075 Posting.txt
Dharmadeva
Namaskar
So, "yoga" is "union". Not as in union of mind and body; but as in union of
self/unit consciousness with the Divine/Cosmic Consciousness. This is the
only essence of tantra.
It is necessary to go back to the root meanings of the Sanskrit word of
'yoga' (pronounced 'joga'). It is not to do with yoke. Union of body and
mind makes no sense as both are relative entities and relative entities
cannot attain permanent union. They are subject to time, space and person.
Rationally the only union possible is with the Consciousness that is beyond
relativity. That is, the Infinite Consciousness. There can never be
ultimate union of body and mind mainly because the body dies. However,
there can be harmony between them but union is impossible.
In Sanskrit, yoga can mean addition. For instance two plus two is equal to
four. But, for a mystic, for an aspirant of the mystic goal, or mystic
desideratum - spiritual Self, Yoga is not only addition, but here Yoga means
unification. What sort of unification? It is just like sugar and water. In
case of addition, say, there are two apples - in case of addition there will
be one apple, then two, three, four. Every apple will maintain its
individuality or its identity. Before addition the identity that was
maintained by a particular apple remains the same even after addition. But
in case of unification, ie sugar and water, you won't find the sugar any
more ; it becomes one with the water. This is unification. In the realm of
mysticism, yoga means this type of unification, ie just like sugar and
water, and not like two plus two.
Two plus two - what does it do? It maintains these egos in a street of
egos. A pedestrian looking at shop windows seeing only their own
reflection, but never practising the art of inner reflection.
--
If one's attachment is channelised towards any supra-psychic or spiritual
object it may be called `prema' or `love'. But love in the physical and
psychic spheres is called `ka'ma' and not `prema'. Ka'ma occurs when one has
an attachment to run after name, fame, education, intellect and so on.
Many people think that ka'ma means `sex', but this is not correct. Ka'ma
means the endeavour to obtain certain things in the physical and psychic
levels. So bhakti (devotion) and prema (love) are only applicable in the
case of psychic and spiritual movement towards God . This ever-flowing
mental thought-wave channelised towards Iishvara (the Cosmic Controller) is
the highest human achievement. To achieve this, advanced mental power is
required and that is why it is only within the reach of the human mind.
For this spiritual practices are required which must be based on intuitional
science.
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Nothing is outside of the highest reality. SO you must be able to reach your
goal, liberation, nirvana - it is a matter of transcedence, non-attachment
and the like.
Physical union is not a permanent union of any type. There are 2 sexes
simply because human beings are more evolved. Metazoic creatures tend to
split their form, protazoic creatures have sex differentiation. That is
plain evolution. The higher the species the greater the sex differentiation
at the physical and crude mind level, but not at the levels of higher mind
at all.
Sex organs are located at the pelvis area (not on the head and not in the
pineal gland - the seat of the sahasrara chakra) because nature wanted to
give most importance to sex organs for the sake of reproduction. So sexual
stimulus is the first one that gets most sympathetic energy. But it is an
ordinary level of experience, so much bound by relativity that its
enjoyments ceases quickly on the act having been performed. If one craves
for it one become obsessed with the normal, not with the transcendental.
What progress you want to make and where you are going to is the question
and task. The question is what elevates the mind. One can experiment and
be like an ox going around the mill - round and round only.
Knowingly or unknowingly everybody - everyone - strives for the infinite
happiness, which is only beyond relativity and can be called love for God.
The movement of a spiritual aspirant towards this goal is their spiritual
progress, and it is achieved through spiritual practice and cult/ure.
Non-wastage of vital energy accelerates the speed of spiritual progress.
Spiritual progress of human beings is never possible without devotion. By
dint of that, one attains Supreme Consciousness - Shiva - Divinity - one
becomes identified with God This is the summum bonum of human life.
Regarding selfless love, it is said in the tantras:
"The attitude which makes the mind smooth and placid, and radiant with the
deepest love for the Lord, is called divine love".
Divine Love is the attraction for Paramatman - the Supreme Soul of all souls
- overcoming the attraction for all other finite objects. So it is said:
"That those who are endowed with such divine love are bound to receive the
grace of Cosmic Consciousness (Parama Purusa) - they need not worry about
it. If they practise the spiritual cult or practices regularly, and arouse
devotion then they are certain to attain the grace of Parama Purus'a. This
grace need not be huge in quantity -- even a wee bit of it will be enough."
--
`Ku' means world and `la' means to hold. That which the world holds is
called Kula. It can also mean unit force of the unit being. The lowest part
of the vertebral column or spine is also called Kula in Sanskrit.
The coiled force situated at this Kula is called Kulakundalinii.
The Sleeping Divinity in the human body lies in the lowermost portion of
your backbone That Sleeping Divinity is called Kundalinii. Kundalinii means
' in coiled form'. In Sanskrit Kundalinii means "coiled", "serpentine
loop", "serpentine coil".
Note: Jilipii [a fried sweet] is also called Kundalinii in Sanskrit because
it is coiled.
--
Mind (of itself) is blind
Now, mind (of itself) is blind. With the help of conscience, it is able to
see and visualise. So the mind is Dhirtaras'tra (who was blind), and its
forces, that is, the ten agents, the ten organs (5 sensory and 5 motor
organs), can work in ten directions simultaneously. So the mind has 10 x 10
or 100 external expressions. Or in other words, Dhirtaras'tra has one
hundred sons (ie in a clan sense - not necessarily physically). As was the
case in the Mahabharata.
What about the 5 Pandavas (brothers)? They are the five factors in the human
structure.
Sahadeva is the solid factor represented by the Mu'la'dha'r Cakra (1st
chakra) capable of answering everything.
Next is Nakula at Svadhistan Cakra (2nd cakra). Nakula means "water", which
flows having no boundaries - the liquid factor.
Next is Arjuna, the representation of energy or force, luminous at the
Manipur Cakra (3rd cakra) - always fighting to maintain balance.
Then Bheema, the son of Pavana or Vayu, the aerial factor, at the Ana'ha't
Cakra (4th cakra).
Finally, the position of Yudhisthira is at the Vishuddha Cakra (5th cakra)
where matter ends and the other world starts. So in the fight between
materialists and spiritualists, in the struggle between matter and the
sublime, Yudhisthira remains undisturbed, unperturbed. One who remains
steady in battle is called "Yudhisthira".
A'jina' cakra (6th chakra) is of 2 propensities (apara - secular knowledge
and para - spiritual knowledge)
Krs'na or Supreme Consciousness is above the Sahasrara Cakra (7th cakra
located at the crown of the head).
--
Mind has to be reborn
After death the mind is incapable of any action due to the lack of its
physical base, the brain, and has to be reborn for experiencing reactions of
its previous actions. Hence the conception of hell or heaven where a human
being is supposed to go after death is entirely incorrect. It is believed
that as a result of one's good deeds one experiences all the pleasures in
heaven and pain in hell for one's evil deeds. But pleasure and pain cannot
be experienced by the mind which in the state after death is nonfunctional
until on rebirth it acquires a new brain. Conception of a world of heaven or
hell after death is a greatly mistaken imagination. There is no other world
where heaven and hell exist. It is in this mortal world only where one has
to be reborn to experience the pleasures of heaven and the sufferings of
hell.
Rebirth also shows that there is nothing like spirits or souls that become
ghosts. If rebirth has been rationally accepted the question of the
existence of ghosts does not arise. It is due to mind's incapacity to work
and experience reaction that it has to be reborn along with its unit
consciousness (soul). This shows that mind cannot experience any reaction
until it is reborn after death and hence cannot feel pleasure and pain
without its physical base, the brain. It is only either rebirth or the
existence of ghosts that can be accepted. The two are contradictory.
Rationally rebirth is bound to occur, as mind is not able to perform any
function or experience results or reaction without the brain, which it can
only acquire with a new body on rebirth. If mind could function without the
brain it could carry on intuitional practice (spiritual practice) for the
onward march for merger with Cosmic Consciousness (God), in its existence
after death, but that is not so. Mind can never function without that brain
and so rebirth has to be accepted and the existence of ghosts denied and
considered only imaginary.
--
The Ananda Marga Web page has a new page entitled "How to Learn Meditation".
It has several articles written by Ananda Marga meditation teachers and
covers several aspects of meditation. In addition there is even on-line
instruction in the beginning techniques of meditation. You can get to it by
going to:
http://www.amps.org/amnews/meditation.htm
and then clicking on the "Learn to Meditate" link near the top of the page.
At the site:
you will find information about Ananda Marga's Neo-Humanist method of
education.
--
Ananda Marga
Ananda Marga is a contemporary form of Tantric Yoga based on a synthesis of
traditional tantric and yogic practices. It also comprises a programme of
social service and social reform, such as schools, orphanages and programmes
for the rural poor. It sometimes describes itself as a philosophy, way of
life or socio-spiritual organization. Practitioners follow a regime of
twice daily practice of meditation and also yoga asanas, and there is a
particular focus on chanting. In addition, there is a system of rules
regarding conduct, posture, hygiene, food and fasting, and service.
History
Founded in 1955 in Bihar, India, by Shrii Shrii Anandamurti (b.1921 with the
name of Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar). During the 1970s it spread from India all
over the world, including the USA and Western Europe.
The organization was unjustifiably banned by Indira Ghandi (as where many
organiations) in India during the 1970s Emergency, when many of its schools
were closed down and several members imprisoned on false charges. During
this period Anandamurti was also imprisoned on false charges of conspiracy
to murder, though finally acquitted. There were many protests of
persecution from the members.
People mostly participate as:
1) Acharyas, who are full-time, fully committed nuns and monks; and
2) Margiis, or general practitioners initiated into tantric mediation
Symbols
The Didi and Dada wholetimers (female and male who are also acharyas) wear
the saffron dress.
Chanting is central, and the main chant is BA'BA NA'M KEVALAM, which is
intended to focus the mind on Supreme Consciousness.
Ananda Marga has a strong focus on purity, emphasized by strict hygiene and
dietary practices, including a vegetarian diet from which garlic and onions
are excluded. Wholetimers practise celibacy, and Margiis regard the sanctity
of tantric marriage as the ideal of Shiva and Parvatii.
--
Neo-Humanist Schools From Around The World
Ananda Marga has established over a thousand schools world wide. Many of
these schools are in deprived environments where the teacher, parents and
children struggle to find the simplest of equipment. Other schools have been
recognized by the governmental education authorities and given funding.
From the perspective of the west many of the third world schools will look
very poor indeed, yet they have significant support from their communities
and provide sound elementary education where none was to be found before.
A common theme in all Neo-Humanist schools are high levels of play and
enthusiasm. Parents work closely with the school authorities and there are
high levels of community ownership and participation. Many of the schools
are managed by Ananda Marga monks and nuns who work tirelessly and
voluntarily to bring joy and learning into the lives of the young.
There is a diversity of schools practicing Neo-Humanist education
world-wide.
AMPS High School - Ananda Nagar, India
River School - Maleny, Australia
Vistara Primary School - Lismore, Australia
Sunrise School - Copenhagen, Denmark
Sunrise School - London, UK
--