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Part 1: Yoga in Daily Life: A System for Holistic Well-being and Global Harmony Yoga in Daily Life is a system of yoga and meditation designed for health and lifestyle management, based on four main principles: physical health, social health, mental health, and spiritual health. It is practiced by people from all walks of life, regardless of age or level of physical ability. Classes are held for the general public, in the corporate sector for stress management, and in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, as well as for adults and children with special needs. Incorporated non-profit Yoga in Daily Life associations are established worldwide and are actively involved in local, national, and international community projects. On a local level, the Australian Association of Yoga in Daily Life strongly supports humanitarian work in the community, with volunteer instructors conducting classes for intellectually disabled adults at institutions, for senior citizens in aged homes, for inmates of prisons, and for the terminally ill at palliative care units of hospitals, and for children. On a national level, Yoga in Daily Life frequently collaborates with other Australian organizations to raise community awareness and funds for initiatives. These have included the Red Cross, the Cancer Council, Oxfam Community Aid Abroad, Amnesty International, the Australia Tibet Council, WISFA, as well as various local and state government departments. Yoga in Daily Life also supports the rich multicultural diversity of Australia, frequently hosting cultural events to foster harmony and understanding between people of all nations. On an international level, the Australian Association of Yoga in Daily Life was present at the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, launching its Type 2 initiative for desert rainwater harvesting. This initiative is a grassroots project aimed at addressing the urgent water crisis gripping the drought-stricken regions of Rajasthan, India. Other international projects actively supported by Yoga in Daily Life in Australia and abroad include the education of women and children in collaboration with the Rajasthan State Government of India. Residential seminars for women are held to empower them to act in an advisory capacity within their local community on matters of health, hygiene, and child development. In 1999, Yoga in Daily Life began to address the issues of school education among poor communities with the philosophy that every child has an equal right to education. No child with a wish to study should be denied that wish due to their family’s financial or community status. The school project operating in the rural district of Pālī is generously supported by Yoga in Daily Life sponsors in Europe, India, and Australia. The organization’s founder is Paramahaṁsa Svāmī Maheśvarānanda, simply known as Svāmījī. He is a gifted organizer of human efforts and a tireless humanitarian worker. For the last 30 years, he has been initiating humanitarian aid projects to improve human welfare. He has addressed the United Nations on issues of peace and protection of the environment and has taken the message of unity and tolerance to various world leaders. In recognition of his life’s work, he has received countless awards, most recently in July 2002 from President Mesić of the Croatian government. In 2001, Yoga in Daily Life worldwide held candlelight peace vigils to raise people’s awareness and to unite them in their wish for world peace. At a recent address in Europe, Svāmījī’s words resounded with a clear message: "Our world situation is not in balance. It is unfortunate that humanity continues to ignore the lessons of history. War arises out of greed for power or differences in religious beliefs. But no matter on what side of the wall someone dies, remember that a member of our human society has lost their life. Be without discrimination, for world peace is possible only when all people practice respect and recognition of other cultures and traditions." During Svāmījī’s 2002 World Peace Tour, the Yoga in Daily Life Associations initiated interfaith dialogues in Europe, Australia, South Africa, and India. In these historic meetings, religious and spiritual leaders discussed the critical need to foster tolerance and understanding, and to bridge the gap between religions and cultures. In the meetings, there is always the mutual recognition that one God is worshipped in many forms and in many ways throughout the world. In July 2002, Svāmījī and the Dalai Lama met in Zagreb, Croatia. These two spiritual luminaries have dedicated their lives to easing the suffering of humanity, and their discussions shared a common concern for a lasting world. On October 5, 2002, an international conference on world peace and the message of Mahatma Gandhi was initiated by Svāmījī in Vienna, Austria, with 2,000 participants attending from 40 countries, including ambassadors from 25 countries and spiritual leaders from eight different faiths. This remarkable conference focused on human rights, ethics, and human values as the most valuable assets for world peace and sustainable development. "Gandhījī said, 'Islām and Hinduism, these two are our two eyes.' And now my question is this, dear brothers and sisters, which eye do you want, and which eye do you want to take out? None of them, both, both equally. We need tolerance in the world. Where there is no tolerance, especially in religion, then the country suffers and the whole world will suffer. I believe that only when we are open to each other are we truly liberated. Not by giving up, but by adding. The road of true dialogue is from tolerance to respect, and from respect to acceptance. Are we to respond to real or perceived threats from others or other nations with violence? Mahāprabhujī kī karatā, Mahāprabhujī kī karatā..." "The United Nations organization was not always in the interest of humanity. The United Nations organization, the General Assembly, and the Security Council are most competent to decide what is good and what is bad in the world for mankind. The prophetic words and actions of Mahātma Gandhi challenge the hypocrisy of the present age. We live in an age of so-called globalization, but the reality is that the rich are growing richer and the poor are growing poorer. The values of village life are often dismissed, and the fragile environment is polluted and desecrated in the name of development. Family and community, and religious values and traditions, are eroded or despised. Mahāprabhujī kī karatā. Mahāprabhujī kī karatā." "Peace within the human heart. Peace also requires compassion, a sense of connectedness with other humans and with other species. Peace is a deeply felt wish that others may prosper with all their differences. If we have to handle September the 11th, healing of wounds is what we must learn. Wounds of technology, of inequity, of increasing crime, and wounds relating to the loss of the sacred in our lives. A miracle has happened. It can only happen when we have people like Svāmījī with us, different people. We recognize the interconnectedness between the world of humans and the world of nature. Unless we care for the earth and one another, we risk, in the words of the Earth Charter, the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life. We also recognize our interconnectedness despite our differences in religion. For dialogue is not a luxury. It is essential to achieve the goal of enduring peace. Peace between individuals, peace between communities, and peace between different religions. With Gandhi, we must acknowledge unity in diversity." The holy science of yoga is a discipline of wisdom passed from master to disciple since the beginning of time. And Paramahaṁsa Svāmī Maheśvarānanda is the living successor of an ancient lineage of great spiritual masters. The lineage began with the great sage Śrī Alakhpurījī Mahārāj, who dwells in the mountain range of Sambhupañca Atala Akhāṛā in the Himalayas. It is said that from time to time he appears in physical form in order to re-establish the eternal spiritual principles. He is regarded as an ancient ṛṣi who imparts the knowledge of pure truth and reality. Śrī Alakhpurījī’s successor is Śrī Devpurījī Mahādeva, a revered incarnation of Lord Śiva, the destroyer of ignorance and liberator of souls. He was an ascetic saint who lived in the remote desert regions of Rajasthan as an embodiment of Lord Śiva. Many miraculous events took place during his lifetime. On numerous occasions, he bestowed perfect sight to the blind and perfect health to the gravely ill. Known as the master of the elemental forces, it is said that the wind is his breath, and to see Devpurījī, look into the rising sun. Śrī Devpurījī’s successor, Bhagavān Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇ Mahāprabhujī, was one of the most divine incarnations ever to walk this earth. A God-realized saint, he was truly a pure embodiment of divine love. In the sky, his village spontaneously lived. He lived an utterly simple life in the desert regions of Rajasthan, India, from 1828 until 1963. Śrī Dīp Mahāprabhujī, a loving soul, was dedicated to easing the suffering of humanity. He taught by his own example, emanating the supreme truth of God, and these truths he captured in his golden teachings. At 135 years of age, Śrī Dīp Mahāprabhujī left this earth, but his spirit is ever present in the light that he kindled in the hearts of his disciples. Bhagavān Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇ Mahāprabhujī’s successor is Paramahaṁsvāmī Madhavānandajī, affectionately known as Holy Gurujī. He is one of the very few spiritual masters of the modern age who is truly authentic in the tradition of yoga. Childlike in his devotion to God, yet strict in discipline, Holy Gurujī is a direct disciple of Śrī Dīp Mahāprabhujī. He attained the blessed state of God-realization simply through pure devotion and service to his master. Today he lives a quiet life, almost in constant prayer and meditation, which is dedicated to all of humanity. And Svāmī Maheśvarānandajī, simply known as Svāmījī, is the successor of this great lineage of spiritual forefathers. He is a sage of the modern world, deeply revered and recognized globally by thousands. He made a team work and is a tireless advocate for world peace. He has dedicated his whole life to serving humanity. Svāmījī is one of the great self-realized masters who has brought the ancient science of yoga to the West. His insight and understanding of the problems of modern society led him to create a unique and comprehensive system of yoga called Yoga in Daily Life. The location of his life was international awards, recognized, addressed the United Nations, and on many world stages. He has spread his message since its inception in 1972. Yoga in Daily Life has spread to over 34 countries across the globe. In today’s modern world, Paramahaṁsa Svāmī Maheśvarānanda imparts the ancient teachings of yoga wherever he goes, inspiring many thousands to the practice of yoga and meditation in their daily lives. The four aspects of the Yoga in Daily Life system are: physical health, gained through the yoga postures; mental health, attained through relaxation and meditation; social health, living in harmony with one’s environment; and spiritual health, the recognition of one’s soul or Self. Not only is Yoga in Daily Life taught in thousands of full-time yoga centers across the world, but qualified yoga teachers also teach this system in hospitals, kindergartens, schools, universities, health clinics, the corporate sector, and hospices for the dying. It is a system of health and lifestyle management suitable for all people, regardless of age, nationality, cultural background, or religious belief. The message that Paramahaṁsa Svāmī Maheśvarānanda spreads wherever he goes is that of world peace. He has personally taken this message to governments, presidents, and world leaders across the world. Wherever he goes, he is received with high acclaim. Political and religious leaders of many countries have joined him in public events to raise people’s awareness of the necessity of global tolerance. At a recent address in Europe, his words resounded with a clear message: "Our world situation is not in balance. It is unfortunate that humanity continues to ignore the lessons of history. War arises out of greed for power or differences in religious beliefs. But no matter on what side of the war someone dies, remember that a member of our human society has lost their life. Be without discrimination, for world peace is possible. Mahāprabhujī kī karatā, Mahāprabhujī kī karatā..." Paramahaṁsa Svāmī Maheśvarānanda is known for his collaborative work with the world’s major spiritual leaders. An interfaith symposium was held during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. The symposium featured a gathering of representatives from the world’s major religions to discuss steps that humanity must take on the pathway to world peace. In July 2002, Svāmījī met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Zagreb, Croatia. These two spiritual luminaries have dedicated their lives to easing the suffering of humanity, and as such, their discussion shared a common concern for lasting world peace. On Svāmījī’s 2002 Australian tour, he was the special guest of honor at an interfaith dialogue in Adelaide. This was a multicultural gathering of spiritual leaders from ten different faiths. In April 2001, Svāmījī was invited to meet with the heads of Christian churches in South Australia. It was a historic meeting to foster tolerance and understanding, to bridge the gap between religions and cultures. In all these multi-religious gatherings, there is the common recognition that one God is worshipped in many forms and in many ways throughout the world. While seated in Vienna, Austria, the International Fellowship of Yoga in Daily Life is historically based in India, where its seven humanitarian centers in rural Rajasthan have been established for more than 200 years. The largest of these is the Om Viśvadīp Gurukul Svāmī Maheśvarānanda Education and Research Center, situated on 250 acres in the Pālī district of the state of Rājasthān. This is the organization’s international epicenter, where it can accommodate up to 500 volunteer workers, students, and visitors. From here, humanitarian aid projects are initiated to serve the local communities, providing employment and relieving poverty. This ecologically managed centre is dedicated to the protection of all life, the environment, and world peace. One of the humanitarian care initiatives of the International Research and Education Centre is the construction of a hospital to provide residential health care to neighboring districts. Until the hospital is complete, the center continues to provide a free mobile ambulance service to the surrounding rural area. Another free service is the centre’s fire brigade unit, answering calls for help up to three times a day during the peak season of summer. Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā... Purī Jī, Purī Jī... Purī. The National Fellowship of Yoga in Daily Life founded the Gyānputra program. It provides financial support for children from poor families to attend school. Part 2: The Work of Paramahanswāmī Maheśvarānanda and the System of Yoga in Daily Life In July 2002, another education project was officially initiated at the centre with the opening of a school for primary and secondary students. These programs help children attain a reasonable standard of education and thus grant them better employment opportunities for the future. To address the urgent water crisis facing the arid regions of Rajasthan, a desert rainwater harvesting initiative is being created by the International Fellowship of Yoga in Daily Life. It is a grassroots project aimed at alleviating poverty and providing a reliable water supply to remote and disadvantaged desert communities. In conjunction with the water project is the work of reforestation, and to date, hundreds of thousands of trees have successfully been planted in an effort to turn the desert green. A natural consequence of the reforestation work is to engage in sustainable methods of agriculture. The center itself practices organic farming and shares the model of these principles with farmers in the local area. One of the most outstanding spiritual leaders of our time, Paramahanswāmī Maheśvarānanda, simply known as Swāmījī, is recognized globally by thousands. He is the founder of the International Fellowship of Yoga in Daily Life. The fellowship’s activities are aimed at serving humankind by fostering health, world peace, humanitarian aid, human rights, and the protection of the environment and all living beings. Swamiji is one of the great self-realized masters who has brought the ancient science of yoga to the West. His deep spiritual insight and understanding of the problems of modern society led him to create a unique and comprehensive system of yoga called Yoga in Daily Life. The four pillars of Yoga in Daily Life are physical health, mental health, social health, and spiritual health. Physical health is achieved through systematic practice of the yoga postures and cleansing techniques. Mental health and balance are gained through the regular practice of relaxation, concentration, and meditation. Social health is viewed as the ability to live and communicate with others in our society without conflict, to be caring for one’s community, and to be responsible for the environment. Spiritual health means to live constantly in the awareness of God and by the principles of non-violence in thought. Today, this unique system of yoga is taught in more than 26 countries worldwide. Maheshwarananda is a world-renowned author, having written numerous texts on yoga and meditation for the past 30 years. In the year 2000, he published the most in-depth text on yoga yet, which has been received with high acclaim worldwide. The book Yoga in Daily Life is a comprehensive guide written for today’s modern lifestyle without compromising the originality of the ancient science of yoga. The practice of the Yoga in Daily Life system balances the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of this ancient science with the demands of everyday life. This book clearly demonstrates how physical health is attained through the practice of yoga postures. These exercises release physical stress, rejuvenate the body, and replenish our energy levels. They are suitable for all ages, regardless of physical fitness or condition of health. The book’s guided instruction in yoga postures includes over 450 color illustrations. It covers all aspects of traditional yoga practice, including relaxation, breath techniques, and the cleansing practices of other yoga kriyās. Scientific dietary recommendations are provided to enhance one’s physical health and mental well-being. There is also step-by-step instruction in the arts of concentration and contemplation, gradually progressing from beginner stages to higher levels of meditation. Detailed explanation is given about the chakras, the spiritual centers in the human body, what influences them, and how they affect our consciousness. The Yoga in Daily Life book is an invaluable guide for both the beginner and the advanced yoga practitioner. In the first year of its release, the text was published in eight languages. Śrī Śrī... The Kuṇḍalinī means to awaken one’s inner knowledge, that innate potential which exists in each and every person as our birthright. Awakening of the Kuṇḍalinī means awakening of the wisdom, awakening of your knowledge. You become master of yourself, you become very clear, you are not confused. Purījī is an awakening of consciousness, and it happens when the cosmic energy contained within the human body is purified and directed upward to the highest spiritual centers. The same energy that pervades the cosmos also pervades the human body. This cosmic energy is accumulated in the body at certain locations called cakras. Like a vortex, chakras pull in the energy from the cosmos in a circular motion. Chakras function on several aspects of our human existence, with important glands and nerves located in the region of each energy center. Of the thousands of chakras distributed throughout the body, just eight are the primary focus of kuṇḍalinī yoga. The five chakras are associated with normal human existence. The three divine chakras are situated along the spine, and the three divine chakras related to spiritual development are located between the top of the spine and the crown of the head. Through the practice of yoga, prāṇāyāma, meditation, kriyā, and repetition of mantra, we can influence and harmonize the cakras in our body. However, the guidance of a spiritual master is essential on this path. Like every form of energy, one must also learn to understand spiritual energy, and only that one who has traversed the path to enlightenment before us is fully competent to be a guide. The Sanskrit word guru means the remover of darkness. It is that one who removes the darkness of our ignorance and kindles in us the light of wisdom. The Guru is that spiritual master who inspires, instructs, and guides us to enlightenment, the ultimate realization of our inner potential. This is the aim and purpose of human life. Out of 72,000 nāḍīs, nerves, please remember, there are three nāḍīs which are most powerful, dominating, beautiful, and very important in our body. These three nāḍīs are known as Iḍā, Piṅgalā, and Suṣumṇā. So if we have somewhere some picture that they are showing us, this is how the chakras are located, the main chakras in the body, and through which the energy is flowing. Now, before I spoke about the reflex zones, and this is how it is: there are many, many—there are 72,000—but these are the most, the main, main chakras, and from where a lot of energy is either coming in or going out. Dormant energy means there are some problems with the body. Which body? The physical body, the astral body, the subtle body, the mental body, or the causal body? That depends on the chakras. So, and you see, the remaining energy flows through our Maṇipūra chakra. Maṇipūra cakra is where our navel is. Oh, thank you. I am not very good in techniques. Where should I press? Yellow is my color. Orange is good. Thank you. So there are two yellows. So yesterday someone asked the question, "Why in our body is there so much water? Why is it not necessary?" Eighty percent of the body is water. If you know Indian mythology, the god Viṣṇu is residing in the ocean, and he is residing on the thousand-headed snake, Śeṣanāga. That Śeṣanāga, what does that mean? And what is Viṣṇu? What is the God Viṣṇu? God Viṣṇu is that Ātmā, your Self, your very true Self, not Jīva, but your Divine Self. You are a part of that cosmos, that cosmic consciousness. You are not little. You are holy, you are divine, but you still have to realize it. You are immortal, we are immortal, we will not die. No weapons can kill us. Fire cannot burn us. Air cannot dry us. Mahāprabhujī Karatā, Mahāprabhujī Karatā, He Kevalam. But we know only theoretically, we didn’t realize. So that self is within us, but that is completely covered. The fire is covered by smoke, the sun is covered by clouds, that’s it. So when, for the first time, the soul, in the form of the soul, is within the soul, the ātmā, descending, enters for the first time into the mother’s womb, which is in the form of zero, a round atom. And there begins then the development first. And there is our Maṇipūra Chakra here. And first it develops in ten times, and then different limbs of the body, and so on. We are connected to the mother body through the Maṇipūra Chakra. And that is water. That egg is water. And Ātmā is that Viṣṇu, and the nāḍī, which is Suṣumnā Nāḍī, will go from here, from here to the top of the head where the cakra here is, Sahasrāra Cakra, and there are a thousand petals of the Chakra, so that thousand petals of Chakra, this is the snake, Śeṣa Nāga, and Viṣṇu is residing in the ocean, in the water here. That is a real picture of that. Otherwise, people think, "Yeah, and Viṣṇu is sleeping on the snake, and how is that?" We have to understand that all. So these are the locations of the chakras, the different chakras in this body, and so on, and how the prāṇa is given. And this center is a very, very important center. There is a Hara, Hara Chakra, Buddhist or Tibetans, or what we call in our other language, Hara Śakti, Life Śakti, Prāṇa Śakti. And when the Kuṇḍalinī awakes, then the Prāṇa and Apāna, they should both together come and merge here, and then the cycle goes again up to the Divine Chakra. But the Kuṇḍalinī here is somewhere down. So here is the Śakti, and here is the consciousness, the Śiva. So the liberation is there. So until this Śakti will not reach that Śiva, you are not enlightened. So she is searching for the way, but there are many obstacles on this path, and it is very hard to come up there. So you have to cross all these borders, and there are many, many difficulties, and there are many qualities of the chakras there: emotional, and jealous, and hate, and greediness, and attachment. And many, many things will pull us again back down. Thank you. Can we have the second picture? Well, it is not 72,000 nāḍīs, but the main nāḍīs are shown in this picture here, some of the names in Sanskrit, and the three nāḍīs which I mentioned, they are here: one, two, and these three nāḍīs. They are connected with both nostrils, and from here, when you come here, the consciousness unites again with the heart chakra, and it goes there again. So these are the three nāḍīs. One, two, three. All these nāḍīs are connected to different cakras. They have their own meaning. And when you do the prānāyāms, you should understand all these nāḍī systems. Then you can become the master of yourself, and you can heal your own self, your body, and give the prāṇa śakti to others. Iḍā, Piṅgalā, and Suṣumnā are these three nāḍīs. The Ida is the left nāḍī, which represents the moon. And the moon represents the emotion, and the moon represents our mind. And our mind is never steady, always changing, always changing. The moon never rises equally every day. The moon is always changing. So our emotion is changing all the time. In a different way, anger is an emotion, jealousy is an emotion, sadness is an emotion, happiness is an emotion; emotion is changing. And the right nostril is connected with the piṅgalā, which is the sun system. And the sun system is a temperament that gives you the activities, creativities, and also the restlessness. And when both are balanced, then comes the Suṣumnā Nāḍī, and that is the calm and peaceful, and meditation and liberation. So the moon is Ha, and the sun is Ta. So it is Ha-Ta, Ha-Ta, and that’s yoga. That becomes Haṭha yoga. The definition of Hatha Yoga means the union or harmonizing of both systems. Ida and Pingala, and coming to the Suṣumnā Nāḍī, and that’s what we call Haṭha Yoga. So Hatha Yoga is not the āsanas and prāṇāyāmas. To bring both these systems into perfect order, we have Ṣaṭ Karma in Haṭha Yoga: Netī, Dhautī, Bastī, Naulī, Trāṭak, and Kapālabhāti. These are the six kriyās. Cleaning of the nose with water or with a catheter. Dhauti is the cleaning of the alimentary food channel. Basti, cleaning of the stomach. And Nauli is keeping our intestines strong and ensuring good digestion. Kapalbhati is the cleaning of this part of our, what you call, the skull or sinus, the sinus system. And Trāṭak is the meditation or concentration on the flame or on some one object, concentration. So when you said, "I am practicing Haṭha Yoga, I am going to Haṭha Yoga class," and I am surprised you are not doing Haṭha Yoga. You are doing some postures, āsanas, and that’s not Haṭha Yoga, but anyhow, better than nothing. So you should do that; it will also help us somehow. So these chakras, they are very important. There are 72 nāḍīs in the body, through which this energy is flowing, and consciousness. Can I have the next picture, which you have? Now, according to that meditation, if you sit straight, this is called Mūlādhāra Cakra, Svādhiṣṭhāna Cakra, Maṇipūra Cakra, Anāhata Cakra, Viśuddhi, Ājñā, and behind there is Bindu and Sahasrāra Cakra. There are eight cakras. There are many other chakras. There is Soma Chakra, there is Gyāna Chakra, there is Amṛta Chakra, there is Candra Chakra, there are many chakras. But the very powerful and main chakras are these chakras. Now the three nāḍīs, Iḍā, Piṅgalā, and Suṣumṇā. This is the Iḍā, this is the moon system, emotion. This is the Piṅgalā, the sun system, and this is the central nerve system, the Suṣumnā Nāḍī, which is going through. And we have to bring this all together somehow, so that our nāḍīs are functioning and we can meditate or purify ourselves. Now, these nāḍīs begin from both of our hemispheres. Iḍā, the moon system, begins from the left hemisphere, and Piṅgalā from the right hemisphere. Then, the interest comes here. So, these nāḍīs, they are beginning at the ājñā cakra. This is a very powerful Cakra, the seat of consciousness. They come, and this comes and touches here, because this is a very powerful chakra. So it pulls this nāḍī, this energy, this side, and this nāḍī, the piṅgalā from the right side, it comes and pulls here. Where they cross, both are crossing, Iḍā and Piṅgalā, where Suṣumnā is there, there becomes a powerful junction, a powerful center. And that we call the chakra. Each chakra has its quality, its function. What it means, we will definitely not be able to finish all today. It’s only a little introduction. In future sessions, we will come there. From here, the moon goes towards the heart again, and this comes and becomes this powerful second Anāhata, and similarly going there. Now, their pathway is called serpentine, and that’s why the name given is snake power. There is no snake sitting inside. And some people believe when Kuṇḍalinī awakes, then some movement goes up. Sorry. And some things, there are some ends crawling up, or some sensations. So when you feel some ants are crawling up or some sensation is there, it is a high time to change the dress and wash yourself. Or if it is something more, then you should find a neurologist. Awakening of Kuṇḍalinī is very soft. Part 3: The Awakening of Consciousness: Kuṇḍalinī, Chakras, and the Mind The great master Swami Śivānandajī of Ṛṣikeśa describes the awakened state like a swan swimming on a peaceful lake. Or, as my master said, it is like the fine, unbroken flow of oil. The awakening of the Kuṇḍalinī means the awakening of wisdom and knowledge. You become the master of yourself. You become very clear; you are not confused. People think Kuṇḍalinī is very dangerous, that the chakras are very dangerous. Yes, it is dangerous because they do not know how to awaken it. It is like the story of the fox who says the grapes are too sour. Therefore, do not worry. Kuṇḍalinī is a divine science, and there is no harm, but you must practice the right techniques, the right kriyās. All of this finally comes here. According to modern medicine, physiology, and anatomy, they say the nāḍīs from here reach till here and then they disappear. But the yogī says no, they come to the end of the spinal column. And there is one very fine note. In this note, the entire energy lies dormant. These are the chakras located in our body. What is very important for us is consciousness and the mind. Consciousness and the mind (manas). So these two things I would like to explain. Here is the mana (mind), and here is the citta (the consciousness in mind). Consciousness begins from the stone and develops until the cosmic consciousness, until God. Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā... Swapna and Jagrata: Sleep, Dream, and Awaken. This is the condition of our consciousness now. The level of unconsciousness is in the Mūlādhāra. All our past deeds, what we call destiny—what will happen after half a minute or a few seconds, or ever in the future—it all lies dormant here. If we purify here, then we are free. But here are other qualities: jealousy, passion, anger, hate, and many things. These are the different qualities: the dream and the awakening. In the beginning, I spoke about the ten senses. The five senses give us information about external objects. This is immediately received and recorded, like a video or tape recorder. Everything is recorded, or like a photo camera, everything is taken in a picture. So everything is received by consciousness, by our awakened state. Everything is received. But the tape, the film must turn, be ready to have the next picture, be ready to have the next sound, or voice, or any resonance. Therefore, we do not remain stuck in the awakened state, but we are receiving constant information through different things. That is what in modern civilization we call stress. We have so much information. Sometimes we have two telephones, three telephones: one in this hand, another is here, and a third one is ringing in front of us. "Say a moment, please," in this. Many of you know... Of course. What’s happening? Too much information, this bombards your consciousness, but the consciousness gives further recording, goes further to the subconscious. Here, in this cakra, everything is recorded. So the past karma, or destiny, from when? From the first second of your life, it begins in the form of an embryo. From that time is your past life. Now you have descended on this physical planet, and now begins this life till the death of this body. And all that is happening, after one second what is passed, that is called the subconscious. Everything will remain in the subconscious. Yesterday some person had a question. This person has some fear, I do not know why, or how to overcome it. Yes, this fear is in the subconsciousness, and the reason is somewhere far away. Now doctors have a very powerful tool. When they do not understand some illness, they say it is psychic. Doctors are very happy that, thanks to God, they got one nice excuse. It is psychic, and yes, it is psychic. And then they say, from childhood, from this and that. So everything that the mother is experiencing from the first minute until giving birth, all pleasure, unpleasant situations through which she is going, that affects the embryo, that affects the child, does not matter human or animal. And then, after what’s happening in your life, from childhood, everything, these are impressions, we call saṃskāras, and you call impressions, saṃskāras. Now, these saṃskāras go to the subconsciousness, and that is how they become desires there. Desire means a wish. It can be a good wish, it can be a bad wish, and then sometimes this wish wants to come out. You sow a beautiful mango fruit, and now you wish to eat it. First, your jñāna indriya, the chakṣu (the eyes), you see the mango. Then your svādha indriya says, "The mango is very tasty, I want to eat." Desire developed, went to the subconscious, came back, and you want to eat. Or, you eat now. You are passing through an ice cream shop, and beautiful ice cream is there in very hot weather. And you say, "Oh, I want to eat ice cream." You go inside the ice cream shop, but then you remember, "My God, there is no diet ice cream, and I have diabetes, I can’t eat." So, unfortunately, you come out of the shop. Now, this impression of the picture of the ice cream, the desire to eat the ice cream, and that you decided that you will not eat anymore, you go, but it remained in the subconsciousness; you did not solve the problem. The problem is there, and now, maybe in the same night, or after a few days, when you sleep very peacefully and very nicely, and you dream that the doctor says there is no diabetes, "Mahāprabhujī kī karatā he kevalam, Mahāprabhujī kī karatā." Purījī, Purījī... That becomes one day a psychic problem. Then, slowly, slowly, we forget, but we have some longing. The small children who could not get the love of their parents properly, they are missing something their whole life. They would like to listen to someone tell them, "I love you, my child, I love you." So, your whole life, something is missing. Treatment is to replace something. Or, awaken the Kuṇḍalinī, awaken the Viveka, and say, "Whatever it was, it was the past. Now I am free." There was a war, the Second World War. But fortunately, thanks to God, it is over. Why are we still afraid of that situation? Only we should repeat our prayers that it should not happen again. That’s it. Now, so that is the subconsciousness. Unconsciousness, unconsciousness, subconsciousness, unconsciousness. Now, there is one mighty power in our body that is called the mind. What is the mind? And we say, "I want to control your mind, my mind." But I cannot control my mind. My mind is so restless. I want to meditate, and suddenly I am somewhere. I am shopping. Then I said, "No." And again, I am meditating, and I said, "Oh, I want to see that video." So, the mind is restless. What is the mind? Mind is one principle, one tendency, one system. That mind is the tap which is constantly turning. So, in the consciousness is recorded whatever impression is taken. The mind transfers those impressions to the subconscious. But the subconscious, if it is overloaded, then we are, how to say, I do not know, do you say kicked out or burned out? This happened with the workaholics. So, whenever you sleep, whenever you sit peacefully, when you close your eyes, when there is little work, then the mind becomes active to empty this again, the subconsciousness, to bring it to the conscious. In the form of thoughts, impressions went down and became desires. But still, desires are formless; you do not know them. Desires come here to the intellect. The intellect’s duty, or the principle of the intellect, is to decide what is wrong and what is right, or what is this. This is water, this is a stick, this is a microphone. Buddhi, the intellect, is giving the judgment. So, whatever impressions go in here become these desires. As smoke comes up back to the intellect here, buddhi gives the judgment: what kind of desires are these in the form of thoughts and thinking? These thoughts transfer into the heart as a wish to do something, a very sensitive center. And then this intellect tells you where this desire belongs. Does this desire belong to this chakra, or this chakra, or... this chakra? Where does it belong? What do you want? And that is why the mind cannot be steady. The poor mind has to work double: get the impression down, and get all these desires up. So there is a little story. One farmer went to the fields for work, and he met a ghost. And the ghost was very strong, but the farmer was also very strong. He was eating very healthy organic food, you know, not all this fast food. So the ghost and the farmer had a fight. The farmer said, "Why are you fighting? What do you want?" He said, "I want to kill you." "Why do you want to kill me? You cannot kill me, so there is a fight with me." So the farmer said, "What will happen? Who will be the winner? Then what will happen?" So the ghost said, "The winner has to give the duty to the loser, and the loser has to obey everything whatever the winner will tell." He said, "Okay." So the farmer was a very strong person, and he pulled the ghost down to the earth and sat on his chest. The ghost said, "Okay, you are the winner, and I am the loser. So give me work. Now, if you do not give me work, I will kill you. As long as you will give me work, I will do for you whatever you want my whole life." The farmer was very happy to get some sun without payment. So the farmer said, "Make a fence around my property." It was several thousand acres of land. So, within minutes, the ghost finished the fence and cleaned all the stones. So, just like the wind, he cleaned the stones. "Give me work." The ghost was thinking that before sunset, I will kill the farmer. Now, it was afternoon, three o’clock, and the farmer was trembling, wondering what to do. So, nearby there, some master was there, meditating, having his āśram there. So, the farmer went there. The ghost was running behind him. But when he saw the ashram, he got scared outside. No negative energy and no ghost or bad spirit can enter the holy place. Ashram, mosque, or church, the ghost will always remain away. The farmer went in, the master welcomed him and said, "Yes, how are you? You look a little bit nervous, what happened?" So he told the whole problem. The master said, "No problem, do not worry." He said, "Sir, for you, no problem, but for me, it is a big problem. As soon as I go out of the ashram, he will kill me." He said, "No. Go to the ghost and tell him to bring one of the biggest trees from this forest. The tallest, biggest tree." Okay. So he went outside of the ashram. The ghost said, "Give me work." He said, "Yes, bring me the biggest tree." So the ghost disappeared, and within a few minutes he came with a big, large tree about 30–40 meters high and said, "Give me work." So, Master Ghost is already here. He said, no problem. Tell him to put this tree back in the ground, in the earth. So, he put a few meters inside. "Give me the work." Again, he came, Master. He finished everything. Now he needs work. He said, "Very good. Tell him, 'Do not stop working, otherwise I will kill you.'" He said, "Yes, but I do not have work. Everything, whatever I had, he finished all." He said he did not finish. Tell him his duties: climb up and down this tree. When he is down, his duty is to go up, and when he is up, his duty is to go down. And when you have some other work, tell him to come here and clean the fields. And when he is finished, tell him to go and climb up and down. This body of the human is a field, karmabhūmi, and yourself, who is here, the jīvātmā, is a farmer, and the mind is the ghost. One day the mind will kill you, but your intellect, your buddhi, your viveka, is your master. Through meditation, with your mantras, so’haṁ, always lead your mind up and down through the cakras. All the thoughts will disappear, and the subconsciousness will be purified. So that is the mind. The duty of the mind is to bring the information from the five jñāna indriyas, the senses, to the subconsciousness. And the dormant information and desires, in the form of impressions, bring them back to the conscious. And the consciousness is connected with the intellect, and the duty of the intellect is to give judgment. Therefore, the mind has no responsibility. Do not trust your mind. Mind Dharma, the principle of the mind, is Saṅkalpa and Vikalpa. Saṅkalpa means to bring the thoughts, vikalpa means to give them up. So he brings the thoughts and gives up here; he goes up. And then he brings these desires from here up, and then he is not anymore responsible. So what we do, mistakes, that suddenly we do what we think, but we do not overthink. We shall take time and overthink and analyze this, or ask some wise persons, ask the parents, ask the elderly persons, ask some wise persons for advice. The wise can give the advice. Then, we will be free from certain difficulties in life which we create ourselves out of our mind. And so, this is how the clarity we can create and dissolve everything here. The kuṇḍalinī śakti, the dormant power of your consciousness from the past, and everything is hidden, dormant here. Kund means a deep place, and Snake Kala means the time, the past time. Bhūta Kāla, the past time. So, all depends on our—all problems are hidden in this place. If we master these two, then we can come here, and then emotion will come forth, and then here. So, each of these chakras has its own function in our body. We have today a very beautiful subject, kuṇḍalinī and cakras. I do not know how many of you know about that, and maybe many of you know, and many may not know. Kundalini is a dormant power in the human body. When the Kuṇḍalinī Śakti, or the power, awakens, it means the enlightenment of the consciousness, crossing all the borders of karmas and destinies, and that individual becomes one with the cosmic Self. There are many beautiful books by great masters written in your country, also in English language, and this evening I would like to contribute a little bit more about the Kuṇḍalinī and cakras. Yesterday we spoke about yoga. What is yoga? How old is yoga, and what are the principles of yoga? So yoga is one of the most ancient, even older than the sun and this planet on which we are living. It is divine science, the science of body, mind, consciousness, and soul. Yes, it has to be understood and then practiced properly. So, in order to be successful in our life, to fulfill the human aims or the goal, we have to develop our consciousness, and that means awakening the dormant Śakti or the powers in our body. We spoke yesterday about the creation, also how the elements were created. Four elements: fire, air, water, and earth. The ether was, is, and will be. The definition of the self and the soul is different. Ātmā is not the soul. We will speak about that today if we have time. Otherwise, in the next session. You remember from yesterday that the creation on this planet, the creator has created 8.4 million kinds of creatures, and one of them is human. Part 4: The Path of Purification and the Nature of the Self Every creature possesses its own abilities and meaning in life. However, humans are far more developed due to the buddhi (the intellect) and the śakti (the power, the abilities, the kuṇḍalinī). All creatures on this planet are manifested from the five elements: ether, fire, air, water, and earth. All have their abilities, but humans possess additional and different ones. What we understand about human life and human consciousness—Siddha Pīṭha Paramparā, Siddha Pīṭha Paramparā—is that miracles can be achieved. According to yogic terminology, there are 72,000 nāḍīs (translated as nerves) in the human body. This network of 72,000 nāḍīs extends throughout the entire body, serving as channels through which energy or consciousness flows. We have five different kinds of bodies, not merely one physical body. We call them kośas (sheaths or quarters), which you may understand as layers, one after another. They are: 1. Annamaya kośa – the body of nourishment. 2. Prāṇamaya kośa – the body of prāṇa (energy, vitality). 3. Manomaya kośa – the mental body. 4. Vijñānamaya kośa – the intellectual body. 5. Ānandamaya kośa – the causal body. These are five distinct bodies. Within them exists the individual soul. The soul is different from the Self or the ātmā. The soul, the jīva, is constituted of our karma and our qualities. The difference between any two of us lies in our different qualities. The difference between God and our Self is also that we have different qualities. As long as our karma (our deeds) exists, the soul will exist in this universe. As an individual, you will have your own destiny to undergo, whether in the physical world where we reside in this physical body or in the astral world with the subtle body. Through positive deeds, prayers, meditations, mantras, and good actions, we will purify all negative qualities. Eventually, only pure, sāttvic, positive, God-like qualities will remain. An example illustrates this. There is a glass of cold water (it should be warm, but that is fine). The water is very clean, and the glass is transparent. I see nothing inside except clean water, and I suppose you do not either. However, the person who brought the water put two spoons of solid salt inside beforehand. The salt has since dissolved; its physical form has changed into a liquid state. My eyes cannot discern whether it is sweet or salty water. We have karmendriyas and jñānendriyas (which I will discuss later); they have the duty to inform us. My eyes tell me it is very clean, good water to drink. But when I take a sip, I can tell you there is salt inside. What does this mean? It means the salt changed its form from solid to liquid, but it did not change its quality (guṇa). It retained its quality of saltiness. My tongue, or my svādha indriya (the tasting sense), informs me the salt is inside. Therefore, if we think that after the death of this body we will attain mokṣa (liberation), nirvāṇa, or freedom—that all our problems will be finished—that is incorrect. All problems will follow you throughout the entire universe, like the shadow of your body. Even if you fly in an airplane to leave your shadow here in Africa, as soon as you disembark in another country and walk, you will be surprised to find the shadow is there. Yesterday we spoke about two principles: karma, and that karma does not let anyone through. Purījī, Purījī... There are many practices, many masters, and many different paths. Choose the path that resonates with you. This is your own feeling, your own decision, for ultimately, every path will lead us there. Thank you to Johannesburg, in this hall where we are sitting. When individual karma is purified, nothing remains. Then the soul, as we call it, becomes thinner and thinner and thinner. Light enters, and that light becomes one with that Light, which is God. Light is knowledge, light is love, light is wisdom. That Light is different from the physical light we see. It is called indescribable, everlasting, immortal: nityam, nirañjanam—everlasting, pure, spotless. This means that individual consciousness has merged into cosmic consciousness. As long as that consciousness still resides in the physical body, we must undergo the karmas of the body. But we are not victims of death. It is samādhi, it is freedom, it is divine consciousness. For others, it is death. So, guṇa (quality) decides, and we are seeking that quality. "Be good." What does that mean? Be good. Quality. Good quality. Jaisā karegā, vaisā bharegā: As you sow, so shall you reap. Prārabdhu pehle rachā, piseh rasā śarīra: First, our destiny is created, and then life is given. In this body, we have ten indriyas (senses). Indriyas means senses: the five senses of knowledge (jñāna indriya), which receive knowledge. Whatever you input into the computer of the brain, there are only five keys from the external world to receive knowledge and information. Śrī Śrī... What is in this room? What kind of ripe fruits are there? Which flower is here? Is there a bad smell? The nose can inform us, not the ears. The tongue informs us through taste, and the skin through touch. Through these five jñāna-indriyas (knowledge senses), we receive information and act accordingly. Then there are five karma-indriyas (action senses) through which we perform actions. Whatever we do involves these karma-indriyas. The first is speech (Vāk Indriya). Whatever you speak, you have done it. In some cases, we say that even when you think, you have already done it, and then you speak. If someone is injured by a knife, the wound will grow and then heal. But if someone is injured by words, it will remain for a lifetime. Then there are hands and legs. Legs enable us to go somewhere. Hands, through hands we can do good or bad. Helping hands have more value than folded hands. Hands are given to do something and to give something. These are the five karmendriyas. The eleventh indriya is the mighty one, the master of these ten senses, called the mind. We will come to the mind a little later. So, these are the ten senses through which we work, and we need healthy senses. Of course, the whole body should be healthy. Some say a healthy body has a healthy mind; that is not correct. Some people, unfortunately, do not have a healthy body, but their mind is very healthy. This body has many different functions—memory, consciousness, mind, space... Purījī, Purījī... There is one technique of prāṇāyāma called Nāḍī Śodhana. Nāḍī refers to nerves, and śodhana means purification. Purifying the nervous system means purifying the consciousness, the channels through which consciousness flows. At the end of the nāḍīs, or at the branch where they separate—you may call it a junction—that place is called a granthi (a knot), and that is the cakra (the energy point). One of the oldest systems, Chinese acupuncture, demonstrates this. When practitioners perform electroacupuncture and search for a reflex zone, if they touch a point to the side, the needle on the monitor will not move. But if they touch the right point, the needle immediately moves. This indicates it is a junction. There is a cakra, there is energy, and this energy should not be blocked. If anything in the body is not functioning properly, some cakras are blocked. Through massage or the pressure of needles, you can free the blockage. Then energy flows freely. This is what the kuṇḍalinī is—dormant, blocked energy that should flow. Now, these are the names of the cakras. I told you a little bit, but somehow... Next, please. So, this is the symbol, or methodologically, some explanation and pictures of what it means. All these pictures and symbols have their meanings, like I explained before regarding what Lord Viṣṇu means, what water means, and so on. All these cakras have their meanings. Now we come to here. Let's say here is the elephant. The elephant has seven trunks. It is a white elephant. Lord Brahmā, the creator, rides this white elephant. If you dream of a white elephant, it has a great and beautiful meaning. Other elephants are also very beautiful. Many of our friends traveling with me today came from different countries. They visited some parks today, saw elephants, fed them, and it was very nice. Then we visited a kind of village where they introduced different lifestyles. It was very, very nice. Mahāprabhujīp Karatā Mahāprabhujīp Karatā... Everything is very useful and prosperous. So, when you see an elephant in a dream, wisdom, prosperity, and luck are crossing your path. The seven trunks symbolize the seven main minerals, which are very important for our life and for our progress in the body. Śabda Dhātu, these are Śabda Dhātu, divine nectar. Without this, we would die. This is the development from which our body and our Self are evolving. All these we call lotus petals. The lotus symbolizes in Indian culture and mythology that it always remains on top. The lotus grows better in muddy water, not in a very clean lake, but in a lake with more mud, which is dirty. Yet, its blossoms are so beautiful and remain on the surface. When the lotus closes, its form is so beautiful. God Viṣṇu is called Kamal Nayan (Lotus-Eyed). Viṣṇu is like a closed lotus. This world is māyā (illusion), troubles. It is not clean; it is muddy, sticky everywhere. But you should live in this world like a lotus above the water. Water is temptation. Water is māyā. There are many impurities. But a pure, beautiful flower exists there. So, remain untouched by this māyā. Keep your mind free from it. Stay above. No criticism, no negative thinking. Try to see the good in everyone. Try to be like a honey bee, which takes nectar from every blossom. Some plants may be poisonous, but the bee takes the nectar from them. So, a wise person, a good person, will respect and take the good from everyone. A person whose mind is polluted, whose heart is full of desires and disappointments, will criticize, speak negatively, and harbor negative thoughts. To think negatively is to poison yourself; to think positively is to enlighten yourself. It depends on you. You are the one who can liberate yourself. You are the one who can bring it to perfection. It is very important that you do something. Yes, there is someone who can help you, but in reality, you have to do it. We have to do it. God has given us everything. The lotus has many great meanings. It is used for pūjā (worship), for celebration, for rituals, and is offered to God. Yesterday we spoke about creation and nourishment. It was too long, and I forgot to tell you about nourishment for the divine, for God. Nourishment for devils, for humans, and for animals. For God, for the divine, nourishment is something beautiful, fragrant, and good-smelling. That is why we use incense and offer flowers. For devils, it is alcohol, meat, blood, spoiled food, and such. For humans, sāttvik food is balanced nourishment. For animals, it is whatever they find. Likewise, I think you are very tired. I see people are doing like this. I was bombarding your consciousness; it is too much. I think I will stop very soon. Here, within this lotus, there is a Śiva Liṅgam. The Śiva Liṅgam is the attribute of consciousness. And this is the Śakti, the cosmic mother. Śakti and Śiva. Śiva means consciousness. Śiva means liberation. Śiva means truth. Śiva means the light. Śiva means beauty. Satyam Śivam Sundaram—that is Śiva. And Śiva means the first person, the Swayambhū (the self-manifested one whom no one created). So, the Creator is Brahmā, the Protector and Sustainer is Viṣṇu, and the Liberator is Śiva. He is the destructor of negative qualities and the liberator of your consciousness. He liberates you from all negative qualities. Satyam Śivam Sundaram. This is the Śiva Liṅgam and Kuṇḍalinī. Here, if this is a snake—it is a snake, a three-and-a-half-coiled snake coming up here, but its head is down. This means the power, its energy, is going downward. It is like an earthing system for a building. It goes into the earth. If we could direct this earthing system upward, then enlightenment would arise. So, there is Brahmā and Sarasvatī. Sarasvatī is wisdom, knowledge. Brahmā is the creator. Everything begins from this. There is much to speak about this. There is a mantra. I cannot tell you everything today. Sub-mantras and the bīja-mantra are lam. Mantras mean vibration, the resonance of particular cakras. So, can I have your next cakras, please? Thank you. Likewise, there are different cakras: Svādhiṣṭhāna Cakra (the second one down; the crocodile makes it strong), Maṇipūra Cakra (with the antelope), Anāhata Cakra, and Viśuddhi Cakra (the throat cakra). All have their meaning. Purījī, Purījī... The Shiva eye, the third eye. This is how to see the future. This is the inner eye. Yesterday we spoke about Trikāla Darśī, the knower of the three times—past, present, and future. Next, please. That’s all? Yes, this is the Bindu Cakra. Oh, the ambrosia, the nectar. This is here on the top of the head. Nectar drips from here. Śrī Śrī... So you have to awaken this cakra. Finally, oh my God, there we are. Sadāśiva. Sadāśiva means ever blissful. Tāṇḍava nitya. When you are ever blissful, you are free, dancing. That is free dancing. Shiva in the sahasrāra cakra (thousand-petaled cakra). The residence of Śiva is on Mount Kailāśa, which is now in Tibet. It is one of the holiest places, the holiest mountain in the world. There resides Lord Śiva. The science of yoga, all sciences, languages, wisdom—whatever humans have developed—comes from Śiva. So, this is essentially about Kuṇḍalinī Yoga. Is there someone more? Thank you. So, this is essentially about Kuṇḍalinī Yoga. I hope it was not too much. If you have any questions, you can ask afterward. Thank you. God bless you.