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How to practice The System Yoga in Daily Life

Systematic practice is essential, not random exercise. Follow the book's clear structure for posture, breath, and duration. Human life involves many duties, unlike animals, but balance is key. We gather to learn, not merely to enjoy temporary comfort. Early yoga classes lacked system, causing confusion for new and advanced students alike. Therefore, a structured system from primary to university level was created. The practice is named to signify its daily application, not to claim exclusivity. The same postures exist everywhere, but the approach here is methodical and non-commercial, focused on health and universal fellowship. Practitioners worldwide connect through this shared path. Core knowledge comes from three essential books: the holy scripture, the yoga manual, and the text on hidden powers. Daily reading is vital. Practice must be consistent; avoid excuses. Even a short daily routine is crucial. The community is built on helping one another and progressing together.

"Follow our yoga book. It contains many postures, and while we may incorporate different ones in between, our practice should stay on that path."

"Practice, practice, practice as you can, but avoid laziness."

Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic

Śrīdhī, Devī, Svar, Mahādeva, Kī, Jai, Indra, Dharma, Samrāṭ, Satguru, Swāmījī, Mahātmā, Nandjī, Bhagavān, Kī, Jai, Sanātana, Dharma, Kī, Jai. You had nice yoga classes this morning. Did you also make āsanas? Which kind of āsanas did you practice? Very good. Thank you. You have been practicing for many years under our Yoga in Daily Life system, so you know all these āsanas and their effects, which you have used many times. However, we should not forget the systematic approach. You can certainly do the postures you like and do well, but we should always proceed systematically—meaning, we should follow our yoga book. It contains many postures, and while we may incorporate different ones in between, our practice should stay on that path. Our book presents everything very systematically: the name of the āsana, its benefits and contraindications, the duration and method of practice, and when to inhale and exhale. This is very important. If we are moving slowly, we should continue breathing naturally. For example, when practicing Dhanurāsana and holding the posture, we can breathe in and out, allowing us to remain in the position longer. Yet, we often have limited time for postures due to our many other duties and responsibilities. Human life is filled with diverse activities. Animals, like deer or rabbits, simply get up, eat, sit, and rest. But we humans have much to take care of; we strive to make the world better through various works and industries. We must be active, otherwise we become lazy and the mind stagnates. Yet, ati sarvatra varjayet—too much of anything is not good. Today, many people are without work and money, so we must work and carry many responsibilities. We cannot live solely in a seminar setting like this, where everything is provided: you wake up, wash with warm water, receive chai, have a nice room or yoga mat, follow a teacher’s instructions, converse with friends, and are served food with all cleaning done for you. You are relaxed, with a master guiding exercise. For 24 hours your room is cleaned and your bed made neat—you are comfortable. But we come here to learn how to proceed further in our practice and understanding. We must recognize the difference between animals and humans. Whether we are here for three days, a week, or two weeks for yoga practice, we should truly absorb the energy and practice earnestly. We have been practicing systematically. When I first came to Europe, I attended yoga classes that lacked a system, so I also did not understand what to do. Anyone could come any day—some were new, some had been coming for a few months. There was confusion: some practiced Śīrṣāsana (headstand), while newcomers, not knowing how, feared breaking their necks. Advanced practitioners stopped coming because they had to repeat basics alongside unpracticed newcomers. It was not ideal. They asked me, "Swāmījī, don’t you have a system for yoga in India?" I replied that we have a great, comprehensive system, but often people in India do not concentrate or attend regularly; they come to class whenever they wish and practice as they like. There are very beautiful, old yoga schools in India, some 200 or 300 years old, but they serve limited people. So I said, "I will give you a system." I had practiced yoga exercises in many places: in Gujarat at a nice school, in Rajasthan at Jaipur (before we had the Jaipur ashram), and with Gurujī, who practiced āsanas daily but not systematically. Thus, we created a system from primary school up to university level. Now many people adopt this system. Many give the name "yoga" to their practices—why not?—but often they lack complete yogic science. Some practice only for body training, treating it as mere physical exercise. Many schools started and then finished. Very few masters in Europe have maintained their school, path, and teachings over a long period. Why do we give it a name? Why not just say "yoga"? We work under the name "Yoga in Daily Life" to signify that yoga is for every day. I was in this country working out how to put our system together. I tell you this because you are all practitioners, teachers, and students of Yoga in Daily Life, and people always ask. The school we made is called Yoga in Daily Life, and we are connected throughout the whole world. For instance, a long time ago I stayed over a year in London and then came to Europe. It was nice to observe how European people practiced yoga. There have been yoga schools, practitioners, and masters in Western countries for many years, perhaps 300—it is not that only we have a long tradition. There have been many great persons. I would not tell anyone, nor would I say of myself, that I alone practice good yoga. It is simply that we give our practice a name. This name does not mean we invent new postures; Śīrṣāsana, Sarvāṅgāsana, Dhanurāsana are the same for all schools. But we, like many others, offer very systematic yoga classes. Today, many are commercial, but we are not commercial. We are here for your health and friendship, for oneness. We always feel as brothers and sisters, with a sense of brotherhood, sisterhood, and friendship. We are humble and loving. People meet and say, "Let’s go for tea," or, "We’ll meet in the evening for prayer." Even if two people who haven’t seen each other for three years meet in another country, they run to embrace and say, "Hari Om." Different people—Czechoslovakians, Hungarians, and others—travel and search for "Yoga in Daily Life." I recall when our people went to London looking for Swāmījī’s devotees. They found the house of a disciple of Holī Gurujī where I had stayed beginning in 1970. Our people from here went there for work or conferences. They did not understand Czech or much English, but in that house they were welcomed immensely. People treated them like family, offering fruits, flowers, chai, and food. They joined in prayer. Our Czech devotees prayed with Indian devotees who had come from Africa to Britain. There is a deep connection. There was an elderly woman, Matajī, who could not understand English or Czech and had never been to school. When visitors came, they communicated with gestures. Everyone called her mother. Her sons and grandsons, who studied English, once needed a telephone number but could not find the directory. They asked their grandmother, then about 78 years old. She knew everyone’s number. She recited it slowly: "Five, six, eight, nine, and three times one, one." Her memory was precise—the person’s name, street, and number. Today we have advanced phones, but we can become lost without them. When I traveled from New Zealand to Singapore and then had to separate—Indians to India, Austrians to Austria, Czechs to Czech—I was alone with my luggage. Usually, devotees like Mānasa Devī, Agni Devī, Umā Purī, and Dr. Shanti accompany me and "spoil" me so much that I forget things. They do everything for me; I only have to sign. I became like a spoiled child, a spoiled guru. Once on a plane, a hostess asked me to write my telephone number in India. I did not know my own number—I have five numbers in Delhi and did not know any. I knew others’ numbers but not mine. Finally, I remembered Agni Devī’s number at Jadan Ashram and wrote that, thinking if anyone called, someone at the ashram would answer. It worked. At that time, we did not have certain instruments. In Singapore, an official used a small device to test me and said I was "negative." He directed me aside, and then government police came to assist with my luggage. What I wish to convey is the friendliness found across countries. We, the Yoga in Daily Life people, care for all. Sometimes someone speaks differently. Those very close to me treat me like God, while others may question why. Regardless, we are great, we are brothers and sisters, devotees, yogīs from many countries—we are oneness. This is the life of a yogī. We should help each other, explain postures, and join in prayers. Step by step, we progress to kriyā anuṣṭhāna, which requires deeper knowledge. You know about our important book, Human’s Hidden Powers (on chakras and hidden powers), which has been published thousands of times. It is very clear. You should read it. In India, many officers and ministers have this book on their office tables. It is available in many languages, including Chinese, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, German, and others. Even I cannot explain the contents in every language, but the book speaks for itself. I want to tell you about three essential books. First is our holy book, Līlā Amṛta, the life of Bhagavān Dīpnārāyaṇa Mahāprabhujī—like our Bible. Read a little daily. Second, the yoga manual should be beside you during practice for reference. Take it with you when you travel. Third, Human’s Hidden Powers explains kuṇḍalinī, the bodies, and many other topics. Read one chapter daily. These three books are essential. Beyond these, Yoga in Daily Life devotees have bhajan books. Bhajan is an excellent way to learn about integrating practice into life. Many people today do not read books; they turn to newspapers or other media and then stop. We must acquire knowledge by reading, even for ten minutes a day. That knowledge will resurface when needed. Yoga is not only about āsanas and prāṇāyāma, nor is it about boasting. Our Yoga in Daily Life is in many languages, centered in Europe but also present in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Mexico, and elsewhere. Wherever you go, you can find it. Today is your third day? Or the fifth? I was sleeping for two days. I think it is the third. When there is harmony, love, and understanding, the days are not counted; when it is boring, one counts. Our path is great. Tonight, around midnight or one o’clock, is the time of Devpurījī’s samādhi—when he left his body. We have a time difference: three and a half days this month; previously it was four and a half. But now you follow the daily routine. Winter is at this time. You can ask the trees; they are confused. The birds are confused and disappear. Animals, birds, trees, forest creatures, and even cows’ milk cycles are affected. I hope that once this corona situation passes, we will again have equal, unified time. You are great and happy. You will return home to practice. So practice, practice, practice as you can, but avoid laziness. It is very important. Do not say, "Today I will not practice because I am busy," or, "Tomorrow my friend is going with me," or, "I am tired," or, "I want to eat breakfast peacefully." After five days of excuses, we are lost. We should practice daily. If not for a full hour or two, at least perform Agnisāra Kriyā, Anuloma Viloma, Kapālabhāti, and Bārikhatu Praṇām. These should never be forgotten. Did you practice today? Did your teacher not teach you? Oh God! That is not good. Then sit in Vajrāsana. Come, let us do it now. Who will give instructions? Count: one, two, three… but not too quickly. Give a little time. Slowly. Śrīdīpṇayan Bhagavānakī—join hands in praṇām. Mentally say: "Bhagavān Dīpṇayan Mahāprabhujī, please bless me with good health, peace, harmony, understanding in my family, and guide me toward liberation. Mahāprabhujī, Devpurījī, Holī Gurujī, please accept me into your paramparā. Om Shanti." Now count: one, two, three… up to twenty-seven. Very good. Now a little more energetic. Let’s go: one, two, three, four… up to twenty-seven. Thank you. Now we have time for something nice: water, coffee, tea. We remember Devpurījī Bhagavān on his name. We are observing this Guru Pūrṇimā of Śrī Devpurījī’s samādhi. We could not go further this time, but we will continue. 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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