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Peace is the way, and it begins within one's own heart. Humans are blessed to receive a human body through past karma. Karma is simply action, defined by adherence to or violation of universal law, just as a citizen follows or breaks a national constitution. This action begins with the soul's descent toward Earth and continues through physical life. The human body is a temple for the soul, yet it is governed by a dictatorial mind that must be controlled. When the mind is disciplined, the intellect brings forth the light of wisdom. True practice starts with the discipline of the body, following its inherent dharma to calm restless thoughts and enable spiritual growth.

"Karma is action, nothing else."

"Yogaḥ citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ: through discipline, the restless thoughts are calmed down."

Filming location: Austria

Good morning. It is the 21st of September, and many people around the world are thinking of and praying for world peace. In Austria, our brothers and sisters from Salzburg are gathering near the peace tree we planted. Many other people from different organizations are coming and offering their beautiful thoughts for world peace. We had a beautiful world peace prayer yesterday, and one park was dedicated as a peace park, where we planted twelve beautiful trees. The first tree we planted about eight or nine years ago in Slovenia, Krain. We will also have here, in the afternoon, a prayer and a visit to the peace tree. But as I thought yesterday, Mahatma Gandhi said there is no way to peace; peace itself is the way. He also said charity begins at one’s own home, and peace begins in one’s own heart. We humans are all blessed. It is our past good karma, our destinies, that we are blessed ones. God, or nature, or whatever we believe in, gave this soul, our soul, the opportunity to have a human body. The word karma is a Sanskrit word. So many times people say, "I don’t believe in karma." It is because you do not know this word. What is karma? Do you know a country called Austria in Europe? Who doesn’t know? I am surprised everyone knows. Where is the country Austria in Europe? Is Austria a republic? Yes? Or the Federal Republic? A beautiful country. Now, Austria has its own constitution, yes or no? Austria has its own constitution, like all other countries have. So this law, the Austrian or any country’s constitution, the law means the Dharma. That is the Dharma. Now, what is karma? If you go against the Austrian law, it is wrong. You will be punished. What we call illegal. And if you follow exactly the Austrian law, nobody will punish you. Everything you did is legal. So doing against or according to the law—this is karma. That’s all. Doing means karma. Now, if you don’t believe in karma philosophy, it means you still did not use both parts between your two beautiful ears. So we have to use both hemispheres; therefore, we cannot discriminate against any language, culture, or such things. So karma is action, nothing else. It is said that karma begins from the first inhalation when you are born. Others say, in the Upaniṣads it is said, karma begins already when you come closer, proceeding towards the era of this earth. You were liberated from the astral world to go to this mortal world to do the right things, to get liberation from all different worlds, different ākāśas, to the Brahmalokas. So when the soul was descending or proceeding towards this beautiful Mother Earth, your feelings, your thoughts, your soul were so happy that again you got the chance to prove yourself, that you will do good things, you will not make the same mistakes. So there begins already the actions. For us humans, normally we are nine months in our mother’s womb, in our mother’s body. Creatures have different periods of time. There are four ways in which the soul enters this planet. One is like we humans and some other animals, who are born as a complete body. Through the eggs, then developing as bacteria and the life of the plants, wood bridge. So the trees, the plants also have a soul, but that consciousness which we have and the tree has is a little different. But trees are also sometimes jealous; certain trees cannot be together. In the Bhagavad Gītā, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa said in the 15th chapter that the trees have roots down in the earth and branches growing up. But the human body is also a tree; the roots are above, and the branches are growing down. And then it speaks, compares with the hymns or the mantras of the Vedas, so that each limb of our body is described in those Vedas, the leaves of the trees, plants, etc. Recently, someone told me—I didn’t read it, but it was written in some scientific magazine, a research magazine—they are now comparing the roots of the trees with the human brain. So here we are, okay? So when we come to the mother’s body, the body, already our movement is the actions. So next time when you come to the mother’s body, please don’t move too much, otherwise mother cannot sleep at night. Only mother knows this, you know. When we are born, our action in this Mṛtyuloka begins with the first inhalation and ends with the last exhalation. So whatever happens through our body, through our mind, through our intellect, and through our position is called karma, meaning actions, doing something. That is a word, doing something. Earth is working, planets are working, elements are working, trees are working, growing, giving fruits, etc. This is karma. Therefore, those who have problems and do not believe in karma should read the constitution of Austria and do something against it; then you will know what it is. So we are so thankful to God, or to Mother Nature, or our destiny, whatever, that we got such a beautiful, comfortable, and perfect life as a human, and human dharma also. Dharma of country is in constitution, dharma of the humans is in the human body’s law, body law. We would like to keep our body healthy, and the body is the temple of our soul, and this should be very pure and clean, and we should feel happy under our skin in this body. Now, to feel comfortable and happy, it depends on us. Now the mind is governing us. Mind is governing us, though we don’t want that mind to govern us, but it is doing so. He is demanding, he is a dictator, and he is controlling everything. And where is the mind? Inside. Did you see that mind? No, we can’t catch it. Part of the body he is, what form he has, what color he has, how he looks, but he’s our boss. There is one bhajan which I used to say, "O Ātmā, O Ātmā, you are the king." This body is your kingdom, and all the senses and mind are your people or your slaves. Do not become a slave of your senses and your mind. In this kingdom, there are many thieves and many cheaters. They will cheat you, and they will steal everything from you. You have no more control over them, and that is our bad habits, our sensual desires. Our mind becomes mighty, and the mind troubles us. When the mind is completely wild and out of our control, then also this mind can cause us depression, restlessness, fear, and many bad thinkings. When it is controlled, then our viveka, our pure intellect, takes over, and the viveka is your best secretary. Viveka is your best advisor, and that advisor gives you, and when you accept that, it becomes a light in the dark house of this body, and that light is called Jñāna Jyoti, the light of wisdom. Why does the light of wisdom come when we practice our life? We live according to the Dharma of the body, Dharma, or the law of this kingdom, and we take care that all the functions are functioning according to the law. Of the body, body is happy, body is healthy, and then you will see, and you will see, "I feel so happy in my body." Otherwise, sometimes people say, "I am not happy. I have so many problems. I don’t..." Feel good under my skin? Who doesn’t feel good under your skin? Because the mind is troubling us. Therefore, the father of psychology is the great ṛṣi Patañjali. Patañjali researched the entire human body, mind, intellect, soul, consciousness, and ātmā, etc., so he knows. But after all this, he wanted to instruct his students, his disciples. So he said, "There is only one law." If you do this, then I will give you further teachings; otherwise, not. And what is that? Atha Yoga Anuśāsanam. First is discipline. After discipline, your yoga life will begin. And yoga cannot be successful without discipline. When the discipline is there, automatically your restless thoughts, your anxiety, your fear, and unclarities will all clear up. What he said next: "Yogaḥ citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ." Through now your discipline and disciplined practicing, your discipline means you are following now the dharma of your body. You follow the dharma, what is inside the subtle functions. Now, the vṛttis, the restless thoughts, are calmed down, tranquilized. Like a stormy sea, after a while it becomes calm; all waves merge into calmness in oneself. Then you can meditate, or you can develop yourself spiritually, or your health, or anything. Every time I tell our students, when it is said 10 o’clock, the program begins, it begins. Even your teacher is not here yet, but you are already here, sitting and practicing your relaxation or meditation, or lying down and relaxing. Only they will do who really take seriously their life to understand this republic of your body. Means reborn, clear? Yes, no? Yeah. Before, it was under some other law, and now it became free. It got itself. So you are reborn. You are as a human, and human is from the human. We develop into the god’s quality. That’s what is called the holy, that’s called the divine, Narasiṁha Nārāyaṇa. Nar means human. Narayan means the God, the Vishnu. Through our practices, first we have to ask our body. First, check our body. What is missing? Why do we have pain? Why do we have problems, physical, mental? Then we go further. So, let’s do some good postures. Thinking of the discipline. Okay? You had a good breakfast? Good. Then lie down and relax. Head to my side. Water, yes. I have here hands beside the body, elbows slightly. Bend it so that your elbows are. Relaxed palm, half open and half closed, so that fingers are relaxed. Legs slightly apart from each other, not over-crossed. If you don’t feel comfort lying on the back, you may turn over on your stomach if you feel comfortable, and just your... Body in such a comfortable way that you will not feel discomfort. Mentally give instructions to your telephone, please don’t ring or turn it off. A few times, deep inhale and exhale. And now, relax the whole body. Relax the whole body from the toes to the top of the head, and from the top of the head to the toes, and now bring... Your awareness at the center of the body means at your navel. Try to relax your stomach muscles and feel the expansion and contraction of the stomach with breath. When you inhale, the stomach is expanding, and when you exhale, it contracts. Breath should be very normal, natural, and say to yourself, "Just relax." It is the Manipūra chakra. It is the navel where the prāṇa and apāna meet together. A perfect coordination between prāṇa and apāna. The strength of the prāṇa is to inhale, and the strength of the apāna is to exhale. You need not try to inhale and exhale; it goes by itself. Just be aware that you know you are inhaling, and you know that you are exhaling. At the same time, you are one. With the motion of the stomach expansion and contraction, relax, relax... the whole body from the toes till the top of the head, and from the top of the head till the toes, relax. Each and every breath should be known to you. Yes, I know that. I’m inhaling, and I know that I’m exhaling. I know how comfortable I feel, especially my stomach muscles are relaxed, my digestion is functioning properly. And now, bring your awareness, bring your attention to the tip of the big toes, both left and right, try to feel if you can, or remember if you remember that you have two toes. Feel the tip of the big toes. Don’t move your body, don’t move your hands up and down, and go from. One to second toes, from big toe till all the four toes together. So, from both legs, all the ten toes, just feel. Feel all the ten toes, just feel it. Just be aware, but breath awareness should continue between the... Big toe and second toe, the beginning. The seat of the Vajranāḍī, which nicely this morning Ekta was explaining to you in morning class. This Vajranāḍī connects to the Maṇipūra, then goes along with other nāḍīs towards the head. The strength of your willpower, your mental strength, your concentration strength, the balance of body, mind, and thoughts, is controlled by the Vajra Nāḍī, the Vajra nerve. Anatomically, if you see, it is of four or five. Toes left and five toes right, different joints come to the foot. The ankle joints connect all the nerves inhaled from the whole body. At the time of the inhalation, the prāṇa śakti flows from the tip of the toes into the lower part of the body till the navel, and from the tip of the fingers and head from the upper part of the body till the navel. It means you have to observe the maṇipūra and feel that from every direction, this life energy, Lebenskraft, is flowing through the whole body and comes into the maṇipūra, or the navel. That’s the prāṇa, lebenskraft. In every direction of the body, energy flows, all kinds of toxins flow out of the body. Especially noticeable from the toes and fingertips. Time of the inhalation from every direction of the body, especially more sensitive that you can feel from the tip of the toes till the level which is covering the entire lower part of the body, and at the same time, time of the inhalation more. From the tip of the fingers and head, flows the energy towards the navel. This is prāṇa śakti, life energy. And at the time of the exhalation, all the used energy, through the help of the apāna śakti, all the toxins from the body are released again in every direction. You feel the tip of the toes and fingers. Relax, relax, or a minimum of five centimeters, there is your astral body you can feel. Expansion and contraction, inhalation and exhalation, the vibration, the purification is not only through the physical body, but our astral body too. Expansion and contraction is also in the astral body. I know that I’m inhaling. I know that I’m exhaling. You feel a nice, cool breath, a cool breeze in your nostrils, and you feel warm air going out through the nostrils. Such feelings in the whole body. Relax, relax, just relax the whole body. Let flow your breath and awareness by inhaling from the toes and fingers, coming to the maṇipūra. Exhalation going through the whole body to the toes and fingers. It’s the expansion and contraction of the prāṇa and apāna śakti. Relax, relax. Now, bring your awareness to the shoulders, your neck and throat, your nose, and ears. And eyes, feel your forehead, and now a few times, deep inhale and exhale, and slowly move. Your toes and fingers, stretch your hands above the body on the ground, and toes stretching towards the ground, not towards the body, and toes towards the body, and heels stretching out. Roll your body slightly to the left side and the right side, and rub your palms. Place them on the face and face muscles, eyelids, and move your hands away. Open the eyes. Turn slightly to one side of the body to sit up. So, 15 minutes we will have an interval. So please come in again after 15 minutes if you want to go out. If not, then just meditate. So please lie on your back, and I will give the task to our two yoga teachers, namely Hemlata Harriet Butcher from Vienna and Ekta Grundei from Vienna, to correct our practitioners. And please, we first ask if you are allowed to touch your body, so that the two women will correct the exercises. If you don’t want to, you should say beforehand, "Don’t touch me." Yoga teachers, thank you. Hands beside the body, both hands, next to the body. Legs together. One or two times, the whole body tightens and stretches, very good. Hands next to the body, palms on the floor. Press, press on the ground. Both legs together, and now bend both knees and pull the knees to the body. I said the hands stay on the floor, try to pull your knees more to the body. And now, with the help of both hands, slowly go to Viparītakarṇī Mudrā. And now, yoga teachers from Austria will correct your position. Normal breath. And you should know that this is not a shoulder stand, but Viparītakarṇī Mudrā. Lift your legs straight up. Both big toes are parallel to your eyebrow center. When you lower a thread from the big toes, it comes directly to your eyebrow centre. No movement, normal breathing. Be very comfortable and relaxed. The beautiful picture looks like an exhibition for socks. Don’t move your legs too much. Don’t move your body. Yoga in daily life is very simple and very comfortable, but it has a great effect. It is very noticeable now. Don’t move your toes and legs, please. Don’t move your ankles either. Breathe normally. Now focus on your navel. And feel the energy from your navel to your toes. And from your toes back to your navel, don’t move your legs. And feel the energy from the navel to the toes and from the toes to the navel, but don’t move your legs. If you can’t do it, relax. Lie down peacefully, and do not move while lying down. And don’t move when you’re lying down. Your concentration is between the navel and the big toes. Viparīt karaṇī mudrā. Viparīt means upside down. Viparīt karaṇī mudrā is the name. Viparīt means turned around. Viparīt means opposite. The energy flows opposite. Energy flows in the opposite direction. Normally, it flows from the toes down, but in this case, it goes from the bottom to the top, and it divides the energy into two parts. One is between the navel and the head; the other part is from the navel to the toes. The energy flows in two directions, from the navel to the head and from the toes to the navel. And this is why it’s the opposite, because usually it flows from the toes down. If somebody comes back to the ground with the feet, then don’t repeat the practice; stay there. Today is like an election. Who will we elect for the Brahmavidyā Kriyā? The people observing outside can also do it with us. You can come in. There is a beautiful story about Viparītakaraṇī Mudrā. It’s a little bit long, but it doesn’t matter. I will explain. There was once a yogī, and he was doing his practice, but he wanted to see God. And he asked Ṛṣi Nārada, and he said, "Please tell me which practice would be the best and quickest for my self-realization." Ask God. Please ask God for me. So Nārada went to Viṣṇu. So Nārada went to God Viṣṇu, and Lord Viṣṇu said, "The best would be for me to give you a practical exercise, not just theory." And God Viṣṇu explained Viparītakaraṇī Mudrā to him. And he said, "Nārada, you should now practice this." No, no, you should practice now. Nārada should practice now. So Nārada took the Viparītakaraṇī Mudrā position. So Nārada took the position of Viparītakarṇī Mudrā, and Viṣṇu closed his eyes, and he is still meditating now. And Nārada is still in the position. The answer will come next time. Now, bend your knees and put your knees on your forehead. Only the ones that are just finishing Viparītakaraṇī Mudrā. Don’t stretch the legs. Now bend the knees and put them on your forehead. And now, stretch your knees and put your feet above the head. Halāsana. Halāsana. The plow. And support your back with your hands. Put your toes on the floor. Mal einsbrocken. And then Vishnu opens his eyes. And Nārada asks him, "How long shall I stay like this?" Vishnu says, "You made big errors." Otherwise, you would already be enlightened. And Nārada said, "No, my lord, I will practice more." And Vishnu said, "You changed your position." So it will last for another lifetime. So stay like this. And now, slowly try to hold your toes with your hands, but keep them on the ground. And who said that yoga in daily life is too easy? Just wait, tomorrow morning Ekta will lead advanced exercises and Vijay will demonstrate. Now, support your back with your hands again. Bend your knees, put the knees on your forehead, and now stretch your knees up. Stretch your legs. And now, the second round of Viparītakaraṇī Mudrā begins. Langsam on the ground, bring in the chest muscles, the back on the ground, all the legs out on the ground. And now, put your buttock muscles slowly on the floor, and put your legs on the floor slowly. I congratulate all who have done the Ūrdhva Prākṛti Karṇī Mudrā up to now without problems. And who hasn’t? All the best for the future. Turn over your stomach, support your chin with your hands, and now with your legs, now put your hands next to your body, put your chin on the ground, but your knees are still bent. Now hold your feet with your hands, knees together, chin on the floor, and breathe normally. Knees are together, and hold your feet. The next webcast will begin at 7:30 this evening. So, all our friends, those who are watching, wish you all the best and a nice afternoon.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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