The word yoga brings to mind, especially in the West, a system of exercises beneficial for physical and mental health. The exercises are only a small, albeit an important part of it. Yoga is actually a philosophy ? one of the six main schools of philosophy propounded in India in the post-Vedic period. It deals with the mysteries of life and universe, so it has a mystic aura about it. At the same time it is based on the experiences of countless individuals over several millennia and deals with facts of life. Thus it is also a science but goes beyond the realm of rational knowledge of modern science. It deals with life at successively higher levels. Some of the facts come within the range of human experience, others (of higher life) lie outside and, as such, are beyond being proved are disproved on the basis of rational knowledge. However, every aspect of yoga is based on sound principles that are in accord with the ideas of modern science.
We also come across a number of qualifiers for the word yoga, such as raja-yoga, gyaan-yoga, bhakti-yoga, mantra-yoga etc. Yoga is, of course, the same, the goal being the liberation of the soul and its union with the Supreme Reality. One simple but far-reaching idea of the philosophy is the recognition that there can be many different paths to the goal. The prefixes in front of yoga denote just that ? different paths to the same goal. An individual is free to choose a path depending on one?s nature and disposition. The basic premises underlying each of these paths agree astonishing well with the recent discoveries in science even though they were conceived thousands of years ago. In the present article we discuss mantra-yoga.
Mantra yoga may be simply defined as the science of unfolding of the consciousness with the help of mantras; it attempts to modify matter and consciousness through the agency of sound. A mantra represents a specific combination of sounds for producing some specific results. Here it is important to note that the basic structure of a mantra involves sounds and not words. Sound is the fundamental element of articulation and is eternal; words are part of a language and man-made using alphabets as symbols for sounds. The sound elements used in mantras are those of Sanskrit alphabet. Again the primary element is the sound, the letter is merely a symbol. Each letter, pronounced properly, becomes a vehicle for conveying a basic elemental power. It is for this reason that a letter in Sanskrit alphabet is called akshar meaning eternal. In the words comprising the mantras each letter contributes to the overall effect desired by the mantra. Since the effectiveness of a mantra is inherently tied to the sound, a proper pronunciation becomes extremely important. This is why in the Vedas so much emphasis has been laid on correct pronunciation.
It is not our intention to suggest that Sanskrit has a special place in the divine scheme of things. It just so happens that people of this particular culture developed the concept and philosophy of mantras. It is quite conceivable that similar systems might have been developed in some other parts of the world or the universe that we are not aware of.
Now sound is simply a vibration or set of vibrations representing a form of energy. It is a basic premise of Hindu philosophy that the entire universe is a manifestation of the primal energy emanating from one source ? the Supreme Reality. It was only in the last century that science discovered the equivalence of matter and energy. The concept of energy is related to that of motion. There are only three basic categories of motion ? rhythmic, non-rhythmic, and inertial. A deeper insight into the concept would reveal that the rhythmic motion is simply a balanced state of the other two types and is what we call vibrations or waves. Thus the phenomenal word that we view is nothing but vibrations picked up by our senses. Although the conversion of matter into energy is now well understood, the reverse process of matter coming out of energy is still a challenge to modern physics. In general the structure of anything material can be reduced to an aggregate of elementary particles ranging from electrons to quarks. But what are the elementary particles built of? Or are they particles at all? A recent viewpoint suggests that these particles are simply specific configurations of vibrations of virtual strings (the theory is known as Superstring Theory). Thus we get back to the old idea of energy transforming into matter. The whole phenomenal word is simply a vast aggregate of vibrations of various kinds and degrees. The interaction of these vibrations produces all the phenomena in the physical world existing at different planes. This is a startling concept but nothing compared to the next philosophical concept that all these infinitely complex vibrations of innumerable kinds are simply different components of a single vibration that is also the ultimate source of consciousness. This primary vibration from which all the vibrations in the manifested world are derived, is the primordial energy which is the universal consciousness. We thus see the relationship between matter and consciousness, which are dual expressions of the same Reality. Carrying it a step further every consciousness is a part of that Reality which leads us to one of the basic concepts of Vedanta ? every individual (i.e. subjective) consciousness is an infinitesimal part of that universal consciousness. The science of yoga involves unfolding of the individual consciousness to become one with the universal.
It follows from the primary relationship between vibration and consciousness that a vibration is associated with every manifestation of consciousness whether or not we are able to perceive it. Associated with every aspect of consciousness there is a unique vibration. At the lowest level this association manifests itself in visual or aural perception. Each vibration of light of a given frequency produces a particular color perception in the consciousness; each vibration of a given frequency in the audio range produces the perception of a particular note. Similarly each sensation of taste, smell or touch can be traced to a corresponding vibration even though science has yet to reach that stage of advancement. There may be other yet unknown kinds of vibrations and interactions that are transmitted through space and are not subject to the limitations imposed by science. The so-called extra sensory perception is an example. Another aspect of vibration well known in physics is resonance. Using the same concept in the context of yoga it is not unreasonable to assume that a matched type of vibration can activate a particular state of consciousness. This forms the basis of mantra yoga. Also the relationship works both ways, i.e. a particular state of consciousness can activate the corresponding kind of vibration.
A mantra is a special combination of vibrations set up through the sound of the component words, which are meant to produce a desired state of consciousness. A mantra can be long or short; it can be addressed to a particular deity or may relate to the abstract concept of God. It can be chanted only once or repetitively. The shortest but the most often chanted and also the most potent mantra is Om. Om is an appellation of the Supreme Reality (called Brahman in Vedanta) and, hence, its potency. In fact, the chanting of every other mantra is preceded and followed by Om. In taking up the practice of yoga there are initial hurdles that must be cleared. Some are physical; others are mental at different planes. The physical ones are managed with exercises that most of us are familiar with; two different techniques are used for clearing the mental ones. One is the constant repetition of a mantra and the other is meditation which involves fixing attention on something without any thought. A mantra can be chanted aloud or repeated silently. The particular way of chanting depends on the stage at which the yoga practitioner is.
Yoga deals with the inner side of life. A person not familiar with it may think it absurd that a mere monosyllable, as Om can be such a potent instrument for the uplifting of a person. But a proper understanding of the relationship between vibration and consciousness will show that there is no inherent impossibility in a word having the power to unfold one?s consciousness to any desired degree.
Dharmbir Rai Sharma is a retired professor with electrical engineering and physics background. He obtained a Master’s degree in physics in India and Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Cornell University. He maintains a website http://www.cosmosebooks.com devoted mainly to the interaction of philosophy and science.
Showing posts with label liberation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label liberation. Show all posts
February 26, 2009
February 25, 2009
How Much Yogis Earn
The Yoga as conceived by the yogis who first practised it thousands of years ago in India was not primarily for providing basic relaxation technique, but at a much higher sought liberation of the soul. This quest for knowledge which eventually led to the practise of Yoga is a well documented fact.
But how much do Yogis today who practise it as a profession earn? Though a definitive answer cannot be brought on this, since Yoga is practised in almost 140 countries today and the rates vary based on the national cost factors and also the popularity of Yoga, still it is a truth that Yoga teachers do make quite a profit out of taking Yoga lessons.
In India, the home of Yoga, there has recently arisen a huge popularity for Yoga. Organizations such as “Art of Living” (which also exists in USA and numerous other countries), which teach basic yoga lessons and breathing exercises, charge as much as thousand rupees for a week’s class which is considered quite considerable.
Among the western nations, USA has also taken to Yoga in a big way, mainly due to its contribution to the general well being of the body. The Yogi teachers are paid variably in different parts of the country. In New York for example, the teachers are paid a basic of $35 per hour for the classes and Gyms pay upto $65 per hour for an hour of class. This most often tends to be only the basic pay. The payments often tend to increase based on the number of students who sign up for the classes. This varies from $3 to $5 for every student signed up.
Apart from this are the private classes where students are ready to pay even as much as $80 for an hour’s class.So considering a part-time Yoga teacher who takes a class one hour in the morning and a minimal one hour in the evening, the payments can be as high as $3000 per month.All this for only two hour’s work in a day.
Now that is financial liberation more than the spiritual one!
Anand Srinivasan is the author of the website http://XooXonline.info; a growing website of random and informative content that is ideal for a person who surfs the net but doesn’t know what to!
But how much do Yogis today who practise it as a profession earn? Though a definitive answer cannot be brought on this, since Yoga is practised in almost 140 countries today and the rates vary based on the national cost factors and also the popularity of Yoga, still it is a truth that Yoga teachers do make quite a profit out of taking Yoga lessons.
In India, the home of Yoga, there has recently arisen a huge popularity for Yoga. Organizations such as “Art of Living” (which also exists in USA and numerous other countries), which teach basic yoga lessons and breathing exercises, charge as much as thousand rupees for a week’s class which is considered quite considerable.
Among the western nations, USA has also taken to Yoga in a big way, mainly due to its contribution to the general well being of the body. The Yogi teachers are paid variably in different parts of the country. In New York for example, the teachers are paid a basic of $35 per hour for the classes and Gyms pay upto $65 per hour for an hour of class. This most often tends to be only the basic pay. The payments often tend to increase based on the number of students who sign up for the classes. This varies from $3 to $5 for every student signed up.
Apart from this are the private classes where students are ready to pay even as much as $80 for an hour’s class.So considering a part-time Yoga teacher who takes a class one hour in the morning and a minimal one hour in the evening, the payments can be as high as $3000 per month.All this for only two hour’s work in a day.
Now that is financial liberation more than the spiritual one!
Anand Srinivasan is the author of the website http://XooXonline.info; a growing website of random and informative content that is ideal for a person who surfs the net but doesn’t know what to!
February 23, 2009
Spiritual Dedication-A Commentary on the Katha Upanishad
In very ancient times a man named Vajrabasa decided to perform a rite intended to give the performer great merit. The rite entailed the giving away of all the performer?s possessions. However he had no such intention, and instead was going to give away only his cattle?and of them only the useless ones: the old, the barren, the blind, and the lame. His son, Nachiketa, observing this, came to his father and said: ?Father, do not repent thy vow! Consider how it has been with those that have gone before, and how it will be with those that now live. Like corn, a man ripens and falls to the ground; like corn, he springs up again in his season.? (Katha Upanishad 1:1:6)
There is no use denying it: we all follow in the path of Vajrabasa on occasion, though some do it more exuberantly. This is especially deadly in the realm of spiritual life.
I well remember when two newly-made Indian friends from South India asked me wonderingly: ?What is an ?Indian giver??? When I said it meant someone who promised but did not deliver, or who gave and then took back, they were really bewildered. But when I explained that it was not the Indians who were the ?givers? but the deceitful white men, they understood?and to my confusion thought it was very funny. (When I told them about ?Honest Injun?? and ?The only good Indian is a dead Indian? they laughed till they cried, and thereafter frequently asked: ?Honest Injun?? when I told them something.) It is not funny when we are ?Indian givers? in spiritual life, just as double-tongued and devious with God and our own spirit as the politicians were with the Native Americans.
One of the funniest and most typical examples is found in the comic motion picture, The End. In one scene Burt Reynolds is swimming in the ocean about to drown. He starts shouting out to God how much of his income he vows to give if he survives. The percentage goes up and up to the total amount. But then he sees that there is a chance he may make it back to shore. So the percentage starts dropping in proportion to how near he gets to the land! Finally he is telling God that he will be giving nothing, and if God does not like it, that is just too bad. We are very much (often exactly) like that ourselves. When we think we are not going to have something, or will have no use for it, we generously offer it to God or renounce it. But the moment we see a need or a use for it, then we announce to ourselves that God would not expect us to hand it over or renounce it.
Many people start out spiritual life with great enthusiasm, ready to dedicate and sacrifice in order to attain liberation. But as time goes by the sands in the hourglass of will and interest grow less and less, shifting back to the bottom level of ego and the material life until what remains is so feeble and negligible it would be better if it, too, were eliminated in honesty.
The principle that we reap only and exactly what we sow is an absolute in spiritual life. Here are Saint Paul?s words on the subject: ?Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.?(Galatians 6:7-9) Fainting is a very real possibility for all of us, and that is why these warning words of Nachiketa were written in the upanishad: ?Father, do not repent thy vow! Consider how it has been with those that have gone before, and how it will be with those that now live. Like corn, a man ripens and falls to the ground; like corn, he springs up again in his season.?
The law of reaping what has been sown?and conversely not reaping what has not been sown?is to be taken most seriously in all aspects of life, but especially in spiritual matters. Solomon cautions us: ?When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for?better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.? (Ecclesiastes 5:4) The question here is not that of God being angry or sad at our non-payment, but the negative effect our own perfidy will have on us directly. It is not God that rewards and punishes, but our own self, and its justice is inexorable. So asking God to release us or forgive us means positively nothing?it is our own self we are dealing with and it cannot be gotten around in any degree whatsoever.
Sad to say, there are many examples of ?those that have gone before? who foolishly reneged on their own selves and suffered the consequences, from simple unhappiness to abject and long-lasting misery, and even death. This latter is no exaggeration, I know of examples myself. If you will excuse me, I will not cite any examples at all, for it is simply too bleak. Just do not be one yourself! But I will tell you the principle I have seen demonstrated over and over again: Whatever a person abandons his spiritual life to keep or to gain will be (usually abruptly or even violently) taken away from him and he will never regain or restart his spiritual life in this incarnation. I have never seen an exception. Never. (I am, however, not speaking of merely risking or retarding the personal spiritual life?we all do that just from making mistakes or from silly foibles?but of the actual giving up and turning from, even rejecting of, one?s spiritual life and obligations. This is fatal.)
At every step of our spiritual life we must keep in mind the law of cause and effect and ?consider how it has been with those that have gone before, and how it will be with those that now live.? And lest we think that if we escape the karmic reaction in this life we are ?home free,? Nachiketa added: ?Like corn, a man ripens and falls to the ground; like corn, he springs up again in his season.? So there are future live in which our neglect can come to fruition in many forms?all inimical to our further progress.
Of course, the words of Nachiketa only have meaning to the wise. As Krishna told Arjuna: ?Even a wise man acts according to the tendencies of his own nature. All living creatures follow their tendencies. What use is any external restraint? If a man keeps following my teaching with faith in his heart, and does not make mental reservations, he will be released from the bondage of his karma. But those who scorn my teaching, and do not follow it, are lost. They are without spiritual discrimination. All their knowledge is a delusion.? (Bhagavad Gita 3:33, 31,32)
Swami Nirmalananda Giri is the abbot of Atma Jyoti Ashram, a traditional
Hindu monastery in the small desert town of Borrego Springs in southern
California. He has written extensively on spiritual subjects, especially about
meditation.
Read more of his Commentary on the Upanishads on our Hindu writings page.
There is no use denying it: we all follow in the path of Vajrabasa on occasion, though some do it more exuberantly. This is especially deadly in the realm of spiritual life.
I well remember when two newly-made Indian friends from South India asked me wonderingly: ?What is an ?Indian giver??? When I said it meant someone who promised but did not deliver, or who gave and then took back, they were really bewildered. But when I explained that it was not the Indians who were the ?givers? but the deceitful white men, they understood?and to my confusion thought it was very funny. (When I told them about ?Honest Injun?? and ?The only good Indian is a dead Indian? they laughed till they cried, and thereafter frequently asked: ?Honest Injun?? when I told them something.) It is not funny when we are ?Indian givers? in spiritual life, just as double-tongued and devious with God and our own spirit as the politicians were with the Native Americans.
One of the funniest and most typical examples is found in the comic motion picture, The End. In one scene Burt Reynolds is swimming in the ocean about to drown. He starts shouting out to God how much of his income he vows to give if he survives. The percentage goes up and up to the total amount. But then he sees that there is a chance he may make it back to shore. So the percentage starts dropping in proportion to how near he gets to the land! Finally he is telling God that he will be giving nothing, and if God does not like it, that is just too bad. We are very much (often exactly) like that ourselves. When we think we are not going to have something, or will have no use for it, we generously offer it to God or renounce it. But the moment we see a need or a use for it, then we announce to ourselves that God would not expect us to hand it over or renounce it.
Many people start out spiritual life with great enthusiasm, ready to dedicate and sacrifice in order to attain liberation. But as time goes by the sands in the hourglass of will and interest grow less and less, shifting back to the bottom level of ego and the material life until what remains is so feeble and negligible it would be better if it, too, were eliminated in honesty.
The principle that we reap only and exactly what we sow is an absolute in spiritual life. Here are Saint Paul?s words on the subject: ?Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.?(Galatians 6:7-9) Fainting is a very real possibility for all of us, and that is why these warning words of Nachiketa were written in the upanishad: ?Father, do not repent thy vow! Consider how it has been with those that have gone before, and how it will be with those that now live. Like corn, a man ripens and falls to the ground; like corn, he springs up again in his season.?
The law of reaping what has been sown?and conversely not reaping what has not been sown?is to be taken most seriously in all aspects of life, but especially in spiritual matters. Solomon cautions us: ?When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for?better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.? (Ecclesiastes 5:4) The question here is not that of God being angry or sad at our non-payment, but the negative effect our own perfidy will have on us directly. It is not God that rewards and punishes, but our own self, and its justice is inexorable. So asking God to release us or forgive us means positively nothing?it is our own self we are dealing with and it cannot be gotten around in any degree whatsoever.
Sad to say, there are many examples of ?those that have gone before? who foolishly reneged on their own selves and suffered the consequences, from simple unhappiness to abject and long-lasting misery, and even death. This latter is no exaggeration, I know of examples myself. If you will excuse me, I will not cite any examples at all, for it is simply too bleak. Just do not be one yourself! But I will tell you the principle I have seen demonstrated over and over again: Whatever a person abandons his spiritual life to keep or to gain will be (usually abruptly or even violently) taken away from him and he will never regain or restart his spiritual life in this incarnation. I have never seen an exception. Never. (I am, however, not speaking of merely risking or retarding the personal spiritual life?we all do that just from making mistakes or from silly foibles?but of the actual giving up and turning from, even rejecting of, one?s spiritual life and obligations. This is fatal.)
At every step of our spiritual life we must keep in mind the law of cause and effect and ?consider how it has been with those that have gone before, and how it will be with those that now live.? And lest we think that if we escape the karmic reaction in this life we are ?home free,? Nachiketa added: ?Like corn, a man ripens and falls to the ground; like corn, he springs up again in his season.? So there are future live in which our neglect can come to fruition in many forms?all inimical to our further progress.
Of course, the words of Nachiketa only have meaning to the wise. As Krishna told Arjuna: ?Even a wise man acts according to the tendencies of his own nature. All living creatures follow their tendencies. What use is any external restraint? If a man keeps following my teaching with faith in his heart, and does not make mental reservations, he will be released from the bondage of his karma. But those who scorn my teaching, and do not follow it, are lost. They are without spiritual discrimination. All their knowledge is a delusion.? (Bhagavad Gita 3:33, 31,32)
Swami Nirmalananda Giri is the abbot of Atma Jyoti Ashram, a traditional
Hindu monastery in the small desert town of Borrego Springs in southern
California. He has written extensively on spiritual subjects, especially about
meditation.
Read more of his Commentary on the Upanishads on our Hindu writings page.
Beauty and Youthfulness
In all ages, the endeavor of man has been to remain beautiful and youthful. For this he spends all his income in housing, food and dress. However as he gains age, nothing helps him in his endeavor to remain beautiful and youthful, diseaseless and ageless. This is because of thousands of years of ignorance, prejudice encoded in the mind.
Body is just like a burning flame. A flame exists and gives light so long as oil or wax burns. Fresh oil is drawn up into the flame and burnt out oil leaves the flame into the atmosphere. Similarly food, water and air enters into the body and used up and toxic materials leaves the body in the form of sweating, urine and stool. The body remains as burning flame giving beauty and youthfulness.
However the difference is that oil in the body is inexhaustible. It is the life-force(prana) pervading all parts and all cells in the body. The source of this life-force is the soul(atman) within each living being. Soul and its life-force is eternal, unending and uncontaminated. Hence so long as this life-force exists in the body, the body should be beautiful, youthful and uncontaminated with disease and death.
Again if we view the body scientifically, the cells in the body are being regenerated continuously. After every seven years all old cells are replaced by newly created cells. So after every seven years we get a new body and never remain the same. Hence the body should always remain beautiful and youthful.
So long as we don’t realise our life-force(prana) and source of this life-force i.e. soul(atman) or true self, we cannot remain youthful. In order to realise true self one has to practice Yoga. Yoga is a method to control body and mind and finally the mind. We are nothing but a mind. What our mind thinks up it materialises. When we practice Yoga to remain youthful and beautiful it really happens. We rule over the body and mind and overcome disease and death. This is liberation and this may come right in this birth.
Contrary to this, religious leaders would declare that disease and death is truth. So pray for the mercy of God and after death one may enter into heaven. Hell, heaven and God are imaginary things which have remained as ignorance and prejudice for thousands of years. They have no real existence; they exists in the mind only. These things have been created by a few in order to rule over the majority. The real truth, the real divinity and the real bliss lies in soul, life and consciousness only.
So one should give up ignorance and prejudice at once and get liberated. One should search for real truth which only give peace, beauty and youthfulness. In order to hold the truth firmly one has to practice that Yoga which may drive out ignorance throgh the dawn of right knowledge.
For reading more about Yoga and spiritualism readers may go through the book ‘Quest for Truth: the spiritual and yogic way’ published with Thornton Publishing, Inc. Also readers may email to the Author for guidance.
http://www.bookstobelievein.com/questfortruth.php
premansu_chand@rediffmail.com
Body is just like a burning flame. A flame exists and gives light so long as oil or wax burns. Fresh oil is drawn up into the flame and burnt out oil leaves the flame into the atmosphere. Similarly food, water and air enters into the body and used up and toxic materials leaves the body in the form of sweating, urine and stool. The body remains as burning flame giving beauty and youthfulness.
However the difference is that oil in the body is inexhaustible. It is the life-force(prana) pervading all parts and all cells in the body. The source of this life-force is the soul(atman) within each living being. Soul and its life-force is eternal, unending and uncontaminated. Hence so long as this life-force exists in the body, the body should be beautiful, youthful and uncontaminated with disease and death.
Again if we view the body scientifically, the cells in the body are being regenerated continuously. After every seven years all old cells are replaced by newly created cells. So after every seven years we get a new body and never remain the same. Hence the body should always remain beautiful and youthful.
So long as we don’t realise our life-force(prana) and source of this life-force i.e. soul(atman) or true self, we cannot remain youthful. In order to realise true self one has to practice Yoga. Yoga is a method to control body and mind and finally the mind. We are nothing but a mind. What our mind thinks up it materialises. When we practice Yoga to remain youthful and beautiful it really happens. We rule over the body and mind and overcome disease and death. This is liberation and this may come right in this birth.
Contrary to this, religious leaders would declare that disease and death is truth. So pray for the mercy of God and after death one may enter into heaven. Hell, heaven and God are imaginary things which have remained as ignorance and prejudice for thousands of years. They have no real existence; they exists in the mind only. These things have been created by a few in order to rule over the majority. The real truth, the real divinity and the real bliss lies in soul, life and consciousness only.
So one should give up ignorance and prejudice at once and get liberated. One should search for real truth which only give peace, beauty and youthfulness. In order to hold the truth firmly one has to practice that Yoga which may drive out ignorance throgh the dawn of right knowledge.
For reading more about Yoga and spiritualism readers may go through the book ‘Quest for Truth: the spiritual and yogic way’ published with Thornton Publishing, Inc. Also readers may email to the Author for guidance.
http://www.bookstobelievein.com/questfortruth.php
premansu_chand@rediffmail.com
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