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Part 1: Awakening Human Qualities Through Yoga and Awareness Bhavatu Sarveśaṁ Śāntir Bhavatu Sarveśaṁ Maṅgalaṁ Bhavatu Sarveśaṁ Pūrṇaṁ Bhavatu. Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu. Nāhaṁ Kartā Prabhuḥ Dīpaḥ Kartā Mahāprabhuḥ Dīpaḥ Kartā He Kevalam. Oṁ Tryambakaṁ Yajāmahe Sugandhiṁ Puṣṭi Vardhanam. Ūrva Rukamye Vandanaṁ Mṛtyur Mokṣir Mambhṛtāt. Oṁ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ... Deep Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Devīśvara Mahādeva, Mādhava Kṛṣṇa Bhagavānakī, Satya Sanātana Rāmāyaṇa. According to Āyurveda, the science of yoga, and Vedānta philosophy, there is immense energy, talent, ability, and power dormant within the human body. Every talent or ability, all different kinds of energies, we cannot and should not activate all at once. It is like a machine or a car; when driving, you put the gear in forward, not in reverse. Both sides represent energy with capacities and abilities, but we must know which button to press. Similarly, in computer science, if you mistakenly press the wrong delete button, everything is lost. In our body, many different kinds of functions and energies are connected to different glands, organs, thoughts, and memories. Therefore, it is said that when you wake up in the morning, you should fold your hands. Whether you believe or not, at least thank the nature that you have woken up. When we go to the bathroom and touch the water element for the first time, opening the tap, the first touch brings a nice feeling. So we say thank you. You can say it to God, to anyone, or at least to the water. How fine are feelings. When you take a piece of fruit—imagine it is the time for cherries. Close your eyes. Place your hands on your knees, not behind you. You are not an old person. Your eyes are closed. You are walking in your garden with a beautiful cherry tree. The branches hang into the neighbor's garden as well, so we share. Imagine a very beautiful, big, dark red, heart-shaped cherry. Look at the tree, raise your hand, pluck the fruit, and say, "May I have this one fruit?" Then you take it. You put it in your mouth, bite, and the juice explodes. Your whole mouth is fresh, sweet, very tasty, and pleasant. Though it is not reality now, we have water in our mouth. Thank you. Don’t eat too much; I will give you more later. You can open your eyes. Similarly, when we pray or fold our hands, even for just five seconds, it makes a big difference. It awakens all the positive energy, what we call the difference to talents. Yes, we think, "I am human." When you get up, say, "I am a human." At that time, our awareness awakens in our consciousness, and we think about what humans should do and should not do. If someone does something wrong, say, "Oh God, it’s not a human." A human has the talent of mercy, forgiveness, and understanding. When there is a fire, we should try to put it out, not add fuel. That is human; whoever adds more fuel is inhuman. What makes me human? Two legs, two hands—many animals have those too. But there are human qualities within us that are not dormant but resting very deep in our consciousness and awareness, ready to be active at any time. Which button we press means which thought, which imagination. Immediately the picture comes. Humans have human qualities. Now, how to activate those human qualities? For that we are here. Yoga and daily life will activate all the positive energies. Yoga is the science of body, mind, and consciousness. The energy, the result of yoga, is to liberate the soul and enter into Ātmā Jñāna, the light of the Supreme. Who is the Supreme? Yourself. The Supreme is within you. Like one small seed of a fig tree has the whole fig tree hidden within it. Yathā Brahmaṇḍe, tathā Piṇḍe—what is in the universe, we have in our body. But proper exercise is scientific, authentic, first-hand, ancient, received knowledge, ancient science, ancient wisdom for modern times. Nothing is changed. Mahāprabhujī said, "Our master, grandmaster, he said, ’Nothing is changed.’" It is the same moon, the same sun, the same stars, the same clouds. What has changed? All elements are there: five—water, air, earth, fire, ether. Why do you say that everything has changed? Our mind has changed due to our greed or due to our humbleness. We are not going to rule or govern the whole world forever. All is temporary. Time has been given to us, and if you can do it, do it. Otherwise, it will go. There is one very nice bhajan: Chetan ho jāre, muśā phir gaḍī yāne wālī hai. O traveller, wake up, be alert, aware; the train is coming. The train is coming, the train is going, but be sure, the train will not stay for you here forever. It will come, stop, and then go. Koi chala gaya, koi chala jayega, koi ghaṭarī bandh khaḍā, akelā, jag mein do din kā hai melā. Someone is gone, someone is going, and someone is just packing the luggage. This gathering of the Melā on this earth is only for two days. One day was yesterday, and the second is today. Tomorrow, no one has seen. Therefore, human life is divine. It means that we do not misuse our abilities. Humans are here for the protection of every creature, protection for all. That is a human quality. So when we get up in the morning and make ourselves aware, that’s called self-suggestion. Self-suggestion. Like a saṅkalpa in the Yoga Nidrā which Mahāprabhujī has written: Yogī jana kī yoga nidrā koī birala śānta jāna jāna hai. This is a beautiful bhajan. Only rare great saints know what and how to practice Yoga Nidrā. Through this, we can awaken, we can realize. So rare, one can come to this point. We have all the best qualities, but to know how is very important. Practicing yoga is good for our body, our form, our fitness. But this fitness will soon give way to weakness. What is that weakness? The time will come when you will walk with one stick, and then the time will come when you need a walker. How long will you maintain your body? One day it will go. But strengthen thy inner will, inner energy, so that you can walk to Brahman without a stick. So practice nicely and be aware to awaken. When we touch the water, how nice. When we go walking in the mountains, or people are running, jogging, and sweating, you know what they do when they come home first? Change clothes and go under the shower. Say, "Ah, now I feel like a newborn." So we are born every day when we come from the bathroom. Yes? So, nature and elements. In all this, that is called tamas guṇa. There are three guṇas: sattva, rajas, and tamas. All three guṇas are present in us. Don’t think, "Why do I have no tamas guṇas, only sattva guṇa?" With only sattva guṇa you cannot do anything. If you purify your body completely of all germs, it becomes dangerous. Sattva guṇa is pure qualities, but with the pure we have to make something. When you make a necklace out of very pure gold, you cannot, because it is too soft. You have to add some other metals too. So, rajas guṇa is activity, sometimes more anger. We need anger too sometimes, but healthy anger. When parents are a little angry with their children, they are not angry from the heart, only on the surface. And the children learn, yes, it should be like that. Tamas guṇa is dullness, laziness. That has come to many, many people. Or they are practicing yoga to earn money. Why not? Earn money, as much as you can. No one profits, but use this money for humanitarian projects, for the environment, for saving wildlife. Do everything. Keep as much as you need, and give the rest. You got a nice, very big pizza. You can’t eat it all. Therefore, keep on your plate only how much you can eat; give the rest to others. So earn a lot of money and give it all to the people here and there. My God, no one will be poor, no one will have problems. You cannot eat your money. One day, we will die. All money will remain somewhere in the banks, if not in America, then at least in Switzerland. Śrī Śrī... In human life, we come with a lot of karma and destiny, and if we practice spirituality and proper, correct yoga or similar things, we go as a pure light. We are refined, ātmā jñāna. So tamas guṇa is very, very bad. Tamas guṇa comes from eating. You say, "I can’t get up early in the morning, I’m sleepy." Yes, you cannot. Quit your dinner. Quit the dinner. In the morning, you will wake up very fresh, very healthy, and very good. But now our habit is, after that, like yesterday, at 10 o’clock we were eating. At 10:30, still someone was eating, going to the kitchen and waiting. And then sleeping is tāmasika. Jaisā khāī anveṣa rahe mana. What kind of food you eat, that is what you will think. And your body will become dull, lazy, drowsy, and self-excusing. "Tomorrow I will do exercise after that. Ah, yes, Swāmījī is always telling, but I feel good, I will sleep." They always give the guilt to the Swāmījī. And that’s why Swamiji has very strong shoulders. Just as you drink water, so you will speak water; what kind of liquid you drink, like that you will speak. Or, jaisā kare saṅg, vaisā lāge raṅg. In what kind of society you are, that kind of color you will take, meaning the habits. Habit is the second nature of man. It becomes his nature. We are then addicted. Addiction means add more and more, more and more. So these three guṇas—Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—they push our talents and our energy deep. When I talk, that will not wake up, because we have a big, big, big rock on it, a rock of laziness, and a fire of anger, and weakness inside; sattva guṇa is very weak, suffering. All three guṇas have to be balanced, and that’s why your beautiful center is here and there, everywhere in the world. Yoga in daily life is scientifically proven, and I’m always strict with our people: don’t do it only for commercial things, give people quality, quality, quality. Now the quality is getting lost. There was a time when "made in this country" meant something. I don’t want to say which countries. Oh, made in Japan. Made in Germany. Oh, very good. There was some radio, then it was made in the USA. Nowadays, made somewhere, sold somewhere, no one is to be blamed. So, if you are a good cook, everyone will come to you because your cooking is so healthy, so sāttvic, balanced. And so, our exercises should be sattvic and balanced. Therefore, we have to influence our energy centers. Warm them, wake them up, alright? So, get ready and put your backpack away. Your back bag is your laziness. Lie down, head in the middle. I will make you now tamo guṇī. I give you two and a half minutes to have a deep sleep and wake up fresh. Hands beside the body, legs slightly apart, palms open and slightly facing towards the ceiling. Relax your shoulders. Once deep, inhale and exhale. Now, just bring your attention to your stomach muscles, nothing else. What does that mean? Try to relax your stomach muscles. Relax stomach muscles. Forget all other parts of the body. Relax your stomach muscles. When the stomach muscle is relaxed, the whole system is automatically relaxed. It is said that the foot should be warm, the stomach should be soft, and the head should be cool. Just feel expanding and contracting your abdominal muscles with the breath, normal breath. Relax the stomach muscles, and take a deep inhale. Fill your stomach with air and exhale. Inhale and stretch your hands above your head on the ground. Stretch the whole body, toes towards your body and heels outside. Don’t make a bridge under your back. Press the stomach down and let the muscles be relaxed. Yes. Inhale and exhale, hands beside the body. Inhale, stretch the hands above the head, stretch the whole body. Interlock the fingers, stretch the body, and roll your body left and right. Very good, and hands beside the body. Hands beside the body. Hands, again, stretch above the head, towards the ground, let your hands be relaxed, and both legs reach up only one foot height—one foot is about 30 centimeters—don’t go more, both legs together. Sorry, don’t go so high, only 30 centimeters, my dear, remain there till I’m controlling. Śrī Śrī... I am bliss, I am bliss,... bliss am I, relax. You see, relax. The tamas guṇa is running out of the door. Stretch your hands above the head, legs together, and only raise your hands and your shoulders and head up a little, till you can see your toes. Look to your toes, hands also a little up, yes. Beautiful nail color. Check if all are properly colored. Relax. Once more, look to your toes, only that far. And find out what is the obstacle there which doesn’t let you see your toes. Relax. So we have to remove the obstacles. Bend your left knee and hold your left knee. Interlock your fingers over the knee and press the knees toward the body. Raise the head up and try to touch your nose or forehead to the knee. And what is the obstacle? Remove it. Stretch the knee out. Bend the right knee. Hold the knee. Press your knee toward the body. Exhale and come up. Try to touch your knee with your nose or forehead. Relax. Part 2: A Yoga Session for the Guṇas: From Tamas to Sattva Now, hold both your knees. Interlock your fingers or simply hold the knees. Raise your head up and push your nose between the knees. Just relax your neck, head down. Keep holding your knees with your head down, and roll your body left and right. In the middle, stretch out one knee after the other, please. Relax, stretch your knee out, both knees. Roll over onto your stomach, hands beside the body, one cheek on the ground. Relax. Otherwise, you can have a problem with the neck. If you use a pillow, you will have a problem with the neck. The exercise we are doing now, and which will come now, is influencing all our chakras along the spinal column, where there are lots of talents, energies, or pollutions stuck there. It will help our nervous system and strengthen the back muscles to remove tamas guṇa. It will awaken Raja Guṇa. Rāja’s guṇa is a fire which can burn all Tamas guṇa’s energy. Sattva Guṇa will balance everything. One cheek on the ground. Those who are using eyeglasses, take them out because they can somehow hurt you. Palms upward or toward the body. Tell yourself to relax and mentally become aware to be prepared. Left leg: the knee should always be straight. Raise up only the left leg as far as you can, but the knee should be straight. You can raise 5 cm, 10 cm, 15 cm, but the knee should be straight. And don’t raise up your hip. So many people have to check; it takes time. Yes, relax. Elbows standing, hands together, and your chin in your hands. Looking slightly to my side, or the demonstrator. The demonstrator, please go back to the previous posture. Now, raise your right leg up more, and turn a little like before, not to the other side. So, this is not right. Now, this part of the hip joint and this part should be completely on the ground. Yes, that’s it. That’s more comfortable, you know, the other is not. You understand? Thank you. Now you go. Right foot. Slowly. Don’t be in a hurry. Systematically, nicely. Up. You can raise as much as you can. No problem. But straight. Knees should be high. Yes. Someone is only bending the leg, and the knees are touching. There is not a posture. And slowly come back. And the left leg. Remain there and make a correction of your left foot. The left should be nicely there. Don’t turn your feet all inside or outside. Many are doing perfectly, except myself, because I’m not doing. Yes, come down. Relax your left foot. From time to time, you may change your face, turning left or right, left cheek or right cheek. Yes, right foot, right leg up. This is one of the best postures, which strengthens our back muscles and reduces a kind of obstacle from the stomach muscles, the abdomen muscles. You know, there is some extra cheese and butter, because that will transfer to your back muscles. Strengthen, because back muscles need to reserve something. So it takes from the stomach side, yes. And down. You are doing very good. Relax. Relax one minute. Say to yourself, "Relax, my friend. Relax for the time being." Let me be one with my body. Relax. Twenty seconds are gone. Yes. Now we will raise both legs up, but not too high. Śalabhāsana, not Śalabhāsana, legs together, hands beside the body. Don’t press your hands between the thighs, don’t hide your hands under the thighs. Both legs up, knees straight. Wow, it’s beautiful. I wish I could have brought a camera today. People think that yoga in their life is so slow and boring. Who said boring? Still, somebody is hiding hands under the thighs. Relax. When we have back problems or some... Siddha Purījī, Siddha Purījī... Siddha, one cheek should be on the ground. Again, both legs up comfortably. Knees straight, legs up. There’s a beautiful, beautiful bhajan or the mantra, Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa,... Śrīman. Liberate me, please, Nārāyaṇa. Relax, relax, relax. Perfect, you are perfect. The left hand is above the head on the ground. This is going to influence our energy centers in maximum quantity. This is what we are doing now. This is all we did, and now we are doing. Now raise up your right leg and left hand. Here, you can put your chin on the ground. Thank you. Both hips don’t raise up. You can also lift your chin up. Is comfortable more? Yes. Look to the demonstrator, how perfect they both are. Relax. Hand beside the body, the left hand, and right hand above the head. Chin on the ground, right hand up, and left leg up. Also the chin. Front shake, head up, yes. Durga Devī is doing very good. It’s a good model. Relax. And both hands stretch above the head. Now, only one foot’s height. So one foot is that much. Look at my hand. That much. So one foot up, both legs, both legs together. Mukti. Yes, but not so high. Below, low. And hands also, not more than one foot. Oh, perfect. Hands a little together. Yes. Relax. Now we are turning over from the Rajas Guṇa to the Sattva Guṇa. Before we were steering the Tamo Guṇa, then we gave over to the Rajo Guṇa, and now it will come to the Sattva Guṇa. So, again, legs up a little and hands up, knees straight. Now you can go as far as you can, with both hands and both legs up. I have nothing against, but both. Hands a little together, my dear. Yes. And you know, there is one beautiful garden. In the garden, there was a beautiful countryside. And in the countryside, there was, in the veranda, a hanging mat where one can relax and observe the hummingbirds. And now you are in the swing, relaxing. So, like a swing, front and back, front and back. Yes, slowly and enjoy. Hold your stomach muscles strong so all fat is transferred to the back muscles. Swing. How comfortable it is that for nearly 45 minutes you are just lying on the floor. What do you want more? You will hardly find some master who lets the disciples lie on the ground for one hour while he is talking. And it is affecting the whole being of a disciple. Yes, please bend your knees and hold your feet, and keep your chin slightly above the ground if you want. And comfortably, individually, roll your body left and right, like a boat on the beach. Stomach muscles are very helpful to roll left and right. It’s like a rock. Are you relaxed? Relax for three minutes, as you like, on your back, on your stomach, or on your side. For three minutes, just relax. Let’s develop Sattva Guṇa, and can you put the air conditioning a little lower? While relaxing, instead of putting the thoughts, the vṛttis, in the external world, bring your thoughts and feelings to your entire being. Especially muscles, joints, breath, how you feel, and that we are going to turn to the Sattva Guṇa. If it’s possible, put it at 19 degrees centigrade or 68 Fahrenheit. So, slowly, deep inhale and exhale. Imagine our altar, how beautiful, very nice. And slowly move your toes and fingers, stretch your hands, stretch your body, roll left and right, and slowly sit up. Now you can take your cushion for sitting. It will bring sattva guṇa to increase the qualities of sattva guṇas in the body. We worked to remove the tamas guṇa, and we activated rajas guṇa. So the rajas guṇa has moved everything, and now we will take out the toxins and give the sāttvik energy to the body. So sit straight, sit comfortably, and close your eyes. Once we will chant the Mahāmṛtyu Jaya Mantra to purify the atmosphere and awaken in us sattva guṇa, health, and immortality. Only once. Everyone knows? Who doesn’t know the Mahāmṛtyu Jaya Mantra? Hands up, please. Okay, one, two people know. So you will chant after me. First I will chant, then you will chant. I will chant, then you will chant. It means we take everyone with us. Your eyes are closed. Oṁ Tryambakaṁ yajāmahe sugandhiṁ puṣṭivardhanam, urvārukamiva bandhanān mṛtyormukṣīya māmṛtāt. Lord, it means a little, Lord bless us with good health. Remove all attachments and sorrows. Be the health in the whole environment, and especially in the medical herbs. Bless us with immortality. Now place your two fingers, index and middle finger, at the center of your brows. Close your right nostril with your right thumb. It means to just slightly press your right nostril with the right thumb and take a little deeper than normal breath. Inhale and exhale only with the left nostril. Keep your body straight. Be aware of the breathing. Follow the breathing. Let your awareness follow the breath. I know that I am inhaling. I know that I am exhaling. We don’t count now. Breath, let it be. Let it flow as it is: normal, natural breath. I know that I... I am inhaling, I know that I am exhaling, Nijaprāṇa, sāttvik energies flowing in the body, and all the toxins are exhaled. Eyes are closed, and after exhalation, place your right hand on the knee and just feel the breath. Again, place both fingers from your right hand, index and middle finger, at the center of the eyebrows, a little above the forehead. With the ring finger, close the left nostril, and with a little deeper than normal breath, inhale and exhale. Try to inhale more deeply, what we call abdominal breathing, so that the whole diaphragm is expanding, going deep. Mentally think that you inhale pure prāṇa, cosmic energy, very sāttvic, neutral color, white, like a clear sky. I know that I am inhaling, and I know that I am exhaling. During the time of the inhalation, we are inhaling sattvic, pure energy, the prāṇa. During the time of exhalation, we are exhaling all kinds of toxins, and we have beautiful visions. Sometimes you see the ashram, different ashrams. You see the flowers, the gardens, the butterflies, the bees, the birds, the nature, beautiful. Place the hands on the knees, be with closed eyes, and feel the prāṇa, the life force, the life energy, the source of life, the light of our life. Again, place both fingers from the right hand at the center of the eyebrows on the forehead. Alternate breath: inhale through the right nostril, exhale through the left; inhale through the right, exhale through the left; inhale through the right, exhale through the left. Left, a little deeper than before. Breathe, expand your lungs. Yes, feel the respiration. Sattva Guṇa, beautiful thoughts are coming to us, that means love, happiness, health. Health is not everything, but everything is nothing without health. Some philosophers say, Āyurveda said the first wealth is good health, the first happiness. We know that we have. Also, limited life, but this time we utilize it for the best of the world. Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā... Prāṇāyāma, prāṇāyāma... Stand on the knees, close your eyes, and feel your prāṇa. Our whole being is only prāṇa. Our whole being is only the energy. We love our life. We love that we can do good things in this world. We love, and we are happy that we can be good to our families and live happily with them. Mahāprabhujīp Karatā Mahāprabhujīp Karatā First, what we did was known as Chandra Vedanā and Sūrya Vedanā, or purification of the Iḍā and Piṅgalā. Then after comes Anuloma Viloma, alternating of the Piṅgalā. Now, place your hand again on your back, on that knee. Once, deep inhale and exhale. Now again, place both fingers at the center of the eyebrows. We will do Anulom Vilom: left nostril inhale, right nostril exhale; right nostril inhale, left nostril exhale. Slowly, a little deeper than before. The length of the inhalation and exhalation should be equal. If possible, make the exhalation a little longer, you know. To do these prānāyāms, to supply more sāttvic energy to the body, we need what is called a prānāyām stick, a yog daṇḍ. It makes you more comfortable and relaxed, and you enjoy doing the prānāyām. So we inhale left, exhale right. Inhale right, exhale left. Inhale left, exhale right. Inhale right, exhale left. Go ahead. After exhaling to the right, place your hand on the knee. Remain with the eyes closed and relax. And now the last round is a Bhastrikā, mild Bhastrikā, and it’s like this. So everybody, eyes are closed, from the stomach, inhale and exhale, not to the chest. Relax, both hands on the knees, the Bhastrikā. We are doing with both nostrils at the same time, same length of inhalation and exhalation, 25 times. It means inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale,... Inhalation is one. Begin. Twenty-five. Finished. Normal breath. And once more, Bāstrīkā. Mild Bāstrīkā. Twenty-five. Inhale and exhale. Normal breath. Now, you must feel in the whole body a very beautiful, relaxing energy vibration. So this time we do 50 times, and then in the end, relaxing. So, close our eyes and begin. With closed eyes, just relax. Feel the energy in the body, the whole brain, the face, the hands, the palms, the back, the front part of the body, the legs. It’s a beautiful sensation. Just relax. Observe and be aware of your being physically. Feel your body in prāṇa. And three times, Om chanting all together. O Lord, remove your palms, your fingers, close the fist, open the palms, close the fist, open the palms, and rub your palms, place the hands on the face, gently massage your eyelids, and open your eyes. Aniyo. Bend forward, touch your hands on the ground, feel the energy of the Mother Earth, and touch your forehead to the ground. Feel the stretching of the back muscles, making the flow of the blood more towards the head and face, towards all. The jñānendriyas, and now slowly, with the help of the hand, slowly, slowly come up, please. Siddha Purījī, Śrī Siddha Purījī, Siddha Purījī,...