Some thoughts on Dhyana and Sadhana by Sri Bala

October 15, 2005

Meditation is bliss, if done correctly.

This is to dispel the doubts and fears expressed by a few to my article with the above caption.

In religion many paths lead to the same goal, and the science of yoga is no different.

A school of yoga and its teachings is not an end in itself, but only a means to the ultimate end of losing one’s self in Cosmic Consciousness, called Christ Consciousness, Buddha Consciousness or Krishna Consciousness according to the religion one professes.

Yoga Therapy is no different from Yoga. It too is not treating the symptoms (as being done by several leading schools of yoga) but assisting a student-patient to develop physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, rise above body and conscious mind, negate ego consciousness and attune to a higher state of consciousness, to create a state of wellbeing, wherein renewal, repair and healing can take place (within the constraints of one’s karma.).

I have been to nine schools of yoga and meditation during my forty years of deep interest in the science of yoga and it would appear to me that most have missed the plot. I concede the majority are certainly well established industries, but I cannot help wondering whether they have seriously researched into their practices and programs before offering them to students.

Let us take the example of a program for asthma offered by two internationally acclaimed schools of yoga, and compare it with the program which I offer in Vibrational Breath Therapy based on Swami Gitanandaji’s teachings, but developed by me into a powerful program (Basic and Advanced) on the lines of the divine guidance given to me by a Yogini by whom I was blessed at an ancient Sivan temple at the foothills of the Himalayas, and the findings of my own study..

Dr Karmanandaji of the Bihar School of Yoga, Monghyr, India recommends the

following practices: Suriya Namaskar (1), Asanas (17), Pranayama (2), Kriyas (4), Relaxation (1), Meditation (1) = 26 practices.

[swami Karmananda Saraswati; “Yogic Management of Common Diseases” (pgs 63 – 65)]

Dr HR Nagarathnaji of the Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation recommends the following practices: breathing exercises (7) limb loosening exercises (6) yogasanas (16) Sectional breathing (5) Pranayama (3) Omkar ( & meditation) (2) kriyas (4) = 43 practices

[H R Nagendra & R Nagarathna; “Á New Light for Asthmatics” (pages 64 & 65)]

Whereas I conduct a 3 month program mainly with one practice, “Vibrational Breath Healing”, based on Hathenas, Mahat Yoga Pranayama, Pranava AUM Pranayama, and Chakra Meditation to be done in the morning to set the tone for the day. It is progressively taken to very deep and subtle levels. The practice is complemented with harmonizing and tranquillizing Rhythmic Breath and Meditational Walk to be done during the day when stressed, tense or depressed, and Yoga Nidra at the end of the day for a refreshing night’s sleep. All three practices are done with the sole objective of creating a state of wellbeing during the wakeful hours and at the time of going to sleep to enhance the healing process.

Let me now illustrate its success with a feedback from Raymond Paterson, who healed himself of his asthma in 1992 from a basic version of the “Chakra Meditation for Self Healing” program, which I now teach.

“For ten years I had suffered from severe bronchial asthma and at times had been hospitalized in intensive care…. From a medical viewpoint my situation was considered to be permanent and various doctors (including respiratory specialists) speculated that at the very best, medical drugs could only maintain the condition and hopefully prevent things getting worse…..

I came across Sri Bala Ratnam’s Breath Therapy Intensive and enrolled in the course in July 1992. Throughout the course Sri Bala introduced me to methods and techniques of breathing which he claimed to cleanse the body and to calm the mind. I found myself committed to practicing these methods daily as he advised and in October 1992, to my great delight, I discovered that Sri Bala’s claims were correct as my condition had left me and there was no need for me to be dependent upon my medication anymore.” To date he has had no relapse. How was this possible?

As respected Suraj Karanji, Past President of the Rajasthan Swasthya Yoga Parishad, Jaipur, recently wrote in the Yoga Life of August 2005 under the caption “Patanjali and Our Duty”: “Yoga is a vast ocean. Every Asana, every Mudra, every bandha, every Pranayama and each of the Shatkarmas require a practice of months or even years before they reveal their secrets to the Sadhak.”

In keeping with his considered observation, which reinforces my dedication and commitment to the science of yoga for over forty years, the exhortation of Swami Gitanandaji to experiment with any and every practice and experience its benefits before teaching, and my conviction that Yoga, if it in truth be the mother of sciences, should have the answer for all our problems, within the constraints of Karma, motivated me to plunge myself in the search for the truth.

After fifteen years of daily practice, experimenting and researching the practice of Pranava AUM Pranayama led to deep meditation at the Chakras, and having successfully tested it with all types of serious illnesses, mine as well as other students/patients, and having more than satisfied myself of its truth, I shared my knowledge and experience with the fervent hope that it may inspire serious, dedicated and disciplined colleagues to do likewise and make their own contribution to the development of yoga, as is expected of us all.

A few months ago it humbled me to receive a message from Rajudevji, one of the highly dedicated and deeply respected senior students of Swami Gitanandaji (which I believe in some measure motivated me to write the article) and I wish to share his considered observation with you: “For years I have been seeing your e-mails on the ashram shareware congratulating many on their accomplishments and awards. Now I think it is time you received a note of recognition for the work you have put in on your vibrational breath therapy. I enjoyed reading your detailed description some months back on how you have taken the practice of the pranava pranayama to its ultimate potential. Swamiji periodically mentioned various pranayamas which

should be taken out to a 64x32 ratio, but you are the first of his students to my knowledge with the vision and discipline to actually do it. Swamiji taught thousands of extraordinary practices, but there are too few of his students who have actually made the effort to truly master one or more of them. Thank you for staying the course and reporting back with the results. It should be a goal and inspiration to everyone in the lineage.”

I’m equally happy to share the following message from Dr Mukund Bhole, ex-head of Kaivalyadhama, one of the leading lights in Yoga in India today and a true sadhak, in reply to my article on “Meditation is Bliss, if done correctly: “Thank you for the important information on Meditation. I will go through it thoroughly, practice it for myself and then I will definitely give you my feed-back.” I was so touched by his message that I straight away offered to help him to do it correctly, and have since taken steps to initiate him into my “Chakra Meditation for Good Health & Longevity” program.

Let me conclude this article with yet another quotation from respected Suraj Karanji:

“Patanjali sowed the seed, later scholars reared it up and now it is our duty to see that it takes the shape of a strong deep rooted tree to provide its shade to mankind for years and years to come”

May this be our challenge!

Please visit my updated website >www.vbt.com.au< for more information on this subject.

Thanks

Sri Bala

Founder, Vibrational Breath Therapy

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