Karma Yoga - Work with the right attitude

The emphasis is on the attitude and on consciousness. Maintaining a certain attitude constantly leads to a corresponding awareness which again leads to being established in this awareness at the time. That is why being involved in work is qualified by the statement “a right attitude”.

Work by itself is not what is suggested. To turn this work into worship will require change in the attitude. The usual suggestions here are faith, duty, service and concentration.

This immediately puts the mind in a different state. There is a worshipful attitude, dedication and much spiritual gain. In fact one who has reached such state and remains all the time in this state can very well claim the highest achievement for himself, i.e., self-actualization.

Do it - Why do we go on talking about right and wrong; good and evil? Newton talking about his work said it is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Those who talk of right or wrong spend 99% in talking and 1% implementing. The Gita wants us to work 100% in the spirit of KARMA YOGA.

(This explanation above was a talk given by Smt. Hansaji (our Guru) in the Satsang (Spiritual gathering) at The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, India.)

Students working together with the spirit of Karma Yoga

In our Yoga Teacher Training Courses held in Thailand, Brazil and Bali we lay much importance on training  the students on the path of Karma Yoga. Especially the old students in our 300 hr Yoga Teacher Training Course get to learn in depth about this path by performing assigned tasks and duties with correct attitude (Bhavas) and with balanced state of mind. It is a valid path that can help a Yoga aspirant in his/her daily life by bringing a sense of joy, balance and content even in the ups and downs of life. It relieves a person from insecurity, stress, anxiety and depression. 

Ana digging a hole for planting a sapling

Students planting tree saplings

Karma Yoga during Yoga Teacher Training - Brazil

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Wise Living Yoga Academy is authorized to impart Yoga Teacher Training Courses on the tradition of The Yoga Institute of Santacruz in Mumbai, India – the world’s oldest organized Yoga Institution. The residential programs are held regularly in Bali (Indonesia), Chiang Mai (Thailand) & Minas Gerais (Brazil) throughout the year and are accredited by the Yoga Alliance USA, allowing the graduates to teach Yoga in any part of the world.

The 200 hours courses and the Advanced 300 & 500 hours Yoga Teacher Training Courses are conducted regularly in our new permanent Yoga Center in Doi Saket, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Please follow the links to know more about all the scheduled
Yoga Teacher Training Courses (YTTC)  in 2013:

- Yoga Teacher Training Course in Minas Gerais, Brazil

- Yoga Teacher Training Course in Bali, Indonesia

- Yoga Teacher Training Course in Chiang Mai, Thailand

The True Spirit of Christmas

“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”

In the end of December of every year most of the western world and also many people in the east celebrate the birth of an exceptional man called Jesus the Christ.

This great man is what in the Vedic culture is known by an Avatar or an earthly incarnation of God. And a man who can be called a God is a man who exhibits exceptional qualities and virtues of the human species such as being humane, kind, considerate, understanding, sympathetic, tolerant, approachable, accessible, compassionate, selfless and who ultimately is able to sacrifice himself for the sake of others.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

God descends from his celestial plane and take human form to teach people by example of behaviour what is expect of  the other men (and of course the women) - in other words, what is expected of the human race as a species. The true followers of such God-Man are those who make all efforts to apply such behaviour and conduct in his daily life, and in such a way, practice his ways towards divinity themselves.

This is the true spirit of Christmas: to follow in essence the teachings of the Christ or to consciously copy his behaviour making his one’s own.

Those who make undue use of commerce, display luxury in manners of dressing & eating and indulge in intoxication of the body and mind are in no ways celebrating Christmas or the birth of Christ or his teachings.

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Christmas is time for penance - but not in the sense of self-punishment or mortification - but in the sense of modesty, simplicity and ascetic austerity which allows to introspection and meditation.

These are the essential attributes that will allow the awakening of the divinity sought within.

“Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.' I John 4:4”

Let us imbue the true spirit of Christmas in these days of celebration!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Daniel & Jeenal

5th International Conference on Spiritual Science

The time is narrowing down to much exciting and much awaited 5th International Conference on Spiritual Science slated on 17-18 Dec 2011 in Hyderabad, India.

This event is the Pre-Parliament of the 1st World Parliament on Spirituality.

Many magnificent people like you have involved themselves to make all these confluences of awakened human consciousness most enlightening. This December conference is going to be a great blend of Head & Heart, Intuition & Intellect, Thoughts & Feelings. 

Come participate and celebrate this fabulous weekend of convergence of wisdom. The theme of the conference is 'Preparing for the New Beginning'.

Conference Highlights:

• Eminent Global minds on a single platform for a common purpose
• Delegates across the nation and a few from abroad
• Practical Training & Demonstrations on How To Come Out Of The Traps In The Path Of Self-Evolution, From Person to Presence, Sun Yoga, The I AM Principles and Transformation, Wide Awakening - The Cellular Shift to Effortless Ease and Fluidity, Man the Decad, My Experience with UFO's, Global Oneness in the Present Era and so on
• Video messages from Worlds renowned Spiritual speakers
• Live interactive sessions
• 2 Panel Discussions on most relevant spiritual issues
• Paper Presentations on various spiritual discoveries and revelations
• Tailor-made specially for all the students, housewives, professionals of all age groups above 18 years

For more information visit the websites:

 www.wpsconnect.org and www.theworldunited.org

“Just imagine how it would be listening to Great Spiritual Masters of different origins & paths. Just have a 2-day break from your routine activities to witness this most amazing annual transformational festival”

That's a great opportunity to do so!!

Namaskar !!

Words of Wisdom - Srimad Bhagavatam

Life's desire should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire only a healthy life, or self-presevation, since a human being is meant for inquiry about the Aboslue Truth. Nothing else should be the goal of one's work.

----Srimad Bhagvatam 1.2.10

A green pathway leading to rice fields in Ubud, Bali.

After teaching in two Teacher's Training in Chiang Mai in Thailand in June and July 2011, a short break for self-introspection was much needed. And when we went to Ubud in Bali, I spent time walking around the small town visiting rice fields, chanting and praying, visiting temples, collecting flowers, listening to spiritual music and watching some warm and informative movies. This definitely helped me to re-tune with my internal self , gave me space to have some phases of contemplation and inner silence.

Much love and peace,

Namaskaar,
Jeenal

Gayatri Mantra

Dear friends, I am sharing with you some information on Gayatri Mantra that I was able too organise and put together in this post. I have put some interesting pictures too. Hope you find it useful and interesting!!

GAYATRI MANTRA IN SANSKRIT AND ITS MEANING

ॐ भूर्भुव: स्व: तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं । भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि, धीयो यो न: प्रचोदयात् ।।

AUM BHOOR BHUWAH SWAHA,
TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASAYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODAYAT.

Gayatri Mantra (the mother of the vedas), the foremost mantra in hinduism and hindu beliefs, inspires wisdom. Its meaning is that "May the Almighty God illuminate our intellect to lead us along the righteous path". The mantra is also a prayer to the "giver of light and life" - the sun (savitur).

The Mantra Text Recitation of the Gayatri Mantra is preceded by OM(ॐ) and the formula bhūr bhuvah svah (भूर् भुवः स्वः), known as the mahāvyāhrti ("great utterance"). This prefixing of the mantra proper is described in the Taittiriya Aranyaka (2.11.1-8), which states that scriptural recitation was always to begin with the chanting of the syllable OM, followed by the three Vyahrtis and the Gayatri verse.[10]

Following the mahāvyāhrti is then the mantra proper, the verse RV 3.62.10:

In Devanagari:
तत् सवितुर्वरेण्यं ।
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि ।
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥

tát savitúr várenyam (there is a below 'n' and 'm' which is missing here)
bhárgo devásya dhīmahi
dhíyo yó nah pracodáyāt (there is a dot below 'h' which is missing here)

Word explanation :

◦om The mystical Om syllable
◦bhū "earth"prithvi
◦bhuvas "atmosphere"antariksha
◦svar "light, heaven"beyond antariksha
◦tat "that"
◦savitur devasya "of Savitr, the god" (genitives of savitr-, 'stimulator, rouser; name of a sun-deity' and deva- 'god' or 'demi-god')
◦varenyam accusative of varenya- "desirable, excellent, fit to be adopted"
◦bhargo "radiance, lustre, splendour, glory"
◦devasya "divine"
◦dhīmahi "may we attain" (1st person plural middle optative of dhā- 'set, bring, fix' etc.)
◦dhiyah nah "our prayers" (accusative plural of dhi- 'thought, meditation, devotion, prayer' and nah enclitic personal pronoun)
◦yah pracodayāt "who may stimulate" (nominative singular of relative pronoun yad-; causative 3rd person of pra-cud- 'set in motion, drive on, urge, impel')

(some dots below h are missing here in the above text)

Gayatri, the five-faced Goddess, is said to have domain over the five senses or pranas, and protects these five life-forces of those who chant the Gayatri Mantra. In her role as the protector, Gayatri is referred to as Savitri.

ORIGIN, BENEFITS AND CHANTING OF THE GAYATRI MANTRA

The Vedas are widely considered to be the source of all true knowledge, the word "Veda" itself meaning "Knowledge". Gayatri Devi also gave to mankind the "Gayatri Mantra", also known as the "Guru Mantra" or the "Savitri Mantra". It is one of the oldest mantras, and generally thought of as being amongst the highest and most powerful mantras of all. This mantra is therefore often referred to as "the Mother of the Vedas". In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna had proclaimed to Arjuna - "Among all the mantras, I am the Gayatri".

Rishis selected the words of the Gayatri Mantra and arranged them so that they not only convey meaning but also create specific power of righteous wisdom through their utterance. The ideal times for chanting the mantra are three times a day - at dawn, mid-day, and at dusk. These times are known as the three sandhyas - morning, mid-day and evening. The maximum benefit of chanting the mantra is said to be obtained by chanting it 108 times. However, one may chant it for 3, 9, or 18 times when pressed for time. The syllables of the mantra are said to positively affect all the chakras or energy centres in the human body - hence, proper pronunciation and enunciation are very important.

Chanting of Gayatri Mantra removes all obstacles in our path to increased wisdom and spiritual growth and development. The teachings and powers incorporated in the Gayatri Mantra fulfill this purpose. Righteous wisdom starts emerging soon after Japa (recitation) of the Gayatri Mantra is performed

BRAHMANICAL USAGE

In traditional Brahmin practice the Gayatri Mantra is addressed to God as the divine life-giver, symbolized by Savitr (the sun), and is most often recited at sunrise and sunset. It is believed by practitioners that reciting the mantra bestows wisdom and enlightenment, through the vehicle of the Sun (Savitr), who represents the source and inspiration of the universe. Recitation at sunrise every morning is part of the daily ritual. While often associated with outward ritual offerings, it can be recited more inwardly and without rites, a practice generally known as japa.

Links :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayatri_Mantra
http://www.eaglespace.com/spirit/gayatribywords.php

Shanti Mantras

Namaste friends and all the yoga aspirants!

I have been lately hearing to the Shanti Mantras and each time I hear to them, I feel tranquil and joyful. I suggest to buy a Shanti Mantras CD, one of it is 'The Chants of India by Pandit Ravi Shankar'. Play it while you are eating, just before you are about to sleep or even when you are cooking, doing your asanas or taking a shower. It is a very peaceful experience. I have got some information from wikipedia that I have shared below and it might be useful to you.

The Shanti Mantras or "Peace Mantras" are Hindu prayers for Peace (Shanti) from the Vedas. They are also recited at the beginning and end of religious rituals and discourses.

Shanti Mantras are found in Upanishads, where they are invoked in the beginning of some topics of Upanishads. They are supposed to calm the mind of reciter and environment around him/her. Reciting them is also believed to be removing any obstacles for the task being started.

Shanti Mantras always end with three utterances of word "Shanti" which means "Peace". The Reason for uttering three times is for calming and removing obstacles in three realms which are:

"Physical" or Adhi-Bhautika,

"Divine" or Adhi-Daivika

and "Internal" or Adhyaatmika

According to the scriptures of Hinduism sources of obstacles and troubles are in these three realms. Physical or Adhi-Bhautika realm can be source of troubles/obstacles coming from external world, such as from wild animals, people, natural calamities etc. Divine or Adhi-Daivika realm can be source of troubles/obstacles coming from extra-sensory world of spirits, ghosts, deities, demigods/angels etc. Internal or Adhyaatmika realm is source of troubles/obstacles arising out of ones own body and mind, such as pain, diseases, laziness, absent-mindedness etc.
These are called "Tapa-Traya" or three classes of troubles. When Shanti mantras are recited, obstacles from these realms are believed to be pacified.

Below is one of the Shanti Mantra that I have been hearing to lately. It is in Sanskrit and later translated in English.

ॐ सह नाववतु
सह नौ भुनक्तु
सह वीर्यं करवावहै
तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः

om saha nāvavatu
saha nau bhunaktu
saha vīrya karavāvahai
tejasvināvadhītamastu mā vidvishāvahai
om śāntihi śāntihi śāntihi

Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together;
May we work conjointly with great energy,
May our study be vigorous and effective;
May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !

I will post some more Shanti Mantras..in the mean time you can google it and hear it. It is easily available on net! Till then feel Shanti and get nourished:-)

Namaskaar..Jeenal