Before I do my asana practice every morning I do a rudimentary Arathi / Puja to lord Shiva, followed by Pranayama, chanting slokas and sitting, these practices are an act of love for the existence that creates our moment to moment reality and that I am not separate from. Over time gratitude flows as love in your individual life, humilty, kindness and awareness are the language you learn through consistant daily practice. OM Namah Shivaya.
Thank you to http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com for the following.
Linga Represents The Formless Siva
Siva-Linga speaks to you in unmistakable language of silence: "I am one without a second. I am formless." Pure, pious souls only can understand this language. A curious, passionate, impure foreigner of little understanding or intelligence says sarcastically: "Oh! The Hindus worship the phallus or sex-organ. They are ignorant people. They have no philosophy." When a foreigner tries to learn the Tamil or Hindi language, he first tries to pick up some vulgar words. This is his curiosity-nature. Even so, the curious foreigner tries to find out some defect in the worship of symbols. Linga is only the outward symbol of the formless being, Lord Siva, who is the indivisible, all-pervading, eternal, auspicious, ever-pure, immortal essence of this vast universe, who is the undying soul seated in the chambers of your heart, who is your Indweller, innermost Self or Atman and who is identical with the Supreme Brahman.
Sphatikalinga—A Symbol Of The Nirguna Brahman
Sphatikalinga is also a symbol of Lord Siva. This is prescribed for Aradhana or worship of Lord Siva. It is made up of quartz. It has no colour of its own, but takes on the colour of the substances which come in contact with it. It represents the Nirguna Brahman or the attribute-less Supreme Self, or the formless and attributeless Siva.
The Mystic Shakti In The Block Of Stone
For a sincere devotee, the Linga is not a block of stone. It is all radiant Tejas (energy) or Chaitanya (consciousness). The Linga talks to him, makes him shed profuse tears, produces horripilation and melting of heart, raises him above body-consciousness, and helps to commune with the Lord and attain Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Lord Rama worshipped the Siva-Linga at Ramesvar. Ravana, a learned scholar, worshipped the golden Linga. What a lot of mystic Shakti there should be in the Linga!May you all attain the formless Siva through the worship of the Linga, the symbol of Lord Siva which helps concentration of mind and which serves as a prop for the mind to lean upon, in the beginning, for the neophytes.
The Shivalingam denotes the primeval energy of the Creator.It is believed that at the end of all creation, during the great deluge, all of the different aspects of God find a resting place in the Lingam; Brahma is absorbed into the right, Vishnu to the left and Gayatri into the heart. The Shivalingam is also a representation of the infinite Cosmic Column of fire, whose origins, Vishnu and Brahma were unable to trace.
Legend has it that Parvati fashioned a Shivalingam with a fistful of sand at Kanchipuram and worshipped Shiva; this lingam is known as the Prithvilingam, denoting the primordial element earth. Shivalingams in several temples are swayambus, or that which appeared on their own, or that which is untouched by a chisel. On the other hand, there are temples where the Shivalingam is carved out of stone and installed. The highly polished Shivalingams of the Pallava period bear several stripes, as in the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram.
The bottom of the pedestal [named Avudaiyar in Tamil] represents Brahma, the octogonal middle represents Vishnu and the upper circular portion represents Shiva. The upper portion of the Shivalingam may be of various shapes, cylindrical, elliptical, umbrella shaped. Images may also be (rarely) carved on a Shivalingam.
Nandi, the bull is depicted facing the sanctum in all Saivite temples, symbolizing the human soul Jeevatma yearning for realizing its oneness with Paramatma, the ultimate reality.
The stones are made of crypto crystalline quartz and legend has it that they formed when a meteorite fell to earth several million years ago. The natural movement of the river is believed to help create the egg or oval shape of the stones. They're only gathered on one day each year and are hand polished to give them a smooth and gleaming surface.
Shiva Lingam's are said to have one of the highest frequency vibration rates of all the stones on earth. As such, the vibration is said to be perfect for purification purposes, whether at home, work or in an area of sacred space.
The Story about the Bana Lingams
(http://www.salagram.net/sstp-Bana-lingas.html)
There is a story narrated in Aparajita-pariprchchha (205, 1-26) about the origin of the bana-lingas and their association with the Narmada river. Siva wanted to destroy the 'tri-pura', which had been obtained as a boon by the arrogant demon Banasura, and he let go a fiery dart from his great bow 'pinaka'. The dart broke the three 'puras' into tiny bits, which fell on three spots: 1, on the hills in Sri-kshetra (of unknown identity), 2, on the peaks of Amarakantaka in the Vindhya ranges, and 3, on the banks of the holy river Narmada. The bits that fell in these places soon multiplied into crores,. each bit becoming a linga. As they formed part of the possession of Banasura, they were called Bana-Lingas. Amarakantaka, the peak in Madhya Pradesh, is in close proximity to the source of the river Narmada, which according to the puranas, originated in the Vindhya mountains and flowed in the Kalinga country. Padma-purana says that there are along this river as many as sixty crore and sixty thousand holy ghats, all of which are associated with bana-lingas and raudra-lingas.
Linga Purana underlines that prakriti is a source of the manifestation of the linga. It explains that of the Trinity, Brahma represents the seed or bija, Vishnu the receptacle or yoni and Rudra the seedless or nirbija (from which the seed has emerged without a cause), but is the cause of the Universe ( bija). Thus the personal forms of deities belong to the realm of the linga. Above the linga and the alinga and all the manifest forms, Siva is the ultimate.Sankhya philosophy states that the linga signifies both prakriti and vikriti According to the various Puranas and the Saivagams, the linga symbolises the Supreme Being which stands for god himself and is the seat of entire creation and its dissolution.
According to the Linga Purana, lingas are made of different materials. It is believed that they were made by Viswakarma and offered to many gods. However, the six main kinds of lingas are those made of stone or rock or the sailaja linga, those made from jewels or the ratnaja linga, ones made from metal or dhatuja, made of wood or the daruja linga, the mntika linga made of clay and finally the ksanika linga which is made on the spot from any material. Each of these six kinds are further subdivided and when all are calculated the total amounts to forty-four types of lingas.
Worship of different types of lingas yields different results. The ratnaja linga yields prosperity and gives glory, the sailaja linga the achievement of perfection, sarvasiddhi. The dhatuja linga helps to accumulate wealth, the daruja linga yields enjoyment, while the lingas made from earth help in acquiring all perfection.
The linga thus symbolises transcendental power which is identified as Brahman, and is the centre of Saivite philosophy. Siva is represented in beautifully sculptured forms as well as by the symbolic linga. The linga thus has many dimensions and interpretations. Yet it remains a unique spiritual symbol which does not restrict itself to any one religious order, but is a part of the Hindu way of life.
Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya - Teacher of Teachers.
Current mood: blessed
Category: Religion and Philosophy
I'll be leaving Barcelona at the end of June to return to Mysore to study at AYRI for six months, then God willing I'll be back in Barcelona to teach again. I was inspired to acknowlege more of the tradition from which Sri K. Pattabhi Jois' Ashtanga yoga comes from. I found these articles, photos and film at various locations including the fabulous http://aysnyc.org, wikipedia, Ashtanganews.net and would like to thank and acknowlege these sources.
Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. -
Sri Tirumala Krishnamacharya (1888–1989) was born on November 18 in Muchukundapuram, in Chitradurga district of Karnataka state in India and lived to be over a hundred years old. His parents were Sri Tirumala Srivinasa Tattacharya, a well-known teacher of the Vedas, and Shrimati Ranganayakamma and he was the eldest with two brothers and three sisters.
Krishnamacharya spent much of his youth traveling through India studying the six darshanas or Indian philosophies: Vaisheshika, Nyaya, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta.[1] His students include many of today's most influential teachers: Sri BKS Iyengar, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the late Indra Devi and Krishnamacharya's own sons T.K.V. Desikachar and T.K. Sribhashyam. Although his knowledge and teaching has influenced yoga throughout the world he never left his native India over the course of his life. It is important to note that Jois and Iyengar teach based on their own experiences with Krishnamacharya in the 1930s in Mysore, when they were both young men; their styles are reflective of yoga that is appropriate to younger students and thus heavily emphasise asana practice. However, teachers such as T.K.V. Desikachar, A.G. Mohan and Srivatsa Ramaswami teach a broader part of Krishanamacharya's teachings, noting that yoga is more than just asana and must be tuned to the student, taking account of health, energy, physique, gender, place and age. Contents Biography
Krishnamacharya began learning to speak and write Sanskrit from his father before the age of five and claimed that at age twelve to have received the ancient teachings of the Yoga Rahasya, a long lost yogic text, from a vision of the ancient sage Nathamuni, who is said to be related to Krishnamacharya. After returning home from this mystical experience his family moved to Mysore, second largest city in the Indian state of Karnataka, and Krishnamacharya began a more formal schooling. At age eighteen Krishnamacharya left home to attend the university at Benares, a city of hundreds of temples also known as Varanasi. While at the university he focused his studies on logic and Sanskrit, working with Bramhashri Shivakumar Shastry, "one of the greatest grammarians of the age".[2] After leaving the university he returned to Mysore and studied Vedanta and learned to play the veena, one of the most ancient stringed instruments in India. In 1914 he once again left for Benares to attend classes at Queens College, where he eventually earned a number of teaching certificates. During the first year he had little or no financial support from his family so in order to eat he followed the rules that were laid down for religious beggars: only approaching seven households each day and offering a prayer "in return for wheat flour to mix with water for cakes".[3] Krishnamacharya eventually left Queens College to study the six darshanas or schools of thought in Vedic philosophy at Patna University.
During all this time Krishnamacharya continued to practice the yoga that his father had taught him as a young boy. Many of his instructors recognized his abilities in this area and supported his progress and asked that he teach their children. During his vacation time he would take pilgrimages into the Himalayas – it was during one of these trips that he decided to find Sri Ramamohan Brahmachari, a yoga teacher rumored to live in the mountains. Eventually Krishnamacharya found Sri Brahmachari's school which consisted of a cave at the foot of Mount Kailash and spent seven years studying the "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, learning asanas and pranayama, and studying the therapeutic aspects of yoga".[4] As tradition holds, at the end of his studies with Sri Ramamohan, Krishnamacharya asked what payment would be – Ramamohan responded that Krishnamacharya was to "take a wife, raise children and be a teacher of Yoga".[5]
From Tibet Krishnamacharya returned to Southern India to study Ayurveda, the traditional medical practice of India, as well as Nyaya, a school of Indian philosophy concerned with logic and epistemology. In 1924 he was asked by the Maharajah of Mysore, a man who looked to yoga to help cure his many ailments, to open a yoga school where he taught until 1955.[6] The Maharajah was so impressed with Krishnamacharya that he was hired to teach the royal family and given the wing of a nearby palace to start the Yogashala or yoga school.[7] Because many of his students at this point in his life were active boys he developed a vigorous style of yoga aimed at building strength and stamina that is known today as the popular Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.[8] He soon became a trusted advisor of the Maharajah as well as a sought after yoga instructor and healer. After winning its independence from the United Kingdom one of the first acts of the new Indian political establishments was to dethrone the Maharaja ending the long reign of support that Krishnamacharya received from the ruler.
After leaving Mysore Krishnamacharya moved to Bangalore for two years and then was invited to relocate to Chennai, the fourth largest city in India, by a well known lawyer who sought his help in healing from a stroke. Now in his sixties, Krishnamacharya's reputation for being a strict and intimidating teacher now mellowed: although he was still considered strict concerning his practice and teaching, he showed a more gentle compassionate side. Krishnamacharya lived and taught in Chennai until he slipped into a coma and died in 1989 at one hundred years of age. Although many considered him a Yoga Master he continued to call himself a student because he felt that he was always "studying, exporing and experimenting" with the practice.[9]
Approach to Healing
Krishnamacharya "believed Yoga to be India's greatest gift to the world"[10] – although many people approach it as a spiritual practice he also incorporated a great deal of physical healing because it is difficult for a person to grow if they have a great deal of discomfort from illness.[11] Through the teachings Krishnamacharya received from his father and other instructors he realized that every person is "absolutely unique"[12] and he felt that the most important part of teaching yoga was that the student must be "taught according to his or her individual capacity at any given time".[13] This means that the path of yoga will mean different things for different people and each person must be taught in a manner that they understand clearly.[14] Because of this individualized approach, it is impossible to explain Krishnamacharya's process of teaching in full.
Krishnamacharya was not only a yoga instructor, he was also considered a physician of Ayurvedic medicine and "possessed enormous knowledge of nutrition, herbal medicine, the use of oils, and other remedies".[15] This gave him the ability to approach an individual's problem in a well-informed manner. When he began working with a person he would conduct a very detailed examination to determine the most efficient path to take. He would take the persons pulse, examine the color of the skin, listen to the quality of the breath, among many other things. During the time of diagnosis, Krishnamacharya would look for what "upset or hindered the harmonious union of the body, mind, and spirit"[16] – even though a disease is focused in a particular area, he knew that it would affect many other systems in the body, both mental and physical. At some point during or after the initial examination, he would eventually ask the person, if he or she will be able to follow his guidance. This question was asked because he knew that if the person could not trust him fully there was little chance of being healed. If the answer was "yes" the "healing relationship would begin"[17] but if the person showed hesitation he would send him or her away.
Once a person began seeing Krishnamacharya, he would work with him or her on a number of levels including adjusting their diet; creating herbal medicines; and setting up a series of yoga postures that would be most beneficial. When instructing a person on the practice of yoga, Krishnamacharya particularly stressed the importance of combining breath work (pranayama) with the postures (asanas) of yoga and meditation (dhyana) to reach the desired goal.[18] He would continue to see the person approximately once a week to monitor the progress until he or she was healed.
Although Krishnamacharya stressed that the most important Yoga texts were the traditional Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Nathamuni's Yoga Rahasya and the Mahabharata's Bhagavad Gita, his greatest strength was the ability to take "the ancient teaching of Yoga and Indian philosophy" and combine them within a modern day framework. By doing this he was able to revive the practice of yoga in a manner that is as "accurate and powerful" as it is "practical and relevant".[19]
The King and the Young Man - by "Hastam" in Kalaimagal, Pongal, 1984 (translated by Bert Franklin and S. Venkataraman)
Rajah: You must come with me to Mysore! Young Man: Why? For what purpose?
Rajah: It is the duty of a Rajah to help bright young men who will bring fame to our country. Come to the Palace to live. I'll give you something to do to match your qualifications.
Young Man: Oh! You want me to work at the Palace? Why? It's not my way to work for somebody else and take pay! I hope to live free, not as a slave, Sire!
Rajah: You can live as freely as you want. Just come with me to the Palace.
Young Man: Money and status mean nothing to me. What I seek is knowledge. I will serve only my Guru. In this world I will be a slave to nobody, work under nobody! The Rajah is impressed by the self confidence and self assurance of the youth, and promises, "You may live an independent life in the Palace". They go off together.
Sixty Years Later
The above incident occurred some sixty years ago. The youth has now completed ninety-six years. Today he is at the heart of Indian culture, indeed, he is that heart. He lives quietly, like a full pot (empty pots are proverbially noisy), shines steadily like a bright lamp of knowledge. Working daily at his pursuit of knowledge, he lives the life of a rshi of old, though he lives in his home with his wife and family.
After a lifetime of acquiring knowledge, today, at 96, his wisdom encompasses not only such subjects as Sastra, Tharkam, Vyakaranam, Yoga, but all aspects of daily life and how one can be constantly aware of the presence of God. He never learned how to earn a living in the ordinary way, but sought wise men, pandits, on his own, to argue with them, and arguing, learn, and become himself a pandit of universe-encompassing Veda.
Today we not only feel his wisdom, but are caught and held by the confidence and enthusiasm that springs from his knowledge. We are amazed, overawed by the fluency of his discourse and by the multitude of illustrations and quotations from the Sastras. We sense how the guiding principle of his life, his independence from all but his studies, has grown along with his age.
Today his greatest pride lies not in the awards he received from the Rajahs of Dharbanga, Dikkanghat, and Mysore; rather he is proud, these many years later, of the teachers he has had such as Vamadeva Bhattacharya and Rama Mohana Brahmacharya. He did his gurukulam without any of the usual ado as to where he was to study and who his masters were to be in the various Sastras. He spent nearly twenty years in North Indian Vidya Peetams (places of philosophical study).
This sage of the Vaishnavas, Sri T. Krishnamacharya, lives in a house, a home, though traditionally sages have spent their later life living in the forest, forsaking all attachments of Earth. His purpose is to be a living example of the principle that one can live with the family while still maintaining the tradition of the forest sages, just as the leaves of a lotus plant may live in the water yet never get wet. Because of his disciplined living, the signs of his great age cannot be seen on him. He makes good use of his education, his experience, and his knowledge of Yoga exercises to cure the physical and mental ills of humanity. Let us hear the story of his youth in his own words:
Sri Krishnamacharya Speaks
"My father was my first Guru. He was known as Ganapati Srinivasa Thathachariar. Kannada was our mother tongue. My father was a well known Veda pandit. I was invested with the sacred cord at age five. From then on I studied the Sastras with my father. He would wake me up at two o'clock in the morning and ask me to chant the Vedas by memory a given number of times. If I didn't respond immediately, he would gently drip water in my ear to awaken me. He was very strict. If I made a mistake, not only would he correct the error, he would punish me sharply. He would join me in the chanting. It is very sweet and moving to hear the deep toned chanting in the still hours of the night.
"In those times there was a college known as Chamaraj Sanskrit College in Mysore. I took the examination in Sastras and Purva Mimamsa at the Vidvan level. I was sixteen years old. I made a practice of debating on the subjects of the Sastras with the professors of that college and with any pandits who came to visit. I would even argue with them! That was how I found out that there were many things I still had to learn! I became thirsty for more knowledge. All binding commitments and involvements such as family and parents disappeared before this thirst, this ambition. The desire arose in me to study other systems such as Tharkam, Vyakaranam, Samkya.
"One day my father was giving a discourse on Patanjali's Yoga Sutra. As he was discoursing on Parinamatraya, Samyamath, Atheetha and Anahatha Jnanen, I fell to wondering about these terms and asked him, 'What are Atheetha and Anahatha Jnanen?' In reply he suggested that I learn Patanjali's Yoga Sutra. That planted in me the hope that I might learn the Yoga Sutra from a qualified yogacharya.
"After completing my Vidvan examination in Mysore, I studied Vedanta Kalakshepa (religious discourse on the Vedanta) and served in the Parakala Mutt for two years. This was not at all what I wanted. Day by day as my thirst for learning grew I became more uncomfortable with my situation. During these days, about 1905, there were good Vedic pandits in Kasi. The head of the Kasi Sansksrit Vidya Peetam was the Mahamahopadyaya Ganganath Jha. My father, understanding my impatience for more learning, gave me permission to go to Kasi. About ten of my colleagues at the Mysore College joined me there, but, to the best of my knowledge, none stayed for the full course. I learned Tharkam from Vamadeva Bhattacharya. I stayed for eleven years in Kasi where I met and became friends with many pandits. At that stage I knew nothing but studies and the Gayatri Mantra. My acquaintance with Mahamahopadyaya Ganganath Jha formed a turning point in my life. A strong love grew up between us. Later he requested me to teach his own son, Amarnath Jha.
"At that time, there was a famous university at a place called Navadvipam. The institution was completely staffed by learned pandits. They called it Nadiya University. I wanted to go there and graduate in Darsana Sutras. This would mean staying there for an entire year. But my teacher's son, Devendra Bhattacharya (a medical doctor in the military service) told me that it would be difficult to study while living there, and I would be better off studying in Kasi and taking the exam at Navadvipam. He made arrangements for this. When I was ready I went and stayed in Navadvipam eleven days for the examinations. I was given the title Nyaya Ratnam, which means 'Jewel of Understanding.' At that time the throning ceremony of the Rajah of Dikkanghat (a principality within Darbhanga) was taking place. I received an invitation, and attended. I had a public debate with a pandit named Bihari Lal and defeated him. The Maharajah of Darbhanga, impressed by my exhibition of learning, invited me to his palace and gave me a reward and honours."
Yoga: The Final Goal
It was surprising to listen as Krishnamacharya recalled these memories of names and places without the slightest hesitation. But how did he master the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali and the Yoga Rahasya of Nathamuni? How is it possible that still today he is a wonderfully expert teacher of Yoga? When asked these questions he answered simply, "For this also Mahamahopadyaya Ganganath Jha has my lasting gratitude."
Ganganath Jha had the title of Yogacharya (Teacher of Yoga). When Krishnamacharya sought his guidance, Jha asked him if he was sure he had a serious inclination to learn Yoga. Krishnamacharya was still hungry and thirsty for more knowledge. He told Ganganath Jha that this indeed was his ambition. It was, after all, his father who had first advised him to master the Yoga Sutra. He recalls today that Ganganath Jha said to him, "If you really want to master Yoga you must travel beyond Nepal for that is where Yogeswarar Rama Mohana Brahmacharya is living. In the Gurkha language there is a book called 'Yoga Gurandam'. In that book you can find practical information such as Yoga practices which give health benefits. If you go to Rama Mohana you can learn the complete meaning of the Yoga Sutra." When he heard this, Krishnamacharya was eager to attain this new goal. He wanted to travel with the speed of thought, but there was to be a delay.
It happened that at that time Lord Irwin was Viceroy. His Headquarters were in Simla. Ganganath Jha wrote to the Viceroy recommending his young friend Krishnamacharya for his proficiency, ambition and knowledge of the Sastras as well as for his personal qualities. He requested the Viceroy's help in obtaining the necessary documents to travel into Tibet. But, as luck would have it, the Viceroy was ill with diabetes. The military doctor, Devendra Bhattacarya, was in charge of the case, but could not bring about a complete recovery. This doctor was, as we have seen, the son of Krishnamacharya's teacher at Kasi, Vamadeva Bhattacharya.
One day Krishnamacharya was surprised to be visited by an aide of the Viceroy hand carrying a letter from the Viceroy to him, and requesting him to come to Simla. He stayed in Simla for six months teaching the Viceroy yogic practices. The diabetes was largely controlled. The Viceroy was extremely pleased and developed respect and affection for the young man. He was happy to make all the necessary arrangements for Krishnamacharya to cross the Himalayas, out of India, across Nepal, and into Tibet. Here is the story of that voyage as retained in Krishnamacharya's memory:
"The Viceroy sent three aides with me. This was some time in 1919. The expense of the journey was covered by the British government. Clothes of leather were made to order to protect us from the cold. On the trail we came across a recluse named Pilmugi living in a cave. We stayed in the cave with him for several days, and then continued on our journey. We reached Manasasarovar and from there went on to Mela Parvatham. We had dharsan of Thirayambaka Narayana and finally reached the dwelling place of Rama Mohana Brahmacharya who was to be my Guru. We had been walking for two and a half months.
"On meeting my Guru I prostrated myself before him. It was evident that Ganganath Jha had written to him about me. He received me with great love and kindness. I noted that even though he was called 'Brahmacharya,' he was living with his family. His eldest son, Ramachandra Brahmacharya, is still alive today, about eighty years old. Our food was puri (Indian bread), halwa (a paste of vegetables or fruits with sweetening and ghee) and tea. My period of gurukulam here in Tibet lasted for seven and a half years. Rama Mohana made me memorize the whole of the Yoga Gurandam in the Gurkha language. The various stages of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra are dealt with in that book in a very precise but extensive commentary. That is necessary because Sutras are by definition very concise. In the Yoga Gurandam, the various kinds of Yoga poses and movements are described with great clarity. Only after studying this book can one understand the inner meaning and science of the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali."
After Krishnamacharya's return to Kasi as an outstanding scholar and Yoga expert, the Maharajah of Jaipur called him to serve as principal of the Vidya Sala (Centre for instruction in philosophy and Yoga) in Jaipur. This situation, with its regular schedule of classes and the requirement of being answerable to various people, did not suit the free spirited Krishnamacharya. The Sradha (annual homage) of his father was approaching, so, with this pretext, he returned to Kasi. He enjoyed meeting and holding conversations with the various pandits who had studied with him in Kasi. Impressed by Krishnamacharya's newly mastered techniques, Amarnath Jha, the son of Ganganath Jha, introduced him to various monarchs and he was widely honored.
At this time the Maharajah of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wadiyar, appeared in Kasi to celebrate the Shastiabdapurthi (60th birthday) of his mother. On hearing of Krishnamacharya, he invited him to come to the Palace at Mysore. The Maharajah was greatly impressed by the young man's demeanor, authority and scholarship.
In Mysore, Krishnamacharya was given quarters within the Palace and, as he desired, Yoga studios were constructed. He went to teach Yoga asanas once or twice each week and within three years seven or eight students were ready to teach and the King built three more studios at a total cost of two hundred thousand rupees, a great investment at the value of currency in those days. Krishnamacharya became the Maharajah's most valued counsellor and was given the use of the Jayanmohan Palace. At the Maharajah's request, he wrote several books including Yoga Magarondam, Yoganjali, and Yogasanalu. These books were all published by the Palace and by Mysore University. With the support of the Maharajah, the Yoga teaching continued with great success for about sixteen years, until 1946.
A Time Of Change
The Congress Party Movement got under way and when a temporary Ministry, or Cabinet, was formed, K. C. Reddy became Chief Minister of Mysore. It was his responsibility to prune government spending in Mysore. In his view, the Yoga School was not very important. By this time Krishnaraja Wadiyar had died and his nephew, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar had become Maharajah.
Chief Minister Reddy sent a message to Krishnamacharya asking him to come to his office. Krishnamacharya sent back a message with the same messenger: "I am independent. I am no one's slave. If you want to see me, you may come to the Yoga School and meet me here."
The Chief Minister replied with an order: The Yoga school must be closed within three months.
But the students of Yoga would not accept this order. They staged a demonstration in front of the Chief Minister's bungalow. Rushing to reprimand the students, he fell down stairs and hurt himself badly, breaking several of his teeth. After hearing from various people about Krishnamacharya's expertise in the field of ayurvedic medicine, he sent his secretary, Venkatasami, to Krishnamacharya to make an appointment. The Maharajah was amazed at the success of the treatment, and awarded Krishnamacharya five thousand rupees. Krishnamacharya replied, "I do not work for money. I don't need money. Give it to the poor students of the Yoga school."
In 1937, at the time of the early fame of the Yoga School in Mysore, Krishnamacharya had been invited to give the Commencement Convocation Address at the University of Madras. That occasion marked the origin of his lasting friendships in Madras among whom were Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer, T. R. Venkatarama Sastry, V. P. Ramesan, M. K. Nambiar and other important leaders. After Independence, when the power of the rajahs and maharajahs was reduced, these friends invited him to Madras. On the insistence of his friends, he immediately took over the Yoga classes taught in Vivekananda College in the evening.
Question: Does the Yoga Sutra contain specific asanas as remedies for specific ills?
Krishnamacharya's reply: "One must study carefully and ascertain the source of the ailment. The ailment may come from a change in food. There are individual differences in karma. The Sastras mention the relationship between food and life style suited for each season. If you are prudent in your food habits, you will be free of disease. In the Bhagavad Gita the Lord has admonished us to eat nothing but sattvika food (neither too spicy nor too sweet). Vyasar, Shankara and others have written commentaries to help us understand Patanjali's Sutra. Several of the asanas are accurately described in Nathamuni's Yoga Rahasyam."
Question: We cannot live the kind of life that is envisioned in the Sastras. There have been too many changes in manner of life. In view of these changes, do you think the practice of Yoga asanas is out of date or out of place?
Krishnamacharya's answer: "Whatever place, whatever time, the ancestors have framed the Yoga practices to suit them all. Only the attitudes and circumstances of human beings change. Time and space does not change. The same sun shines as always! The moon too! Remember the conversation between Rama and Sugreeva in the age-old epic of Ramayana? Vybushana comes to Rama asking for asylum. Sugreeva and Hanuman urge Rama not to accept him in the circumstances (the circumstances being that Vybushana is the brother of Rama's arch enemy Ravana). Rama replies, "Forget the circumstances, forget the times, no one who approaches me for help shall be turned away."
With the intention of preserving the benefits of Krishnamacharya's experience and achievements for humanity, T. K. V. Desikachar, his son, has established the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. Yoga asanas are taught here on a scientific basis. Many graduates of the Mandiram have founded Yoga study groups and schools all over the world to help humanity live in good health. As for the ninety-six year old Krishnamacharya himself, his tuneful, steady, and authoritative voice as he chants the Vedic mantras fills the listener with a strong resonance. The Government of Tamil Nadu (Madras State) has acknowledged the exceptional value of these exercises, and also the Minister of Health of Tamil Nadu, Dr. Hande, has ceremonially honoured the work of this new organisation, with special praise for the brilliant achievements of Krishnamacharya.
The life of Krishnamacharya serves as an example of the principle that family living does not stand in the way of leading the true life of a yogacharya.
Krishnamacharya's wife, Srimathi Namagiriyammal, is over twenty years younger than he. It is inspiring to hear her tell of his independent ways, and the many debates he has won over great pandits.
For one really enlightened, the presence of the family will not be a burden. Krishnamacharya lives among us in the same state of consciousness that illuminates the sages who dwell in the Himalayas. He lives among us and not in some remote forest because of his principle that the devout and healthy life that he lives should become a natural mode of living to all humanity. Today he is the living example of the bright consciousness radiating from the ancient sages enriched with the wisdom of solitude and penance. To meet with him, to have his darshan, is to know the satisfaction of having seen the personification of Indian culture.
Currently
listening
:
Feels
By
Animal Collective
Release date: 2005-10-18
Hey folks, I did a workshop at Yoga Studio here in Barcelona a few weeks ago where i teach the morning Mysore class. I don't go in for workshops as a rule, they are a distraction from the system, a daily practice with the same teacher. But lots of people can't come because of other commitments so this was for them. Here's a few pics of a demo I did on the Sunday afternoon, thanks Matthias for the photos, and Emma, Jess, and Montse for such loving assistance.
What you give is what you get...... without exception!
My friend and fellow Mysore Ashtanga Yoga practioner Govinda Kai wrote a really good article about the effects of a daily Ashtanga yoga practice on the body and mind. Now I have been teaching the same group of practioners here in Barcelona for the last few years I am seeing first hand the effects of the practice on my students. This article was on Govinda’s myspace but that no longer exists so here it is with his permission. More of his writings, and photos can be found at his beautiful website : http://www.lunaticmonk.com/ Thanks Govinda.
On the 12th and 13th of April I will be teaching a weekend Ashtanga Yoga workshop at Estudio de Yoga in Barcelona for those who have an already established Ashtanga practice. You can find details here. http://www.estudiodeyoga.com/actmenu.htmlformacion
Yoga: The Path of Purification
November 14, 2006
Yoga is the path of purification and transformation. This means, that we can expect to go through many different changes physically, mentally and emotionally throughout the course of our practice.
Generally, any kind of transitional movement in our practice goes from the grosser aspects of our selves to the subtler. What this means is that we are apt to go through more physical changes initially and, over time, we will experience more subtle changes to our mental and emotional states.
Yoga is a process in which we are attempting to awaken and bring forth the more essential parts of our selves. By using the word, "essential", I mean those parts of our selves that are transcendent and do not change over time.
The further we move away from what is natural or essential in our selves, the more "extra" elements we carry around with in our lives. We eat more than we need to, own more possessions than is needed, talk more than are necessary and so on. It is not so much the fact that we live with these extra elements, it is the attachment and identification we form with these things that is so harmful and causes such suffering. The stronger the attachment and identification with these extra elements, the more we are apt to forget our essential selves. Having an awareness of the essential aspects of selves is, in many ways, the essence of what Yoga practice is all about.
So, when we embark upon the path of Yoga, we begin to practice and live our lives in such a way as to begin to let go of these "extras".
What you can expect initially is that your body will begin to go through some very strong and often dramatic changes, especially in the first 6 months of intense and dedicated daily practice. You will begin to develop what is known as "tapas" or heat in your practice, in your body. This will result in profuse sweating (of course in some more than others). For some, very strong odors will emit from the body. Many people experience changes to their skin. Their skin will break out in acne, rashes and such. In more extreme cases, some people develop very large boils.
Other mild to stronger symptoms of purification will begin to appear for most practitioners. It is very common to see the increased occurrence of colds and flu and fevers, as well as, headaches, drowsiness and light-headedness. It is important to honor and respect these kinds of changes, as they can be quite deep in one’s system. I recommend that you take extra time to rest and be quiet. You can also be mindful of your tendency towards "busyness" and begin to reduce the general number of activities in your day.
Naturally, because the asana practice is so rigorous, you can expect strong changes to your physique and overall health of your body. You will get significantly stronger in a very integrated and well-balanced fashion. In particular the "core" strength of your body will improve. The "core" refers to the area of the lower trunk and pelvic regions. Strength in these areas has been shown to dramatically increase the function of balance, smoothness of motion and speed of reflexes. It is common knowledge that athletic performance can be improved significantly through the development of one’s core strength. Flexibility of all areas of your body should increase dramatically.
One area of improvement that is often overlooked is the increased functionality of the gastro-intestinal system. The frequency of forward bends in asana practice very powerfully cleans out and reconditions our digestive organs. Most people in our modern culture and society, due to unhealthy diets and stress, have some degree of bowel or digestive dysfunction. Constipation and excess gas are the norm for most people. One report stated that many people carry up to 20-30 kilos of undigested feces in their bodies at any one time! A well functioning gastro-intestinal system is vital to the optimal functioning of our immune system and hormonal balances. Overall mental and physical healths are dramatically affected by the state of our digestive systems.
Thus, one of the areas of focus as we dive deeper into our practices, is the greater and greater level of mindfulness and care of what, when and how we put food into our bodies. I will speak more elaborately on this topic at some other time.
Now, as you begin to become healthier and more in tune physically, you will begin to become sensitive and aware of subtler aspects of your self. For example, you will begin to notice that your senses will generally begin to increase in acute sensitivity. Your sense of smell and sight and hearing will be sharper and clearer. You will feel temperature and pressure changes in different parts of your body in a way that you never have before. Many people report an increased sensitivity and depth to their sense of taste. What was once flavorful before will become to taste overly salty, bitter, savory or sweet. You will find yourself beginning to crave foods that have subtler or even plain flavors.
The process of purification will begin to affect you mentally, emotionally and psychically as well. Usually chronic imbalances in one’s system generally become more acute before any deep healing takes place. You will find that your thoughts and your emotions will become more intense and frenetic at times causing periods of great discomfort. Bad moods and bouts of edginess and impatience are common during this time. Although it may seem like you are going crazy at times, this part of the process is important and necessary, so don’t worry about it too much. It is also common to experience intense dreams and very colorful fantasies.
The result of this kind of mental, emotionally and psychic purification is that you will find your becoming far more sensitive and alert to your own state of mind, as well as, the state and energy of the people and environments around you. Many people report an increased occurrence of psychic types of experiences (reading other people’s minds, anticipating unrelated events, as well as, an increased occurrence of synchronicity). In short, you will become more sensitive to the "energy" of people and places and things. You will become more sensitive to those aspects of our reality that remains hidden or unseen to most normal people. In the long run, this will not seem so unusual to you. What is strange is how most of us can be so blind and unaware of basic aspects of our existence for so long.
Again, as you go through this process, be sure to give as much respect and honor to the subtle and not so subtle changes that are taking place. This path of Yoga, this path of purification is very, very powerful. You are awakening great stores of energy, vitality and power within yourself that you perhaps never knew you had. Anytime, you awaken or come into contact with these kinds of energies, it is important to realize that with greater power, comes greater responsibility. By its nature, the purpose of this power is not intended simply for the gratification of your own selfish desires. In fact, to do so is foolish and dangerous in many different respects. Reflect deeply and mindfully about this process and take great care.
Satsang, in the tradition of Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi.
Current mood: blissful
Category: Religion and Philosophy
I have always felt a deep resonance with the loving gaze of Ramana Maharshi. In some quarters there is a mistrust of what is commonly termed "neo-advaita" amongst today’s spiritual seekers, Yogi’s and meditators. It can be perceived as a way of avoiding the discipline and effort of spiritual practice, but if the words of the teacher’s from Ramana’s tradition are absorbed and felt with an open heart and receptive mind it is hard not to relax into a state of trust and bliss. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t continue your Sadhana in the same way it does not mean you should no longer dance or read a book, but it can become the foundation of your practice and give you a feeling of great peace in times of trouble. Here are three lovely films I found on You tube. Gangaji, Papaji and finally the beautiful teachings and loving gaze of Ramana himself. I hope you like them.
Gangaji - What is my core message.
Papaji - The door to yourself.
Ramana Maharshi - Abide as the self.
Currently
listening
:
Dirk Wears White Sox
By
Adam & the Ants
Release date: 12 July, 2004
Ghee: Better than Butter
Current mood: accomplished
Category: Food and Restaurants
Ghee: Better than Butter Why cook with plain butter when you can reap the health benefits of its clarified form? By Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa Your yoga teacher says a little ghee will help loosen up tight hamstrings, and your Ayurvedic physician recommends ghee for a host of ailments ranging from poor digestion to memory loss. But what is this liquid gold and how does it differ from regular butter?
Ayurveda places ghee, or clarified butter, at the top of the oily foods list, as it has the healing benefits of butter without the impurities (saturated fat, milk solids). The Susruta Samhita, an Ayurvedic classic, claims ghee is beneficial for the whole body, and recommends it as the ultimate remedy for problems stemming from the pitta dosha, such as inflammation.
Long a favorite of yoga practitioners, ghee lubricates the connective tissues and promotes flexibility, says Dr. Vasant Lad, director of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Traditionally, the preparation has been used to promote memory, intelligence, quantity and quality of semen, and to enhance digestion. Modern science tells us that ghee also harbors phenolic antioxidants, which bolster the immune system.
Even better than ghee is aged ghee—up to 100 years—which treats alcoholism, epilepsy, fever, and vaginal pain, according to Ayurvedic physician Robert Svoboda. Medicated ghee (ghrita in Sanskrit), meanwhile, combines clarified butter with healing herbs. Ghee's benefits extend to topical use as well. Ayurvedic beauty expert Pratima Raichur suggests it as a massage base to calm sensitive pitta-type skin. The Indian Materia Medica, a widely respected source book for Ayurvedic remedies, recommends ghee, sometimes mixed with honey, as an application for wounds, inflammation, and blisters.
You'll find ghee at the health food store, but it's easy to make. Place 1 to 2 pounds of butter in a saucepan on low heat. Melt until white curds separate and sink to the bottom. When a drop of water flicked into the pan boils immediately, the ghee is done. Discarding the curds and store in a jar. If kept out of contact with water, ghee needs no refrigeration. Take 2 teaspoons per day as a supplement, or simply use ghee in your cooking. Just remember that ghee is fat, and only a certain amount of total fat is necessary in the diet. If you use ghee, reduce your total fat intake proportionately.
Thanks to http://www.yogajournal.com for this
And to Hinduism today (http://www.hinduismtoday.com) for this:
The Buttersweet Benefits of Ghee Proper preparation and utilization of the essence of the cow is itself a form of sadhana
By Brahmacharini Maya Twari Vedic seers considered milk to be the most sattvic (peace-producing) food for humankind. From this salubrious nourishment, choice butter, buttermilk, yogurt and ghee are made--that is, when the milk's quality has remained pure and untampered with. Throughout the ages, milk has been used widely but not wisely. Because of the corruption prevalent in today's animal husbandry, we are in danger of losing this sacred food of the earth. The cruel practices engaged in minding the animals, as well as the arsenal of poisons, chemicals and hormones which are used in their feed, all contribute to the misery of this beneficent animal, the impairment of her life-sustaining milk and the dimming of her natural Divine Light. But when butter, yogurt and ghee are made from milk produced by conscious organic dairy farmers, they are considered to be our most nourishing and healing foods. Among them, ghee stands out as the elixir for excellent health. Sushruta, an ancient Ayurvedic seer, regarded ghee as an intelligence-building principle that fosters the body's confidence and virility. Another ancient, Charaka, praises ghee's ability to promote memory and immunity within the body. From the perspective of sadhana, spiritual discipline, ghee is associated with the body's element of love. Its dominant action allows it to soothe our vital tissues. In Ayurveda, ghee is used as a primary vehicle for conveying herbal powders, essences and medicines into affected tissues because it penetrates them and enlivens vital tissue memory, soothing the body, mind and spirit of the patient. Ghee also builds ojas, the body's primordial immunological force, thereby reducing fatigue and stress while aiding the body to let go of its toxicity. Ghee may be used in cooking to reduce fatigue, emaciation, loss of appetite and stress from time to time throughout the year. Since the nature of ghee is usually peaceful and nourishing, it accommodates all metabolic types, restoring agni, digestive fire, and allowing the body to adjust to its newly attuned state of revitalization. A few stories may best serve to illustrate the vast healing powers of ghee. Lynn had a severe strep infection in her throat. After one week of gargling with ghee, turmeric and warm water, her throat infection was gone. Eric, who had a chronic case of psoriasis, treated his condition by applying a poultice made from ghee and neem powder. One month later, Eric's skin ailment was completely cured. Gita had suffered from years of nervous exhaustion, constipation and insomnia by the time she came to me for help. Along with dietary help, I recommended a simple tea made from hot water, ghee and triphala which she took for three months every evening after dinner. Her condition is now vastly improved. For centuries ghee has been used as a remedy during the seasonal junctions when diseases tend to become more prevalent. At the onset of spring, a tablespoon of ghee may be taken with a few pinches of turmeric every morning for a week or so. Similarly, a tablespoon of ghee can be taken for a week at the commencement of summer with a teaspoon of unrefined brown sugar; at the onset of the rainy season combined with a few pinches of rock salt; at the arrival of autumn with a teaspoon of honey and as winter sets in, mixed with a teaspoon of molasses. Ghee is made by boiling sweet butter, thereby ridding it of enzymes that could encourage bacteria. The quality of the ghee depends on the quality of the butter, as well as the means of making it and how it is stored. Stored in the right conditions, ghee not only lasts a long time, but its medicinal value increases as it ages. Used in small quantity, ghee is ideal for cooking as it does not burn unless heated excessively. It blends with food nutrients without losing its medicinal quality and therefore soothes and nourishes bodily constituents. Ghee is good for persons of all doshas (constitutional types) and is a specific for pitta. It requires no refrigeration, should be kept covered, away from direct sunlight or heat and protected from any contaminants. Ceremony of ghee making: In times of yore, Vedic monks basked in the joyous ceremony of making ghee. This was held at purnima, the full moon. In meditative silence they would oversee the various stages of preparation. You, too, can approach ghee making as a sadhana. Proceed with a clean body and a calm mind. As the Vedic monks discovered, this sadhana can evoke the sattvic mind and brings forth wondrous healing energies in its practice. Be mindful of the aromas, sounds and presence of this delightful ceremony. For one pound of organic, sweet (unsalted) butter, you will need a heavy stainless steel saucepan, a stainless steel spoon and a glass storage jar, all sterilized in advance with boiling water. Melt the butter in the saucepan over low flame. Continue to heat until it boils gently and a buff-colored foam rises to the surface. Do not stir the melted butter or remove the foam (which would result in "clarified butter," common in Western cooking). Allow the ghee to cook gently until the foam thickens and settles to the bottom of the pan as sediment. When the ghee turns a golden color and begins to boil silently, with only a trace of air bubbles on the surface, it is done. When it is cool, pour the liquid into the jar, making sure that the sediments remain on the bottom of the saucepan.
Soft Focus - Ian Svenonius interviews Penny Rimbaud.
Current mood: focused
Category: Music
Internet TV channel Vice Broadcasting Sytem has a show called Soft Focus, where Ian Svenonius (of Washington D.C. punk soul polemicists, Nation of Ulysees and more recently, the Make Up) interviews various visionary musicians. His interviewees include, Kevin Shields (of My Bloody Valentine), Ian Mackaye (of Minor Threat and Fugazi), Henry Rollins, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Billy Childish, Shaun Ryder, Cat Power, and most recently Penny Rimbaud, the driving force behind Crass and the Dial house foundation. The interview comes to an interesting conclusion. The rest of this interview as well as the others mentioned above can be found here:
http://www.vbs.tv/softfocus/
There's other interesting things on VBS too, at risk of sounding like I work for them (which I don't), check it out.
but for the time being.......
"Don't want a life of lies and pretence, don't want to play at attack and defence, just want my own life so I can be free, so you can be you and I can be me" - Crass - Who can be who? 1982. Thanks to AA for the heads up on this.
Currently
listening
:
Good Arrows
By
Tunng
Release date: 25 September, 2007
(1) Pratah smarami hridi samsphura ta twam Satchitsukham paramahansa gatim turiyam Yat swapna jagara sushupta mavaiti nityam Tad brahma nishkalamaham na cha bhuta sanghaha.
In the morning as I meet the dawn, I remember that my heart contains the God, the Beloved, who has not yet been defined and described. I remember that it is He who vibrates within my heart, enables me to breathe, to talk, to listen, to move. When I am thus aware, that it is He who lives and moves within me, then the three phases of consciousness, jagrat, swapna, sushupti : wakefulness, dreaming, and profound sleep, they are transcended into turiya, the fourth dimension, which is behind the wakefulness, the dream-consciousness , and the sleep-consciousness .
When I thus remember, that the underlying current behind the wakefulness, the dream, and the sleep-consciousness is He, who lives and moves within me, then that awareness gives me sat chit sukham, the flavor of the truth, the reality, and the bliss that is the nature, the basic primary nature of life.
Sat chit sukham. When I am always thus aware of the real nature of life, then I arrive at paramahansagatim turiyam. I arrive at a state of being that has been called by the ancient wise Indians "Paramahansa" , a swan that swims through the waters of duality. That is how a sanyasi is called a paramahansa, one who lives in the renunciation of that austere awareness that it is not he who lives, as separate from the universe, but that he is only an expression of the universal...
The state of paramahansa is the state where a person is aware that he is not a conglomeration of sense organs and only the five elements, but he is the nishkala Brahman, the supreme Brahman, the divinity, who has taken the dense form of a mind and a physical body.
But my mind, when I am awake, needs some work to do. It cannot remain without movement. So I give it a job. "Pratara bhajami manaso" - by the mind - "vachasam agamyam" - by the mind I move. On the frontiers of the mind I give the mind a job to explore that which lies beyond its own frontiers, that which is not accessible to the word, to the speech, as well as to the mind.
My mind asks me, "How shall I do it?" And I ask the mind to travel back, through the word, to the source of the word, the sound, and find out how the sound is born. I ask my mind to travel with the breath, to go inside: with the breath to travel. That is the only way you can find out how the sound is born, because breath and sound are woven together.
All speech and all sound is a blessing of that unspoken, unstruck sound. And unless one discovers the source from which all sound is born, one shall never set oneself free from the power of the word, that intoxicates and distorts the mind; that intoxicates the mind and sweeps it off its balance.
All the Upanishads and the Vedas have been searching for that source of sound. That source of breath. They arrived only at two words: na iti, na iti: it is "not this", it is "not this." So even the Vedas arrive at the point where nothing can describe and define. The source can only be experienced, the source can only be perceived and understood, but never defined and described. That is how the mind becomes silent. Not because I ask it, but while it is searching for the source of its own activity it takes a dive deep into silence, where the mind becomes the no-mind, where the knowing becomes the not-knowing.
Then I understand that silence is the only speech through which life speaks, and I feel blessed when I am in that silence.
But then comes the body. It wants to do something. To worship, to admire, to adore. So I give it a job. I ask my body to bow down before the light of the earth, the sun, who dispels darkness from all the corners of the earth. And I ask my body to expose itself to that darkness dispelling sun - ask it to find out how that sun enters into the body through the doors of the eyes, and through the pores of all the veins and nerves, every pore of my being. I want my body to find out which are the avenues through which the light is received.
And when the body says, "It is the eyes through which the light enters," I say, "Find out how the eyes can see the light. Is the light outside the eyes, or is it inside?" With the help of the mind, the body travels inward, to find out the source of the light.
And it discovers that it is not a blind person who can receive the light from outside. He who has an eye can receive the light. So that which receives the light is greater than the light seen from outside.
So I arrive at the source of light within me. And the awareness of that light dispels the illusion - the illusion and the fear that a man experiences when he see "rajo bhujangama" : when he see a rope in the darkness and he mistakes that for a snake, a cobra. I had mistaken the rope of duality for the snake and cobra of misery and sorrow. But the light dispels the darkness and I see that the duality is only a rope that cannot bind me in any way unless I bind myself with it.
That light is the purushottam, that is sanatana - eternal. Purnam - that is perfect. The perfect eternity. The God divine. That is really my nature. I had mistaken the tensions of duality to be me, but then the light dispels all the darkness, and I get rooted back into the ajam, the aychutam - that which can never be swept off its feet. Ajam - that which was never born, and can never die. I am that.
This is the prayer composed by Shankaracharya, the majestic exponent of the philosophy of non-dualism, vedanta or advait. This was sung by Vivekananda very often, and it is really on this prayer that Vivekananda' s "Song of Sanyasin" is based, where he sings, in great ecstasy:
They know not truth who dream such vacant dreams As father, mother, children wife and friend - The sexless Self, whose father, whose mother is he? The self is All in All, None else exists, and thou art that, Sanyasin bold, say 'Om Tat Sat Om'.
Where seekest thou that freedom? This world nor that can give you. Thine only is the hand, that holds the rope that drags thee on. Then cease lament, let go thy hold! Sanyasin bold! Say 'Om Tat Sat Om!'
Eye of Spirit: An Integral Vision for a World Gone Slightly Mad, by Ken Wilber.
Current mood: numb
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Here is an excerpt from The Eye of Spirit: An Integral Vision for a World Gone Slightly Mad, by Ken Wilber. This book introduces Ken's Integral Theory, but the great nondual section is the few pages of the last chapter. You may want to get the book for that reason alone. Here's the first few paragraphs from that 18 page chapter.
The Great Search
The realization of the Nondual traditions is uncompromising: there is only Spirit, there is only God, there is only Emptiness in all its radiant wonder. All the good and all the evil, the very best and the very worst, the upright and the degenerate -- each and all are radically perfect manifestations of Spirit precisely as they are. There is nothing but God, nothing but the Goddess, nothing but Spirit in all directions, and not a grain of sand, not a speck of dust, is more or less Spirit than any other.
This realization undoes the Great Search that is the heart of the separate-self sense. The separate-self is, at bottom, simply a sensation of seeking. When you feel yourself right now, you will basically feel a tiny interior tension or contraction -- a sensation of grasping, desiring, wishing, wanting, avoiding, resisting -- it is a sensation of effort, a sensation of seeking.
In its highest form, this sensation of seeking takes on the form of the Great Search for Spirit. We wish to get from our unenlightened state (of sin or delusion or duality) to an enlightened or more spiritual state. We wish to get from where Spirit is not, to where Spirit is.
But there is no place where Spirit is not. Every single location in the entire Kosmos is equally and fully Spirit. Seeking of any sort, movement of any sort, attainment of any sort: all profoundly useless. The Great Search simply reinforces the mistaken assumption that there is some place that Spirit is not, and that I need to get from a space that is lacking to a space that is full. But there is no space lacking, and there is no space more full. There is only Spirit.
The Great Search for Spirit is simply that impulse, the final impulse, which prevents the present realization of Spirit, and it does so for a simple reason: the Great Search presumes the loss of God. The Great Search reinforces the mistaken belief that God is not present, and thus totally obscures the reality of God's ever-present Presence. The Great Search, which pretends to love God, is in fact the very mechanism of pushing God away; the mechanism of promising to find tomorrow that which exists only in the timeless now; the mechanism of watching the future so fervently that the present always passes it by -- very quickly -- and God's smiling face with it.
Eye of Spirit: An Integral Vision for a World Gone Slightly Mad, by Ken Wilber.
Currently
listening
:
The Mix-Up
By
Beastie Boys
Release date: 26 June, 2007
NAMARUPA Magazine, Issue 7 . Interview with Saraswathi Rangaswamy by me.
Current mood: awake
Category: Religion and Philosophy
The new issue of the glorious Namarupa magazine is here. A swanky Beatles in India cover, an interview with Saraswathi Rangaswamy (Sri K. Pattabhi Jois' daughter) by me!!! (She gives some fascinating insights into the Ashtanga Yoga tradition).
You can subscribe here:
http://www.namarupa.org/magazine/nr07.php
NAMARUPA Magazine, Issue 7
COVER: The Beatles in India - Photos (c) Paul Saltzman
Navagraha Nine Seizers of Human Destiny - Nara Allsop
Jyotisha - Robert E. Svoboda
Yoga Sutra of Patanjali 8-11 - Edwin Bryant
Rasakhan - Shyamdas
Ocean of Grace - Shyamdas
A Talk on the Bhagavad Gita - Richard Freeman
Looking for a Lost Gita - Paul G. Hackett
An Auspicious Association - Graham Bond
The Ditcitars of Citamparam - Robert Moses, Photo Essay
Translating the Bhagavad Gita - Graham M. Schweig
Notes on the Bhagavad Gita - Paul H. Sherbow
Interview with Saraswathi Rangaswamy - Nick Evans
The Beatles in India - Paul Saltzman
Miniature Painting - Rekha Bharwani
Currently
listening
:
Sound of Silver
By
LCD Soundsystem
Release date: 20 March, 2007
adored
blessed
accomplished
blissful
focused
cold
numb
awake
