Guest guest Posted December 21, 2004 Report Share Posted December 21, 2004 Wow. Here is a truly beautiful editorial taken from today's edition of The Times of India. It's penned by one identified only as Yogi Ashwini Ji. (You've got to love India, huh? What other country would run such an article in a major news daily on a typical business Tuesday?! ;-) ) ... THE TRUE MEANING OF YOGA AND SADHANA DEC 21, 2004: The guru, through shaktipath, initiates a person on the path of sadhana. The process requires immense energy, which is transferred from guru to shishya. If this energy is channelised towards people who have no value for it, the energy dissipates. That is why it is said that knowledge or 'gyan' should not be distributed before people who don't value it. This can also be said for people who come to listen to a discourse not to imbibe gyan but to defy it. These people are not searching; they are ruled by ego. They are not interested in sadhana, are a drain on the energy of the initiator and are no good for the evolution of mankind (which is the purpose of shaktipath). The practice of yog has become a subject of social discussion. It is fashionable to proclaim, "I do yoga..." There are no dearth of people who, for selfish reasons, go around claiming to be yoga masters. What one needs to understand is that yog is not tying yourself up in knots or standing on your head. Yog is a complete science of the being's evolution, of which the physical is just the beginning. If this were not so, we should be calling trapeze artists yoga gurus. It is surprising to see how people go about introducing yogic practices to all and sundry, without proper instructions or an understanding of an individual's capacity. Today, through the medium of television, people are introducing certain higher practices which are becoming a fashion among the masses. These practices may impart a feeling of shortlived well-being to the practitioner and disturb the Kundalini. Kundalini, if awakened in an uncontrolled manner, may cause irreversible damage to the body, because a normal body does not have the capacity to hold this shakti. These practices are being peddled only to gain name, fame and money. They are no good for either teacher or sadhak. It is unfortunate that the indiscriminate teachers of yoga do not understand the negative karmas they earn for themselves as a result. They are trapped in a web of maya, described as such in 'Patanjali Yog Sutras'. A real sadhak would never indulge in such careless acts. Modern methods make a mockery of a pious and sacred path such as yoga. It is very difficult to stay away from the clutches of maya. Only those who hold the hand of a guru are able to truly adopt and walk the path of sadhana. This is precisely why it is so difficult to find a true guru and serious sadhaks. When a guru accepts somebody as a shishya he takes complete responsibility. The shishya is monitored by the guru not daily or hourly but every moment, which is why earlier gurus had such few disciples. Sir John Woodroffe, a renowned sadhak and practitioner of tantra in the early 19th century, understood this. He observes, "In older times a guru used to give diksha to 10-15 disciples in his or her entire lifetime. Initiating even a single person requires immense amount of energy and even greater amount of practice to regain that energy". I wonder how people go around initiating thousands of people. Having been a teacher of an ancient healing technique, I observed that people were coming to learn this method only to gain in social prestige. This set me thinking. I stopped teaching to get deeper into the true meaning, practice and purpose of yog. Gyan is energy which flows only to those who have the capacity to follow the practices of yog strictly as told for mankind's evolution. For others, it is merely meant to impress. SOURCE: The Times of India. 2004 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved. URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/965569.cms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2004 Report Share Posted December 21, 2004 I do not have hatha yoga (right term?) videos, but I have belly dancing videos. Videotapes are okay for reference, but I did not do as well on belly dancing until I found an instructor. Apart from the spiritual aspect, I also think that the physical aspect of practicing things such as hatha yoga (or belly dancing, in my case) would possibly cause physical harm without an instructor to help the student aspire. For instance, if someone uses postures that they are not experienced with, they leave their selves prone to doing the posture improperly. Looks are not everything - you have muscles that you use, joints, and so forth. Then you have those beginners who love to go beyond their limits and strain a muscle! Anyway, I do not practice hatha yoga, but I want to in the future, so that I may broaden my spiritual practices, as well as broaden my ways of "balancing" myself...if that makes any sense. However, I could be wrong. I do not care if I am famous or not - I just want to bring myself closer to God/dess. Blessings, Devi Bhakta <devi_bhakta wrote: Wow. Here is a truly beautiful editorial taken from today's edition of The Times of India. It's penned by one identified only as Yogi Ashwini Ji. (You've got to love India, huh? What other country would run such an article in a major news daily on a typical business Tuesday?! ;-) ) ... THE TRUE MEANING OF YOGA AND SADHANA DEC 21, 2004: The guru, through shaktipath, initiates a person on the path of sadhana. The process requires immense energy, which is transferred from guru to shishya. If this energy is channelised towards people who have no value for it, the energy dissipates. That is why it is said that knowledge or 'gyan' should not be distributed before people who don't value it. This can also be said for people who come to listen to a discourse not to imbibe gyan but to defy it. These people are not searching; they are ruled by ego. They are not interested in sadhana, are a drain on the energy of the initiator and are no good for the evolution of mankind (which is the purpose of shaktipath). The practice of yog has become a subject of social discussion. It is fashionable to proclaim, "I do yoga..." There are no dearth of people who, for selfish reasons, go around claiming to be yoga masters. What one needs to understand is that yog is not tying yourself up in knots or standing on your head. Yog is a complete science of the being's evolution, of which the physical is just the beginning. If this were not so, we should be calling trapeze artists yoga gurus. It is surprising to see how people go about introducing yogic practices to all and sundry, without proper instructions or an understanding of an individual's capacity. Today, through the medium of television, people are introducing certain higher practices which are becoming a fashion among the masses. These practices may impart a feeling of shortlived well-being to the practitioner and disturb the Kundalini. Kundalini, if awakened in an uncontrolled manner, may cause irreversible damage to the body, because a normal body does not have the capacity to hold this shakti. These practices are being peddled only to gain name, fame and money. They are no good for either teacher or sadhak. It is unfortunate that the indiscriminate teachers of yoga do not understand the negative karmas they earn for themselves as a result. They are trapped in a web of maya, described as such in 'Patanjali Yog Sutras'. A real sadhak would never indulge in such careless acts. Modern methods make a mockery of a pious and sacred path such as yoga. It is very difficult to stay away from the clutches of maya. Only those who hold the hand of a guru are able to truly adopt and walk the path of sadhana. This is precisely why it is so difficult to find a true guru and serious sadhaks. When a guru accepts somebody as a shishya he takes complete responsibility. The shishya is monitored by the guru not daily or hourly but every moment, which is why earlier gurus had such few disciples. Sir John Woodroffe, a renowned sadhak and practitioner of tantra in the early 19th century, understood this. He observes, "In older times a guru used to give diksha to 10-15 disciples in his or her entire lifetime. Initiating even a single person requires immense amount of energy and even greater amount of practice to regain that energy". I wonder how people go around initiating thousands of people. Having been a teacher of an ancient healing technique, I observed that people were coming to learn this method only to gain in social prestige. This set me thinking. I stopped teaching to get deeper into the true meaning, practice and purpose of yog. Gyan is energy which flows only to those who have the capacity to follow the practices of yog strictly as told for mankind's evolution. For others, it is merely meant to impress. SOURCE: The Times of India. 2004 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved. URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/965569.cms / All your favorites on one personal page – Try My Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 I think that the body itself teaches and speaks, if we are open to its wisdom, and learn to interpret it. Our minds, whether in imposing postures upon ourselves from an external way of seeing/being, or feeling the need to rely on an outside master or guru, can be opened up by the body in hatha yoga if we know how to listen. I am reminded of an experience I had of going into a handstand for the first time in an Iyengar class. When it was time to come down (because my body said so), one of my legs instinctively bent and my foot touched the wall. I felt unable to come down for fear of collapse. My teacher said: "I did not tell you to bend your leg like that. Straighten your leg and lift your legs down one at a time." As soon as I straightened my leg, I collapsed. My body understood its limits; my mind wanted the teacher to lead me properly. Finding harmony between the information from each is true yoga, I feel. This knowledge is not contained in Patanjali's yoga sutras; it must come from within. Mary Ann , "Devi Bhakta" <devi_bhakta> wrote: > > Wow. Here is a truly beautiful editorial taken from today's edition > of The Times of India. It's penned by one identified only as Yogi > Ashwini Ji. (You've got to love India, huh? What other country would > run such an article in a major news daily on a typical business > Tuesday?! ;-) ) ... > > THE TRUE MEANING OF YOGA AND SADHANA > > DEC 21, 2004: The guru, through shaktipath, initiates a person on > the path of sadhana. The process requires immense energy, which is > transferred from guru to shishya. If this energy is channelised > towards people who have no value for it, the energy dissipates. That > is why it is said that knowledge or 'gyan' should not be distributed > before people who don't value it. This can also be said for people > who come to listen to a discourse not to imbibe gyan but to defy it. > These people are not searching; they are ruled by ego. > > They are not interested in sadhana, are a drain on the energy of the > initiator and are no good for the evolution of mankind (which is the > purpose of shaktipath). > > The practice of yog has become a subject of social discussion. It is > fashionable to proclaim, "I do yoga..." There are no dearth of > people who, for selfish reasons, go around claiming to be yoga > masters. What one needs to understand is that yog is not tying > yourself up in knots or standing on your head. Yog is a complete > science of the being's evolution, of which the physical is just the > beginning. If this were not so, we should be calling trapeze artists > yoga gurus. It is surprising to see how people go about introducing > yogic practices to all and sundry, without proper instructions or an > understanding of an individual's capacity. Today, through the medium > of television, people are introducing certain higher practices which > are becoming a fashion among the masses. > > These practices may impart a feeling of shortlived well-being to the > practitioner and disturb the Kundalini. Kundalini, if awakened in an > uncontrolled manner, may cause irreversible damage to the body, > because a normal body does not have the capacity to hold this > shakti. These practices are being peddled only to gain name, fame > and money. They are no good for either teacher or sadhak. It is > unfortunate that the indiscriminate teachers of yoga do not > understand the negative karmas they earn for themselves as a result. > They are trapped in a web of maya, described as such in 'Patanjali > Yog Sutras'. > > A real sadhak would never indulge in such careless acts. Modern > methods make a mockery of a pious and sacred path such as yoga. > > It is very difficult to stay away from the clutches of maya. Only > those who hold the hand of a guru are able to truly adopt and walk > the path of sadhana. This is precisely why it is so difficult to > find a true guru and serious sadhaks. > > When a guru accepts somebody as a shishya he takes complete > responsibility. The shishya is monitored by the guru not daily or > hourly but every moment, which is why earlier gurus had such few > disciples. Sir John Woodroffe, a renowned sadhak and practitioner of > tantra in the early 19th century, understood this. He observes, "In > older times a guru used to give diksha to 10-15 disciples in his or > her entire lifetime. Initiating even a single person requires > immense amount of energy and even greater amount of practice to > regain that energy". > > I wonder how people go around initiating thousands of people. Having > been a teacher of an ancient healing technique, I observed that > people were coming to learn this method only to gain in social > prestige. This set me thinking. I stopped teaching to get deeper > into the true meaning, practice and purpose of yog. Gyan is energy > which flows only to those who have the capacity to follow the > practices of yog strictly as told for mankind's evolution. For > others, it is merely meant to impress. > > SOURCE: The Times of India. 2004 Times Internet Limited. > All rights reserved. > URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/965569.cms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 Thanks, Anya. I'd only clarify that the author's criticism was of indiscrete would- be "gurus", rather than the students who try to follow their teachings. And the harm spoken of was more than pulled muscles or other sports injuries -- the reference was to the profound, even deadly effect of a premature Kundalini awakening, and the karmic consequences to reckless guru and reckless practitioner alike who delve into a situation that neither is truly ready for. You see, when you are dealing with Shakti, you are dealing with Energy itself. Whatever psychological and physical comfort She may bring at devotional levels of worship, She is still Pure Power -- and I mean that in the most real, tangible, non-metaphoric sense. Her yantras, when properly used, can be accurately described as million-volt machines. Likewise, a truly awakened Kundalini releases a vast and intense power that most human bodies are simply not equipped to contain. When you are dealing with these most elemental aspects of Shakta practice, a guru is indispensible. Think about it: New employees at the local power company do not immediately begin "learning by doing," flipping switches and connecting wires at the nearest electrical substation. They must accompany experienced experts many times -- for years even -- before they know enough to handle the situation themselves. And even after they have gained the needed experience they will almost never go in alone -- just in case something goes wrong; few are prepared for every possible situation that could occur when dealing with such a huge power flow. The editorialist was stating that this is something that many self- proclaimed gurus, past and present, do not understand. While the idea of "being a guru" is appealing to certain personality types, some of the most qualified and experienced sadhaks I've ever had the honor of meeting avoid it like the plague. The more one understands about the profound responsibilities taken on by a *true* guru, the less appealing it will seem. Only the truly great and selfless souls ever cross that line. Lucky are the sadhaks who find them. DB , An'ya <seclusive_nihilism> wrote: > I do not have hatha yoga (right term?) videos, but I have belly dancing videos. Videotapes are okay for reference, but I did not do as well on belly dancing until I found an instructor. Apart from the spiritual aspect, I also think that the physical aspect of practicing things such as hatha yoga (or belly dancing, in my case) would possibly cause physical harm without an instructor to help the student aspire. > > For instance, if someone uses postures that they are not experienced with, they leave their selves prone to doing the posture improperly. Looks are not everything - you have muscles that you use, joints, and so forth. Then you have those beginners who love to go beyond their limits and strain a muscle! > > Anyway, I do not practice hatha yoga, but I want to in the future, so that I may broaden my spiritual practices, as well as broaden my ways of "balancing" myself...if that makes any sense. However, I could be wrong. > > I do not care if I am famous or not - I just want to bring myself closer to God/dess. > > Blessings, > Anya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.