This set consists of the following 10 Books: 1. Mantras For Beginners 2. Chakras and Nadis For Beginners 3. Kundalini For Beginners 4. Bhakti Yoga For Beginners 5. Karma Yoga For Beginners 6. Hatha Yoga For Beginners 7. Tantra Yoga For Beginners 8. Kriya Yoga For Beginners 9. Jnana Yoga For Beginners 10. Meditation For Beginners
ISBN: 9788120752290 Edition:2010
How often have you heard a mantra and wondered what is meant? Have you ever thought about the power a mantra has to change your life?
This book makes the essence of mantras accessible in the simplest of language. You need this book to realize the potential within you and to make your life more meaningful.
The use of mantras, for self-realisation and for knowing God, has been made in India since time immemorial. Nevertheless, study and research has shown that mantras were used in different parts of the world, by people of all faiths and traditions, although in a limited way. Mantras used in conjunction with other practices, such as yoga and meditation, have been found to yield quicker results.
In this small book, I endeavour to present the theory and practice of mantras as it has been used at our academy for several years. Nevertheless, I wish to thank the authors whose works I have consulted from time to time. My thanks are also due to William. Henry Belk II for discussing various aspects of this book with me. Last but not the least; I thank Jytte Kumar Larsen for providing computing facilities.
Aarti, puja, chanting of mantras — these have been my companions, for long, under all conditions. When we chant the ‘name of God’ we find that it is a combination of sacred syllables. These syllables are different in different faiths and traditions. For example, Hindus call such a combination a mantra. Hence, a mantra might be known by various names in different parts of the world. Such a combination of sacred syllables is believed to have some spiritual meaning, and chanting it leads to a spiritual experience. To understand the meaning and effect of such sacred syllables is the subject matter of this book.
ISBN:9788120752238 Edition:2010
Kundalini passes through seven chakras (energy vortices) in the spine and uses three main nadis (energy channels). The gradual awakening of the chakras transforms the personality and eventually makes one superhuman. This book is a must for those who wish to convert insignificant life into something worthwhile and meaningful, and thus attain inner peace and happiness.
Swami Atmananda (formerly Professor Ravindra Kumar) is a Ph.D. in mathematics from IIT Delhi. He has taught in ten countries. His kundalini is awakened. He is Founder President of Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul (AKYQS), and guides people in yoga/meditation for self-realization.
Kundalini energy is the basis of evolution and it works through the centres of energy, called chakras, and associated nerves, called nadis. Transformation of personality in a practitioner takes place gradually as the various chakras open up. It also depends on the nadis. Each one is important — the most important being sushumna through which the Kundalini is supposed to rise for self-realisation. It is the continuation of “Kundalini Yoga” on the practical side.
This book provides concise information on what one should know about chakras and nadis. The next book, titled ‘Kundalini’ is based on my personal experiences over the years of awakening, although a large number of publications have been consulted from time to time. An exhaustive theoretical study as well as practical’s are possible at the Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul at any of its centres around the world. Things were made easy through computing and related facilities provided by Jytte Kumar Larsen, to whom I am very grateful.
There are seven stations or chakras along the spinal column through which the Kundalini passes, on awakening. These stations are defined differently by different people according to their interest, training or perceptions. Thus, a doctor may call a chakra a bunch of nerves that forms the plexus, a clairvoyant may call it a vortex of energy moving in a circular path, a yogi or mystic may define them as points of varying consciousness, a tantric may define them as centres of paranormal powers, and so on. Each one of them is correct in his / her description since all these properties and some more are possessed by the chakras.
A chakra cannot be seen as a physical object since it belongs to the subtle realm. It can only be visualised through its properties, just as mind can be visualised through its thoughts, electricity can be visualised through the fan as it rotates, and so on. People engaged in pranayama activate energy, which can be seen through fluctuations in impulses recorded in chakra-machines which have been invented recently. Similarly, the functioning of nadis can be measured and used for diagnosing disease tendencies before their manifestation through machines invented by, for example, Dr Hiroshi Motoyama of Japan.
Chakras are symbolised by lotuses, since a lotus corresponds to three different levels of spirituality. It is rooted in the mud - ignorance, endeavours through water to reach the top - action, and finally reaches out in the air to receive the light from the sun - enlightenment. This represents the quest of man from dusk to dawn. There are other things associated with the chakras, such as, colours, mantras, experiences, etc.
In layayoga one actually locates the trigger points of chakras and then concentrates on them. In kundalini yoga and kriya yoga one concentrates on reflections of actual trigger points on the front surface of the body. The sensation thus created on the surface passes to the chakra through the nerves and then to the brain in this order.
There are three psychic knots, called granthis, which may obstruct the path of the awakened kundalini. Brahma granthi lies around the root centre and it corresponds to inertia, attachment to objects of pleasure and selfishness. Vishnu granthi lies around the heart centre and it corresponds to action, ambition, passion, attachment to people and inner visions. Rudra granthi lies around the eyebrow centre and is related with attachment to paranormal powers (siddhis). For spiritual progress to be made, one has to take and pass tests at all the three levels.
It is through the awakening of the chakras that the practitioner gains awareness of and entry to the higher realms of existence. Practises of opening the chakras one after the other, is the practical side of kundalini yoga.
Accordingly, it is advisable to study the theory of kundalini yoga before coming to the chakras and nadis, or the two should be studied in association. Although I had been a professor of mathematics for more than thirty years, having taught in about eight countries, I regularly practised yoga and meditation. Therefore, the transformations through chakras are described according to my own experiences with kundalini over the years. Nevertheless, the classical experiences of established yogis have been the guidelines.
ISBN: 9788120752283 Edition: 2010
For most people living ordinary lives, only 15 to 20 per cent of the brain works. On awakening of the kundalini, dormant parts of the brain begins to work, and people achieve the extraordinary in their fields. Eventually, self-realisation dawns.
Based on the personal experiences of the author, this book defines kundalini and presents various methods for its awakening.
Swami Atmananda (formerly Professor Ravindra Kumar) is a Ph.D. in mathematics from IIT Delhi. He has taught in ten countries. His kundalini is awakened. He is Founder President of Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul (AKYQS), and guides people in yoga/meditation for self-realisation.
Kundalini yoga is a specialised form of yoga which in general combines hatha, tantra, mantra, laya and raja yogas scientifically, in a way. It is aimed at stimulating the “dormant energy” at the base of the spine, called Kundalini in the East, and Spiritual Life Force in general. Kundalini, on awakening, passes through the seven centres of energy called chakras. The lowest below the base of spine, called Mooladhar, and the highest on top of the head, is called Sahasrar. When it reaches the highest centre, one perceives higher consciousness, experiences it and lives in it, finally.
This book defines kundalini, discusses various methods of awakening and ways of recognising it, and the precautions and selfrealisation, as a result of the awakening. I express my gratitude to the author whose works I have consulted. However, the text is based on my personal experiences which led to the formation of the ‘Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul’. I wish to thank Jytte Kumar Larsen for the use of computing facilities and related help.
Some people write inspiring prose or poetry and some compose beautiful music while others cannot; some students perform brilliantly in examinations with little effort while others, in spite of long hours of work, score poorly; some people are famous for wonderful discoveries and inventions while others live mediocre lives and die unnoticed. What is the “factor” which is responsible for these outstanding differences? The answer is kundalini.
Almost all faiths and traditions of the world have had some knowledge of this energy, although the names for definition and the extent of exploration have been different. Researchers have been looking for a common ground and Perennial Philosophy has been found to be the highest common factor, representing the metaphysical system of the prophets, saints and sages.
According to Aldous Huxley, it is perfectly possible for people to remain good Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, or Moslems and yet be united in full agreement on the basis of doctrines of the perennial philosophy. A systematic representation of this philosophy is found in the Bhagavad-Gita.
As we would later see, kundalini is at the root of an enlightened person, whatever his faith or tradition. Although a mathematician, I had an equal interest in the field of spiritual research. Interacting with people of various religions in about ten countries, where I taught mathematics, has provided me an opportunity to gather data supporting the theory that there is a common thread running through all of them, which eventually leads one to search for inner peace and God.
In 1994,1 resigned as a mathematics professor from the University of Tanzania, as my interests shifted to religion and parapsychology. I experienced the awakening of the kundalini in 1987 and have been writing the “truth” in a series of papers published in the U.S.A.
The timeless Vedas have prescribed three specific paths for searching the “truth”: bhaktiyoga or the path of devotion for those who have their heart more developed than the mind; jnana-yoga or the path of knowledge for those who have their mind more developed than the heart; and karma-yoga for those who have a balance between the heart and the mind. In medieval ages, Guru Gorakhnath and others discovered hatha-yoga for those who have neither the heart nor the mind developed to lead to the awakening of the kundalini.
Kundalini-yoga is in fact a combination of all approaches, it has a systematic and calibred scale of evolution, and it is claimed to be the shortest path to God.
This book deals with this subject in appropriate details suitable to those who have little time to read seriously and yet want to know the subject reasonably well. The text is based on my own experiences and sterling Publishers deserve thanks for bold step to present the truth in this short form.
ISBN:9788120752221 Edition:2010
Bhakti yoga is the path of devotion which unites the practitioners finally with God Almighty. Unless bhakti is practiced, karma and jnana will lead only to unfruitful knowledge – knowledge without joy.
This book presents clearly and concisely the principles of Bhakti yoga and the practical formulas needed to practice it.
The path of devotion, called Bhakti yoga, is said to be the best when compared to Karma yoga and Jnana yoga, and is the final stage of union with God. Karma yoga (the path of selfless action) creates a balanced mind in the practitioner, Jnana yoga (the path of knowledge) brings the knowledge of the existence of God, and Bhakti yoga (the path of devotion) unites the practitioner finally with God Absolute. Lord Krishna declared in the Bhagavad Gita that He is the personification of bhakti/love Himself.
This book is an attempt to bring the principles of Bhakti yoga to the knowledge of the common reader. Practical formulas, based on the age-old experiences of the saints, are given, which can be followed by the practitioner to become one with God Almighty.
The methods are based on my personal experiences over the years, and there is nothing which has not been tested by me personally. Therefore, I can safely recommend the methods presented here. These methods are the foundations of the Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul, and a good number of people are engaged in practising them at the centres in Florida, Copenhagen and London. Recently, a centre has been established in New Delhi. Nevertheless, India is known as the land of austerity (tapo-bhumi) and over the years, a large number of practitioners have achieved self realisation. Consequently, there are several centres in the country and many gurus are available for help. It is important to have a guru of one’s own liking. As no two people can have the same fingerprints, similarly no two people can have the same path. Even the disciples of the same guru are found to have fine differences themselves.
As mentioned earlier, Bhakti yoga is the final stage of union with God. But to reach this state one needs to follow the other yoga’s first. Karma yoga is the path of selfless action in which one acts without expecting the fruits of one’s actions. When the practice is successful, the practitioner achieves a balanced mind. This state of mind helps the practitioner to follow Jnana yoga, which is the path of knowledge, and which ultimately leads him to the knowledge of the Supreme Being or God. And then it is Bhakti yoga, the path of devotion, which unites the person with God Almighty. Although the path of ‘selfless action’ or the path of ‘knowledge’ is itself sufficient to bring self/God realisation, yet the natural sequence is karma, jnana and bhakti, in that very order. If you combine the three paths simultaneously, you have greater chances of success in a single lifetime, with fewer obstacles on the way.
Unless bhakti (devotion) is practised, karma and jnana will lead to dry knowledge, which does not give full satisfaction. You miss the rasa (joy) which comes only through bhakti (devotion), which induces love, and love is God. This is the importance of bhakti, which has also been emphasised by Lord Krishna. This book systematically presents the elements of Bhakti yoga and the practical formulas at each stage for a beginner to develop devotion and love. It is based on the practice followed at the centres of the Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul. My original subject has been mathematics (PhD, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi 1968), which I have taught in eight countries for about thirty years. With a sustained practice of yoga, meditation and mantras for years, I was lucky enough to experience the awakening of kundalini in 1987, while at the University of Zimbabwe.
Nothing happens without the grace of God, and this is one single factor, which is irreplaceable. However, with this awakening, my interest began to shift from mathematics to religion and psychology. I eventually resigned my position as professor of mathematics at Dares-Salaam University, Tanzania. I also worked as professor of Comparative Religion at Belk Research Foundation, Charlotte, NC, USA and as professor of yoga, philosophy and meditation at Hindu University, Florida, USA. I have been writing articles based on my experiences in the Journal of Religion and Psychical Research, USA. Books On numerology, spiritual awakening, and kundalini have also appeared. I have also endeavoured to write several mini books like this one to present the elements of different kinds of yogas for the use of the average reader. It is advisable to use practical formulas for Karma, Jnana and Bhakti yogas simultaneously. I have also presented an integral path in the book on Hatha yoga, which gives a balanced combination of different kinds of yogas, and it is more effective than any single path of yoga. With the grace of God, one can awaken one’s kundalini in a single lifetime.
To impart knowledge on various ways of self-realisation, I established AKYQS, with centres in different parts of the world. It is my cherished dream to establish a centre of learning somewhere outside the busy life of a city, with a library, a hall for yoga and lectures, and rooms to stay. Those interested in knowing one’s true self can certainly help in the mission in various ways.
ISBN:9788120752269 Edition:2010
Karma yoga is the first of the Vedic methods recommended for self realization. It is the path of selfless action in which one does one’s duty without expecting any reward. By sacrificing the fruits of one’s actions to God, one is not bound by karma and one develops equanimity. This is the whole purpose of Karma yoga.
This book presents Karma yoga in a simple and comprehensive way.
Karma yoga is the first of the Vedic methods recommended for self-realisation. It concerns day-to-day activities in normal life, which are to be dealt with balanced behaviour. It requires one to take pleasure and pain with equality of sentiments; to do one’s duty with sincerity and leave the result to God. By sacrificing the fruits of one’s actions to God, one develops equanimity and is not bound by karma. This is the whole purpose of Karma yoga. Karma yoga alone is enough to give self-realisation. Examples of karmayogis are, Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. The Bhagavad-Gita has a lot to offer on Karma yoga.
This book presents the elements of Karma yoga in a simple and comprehensive way, as taught and practised at the Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul AKYQS.
Since thanks are due to W.M. Henry Belk II and Jytte Larsen for the many thought-provoking discussions and for the computing help and facilities.
Karma yoga is the path of selfless action in which one acts without expecting the fruits of his/her actions. When the practice is successful, the practitioner achieves an equipoise mind.
With an equipoise mind, the practitioner then follows Jnana yoga, which is the path of knowledge, which ultimately leads the practitioner to the knowledge of the Supreme Being or God. And then it is Bhakti yoga, the path of devotion, which unites the person with God Almighty. Although the path of selfless action or the path of knowledge is itself sufficient to bring self-realisation, yet the natural sequence is karma, jnana and bhakti. This is so because Karma yoga should be of the level achieved by Mahatma Gandhi or Mother Teresa, and Jnana yoga should be of the level achieved by Ramana Maharishi or Socrates before you can expect some results. However, if you combine the three paths simultaneously, you have greater chances of success in a single lifetime, with fewer obstacles on the way.
Unless bhakti (devotion) is practised, karma and jnana will lead to dry knowledge, which does not give full satisfaction. You miss the rasa (joy) which comes only through bhakti (devotion) which induces love and love is God. This is the importance of bhakti, which has also been emphasised by Lord Krishna.
My original subject was mathematics (PhD from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, 1968), which I have taught in eight countries for about thirty years. With the sustained practice of yoga, meditation and mantras for years, I was lucky enough to experience the awakening of kundalini in 1987 while at the University of Zimbabwe. My interest began to shift from mathematics to religion and to parapsychology. I eventually resigned my position as professor of mathematics at Dar-es-Salaam University, Tanzania, and worked as professor of comparative religion at Belk Research Foundation, Charlotte, NC, USA and as professor of yoga philosophy and meditation at Hindu University Florida, USA. I have been writing articles based on my experiences in the “Journal of Religion and Psychical Research,” USA. Books on numerology, spiritual awakening and kundalini have also appeared. I have also endeavoured to write several mini books like this one, to present the elements of different kinds of yoga for the use of average readers. It is advisable to use practical formulas for karma, jnana and bhakti yogas simultaneously. I have also presented an integral path in the book on Hatha yoga, which gives a balanced combination of different kind of yogas, and it is more effective than any single path of yoga. With the grace of God, one can awaken one’s kundalini in a single lifetime.
To impart knowledge on various ways of self-realisation, I established AKYQS with centres in different parts of the world. It is my cherished dream to establish a centre of learning somewhere Outside the busy city life, with a library, a hail for yoga and lectures, and rooms to stay. Those interested in knowing one’s true self, can certainly help in the mission in various ways.
ISBN: 9788120752245 Edition: 2010
Ha (sun) and tha (moon) imply that Hatha Yota is a means of balancing and harmonizing the body’s currents by exercising and stretching, so as to make it a vital instrument of mind and soul, to give it a longer life, and to keep it healthy.
Based on personal experiences, this book presents elements that prepare the practitioners for the eventual awakening of the kundalini.
Swami Atmanada (formerly Professor Ravindra Kumar) is a Ph.D. in mathematics from IIT Delhi. He has taught in ten countries. His kundalini is awakened. He is Founder president of Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul (AKYQS), and guides people in yoga/ meditation for self-realsation.
Hatha Yoga is a marvellous means of exercising, stretching, and purifying the body so as to make it healthy, and a vital instrument of the mind and soul. In Sanskrit, ha means the sun, tha means the moon. It is, therefore, a practice of harmonizing the body’s currents (feeling, thinking, willing, and acting) until they are in perfect balance. The awareness is raised to the level of the super-conscious state.
The book presents the elements of Hatha Yoga in a simple and short way for those who have no time to go into rigorous studies. It is based on my own practice and personal experiences with Kundalini, while laying the foundations of the Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul at New Delhi, Copenhagen, Florida and London.
Thanks are also due to Jytte Kumar Larsen for providing computing facilities and related help.
The Vedas advocated three different paths for the search of Truth-knowing the Self or Atma:Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion for those whose heart is more developed than the mind; Jnana Yoga, the path of knowledge for those whose mind is more developed than the heart;Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action for those who have their heart and mind more or less equally developed. In the medieval ages, the yogis of the Nath sect thought that there would be people who would have neither the heart nor the mind reasonably developed. So how should such people known the Self? Guru Gorakh Nath and others thus created Hatha Yoga, the path of austerity for people to begin searching for Truth from scratch.
The word “yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj which means “harnessing horses to the chariot” This, therefore, is the preparation for liberating oneself from the clutches of the five physical senses and putting oneself on the path of divine reality. It began with experiential and non-intellectual practices in the past; but today, however, it has developed into a deep philosophy.
Hatha Yoga is the most popular form of yoga today, especially in the West, but more often than not, it is mainly practiced for health and vitality only. However, few dedicated men and women unite finite life with infinite life and live in abundant well-being and universal harmony. This book deals with the subject of physical well-being and freedom at large, and yet paves the way towards the higher goal of self-realisation.
ISBN: 9788120752306 Edition: 2010
Raisig one’s sexual enjoyment to its highest power and then using it as fuel for spiritual advancement leading eventually to enlightenment is the underlying principle of tantra. Yoga meditation and chanting of mantras are important in tantra.
This book provides briefly yet sufficiently the necessary knowledge for achieving the goal of enlightenment.
The materialistic or scientific view of time is that objects and events were generated through an origin way back in time immemorial and that this origin is untraceable. Tantra reverses this viewpoint and believes that objects and events are being produced continuously in the present in the same manner as a flame is projected by the trail vent of a rocket. The origin is implicit in the projection mechanism and the projection mechanism used by Tantra is sex. Spirituality becomes traceable through this reversal of genesis. This reversal is called paravriti in Sanskrit.
Briefly the underlying principle of Tantra is to raise one’s enjoyment to the highest degree and then use it as a rocket fuel for spiritual advancement which eventually leads to enlightenment. The principle of universal creation is the seed of being called Shiva and the female principle who is the creative partner is the goddness Shakti. Shakti spreads out in space time and the universe before each living being and therefore is nearer for worship than the male principle. She is worshipped in many guises and under many names. Most importantly she is revered in the form of the female generative organ of the world that is the vulva. Tantra recognizes the sex drive and copulation is seen as the symbol of bliss and divine worship. Performed with proper rituals and mantras it is supposed to be the most powerful tool for achieving enlightenment.
This book provides briefly but sufficiently the necessary knowledge for achieving the goal of enlightenment. A practical formula is presented which when followed reigorously can lead one to success. Important associative wings of Tantra are yoga meditation and the chanting of mantras. The academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul provides full guidance on them. One is taught about energies in the human body which most people usually dissipate in their pointless exertions and recreations. The crux of the matter is to arouse passion and then sublimate it opening thereby the gates of higher consciousness.
In India from the Vedic times a variety of methods have been designed for attaining enlightenment. Tantra is claimed to be the fastest of them all. It begins with the recognition of the sex drive and aims at transcending it. In fact all methods lay stress on eradication of sex form within the individual which then open the way for god to come in. thus transcendence of sex is an essential step before the attainment of enlightenment. Just as iron cuts iron and a thorn removes a thorn in the same manner it is sex that transcends sex. And with this goal in mind it can be said that all other methods are comparable to the slow speed of a bullock cart while Tantra is comparable to a fast moving helicopter. Although it is risky like the helicopter it can work safely if proper precautions are taken and if performed under guidance. From ancient time specially endowed female initiators have been the partners in advanced sexual rituals. The temples of Khajuraho in Central India have been there for centuries and depict the technique of transcending sex. Tantric pictures engraved on the temple walls, stimulate a special kind of mental activity which invokes psychosomatic forces. These forces can transform a person completely providing him or her with a new basis for life. Even constant staring at these pictures does not arouse any feeling of vulgar sex. Rather sexual feelings are wiped out from the mind giving way to subtler religious thoughts.
Tantrics arouse all the energies discovered in the body heart and mind and combine them into a vehicle which leads to enlightenments. They use every possible means adapting every possible emotional stimulus and act to their purpose.
One assumes that things which one actually does repeatedly and which have associated with them a powerful sensuous and emotive charge transforms one far more effectively than anything else. Furthermore the change is radical only when one combines various kinds of doings. This kind of change is fundamental and total.
The four main components of Tantra are yoga offerings, meditation and copulation. A successful combination of them for a specific period of time changes a person forever. It introduces one to a world which can only be accessed by following the maps drawn by the tantric. Someone who has not visited it can have no idea of what it is like. One cannot examine it from the outside. By following the tantric principles one can be in a position to experiences truth about oneself and one’s world just as one can directly see and appreciate the Taj Mahal. A complete transformation of personality is required to attain this position where one can experience the truth. As said earlier this requires every kind of effort physical mental, sexual and moral. Tantra does not advocate abstinence from all enjoyment mortification of one’s flesh and fear of god’s punishment. On the contrary it advocates that joy be raised to the highest pinnacle and then used as fuel for spiritual advancement. This results in knowledge of truth about the origin of things and humans. This is called enlightenment.
ISBN: 9788120752276 Edition: 2010
After Hatha Yoga has purified the body and mind, advanced techniques of Kriya Yoga are used to awaken kundalini in a short time. Suited to all kinds of practitioners, householders or hermits, the set of nearly 20 exercises is a quick method of arousing dormant energy.
The methods used here are suitable for today’s world where control of the mind is a difficult task. While in other disciplines this has to be worked at, in Kriya Yoga it follows automatically as a byproduct.
Kriya yoga is the most advanced technique amongst all disciplines of yoga. One can enter into it after about two years of hatha yog which purifies the body and calms the mind, which are the pre-requisite s for kriya yoga. It is a combination of nearly 20 practices. Since it does not require the control of mind; which follows eventually automatically; it suits all kinds of practitioners- householders or recluse. It is a very effective method of experiencing Kundalini directly.
The basic text, with variations of course, has been dealt with by several writers, all of whom deserve thanks from us, especially Swami Satyanand Saraswati. However, the methods presented in this small book are a result of my personal experiences with Kundalini over the years. Having taught mathematics for more than 30 years in eight countries, I resigned as a professor in 1994, and dedicated myself fully to developing these practices at 'The Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul'. Thanks are due to Jytte Kumar Larsen for computing facilities and related help.
Most of the ways for awakening the Kundalini require strict discipline, austerity, and do’s and dont’s which are not so easy for an average person to observe. For these reasons the yogis thought and designed the kriya yoga practices which are free from most restrictions, but, nevertheless, are extremely effective. Kriya yoga awakens the chakras, purifies the nadis, and finally raises the dormant energy in a slow and safe manner. Abrupt awakening can create situations at times which may be difficult to handle.
Mind is thought, to be an obstacle in the way of spirituality. But this is not so. Mind is the only vehicle which eventually brings higher consciousness on transcendence. Negative emotions like greed, lust, anger, attachment, ego, etc., should not be used against the min for its condemnation. If energy is suppressed, it will explode in another way. What is required is the conversion of negative thinking into positive thinking. This is gradually achieved through kriya yoga practices. In a physical balance, the pan of negativity is lower than that of positivity, due to the gravity of negative thoughts. But the practices of kriya yoga slowly brings the other pan lower down.
The properties of any single gum: (virtue) is not exalted: tamas, rajas or sattva as one of the gum: dominates the other two. Even the most sattvic person shows signs of tamasic and rajasic activities at times. Even so, the most tamasic person shows signs of rajasic and sattvic properties at times. But the importance lies with the dominating virtue, of course. Gradual practise brings the transformation of the mind from inert, to scattered, to vacillating, to one pointed, to a controlled one.
For ages, these teachings have been a secret, but they were not clearly defined. They were passed on from the teacher to the disciple. The ego, etc., should not be used against the mind for its condemnation. If energy is suppressed, it will explode in another way. What is required is the conversion of negative thinking into positive thinking. This is gradually achieved through kriya yoga practices. In a physical balance, the pan of negativity is lower than that of positivity, due to the gravity of negative thoughts. But the practices of kriya yoga slowly brings the other pan lower down.
For ages, these teachings have been a secret, but they were not clearly defined. They were passed on from the teacher to the disciple. The methods are so powerful, that, if the person is not prepared to handle the aggravated situation, it can misfire and the person may have to go into an asylum. That is why a practice of asanas, niudras and pranayam is necessary for some time before commencing the advanced techniques. Kriya means practise or action, hence it is the yog of practise.
Hatha yoga practise is very essential in this regard and is recommended for a period of nearly two years to prepare a practitioner for advanced kriya yoga practices. It controls the vital energy pran which interacts with the mind; consequently, the mind is controlled with the control of pran. One achieves a tranquil and calm mind, even in the midst of disturbing circumstances, because of chemical secretions in the body. It is a permanent achievement, unlike a temporary one through LSD, etc. Through kriya yoga one achieves the state of simultaneous awareness of worldly senses and objects on one hand, and inner tranquillity on the other. There is predominance of alpha waves in the brain which is responsible for stopping the movement of the mind. The aim of tantra is to expand the mind and liberate the energy.
The underlying principle of kriya yoga can be understood in two steps: generate the nectar and reverse its flow. Practices like khechari mudra are meant to stimulate the bindu and thus create nectar. The nectar, on being created normally, goes down to Manipur and is burnt off. Practices like vipareet karni (opposite doing) are meant to reverse the flow of the nectar, so that, it is not wasted and is directed to higher centres for consumption in the body, which can arrest ageing and produce rejuvenation, This principle of reversal of flow is highlighted in the famous book Hatha Yog Pradipika and other tantric texts. The mind reaches the state of shoonyata (void or nothingness) and begins to act like a witness to everything happening around.
ISBN: 9788120752252 Edition: 2010
Jnana yoga is the method of finding an answer to the question ‘Who am I?’ it is the path to knowledge, self and God. Yet, the right approach would be to first undergo Karma yoga in order to achieve equanimity and then undergo Jnana yoga to know that there exists a super intelligence called God.
This book presents clearly the practical methods leading to self or God ealization.
Jnana yoga is the ’path of knowledge’. It was designed in the vedic period, for people with stronger minds than the hearts. It is basically the method of finding an answer to the question, ‘Who am I?’ One keeps pondering on all possible answers and goes on negating them one by one, till the right answer is reached. The right answer is that one is soul or atma, and since atma is akin to God, one gets an intuitive understanding of God. Notable jnanayogis were King Janaka, Socrates, etc.
Although Jnana yoga is in itself the complete path to the knowledge of self and God, the right approach would be to first undergo Karma yoga to achieve equanimity and an equipoise mind, and then undergo Jnana yoga to know firsthand that there exists a super intelligence called God, and finally to undergo Bhakti yoga to taste the Godhood personally. Without the taste of God in person, dry philosophical knowledge does not give full satisfaction; one keeps missing something — joy or bliss.
This book presents the elements of Jnana yoga in a simple and comprehensive way, so that it is understandable to the common man. Simple and practical methods are presented that have been followed at the Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul (AKYQS) for a long time. The publisher deserves congratulations for his attempts to present the truth to the general masses. I wish to thank William Henry Belk II for his support and encouragement. Sincere thanks are due to Jytte Kumar Larsen for the many thought—provoking discussions and for computing help and facilities.
Though the path of knowledge, which is Jnana yoga, is enough to bring self God realisation, yet the natural sequence is karma, jnana and bhakti, in that very order. Karma yoga is the path of selfless action in which one acts without expecting the fruits of one’s actions. When this is successful, the practitioner achieves an equipoise mind. With this mind the practitioner then follows Jnana yoga, which ultimately leads him / her to the knowledge of the Supreme Being or God. After this, it is Bhakti yoga, the path of devotion, which unites the person with God Almighty. Karma yoga should be of the order of Mahatma Gandhi or Mother Teresa, and Jnana yoga should be of the order of Socrates and Ramana Maharishi, before you can expect some results. However, if you combine the three paths simultaneously, you have greater chances of success in a single lifetime, with fewer obstacles on the way.
Unless bhakti (devotion) is practiced, karma and jnana will lead to dry knowledge, which does not give full satisfaction. You miss the rasa (joy) which comes only through devotion, which induces love, and love is God. This is the importance of devotion, which has also been emphasized by Lord Krishna. It is based on the practice followed at the centres of Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul.
ISBN: 9788120754546 Edition: 2010
Apart from being a path for self awareness Meditation is becoming and essential tool for controlling your reactions, changing your perceptions bringing calmness and peace into your life and giving you greater clarity and insight into human relationships.
Meditation also has several health benefits that have been researched and documented by the scientific community.
In today’s age of the troubled individual broken relationships and confusion about the direction of life meditation has emerged as a powerful force in regaining self-control and inner stability.
A teacher of meditation the author explains this ancient science in a lucid practical and extremely simple manner.
Vikas Malkani is an internationally renowned spiritual teacher and an expert on motivation and human relationships.
He is the author of the best-selling book SPIRITUALITY MADE SIMPLE and has lectured to audiences all over the world.
Mr. Malkani is the recipient of numerous national awards and has been profiled many times in national print media, radio and television.
In every culture and society all over the world people are educated in the skills needed to function and survive in that culture – how to talk, think, work, and investigate the objects and experiences of the external world. We learn sciences such as biology, ecology, and chemistry in order to understand the world we live in but on one teaches us how to understand or attend to our own inner dimensions neither in any school nor in any college or University. We merely learn to assimilate the goals fashions and values of our society, without really knowing ourselves. This leaves us ignorant of ourselves and dependent on the advice and suggestions of others.
Meditation is a very different, subtle and precise approach it is a simple technique of learning to pay attention to and understand all the various levels of our selves the body the breathing process the aspects of stress. As time progresses you may find that you enjoy the positive results from meditation increased joyfulness, clarity and awareness as much as you enjoy the relief of the physical, nervous and mental symptoms of stress Meditation will certainly help you in locating your inner self-the real you.
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