Gurugram October 2022 | Preface
Om Namah Sivaya
Blessed Self
Greetings from all staff in the Sivananda Centres and Ashrams.
By the grace of Master and Guru all the Ashrams and Centres continue the Sivananda’s teachings to the full extent. As we travel through 2022 preparations for the high season begin in locations closer to the equator. Due to your continued support, the Sivananda Organization is keeping itself very busy in imparting the jewels of Vedanta. Many courses in teacher training, advanced teacher training, meditation, ayurveda wellness stress management and yoga vacations are available to enhance our lives and support us every way, every day. Take the vast journey inward through yoga.
As Autumn is setting in in the northern hemisphere, with its cooler temperatures, the Centres and Ashrams are happy to welcome new inspired students, eager to focus on their physical and mental well-being after the hard last two years of the pandemic. It is a joy to be able to receive them in a more “normal” yet adapted environment.
The Yoga Camp and the Subramanya Temple in Val Morin, Canada were blessed with many programs and ceremonies. Students and guests are thankful to receive the beauty of the yogic teachings in such a beautiful environment.
It was a busy month for the Reith Ashram, Austria with the parallel teaching of a TTC and an ATTC.
The Ashram in Dalat, Vietnam taught a successful Yoga and Ayurveda Detoxification programme.
The Yoga Farm Ashram in Grass Valley, USA continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a very inspiring conference on Vedic sciences, gathering teachers of Yoga, Vedanta, Ayurveda, Jyotish and Vastu.
The Orleans Ashram, France inaugurated the 2nd year of the Sivananda Academy. It started with an inspiring inauguration with most students online and a few on site in France and Austria. The topic for this new year is Bhakti yoga, and we look forward studying some of the main bhakti scriptures with an eager and mature group of students.
The highlight of October is the celebration of the festival of Navaratri. The first 3 days honours the Divine Mother in the form of Durga, the remover of negativity. The reading of the Devi Mahatmya makes us aware of how intense the fight with the negative forces of selfishness and ignorance can be. Then we celebrate Goddess Lakshmi and focus on the development of the positive qualities. Saraswati will be celebrated last, invoking the birth of the wisdom that dawns by itself once the mind and heart are purified. This victory over the lower mind is celebrated on Vijaya Dashami, the 10th day of the festival.
May the blessings of the Divine Mother be with us all.
With Om and Prem
Swami Kailasananda for the Acharyas of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and Ashrams
To view all 2022 TTC/ATTC/SI courses on the Sivananda website: https://sivananda.org/teachers-training/programme-calendar/
Join us for the monthly Sivananda “Meditation for a Peaceful Planet” on Sunday October 2nd 2022 at 2pm CET. Check our website for information. https://sivanandaorleans.org/unite-for-a-healthy-planet
Donations: Your donations and financial support would be very gratefully received by any of the International Sivananda Yoga Centres and Ashrams. Please contact any Sivananda Ashram or Centre on how to proceed.
The cause of death is birth. The cause of pain is pleasure. – Sri Swami Sivananda
Upcoming Courses
2022 Update
SIVANANDA YOGA Teachers’ Training Courses are available both Online (TTCOL) and in-person in residence. Please check with each TTC/ATTC location for any TTCOLs.
Please check with each TTC/ATTC location whether COVID-19 has affected your selected course.
The SIVANANDA YOGA Teachers’ Training Courses are available either online (TTCOL) or in residence, depending on the location. Please check with each TTC/ATTC location whether your selected Teacher Training Course is available online or in residence as some Ashrams have opened, while others remain closed. Thank you for your patience as schedules change during COVID.
To view all 2022 TTC/ATTC/SI courses on the Sivananda website: https://sivananda.org/teachers-training/programme-calendar/
See the full list of other international courses and events: https://www.sivananda.org/
Philosophy deals with Humanity, God, Brahman and Universe. Philosophy signifies love of wisdom. – Sri Swami Sivananda
Raja Yoga
From Discourse IV: “Kaivalya Pada – On Realization”
The Introduction to the Fourth Chapter:
The final chapter of Patanjali’s Raja Yoga Sutras discusses ‘kaivalya’, liberation or independence. The full-blown yogi develops perfect discrimination, or the ability to distinguish the Real from the unreal. The yogi is no longer addicted by the three gunas of nature, and can distinguish ‘Purusha’ (the Soul) from ‘Prakriti’ (Nature).
IV.1. JANMAUSADHI-MANTRA-TAPAH-SAMADHI JAH SIDDHAYAH
“Siddhis” are attained as a result of birth, medicinal herbs, Mantras, austerities or “Samadhi” (Super-Consciousness)’.
Commentary:
Siddhis that are brought into the present life by birth indicate their attainment in a previous life, but it does not guarantee that the individual is making proper use of them in this life. Those gained through chemical means are not necessarily associated with any level of spirituality at all, and can be easily governed by the ego. Siddhis achieved by Mantra repetition or tapas, austerities, are generally of a very high order as long as they are performed for attaining God-Realization rather than personal or material gain. Powers that come from ‘Samadhi’ are the purest, for they come to the aspirant without being desired. It must be remembered that Siddhis are not the aim but a by-product of the path to God-Realization.
Truth is infinite. Truth is Absolute. Truth is immortality. Truth is eternal. – Sri Swami Sivananda
Bhagavad Gita Quote
Chapter VI: The Yoga of Meditation
VI.15. YUNJANNEVAM SADAA’TMAANAM YOGEE NIYATAMAANASAH;
SHAANTIM NIRVAANAPARAMAAM MATSAMSTHAAMADHIGACCHATI.
(Krishna speaking to Arjuna)
Thus, always keeping the mind balanced, the Yogi, with the mind controlled, attains to the peace abiding in Me, which culminates in liberation.
VI.16. NAATYASHNATASTU YOGO’STI NACHAIKAANTAMANASHNATAH;
NA CHAATISWAPNASHEELASYA JAAGRATO NAIVA CHAARJUNA.
Verily Yoga is not possible for him who eats too much, nor for him who does not eat at all; nor for him who sleeps too much, nor for him who is (always) awake.
Faith is the life-breath of the spirit in humanity. – Sri Swami Sivananda
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Spiritual Calendar
| OCTOBER 2022
04 Vijaya Dasami NOVEMBER 2022 03 Ekadasi Far more precious than many gold and diamond mines, is the spiritual wealth of Self realization. – Sri Swami Sivananda |
Glossary
NAVARATHRI – the nine days of worship of Devi, or the Divine Mother, in the form of Maha-Kali, Maha-Lakshmi and Maha-Saraswati.
These nine days of triumph are offered to the Mother for Her successful struggle with the formidable demons led by Sumbha and Nisumbha. Navaratri is divided into sets of 3 three days to adore different aspects of the Supreme Goddess. In its cosmic aspect it epitomizes the stages of the evolution of Man into God, from Jivahood to Sivahood.
The Divine Mother, Supreme Shakti of Brahman, has to operate through the aspirant. On the first three days Mother is adored as Power, Force – Durga the Terrible. You pray to Mother Durga to destroy all your impurities, your vices, your defects. She is to fight with and annihilate the baser animal qualities in the Sadhaka, the lower Asura in his nature. Also, She is the Power that protects your Sadhana from its many dangers and pitfalls. Thus, the first three days aim is to worship of the Destructive aspect of the Mother, Durga, marking the first stage of destruction of Mala (impurities) plus, embody the determined effort of the sadhaka to rout out the evil Vasanas, propensities and old habits in the mind.
The next step is to build a sublime spiritual personality, to acquire positive qualities in place of the eliminated Asuric qualities. The Divine qualities, Daivi Sampat, “Divine wealth”, that Lord Krishna enumerates in the Gita, have to be acquired. The Sadhaka must cultivate and develop all the auspicious qualities. He has to pile up immense spiritual wealth to enable him to pay the price for the rare gem of divine wisdom (Jnanaratna). If this development of the opposite qualities (Pratipaksha Bhavana) is not undertaken in right earnest, the old Asuric nature will raise its head again and again. Hence, this stage is as important in an aspirant’s career as the previous one. This stage of the aspirant’s Sadhana is depicted by the worship of Mother Lakshmi. She bestows on Her devotees the inexhaustible wealth of Daivi Sampat. Lakshmi is the Sampat-Dayini aspect of Brahman. She is Purity Itself. Thus worship of Goddess Lakshmi is performed during the second set of three days.
Once the aspirant succeeds in routing out the evil propensities and in developing Sattvic, pure qualities, he becomes an Adhikari. He is ready now to receive the Light of Supreme Wisdom. He is fit to obtain Divine Knowledge. At this stage comes the devout worship of Sri Sarasvati, Who is Divine Knowledge personified, the Embodiment of Brahmajnana. The sound of Her celestial Veena awakens the notes of the sublime Mahavakyas and the Pranava. She bestows the Knowledge of the Supreme Naada and then gives full Atmajnana as represented by Her pure dazzling snow-white apparel. To propitiate Sri Sarasvati, the Giver of Jnana, is therefore the third stage.
The tenth day—Vijaya Dasami—marks the triumphant ovation of the Jiva at having attained Jivanmukti through the descent of knowledge by the grace of Goddess Sarasvati. The Jiva rests in His own Supreme Self of Sat-Chit-Ananda (Existence-knowledge-Bliss Absolute). This day celebrates the victory, the achievement of the Goal.
The Banner of Victory flies aloft. Lo! I am He! I am He!!
Chidananda rupah sivoham, sivoham chidananda rupah sivoham, sivoham
VIJAYADASAMI – Vijayadasami is the crowning day of the success of Vidya shakti over the negative lower nature of nescience. See NAVARATHRI above.
PRAHLADA – Prahlada is a character from the Puranic texts of Hinduism, wherein he is famed for his exclusive devotion (bhakti) to Vishnu, despite attempts in the story by his father, Hiranyakashipu to turn him to the contrary. The story of Prahlada gives a number of moral instructions: God will always save his devotees, constant faith in God leads to devotion.
DHRUVA – Dhruva was an ardent young devotee of Vishnu. He was a prince blessed to eternal existence and glory as the Pole Star in the constellations. The story of Dhruva’s life is often told to Hindu children as an example for perseverance, devotion, steadfastness and fearlessness.