Gurugram September 2020 | Preface

Om Namah Sivaya
Blessed Self

The COVID-19 health crisis continued through the Summer of 2020 and seems to be extending further into the Fall, towards an unknown outcome. Many world citizens experienced distress from the fear of the virus, new health issues coming from wearing masks, anxiety over losing their jobs and a general sense of uncertainty about life. Our world is in a deep crisis on all levels. It seems no easy solution is at hand on the physical level. Beyond the health and climate crisis, the world is in a crisis of consciousness. Citizens of the world are seeking solutions and guidance, both on the personal and collective level. In the midst of this chaos, lack of grounding and meaning there is a solution. Yoga can play a very decisive role.

Swami Vishnudevananda’s vision of a gigantic fire engulfing Planet Earth is coming true. What was Swami Vishnudevananda’s response to his vision? Teach the citizens of the world in the Science of Yoga, creating Ambassadors for Peace.

Yoga is rooted in a very ancient tradition, thousands of years old.
Yoga honours the multiple dimensions experienced by human beings physically, energetically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
Yoga strives for harmonious development and interplay of all these dimensions.
Yoga equips us to face the many challenges of life.
Yoga enables us to develop balance, strength and humility.
While the physical chaos envelops our lives, we can utilize these ancient teachings of Yoga to ground ourselves in spiritual peace.

Now, more than ever, the International Sivananda Yoga Centres are committed to this following mission in support of humanity:

• To continue to work with harmony, unity, love and friendship with each other, with our staff, students and the world.
• To continue to honour our teachers, who took it upon themselves to share with the world the teachings of Yoga and Vedanta as they contributed in transforming individuals and humanity at large.
• To continue to propagate the principles of Unity in Diversity, peace and upliftment of the mind.
• To reinforce our mission of training yoga teachers, as well as training our own staff to become yogis, committed to Sadhana and spiritual life and who inspire others through their example.
• To continue conducting interfaith symposia, Unity in Diversity conferences, bringing together scientists, artists, scholars and spiritual teachers from all walks of life.
• To continue to share our teachings online, to enable those who cannot travel to our Ashrams and Centres, so they may benefit from the teachings.
• To communicate with our students regularly in the form of meetings, where we deeply listen to their concerns and positive ideas.
• To continue training the young generation and prepare them for higher responsibilities.
• To continue the peace missions of Swami Vishnudevananda through collective actions such as global meditations, mantra chanting for peace and by working to overcome all kinds of human-made mental borders.

In the spirit of Yoga we will have our monthly “Unite for a Healthy Planet” meditation session on Sunday September 6 at 2pm CET. Let us all connect and create a powerful wave of peace and harmony. It will be streamed on youtube. Information on sivanandaorleans.org

We send our prayers for health, renewed inspiration and commitment to your Sadhana. May you thrive as a powerful ambassador for peace.

With Om and Prem,
The Acharyas of the International Sivananda Yoga Centres

Many of the International Sivananda Yoga Centres and Ashrams are still closed and are only teaching online. Finances are a concern, and, if this is at all possible for you, your support would be very gratefully received.

Realize your oneness with the eternal and infinite Supreme Atman and thus go beyond all sufferings, sorrow, fear and death. – Sri Swami Sivananda

*COVID-19 Update:
Some Ashrams have opened, while others remain closed. Please check with each TTC/ATTC location whether COVID-19 has affected your selected course.
SIVANANDA YOGA Teachers’ Training Courses are available Online (TTCOL) and in residence. Please check with each TTC/ATTC location whether the Teacher Training Courses are online or in residence. Thank you for your patience as schedules change.

See the full list of other international courses and events: https://www.sivananda.org/

Ignorance is the root of the tree of egoism. Ignorance is nourished by the currents of likes and dislikes. – Sri Swami Sivananda

From Chapter IV: “Kaivalya Pada – On Realization”

IV.19. NA TAT SVABHASAM DRSYATVAT

‘Nor is it (the mind) self-luminous, for it is in the realm of perception.’

Commentary:
The mind is something that can be observed as an object, and not the source of
knowledge, just as the moon is not a source of light but a reflection of the
sun.

IV.20. EKA-SAMAYE COBHAYANAVADHARANAM

‘It cannot perceive two things at once.’

Commentary:
Even though thoughts are formed in but a split second, still only one thought-form
can exist in the mind at one time. So it is impossible for the mind to be
perceiving itself while it perceives something else.

Always do good to others. Be selfless. – Sri Swami Sivananda

The Bhagavad Gita is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, narrated in the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata. The Bhagavad Gita is comprised of eighteen discourses, with a total of 701 Sanskrit verses. The timeless scene takes place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Sri Krishna, through a swift conversation with Arjuna, reveals profound, sublime and soul stirring spiritual truths, plus, rare secrets of Yoga, Vedanta, Bhakti and Karma. Those who study, and endowed with Faith, can reap the full benefits of the Bhagavad Gita, and the science of the Soul.

We continue reviewing Swami Sivananda’s summary of each chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.

The Yoga of the Vision of the Cosmic Form. Summary of Twelfth Discourse

The twelfth discourse indicates that the path of devotion is easier than the path of knowledge. In this path the aspirant worships God in His Cosmic Form of the Supreme Personality. He develops a loving relationship with Him, adores Him, remembers Him and chants His glories and Name. He thus effects union with the Lord and attains not only His formless aspect but also the Lord as the manifest universe.

The path of knowledge, whereby the aspirant meditates on the formless Brahman, is more difficult as he has to give up his attachment to the body from the very beginning. He has to have dispassion for the things of the world.

How to practise devotion? Krishna asks Arjuna to fix his entire mind on Him. As often as the mind wanders it should be brought back to the Lord. If this process of concentration is difficult he should dedicate all his actions to Him, feeling that it is His power that activates everything. If this also is beyond his ability, he should offer all his actions to the Lord, abandoning the desire for their fruits. He should take complete refuge in Him. The devotee who surrenders himself to the Lord attains perfect peace.

The Lord goes on to describe the qualities that a true devotee possesses. He neither attaches himself to anything nor does he have any aversion to things. He has a balanced mind under all circumstances. He is not agitated by the happenings of the world, nor does he himself cause any agitation in others. He is perfectly desireless and rejoices in the Lord within. He sees equality everywhere, being untouched by sorrow, fear, honour as also dishonour. He is perfectly content as he has surrendered his entire being to the Lord.

Satsanga gives the aspirant inner spiritual strength to face the struggle, overcome temptations, kill inner cravings and fill the mind with positive divine thoughts. – Sri Swami Sivananda