(An impromptu seminar at Ganga Darshan, January 1990)

Opening game

Stand up in two’s and we shall play a game. One person is the blackboard and the other person will write on their back. The blackboard should be very clean for writing on, so rub it well before commencing. Now write a number from 0 to 9 and see if your partner (the blackboard) can guess what you have written on their back. If they guess correctly they are very attentive. You can go on to write a letter and even experiment with other shapes depending on how attentive your partner is. Keep on changing round so both of you can try. In order to ascertain the letter, number or shape which has been drawn, you have to prepare your tactile attention because every sense has got its own attention. This game does not allow for absent-mindedness. You have to be constantly vigilant, constantly aware.

Constant

I shall give you one small instance in relation to Swami Satyananda Saraswati regarding awareness in simple everyday living. Some years ago Swamiji visited France for a seminar on transmission. It was held near Paris in a beautiful park in whose grounds stood a castle. Close to this park was a railway line. One afternoon, as we were on our way to lunch with a group of swamis around Swamiji, a train suddenly whooshed by. Swamiji turned to watch it as it sped past and when it was out of sight he turned back and said smiling but very pointedly, ‘It was a goods train with fourteen carriages.’

We were completely taken aback because we had only seen n train flash past. He explained that being attentive to the outside world is the best training for watching the inside world. Being attentive with the five senses teaches us how to prepare for ekagrata, one-pointedness, the finest aspect of dharana, and conversely, attention to the world within helps us to live more fully and attentively in the world outside. We should never be vague or uncertain to any of our interactions with life. We should even, as Swamiji once said, count the stars when we are out at night to keep our mind sharp and alert, keen and acutely perceptive.

In the Mahabharata, when Drona is training Arjuna how to become a fine archer, he trains him how to concentrate on the eye of the bird alone, not on the whole bird, sitting in the tree etc., just the eye to the exclusion of all else. This is one-pointed attention. However, there is another form of attention which has a panoramic view. For instance, in yoga, bhoochari and unmani mudra are practised to obtain such expansive attention. They develop the power of concentration and also of memory, apart from tranquillising the mind in preparation for meditation. You can see everything without seeing anything as it were, while being fully attentive in the process. This is multidirectional attention which is useful in life when you wish to have a very wide view of a situation. Then slowly, slowly it can close up to one point.

Is there some kind of opposition between attention and relaxation?

When a tiger is ready to jump you may think that he is very tensed for the spring but it is not so; he is completely relaxed. This idea that attention is linked to tension is a most false assumption. The best way to be attentive is to simply relax. In our society the reverse prevails; that in order to be attentive you have to be tensed. When your mind is tensed it is difficult for you to absorb anything being taught to you, but if we look at ‘Super Learning’ the process is to completely relax the mind through playing music and yoga nidra like techniques. In this way learning is made easy. However, by the act of tensing, you restrict all your sensory channels. Even when you wish to see from afar you should relax the eyes and not screw them up. So there is no opposition between attention and relaxation. On the contrary, the union of both is one of the great achievements of yoga. Relaxed vigilance is the best formula for learning.

Do you think the mind can be fully attentive to more than one task at a time or can we only concentrate on one thing?

Napoleon Bonaparte used to dictate four letters to four different secretaries simultaneously, and when he had finished dictating the fourth sentence to the fourth secretary who was writing the fourth letter, he would come back to the first letter exactly at the point where he had left off. His mind was so efficient and well-organised that he had quadruple attention. Of course he was an outstanding figure and this ability is very rare but it can be developed through the practices of yoga; and you will find that most yogis and enlightened saints have this ability to a very much higher degree than this great general. When we do kriya yoga we must be attentive to so many things maintaining the asana, movement of breath, visualisation, number of rounds etc., so we are involved in a very complex form of attention.

Is it not better to concentrate on just one thing at a time in order to develop attention?

It is a matter of awareness. When you expand your awareness and do many things at the same time, being attentive to all, that means you have achieved a high state of positive attention. However, when you try to do many things at the same time without being fully aware of any one of them, confusion ensues and instead of building up your attention you are destroying it. For such people it is better to concentrate on just one thing at a time to develop attention. So this is something yoga can teach- how to fix our awareness on just one point and how to expand our attention in all directions.

In France I have a funny little cartoon of an animal reading a book. It is actually an advertisement for a bookshop. This fellow is so engrossed in his book that he is paying not the slightest attention to the fact that his tail is on fire. So, the question is, ‘Is his mind attentive or unbalanced ?’ Certainly he is not a yogi. A yogi is attentive and alert on all sides.

Breath awareness for attention development

We shall close now with ten minutes of breath awareness. Take any comfortable meditation asana and become perfectly quiet and motionless. Be aware only of the breathing process, and unite your awareness with the flow of the natural breath. These two forces, breath and awareness, are moving together up and dawn the frontal psychic passage between navel and throat, between manipura trigger-point or kshetram and vishuddhi trigger-point or kshetram. Awareness is a force, a mental prana, and these two forces of mind and breath constitute our being. They move together within a path of power. Try to feel this movement with ever-increasing attention. Be aware of the energy as the breath moves up and down, up and down, up and down.

Now become aware of a third force moving. The breath is moving and along with it the prana is also moving – breath, prana and awareness. Feel them moving up and down in the psychic passage between manipura and vishuddhi. This movement of prana is neither heavy nor light, neither hot nor cold. It is not a physical sensation. Prana moves in the form of life. Come closer and closer with your attention to the movement of prana.

Then try to visualise the prana as it moves through the psychic passage together with the breath, together with the awareness. You may see it as a tube of golden light, or a tube of transparent glass in which the mercury is rising and falling, or as a beam of red or yellow light. Each practitioner will have his own particular manifestation. There is no set rule for this. The important thing is constant awareness of whatever you can see and/or feel – constant attention to the movement. Get ready to end the practice. Leave your awareness of the psychic passage, of the breath and the prana and become aware of your eyebrow centre – brumadhya, the trigger-point for the command centre, ajna chakra. Fix your attention there and try to see a tiny point of light or a tiny little star. Once you see it try to hold it steady. If you cannot see it you need more practice; it will come eventually. We shall chant Om three times together to end.

Om, Om, Om.

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, Nov, 1990)

(Vivekananada College, Madras 9.2.82)

Hari Om to everybody here. In the last thirty years, yoga has been subject to scientific studies in India as well as abroad. First of all scientific studies were earned out on the most well-known aspect of yoga called yogasanas.

For years, in many countries the teams of scientists and doctors were studying the possible effects of yoga postures on the body as a whole and of course I don’t have to tell you that everywhere the team gave a very wonderful report about it. As a result of that, yoga postures came out as a very powerful means of therapy. In the last three decades or more, many incurable diseases in India as well as abroad, both chronic and constitutional, have been successfully tackled. But I am not going to speak to you on this subject; this is only to introduce you to a very preliminary but very important aspect of yoga.

Yoga and the mental personality

Later, thinkers began to ponder over the possibility of whether or not yoga could influence the activities of the brain and consciousness. Even now research is going on all over the world and the results which we have obtained so far very positively indicate that some of the other aspects of yoga, not necessarily asana, can alter the behaviour, chemistry and waves of the brain. I will try to tell you in layman’s language so that you can carry home the knowledge. I am not concerned about your practice, that is left to you, but for me it is more important that I explain to you how far yoga has been understood by the thinking people of the world today; not necessarily by the Hindus or Muslims but even by agnostics who don’t have any concept of God, reality, atma or afterlife etc., who just believe in matter – total matter, and nothing beyond matter. They have come to the conclusion that, through the practice of yoga, the quality of the contents of the brain can be changed, influenced, transformed or completely metamorphosed.

If that be so, how are we going to apply this science of yoga to our own profession, to our own career and our own station in life? We are sannyasins, some are businessmen, and you are students. Everyone has his own career and profession. It is possible therefore to apply this science of yoga in such a way that it will improve the quality of our performance, the quality of our experience, the general experiences we have everyday with the people we come across, including the experience in interaction with social and national problems. That mental personality should be developed through yoga. We believe it is possible, but how?

Archetypes and the genius mind

There is a general opinion now prevalent in Western countries, and certain circles in India as well, that through the practice of pranayama, dhyana, yoga nidra and antar mouna, the mind of students can be improved. In Switzerland, educationalists have been working on this and on the behaviour of archetypes in the brain. These archetypes are in billions and trillions in the brain and seem to become a barrier in expressing our mental personality. Many times you people feel that you understand things better, and sometimes you don’t understand. At times you are experiencing total clarity whether you study geography, mathematics or history, and at times it seems everything is clouded and you don’t understand. In this connection you will have to study the behaviour of that mechanism which is the seat of understanding, and this is the brain.

The archetypes in the brain come in the way of your expression. They are the substances which lie buried in the depths of the human mind, not the external mind which is connected with the senses, that is the eternalised mind. Through the eyes, ears and other mediums of perception, this mind obtains knowledge; I am not talking or that mind. That mind is just a reflector, but there are other areas of mind, of chitta, which you should be able to touch if you want to develop genius; if you want to be a student of outstanding success. You don’t have to have much to do with this mind, particularly that part which depends on external sources of the senses, the indriyas; not even with that mind which depends on the storehouse or fund of knowledge which you have collected. There is an area of the mind which you do not know, which you have never experienced, which has to come out. That mind can only come out if you can fix the archetypes.

The science of yantra and mandala

The scientists about whom I was talking, particularly those in Switzerland, have developed, in connection with the educational system, a science called yantra and mandala which of course most of you know about or have seen; but you have not tried to understand exactly what these things are. Many times you see geometrical figures known as Shree Yantra, Kali Yantra or Tara Yantra. We thought for some time, even in our own country which is the origin of this culture, that these yantras were a mystical substance. People did not understand them, hut now in order to improve the quality of understanding in terms of education, and with retarded children in particular, they are using yantras. And what do they tell you to do? To concentrate on the yantra with eyes open, then close the eyes and visualise the yantra as long as you can.

When you are not able to visualise with the eyes closed, then open the eyes again and gaze at the yantra. Go on practising this system of trataka, dhyana on the yantra, twice a day for ten to fifteen minutes. What will happen? They say that yantra has the capacity and power to penetrate far into the depths of the mind, that area of the mind I was talking about, and manifest or express that mind. Through this practice of yantra meditation, mentally retarded children are helped in the countries whose cultural tradition is not yoga, yet in this country where we have the tradition, we have completely forgotten what these funny geometrical things are.

The second thing they have been talking about is mandala. For us it is a scientific process of conceptualising the subconscious and unconscious areas of the mind. They even go to the extent of saying (you will be surprised) that concentration on those mandalas can finally stabilise the alpha, beta, theta and delta waves in the brain which have got voltage, frequency, ampere and vibration. It is like electricity. It you can reorganise, reset or restructure the brain wave patterns, then you can manifest a new quality of brain; a new quality of understanding.

The pineal gland and a balanced personality

This is just a glimpse that I have presented before you out of thousands of researches that have been done the world over. In America, since they have introduced yoga into their drug-rehabilitation centres they have succeeded very well. I am not talking about the relationship between yoga and the mind. I am talking about the relationship between yoga and consciousness, between yoga and man’s personality, his swabhava, prakriti or nature. It is true that yoga postures help everyone and you must practise quite a few of them every day (at least you must practise surya namaskara) but yoga does not end with that – with that yoga begins.

Not only sannyasins or grown-up people but every student must be exposed to the scientific aspect of yoga, which is not known to us in this particular generation but which scientists have come to learn about and which our ancestors knew. Thousands of years ago there was a tradition where a child at the age of seven or eight was ordained the sutra. Please do not think I am talking like a brahmin. I am talking like a doctor, remember it! I am talking of science and not trying to establish or prove a religious theory. This ordaining of the sutra was known as upanayanam when children were given mantra, pranayama and surya upasana.

And now what are scientists talking about? They are talking about a very important thing. At the age of seven or eight the pineal gland begins to degenerate in every child and the pituitary is unleashed. It is opened completely, and with its opening the hormones come into the body unchecked, and imbalances in the personality grow. A boy or girl of fifteen can think, can experience, can desire, can have the passion of a man of thirty-five. There is no balance because the pineal was not maintained in a healthy state when it began to degenerate at the age of seven or eight.

In order to maintain the health of this gland so that it may survive for as many years as possible, mantra, pranayama and surya upasana were introduced. I am not going to talk about mantra and surya upasana, I will just speak a few words about pranayama. How does it affect the pineal gland situated at the top of the spinal column in the medulla oblongata? In the religious theme it is known as the “Third Eye” of Lord Shiva. We call it ajna chakra, the monitoring centre from where the respiratory system, excretory system and all other systems in the body are given orders and monitored. Even paralysis, pineal paralysis, muscular atrophy and other diseases can be directly controlled by training the pineal, ajna chakra. Scientifically we call it the monitoring centre and that can be trained through pranayama.

Pranayama and Balancing the brain

Breathe in through the left nostril; breaths out through the right, breathe in through the right; breathe out through the left – a simple thing. And just control the breath for one second, two, three, four, five. We have seen in our scientific studies that when we breathe in through the left nostril the right hemisphere of the brain is acting – contracting and expanding, contracting and expanding, contracting and expanding. When you breathe through the right nostril, the left hemisphere acts. In this way you are training a very important part of your body – the brain and pineal gland. In the days when pranayama was taught it was with the view that our children would have this pineal gland maintained in a healthy condition for many years so that they would have a balanced personality; a balance between emotion, thinking and experience.

So, I did not talk to you on yogasana and exercise because I thought many of you know about them. I wanted to give you this information because I am involved in scientific research into yoga. I still believe that just as you can improve the quality of everything, you can improve the quality of the brain also – it is possible. The brain is not static substance and if you are an idiot, it does not mean that you have to remain an idiot, or that if you have a bad memory you should always have a bad memory and nothing can be improved. In this particular context I ask you to think about yoga but kindly remember that perhaps the only place in India that gives you this explanation about yoga is the Bihar School of Yoga.

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, March, 1990)

Kirtan is highly recommended in handicap therapy. Having spent some time in Camphill, Rudolf Steiner Schools, Aberdeen, a community for retarded and maladjusted children, I noticed the importance of music in their curriculum and how much the handicapped children feel for music.

The music class was held in two ways: once a week with a skilled musician who played all kinds of lines, using different instruments; inviting professionals to show their skill adjusted to the listener’s needs. In addition to that, everyday in their special school classes, their English teacher would sing with them a morning prayer and some songs. Also they sang a prayer before and after eating.

The idea was that the children would repeat together with the adults sounds or music with or without words. There was a joyful Scottish song called “The drunken sailor”; its tune very much resembled yogic kirtans. This song became my favourite and I sang it everywhere around the school.

Two children were influenced by this continuous singing and finally each sang at least one full verse of the song. One was mentally retarded, very shy and unable to concentrate, and the other one was an autistic child uttering only the word ‘no’. I could not believe my ears when I heard the child singing.

Since kirtan’s importance lies in the feelings of the heart and in personal expression regardless of the perfection usually required in singing, I think that introducing kirtan in special cases such as handicapped children is going to prove an indispensable asset in their therapy.

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, Feb, 1983

What does yoga have to do with students, with developing the mind, the brain and the body? I am not going to tell you what the scriptures say, I will tell you what the scientists say. Do you know the definition of a scientist? A scientist is one who tries to know and discover the truth by objective analysis and not by faith. Religion is based on faith; you believe even if you do not really know. In religion there is belief; in science there is analysis. If I say that pranayama is good for intelligence, it is not necessary that everyone believes it. But if a scientist does research and finds out how the brain behaves during pranayama practice: the chemical changes, the type of brainwaves which are emitted and so forth, we can then come to conclusions based on solid scientific evidence that yoga is either good or bad for the brain.

In America, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Europe, Japan and Australia, scientists and doctors are using sophisticated instruments to test the effects of yoga on the mind and the body. Yogic practitioners are exposed to scientific scrutiny. During the practice of a particular asana or pranayama, instruments register the effects and changes that take place in the body and the mind From these tests, scientists have come to the conclusion that yogic practices make the brain very efficient; memory and concentration become very sharp and grasping power and the ability to recall facts and figures increase.

Even children who are mentally retarded, who have intelligence much below average, are being taught yoga practices in clinics and in institutions. For a period of one full year they are taught a few asanas, one or two types of pranayama, concentration on a yantra (psychic symbol of a geometrical nature) and by these practices their brain faculties and intelligence improve, Therefore, yoga has to become the prime subject in schools. Without intelligence, learning in school is of no use, because whatever the teacher teaches is completely forgotten, or it does not even enter the brain. So, more emphasis has to be given to scientific yoga tuition in schools. Not only considering what is to be taught but how it should be taught effectively.

Benefits of yoga postures

What then is asana, pranayama and concentration? These points need to be understood by all. Certain postures are known as asana: bhujangasana (cobra pose), shalabhasana (locust pose), sarvangasana (shoulder stand pose), and matsyasana (fish pose) are a few examples, but there are many more. These asanas are physical positions which are maintained for a minute or so, and during this period of practice the endocrine glands in the body, the thyroid, adrenal, pancreas etc., are stimulated and balanced. When these glands start working efficiently, there is a state of balance created in the body, due to which many types of diseases are removed.

Each and every asana has its own specific effect on the body. Bhujangasana, for example, is good for the liver and spine; sarvangasana is good for the thyroid and the abdomen; halasana together with paschimottanasana influences the pancreatic glands; garudasana is good for strengthening the ligaments of the whole body. There are certain asanas which improve eye sight, others improve digestive power, and there are those which improve memory. Some asanas increase height and weight and others bring control into the mind. This control of mind is most important for students because without it they cannot study properly. And when they cannot study properly, they have to do some dishonest business during examinations.

In regard to the practices of yoga, it is necessary to understand one fact: asana and physical exercises should not be equated and compared with each other. The exercises and physical training you do is necessary for the development of your body and muscles. But asanas are curative; they are therapeutic, and they act upon the internal organs, such as the heart, lungs, nervous system, excretory system, reproductive system and the other systems that we have in the body. Yogasanas improve the overall condition and health of the inner organs of the entire body.

Practice of pranayama

Pranayama are breathing practices in which you breathe in a particular way or retain the breath for a fixed period of time. You should get yourself properly trained and corrected by a good teacher because pranayama is a very scientific and exact system of techniques. Merely breathing through the nose is not enough. Your health depends on the way that you breathe. If you breathe incorrectly, you will have a tendency towards disease. Many people breathe only from the chest. Others contract their tummy during inhalation and expand it during exhalation. This is totally wrong. First the breathing has to be corrected.

The practices of pranayama directly influence the mind and brain. Those students who suffer bad cough and cold, migraine, poor intelligence; who sleep too much and whose minds are fickle and restless should definitely practise five minutes pranayama daily. There are over thirty types of pranayama, but one in particular is good for students and for children. This is known as nadi shodhana and it can be practised as follows:

Sit in padmasana (lotus pose) or siddhasana (perfect pose) with your spine upright and straight. Close your eyes. Inhale through the left nostril; exhale through the left. Do five or ten rounds and then change nostrils. This is the first stage. When this has been perfected, inhale through the left nostril, then slowly exhale through the right nostril. Again inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left. Do this practice very slowly with a short rest in between each round. Practise five rounds daily.

Then you should learn how to stop your breath. After inhalation, hold your breath for five seconds; if this is not possible, then hold it for three seconds. Stopping the breath for this short period of time is very useful for the improvement of intelligence and memory. If the breath can be easily held for longer periods then so much the better, but there should be no strain.

These practices should be done in the morning when the stomach is empty. Remember this point very well: asana and pranayama should not be practised with a loaded stomach. Children and students come to school after eating their breakfast. If they do asana and pranayama with a loaded stomach, they will not derive full benefits and it may even be harmful. Therefore, school and college authorities should arrange things in such a way that yoga is taught at school, but the children should be asked to practise it at home.

Concentration practices for memory and recall

Yogic practices to concentrate the mind are also very essential for children and students. Concentration is of two types: on one point and on a series of objects. For the second type you should sit down quietly with eyes closed and remember a number of items, which you should know by heart, and try to visualise them. You can visualise anything, whether a banana leaf, an apple, the rising sun, the half moon, tidal waves and so forth according to your choice. However it is much better to select things from nature which are soothing to your mind like the sky, the stars, flowers, fruits, birds and animals, and not such things as a motor car, a factory or an engine. Choose as many things as you wish; ten, then twenty, then thirty and then forty. You can go up to one hundred items.

By doing these types of practices, you will improve your memory power. First start with ten objects. But you must remember that the sequence of objects should be the same every day and should not change. If you can remember and visualise one hundred objects in one sitting and go on seeing them like a dream, you will develop a fantastic memory. These objects should also include colours and mantra such as Om or Om Namah Shivaya, etc. Even yantras (geometrical figures) can be utilised and visualised. If you have not seen any, then ask your teacher. These yantras are very powerful in influencing the subconscious and unconscious mind. Psychologists and scientists say that these geometrical figures work directly on the deeper levels of mind. There are numerous yantras: sri yantra, tara yantra, surya yantra, gayatri yantra, baglamukhi yantra and so on. Many yantras are associated with chakras or psychic centres, each of which has a specific mantra, colour and ishta devata (presiding deity). All of these concentration practices greatly improve memory.

It is not, however, sufficient merely to have a good memory. You must also have the ability to recall at any time what is in the mind. This is very important, for example, at the time of examinations. When we talk about memory, we must know that side by side with the power of retention, we should also have the capacity to recall facts efficiently when required. Many children are very bright but they cannot write or pass examinations etc. because they do not have the power or capacity to recall. To be able to recall facts and figures it is necessary to practise this type of dharana (concentration) on the flow or sequence of objects, mantra, yantra, etc. You can try your own sequence, and you can start practising from tomorrow. The best time is at night before going to sleep. You will have good dreams and also a deep, restful sleep.

Willpower and one-pointedness

The other type of concentration practice is on one point. Decide on one point. Close your eyes and try to visualise, to develop that point. Try to manifest that point. Try to make that point as clear as you would see it outside, but with the eyes closed. Suppose you are trying to concentrate on a sunflower. Close your eyes and try to see it. If you cannot, then try again. Keep on trying for days, weeks and months, and ultimately you will be able to see that yellow petalled sunflower with perfect clarity. It will manifest suddenly, and when it comes to you, it is an indication that your mind has attained a state of one-pointedness.

A concentrated mind is a powerful mind and a dissipated mind is a weak mind. Those who want to develop willpower must first of all develop a concentrated mind. A dissipated mind cannot have willpower. Take a magnifying glass and put it in front of some paper in the sun. The rays of the sun will quickly burn the paper because the rays have been concentrated. Remove the magnifying glass and the rays of the sun can do nothing to the paper. Why? Because now the sun’s rays are dissipated. When the rays of the sun are concentrated, they develop such power that they can burn paper or almost anything.

In the same way, your thoughts are either dissipated or concentrated. If they are scattered, then they can be brought into concentrated focus by specific yogic practices. Then your mind will become so powerful you can influence other minds. You can influence your character, your whole life and your own health or sickness. If you have a stomach disorder, mental disorder, breathing disorder, or any disorder, you can remove it by willpower alone. How then can one develop willpower? The secret is to learn to concentrate the mind on one point.

What type of point should be utilised? Any point can be used: a black dot, a star, a little flower or the flame of a candle. You can select any one point for yourself upon which you can focus your mind. Gradually, with practice, you will find that the mental focus becomes smaller and smaller. You will start to develop enormous willpower and then many benefits will come into your life. If you want to get up at four o’clock in the morning it will not be necessary for you to put on the alarm clock. You will be able to tell your mind to get up at 3.50 or 3.55 a.m. and at exactly that time you will wake up, because the mind is more capable than an alarm clock. Of course, at present, if you have weak willpower, you will have to continue to depend on an alarm clock to wake you up. Otherwise you will miss your bus or train in the morning, or you will arrive late for your examination.

Quality of mind

What is meant by a strong mind? A strong mind is one which can fulfil its decisions. In contrast, a weak mind is a mind which thinks but does not do. From tomorrow I am going to work hard in my studies; from tomorrow I am going to do asana and pranayama; from tomorrow I am not going to do this or that… but next morning you forget everything. You are still the same wretched being. Why? Because your mind is dissipated. All those great men about whom you have read in history, whether they were painters, artists, sculptors, saints, politicians, statesmen, writers, novelists, engineers or scientists – all those great men were not made by a freak of nature. They became great just by the quality of their mind. Rabindranath Tagore became a great poet, not because he had faculties that you do not have, but because he had a strong mind. He had a concentrated and hence a gifted mind.

Remember that you cannot be anything or do anything worthwhile without quality of mind. If you are ambitious, if you want to do something in life and if you want to get to the top in your career and in your education, merely thinking about it is not sufficient. The quality of your mind has to be improved. If you have a low quality mind then your performance in all spheres will also be poor. If the quality of your mind is very high then your performance must be correspondingly great. To develop a high quality mind you will have to analyse yourself and your aims. And you will have to give some time to the practice of yoga every day, both in the morning and in the evening.

Swami Vivekananda used to go to a library in America and borrow big, thick books and read them in one night. He would borrow one book and the very next day he would return the same book to the librarian. The librarian thought that this fellow was playing games. How could he read such big books on philosophy or science in one day. It should take at least a few weeks or even months per book. He asked Swami Vivekananda, ‘What do you do with the books, do you really read them?’ Swami Vivekananda answered, ‘Yes, you can ask me anything about the contents and I will answer you directly’. The librarian asked him many questions and was surprised to find that Swami Vivekananda not only read the books from cover to cover, but that he also read the back titles, publishers’ names, editors’ names, etc.

How did Swami Vivekananda do it? There are two ways: one is through the mind and the other is through what we call intuition. The first method utilises the lower mind: you read all your lessons and try to understand and remember them. The second method requires that you look at the reading matter and mentally photograph it. This is only possible when you are able to concentrate and meditate.

Body, head and heart

Yoga is essential for everyone who has a body, a mind and emotions. You have a head, a heart and a body. In order to keep these together, you will have to do something. Don’t merely depend on medicine, on recreation or on the study that you are doing. You should look after the welfare of your body, head and heart. If these three things work in union with each other then you will be successful in life. You will be happy, and in the course of time the country and your community will be very proud of you. Today you are studying science. After a few years you will leave school and start work. You will become officers, factory workers, housewives, doctors, nurses, engineers and so on. If you improve the quality of your personality and mind… then and only then will you become a useful member of your community and the country.

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, Feb,198

It is interesting to note that almost all spiritual masters have their names beginning with Swami and ending with Ananda. But ananda or happiness is the birthright of all beings in both the upadhi upahitha and upadi rahitha, the embodied and the disembodied state. The Upanishads also declare that it is through happiness that all living beings come to birth, it is for happiness that they live, and it is in happiness that they merge at last. In Taithireya Upanishad it is mentioned that Brahmananda is the greatest happiness in the world, i.e. the happiness attained through Brahmahood. In yoga, happiness is accepted as the most healthy and positive state of the heart. But according to the religious point of view happiness involves all the positive qualities of the heart resulting in love and freedom.

Children are comparatively happier than the rest of the age groups. There are many cases of decreasing happiness with increase in age. Spiritual masters are also subjected to this to a slight extent as long as they are in their physical bodies. Christ and the mahatmas often taught that God can only be won through the heart which is similar to that of a child. This implies that children are the happiest beings in the world and evidently, the state of happiness is Godhood itself.

Happiness comes through the relief from pain also. In some cases pain and happiness act as two sides of a coin. Normal functioning of sex especially the psychological aspect of it, is also related to the gaining of happiness as far as the physiological criterion is concerned. In certain interpretations the birth of opposite genders is meant for gaining ananda. But naturally happiness is the very nature of the female class.

Dharma is the basis for happiness and vice versa only when living beings are happy that they follow dharma: worldly happiness is related to vasanas and ignorance like ego and the undesirable and negative qualities of the mind. Spiritual happiness is gained by the absorption of mind through sadhana like pranayama, meditation, laya samadhi, bhava samadhi, and the climax of all spiritual efforts, the raising of kundalini. Happiness can be gained, to a very great extent, through the singing of music and kirtans and also listening to them. Anyway the net result of happiness is supreme peace and freedom.

(Courtesy: Yoga Magazine, Jan, 1983)

1983 heralds in new dimensions and horizons for Bihar School of Yoga. Building an institution is in itself a mammoth task, but to find suitable successors to uphold the high ideals and standards, is no less important. Right from its inception, Swami Satyananda has played the dual role of Guru and administrator. Two roles diametrically opposite or contradictory to each other, which led him into many difficulties from time to time, and which he survived with unsurpassable skill. Let me explain this further.

We are all familiar with the role of a Guru. He inspires, instructs and is the guiding light to many lives. For those of you who have a Guru, it is unthinkable to live this life without nurturing that relationship. It is tantamount to having no eyes to see or ears to hear. But have you ever stopped to wonder- how a Guru meets the demands of his disciples. How is it that not just one or two or three or five, but thousands and millions of people all over the world are able to draw energy from that one source. It is obvious that he is able to delve into deeper and higher states of consciousness, where no duality exists, where he is able to sift the true from the untrue, the mundane and the gross experience from the pure experience. It is this ability which allows him to deal with the problems of the people with accurate precision.

However, if at the same time, he also has to play the role of an administrator, it is necessary that from time to time he must return or come down to the practical, day to day affairs of life. So on the one hand he must go deep within, and on the other hand he must eternalise that same consciousness. Of course this constant fluctuation, from higher to lower states of mind is not a trifling matter and not easily attainable. For one state of mind is not complementary to the other. Only a Jivanmukta can do it with the utmost ease. Swami Satyananda has been the epitome of such a person. His decisions as administrator have been flawless and his guidance to the people illuminating.

But how much longer must these demands press on him? Swamiji often jokingly says, “My life has been divided into 20 year cycles. I was born in 1923, I joined my Guru’s ashram in 1943, I opened my ashram in 1963, and now in 1983 is the last turning point, I retire.” When he sees the disappointed and disconsolate look on our faces, he always hastens to add, “When I say retire, I mean as an administrator, I shall continue to guide and inspire the people as long as I live.”

Another very relevant point, which Swamiji has often mentioned is that it is always necessary for the founder of an institution, to step down and install his successors during his lifetime, so that the succeeding persons may be able to master the work thoroughly. This is especially relevant to a sannyas institution where nothing really belongs to ‘any particular person.

The inability of many spiritual leaders to do so has been instrumental in the downfall of many institutions. We have seen many jivanmuktas, liberated beings, who function dynamically during their lifetime, but have been unable to leave behind pillars of strength. Obviously, at some time, they must give their responsibility to others. And for the fulfilment of that responsibility, the decision must be taken not too early and not too late, but at the correct time. After all, a flower blossoms only when the soil is right and the seed is ripe. Swamiji, who has always maintained accurate timing to make decisions, has chosen 1983 to nominate his successors.

This decision will bring a host of questions to the minds of the people. Possibly you are among those who wonder about the future of Bihar School of Yoga, after Swamiji retires from the administration. If you are, read on.

As you will see, Swamiji with his meticulous eye for detail, has been thinking not only of the present, but also years into the future. After all, the disciples and devotees all over the world, must have the assurance that the institution which they have worked so hard for, will not dissolve, but will continue to maintain the policies of the organisation.

At present, Bihar School of Yoga has many ashrams, innumerable centres, a vast number of inspired schools, thousands of teachers and a host of sannyasins of different nationalities and religions, spread out all over the world, with the nucleus and headquarters at Munger. For this purpose it is necessary to have adequate teachers, an efficient administration, a proper internal management and inspiring guidance, as a support for the institutions.

The sannyasins who have been trained by Swamiji as teachers are of a very high calibre and have been producing excellent results and response wherever they go. These sannyasins, whose number is always on the increase, will continue to spread the teachings far and wide.

For the administration, Swami Niranjanananda,, heading the Board of Directors, will handle all affairs directly. For a disciple, it is of paramount importance that he should be able to follow every command of his Guru, verbal or otherwise. He should be able to anticipate and remain constantly alert to every need of the Guru, only then can the Guru transmit his knowledge and guidance to the disciple and continue his mission through the disciple. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Swami Niranjanananda has always maintained the high ideals and standards of such a disciple. Although only 23 years of age, his experience, decision making capacity, and judgement can be compared to a person twice his age. He has travelled widely from the age of ten, perhaps little knowing the immense responsibilities that would befall him later. However, judging from his past record one feels that the responsibility rests on very young but very able shoulders.

The management will continue to be headed by Swami Haripremananda, in co-operation with his competent team of workers. Although many of you who have not visited Munger may not know Swami Haripremananda personally, his name will strike you as familiar, because at some time or the other you must have had to deal with him through your letters. He has been one of the stalwarts of the institution, right through its many stages. His steadfast devotion, unswerving loyalty, calm disposition are invaluable assets to Bihar School of Yoga.

Swamiji himself will continue to guide the people spiritually, along with the assistance of Swami Amritananda. Swami Amritananda herself needs little introduction. Most of you have been fortunate to receive her guidance, and are well aware of her ability to make accurate and precise judgements of the problems of the people. She has long been a pillar of strength of the institution, working tirelessly for the mission in India and abroad.

In the Sannyas parampara or tradition, according to the guidelines set down by Adi Shankaracharya, it is the responsibility of a Guru to impart his knowledge to worthy disciples, so that they may continue the work even after the Guru relinquishes his duties. For after all, the work being done is with a definite purpose in mind, and is not the whim of an individual. It has a far greater and wider vision, the benefits and far reaching effects of which should be felt not only in this decade, but also in the decades to come. This culture, this way of life, this philosophy must not become extinct with ravages of time, and neither should it be restricted to only a few people. Rather we must diversify, we must spread the systems of yoga to all corners of the world. We must preserve this fund of knowledge, which can help us in every sphere of our lives, so that not only our children but our grandchildren and great grandchildren may know and be able to judge for themselves the best way of life.

For the continuation and harmonious flow of these resolves, it is not only necessary to set up a strong foundation for the institution, but to eternalise our support. In this respect, we look forward to the enthusiastic support of people from every corner of the world. The history of Bihar School of Yoga shows that the vast number of well-wishers, devotees, and disciples have always extended their help in whichever way possible. Obviously the future depends on the continuation of help provided thus far. The demands and the needs of the people, have caused the institute and work to increase immensely, and most of the requirements are well looked after. However, help in the form of donations of property or any other assets or gifts of money are always welcome.

Now that Swamiji is no longer at the helm of administration, the scope and range which he will be able to cover will increase considerably. In this respect we look forward to seminars and conventions in different countries, cities, towns and villages, which may be arranged, for him to preside over. So that in the words of his Guru, he may take yoga from ‘door to door and shore to shore.’

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, March, 1983)

Gandhiji said, ‘It is better to enjoy through the body than to be enjoying the thought of it. It is good to disapprove of sensual desires as soon as they arise in the mind and try to keep them down, but if, for want of physical enjoyment, the mind wallows in thoughts of enjoyment, then it is legitimate to satisfy the hunger of the body. About this I have no doubt. Sex urge is a fine and noble thing. There is nothing to be ashamed of in it, but it is meant only for the act of creation.’(1)

Gandhiji was against the use of contraceptives for birth control. He believed in self-restraint of animal passion and in cohabiting only when reproduction or birth of a child is desired. He opined that brahmacharya means control of senses in thought, word, and deed and that is the way of life which leads to God.

Gandhiji took the vow of brahmacharya (celibacy) in 1906 at the age of thirty six years, after full discussion and deliberation. He had not shared his thoughts with his wife until then, but only consulted her at the time of taking the vow. She had no objection, but he had great difficulty in making the final resolve. He had not the necessary strength. How was he to control his passions? The elimination of carnal relationship with one’s wife seemed then a strange thing. But he launched forth with faith in the sustaining power of God. It is like walking on the sword’s edge and he saw in every moment the necessity for eternal vigilance.

What is brahmacharya? It is the way of life which leads us to Brahma. It includes full control over the process of reproduction. The control must be in thought, word, and deed. If the thought is not under control, the other two have no value. For one whose thought is under control, the other is mere child’s play.

Gandhiji said, ‘It appears to me that even the true aspirant does not need the above-mentioned restraints. Brahmacharya is not a virtue that can be cultivated by outward restraints. He who runs away from a necessary contact with a woman does not understand the full meaning of brahmacharya. However attractive a woman may be, her attraction will produce no effect on the man without the urge.’

He further stated, ‘I know from my own experience, that, as long as I looked upon my wife carnally, we had no real understanding. Our love did not reach a high plane. There was affection between us always, but we came closer and closer the more we, rather I, became restrained. There never was any want of restraint on the part of my wife. Very often she would show restraint, but she rarely resisted me, although she showed disinclination very often. All the time I wanted carnal pleasure, I could not serve her. The moment I bade goodbye to a life of carnal pleasure, our whole relationship became spiritual. Lust died and love reigned instead.’

Control of the palate is the first essential in the observation of the vow. Gandhiji found that complete control of the palate made the observance very easy and so he started dietetic experiments. As a result, he observed that a brahmachari should be limited to simple spice less, and if possible uncooked foods. The brahmachari should take his evening meal before sunset; fruit and nuts were his ideal food. He found milk to be an aphrodisiac and advised people to avoid milk as far as possible.

As an external aid to brahmacharya, fasting is as necessary as selection and restriction in diet. So overpowering are the senses that they can be kept under control only when they are completely hedged in on all sides, from above and from beneath. It is common knowledge that the senses are powerless without food, and so fasting undertaken with a view to control of the senses is, he felt, very helpful.

Gandhiji said,” ‘But the path of purification is hard and steep. To attain perfect purity, one has to become absolutely passion-free in thought, speech and action; to rise above the opposing currents of love and hatred, attachment and repulsion. I know that I have not in me as yet, that triple purity, in spite of constant, ceaseless striving for it. That is why the world’s praise fails to move me; indeed, it very often stings me. To conquer the subtle passions seems to me harder by far than the physical conquest of the world by the force of arms.’ Later on, when Gandhiji returned to India, he realised that such brahmacharya was impossible to attain by mere human effort. Until then he was under the illusion that a mere diet of fresh fruits and nuts would enable him to maintain celibacy.

‘Those who desire to observe brahmacharya with a view to realising God need not despair, provided their faith in God is equal to their confidence in their own effort. Therefore His name and His grace are the last resources of the aspirant after moksha. This truth came to me only after my return to India.’

‘Divine knowledge is not borrowed from books. It has to be realised in oneself. Books are at best an aid, often even a hindrance.’ Thus said Gandhiji.

Gandhiji recommended cold water hip bath for control of passion and night falls. Pandit Shri Pad Damodar Satvelekar had mentioned in one of his letters to Gandhiji (Sabarmati Gandhi Sangrah) that semen discharged because of masturbation or night falls could be absorbed by rubbing at the eyebrow centre or on the chest where both ribs meet.

Gandhiji said, ‘Brahmacharya is such only if it persists under all conditions and in the face of every possible temptation. If a beautiful woman approaches the marble statue of a man, it will not be affected in the least. A brahmachari is one who reacts in a similar situation in the same way as marble does.’(2)

‘You argue that the sight and the company of woman have been found to be inimical to self-restraint and are therefore to be avoided. This argument is fallacious. Brahmacharya hardly deserves the name if it can be observed only by avoiding the company of women, even when such company is kept with a view to serve. It amounts to physical renunciation un-backed by the essential mental detachment, and lets us down in critical times.’

‘I want to test, enlarge and revise the current definition of brahmacharya, in the light of my observation, study and experience. Therefore, whenever an opportunity presents itself I do not evade it or run away from it. On the contrary, I deem it my duty, dharma, to meet it squarely in the face and find out where it leads to and where I stand.’

‘To avoid the contact of a woman or to run away from it out of fear, I regard as unbecoming of an aspirant after true brahmacharya. I have never tried to cultivate or seek sex contact for carnal satisfaction. I do not claim to have completely eradicated the sex feeling in me. But it is my claim that I keep it under control.’

Gandhiji experimented with different techniques which help in observing celibacy.(3) He allowed women inmates of his ashram to sleep with him on the same bed and under the same cover, just to test whether it aroused any passion in him or in the woman.

Gandhiji felt more at home in dealing with the special problems which belong to womankind. He apotheosised womankind; so much so that he finally came to the conclusion that progress in civilisation depended upon the introduction into it of a large measure of the love and self-sacrifice which woman, the mother of man, best represented in her own person.

Women, for their part, drew readily near him, for they instinctively recognised in him one of their own kind. Their intimate association helped to strengthen those elements of non-violence of which he held them to be natural representatives; while such occasions were also utilised by him for examining how far his own identification had become complete.

The feminine attitude developed as an important trait in his character ever since he began his practice of brahmacharya and as the identification was never complete, the desire to imagine how far it had advanced at any point of time remained permanently with him.

This spiritual necessity of association with woman and of constant self-examination by means of a technique reminiscent of tantra was, however, not appreciated by some of Gandhiji’s closest associates, who even left him because of it. Gandhiji used to sleep with young women on the same bed, not for satisfaction of any animal passion, but for valid moral reasons; for establishing brahmacharya.

His close associates were of the opinion that he was suffering from a sense of self-delusion in regard to his relation with the opposite sex. After he asked women to share his bed and even the cover he used, he then tried to ascertain if even the least trace of sensual feeling had been evoked in himself or his companion (4). In the opinion of Gandhiji this was merely an experiment or self-examination to test his establishment in brahmacharya.

Gandhiji did not call that brahmacharya, which means not to touch a woman. In his opinion, brahmacharya is that thought and practice which puts you in touch with the infinite and takes you into His presence. He tried to reach that state and in accordance with his belief, and he had made substantial progress in that direction.

He said his wife ceased to be an instrument of lust after he took his vow of brahmacharya, she ceased to be that when she lay with him naked as his sister. If she and he were not lustfully agitated in their minds and bodies, the contact raised both of them.

The woman inmates of his ashram used to hold Gandhiji tightly clasped to their bodies (5) in cold weather or whenever his blood circulation became poor because of his old age, in order to give him the warmth of their youthful bodies. This practice is known as ‘gorocomy’.

Gandhiji said, ‘It is wrong to call me an ascetic. The ideals that regulate my life are presented for acceptance by mankind in general; I have arrived at them by gradual evolution. Every step was thought out, well considered, and taken with the greatest deliberation. Both my continence and non-violence were derived from personal experience and became necessary in response to the calls of public duty. I claim to be no more than average with less than average ability. Nor can I claim any special merit for such non-violence or continence as I have been able to reach with laborious research.’

1. an aotubiography, M.K. Gandhi, Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad.

2. All Men are Brother, life and thoughts of mahatma Gandhi as told in his own words, UNESCO Paris.

3. My Days with Ganshi, Nirmal Kunar Bose, Calcutta.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

(Courtesy : ‘Yoga Today’, London)

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, Oct, 1983)

Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi are the eight parts of yogic discipline. Non-violence, truth, honesty, sensual abstinence and non-possessiveness are the five yama (self-restraints). Cleanliness, contentment, austerity, self-study and resignation to God constitute niyama (fixed observances).
Yoga Sutras, 11:29, 30, 32.

One of the biggest obstacles to a deeper understanding of yoga lies in the concept of yama and niyama as expounded in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Many people pick up the works of the great masters, and having intellectually analysed and memorised these texts, feel that they have gained some advancement in yoga. However, this is merely another trick of the mind and such knowledge seems to become an actual barrier to further learning and progress.

In approaching a book as vast as Patanjali has recorded we must see it in perspective. When he states in his first sutra, ‘Now, therefore, complete instructions regarding yoga’, he implies that prior to this the aspirant has become grounded in karma and bhakti yoga; that he has put his lifestyle, emotions and intellectual life in order and harmony. The first years of yoga must encompass asana, pranayama and hatha yoga; they must be years in which we try to let go of our preconceptions and open up, so as to receive real knowledge based on experience and piercing insight. Only then can we fulfil Patanjali’s definition of asana as a steady and comfortable posture, one that can be maintained for hours without moving, and pranayama as cessation of inhalation and exhalation.

The eight limbs

In approaching the eight limbs of raja yoga we must try to put aside the intellectual, analytical, linear approach and see them as a whole. A circular approach is more appropriate because perfection in yama and niyama can only occur when there is samadhi. Perfect contentment and surrender to God, for example, are the result of transcendence rather than the cause. We may start out practising yama and niyama, but constantly we have to come back to them for reassessment.

As we progress yogically, mastering the external practices of asana and pranayama and gaining access to the inner side via pratyahara, dharana and dhyana, we can better understand how yama and niyama work. Thus the eight limbs of raja yoga are not so much linear ‘steps’, but work as parts or ‘limbs’ of a total organism which is raja yoga. All limbs must be worked on and mastered concurrently. This is why Patanjali states in the sutra preceding those on yama and niyama that by practising (all) the parts of yoga, impurity diminishes until the rise of spiritual knowledge culminates in awareness of reality. (Y.S., 11:28)

We say the eight limbs of raja yoga, therefore have two aspects, the first is their practice and the second, their realisation. Patanjali states that, when the yama are practised universally without exception due to birth, place, time and circumstances, they become great disciplines and have certain desirable results, such as: abandonment of hostility in the vicinity of the practitioner of ahimsa, non-violence, and knowledge of how and from where birth comes, developed by aparigraha, non- acquisitiveness. (Y.S., 11:31,35,39)

The path to attainment

On the path to attainment of success in yama and niyama, many obstacles occur. Misconceptions, disturbances of mind, passion, greed, anger, confusion and old habits tend to assert themselves and inhibit progress, especially if we lack willpower and determination, or if our desire for true spiritual progress is weak.

Patanjali says disturbances preventing progress can be mild, medium or intense but that they can be overcome by ‘pratipaksha bhavana’, thinking about the opposite of the disturbance (Y.S., 11:33, 34). For example, if we desire something, this will disturb the mind and nervous system and cause us to act contrary to the yama of non-acquisitiveness, aparigraha. If we feel guilty because of this or frustrated because we cannot get the desired result, and then try to suppress the desire or feeling, the suppressed desire will resurface with greater strength causing more mental disturbance. Suppression wastes energy in inappropriate mental and physical activity and can even lead to mental and physical disease. Patanjali, as the master psychologist, advises us to channel our mental activity creatively by putting our energy into conjuring up the positive vision which is the opposite of the disturbance. Thus we develop the habit of positive, creative thinking and calm rather than excite and deplete our nervous system.

The point to remember is that progress in developing yama and niyama is necessarily slow, and final culmination will be sometime in the future. Gandhiji, for example, spent his whole life in the attempt to master non-violence and brahmacharya. Our own approach must also be slow, steady and balanced, seen in perspective and undertaken correctly. Guidance from an experienced teacher, patience and tolerance in the face of failure, honesty with one’s self and persistent effort must eventually result in improvement if not eventual mastery.

Brahmacharya

Without a doubt the concept of brahmacharya is one of the least understood of the yama and niyama. Brahmacharya, sensual abstinence, is said to give virya, indomitable courage and strength, and is thought by many people to refer to celibacy, or absolute abstinence from sexual thought and activity. Though sexual abstinence is a major facet of brahmacharya it is only a part, and is one of the most difficult sensual urges to control, being one of the most powerful. One can say it is the doorway to control of the senses because its mastery leads to easy mastery of the other sensual activities. Only then can we enter the internal domain via pratyahara, sensory withdrawal, with ease.

Brahmacharya is more an attitude of mind towards all sensual objects, its literal meaning being turning of the mind towards the absolute, or God consciousness and, therefore, away from sensual indulgence. It implies that, in the perfected state, when we are absorbed in the highest consciousness, the bliss and knowledge gained wipe out the craving for sexual and sensual activity because it is a better, more fulfilling state.

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj summed up the state of brahmacharya when he said, “My world is just like yours. I see, I hear, I feel, I think, I speak and act in a world I perceive just like you. But with you, it is all: with me it is almost nothing… On realisation. pleasure and pain lost their sway over me. I was free from desire and fear. I found myself full, needing nothing.”

Such a state is free from the need for sensual indulgence. On the way to this state the practice of sensual abstinence is required so that the mind is not continually distracted by thoughts of food, sex and other pleasures, so that we can become more aware of our inner fulfilment. It does not mean that we never fulfil sensual demands, because health of the body may demand this and realising this, we should not be overpowered by guilt and other negative mental reactions. If these occur we are better off fulfilling our body’s demands.

The danger of suppression

Many people suffer needlessly in the attempt to master brahmacharya. Sexual activity is a very potent, biological urge and the most powerful emotions are linked up with the sex drive. Buddhists state that this sex drive is operating even prior to conception and birth, determining the selection of future parents and of the actual sex during embryonic development. Any attempt at its mastery requires courage and determination. It is said to be such a strong force that any attempt to master it is like grabbing hold of a tiger’s tail.

Another reason for needless suffering in the attempt to master sexual energy is that it is often motivated by guilt complexes, neurosis and hang-ups about sex. A person who feels guilty every time he gets a sexual thought or feeling, or fears that he will become weakened by seminal emission or wet dreams, may try to find solace in the lofty idealism of what he imagines brahmacharya to be. If the thought of lust occurs, however, it engages the hormonal and nervous systems, creating a bodily response that we cannot stop or repress and any attempt at suppression only strains and weakens the nervous system allowing more sexual responses to occur, generating more guilt and mental imbalance and even disease and psychosis if the guilt engendered proves too much to bear.

First steps in brahmacharya

The first steps in any attempt at brahmacharya must begin after the foundations of asana, pranayama and simple meditative relaxation – concentration practices have begun. Asana and pranayama relax the nervous system and reduce its excitability and arousal enabling us to better control the nerves and nadis (energy flow) via awareness cultivated during meditation. Simple meditations such as yoga nidra for relaxation, ajapa japa to stimulate psychic structures, and antar mouna to develop detachment and witness capacity, disengage the emotional response from the thought. We think with the brain’s frontal cortex but we do not engage the emotional response in the limbic system and thereby do not stimulate the autonomic nervous system or endocrine glands. In effect we can think what we like without being affected by it and this ultimately gives perfection in brahmacharya.

The basic formula for brahmacharya is: work hard, eat less, sleep less. Though Freud may have said that such a philosophy works on sublimation of the sexual drive into other creative pursuits, there is more to it than that. Working hard obviously means that we use our energy up so that we are too tired to do anything else and our minds are occupied with other problems, responsibilities and thoughts so that desires for sexual activity are forgotten. This by itself is not enough for brahmacharya because many people feel that when they work hard they have to eat plenty of protein and rich food to sustain and fatten the body. This combination, however, may increase sexual urge rather than reduce it.

Food is a very important part of brahmacharya, for it is, for many people, the sole outlet for sensual pleasure and also feeds the fires of the sexual system. In brahmacharya the food must be bland, free from stimulants such as strong tea and coffee, onion, garlic, strong spices and so on.

The diet must also be low in protein, especially meat, fish and all milk and animal products. This is because the pituitary gland requires proteins and vitamins E and B for the manufacture of its hormones. When we eat less protein we get less hormones and what protein is assimilated will be used for the more essential requirements and demands. Milk also contains certain hormones which stimulate the production of sexual hormones.

The diet of the yogin is higher in carbohydrate than protein or fat, especially in the form of whole grains. This is to stimulate the serotonin system of the brain, that system which reduces sexual excitation and is related to dream states and perhaps internal visionary experience. Such a diet does not stop sexual activity but reduces its power to affect the mind. By itself, however, it is incomplete and the final culmination is most easily achieved by combining diet with the other practices of yoga and an awareness of what the aim of the discipline is. This must be balanced by the knowledge that we are not aiming at celibacy as an end in itself, but rather as a means of reducing distractions from the goal of higher awareness. Sexual activity is not a sin.

The yama and niyama, when based on developed yogic practices, become reminders by which we can regain equilibrium each time the mind passes through times of crisis, desire, passion, intense emotion, hate and so on. All of them must be approached with an awareness of our present limitations and with the view in mind that many times we may fail but ultimately, with perseverance, we will succeed.

The ultimate aim of yama and niyama is not to develop an imposed moral or ethical system which makes life dull and boring and our minds fixed and rigid. Rather they aim to diminish the power of our passions and to channel these energies into the awakening of kundalini and higher consciousness. They are then transformed from a form of sadhana into a realisation. which opens the door to greater freedom and joy.

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, Oct, 1983)

Sannyasins exist only for a universal purpose. They are the custodians of spirituality – the advancement and elevation of humanity. To equip themselves for the noble task entrusted to their care they first isolate themselves from the rest of mankind as a necessary discipline.

Unfortunately, this separation has become a permanent condition – a unit outside the pale of the rest of humanity, struggling valiantly in the cities and fields. Losing touch with others has made us forget the part we have to play and to forget our work as teachers and enlighteners.

We have once again to bestir ourselves and recommence playing our destined part, to be one united body, dedicated to the noble ideal of exerting ourselves unselfishly and wholeheartedly for ushering in the new era of brotherhood and peace that must follow after the years of savage strife and bloodshed the world is now plunged in.

Every section of humanity will play its part in the reconstruction of the new world on a worthier basis. If the new civilisation is to be enduring, it has to be based on lasting values of a spiritual nature. This is the work of the sannyasins. We have to set to work by precept, actual example and active work. Let us start with earnestness and faith. The way to achieve this is selfless union.

A sannyasin has a different angle of vision. He has different eyes. He looks upon everything from an absolutely different point of view. Just as a man who wears green spectacles, sees green objects everywhere, so also a gyani sees Atman everywhere through his new eye of wisdom. There is absolutely no personal element in him. He has not a bit of selfish interest. The lower self is completely annihilated. He lives for serving all. He feels the world as his own self. He actually feels that all is himself only. There is not a single thought or feeling for his personal little self. He has cosmic vision and cosmic feeling. Just as the river has joined the ocean, he has joined the ocean of bliss, knowledge and consciousness. He thinks and feels and works for others.

A genuine sannyasin is a proof of the heights scaled in the development of spiritual wisdom, in a resolute disregard for the merely materialistic values and complete devotion to the supreme ends and values of human existence. It has been, through several centuries, the distinctive role of the enlightened sannyasins to disseminate more by the example of their lives than by word of mouth.

They have kept up the traditions of spiritual development, breathing peace and welfare for all mankind, proved the worth and beauty of the inner spirit in man over the body-mind organism that the human individual is, over the temptations and allurements of the sensual and the worldly, and have established relations with the infinite being that alone sustains all the manifest universes.

This world is woven by the thread of light and darkness, good and evil, truth and falsehood. In social life, evils are recurrently manifesting themselves and into the body of the sannyasin community too there have entered several unwholesome elements. Therefore, from a new spiritual centre, we must seek to eliminate the unworthy from the order.

It is only when the basis of all cultures, the foundation of all movements, the divinity in man, is inspired to make itself manifest in the environment of high aspiration and moral growth rendered possible by the labours of the sannyasins that we can find on earth, peace, happiness, genuine progress, real prosperity and a purposive, meaningful and fulfilled existence.

(Excerpt from “Sannyasa Dharma”)

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, Oct, 1983)

If the doors of paradise were open only for the holy people, then I think it would be God’s greatest disappointment. He would have to wait and wait. There would be very few entries into paradise because man’s evolution is incomplete, and he is suffering from infirmity of willpower. He is not perfect. If the doors of hell were open for every sinner, there would surely be a population problem there. This is not a joke. This is a very serious matter which has always been in my mind. I have never believed in sin and I do not think that man is a sinner. We meet obstacles, we falter and we fall, that is all. Every time we fall, we make a fresh attempt to evolve.

It is very important for everybody to know that spiritual light is for everyone, and it is also important for everybody to understand that samadhi and spiritual evolution can be had by all. This is the purpose for which we are born. I cannot see any other reason for my incarnation. I cannot believe that I have come in this physical body with any other purpose.

Often we become self-complacent and we do not want to improve the quality of our existence. In fact many times, when we follow a religious path, we become very careless. A Hindu, when he follows Hindu rituals, becomes complacent. The same thing applies to everybody. We think that with the acceptance of a religion, the objective is attained. Membership to a religious institution is not the ultimate purpose of man’s life. We have to understand the whole affair in context with our day-to-day life. Why are we born? Why do we grow up? Why do we marry? Why do we procreate and so on?

Walking the middle way

In India there was a very ancient tradition which was followed by the saints and sages who lived with their wives and families, deep in the forests and jungles, practising sadhana and meditation. This system was known as the tradition of rishis. The tradition of rishis is meant to give a reorientation to the lifestyle of every householder, because many times householders forget the purpose of life. It is not wrong to enjoy life, to have desires and to fulfil them. It is not wrong to display-passions. But when we forget the purpose and the destination of life, then everything that we are doing has no meaning. It was for this reason that the tradition of rishis was organised thousands of years ago. The tradition of rishis is the tradition of tantric sannyasa.

Now the concept of sannyasa needs redefinition. For most people, a sannyasin is equated with a monk or a nun but this is not correct, as this type of sannyasa does not in any way help the evolution of society. Sannyasa is not, and should not, be considered as an exclusive way of life. A sannyasin, living in seclusion, hating life, detesting everything, is more or less living the life of an idiot. There is no dynamism in his personality, no philosophy or system for balancing the passions. There is no flexibility to adjust to the frivolities of life. How can we say that such a life is complete?

There are then two extreme ways of life: one is the life of a careless householder; another is the life of a monk or sannyasin. One is a rightist and the other is a leftist; there is no middle path. That is why most of the householders today are living a life of guilt and repentance. They are not proud of their own existence, while the sannyasins have become too proud. On one side you have the arrogance of the sannyasin, and on the other, the guilt and repentance of the householder.

This is not how one can develop spiritual awareness. Therefore, what man requires is another concept of sannyasa, not according to the orthodox style, but according to the tantric style.

Tantric concept of sannyasa

In tantra, Shiva and Shakti live together. Shiva represents chitta or consciousness and Shakti represents prana or energy. In this physical body, you have ida and pingala, chitta and prana. You cannot survive with only one aspect. There has to be an integration and correlation of two forces in one body. It is exactly the same in ordinary life, men and women represent these two poles of energy. The quality of energy which men and women embody is different. They may look alike. They may belong to one family and their physical structure may be more or less the same, but the quality of energy is not the same. Whereas ida and pingala function together in the body, in family life, husband and wife, Shiva and Shakti, live together.

This is the concept of tantric sannyasa. So there is no question about whether a man can live with a woman and still be a sannyasin. I do not think that by renouncing a man or a woman, you can become a true sannyasin. Deep in the mind the need is there, and it cannot be rooted out. Therefore the tantric concept of sannyasa has to be understood by each and every person. Those who are serious about awakening their higher spirit should relate their station as a householder in life with this. It is important not only for enlightenment of the individual, but also for an enlightened world. How are you going to raise the standard of your children unless you have a high standard yourself? You have lived the life of careless householders throughout, and you want your children to be careful. It is not possible.

Through your philosophy, you can influence the genes. If you are a careless householder, you have a certain quality of genes, and you can only produce that type of child. Unless you are a deep thinker, the idea of sannyasa will not dawn in your mind. The moment the idea of sannyasa dawns, the genes begin to change, and these genes are responsible for the quality of the child. If there was a race of tantric sannyasins, the level of consciousness of the entire population would rise, and that is quite important in my opinion.

In ancient India there were many such sannyasins, who were married and had children. They were the guides of society and very highly enlightened people. They had great mental and spiritual powers, and contributed a lot towards making life harmonious. Therefore, it is necessary for the people of today to think along these lines.

I thought about it quite a few years ago and then I stalled this international yoga movement. In the beginning, society’s orthodox section was very critical. They thought that, by initiating householders, who ‘sin’ every night, I was polluting sannyasa. I told them that by giving sannyasa to householders, I was not polluting sannyasa, but purifying the life of the householder.

The idea of sannyasa dawns only in the mind of a very enlightened person. When you have become aware that the objective of your life is inner enlightenment, then there is only one way. You should immediately transform the meaning of your existence. Now, throughout the world, there are thousands and thousands of householders living the life of a modern rishi, along with their wives and children. In everyday life they mingle with streams of people, and at the same time they waft all around them the fragrance of spiritual ideals, to remind themselves and to remind others also of the true purpose of life.

Being in the world but not of the world

Now the most important thing for a sannyasin who lives in the world is meditation. He will have to raise his consciousness from a gross level to a higher level. In most cases our consciousness is very gross. For example, when you enjoy chocolate, the experience is gross. Whenever you get a pain in the body, the experience is gross. In this way our pleasures and our pains are experienced through gross centres. Our senses are so extroverted that the mind is not able to experience things directly without an object.

If you want to enjoy a flower, you must see it first. If you want to enjoy music, you must hear it first. If you want to enjoy a beautiful fragrance, you must smell it first. If you want to experience tenderness, you must touch the body. Can you experience these things inside without the intervention of the senses? Can you hear music with the ears closed? Can you see the glory of nature: flowers and trees, oceans, rivers and lakes, mountains and plains, sun, moon and stars, without eyes? Can you experience any pleasure, any pain, any sensation, without the middle man? You know who the middle man is? The senses: karmendriyas and gyanendriyas, the five senses of action and the five senses of knowledge. Without them you cannot experience life. This is an ordinary limitation. But a person who is able to raise his consciousness above the senses can experience everything directly. Therefore, meditation is the life and breath of the modern sannyasin.

Meditation or dhyana yoga is a state in which you experience your mind directly and this mind is so important for everybody. For most, mind is a mystery; it is a demon. Many people have compared the mind with a monkey, but I don’t think the mind is a monkey. The mind is the reservoir of great power, and we know only a little bit of this mind. When you are angry, when you are unhappy; when you are sorry, then you become aware of your mind. You think, ‘Oh, my mind is very unhappy today,’ or ‘My mind is depressed.’ But that is not the mind. You have to realise the totality of mind in the practice of meditation. In order to realise the mind, you will have to decrease the frequency, the speed of fluctuation, and this is not easy, but it is possible. If you can completely remove thoughts and ideas, you can see the mind. If you can completely control the element of unconsciousness, then you can see the mind.

Therefore, to realise the reservoir of the mind, you will have to eliminate three things, and these must be eliminated step by step. The first thing which you will have to eliminate is thought, or fluctuation, the second thing is inner visions, and the third thing is sleep or hypnosis. Then inner awareness is made complete and thorough. As you go on succeeding in meditation, awareness does not diminish, and when you have completely succeeded in meditation, there is total awareness, without thought, without vision, and without hypnosis. Therefore the system which you have to employ for meditation has to be perfect.

Psychedelics, dhyana and brain waves

In the last few years, many boys and girls have taken to using psychedelic drugs. Somehow, there is a misunderstanding in their minds; they think that to see something inside is meditation. They read from the Bible and from other books, that a saint saw this, that and the other, and they think that the experience which is produced with these psychedelic drugs is of the same quality.

In actual fact, such experiences should also be eliminated. A psychedelic experience is the product of a chemical interaction in the body. It is not caused by eliminating a thought; it is not caused by changing the frequencies of the mind. Whatever psychedelic drugs one may take, or whatever experiences he may have there from, these are not at all related with dhyana yoga.

In the olden days, a special herbal drink was used in India. It was not champagne, of course; it was known as ‘soma’. People who took that drink used to feel very ‘high’ and they would have all sorts of experiences. They used to see gods and goddesses in heaven and on earth. But the wise men banned it finally, because they thought that, although it could change the behaviour of the mind, it could not transform it.

In the practice of dhyana yoga, first of all you have to decrease the frequency of the mind waves, which are responsible for the brain waves. In order to decrease the frequency of the mind waves, you have to first withdraw the senses. When the brain is isolated and the senses cannot feed it with the necessary sensorial impulses, then the frequencies decrease.

Mantra – a cornerstone of tantra

Isolation of the brain and mind can be brought about in many ways. One of the most important methods is mantra. There are different ways of practising for different types of people. The sound of the mantra has a deep impact on the behaviour of the brain and mind. The brain waves react to this sound stimuli. For example, if you practise mantra at a medium speed, the brain waves adjust themselves accordingly, and if you go on decreasing the speed of the mantra, the brain waves gradually begin to subside.

Now decreasing the frequencies of the mind is a process which should not be done all at once. It should take time, because, when the mind undergoes a change in the rate of frequencies, many corresponding changes take place in the body. There is a change in the body temperature, in the oxygen consumption, in the galvanic skin resistance, in the quality and quantity of hydrochloric acid and enzyme secretions. Also, many of the changes take place in the physical body suddenly. Therefore, in order to give the body time to adapt, you must allow ample time for the process of decreasing the frequencies of the mind.

If, for example, your mantra is ‘Om Namaha Shivaya’ you should practise it in a particular rhythm. You can fix the mantra at the eyebrow centre or at the heart, and then you must fix the timing. Now this speed of repeating the mantra which you have set should remain the same throughout. But there will be a little modification from time to time. For example, in the first step you say, ‘Om-Na-ma-ha Sh-iv-aya’ and in the second step, after one month, ‘O-m Na-ma-ha Sh-iv-a-ya’ (slower). The mantras and the timing may also be set the same throughout, but then the sound gradually covers many more mantras at one time. Or maybe, after one year, or one and a half years, you can say ‘Ommm-Naaa-maaa-haaa-Shh-ivaa-ayaa’ (very slowly).

Now, sound has many frequencies. At one frequency you can hear many sounds and at another frequency you cannot hear so clearly. At one frequency you can only feel the sound you cannot hear it, and when a sound is produced at the highest possible frequency, it is called thought. When a thought is brought down to low frequency, it is called sound. Therefore, in the practice of mantra, you produce a sound at such a frequency that you can think it in the mind.

According to the science of mantra, a sound has four frequencies. The first frequency is audible, the second is felt, the third becomes a thought wave, and when the fourth frequency is produced, the thinker is no more. That is the aim of mantra meditation. In the books on mantra yoga, these four frequencies have names. The first one is called ‘vaikhari’, the second is ‘madhyama’, the third is ‘pashyanti’, and the fourth is ‘para’. These are the technical names for the four frequencies of mantra. Not only ‘Om Namaha Shivaya’, but any mantra, can be adjusted to a particular rhythm on the mental plane.

The tantric forms of yantra and mandala

Now the practice of mantra will completely remove the intermediary of the senses between you and the mind. Then you must have something to fix your mind upon. This should be a definite object or form. You can concentrate your mind on an idea or on a vibration but it is better to use a fixed form. When you are trying to focus your mind on a particular form, you must see that nothing else but that particular object is in your mind. If other thoughts or visions come, you must remove them. If you are concentrating on a blue lotus, you must reject every other experience except that blue lotus. You should not let your mind drift from your symbol to something else, to something else and to something else.

Often people experience different things in meditation and they become very happy, ‘I saw this, I saw that.’ However, this is not an achievement; it indicates that the mind has drifted; it has gone out of alignment. During meditation it is very difficult to stick to one form, I know, but if you can make your attention constant, your mind steady, without any waves, then the awareness will remain consistently on the blue lotus, the blue lotus, and the blue lotus.

From tantric sannyasa to total awareness

Awareness is like the flow of electrons or the flow of water; it breaks every now and then. So there is the awareness of blue lotus and then a break of awareness, awareness of blue lotus and the break again. In yoga these breaks of consciousness are known as ‘vikshepa’ or ‘vikalpa’. They should be avoided. When you are concentrating on a form and your consciousness becomes constant and consistent without a break, that is called dhyana. When the awareness of the form is beginning-less, endless, and does not break at any point, then it is called dhyana. Dhyana, therefore, means constant, total awareness.

In Sanskrit ‘rishi’ means a ‘seer’, one who can see. A rishi is not a holy man, a clergyman, a priest or a monk. How is he a seer? He can see without eyes; he can hear without ears; he can walk without feet. Such a person is called seer or rishi. Therefore, a tantric sannyasin should practise meditation and aspire to become a rishi.

The spiritual metamorphosis of sex

Now, regarding tantric sannyasa, there is one more question which must be clarified: ‘How to adjust your sexual behaviour?’ Many people have answered this question according to their own idea and image. Is the sexual relationship with your wife or husband spiritual or anti-spiritual? According to the tantric heritage, it is spiritual. This means that you can progress spiritually while you improve upon your sexual interaction with your partner. In tantra it is said that there are three purposes for sexual interaction, and these have been clearly stated .The first is progeny, the second is pleasure and the third is spiritual transformation.

A sensualist interacts for pleasure, and an ordinary man for progeny, but a tantric sannyasin interacts for the purpose of samadhi. This is because the sexual act is intrinsically connected with the awakening of the evolutionary power in man and has very much to do with the awakening of the higher centres responsible for the deeper and more profound experiences. This is an important science and you have to know more about it so that you can apply it in your daily life.

There are certain yoga postures and hatha yoga kriyas through which you can redirect your energy, and if you can handle that experience through the help of a proper teacher, then your life as a householder, the interaction with your partner, will become a spiritual ritual. I am not a promoter of sexual sciences, but I do not want to close my eyes to the reality, and I do not want you to close your eyes. There is a reality to which you are exposed. If that reality is going to send you to hell, then that will be a great tragedy.

Sexual and spiritual communication are not different. Sexual life is not anti-spiritual. If properly conducted by the wise and disciplined, it can be a spiritual springboard to higher realms. You can transcend sex by living into it, by living through it.

Nature has created a system in man’s life, and you must respect it, you must accept it. But that does not prohibit you from becoming a sannyasin with respect for yourself, with faith in what you are doing for your spiritual progress, and with hopes eternal. If both you and your partner sit together in meditation, you can create an energy which will help each other to evolve. Imagine what kind of children you will have. I am proud that my parents were able to live like that. After completing your obligations, having profound spiritual experiences, then you can enter into full sannyasa.

India is the land of the rishis. For thousands of years we have evolved through this heritage. But every nation makes mistakes, and when this rishi heritage became weak, our people became weak also. Now we are not trying to increase the number of sannyasins, but we are trying to improve the quality of mankind.

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, Oct, 1983)