Guru Pūrṇimā: From Darkness to Light
Guru Pūrṇimā marks our new year, leading from darkness to light. In Kali Yuga, negative energy spreads like wildfire, consuming the world through cruel practices like meat-eating. Meat's origin is unknown and could include human flesh, showing this age's depth. All creatures have eyes and a soul; you see God in the eyes of other beings, for every soul is the same God. Despite practices, you will not see God if you do not recognize this unity in all life. Every creature feels fear and pain, and torturing them distances us from divinity. Those under a saint's shelter avoid harming life; others remain in darkness. The guru guides you, even through harsh lessons that remove karma, for his bitterness brings the sweetness of knowledge and protection. Upholding your dharma—your duty to protect every creature and element—is essential, as dharma will then protect you. The complete remains complete. Human dharma is to protect all life. While negative ways spread, a positive message grows through practice and teachings, which we must share. Follow your master's guidance for your good, as unified vibration creates strength.
"Every soul is the same."
"Gu means darkness, ru means light."
Filming location: Vienna, Austria
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A Heartfelt Prayer and the Path of Remembrance
The path of remembrance is a heartfelt prayer of surrender and the practice of chanting to purify and connect.
Chant the name constantly, never forget, never let it leave the heart. It does not matter if one is a sinner, failing, or cheating. However one is, one belongs to the divine. Life is wasted in attachments to house, family, obstacles. One is full of sadness, full of suffering. The prayer removes all suffering, all impurities. One is a servant, a dust particle at the feet. One is alone in this mortal world. Do not forget, remove all sins, all faults. This prayer to the teacher removes all these things. Learning happens through repetition: part by part, then fast, then slow. Whatever is to be remembered must be repeated at least twenty-four times. Practice makes a master.
"However I am, I am yours."
"Practice makes a man a master. And not only men, but also women."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Gold and God
Yoga is for health, harmony, understanding, peace, long life, and friendship. All yoga schools are good, regardless of association with religion. Humans have come a far distance from living in forests. We are now separated but do good for ourselves and others. Long ago, there was no money and people lived happily by giving to each other. Money and gold later arrived, creating desire and a system of transaction. Now we seek gold and material possessions, but these things remain after we are gone. It does not matter which religion or place one is from; being human is what matters. God gave yoga to make the body healthy and happy so one may live a long, peaceful life.
"Yoga is for good health, harmony, understanding, peace, long life, and friendship."
"God gave us yoga so that we could have a healthy body, a happy body, so that we could live in it for a long time."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Bhramari and bhramari pranayama
Brahmari Pranayama balances the nervous system and refines the voice. This practice is derived from the bee known as Brahmari. The female bee constructs a nest with intricate passages. She captures a specific worm and places it inside. She nourishes it until it develops wings and emerges as a new bee. The yogic practice mimics this process of internal transformation through sound. One method involves gently biting the teeth together. This directs resonance to the temples, balancing the Ida and Pingala nerve channels. It alleviates certain tensions and improves speech. Another method keeps the lips closed but the teeth apart. This directs energy upward toward the crown chakras. Both techniques significantly benefit singers and speakers by refining vocal quality and release. Practice should be avoided during an active headache.
"The sound goes from our ears and comes back here to the temple area."
"This prāṇāyāma balances both nerve systems, Iḍā and Piṅgalā."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
The science of Svara yoga
The science of prāṇa and Svara Yoga is a profound system within the yogic tradition.
Yoga is an ancient principle existing for all creation, leading to the highest reality. The human journey presents a fundamental choice: spiritual ascent or descent back into worldly cycles. This divine science is embodied within our physical form. Prāṇa is life itself, and the soul resides within it. The practice involves understanding the flow of breath through the nasal channels known as Iḍā, Piṅgalā, and Suṣumṇā. This is Svara Yoga. One must learn to discern which nostril has dominant flow, as this knowledge guides practice. Techniques exist to gently alter this flow, such as applying pressure under the opposite armpit. This practice aligns with daily activities, like drinking water during left-nostril flow. Mastering this control through sustained prāṇāyāma can expand life. This knowledge is drawn from exacting traditional sources, ultimately attributed to the divine.
"Prāṇa means life, and life means prāṇa. Our soul is in prāṇa."
"If we can control both our nostrils, Iḍā-Piṅgalā, then we can expand our life more."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
