Audio: English
Translations
No audio translation available
16:07 3 May 2026
The Live webcast is now running.
Welcome to the 5th Sri Swami Maheshwarananda Festival of Spiritual Music
16:00 - 20:00
Welcome to the 5th Festival of Spiritual Music, which will take place at the Villach Ashram of Yoga in Daily Life in Austria, in the region of Carinthia.
Up next
Yoga is a science
16:35 - 17:54
|
From: 16 Mar 2005
Yoga is the science of body, mind, consciousness, and soul, a universal principle of balance and harmony. Our subject is Kuṇḍalinī and the chakras, the hidden powers in human consciousness. The chakras are centers that receive and circulate cosmic energy through the body. We possess five bodies or layers: the physical, energetic, mental, intellectual, and causal bodies. The causal body holds desires and the potential for divine bliss. The soul is a collection of karma and qualities; it does not dissolve until self-realization is attained. Chakras must be purified through mantra and practice for the Kuṇḍalinī to awaken safely. Without proper guidance, this awakening can cause imbalance and distress. Life is love, and love is God. Creating friendship and walking the path with love is essential. The world is a field of karma for development, yet one must remain detached like a lotus in muddy water. The first chakra, Mūlādhāra, is the root foundation. Its red color represents concentrated energy and the earth element. The lotus symbolizes remaining untouched by worldly temptations while fulfilling one's duty. The four petals represent the four aims of human life: dharma (duty), artha (wealth), kāma (righteous desires and progeny), and mokṣa (liberation).
"Yoga without spirituality is like a body without a soul; no achievement can take place without spirituality."
"If you protect your dharma, dharma will protect you."
Filming location: Australia
Practising Asanas from Vep
18:00 - 18:57
|
From: 24 Aug 2023
A yoga practice moves from stillness to dynamic movement, integrating precise alignment with collective rhythm. Begin in Śavāsana, lengthening the neck and stabilizing the lower back. Simple movements prepare the body, emphasizing synchronized group action over individual stretch. The practice progresses through leg lifts, spinal rolls, and postures like Śaśāṅkāsana, which calms fear and aids digestion. Dynamic sequences in Vajrāsana and variations like Uttānapṛṣṭhāsana strengthen the trunk and spine. A forearm Marjari variation mobilizes the thoracic spine. The session concludes with guided relaxation, allowing any comfortable position before rehydration. Synchrony and mindful breath are central throughout.
"Śaśāṅkāsana reduces the fear in our heart, the stress and fear."
"This will strengthen our whole trunk muscles. It will make the spine straight."
Filming location: Vép, Hungary
Mansik Puja, Vienna
19:05 - 19:53
|
From: 8 Jun 2010
The subject is Mānasik Pūjā, or mental worship of one's chosen deity. Many practitioners ask how to meditate effectively. Meditating on external symbols like nature can eventually feel empty. The superior practice is internal, devotional service performed within the mind. This mental ceremony nourishes the practitioner with strength and clarity. It transforms perception, allowing one to see the living presence in a sacred image, not mere stone. This feeling is essential; without it, ritual is empty. Service performed with love and imagination is an expression of inner beauty. When you act from the heart in meditation, you explore your devotion. Love contains no demands; it is self-understood. This practice is a personal secret between you and your deity. By serving mentally, you receive peace and your love reflects outward, affecting your entire day. God's light is in every heart; realizing this is true self-realization.
"Therefore, the best solution is Mānasik Pūjā. When you perform Mānasik Pūjā, the mental ceremony, you emerge from your meditation full of strength, energy, love, and clarity."
"In every heart, in every heart, God’s light is reflecting. That is called self-realization. Self means yourself. Realization is that you realize: your self, and everyone is your self."
Filming location: Vienna, Austria
The Practice and Power of Trāṭaka
20:00 - 20:52
|
From: 6 Jan 2010
Trāṭaka is the practice of steady gazing to develop concentration and purify the mind. The best object is a pure ghee lamp flame, though a candle flame, a black dot, or a sacred image are also suitable. Never gaze at your own reflection in a mirror, as it can cause psychic disturbances. Gazing at the rising sun should last only half a minute to protect eyesight. This practice dispels fear, anxiety, and mental impurities, clearing the inner instrument. When performed with discipline every morning and evening for twelve years without a single break, it bestows a siddhi: the gaze becomes pure and merciful, attracting others. However, this attainment is blocked by a negative internal state. The practice awakens Sarasvatī's power in the throat, granting eloquent speech and artistic intuition. It illuminates the inner space, calms mental fluctuations, and aids in awakening the Kuṇḍalinī. It also empowers speech, making words balanced and meaningful, while teaching the importance of non-violence in speech, as verbal wounds are deep and lasting. Full benefit requires a personal Guru Mantra and guidance from a qualified teacher to avoid mental problems. The practical method involves sitting straight, establishing the correct distance to the flame, repeating the mantra, and alternating between external gazing and internal focus on the after-image.
"By practicing Trāṭaka every morning and evening without interruption for twelve years, one attains a siddhi."
"Only Gurudev can remove the darkness of the heart."
Filming location: Australia
