Gurugram February 2019 | Preface
Blessed Self,
Om Namah Sivaya
Greetings from the Yoga Camp Sivananda Headquarters in Val Morin, Canada.
This month we are happy to present a New Year’s message from Swami Sivananda, from the archives:
Make a Beginning – Start from Today
All over the world the old year has just now passed out and a New Year has commenced. Through the age-long association of ideas time, has come to have a peculiar efficacy for all beginnings, fresh endeavours, new resolves and turning over a new leaf. It is the most propitious time. Make full use of this psychological moment. Do not lose this opportunity. Die to your old lower self. Be born into a newer life in spirit. Sever, once and for all, your connection with the little ego. Whatever be the slips, failures, disappointments and mistakes of the past year, forget them all. Never mind them. All is for the best. Be courageous in faith because there is always a glorious resurrection after each crucifixion. Spotless and untouched, lies the year before you. Resolve to stick to a life of spotless moral purity, of chastity, physical and mental. Resolve to manifest Truth in thought, word and deed. The external world is plunged in unrighteousness, hatred and warfare because you have neglected to carry on the inner war with the vicious lower self. Commence the warfare with the inner foes like egoism, hatred, greed, ambition, pride and selfishness. Crush these down and develop equal vision, forgiveness, mercy and universal love. Then all the outer war will end in a moment. A New Era will be ushered in. Darkness will pass and a new dawn will light up humanity.
The loving Lord has given you a priceless gift, a shining year, pure and clear as crystal, a year teeming with opportunities of perfecting yourself as well as working to help and elevate all those around you. Struggle hard every moment to get nearer to the Ideal. Every step you take, through every act you do, you must move towards Freedom, towards Truth, towards Light.
Make it a point to radiate love. Become a centre of spirituality through a regulated life of combined selfless activity and earnest prayer. Constantly have the name of God on your lips. Inspire and elevate everyone you come into contact with by proclaiming to them the message of unity of all life, in the oneness of the Self. Console the distressed with help, cheer up the depressed with hope. Infuse new vigour into the timid and the faltering in faith.
A reading from Sivananda Upanishads –
January 1, 1949
Blessed Aspirants: May the Lord bless you with Health, Long Life, Peace,
Prosperity and Kaivalya Moksha. – Sw. Sivananda
Watch the inspiring message from Swami Sivananda – “You Are The Master of Your Destiny”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcA3wptRWrc
Blessings to all the Sivananda family for a peaceful 2019. We thank you all for your continued support and encouragement.
May Master and Swamiji’s grace guide us in all ways.
Pranams to all.
On the threshold of the New Year convert yourself into a herald of Divinity. Lead a Divine Life of Love, service, devotion, discipline and wisdom. May the New Year witness you develop into a perfect and ideal being! – Sri Swami Sivananda
Spiritual Calendar
| FEBRUARY 2019 04 New Moon 16 Ekadasi 19 Full Moon |
MARCH 2019
02 Ekadasi |
Upcoming Courses
|
2019 Feb 03 – Mar 04/19 Feb 10 – Mar 09/19 Feb 16 – Mar 16/19 Feb 23 – Mar 24/19 Feb 24 – Mar 23/19 Mar 03 – Mar 30/19 |
Mar 05 – Apr 03/19 Apr 05 – May 04/19 Apr 04 – May 03/19 Apr 07 – May 05/19 |
2019 TTC courses can be viewed here on the NEW Sivananda website.
See the full list of other international courses and events: https://www.sivananda.org/r/en/international_schedule/courses
Crave for a thing, you will get it. Renounce the craving, the object will follow you by itself. – Sri Swami Sivananda
Quick Links
Raja Yoga
Discourse IV: Kaivalya Pada- On Realization
IV.21. CITTANTARA-DRSYE BUDDHI-BUDDHER ATIPRASANGAH SMRTI-SAMSKARAS CA
‘If one mind could perceive another, then there would be cognition of cognition, as well as confusion of memory.’
Commentary:
The mind can neither perceive itself nor perceive another mind, for if this were the case there would be complete confusion of the knowledge and memory of the different minds. The mind is but an instrument; all knowledge comes from beyond it.
From Discourse II: “Sadhana Pada – On Spiritual Disciplines”
II.33. VITARKA-BADHANE-PRATIPAKSA-BHavanAM
“When negative or harmful thoughts disturbs the mind, they can be overcome by constant pondering over their opposites.”
Commentary:
The yogi is ever alert, watching his mind. When he sees useless thought waves arising, he immediately replaces them with positive thoughts, thus creating new mental habits that are conducive to spiritual growth.
When you are free from attachment to all external objects, the mind will be at peace. – Sri Swami Sivananda
Bhagavad Gita Quote
Chapter XI: The Yoga of the Vision of the Cosmic Form
XI.38. TWAMAADIDEVAH PURUSHAH PURAANAS TWAMASYA VISHWASYA PARAM NIDHAANAM;
VETTAASI VEDYAM CHA PARAM CHA DHAAMA TWAYAA TATAM VISHWAMANANTAROOPA.
(Arjuna speaking to Krishna)
Thou art the primal God, the ancient Purusha, the supreme refuge of this Universe, the knower, the knowable and the supreme abode. By Thee is the Universe pervaded, O Being of infinite forms!
Renunciation alone can make you fearless and happy. – Sri Swami Sivananda
Glossary
PRAKRITI – the primordial creative force
Prakriti refers to a primordial creative or natural force; the natural or original intended state of something or of an individual’s being. The term is derived from the Sanskrit pra, meaning “beginning,” and kriti, meaning “creation.”
Prakriti is composed of three gunas (elements):
Rajas – Creation
Sattva – Preservation
Tamas – Destruction
The three gunas give movement to the force of Prakriti in the world, allowing modification and change to that which is primal and original in nature. Prakriti is considered to be a feminine, creative energy. Its counterpart, Purusha, is the masculine energy.
VICHARA – the enquiry into the real nature of things.
Vichara results in Viveka or discrimination between the real and the unreal.
Atma Vichara is a yogic practice that involves analysis or inquiry into the Self. The term comes from the Sanskrit, atma, which means the “self” or “soul,” and vichara, meaning thought, deliberation” or analysis. Atma Vichara is one of the main practices of Jnana yoga, or the yoga of knowledge.
Vichara results in Viveka or discrimination between the real and the unreal. It helps the aspirant to sift the true from the false. Swami Sivananda asserts that without cogitation, the Truth cannot be known or realized. Vichara sharpens the intellect and leads to the discernment of the Truth that lies behind the phenomenal universe. Swami Sivananda suggests that the spiritual aspirant should practice Vichar.
The justification for this method of Vichara or enquiry is contained in the saying, “As you think, so you become”. By constant reflection on the Reality behind the appearances, the seeker attains oneness with the Reality and becomes that Reality itself.
ATI-PRASNA – a transcendental question
The question, “Why has God created the world?”, is an Ati-prasna question.
The Mind generally plays this trick of asking ‘Ati-Prasna’ during the initial stages of practice of vichara. As Swami Sivananda states, these ati prasnas, or transcendental questions, are questions that are beyond the scope of human mind and intellect. There can’t be a suitable explanation for these questions within the scope of humanity’s words and ideas. Generally, the Mind plays the vichara by showing few ati-prasnas without a solution within its domain and hints that vichara is not much use. However, the key is to get over these open ended questions like this and continue ahead on one’s path. The Ati-Prasna hints to the sadhaka there is a greater phenomenon than life on Earth and to search for the Truth that lies behind the phenomenal universe.
When you are free from attachment to all external objects, the mind will be at peace. – Sri Swami Sivananda