YANTRA COURSE AT ANANDA ASHRAM: A TOOL FOR SWADHYAYA

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YANTRA COURSE AT ANANDA ASHRAM: A TOOL FOR SWADHYAYA Two dozen dedicated Sadhakas of the Rishiculture Ashtanga (Gitananda) Yoga tradition gathered at the Mother Ashram for three weeks in February to participate in an illuminating course on YANTRA: THE YOGIC SCIENCE OF NUMBER, NAME AND FORM. All the participants from Greece, Ireland, Japan, Slovenia, Australia, Spain, Czech Republic, England, Wales, Finland,

Germany, France, and India thoroughly enjoyed the illuminating and stimulating teachings given by Yantra Shironmani SWAMI ANANDA KAPILA SARASWATHI (Dr Jonn Mumford) who is the PATRON of the Australian Gitananda Yoga Association. The RISHICULTURE ASHTANGA YOGA PARAMPARA codified by Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri

Guru Maharaj includes in its vast repertoire three important sciences, namely Mantra, Yantra and Tantra. Yantra is the mystical science of number, name and form and is a method by which one can live to learn “in tune” with the cycles of the universe rather than be “off tune” with those very cycles. According to Yantra, each number has a special quality to it and is not merely a measure of quantity as is usually presumed. Every aspect of life goes through a phase of Nines. This phase may be nine years, nine months, nine weeks or even nine days. This concept can be further extended both ways to go up to nine milliseconds on one hand and nine lifetimes on the other. Yantra Shironmani Dr Swami Anandakapila is a more than five decade disciple of Pujya

Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj and has been teaching wonderfully at Ananda Ashram for the past many years. He was specially invited to the Mother Ashram at Pondicherry to give this Ten-Session, three-week Course in YANTRA DARSHANA from February 4th to February 19th 2007 at ICYER. The Yantra course was inaugurated on the evening of 3rd February after the celebrations marking the 133rd Jayanthi of Yogamaharishi Swami Kanakananda Brighu, the Paramguru of this Rishiculture Paramparai. Swami Kanakananda had a profound love for mathematics and was well trained in that discipline. He was a realised master of Yantra, the

Yogic science that delves into the power behind number, name and form. Dr. Swami Gitananda often quoted his Guru as saying, “India has revealed to the world three sacred sciences, Yoga, Tantra and Yantra. Yoga is the practical path to oneness with Life. Tantra is the Mystical control of power and energy. Yantra is the Science of Being hidden behind form.” Ram Mohan Roy, a famous mystic, taught this science to Swami Kanakananda who passed it on to Swami Gitananda. Swami Kanakananda taught that through geometric form (Yantra) one could pierce the veils, which obscured reality. He said, “God geometries, man observes.” He taught his young disciples, “Know thyself and in doing so, realise that which created the Universe.” In his inaugural address Swami

Anandakapila introduced the assembled students to the system of ‘Yantra’, which is a unique method characteristic of the teachings of Ananda Ashram and Gitananda Yoga, that carries keys to understanding our individual Dharma, and our cyclic Karmic flows. He explained that this is Ankjyotisha, the influence of numerical coding embedded in our brain or propensities from the month, day and year of our birth. Another term for this area of traditional Jyotisha is "Anka Vignyan” or "wisdom of numbers”. Dr. Jonn is an exceptional teacher who

often had the entire class in splits over his wonderfully enlightened use of humour as a teaching tool. Anyone who thought that numbers were mere measures of quantity were awakened from that ignorance and mentally stimulated into a deeper level of understanding wherein they could see the qualitative nature of numbers and their influence on all aspects of our personality. Yantra is an excellent tool for Swadhyaya and helps one to understand their life in a unique manner. Both the past as well as the future can be understood better with the benefit that the present may be altered as per the lessons to be learnt in this life through the present we can alter the past and future as exemplified by the grand wheel of time and its multiple subdivisions. The steering number concept where we can understand the hidden path as well as the expressed path of the Dharma Marga was well inculcated in all participants who also leant what the different Dharma Margas and Karma Yuga cycles meant for the individual. Important events in ones life were relived through and understanding of the red letter days as well as multiple levels of analysis of all aspects through the method of numbers. This year’s Yantra course was surely one of the very best till date and both the students as well as Swami Anandakapila were thrilled to be able to give off their best for the group. Participants in the Yantra course were also treated to a great exposure to the Indian cultural life through many spectacular performances by students of the Yoganjali Natyalayam. The award distribution function for the

7TH SWAMI GITANANDA BEST YOUTH AND CHILD AWARDS was an opportunity for the group to enjoy a cultural evening with more than 300 spectators in the audience. Yantra Shironmani Dr Swami Anandakapila, Yogacharini Dr Nalini Devi, Yogacharya Muralidharan Giri, Yogacharini Janita Stenhouse, Yogacharini Leena Elo and Yogacharini Arja Miettinen Baumann were special guests of honour at the function conducted in the new hall at Yoganjali Natyalayam and gave away prizes to the deserving winners of numerous competitions. The Health Minister in the Govt of Pondicherry, Thiru E VALSARAJ Avl felicitated the senior Yoga Sadhakas of the Gitananda Yoga family on the occasion. This was a great opportunity for them to witness the wonderful artistic and Yoga talents of the Indian children and youth who put on a gala performance of creative Yoga, dance and drama. The group also attended another cultural evening sponsored by INTEGRA and had the spiritually uplifting opportunity to be part of the Maha Shivaratri celebrations that included Puja to the underwater Shivalinga, 1008 Panchakshara Japa and the thrilling Pada Yatra from Sri Kambaliswamy Madam to the ICYER with soul stirring Bhajans all the way. The final valedictory function for the Yantra course was yet another opportunity for the Sadhaks to enjoy the talents of Yognat’s team, which presented them with spectacular team Yogasana tableaus and Bharathanatyam performance by the youngsters. Dr Ananda also performed a special concert of Carnatic vocal music

on the occasion. Amma and Dr Ananda thanked Swami Anandakapila for the excellent manner in which the course was presented and offered their goodwill and wishes that he continue to preserve this ancient Yantra tradition in all its purity as handed to him by his Guru, Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj. A special word of appreciation was given for Yogacharya Muralidharan who as usual coordinated the conduct of the Yantra course in a skillful and able manner befitting a senior Yoga Sadhaka. Yogacharya Dr.Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani Chairman : Yoganjali Natyalayam and ICYER Hon General Secretary, Pondicherry Yogasana Association 25, 2nd Cross,Iyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry, South India-605 013 Tel: +91-413 - 2622902 / +91-413 -3203314/+91-413 -2241561 Website: www.icyer.com www.geocities.com/yognat2001/ananda

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