Yoga Lectures

Sexual Energy And Kundalini

2010-10-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

There is no difference between Kundalini and sexual energy. In Yoga, sexual energy is called Shakti, and sometimes is personificated as Goddess. This energy is motivational force, she is the reason why we are live. The Life itself is manifestation of Kundalini or sexual energy in this or that form.

Human body is composed from Masculine and Feminine principle. Right side of the body is Masculine, and left is Feminine. Masculine and Feminine principle meets in the middle line, in the central energetic channel. On the Sanskrit, this central line is called Sushumna. This line is in the middle of the body, in the "heart of body".

When sexual energy is active from diaphragm to the below, we experience this energy as sexuality: sexual appetite, sexual sensitivity, sexual thoughts. When sexual energy is active from diaphragm to the eyebrows above, in central energetic channel, we experience this energy like Divine Love, Love of the Heart or Love of Surrender. When sexual energy operate in central energetic channel, in cupola of the head, we experience this energy like Divinity.

In all three cases, it is about the same sexual energy, but the areas of manifestation are different. There is no difference in energy. Energy is energy, Shakti or sexual energy.

Sexual energy is central Life energy, and your true being, your true nature is in the center. That is the reason why you cannot push your sexuality on the side, and live your Life. That is impossible. If you do like that, you will end up with false personality, your Life will be false, and it will seems to you that everything is fraud (false), and you will be right. Everything will be artificial, false, rattle, unrealistic, and it doesn't matter what is happening, you will never be really satisfied, because that core, who you really are, is not satisfied. From this reason, if you want something to do with your Life, you must deal with the matter of sexuality.

There are two basic paths for transformation of sexual energy, and they are sexual restrain (right tantric path), and sexual indulgence (left tantric path).

Mind And Control Of The Mind

2009-12-18T13:39:00.000-08:00

Mind is made up of subtle matter, it is a subtle force. When Prana, or Life Energy, vibrates on mind, mind generates thoughts.
Mind is composed from impressions, thoughts, desires and cravings. The seed of mind is egoism.
The Mind assumes the form of any object it itensely thinks of. As you think, so you become. This is the immutable psychological law.
Conscious mind operates through the brain in the waking state. Subconcious mind is Chitta, and there all impressions are imbedded.
Mind is the dividing wall between soul and body, he is the "commander in chief", and the senses are soldiers.
Mind is possible to control through Abhyasa or practice, and Vairagya or dispassion.

Samadhi

2009-09-21T06:46:00.000-07:00

Samadhi or Enlightenment is a superconscious state. In that state, union with God or Supreme Being is attained.
The state os Samadhi cannot be described by any means or language. To know what is this state, person must experience this state through direct intiutive cognition.
We can say that this state is all-blissful joy and peace, but the person must feel this oneself.
In Samadhi, the meditator loses his identity and becomes identical with Supreme Self. In this state, meditator and meditated become one.
This experience arises when the ego and mind are dissolved, but samadhi is not a "stone-like" inert state, as many foolish peoples think, it is a magnificient experience of unity and oneness, experience beyond the senses, where seer and sight become one.
Samadhi is the property and birthright of every human being.
There are basically two kinds of Samadhi, and that is Savikalpa and Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
In Savikalpa Samadhi or Samadhi's, there is a triad: the knower, knowledge and knowable. This Samadhi is possible when there is one-pointedness of the mind. There is only partial inhibition of the mind, and the Samskaras or Mind impressions are not burnt.
Nirvikalpa Samadhi is a condition of perfect awareness. In this state, there is a complete inhibition of all mental functions, and Samskaras or Mind impressions are totally burnt. When the Yogi is perfectly established in Nirvikalpa Samadhi, then the seed of rebirth or reincarnation can be totally burnt. Through Nirvikapla Samadhi Yogi attains immortality, the highest or transcendental wisdom and eternal bliss. In this samadhi, the mind, intellect and the senses entirely cease to function. All affections like ignorance, egoism, likes and dislikes, clinging to life mundane, are destroyed. The three Gunas or qualities of the Mind entirely cease to act, and the Yogi is attained Kaivalya, or supreme independence or freedom. The past and the future are blended into the present, and everything is "now" and "here". Time and space are transcended. All sorrows have ceased, all miseries have disappeared. There is eternal freedom.
This state is like ocean without waves. The Yogi experience the exalted state of limitless joy and Immeasurable Peace.
This experience is stupendous, grand and glorious.

Mantra

2009-08-02T05:18:00.000-07:00

The word mantra consist from two Sanskrit words: the first ‘man’ means ‘continual or constant thinking’. The second ‘tra’ means ‘free’. Mantra is a process where you free yourself from worries or doubts, but not from consciousness. The purpose of the mantra is to liberate you from constrictive limitations of mind thought. Through Mantra practice, we can fix the mind upon peace, tranquility, serenity, and equanimity, enabling as to reach deeper into consciousness.
Mantra is mystical sound heard mystically by the sages in their deep states of Samadhi. The sages are passed these words to their disciples. When these disciples chant these words, they go into the higher states of consciousness experienced by their guru.
The efficiency of the mantra is dependent from the spiritual awareness of the guru who gave the mantra, the sound vibration innate within the mantra itself, and the student’s ability to concentrate.
There are four main types of mantra. They are:
1. Vedic mantras
2. Upanishadic mantras
3. Tantric mantras
4. Puranic mantras
Vedic mantras are mantras found in Vedas, the basic ancient scriptures of India, Upanishadic mantras are found in Upanishads, Tantric mantras are found in Tantric texts, and the Puranic mantras are found in the Puranas.
Each main division of mantra are divided into three subdivisions. These are sattvic, rajasic and tamasic. Sattvic mantras have power to produce wisdom, illumination, compassion, or any major attribute of God-consciousness, Rajasic mantras are chanted to produce children, wealth, worldly success, and similar, and Tamasic mantras are used to invoke lower forces from the astral planes. Tamasic mantras are like ‘words of power’ which are used to invoke power through ceremony.
The meaning of mantra is in finding some degree of peace. Mantra produce stirring within the soul of the practicant, which brings positive feelings which produce constructive thinking.

Yogic Diet

2009-05-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

In Yoga, there is a three kinds of food, and that is Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. Sattvic foods are foods like milk, barley, dates, fruits, vegetables, wheat, butter, honey, almonds, etc. These foods brings the mind to pure and calm state. Rajasic foods are foods like fish, eggs, meat, chilliee, etc. These foods brings passion. Tamasic foods are foods like beef, wine, garlic, onions, etc. These foods fill the mind with anger, darkness, and inertia. The practicant of Yoga should take Sattvic foods.
The diet must be moderate and well-balanced, not rich. Moderate diet is when you fill the half of stomach with food, quarter of stomach with water, and allow the remaining part of stomach for expansion of gas. Well-balanced diet is one in which the different principles of diet, like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, etc., exist in proper proportions.
Simple, natural, non-stimulating, tissue-building, energy-producing, non-alcoholic foods and drinks keep the mind calm and pure.
Eating of meat is ruinous and deleterious to health. Eating of meat produces tapeworm and diseases of the kidneys. Control of mind is very difficult for those who eat meat. For example, note how the meat-eating tiger is ferocious, and how the cow and elephant, that live on vegetable food, are mild and graceful.
To be successful in diet, you should not overload your stomach, not be a slave of food and drink, not crave for any particular diet, and not make a fuss about diet. The key to success is taking a simple, natural diet.

Meditation

2008-12-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

There is a much talk about meditation. If you ask somebody does he or she meditate, they can tell you that they do, but meditation isn't really something that you can "do". Meditation is something that happens spontaneously when you're not doing anything, that is a state of absolute non-doing. From this reason, we can say that there is a practice of some particular techniques that hopefully will create the situation where meditation can happen. There is no technique that is meditation. Meditation techniques leads to the situation where meditation can happen spontaneously.
When you practice teachniques of meditation, many crisis will come in your practice, but regular, patient, persistent and persisting practice will lead to success.
Yogis say that the best time to practice meditation is in the early morning, between 4. and 6. AM. In that time, the mind is calm and refreshed. Also, atmosphere is calm, so there are all conditions for undisturbed practice of meditation.

Pranayama

2008-12-17T14:50:00.000-08:00

Pranayama is breath exercise in Yoga. Through Pranayama, breath is restrained and on that way Prana in the body is controlled. Prana is cosmic energy that exist everywhere, it is Life Energy.
Puraka in Yoga means inhalation, Kumbhaka means retention of breath, and Rechaka means exhalation. Yogis have computed that the total number of breaths in a day is 21600., so, a man generally takes fifteen breaths in a minute.
Pranayama techniques purify the body, feelings and mind, fill the body with Life Energy, and clean the body from toksins. Also, practice of Pranayama balance positive and negative mental flows, purify and open nadis (suptil nervous channels) and chakras (suptil energy centers in the body), leads to deidentification from mind and body, awaken kundalini energy or evolutive energy, accomplish control over body and energy, leads to the state of cosmic consciousness, etc...
Person who practice Pranayama will be cheerful, will have light and handsome body, good strength, high standard of health, vigour, vitality, and good concentration of mind.

The Three Gunas

2008-12-17T14:43:00.000-08:00

There is three Gunas or qualities of the human mind. They are Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. When Sattva dominate, man is calm and serene. When Rajas dominate, man is agitated or excited. When Tamas dominate, man is dull and foolish. These Gunas are the primary constituents of Prakriti or Nature. They are the bases of substances. The purpose of Yoga is transcending these three Gunas.
The fruit of Sattvic action is happiness, the fruit of Rajastic action is pain, and the fruit of Tanasic action is ignorance. These three Gunas are present in all human beings. No one is free from the operation of any one of the three Gunas. These qualities of the Gunas are not constant. Sometimes Sattva predominates, sometimes the other two, Rajas and Tamas predominates. Rajas and Tamas are pitfalls on the spiritual path. When Sattva predominates, a man is endowed with discrimination, pure reason and pure understanding.

Asanas

2008-12-11T10:01:00.000-08:00

Asanas are the name for yoga meditational postures. Asanas refine and reform the body, especially muscles of the body. This includes the muscles of the internal organs. Muscles are refined through dilatation and contraction. Through tension of muscles, function of all organs and systems in the body become improved. Asanas strenghten muscles, elbows become elastic, and all internal organs and systems naturally function.

Practice of asanas is a path to health and well being. When you practice asanas where it is needed to move your body, function of your body cells will be raised, and as a result of that, toksins will be throwed away from the walls of the cells. When you practice static asanas, energetic flow in the body will be raised, as well as flow of the blood, and toksins will be eliminated from the body.

If you want to progress in your practice of asanas, you need to practice according to your capacity, and not to force. Patient, persistent and regular practice is a key for success in practicing of asanas.

Yama and Niyama

2008-12-07T13:37:00.000-08:00

Yama and Niyama are ethical rules that person who is on the path of Yoga must follow. These rules are important, because when the practicant of yoga follow these rules, he will have calmer mind, and will have less distractions in practice of meditation. The practicant, of course, cannot fulfill all the rules, but he must follow the rules as much as he can.
The Yama and Niyama rules comprehend 10. rules, 5. rules have Yama, and 5. rules have Niyama. Yama rules are rules of social discpline, and Niyama rules are rules of individual discipline. They are the next:

Yama:

- Ahimsa - non-violence. This rule means not harming other people, any other sentient beings, and oneself. Also, not harming the environment. We must be tolerant even for that which we dislike, and not speaking that which, even though truthful, would injure others,

Satya - truthfulness. This rule means not intending to deceive others in our thoughts, as well as our words and actions,

Asteya - non-stealing. This rule means that we do not take that which do not belong to as, or it is not given to as,

Brahmacarya - sexual responsibility. This rule means treating others as human beings rather than as male and female bodies. Here we must comserve our energy for the purpose of spiritual practice. This includes not only sexual restraint, but protecting our energy for instance by avoiding endless chattering with no clear purpose,

Aparigraha - abstention from greed. This rule means not wishing something that is not ours. We must avoid here unnecessary acquisition of objects that are not essential to maintaining life only, or that are not essential to spiritual study;

Niyama:

Sauca - cleanliness. This rule means external cleanliness of the body, as well as internal cleanliness such as avoiding the impurities of anger and egoism. Also, we must be here moderate in eating,

Santosa - contentment. This rule means not spiritual complacence, but acceptance of ours external situations we have in our life,

Tapas - austerity. This rule means deep commitment to our yoga practice,

Svadhyaya - self-study. This rule means spiritual self-education. This is contemplation and application of the scriptures or sacred texts of our path,

Isvara pranidhana - surrender of the self to God. This rule means that we must surrender the fruits of our actions to God. It is giving up our egotistical illusion that we know best, and accepting that the way life unfolds may be part of a pattern too complex to understand. This is not passive inactivity, it is also action. We must be modest and humble.

In the next lesson, I will write something about asanas or postures for meditation.

What Is Yoga

2008-12-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

Yoga is complete life. He is method that improve all aspects of human personality. It is also a system of integral education, but not only education of body and mind, or intellect, but and of inner spirit.
Yoga is path from evil to good, then from good to holiness, and then to eternal divine glory. It is a art of properly living. When you learn how to properly live, you will be happy, harmonious, filled with peace and released from tension.
Yoga is science perfected from the side of ancient sages of India, not merely in India, but of humanity as a whole. It is exact science, perfect, and practical system of self-culture.
Yoga do not avoid life. He demands transformation and spiritualisation of life. Yoga is, in first place, the way of life, and not something that is apart from life. It is not passivity and renunciation from action, but it is efficient execution in proper spirit. You don't have to flee from the house and places where are peoples, yoga is a proces of forming a attitude towards home and society with new understanding.
Since yoga is for all, it is universal. Yoga is not sectarian affair, it is a path to God. Yoga is not a creed, also. Practice of Yoga is not in opposition with any religion, or holy Church. Yoga is pure spiritual, and universal, and it is not against any sincere belief of anybody.
Since Yoga is not religion, it is a help in practicing basic spiritual Truths in all religions. You can practice Yoga if you belong to any faith, or religion, or if you are atheist. To be a yogi means to abide continuously in God, and to be in peace with humanity. Yoga is union with God, and union with everything, since God dwell in everything.
Many peoples think that Yoga is constituted from some physical exercises, or that it is constituted from some postures and exercises of breathing, but that is mistake. That idea is totally wrong. This is only helpful tools in practicing Yoga. Most people do not have access to Yoga beyond its physival level, because yoga demands personal discipline connected with intense thinking under the guidance of competent yoga teacher. The promise of Yoga is superphysical and spiritual blessing. Yoga is not attractive to common man who clamours for immediate fruits and wordly prosperity.

My First Post

2008-12-05T18:36:00.000-08:00

This is my first post on this blog. I am Dejan, from Serbia, and I was interested in yoga and spiritual teachings since I was teenager. I was first became curious in this teachings reading some magazine in my language about this teachings. After some time, I was meet and instructor of yoga and my guru, and I was still teenager. I was studying yoga, and many other spiritual teachings with this guru in his private "Academy Of Esoteric Sciences". That was from 1993. to 1996. After 1996, the Academy was stop to work, since this guru was migrate with his family to Canada. In any way, after studying in this Academy, I was continue to research many spiritual methods and techniques on my own, and through talks with one my friend who was also studying in this Academy with me, but who live and work today as a yoga instructor.

I have named this blog "Yoga Lectures", since I will try to post some quality articles and lessons about yoga here, including both two parts of yoga, theory or philosophy, and practice. When the practice is in question, I will write, from time to time, about some yoga techniques as it is asanas (body postures), pranayamas (techniques of breathing), and about many different meditation techniques. Anyone who visit this blog will be in possibility to get many good informations and knowledge about yoga, and to try to practice many yoga and meditation techniques that I will describe here.

Also, anyone who have any questions, can contact me through my e-mail address displayed in my profile (to find this e-mail address, click on the link "View My Complete Profile" on the right side of this blog).

In any way, thank you for visiting this blog, and I hope you will enjoy!

All the best.