Gurugram January 2016 | Preface

Blessed Self,
Om Namah Sivaya

Greetings to you all. Wishing you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year for 2016.

2015 was a very successful year in the Sivananda Organization, with all Centres and Ashrams consistently imparting Swamiji’s teachings to the ever-increasing number of students and guests.  A year like that also reinforces our belief that Swami Vishnudevanandaji’s teachings will always be needed for this society around us, where there are many circumstances that try to push us to separate from each other. Yoga and Meditation bring us together.  Yoga helps us see and understand ourselves better, so we can better understand others and the World around us.

We are wishing you all peaceful minds and healthy bodies, complete with all the success in your Sadhana for the upcoming year.  We would like to conclude 2015 sending a big thanks and much gratitude to everyone for the continued support that you provide to the Organization.

A message from Swami Sivananda –

There is no room for doubts to crop up on the attainment of God-realization, as the seeker is no longer the seeker, but God Himself. – Swami Sivananda

A message from Swami Vishnudevananda –

Yoga philosophy teaches that real man is not his body, but the immortal “I” and merely occupies and uses the body as an instrument. Far beyond your intellect, far beyond your understanding, lies inexhaustible knowledge and wealth, strength and power, peace and joy.

May Master and Swamiji bless us always in our Sadhana and service.

Pranams to all.

Time is the soul of the world. It is the richest treasure. Waste not even a second. – Sri Swami Sivananda

From Discourse II: “Sadhana Pada- On Spiritual Disciplines”

II.31. JATI-DESA-KALA-SAMAYANAVACCHINNAH SARVABHAUMA MAHAVRATAM.

‘These (abstentions) are not limited by social structure, location, time or circumstances, and they constitute the great (universal) vow’.

Commentary:
Laughter comes from stimulation, but a smile comes from inner peacefulness. Satisfied with itself, the mind needs nothing else for its contentment, which grows in proportion to awareness of the inner Self. The mind should be effected by external objects. They may be possessed, but with detachment. Do not let them possess the mind. Austerity means curtailing the insatiable demands of the senses. Drink water instead of coffee, practice silence instead of talking, control greed by eating bland food and counteract sleep by getting up early. When the mind learns that its demands for pleasure will not be met through the senses, it stops its useless wandering and turns inward. Control of the senses clears the way for such powers as telepathy and clairvoyance. Study of spiritual works and the scriptures helps to keep a person on the right path. Books alone, however, can only take one so far, can lead to intellectual pride. Surrender to the will of God is necessary, for ultimately everything depends upon His grace.

Man is changed by every thought he thinks and by every action he does. – Sri Swami Sivananda

Chapter XI: The Yoga of the Vision of the Cosmic Form

XI.13. TATRAIKASTHAM JAGATKRITSNAM PRAVIBHAKTAMANEKADHAA;
APASHYADDEVADEVASYA SHAREERE PAANDAVASTADAA.

(Sanjaya narrating to Arjuna’s cosmic vision to King Dhritarashtra)
There, in the body of the God of gods, Arjuna then saw the whole universe resting in the one, with its many groups.

XI.14. TATAH SA VISMAYAAVISHTO HRISHTAROMAA DHANANJAYAH;
PRANAMYA SHIRASAA DEVAM KRITAANJALIRABHAASHATA.

Then, Arjuna, filled with wonder and with hair standing on end, bowed down his head to the Lord and spoke with joined palms.

The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph. Self-realization demands very great struggle. – Sri Swami Sivananda