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Atma and the Soul

An introductory talk for a yoga retreat focused on self-realization.

"Anuṣṭhāna means we have a saṅkalpa, a resolve, and we practice according to that saṅkalpa to achieve certain aims: for health, for family harmony, for spiritual development, and for what we call Ātmā Jñāna—Ātmā Anubhūti."

"Śaṅkarācārya said there is duality in matter, but unity is in oneness in Ātmā. In diversity, there is unity."

A teacher opens a summer retreat, framing the "Yoga in Daily Life" program as a path to experiencing the Self (Ātmā Anubhūti). He explains non-dual philosophy using Śaṅkarācārya's analogies of water in different cups and the moon reflected in many vessels to illustrate the one Ātmā within all. He warns against procrastination in spiritual practice, sharing a parable about a greedy man delaying a purchase, and emphasizes the need for consistent practice (abhyāsa) to dispel the ignorance that creates suffering.

Filming location: Vép, Hungary

Welcome to this beautiful atmosphere. As Krishnanandaji said, for over twenty-five years in our ashram, thousands of devotees have come to practice, left, and returned again. This seminar is special, held in our beautiful hall. Please feel free to open the windows if you wish. This is our first summer retreat, or seminar; we had one throughout last week, and this is the second. Our program follows "Yoga in Daily Life," which offers several programs and every kind of yoga practice. "Yoga in Daily Life" provides complete yoga training. Within Europe, we have more than 2,000 teachers for it. Many practitioners take advanced courses, and one special course is called Kriyā Anuṣṭhāna. Anuṣṭhāna means we have a saṅkalpa, a resolve, and we practice according to that saṅkalpa to achieve certain aims: for health, for family harmony, for spiritual development, and for what we call Ātmā Jñāna—Ātmā Anubhūti. Ātmā is our Self, the individual Self. Though the Ātmā is one—like space is one, the sky is one—that space is occupied by different caves, forests, and man-made buildings. Similarly, there is no difference between Ātmā and Paramātmā. Paramātmā is the highest, and that Ātmā is one with Paramātmā. Yet, it is called the individual soul. Each and every entity has the same Ātmā, what we call the Ātmā of humans. Every entity is myself. And that Ātmā is the Paramātmā, the highest one. What we call the soul is different; it is individual. Consider this: we are sitting under a tree that bears fruit. The fruit has a seed inside, and this seed has the ability to grow exactly like the tree and multiply. Though it is a single, individual seed, it has its quality and abilities to grow again and produce more seeds. These many seeds are like our vāsanās, our desires. But the ātmā is above the vāsanās. The jīvātmā is called Jīvātmā. The soul is known as a mixture of ātmā and... so that ātmā is Jīva. And Ātmā is that super energy or consciousness. So we all are one. Everyone, every entity, is our Ātmā. For Ātmā Anubhūti, Ādi Guru Bhagavān Śaṅkarācārya said... It is said that one philosopher—a German philosopher, I don't know the name—remarked that never has a human walked this earth who had such high knowledge and intellect as Śaṅkarācārya. He did not live very long, yet after the Vedas and Upaniṣads, it was Śaṅkarācārya who brought the philosophy of non-duality. He said all is one. So there is duality and non-duality, and there is always fighting between these philosophies: Dvaita and Advaita Vāda. Dvaitavāda says "there are two," there is more. Advaita says only one. Śaṅkarācārya explains this with beautiful examples. For instance, he said there are a few cups, each with a different form, color, and capacity for holding liquid. These are different cups: a green cup, a yellow cup, and so on. You place them in the garden and fill them with water. The water is water; the liquid is one element, though it may appear different in color. But his point is that there is unity; there is only one. Imagine the full moon is rising, and there are forty cups filled with water. The water in some is green, in some yellow, in some black, or very clean. These are forty cups. How can we say all is one? He said, when we look into the sky, there is only one moon (at least in our solar system; there is another moon beyond the sun, but here there is one). Now look into the cups. You see the moon reflected in every cup. So, how many moons are there? Forty moons? One could argue for that. But Śaṅkarācārya shows it is not forty. There is only one, and that is a reflection of the one into the different bodies, the ātmā. So it does not matter what kind of living being it is within; that is the jīvātmā. In that jīvātmā, there is only one, and that is God itself. But you have to overcome this duality. If you have duality, you are in ignorance. Therefore, you are—who am I to say "you"? You are. But he said we are in ignorance. This ignorance can be removed. He gave another example: you are walking on a path, and there is a rope lying there. As you walk, you suddenly say, "Oh, it's a snake!" In that moment, the snake is there for you. You stop. You hold yourself back. Your thoughts create a snake, and with that came fear; otherwise, you would not stop. Fear within us arises very quickly; the mind comes afterward. So fear is quicker than the mind. Then you look properly, slowly going towards it from about twenty meters away, and see it was only a rope. You say, "How stupid I am." So, from where did the snake come? How did the fear awake? How were you frightened? That was ignorance. When our viveka, our knowledge-light, shines... Knowledge is a light, and no knowledge is ignorance. Ignorance is dark; knowledge is the light—not sunlight, but the light within ourselves, our knowledge-light. So, from where did the snake come? How did the fear come? How was he frightened? And suddenly, how did the snake become a rope? Where did your ignorance go? Now, where is the fear? The fear is also gone. That's it. So Śaṅkarācārya said there is duality in matter, but unity is in oneness in Ātmā. In diversity, there is unity. Therefore, Śaṅkarācārya called it Vedānta philosophy—Yoga Vedānta philosophy. Indians have six philosophies, and Vedānta is considered the best. Therefore, Śaṅkarācārya spoke of "Ātmā Anubhūti"—that ātmā, which is Paramātmā, and we have to realize this Anubhūti, experience that yes, it is like that. This Anubhūti will remain for a lifetime; it will be with you. Finally, it will be called the self-inquiry meditation of yoga, and that daily life will awaken you to that ātmā anubhūti. That time is the light of knowledge which will delete all our illusions, our suffering, our karmas, everything. I am Śuddhātmā, I am pure Ātmā. It is neither born nor will die. It is, and it will be—everlasting, one without a second. That is the Ātmā. And so, this Yoga in Daily Life Retreat, which we are having with that anuṣṭhān, with saṅkalpa kriyānuṣṭhāna, is for experiencing the Ātmā, ātmā-anubhūti. Śaṅkarācārya has many beautiful books you must read. What we know about yoga is only 6%—that's called ṣaṭ karma. And they reduce one more, so it's only Pañcakarma. We are lost in Pañcakarma. In Pañcakarma, you don't have the experiences of the Ātmā, but of course, without the body, there is no experience. Without a vessel, you can't see that moon. So the body is very important. We know all that. In summer, we will have a beautiful Anuṣṭhāna. But we say, "Tomorrow I will practice. Next week I will begin. This month I am busy." Likewise, twelve months are gone, and we have done nothing. We have done nothing, so we are lost. There is a story. A little greedy person had to perform a pūjā with a paṇḍit. The Panditjī said, "You have to bring a coconut for the ceremony." The man agreed to bring it. He went to a shop and saw a very nice coconut. He asked the merchant, "What does this coconut cost?" The merchant said, "Two thousand forint." The man said, "I am a poor man. Do you think it will be cheaper tomorrow?" The merchant said, "Yes, the economy is falling. It will be cheaper in a few days." After one week, the man returned and asked the price again. It was 1,000 forint. He thought, "God is so gracious, so great. For poor people... Do you think it will be cheaper?" The merchant said, "Yes, the coconut crop is plentiful, and nobody is buying." He waited one more week and returned. The price was 300 forint, down from 2000. He exclaimed, "Oh God. God is great. Thank you, God. Thank you. My kismat." A Christian would say, "Thank you, God." A pandit would say, "God, thank you." It doesn't matter how you call God; God accepts everything. The man said, "I will come next week." He returned, and the price was 50 forint. "How much is 50 forint? Not even one rupee," he thought. "My God, Panditjī will be so happy and will make a good pūjā. I will bring two coconuts. But I will wait." After another week, he came and asked the merchant, "What is the price of the coconut?" The merchant said, "One and a half forint." The man asked, "Don't you think it can become one?" The merchant replied, "Yes, it could be, but I can show you how to get a coconut without money." The man asked, "Where?" The merchant said, "There is a water well, and on its edge, a beautiful coconut tree is hanging there. That is one of the best, most beautiful, and powerful coconuts. Do you think Panditjī will like this?" The man said, "Yes. You will not offer only the coconut to Paṇḍitjī, but you will offer yourself also." So he went there, climbed the coconut tree, and tried to break off a coconut, but couldn't. He lost his grip on the trunk and was left hanging, because the coconut plant was leaning out over the water well. Below was a little water, one or two meters deep, with a few cobras inside. He called out, "Panditjī, help! Help, Panditjī! Help!" Panditjī came and said, "You can't get liberation like this." The man pleaded, "Please liberate me. Please, help me." But how could Panditjī help? The man begged, "Please, Panditjī, help me." Panditjī said, "Okay, but you will give me the coconut and the donation." The man promised, "Yes, Panditjī, I will give you a big donation. I will offer my whole life for you." The greedy pandit climbed the tree, held on with his legs and thighs, and tried to catch the man. He caught the man's legs to pull him up, but Panditjī lost his own grip. Now both were hanging there, with no coconut in sight. Such is greed. Paṇḍitjī then said, "Okay, I will chant mantras, and that will be all; it will be okay." The man asked, "And will we take our coconut with us?" Panditji said, "I have many coconuts at home. I can give you many; I will give you dozens of coconuts." So Panditjī instructed, "When I tell you, leave your hands free." Both were hanging, swinging back and forth in a big swing. Panditjī gave the signal, and they let go. They fell into the water well. They could swim, and the cobras did not attack them. They came out. So we think, "I will do tomorrow, I will do tomorrow, I will do tomorrow," and suddenly we are here, with only a few hours more before you have to sit in a new posture. On the first day, you will sit straight. In half an hour, you will slump a little. In two hours, you will slump more. And in the fourth hour, you will be completely bent over. How can you get Ātmanubhūti? Abhyāsa, abhyāsa, O Kānte, abhyāsa. O son of Kunti, Arjuna, practice, practice, practice. So, prepare yourself for a whole year. Then, through anuṣṭhāna, kriyā anuṣṭhāna, you will have a kind of anubhūti. You will have the light of Ātmā, as Mahāprabhujī said. Chant, chant: Vāmī ne dikhlā diyā Devapurī, chilakā dil par māyā kapāl. Bigar gyān me yandā thā, bilkul bol me phirvā diyā Devapurī. Chant, chant. Dāthā najarose noor diyā, Devapurī sāth batlā diyā, Devapurī sāth. Chetan kā chilka swāmī dikhlā diyā, Devapurī sāth. Tab duniya ke ausum dasvā par dhyānadhāraṁ samjhā, tanlakā swāmī ne. Dīkṣā dīyā Devapurīṣad, cetanaka svāmī ne dīkṣā dīyā Devapurīṣad, tabu purāṇa brahma vijñā. Diya Deva Purisaane Parasa. Diya Deva Purisaane Chetan Ka Chilka Swami Ne. Diya Deva Purisaane Chetan Ka Chilka Swami Ne Dikala. Diya Deva Purisaane Agam Ek Niradharitha, Chau Disa Ek Saritha. Swami Dipasundas Suddhaitha. Vadiya Deva Purīśa Chetan kā chilakā Swāmī ne dikhāyā. Deva Purīśa ne Chetan kā chilakā Swāmī ne dikhlā diyā. Dev Purī vachan kā de karke chetā diyā. Dev Purī upadeś bhajan kā de karke. Chetad Diya Devpurījī. So we will have nice programs. There will be anuṣṭhāna and many different programs. Do not miss them. There will be no more chance to practice again. We came here for practicing, not just for worshipping, and not only for sleeping or chatting. So do your best. Ātmanubhūti—this is our Kriyānusthāna retreat for Ātmanubhūti. I wish you all the best. Thank you.

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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