ANANDAKAPILA'S NOTES

[Guest guest]

Dr Jonn Mumford <drjonnm wrote: Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. If you realize that you have enough, youare truly rich.- Tao Te Ching www.jonnmumfordconsult.com HARI OM! HAPPY EASTER! “Mummy why are there more rabbits than people? “because rabbits have more fun than people darling” “Mummy why do rabbits have more fun than humans?” “Because there are more rabbits than people darling” Discussing the first five steps on the bottom rung of Ashtanga Yoga in a way that makes sense for Western life is not only exhausting – it is a bottomless pit! (and really I have only touched upon half a rung as the Five Niyamas which belong in that grouping has not been mentioned – I will have a long rest before I consider tackling them!) I am referring, of course, to the Yamas and I have hardly penetrated a few inches below the water line of the iceberg. Ultimately the Yamas manifest spontaneously through consistent Sadhana and as Amma (Director of Ananda Ashram) has always said, the key to Sadhana is “Regularity, rhythm, and Repetition”. (I am accessing my fallible memory so they are not necessarily in the order I present).Studying with me is an intensive process, not suitable for everyone, and the three R’s are an essential for distance learning. The goal is to change, to reach your own actualization, according to your Dharma or potential. In fact I generally know within a month of student’s joining who will likely benefit and who will find this method too arduous – it is very individual and each of us is unique – the Guru realizes who

you are – “Gee You Are You”! Do You? That is all that can be expected.Probably the two concepts that provide the biggest problems for Westerner’s in the 21st century are “Brahmacharya” and “Aparigraha”. An approach to these pair may well center around “possessiveness” as a common denominator.Have you never heard of rampant “passion” as the desire to “consume and be consumed?” – often the drive to “consume and be consumed” is but a diversion from the urge for spiritual union or “Yug”. “Possessiveness” is bound up with the Ahamkara or Ego and the first rule is to break the protective shell of the Ego Egg in preparation for making a Yoga-Tantric OMlette.Joseph Campbell, the Philosopher, put it rather well: “You can't make an omelet without breaking the eggs. We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us." Aparigraha, which we English Westerners are born and bred to value - with the illusion that happiness lies in consuming – is summed up in Joseph Campbell’s pithy statement: "The hoarder, the one in us that wants to keep, to hold on, must be killed." You may feel I am crazy and exaggerating the evils of consumerism however a careful search of the root word “consume” and it’s etymological base is very enlightening: “c.1380, from L. consumere "to use up, eat, waste," from com- intensive prefix + sumere "to take," from sub- "under" + emere "to buy, take" (see exempt). Economic sense of consumer (opposite of producer) first recorded 1746. Consumerism is from 1944 in the sense of "protection of the consumer's interest;" modern sense of "consumption as an economic policy" is from 1960.” An amusing mind map of ideas may be construed following this trail: consumers endlessly seek “commodities” which derives from a root meaning “convenience” and leads to “commode”: Queen Victoria may be considered as having firmly enshrined the Industrial Age in the framework of the English mentality. The good Queen had a commode installed in her Parliamentary chair thus facilitating her multitasking ability to pass “motions” without interruption.You might want to think about that! OM TAT SAT Much Love ANANDAKAPILAARTICLE OF THE WEEKDr.

Swami Anandakapila SaraswatiTraditional Hindu Ritual and Puja represent an important aspect of my teachings. This can only be passed on by a teacher who has been initiated in one of the Ten traditional orders or a proper, living Tantra tradition existent in India. There is no such thing as a ritual without a tradition that has built the force and power into the ritual over years. From a classical perspective, as one initiated in India, you cannot appreciate actual Tantra without an introduction to “Puja“or rituals. Within our 3rd semester of the 1st year work we teach a household Puja (albeit simplified) to Ganesha or Ganapati. The second year work introduces students to other aspects of Tantric household ritual suitable for assimilation by distance learning. Ritual practice is not obligatory to study with me however most students find they gain from the exposure and indeed the universal value of ritual is to establish harmony, solidarity and consistency through embodiment of “Regularity, rhythm, and Repetition”. Thus a chance to practice authentic puja, uncovering the power represented by Lakshmi (the embodiment of spiritual and balanced material abundance), is discussed in the Om Kara Kriya® 2nd year course. This aspect of

Tantra many find adds a new dimension of invigoration and enhancement to their life. Other aspects require personal initiation in Sydney or New York and involve nyaasa (enshrining specific Sanskrit mantra’s within the temple of our body) and interesting enough the proper Tantric way of Chanting such classical invocations as the Gayatri and Mahamrityunjaya mantras are quite different and more complex in Tantra than general Hinduism. The Tantric method involves not only Nyasa but also building a Kavachi or psychic shield and invoking the deity within the individual who becomes a “pujari” or officiator of the ritual.Ritual provides the cement that holds Hindu society together and the power comes from the fact that every Hindu is a participant in a personal Puja room or

household shrine – there is no such thing as a passive witnessing of religious ceremonies - as in the West. Our English Western society is slowly disintegrating as we eschew rituals and decompose even the nuclear family. “Women know what men have long forgotten. The ultimate economic and spiritual unit of any civilization is still the family.” Clare Boothe Luce1903-1987

American Diplomat, Writers Sadly this decay and degradation may even infiltrate Indian culture with the rapid spread of Western consumerism as the goal of life.Just as the cow must walk in an even and stately manner upon four legs so Sanatana espouses four aims in life which must be appropriately balanced in equal measure, and at the correct phase of life, to produce a “Holy”, holistic human. When three legs are eschewed for the sake of one leg, producing an immobile “golden calf” - material greed subverts the essence of being.Frenzied consumerism leads to increased excretion and a world saturated with environmental psychic dung -a total dehumanization – all in aid of the illusory search for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow – only to find that

the pot of gold is in truth a “potty” full of excrement (NOW THAT IS REALIZATION!). Ritual is one of the most important ingredients in producing a society of grounded beings with an existential satisfaction and appreciation of being alive. Our rituals of Christmas, New Years and Easter are poor parodies of the original ceremonies, superimposed upon pre-Christian rituals, bereft of their original pagan vitality – (See http://zeitgeistmovie.com/ -Part I) with little meaning - other than an excuse for excessive “consumerism.” The fabric of European culture has been knitted together with the rituals of the Church for nearly two thousand years, and now that the church has become almost irrelevant we are at a loss. We substituted, in the twentieth century, the Doctor for the Priest and spent the last quarter of the 1900s even destroying the Doctor,

under the necessity of economic rationalization and consumerism. Medicine has become a business activity! Thus neither Priest, Doctor, nor ceremony exists to provide hope, faith and courage. The great Canadian Physician, Sir William Osler, said in the early 1900s “The Doctor may seldom be able to cure, often may alleviate, but always can offer comfort”. Now even that is gone and we tend to float in a morass of existential angst compounded by ignorance: “You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience.” Pierre Teilhard De Chardin 1881-1955 French Christian Mystic, Author. Ritual provides us with grounding, access to the creative right

hemisphere, an appreciation of and invocation of, something beyond our limited perspectives of self. “Every ceremony or rite has a value if it is performed without alteration. A ceremony is a book in which a great deal is written. Anyone who understands can read it. One rite often contains more than a hundred books.” George Gurdjieff 1873-1949 Russian Adept, Teacher, Writer The rituals we teach are very powerful methods of ensuring internal and external success, a true joining or Yoga of outer and inner worlds. As you continue to practice ritual it becomes more powerful and accumulates force. “Spiritual energy flows in and produces effects in the phenomenal world.” William James 1842-1910American Psychologist, Professor, Author Be very aware that this is not an Eastern idea but rather transcultural universal practice that fulfils a deep need in the heart. A serious error of judgment resulted when the Holy Roman Church changed the Latin recitation of the Mass into vernacular, and contemporary languages – with that act they dissipated the power of nearly 1,5,00 years of Latin mantric invocation and the egregore or associated auric force field." “Spiritual power begins by directing animal power to other than egoistic ends”. John Ruskin 1819-1900

British Critic, Social Theorist The daily performance of “Puja” or ritual will induce and educe profound altered states of consciousness which is precisely why every Hindu household begins the day with a ceremony. “In the spiritual world there are no time divisions such as the past, present and future; for they have contracted themselves into a single moment of the present where life quivers in its true sense. The past and the future are both rolled up in this present moment of illumination, and this present moment is not something standing still with all its contents, for it ceaselessly moves

on”. Daisetz T. Suzuki 1870-1966 Japanese Professor of Philosopher Finally the whole function of ritual may be summed up as: “…the word ‘rite and ‘right’

are semantic cousins. The truth of ritual significance may be revealed at a deeper level when we realize that the English word ‘ritual’ (hence ‘rite’) etymologically derives from the Sanskrit prefix ri, ‘to flow with or away with.’ Indeed, the value of a ritual or ceremony becomes even more evident when we know that the etymological root of ‘ceremony’ is also Sanskrit- literally Karmanony, i.e. the doctrine that every action has a consequence and therefore the value of careful and correct ceremony is to ensure the consequences of the activity are benign.” Dr. Jonn Mumford: Ecstasy Through Tantra page 153 Stimulate Brain Cell Growth HEAD COACH: MIRACLE-Gro for your Mind Here's an easy prescription for producing new brain cells: Try something new By Thomas Crook, PhD In 1971, when I was 26, I bought a farm. Never mind that I had a full-time job, was finishing my PhD, and knew nothing about farming except what I read in Mother Earth News. But I figured out how to grow crops, fix a tractor, and raise livestock. I didn't sleep a lot, but it was exciting to be learning so much. Likewise, in 1997, I bought a ranch in Zimbabwe. People thought that was strange, and it completely shook up my life, but I loved it, and it forever changed my way of looking at the world. And just this past Christmas, instead of spending the holidays with family as we've done for decades, my wife and I took a cruise to Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Thailand. Although I undertook these adventures for many reasons, they all have one thing in common: They satisfy the brain's instinctual urge--almost like a thirst or hunger--for new experience. Animal studies have shown us that the brain rewards novelty by releasing a pleasure-inducing chemical called dopamine. Learning is reinforced because it's essential to helping the brain grow and thrive. Here's the best part: If you seek out new experiences throughout life, your brain will keep growing--sprouting new cells (neurons) and the branches between them (dendrites)--no matter your age. Science has visual evidence of this brain cell growth process. Thanks to MRI technology, we can see

learning centers in the human brain light up and witness the birth of neural pathways when we try something new. These signs of activity and growth are visible even in the elderly. Although you may learn new things more slowly as you get older, your capacity is largely unchanged. What's really exciting is that new experiences needn't be dramatic or life changing to have these effects. Everyday novelty--even seemingly inconsequential acts--can benefit your brain and literally expand your mind. So let's get started. Here are some simple ways to break routine habits that may be prematurely aging your brain. Once you understand the logic involved, you'll be able to create other little ways of introducing more novelty into your life. And just like with physical exercise, the more you can do, the more you'll benefit. Put a new spin on old routines: · Brush your teeth using the opposite hand. · Reverse your usual walking, running, or biking route. · Trade in your favorite game. · If you love

crosswords, do Sudoku or learn to play one of the dozens of brain-training games on your computer. · Eat at an ethnic restaurant. · Rearrange your furniture. · Start planning to visit a new place this weekend, even if it's just in the next county. · Grab that recipe you clipped and head to a different grocery store to shop for ingredients. If you do even a few of these brain cell growth things in a single day, you'll be amazed at how all this newfound knowledge enriches your life. I may never be a great farmer, but I do have a never-ending store of tips on the best ways to fix a tractor. Craving brain food? Get a must-know factoid from The Intellectual Devotional delivered to your inbox weekly. Sign up today! http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/miracle-gro-for-your-mind/f4bd6dd8833b5110VgnVCM20000012281eac____/health/brain.fitness?cm_mmc=Ounce%20of%20Prevention-_-3132008-_-Health-_-Head%20Coach%3a%20Miracle-Gro%20for%20Your%20Mind 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 Mobile: 9842311433 Website: www.icyer.com www.geocities.com/yognat2001/ananda

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