Hello..

So when I started on my journey in March, taking a course and then teaching in a training I had no idea what I was in for. While I was in the Bahamas on a retreat and teaching, I was able to take another course, a healing modality called Theta Healing. Anyways I'm still on this path, been what I call on the fast track of Theta Healing learning....haven't stopped since May, and sadly I'll be finishing my studies in a few weeks.
But being back in 'school' has been great, I love learning and made me think how important it is, that no matter where we are on our life path we need some inspiration every now and then!

So I should be back in a few weeks posting daily, but I will leave you with this saying "yoga helps you quiet the chatter in your head and connect with the creative energy of the universe".

quote

Meditation and contentment are the secrets of good health and longevity.
SS

mantra

Mantra in meditation has a dual purpose...

1. to give your mind something to do...
2. to transport you to another state...

SVD

Are you a slave to desires? Once a desire is there, nothing will satisfy you until that craving has been fulfilled. Once satisfied, you have left a strong impression in the subconscious mind and with each desire satisfied, the impression becomes deeply rooted in the subconscious , deep like the Grand Canyon. So many millions of years it has taken, countless lifetimes, to create its depths.

So no teacher can help you, no master can help you. You have your own appetite, your desires, your passions. You are the only person who can solve the problem, nobody else. When you are unable to solve the problem, you go to a teacher thinking the teacher can give you a magic formulas to stop this Grand Canyon. If one says he does, then he is not a master, he is not a teacher, he doesn't have mastery or control over his own senses and appetites. If he has transcended this step by step then he knows the difficulties, and he will never say to a student that it is an easy process. If he says it then he has not mastered it.

Swami Vishnu-devananda

I'm back....

aahhh it's good to be back, even though this blog was to help with my practice a few months ago I was feeling a sense of dissatisfaction, disconnection....

So, I went back to the Ashram where I had lived for six years and took a philosophy course, taught in a training, took a few more courses in alternative healing. And still now I'm in the midst of my 3rd course and now planning on taking a fourth...it's been such a time of growth and learning...but what hit me today was that even though I have no home base, living like a gypsy, no what most people would call a normal life of a husband, partner, kids, job, house etc...I've never felt so fulfilled and thankful as I do today, I realised how blessed my life has been and I'm so thankful for that, for my family, friends and the teachers that I've had or have in my life..

and though we tend to be thankful for our lives around the holidays, it would be good to practice gratitude for all things...true gratitude involves action. Lend a hand. Pitch in. Make a gift. Give your time. Listen. Give back as often as you can. Even a friendly greeting can make all the difference in the world.

ego...

Ego's job is to keep itself in power..playing with you mind, trying to assert it's authority..distract it, give it something else..like love

recipe-chai

I got this recipe from Amadea Morningstar "The Ayurveda Cookbook". I love this Chai use to make it a lot when I lived in the Ashram..coffee(caffeine) wasn't allowed so when we would have workshops or meals, this was a great alternative.

Mataji's Soothing Chai

2 cups of water
1 tablespoon fresh peppermint, or 2 tablespoons dried, or 3 tea bags
1 quart of milk or soy
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon dry ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons to 1/2 cup sweetener(sucanat, honey..)

Bring water to boil in a large saucepan and add peppermint. Remove from heat and steep for 20 minutes. Remove tea(bags or strain dried..) Add milk, spices and sweetener(unless your using honey,in which case wait until the chai is finished to stir it in). Heat and steep on low heat for an additional 30 minutes.

yoga..

"There is no bond equal in strength to Maya, and no power greater to destroy that bond than Yoga"

law of retribution

Every wrong action or crime brings it's own punishment, in accordance with the law of retribution. The law of causation, the law of action and reaction, the law of compensation and the law of retribution-all these operate together He who robs another man robs himself. He who hurts another man hurts himself first. He who cheats another cheats himself first. Every wrong action causes punishment first in the inner nature of soul and externally in circumstances in the form of pain, misery, loss, failure, misfortune, disease, etc..
Swami Sivanada-"Practice of Karma Yoga"

yoga...

In yoga, you do your spiritual work and it affects the body. You stretch and strengthen your muscles and that affects your circulation, digestion, and breathing. You calm and strengthen the nervous system and it affects the mind. You cultivate peace of mind and it affects nervous, the immune system, and the cardiovascular system. If you look clearly you'll see that everything about you is connected to everything else.

saying

"remove selfishness, work on love and compassion and wisdom will enter"

adapt...

"Serve Love Give Purify Meditate Realize."
"Be good, do good, be compassionate."
"Enquire who am I, know the self and be free."
"Adapt, adjust, accommodate, bear insult, bear injury, highest Sadhana".
"Bear insult, bear injury, highest yoga".

This chant has been ringing in my head for the last two weeks, especially the line of 'Adapt, adjust, accommodate etc...

In my life I've had a lot of changes and a lot of movement, just in the past week I packed up my stuff in Toronto, headed to Florida and now I'm in the Bahamas for the next two months, and has much as I look forward to this time, I'm ready to settle down and be in one place. I'm ready to start on my journey towards opening my own center.

So these words are taking on a very deep meaning, not just the adapting part but for the next two months I've come back to my former life or "reality" of living in an Ashram, so I will be serving, loving, giving and meditating..and maybe I will realise :) or in my next lifetime......

Now the beginning part of my stay is for myself I'm here to continue my studies with a certain teacher in the Bhagavad Gita which I'm beyond excited for. These courses can be quite intense so the possibility is that I might not be doing the blog but I will take it one day at a time and will see, otherwise if not then I will see you all in 2 weeks..

I leave you with one last quote by Swami Sivananda

"Terrible is the attachment to the body. Remove the attachment through dispassion, discrimination and enquiry."

Kurma...2nd Avatar of Vishnu

KURMA AVATARA – Kurma – The Tortoise - Kurma was the second avatar of Vishnu. He took the form of a tortoise and sat on the bottom of the ocean after the Great Flood. A mountain was placed on his back by the other gods so that they could churn the sea and find the ancient treasures of the Vedic peoples.
The Devas feared that the Asuras would take over the whole world. Therefore, they prayed to Brahma, who suggested a solution: churn the Ocean of Milk in order to obtain the Nectar of Immortality. However, the Devas could not churn the Ocean by themselves. They struck a temporary truce with their enemies, the asuras, so that all could participate in the churning.
The Ocean was churned by using the mountain, Mandara, and the snake, Vasuki, wrapped around it. Each side would hold an end of the snake and pull on it alternately, causing the mountain to rotate, which in turn would cause the Ocean to be churned.

However, once the mountain was put on the Ocean, it began to sink. Then, Vishnu incarnated in the form of a turtle/tortoise to support the mountain. As the ocean was churned, a deadly poison known as Halahala emerged. This poison threatened to suffocate all living things. In response to various prayers, Siva drank the poison. His wife, Parvati, was alarmed and stopped it in his throat with her hands. This caused Siva’s throat to turn blue. Due to this, he is called Nila Kantha ("Nila" - Blue). From the Ocean various people, animals and treasures emerged – Sura, goddess and creator of wine; Apsaras, various divine nymphs; Uchhaishravas, the divine horse; Kalpavriksha, the wish-granting tree; Kamadhenu, the first cow and mother of all other cows; Airavata, the mount of Indra; Lakshmi, the Goddess of Fortune and Wealth… and finally, Dhanavantri, the Heavenly Physician, emerged with a pot containing the amrita, the nectar. As the Asuras rushed to take the nectar, the frightened Devas appealed to Kurma, who then revealed himself as the female Avatara of Vishnu, Mohini. The damsel distracted the Asuras, while the Devas secretly drank the amrita nectar. One Asura, Rahu, suspected foul play, disguised himself as a Deva and drank some Nectar. But before the Nectar could pass his throat Vishnu cut off his head. The head, however, remained immortal. It is believed that this immortal head occasionally swallows the sun or the moon, causing eclipses.

meditation

Meditation both stirs things up and clears them out.

Each of us needs to find our own way inside, and how long we sit for and how long we practice is for us to find out. Now matter what though, don't give up, even if you only practice for five minutes. Meditation is something that strengthens us, brings more balance to our live. We may also become more patient, calm, more compassionate.....helping us to understand our own mind, overcoming any negative thought patterns..so that we can find some inner peace and happiness.

quote

Introspect. Analyse your own mind and try to imporove it. Introspect and findout your eternal Self.
SS

breathing

Most people use only a fraction of their lung capacity for breathing. They breathe shallowly, barely expanding the ribcage. Their shoulders are hunched, they have painful tension in the upper part of the back and neck, and they suffer from lack of oxygen.

There are three basic types of breathing.
1.Clavicular breathing is the most shallow and worst possible type. The shoulders and collarbone are raised while the abdomen is contracted during inhalation. Maximum effort is made, but a minimum amount of air is obtained.
2.Thoracic breathing is done with the rib muscles expanding the rib cage, and is the second type of incomplete breathing.
3.Deep abdominal breathing is the best, for it brings air to the lowest and largest part of the lungs. Breathing is slow and deep, and proper use is made of the diaphragm.

Actually, none of these types are complete. A full Yogic breath combines all three, beginning with a deep breath and continuing the inhalation through the intercostal and clavicular areas.

Learning The Abdominal Breathing
To get the feel of proper diaphragmatic breathing, wear loose clothing and lie on the back. Place the hand on the upper abdomen, where the diaphragm is located. Breathe in and out slowly. The abdomen should expand outward as you inhale and contract as you exhale. Try to get the feeling of this motion.

ahimsa

So for the last few days I've been taking classes with a few different teachers from different traditions at the Yoga Conference that's going on..first time I've ever been and it was good.

There was someone who's class I probably enjoyed the most, more because it was aligned to the tradition of yoga that I follow. It had a more of a spiritual aspect to it and he gave a very good talk on Ahimsa. And as many times as I've given talks on the same subject or myself heard it, listening to it again today was great. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was like going to Satsang, which is important, because your listening to or reading scriptures, which you reflect on, discuss, assimilate their meaning, meditate on the source of these words, and bringing their meaning into one’s daily life.

Because of this, I decided that on Sundays for however long it last that I would talk on the 'Eight Steps of Ashtanga Yoga'....so a quick overview, the eight steps are Yama, Niyama, Asanas, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dyana, Samadhi. Now the Yamas and Niyamas have five sub-divisions each.

The Yamas are:
Ahimsa (non-violence)
Satya (truthfulness)
Asteya (non-stealing)
Brahmacharya (celibacy)
Aparigraha (non-covetousness)

The Niyamas are:
Shaucha or purity
Santosha or contentment
Tapa or austerity
Swadhyaya or self-study
Ishwar-Pranidhana or meditation on the divine.

Ahimsa or non-injury, of course, implies non-killing. But, non-injury is not merely non-killing. In its comprehensive meaning, Ahimsa or non-injury means entire abstinence from causing any pain or harm whatsoever to any living creature, either by thought, word, or deed. Non-injury requires a harmless mind, mouth, and hand.

Ahimsa is not mere negative non-injury. It is positive, cosmic love. It is the development of a mental attitude in which hatred is replaced by love. Ahimsa is true sacrifice. Ahimsa is forgiveness. Ahimsa is true strength.

So practice Ahimsa it develops love.

thought

The core of things is God, outside of the edges is frayed and crazy..the hub of calmess is your heart..so stop looking outside for answers to the world, just keep coming back to that center and you'll always find peace.

recipe

Now this is a recipe for a salad dressing, but what I really like to use this for is more of a dip..I'll add a couple extra tbsp of nutrional yeast so it will make it thicker...it's keeps and it's really good for a few days..Enjoy!


Dynamic Dressing

1 cup of Almonds
1 cup of Oil
1 cup of Water
3 Tbsp of Tamari
3 Tbsp of Lemon juice
3 Tbsp of Nutritional Yeast

yogaaahhh..

Yoga can make you strong and fit. With proper breathing and consistent practice, yoga can help circulate blood flow and oxygen to all areas of your body, strengthening and toning your muscles and giving you more energy. But yoga is not only a physical practice, it is a mental, and spiritual practice made up of asanas (poses), as well as seven other components: constraints, observances, breathing techniques, sense control, concentration, meditation, and divine union.

proverb

Only when you can be extremely pliable and soft can you be extremely hard and strong.

Zen Proverb.

prana

Control of the prana controls the mind and body. Mind cannot operate whithout the help of prana, the vibration of prana produces thoughts in the mind. It is prana that moves the mind. Breath is the gross manifestation of prana. Breath is gross, prana is subtle.

quote

Be in the world, but not of the world. Lead a simple life. Lead a regulated life.
SS

what is your choice?

We gallop through lives like a circus performer, two horses side by side, one foot is on one horse called "fate" and the other "free will"..and the question you have to ask everyday is, which horse is which? Which horse do I need to stop worrying about because it's not under my control, and which do I need to steer with concentrated effort.

There is so much about fate we cannot understand, but there are things that fall under our jurisdiction..I can decide how I spend my time, with whom I interact, whom I share my body with and life with, my money and energy with. I can select what I read, eat study, etc...I can choose my words, tone on how I speak to others and most of all I can choose my thoughts.

tips..

When I started this blog I had a certain name in mind for it, but found out that someone had the same idea as me, no big deal but it gotten me started on reading yoga blogs, which oddly I'd never done before.

So about once a week or so I spend some time reading blogs. I had no idea there was sooo many, and tonight not feeling that inspired to write the blog, as you can see by the time I spent changing the layout, and being the procrastinator that I can be, I started to read some newer blogs, and came across something that was really upsetting.

I was reading a certain blog where this teacher was talking about finding the 'right teacher training course'. And someone had made a comment that was not so positive, but not about the article. So this made me go to her blog to learn more, and it was this comment that really got to me. She mentioned that in her training that "Not everyone got injured in my program, but a lot of us did. I ended up in physical therapy". This comment shocked me, I've seen how much yoga has changed in the last fifteen years since I started, how much more physical it's gotten, but aside from all that, the one thing that is consistent with all the different teachers and schools is that you never you should never get injured doing yoga, that if preformed properly it's completely safe.

So for those who are just starting to do yoga or if you've been doing it for 10 years or more, experienced or beginners, to remember a few basic pointer when we practice.

Progress slowly, if your a beginner learn the basics, if your experienced remember that your practice changes daily, that your practice will be different in the winter than in the summer, that your mental attitude will be different daily, to have patience with yourself. Don't Compete, not with the instructor or other students, but also not with yourself. Listen to Your Body it's the best tool for telling you how your practice will go that day. There where days that I thought, 'I feel great I'm going to do a full two hour practice, and then ended up doing twenty minutes, and vice versa ,where I though I'll just do the Sun Salutations today, and ended up doing a 2hr practice'. Focus on the breathing, not on the posture or how you look. Pace yourself....not that you can't challenge yourself but take it slowly and enjoy your practice. Remembering that at the end of your practice you should be feeling refresh and rejuvenated.

recipe

I just happen to come across this recipe last night and can't wait to try it out. I love Gazpacho but my old recipe had items in it which I no longer eat. Anyhow with the weather being so unseasonably warm this last week, and I'm not complaining, it's a good time to make this.


Ingredients:

450g (1 lb) ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
50 g (2oz) fresh breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp chopped fresh root ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
125-250 ml (4-8 fl oz) tomato juice or water


Preparation

Put all the ingredients in a food processor, or blender, adding 125 ml (4 fl oz) tomato juice, or water.
Blend until thick and smooth.
Add the remaining tomato juice, or water, if the soup is too thick.

I'm going to try this as is, but one of the items that I also use is cucumbers. Also another method of preparation is to chop all the items or part of them and put them in the fridge and adding them towards the end, this makes them nice and crispy. When all done, I like to add a dollop of sour creme, it's so good, and if you find tomotoes to be to acidic, this will cut into it.

Enjoy!

BG quote

The Bhagavad Gita..simply put is considered a sacred Hindu scriptures where they say that all the answers to your problems and spiritual difficulties can be found, a practical guide to life.

I simply love the Bhagavad Gita. I studied it in my training, advanced training, consistently sit in other trainings to hear it again. I've read it a few times and last year I started another course on it. Truth be told I was soo excited that the teacher( who btw is amazing) only got through two chapters, it made me realise that if he continued at this rate, we would be doing this for another eight years. I'm not sure if this is so, but I'll get a better idea this year when I leave in a few weeks to continue the studies.

Every time I study the Bhagavad Gita, another layer of understanding occurs, there are new realisations.....it's truly a beautiful book.
I do recommend however, to get a better comprehension, it's really best to study it with a teacher, not saying however that you cannot read it on your own.

Anyways this all leads up to the fact that I came across one of it's more popular quotes today.
"Fixed in yoga, do thy work, O Winner of wealth (Arjuna), abandoning attachment, with an even mind in success and failure, for evenness of mind is called yoga"

this is taken from the Karma Yoga section of the Gita and implies "that action should be done without thought of gain."(without the concern for results)

Matsya the first Avatar of Vishnu

To recap an Avatar descends for a very specific purpose, to bring dharma, or righteousness, back to the social and cosmic order.

Matsya is the first avatar of Lord Vishnu, took this form of Matsya in order to retrieve the Vedas from the demon Hayagriva, who stole them from Lord Brahma. Without the Vedas, Creation of the Universe cannot take place. He slayed the demon Hayagriva, recovered the Vedas, and also saved the pious king Satyavrata from the deluge so that life and religion can be preserved for the next cycle of Creation.

Matsya was discovered by Satyavrata, who was the prajapati(prajapati is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life)of this Kalpa(a large span of time)
Satyavrata was washing his hands in a river when a little fish swam into his hands and pleaded with him to save its life. He put it in a jar, which it soon outgrew. He then moved it to a tank, a river and then finally the ocean but to no avail. The fish then revealed himself to be Vishnu and told him that a deluge would occur within seven days that would destroy all life. Therefore, Satyavrata was instructed to take "all medicinal herbs, all the varieties of seeds, and accompanied by the seven saints along with the serpent Vasuki and other animals."
To restore the Vedas Matsya dived into the ocean to kill Hayagriva, in which he was defeated and the Vedas were restored.
The deluge occurred and the lord reappeared as promised and advised Satyavrata to board the boat and fasten the serpent Vasuki to his horn as a rope to the boat.

symbolism:
-the ocean is the churned subconscious
-in its state at the beginning of sadhana the fish he found was small at first and continued to grow until there was no where else for him to go, this is the growth of spiritual aspiration
-the lord is the light that guides the devotee through the floods of past lives and suppressed memories samskaras etc

quote

We hold in our hands the power to mould our life the way we want. Thoughts are like bricks that make up our destiny. Everything that we are today is made up of our thoughts. "If you sow a thought, you will reap an action....;action-tendency; tendency-habit; habit-character; character destiny."
SS

neck exercises..

Having yogi's as friends sometimes is interesting, because they don't let you get away with things.
For a couple weeks there when I was sick and a little bit blue, I was having the worst neck and shoulder pain.
Now since every injury and pain we have can be related to an emotion...(neck problems usually relate to feelings of having "the weight of the world on our shoulders"). So instead of getting any sympathy, I was asked what was wrong, being psychoanalyzed..and having to deal with the issue instead of getting a little bit of comfort. However you always get what you need and I'm very thank full to my friends.

Now what came out of this was that I started to do the neck exercises again, and it's always interesting sometimes to start over in your practice. We think sometimes when we first do Asana's that we will reach a certain goal and that will be it, but due too injuries, stress or not doing our practice for awhile, that isn't always the case. These gifts and that's what I like to call them, help us get back in touch with the importance of some of the more basic practice. Doing the neck exercises reminded me how much of a struggle this can be for some people and how important they are to do, especially if its cold out, early in the day, if your on your feet all day or at the computer or just haven't practice in awhile . To remember that some of the more passive exercises can have the strongest benefits.

So if you haven't done them in awhile give it a try....

Sit cross-legged and practice each set of neck exercises at least three times.

- Back and forth. Drop your head back gently and then slowly drop it forward
- Side to side. Tilt your head to the right shoulder, to the center, and to the left.
- Turn your head. Turn your head to look over each shoulder in turn.
- Circling. Inhale as you rotate your head to one side, exhale to the other.

postures..

POSTURES:
Inverted- Mental Strenght
Forward- Effects the brain
Backward- Exhilarating
Twisting- Cleansing
Balancing- Lightness
Standing- Vitality
Sitting- Calming

thought

When a negative emotion comes up, regard it as a guest, welcome it, acknowledge it and then let it go, watch it as you would a movie.
conscious welcome, conscious goodbye

soup recipe

"Nothing is more warming or fulfilling that a hearty bowl of soup on a cold day-it nourishes both body and soul.”

and today is just the day...hasn't stop raining all day so I decided to make my favorite soup......


Miso Soup

8 C. Water
3 Carrots
1 Celery
1 Beet
1 Tbsp of Ginger
1 Tsp of Wakame
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
Handful of Soba Noodles
11/2 teaspoon of Miso per person
Tofu

Begin by soaking the wakame, draining the tofu, and boiling 8 C. of water (this speeds the cooking process, but its not essential).
Chop vegetables. Heat large pot, add seasame oil. Sautee Ginger and root vegetables for 5 min. Add water, bring to boil. Add wakeme, simmer till vegetables are soft. Add soba noodles and tofu and cook for 6-8 minutes till noodles are tender.
Place miso in bowl and take a cup of the heated broth to mix the miso till smooth. Turn off the heat and add to soup. (Never add miso to boiling water, it will dissolve the beneficial digestive enzymes and nutrients). Enjoy!

Prana and Mind

The mind of a man can be made to transcend ordinary experience and exist on a plane higher than that of reason known as superconscious state of concentration and gets beyond the limit of concentration. He comes face to face with facts which ordinary consciousness cannot comprehend. This ought to be achieved by proper training and manipulation of the subtle forces of the body, so as to cause them to give an upward push to the mind in the higher regions. When the mind is so raised into the superconscious state of perception, it begins to act from there and experience higher facts and higher knowledge. Such is the ultimate object of Yoga. The control of the vibratory Prana, means to a Yogin, the kindling of the fire of Supreme Knowledge, the realisation of the Self.

-Raja Yoga

quote

Attain Truth through speaking the truth and practicing truth in all your daily actions and behavior towards others.
-Swami Sivananda

eye exercise

'The eye is the most important organ. With good eyesight, you can do more service to mankind'
Swami Sivananda

One of the things I use to stress in beginner's courses was to keep up with the eye exercise after the course was finish. To remember that the eye is also muscle, and like we exercises our body, we should also exercise the eyes.

Exercising the eyes releases any buildup of tension and aids relaxation. It's also been known to improve vision.

There are many different exercise that you can do, some of the more simple ones are:
up/down
side to side
diagonal
full circle
focusing on the tip of the nose, 30secs, no blinking
'palming' at the end...is very relaxing to the eyes. It is also most important for preserving the eyesight. Palming also has a beneficial, relaxing effect on your nervous system.

if you wear glasses or have an interest in learning more, there is a very good book by Dr. Jacob Liberman called 'take of your glasses and see'
if you have any interest in knowing more on the exercises themselves or would like to an extended list of exercises, feel free to email me.

remember one thing when doing them, make sure your alone or not facing anybody. I made the mistake one time of doing it at a table while waiting for someone and freak out my friend and someone at the next table..






When practicing, keep your head still and move only your eyes.

guru

I just had a conversation with someone that always challenges me..love him dearly but sometimes I just want to strangle him, of course this is said with love...
He always make me think, always pushing me to better myself, throws me some challenges, and in the years I've known him, I consider him a very important person in my life, a teacher an upa guru is what I call him.

Now the guru is one, but the upa-guru can be many, from whom anything is learned.
Guru itself is defined as:
Gu-like goo-darkness
Ru-light
Out of darkness into the light

The true guru is god himself, the human guru is an instrument of himself. In the beginning we can have many teachers on our path for self-realization and if we are earnest disciples we might be lucky enough to meet a Sat Guru.

A Sat Guru is the man or woman of God, an instrument of the Lord, who will quicken the enlightening process. He or she enables you, the seeker, to overcome your ego and delusion — not only gaining realization of higher consciousness but enabling you to live in higher consciousness.

It's said that no book, however noble, is a substitute for the guru. And my upa-guru today remind me that "information is useless without experience" and though I love to read all about yoga and all it's components, (and that will never change).
I will try and do what he asked of me today. It was for one month to do 10 rounds of Japa...I'll let you know how that goes.
Om Namah Sivaya

Vegetarian Pad Thai

So after months of eating quinoa salad three times a week, I seem to have moved on to a new obsession, one that I decided I needed to start making so as not to spend so much on take out, and after finding a recipe...I didn't do such a bad job..
So here is a recipe for Vegetarian Pad Thai:

Ingredients:
•8 oz. (SERVES 2) Pad Thai rice noodles (thin, flat linguine-like noodles)
• 1/2 cup soft tofu
•3-4 "heads" of baby bok choy, roughly chopped
•2 cups bean sprouts
•1/3 cup fresh coriander/cilantro
•1/4 cup ground (or well-chopped) peanuts

•PAD THAI SAUCE:
•3/4 Tbsp. tamarind paste
•1/4 cup hot water
•3+1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
•1/2 to 2 tsp. chili sauce (to taste)
•3 Tbsp. brown sugar
•OTHER:
•3-4 Tbsp. oil for stir-frying
•2-3 Tbsp. vegetable stock
•lime wedges for serving

Preparation:
1.Bring a pot of water to a boil and remove from heat. Soak noodles in the hot water for 6-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Tip: Noodles are ready to drain when they are soft enough to eat, but still firm and a little bit "crunchy". The noodles will finish cooking when they are fried.
2.Dissolve the tamarind paste in the hot water. Add the other pad thai sauce ingredients and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add as much or as little chili sauce as you prefer, but don't skimp on the sugar (you need it to balance the sourness of the tarmaind). Reserve.
3.Place your wok (or large frying pan) over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 Tbsp. oil
4.Add the bok choy plus the stock. Stir-fry 2 minutes, or until bok choy is bright green and slightly softened.
5.Push ingredients aside and add 1/2 Tbsp. more oil using soft tofu:stir-fry briefly. Now add the drained noodles and 1/3 of the sauce. Stir-fry everything together for 1 minute using 2 utensils and a tossing motion (like tossing a salad).
7.Add a little more sauce and continue stir-frying in the same way for 1-2 more minutes, or until the noodles begin to soften and become sticky. Reduce heat to medium if noodles begin to stick and burn.
8.Add the bean sprouts plus the remaining sauce. Stir-fry to incorporate everything together for 1-3 more minutes, or until noodles are done. Noodles are cooked to perfection when they are soft but still deliciously chewy and a little bit sticky.
9.Remove from heat and taste-test, adding more soy sauce if desired for more salt/flavor.
10.To serve, scoop noodles onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with coriander/cilantro, and ground nuts. Add wedges of fresh-cut lime on the side. Serve immediately and ENJOY!.

quote

"Truth is within you. Select that for meditation, which, at once draws your mind irresistably, dropping all other objects.

-Swami Satyananda

quote

He alone who has controlled his mind will be ever peaceful and joyful.

meaning of Avatar

So as I mentioned I want to connect certain days of the week with certain topics...
Wednesdays being stories.

Now stories in Hinduism are important because they help you to learn, understand and discern.

For the next ten weeks I thought I would write about the ten Avatars of Vishnu
Avatars refers to a deliberate descent of a deity from heaven to earth
The concept of avatar within Hinduism is most often associated with Vishnu, the preserver or sustainer aspect of God within the Hindu Trinity.
Vishnu's avatars typically descend for a very specific purpose, to bring dharma, or righteousness, back to the social and cosmic order. So next week will start with the first one, Matsya a fish avatar.

reading

in my mini satsang this morning, this was one of my readings and I though I would share it with you today..

Thought can be either negative, positive or shallow. When thought becomes negative it is very painful and when it is positive, it lifts you up. Depending upon the condition into which you are thrown, thought plays a most important role in your life. You meet a person on the street, you fall in love...just like magic, so you call it 'love'. The thought waves take a specific pattern and suddenly there is a meeting of thought. Thought waves merge. Then after some time, perhaps, the thoughts change and instead of 'I love you honey', it becomes 'I hate you!' These phrases are only thought, nothing more. It is not that the person has changed, it is that the thought waves are no longer merging and there is now no communication, So there is friction, separation, suffering and you will never see that person again. The moment you think of that person you have unhappiness and pain.
Wherever there is union of thought it brings peace, love, happiness and joy. Whenever thought becomes unbearable due to different or opposite wavelengths there is suffering, pain, war and calamity. So the whole world is nothing but a projection of your thought, There is nothing but thought. Reality is thought.

back to my blog...

As hard as you try sometimes in your practice it's just hard to maintain things sometimes, it's like a rollcoaster, up and down....this blog was started to give me encouragement in my own practice, to uplift me.
And one of the things I've learned in my spiritual practice lately is to have patience with myself. I got sick a few weeks ago, so sick that really the only thing I felt like doing was sleeping..of course when I'm sick I try and do some practice and take alternative healing methods, but what I learned, and what I needed was to take a break, and I took a break from everything and it's only been in the last few days that I'm getting back into my practice..

so I'm back with my blog and in the time I've been away I've also been giving some though on what I originally wanted to do with this blog and I've done some, but wanted to incorporate some other things. I've decided to have days of the week correspond to certain topics, so far I only have a few, but hopefully after awhile each day will have a certain topic.

so to begin..Monday will be about asana's..Wednesday will be a stories of deities..Thursday will be a quote from a teacher, since this is the day of the Guru.. and Fridays will be a vegetarian recipe. This is what I have, so if anybody has any suggestions let me know, I welcome any thoughts or opinions.

quote..

If you want to know your past life, look into your present condition; If you want to know your future life, look at your present actions.

Padmasambhava

poem..

Something a little different......

The Invitation by Oriah


It doesn’t interest me
what you do for a living.
I want to know
what you ache for
and if you dare to dream
of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me
how old you are.
I want to know
if you will risk
looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.


It doesn’t interest me
what planets are
squaring your moon...
I want to know
if you have touched
the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened
by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.


I want to know
if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.


I want to know
if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you
to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations
of being human.


It doesn’t interest me
if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear
the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.


I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.


I want to know
if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”


It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.


It doesn’t interest me
who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.


It doesn’t interest me
where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know
what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.


I want to know
if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like
the company you keep
in the empty moments.

Sivaratri..

So tomorrow night is Sivaratri, one of my favorite times of the year. Usually I go to a retreat in the Bahamas but this year I'm going somewhat more local. Off on a road trip(6hrs) to an Ashram in the Laurentians to celebrate...So I'll be back on Sunday..Om Namah Sivaya..Happy Sivaratri


Shiva (Lord Shiva) and ratri (night), so Shivaratri means the night of Lord Shiva. Every lunar month on the 13th or 14th day of the dark half of the moon phase there is a Shivaratri but in the Vedic month of Phalgun (February-March) there is a Maha Shivaratri.. The ceremony takes place mainly at night. This festival observed in the honour of Lord Shiva, who was married to Parvati (Mother Durga/Mother Gauri) on this day.

Some dvevotees observe a strict fast on this day. Some really strict devotees perform a nirjal fast i.e. they do not even have a sip of water. They keep virgil the entire night. The Shiva lingam is worshipped throughout the night by washing it every three hours with milk, yogurt, ghee, honey and so forth, whilst chanting of the mantra “Om namah shivaya”, continues. Offering of bael leaves are made to the Lingam. Bael leaves are very sacred (as Tulsi to Lord Vishnu and dhar to Mother Durga are very pleasing to Them) and Lord Shiva becomes pleased with that offering. Many different hymns glorifying Lord Shiva are sung with intense fervour and devotion. Aspirants perform japa of the Panchakshara mantra “ Om namah Shivaya” (At the end of this article there is a very detail explanation of each syllable of this mantra.)

He who utters the names of Lord Shiva during Shivaratri with perfect devotion and concentration is freed from all sins that he/she have committed. He/she reaches the abode of Lord Shiva and resides very happily there.

Meaning of Asana

The Sanskrit word asana derives from the verbal root as, meaning “to sit” or “to be present,” and, in the context of the Yoga tradition, means “to be established in a particular posture.”

Historically the term refers to a wide range of bodily postures that have been transmitted by teachers.

However, the history of Asana is not a record of the possibilities of bodily contortion, nor simply a record of an ancient form of physical culture; rather, Asana evolved as an integral part of a comprehensive spiritual practice oriented toward purification, accomplishment, and realisation.

ASANA'S/POSTURES:
Inverted- Mental Strenght
Forward- Effects the brain
Backward- Exhilarating
Twisting- Cleansing
Balancing- Lightness
Standing- Vitality
Sitting- Calming

...happiness...

Happiness, people tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon us like fine weather if your fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the sonsequences of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometime even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings, And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maitaining it, you must make mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever.

quote

Create your inner world. Carry with you your own inner companions, viz., Santi
(peace), Santosha (contentment), enquiry and courage.

Sri Swami Sivananda

ego...

EGO is AHANKARA. It means the maker of "I". Ego is sattwic, Egoism is when the notion of "I am" becomes mixed . The idea of body and mind. Ego without egoism is atma. Egoism crystallized our consciousness into a seemingly separate existence.

Three types of Ego
*Sattvic-identify with total
*ego that deciphers the subtleties of soul
*Negative ego-assert consciousness of I, ME and Mine

Ego asserts identity
Sattva-asserts divine nature
Rajas-asserts identity with position and intelligence(position/possession, seeds of pride and vanity)
Tamasic-identity with body and mind

Yoga is to remove veil of ego, through purification
*jnani, through vichara
*karma, through sacrifice
*bhakti, through surrender

Anger is a negative vritti, born out of unfulfilled desire

Anger is born in thinking of objects, then attachment, then desire, then anger, then delusion, then memory is loss, loss of reason, perish.( this chain of emotional delusions is taken from the Gita)

Types of Anger:
*Displeasure
*Frustration
*Sarcasm
*Passive aggression
*Fury

reading....

I thought I would share my reading with you today, as I said this blog for me is a great help with my own sadhana, keeping up with it, but also it keeps reminding me..kinda of like when your parents would tell you not to act this way or to be nice etc...and I'm at an age where I can listen now..and I really like this message this morning, as I hope you do to.

This comes from Vishnudevananda Upadesa

Everything originates from energy. It is the cause of our physical body. Beauty is nothing but the energy inside. 'Avon calling' has nothing to do with it. Vibrations keep changing because it is impossible not to change. Then energy keeps moving from one wavelength to another. In the body this is called 'old age'. Somethimes we accelerate this wavelength and old age takes place very fast. For example, if I crush this flower in my hand it will decay in a few seconds. Your body's wavelength can change slowly or rapidly. When you do pranayama and asanas, bhandas and mudras or meditate you are changing your wavelenth, moving the energy to a higher chakra, a higher lever. You want to bring your energy to the highest center, OM.

sweet recipe

easy and quick..


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs(or egg replacer)
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup powdered sugar (for decoration)

Directions:

Heat the oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 baking pan. Combine the flour, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, and butter. Pat dough into prepared pan.

Bake for 20 minutes, until slightly golden. While the crust is baking, whisk together eggs, sugar, flour and lemon juice until frothy. Pour this lemon mixture over the hot crust. Return to oven for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust the top with powdered sugar. Cut into squares.

what does it mean to be healthy...

What does it mean to be healthy?

It's when all the faculties of the body function harmoniously under the intelligent control of the mind.
(State of health does not only refer to the physical body but also the more subtle portions of our being. Means the mind is manipulated by prana and prana is manipulated by our will power. (definition between Hatha yoga and Raja yoga). Real health means when it spills out to every pore of our being, there are 3 stages. Health is a state that embodies Satva.

When we are healthy we have an abundant, almost inexhaustible amount of energy to carry out any type of work.
When we are unhealthy we feel ourselves depleted of any inspiration and or energy to accomplish any task.

Where is the energy/supply come from? This supply comes from within us/prana
Since will power is more subtle than prana, to consciously regulate the flow of prana, to bring about a state of mental equilibrium where the innate divinity is clearly reflected by the intellect. This is called Raja Yoga.

Hatha Yoga means utilizing the grosser portions of our being IE: body and breath, to regulate the flow of prana.

The physical and mental bodies are animated and replenished with prana

What is prana?
is verily the life of all beings therefore it is called the universal life energy. Prana is force on every plane of being, form the most gross to the most subtle.

Prana is found in food, water, air, sun taste(all senses)
However it is something separate from them, so the prana is the subtle portion animating potency that gives all these things life. (the different things being.....food, air etc....) which helps/supplies us with prana

So the storage center of this prana is the solar plexus
-grossest manifestation of prana is the lungs
-subtle manifestation is the thought

The aim of Yoga is to control one's mind!

So then how does the yogi use this pranic energy force to bring about the desired state.

The ocean has waves like the mind has thoughts. The waves in the ocean are generated by the movement of the wind, likewise the thoughts are generated in the mind by the flow of prana.
When the wind moves moves in one direction over the surface of the water the waves become rough, unmanageable. When that same wind changes it's direction blowing over the surface of the water, it becomes placid, wave less. Likewise our minds are subject to the same phenomenon, so if the prana is in an agitated state our mind/body an overall health will reflect this agitation. BUT through the practice of pranayama one learns to control the subtle prana, making it flow more smoothly throughout the nervous system. This harmonious flow of prana that is gain through the practice of pranayama reflects thus in the body as abundant energy and in
the mind as restfulness, contentment and concentration

quote

"Admit your faults and weaknesses. Then alone will you evolve."
Swami Sivananda

yoga..

There are 84,0000 body types, meaning there are 84,0000 species that the soul passes through(human birth is the zenith of creation) evolution.
72 can be practice
36 are beneficial
12 basic asanas make up the root(source) of all others
The top part of a tree flourishes because of the roots. The 12 basic asanas serve as a root to all other asanas that can be practice.
The order work from the more subtle portions first, to the more gross. Headstand activates the Pineal/Master control gland for the rest of the body making this gland more efficient, also activating the glandular system of the body to follow suit, where the body is running at a more efficient level. The prana when you put the body in different positions re-routes the prana, thus giving the body mind and nervous system a more abundant source of prana. When prana is flowing properly you feel relaxed and then the muscles work more efficiently and you have more energy, better digestion and the mind concentration becomes easy(thoughts)
All postures should be synchronized with the breath

karma

In the pursuit of our day to day lives, our attitudes towards Karma have become purely materialistic. Every time we think about spiritual life, we think in terms of renouncing Karma. But, this is not the right attitude, Karma can never be bondage. Karma Yoga is any action done with the higher awareness. Nature has created Karma as a scheme for man to evolve and to know the behaviour and deeper stages of the mind through the mind, to achieve spiritual awareness.

3 Bodies

3 Bodies; Physical, Astral and Casual

Physical Body(tangible) made of 5 gross elements-Earth/Water/Fire/Air/Ether
(Birth/Growth/Change/Decay/Death)
Has one sheath to it, the food sheath, FOOD goes 1/3 to physical 1/3 to create the mental body or thoughts and 1/3 to waste.

Astral Body, where we experience pleasure and pain, has 3 sheaths to it, and 19 elements.
19 elements are, 5 organs of action(karma indriya)-mouth/hands/feets/anus/genitals, 5 organs of knowledge(janan indriyas)-ears/eyes/nose/tongue/skin 5 prana's prana/apana/samana/udana/vijana and 4 elements of Antahkarana(inner instruments)-mind/subconcious/intellect/ego
The 3 sheaths are; Pranamaya Kosha-purifies the pranic sheath, it constitutes of the karma indriyas which is also experiencing hunger thirst, heat and cold AND the prana's is what gives energy to the Karma indriyas, so they can carry out their functions. The second sheath, the manamaya kosha, has the jnana indriyas-it's how we aquire knowledge, this sheath is purified through japa and kirtan. The third sheath is the Vijnamaya kosha, purifiying this sheath is done by right-inquiry, discrimination and decision making. It is the home of the buddhi(intellect) works in conjuctin with jnana indriyas, this means that the manamaya kosha gathers information and the Vijnamaya kosha makes sense of it.

Causal Body, is the blue print of both the gross and subtle bodies, contains all the impressions of all lives lived. It has one sheath to it, the anandamaya kosha, which is the most subtle and where bliss is experienced.

quote

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him".

Buddha

Excerpt

According to Vedanta, liberation can be achieved only through spiritual knowledge, which requires meditation. Other factors, such as good works or rituals, are merely aids in the process. But such liberation knowledge is not any ordinary or conceptual knowledge. It is direct insight into one's own nature of pure consciousness.
Vedanta's main approach is threefold:hearing the teaching with a receptive mind (shravana), deep thinking about it (manana), and meditating on it consistently (nididhyasana) until full realization dawns, which is the state of samadhi.

This is an excerpt from the book "Vedantic Meditation" which I started reading..by David Frawley. This is the first book of his that I'm reading and I'm really enjoying how he writes, it's very direct and to the point, easily comprehensible.

recipe...

So I once mentioned that when I started to be a vegetarian it was dificult for me. And as one I love faux meats and love veggie burgers, and have them many different ways..this is just one recipe I like


TOFU/TVP Burgers

celery-use like it an onion
1/2 part Tofu
1/2 part TVP
ground oatmeal- as binder
tamari
cilantro-chopped
parsley-chopped
hing
hickory salt
paprika
chili powder
oil

Optional: Roasted Sunflower Seeds or Ricotta Cheese

Rinse tofu with water and soak in water for 10 minutes changing water once to remove the funny taste. Remove from water, press all excess water out and crumble into a bowl. Put enough tamari in the bowl to slightly change color of tofu and give it a little seasoning and set aside.

Meanwhile, food process or dice celery and saute in oil with a hing. Place TVP in bowl and place a little water to moisten it. Add the TVP to sauteed celery mixture and heat until flavor is absorbed.

In a bowl combine TVP/Celery mixture with tofu, cilantro, parsley, optional ingredients and oatmeal-just enough to hold the patty together. Oil a tray. Form mixture into patty. Bake in 375 Oven for 20-30 minutes. Baste top with oil and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Have No Fear.....

Fearlessness is listed as the first quality to be developed by a spiritual aspirants.
Courageous people have one thing in common-control over their imagination. Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the conquest of fear.

The conquest of fear yields the courage of life.

"A courageous person is cool and calm. He is resolutely-minded. Have the courage of your convictions. Have the courage to act up to or consistently with your views and opinions".

Mudra/Hand

Mudras have an intense effect on the nadis(energy channels). Each finger represents an element, a chakra, a planet, a body organ and an emotion. Each finger is also the ending of a meridian.
Mudras can be enhanced with breathing exercises, mediation, mantras, colour, affirmations and music.
The thumb is associated with the fire element, the lung meridian and the planet Mars and represents willpower and logic.
The index finger is associated with the air element, the stomach meridian and the planet Jupiter. It represents the mind and the power of thought.
The middle finger (not to be held up in the traffic) is associated with the ether element, the circulation and gallbladder meridians and the planet Saturn. It represents our spiritual path. Hindus call it the ‘heavenly finger’.
The ring finger is associated with the earth element, the liver meridian and
the sun (or Apollo, the sun god). It represents vitality and health.
The little finger is associated with the water element, the heart meridian and the planet Mercury. It represents communication, sexuality and personal
relationships.
Our hands are important......

Sunday

So today was a rainy dreary day and I so wished it was sunny, it would be soo nice.. and that made me think how today Sunday is associated with Sun. It also made me think that I want to try and coordinate certain days of the week with certain topics, some stories of the dieties, asanas etc...hopefully I will start that process this week.

But today I thought I would mention that each of the seven days in a week has a special significance and is apportioned to one or more Hindu gods or goddesses

*Sunday is dedicated to Lord Surya (Sun God). Red is the color of the day
*Monday is dedicated to Lord Shiva, associated with the Moon (Chandra)
*Tuesday is dedicated to Lord Ganesha, Durga, Goddess Kali. Associated with Mars (Mangala)
*Wednesday is dedicated to Krishna, associated with the planet Mercury (Budha). Green is the color. The day is highly auspicious for starting new ventures
*Thursday is Guru Day, the planet is Jupiter (Brihaspati)
*Friday is dedicated to Mother Goddess, the planet is Venus (Shukra)
*Saturday is dedicated to Lord Hannuman, the planet is Saturn (Shani)

There are also many different stories associated with each days, fasting rituals, color significances and other observances for special purposes.

Dharma

So the last few months have been very interesting for me, a lot of changes going on, a lot of learning....

In Yoga your always taught that things are impermanent and that even though you may plan on something, that may not happen. Though I know this..I've been proactive and making plans on what I want to do in the next few months, and of course two separate people who did energy work on me in the last few weeks have been telling me other things, which frustrated me and today I was really wondering what it is I'm suppose to do....
What is my dharma?????..and hopefully that answer will come to me soon :)

Dharma

Dharma is a very complicated word, for which there is no equivalent word in any other language, including English. Dharma actually means that which upholds this entire creation. It is a Divine law that is inherent and invisible, but responsible for all existence. Dharma exists in all planes, in all aspects and at all levels of creation. In the context of human life, dharma consists of all that an individual undertakes in harmony with Divine expectations and his own inner spiritual aspirations, actions that would ensure order and harmony with in himself and in the environment in which he lives.

The Upanishads saw dharma as the universal principle of law, order, harmony, all in all truth, that sprang first from Brahman. It acts as the regulatory moral principle of the Universe. It is sat, truth, a major tenet of Hinduism.

Importance of Meditation.

One of the most difficult things we can do in life is to show up - to be fully present - for ourselves and for the people we love and care about. So many times, at the end of the day, we say, "Where did the time go?" Years can go by in this manner. Your precious life is worth fully inhabiting.

There cannot be enough said about the importance of meditation to a person's quality of life, the list of benefits is numerous. Meditating on a daily basis allows you to clear away the stress and tension that occurs each and every day of our lives. To open yourself up to whole new way of life, being more intuitive even on a spiritual level. A technique that will make you feel complete and whole.

When starting meditation practice it's best to have realistic goal, that instead of meditating a 1/2hr daily, to start off by doing only 10 minutes and then working your way up to that half hour.
Other suggestions...
Regularity of time, place and practice are important. Regularity conditions the mind to slow down its activities with a minimum of delay.
The most effective times are early dawn and dusk, when the atmosphere is charged with special spiritual force.
Try to have a separate room for meditation. As meditation is repeated, the powerful vibrations set up will be lodged in the area; an atmosphere of peace and purity will be felt.
When sitting, face North or East in order to take advantage of favorable magnetic vibrations. Sit in a steady, comfortable, cross-legged position with spine and neck erect but not tense.
Before beginning, command the mind to be quiet for a specific length of time. Forget the past, present and future.
Consciously regulate the breath. Begin with five minutes of deep abdominal breathing to bring oxygen to the brain. Then slow it down to an imperceptible rate.

There are other suggestions that can be added to this, but it's best when starting something new, and as not to feel overwhelmed to keep things simple and easy, and once you have a daily practice then you can add the other suggestions..and just begin to feel the peace and tranquility that comes with meditating.

om shanti

Hearty Soup for the Soul

So lately I haven't been eating as well as I should, and been to lazy to cook. So this morning when I was sitting at my altar I decided to pick a card from my angel deck( A friend of mine gave me this as a gift about a year ago, when I was made a big shift in my life) and I knew it, not feeling well...that the card I would and did picked was to "Cleanse and Detoxify"..so of course I took that as a message to change some things..and now I'm off to cook some foods, always my quinoa salad but I thought it would be good to do a hearty soup, especially since it cold and rainy outside.

LENTIL VEGETABLE SOUP

This traditional hearty soup features lentils, chick peas, pasta and
vegetables with aromatic yet mild spices.

1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
2 tsp of hing
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground pepper
2 tsp turmeric
2 cans (each 10 oz) vegetable stock
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cups diced peeled seeded squash ( I used Butternut )
3/4 cup green or brown lentils
1 can (19 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked small pasta or rice ( I used both )
1 zucchini, diced
1/4 cup each chopped fresh parsley and coriander
1/4 cup lemon juice


In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry celery, hing,
cinnamon, cumin, ginger, pepper and turmeric, about 5 minutes.
Scrape into slow-cooker.
Add vegetable stock, tomatoes, squash, lentils and 4 cups water. Cover
and cook on low until squash is tender, about 6 hours.
Stir in chickpeas, pasta/or/rice and zucchini. Increase heat to high;
cover and cook until pasta is hot and zucchini is softened, about 25 minutes. Stir
in parsley, coriander and lemon juice. MAKES 10 - 12 SERVINGS.


Per each of 12 servings: about 161 cal, 7 g pro, 2 g total fat (trace sat.
fat), 30 g carb, 5 g fibre, 0 mg chol, 487 mg sodium, % RDI: 6%
calcium,
22% iron, 23% vit A, 32% vit C, 49% folate.

Enjoy and bon appetit.

quote...

"If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work."

-Thich Nhat Hanh

Observing Silence

This morning when I was doing my Meditation and Arati, I was thinking how different things are from last year at this time. That instead of being in a community of yogi's its just me.....and I miss it, but it's okay it's only temporary and how fast things can change, next year at this time can be a totally different story.

So during my little satsang I was reading from "Sivananda Daily Readings" and realised that it's really important to read a message daily..that sometimes we don't have so much time in our day to do our practice. Last year I would put in about 3-4hrs of spiritual practice daily, but now I don't have that luxury, but just reading a message helps, and it doesn't take that much time. And it can be anything for you, choosing one that best meets your interests and your desires but making sure it's something positive, encouraging and uplifting..

Anyways I will share with you an exert from what I read this morning..

OBSERVE SILENCE
Use measured words in talking. Do not talk much. Try to finish a conversation within a few minutes. Do not indulge in long unnecessary talks and discussions. Man is a social animal. He is prone to much talking. This talkative habit is ingrained in him and he is much troubled when he cannot get any company. The observance of mauna(silence) is death and punishment for him.
I always prescribe the practice of mauna for one and all, as this helps in the preservation of energy, development of will and enjoyment of peace. All sorts of quarrels. misunderstandings, anger, etc..., can be easily avoided by mauna for two hours daily.
Even during other periods talk very few words. When you speak, speak gently and sweetly.

DETACHMENT

what is detachment and how do we practice it?

The problem when we talk about detachment is that people tend to wrongly think that if they detach, they will loose something, deprive themselves of something. Life will be boring and tasteless. They would argue: If God has created the senses and the emotions, then why not enjoy them? If I have a problem with something, it is because of this and that. We are then determined to try something different to fix the problem in hopes that the situation will be different. This is the common mis-understanding of detachment practice.

TRUE DETACHMENT COMES WITH DISCRIMINATION.

True detachment is based on discrimination. This means the realization of what is Real and not real. It's the discrimination between what is going to bring you true happiness and lasting fulfillment, and knowing for sure what will not bring you happiness.

TEMPORARY DETACHMENT IS LIKE TAKING AN ASPIRIN.
If we do not go to the cause of our problem, it will reproduce itself again in different forms. Temporary detachment doesn't usually lead to questioning of the mistake. We don't usually spend time to think about the root of the mistake, therefore, our discrimination doesn't increase. So it is a running away from pain that brought about temporary wisdom and not the discrimination and the self awareness. When the pain vanishes, we will forget the past misery and will do it again. We did not go to the root cause of the problem, the root cause of our spiritual ignorance.

TRUE DETACHMENT MEANS REMAINING IN THE FULLNESS OF BEING.
And not running after the illusion of desire which sprung from the forgetfulness of Self. Detachment means understanding the usual temptations of the mind that lead us astray to find happiness (externally), and then choosing to not be fooled again. Detachment is remaining calm and content in the delight of one's own Self. It is not emptiness; rather, it is fullness.

TRUE DETACHMENT IS NOT LOOSING THE SENSE OF SELF;
IT IS ALLOWING YOU TO REMEMBER YOUR TRUE SELF.

HANUMAN

HANUMAN, is the monkey deity renowned for his courage, power and faithful, selfless service. He is one of the most popular concepts of devotees of God (bhakti) (devotion to God) in Hinduism and one of the most important personalities in the Indian epic Ramayana.

Almond Milk Recipe

ALMOND MILK


This sustaining and soothing drink is a rich source of easily digestible food for the rapid replenishment of energy. Almonds are a concentrated source of protein as well being high in vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Their fat content makes them excellent for skin and muscle repair.

These ingredients are per person

10 Almonds (soaked overnight in water to cover)
Pinch of cardamom
Pinch of pepper
1 Cup of milk, water or soy (warmed)
1 Teaspoon of honey

you can also add any dried fruit that you might like..I like to add dates(3)

Forgiveness

Forgiveness

Mentally visualise the person you were angry with that day or someone you’ve been angry with for a long time. First forgive that person for making you angry, then ask that person for forgiveness and finally forgive yourself for over-reacting, so that you have cleared the space for the future relationship. Learn to pardon others’ mistakes;

To err is human, but to forgive to divine. Forgiveness is like a cancelled note – you tear it in two and throw it into the fire. Forgiveness is much harder than being angry, and may involve deep suffering. When we ask for forgiveness of others, we are primarily asking for a removal of anger.

How do we know if we have forgiven somebody? It is when we see them and the reaction has gone, or even better we feel love. Forgiveness must becomes part of our psychological make-up. Forgiveness should also be silent and unknown – don’t advertise it, because then you have not forgiven as forgiveness doesn’t involve any further action. When we forgive, the other person’s reaction is not our business.

Forgiveness, forbearance and patience are all qualities that counteract anger.


Adaptability. Train yourself to adapt to others. If you adapt yourself you will draw out the best of others.


Humility. Learn to see yourself as not the most important person in life. Start to practice from today.


Gratitude and Cheerfulness.


Be positive

When things change in your mind things will fall into place. If there is a small amount of pain somewhere, that is excellent. If things are difficult or not how you want them to be, then take your time. That is usually the best time to learn some spiritual truths. When things don’t happen, don’t force them. Time is our best friend and teacher.


Surrender

Only God knows what the best is for us; stay where you are and wait and see. Life is like driving. There may not always be green lights, but red light might even save your life. We don’t know why we have to wait, but even if sometimes that may be uncomfortable, it might save us from a deeper catastrophe. The whole teaching of yoga is of living in the present moment.


Focus on what you have to do. Your boss might be angry but focus on your work. Every moment of your life focus on what you have to do.

Today January 14th

Today is....Uttarāyaṇa it is the six month period between Makar Sankranti around (January 14) and Karka Sankranti around (July 14), when the Sun travels towards north on the celestial sphere. The period from July 14 to January 14 is known is Dakshināyana

In yoga they say on this day the sun ascends – is in uttarayana, and on Makar Sankranti, the sun descends – is in dakshinayana. These are the two paths: northwards or uttarayana, and southwards or dakshinayana.

Those who want to understand yoga should know that uttarayana and dakshinayana are the two paths an aspirant can walk on. The jivatma, individual soul, that practices yoga, travels on one of these paths. One soul may go the uttarayana route, and another the dakshinayana route.

The Bhagavad Gita (8:24-26) refers to the paths of uttarayana and dakshinayana
"Agnirjyotirahah shuklah shanmaasaa uttaraayanam
Tatra prayaataa gacchanti brahma brahmavido janaah."

Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern path of the sun, departing by these, those who know Brahman go to Brahman.This is the reference to uttarayana.

Dakshinayana has been referred to as:
"Dhoomo raatristathaa krishnah shanmaasaa dakshinaayanam
Tatra chaandramasam jyotiryogee praapya nivartate."

Attaining the lunar light by smoke, night time, the dark fortnight, also the six months of the southern path of the sun, the yogi returns.

Very simply put, this is like New Years day, an auspicious time, to start new adventures, business, get married etc...The period of Uttarayana is marked by brightness, peace, rejoicing, fearlessness, and purity.

Flexibility

FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility of the body, especially the spinal cord and flexibility of the mind are interrelated. Flexibility of the mind means adaptability. It's opposite, rigidity of mind, is called ego. And as ego puts stress upon the nervous system, it creates a rigid body. So yoga says that flexibility of the spine and flexibility of the mind are interrelated. If you keep the spinal column flexible, you'll have a flexible mind, and you will find that the flexible mind can do more work than the inflexible mind.

A Rigid Tree Can Be Uprooted. Have you ever seen a tree standing on the shore? Such trees are very strong, still standing after 70, 80, or 90 years. But when a sudden flood comes, they are completely uprooted and washed away because they are very rigid. But when the flood waters subside, the tall grasses are still there. The powerful flood waters could not wash them away. Why? Because they just bent with the flow of the waters instead of resisting, the water could not do anything. Although more powerful, the rigid tree was uprooted. "Grasses bow before the gale and again raise their heads to the midday sun. But the proud giants of the forest remain stiff, not budging an inch, only to be rudely uprooted."
The humble servant prostrates to all and goes on serving till retired by old age, while his unbending master is envied, only to be thrown out as Prime Minister or Senator, or even disgraced and thrown in prison. But the ordinary servant goes on.

Various religions also became rigid and inflexible; we call it fanaticism. But they are wiped out eventually. In Indian religious life you must be adaptable. In south India, when you go to the temple, you must not wear a head covering. But in the north you can because it is cold there. In the south you must take a bath before going to the temple, and if you enter with your clothing still wet, it is considered even more religious. But if you did that in the north, you would get pneumonia.
So you must understand and adapt to the individual situation.

Yoga for Flexibility....For a spiritual aspirant especially, flexibility is necessary. Once the prana starts growing, any resistance will prevent its free movement. So every morning you should practice your asanas, pranayama, mantra and japa. Flexibility of the spinal column will allow the energy to flow properly, so that instead of going downward, it will go upward. It is just like water, which, in a gross state, flows downwards, but when in subtle form (as in steam) it rises. In the same way, a flexible spinal cord will allow your energy to flow upward, past the lower centers and up to the higher centers. That is what is meant by the "ascent of kundalini shakti."

Quote

"Enrich your blood through Japa, Kirtan, Meditation, Sattva, Pranayama, Asanas, tomatoes, grapes, spinach, pure air and sunlight."
Swami Sivananda

Challenge for the week

When I first started to give Satsangs(spiritual gathering), it was nerve racking and to be truthfull I never did get use to it.
The one thing I use to do, pretty much every Sunday night when I was in Chicago, was read from the book "How to Cultivate Virtues and Eradicate Vices" by Swami Sivananda, probably my favorite book by him. I use to randomly pick a virtue and a vice, read about them and then give them out as practice for the week.

Since we always like to start things, practices or diets etc..at the beginning of year, month or week and tomorrow is Monday..I thought it would be good to do a practice this week

This of course came to me because today wasn't great. I don't think I've been so annoyed and irritated like that in a long time..( I was stuck at work with no electricity and no heat, there was a power outage and the powers to be where more concern about the bottom dollar then they where about their staff)

...anyhow thinking over the day was upsetting, just at how I let my emotions get the better of me and how I could have handle myself much better.

Irritation is defined in Yoga as simple form of Anger. Irritability bring with it a lack of peace. When you want to control Anger you have to control these small forms first. So of course if you want to control something you need to practice the opposite form and for anger that would be Patience.

Patience: The ability to remain calm and undisturbed in the face of difficulties. Involves dissolving anger energy. Calmness is not passivity. It gives us the opportunity to evaluate situations clearly and to make wise decisions.

So this week I will try and Culivate my Patience and Eradicate my Anger, taking it day by day....of course this is my practice, which you can also do or pick something that pertains to you, and remember when we practice these exercises they help us develop both will power and self discipline.

A Practice on "Active Listening"

Active Listening

Be direct, specific and tactful;

One of the main rules for active listening is always to minimize the number of distractions. But the real problem in active listening isn’t what takes place on the outside. It’s what’s going on inside one’s mind that presents the greatest challenge.

Here are some guidelines:

Focus on the conversation, putting everything else in your mind on hold.
(Don’t focus on what to do next etc.)

Make no assumptions about what other person thinks, feels, or wants. (People are not 100% predictable.)

Don’t spend time rehearsing what you’re planning to say while the other person is speaking.

Let the other person have their say. Don’t interrupt.
(There are people who tend to finish other people’s sentences.)

Those people who interrupt may do it for several reasons:
a) impatience b) dominance c) ‘mind-reading habit’.
Whatever the reason the effects are usually negative.

Listen for feelings as well as thoughts.

Notice the other person’s nonverbal as well as verbal behaviour.

Demonstrate nonverbal attentiveness.

Use active listening responses such as clarifying, restating, paraphrasing, reflecting, and summarizing to bring out the other person’s wants and needs.

Ask questions designed to gather information rather than to criticize.

Be patient. Make sure you understand the problem as completely as possible before offering solutions.

Don’t use the words ‘but’ but ‘yes and’.

recipe

Quinoa Salad

This is probrably my favorite thing to eat... I make a batch and it usually last 3 days and I do this weekly..completly addicted to it. It's takes about 30-40 minutes to make, really quick and easy.

I usually do a 1 cup of quinoa that last me three feedings :)....you can do whatever amount you want.

So first on med to high heat toast the quinoa, no water no oil, nothing!..shake it around a bit like your making popcorn..it takes about 5 minutes and when it actually starts to smell like popcorn, looks golden brown(be very careful because within a minutes they can start to burn), it's ready for the next stage...so once that's done, turn the heat down to mild and add double the amount of water, now what I do to speed it up, is I boil the water while it's toasting and then slowly adding the water, and I mean slowly, otherwise it will spew everywhere. Now simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, slightly covered.

While that is going on I make the salad part..pan on the stove heating it up, add some oil once heated add the spices..I add first asofetedas(hing) 1/2tsp, then cumin powder 3tsps, mix for a minute. Then add two finely diced carrots, marinate and cook for about 5 minutes, then add 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds, toss around. After a few minutes I add two finely diced celery sticks..toss around. At that point most of the oil should have been sucked up so I put about 2-3tsps of tamari, toss, then add a touch of chili powder, 3tsp of paprika toss again and then squeeze about a half a lemon, or 2 teaspoons of bottled lemon juice..mix add some more cumin powder and then simmer for about another 5 minutes....at this point the quinoa should be almost ready so I turn it off, taking off the lid..and with a big spoon turn over the top of it, three times (burning off water) and again move it around, when there is no more steam..then I put it into a bowl and mix it with the salad part......and your all set

enjoy :)

Quote

Be Kind. Be Compassionate. Be Honest. Be Sincere. Be Truthfull. Be Bold. Be Pure. Be Wise. Be Virtuous. Enquire: 'Who am I'? Know thyself and be free

Happiness

sukha: Sanskrit word meaning happiness; real happiness is keeping your consciousness in the pituitary and above, in the state of vacuum and nothingness.

So I've had my traditional New Year's cold that I seem to catch every year from my lovely nephew and today was the first day in a week that I'm feeling better...and even though I'm not 100% it's soo funny how happy I was today just to feel a little bit normal.

So where does Happiness come from?
Yoga teaches that Happiness comes only from within. Most peoples minds are scattered, unfocused with no higher aspiration or goal in their life. Happiness doesn't come from outside as all things in life are transitory and conditioned to change. When we search for happiness outside ourselves we meet with frustration, When we find the positive center within us we become less demanding and happier. We are led to believe that certain things can make us happy.

Temporary pleasure is not to be equated with happiness. (We use golf as an example). This example will demonstrate that happiness in this case is temporary) comes as a result of our mind becoming deeply focused on trying to hit the ball into the hole with a club. If this wasn't the case we could have walked up to each one of the holes and put the ball in. So you feel happy as a result of deep concentration experienced by you- you have less or almost no thoughts at all. This brings in the experience of happiness-absence of thoughts and concentration. The mind is calm.

The more you are focused, the fewer the thoughts in your mind, the happier you feel.

Peace begins with a smile :)...holiness grows fast where there is kindness, The world is lost for want of sweetness and kindness...There are many people who can do big things, but there are very few people who will do the small things.

small kind acts, small courtesies, small consideration, small benevolence, ...habitually practiced in your social intercourse give a great charm to your character then great platform lectures, discourses, oration, exhibitions of talents etc..

Fewer the desires, lesser the thoughts. Fewer the thoughts, greater the peace, greater the mental strength and concentration.

Lead a well-regulated life respecting the natural rhythms as much as possible.
Adapt. Adjust, Accommodate
Live in the present

And as the song says "Don't Worry Be Happy"

Esoteric Meaning of Om Namah Sivaya

OM NAMAH SIVAYA

Namah, read backwards is manah, the mind which is directed outwards and confused, dull, etc…
you turn the mind inwards, it becomes Namah, and when you go inwards, what do you find? Shiva!
The embodiment of Bliss, Peace and Tranquility… So we chant the Om Namah Sivaya to turn ourselves inwards to the Bliss and Tranquility of the Being…

There are 12 zodiac signs and 9 planets. As the 9 planets move through the 12 signs, their positions affect us either negatively or positively. Chanting the Om Namah Sivaya 108 times (12 x 9 = 108), nullifies any negative effects and enhances positive effects of the planets on us.

The real name for the mantra is Panchakshara or mantra that has 5 letters or syllables.
Om does not count as Saguna mantras are expansions of Nirguna OM. Na Ma Si Va Ya. Each letter also has a specific meaning. Na=creation or sristi Ma=preservation or stithi Si=destruction or samhara Va=avarana or maya Ya=anugraha or grace that liberates.

Definition of OM

OM:

This sacred syllable, sometimes written AUM, is the original mantra. The Sanskrit letter represents the journey of the human spirit toward eternal peace.

OM is the sound of creation. It emanates from the mouth of Lord Brahma at the beginning of each creative cycle called a kalpa. This sound forms the substratum of all of creation, both gross and subtle. Gross meaning embodied creatures and subtle meaning the mind. Though it is pronounced OM, it is made up of three different syllables. A, U, and M are the three sounds of the mantra OM.

"A" manifests as the creative principle of God. This syllable resonates in the abdominal area of the psyche. It has its physical counter part in the body. In the human body the abdominal area is the spot of conception and incubation and ultimately the birth of a new life. Thus the syllable "A" manifests as creation from the earth sphere to the apex of Mount Meru. This process of creation is presided over by Lord Brahma, the subtlest of material nature. Next, the syllable "U" is responsible for the process of sustenance. This sound is born out of the chest region of the astral body. Things are maintained by keeping them pure and ever fresh. This quality of purity and freshness is called sattwa in Sanskrit. MahaVishnu presides over this quality and is directly responsible for the liberation of the soul from matter. Located in the physical body of a human is the heart, the muscle necessary to Maritain life.

Thus "U" represents the process of preservation. To preserve things one needs wealth. Wealth is 2 kinds: material and spiritual. Thus, MahaVishnu is "wedded" to Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, both material and spiritual. The sound of "U" also represents that part of creation from the tip of mount Meru to the Pole star called Dhruva or the North Star in the bible. This encompasses the dwelling places of different types of astral entities.

Lastly, "M" stands for the destructive power of God embodied in Lord Siva. This sound manifests in the closing of the mouth. Also when we have closed our mouths we have finished or destroyed something, either our words or our food etc. Destruction in the Hindu mind is not viewed as a negative activity, but the necessary function to help prepare one's consciousness for the descent of divine knowledge that takes the shape of Love of God. Siva presiding over this action of destruction is the embodiment of auspiciousness. Meaning it is His presence that allows the incubation of liberation to be possible. This sound represents creation from the pole star to Brahma Loka or the sphere of Lord Brahma.

Namah means prostrations. This is a bastard form of the original word used to say prostrations. It was previously the word namama, which literally means not (na) mine (mama). So the secret to prostration is in the renouncing the sense of egoism that is born from the notion of "I" and "mine" or ownership.

Narayana is the Name for Mahavishnu who lives within the waters of the causal ocean. He is the in dweller that lends divinity to the human soul. His presence dwelling in our bossom is what make us divine. This is the real meaning of the biblical statement that Man was created in the image of God. We share in His divine heritage. Narayana means one who dwells in the water. Water is ones consciousness. Not the consciousness that keeps our eyes open but the state that is beyond all three states of existence, waking, dreamimg and deep sleep. He maintains equilibrium in the physche of the devotee by keeping all his thoughts, words and deed harmonized, thus making them in accordance with dharma or righteousness

Atmajyothi

By lighting the lamp in a temple we are praying for our paths to be illumined and our positive desires to come to fruition. The light outside in the form of the sun instigates healthy growth and change in all of creation. The light inside in the form of atma or soul promotes positive spiritual growth leading towards happiness and self realization. Fire transforms the material into spiritual and allows our prayers and positive intentions to enter the realms of the heavens. Agni or fire is one of the physical elements that have an unlimited energetic potential. Therefore, it is used as a symbol of the highest good or God that is the unlimited source of energy and benevolence for the entire humanity and world at large. Fire is the power that manifests as intelligence and discrimination in the mind. It allows us to clearly see the difference between what is good or what will draw us closer to our spiritual ideals and what is bad or that which obscures the mind with inertia and negativity.

Lead us from the unreal to the real
Lead us from Darkness to light
Lead us from mortality to immortality

Divine Name

Kirtan is singing the Divine Name with Faith and devotion. Through constant reptition of His Name the Heart becomes pure, the mind becomes still and He reveals His presence to the devotee (Darshan). Kirtan means to praise. In Bhakti Yoga philosophy Kirtan follows Sravanam or listening. In reality Kirtan does not only refer to singing but to any outward, joyous expression of an internal realisation. Kirtan is positive thinking in its highest form. The Name is the embodiment of all divine qualities or Daivi Sampat and is identical to God Himself. Therefore, no negativity born of egoism can manifest in its prescence. Repetion in kirtan is used like a mala is used for japa. It helps to keep the mind focused until its released from its desires, ambitions and schemes. As you think so you become. Think you are weak, you become weak. Think you are good, you become good. Think you are Divine and you become Divine. The mind has three major defects; mala (impurity), vikshepa (restlessnes) and avarana (veiling power). Karma yoga removes mala, bhakti remove vikshepa and jnana yoga removes the veil of ignorance. Kirtan removes all three. It is the Yuga Dharma or the practice for this age. It acts as a full moon on the white lotus of our spirtual heart and allows us to taste the bliss and unruffled happiness we all long for. Sing with faith. Sing when you are happy. Sing when you are sad. Feel His presence through His Name and fulfill the goal of life through Kirtan

Triple Cannon

The infastructure of Yoga philosphy is built upon the tenents of ahimsa (non-injury), satyam (truthfulness) and Brahmacharya (godly-conduct). Without a proper understanding and practice of these 3 virtues our spiritual merits gained through our sadhana will waste away like water from a bucket full of holes.

Ahimsa is generally understood as not causing harm to anyone. This idea of non-violence to be fully realized must be extended to all facets of our personality; thought, word and action. However, it is not only the negation of negativity, but is the positive application of love. Ahimsa is the first step we must take in trying to spiritualise our lives. Himsa or violence is the predominate charestistic of animal nature. If we wish to grow spiritually we first must aim at transforming our brutality. The sense of seperateness born of our ego creates fear in our minds. This fear makes us view the world as something to conquer or something that opposes us. This base thinking creates a feeling of retaliation that manifests itself as violence of all types. One soul dwells in all. Harm to another is harm to one Self.

Satyam is truthfulness. On on level it is harmony between what we think and what we do or how we speak. On another level satyam is our true nature, it is synonimous with Self or Soul. It is a direct means to self-realisation as our very nature is nothing but Truth. Truth must be spoken at any cost, but never to the effect of purposly hurting anothers feelings or exposing ones faults. Truthfulness unities, untruthfulness divides. Lasting peace is found in unity, therefore yogis practice satyam.

Brahmacharya is in a strict sense understood as celibacy. It is the conduct (achar) that leads us to Godliness (Brahman). The soul is neither male or female. A brahmachary or one who practices bramcharya negates all differences born of mind and trys to perceive the Atma that indwells all of creation. Any form of overindulgence is a break in brahmacharya. The veerya or sexual is transformed through spiritual practice into Ojas and allows the sadhaka to rapidly advance in his spirtual practice.

These three discplines are not exclusive to one another. A break in one is an infringment on the other. Strive to live a divine life.