Guest guest Posted May 29, 2002 Report Share Posted May 29, 2002 THE SCIENCE OF SEVEN CULTURES ** For Quick Evolution of the Human Being By ** SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA INTRODUCTION: a) An ounce of practice is better than tons of theory. Practice Yoga, Religion and Philosophy in daily life and attain Self- realization. b) These thirty-two instructions give the essence of the Eternal Religion (Sanatana Dharma) in its purest form. They are suitable for modern busy householders with fixed hours of work. Modify Them to suit your convenience and increase the period gradually. c) .In the beginning take only a few practicable resolves which form a small but definite advance over your present habits and character In case of ill-health, pressure of work or unavoidable engagements replace your active Sadhana (spiritual practice) by frequent remembrance of God. HEALTH-ENERGY CULTURE HEALTH CULTURE a) Eat moderately. Take light and simple food. Offer it to God before you eat. Have a balanced diet. b) .Avoid spicy and hot foods, like chilies, garlic, onions, tamarind etc., as far as possible. Give up tea, coffee, smoking, Betels, meat and wine entirely. c) Fast on Ekadasi days or once in a fortnight. Take milk, fruits or roots only. d) Practice Yoga Asana (Hatha Yoga exercises) or physical exercises for 15 to 30 minutes every day. Take a long walk or play some vigorous games daily. ENERGY CULTURE a) Observe silence (Mouna) for 2 hours daily and 4 to 8 hours on Sundays. b) Observe celibacy according to your age and circumstances. Restrict the indulgence to once a month. Decrease it gradually to once a year. Finally take a vow of abstinence for whole life. ETHICAL-WILL CULTURE ETHICAL CULTURE a) Speak the TRUTH. Speak little. Speak kindly. Speak sweetly. b) Do not injure anyone in thought, word or deed. Be kind to all. c) Be sincere, straightforward and open hearted in your talks and dealings. d) Be honest. Earn by the sweat of your brow. Do not accept any money, things or favour unless earned lawfully. Develop nobility and integrity. e) Control fits of anger by serenity, patience, love, mercy and tolerance. Forget and forgive. Adapt yourself to men and events. WILL CULTURE a) Live without sugar for a week or month. Give up salt on Sundays. b) Give up cards, novels, cinemas and clubs. Fly from evil company. Avoid discussions with materialists. Do not mix with persons who have no faith in God or who criticize your Sadhana (spiritual practices). c) Curtail your wants. Reduce your possessions. Have plain living and high thinking. HEART-PSYCHIC CULTURE HEART CULTURE a) Doing good to others is the highest religion. Do some selfless service for a few hours every week, without egoism or expectation of reward. Do your worldly duties in the same spirit. Work is worship. Dedicate it to God. b) Give 2 to 10 percent of your income in charity every month. Share what you have with others. Let the world be your family. Remove selfishness. c) Be humble and prostrate yourself to all beings mentally. Feel the Divine Presence everywhere. Give up vanity, pride and hypocrisy. d) Have unwavering faith in God, the Bhagavad-Gita and your Guru. Make a total self-surrender to God and pray: "Thy Will be done; I want nothing." Submit to the Divine Will in all events and happenings with equanimity. e) See God in all beings and love them as Your own Self. Do not hate anyone. f) Remember God at all times or, at least, on rising from bed, during a pause in work and before going to bed. Keep a Mala (rosary) in your pocket. PSYCHIC CULTURE a) Study one chapter or ten to twenty-five verses of the Gita or your scriptures with meaning, daily. Learn the original language of your scripture, at least sufficient to understand it in original. b) Memorize important and inspiring portions of your sacred scripture according to your capacity. Memorize also any inspiring quotations from other spiritual books. Keep a pocket version your scripture with you at all times. c) Read the Ramayana, the Bible, the Quran, the Bhagavata, the Upanishads, the Yogavasishtha or other religious books daily without fail. Study more during holidays. d) Attend religious meetings and seek Satsanga (company) with saints at every opportunity. If not, create opportunities. Listen to spiritual discourses from learned and holy people. If possible, organize such functions on Sundays or holidays. e) Visit a temple or place of worship daily. Preferably before you leave and upon your return from work, even if only for 5 or 10 minutes. f) Spend holidays and leave-periods, when possible, in the company of saints or practice Sadhana at holy places in seclusion. SPIRITUAL CULTURE SPIRITUAL CULTURE a) Go to bed early. Get up at four o'clock. Answer calls of nature, clean your mouth and take a bath. b) Recite some prayers and Kirtan Dhvanis (devotional songs). Practice Pranayama (breathing exercises), Japa (repetition of the Divine Name of God) and meditation in the early morning. Sit on Padma, Siddha, or Sukha Asana throughout, without movement, by gradual practice. While you meditate, forget the outside world totally. Gradually increase the period of meditation. c) Perform the daily prayers of your religion. Do not fail to fulfil your obligatory duties. d) Write your favourite Mantra or Name of God in a notebook for ten to thirty minutes, daily. e) Sing the Names of God (Kirtan) and pray for half to one hour at night with family and friends. f) Make annual resolves on the above lines. Regularity, tenacity and fixity are essential. Record your Sadhana in a spiritual diary daily. Review it every month and correct your failures. Commentary... When we ponder our life as a sadhaka, always remember, that, for a Tantrik: "the path is as a rajor's edge". We must be careful not to fall on either side of the straight and narrow path of Divinity. The Ego is lurking, waiting, and creating: every second, every moment, every beat of the heart, and in every breath. And while the Divine Mother is the source of MahaMaya, MahaKaliji, She, weeps for Her children when emeshed therein... Dear Ones, please strive to be happy, to be good, to be kind, to be sbsolute LOVE. OM SHANTI Contributed by Nishashakti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 29, 2002 Report Share Posted May 29, 2002 Celibacy? I'm confused. What happened to joyfully celebrating the body? I'm probably taking this out of context. Is it a particular discipline of Shaktism, or is this advice given to all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 29, 2002 Report Share Posted May 29, 2002 OM Merrlynnwiz Brahmacharya when defined as celibacy is only for the serious spiritual aspirant. The purpose is to redirect that sexual energy so that the prana known as Ojas is not dissapated but concentrated and used to fuel the spiritual consciousness. Ojas is the essential constituent of the seven Dhatus - skin. blood, flesh, sinew, bone, marrow and semen (Bindu). So, retention of Ojas also leads to improved health. The idea of celibacy or retention of Bindu is a part of all major religious/spiritual practices (including Tantrism and Hatha Yoga). Even the the coach of the Italian soccer team in the World Cup forbids his players to engage in sexual activity because of the attendent lost of vitality and damage to the immune system. However, a teacher will often define Brahmacharya variously according to the attainments of his/her students. For some, seeing Brahmacharya as fidelity in thought, word and deed might be more than enough of a challenge. For others, a little more advanced in spiritual realization, Brahmacharya could be viewed as fidelity plus sexual continence, while, still others, the highly evolved students, could see Brahmacharya as celibacy for the above reasons. You will notice that Swami Sivanada included Brahmacharya under the heading of 'energy culture' because of the idea of Ojas preservation. He also wrote about not only celibacy but the intervening steps of sexual continence. He is saying that in the beginning it is fine to celebrate the body provided that Bindu is preserved, but that in the end, celibacy of thought, word and deed is most useful because the outgoing tendencies of the mind and ego are checked and the Ojas is retained, all of which, facilitate Self-Realization. According to Swami Sivananda (and many other great saints and all the major religions and spiritual paths) there is no other way to Self-Realization except through meditation. He is saying that preserving Ojas and checking the outward tendencies of the senses are conducive to that liberating meditational attitude. OM Namah Sivaya Omprem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 30, 2002 Report Share Posted May 30, 2002 Our beloved ompremji writes... " According to Swami Sivananda (and many other great saints and all the major religions and spiritual paths) there is no other way to Self-Realization except through meditation." This morning i posted a beautiful verse from Srimad BHAGVAT GITA which reads... "Tapaswibhyodhiko Yogi JnaniBhyopi Mathodikah Karmabhyaschadiko Yogi Tasmat Yogi Bhavarjuna" "O Arjuna! The Yogi is nobler than those who perform Penance. I feel he is greater than the Wise. He is even better than those who perform various rituals. So become a Yogi!!" Srimad Bhagwat Gita BASICALLY WHAT THE gREAT YOGACHARCHYA sHRI KRISHNA PARAMATMA SAYS IS one who practices yoga nad meditation is vey dear to his heart and our lord says god-relaization can be achieved through constant practice or abhyasa. the hatha yoga pradipika also states... "The younger, the old, the extremely aged, even the sick and the infirm obtain perfection in Yoga by constant practice. Success in Yoga is not obtained by mere theoretical study, or talking about it at, reading the sacred texts. Constant practice alone is the secret of its success." -ha means the sun -tha means the moon "Hatha-Yoga' is the meeting of two forces animating the human body, i.e., the union of positive energy (symbolized by the sun) and negative energy (symbolized by the moon) plus a perfect balance. Mastery of these two currents and complete equilibrium between them will keep us in perfect health." the very first verse of hatha yoga pradipika reads... Reverance to SHIVA, THE LORD OF YOGA , WHO TAUGHT pARVATI, hATHA WISDOM , as the first step to the pinnacle of raja yoga." hatha also,means will power , resoluteness and perseverance. these qualities are needed for success in all spiritual paths - be it bhakti yoga, karma yoga, jnana yoga or raja yoga...this will what will lead us to liberation and freedom from ignorance and egocentricity. . by means of constant practice or abhyasa, the mind gets purified . all the various yogic paths are the means to lift the veil of ignorance and know the ultimate reality. "The word 'Yoga' comes from the Sanskrit root `yug' meaning 'to join'. It designates `the joining of the lower human nature to the higher in such a manner as to allow the higher to direct the lower', or union with the Self'. It also signifies communion with the supreme Universal Spirit to obtain relief from pain and suffering."' in the tantric path also, the feminine represents the 'lunar' side and the masculine is represented by the 'solar side and the union of the two principles- masculine and feminine constitute the great union- so, ultimately, each aspirant should choose a path that is suited to his/her temperament or emotional make up and the path thus chosen is the right path for that individual... but whatever you choose, stick to it with determination for a journey of thousand miles starts with a single step! love Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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