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Part 1: The Significance of "Kī Jai" and the Path to Practical Health Deep Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Kī Jai, Dev Purīṣa Mahādeva Kī Jai, Satguru Svāmī Madhvanandajī Bhagavān Kī Jai, Sanātana Dharma Kī Jai. First, many people wonder about the meaning of "Kī Jai," which Swāmījī always says. Some know, some may not. It is like a slogan, a declaration. In India, when we begin any new endeavor, we first remember something beautiful and divine, praying for protection and success. The belief is that faith can melt rocks. When we say, for example, "Deep Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Kī Jayā," "Kī" refers to his, her, or a divine personality's name, like Mahāprabhujī. "Jaya" means victory or glory. It signifies that whatever we do, we are merely instruments. It is the divine energy, the divine will, acting through us. Therefore, we begin under that divine protection, and it should be His victory, His success. Typically, we first say, "Gajānanajī Mahārāj Kī Jai," meaning victory of Gaṇeśa. Gaṇeśa: "Gaṇ" means all elements, goddesses, devas, and planets. "Īśa" means Īśvara, the Lord of all lords, who should be remembered first. Your success is there, but you must truly mean it, not just as a formality. Formality is insufficient; it must come from the heart, from trust and belief. In ancient Vedic belief, the divine power, the divine consciousness we call God, is equal and does not matter if perceived as male or female. In fact, the feminine principle often holds a higher position and adoration because it represents, first and foremost, the mother principle. She is known as the mother of the universe. As the Upaniṣad says, "Mātṛ Devo Bhava"—first, God is mother, except for Swayambhū, Śiva. But that Swayambhū, Śiva, is also manifested somewhere, and that is the space of the universe, which is again the mother. Therefore, the feminine goddess is highly worshipped and respected because, in spirituality, there are no differences, no anatomical dualities, as it is beyond the liṅgam or anatomy. There is puruṣa liṅgam, and there are three liṅgams: feminine, masculine, and neuter. This is on the material level, and on this level, it should be respected too. Where there are disturbances in consciousness, a person faces difficulties; a male has difficulty accepting a female, or a female has difficulty accepting a male. Their attraction turns towards the same gender—male towards male, or female towards female. This is a mental disturbance, a disorder in nature. They are not personally responsible for this; it is simply how it is. It is a disorder that should not be and should be corrected. Thus, we say, "Ambe Mātā Kī Je," the glory of the Divine Mother Ambā. "Durgā Mātā Kī Je, Kālī Mātā Kī Je, Lakṣmī Mātā Kī Je, Sarasvatī Mātā Kī Je." All these are in feminine form. But one must realize that in spirituality, at a higher level, there are no differences. If you make a difference, of course you can, but it clearly indicates you are not highly developed. It means your level of consciousness is on a lower plane. That is why many people have difficulty praying to the Divine Mother—their consciousness is at a lower level. So when we say "Jaya," it means the victory and success of that particular divine personality, for protection and success. Is that clear? Is anyone against what I have said? The best would be to stand up now and say you are against it, so we can all declare with one voice that what I said is accepted by all. Another matter is theory in practice. This is why we dedicated this weekend again, and people appreciate it very much. I always prefer to take a very simple, logical, and practical way. I met a person who was 102 years old. He could walk, go to the toilet in the forest, come back, wash himself, make his bed, and do everything. Of course, his movements were limited. I told him, "You look very healthy, not so old." He said, "Yes, Swāmījī, I can tell you one thing. First, I always ate real cow ghee and cow butter in my life, nothing else." Nowadays, all dairy production is manipulated chemically, perhaps for protection against illness, but it is still manipulated and not healthy for us in the long term. He said, "I can tell you that I ate real cow ghee my whole life." I told him, "Nowadays, doctors are against ghee." He said he could understand that; it means in their kismat, in their karma, there is no real ghee. Second, he said, "I never drank any kind of tea in my life." I was talking to him with a teacup in my hand and did not dare ask more about tea. Tea is also considered an addiction, and tea plants, coffee plants, and others have many pesticides. But what to do? We have become like fish in a teacup or coffee cup. He said, "How can our generation be healthy?" He listed everything he had not done in his life: not a drop of alcohol, not one cigarette, and not a single half or quarter egg. "And I am healthy," he said. "I tell you, I will die healthy." And he did. How did he die? He had a little pain in his chest, and his grandchildren took him to the hospital. He told them, "Don't take me to the hospital." They said, "It will help you." He replied, "Yes, they will help me how to die, but I can die here too." They thought he was just old and a bit different. So he went to the hospital. The doctor said he had a lack of blood and glucose. He said, "I have no lack; I am only cold. I will be okay. Give me milk and haldi." They said, "Yes, you will get it, but we will give you a little glucose drip." He said, "Okay, do it. I am in your hands." Then he said to his children and everyone, "Now, goodbye." He closed his eyes. His soul departed before the needle of the drip was removed. He was a great devotee of Mahāprabhujī and the Khatu Ashram. Every morning, slowly with a stick, he would bring about 200 grams of corn or bajrā (millet) for the birds and peacocks, rain or shine, hot or cold. Many of you know him, you saw him and that story. We see farmers here in Europe; they are healthier and stronger than us. What is the reason? They say it is because they eat naturally. Whatever they eat is real, not artificial. Our food contains much artificiality. Someone brought me very nice hot red paprika. Can you close that window now? Cold air is blowing into my mouth. Thank you. You know, I like chili because it keeps your stomach clean and protects against certain bacteria. Those who do not eat chili do not know the taste of food. It should be spicy, not too much. Spices activate your gland systems so that glands begin to produce proper hormones again. That is why the Indian kitchen is a mini Āyurveda hospital. But one must know how. Someone said ginger is very good for men. A European heard this while drinking tea. He bought ginger and started eating 10, 20, or 30 grams every day. Then he had a problem: he had to get up ten times at night to pass water. This shows we do not know the doses, the quantities. This is a problem mostly with Europeans. When they study or learn something about Chyavanaprāśa or any Āyurvedic medicine, they begin taking overdoses. If you never drink coffee or black tea and have a strong headache, drinking half a cup of black tea can make it go away. But if you drink it every day, the headache will not go away. Āyurveda is for particular seasons. Here in Europe too, there was food for summer, autumn, winter, and spring. Winter food consisted of all the root vegetables and pumpkin vegetables that could be preserved. Nature gives us correctly exactly what we need when we need it. Strawberries come at the end of April; we eat them, and they are very good for blood purification. But we buy strawberries at Christmas time, grown overseas. According to the science of nourishment, you should eat what grows a maximum of 40 kilometers from where you live. Now we eat things from 40,000 kilometers away, the other corner of the world. The population is growing, consumers are more, and manufacturers are very greedy to produce more and more. There is one remedy or food supplement in Āyurveda called Chyavanaprāśa. Chyavanaprāśa should be taken only 21 days a year, during very cold weather, and no more. While taking it, you should know what to eat and what not to eat, which day and hour to take it, how to take it, and what to drink after taking it. Here in Europe, I see people taking Chyavanaprāśa like povidl on bread, with butter, gomasio, meat sauces, and I don't know what else on top. Chyavanaprāśa tells that man, "Why do you destroy your own life?" That's it. Everything produced by nature and by expertise for good health has a fixed time and its principles. If you have very high blood pressure and drink more coffee to get higher, that's like sitting on the branch you are cutting from the trunk side. Therefore, we must lead a practical life. For example, I have a piece of chocolate in my hand. Which company? I don't know and don't want to say. It is nicely packed, looks beautiful when opened, and you have an appetite to eat it. But do you know what is inside? We know only one thing: it is sweet, and our tongue likes sweet, that's all. Any food not prepared before your eyes—you do not know what is inside. I got chili powder from a country famous for red paprika. I wanted to make mango pickle and a nice vegetable. I was surprised to see color swimming on the surface. The paprika was not as red as it looked; it was added color. It means I am eating color. I have nothing against color; I like to eat green paprika, yellow mango, red watermelon. But that color put on the powder—I do not know what is inside or how it will influence my entire system: nerves, arteries, heart, kidneys, liver. Similarly, I got haldi, yellow powder—curcuma, turmeric. It looked exactly yellow, nicely, like Mahāprabhujī's mālā, like saffron. Last year, Bhakti from Slovakia and other ladies were cooking for me. Every day I asked, "Have you no haldi? Can you put haldi in my food?" Turmeric, or haldi, is one of the best things for your health. It is a natural antibiotic, protecting you from many infections and very good for your bones. Your bones become flexible and less prone to breaking. In Indian orthopedic hospitals, you see fewer people with broken bones, except in heavy accidents. I have only one hand; otherwise, I could try with both. You see, it bends. Hold your hair and try to bend it; it doesn't bend. So haldi is a blessing for your gland systems, giving you strong nails, good hair, and bones. People with joint pain—hips, knees, elbows, shoulders, fingers—if they consume two teaspoons per day, it is healthy. Of course, for you it may be too late; it should begin from the mother's body. But at least begin now so your grandchildren will be healthy. You have to do it; it can happen. It will influence you too; it will become something better, not worse. Well, Bhakti Devī said in the kitchen, "Swāmijī, I put one tablespoon of haldi today." She showed me the bottle. Yes, I see it's haldi, but there was no taste of haldi, no color of turmeric. Only 10% was turmeric inside; 90% was some rubbish, like stone powder or something. It is said that for death, it doesn't matter how you die, but you have to die. Death is so cruel; when it comes, it doesn't matter how you are suffering. Therefore, it is said in mantras, "Lead us from mortality to immortality." Similarly, for a greedy businessman, a second death doesn't matter what happens to you; the main thing is that he or she sells their merchandise. Therefore, can we make an experiment in Yoga in Daily Life, as a group? To begin leading a practical life, we know nowadays it is very hard to get anything organic. You cannot even get organic rain. Even our bodies are no longer pure organic. But still, we can try something. Would you like to do it? Yes? Who doesn't want to do it? Tell me, after one year in the same place, how much improvement is there in your health, concentration, or movements? It is a very simple thing. Simple is best; complicated is dangerous. When you ask farmers in your country, they look healthy. Yes, because I live in the countryside, work physically, and eat real food. We cannot tell all people living in big cities like Prague, Delhi, or Mexico to go to the countryside. But we can still change the system. The problem is we have become too comfortable. We don't want to do anything. Why not just move a little hand? There is a story. One man approached a cherry tree in summer and sat under it. He was lazy. He said, "Oh, beautiful cherries." Can you imagine big, nice, hard cherries? Red, alive. Pluck it, take it in your mouth, and when you bite, the juice explodes. Oh God! And the seed still has fruit on it; it's very nice. Can you imagine or feel it? Now we all feel fresh in the mouth. But he said, "I don't want to stretch my hand to take the fruit." So he lay down. "If the cherry wants, and I wish very much, and if God wants to help me, it should fall into my mouth." He opened his mouth. Luckily, no bird was sitting above. A cherry fell into his mouth. He said, "God, if you brought the cherry from the branch to my mouth, I don't want to move my jaw. You should help the juice come into my mouth and go down." In that minute, he was coughing. The cherry went away. God took it away. So we should do something for our health. Practical way: First, try to buy organic vegetables if you can. Or befriend country people, farmers, and get apples and vegetables from them. You can pay them; they will be happy to receive money. Bhaktānant from the Czech Republic, from Srenice, has a big garden with about 10 to 15 apple trees. He said, "There are so many apples this year, so big, and the ground looks like an apple bed, but no one wants them." He had to clean and throw them away as garbage. Those living in that area should go and take them free of charge. Czechoslovakia, Austria, and these European countries have blessed soil. So many good fruits are just being destroyed. Plums lie on the ground; nobody plucks them. I walked through fields and forests in Lower Austria this month; there were so many plum trees, the ground completely blue, but nobody was plucking them. And then people go to the shop and buy what is sprayed with chemicals. So, first, try to buy fresh, good vegetables and fruits. This means instead of buying fruit juice, buy the fruits, eat them, or make juice yourself and drink it fresh. Press the fruits and drink immediately. That is point number one. Point two: Buy fresh, good vegetables. Whatever you cook, eat at that time. Do not eat it again in the evening; that becomes tamas guṇa. Third: Do not boil vegetables completely. They should be half-cooked, half-boiled. And make sure which vegetables go together and which should not be mixed. If you have to transport tigers and sheep or goats, do not put them in the same truck, even in separate cases. The tiger will be hungry all the time, and the goats will be full of fear. So, do you know which vegetables go together and which should not? There is a famous cake in Europe—a nice black chocolate cake for a marriage or birthday. You should know what to put on this cake: cream or ketchup? If you serve it with ketchup, they will say, "My host is very good, but mistakenly put ketchup on it." But if you put cream, that is nice. A person who has never seen such a cake in their life will accept it even with Tabasco. I was born in a small village without electricity or a fridge, so they could not make any cake, maximum halva. When I came here, I was surprised. They said, "We have to put it in the fridge." I thought, "What is this? That's it." So, anything we have, you do not know. You should know which kind of vegetable to cook and which kind of grain goes with it. Part 2: The Art of Authentic Living: Food, Practice, and Wisdom Regarding the consumption of milk products and yogurt, Āyurveda advises against eating yogurt in the evening, after 5 or 6 o'clock, as its cooling nature can harm the digestive system. While I am no cook, I am fortunate that my cooks understand these principles. When meals are improperly combined, it leads to a difficult day for everyone, as the stomach struggles with the mixture. Another essential point is to learn to use spices—not hot chilies, but a little black pepper and other spices. Crucially, never buy spices in powdered form. This is the most important message of this lecture. You should know which spices you need for the month and purchase them whole. Grind them yourself just ten minutes before cooking. Then you will experience truly tasty food. Your stomach may be full, but your mouth will ask for a little more. Your glands will dance, your blood cells will celebrate like Diwali or Christmas, and your blood pressure, flow, and circulation will harmonize. Therefore, buy raw materials and grind them at home. I have adopted this system myself. In Europe, everything is packaged, and such food damaged my health significantly. As an experiment, I bought real turmeric root—dry roots of specific quality—in Delhi. I ordered ten kilos. When the vendor offered to powder it, I declined, fearing adulteration. It is like being bitten by a dog; even years later, you remain cautious around friendly dogs. The vendor was good and ground it in front of us with a machine. A devotee from Navisad, Siddhartha, witnessed this and brought the turmeric to my flat. It was packed, but Monika entered and remarked on the beautiful smell of turmeric. The aroma was radiant. I informed others, and within three days, the entire supply in my flat had vanished. I reordered, and it disappeared again. I was left with only a quarter kilo. Coriander, cumin (jeera), turmeric (haldi), fenugreek (methi), mustard seed, cardamom, cloves, chili—all should be kept whole. Now, how to grind them? This is a very interesting practical session. From the age of seven or eight, I was tasked by my mother to make chutney or spices for vegetables, so I know the process. You need a hard stone, like granite, about 30-35 cm long and 25 cm wide, with small, rough holes about two millimeters deep. You also need a smaller, slightly rough stone. You place the spices with a little water and grind. The aroma will be so captivating that your fifth neighbor will open the window to ask where the wonderful smell is coming from. Imagine your whole house filled with this fresh fragrance. This takes only four to five minutes daily. Then you add it to your vegetables. How to obtain such a stone? India could start a business exporting them to boost its economy, and I wish to contribute. It would benefit both India and our health. I have ordered five stones for various locations: one for the Strelky kitchen (a smaller one), one for Vienna, one for Daly, one for Jaipur, and one for Jadon. I considered that you might also want them. For a kitchen like Strelky's, a slightly larger stone is needed. To gauge interest, who would like one? Do not ask the price; it is always a surprise. The stone itself is cheap, but preparation and shipping increase the cost. Let me see who is interested. Please raise your hands. Thank you. We might need one or two containers. If we can find suitable hard stone in Europe, that is also acceptable; it need not be Indian. This practical session shows that when spices are ground fresh, their essential oils and aromas are preserved. Powdered spices lose these properties. This practice is vital for our health. Similarly, grinding almonds daily for milk has a completely different effect on the body than using bottled almond paste. Making ghee correctly at home from butter is another essential skill; many people do not make it properly. As yoga practitioners, we must ensure our practice—āsanas, prāṇāyāmas, relaxation, and meditations—is authentic. Authentic means derived from ancient scriptures, practiced and experienced by great saints. You should read texts like the Śiva Saṁhitā, Gheraṇḍa Saṁhitā, and Patañjali’s works. Recently, I received an out-of-print Sanskrit manuscript available only in a few university libraries. It contains about 400 pages dedicated solely to the technique of Khecharī Mudrā. Translating a single line can take half a page. Can you imagine the depth of wisdom? It details the technique, timing, duration, and effects on the glandular system. Seeing this, I realize how superficially people often approach Khecharī Mudrā. Such profound knowledge resides in these old scriptures. I wish some of you would study Sanskrit and dedicate yourselves to these texts, but I have yet to find anyone. It is a pity; this knowledge is disappearing daily. A practical way of living is crucial. Regarding yoga attire, it is written that when a yogī practices āsanas or prāṇāyāmas, inner energy centers awaken, and every blood cell reacts. Energy is generated but can be lost. Therefore, it is advised to wear long sleeves and long trousers during practice. Today, many videos and books show practitioners with minimal clothing, as if they cannot afford more cloth. I often feel compelled to donate clothes to them. During meditation or practice, proper clothing helps contain circulating energy and biofeedback. You may ask: why do we see pictures of yogīs in the Himalayas wearing very little? They have become energy itself and do not possess wardrobes for different occasions or times of day. They have one garment for all purposes. Furthermore, considering climate change and air pollution, covering the skin is beneficial. After much thought, we designed a yoga and daily life uniform. Many serious yogīs in āśrams and schools also use proper uniforms. Only those commercializing yoga use scantily clad young people to display anatomy. You need not see the size of someone's stomach or muscles. The essence is the practice itself. These are practical instructions. Try to eat home-cooked food prepared by family members—husband, wife, mother, father, brother, or sister. Prepare all kinds of sweets at home. As a father, you should know what is best for your family. As a mother, you should know what you serve your children. Also, consider what kind of fat you use for cooking. This is today's practical session, focused on your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Good eating keeps body and soul together. We ask our soul to remain, for if it departs, the body is lonely, and we do not desire that. Therefore, practice real, effective techniques, use natural materials as much as possible, and eat well. At least you can see the real seed, even if pesticides or chemical fertilizers were used—we can only trust. I now give you twenty minutes for questions. Our dear brothers and sisters around the world are also welcome to write in; I will answer this evening. Questions and Answers Question: When I buy organic carrots in Prague labeled as produced in Prague, I discover they are actually from Israel. Is that correct? Answer: If it is written that they are organic carrots imported from Israel, why not? A carrot is a carrot, and if it is organic, it is fine. Carrots can be eaten year-round. Of course, it is said one should eat food from within a 40 km radius. In that case, we would all have to immigrate to a small island with no transportation. So, grow whatever you can, eat it, and that is all. It is good to source locally, but if it comes from Israel, it is perfectly acceptable. I support international organic trade. Question: Where can I find information on which vegetables to combine and which not to? I know Āyurveda covers this, but more concretely? Answer: You can go to any small village house in India. The ladies there, who may not have high education and can barely read a newspaper, possess this knowledge. You can learn it in a week. Alternatively, come to Jadān Āśram for Karma Yoga in the kitchen, or we can bring such a person to a summer seminar. So-called high education has destroyed this ancient, golden knowledge. Pesticides were not designed by farmers living normal lives but by highly educated people with nothing better to do, who tried to destroy everything. We call this "grandmother's kitchen." We know the theory but are lost in practice. If supermarkets stopped supplying cooked, packaged food, half of humanity would starve. There is a proposal to compile these dietary instructions into a brochure. Dobrá myšlenka—a very good idea. If any of you have practical knowledge or experience, you are welcome to contribute. Ensure you have been practicing this for 20 years, not just reading about it yesterday. We need practical knowledge, not theory. Question: I use Chyavanaprāśa, one teaspoon daily, but it was not specified that it should be taken only for 21 days a year. Nor are instructions given on what to drink afterward. Answer: If companies wrote such instructions, they would go bankrupt. What is available here, I cannot fully endorse. For me, povidl (fruit spread) would be better than some supplements. I do not know what is inside them; there may not even be enough āmlā fruit. I am not a Vaidya (Āyurvedic physician), but I can gather information on my next trip from India. Āyurveda was designed for the poor; it should be accessible and cheaper than buying vegetables. It introduced the concept that cooking itself is an Āyurvedic remedy, but we have lost this. Taking Chyavanaprāśa daily year-round makes it a food supplement, not a medicine. It might contain mostly sweet potatoes, burnt sweet potatoes, a little āmlā, and similar ingredients. A year ago, we bought neem capsules from the market. Upon opening them, we found nonsense inside with no proper labeling. We tried from three different countries. Finally, we now have our own source. For a businessman, it does not matter how you die; the main thing is that you buy. We have a sample of real turmeric here. The early birds get the bread; I think Lizzy has it. She is guilty—there is no more turmeric in my room. I must now use artificial turmeric powder because the real roots were taken. Question: Until we get the grinding stones, can we use a manual grinder (like a German "Merza")? Answer: Yes, no problem. The main point is that it is freshly ground, not pre-powdered. Question: Regarding the phrase "Bhagavān kī jay"... Answer: This phrase means "victory and glory." We would not say "victory of the devils," but we can say "victory of the goddesses." The Austrians, due to historical events like the Holocaust, carry a deep-seated fear and are often blamed disproportionately. They are, in reality, very kind and loving people; otherwise, I would not have survived here for 40 years. I love them. The questioner has an internal psychic issue, like the caution one feels around dogs after being bitten. With continued yoga practice, this will slowly improve. When speaking to her, be sweet, kind, and then politely excuse yourself. Question: Recently, variations of "kāṭupranām" exercises appear in media without proper explanation or attribution to your system. How should I react? Answer: They should write and explain properly. They should not steal wisdom. We wish for them to practice, but they should inform people about what they are practicing. Question: I have heard that people with heart disease should not take neem due to its bitter taste. Is this correct? Answer: Anything you ingest affects your entire body. Even distilled water has an effect. Neem certainly affects the body, heart, kidneys, liver, and blood. You should consult someone knowledgeable. However, I can say that neem supports the heart. The daily quantity should be minimal—at most, half a leaf from the tree. For therapy, the amount could vary; you might use none or a larger quantity for external applications like massage with neem paste or adding neem powder to baths, which beautifies the skin. You might emerge looking like a green frog. I wish you all a very good appetite. This morning's session was a practical guide for everyday life—yoga in daily life. Thank you. Hari Om. After eating, you can enjoy the nice weather and go for a walk.