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THE TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES OF YOGA |
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The Light of Consciousness YOGA is the Light that removes the veil of limited and flawed
knowledge from man's eyes that he may see the Truth. Just as dawn is the
light that dispels the darkness of night, so Truth is the light that dispels
the darkness of nescience or ignorance. Truth and Light are identical in their function of revealing
reality. For this reason, in Yoga, the word Light (Prakasha)
has a very special significance. God, the Supreme Being, Himself is known as The Great Light
(Mahaprakasha), Infinite Light (Anantaprakasha), Amitabha
(Boundless Radiance), etc. In particular, Light stands for that power whereby
living beings from the smallest to the Supreme, perceive, know or understand,
that is to say, the power of intelligence, knowledge, consciousness or
Spirit. The Yogis of Ancient India discovered the light of
consciousness as the principle upon which all intelligent life depends: a
discovery that the modern World only now begins to appreciate. In the same way as our outer life depends on sunlight, our
inner life depends on the light of consciousness. Therefore, knowledge of
Consciousness is the highest science. Mankind is doomed to blunder about
in the darkness of ignorance until the paramount importance of Consciousness
is acknowledged by all. Levels of Reality As a non-physical force, Intelligence or Consciousness (Samvid) has its origin in the higher dimensions of
existence. In common with all true Spiritual traditions, Yoga teaches
that there are various dimensions or levels of reality which are comparable
to the Multiple Universes or Parallel Worlds of modern science. While Western
scientists are only just beginning to explore the boundaries of the physical
Universe, the higher dimensions of existence have been well-known to
Enlightened Yogis from times immemorial. Although there are as many dimensions as there are living
Souls, they are usually divided into three basic Planes, Terrestrial, Astral
and Celestial, according to the stages of experience to which they belong. The Home of all Souls The Higher Planes constitute Shiva's World of Light. In
the same way as the Sun represents the Physical World's centre and source of
light, Shiva's World of Light represents the Centre and Source of Light in
the Spiritual World. Indeed, it is the Origin of everything that exists. It
is the birthplace and true home of all Souls. Souls are Light-Beings, that is, luminous entities, who
originally led a happy and peaceful life within the infinite expanse of
Shiva's Universal Consciousness. At a subsequent stage in the history of the
Universe, it became necessary for some Souls to abandon their condition of
unity and harmony with the Celestial Light World and descend to lower, less
luminous planes of existence. One such plane is Planet Earth where Souls acquire material
bodies as a means of working out certain latent impulses or tendencies (samskaras). Close association with a physical body
and distance from the Universal Source Light leads these Souls to identify
with the body and isolate themselves from their original non-material source.
Thus they wander from life to life until they re-discover their true self and
true home. Yoga is the process of Harmonisation
and Unification - the word Yoga literally means Unity - whereby embodied
Souls are empowered to see clearly again and return to their natural state of
Peace and Happiness by re-establishing a link with the Original Source of
Light which is the Fountainhead of all Life and Supreme Well-Spring of
Goodness. Gods, Angels and Gurus: our Spiritual
Friends On their return journey to the Source, Souls are guided either
directly by the Universal Consciousness (Shiva) Himself or by those Evolved Souls
who have already attained a state of Unity with Him. In the West, such beings are usually called Angels (Divine
Messengers), an Eastern word which along with Paradise and other religious
terms points to the Eastern origin of Western faiths. In the East they are
called Radiant Ones (Devas). In Yoga, they
are also known as Great Souls (Mahatmas) or simply Friends (Bandhu). Enlightened Yoga Masters (who are Masters of
Universal Unity) belong to this class of beings who serve the function of
assisting human Souls in finding happiness in earthly life and, on a higher
level, elevating Humanity to Higher Spiritual dimensions. Yoga: The Key to Happiness and Fulfilment The practice of Yoga attracts the attention and protection of
higher beings who guide the Seekers upon the Path. This is another key teaching of Yoga, namely, that nobody is
alone. The Universe is a Great Unity or Community of Souls helping, and
interacting with, each other in many different ways. However, no amount of help can make a difference unless and
until man himself makes a personal effort to advance on the scale of
existence. It is only by making a conscious effort that we can advance upon
the Glorious Yoga Path to Unity with the Supreme. One of the World's greatest scholars and celebrated founding
father of Western Psychology, Professor Carl Gustav Jung, famously declared
that Yoga offers undreamed-of possibilities. Indeed, Yoga enables man to
attain the Four Goals of Life (Chatur Varga) which are: Material Prosperity (Artha), Fulfilment in Love (Kama), Righteousness (Dharma) and Spiritual
Liberation (Nirvana). As the Supreme Lord declares in His Eternal Revelation:
"It is by the Power of Yoga, which is Unity with the Supreme,
that man's material life is kept in order. It is by the Power of Yoga
that man is united with his heart's desire. It is by the Power of Yoga that
Righteousness is established in man's heart. It is by the Power of Yoga, too,
that man is united with Me. Thus, Yoga or Unity (Samyoga)
is the essence of all life" (Shiva Rahasya
5:54). INTRODUCTION TO YOGA PRACTICE The Conscious Cultivation of Positive Energy and Harmony The practice of Yoga is based on energy (Shakti,
in Sanskrit). Energy is a power or force that has the capacity to act or work
by producing changes in itself and in other forces
with which it comes into contact. In Spiritual terms, Energy is the power
whereby intelligence, the conscious Soul, acts and interacts with the World. Human life and all activities upon which it is based - e.g.,
breathing, feeling, thinking, perceiving - is nothing but a constant exchange
of energies, inner and outer. Harmonious energy exchanges result in a
harmonious, healthy and happy life. Lack of harmony results in conflict,
imbalance and pain. However, the play of energies that constitutes human life
would be incomplete or even meaningless without reference to Intelligence or Consciousness
(Samvid). Consciousness is a higher force that
has the capacity to act upon, influence and direct the activities of Energy.
The state of our consciousness, therefore, is instrumental in determining the
happiness and success (or unhappiness and failure) of our life. The Soul's
natural state of peace and happiness can be disrupted either temporarily or
more permanently - though never completely so - by a vitiated consciousness.
That is to say, when Consciousness is contaminated by wrong knowledge, false
beliefs, etc., our life goes wrong despite the best of our efforts. The Three Defects (Tri-Mala) The three main causes of Disharmony are the following Three
Defects or Taints (Tri-Mala) of
Consciousness: Spiritual Ignorance, Wrong Knowledge and Wrong Action. (1)
Spiritual Ignorance or Wrong Belief is ignorance of a Higher
Reality as the Ultimate Source of all things. (2) Wrong Knowledge is a
Soul's illusory perception of himself as a limited and isolated physical
body. (3) Wrong Action is all forms of activity, mental, verbal and
physical, a human being engages in on the basis of the first two defects. As a result of the Three Defects, man experiences Disharmony,
Disunity, Separation and Conflict between himself and the Ultimate Life
Source; between himself and his own Soul; and between himself and other
Souls. Thus his life becomes a struggle to regain the original state of
Harmony and Unity. The Three Remedies (Tri-Ratna) As the Spirituality of Absolute Harmony and Unity, Yoga
teaches that life need not be a struggle. Indeed, life is designed to be a
harmonious co-operation between the Supreme Being, individual Souls and the
Natural World. The fact is that nothing good can be achieved except through
Unity and Harmony with the Supreme Being Who is the Supreme Principle of
Goodness (Parama Shiva). Any attempt to find
harmony, health and happiness by other means can only result in further
suffering. To put an end to suffering and to re-establish Universal Unity
and Harmony, the Three Defects (Tri-Mala) have to
be removed by means of the Three Precious Remedies or Three Jewels (Tri-Ratna) of Right Spiritual Awareness or Right
Belief (Sat Darshana), Right Knowledge (Sat Jnana) and Right Action (Sat Achara). Right Belief is belief in a Higher Reality as the One
Source of all things. Right Knowledge is knowledge of the Oneness of
all things. Right Action or Right Conduct is the sum total of
actions, mental, verbal and physical, performed on the basis of the first
two. The systematic removal of these Defects is not merely a
choice but a Universal Duty (Vishva Dharma) which
all living beings are obliged to discharge to the best of their abilities. Yoga therefore prescribes a series of Observances (Nityakarma) or Duties (Dharma) which together constitute
a Conscious Spiritual Effort (Sadhana) leading to
Perfect Harmony and Unity with the Supreme. The entire Spiritual Process that
brings about the Awakening of the Soul to Life in Unity with the Supreme
consists of four distinct steps: 1. Hearing the Truth (Shravana)
2. Thinking on the Truth (Manana) 3. Living in Unity with the Truth (Bhavana) 4. Becoming One with the Truth (Shiva-Samdhana) By taking refuge in the Universal Truth, a human being who
previously led an illusory existence, discards all false beliefs, feelings
and actions and attunes himself with the Supreme Being, thereby becoming
eminently real. Thus the Soul proceeds from Untruth to Truth, from Darkness
to Light, from Death to Everlasting Life. The Truth is that the Supreme Principle of Goodness (Shiva)
is the Highest Reality and Yoga is the Path that leads to That Reality.
Having heard this Truth from a competent Teacher or from Scriptural
Revelation, the Seeker enters upon the Path. The Four Stages or Degrees of Yoga Practice are: Entering upon
the Path, Becoming Established on the Path, Advancing on the Path and
Arriving. The Seeker enters upon the Path by accepting the Truth with the
words "Shiva (The Supreme Principle of Goodness) is the Highest Truth
and Yoga is the Path that leads to Him". This is known as Declaration of
Faith (Shraddha) and constitutes the first of the Five
Duties (Pancha Dharma). The other four Duties
are Remembering the Holy Name (Smarana), Charity (Daya or Dana), Fasting in honour of Lord Shiva (Upavasa)
and Pilgrimage or Journey to Sacred Places (Yatra). These five are called Duties (Dharmas)
because they are obligatory for all followers of Yoga. Indeed, as the Supreme
Lord Himself declared they ought to be observed by all of Mankind
irrespective of religious creed. Various forms thereof are in fact observed
by all of the World's great faiths. The observance of the Five Dharmas constitutes the Entrance (Stage One) and Becoming
Established (Stage Two) upon the Path. It is well to remember at this point that, strictly speaking,
only that which is perfect can attain Unity with the Perfect One. Although
the Five Duties are a necessary start, the fact is that they are seldom
sufficient to render an imperfect human being perfect and capable of
experiencing Unity with the Supreme. The systematic perfecting of the Soul is
therefore required in order to proceed to Stage Three (Advancing on the Path)
and Four (Arriving). This gradual perfecting of the Soul is attained by means
of the Eightfold Path of Yoga (Ashta-Patha)
consisting of the Three Preliminary and the Five Advanced Practices.
While up to Stages One and Two, Yoga has many elements in common with other
Paths, it is the Eightfold Path of Yoga that distinguishes it from and
elevates it above all other Paths. What is important to understand is that activities such as
praying, alms-giving, visiting temples, fasting, pilgrimage and the like
merely serve the purpose of keeping the faithful on the right track. They are
no guarantee that those who observe them will attain Perfection and admission
to the Highest Heaven in their next life. Indeed, in most cases, more than
one life is necessary to attain the goal. Although the observance of the above practices will as a rule
prevent the faithful from falling from the right path, the final goal will be
attained only after many lifetimes. Moreover, due to the weaknesses of the unawakened Soul, a person may at a future point deviate
from the right path, thereby indefinitely prolonging his journey. This is
evidenced by the fact that even among those nations with a high participation
in religious observances, life may be burdened by
all kinds of errors and defects. By contrast, the Eightfold Path of Yoga guarantees attainment
of the Highest Goal in one to three lifetimes at the most, depending
on the amount of effort put into the practice and according to the Will of
the Supreme. This is evidenced by the fact that advanced practisers
of Yoga often attain Enlightenment in their present life. Says Scripture: "He who is
devoted to the Supreme Principle of Goodness (Shiva) even as others are
devoted to material things, shall be liberated whether or not he performs the
holy rites. He returns to this World once, twice or thrice and then no more.
For he goes to the Abode of Shiva" (Shiva Purana,
Vayaviya Samhita, II). Due to the fact that Souls ascend to higher planes of
existence upon attaining Perfect Enlightenment, only those who fail to
elevate themselves are reborn on Earth. Rising materialism resulting from
defective political, economic and religious beliefs means that fewer and
fewer Souls attain Enlightenment. This leads to a rising proportion of
unenlightened Souls living a life of ignorance, confusion, conflict and
disease. Indeed, life on
Earth is becoming more and more a struggle between positive and negative
forces and true Spiritual life is becoming more and more difficult. Without
Spirituality life becomes meaningless and vulnerable to destructive energies
that will eventually wipe out all life from the face of the Earth. To prevent the extinction of human life on Earth humankind
must align itself with the forces of Good. This alignment is known as Yoga or
Unity with the Supreme Principle of Goodness. To achieve a healthy and balanced society, a
minimum of twenty per cent (20%) of the total population must practise the Eightfold Path of Yoga. This applies both nationally
and globally. The World can arrest its Spiritual and material downfall and
change its course for the better only if the Eightfold Path of Yoga is
regularly practised by at least a fifth of the
global population. THE EIGHT PRACTICES OF YOGA THREE PRELIMINARY PRACTICES (PRATHAMIKA
NITYAKARMA) 1. Self-Discipline (Yama)
2. Spiritual Observance (Niyama) 3.
Posture (Asana) FIVE ADVANCED PRACTICES (KARTAGAMA
NITYAKARMA) 4. Breath Control (Pranayama)
5. Detachment (Pratyahara) 6. Concentration (Dharana)
7. Meditation (Dhyana) 8. Inward
Absorption (Samadhi) One of the unique features that highlight the universal
character of Yoga is that it offers both specific physical exercises and
Spiritual techniques for those who are more physically or more Spiritually
inclined. By contrast, Western religions tend to stay well clear of both
physical exercise and Spiritual techniques of awareness-expansion and rely
exclusively on beliefs and rituals which moreover are constantly
reinterpreted by their leaders to suit the political agendas of the day.
Yogic teachings and practices, on the other hand, have remained as
uncorrupted, powerful and effective as always. While it should be obvious that the practice of Yoga,
especially in its more advanced stages, requires a certain degree of
discipline and commitment, the good news is that it may be practised by everybody irrespective of social, cultural
or religious background, and according to each person's capacity, interests
and needs. The only requirement is adherence to the Law of Unity with the
Supreme (Yoga Dharma). True happiness and fulfilment may be obtained only by adhering to this Law which is the Eternal Law of the Universe (Sanatana Dharma) and the Expression of the Supreme Principle of Goodness (Parama Shiva). Considering that the reward for adhering to It is nothing more nor less than the attainment of the Four Goals of Life (Material Prosperity, Love, Righteousness and Spiritual Liberation), no effort ought to be spared by all thoughtful people in the World to embrace and follow the Path of Yoga to the best of their abilities.
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