuses
MAULI MILAD BAKULALI KULE the stars come in clusters attracted to Your forehead

THE TRUTH ABOUT KUNDALINI

2006-04-27T20:11:00.000-05:00

“And whosoever will, let him
take the water of life freely.”
Revelation of John 22, 17

The traditions of India and its neighbouring countries offer more spiritual knowledge than any other region of the world. At home and at school we hardly learn anything about the historical and spiritual background of these areas. As a result, we incur the danger of giving a wrong interpretation to this region’s spiritual tradition by extracting a part of the whole, if we are interested in Eastern wisdom.

On the subcontinent of India we see a variety of spiritual traditions. Hinduism, Buddhism and other teachings confuse the Western seeker with thousands of gods, deities and different perceptions about life after dead and destiny. But even in the large variety of tinges and facets of Hinduism and its pantheon of deities there is the idea of a final unity. This one is the Brahma, or Sadashiva. Through his power Mahamaya (the Great Illusion) he creates all divine, human and material aspects of the universe. At the end, he reabsorbs everything. Yoga, the real meaning of which is “Union with God”, embraces all the efforts of mankind in the spiritual domain. The final aim is not some blurred “enlightenment”, also not to jump in the air a little bit or wear clothes of a certain colour, the aim is the connection with an higher awareness. Yoga, “connection”, is only good when this perception of a higher awareness can be achieved. This Yoga is not one single technique or a determined exercise, it is a way of life once the connection was established. All the asanas, breathing techniques et cetera are helpful tools for those who are connected and know how to apply these techniques, because the same asana may be helpful to one, but harmful to the other – depending on individual constitution. Doing physical exercise without being connected may calm you down a little bit, however, basically it is as if you try to swim without water.

As we have received so much from the East and still are to receive much more, we would like to look closer at the basis of Indian Knowledge. This basis is the classical scriptures of old, for example the Vedas or Upanishads, as well as the teachings of venerated Indian saints and masters such as Markendeya or Tukaram. Simultaneously, we shall try to integrate important scriptures of other cultures - also of the west.

Looking at most of the modern publications[1] on Kundalini, it seems obvious that nothing is known of the roots of religious knowledge. According to the quoted ancient sources, Kundalini is the most subtle, the holiest and mightiest force of the universe, which, only under certain circumstances, is accessible to mortals. These superlatives are meant literally. Even the “Rishis”, the saints/sages, who communicated with the Gods themselves were not allowed to awaken the Kundalini in human beings. Bearing this in mind, one should consider carefully advertisements for “Kundalini-Seminars” or similar offers. Kundalini is not a discovery of our times, she has been described thousands of years before Jesus Christ; and the knowledge we have got has come through old Indian scriptures.

Let us try to understand this tremendous power as far as we can with our minds. Numerous names of her are at the same time names of the Goddess Parvati as a virgin (“Uma”, “Gauri”). The name Parvati has only been given at her marriage with Shiva. In her aspect as a mother the spouse of Shiva becomes the “Devi”, the Mother Godess of the created universe. As Devi she incarnates in times of great difficulty, when all the negative forces rise up and challenge the righteous and religious. She destroys all the demons ruthlessly and without pity, because, as mother, she protects her children - the seekers of truth. This power has also been attributed to the Kundalini, when she acts in a cleansing way in human beings and removes the “individual demons” within. And there exists a link between the primordial power Adi Shakti[2] and Kundalini.

In the few sources[3] that refer to Shri Adi Shakti, it is usually said that she is the primordial and highest power. She is the one who created the first manifestation; the bridge between the formless non-manifested God and the whole formed creation. Kundalini also builds a connection with the divine, connecting the individual to a collective, higher awareness. – Shri Adi Shakti is described as so powerful that Shiva, Vishnu and Brahmadeva were extremely impressed, when they were once granted the permission to visit her sphere (Devi Bhagawatam, III book, cp. FN 3). Only after some time did they realize that they were in their mother’s house. Apart from the tremendous power that lies in the Kundalini as part of the primordial force, the protective, motherly aspect clearly appears.

Before considering any detailed parts of ancient scriptures - in particular the “Jnaneshwari” - we shall discuss the function of the Kundalini. At this point we must introduce the greatest authority in this matter; Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, the Avatara of our times, proven by the awakening of the Kundalini in hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. She can indeed transmit a practical experience of the Kundalini-Power, as well as the corresponding knowledge. Thousands and thousands of people in India, thousands throughout the west, and also in Russia, who have been so fortunate to meet Her, can confirm this. All other Saints, who might have power over Kundalini, lead a withdrawn and hidden life in the Himalayas and its foothills, and they cannot give Kundalini-awakening en masse.

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi explains that the Kundalini resides in every living being as the divine desire to become one with God. Since the beginning of the creation this force has been acting and pushing the evolution forward. In our western tradition Kundalini could be understood as the Holy Spirit. In Hebraic scriptures she is called “Ruach”.

If a human being is perfectly pure in his inner, subtle system (which practically means that he has become a saint) he receives his total liberation, “Moksha”, at the moment of the Kundalini awakening. This perfect liberation took place for Buddha after he had renounced all his attachments and temptations. If Kundalini awakening takes place in “non-perfect” human beings, she starts cleansing different energy centers, the “Chakras”. The effect of the desire to become one with the cause of all creation manifests in the healing of the chakras and is a first step on our way to the final goal. The significance of the Kundalini being the reflection of the divine primordial desire is, that it corresponds with the classical representation of Adi Shakti, who at the very moment of creation has given shape first to the desire (Iccha-Shakti) and then to the act (Saraswati).

The last, complete liberation is the union of the soul, the Atma (Shri Shiva) with the Kundalini (Shakti) in order to make the Atma aware or conscious in us. That means, the truth, the all-pervading awareness and the pure joy become reality in us. The Sahasrara chakra above the fontanel bone at the top of the skull opens up and replaces the biggest part of our ego and our conditionings. This process has often been described poetically in old scriptures:

“I had been impressed and dragged far away,
with a burden on my head; now I have
escaped from the burden, for you have accepted me.
How many times I cried to you in time past!
Tuka says, Today my service has borne fruit.”

Tukaram, “The Poems of Tukaram”,

Chap. XII,593, Delhi, 1983.

“Thou art diverting Thyself, in secrecy with
Thy Lord, in the thousand-petalled lotus,
having pierced through the Earth situated in
the Muladhara, the Water in the Manipura, the
Fire abiding in the Swadhisthana, the Air in
the Heart (Anahata), the Ether above (the
Vishuddhi), and Manas between the eyebrows
(Ajna) and thus broken through the entire
Kula path (central channel - Sushumna).”

Shankaracharya, “Saundarya-Lahari”
(The Ocean of Beauty), 9th poem, Adya, 1977.

Where have these modern descriptions of so-called Kundalini-experience come from, which are contradictory and which often report very unpleasant experiences? Most probably these descriptions are partly due to wrong translations of the Jnaneshwari and partly to misunderstandings. Misunderstandings in the sense of mental concepts instead of a practical experience.

For a long time the teachings about Kundalini have been kept as a secret knowledge that has only been bestowed simultaneously with self-realisation, the awakening of the Kundalini. This was the real heritage of the masters, the saints or gurus, who did not perform a hollow, symbolic act, but a living process.

In the Bagavadgita the subject of Kundalini has been very briefly referred to. The Upanishads have only treated parts of it. Markandeya was the first one to break with the taboo (thousands of years ago), and talked openly about it. What these classical scriptures have in common is that they are difficult to understand and that the effects of Kundalini have not been described in detail.

This changed in the 13th century A.D. Around 1275 in the central part of India, Maharashtra, Jnanadeva (also called Jnaneshwar or Dyaneshwar) was born. Although he left this world at a very young age, he is one of India´s greatest saints. As the Bagavadgita had been written in Sanskrit the masses did not have direct access to this most popular religious scripture of the Hindus. Thus Jnanadeva was convinced by his brother to write a commentary on the Bagavadgita in Marathi (the common language of the people in Maharashtra). This work, the “Jnaneshwari”, contains many more details than the Bagavadgita. It is said that the “Jnaneshwari” can be read like a comment of God himself, who acts in the Bagavadgita. - Marathi has been and is still spoken in Maharashtra. Apart from the changes of a living language through 700 years, Marathi is ideal for beautiful poetry and religious works, but also can be misunderstood if taken literally, as every single word has various meanings, often a material as well as a subtle or a poetic one. The use of images is an important method of poetic expression. This country of Maharastra and its language have a special significance in the spiritual development of India. Shri Sita and Shri Rama (Ramayana: the incarnation of the God Vishnu and his spouse Laxmi) trod on this soil, Ekanath, Tukaram and many other important rishis and saints have left behind their works in the Marathi language.

In the 6th chapter of the Jnaneshwari the Kundalini and its effects are described. This text again is not easy to understand. The learned and scholars have tried to avoid this very difficult chapter for 700 years, as all written knowledge of the world cannot replace the holy experience. Thus the academics never understood it; and there is one essential point for us: The translations, mainly in English, available in the West, are not correct. They certainly all relate to one original translation, as the mistakes are apparently similar. These errors of translation are probably responsible for the incomprehensible descriptions of Kundalini that we have in the west. For example one of the main mistakes is to suppose that the seat of the Kundalini is in the region of the stomach. This mistake is to be found in the book of Avalon (see FN 1). In the original scriptures nothing of the kind is mentioned. Shankaracharya (8th century AD) says in the Saundarya Lahari (see above) in the 10th verse: “..Thyself assuming the form of a serpent of three-and-a-half coil, sleepest Thou in the hollow of the Kulakunda[4]”. The description refers to the triangular bone, to which we will come back later. Finally, the Devi Bhagawatam should be quoted, book XII, chapter 5, where the Mother of the Worlds (Shri Adi Shakti) is again described as the “Kundalini in the Mooladhar”.

Besides these wrong translations, there is a lack of understanding which we mentioned before: In the Jnaneshwari, at the end of the 10th sub-chapter of chapter 6, Shri Krishna explains clearly the way of a real yogi and says explicitly, that it is the EXPERIENCE of self-realisation, and there is no doubt about the fact that this experience has to come from God[5]. As Arjuna is urging for this knowledge, Krishna says: (11th sub-chapter, first sentence): “I explain it to you in more detail now, but only through the experience it will bear fruit”. So it is clear that a purely mental understanding of the description of the Kundalini is meaningless if the actual happening of self-realisation is lacking. The mediocre translations of the Jnaneshwari unfortunately confirm these words.

This introduction is followed by the description of the “asana” (sitting position), which is favourable to the awakening of the Kundalini. The awakening itself can only be performed by a person who is authorized. The asana is described several times as “the steady seat”, which corresponds to the lowest chakra (Mooladhara chakra). It lies at the root of our body and guards the sleeping Kundalini in the sacrum (Mooladhar). Any weakness of this chakra, which is the throne of innocence and wisdom, causes permanent difficulties, as it is the support of the Kundalini. Certain sitting positions should just enable our attention to detach from physical processes. Later in the 13th sub-chapter it is mentioned that the palms of the hands should be kept upwards, in order to feel the Kundalini-energy.

There is a considerable difference between the Mooladhara-chakra and the Mooladhar which lies above it (sacrum), the triangular bone at the end of the spine. At the awakening of the Kundalini, her pulsations can often be seen with the naked eye at the sacrum. This perception is the best proof of its real position; all other conclusions do not correspond with the reality. Lying at the basis of the spine, she rises through the middle channel (Sushumna), which corresponds with the canalis centralis in the grey matter of the backbone. The medical term is “Os Sacrum, “holy bone”, taken over directly from the Greek by the Romans: Its special position was known also in the West, in ancient times. We know that the Egyptians attributed this “Os Sacrum” to the God Osiris. In an article of the “Journal of the American Medical Association” (JAMA” of 1987 it is written: “… the idea that the sacrum is the last bone in the body to disintegrate after death and, therefore, necessary for resurrection could qualify it as sacred. The first Biblical intimation that a single bone might be the bone needed for resurrection is in Psalms 34, 21: ´He watches over all the bones; one of them shall not be broken…” [6] - The idea of resurrection or second birth mentioned here is, in various forms, present in all religions.

To all those, who really can feel the effects of the awakened Kundalini, the 14th sub-chapter of Jnanadeva´s work proves to be an absolute disaster in translation - knowledge without experience is useless. We have chosen a few important aspects to illustrate this.

The translation of the Marathi word “Tap” as “heat” caused by the awakening of Kundalini is wrong in this context. Here “Tap” means “force”. The force, resulting from the exercise of asanas and giving the possibility of the awakening, but not the awakening itself. The activating of the Kundalini is a process beyond human willpower and beyond the force of human action. Thus in the translations, by a misunderstanding of nuances, the mother Kundalini becomes a monster, that devours the intestines voraciously - Whereas in a subtle, beautiful language the power is praised who is eager to give the second birth, to permeate the whole body and to renew it.[7]

The body and its organs, each cell is being touched and purified by Kundalini. This process has been described in detail right up to the roots of the hair by Jnanadeva. Certainly there is no one, who ever before was able to observe and understand the Kundalini in his body and subtle system as precisely as this great Saint. The effect of the different breathing forces in connection with Kundalini is explained as well as the effects on the elements.

The Janeshwari continues with the procedure after the purification of the subtle centres: The Kundalini stays in the centre-channel (Sushumna) of three subtle channels and pours out “of her mouth water, that becomes nectar”. This nectar in its turn brings forth a “vital wind, …. that gives a cooling sensation in and on the body” [8]. The perception of the cool breeze is the best on the palms of the hands and at the top of our head (Sahasrara Chakra). This coolness is also described in the Koran - Sura 36, 65: “One day we will seal their mouths, but their hands will speak...”. This Sura, called “the Heart of the Koran” has the title “JS”. These are the initials of “Joga Sahadsch” as it would be spelled in Arabic. “Sahaj” means “born with” or “spontaneous”, Sahaja Yoga is the yoga of the spontaneous unity with God. The hands “speak” in such a way that each finger, root of the hand and palm correspond with a chakra and the various sensations of the part of the hand inform about the condition of the chakras. There are further hints to the perception of Kundalini in the Koran, as in Sura 24, 24 or 41, 21 and following.

This cooling energy does not only exist after the awakening of the Kundalini, it is one with the divine force, who awakens Kundalini in the individual human being and permeates the whole cosmos. In the Gospel of John, 4, Jesus describes the process of awakening to a Samaritan woman next to a well: “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you water of life. The woman said to him, Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: Where can you get that water of life? … Jesus answered, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again: but whoever drinks the water that I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up into eternal life.” As Janeshwar uses the image of the “water” or “wind of life”, we can find the Kundalini and its effects described by Jesus Christ in the same way. - The completion of the Kundalini’s task is depicted by Jnanadeva in most beautiful Marathi poetry. The skin is only an envelope, in which the radiant being of the 17th phase of the moon is covered. The full moon, the 16th phase, has the meaning of fulfillment, completion. Only Sadashiva, God beyond all perception, is beyond that, in the illuminated Sahasrara.

Through the ancient Scriptures[9] a structure of the inner system takes shape, which is still very common in India. At the bottom we find the four-petalled lotus of the Mooladhara Chakra. In it resides the guardian of Kundalini, who represents wisdom and innocence. The Kundalini is situated above this center in the sacrum bone and therefore, at her awakening, cannot pass through the chakra placed underneath. If one tries to raise the Kundalini without authorization, then the guardian of the Kundalini sends waves of heat through the body in his temper. Sometimes these waves of heat are misunderstood as the awakening of the Kundalini, but it is just the opposite[10]. Jnanadeva says very clearly, that coolness is the sign of the rising Kundalini. Each unauthorized practice to get in touch with Kundalini leads to a damage that makes an awakening more difficult. Only if the process is triggered by an authorized person, does it lead to its fulfillment. The Kundalini, an intelligent and motherly energy, can never do any harm. Even when she heals physical diseases, it is always in a gentle manner.
In relation to the above mentioned Mooladhara Chakra we must stress that there is no connection at all between sexual activities and the Kundalini or her awakening. Unnatural and exaggerated attention on sexuality weakens and damages this lower chakra. Then the Kundalini has a weak basis and cannot rise for long. In the same way other unnatural behaviour may disturb other Chakras or energy-centers, the same is true for bad intentions or desires even. Thus greed or hatred for example block the ascend of the Kundalini at different levels.

As described in the poetry of Shankaracharya and as known in India in general, the ascending Kundalini passes through the Nabhi-, Swadisthana-, Anahata-, Visshuddhi-, and Agnya-Chakra. As soon as the Agnya Chakra at the forehead gets pierced through, “Nirvichara Samadhi”, thoughtlessness, is achieved. Only at that very moment one can talk about an experience which allows a deeper understanding of the “Jnaneshwari” for instance. Nirvichara Samadhi is spontaneous, like every movement of the Kundalini. Samadhi cannot be achieved through human willpower, that is why the concept, that through efforts of concentration real spiritual progress could be achieved, is wrong.

After the Sushumna, which is the central channel, the subtle channels on the left and the right are enlightened. The left (Ida-Nadi) represents the emotions, conditionings and the past, the right (Pingala-Nadi) activity, planning and the future.

The whole process physically relates with the parasympathetic system and therefore cannot be controlled consciously. The real awakening of Kundalini does not cause any spectacular process or sensation out of control. “Only” a kind of profound peace and joy can be felt, and coolness on top of the head and on the palms of the hands. If the subtle centres, the chakras, are damaged, the perception of Kundalini is reduced in accordance.

Only the one who is able to awaken the Kundalini, so that the effects, as described by Jnanadeva and other masters, can be felt, so that the water of life is flowing, can be called a real Guru in the best tradition of the Great Indian Teachers.
[1] E.g. Gopi Krishna, Kundalini, Lustig-Verlag, 1983; Arthur Avalon, Die Schlangenkraft (The Serpent-Power), Bern 1982; Shivananda, Kundalini Yoga, Munich-Planegg, 1953; just to mention the first ones, hundreds followed, without any basis in the ancient scriptures, and without genuine experience.
[2] The above-mentioned “Mahamaya”, “The Great Illusion”, is just one aspect of the Adi Shakti
[3] E.g. Devi Bhagawatam, as “The Srimad Devi Bhagawatam”, Munshiram Manoharlal, Delhi, 1977, cp. Especially book III, ch. 3, 4 and 5.
[4] The three-and-half coils of Kundalini relate to the three “moods” (basic principles) of the creation and - the half coil - to the primordial power, neither manifest nor non-manifest. These moods are Mahakali, Mahasaraswati and Mahalaxmi: Desire, also destruction of evil; action, creation; and finally the power of the central channel, of evolution. As said before, Kundalini is a motherly energy and it is not incidentially, that the deepest mights of the universe are female in all the world’s cultures (“The Mothers” in Goethe’s “Faust”). We meet those basic principles in antique Rome as “Parcae” (The Fates), in classical Greece as “Moires”: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. At the foot of the Germanic world-ashtree Yggdrasil the “Nornes” Urd, Werdandi and Skuld are resting - spinning, measuring and cutting the “thread of life”.
[5] Cp. Vedas, Samaveda, book III, ch. 2, decade V, 10, “…God, the Bestower of Dharma, Arth, Kama and Moksha.” Moksha means complete liberation, enlightenment.
[6] JAMA, 1987, Vol. 257, 2061 a. fw. P., Oscar Sugar, PhD, MD. University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago.
[7] See the Gospel of John, 3.3 f. Jesus talks to Nikodemus about this second birth and Nikodemus asks, if he would have to return into his mother’s womb. Jesus tells him that he must be born again of the spirit, “of water and of the Spirit”. - The importance of being “born again” is also stressed by the genuine saints of todays India, e.g. Ramana Maharshi.
[8] Also in the western literature references to this unique perception can be found:

“Mild creative breeze,
A vital breeze which travelled gently on
O’er things which it had made”
Wordsworth, Prelude I, 43-45
“Still the Breath Divine does move,
And the Breath Divine is love.”

W. Blake, The Everlasting Gospel, 41-42

[9] Essentially the quoted: Bagavadgita, Upanishads, Devi Bhagawatam, Scriptures of: Shankaracharya, Markandeya, Tukaram and of course Jnanadeva.
[10] Inner tensions, unusual forms of perception and specially waves of heat through the body are mentioned by Gopi Krishna (cp. FN1) falsely as effects of Kundalini; however these sensations are warnings, not to misuse this holy power. experience which allows a deeper understanding of the “Jnaneshwari” for instance. Nirvichara Samadhi is spontaneous, like every movement of the Kundalini. Samadhi cannot be achieved through human willpower, that is why the concept, that through efforts of concentration real spiritual progress could be achieved, is wrong.

After the Sushumna, which is the central channel, the subtle channels on the left and the right are enlightened. The left (Ida-Nadi) represents the emotions, conditionings and the past, the right (Pingala-Nadi) activity, planning and the future.

The whole process physically relates with the parasympathetic system and therefore cannot be controlled consciously. The real awakening of Kundalini does not cause any spectacular process or sensation out of control. “Only” a kind of profound peace and joy can be felt, and coolness on top of the head and on the palms of the hands. If the subtle centres, the chakras, are damaged, the perception of Kundalini is reduced in accordance.

Only the one who is able to awaken the Kundalini, so that the effects, as described by Jnanadeva and other masters, can be felt, so that the water of life is flowing, can be called a real Guru in the best tradition of the Great Indian

Beautiful story about our Creator

2006-04-20T22:03:00.000-05:00

Anyways here is a beautiful story about our Creator :

One day I decided to quit...I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.

I went to the woods to have one last talk with GOD. "GOD", I said "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?" His answer surprised me...

"Look around", GOD said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came
from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo." GOD said.

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit.

In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo see. I would not quit." GOD said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five
years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle." GOD said to me.

"Did you know, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots?"

"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."

"Don't compare yourself to others." GOD said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", GOD said to me. "You will rise high"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" GOD asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned

"Yes." GOD said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and bring back this story. I hope these words can help you see that GOD will never give up on you.

GOD will never give up on you

"Life is not a problem to be solved, but a gift to be enjoyed"

Keep Smiling

Our survival - A Miracle

2006-04-06T09:49:00.000-05:00

Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2006 03:49:36 -0000

To: divinesahajayoga

From: "nirmala_chaitanya"

Jai Shri Mataji It's so vibrant to be in touch with all brothers and sisters with their Sahaja experiences. Although it's a bit late,but then as its said better to be late than never! by the blessings of our Divine Mother i got married this 26th dec in pune with a sahaja yogini. I so very much wanted to share so many experiences with you but then today was the destined time.After getting married on our way to pune airport we met Kalpana didi and she bless us both. Later she also interacted with my wife sharing things about Shri Mataji. She told that Shri Mataji seems to be much more happy. She said that SHE is Mahamaya it's completely upto HER what SHE wants.Its such a pleasure to know about our much loved Shri Mataji's day to day talks. After reaching to delhi we left for Manali on 30th dec. We had hardly covered 3hrs journey we saw a series of accidents for the first time in our entire life. After some time we started to sing bhajans. Just passing of a few minutes we heard some loud noises of people and untill we could do anything our car( icon ) banged with a truck in a speed of 100. I came infront banging the front seat,my wife was taking name of Shri Mataji unstoppingly and the driver was hit badly on mouth and face. Instantly i opened the door of the car and held hand of my wife. we were surrounded by loads of people looking at us with awe! As we were alive and that too without a single scratch.

Much later my wife told me that on the moment as her head banged on the seat,it started to spin and a voice echoed in her head that if she faints she's never gonna open her eyes.She felt something very heavy passing by the whole scene andshe instantly opened her eyes to hold my hand and come out of the car. Later when we moved on from the scene place in an auto we saw our big car in a real small size. We were SHOCKED.And the condition of the car made us ponder that how very much we were protected by Shri Mataji. Undoubtedly SHE saved us as we were for sure held closely by HER.She gave us a new birth as any of these 3things could have had happened with us but none occoured:-

1) the truck was standing in the tilted position. had it been standing our car would have had gone inside it.

2) the engine was on and the fuel was flowing, our car would have been in fire.

3) if only the driver would have had not taken the car on the side of this truck we would have had a head on accident with a coming truck.In either ways we would have been dead !!

But with the blessings of Sakshat Shri Ma we are saved!

And above all we had our trip to Manali and enjoyed the first snowfall of Himachal following day. We take everyday as the blessing of Shri Mataji as She has made us learn to live even the granule of a moment after this new birth.Hope to hear from you very soon.

With lots of Nirmal Love and Joy,

Your brother,

Shantanu

Swa Shakti Swaroopam, Adi Shakti Roopam,

Jagat janani Ma, Nirmala nirmalam.

The Sacrum bone

2006-04-01T12:40:00.000-06:00

Enlightenment (Self Realisation) might be obtained through the awakening of the subtle spiritual energy called the Kundalini lying dormant (latent) in the sacrum bone (Mooladhara sacrum) placed close to the bottom of the spine.

The problem of the sacrum bone is worth, here, a short analysis. The anatomical name coming from hierónostoún (holy bone' Gr.) was used in the time of Hippocrates (about 400 BC) and was translated by the Romans through sacrum (sacred' Lat.). Halyah (chain link or vertebra' Hebr.) has the Name of God Yah (Short form of Yahweh) as its root. Why this bone had been called a "holy bone" had been a mystery for centuries. Some thought that the bone was used in the sacrificial rituals, others, that it played a role in the protection of the genitals (considered to be sacred in themselves), or that the Last Judgment would require this bone to be intact as a receptacle of resurrection.

The ancient world believed that the sacrum was the last bone subject to decay after death (conviction found in a Jewish folk story) [1]. This idea is also found with the Muslims, being mentioned in a Hadith: "Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said:" Everything of a human body will waste away' perish or decay except the last coccyx bone (Al-ajb, Arab.) and from that bone Allah will reconstruct the whole body" [2]. Thus, no one should be surprised at the Yogis considering the Kundalini awakening as tantamount of resurrection. Etzem (bone; essence' Hebr.; tz' vertebra' Egypt.) has etz (tree' Hebr.) for its root' a reason for which it was asserted that the sacrum (atz' Hebr.) is the tree (of life, we should add; ch. IV) in its seed form [3]. The double significance of the word etzem, in our opinion, makes possible the correct interpretation of Adam's sentence about the Feminine Principle (Eve):"This time it is bone of my bones... this shall be called Woman" (Genesis 2:23)' a sentence that becomes:" she who is essence of my bones" (the feminine energy Kundalini being the sacred essence of the respective bone).

The Mooladhara was shown to be controlled by Ganesha' the Divine Son depicted with an elephant head by the Indian iconography. Indeed, any anatomy book provides the image of an elephant head for the group made up of the sacrum bone (elephant's triangular face) having on both sides the iliac bones (as its ears) and the coccyx (as its curved trunk) at the bottom. Likewise, the graphic sign of the holy syllable AUM (that is also close related to Ganesha) depicts the elephant head seen from the profile: the ears on the left and the trunk on the right.

References: [1] Oscar Sugar, Journal of the American Medical Association 257, pp.2061-2063 (1982). [2] Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol.6, Hadith 338. [3] Annick de Souzenelle, Le symbolisme du corps humain, Albin Michel, Paris 1991, ch. XII.

Sahaj Experience of Bindu Ajit

2006-03-27T12:28:00.000-06:00

This incident occured in the year 2004 when we went to India for holidays During our stay with my mother[ who is an ardent devotee of Krishna] we used to do daily meditation, foot soaking etc. As such, we had shifted from the normal routine of reciting the Vishnu Sahasranama (1000 names of Vishnu) in the mornings as instructed by my mother. My mother had some apprehensions about the same but never revealed it.

We had the habit of visiting an astrologer every vacation.This is because the astrologer to whom we used to consult is very famous in our area and most of the events he foretold in the past have come true. Though I was not so keen to go to the astrologer after coming to sahaj I had to accompany them but prayed to Sree mataji and put bandhan before leaving the house.

The astrologer after having a look at my husbands horoscope arranged his Kavidis(these are small shell beads) based on the stars, date of birth, time of birth etc. He then pronounced that my husband is not very satisfied with his present job and he has not yet got what we deserves because the star which is corresponding to lord Vishnu is hidden and not pleased. I told him that what he said may be true but we are content with what we have now.[ I said so because our outlook has completely changed after coming to Sahaj and had the confidence in Supreme Lord Father that he will take care of us] At this moment my mothers suppressed feelings sprang alive and she said that we are not reciting vishnu sahsranama nowadays and are doing something else thats why LordVishnu is not happy. I told the astrologer " what my my mother said is partially true because I have changed the method of praying that's it but I don't think that Vishnu can be unhappy because we do pray to all the gods daily." At this point also we didn't say anything about sahajmeditation or about Sreemataji. The astrologer after listening to both parties [my nother and myself] pondered for a while and laid down his shells again saying he will see for himself what we are doing now and whether its effective or not. The astrologer started saying the sloka which ends with words meaning let the truth be seen let the truth be seen let the truth be seen................my heart was drumbeating I called sree Mataji and tried to go in to meditative mood.

The astr. after arranging his kavidis and calculating asked us " What you are doing , is it something related to Devi......? I thought for a while and replied " Hm..Devi..... we can say Adi Sakthi...."At this the astro. was overjoyed at his findings and said in a very elated manner ' its not just any sakthi it's the mahasakthi it's ....its [and then he took a few names of devi from devimahatmyam and said] its all these sakthis put together and I can see the Sannidhyam [ the presence] of that sakthi with you so do not change your path go ahead and you will definitely get what you are wishing". He then turned to my mother and told her " do not worry about children they are not doing anything wrong but they are into something which is much much above our expectations". Then he told us " I don't know who is your Guru but whoever he is he is a person of great powers". At his point we gave him a brief summary of SreeMataji and Sahajayoga .My mother still enquired as to what pooja we should offer to lord Vishnu to please the lord. He then pacified my mother that we have transcended the stage of normal people and told us to pray to lord Vishnu in whatever way we consider it most appropriate. He also said that all this rites has to be followed by normal people and not for us . He told us whenever Sahajayoga is going to be started in the town he would also like to learn it.This was an eye opener to the reality or truth about SreeMataji not only for our mother but for us too.It was nothing less than a miracle to hear a person, who has never heard of Shree Mataji or Sahajayoga describing Shreemataji as the power of all sakthis. And today by Matajis grace both my mother and sister are doing Sahajayoga. A very experienced sahajayogini visited my house and gave realization to my mother and she is working towards starting a center at our place with the help of other Sahajayogis.

We thank our loving mother for all her love and compassion bestowed upon our family, for which we always want to remain as mere dust at her lotus feet.

JaiSreeMataji

Bindu Ajit

Science metering the vibrations on Biometer

2006-03-17T09:25:00.000-06:00

…A recent development in science of Geo-biology has established amazing results with the use of simple instruments like' Lecher Antenna', 'Lobe Antenna' and ' Biometer' to measure subtle energies emitted by earth, trees, living organism, inanimate objects, etc.

Biometer was a scale developed by Antoine Bovis and his colleague Andre Simonton to measure various energy fields existing around us. As a matter of convention, these fields are measured in units of 'Bovis'. Measurements carried out by European and Indian scientists have yielded the following values:

Healthy human being… … … … … (+) 6500 Bovis
*Different Chakras in the body… … … … (+) 6500 to 16000 Bovis
Ringing of Church bells… … … … … (+) 11000 Bovis
Calls from East facing mosque… … … … (+) 12000 Bovis
Garbhagriha in Tibetan temples… … … … (+) 14000 Bovis
Tibetan prayer Wheel… … … … … (+) 12000 to 16000 Bovis
Buddhist stupa… … … … … … (+) 12000 Bovis
Hindu swastika (any size)… … … … (+) 10 lakh Bovis
Hindu swastika (reverse direction)… … … (-) 10 lakh Bovis
Hitler's swastika (45 degree tilt)… … … … (+) 1000 Bovis
Red flower… … … … … … (+) 6500 Bovis
Fire (any type, any form, any size)… … … infinite positive energy
Sandstone, marble, etc…. … … … … high positive energy
Granite, quartz, and some gemstones… … … negative energy

…As proposed by Dr. Ernst Hartmann in 1970 and later on experimentally confirmed by some scientists, energy line emerging from earth's surface have been observed forming a grid all around the earth. These energy lines are oriented magnetically in the North-South and the East - West direction and are termed as 'Bio-Electro-Magnetic' (BEM) fields. Since each body cell can act like a radio receiver with its own vibratory fundamental frequency, these fields are known to affect the human mind and body, especially at the place of work and sleep where the body remains stationary for along period of time…. In a sense the concept of BEM grid may be a step in the right direction for comprehensive study of super science.

Source: From Vastu Shastra and Geo-mancy…(Secrets of Vastushastra by NH. Sahasrabudhe& RD. Mahatme, 1999)

However…
*The Bio-Meter must not have measured a realized soul or a Sahaja Yogi or else his Chakras in the body as reflected must have had shown fantastic figures.

For the interest of Science faculty, please ponder over the subject of Van -Allan's Belt that’s just above the earth with two holes (one on the North and the other towards South) for anything to escape outside the earth (like rockets fired and others going into the space) and also allow any extra terrestrial to enter through only these two holes or else everything gets burnt out. Alike, the two prisms of the Sahasrara (apex up) and Mooladhara (inverted…. pointing below) within us. The all pervading energy enters through (Fontanel area) this hole..'The Brahmaharandra' (prism.. With apex pointing top) on top and that energy gets refracted and then travels down and gets diffracted by the inverted prism below to reside inside the subtle body only… Isn't it interesting? So what has this belt got to do above us? Have we ever thought of that! Either, we are just trying hard to search the whole Universe within us, or trying to confirm that we are the reflection of this Universe! May be some day our fellow brother yogi- scientist shall extend his enlightened theory of such beautiful subtle knowledge in near future.

Emancipation is Transformation of Awareness

2006-03-09T17:24:00.000-06:00

It is by Her infinite Love that HH Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi has brought out Sahaja Yoga to transform the human awareness into the Divine Awareness by giving self-realization on mass scale.

We find it cures people physically mentally and emotionally. The spiritual transformation of our inner being also takes place and we go beyond the three dimensions. We attain thoughtless awareness, doubtless awareness and God- realization. Here we become a witness, detached and surrendered to the Divine Power and feel the joy within.

Diseases are the manifestations of the evil powers in us. They cause physical, mental and emotional imbalances to destroy us and deprive us the chance of our emancipation. The Devi has been fighting with these demons (Asuras) and protecting us by killing them in thousands of incarnations in the past.

One of the Asura is Bhandasura. It is described in Lalitopakhyan that Lord Shiva burnt Kamdev (god of love). The ashes of Kamdev was made into human form by Shri Ganesha while playing. The human form became alive by the power of purity and innocence of Ganesha.

This asura in human form did great penance of Shiva and got boon from Lord Shiva to reign over all the three worlds for sixty thousand years. Then by being very powerful he was always engaged in sinful activities but outwardly he was performing acts of Yagyas (sacred offerings), penances and worships of Shiva. The Indra (king of the gods) and other gods became afraid. Because of his double standards this asura was called as Bhandasura.

Shri Lalita Devi fought with Bhandasura and destroyed him by transforming him into a Satoguni (godly qualities) from a rajoguni (demonic qualities). This could be done only by Her power of Great Love ( beyond gunas ).

The seed of Kama ( lust ) can not be destroyed. It only can be transformed into pure love which comes from detachment. Though the bodies of the Asuras had been destroyed by The Goddess yet their awareness remain in the minds of the human being. The demonic awareness can be transformed by the awareness of the Divine awakened in Sahaja Yoga.

Shri Mataji had revealed the names of some Asuras who incarnated in the present times.

Bhandasura and his city was destroyed by a blazing missile Kameshwarastra by The Devi. That is why one of the name of Durga is “Kameshwarastra nirgadhas bhandasura Shunyakaya.” This is the first name out 84 names of Shri Durga Given in SAHAJA YOGA MANTRA BOOK.

In the eve of Navratri Puja we see the significance of the above description that The Adi Shakti will transform evil into good in us by Her Power of Love.

So we have to see whether all these negative forces are within us and use proper method to cleanse ourselves. By proper understanding and practice of Sahaja Yoga we can transform our selves into the pure awareness and achieve our emancipation by the grace of Shri Mataji.

Interesting Review “The Advent”

2006-02-09T16:26:00.000-06:00

Dear Family,

Find below a review written by a sister yogini here at Ramagundam, who is voracious reader and a very strong seeker. She took realization nearly two years back. The blessings of our Holy Mother showered on her and we can witness an amazing transformation after realization.

After completion of reading The Advent I gave the book to her for reading and asked her to write a review on the same.

The book was a great work by Gregoire and for all sys it is a must to read as a syllabus/course and absorb. Besides giving deep-rooted knowledge we also felt the divine of love our Mother in the form of intense cool vibrations while reading. In fact this sister told that her Agya got cleared while reading the book and she felt her head becoming very light.

Jai Shri Mataji!

Ysgupta

Here follows her review—

The Advent written by G. De Kalbarmatten is an exemplary work on Brahma Gyana in general, Sahajayoga in particular. Seekers can find answers to many long awaited questions in this book.

The book begins with the author’s early life before coming into Sahajayoga and his encounter with HH Shri Mataji. His experiences of “Self Realization” and of some other Sahajayogis have been described in simple and effective style. The Kundalini instrument of individual as well as of Virata has been illustrated. Explaining the depth of Reality or Truth it is said that “Human minds cannot be taken to Reality, but Reality has to engulf the human mind.”

About death and rebirth, it is said that – When heart ceases to beat the individual’s consciousness withdraws from the bodily organs. The content of consciousness, The Atman together gathers into Kundalini, which shrinks in size (1-2 cm). Them Kundalini leaves the body carrying chakras which are loaded with the Karma of This birth as well as Previous lives (Kundalini form attends the corpse for 13 days till funeral rites are over). Depending on the content of chakras and the condition of Kundalini, it goes to the corresponding field of energy in Virata, where the next birth is determined.

Ego, Superego, dangers of liberated sex and false gurus are elaborately discussed. The history and evolution of religions of world is quite interesting. The genesis of the universe gives enormous knowledge unknown to science till now. The following salient points can be relevant here.

Ø In the beginning, Sadashiva and Adishakti were united as one entity.

Ø Later Shiva_Shakti separation took place (Big-bang theory). Shakti further divided into Maha Laxmi, Maha Saraswati and Maha Kali.

Ø Brahma & Maha Saraswati forming Adi Swadhistan of Virata helped the matter to evolve its atomic structure nearly 6000 billion years ago.

(During Big-bang, matter was crushed to tiniest particles called Quarks. These quarks later assembled into Protons and Neutrons. 2004 Nobel prize in Physics is awarded to the theories which explain the forces between quarks which from Proton and Neutron).

Ø Galaxies and Solar Systems were formed 4000 billion years ago.

Ø The living cells were created 1100 billions years ago.

Ø Human brain has evolved 3 billion years ago.

Ø 70,000 years ago, Paleolithic man appeared.

Ø Raising of head and erect posture of Man caused a twist in the evolution of visudhi chakra, developing ego and superego which ultimately resulted in cutting of human consciousness from universal consciousness.

To lead the human beings with locked up consciousness, incarnations became necessary and the Cosmic Conscience produced 4 types of incarnations (Archetypes)

1. Mother Incarnations—generally single person like Durga, Chandi etc., or accompanied by Father as Sita, Radha.

2. Father incarnations—eight first incarnations of Maha Vishnu—Mastya, Narasimha etc.,

3. Guru incarnations—Dattatreya, Yogiraja Viswambhara etc.,

4. Son incarnations—Ganesh, Kartikeya, Jesus Christ etc.,

The Archetypes of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna are discussed in detail. Their role in human evolution is note-worthy.

We can also find the following useful tips to overcome catches.

Ø Sitting on the Mother Earth and looking at it would clear Mooladhara chakra

Ø Bathing one’s feet in river/sea clears 3 lower chakras.

Ø Looking at HH Mataji’s Photograph through a flame clears Manipura and Agya chakras

Ø Looking at the sky clears the Visudhi and Agya chakras.

Ø It too much fatique is felt, raising Ida nadi with right hand and then lowering Pingala nadi will give relaxation.

Ø If one feels depression/frustation, raising Pingala nadi and lowering Ida nadi helps.

Ø If tension/pain in any chakra is felt drawing circles with right hand on the chakra will help (clock-wise in front and anti clock-wise at the back)

Ø More vibrations will be generated if 7 Sahajayogis or multiple of 7 sit together.

In the book Tantrism, its history, its evolution and its effects on human evolution have been dealt in detail. Tantrism flourished in India during 900 to 1400 AD. Tantriks evolved certain ghastly rituals which are full of perverted sex and violence. They progressed through subconscious and supraconscious realms of universe and attained same siddhis also. But they used their energies to acquire power, money and conforts. Tantrikas established their own wicked kingdom where innocents are cheated. They some spirits and introduce the spirits into their disciples, thus spoiling their chakras and Kundalini. Author of the book strongly warns against the false gurus.

The need for collective realization is given in an interesting way. There are two destinies to the human world.

1. If present adharma and violence are carried out endlessly-Sadashiva would arrive to destry the world (Tandava).

2. If there are good number of Realized dharmic people, tenth incarnation of Maha Vishnu (who is guide towards evolution) Shri Kalki will arrive to save the Dharma and punish the adharma.

By giving collective realization HH Mataji has averted Sadashiva-Tandava.

In the last part of the book the writer gave critical review of development of East and West religions and the need for their synthesis.

In a vivid description of western culture, we can find (that) how western thought being oriented towards economic growth and material world has drifted away from spirituality. The monopoly of the Church under Roman Empire, later the rational thinking only in terms of matter has destroyed the spiritual libido of the west.

On the other hand, it is shown that the individualized spiritual pursuit has deprived the Indian society of economic growth and material comfort. Because of this the modern generations of India are running after western culture. But in Sahajayoga beautiful synthesis of both has been evolved.

This book is one of the rare kinds, which opens the new horizons to its readers.

http://www.sahajayoga.org/store/default.asp

http://www.daisyamerica.com/ta_details.asp

What They Never Told You About Your Health

2006-01-16T14:23:00.000-06:00

There is more and more talk of societal ills, psychosomatic illnesses, the placebo effect. Does the health of our body depend on the well-being of the psyche ?

The main characteristics of modern medicine are the following:

A passive attitude on the part of the individual. Someone else takes responsibility to reduce or destroy the virulent aggressors by disinfectants, antibiotics, antiseptics, and other forms of anti something.

The products used have a physio-chemical or biochemical action on the organism and or the environment.

A mechanist orientation, whereby matter governs everything and each problem can be reduced into its composite parts.

What is experienced in-vitro is reproducible in-vivo : with logic and rationality we can draw universal conclusions and transfer their application from one species to another.

Medical science of the 21st century should integrate a new approach to sickness and healing. The individual takes an active approach, drawing on his own reserves of energy to fight off external aggressions. This would require an awareness of the source and functioning of this energy.

Mediator-transmitted methods of activating natural immunity.

Complex conceptualization, i.e. the body is considered as living and heterogeneous, it can not be separated into different components (physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual) without losing its identity. It evolves over time and adapts according to events and circumstances. It has a psychological and physical memory (the immune system and the memory of aggressors, for instance) which allow it to adapt itself over time.

Remedies provide information; information does not, however, exist in a vacuum, it only becomes real when received and treated by the receiver.

Importance of prevention and control of environmental factors which lower the body’s capacity to respond.

To understand the underlying psycho-physiological mechanisms of the body, let’s take a look at some scientific principles brought to light by ancient oriental knowledge, in particular the Indian tradition of yoga.

Primitive Nervous System and plexuses

The very complex human nervous system developed as a result of a long evolution of animal species. The one-celled amoeba displays all the main characteristics which differentiate a living organism from an inert entity. The first neural mechanism appeared with the hydra, the medusa and the sea anemone. It consisted of a nerve cell and fibres in their most basic form.
The earthworm developed a cerebral ganglion, a sub pharyngeal ganglion and two ventral nerve cords, as well as nerve plexuses spread out along its entire body, each plexus having relative autonomy from the others: there is merely an embryonic central unity, and the system depends on the coordination between the plexuses.
The appearance of vertebrates corresponds to the creation and development of a central nervous system which, by becoming more complex, improved coordination of its diverse functions. First was the functional development: in the frog and alligator the olfactory sense is well-developed, to facilitate finding food and protection against predators.
In fish and birds, the cerebellum is highly developed and plays an essential role in regulating tonus and muscular coordination.

With the appearance of superior vertebrates, we observe an increase in the cerebral hemispheres and a relative decrease in the cerebellum in the human being the maximum ratio is reached, with the hemispheres composing 83% of the brain.

However, when looking at the conscious mind, the most complex and exterior of the centralised systems, we should not forget the units which underlie it. On a functional level, the system is at first unconscious, functioning by reactions more or less automatic or instinctive, then later by conditionings acquired by experiences of growing complexity.
Evolution occurs through a dialectic between desire (which Jung later called libido) supported by the left sympathetic system, and the experience of action/reaction, supported by the right sympathetic system. The parasympathetic is the real support of this evolution, by assuring a balance between the two complementary systems of left and right. The consciousness is merely a more or less impotent witness to the phenomena it observes.
But the development of the conscious system does not replace or obscure the system which preceded it in the scheme of evolution. The autonomic nervous system still governs the basic vital functions of the organism. Clinical disorders originate in this system barely understood by modern medical science. At present the only approaches which encompass an awareness of this system are homeopathy and oriental medicine.

The nerve fibres situated to the left and right of the autonomous system come together at different points in the spinal cord, forming knots: the plexuses. There are seven major plexuses, all situated near essential endocrine glands. According to oriental knowledge, these plexuses, or chakras, have an unusual characteristic in that they are capable of influencing one’s behaviour. One’s behaviour would directly affect the hormonal system which would in turn modify the functional balance, and vice versa. Each plexus is coordinated with the others but maintains a relative autonomy: information is transmitted by enzymatic processes. For example, assigning oneself objectives too difficult to achieve would engender dissatisfaction which would have a direct repercussion on the solar plexus, manifesting in gastric difficulties and, in an extreme case, culminating in an ulcerous condition. Each plexus is sensitive to behaviour related to its properties.

From the base of the spine to the top of the head (fontanel bone area), these plexuses appear in order of increasing complexity and subtlety in terms of the evolution of consciousness, as presents Maslow in his famous pyramid of satisfaction of needs, known by all students of marketing.
The chart below summarizes oriental knowledge of the nervous system, synthesizing different approaches to bring an understanding of the energy system which maintains the balance of our being. Here is a brief description :

The subtle energy system

The pelvic plexus

If we refer to yogic knowledge concerning the chakras, the first plexus (Muladhara Chakra) is situated at the tip of the coccyx, close to the perineum. It is responsible for the innocence and purity of the organism, protecting it from any harmful foreign body. The magnetism inherent in innocence can be seen in the excellent sense of direction of migrating birds. Lack of respect for this innocence and purity (in the form of consumption of drugs or extreme sexual behaviours, for instance) is at the origin of genetic troubles in general and diseases such as AIDS, Parkinsons Disease, Multiple Sclerosis.

The aortic plexus

The second plexus, corresponding to the Swadisthan Chakra, located at the level of the pelvis, is the base of intuitive knowledge on the left side and creativity on the right side. It is symbolised in mythology by God the creator, which corresponds to the role of the liver, in the distribution and transformation of energy to the various organs. This centre is disturbed by excess planning or mental or physical overactivity.

The celiac plexus

The third plexus is one of the well known Chakra : the Solar Plexus or Manipura or Nabhi Chakra, innervates the intestines, the liver, and the stomach. It is sensitive to satisfaction in all areas: food, comfort, money… This satisfaction can be established by self-mastery, the teaching of which was handed down by different prophets (Mohammed, Christ, Buddha,) to encourage right conduct. Obtaining material satisfaction is necessary before attaining satisfaction on a more subtle level as sociologists such as Jung and Maslow have described, towards an awareness of the Self. This chakra is disturbed by dissatisfaction (the basis of consumerist capitalist culture) and by the acceptance of false teachings.

The cardiac plexus

The fourth plexus, of the heart (Anahatha Chakra), is sensitive to affective relationships with our mother (or the image we have of her) on the left side, and with our father on the right side. The central part along with the thymus assures the principal of security and self-confidence (and is responsible for the production of antibodies in childhood). Too much attachment to, or neglect of, those close to us can disturb this centre, thus a certain stability with regards to family life is important in maintaining the balance of the heart chakra.

The cervical plexus
The fifth plexus, of the throat (Vishuddhi Chakra), concerns our social relations, our position (extremes of which are one who dominates or is dominated), the principle of self-esteem and dignity, the way we communicate with others, the ability to witness events with a certain amount of detachment.

The Optic Chiasma
The sixth energy centre (Agnya Chakra) is situated at the optic chiasma and calls upon a more subtle quality of detachment, that of forgiveness of oneself and others. In fact, whether one forgives or doesn’t forgive, nothing in the situation changes, but not forgiving makes only oneself feel bad, so why not avoid this suffering? The proper functioning of the ego and superego depend on this centre. Lack of respect for the principles of forgiveness and detachment can result in psychic and behavioural problems.

The limbic area
The limbic area (Sahasrara Chakra) is located at the top of the head, close to the pituitary and pineal glands (which themselves depend on the sixth energy centre). It is the most subtle of the seven centres, and is concerned with spirituality in the large sense, i.e. awareness that not everything that exists is governed by material phenomena. One main quality of this centre is an integration of understanding the place of the human being in the microcosm and macrocosm. This state of understanding is reached when one realises the Self and the individual ego begins to indentify with the universal ego. (In fact, what significance does the notion of me have when we consider that each and every atom of which we are composed is a transitory phenomenon, a mobile form of energy). Very few people have reached that stage of evolution of consciousness whereby life is perceived as a play of relations and interactions of energy fields, at an individual as well as cosmic level.

Ida Nadi
Ida Nadi corresponds to the left sympathetic nervous system, which begins at the pelvis plexus and climbs the left side of the spinal cord, crossing the optic chiasma and arriving at the right hemisphere of the brain. The quality associated with the left sympathetic channel is that it supports our emotions, our intuitions, the feminine aspect of our personality, the yin or lunar aspect: its nature is cold and humid, and it governs everything related to water in our organism. It corresponds to conditionings, that is everything accumulated by past experience (the superego). It also provides support for the destructive forces of the organism: it controls the mechanisms of preservation and defence destruction of aggressive agents but also destruction of the self in the form of ageing.

Pingala Nadi
Pingala Nadi corresponds to the right sympathetic nervous system and begins at the aortic plexus, climbs the right side of the spinal cord, terminating in the left hemisphere of the brain. Its domain of influence includes everything to do with action, dynamism, creativity, the masculine aspect of our personality, the yang or solar aspect. It is the basis of the awareness of I. It looks after future plans, construction, and expansion. It is symbolized by the dynamic young executive of the modern world. If overdeveloped, it obscures all other aspects of one’s personality. It is characterized by all that is hot and dry, in contrast to the cold and humid left side.

Sushumna Nadi
Sushumna Nadi corresponds to the parasympathetic nervous system and is located in the centre. It starts at the sacrum, and with the exception of a short interruption, ascends to the limbic area at the top of the head. The parasympathetic system constantly works to maintain a balance between the left and right sympathetics, but is frequently sabotaged by our behaviour which tends towards the extremes of action or emotion, left or right. It is responsible for re-establishing homeostasis (functional balance in the organism).
The transmission of messages and information is carried out in part by an electro magnetic component (located at the level of nerve fibres), relayed by the hormonal system – the signal is transported by chemical agents, either between the synapses of the nerve fibres or in the tissues, reaching as far as the cell receptors. It is here that the regulation of trace elements and physiologic balance initiated by the nerve plexuses and hypothalamus intervenes. In terms of conscious development, it corresponds to the Self as described by Jung, it is the basis of the evolution of species.

Parasympathetic, the central path, the Tao
Eastern spiritual traditions explain that a certain energy resides in the sacrum bone (it is said to be a fraction of the primordial cosmic energy), capable of developing under certain conditions, and of vibrating the other plexuses with the help of the parasympathetic nervous system. This suggests that each plexus has a way of acting which is not solely chemical and electromagnetic, but which encompasses another component of the energy field : much more subtle and for lack of a better word labelled vibrations.
In anatomical terms, the parasympathetic nervous system has a peculiarity: there is a gap in the line of nerve bundles going from the brain to the base of the spinal column, at the level of the stomach (thoracic and lumbar columns). Because of this, the tenth cranial nerve which carries the most parasympathetic fibres was called the vagus nerve. The physiological consequence is that the brain is unaware of what lies below the solar plexus (for lack of liaison) and thus the energy residing in the sacrum bone remains in the unconscious.
Yogis claim that this energy has been waiting since the dawn of evolution for the consciousness of humans to be sufficient to conceive of an integration with the universe, before starting to function. This phenomenon can be compared to the sexual functions, which only activate when a certain level of maturity is reached in the human body.
The awakening of this energy manifests in an experience called self-realisation described in many traditions but also by modern authors including Jung, Einstein, Maslow, Gandhi, Marcelle Senard, Kahlil Gibran.

Self- Realisation
The awakening of the spiritual energy in the sacrum manifests as a vibration capable of creating an energy bridge between the two extremes of the parasympathetic channel, joining the vagus nerve to the hypogastric plexus, thus making possible a conscious connection with the sacred aspect of the parasympathetic system. The vibrations generated at the sacrum level can be compared to a radio broadcast, reacting on the hypogastric plexus, then the aortic, then the solar plexus, cardiac, cervical, and up to the top of the head. As with electro magnetic waves, these vibrations radiate in the environment like a transmitter which sends its energy by antennae, amplified in the case of larger wire receivers. Thus each plexus becomes like a transmitter in tune with and interacting with the vibrations of the universe and those of other humans or objects in the immediate environment. When this energy traverses the top of the head, a connection (called yoga) is established with the primordial cosmic energy and the person experiencing this feels a cool breeze (spiritus in latin) coming out of the top of the head and on the palms of the hands, a phenomen illustrated and described in numerous cultures (as in the Pentecost at the time of Christ). In this state, intuitive or supra normal information which Russian researchers attributed to torsion fields (capable of transmitting information without energy at a speed superior to light), can reach the conscious mind sensitized by this evolutionary experience. Effects of this awakening include a regeneration of damaged plexuses, and a reestablishment of the balance between the two sympathetic channels. Another effect is the possibility to physically feel the state of one’s plexuses or of those on whom one places one’s attention. This awareness allows one to adjust one’s behaviour according to the qualities of plexuses, thus achieving a balance (Tao) necessary for optimal well-being.
In concrete terms, the practice of yoga , or meditation represents a state of awareness without thoughts, characterized by a calming and harmonizing of all bodily functions, thus improving or even curing a large number of psychosomatic ailments.

Perhaps you are wondering how this phenomenon occurs?
How can you initiate the awakening of this energy capable of repairing damaged energy circuits?
How can you feel your chakras, judge their state and correct them?
How can you feel a real inner peace which is unperturbed by stress?

In a word, how to feel good ?

It’s simple!
In the olden times, one had to meditate for years and sacrifice one’s worldly life in order to achieve a state of inner peace and balance. We could become ascetics in the forest, but there is a much easier way in these modern times. One simply needs to ask someone who already has this energy awakened, like a candle which has been lit, enlightens another candle. In this way the connection with the collective unconscious is established. You may not immediately reach a state of total enlightenment, but the light in your spirit will have been awakened. Through meditation this awareness of your subtle system increases, as well as the state of thoughtless awareness. Like a messy room in the dark, once you turn on the light it is easier to clean up the room.
So if you want to awaken your energy and experience for yourself all of the above, come and find out about Sahaja Yoga and we will show you how you can achieve a real state of well being.
We do not charge any money, as how can you pay for something which is already inside you?

Internet site : www.sahajayoga.org

The Innocence of Wisdom that children can teach us...

2006-01-07T23:56:00.000-06:00

Once there was a scientist who lived worried about the problems in the world, and was decided to find the ways in which these could be less. He would spend days and days in his lab searching for answers with no results. Then one day, his seven year old son invaded his sanctuary, set upon helping him in his task. The scientist, nervous about his son' s interruption, asked him to go play outside. Seeing that it was impossible to get him out, the father thought of something to give his child to distract his attention. Suddenly he found a magazine in which there was a map of the world! With scissors, he cut in several pieces the map, grabbed some duck tape and gave all that to his son and said: "Since I know how much you like jigsaw puzzles, I am going to give you the world all cut into pieces so that you repair it all by yourself". The scientist thought that it would take the child at least 10 days to repair the map, but it didn't happen that way......Just after a few hours, he heard his child's voice calling him in a
serene way. "Dad Dad, I finished repairing the whole map." At first the father didn't believe his son. He thought that it was impossible that at his young age, he could repair it without ever seeing it before. Sceptical, looking away from his scientific writings, he directed his sight towards the map that his son had repaired. He was certain to find a job made byjust a kid. Surprisingly, he noticed that the map was very well put together, with all the pieces placed in the correct place. How was that possible? . How was the child capable of doing such a good work? The father with much amazement asked his son: "My child, you didn't know how the world was , how did you do it? And the child answered:

"Dad I didn't know how the world was...but when you took out the map from the magazine to cut it into pieces, I noticed that in the other side, there was the shape of a man. So I turned each little piece and started to repair the man. When I was able to repair the man, I turned it to the other side and saw that I had repaired the world."

Self-realization during the interview

2006-01-02T21:03:00.000-06:00

[A report published in a magazine called Ziereus, May 1983. The writer, who met
Shri Mataji before she visited the U.S.A., received his self-realization during
the interview.]

The aim was to talk to Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi about her forthcoming North American tour. What happened was something that is only now, a week later, starting to make sense. I telephoned the number Shri Mataji's followers in New York had given me, and found myself, an hour later, knocking on the carved door of a five storied terraced house in London's classy Knightsbridge district. The door was opened by a young Indian who ushered me into a reception room as ornate and rich as a jewel box. Furniture covered with rose silk, tables inlaid with ivory, carved and gilded wooden screens, pale pink crystal chandeliers. I heard Shri Mataji before I saw her. "How are you? How is America?"

Then the lady appeared. Short, plump, with long dark hair falling free and a smile that chips away all defences. Tea was ordered and I was asked to sit down. Before I could get the first question into gear Shri Mataji asked, "Do you know what the chakras are?" I mumbled something about subtle energy centres along the spine.

"That's right," she said, and tapped the base of her neck with her index finger. "This one is called the Vishuddhi. In the universe the Vishuddhi is North America. Australia is the lowest chakra, the Mooladhara. India is the Kundalini, which can link all the chakras together." She traced a line from the base of the spine to the top of her head, "But America is the Vishuddhi, isn't it? Such an important chakra." Shri Mataji then touched the red spot on her forehead. "This chakra," she said, "is the Agnya. It is presided over by Lord Jesus Christ, isn't it? The Agnya is forgiveness. It shows that the spirit cannot be destroyed, just as Christ could not be destroyed, but rose again, didn't he?" Shri Mataji quietly contemplated the risen Christ for a moment, then jabbed her fingers towards the base of her neck again. "The Vishuddhi, its presiding deity, you could say, is Lord Krishna. The Vishuddhi stands for diplomacy, sweetness, self-esteem, communication and collectivity - like your Abraham Lincoln. He stood for collectivity. Abraham Lincoln was a saint - Did you know that?- a realized soul. You have had many great men. Roosevelt now - he said, 'Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere'. So clear. America is so great. It is protected by Lord Krishna's discus."

Shri Mataji held up the index finger of her right hand and twirled it and I swear I could see a bright glittering disc whirling round. "As long as that discus is there," she said, "America can never be invaded."

"Could that protection ever be withdrawn?" I asked. Shri Mataji shrugged expressively, and raised her eyebrows high. "Perhaps," she said. "If the land of diplomacy stopped being diplomatic, the land of communications communicated bad things, the land of sweetness turned bitter,then yes. Perhaps Lord Krishna might withdraw the protection." Suddenly she laughed. "On my tour I shall tell everybody how to stop that from happening." I asked Shri Mataji if she was visiting North America just to sound such a warning. "There are seekers of money, seekers after power, seekers of physical gratification," she replied, "and then there are people who have done all those things and are now seeking the truth, seeking their spirit, seeking God. There
are many, many seekers of truth in America. Great, great seekers. Oh so great. I want to meet them. Show them how they can get what they have been looking for, probably since ages, lifetimes even, their self-realization."

"What is that exactly?" I hadn't yet asked one question from my carefully prepared list.Tea arrived. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, the spellbinding visionary, turned into Mrs. C.P. Srivastava, the attentive hostess. Did I have the right amount of sugar and milk? Would I have a biscuit? (Which turned out to be a cookie.)"Self-realization," said Shri Mataji, "is the yoga, the union. The joining of the microcosm to the macrocosm, you could say. The raising of the energy in each of us called Kundalini. There is no English word for it. You should invent one. There is a good job for
you. Invent a good English word for Kundalini. The linking of that energy with the all-pervading energy of God, that is what self-realization is."

"What exactly does it do?" I felt a fool at the naivety of the question. "It brings about a change in awareness. You feel it as a cool breeze, cool vibrations, you could say, on the top of the head and on the hands. It is an actual happening! Not self-certification. Not saying 'I am born again!' or 'I am this or that!' You actually become! If you desire self-realization and you get it, then you become collectively conscious, truly sweet and truly diplomatic. A true blue American, you could say." And the joyous laughter flowed into every corner of the room. I asked Shri Mataji if she was the only one who could grant this self-realization. "Oh no," came the reply, "once you have it you can pass it on to others." "But it all seems to start from you," I said. "Why you?"

Shri Mataji's face became serious. "As far as I know," she said, "I am the only
one who can do it en-masse. Once, in India, 6000 villagers got it at the same time. But if there is someone else who can do it, then I am only too happy to retire. I am sixty years old." (At times she looks half that.) "I am happily married. I have a beautiful house as you can see. It would be good to settle down and stop all this travelling around all the time. But until I find someone else who can do it, then it is up to me, isn't it? To meet the seekers and let them know how to gain this gift that is their own, their right, this Union with God."

"Could I receive this gift?" I asked. Shri Mataji's eyes danced, "Put your hand above your head," she said. I did as I was told. There was a faint, oh so faint coolness on my hand. I looked round to see if there could be a draught coming from anywhere, but there was no air conditioning and the windows were closed.
"You feel it?" I nodded, tentatively. "That is the beginning. Perhaps while you were drinking your tea you said to yourself, 'I'd like that experience,' and," Shri Mataji snapped her fingers, "you got it. It can only happen if you desire it. Give me your hand."

She took my hand and started tracing a cross over the palm. "You think too much," she said. "Your mind is busy, busy, busy, thinking away." From that moment on it wasn't. It was hardly thinking at all. "Too much thinking can give people diabetes. It is not sugar that causes diabetes, it's thinking. We can cure diabetes. After realization. And this new thing AIDS, after realization we can cure that too. With realization you become your own guru. You can diagnose your own problems and those of others, and you can cure them. Anybody with their realization and the desire to develop their spirit, can cure and be cured."
At this point a wave of most pleasant well-being swept over me. It wasn't a trance or a hypnotic state (I've experienced those) - it was a feeling of deep peace.

I regretted my next question. It caused the smile to fade from Shri Mataji's face. "How much are you going to charge Americans for this experience?" "It is part of evolution," she replied. "It is a gift of love from God, who is the ocean of love, the ocean of compassion. How can you pay for that? God does not understand money. How can you pay for your evolution? Did you pay to stand up on two legs? Anyway, why would I want money? I come from a wealthy family. My husband is Secretary General of the United Nations International Maritime Organization here in London. I do not need money. I do not accept money." Shri Mataji let go of my hand and smiled. "Better now?" she asked. I nodded. "That is because your brain is not so active. You are more balanced, more centered, more relaxed. Have some more tea?" I put my hand above my head again. The coolness was still there. Perhaps even stronger. "There are so many great seekers in North America," she said. "I want to meet them." Now, almost a week later, when I sit down quietly, that sense of peace and relaxed happiness returns. I am hoping it won't go away!

Why We Need to Get Connected to God

2005-12-16T13:18:00.004-06:00

The word religion is derived from the Latin word religare that means, "to connect"; the word yoga is derived from the word yuj that also means the same. So spirituality is all about getting connected to God.

Yoga is now a universally sought-out medium and spirituality as a subject has become part of the curriculum of leading B-schools in the US. What is the reason for the resurgence of spirituality?

There are three interpretations: One school cites that in the modern era an organisation needs to innovate continuously to survive for which every individual stakeholder in the organisation needs to leverage his creative energy by connecting to God's own creative energy. The other school feels that the sudden eruption of numerous corporate scandals worldwide is due to the lack of an appropriate value system. Hence the need to incorporate spirituality in the business curriculum apart from outlining the need for an evolution in the field of corporate governance. The third school says that yoga explains the connect of mind to body and this helps tackle today's serious problems of stress at the workplace, home or even school.

How necessary is it for us to "know" God? Do we establish a direct connection or should we leave it to the operational expertise of middlemen like pundits and priests? There's this story of a sadhu who goes to the Himalayas and brags that he, a mere mortal, knows its strengths and glory while it (the mountain range) is still ignorant. The mighty mountain replies that it is content just "being" the Himalayas rather than "knowing" about the Himalayas. Obviously one would prefer to get connected than obtain mere knowledge. But how does one know that one is connected? And why get connected at all?

Modern conceptions about the mind and consciousness do not go beyond the ability to perceive through the senses as the result of bio-chemical processes of the brain. But Indian scriptures mention that Kundalini is the super intelligent energy behind consciousness and therefore is the evolutionary mechanism that determines the capacity of the brain. The key to achieving higher levels of awareness or the way to get connected to God lies in tapping this latent energy in an individual. By rousing their Kundalini energy, kings of yore made available to themselves a far more potent source of power vis-a-vis their adversaries and in order to enable them to deal better with day-to-day administrative affairs and to look after the welfare of subjects. The founder of Sahaja Yoga, Mataji Nirmala Devi, sums up the approach succinctly: "Just as an egg gets transformed into a bird or a seed into a plant, Sahaja Yoga helps transformation of a person to a higher awareness level. This is accomplished when a dormant force within a person (called Kundalini) which resides in the sacrum bone is awakened and drawn through various energy centres, which describe awareness levels in the subtle body. It can be accomplished in a practical and simple manner — a Sahaja yogi would facilitate this — and the resulting state is both verifiable (in the central nervous system) and consistent..."

Such an evolution can facilitate one to feel the chakras in his nervous system and go about correcting imbalances and curing diseases. This will enhance balance in the central nervous system leading to stress relief and mental relaxation. It will also improve concentration and communication skills and will help one in developing the technique of managing by detached involvement. Obviously there is merit in getting connected to God even for managing one's day-to-day activities

Health Benefits Article from Times of India Archives

2005-12-03T11:29:00.000-06:00

Sahaja Yoga: Health Benefits of Sahaja Yoga
By Times of India (New Bombay Plus)

Sahaja Yoga hospital featured in The Times of India (New Bombay Plus)

Many foreigners taking to Sahaj yoga

BELAPUR : An increasing number of foreigners are getting attracted to the International Sahaj Yoga centre at CBC Belapur. At present, members from twenty-eight countries have joined this centre. What's impressive is that within three years of starting its operations. The Centre has, besides Indians, more than 170 people from United States, UK, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, New Zealand and Australia. They were admitted in the research and health section.

Founded and started by Shree Mataji Nirmala Devi three years ago, today this centre has more international visitors than Indians. Situated in sylvan green environs, the International Centre for Sahaj Yoga Research and Health Centre is an unique centre of its kind in the world, where treatment is done by vibratory awareness, developed by Sahaj yoga meditation.

In February 1996, Shree Mataji Nirmala Devi, a renowned spiritual scientist of the world, founded and threw open this sprawling centre. Dr. U C Rai, former head physiology department Jawaharlal Institute of Post graduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, and professor in various medical colleges of Delhi, heads the Centre at Belapur, as its director. Recently, he was conferred with the Vladimir Verniczky Honoured doctor award in Moscow, for his research on Sahaj yoga at the centre.

The highlight of this centre is the free treatment provided. Speaking to New Bombay Plus, Dr. Rai said, "Through Sahaja Yoga, the results in the medical field have been fantastic, especially in areas where doctors' efforts had been futile."

Narrating about a rare recovery of a patient, S S Agarwal from Delhi he said, "His was a case of chronic renal failure, for which doctors had ruled out all treatment, except ongoing dialysis. By applying Sahaj yoga, we aroused his Kundalini energy (which is a dormant energy at the base of the spine) and directed it towards the kidney to clear his blocked chakras." Today, Agarwal's medical reports indicate near normalcy.

Etienne Loyson, a 62 year old architect from Belgium, is just spell-bound, "Earlier I had high blood pressure. Doctors abroad had suggested taking several tablets ongoingly as the only treatment method. But today, with Sahaj yoga treatment and the blessing of Shree Mataji Nirmala Devi, I am full of energy. I have stopped all medicines and I feel I am just 30 years old."

Katherine Reid from England (who suffered from irritable bowels syndrome) is a happy woman today, in contrast to her life previously when she had to take several medicines prior to her arrival in Navi Mumbai. "I feel much better having stopped my medication completely. My health has improved by about eighty per cent." Anna Kargaity, a Canadian who suffered from depressive psychosis is full of smiles today. "I now have a positive outlook towards life, being able to develop my own personality and express my feelings", she says. Similar benefits were highlighted by Belinda from Australia, Kumar from Canada, Bryan from USA and others.

On being asked as to why so many foreigners are coming to India, when advanced medicines are available with doctors of modern medicine all over the world, Dr. Rai added, "The doctors abroad don't have a treatment for the psyche of human being, except giving tranquillizers, sedatives and anti-depressant drugs. These are not only harmful, but also habit-forming. In view of this, Sahaj yoga, which can control the psyche of human being by meditation, has become very popular to the treatment and prevention of psychosomatic diseases like bronchial asthma, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, infertility, multiple scierosis and spondylitis, to name a few. It is all due to the blessings of Shree Mataji Nirmala Devi, who founded Sahaj Yoga centre, and has enlightened thousands of people all over the world."

We do charge them for their stay and for the food provided by us, he adds, but not for the treatment. "Anyone can heal themselves using Sahaja Yoga as this energy is present within every individual. Why should we charge anyone?" comments doctor Rai.

With over fifty foreigners having already taken treatment from the centre, between January 1 - February 14, 1999, a record number of international visitors are likely to arrive during the coming year.

Sahaja Yoga for children

2005-11-23T23:14:00.000-06:00

From: "Bernard Cuvellier"
Date: Tue May 6, 2003 2:02 pm
Subject: Sahaja Yoga for children

Dear all,

Last three month we had yoga for children, here in Nieuwegein (Holland) and you would like the enjoy the outcome of that. So here i send you a short resume and a short story.

Eighteen children got there realisation.

Six parents got their realisation. And next to that: twelve adults.

Seven Sahaja yogi children learned how to share and give Sahaja Yoga with other children.

Two children, whose mother is very recently in SY, learned very much and grew very fast. At the end of the 3 month the father also got his realisation. They liked it so much, that they never wanted to leave after the course was over. They had very good questions and started to meditate every day for themselves. And they want to have a deity room for bedroom. Especially the eldest girl. whose name is Shanti (peace) and eleven years old, is doing very fine and developing her innate qualities.

Saroja (9) was always very cool and enjoying very much. Her mother will now start with a SY course.

Melissa (7) would do her very best and sit still with her eyes closed. She writes the numbers of all the chakras on her hands before she goes to sleep.

Joyce (10) and Anouk (8) brought many friends to SY and grew in SY. They enjoyed coming and helping.

Matika (9) learned about her left side, about forgiveness and is working very hard to work out her parents.

Dominique (8) had a very good time and opened up to others. Seeing ego. She tried to explain to her mother and now she has got her realisation and will come to learn more about SY.

Liza (11) was very interested and can meditate for a longer while. She is not troubled about what others think of her.

Rohid (7) and Shiva (6) joined in the last month and liked to learn about the deities and singing. Their mother will also come to learn more of SY.

Janaki (8) and Vira (7) learned to be an example for SY and to help our Holy Mother in her Divine Work. And to take footsoak after.

Next to these children lots of friends came for one time.

But the nicest story is maybe from two little boys who did not want to come. But Kundalini works miracles. The oldest boy has ADHD, a nasty disease. In the beginning he was rude and not willing. After three month he has changed, he can look at you. He laughs. He can play nicely with his brother and other children.

Their mother told me that they would not do anything together. But the children yoga. This they would do also at home. And singing the GANESHA song. After 4 weeks the mother learned how to work on her children and would do so every night. Some weeks after that they are now sharing one bedroom. And even sleep together in one bed. They get along so well. One day they walk to school , hand in hand, one says to the other: Do you remember, we used to fight al the time? (like that was such a long time ago)

But they are not coming back. ''But Mummy you are doing the yoga to me every night. So i don't have to come!''

It is now up to the mother who has grown deeper and deeper.

Because this is happening in the local community centre the news spreads around and lots of people know about it. Recently i have been approached in the swimming pool by a mother whose child will now come for the next course.

Many yogis are also thinking of giving realisation in schools and so on.

Have much fun. enjoy and lots of love, its so easy with children.

Jai Shri Mataji

Birgitte

Socrates Triple Filter Test

2005-11-23T21:15:00.000-06:00

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said,

"Socrates, do you know what I just heard about your best friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. The first filter is Truth. Have you
made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend
something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

This is why Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.

More than 600 minutes of Sahajayoga Archived Radio Programs.

2005-11-15T11:24:00.000-06:00

Archived Sydney Radio Broadcasts
Streaming audio of selected Sydney weekly radio broadcasts. Each radio broadcast provides a background to Sahaja Yoga plus the experience of a guided meditation. There is also an opportunity to hear a talk by Shri Mataji, founder of Sahaja Yoga.

Streaming works best with Windows Internet Explorer & Media Player. Streaming may take up to 30 seconds to start, so please be patient! (If you need more information about Media Player, click here).

Date of broadcast
Program Theme
Duration To listen...

2004, July 4 The 10 Guru principles & Meditation 55 mins click here
2004, Jan 28 Meditation & selected music 60 mins click here
2004, Jan 14 Meditation & selected music 60 mins click here
2004, Jan 7 Meditation & selected music 60 mins click here
2003, Mar 16 Meditation & selected music 60 mins click here
2002, May 5 Meditation & selected music 120 mins click here
2001, Dec 7 Meditation & selected music 60 mins click here
2001, Sept 7 Meditation & selected music 60 mins click here
2001, June 3 Meditation & selected music 60 mins click here
1996, Nov 23 Meditation & selected music 60 mins click here

Live streaming broadcasts can be heard every Sunday 9.00am to 10.00am (Sydney time)
To listen during the above times, click here
To view Sydney's local time, click here

This document can also be view under the URL:
http://www.sahajayoga.com.au/media/radio/

For more details on Sahajayoga Please visit www.sahajayoga.org for click here

Rooted in the World, You Can Let Your Consciousness Soar

2005-11-13T14:36:00.000-06:00

Rooted in the World, You Can Let Your Consciousness Soar
PUNAM VARSHNEY

Each form of Yoga has its own philosophy. Bhaktiyoga is based on devotion, karmyoga on work, gyanyoga on knowledge and hathyoga on physical exercise. While the techniques adopted may be different, every form of yoga has the same goal: To get closer to the Divine.
In Sahajyoga, Kundalini, which is the divine energy present in every living form, is awakened and connection is established with the divine power, the Param Chaitanya. As you get connected, energy starts flowing within your body, cleansing the system. It is recommended that you meditate for five to 10 minutes, morning and evening. Once a week, practise collective meditation with other Sahajyogis to experience the real benefits of dhyana.
For those who undertake meditation, life changes completely in the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual spheres. Physically, you become a healthier person. Your face starts glowing and your skin becomes softer. As you start looking younger and feel more energetic, you come to rely less on artificial aids to wellness.
Emotionally, you become stronger, fearless and confident. Your conduct improves and your attention shifts from narrow issues to larger ones. The inherent negativities of hatred, greed and jealousy get reduced to a large extent.
With regular practice of Sahajyoga your extra-sensitive perception increases and often you can experience divine guidance and protection in times of crisis. You begin to experience a positive transformation.
Before embarking on the spiritual path, it is necessary to understand the many myths and misconceptions:
Myth 1: You renounce the world leaving worldly responsibilities unfulfilled.
Fact: You live in the same world, but learn to handle your responsibilities in a more effective manner.
Myth 2: Your married life is over.
Fact: You lead a perfectly normal married life. This is symbolised in Hindu gods leading normal married lives.
Myth 3: You must give up all worldly pleasures and lead a simple life.
Fact: Simplicity comes from within and is not to be broadcast. You are free to enjoy all pleasures of life earned through fair means.
Myth 4: You must be a serious person.
Fact: Happiness is the key to life and laughter is its expression. One need not change the basic nature or feel apologetic about it.
Myth 5: You can be successful only if you have the zeal to fight.
Fact: Research shows that a person's potential is best realised when his intelligence, emotional and spiritual quotients are fully developed. Best managerial practices are based upon trust and altruism rather than on unethical practices.
Myth 6: Spirituality is not for me.
Fact: Everyone is part of the universe. Don't separate yourself from nature. Taking help from cosmic energy is as
natural as breathing.
Myth 7: I do not have the time.
Fact: Sahajyoga requires only 20 minutes of your time everyday. With meditation you become extremely energetic and can do with one or two hours less sleep. Ultimately you are a gainer.
Myth 8: It is unfashionable.
Fact: If Richard Gere, Lara Bush, Matthew Malley and Madonna meditate regularly, it can't be all that unfashionable.

Health Benefits of Sahaja Yoga

2005-11-11T23:30:00.000-06:00

Health Benefits of Sahaja Yoga

Article from The Indian Express: "Easy Healer"
Sudipta Basu in conversation with Dr. Umesh C. Rai (left), MBBS, MD, FIMSA, Director of the International Sahaja Yoga Research and Health Center, Mumbai

Doctors in Madrid had given up on her condition of Polyarteritis Nodosa. And Emilia Moreno lived in a state of semi-paralysis for 20 years - she could barely walk or use her hands. And yet, after spending a couple of months at a health centre in Navi Mumbai, she wrote in her farewell note stating : "I was not able to balance and my eyesight was poor. Today I can walk and write and paint ... ."

And there are others like her. There is 48-year-old Shirley Ellerbee from New York who has been here for the past two months and thinks she has been cured of her condition of breathlessness. "The doctors in New York suggested operation for my weak heart. But I am rather cynical about modern medecine and chose to come here for cure.I used to be breathless even while living in suburban New York. But after about a couple of months here I actually feel much better," says she.
It isn't as if these people have been treated with a magic potion, but thanks to Sahaj, their physical ailments have been taken care of, as it were. Sahaj Yoga is practiced in 65 countries all over the world. The International Sahaj Yoga Research and Health centre at Navi Mumbai is also guiding and coordinating research activities of Sahaj Yoga research centers in London, Paris, Vienna, Moscow, Kiev, Toronto and Sydney.

Sahaj Yoga as rediscovered by Mataji Nirmala Devi aims at achieving holistic health care for people. The science focuses on awakening the dormant primordial energy (the Kundalini), whereby a flow of subtle cool cosmic vibrations in the body is achieved which nourishes and rejuvenates each and every cell of the body. Says Dr Umesh Rai, director of International Sahaj Yoga Research and Health Centre, "As a result of meditation, which is the basic aim of Sahaj, the body manufactures certain fluids which have curative powers, which help in overcoming the most severest of ailments."

Another case in point is that of Nilima and Sunil Mane. The couple were seeped in the agony of childlessness even 14 years after their marriage. Thereafter, they sought solace in this holistic science. Says Nilima, now the mother of a 10-year-old : "It is our firm belief that it was only after a course in Sahaj that it was possible for us to have a child."

Dr Rai has researched at the Lady Hardinge Medical College and Associated Hospitals, New Delhi, on the role of Sahaj Yoga in the treatment of psychosomatic diseases.

He maintains that while with the advancement of the medical sciences, infectious diseases have been wiped out and heart and kidney transplants are quite successful, scientists have yet to find an answer for the treatment of psychosomatic diseases which are on the increase in the developed as well as the developing countries. Some such diseases are hypertension, migraine, bronchial asthma, epilepsy and others.

"The doctor of today practicing modern allopathic medecine has entered a stage of superspeciality whereby they appoint separate parts of the body to be treated by a specialist. Due to this approach doctors are not able to view disease as a disturbance to the whole organism. They treat a particular part of the body without taking into consideration the psychological and social aspects of the patients illness", says Rai. " One could be physically fit, but emotional problems or social isolation could make a person very sick."

He advises recourse to the ancient Indian sciptures like the Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, that mentioned yoga as the most essential technique to keep the body and mind healthy. This is true even today but there is a need for integration that is not merely inner but covers external life as well. "For yoga to be more relevant today, it needs to touch both the physical and mental aspects of health, which is encapsulated in the Sahaj Yoga. This science borders on all that which one is born with," says he.

It is based on our subtle nervous system. The dormant primordial energy is present in every individual in three and a half coils in the triangular bone called "sacrum"- The Kundalini, at the base of the spine. When this gets activated on doing Sahaj Yoga, it ascends and activates one's six subtle chakaras and piercing through Brahmarandhra, it unites with the all pervading cosmic energy."And with this actualisation in the limbic area of the brain, subtle cool vibrations start flowing from both palms and the top of the head. In this vibratory awareness, while one can feel what chakaras are blocked, on the other side one can work out the correction of these chakaras to cure different diseases.

To verify some of the claims of Sahaj Yoga, a systematic research study was organised in the physiology and medecine department of Lady Hardinge Medical College and Associated Hospitals in New Delhi.

The research projects studied were psychological effects of Kundalini awakening by Sahaj Yoga and the effect of Sahaj practise on psychosomatic diseases like hypertension and bronchial asthma.

Says Ellerbee, the most important aspect of this science is to achieve a state of thoughtlessness. "Which is the most difficult of things to achieve. But once you get your mind free, you gradually begin to feel a calm stillness within," says she.

But couldn't the cure here for ailments like hypertension etc. be attributed to the fact that getting here in the health centre itself is a get-away of sorts for the patients ?

"Getting away from regular duties help concentrate on Sahaj but it is imperative that one should continue to keep at it. The cure though is lasting," says she.

An alternative to the traditional medical sciences ? Now that's a tough one, isn't it ?

The Therapeutic Effects of Meditation

2005-11-10T15:30:00.000-06:00

Dr Ramesh Manocha, a clinical research fellow at the Sydney Royal Hospital for Women's Natural Therapies Unit, says: "One of the problems with meditation research is that the definitions are very imprecise, and that has led to very mixed and mediocre results under scientific conditions." Manocha headed a research team that conducted a randomised controlled trial on using Sahaja yoga meditation in the management of moderate to severe asthma. The results were published in the world's leading asthma journal, Thorax."We selected a very specific definition that is a very traditional definition of meditation - Sahaja Yoga." Sahaja Yoga meditation was founded by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi in India in 1970. It is, says Avinash Nichkawde, Sahaja Yoga's national co-ordinator, based on an understanding of "a subtle energy system that exists within each one of us ... that governs all aspects of our life - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual," he says. "With the techniques of Sahaja Yoga you can understand how it works. It's practical in nature, very results orientated, very genuine, very scientific."Nichkawde provided Manocha with meditation tutors free of charge for the study. Manocha is at considerable pains to point out that he is indebted to Nichkawde for being able to use the technique, and for his expert guidance during his research. "My name gets out there in connection with this technique," says Manocha, "and people think that I developed it."
The trial compared two groups of people with moderate to severe asthma over 16 weeks. The first group was taught a standard form of stress management, says Manocha, while the second group was taught Sahaja Yoga meditation techniques.
Each group practised twice a day for 10 minutes during the trial period.
"What we found was that the meditators improved more psychologically, and they showed significant improvements in physical dimensions of the disease process as well," he says. The same improvement wasn't seen in the people doing the stress management. What this means, says Manocha "is that this mental silence approach to meditation isn't just making people feel better, they are also doing something that is reducing the severity of the disease process." All subjects were tested for airway hyper-responsiveness ("considered the best and most objective measure currently available to assess disease severity in the asthmatic lung") over the 16 weeks. Manocha says the results of the study were remarkable, because often meditation trials compare "meditation to nothing", while this study compares meditation with stress management. Trials that measure the effectiveness of meditation alone, he says, will show "that meditation does something", but that often "more conventional approaches to reducing stress come out looking equally effective". "What that really means is that the scientific evidence [until now] doesn't support the idea that meditation is anything better than a placebo effect," he says. "The main aim of our research at the Royal Hospital for Women is to what effect there is above and beyond the placebo effect and simple relaxation and rest.
"With this technique called Sahaja Yoga," he says, "we have actually found that there is an effect, and it is quite substantial in the areas that we looked at. It's better than any research that's been done in the world."
It's a big call. And as well as being published in Thorax magazine, Manocha's trial is also mentioned in an editorial, The Therapeutic Effects of Meditation, in the British Medical Journal in May.
The editorial agrees that Sahaja meditation "improved some outcomes in patients with poorly controlled asthma", although it maintains that "differences were not maintained at two months". But it goes on to conclude that "current evidence for the therapeutic effectiveness of any type of meditation is weak". Manocha says he is happy that the editorial has appeared and is writing a paper in response.
"We can follow through and say, 'OK, you guys are complaining about the standards of meditation research,here's a paper that satisfies more, if not all, of your requirements. We are totally committed to addressing all those scientific issues."

Amazing Personal Experience about Belapur(Vashi)Sahaj Hospital

2005-11-08T15:26:00.000-06:00

My Experience in Vashi

By Angela Reininger, March/April 2005

One year ago I was given a new chance of living. I would like to clarify something concerning my physical state at the time, not to dramatize anything but only to make clear the fullness of the blessing I received. When I entered the hospital January of 2004 I was told I had only 1/3 of my blood left. The type of leukemia I had was not the most serious but due to the neglect of treatment I could have died. Frankly I feel something did die within me and indeed I was reborn at the Hanusch Hospital in Vienna. I focused my meditations on Shri Ganesha for no other reason but that my spirit yearned for him. Out of countless meditations on Shri Ganesha I had three that were outstanding. I would close my eyes and see him so large before me. I would do Pranam at His feet and with His four hands He would remove entities from my Mooladhara chakra. Then He would take my hands and we would dance with clouds of red earth billowing at our feet. The nightmares that had haunted me for three years left me and I felt such clarity in my spirit. I believed that was the maximum of blessings I could receive but there was more to come. I thought that to go to Washi was totally out of my reach. I was really so satisfied with the vibrations that I was receiving from all the Yogies that meditated with me daily and all the love and bandhans I received and could physically perceive in my body and soul from the whole collecitve. And yet before I left the hospital I was presented with the possibility of really going to Washi which I did when my immune system declared it was safe to do so.

Here begins the most beautiful saga of all, my experience in Washi. Many of you know the feeling of when you arrive in India. The rhythm of life is completely different, just like the rhythm of your heartbeat is different from the rhythm of your breathing. I guess this change of perspective allows us to view ourselves from a different standpoint, and we can only hope to retain this new awareness as we return. Although the opportunity of my illness had cleared so much within me yet the healing wasn't complete. Even though I was technically pronounced healed, my immune system still lingered below normal standards. There is a gland behind the sternum bone that produces and coordinates the antibodies. In the subtle system it represents the center heart and I believe the antibodies are an _expression of the Ganas. I was to leave for Washi right after Shri Mataji‚s Birthday Puja. Already the day before this event I began to feel a tremendous pain in my center heart,, as a matter of fact it spread to my whole chest that I could not even sit up properly during the Puja. I felt that already even before going to Washi Shri Mataji was stirring things up in my centerheart.

We arrived in Washi around 5:00 in the morning. Just entering through the gates I could feel a tremendous peace radiating from this place. It felt immediately like home. Washi is a place that radiates with love. Love and devotion are the basis of the healing process. My first meeting with my doctor yielded an astounding array of activities guaranteed to fill my day. There were many footsoaks to be had, different names of Shri Mataji (focusing on my Anahat) to meditate upon, candle treatments, shoe beats and two meetings a day with my doctor. I knew it would be such a routine, yet within me I came to the conclusion (as I am not friends with discipline) that whatever I would accomplish of these tasks would only be if I could do it from my heart and not to fulfill an agenda. Sure enough the next day when I met Doctor Rai, she said to me the following. I know that you have been given many tasks to do, but you should only do them if you can do them from your heart. The relief I felt was so great that I not only completed my tasks but my heart yearned for more and I went beyondthem!

The pain persisted and became worse. I had to lie down frequently. I had remembered a story of when Shri Mataji was walking with a group of yogies. Suddenly She stopped and began to explain how our soul is like a spiral and the negativity adheres itself inside this spiral. She said that She had to be ever so careful in removing it or else it would destroy our subtle system. I know that I had become sick in the first place because there were elements within me that I could not live with anymore. In my heart I had told Shri Mataji that I couldn‚t free myself. After all those years in Sahaja Yoga and my many opportunities to be with Shri Mataji still I was bound and desperate. I told Her that She had to do it, that I didn‚t care anymore what it took that I would rather die than live that way. Please, I begged Her, remove this burden from me. Then I became ill and She lifted those chains.

One day when my doctor was working on my center heart, my eyes were closed and I saw before me like a film the events of my life that created my center heart. They were shocking indeed. I was stunned. The doctor, even though I hadn‚t uttered one word, began to work on my Agnya chakra and then told me that I should shoebeat all the things troubling my Agnya. Shortly after that a dear friend of mine from Brazil that just happened to be in Washi at the time, in a very loving way began prodding me about my past. All of a sudden I blurted out many unfortunate incidents that made me bitter about my life. I was shocked at my lack of restraint. I spent a few hours in a serious depression. It took all my strength to go and have some footsoaks until I could calm down and understand what befell me.

I knew there was a divine reason for what had happened. It was not curiosity on my friend‚s side. She was an instrument to open a locked cage within me. I have a complete trust in the power of the collectivity. I know in my heart beyond a shadow of a doubt that Shri Mataji is a collective incarnation. She is a boundless ocean of love and the Sahaja Yoga collectivity is the ocean in which She resides. I remembered at this moment the first collective meeting I experienced when I moved to Austria. We have moved a great deal around the world. Most of the time we were alone trying to give realization or in small collectives. When we sang bajans, my voice always rang loudly as most of the time we were trying to teach others sahaj songs. When I sang at that meeting in Austria I was astounded that I could not hear myself! I instead only heard the beautiful voices of the yogies in the hall (Austrians have very fine lyrical voices). In singing with them I forgot myself and for the first time I understood what it meant to be a drop falling into the ocean. My voice was still there yet it became so much more powerful because it was part of something much greater than myself. At this moment I realized that Shri Mataji had released what was in my cage and the only way to be free from it was to forgive. I not only forgave each and every event that troubled me but I asked Shri Mataji to help each and every one in their spiritual evolution. After two days of doing this, the pain was completely gone!

Again I thought I had reached the maximum of blessings but more was yet to come. Wolfgang was going to present a beautiful shawl that he had bought in Dharamsala to Shri Mataji as the Easter gift. To my great surprise he asked me to accompany him to Pratisthan! He didn‚t know if I would be able to see Shri Mataji, only She would determine that when we arrive. It was such a blessing to even sit at Her gate that I had no expectations of anything greater (although my desire was there). This was the very day that the Pope had died. During the two-hour trip to Pratishtan, Wolfgang held the shawl in his hands and in his heart meditating. He then asked me to hold it and meditate on South America and pray to Shri Mataji that She would heal all the negative effects of the Catholic church in South America. How interesting that Wolfgang representing Austria, such a strongly catholic country and I from Brazil the largest catholic country in the world should be going to see Shri Mataji on the very day that the Pope died.

When we arrived there we were invited to enter into an office next to the kitchen. There were beautiful scents flowing from the cooking preparations and we sat there contentedly speaking to such lovely yogies. After two hours of this an amazing meal especially prepared for us appeared. After our leisure meal we were invited upstairs to rest. I felt Shri Mataji was gently working on us all this time in preparation of meeting with Her. When I lay down on a bed a group of Indian girls who worked in the house were in the room chatting in their language. Just before falling asleep I heard mixed in their conversation the following words in English. Attention, Sahasrara, Kundalini. Then I fell blissfully asleep. Suddenly I was awakened and told that Shri Mataji was ready to see us.

This was the second time I had entered Shri Mataji‚s home in Pratishtan. The first time was 17 years ago. Then it was still under construction. Yogies were roaming the house up and down, I remember walking into the kitchen area and there was Shri Mataji stirring a big pot on a fire on the ground. This was the meal she was preparing for us. I remembered the surprise and awe of seeing Her doing such a simple task that I preformed every day. Even more I remembered the pleasure in Her face as we enjoyed Her meal sitting at Her Lotus Feet. It is a feeling that a mother understands very well.

Now the house looked much different. It was complete and beautifully decorated as befitting Shri Adi Shakti. We entered a room and there She sat on a beautiful chair, Sir CP as always was at Her side. In the room was also Her daughter Kalpana and Her husband. We were graciously received.

I had the great fortune to have been with Shri Mataji in many countries around the world. Always I felt like such a child before Her. She would always treat me with kindness and would give me practical advice about my life. This time it was completely different. Whereas before She would see me as a struggling child, now She saw only my spirit. She was radiant like the sun! It was as if She was beyond words, She was pure Chaitanya. She smiled at us so sweetly and radiantly. We bowed at Her feet and Wolfgang presented Her with the shawl. She put it on and put out Her hand to touch and bless all the many bouquets of flowers that we had brought to her in behalf of yogies. We then once again did namaskar at Her feet and Wolfgang took the opportunity to place flowers at Her Lotus Feet. We left Her room and waited for Sir CP. When he came in the room he embraced Wolfgang as a father would a son. He spoke so beautifully about Sahaja Yogies and how he wished all yogies could enjoy this house, as it was also their house.

Wolfgang had to settle some matters and I went outside in the courtyard to wait for him. Just above the main entrance to the house is a large white marble statue of Shri Ganesha. I marveled at the beauty. The vibrations were amazing and I stood there in meditation. In my heart I desired the healing of all those that had come to Washi, they are such great souls all desiring to deepen their connection with Shri Mataji. I put my attention on Europe and Austria that I would understand the gravity of my Guru Tatwa and be deserving of all the blessings of Shri Gruha Lakshmi and be able to absorb all the vibrations in this part of the Virata and I desired this for all Austrians. I desired that all anti- Christ activities would be destroyed in myself, my family, in Austria‚s Judicial system, educational system, all the population and in all yogies. Lastly I desired the same for the whole world.

Arriving in Washi the yogies eagerly came to receive news of our trip and took in our words as divine prasaad. I thought I would be leaving Washi shortly afterwards as I had been there already three eventful weeks, but it was not to be so. When I left for the airport a couple of days later I arrived 6 hours late for my plane! I had traveled a great deal in my life and have never lost a plane, train or bus. I understood the maya played on me. My work was not finished. After realizing my mistake at the airport and discovering that there was only one flight a week to Vienna on this airline, I left through another rather complicated exit to find a prepaid taxi. When I was in the taxi I felt completely different than when I came in. I started to laugh, it was as if I had left something confused about myself in the confusion of the airport. I felt very light and my meditations all through that week were deep and peaceful. On the day of my plane the airlines said that there were no available seats. They had prioritized my position on the standby list and said I could risk waiting in case someone didn‚t show up for their flight. I stayed up all night at the airport meditating on Shri Ganesha. I said I would surrender to any decision of my leaving or staying, but should I go I asked Him for a miracle concerning my 20 extra kilos of excess luggage. If He could kindly arrange a penalty within my financial means. At 5:00 in the morning as I was about to receive a decision from the airlines I remembered what my husband told me just before I left for the airport. He said my rakhi brother Wolfgang gave a bandan and said that I would not only get a seat but it would be a first or business class. Well wouldn‚t you know that there was only one seat available, it was a no show and it was in business class! Next came the luggage. The airline people were complaining I had too many luggages and said that I had to pay excess luggage. I said okay, how much do I have to pay? He said you have to pay for 4 kilos. I strained not to show my surprise and joy. I immediately paid enjoying Shri Ganesha‚s little joke, for the 4 kilos representing His 4 petals.

Shri Ganesha please teach me your divine rhythm. Teach me to flow with the divine tide. Teach me your dance of life.

A meditative approach to menopause

2005-11-06T15:51:00.000-06:00

By Helen Tobler
* Medical reporter

AFTER her mother and two sisters developed breast cancer, 54-year-old Attracta McKeveney was so worried about her own chances of developing the disease she decided never to use hormone replacement therapy. But when Mrs McKeveney hit menopause, she wondered how she would cope with the physical and emotional symptoms without recourse to HRT. ``I had the hot flushes and mood swings, but I didn't think of HRT because I knew I couldn't have it,''
she said yesterday. She decided to try meditation and eventually the menopausal symptoms eased.
Her choice was perhaps prudent, given the new research findings that have prompted thousands of women who had been taking HRT to contemplate legal action against drug companies for negligence over developing heart disease and breast cancer after prolonged use of the
therapy.
The Australian Consumers Association said yesterday women should have been told earlier about the health risks after a British medical journal study raised concerns as early as 1997.
John Howard joined Australian health authorities in calling on women not to panic in the wake of the US study's findings of an increased risk of developing cancer from prolonged use of combined HRT. Mrs McKeveney, a nurse's aide at Sydney's Royal Hospital for Women, experimented with meditation, enrolling in a study conducted by the hospital's Natural Therapies Unit in early 2000.
The trial was designed to examine the effect of sahajayoga meditation on the symptoms of menopause.At first, Mrs McKeveney resisted adopting the technique completely but once she decided to put the effort in, the benefits started to show. As well as helping her relax, after the first two weeks of practising meditation Mrs McKeveney's menopausal symptoms eased.
``At the end of the eight weeks I didn't have hot flushes,'' she said. ``It's probably just the relaxation of your mind.'' Mrs McKeveney said the thought she might develop breast cancer caused terrible stress, but the meditation ``really helped me mentally because at the time I was stressed with the threat of breast cancer''. ``It's something that has lasted with me.''
While some experts agreed that meditation, or other forms of stress management, could reduce symptoms such as hot flushes, they warned that most natural remedies, like red clover, dong quai and wild yam cream, do not lessen the symptoms of menopause. A study in the Medical Journal of Australia last year found there was no difference between the effect of herbal remedies and a placebo. Ramesh Manocha, who ran the yoga trial, said at the end nine out of 10 women had experienced more than a 50 per cent improvement in their menopausal symptoms.``That's the kind of effect you would see with HRT.'' But Dr Manocha said there was no evidence to support most natural alternatives.

Sahaja Yoga article in The MoscowTimes

2005-11-04T14:53:00.000-06:00

With Meditation Yoga, Stress Is All in the Mind
By Alastair Gee at TheMoscowTimes

If Moscow is stressing you out, the Sahaja Yoga meditation group has a solution.“We teach how to breathe, how to meditate, how to calm yourself, how to reduce stress and rid yourself of worries,” said group organizer Sweta Kotwani.

The organization offers “meditation yoga,” Kotwani said, a special form of the technique that is “not physical, but mental. It has to do with the mind and spirit.”
The group also provides alternative curing therapies for health problems. These have “nothing to do with tablets. We use natural elements, such as fire and water,” Kotwani said.

Sahaja Yoga was created by Shri Mataji Nirmala Deva in 1970 in India, and the organization has now spread all over the world. Kotwani, an Indian who has been in Moscow for nine years, explained that new attendees pass through several stages. “First there is a process called self-realization. Then we teach how to meditate, and a week later see if people feel any benefits. If there are problems, we then teach people how to deal with them,” Kotwani said.

The group recommends wearing loose-fitting clothing. There is no entrance fee, as Kotwani said that the organizers want to share the technique with as many people as possible. “We want to tell people the benefits we got,” Kotwani said.

The Sahaja Yoga group meets 11 a.m. on Saturdays at 45 Leninsky Prospekt. To attend, call Sweta Kotwani on 135 1176, or e-mail: swetajim@

Mothers Photographs Changes

2005-11-04T14:27:00.000-06:00

Dear Humble Ones

A week ago a colleague emailed me the photograph of Mataji - I had not seen Her picture before nor had I read or heard about Mataji – the photograph constantly kept changing to someone who looked very young. A few days later I was given a photograph of Mataji – as I say I do not know much – but this picture also changes –but to a picture of the Lord Jesus. I do not know why these have happened.

I do know that I have become a changed person I feel such a change within me that everything in the past is by the way – I accomplish my day to day tasks with ease.

The feeling is unexplainable. It is so wonderful. I feel I want to pass it to everyone around me. As I say I have not gone into yoga or anything.

Renitha Govan
Creditors
Finance
Mondi Business Paper South Africa
Merebank Mill
Travancore Drive Merebank, 4052
P O Box 31024, Merebank, 4059, South Africa

Cure for Diabetes from Sahaja Yoga

2005-11-03T10:32:00.000-06:00

Introduction
Before we understand the concept of the Cause of this disease let us highlight on the organ in Human Body, its importance, due to which this disease has caused. It is the lever.

Liver

Liver the largest organ of our body. Liver participates in virtually every thing that we d. Liver provides muscles for our physical works, digest our food and manufacture the vitamins. Like a big chemical factory liver produces about 1000 different enzymes to handle our chemical conversions. It makes the antibodies that protect us from disease.

We eat chocolate or any sweet; the cane sugar is changed into blood sugar-glucose in the intestine. Let too much of this glucose be fed into the blood stream and we may get into come as diabetics might without insulin. Liver sees that it does not happen.

One of the major role of liver is that it provides the food contents( gray matter) to the brain, in form of energy. How much the brain works, the sufficient amount of gray matter is provided by the liver.

The Cause Of Diabetes

Man in is in continuous process of thinking. Sometimes he plans heavily, and subsequently more amount of heat is generated by the liver to fulfill the requirement. This extra amount of heat is very hazardious. Sometimes this heat produced effects other organs of the body. In this case if the heat reaches the pancreas, this organ gets effected manifesting in the Disease called pancreas. Subsequent to the emergence of this disease the blood sugar contents in the human body rises.

The Cure

Medically as such there is no cure to Diabetes. As a prevention insulin are prepared that acts as SOS.

But, by the blessings of H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, through her unique discovery called Sahaja Yoga, where one is taught to be in inner balance, through meditation. Through Sahaja Yoga Meditation, after the person gets his Self-Realization, he gets a state called "Thoughtless Awareness", the person learns to work without intensive planning, and as a result the liver is subsequently relaxed, its intensity of hotness is reduced, and thus diabetes gets completely cured from its roots.

Sahaja Yoga is indeed a path for Total Human Transformation

Sahaja yoga in the management of moderate to severe asthma: a randomised controlled trial

2005-11-02T22:59:00.000-06:00

R Manocha1, G B Marks2,3, P Kenchington4, D Peters and C M Salome2
1 Natural Therapies Unit, Royal Hospital for Women, NSW, Australia
2 Institute of Respiratory Medicine, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
3 South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, NSW, Australia
4 Concord Psychiatry Unit, NSW, Australia

Correspondence to:
Dr G B Marks, Institute of Respiratory Medicine, P O Box M77, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia;
g.marks@unsw.edu.au

Background: Sahaja Yoga is a traditional system of meditation based on yogic principles which may be used for therapeutic purposes. A study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of this therapy as an adjunctive tool in the management of asthma in adult patients who remained symptomatic on moderate to high doses of inhaled steroids.
Methods: A parallel group, double blind, randomised controlled trial was conducted. Subjects were randomly allocated to Sahaja yoga and control intervention groups. Both the yoga and the control interventions required the subjects to attend a 2 hour session once a week for 4 months. Asthma related quality of life (AQLQ, range 0–4), Profile of Mood States (POMS), level of airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine (AHR), and a diary card based combined asthma score (CAS, range 0–12) reflecting symptoms, bronchodilator usage, and peak expiratory flow rates were measured at the end of the treatment period and again 2 months later.
Results: Twenty one of 30 subjects randomised to the yoga intervention and 26 of 29 subjects randomised to the control group were available for assessment at the end of treatment. The improvement in AHR at the end of treatment was 1.5 doubling doses (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.0 to 2.9, p=0.047) greater in the yoga intervention group than in the control group. Differences in AQLQ score (0.41, 95% CI –0.04 to 0.86) and CAS (0.9, 95% CI –0.9 to 2.7) were not significant (p>0.05). The AQLQ mood subscale did improve more in the yoga group than in the control group (difference 0.63, 95% CI 0.06 to 1.20), as did the summary POMS score (difference 18.4, 95% CI 0.2 to 36.5, p=0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups at the 2 month follow up assessment.
Conclusions: This randomised controlled trial has shown that the practice of Sahaja yoga does have limited beneficial effects on some objective and subjective measures of the impact of asthma. Further work is required to understand the mechanism underlying the observed effects and to establish whether elements of this intervention may be clinically valuable in patients with severe asthma.

Why Suffer..?

2005-11-01T10:01:00.001-06:00

WHY SUFFER..?

In modern times the student is under immense pressure. He has to face competition in a very aggressive environment. This creates a state of worry in his mind-“he must work hard, he must get ahead of others, he must make his career, will he get the job?”

As he worries more and more his mental thoughts shift his attention from a balanced state, and he becomes more & More mental. Worrying too much about the future leads to an imaginary state, which is away from reality. One gets lost in the imagination & falls in the mire of depression and frustration. Such a futuristic person suffer from loss of memory, his attention becomes wobbly, his lever gets hot, making him irritable, short tempered & impatient. When the attention is bad we are unable to absorb what is tempered and impatient. We may read books but can’t remember any thing. In advance situations this has a bearing on the stomach and digestion, causing many psychosomatic problems like vousness etc. are a byproduct of our inner state of restlessness. How can there be peace outside if there is no peace within?

We cannot immediately be able to change the outside situation but we can change our self from within. Within our body is a subtle system which works in direct connection with the All pervading energy of God Almighty. When we revert back from our mental or emotional state this connection, the balance then all our problems arising from futuristic get solved:

FIRSTLY the liver gets relived of mental pressure so our temper calms down.
SECONDLY as our attention improves we are able to absorb the lessons better.
THIRDLY the memory improves, thus enabling us to retain what we learn.
FOURTHLY our physical health becomes much better. There are no more headaches, nervousness, depression, and lack of self-confidence or restlessness.
FIFTHLY our creativity awakens. One becomes a very constructive and positive personality.

Most of all. We become peaceful and joyous. We don’t have to go anywhere for joy, the joy comes from within our self.

Now let us examine how this change can take place within. From the time of our creation the creator placed within us point of connection, called the Kundalini. Through an ancient method of Sahaja Yoga it was discovered that this Kundalini is a force coiled around at the base of spine in the sacrum Bone. The word ‘sacrum’ comes from Greek Language which means ‘sacred”. Obviously the ancient Greek knew that something sacred was placed in this bone, so they called it sacrum.

In Our new age, with the adevent of a Divine incarnation, her Holiness Nirmala Devi, it has become possible to discover the point of this connection and also to connect it back to the source. This Process is called Kundalini awakening and gives the seeker his SELF REALISATION.

When the connection is established then the power starts from the mains of Divine Force into the subtle channels of each individual. The divine power thus rejuvenates the individual’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. The Body cells undergo a process of regeneration and renewal. Thus many physical and mental ailments spontaneously heal, the brain also becomes dynamic. Many of its potent faculties become dynamic. We are ourselves surprised at our new found abilities and talents. Students who could not sing suddenly start composing music..!

For establishing this connection through Sahaja Yoga you don’t have to pay anything. You don’t have to leave your home and go anywhere. You don’t have to wear special cloths or look different. Living as you are, eating your normal diet, and wearing your normal cloths, you can do it. It Just needs fiftheen minutes of meditation in the morning or just before going to bed.

Can it be that easy?
Why not..!
What did You do to be born?
What does a seed do to become a plant?
Let us forget that when God crated us, He also provided for us a simple meaning to be connected with him. Why would He complicate the connection with means to be connected with him. Why would He complicate the connection with His own children/ He loves us very much and wants us always to remain connected with him. It is all this mumbo jumbo of fundamentalism and rituals that have complicated this very simple, natural and pure connection. So let us break from all these artificial barriers.

Some where along the line the connection may have become weak, Why not correct it ?

IT’S FREE……! IT IS YOUR’S……

WHY WAIT TILL TOMORROW?

HAVE IT NOW………………………!

Meditation Offers Spiritual Balance Peace - Lia Fitzpatrick

2005-10-29T15:01:00.000-05:00

Article printed in THE EDMONTON JOURNAL
on Saturday, July 31, 2004
in the Religion column, “Offerings” column, page B9:

Most North Americans have been raised in materialistic, superficial, technological, decadent times and have moved away from what is natural, real; that which has any lasting meaning. Many of us have lost our way, lost our connection, become internally disintegrated. In disappointment and hopelessness, many have taken to self-destructive behaviours. Others have forgotten their roots and have lost their sense of dignity, self-esteem, faith and positive outlook.
Without a real sense of meaning in life and feeling spiritually out of balance, we try to compensate for what is lacking – even if we don’t consciously realize it. This can include developing ourselves intellectually or physically, striving for better positions and more money, repeatedly buying things when we don’t need them, pouring ourselves into creative pursuits – often in the extreme. These compensations combined with the increasing pace of life have taken a toll within ourselves - most especially in our children. We can see our sense of inadequacy and unwholesomeness manifesting as anger, discontent, addictions and substance abuse, violence, criminal behaviour or health and mental problems.
The good news is that a shift of consciousness is underway. We can see, most visibly since perestroika and the dismantling of the Berlin Wall, that global society has been experiencing a wave of transformation. We have entered a time when, en masse, people everywhere are awakening to the call of the Creator to throw off internal and external imbalance, re-establish our roots and transform ourselves into wholesome, healthy, balanced, collective human beings, cleansed and healed of our past, and walking quietly but confidently on the true path. By all indications, we have entered the prophesied age of Truth.
The essence of many, if not all, spiritual beliefs share a common thread - “Know Yourself.” We cannot organize Truth or force it, although people have tried. We cannot package and sell Truth, although people have tried. We can only become one with it, and through that living process we improve, deepen, and are able to feel our connection with each other and with the Creator. In this way, we grow and mature in a meaningful way and understand ourselves, our families, our communities, our world, without the baggage of the past or the fears that ordinarily govern our behaviour.
To grow and improve ourselves we must clear the mental chatter to become silent and listen to the small voice within, the Spirit (Collective Being, Father of Creation, inborn guide, teacher and protector). By journeying into the center of one's being it is possible for a person to experience directly our connection with Spirit, each other and the rest of the world, but especially between our soul and the Creator.
Some call this prayer, others call it meditation.
Ancient eastern and western civilizations looked to the Tree of Life. By awakening the mothering, nurturing energy within, we become healed, and love, compassion, spiritual strength, wisdom and security are restored. If our roots are strong and healthy, our lives will be the same. This Tree of Life exists inside us in the form of a subtle energy system that is placed invisibly within our central nervous system. The Divine Creator has built within us electromagnetic energy centres that send subtle messages and signals which we may already feel on our hands, in our bodies, on our head or in our awareness - but do we know what those signals mean? Are we even aware of them? There is an easy way to learn through a living process known as self-realization through Sahaja Yoga. Establishing our self-realization through true meditation is the key - it’s personal, it’s real and it works for everyone no matter what our traditional beliefs are.
As masters of our own well-being, the tools available through the Sahaja Yoga technique enable us to become what we were intended to be. If we are living in reality, then we don’t react, we just see - this is peace. As a peaceful person, we are untroubled by people or events, seeing only the truth in a detached, impartial, but knowing way. We feel serene, clean, compassionate, totally connected to the all-pervading power of creation. Peace is the full and complete establishment of Spirit within us when we are no longer ruled by our mental activity and conditionings, fears or insecurities, the past or future.
Peace means we are completely within the Divine rhythm of Spirit and Truth. We can't achieve peace at a local or global level until we have first established peace within ourselves. When we have peace inside, it will automatically flow outward.

Lia Fitzpatrick has been practising Sahaja Yoga Meditation for 22 years and is a student of comparative religion and indigenous culture.

Saint Gyaneswara’s description of the rising of the Kundalini from his commentary on the Gita

2005-10-29T14:28:00.000-05:00

[from Chapter 6, commentary on verse 14]

Then the imagination subsides, activity becomes calm, and the functions of the body and the mind stand still. Then thoughts of hunger and sleep do not bother him and he does not even remember them. The in-beath which was confined by the anal construction (mulabandha) moves backwards and being excited and puffy, it grows in its place of confinement and bangs at the naval centre (manipura). Then this expanded in breath churns the belly from all sides and removes the impurities collected theirin from childhood. But instead of rolling at the bottom, it enters the belly and destroys the bile and phlegm therein. It overturns the seven humours without leaving a trace, pulversies the rolls of fat and draws out the marrow of the bones. It calms the nerves and making the limbs loose, frightens the spiritual aspirant, but he should not funk. It gives rise to illness, but cures it also instantaneously and mixes together the liquid (bile, phlegm etc.) and solid (flesh, marrow etc.) parts of the body (216-120). O Arjuna, next the heat generated by the posture wakes up the serpent power known as Kundalini like a young serpent bathed in red pigment (kumkuma) resting twisted round itself, this small serpent power, the Kundalini, is asleep with mouth downwards in three and a half coils. She is like a streak of lightening or a fold of flame, or a polished band of pure gold.
This Kundalini sitting crowded at the naval centre wakes up, when she gets pushed up by the anal contraction (mulabandh) (221-225). Now as though a star has fallen or the sun's seat has broken loose or the seed of lustre, which has been planted, has produced a sprout, so this serpent power is seen to uncoil herself and stand up relaxing her body on the naval centre. She has been hungry for long, and by reason of her being woken up, she opens her mouth wide and forcefully raises it up. Arjuna, then she embraces the in-breath collected under the lotus of the heart, and begins to bite the upper and lower flesh (226-230). She easily swallows the flesh wherever she can find it, and then she takes one or two mouthfuls of the heart's flesh also. Then she searches for the soles of the feet and palms of hands, and piercing their upper parts she shakes up all the limbs and joints. Thereafter without leaving her place, she draws out the core of the finger-nails, and cleansing the skin, clings to the skeleton. She clean up the bones and scrapes the fibres of muscles, so tht the growth of the hair-roots of the body begin to wither. Then she quenches her thirst by lapping up the seven humours, and makes the body completely dried up all over (231-235). Then she draws in forcibly the out-breath, flowing outwards from the nostrils to a distance of twelve fingers. She thereafter pulls up the in-breath and pulls down the out-breath, and when they meet, only the sheaths of nerve-centres remain. Both the breaths would have mingled at that time; but the Kundalini, being uneasy for a moment, asks them to keep away. O Arjuna, this serpent power eats up all the solid stuff in the body, and leaves nothing of the watery parts also. When she eats these solid and liquid parts of the body, she becomes satisfied and remains calm in the spinal cord (236-240).
In this state of satiation, the venom she turns into nectar and sustains life. The fiery venom comes out as nectar and sustains life. The fiery venom which comes out cools internally the body, which regains once again the strength which it had lost. The nervous flow stops and the nine life-breaths except prana cease and then the body too loses its functions. Then the breaths flowing through the left and right nostrils mingle, the knots of the three lower nerve-centres become loose, and the six nerve-centres become disjoined. The sun and moon currents of breath, which flow through the nostrils, are so subtle that they are not felt on the fibre held before them (241-245). The sparkle the intellect then ceases and the frangrance in the nose, along with the serpent power, entres the spinal cord. The cask of moon-nectar situated above tilts on one side, and the nectar begins to flow into the mouth of the Kundalini. The nectar fills her and then spreads to the whole body and is soaked therein by the aid of the prana. As wax, placed in a red-hot mould melts and fills it up, so the body looks as if lustre, covered by skin, has descended in the human form (246-250). As the sun, hidden behind the cloak of a cloud, comes out in full splendour when the cloud is scattered, so the scales of skin, which seemed dry, fall off like husk, and then the body assumes a complexion so comely as though it is fashined out of crystal or has sprouted from a gem, or dressed up with the red hue of the evening sky, of it is the figure taken on by the inner light. Then his body looks as if it is filled with red pigment and nectar or it appears as though it is peace incarnate (251-255). It is like a picture of delight, or a form of great happiness, or a full-grown bush of contentment, or a bud of gold-flowered champak (michelia Champaca) or a bust of nectar or an orchard laden with tender leaves, or like the moon embellished with the autumnal dew, or like a statue made of lustre sitting on a seat, when the Kundalini drinks the moon elixir. Then even Death-god stands in awe of that figure.
Then old age recedes, youthfulness takes a leap backwards, and the childhood which had long past returns (256-260). Even though he looks so young, he performs great feats and his courage is equally great and unexcelled. Even as sparkling buds come out from the leaves of the golden tree, new lustrous finger-nails come out of his body. He also gets new teeth, but they are so small, that they look like two rows of pearls set in the mouth. Like the broken bits of atom-sized rubies, tips of hair grow on his whole body. The palms of the hands and the soles of the feet become red like red lotuses and how can one describe his clear eyes (261-265)? Just as the shell cannot contain the pearl when it swells and becomes oversize, and its seam gives way and begins to open, so the sight, instead of being held within the eye-lashes, goes out far and wide and pervades the whole heaven. O Arjuna, the body takes on a golden colour but possesses the lightness of wind, having lost the liquid and solid parts of matter.
Then the yogi can see beyond the seas, hear the sounds of heaven, and comprehend the desire of an ant. He can ride on the wind, walk on water without wetting his feet, and in this way he acquires many miraculous powers (266-270). Holding the hand of prana and climbing the steps in the region of hearts, the Kundalini reaches the heart centre through the spinal cord. This Kundalini is the mother of the world, who illumines the self and gives shade to the sprouted seed of the universe. It is the embodiment of the formless Brahman, the cask of Lord Shiva, the main spring of the sacred syllable Om. When this youthful Kundalini enters the heart-centre, she begins to utter unbeaten sounds. The sounds fall slightly on the ears of intelligence, which is very close to the serpent power (271-275). In the cubicle from which these sounds emanate, they manifest themselves as figures as if drawn on the lines of Om. This can be known only by imagination, but where to find one who possess it? No one knows that rumbling foes on in the region of the heart. I forgot to mention, O Arjuna, that so long as prana remains, these subtle sounds are produced in the region of the heart. When the latter resounds with these sounds resembling the rumbling of clouds, then the window to the Brahmarudhra readily opens. There is another great region resembling the calyx of a lotus, in which the self resides aloft (276-280). The supreme Kundalini then enters this abode of the self and offers him the victuals of her lustre. She indeed offers intelligence as a vegetable dish to him and does it in such a way as to leave no trace of dualism. Then the Kundalini gives up her fiery complexion and remains in the gaseous state. You might as well ask how she looks at that time. She dissolves herself in this gaseous form and keeps aside her garment of golden stripes. Even as the light is extinguished by the touch of the wind, or the lightning flashes and disappears in the sky (281-285), so when the Kundalinin enters the lotus of the heart centre, she looks like a gold-chain or like water flowing from a spring of light. Then all of a sudden she subsides into the calyx of the heart, and her form merges into the formless Shakti. Although she is called Shakti, she is still in the form of gas (Vayu). At that time one is not aware of the Nada, or the Bindu or of the Kalajyoti. Then the conquest of mind, the support of breath-control and resort to meditation do not survive, and though and its absence come to a stop. So she is the crucible in which the gross elements crumble (286-290). That the body should be swallowed by the body is the Natha creed and and its purport is disclosed here by Lord Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu. Untying the bundle of that purport and unfolding the truth, I have presented it before you, who are its clients.

Pilot study on ADHD children and meditation, done by Sydney University

2005-10-28T17:07:00.000-05:00

By Danielle Teutsch, Medical Reporter
Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) will be taught to meditate as an alternative way of controlling their behaviour, in a Sydney program that is the first of its kind. The children, aged 10 and under, will be taught meditation techniques practised by devotees of Sahaja Yoga, a method of meditation founded in India. The techniques - intended to relax the mind and to improve concentration - include lying still, repeating affirmations and soaking feet in salty water.
The program will be run by the natural therapies unit at the Royal Hospital for Women at Randwick in January.
Program co-ordinator Dr Ramesh Manocha said the unit decided to set up a trial program after requests from a number of teachers and schools looking for better ways of controlling classes with ADHD children. "We are not particularly interested in the spiritual dimension of Sahaja Yoga, but its therapeutic use," he said. "ADHD is essentially a problem of attention control and meditation is a way of helping people control their attention span."
A small pilot study on ADHD children and meditation, done by Sydney University researchers this year, has shown promising results.
Meditation is thought to prompt changes in the brain similar to bio-feedback techniques or drug therapy.
Some families have already used meditation as an alternative to Ritalin. Concord mother Liallyn Fitzpatrick introduced her 14-year-old daughter, Grace, to Sahaja Yoga after Grace was diagnosed with ADHD last year. Grace now meditates up to five times a week. "She was on Ritalin for a while, but she doesn't need it any more," Mrs Fitzpatrick said. "She knows what she has to do to stay on top of it."
Dr Paul Hutchins, an expert on ADHD, who heads the Child Development Unit at the Children's Hospital at Westmead, said the efficacy of Ritalin had been well established scientifically. However he said alternative therapies such as meditation could be useful in reducing anxiety, which was a significant problem for many ADHD children.
"The idea that hyperactive children, who normally swing from the ceiling, will sit on the floor and breathe in one nostril to calm down may seem odd," he said. "But it's important to recognise that many children are anxious and that yoga may help them." Sydney psychologist Rosemary Boon, who specialises in ADHD, said she had been including meditation in her holistic treatment program for the past five years. "People are sick and tired of going to a pediatrician and walking out with a script for Ritalin," she said. "They are on the lookout for something that is less invasive and more body-friendly." Barbara Goldsmith, from the North West Sydney ADD Support Group, said she wished such a program had been available when her three children, who all have ADHD, had been growing up.
"There is a demand out there for alternative therapies," she said. Parents, who are interested in having their children take part in the meditation program.Children must have a formal ADHD diagnosis.

Vibrations & mobile phone

2005-10-28T14:56:00.000-05:00

We are all aware that in sahaja yoga, vibrations are emitted from our body when our kundilini raises to sahasrara. The extent of vibrations could be felt & had been measured by various people including doctors. This is also a mythological fact confirmed in sahaja yoga that these vibrations create an aura around us. this aura protects us from any outside badha. That is where the importance of bandhan comes in sahaja yoga.

There is a modern & interesting way of measuring vibrations through mobile phones. There are four rods like structures signals on the top of mobile screen which is an indication of reception on any mobile/ WLL instruments. the more the structures, the better the reception. We have a regular centre at Ahmedabad on every Sunday. It was observed during the centre that these signals were getting weaker & weaker with the flow of vibrations. A stage had also come when no signal could be observed. These observations have been noticed for 3-4 weeks.

The reason for the same is very clear as the vibrations create an aura & don't permit the outside waves of mobile phones to enter the area/ aura of vibrations. That's why the stronger the vibrations, the weaker is the signal. I believe this is a modern evidence of importance of vibrations, auro & the ultimate sahaja
yoga.

Regards

NareshModi

Prophecy: The Sweet Age

2005-10-26T12:18:00.000-05:00

From: "sahajhist"
Date: Sun Feb 1, 2004 10:33 pm

Lionel Johnson, Vita Venturi Saeculi (1902)

Be glad with beauty, white with perfect grace,
Sweet Age to come, whose face
Dawns dimly in our prophesying eyes
Eager with good surmise! …

Sweet Age to come, whose wings are of white fire,
Deny not our desire;
O kingdom of the Spirit, conquering all
Take willing earth in Thrall!
Let green woods wave thee welcome, and blue seas
Laugh welcome, and each breeze
Be sacred incense round thee: peace appear
Through crystal atmosphere,
Impassioned, perdurable, omnipotent;
Given by God, not lent,
Foretaste of Heaven, ere heaven be all in all,
Come to the vexed world's call; …

Sweet Age to come, declare the doctrine clear;
We wait thee now, wait here!
Sweet Age to come, upon our ready ground
Let lily and rose abound,
With pure supremacy of fragrant state
Sweetening this world of hate,
Which does the wrongs, it knows not, and it knows;
Plant thou thy lily and rose!

Commentary: This English-born Irish writer cooperated with W.B.Yeats in developing a Joachimist doctrine of a forthcoming third age of the Spirit. Based on a famous passage in Joachim's Liber Concordie (12th century), this poem concentrates on the sweetness of the third status (age). (JN)

Source: 'Joachim of Fiore and the myth of the Eternal Evangel in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries' by Warwick Gould and Marjorie Reeves (Oxford: Clarendon Press, rev ed. 2001), pp261-2. Unpublished in the poet's lifetime (1867-1902), the poem has been dated to 1902 and may be unfinished (ibid, note 123).

My First Puja Experience Prakashsahaj

2005-10-24T15:48:00.000-05:00

From: "prakashsahaj"
Date: Sat Oct 22, 2005 9:14 am

Jai Shri Mataji
By the Grace of Shri Mataji, I was fortunate enough to witness what Puja is? Yes, my long time desire was fulfilled by Shri Mataji by making me to attend the just concluded Navratri Puja at Gurgaon, Delhi.
Actually, I secretly prayed to Shri Mataji to give me a puja experience when we were doing a Public Program at Bahrain on the 29th Sep 2005. I never imagined it would be granted so fast by Shri
Mataji.
Three of us from the Kingdom of Bahrain landed on the 14th Oct morning. Of the 3 SYs 2 are coming for the first time including myself. We landed at the right time; the morning meditation just
started. The moment we sat there at the Pandal, I started experiencing the cool breeze like splitting on top of my head and on hands.
I had so many queries in my mind about the puja and its facilities. The moment I reached the venue everything vanished in thin air and I was just enjoying the vibrations and amazed to see the collective
participation of SYs around the world including the little angels from Dharmsala. What a grace in their dance and glow in their faces? Surely it's divine work.
Both the days of Musical evening, I enjoyed so much and felt the vibrations throughout. Not a soul moved out of the venue during the program.
Here comes the most important day, the puja day. Upon seeing Shri Mataji in person, I felt like I've attained my salvation. Words are not enough to describe the vibrations I felt. Thank you Shri Mataji,
If this is what vibrations are and if this is what all Sahaj is about, I'm ready to take any number of births, just to enjoy the bliss.
In literal sense, I felt as if 2 huge blocks of Ice was placed on my hands and on top of that, air blown off from a fan. Top to toe, drenched in vibrations.
During the aarthi, with all the people singing, conch blowing, drums beating, I felt like I was in Paradise or Kailash in the midst of Devas, Rishis and the presiding deities. Amazing!!!!!!
After the puja, I realised little things like:
How could with 3 and half coils, Mataji could tie down the whole world?
In fact, those 3 little words, which is shorter than the kundalini length, how could it transform the world? (JAI SHRI MATAJI)
All my conditionings were blown apart.
Only way we could please Shri Mataji was to spread Sahaj as much as possible, without thinking too much about the pros and cons.
Finally, thanks to the Organizers of this puja for such a wonderful arrangments and we felt at home.
Jai Shri Mataji
Prakash s
Bahrain Collective

My Experience with Sahaja

2005-10-21T09:59:00.000-05:00

From: Kaushik Rajasve Date: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:36 am Subject:

Dear Sahaji Brothers and Sisters

It is really a blessing that one is able to enter to Sahaja Yoga. It is only the wish of holy mother that one can come and see what Sahaja Yoga is……….!

It is more than a year now that Mata Ji has blessed me with Sahaja Yoga. Initially when I was told about this, I astonished how can a women be so powerful. If you sit in front of her photograph you will get cool vibrations on your head and palms. Well, I did not give any note to this.

At that time I was passing through very bad phase of my life at Gurgaon (India). My room mate Amit Gupta, A Sahaji brother, has kept Shri Mata Ji’s photograph in the room. One afternoon, when I was very sad and unhappy, in my room, I was looking at Shri Mata Ji’s photograph. I started feeling the vibrations in my both palms and head. The intensity of the vibrations was so high that I could not believe on this. I came out of the room, vibrations still continued.

I came back to room and folded my hand towards The Aadi Shakti Shri Mata Ji. My kundlini was on my Shastrasrth Chakra. I am sure as being in Sahaja Yoga, you all can understand, how I was feeling at that time.

From that day till today, I am blessed with her blessings.

Even by her blessings, I have seen by my eyes the vibrations around me, mostly, to which we see in Shri Mata Ji’s miracle photographs

In this Navratra Period, my parents had visited Vaishno Devi (A holy place in J & K State where the Adi Shakti lives in a cave as Ma Kali, Ma Laxmi and Ma Saraswati). I missed that visit.

So, Shri Mata Ji has shown herself in all 3 avtars in my dream on 14 October morning. Jai Shri Mata Ji.

It was really An Unforgettable Experience that I had on 15 October evening, when I saw Shri Mata Ji by my eyes at Gurgoan.

When Shri Mata Ji reached to stage, the photograph behind her started shining more. This is what I observed. Have any of you got the same vision, then please let us know all.

Long live Sahaja Yoga

Jai Shri Mata Ji

Rajasve Kaushik+91 98992 48175

Scientific Evidence of Sahajayoga

2005-04-28T22:04:00.000-05:00

Can Sahaja Yoga be proved scientifically to work?
Before Sahajayoga Meditation
Here is the electromagnetic system of Sasha Solodiankin, after adays work treating sick people by massage. Note the gaps in his aura allaround his body and around the finger tips.

SSbeforemeditaion.jpg

After Sahajayoga Meditation
Now see the same 'picture' taken after 20 minutes of Sahaja Yogameditation. The difference is remarkable, his aura has been rebuilt and aroundhis fingertips almost complete in almost every case.These were taken at a laboratory using Kirlian photography, a methodof measuring the electromagnetic spectrum around the human body. Thelaboratory is entirely independent of Sahaja Yoga.

SSbeforemeditaion.jpg

In order to View the Pictures before and After Meditation please cut and pastethe below mentioned URL in your browser.
http://f1.pg.briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/divinesahajayoga/lst?.dir=/Meditation+Images

An Experience That Changed My Life -- Lt.Gen.VK Kapoor India

2005-04-28T21:05:00.000-05:00

An Experience That Changed My LifeMy experiences in Sahaja Yoga commenced on the night of 16 Apr 1995when I first saw Sri Mataji in Calcutta(Kolkata) at a wedding. As Ilooked at her dynamic, attractive and awesome presence I felt thatthe care of the disease I was suffering from lay in her hands. Atthat time I was a Brigadier in the Indian Army, posted at ArmyHeadquarters in Delhi. A few months earlier, in fact in Dec 1994, Ihad returned from an assignment in New York with the PermanentMission of India (PMI). While there a strange phenomenon hadoccurred. One day while working in my temporary office in the PMI, Istarted feeling uneasy, breathless and nausea. I could also feel myrapid heart beat and my pulse seemed to be much faster than usual. Irequested the PMI staff to arrange a doctor to examine my condition.I was taken to a clinic where the doctor put me through all types ofexaminations including ECG and after about an hour I was advised thatthere was nothing wrong with me and that the discomfort was dueto "ectopics" of the heart, the cause of which could be attributed topsychosomatic reasons and that the condition would probably stabilizein due course on its own. Unfortunately my condition deteriorated onreturning to India and after consulting many Heart Specialists I wastold that there was no cure for this disease and medication wouldmost likely produce side effects like abnormally low blood pressurewhich would cause even more discomfort. A "Halters Test" (a record ofECG taken over a 24 hours duration) showed my heart beating 150 to250 times per minute over a 24 hours period and the doctors feltquite concerned on seeing my condition. This condition continued fornearly four months before I met Sri Mataji in Calcutta. Prior to thatI had resigned myself to an invalids life as I used to feel listless,despondent and physically weak. I was planning to quit my Armyservice due to my physical condition.I vividly remember the scene when we (my wife and I) walked up to SriMataji's location in the wedding hall, where we were introduced byShri Rajesh Shah, a well known and very devoted Sahaj Yogi fromBombay. Sri Mataji made my wife sit next to her and as I stood infront of her with my folded hands, she asked me to explain what waswrong with me. The love and compassion in her voice made me feel likea child and I found it difficult to control my emotions. Gradually Iexplained the entire background to my ailment. She smiled and askedto put my right hand on my heart and left hand towards her, take adeep breath, close my eyes and repeat certain words. I was asked todo this three times. At the end Sri Mataji smiled once and said thatI was already looking better. She asked me to join the meditationcentre in Delhi and learn to meditate and that there was nothing toworry about. As I bent forward to do Pranam, Sri Mataji gentlythumped me on my back with her right fist thus awakening myKundalini, the residual spiritual energy which is in a dormant statewithin all of us. I could not feel anything at that moment, as I wasnot sensitive enough though I understood the significance in duecourse.That night I slept peacefully after nearly four months and on wakingup in the morning I felt refreshed and joyful. We did not realize itthen but the course of our life had changed. We had been put on thepath of Peace, Joy, Satisfaction and Nourishment.We were taught the method of meditation at Delhi and I startedattending the collectivity at the SAHAJA Temple in C-17 InstitutionalArea, in New Delhi. About one and a half months later, one day in themonth of Jun 95, when I was meditating at home in the morning atabout 4.30 AM, I suddenly experienced a burst of energy in the formof a cool breeze all over my hands, over the body and on top of myhead. It was an intense experience of peace and joy. I understoodthat I had experienced the state of self-realization. Thereafter Ihave experienced it many times, though not with the same intensity.Later in the month of July 95, I was called for my periodic medicalboard (after every 5 years) and after all the tests and examinationswere done, I was declared medically fit and was promoted to the rankof Major General in Oct 95.Since the past six years it has been a Saga of unique spiritualexperiences in SAHAJA YOGA. In the SAHAJA way of life one isconstantly blessed by the power and the will of the Lord through theGrace of our Guru Sri Mataji Nirmala Devi who is Sakshat Sri AdiShakti, the Primordial Mother.I was promoted once again in Oct 2000 to the rank of a LieutenantGeneral, the highest rank that you can achieve in the Army- and allof this due to the Love and Compassion of our Guru, Sri MatajiNirmala Devi.I am presently in an instructional assignment at Mhow (MP) whichgives me ample opportunity to teach SAHAJA YOGA meditation to manyofficers who come to our institution for training. Seeing theenthusiasm of our officers and men we have established a newmeditation centre in the Army area.(Lt. Gen. VK Kapoor)Commandant, College of Combat, Mhow (MP)

Miracle from the Adaman Islands

2005-04-28T15:29:00.000-05:00

Jai Shri Mataji !
It has been reported in various Indian media that theAndaman & Nicobar group of islands of India hadsuffered around 3000 deaths and little over double thenumber were reported missing till yesterday (theofficial death count is based on number of bodiesfound – the bodies not found are declared missing!).The leader of Andaman & Nicobar Mr. Manoranjan Saha isbased in the capital of the island group - Port Blair.The gentleman is very-very simple, even by Indianstandards. He wears a dhoti-kurta (a dhoti is a wraparound cloth, generally of cotton, that is still wornby villagers in many states in India and regardedunfashionable by modern Indians!). His sight is alwaystowards the Mother Earth or towards Shri Ma. He cannotspeak English (he acknowledges that he had learnt itin college but cannot speak) but can converse in Hindiwith a Assamese or Bengali (east Indian languages)accent that is difficult even for a hindi languageknower to understand. It was heard that he is made funof even amongst SY’s in a center which I too was partof but his surrender and dedication are what SY’s likeme who are nowhere as deep as him should look up toand learn.He had presented miracle photographs that came out athis center to SY’s including me when I was based in acity in South India. The photo had his contact numberat the back. The day before yesterday (4th Jan 05) itwas announced on the Indian Television thattelecommunications with Andaman & Nicobar group ofislands have been restored. On calling him upyesterday morning he was very happy to receive a callfrom a SY. He said that all 150 SY’s in the group ofislands are safe by Mother’s grace. The center isintact too. (He runs the center from his house ofwhich he occupies a very small part & has dedicatedthe rest of the house for the center. The center canaccommodate all 150 SY’s there!). He informed that aSY had a house at the jetty. The waves crossed thejetty’s wall but stopped at the wall of this house(you may have seen in photographs of areas along thecoast in south-east Asia that all structures along thecoast were completely destroyed. This house is not).He informed that the center was on a small hill andintact.On asking him whether he needed help in any way heseemed very hesitant to ask. Here he was in a landtorn apart by Tsunamis and in one of the worstaffected places of India, being asked how he/ theother SY’s could be helped while he kept on talkingonly Sahaja matters. He narrated how he had asked thequestion at the South Indian Seminar last year of howto remain in the Sahastrara longer & how he hadreceived beautiful answers from other SY’s. His onlyregret was that he had wished to donate some land andbuild an old age home by Mother’s grace but the waterlevel has now gone over his land (a number of islandshave gone under water completely or partly).It was requested of him to check up with other SY’s inthe group of islands and to inform if they needed anyhelp and it was thought that if he himself may haveneeds, he may inform subsequently. A contact telephonenumber was given to him but he said that it was notpossible to call outside from Andamans till that pointof time. He said that he had wanted to contact Mr.Nalgirkar (India leader) to take permission forperforming a havan after the disaster but he could notget through. He also said that he also did not wish tocall any SY in the mainland so that the person may notwrongly construe it as a call for help.Though he had been told that he will be called after aday to check on help needed but I was worried how toorganize (any sum would be a pittance to people whomI thought would have lost there everything) and thenhow to send out the help (bank transfers may not beworking; even if a SY from South India is requested (Ihave been brought to Pune by Mother’s grace & am nolonger in South India) it would be difficult for himto go there – and it was anyway too late by the time Iremembered that I had Mr. Saha’s telephone number withme! Also the telephone lines had just started working.Yesterday I even thought that I will post this to a SYe-mail group & word will spread. But then I was alsoworried how people will talk to him because of hislanguage constraints mentioned earlier and even ifsomeone wants to send help the logistics barriers maybe insurmountable for now. The Indian government isindeed doing a good job of giving help to its affectedpeople and also other affected nations but theprevailing conditions are really very bad. All thetime I was thinking how this problem can be solved notrealizing that the divine itself takes care of all itschildren.Today, after trying to leave it to the divine andgiving myself a bandhan, Uncle Saha was called. It wasalready afternoon – it had taken me that much time tosurrender and call! When asked whether he could findout what help was required he again reassured that all150 SY’s in the island are safe and do not needanything (though the overall situation is indeed grimsince the lowermost point of this group of islands isjust 60 nautical miles from the epicenter of theearthquake in Indonesia). He said that by Mother’sgrace he was pretty well off monetarily (though manyof his lands are under the water now). He also helped/is helping other SY’s in the islands monetarily. Hesaid that he is telling me about the help he has/isproviding only because I am sounding too concerned;otherwise he prefers not to tell this. His only griefnow is that his desire to build the old-age home maynot happen or be stalled because of nature’s fury.What he said subsequently demonstrated theestablishment of Shri Mahalaxmi in him. He wants todonate a huge sum for SY. He asked me that since I amin Pune I should find out how he can give the money.He had actually bought the money when he came to Punefor Christmas Puja but was unable to meet the nationalor the city leader because of the huge event (thesewere the only means he seems to know through whom todonate) and had to take the money back. What isspecially touching is that he still wants to give thesame amount in spite of the difficult condition he maybe facing.More on the miracle – though in SY it is not a miraclebut known fact of Shri Mataji’s protective powers. TheSY center in Port Blair had many photo-frames of ShriMataji. Though they fell down because of theearthquake but not even a single one was broken! Thepublic address system too is intact. It had cost Mr.Saha quite a sum to purchase this for publicprogrammes. The center had a couple of televisions andmud pots of plants. (I can get the center photographwith me scanned but don’t know how to send to thegroup without being blocked by yahoo because I see allattachments removed in yahoo where I receive my divinesahajayoga group e-mails except the ones kindly postedby the Moderator whose url i.e. link is specified).Everything of the center is intact. Most othersbuildings around are destroyed and people are sayingthat this building remaining and that too with itscontents intact is a miracle.Many people are leaving the islands because of fear ofinundation of the land and bad conditions there. Hesays that because of Shri Mataji he does not have anyfear and wants to remain there to carry on Sahajawork. A true leader, isn’t he?
Jai Shri Mataji !- a SY from Pune

P.S.1. Mr. Manoranjan Saha’s telephone no is 03192-235031.It may have to be dialed +91-03192-235031 from otherthan India. He may not understand non-hindi speakingSY’s but will definitely understand Jai Shri Mataji(Your talk may be limited to that only !!)The telephone of Andaman & Nicobar centre if any SYwishes to dial from a country other than India wouldbe +91-3192-235031. The hyphens(dashes in the number)are to be ignored i.e. like 00913192235031.2. Just got a phone call from a SY in Chennai in SouthIndia –of course all are safe there as well - JSMJ !

Miracle from the Adaman Islands

2005-04-28T15:27:00.000-05:00

Jai Shri MatajiWhile reading this article, I could not stop myself in sharing a miraclehappened to my brother who stays in great Nicobar Islands. He is working inIndian Navy, stays with wife & a child.As told by my Brother, in the morning 6.30 (The day tunsami shook the wholeisland) My brother & family heard a big sound & ran out of the house, thewhole building collapsed after few seconds.Though he was not regular in practising in meditation, but he was carryinga photograph of Shri Mataji, which I gave while he was in India. Also amiracle is that he & family took Self Realization just before leaving toAndamans.He had told me that he was one of the few family escaped in the wholeisland in this great disaster.
Regards
Manoj Kumar

Miracle from the Adaman Islands

2005-04-28T15:20:00.000-05:00

Over fifty Sahaja Yogis live on the Adaman Islands, near the epicentre of the earthquake. About twelve were at the puja in Pune. On the way home to Madras in the train we were shocked to read about the diaster in the newspaper, and we suddenly fell from heaven back onto the earth. Then one yogi said, relaxed and peaceful, "My house is about 300 meters from the seashore. My mother and sister are there." Another said, "I live 1 kilometer from the beach."The next news from them came: Everything is okay. The rest of us were sure that they would have been wiped out. The one yogi had said on the train in India, "I traveled to Shri Mataji and She is also at my home. That is logical."The power of shraddha - Jai Shri Mataji!