Yoga Philosophy Archives

CONSERVATION OF ENERGY

The Hindu Gods and Goddesses

Lakhita Japa does not have to be simply straight lines. One can even draw pictures using their Mantra to form the outline, as shown in this sample from H.H. Swami Sivananda's extensive text, Japa Yoga.

TWO GREAT KRIYAS or CLEANSING TECHNIQUES

Tongue Cleaning and Nasal Irrigation

JIVA SODHANA, or Tongue Cleaning

The Gheranda Samhita considers tongue cleaning "essential for the preservation of the teeth". The Caraka Samhita says, "The dirt which is collected at the root of the tongue creates obstructions in respiration and produces a foul smell, hence one should scrape the tongue."

A white film on the top of the tongue means there are millions of bacteria living there. The practice of scraping the tongue removes the white colour waste products from the surface of the tongue, and enhances the functioning of taste buds. Not only that, it helps to reduce halitosis, or bad breath and provides a clean environment for good dental hygiene.

A study done by Anne Bosy, co-founder of the Fresh Breath Clinic in Toronto, found that most people with bad breath do not have gum disease. Instead, she found that sulphur-producing bacteria live at the back of the tongue, bedding down under plaque and mucous. These bacteria are a source of halitosis.

Ordinary tooth bushing does not succeed in removing these colonies of bacteria, so many dentists have begun to teach people how to remove these "critters". Some dentists teach patients to brush their tongues with their toothbrushes. A drawback of this is that a moist toothbrush may continue to hold the bacteria. Unless you are willing to throw out your toothbrush on a continuous basis, I don't recommend this practice. Other dentists teach their patients how to use a "tongue scraper".

Yogis have been scraping their tongues clean for hundreds of years. The ancient science of Ayurveda has taught that tongue cleaning activates the salivary glands (which aids in our digestion) and it revitalizes the throat. When people complain of having a frequent sore throat, Ayurvedic doctors advise them to clean their tongues. Sinus infections can also benefit from cleaning the tongue. If your nose is blocked by mucous, preventing the passage of air so you need to breathe out your mouth, the bacteria thrive. By regularly scraping the tongue with a tongue cleaner the excess mucous and any minor infection is removed. (see Neti below, for further assistance with sinus problems).

For some people, no matter how much they brush, floss, eat breath fresheners, or avoid certain foods, bad breath or halitosis persists. But the "discovery" of these bacteria that dwell on the tongue, and the regular use of a tongue cleaner has resulted in many successes. A tongue is clean if it is a rosy-pink colour. Check out your tongue and see how rosy-pink it is!

How to use a Tongue Scraper or Cleaner (see Tongue Cleaning photo)

Tongue scrapers are usually made from gold, silver, copper, tin, brass and stainless steel. Now you can also find them made of plastic.

Stick out your tongue. Take the two ends of the tongue scraper in your hand, and reach the arch of it to the back of the tongue. Scrape forward several times, rinsing the white mucous off the scraper between scrapings. Rinse out the mouth once you are done.

NETI or Nasal Irrigation

Neti, or nasal irrigation, is an ancient practice done by Hatha Yogis. The sinuses often become blocked or congested, causing problems such as headaches, ear infections, and sore throats. Since yogis are always concerned with maintaining a healthy body, the cleaning of the sinuses through nasal irrigation has been adopted into their daily hygiene.

At the International Yoga Teachers Conference in Australia, 1997, Dr. Thomas Schmidt, a Doctor of Internal Medicine, presented results from a study he had done on the benefits of Neti in reducing the effects of the common cold. Dr. Schmidt conducted research over 5 years on the effects of jal neti, or nasal irrigation. He had 115 soldiers in the study.

Some soldiers were a simply a control group, while the others practiced neti on an average of one time per day. Some did it two times a day, and the time varied between am and pm. The soldiers kept a diary on how they did Neti and how often.

Each soldier had a check-up at the beginning of the study, at the end of the 1st month, and at the end of the 3 month course. The participation in Dr. Schmidt's research study is as follows.

39 soldiers performed neti……………27 completed the 3 month course

76 were a control group………………61 completed the 3 month course

TOTAL 115 BEGAN........................... TOTAL 88 COMPLETED

The following table shows the results of Dr. Schmidt's research:

Days of Disease (cold and flu symptoms) resulting in days off duty

Group	First Month	Third Month	Total Days of Disease at Completion
Neti group	.51 per person	0 per person	.51 per person
Control group	.82 per person	.96 per person	1.78 per person

The study shows that disease dropped by 70% for the group that practiced jal neti! Why?

Nasal mucous membranes have 1 layer of cells with cilia. On this is a film of liquid. One phase of this liquid is like mucous, and one is like water. The cilia move like a whip in the water layer, moving a constant flow down to the throat. The same action is occurring in the lungs, only going upwards. The sinuses bring this liquid to the nose, where it can be drained. This protects the body by moving bacteria and germs away from the cells.
Back to neti pots

The cilia are sensitive to many effects. They become less effective in removing germs when they become too cold, too hot, too dry, too moist, too dusty, etc. Temperature change affects the cilia and this is the most frequent cause of days off work (+- 70%). Our society averages 17.77 days off working per year due to the effects of the common cold.

It only takes 6 hours for a virus to take hold. The first thing a virus does is stop the cilia from working, so they can no longer make the whipping action. Then a virus can infect the cell. If a cell loses its cilia it takes 2 weeks to regenerate it. By performing neti regularly, it helps the normal flow of cilia, normal flushing and cleansing.

Neti works as a defense to keep the cilia functioning when a virus is trying to disable them. This helps to reduce the frequency of colds as well as lower the secondary effects (flu, pneumonia, tonsillitis, ear infections, etc). Neti can also reduce the length of a cold if it does take place. If you are exposed to a virus, Dr. Schmidt suggests you do Neti three times a day so the virus doesn't have 6 hours to infect your cells. Otherwise, doing Neti once a day should keep the cilia healthy and functioning well.
Back to neti pots

Some Allergy and Respiratory Health Clinics have discovered "nasal irrigation". They instruct people suffering from chronic problems with the nose and ears, headaches, and blocked sinuses to "slowly sniff in a small amount of mixture (warm water, baling soda and salt) through one nostril at a time, pulling the water in through the nose and out the mouth". They recommend this practice twice a day to start, and once the sinuses start to clear, reduce to once a day. Not only that, one clinic says, "Once you get onto this technique, often it is the only treatment you need to keep your sinuses and upper airways clear." A very high recommendation, and based on the research and my own experience, I fully agree.

Since the 1970's the practice of Neti has spread in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Germany. In Germany, some health insurance companies have even considered giving clients Neti pots to help reduce lost days of work.

Dr. Schmidt's study group used a solution of salt and water for performing Neti. Ideally, you want the solution to match the salinity of your body, or to taste like your tears. This works out to be approximately 9 grams of salt to 1 litre of water. Sea salt doesn't burn. Table salt will burn if too much or too little is used, but when mixed to match the body's salt solution it will be fine. You may need to adjust the amount of salt up or down until you find the comfortable amount.

How to do Neti

Fill the Neti pot with the salt and water solution. Insert the spout into the right nostril and tip your head to the left (see Neti photo). The water will pour into your right nostril, fill the right sinus passage, and then come out the leftnostril. Let the water flow until about ½ the solution is gone, or less if it is too uncomfortable. Blow your nose and repeat on the other side.

Any stinging sensations will disappear with regular practice. You may also find any discomfort being reduced by not doing Neti first thing in the morning - give the sinuses an hour or so to clear after waking. Caution: It is advised that this practice be learned with a teacher. One may need assistance with the position of the head in order to avoid water entering the wind pipe

KRIYAS or Shat Karmas

Kriyas are techniques that help to bring the three humors into balance by cleansing the respiratory, digestive, eliminatory and nervous systems. The three humors are vata, pitta and kapha, or wind, bile and phlegm. More can be find out about the humors in texts on Ayurveda (an excellent one is "Ayurveda", by Dr. Vinod Verma).

There are six main Kriyas or hygienic duties discussed in three ancient texts - the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Siva Samhita and Gheranda Samhita. These duties are used as preparatory cleansing to ensure the full benefits of pranayama (breathing techniques), the removal of toxic material, and to improve overall health. As is not uncommon, there are many variations of the Kriyas. Therefore there are discrepancies from one text to another.

Few of us would perform all of these purifications in their traditional form, and those who would, should be taught under the supervision of a teacher. The Kriyas outlined below are described in general terms for your information and understanding. Limited instructions have been outlined to simply give you an understanding of the technique, not to explain the method for your personal practice. For greater detail, I can refer you to three excellent references; The Complete Book of Yoga by James Hewitt, The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga by Swami VishnuDevananda, and Hatha Yoga by Theos Bernard.

Use caution, and learn the Kriyas under supervision. It is not recommended that you attempt these without supervision and proper instruction unless otherwise noted.

1) Dhauti: To wash, clean or purify There are four kinds of Dhauti - Antar Dhauti, Danta Dhauti, Hrid Dhauti and Mula Sodhana:

a) Antar Dhauti - internal cleansing. This consists of four techniques listed below.

- Vatasara is wind or air purification. By contracting the mouth like a crow's beak, draw air in slowly, swallowing it into the stomach. Move the air around in the stomach by doing Nauli (see kriya #4b), and then belch the air out. This is said to increase the gastric fire.

- Varisara is water purification. Take in water and drink it slowly. Move the water around in the stomach by doing Nauli (see kriya #4b). Then either perform Vamana Dhauti (throwing the water up) or work it down through the intestines. This is said to purify the body and make it shine.

- Vahnisara or Agnisari is fire purification. Perform Uddiyana Bandha (see kriya #4a) and while holding the breath out, pump the abdomen in and out 5 times, then inhale and relax. Gradually increase the number of pumps per breath based on your comfort level. This assists with stomach disorders, increases the internal fire and gives one a luminous body.

- Bahiskrta is intestinal purification. By contracting the mouth like a crow's beak, draw air in slowly, swallowing it into the stomach. Hold the air in the stomach for 1½ hrs so it can move down into the intestines and pass through the rectum. This is said to give one a Deva-deha, or a god-like body.

b) Danta Dhauti - teeth purification. This consists of four techniques listed below, for cleaning the teeth and gums, tongue, ears and sinuses.

- Danta-mula-dhauti is teeth cleaning. The teeth and gums are rubbed every morning with catechu plant powder or pure earth. Today we use toothpaste and a toothbrush for cleaning our teeth. Rubbing the gums with fingers stimulates circulation.

- Jihva-Sodhana is tongue cleaning. The Gheranda Samhita says to "…join the middle, index and ring finger together, put them in the throat and rub well the root and surface of the tongue". A much more practical way one can clean the tongue is by using a scraper (see Tongue Cleaners). This removes the white colour waste products on the surface of the tongue, and enhances the functioning of taste buds. (see article in Philosophy Archives on Tongue Cleaning for further information on current benefits and practice)

- Karna-dhauti is ear cleaning. The Gheranda Samhita suggests cleaning each ear hole using the index and ring fingers. Many instruments of bamboo and metal were created for cleaning the ears, but the most common today is Q-tips. Always be careful about putting any small object in the ear canal.

- Kapalarandhra-dhauti is cleansing of the Frontal Sinuses. Rub the depression of the forehead near the bridge of the nose with the thumb. One can also rub the sinuses under the eyes. Do upon awakening, after meals, and in the evening. This is said to cure ailments caused by phlegmatic humors.

c) Hrid Dhauti - Chest or Throat cleansing. There are three methods listed below.

- Danda-dhauti (Stick) Using a stalk of plantain, turmeric or cane, push it slowly into the gullet and slowly withdraw. Phlegm, bile and other impurities are expelled out of the mouth. Is said to be very good for the heart.

- Vamana-dhauti (Vomiting) Using salt water, one is to drink in water "full up to the throat", then vomit the water out. Some have interpreted this practice to be nothing more than gargling, which would no doubt be an excellent throat cleansing. Others consider it the vomiting to be an alternative to the next Dhauti of swallowing gauze. Disorders of phlegm and bile are said to be cured by this practice.

- Vaso-dhauti (Cloth) A long strip of cloth or surgical gauze 3-4 inches wide and 3-4 feet long is soaked in milk or warm water, and then slowly swallowed down into the stomach, with one end still held in your hand. Leave the strip in the stomach for a few minutes, and then slowly and carefully draw the cloth back out the throat again. The tendency to retch will pass with practice. The swallowed cloth soaks up phlegm, bile and other impurities of the stomach.

- Mula Sodhana (Rectal cleansing). Many texts state that this practice is the same as Basti, or intestinal purification, which is described below. However, some feel it is just the cleaning of the rectum and not the entire intestines. Ancient texts describe cleaning the rectum internally with water and the middle finger, or a stalk of tumeric. In any case, the cleansing affect will be accomplished by doing the technique of Basti, as described below.

2) Basti - intestinal purification (sometimes called Vasti) This process is basically an enema, with one difference. An enema is accomplished through water pressure, whereas Jal-Basti is accomplished through a natural vacuum. An enema will do just fine, but for the sake of interest, the traditional methods are described below.

a)Jal-Basti - With water. Squatting in a tub of warm water, perform Uddiyana Bandha (see kriya #4a). This will create a vacuum, which in turn will draw water up into the colon and lower intestine. Hold the anal sphincter closed and perform nauli (see kriya #4b) to churn the water around. After a few abdominal churnings, release the water into the toilet. Mucus and other waste products are removed. This practice strengthens the abdominal muscles, assists in curing urinary and digestive disorders, and chronic constipation.

b)Suska-Basti - Dry Basti. Begin by sitting in Paschimottanasana. Slowly lean forward from the waist and lower the head as far as you comfortably can towards the knees. Reach forward to grasp the ankles or the feet. Now press the intestines down and squeeze tightly the muscles of the anus. Release and relax. This practice is to assist in curing constipation and flatulence, and increase gastric fire.

3) Neti - Nasal Cleansing. Neti helps to clear the nasal passages and throat of foreign matter, and clears the head sinuses. It also helps to strengthen the eyes, since there is stimulation of the blood vessels of the eyes and the nose. Jal-Neti has been found to have amazing results in reducing the affects of the common cold and allergies.

a) Jal-Neti, using a neti pot. This is one of the easiest ways to perform neti. Fill a neti pot (see Neti Pots) with lukewarm water and salt. Tipping your head to the left side, pour the water in your right nostril and it will come out the left nostril. Blow your nose and repeat on the other side. Disorders due to phlegm are said to be destroyed by this practice, as well as the common cold.

b) Vyut-krama, using a cup or bowl of water. This practice is a little harder to get used to. Fill a bowl or cup with lukewarm water and salt. The water is gently sniffed up from the vessel and then expelled through the mouth. As one becomes more adept the water can be sucked in through the mouth and expelled through the nostrils (Sit-krama). Disorders due to phlegm are said to be destroyed by this practice, as well as the common cold.

c) Neti-kriya, using a string or catheter. The traditional method is to use a string or soft cord, but a catheter is also used. This method is a little more intrusive to the nasal passages than the use of water. Lubricate the catheter with antiseptic jelly. Gently push it through one nostril until the end appears in the throat. Grip the end with the thumb and forefinger and draw it out the mouth. Gently draw the catheter to and fro a few times, and then pull its full length out of the mouth. Wash the catheter and repeat with the other nostril. Disorders due to phlegm are said to be destroyed by this practice.

4) Nauli - Isolation of the Recti Abdominus Muscles

a) Uddiyana bandha - Retraction of the abdominal wall. Stand up with your hands on your thighs above the knees. Take a deep exhalation, and while holding the breath out, draw the abdominal wall in towards the spine and up under the ribs to make a deep hollow. Hold for 5 seconds, then release the abdomen and breathe normally. This technique is a blessing to mankind. It brings health, strength and long life to those who practice it. This exercise should be performed on an empty stomach.

b) Nauli - Recti Isolation. The recti abdominus muscles of the abdomen lie side by side in a vertical line down the centre of the abdomen, from the chest to the pubic bone. These muscles can be isolated and rolled from left to right, massaging the viscera. Perform Uddiyana Bandha as described above. While holding the breath out, isolate the recti by pushing them forward, so they stand out from the deep hollow created by Uddiyana Bandha. Slight pressure down on the hands may assist you. Pull the muscles to the right by putting more pressure on the right hand. Repeat to the left. Alternating the pressure between the two hands can create a "rolling" effect with the muscles. Inhale and relax. This technique results in stimulating the liver, pancreas, kidney, spleen, and adrenal glands. Performing this following a drink of warm water first thing in the morning is unbeatable for constipation. Sexual vigour is achieved, and the body's electro-magnetic energies are awakened.

5) Trataka - Cleansing Vision, or gazing at a small object until the eyes tear. Do not stare, but rather look at the object.

a) Trataka - Candle gazing. Sit in a comfortable asana with an erect spine. With steady eyes, look at a candle flame (which should be directly in front of you) for approximately one minute. Try not to blink. Then, close the eyes and relax the eye muscles while visualizing the flame between the eyebrows for one minute. Open the eyes and resume your gaze on the flame. Repeat this process for about 5 minutes, always balancing equalling the time with eyes open and eyes closed. Gradually work up to 10 minutes without strain. This exercise stimulates the nerve centres, enhances concentration, and strengthens the eyes. It is said to induce clairvoyance.

b) Brumadhya Drishti - Gazing at the Third Eye. This exercise is a little more advanced. Sit in a comfortable asana with a straight spine. With half-closed eyes, turn the eyes upwards towards the space between the eyebrows (the ajna chakra or third eye). Try not to blink. Practice for a minute or two at a time, gradually increasing to 10 minutes without straining the eye muscles. Upon completion, relax and rest the eyes. This exercise soothes the cranial nerves and enhances concentration. The olfactory and optic nerves are stimulated. The autonomic and central nervous systems are awakened.

c) Nasagra Drishti - Gazing at the tip of the nose. Sit in a comfortable asana with a straight spine. Turn the eyes downwards so they gaze at the tip of the nose. Try not to blink. Practice for a minute or two at a time, gradually increasing to 10 minutes without straining the eye muscles. Upon completion, relax and rest the eyes. This exercise strengthens the eye muscles and increases ones ability to concentrate.

6) Kapalabhati - Cleansing Breath. The purpose of this breathing technique is not about breathing, but about the cleansing of the frontal air passages and the lungs. Therefore, it should be practiced before doing other pranayama or breathing techniques. Sit in a comfortable asana. During inhalation, the diaphragm descends and the abdomen is pushed out. During exhalation, the abdomen is drawn in quickly towards the spine, pushing the diaphragm up against the base of the lungs. This action is repeated over and over again. Inhalation and exhalation are performed through the nostrils rapidly, contracting and relaxing the stomach muscles as in a pumping action. Emphasis is on the exhalations. The inhalations are passive. One could envision the process as though with each exhalation you were blowing a bee off the end of your nose. This exercise clears the nasal passages, purifies the blood, cleanses the sinuses, removes phlegm, stimulates the liver, spleen, and pancreas, improves digestion, facilitates evacuation, and strengthens and tones the abdominal muscles. It is excellent for people suffering from asthma. It is not recommended for people with high blood pressure.

Although some of the above techniques seem weird and bizarre, many of them are obviously very beneficial and valuable for our health. Several of the techniques have been adopted into our every day life and more continue to be. Dentists have begun to see the value in cleaning the tongue. Respiratory therapists have discovered the value of neti, or nasal irrigation. Enemas are given in hospitals every day.

The yogis have an unprecedented respect for cleanliness and may appear to take it to the extreme in order to remove impurities from the body. However, if a healthy body makes for a healthy mind, or if cleanliness is next to Godliness, then perhaps we should hold any judgement regarding these methods used on the path to enlightenment.

Building an Altar

Why build an altar?

Traditionally, Hatha Yoga is preparation for Raja Yoga, or meditative yoga. Swatmarama, who wrote the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, considered "Hatha yogins who do not have knowledge of Raja Yoga are simple practitioners who do not get the fruit of their pains." Usually, one who is truly drawn to Hatha Yoga will soon be drawn to Raja Yoga as a natural progression.

Building an altar creates the atmosphere for meditation. Many people create an altar in a designated room of their home. Others simply screen off a portion of a room to keep it separated. This space should feel sattvic (pure) and free from negativity. Only meditation, prayer and chanting is done in this area or room, if at all possible. This creates a sacred space that is kept free from other vibrations and associations.

When creating an altar, much love and thought should go into the process, as it is very personal. The altar should be placed so that when you sit before it, you are facing in a northern or eastern direction. This takes advantage of favourable magnetic vibrations.

A chosen deity, or your ishta devata should be a focal point of the altar. This can be in the form of a picture or statue of the deity (see deities page for statues, and the glossary of Gods and Goddesses in the Philosophy archives). When choosing a deity, you look for the divine qualities you would like to develop in yourself. For example, if you were drawn to Siva, the destroyer, who destroys our negative qualities, you would have the image of Siva on your altar, and meditate using the mantra "Om Namah Sivaya". The picture of Siva will come before your mind, assisting you in your concentration and focus on the Lord, in the form of Siva.

You may choose to have as many other deities on your altar as you like. On my altar, I include Avatars from many religious paths, such as Krishna, Jesus, and Buddha, to remind myself of Swami Sivananda's words, "the paths are may but the truth is One." This helps to remind me to refrain from judging other people's chosen paths to God.

Often an altar will include an image of Ganesha, who is the remover of obstacles and is addressed before any important undertaking. You may also wish to have both the masculine and feminine aspects of God represented by having figures of the Goddesses on the altar.

Each item on the altar has sacred significance. Here are some ideas of other items to be placed on the altar alongside the deities: candles, incense, flowers, a bell, a Divya Jyot (a lamp that reveals a picture of the chosen deity), a small vessel of water, an arati lamp, and prasad (an offering of food). A picture of your Guru is also a nice addition, as this person passes higher knowledge on to you.

Candles are the symbol of our false desires. As the candle burns in the Light of Wisdom, so do our false desires.

Incense is lit in the candle flame. Incense should be burned at each meditation morning and evening. Three incense sticks symbolize the three gunas or qualities of nature (sattva - purity, rajas - activity, and tamas - inertia). At the beginning of your sitting for meditation, take the three incense sticks in the right hand and light them in a candle flame. With the incense, make the sacred Om symbol three times in front of each deity on the altar. Then return the incense to the incense burner.

Flowers on the altar represent devotion. Place them in front of your ishta devata as a symbol of your devotion.

A bell symbolizes the subtle inner sounds (nada), and is rung during puja (devotional ceremony) or the singing of an arati song. It can also be used to call others out from their meditation.

The Divya Jyot has a small candle placed on the base of it. When the candle is lit, the chosen deity appears. This is symbolic of when we meditate on our chosen deity. We repeat the mantra and we see the form of our deity. Thought and word are separable. Therefore, whenever you say the name of the Lord, the form of the Lord you are drawn to appears.

A small vessel of water is placed on the altar. Leave it on the altar for three months without renewing the water. Everyday drink just one sip of the water. It is said that the water will stay fresh as you raise the vibrations of your mind because of your chanting and prayers. An Arati lamp is a small lamp with one or several cotton wicks in it. Ghee, mustard or sesame oil is used to soak the wick so it will burn. After meditation, the wick is lit during the arati song. The flame is representative of the Divine Light. Pass both hands over the flame, bring them to the heart (anahata chakra) and then to the forehead (ajna chakra). This is symbolic of the purification of the self. The Divine light shines through darkness, and fire burns the ego. If others are present, each person is offered the light. Pass the arati lamp clockwise to each person.

Prasad is an offering of food to God. Usually this is sweets or fruit bits. After meditation, one piece is offered to the gods and goddesses, and one is shared with each person attending the meditation.

Building an altar can be creative, inspirational and fun. Developing a ritual around your meditation is a wonderful practice to establish in your spiritual life. Although you may not be familiar with this practice, do not be ashamed or embarrassed to practice acts of worship. Feel free to create and design a practice that helps you to root yourself in meditation.

Om shanti.

SHANTI MANTRAS or Peace Prayers

Swami Sivananda said that peace in the world today is based on fear. Not until we love our brothers and sisters with all their differences, and know that the soul is in all, will we truly know and understand peace. In this time of war and conflict, I wish to share with you the peace prayers, or Shanti Mantras.

Om Sarvesham swasthir bavatu (May auspiciousness be unto all)

Sarvesham santir bhavatu (May peace be unto all)

Sarvesham poornam bavatu (May fullness be unto all)

Sarvesham mangalam bavatu (May goodness be unto all)

Sarve bhavantu sukinah (May everyone be happy)

Sarve santu niramiyah (May everyone be without affliction)

Sarve bhadrani pasantu (May everyone see only goodness)

Ma kashchit dukha bhak bhavet (Let none be the victim of suffering)

Asato ma sat gamaya (Lead me from the unreal to the Real)

Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya (Lead me from darkness to Light)

Mrtyor ma amrtam gamaya (Lead me from death to Immortality)

Om Poorna mada poorna midam (Om, That is full, this is full.

Poornad poorna mudachyate (From that full, this full is removed)

Poornasaya poornamadaya Poornameva vasishyate (Yet the full remains full always)

Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu (May the whole world attain peace & harmony)

Om Shanti, shanti, shanti (Om Peace, Peace, Peace)

Meditation

The practice of meditation is not always understood. It takes discipline, but it should be effortless. This sounds contradictory but it really is not.

Let us consider some of the mind’s activities. Daydreaming is when a thought enters the mind, and we allow the mind to get carried away with the thought. All sorts of things can occur in the daydream as we venture off into the endless possibilities.

On the other hand, concentration is when we purposely focus the mind on one thing. This may be a yantra (a picture or form of something like the Om in the photo) or a candle flame. We hold the mind there, concentrating on that which we are focused on, not allowing thoughts or the mind to wander.

Meditation is somewhere in between these two activities of the mind. We allow thoughts to rise, but we don’t let the mind wander off with them. In order to achieve this, we chose a “vehicle” for the mind to work with. This is usually the breath or a mantra, but can be something different, like a prayer or meaningful sloka (verse from a sacred text).

During the process of meditation, as each thought rises, we gently let it go and bring our mind back to the breath or the mantra. For example, if we are using the breath, we “watch” as we inhale and exhale. We may notice if the breath is cool as it enters the body and warm as it exits. We notice the pace of our breathing, but we do not control it. While we watch the breath, a thought rises. “Did I take out the garbage?” We acknowledge the thought, and then gently let it go by returning to observing the breath.

The same can be done using a mantra, such as “Tat Tvam Asi” (That Thou Art). You repeat the mantra over and over in your mind, and as soon as you realise a thought has come into the mind, you return effortlessly to the mantra “Tat Tvam Asi”. Immediately the thought is released and the mind returns to its peaceful state of meditation.

Mind and breath are intimately connected. When you control or slow down the breath you slow down the mind. You can synchronize your breath with your mantra as an extra way to deepen the meditation. For example, using the mantra So Hum, which translates to “I am That (God) I am”, you would inhale “So” and exhale “Hum”. Always allow the breath to move freely and naturally, never forcing it to be deep or shallow. When the mind wanders to a thought, bring it back to the breath and the mantra. As the meditation deepens, the breath will become calm and so too the mind will follow.

You may already have been initiated with a mantra. If not, try several at first until you find one that seems right for you. There are many books that you can learn the meaning of the mantras. If you are unsure of how to pronounce the mantra, choose a simple one that you can say properly. Then, when you find the right meditation technique for you, stick with it. The mind will become familiar with this and know what to do when you begin to repeat it. Quickly it will rest into the practice.

The process of meditation can be likened to the dying of a cloth. Each time the cloth is dipped into the dye, it deepens in colour. Each time we meditate, the mind goes deeper into that peaceful bliss. Dedication to regular practice will reap benefits untold. The process is effortless and simply requires one to “just do it”. You can change your life and your entire way of being by regularly meditating.

Ideally, the practice of meditating twice a day, morning and evening, is the best discipline. Twenty minutes to half an hour per sitting is recommended. The consistency of this practice results in one becoming “hooked” and you will miss it if you don’t do it.

But what if you don’t have time? One of my most loved yoga teachers, Dr. Hari Dickman (disciple of HH Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh) gave me a wonderful option. Keep a small notebook with you at all times and dedicate to meditation every spare few minutes that you have throughout the day. Record these “five minutes here and eight minutes there” in your notebook. Tally them up at the end of the day and you will find that you have accumulated many minutes in meditation. It may be a little inconsistent at first, but it will become habit to dedicate these minutes to a blissful mind.

Dipping in and out of meditation several times throughout the day can only ground us in our Spiritual Self, and help us to respond from a loving heart. Enjoy your time in meditation. Enjoy the peace and the bliss it will bring to you. Dedicate time to meditation just as you would your asana practice. Know thyself. You won’t regret it. Namaste.