The Guru Tattva or the Guru principle is the eternally valid principle for the development of consciousness that leads the creation from unreality to reality, from the darkness of ignorance to the light of reality. In its purest form, this cosmic principle manifests and reveals itself on earth as a divine incarnation or a spiritual Master. On the occasion of Guru Purnima, let us delve deep into the concept of Guru.  Here is what the founder of Yoga in Daily Life, Swamiji, says on the subject.

Just as a residential building receives its supply of electricity directly from the power station, a direct and conscious connection also exists between the realised Master and God. Through spiritual and mental work, meditation and practice, the Realised Masters have attained enlightenment and become one with the Divine Will.  They are the wise ones who guide all those who are still living in ignorance towards the truth, instructing them and cautioning them.

At whatever level each process of development occurs, it also involves a growth in knowledge. The process of transmitting knowledge is often illustrated with the lighting of candle. The master lights the light of knowledge within the disciple, who-when he has assimilated the teachings of the Master and internalised the Guru principle of the Master – finally becomes the Master himself.

The essence of the Guru principle is described in the following slokas.

Dhyana Mulam Guru Murti
Puja Mulam Guru Padam
Mantram mulam Guru Vakyam
Moksha Mulam Guru Kripa

The root of meditation is the Guru’s form
The roots of worship is the Guru’s feet
The roots of mantra are the words of the Guru
The root of liberation is the grace of the Guru.

Yoga is a path we are able to travel along independently up to a certain point. We are able to achieve almost everything through the practice of Yoga; we are capable of expanding our consciousness through the entire Cosmos (Bhramanda) and experience absolute emptiness (Shunyakasha), but we are unable to attain liberation (Moksha) this way. To free ourselves from the fetters of Karma and the cycle of rebirth and death, we need the help of the spiritual Master as the transmitters of Divine Grace. Only with the help of God and the Master are we able to complete our journey.

The essence of Parabhraman exists within each of us This spark of the Divine Light is the “motor” of our spiritual drive and our mental development. The “Guru” principle also works within us, guiding our soul towards the light of knowledge and truth.

The development towards our spiritual goal can be supported by external and internal influences, but can also be hindered by them. From amongst the favourable influences there are four specific occurrences that are a great blessing:
•    To be born as a human
•    To be raised by loving and spiritual parents
•    To have a yearning for knowledge and truth
•    To meet a Realised Master.

If these four beneficial occurrences come together in one lifetime, there is a great chance of reaching the spiritual goal. But if this golden opportunity is allowed to slip by unused, there may not be another opportunity for a long time.

In life we encounter six types of Gurus:

1.    Parents are the first Gurus. The influence and example of  the parents, especially of the mother, are of great importance in the continuing development of the child.
2.    Playmates and school friends are the second Guru. Character and habits are formed by the society that we predominantly keep.
3.    Third are our school teachers and professors. They help us acquire the knowledge and skills required for our profession and within society.
4.    The fourth Guru is the religious teacher or the priest who introduces us to the religious teachings and ceremonies of our culture.
5.    The fifth Guru is the Satguru, the spiritual Master, who shows us our spiritual Dharma. He teaches us the true religion and our connection to God (Sat Sanathan Dharma), which stands above all denominational differences. The spiritual teacher shows us the way to our real Self (Atma). He opens the door to liberation and God-realisation for the disciple.
6.    Ultimately, the sixth and final Guru is the inner Master that exists within each and every one of us. As the disciple attains mastery he becomes his own Guru and also becomes capable of passing on the light of knowledge and wisdom to others.

Excerpt from “The Hidden Power in Hhumans – Chakras and Kundalini” by His Holiness, Vishvaguru Paramahansa Swami Maheshwaranandaji.
Watch lectures on Swamiji.TV

The title of Mahamandaleshwar was bestowed on Swami Jasraj Puri, the Australian disciple of Vishwa Guru Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwaranand Puriji Maharaj, founder of Yoga in Daily Life. The title is one of the highest spiritual honours that can be bestowed upon a Swami and it is the first time that the title has been awarded by the Indian Mahanirvani Akhara to a foreigner. For the past 15 years, Sydney-born and educatedSwami Jasraj Puri has resided in India, managing a charitable school and the humantiarian projects of OM Vishwa Deep Gurukul Swami Maheshwarananda Ashram Education & Research Centre.Read the coverage by Sydney's Sun Herald and watch the videoof this auspicous event.

On a warm summer’s day, a traveller was riding through the desert. Both he and his horse were tired and thirsty and so he was very happy to notice an oasis in the distance. To a desert traveller, an oasis means life! On approaching, the traveller noticed it was actually a small farm and there was a farmer drawing water from a deep, subterranean well. At the touch of the farmer’s hand fresh, cool water flushed into the drinking trough via a motorised pump.

The traveller requested the farmer to fill the trough, that he and his horse may quench their thirst. The farmer readily fulfilled the request and set the pump into action. Fresh water flooded into the trough but at the sound of the pump the traveller’s horse winced and jumped away. In vain did the traveller try to calm and reassure his horse, but every time the motorised pump rumbled into action, the horse whinnied and backed off without drinking a drop. The fear of the noise was stronger than its thirst.

The traveller was exasperated – how should he water his horse if it was fearful of the noise of the water pump? The farmer commiserated with the traveller and told him, “My friend, teach your horse to drink regardless of the noise, else let it walk away thirsty.”

The traveller typifies us. The horse symbolises our yoga practise and the oasis water represents all the benefits of yoga.  The noise of the pump is life’s problems and obstacles - and that noise will never cease.  Whatever the noise, whatever the problem, whenever something comes between you and your time for practising yoga, remind yourself “it’s just the noise of the pump”.  Learn to develop your practise along with the noise of life, or you will remain thirsty for all the benefits that yoga can bring you.

Practise a little each day with trust and love.

For further inspiration, watch this YouTube snippet of Holy Guruji

Excerpt from ‘Path of Consciousness’ 
by H.H. Vishwaguru Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda 

"There are two main directions or life paths:  Nivritti and Pravritti.  Each of us must decide for ourselves which of these we will take.

Pra means ‘different’ and Vritti stands for ‘chitta vritti’ the thoughts. During normal, everyday activity the mind is occupied with something or other and thoughts are constantly changing. Procuring more and more things such as building one house after another, buying one car after the other; pursuing many activities, and meddling in the affairs our adult children and grand-children, are sure signs we are on the path of Pravritti. 

On the Pravritti path we constantly experience suffering, misunderstandings, disappointment, changes and pain. 
To be on the path of Nivritti means that we have accomplished our tasks or fulfilled our desires and have deliberately chosen a life of peace and quiet. To be sure, there are still things to do such as making meals, washing, and cleaning house, but do not allow yourself to become too involved in activities. 

We must become ‘Nivritt’ not only outwardly, but inwardly. The Antahkarana are full of desires and until we are free of these, we cannot come to Nivritti. Gradually free yourself from Pravrittiand come to the Nivritti path. It will lead to liberation and quench your soul’s thirst for knowledge. 

It sometimes happens through destiny that a person will find themselves on the Nivritti path from childhood.  At some time or other, every human being will desire complete consciousness. Some require several lifetimes for this awakening. The two paths we are discussing are like the two branches of the one tree. One branch is Pravritti, bending down towards the world. The other branch is Nivritti reaching upward, leading to liberation and the cosmic world. Every seeker shall awaken a longing in the heart for that. 

The love and longing for the supreme Self can only be developed by each person, within his or her own self. It is what is called a ‘burning desire’. Some have the longing to experience things of the world. Others want to perceive truth, experience and actualise it themselves. For that to take place the heart must be prepared for many years or lifetimes, just as a field must be prepared well by a farmer.

A fly is sitting on fragrant sandalwood paste when someone places next to it something dirty and foul-smelling. Now, where the fly goes and where it lands is a matter of its characteristics and qualities. Being a fly, it will move from the pure sandalwood paste to the filth. That is how the one who is ignorant and burdened with many karmas is drawn away from Satsang (good company and good deeds) to Maya (the pleasures of the world). That one is mostly concerned with things of the world, paying little attention to spiritual endeavours.

There is a spiritual song, a Bhajan, that says:  “Your Soul is calling to you. It holds you back from falsehood and leads you to what is right. Believe in the name of God, sing it and meditate on it. God has given us ears to hear words of wisdom, eyes to see the divine in every living entity, tongues to speak the truth. This call of the soul goes out to you again and again.”

To a wise person it is clear that Maya (the pleasure of the world) is constantly changing - sometimes it is pleasant and good, sometimes unpleasant and bad – and that we must accept that with equanimity. How one is to live life, how to think and conduct oneself is described very clearly in the Bhagavad Gita, chapters 14 and 15.

In essence, live in Maya like a tight-rope walker, performing his art on the high-wire in above the clapping and shouting audience. Before all the people and in the midst of this noise, he is there delighting them with his presentation, but never for a moment does he allow himself to be diverted. He makes his way across the rope consciously and with concentration."

View Swamiji's inspirational lectures and be guided in meditations on Swamiji.TV or YouTube.

Although we speak a lot of God and say that yoga is the way to God, yoga is not a religion nor a religious sect. God is a universal principle, cosmic light, eternally awake consciousness which pervades all existence. This God is one, and dwells in all. We gave Him different names and images - we call Him Holy Father, Allah, Ishwara, Divine Will, Love, the highest Self and so on. There are as many images of God as there are people on the face of the earth. Everyone creates one’s own image of God and opinion on God according to the level of one’s spiritual development. Who imagines God according to prescriptions of others, has only a "borrowed" picture of Him and no own living vision.

The essence of yoga and all religions is actually the same - spiritual development of the person and the realisation of the Self and God as the final goal. Unfortunately, with all religions this goal somehow faded through time and got nearly lost: simplicity and directness were replaced by mysteriousness and inapproachability, God became something distant, limited by systems of dogmas. On the other hand, the knowledge of yoga is always transferred from people who realised God themselves to those who are still searching for Him. Such people, the real spiritual masters, can still be found nowadays. But we must be very cautious who we give our confidence to, for there are individuals who just imitate spiritual master's behaviour on the outside, but do not have the highest knowledge and their teachings are incomplete or even misleading. We can recognise a real spiritual master not by his looks, but we must listen to our heart.

Yoga unites positive principles of all world religions: non-violence, understanding, help, forgiving, charity, ....

Yoga teaches that everybody can attain and realise God. There is of course no universal recipe, everybody must find his own way. Yoga can help and guide us in our search, it offers to a seeker many thousand years of experiences and living examples of holy men and sages who attained this highest goal.

It is not important which religious belief (or none of them) we belong to, for yoga will support us in every kind of positive thinking and way of life. Yoga unites positive principles of all world religions: non-violence, understanding, help, forgiving, charity, ....

As such, yoga is a universal spiritual path, which is based on one’s own experience and not on the experiences and regulations of others, the meaning of which is changed and lost in the course of time.

Sri Deep Narayan Mahaprabhuji says:

"Brothers, you are mistaken if you think that you contradict each other by belonging to different religions! Instead of this you should live next to each other as brothers, for we are all children of one divine father. God is in all of us. It is not important whether you are Moslem, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist or Jain - if you really live according to your religion, you will all realise God."

The author of this article His Holiness Swamiji reguarlly visits Australia. you may also view his spiritual lectures and live webcasts on line for free at http://swamiji.tv/

Excerpts from the Australian launch of H.H. Swamiji’s book 'The Hidden Powers in Humans' 29th March 2005, Brisbane, Australia. 
“We live in that house in which there is a hidden treasure but we think we are poor…. In the human body there is immense power or talent, but mostly it is dormant. Through the practice of Kundalini Yoga and Yoga exercises, problems within the consciousness, mind and intellect will be cleared and balanced.

On this planet the creator has created 8.4 million creatures and just one of these creatures is human. Only humans have intellect and the human intellect has limit-less potential to be trained. Human life becomes more divine through education and by this I do not mean schooling. What I refer to is that kind of training that makes us a human. When we know the value of our human qualities we will know what it means to have human rights. Otherwise we don’t fully understand human rights…… Do not block the river of the mind, rather give it guidance, give it direction…this requires self-discipline. As a successful business person once said, ‘the key to success is self-discipline’… and this applies to every aspect of life…

Click here to learn about the chakras in the human body and read more in The Hidden Powers in Humans – Chakras and Kundalini available through Yoga in Daily Life teachers and centres worldwide.

It is through steady, regular and disciplined practice that the most important and most powerful transformations of our character are achieved. These transformations also happen when we associate with the wise, with those more learned. Such wise souls are a tremendous inspiration. Their wisdom and their love is all-pervasive, shattering the limitations we have created in our own minds, to awaken us to our inner potential. Great souls like this are rare in the world - they live to impart timeless wisdom and understanding to everyone. Their lives are for everybody and yet we must first become receptive in order to fully comprehend and receive the benefit of their wisdom.

It is rare to have the fortune of meeting an authentic spiritual teacher and such occasions are not to be missed if the chance arises. In their presence many say, “suddenly my questions seem to be answered..” or “I feel a complete sense of peace..” or “now I know what I should be doing..” In life, such clarity or intense feelings like these are exceptional rather than the norm.

His Holiness Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda is one great soul whose life has been dedicated to the service of humanity. Swamiji, as he is affectionately known around the globe, is a veritable symbol of divine love and his teachings impart the true spirit of humanity…. “to live in unity”.

During the past four decades, whilst giving public talks and seminars throughout the world, the magnitude of Swamiji’s love for all humanity has inspired people within various communities to initiate events that will effect a positive change, such as the annual World Peace Summit, Peace Prayer Vigils, Interfaith Dialogues, Multi-Cultural events and planting of Peace Trees. Swamiji is fond of saying, “helping hands have more value than folded hands” and it is also due to the immensity of Swamiji’s love and inspiration that schools, hospitals and fresh drinking water projects have been constructed for disadvantaged populations in remote and rural areas of India.

Yoga is a very ancient & holistic science which evolved over many thousands of years as mankind sought answers to questions relating to the nature of existence and the purpose of life.

Throughout the western world Yoga has primarily become thought of as a form of physical exercise which has been adapted to fit in with the concept of “you must be busy, or else you are not successful”. Through this the classical way of performing the physical aspect of Yoga in harmony with and in unison with the philosophy that stands behind Yoga has been put aside in preference for the more aerobic form of activity that nowadays seems to be most commonly associated with Yoga.

But as alluded to above, Yoga is not just a physical exercise system – it is a whole way of life, of living; of looking at our priorities in life, and the things that are important within our lives and within the world. It is about achieving balance on the physical, mental and spiritual planes and bringing us back into harmony and balance; and, through this, paving the way for happiness in our lives – to be content with our lives, to spread that contentment throughout our family, to our friends, our colleagues, our environment.

This is the real purpose and meaning of yoga – to achieve oneness with ourselves, to be in harmony and unity with the whole of creation.

Yes, it does incorporate physical exercises – but the exercises are not just to achieve physical fitness. They are actually psychosomatic exercises that help to release the energy blockages caused by various emotional traumas and experiences occurring through the whole of our lifetime - from the cradle up to the present; and many will say even coming from past life experiences.

When an event occurs that impacts upon us, even mildly, the body will respond – if you observe you will notice how when something happens that startles you, shocks you, frightens you, etc., you will notice a response within your body. Everybody has an area of their body in which they will hold tension more predominantly. By becoming aware of this it can be released and with it the accompanying emotion that initially created the tension.

Yoga does not work only on the conscious mind, but also on the subconscious and unconscious mind. It helps to clear many impressions that have been registered and stuffed away into tiny recesses of the subconscious or unconscious without being properly digested or processed. So through the various practices of yoga, namely Asanas, Pranayam, concentration exercises and meditation, these impressions will slowly be dug out, dealt with and discarded. And with this you will find that your response to situations will slowly begin to alter as you are no longer carrying around a lot of excess baggage.

But Yoga should be practised in the traditional way, incorporating all the techniques that the Yogis of ancient India discovered many thousands of years ago through their own experiences and meditations. Yoga is an extremely ancient science that has evolved and developed over many thousands of years to help man in his search for understanding and knowledge of the Self, of the reality of existence, and ultimately Self-Realisation.

Why change such an ancient science that has proven its worth over many thousands of years?

Why tamper with it?

Practise it in the way it was meant to be practised – with awareness, with precision, systematically, and under the guidance of a trained Yoga teacher who has trained in line with the ancient traditions through the Master–Disciple relationship; who understands the importance of practising in line with these traditions and the impact on the body, nervous system and psyche when it is not practised in the traditional way.

When Yoga is practised haphazardly you will definitely gain physical benefits, but the full benefit of the traditional practices will not be gained by you, and it can also lead to disturbances of the psyche and nervous system, as it must be remembered that you are working with the energy fields within the body, and energy can be used either positively or negatively. Think on electricity – it can help us in so many ways, but it can also seriously injure or even kill us if it is not respected and handled carefully. And so it is with energy tampered with without knowledge or respect.

Slowly and surely is the safest, most beneficial way to achieve unity and inner peace, happiness and contentment, to gain spiritual understanding and realisation, as well as achieving a healthy, fit, flexible and peaceful body. A body that doesn’t fidget, need to be doing something, but can relax at will, a mind that can remain centred, balanced and quiet, and a being that can recognise its true place within creation.

There is no magic pill for the cure of restlessness, unhappiness or discontent – we need to work at it. Our innate Self is happy and blissful at all times, but somehow we have lost our centre. To regain this we need to begin to truly look at our priorities in life, to begin to understand what is creating the restlessness, the tension, the unhappiness. It can never be blamed on anything outside ourself – we are responsible for our own reactions, our own responses to every situation and our own decisions in life. As has been said so often we need to change our way of looking at things – our attitude. But this is not always so easy.
To do this we need to begin to look deeply within ourselves – and it is not always the most pleasant experience because there are probably many things in our life that we either do not want to look at, are painful or would prefer to forget – but to create inner stillness we need to ultimately deal with everything.

There is a system of meditation known as Self-Inquiry meditation – this gradually and systematically takes us through all the different aspects of our being, guiding us, developing an awareness of the things that REALLY impact upon us, whether family, friends, the world, etc., analysing these and resolving them. It helps us to understand the nature of the body, mind, intellect and imagination, and develop our ability to discriminate and make sound judgements, and take positive action in situations. Sounds simple! It is, but it takes time and patience.

And in conjunction with this practice it is important to practise the Asanas and Pranayam as they play such an important role in helping us to keep on keeping on, digesting, resolving and discarding all the thoughts, feelings, images, etc., that will find their way into the conscious mind through the practice of Self-Inquiry meditation.

Yoga is primarily a path of consciousness – giving us different techniques to begin to do things consciously, rather than unconsciously, as well as giving us the tools to dig up all the long forgotten, deeply buried or traumatic experiences that we just do not want to deal with. But it does it gently and at the pace that is right for you – nothing is forced, things progress naturally in plan with the natural law. So there is nothing to fear, nothing to worry about – just work your way through things at your own pace, and in your own way, utilising the techniques that the great Masters of Yoga have given us.

Their thesis was – “ to help mankind to understand the nature of his existence and his purpose in life through the tools he has at his disposal”, namely the body and the mind.

And so it comes back to us – we do need guidance and help during the process, but the work is done by us. And as the Master will say, he is guiding us until we discover our own inner Master, our own inner light and wisdom. Or, in Indian terminology, our own inner Guru. We need the external Guru to guide us until we have discovered our own inner Guru. Guru in Sanskrit means teacher – it is a person who leads us from the darkness of ignorance into the light of knowledge. Gu = darkness, ru = light. In India there are Gurus for music, dance, mathematics, science, computers, art, sewing, etc.,  – it just means someone who has the knowledge and is able to pass this knowledge on to others who are keen to learn, in all fields of activities.

We are very fortunate here in Perth to have the opportunity to have the Darshan of a very great Yoga Master, Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda (known as Swamiji), in April. To have the Darshan of a master, means to see the master, to listen to his words and imbibe his wisdom, his knowledge. To take it away, digest it and utilise it in our every day life.
Swamiji is the founder of the system of Yoga known as “Yoga in Daily Life” because it incorporates the teachings and techniques of the ancient science of Yoga Vedanta, without compromising their integrity in any way, giving people the opportunity to attain happiness and to find inner peace and contentment through the practical application of Yoga in their everyday life. The theme of his 2002 Australian and New Zealand Tour is “World Peace is in your Hands” – meaning that by creating inner peace, we can help and support our society in its search for peace.

There are many implications in this and it is good to think about how we as individuals can support the process of peace throughout the world. And as a recent Body Shop promotion said “If you think you are too small to be effective, then you have never been to bed with a mosquito.” And it is so true – we as individuals can make a difference in so many ways. Think about recycling and the support it now has within communities. It is just the getting started that sometimes seems to be so difficult and not always effective, but then the ball will start rolling.

But we do need to think about the implications of ignoring the warning signs within our world at present, and look at what we as individuals can do to make the world a better place for our children and society. It may be something as simple as feeling quiet and peaceful within yourself – this then spreads to all those around you who take on this feeling to a greater or lesser degree and it keeps on spreading.  Or, like the story of a person who decided to give a big smile and hullo to someone passing in the street – sometimes the person was a little stunned to have a stranger smiling at them, but apparently the feeling went with them for the day and impacted on their behaviour with others. It is really a snowball effect.

If you would like to know a little more about Swamiji’s annual visit to Australia and his teachings view our website http://www.swamiji.com.au/

Written by Swami Meera Puri a student and teacher of  “Yoga in Daily Life – the System” and disciple of Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda Ji.

In Sanskrit, the cosmic Self is known as ATMA. In contrast to the individual soul, the Atma is Universal. It is the "Light of Life" in all beings. The relationship between the Atma, the individual consciousness and spirit can be illustrated by the following example. The atma is the light, the light bulb is the individual, and the beam of light that radiates from the lamp is the spirit. In English the expression "spirit of the soul" is used and in this expression it is clear that the spirit emanates from the atma.

This "spirit" possesses qualities such as clear or unclear, strong or weak, confused, lively, creative, lethargic, etc. But the Atma is completely without attributes, comparable to a cloudless sky or water without waves. The clouds in the heavens, the waves in the sea, a film projected onto the screen, all allude to movement. Mostly, our consciousness identifies with this movement and remains unaware of the background, the "Atma".

In the symbolic image of a lamp we can compare the individual consciousness with the lampshade. How much light radiates from a lamp depends upon how much energy the light bulb is able to receive. It is the same with the lampshade - the amount of light able to penetrate the lampshade depends on whether the shade is clear and transparent or dusty and dirty.

Spirit and consciousness are not the Self, but merely an emanation of the Self from which they manifest. The light of the atma always remains unchanged, vibrant and pure. The extent to which the light of the atma can penetrate externally is dependent on the quality of our consciousness, which is shaped by our thoughts, feelings, qualities and actions. Negative qualities and ignorance darken our Phenomenon . Divine qualities such a knowledge, wisdom and love  brighten it. The higher the development of our consciousness, the clearer, purer and more transparent it is. The clearer and purer our consciousness is the more the light of the atma can radiate in its full beauty and splendour; then we speak of enlightenment or realisation.  Holy people are completely pure and clear and have become true channels of God. They radiate light, love, kindness, wisdom and clarity – consider for a moment the halo of Saints. But when there are many layers of karma and ignorance veiling the atma, this divine light cannot shine through.

The Atma, our inner Self, is the essence of the Cosmic Self whose nature is Maha Ananda, supreme bliss. Therefore, the innermost essence of every individual as a part of the Cosmic Self is Ananda, bliss. The human body, sense organs, intellect and mind are all tools of the atma. In one Bhajan Paramhansa Swami Madhavanandji says:

My brother, I saw a wonderful coach (the body) pulled by ten horses (the senses). Mana (mind) was the reins which controlled the horses and Buddhi (intellect) was the coachman who directed the reins. Inside sat atma, the King, accompanied by Viveka (discrimination), his trusted Minister. Inside the coach resounded the playing of different instruments (sense organs, thoughts). If the light of knowledge arises in this coach it is forever illuminated.

Viveka is the most refined form of the intellect. It carefully considers all thoughts, feelings and experiences and decides according to the reality, and not based on egoistic desires, which is what the mind usually does.

Light is the symbol for knowledge, darkness means ignorance. Where light appears darkness disappears. It is the same with knowledge. When knowledge is awakened within us ignorance is immediately banished.

• Who are we? Are we the body? To believe that we are the body is ignorance.
• In reality we are pure consciousness!

We are not skin, bones, blood, flesh, nerves or glands. We say: “This is my blood, these are my limbs, my feelings, thoughts, ideas and experiences.”  But who is it that speaks about these things in such a way? Who is it that, consciously or unconsciously, uses the words ‘I’ or ‘mine’?

Take an onion as an example. We hold it in our hand and identify it without further consideration simply as "onion". Now we remove the outer layers of the skin, one by one. We call the individual parts of the onion, the "onion skins". It is no longer called an onion. So what remains of the "onion" now? Is "onion" only a name for the sum of these skins? This cannot possibly be so. An onion, out of which an entire plant comes into being when planted, is something much more comprehensive, more highly organised than the mere fitting together of individual skins!

The atma is also infinitely much more than the mere sum of its parts. The atma lives within us. Nobody can see how it enters into the womb or how it leaves the body of a dead person. It comes and goes. The physical body changes, just like we change our clothes. The atma, the Self, is never born. It is immortal, eternal, divine and unchanging. The atma itself does not need to develop, it is complete. Only the consciousness must be purified and developed so that it is able to recognise its real nature.

The Atma is life itself, pure energy. For example, contained within the seed of a tree is the whole tree, already laid out in full as the most refined, concentrated energy pattern. This energy, which brings forth everything, and from which everything comes into being, is the atma. The atma is the essence of God. It is not divine, but God Himself. Not holy, but holiness itself. The atma is like a light, an inextinguishable flame. This light within us is only veiled and hidden by our Karmas. Just like fire is covered by smoke or a diamond is made unrecognisable by dust and dirt.

Any flame, be it a candle flame, a torch or a burning pile of wood, is in essence the same. Fire doesn't need to develop, it is and always will be fire. The difference lies in the quantity, not in the quality. In the tiniest spark there is also an infinite potential of energy. When many flames unite an immense power is formed, a sun, and the light that emanates from this is immensely strong. Using the same analogy in terms of the full potential of light becoming manifest in a human, it is then that we speak of a Mahatma, a great soul, a Saint or a Divine Incarnation.

In Vedanta philosophy, the fundamental philosophy of Yoga, the atma is described as Sat-Chit-Ananda - Sat means truth, Chit means consciousness and Ananda means bliss. The atma, the Self, is therefore truth. It is conscious and blissful. And this Self is the Self of all beings.

The use of Mantra purifies and frees the mind so that the atma can emerge.

Many people ask what they should think about during meditation and what they should concentrate on. Initially one concentrates on the breath, on the body or on the relaxed state of the muscles. Later one can visualise the full moon, sunrise or sunset. But real meditation is Atma Chintan, concentration on the atma. At this stage our concentration moves beyond concern about the physical body and is no longer occupied with thoughts about the meditation posture. All imagination is surrendered, along with all earthly desires and thoughts. In atma Chintan there is no visualisation of light, of the moon or sun. There is no thought of the rising of the Kundalini, the opening of the Chakras or attainment of supernatural powers. All these are only the beginner's level of meditation. Do not cling onto such methods of imagination; meditate only with atma Chintan. Always be conscious of this - feel and experience it. In order to bring the mind to stillness and to strengthen the power of concentration, Mantra is used as an aid. The use of Mantra purifies and frees the mind so that the atma can emerge.

At this stage of realisation, a Yogi has only one thought: "Who am I?" This is the contemplation of the Yogi, not only during meditation, but also in each moment and in every life situation. This is the call of the Self, the song of the heart, his atma. A Yogi doesn’t think: "I strive to come closer to you, my Lord", but asks "Come closer to me, my Lord". We humans often feel ourselves weak and helpless. We think God is far away and difficult to reach. But God is omnipresent; God will certainly find a way to us. In meditation always aim to develop uplifting and confident thoughts, because thoughts have great power and can achieve anything.

As we progress in meditation the ability of spiritual perception develops. Mind and consciousness become the eyes of the Self as our spirit roams throughout the whole Universe (astral travelling). Just like the headlights of a car illuminate the street in front of us, so the spirit perceives all things and transmits this experience and knowledge to our consciousness. However, first we must recognise our Self in each living being, in every atom, and in all planets and stars. This means we must progress to such a degree that we can identify ourselves with all beings and all things. We should not identify with a philosophy, religion, nationality, gender or race, but discover the unity that transcends all external appearances.

Duality is prevalent in today’s world, but a wise person recognises the unity behind the different forms. When he sees two jugs in front of him he is conscious that the material from which both are made, namely clay, is the same. In this way the Self-Realised, the God-Realised, person does not see the external form but rather its inherent reality, the atma, the Self.

However, it is not enough to understand only with the intellect, one must feel and experience it much more deeply within. Once we have heard the call of the atma then we no longer desire any Siddhis or miracles. We no longer need anything else in order to be happy. We do not look for someone to extend a hand to us, but hold out a helping hand to others, because we know: "I am the atma and this Self lives also in others. We are not two, but one. We may dwell in different bodies, but the body is transitory. The reality exists in the unity that is immortal."

As long as we entertain thoughts of duality, thoughts of separateness, we make a serious mistake. We help ourselves when we overcome our dualistic thoughts. Then we recognise that this world is simply a manifestation of our mind, that. in reality our mind has created the world as we see it before us. We realise that all of creation is changeable and transient, like the waves of the ocean. In due time, all waves sink back into the ocean and become one with it. And one day the world as we know it will also vanish and all that we will see everywhere is God, the Supreme, the atma.

Therefore, always practise Atma Chintan in meditation. Know that you are strong, pure, happy and immortal. You are the Self! In the Self no fear, sadness or guilt exists. However, worldly life should not be condemned. After all, we live in this world and it offers us wonderful experiences. Therefore we should not make life difficult for ourselves, but enjoy life and release ourselves from self-reproach as we sincerely endeavour to remain on the right path.

Live now in the present. Do not brood about the past. Yesterday is gone and will never again come back. Also, do not dream about a "better" future.  The future is still not here and we will never reach it; for the future is only ever the present. Tomorrow remains tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow always remains the day after tomorrow. Always live only in the now.  When we become conscious of this we have overcome time and live in its midst as the observer and witness of all changes. The Self is unchanging, the energy flowing from it moves the cosmos, creating and dissolving.

Our Atma is the divine Self - may everyone recognise this and send their love to It.

The author of this article His Holiness Swamiji regularly visits Australia. you may also view his spiritual lectures and live webcasts on line for free at http://swamiji.tv/

What is spirituality?  Where does this term come from?  After searching in the dictionary, in meditation and discussion with spiritual seekers, we come to understand spirituality to mean purity.  Crystal clear purity. This purity refers to our Atman, to our inner Self.  Impurity is in our actions and thoughts.  Where there is impurity there is ignorance, darkness.  Mahatma Gandhi said: We hate the action, not the person. Therefore it is our action that makes us impure. Hindus say karma, Christians say sin.  Hindus say punya, and Christians say virtue, good.

In Vedanta there is mention of three obstacles. All holy saints in this world, it does not matter from which belief, tradition, culture or religion they come, try to remove these three obstacles. These obstacles to our SPIRITUALITY are: Mala, Vikshepa and Avarana

MALA - impurity

When the mirror has a lot of dust upon it you cannot see your face.  You have to clean the mirror.  How do you clean the mirror?  There are many ways.  The mirror is our Citta, consciousness.  When you close your eyes and meditate you see your inner mirror.  You can see how clear it is.  If you can't see anything that means that your inner mirror is still not clean.  There are many kinds of impurities that create pollution: physical impurity, and nourishment.

To eat food is not only to feed your stomach.  A philosopher said: we should eat to live, not live to eat. Human food is something divine.  Annapurne Sadapurne – grains.  The transmission of the soul, when it leaves the body and goes into the astral world, enters into the clouds and the rain, and into the vegetation, into the seeds, and through the seeds into the body, into the mother’s body.  Our first birth in this world is when we enter, second birth when we enter into the grains, third birth into the human body, forth birth into the mother’s womb, and fifth birth is when we come out of the mother’s womb.  In meditation you can see and follow this circle, this cycle.

We all have a different, individual destiny.  Everyone is responsible for his/her own destiny.  Destiny is a result of our karma.  Actions are in our hands, but the results are not.  So, we don’t know where we will end up after death.  Life in this world, and in the astral world, is something very peculiar, and mysterious. The leaf that falls from the tree will return.  And maybe in some way and in some form it will return to the same tree.

God has given us freedom to do whatever we like.  So do whatever you want.  But your have to decide between two paths, where you want to go: up or down?

Purity in nourishment is very important.  Also mental purity.  Pure thinking.  Mental pollution is the most dangerous pollution.  All that happens in the world, all environmental pollution, and all the wars are caused by mental pollution.  And what is this mental pollution?  Money.  Money is the god of our time. Mental impurity leads to impure actions.  People give money to kill someone.

VIKSHEPA - disturbances

When the ocean has many waves, you cannot see to the ocean’s bottom.  When you look through a glass that breaks the waves you can see it clearly.  The ocean has waves, movements only on the surface.  In the deep it is always calm and still.  Likewise with the wise, they are totally calm and peaceful in their inner Self; emotions are only on the surface.  The more actions you perform, the more waves you create in the mind.  Relax, relax, and sleep.  Seek relaxation in nature.  Eat and sleep for 36 or 48 hours, take a walk, meditate – you will feel like a completely different person.  In sleep your brain centres, your body regenerates.  Therefore we go on holidays.

Vikshepas keep us from our inner purity, our spirituality.  You are very spiritual!  You are all incarnations!  When you were born you were completely pure.  But through certain actions, certain experiences, we forgot who we really are.

Vikshepas can be overcome through meditation.  Self-inquiry meditation.  Let your thoughts come when they come, and let them go when they go.  Just observe them.  And suddenly they will disappear.  Our life is connected with the moon, with the sun, with the planets.  They influence our mind, our health.  Many planets are playing in between.  Through mantras we can change certain influence and disturbances of the planets.

AVARANA – curtain

Our window is very clean, but we have a very thick curtain, and we cannot see through it.  This curtain is the ignorance between our real Self and this present consciousness.  That’s why we can't realise our true spirituality.  Love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, understanding all develop our spirituality.  To help to remove the curtain it is good to read holy books.  Don’t read books that are fanatical and one-sided.  We need freedom.  Our birthright is freedom.  Yoga means freedom, liberation.  Freedom, happiness, love, joy are divine principles, our divine heritage.  Even a small ant likes to be happy.  Put a cone of sugar in front of an ant, and you can see her smiling and dancing.  Every creature longs for happiness.  Holy Guruji always said: every creature wishes to attain happiness and to overcome unhappiness.  Because happiness is a universal principle, it is your reality.

Mantra, meditation, prayer, satsang are very important for developing our spirituality.  Without satsang you cannot be happy, and cannot develop and increase your spirituality.

Spirituality means purity, happiness, forgiveness, clarity in actions and thoughts, and no fear. Don’t be afraid.  Even though you may die, don’t be afraid, you can die only once in this life.  Pure thinking, pure thoughts, pure nourishment.

Don’t say that you are unhappy, that you are lonely, that no on loves you.  Everyone loves you, but you don’t love yourself!  Be happy when you are alone, then you have time to meditate.  Don’t torture yourself and others.

Spirituality is not hidden only in the church, in the mosque, temple or monastery.  It is also in your own house.  Make a spiritual home, a spiritual family, and thus create a spiritual society, a spiritual world.

God bless you.

Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda

The author of this article HH Vishwaguru Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda reguarlly visits Australia, you may also view his spiritual lectures and live webcasts free on line athttp://swamiji.tv/

It is not without reason the heart is regarded as the symbol of love, since the heart Chakra (located at the centre of the chest) is the seat of love. Love is infinite and when our heart opens to divine love, our love becomes infinite. In the Chandogya Upanishad it is written: “In the centre of the body there is a shrine surrounded by a wall with eleven doors. Hidden within the shrine a lotus blooms and within this there is a tiny, little room.”What does it mean, this tiny room in the heart of the Lotus?

It is our true Self. The Self is a part of God. It is pure, unchanging, infinite consciousness. It is eternal and present in every living being. Just as the whole tree is already contained within the seed, the essence of the entire cosmos exists in the centre of the Heart Chakra.

The mightiest power in humans is the power of thought. But now is the time to use our intellectual energy for the benefit of the world, rather than being the cause of its destruction. The path of Yoga helps us to unearth the valuable treasury of spiritual knowledge buried within the Heart and put it to good use. In this way each of us can contribute something worthwhile to the planet and its recovery. When we learn to open our heart centre in the spiritual sense, there is the realization of an all-embracing, all-pervasive divine love.

There are twelve qualities to be cultivated in the heart Chakra : joy, peace, love, harmony, bliss, clarity, purity, compassion, understanding, forgiveness, patience & kindness.

If all humanity were to develop these qualities, there would be no further arguments or wars. Instead, the era of truth, harmony and love would reign supreme. It is unfortunate that our world today seems a long way from this. Often it’s the case that we can’t even establish peace with our own family.

Sri Deep Narayan Mahaprabhuji said, “Love each and every being at least as much as you love yourself.”

Give love, offer protection, and even give of yourself if it will help someone. Avoid all influences that darken your consciousness. Allow your love to flow - the more you give, the more you will receive. Do not idle away your time. Every second is a golden opportunity that never returns.

Sri Kabirdas wrote in a poem: “Life is like water in a cupped hand. Inevitably it escapes through the fingers and soon your hand is empty. Each moment you lose a valuable pearl of life…and you know not how long is the string of your pearls.”

The colour associated with the Heart Chakra is light blue, the colour of a clear, cloudless sky, the reflection of purity and infinity. May God open your heart wide so that you are able to give. Know that you are capable of loving, forgiving and giving. Make a resolution that all the wonderful qualities and abilities that you recognise within yourself, will manifest and become visible in your daily life.”

excerpt from The Hidden Power in Humans - by His Holiness Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda

For a deeper knowledge of Chakras and Kundalini refer to the book “Kundalini and Chakras - Power-Centres within the Human Body” by the author.