Many scientists have sought to explain the underlying mechanism by which fasting therapy corrects abnormal and unbalanced psycho-physiological systems, and restores health so efficiently. Its stabilizing effects on the . nervous system have been measured electrically through brain wave recordings and its effects on the endocrine glands have been traced bio-chemically. Both sets of findings tend to confirm that fasting allows the autonomic systems of the body to function at a relaxed baseline level, free from the erratic and disruptive influences of the nervous system and hormones.

Effects on the brain and nervous system

Suzuki et al. in 1976 studied changes in the brain waves from 262 fasting patients and noted a slowing and synchronization of alpha waves, together with an increased incidence of theta waves. *1 These observations are descriptive of a more relaxed and introspective state of awareness, which is less neurotically preoccupied with the superficial and transitory patterns of thought that characterize the normal waking state. Similar brain wave alterations were recorded in Zen meditators by Kasamatsu and Hirai (1966) *2 and by Banquet (1973) in subjects practising japa yoga. *3 This suggests that fasting and meditation exert similar psycho-physiological influences on the brain and nervous system, perhaps healing psychosomatic complaints and maintaining optimal health and wellbeing by a single common mechanism.

The significant slowing of brain waves suggests that fasting induces a transient slowing down of the central nervous system. It seems plausible that more complex changes in the autonomic nerves and endocrine glands may then occur. An over active autonomic nervous system, which constantly relays abnormal mental and psychic stresses into the physiological systems, produces many psychosomatic symptoms and disease states, Through fasting and meditation these stresses are removed, allowing the mechanisms responsible for blood pressure, respiratory and cardiac rate, gastrointestinal secretion and motility, etc. to revert spontaneously to a more natural level of functioning.

In Suzuki’s study, this brain wave phenomenon disappeared upon termination of fasting therapy, and peak EEG frequency and wave configuration returned to a pattern strikingly similar to pre-fasting discharge patterns. However, in a more recent Japanese study of 380 fasting patients *4, where the EEG analysis was more sophisticated, peak frequency decreased significantly at the end of the fasting period, suggesting that a stable new physiological state is created in the post-fasting period. In addition, the overload of fast beta waves observed in the pre-fasting period decreased in the fasting period, and did not reappear again in the same fashion after the recovery phase. As these faster waves have been associated with anxiety, tension, neuroticism and irritation, their disappearance on EEG may be an objective indication that fasting either partially or totally eases these symptoms permanently.

Recently, the metabolic changes induced by fasting have also been investigated. The normal metabolic fuel of the brain is glucose, released into the bloodstream from the digestion of dietary carbohydrates and sugars. The research of G.F. Cahill of Joslin Research Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, USA (1966-1969), revealed that this situation changes dramatically during fasting. As the fast proceeds, the body’s stores of carbohydrates in the liver are rapidly exhausted, and the brain’s requirements for glucose, its sole fuel, must then be met by non-carbohydrate sources. The new source is the ketone body, derived from the hydrolysis of fat stored in the body’s adipose tissues.

It appears that the brain’s switch from starch to ketone nutrition works as a strong stressor upon the brain cells, and temporarily places all biological mechanisms in a stress state. This may activate the natural healing power inherent in the human body, thereby bringing about homeostasis, and a return to healthy function.

Effects on the endocrine glands

Disordered function of the network of endocrine glands, with their secretion of abnormal and ill-timed quantities of hormones into the bloodstream, is a potent cause of physiological disruption. In addition, abnormal blood concentrations of gonadal, pituitary, adrenal and thyroid hormones are now recognized to be a major determinant of unhealthy emotional and psychological states, profoundly affecting mental health and wellbeing.

Endocrinologists are able to assess the function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis of glands by measuring the levels of hormone by products found in the urine and blood. In the 1979 Tohoku study, this analysis indicated that the activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis declines during fasting. This state is very similar to that which occurs immediately after the endocrine glands have been activated by a stress situation. At that time, after the initial burst of secretion, there is a stable or refractory resistance period, during which the capacity of the glands to respond to any new incoming stimuli is severely depressed.

This may provide a welcome period of rest and rehabilitation for the long overburdened physiological and metabolic processes, allowing them to regain the level of basic function from which they have deviated for so long under constant autonomic and endocrine stimulus. During this hiatus, the restoration of function can occur without disruption or interruption. Thus, the initiation of this artificial stress response may be the key by which fasting unlocks the body’s own dormant healing energies.

References

*1. J.Suzuki, Y. Yamauchi, M. Horikawa and S. Yamagata, ‘Fasting therapy for psychosomatic diseases with special reference to its indication and therapeutic mechanism’, Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 118 : 245-259, 1976.
*2. A. Kasamatsu and T. Hirai, ‘An electroencephalographic study on Zen meditation (Zazen)’, Folia Psychiat. Nenrol. Jap-, 20:315-336, 1966.
*3. J. P. Banquet, ‘Spectral analysis of the EEG in meditation’, Electroenceph. Clin. Neuro-physiol, 35: 143-15, 1973.
*4. H. Yamamoto, J. Suzuki and Y. Yamauchi, ‘Psychophysiological study of fasting therapy’, Proc. 12th Eur. Conf. Psychosom. Res., Psychother. Psychosom., 32:229-240, 1979.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, May, 1981)

A peep into the life schedule of sannyasins at Sivanandashram, Monghyr flashed back my personal experience of life as a recruit at Jat Regimental Centre Bareilly twenty six years ago. It is surprising to see how strikingly similar is the functioning of the two disciplines. I will try to draw a comparison on some of the salient features of the two apparently opposite looking lifestyles- sannyasa aiming at ahimsa, peace of mind and super-consciousness; and army cherishing the aim of achievement of expertise and efficiency in killing.

Post Initiation training at ashram and training of recruits

The initial stage of sannyasa and army life is characterized by very hard training with a view to inculcate physical and mental discipline before specialized training is given. The day begins at 6 a.m. after morning breakfast in both schools and activities continue until 5:30 or 6 p.m. In the army the stress is on the PT Drill, weapon or field craft training, and games. Sannyasin training lays greater stress on taming and disciplining the mind through asana, pranayama and karma yoga.

During the period of recruit training which lasts approximately 9 months, a recruit is not allowed any leave. He is also not allowed to leave the lines. He is issued a uniform. His day ends at 10 p.m. with the sounding of lights out bugle when he must go to bed. Very similar are the sanctions in the ashram. Except for the colour of the uniform, it would be difficult to tell inmates of one from the other at lunch or dinner time when we see them standing around in queues with their plate and mug or sitting around the kitchen eating their meals. Incidentally, the recruits in the army are also given a close head shave after recruitment. During this period the ustad or guru is the god for trainees of both schools and he is obeyed literally. In fact this continues forever in both disciplines- with a minor variation in the army where after training a sepoy has to serve under orders of different superior officers.

Maintaining discipline

The basis of success in both army and sannyasa is individual discipline. The ideal of discipline expected in both is also more or less of the same content. In the former it is inculcated partly through mental training and partly through body control. The training aims at finer body development and coordination which is necessary for sustained physical hard work required of an army man. Since body and mind are so closely related, control of body is instrumental to development of departmental discipline. Drill training is another method utilized for inculcating instant obedience and thus mental discipline.

In sannyasa the basis of individual discipline is self-control or mental discipline which is developed and sustained through strict spiritual living and hard work. In the army the sustenance for discipline is provided through provision of instant and on-the-spot punishment which is available to the leader for the man management in his command.

The method used for enforcing self-control is also surprisingly the same in both disciplines- keeping men occupied twenty four hours. In the army it is not uncommon to keep the men digging and filling up trenches on some excuse to keep them occupied so that they have no time for idle thoughts.

Cultural values

While the life of a sannyasin is undeniably that of the highest spiritual living and a model of service before self, the values aimed for in army culture are more or less the same – simple living, uprightness and truthfulness in conduct, optimum functional efficiency and service before self. An army man, for the greater part of his service, is posted in high altitudes or field areas where he lives a simple and celibate life, next to nature separated from his family. One may term it forced yet life remains sex free.

Army still functions on faith and respect for the spoken word. Most of the orders in the army, however important they be, are still given orally. Lakhs of rupees drawn for the pay of men by officers still continue to be handed over to the subedar majors for keeping without even getting a chit as receipt. Army men’s devotion to duty is exemplary. He has no quarter for his family or personal problems when he is called for duty. He must leave. Most of the army men are not very money minded. It is a truth though readers may find it difficult to believe that few army personnel can tell you details of their pay. Even though the reason to some extent lies in the foolproof system of maintenance of pay accounts whereby everyone’s pay keeps getting credited to his account every month. Consequently, they have no worries on this account and they think less about it.

An army man is trained as a killer, yet he remains a good man at heart. He does the killing also as a part of duty, without any ill will. An example from army annals during the Bangladesh war of 1971 may exemplify this. Indian and Pakistani armies were thirsty for each other’s blood when the war was on. But as soon as the Pakistani Army surrendered, the same evening the Indian Army officers entertained their erstwhile foes in their mess and discussed the war events. This was not liked by our countrymen when reported by the press. Naturally this aspect of an army man’s character is not understood by them.

Self-realization

Self-realization is attained by a sannyasin through a progressive spiritual sadhana over a number of years which culminates in death of the ego and illumination of the atma. The moment of truth for an army man comes during war. Like a flash comes to him the realization about the transitory nature of life, when he sees his colleagues dying and understands he may not be alive the next minute. I had this experience during war. I can vividly recollect the feeling of detachment I had developed for every worldly thing including my wife and children. I could see the same experience playing on the minds of my men who would come and deposit the gold ornaments and other costly items they had confiscated from the enemy. They knew it meant nothing when they were not certain of their own life. Such experiences can be vital in spiritual progress if their spirit or seed can be preserved. At least the opportunity for this is there for every army man.

Conclusion

From the similarity of life situations undergone by the sannyasin and army man, it would not be wrong to suggest that there would be great similarity in the personality structure of the two. Every mortal cannot fit into such hard lifestyles. It is not uncommon to see a number of recruits and sannyasins deserting their cadres when they find these disciplines too hard to live by. Army could benefit immensely by drawing upon the training tools of the sannyasins. They can easily substitute the training of yogasanas and pranayamas for the existing PT. This would give them not only healthy bodies, but also spiritual minds whereby they could overcome the existing problems of discipline as every man would be disciplined through self-control and not through fear of punishment.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, March, 1981)

Recently, medical scientists have found an important connection between the reproductive metabolism and the heart. Excessive and uncontrolled levels of the male hormone testosterone in the blood are correlated with a preponderance of such traits as over-assertiveness, acquisitiveness and latent or overt aggression which characterize the cardiac personality, the type most prone to a sudden heart attack. Research has revealed the existence of specific receptor sites for this hormone in the Myocardial tissue of the heart, and also in the walls of the larger blood vessels, and it is now felt that Myocardial damage is induced by testosterone accumulation at these sites.

Heart attack is far more frequent in men than in women, up to the age of the menopause, but beyond that, the incidence between both sexes is similar. This strongly suggests that the female hormonal environment bestows a natural protection for the feminine heart whereas the male heart is endangered by excessive circulating levels of male hormones. In order to combat this, the masculine emotional and sexual metabolism has to be controlled. For this purpose we recommend the practice of meditation in siddhasana, where the lower heel exerts pressure in the area of the prostate gland in the region of the perineal floor, and the upper heel is against the pubic bone, above the root of the generative organ.

This posture stabilizes the two lower psychic centres- mooladhara chakra and swadhisthana chakra, redirecting prana upwards towards the higher centres. Blockage of energy within these two centres is responsible for many health problems and also poses a barrier which has to be crossed in spiritual life. Mooladhara is the root centre in which an infinite source of pranic energy lies dormant and asleep, while swadhisthana is the centre responsible for the sexual and emotional metabolism in which our psychic energy most spontaneously manifests itself. When our emotional life does not extend beyond this plane, blood pressure and cardiac function remain unstable and our role and purpose in life remains ill-defined and unclear. There is an ‘ache’ in the heart which never knows the experience of constancy, beyond the fickle and transitory emotional feelings. But the higher experiences of the human heart and mind remain impenetrable unless the energy can be stabilized and led up into the higher centres of consciousness. In this sense, heart diseases can be considered an evolutionary malady, where we suffer due to our bondage on the emotional plane, while our being aches to experience the constancy of human life which arises when emotional attachments and aversions have been transcended.

Siddhasana is the posture which is recommended by Dr. Christian Barnard, the heart transplant surgeon, to stabilize cardiac function in his patients. We have found that it proves most beneficial when learned during the late teens or early twenties, when the emotional and sexual drives and passions are likely to be unruly. At that time, siddhasana is found to rectify problems such as excessive nocturnal emission. If followed throughout life it bestows protection from emotional ravages and stabilizes the passions, preventing later cardiac demise. The heart is protected when there is neither suppression of, nor anarchical expression of the emotional complexes. The key to preservation of the heart lies in controlled expression of our desires, instincts and drives and this is learned by following the precepts and practices of yoga throughout the different stages of life. By incorporating some asanas, pranayama and meditation into the daily program from an early age, the penalty of an overtaxed heart is avoided in middle age, and the emotions are channelled and expressed in a more creative way throughout life.

The central role of cholesterol should be understood. This fatty substance is the precursor from which the sex hormones are synthesized by the gonads and the adrenal glands. It is also required in the production of the spermatozoa by the testes, along with other fatty protein complexes known as lipoproteins. These are needed to provide the structural requirements of the sperms, and also to provide the machinery which gives every sperm such an enormous energetic and motile capacity.

If the emotional and reproductive metabolism is unruly and uncontrolled then the turnover of new sperms must occur at a rapid rate and an enormous amount of energy must be constantly provided to synthesize these replacement sperms. As a result a high level of cholesterol and protein is necessary, and this usually comes from dietary sources. This necessitates a high protein and fat diet, and demands that the physiological systems of digestion and cell synthesis operate at a very high rate, pushing up the metabolic rate and basal temperature in the process. Strain on the heart, the digestive organs such as the liver, and the eliminatory organs such as kidneys, bowels and sweat glands, is inevitable. Excessive wear and tear on the physiological systems is the end result and cardiac strain is one foremost effect.

Clearly the emotional metabolism must be stabilized if the body is to be preserved. This can be attained by the twin approach of dietary regulation, where a decreased protein and fat intake is recommended, coupled with the growth of self-knowledge, self-expression and self-control, which develops by following the royal path of yoga in the midst of the various worldly confrontations and difficulties. These measures are the best insulators against heart disease in the community as a whole.

In this regard, it is not enough to simply follow the precepts of a traditional religion. While this may provide a degree of mental and emotional security, it is actually suppressive and anti-evolutionary, for it does not allow us to come to terms with the emotional and instinctual factors of our nature directly. Traditional religions offer only precepts and concepts, but yoga offers psycho-physiological practices which channel emotional energy correctly. The key to an enlightened emotional and sexual life, free of mental conflicts and physiological exhaustion lies in the practice of yoga techniques in conjunction with our normal daily life experiences. Yoga does not require renunciation, but leads its practitioner to a fuller enjoyment of every aspect of life. The experiences of life should be enjoyed and understood if we are to progress and evolve. Blind adherence to dogmas only blocks this evolutionary process, leading to mental illness and physical disease, but yoga offers the sublime way to fully appreciate life and complete our evolutionary journey.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, March, 1981)

The search for new and improved methods of education continues, as it has done down through the ages. With the discovery and application of yoga, it seems as though a breakthrough is about to take place. The scientific discovery of the functions of the different sides of the brain is furthering the cause of yoga and expansion of consciousness in terms of explaining the need for the implementation of these disciplines in our lives.

The brain is divided into two cerebral hemispheres. Recently doctors have discovered that each hemisphere appears to have a separate and quite different function. The right hemisphere is associated with the intuitive and spatial aspects of our being, while the left is associated with the analytical and linear capacities. Up to now, education has focused on the left hemisphere mainly, giving importance to linear, scientific and purely logical disciplines such as reading, writing and arithmetic. The artistic, intuitive and less quantitative subjects, such as art, dance, and other creative activity, have received negligible support, both financially and in school programs. Educators are showing us that this approach is lopsided and will lead to partial education and even deleterious effects in our lives.

According to Jerry Smith, an education professor at Indiana University, USA, teachers have lost touch with the mystery of their calling because of narrowly defined education ritual. *1 The present syllabuses are too rigid. They don’t fulfil us as human beings or satisfy the basic needs we are all searching for in life. A special issue of the university’s School of Education Bulletin states: “Teachers must somehow enlarge their responsibilities to deal with the metaphorical and metaphysical, the aesthetic and dramatic, the spiritual and inspirational. We teachers have dwelt too long on the safe ground of lectures, textbooks, tests and grades.” *2

Educational researcher Vivian Sherman has warned of a “strong, silent stumbling block” to the union of the intellectual and intuitive (the left and right sides of the brain) in the present education system.*3 Sherman states that left brain schooling (purely intellectual training) is modelled on an incorrect and inaccurate concept of science. Most of the great scientific discoveries such as those of Newton and Einstein were precipitated by flashes of intuition, cosmic insight into the nature of the whole and understanding of the relationships underlying the basis of the material universe. They were then carried to their logical and practical conclusion by the analytical process.

As a means of unifying the brain, researchers have been studying the effects of meditation, yoga asanas, pranayama, biofeedback, and so on. They are attempting to sort out what goes on in the brain and what we can do to affect the various processes. Some amazing results have emerged. Banquet, for example, has shown that in kriya yoga the whole brain unifies and acts as a single unit instead of the jumbled and chaotic mess that many people experience. *4 This was accompanied by a blissful and life affirming experience. Many people report that after kriya yoga they are full of energy and are in touch with the creative energy and knowledge of the cosmos. They begin to tap the knowledge within all of us which has resulted in so many books and external forms of knowledge or information. This ability appears to emerge when the two sides of the brain unify.

In yogic terminology the unification of the two sides of the brain is called the awakening of sushumna nadi, the pranic channel which runs down the spinal cord. The left side of the brain, the logical and extroverted side, corresponds to pingala nadi which runs down the right side of the body, and the right side of the brain corresponds to ida nadi, the internal aspects of mind and formless energy. Basing their experiences on the already established science of yoga, many scientists are finding the explanations for their experimental evidence already existing in the ancient yoga shastras.

A new blueprint is being laid down for the union of meditation, science and education as a means of enlarging the scope of present educational techniques. For example, the accelerated learning technique of Georgi Lozanov of Bulgaria utilises the essentials of yoga nidra to allow information and knowledge to enter the brain and mind at deeper subconscious levels. *5 Thus the intellectual process of learning is bypassed and made anachronistic This subtle technique of learning is becoming increasingly popular world-wide. Don Schuster of Iowa State University reported that yoga nidra/suggestology type techniques used by Judy Tyler, an Atlanta third grade teacher, enabled remedial students to make up two years’ work in only one semester (approximately 4 months). *6

The new look in education had its preview in May 1978 when the California State University held a conference for educators, educational consultants, counsellors, school and clinical psychologists, teachers and administrators. *7 Workshops were devoted to metaphoric thought, biofeedback, T’ai chi chuan, meditation, guided imagery, dreams, psychotherapy, and psychic development in children. The term transpersonal psychology was used to cover the broad range of positive inner experience and its scientific validation.

The conference seems to point out that transcendental or mystical experience will be recognised as complementary to cognitive, psychomotor and effective learning by near future educationalists and institutions. Meditation and how to get high naturally will be taught in school not only to relax the body, mind and personality, but also to open up the right side of the brain and allow us to reach new vistas of experience and knowledge. Education will be enriched thereby. Yoga will play a role by enabling students and teachers to follow systematic, safe and practical techniques which are ladders to higher awareness.

By expanding our intuitive nature, yoga helps us to synthesise the various elements of our environment into a structural whole. The ability to view the total picture is enhanced. Thus the relationships and interrelating factors in the environment and inside ourselves are understood and woven into a pattern of thinking that helps us to further understand the world in a never ending cycle of growth.

The developed intuition helps us in learning the logical side also. School subjects can then be better understood when examined from the point of view of the visualising mind. This is demonstrated by the ‘alternative’ Magnet Arts Elementary School in Eugene, Oregon, USA, where reading and writing are taught via play-wrighting and acting. *8 Dance is used in math instruction and science students make musical instruments. The school’s sixth grade students tied for first place in reading and fifth place in math amongst the district’s 30 schools.

In enhancing the crystallisation of growing brains and developing minds; in developing practical ways to balance the dual aspects of our nature: brain and mind, inner and outer, left and right, intuitive and analytical; in providing worthy goals for young people, so as to avoid the disastrous consequences of an ill-managed identity crisis; and to provide direction in life; yoga is the means to a better education system from both the students’ and the teachers’ point of view.

References
*1. ‘Teachers urged to leave safe ground’, Brain-Mind
Bulletin, vol. 2, no. 17, July 18, 1977.
*2. *3. Ibid.
*4. J.P. Banquet, ‘Spectral analysis of the EEG in meditation’, Electroenceph. & Clin. Neurophys., 1973, 35: 143-151.
*5. S. Ostrander & L. Schroeder, ‘Mission control center for the mind-suggestology’, Psychic Discoveries Behind the Iron Curtain, Abacus, 1973.
*6. ‘Transpersonal psychology goes to school’, Brain-Mind Bulletin, vol. 3, no. 14, June 5, 1978
* 7. Ibid.
*8. ‘Art reinforces cognitive learning’, Brain-Mind Bulletin vol. 2, no. 22, October 3, 1977

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, April, 1981)

The first years of life provide the foundation of adulthood. Emotionally disturbed children become severely neurotic adults, who in turn raise neurotic offspring. Whether you are a parent, a teacher, a doctor, or a child-care worker, if you are dealing with emotionally disturbed children, you have already realized the scope and diversity of this problem. Children may suffer emotional handicap for biological, cultural or social reasons and frequently with a combination of symptoms. Accurate diagnosis cannot be overemphasized to avoid incorrect treatment.

Yoga offers a practical form of therapy to deal with the problems of abnormal emotional development, so that the child may reach adulthood free from personality disorders. The function of the pineal gland, the importance of balancing the mental and pranic energies, the use of yoga nidra and karma yoga, as well as reduction of family and social pressures – all these factors must be considered in dealing with the disturbed child.

These simple therapeutic practices, used in conjunction with a thorough psychological understanding, point the way to a new, integral approach in treating emotional disturbance.

Psychiatrically disturbed children

In her book, ‘Children under Stress’, Dr. Sula Wolff speaks about preventive psychiatry as a way of ameliorating the needless neurotic illnesses of later life. This involves a careful scrutiny of the child’s environment, so that those stresses and deprivations known to cause psychiatric disorders can be lessened or removed.

Everywhere educators are realizing the social responsibility they hold in providing an atmosphere conducive to the development of independent, self-disciplined and well balanced children. Learning is exponentially cumulative. Therefore, we should exercise discrimination to ensure that schools are not simply information factories geared to the production of robot-like individuals for the maintenance of the consumer society. Children involved in a creative learning process, cantered on the methods of active inquiry and discovery, are less likely to feel bored, frustrated and depressed. If they are immersed in stimulating, challenging projects, how can they feel anxious or threatened?

But children do develop neurotic and psychiatric illnesses, therefore, we cannot ignore the school environment, where the pressure to achieve and conform may prove to be an overwhelming stress to some children. An exceptionally intelligent child, forced to endure years of boring lessons, with no avenue for his creative expression, may resort to obsessional behaviour or a fantasy world. A naturally aggressive child, deprived of physical learning activities, will become extremely disruptive and destructive.

Psychiatric disturbance in the child may be linked to premature sexual maturation in which the nervous system and hormonal secretions are out of balance, or it may be related to parental rejection, family repression, or a chronic physical ailment. The disturbed child needs to alleviate his anxiety and guilt, and drop his defence mechanisms, so that normal personality growth can continue. Here, a skilled yoga therapist can prescribe suitable relaxation practices, such as yoga nidra, which will release the repressed feelings from the unconscious level of the mind. In all therapy, the child requires a trusting adult with whom he feels secure enough to ventilate his negative feelings. If he only meets with punishment and disapproval, then the emotions remain repressed, and the symptoms continue to build up.

The delinquent child

Children who are labelled socially maladjusted or delinquent, have often suffered early deprivation or maternal rejection, as many studies have shown. *1, 2 Their anti-social behaviour reflects a lack of conscience and a need for love. What they really need is a good parent, but often their unacceptable behaviour leads them into institutions where the only concept of therapy is authoritarian discipline, meted out through strict supervision and punishment. The children obey out of fear. But when they leave the institution, their personal view of the world and themselves has not changed, and they take their revenge on society in the perpetration of various crimes.

Autocratic discipline, externally applied, is virtually useless with this type of child. A comparative study of delinquent boys living in Wiltwyck Community School in New York, with boys living in a rigidly disciplined reformatory, demonstrated the superiority of a therapeutic community setting, where the virtues of trust and understanding were upheld. *3 At the end of their stay, boys in the reform school were more anxious, prejudiced and resentful of authority, while the Wiltwyck boys were less anxious, and happier with themselves and their teachers. It seems that punishing a child is not a positive means of bringing about change or reform.

How can we utilize the practices of yoga to reform the delinquent children? We cannot replace the parent, but we can teach the child, through yoga techniques, how to resolve his personal conflicts. Teachers of delinquent children should undertake the practice of yoga themselves, and then begin to introduce it to the children in their charge. The teachers may find yoga techniques useful in maintaining the high, energy level required in working with delinquent children.

Many delinquent children have pent up feelings of anger and aggression. For them, karma yoga should be provided to help release and re-channel their energies in a more constructive way. Wood working, painting or gardening are a few avenues available. For a child who suffers extreme anger, the practice of shashankasana is most helpful. This stops the flow of excess hormones from the adrenal glands, which is responsible for the loss of self-control. Nadi shodhana pranayama and yoga nidra will provide much needed relaxation, and restore the balance of mental and pranic energy.

Delinquent children really benefit most from an extended period of ashram life. In this highly charged atmosphere, such children are truly reformed and often blossom into most competent and useful members of society. In lieu of ashram training, a competent yoga teacher can be instrumental in instilling a higher self-concept and an attitude of inner discipline.

The role of the pineal gland

The pineal is a tiny gland, located in the medulla oblongata of the brain. In yoga, it is closely linked with ajna chakra, the seat of wisdom and intuition. When the child is about eight years of age, the pineal begins to degenerate. This decay corresponds to the beginning of sexual maturation, precipitated by the release of hormones from the pituitary gland. Many children do not cope well during this transitional period, when sexual awareness is developing. Therefore, disruptive behaviour is often evinced at this age, such as anger, resentment, or violence, much of which can be directly or indirectly attributed to hormonal imbalance.

Why burden a child with sexual responsibility at such a tender age? If we can find a way to delay the decay of the pineal gland, to maintain a balance between the sympathetic (pingala) and parasympathetic (ida) nervous systems, then the child can continue to experience childhood without the stress of inappropriate impulses.

In yogic terminology, emotional disturbance is the result of an imbalance of manas shakti (the mental component) and prana shakti (the vital component). When there is excess mental energy, and a lack of prana, the child suffers withdrawal, depression, anxiety or lethargy. He lacks dynamism and cannot transform his mental energy into creative action. Conversely, if the child has excess prana, and not enough manas, then he will become very destructive and disruptive. A vast amount of energy with no control spells disaster. It is comparable to a fast moving vehicle with no brakes. Such hyperactive children are difficult to live with, and learning is almost impossible in this state.

Yoga as preventive medicine

A few simple practices, starting from the age of eight, will help to balance the mental and vital energies, and preserve the pineal gland, thus delaying sexual maturation and preventing needless psycho-emotional distress. The child can be taught surya namaskara (salutation to the sun), a dynamic exercise involving twelve different movements. This provides stretching and relaxation for the body, and helps to rebalance the energy. He can practise shambhavi mudra, focusing the gaze on the eyebrow centre, which is essential for maintaining the health of the pineal. Nadi shodhana, alternate nostril breathing, balances the nadis and nervous system, and teaches the child how to induce calmness within himself.

In dealing with emotionally unstable children, we must remember that they are not necessarily receptive, cooperative or obedient, and a person attempting to teach them yoga practices may become easily frustrated when confronted by a negative, resentful child. The key point is to remain objective. The child may defy you, and show anger and hostility, but he is likely to be using you to express the anger he feels for someone else, perhaps his mother or father. In any case, yoga cannot be forced on anyone, so it is up to the adult to devise ways of introducing these techniques so that they appeal to the imagination of the child. If the child can experience even a brief period of mental relaxation, he will gain some insight into his own behaviour.

For emotionally distressed children, who find inactivity almost unbearable, the combination of physical movement and progressive relaxation is most appropriate. After surya namaskara, the child will willingly lie down in shavasana for yoga nidra. Following the progressive relaxation of body parts, the instructor may run through a series of visualizations such as ‘elephant’, ‘house’, ‘black dog’, and so on. The purpose of the exercise is to induce deep relaxation, so that negative impressions locked in the unconscious mind will float to the surface and be dissipated. Total practice period should take no more than ten minutes a day. Children under the age of eight do not need surya namaskara or pranayama, but simple yoga nidra techniques can be introduced with good effects.

References

*1. S. Glueck & E. Glueck, Unraveling Juvenile Delinquency, Harvard University Press, 1950.
*2. A. Earle & B. Earle, ‘Early maternal deprivation and later psychiatric illness’, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 31, 1961.
*3. S. Wolff, Children under Stress, Pelican Books.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, April, 1981)

God’s will, also known as divine will, is a universal reality. It is the most powerful force that conducts each and every activity, seen as well as unseen. When man is attracted by maya, he is led far away from this divine will and he becomes weak, full of fear and anxiety. Once he transcends the barriers of the mind, he begins to realize the will of God, which is the destiny of all creation. Once he knows the will of God then he knows how to manage his affairs and how to work.

As long as we have personal desires, even spiritual life remains a matter of ambition. There will be not one but many problems. You may practise yoga and other things, but there has to be a very important and central philosophy – ‘Thy will be done’. When this philosophy emanates from the depths of your whole being, then whatever you face in life becomes a matter of joy and not a psychological or psycho-emotional problem.

In fact, there are no real problems in life. We only think we have problems because we do not understand life in the light of divine will. In this world there is everything- rivers, oceans, deserts, mountains, valleys, forests. But when we stay in the desert, then the desert becomes a problem. If we stay in the valley of Kashmir, that too becomes a problem. Man is dissatisfied with life because he has not tried to understand its universal aspect. He sees things in the limited sense. That is why there are problems, not only in the lives of sincere spiritual aspirants, but in people everywhere.

The time lag

Nowadays life is changing very fast and everything is different from what it used to be. Our ancestors had to work extremely hard. They had to bring water and carry loads, either on their shoulders or on donkeys and ponies. They had to walk miles and miles for marketing. From dawn to dusk they were occupied physically, mentally and emotionally. They were so involved in their external problems that they had no time to consider the internal problems, the complexes and conflicts that are constantly going on within the mind. During the last century, however, technology has advanced to such a degree that now you can travel to any point in the world within a matter of hours. Dial the telephone and speak to anyone at any distance within a matter of seconds. You don’t have to go for water, just open the tap. Press the switch and there is light.

Soon you may be able to prepare your meals in one and a half minutes, using sound waves to cook on rather than electricity. If it only takes one and a half minutes to prepare your food, what are you going to do with the rest of your time? There will be computers to do all the work. The children may not even have to go to school. They will just turn on the television and tune into a class going on in history, physics, biology, mathematics, chemistry or geography.

This is the way things are going now. For the first time in history, man is becoming so free that he doesn’t have enough problems to occupy his mind. Recently, in Scandinavia, I was confronted with many youths and at first it was difficult for me to ascertain the nature of their deep-seated discontent. I asked them whether they had any problems concerning education, marriage, employment, housing, fuel, energy, or anything else. They all replied, ‘No, we have no such problems.’ So I told them, ‘Yes, that is your problem.’ When man has no problems in material life, he has to deal with the mind, and that is the greatest problem.

Finding the balance

More than 5000 years ago, when Indian civilization was at its zenith, the people were faced with these same problems of the mind and psyche, of nervous imbalance and spiritual disharmony. At that time they began to think about finding a way out. So the science of yoga was revived in order to channelize man’s mental, emotional and spiritual energies.

Today, as modern life takes man progressively further from nature, he will have to come closer to yoga in order to compensate for his lost harmony. In fact, we are already witnessing a massive return to yoga, as people everywhere are looking for more constructive ways to use their time. Yesterday yoga was an unknown byword, but today it is being practised by a significant proportion of the population, and its adherents are rapidly increasing. In European countries alone, there are over 70,000 registered yoga teachers. Yoga is beginning to penetrate every sphere of life.

When we speak of yoga, we do not mean postures only, or pranayama. Yoga is the complete science of man’s mental, physical and emotional personality. There are many paths – karma yoga, the yoga of dynamic expression in life; bhakti yoga, the yoga of emotional channelization; raja yoga, the yoga of control over the psychic personality; gyana yoga, the yoga of understanding the deeper secrets of universal life; kundalini yoga, the yoga of awakening the dormant potential, the creative force in man. Yoga actually means all these, and therefore, we should combine all forms of yoga in our life. In man there is a hidden energy, an evolved power, that is still dormant but can be awakened through the practices of yoga. In the past there was only a handful of saints, sages and mystics who had this shakti awakened in them. Now, however, the time has come when man has to transcend the – lower mental plane and try to live in harmony with the cosmos on a higher spiritual plane. The awakening of kundalini is a very important event in the evolution of man and it has already started to take place. In a few decades we should have many more people with developed spiritual awareness.

God and guru

When we speak of spiritual awareness, there is an important aspect which must be remembered – that of God and guru. We may talk about ontological, cosmological, Ideological proof, for the existence of God. But the knowledge of God is not yet awakened in man. The belief we have now is purely intellectual, based on what we have heard from our parents and teachers. In order to awaken true faith in God, true awareness of the transcendental reality, there has to be an igniting force. Just as you detonate a bomb, in the same way, the inner living faith, not the intellectual or scriptural one, has to be detonated and awakened. In order to awaken it, you have to accept a guru.

Guru is the stimulating factor, the detonator, because you can see him and understand him. There is no question of belief, because he exists in name and form. You have a finite, limited mind by which you understand and define time, space and object. Guru is within this range, and with your finite mind, you can comprehend him. Of course, in the ultimate sense, guru is definitely not finite, he is infinite.

What is infinite? That which is not within the category of the finite mind. How can we contain the infinity of divinity within the finite mind? It’s not possible. So, first of all, this finite mind has to be transformed, the limitations have to be dropped. In order to transcend this finite mind and develop an infinite instrument of experience, kundalini must be awakened. When the kundalini wakes up, the finite mind is exploded. With the destruction of this lower self, an infinite instrument of experience is gained, by which you are able lo behold the true reality of God. So, guru is the first step on the spiritual path. God, the divinity, supreme atman, Paramatman, may be your goal, but you have to start by accepting a guru and forming a sincere discipleship.

The brother never becomes the father

Discipleship is more important than guru-hood. A true disciple is one who develops tremendous awareness during the course of his life. For him, the guru is always near. The attitude of a true disciple never changes. The disciple always remains a disciple; for him there is no promotion.

In history, only a few gurus are born, all the rest are disciples. You may consider those who have lived the spiritual life and are more advanced than you as your gurus, but they are your elder brothers. They know more so they become the guide, just as an elder brother looks after the little ones. But the brother never becomes the father. Therefore, remain a disciple and try to develop the qualities of a disciple, then the inner awareness will become effulgent.

A true disciple never feels mistreated. Those who claim to be cheated by the guru are actually cheaters themselves. They are never able to develop the attitude of a disciple. So do not go about insulting gurus. You will only get a guru in your own image, nothing more than that.

Do not waste your time going from place to place, trying to find the greatest guru- one who performs miracles, who is more intellectual, who is robust with a long, flowing beard. Such a disciple never comprehends the depth of a great man, who is deeper than the ocean, broader than the sky.

Continue with your spiritual practices and go ahead with great faith and humility. Come to the ashram from time to time, and try to live as quietly as possible. Do not worry about the vacuum in life. Live in the will of God. I am speaking from my own experience, not from the books. God is first and last. Ultimately, his will comes true. You can do nothing; you are only an instrument.

Total dedication

During my early years, I had no idea in my mind about teaching yoga, forming ashrams, making disciples, touring the world and establishing centres. I was the type of person who would go away into seclusion for years. I preferred to remain in a state of hibernation. That was my joy, because I didn’t want to think. But I was compelled to think; the people made me think. It was my personal ambition not to think at all, but the divine had willed something else.

I never wanted an ashram, but I had to build ashrams. I never wanted to have any dealings with money or people, but I had to deal with money and with people. I never believed that man can evolve through any practice, really that was my faith. I never believed that man has to do anything for his spiritual evolution. I thought, ‘What for? God has given me birth, it is his duty to look after me. What if I am wretched, a criminal or a saint? He has made me that, I haven’t made myself. Let him face it.’ There was a poem written by a great devotee or bhakta of India, who said:

All is Thy will.
Thy will be done.
Whether you raise me
To the height of spiritual glory,
Or you throw me down
Into the abyss of hell,
I accept it,
Readily, happily, with pleasure,
Because that is Thy will.
I am the chariot,
You are the charioteer.
I am the horse,
You are the master.
Keep me as you like.
Use me, misuse me or abuse me,
I have nothing to defend.

This is the attitude of total dedication. Man has to do nothing, just surrender himself to God’s will. But you know how difficult it is to remain completely at His will. Every time you have complaints, losses and failures, all that is mine and nothing is thine. When life becomes dedicated and everything is surrendered, placed completely at the disposal of that supreme will, then you must be prepared to live calmly and quietly under any circumstances. Even if your husband or wife deserts you, you can accept it as divine will. When the scales are heavily loaded against you, consider the situation as a gift from Him. Everything, not only the valuables, pleasures and comforts, but also the difficulties, humiliations and hardships should be considered as gifts, an expression of His will. This is the fundamental faith that is lacking in our spiritual life today.

Most things we say about God are just intellectual gymnastics. We read in this book and that book, and we go on quoting and quoting, but the mind is not impressed. We say, ‘My Lord, I am always dying for you. Thy will be done, but please bring back my husband.’ What is this business in life, trying to surrender everything to Him, but keeping a straw for yourself, and then suffering on account of that straw?

Bhakti is total dedication to God, to the divine will, the cosmic or universal process of which you are a tiny part. You are nothing; you are smaller than a molecule or an atom. You are a tiny cog in that untold universal process. Things are moving along in the history and geography of divinity. You have to be tossed this way or that way and if you don’t accept it, you will always be unhappy.

Yogic philosophy

The secret of happiness is to understand the mysteries of divine will, the laws of creation and of karma. This means that the whole philosophy of life has to be changed. Right from the very beginning we have been taught to love pleasure and to hate pain. In yogic philosophy it is said that all experiences which are born of the senses and sense objects end in pain. The wise men do not accept them as reality because they have a beginning and an end, and are therefore not permanent. When the experience comes to an end, it is finished, whether pleasant or painful.

It is not easy to restructure the whole way of thinking, the total philosophy of life. This is what we are trying to achieve with the sannyasins, but it is not always successful. Many times you will stumble and fall, but this does not matter as long as you are able to pick yourself up again and continue walking.

A simple way of life with minimum requirements, and a simple way of thinking- this is the yogic philosophy. The rest of the time you should try to develop the awareness of your consciousness. Then the light will come.

In the eleventh chapter of the Gita, Arjuna asks Krishna: “Lord, please show me your cosmic form, so that I may see and know you as God.” To this request, Krishna replies: “It is not easy to see the divine form with these eyes, with this mind and awareness, because they are limited.” But Arjuna is persistent until finally Krishna relents and says: -’Alright, I will show you my cosmic form.” But as soon as it appears, Arjuna has a mind exploding experience and he cries out in terror: “Please, Lord, remove this experience. I can’t bear to see you in this form; it’s too frightening. I want to see you in the human form which I knew before and which I can understand.”

This story shows the necessity of preparation in spiritual life. There is no point in awakening the cosmic experience until you are ready to handle it. Therefore, first of all comes the guru. Next is the transformation of the whole structure of consciousness. Then, you arrive at the stage where you begin to realize the great cosmic nature, the law of the divine. After this, life becomes smooth sailing. There is no more pain or pleasure. Inner life is totally changed but outer life remains the same.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine April, 1981)

Yoga is a science of consciousness. It is an integrated system of techniques by which we develop our hidden potentials to the fullest. Our qualities of love, joy, security, confidence, discrimination, intelligence, intuition, higher abilities and awareness, expand as we practise yoga. This is the fundamental aim and use of this ancient system.

However, there is another important aspect to the practices. Along the way to higher consciousness, the basic causes of illness are interrupted and eliminated, almost as a side effect – a bonus. This is because the samskaras which are dulling our awareness, are the same ones which cause our mental and physical illnesses. By uprooting the samskaras, and thus changing the pattern of the mind, the mental conflict that exacerbates illness is removed allowing the body’s self-healing functions to operate. Hence, yoga, although never meant as a therapy, is so effective in helping us to attain and maintain abundant good health and well being. People who practise yoga don’t need to worry about how to treat illnesses, they remain healthy and energetic, tranquil and balanced. That’s the secret of yoga and that’s the opportunity for all of us.

Yoga therapy has proved effective in a variety of disorders and is being used today not only by yoga practitioners but by wider circles of medical and paramedical practitioners. In the following disorders we show how yoga therapy along with medical consultation when necessary provides greater healing benefits with less chance of recurring symptoms.

Headache

A common form of headache, which causes widespread distress throughout the world, is migraine. This is caused by swelling of the arteries of the scalp and inside the skull, probably because of instability of the autonomic nervous system in that area.

Migraine is usually treated by drugs containing a derivative of ergot fungus. However, these drugs are toxic; they frequently don’t relieve the attack once it has started, and they have no effect on reducing the tendency for the attacks to recur.

Yoga can be incredibly effective in treating migraine. It has been discovered in many yoga centres, including Satyananda Ashrams, that the combination of shatkarmas (kunjal daily, neti twice daily, shankhaprakshalana every three months), with the daily practice of simple yoga postures (pawanmuktasana part 1), brahmari pranayama, and finishing with yoga nidra, completely eliminates migraine in the majority of sufferers.

Tension headaches are related to migraine but manifest through the somatic nervous system instead of through the autonomic nervous system. In fact, the two types of headache often occur in the same person. These also respond very well to the other practices mentioned above.

As in the case of asthma, a person who begins to feel an attack of migraine coming on need only practise kunjal kriya, and there is an excellent chance that the attack will be averted. Needless to say, recurrent headaches in a person who has not had them before, or headache which becomes continuous, must be investigated medically. But when we are sure that the cause of the headache is migraine or tension, then the yoga techniques are far superior to drugs and should be practised in every case.

Cerebral dysrythmia (epilepsy)

In this illness, the person is subject to paroxysmal attacks of explosive action in the brain. In its severest form (grande mal) he loses consciousness, falls to the ground, and the body undergoes spasmodic convulsions. During the attack he may injure himself, and in extreme cases (status epilepticus) he may die.

The usual medical treatment for cerebral dysrhythmia is by drugs, and these generally stop the attacks if the person takes them for the rest of his life. However, their side effects can cause real problems. Many of the drugs have toxic effects on the blood, the gums, and other organs, especially if taken for a long time. Others make the person tired and stupid. Those who have treated cerebral dysrhythmia over the years have seen bright intelligent people functioning as ‘zombies’ not because of the epilepsy, but because of the drugs, and they would like to find a better treatment. This is a serious problem and if we can find a way to control cerebral dysrhythmia without drugs, or even to reduce the drugs for people who are suffering their side effects, we will be making an important contribution to healing sciences.

For centuries, yoga practices have been used for the treatment of cerebral dysrhythmia and in many cases, it has been found that not only do the attacks stop, but the person’s perceptions and abilities expand as well. The patient practises a small group of classical major postures (bhujangasana, shashankasana, shalabhasana, sarvangasana), some breathing exercises (nadi shodhana, ujjayi, bhastrika) and mantra meditation (in this case ajapa japa). If the person has a lot of mental tension, bhramari pranayama, kunjal and neti are practised. On the other hand, if he is of phlegmatic temperament, the practices of kriya yoga are of greater benefit.

With the treatment of cerebral dysrhythmia, much discretion is needed on the part of the yoga therapist, who must be expert in the field. The practices must be designed to suit the individual person, and the anticonvulsant drugs reduced very slowly over months. However, when this is done correctly, the results are most gratifying.

Thyroid diseases

When the thyroid gland loses its balance and becomes overactive, the condition is known as thyrotoxicosis. The person becomes thin, tremulous, overactive, anxious, and experiences widespread symptoms ranging from bulging of the eyes to disruption of the menstrual cycle.

The yogis have always recommended sarvangasana (shoulderstand) and have claimed that if the posture is practised correctly each day, it will balance thyroid function. This means that the overacting thyroid will decrease its activity and become normal, and an under acting thyroid will increase its activity and become normal. Strange as this sounds, there is good evidence and experience to support it.

If yoga can balance the thyroid, it is very important because the usual medical treatment, though effective, leaves a lot to be desired. Thyrotoxicosis is usually treated in one of three ways: surgery, radiation (X-rays or swallowing radioactive iodine) or drugs (which have a toxic effect on the thyroid and thus suppress its action). It is not surprising that many people including the doctors are not happy with these alternatives.

Under acting thyroid is usually treated by hormone tablets. This would seem to be a logical procedure, but actually it has an important disadvantage. The hormone suppresses any remaining ability of the thyroid gland to produce hormone for itself, and ultimately destroys any hormone secreting cells which were still functioning. Obviously, once a person starts taking thyroid hormone he must do so for the rest of his life. The yogis claim that sarvangasana will reactivate the dormant cells in the thyroid and the gland will once again function for itself.

Dr. K.N. Udupa, director of the Institute of Medical Sciences at Benares Hindu University in India, taught yoga postures (including sarvangasana), breathing techniques and relaxation to thirty people with thyrotoxicosis. At the time of reporting, eight people had recovered completely and the rest were still improving and reducing their drugs.

He estimated that the latter, because of the progress they were making, would eventually become normal also. It is possible that they may need to continue with the practices (probably only sarvangasana) for many years. However, this natural therapy seems preferable to taking drugs for life.

Mental problems

The practices of yoga have a profoundly beneficial effect on the mind. All of the mental practices such as meditation, concentration, and relaxation; and the physical practices such as asanas, pranayama, mudras, bandhas etc., have one primary aim. They expand the consciousness through their action on the mind.

It is not surprising, therefore, that yoga practices have been used for millennia in the treatment of mental and emotional problems. It is also not surprising that much of the recent scientific work on meditation and other yoga practices has been in the treatment of psychosis, neurosis, alcoholism, drug addiction etc. As we might expect, the results have been uniformly good in the wide range of psychiatric disorders which are now being treated and investigated.

Generally, the studies show that meditation and relaxation practices help the person to become less anxious, less depressed, less irritable, with less psychosomatic illness. They help the person to have more pleasure in contact with others, more respect for others, more self-confidence, initiative and emotional stability. The intake of alcohol, nicotine and other drugs reduces markedly, and insomnia is relieved.

The practices of physical yoga gave similar benefits in the investigation. They relieved inner conflicts, gave an increased feeling of self-esteem, a stronger feeling of self-identity, more self-acceptance and a more balanced ethical viewpoint. Generally, it was found that with yoga, the person’s personality became better integrated, they had far less neurosis, and they were living a more positive, dynamic life.

The application of yoga to the treatment of psychoses such as schizophrenia has not been as widely investigated as with the neuroses and drug addictions. However, the experience in the ashrams of the International Yoga Fellowship Movement has been very positive. Even people with severe psychosis respond to yoga therapy, especially if they can stay for a time in a country yoga ashram and reap the additional benefits of physical work and the harmonious environment.

Other illnesses helped by yoga

The number of illnesses which are helped or cured by yoga is vast. In this article we have only mentioned a few. Many problems of the internal organs respond well, including lung and heart ailments, indigestion, functional bowel disorders, and many troubles with the pelvic organs such as bladder, prostate, and menstrual irregularities.

Illnesses of the ear, nose and throat often resolve with very simple practices such as the shatkarmas and brahmari pranayama, as do many skin troubles. Vascular conditions, metabolic disorders, endocrine dysfunction…… the list is long and the opportunities are vast. In addition to the above, yoga can be used to manage pain, and other symptoms of severe diseases.

As we mentioned before, the interesting thing about yoga therapy is that it is so effective in treating the very conditions in which modern medicine has limited success. To those of us who have experience in both fields, it is obvious that in the years to come, yoga and medicine will work side by side to create another revolution in health care.

When to seek medical advice

In many parts of the world, yoga therapy is quickly becoming a recognized treatment; especially for functional illnesses, obvious psychosomatic disorders and many chronic conditions. This recognition is justified, because yoga can be very effective in these conditions. However, there are illnesses for which medical help is needed. Some examples are:

1. Severe bacterial infections such as meningitis, lobar pneumonia, severe gastro-enteritis in children and, in fact, any condition where there is high fever, convulsions or sudden debility. But ask the doctor to please not prescribe antibiotics unless he knows that the infection is caused by bacteria and unless they are really necessary to cure the illness. Antibiotics don’t cure virus diseases, which usually go away in a few days whether we are taking antibiotics or not. But very often they are prescribed in such cases.

2. Urinary tract infections, which are usually experienced as pain and frequency of urination, require correct diagnosis and treatment. Sometimes, with inadequate treatment, or even no treatment, they appear to go away, but this usually means that they have gone from the bladder to the kidneys where they create destruction, and eventually damage the kidneys beyond repair.

3. Venereal infections usually appear as a lesion (an ulcer or blisters) on the genitals, or discharge from there. They require immediate medical diagnosis and treatment. Venereal diseases often appear to go away by themselves, but they never do. They actually go deep into the body and do incredible damage. If you have such a condition, do not accept treatment from natural therapists, diet therapists, yoga therapists or any other sort of ‘therapists’! Get medical advice immediately and continue with the treatment until you and the doctor know you are completely cured. In these days, the cure in the early stages with proper treatment is easy, but in the late stages it is impossible.

4. Acute surgical conditions such as appendicitis, ruptured ulcer, bleeding ulcer, and indeed, any severe internal pain need a diagnosis immediately.

5. Acute medical conditions such as sudden severe chest pain (may be a heart attack), sudden severe headache, reduced consciousness, paralysis etc. (may be a stroke).

6. Cancer usually appears as:

a.) An unusual lump, slowly growing anywhere in the body, especially in the armpits, neck or groin.
b.) A continual symptom such as pain, coughing, headache, diarrhoea, etc., which you have not had before but which is now persistent.
c.) A chronic lump or ulcer growing on the skin, especially if it is black or brown.
d.) Loss of blood in unusual ways such as radical changes in menstruation; or from unusual places such as bowels, coughing blood, vomiting blood, urinating blood etc.

Early cancer is frequently cured by correct diagnosis and medical treatment. There is no convincing evidence that other therapies are as successful. If you think you have cancer, seek medical treatment immediately and practise yoga at the same time.

One of the fundamental characteristics of yoga is balance, which implies discrimination and common sense. We must apply these qualities in deciding what to do when we are ill. However, even when we are receiving orthodox medical treatment, it is usually better to practise yoga at the same time, with the guidance of a yoga teacher who is proficient in yoga therapy, and with the agreement of the doctor.

Siddhasana and the Heart

Recently, medical scientists have found an important connection between the reproductive metabolism and the heart. Excessive and uncontrolled levels of the male hormone testosterone in the blood are correlated with a preponderance of such traits as over-assertiveness, acquisitiveness and latent or overt aggression which characterize the cardiac personality, the type most prone to a sudden heart attack. Research has revealed the existence of specific receptor sites for this hormone in the Myocardial tissue of the heart, and also in the walls of the larger blood vessels, and it is now felt that Myocardial damage is induced by testosterone accumulation at these sites.

Heart attack is far more frequent in men than in women, up to the age of the menopause, but beyond that, the incidence between both sexes is similar. This strongly suggests that the female hormonal environment bestows a natural protection for the feminine heart whereas the male heart is endangered by excessive circulating levels of male hormones. In order to combat this, the masculine emotional and sexual metabolism has to be controlled. For this purpose we recommend the practice of meditation in siddhasana, where the lower heel exerts pressure in the area of the prostate gland in the region of the perineal floor, and the upper heel is against the pubic bone, above the root of the generative organ.

This posture stabilizes the two lower psychic centres- mooladhara chakra and swadhisthana chakra, redirecting prana upwards towards the higher centres. Blockage of energy within these two centres is responsible for many health problems and also poses a barrier which has to be crossed in spiritual life. Mooladhara is the root centre in which an infinite source of pranic energy lies dormant and asleep, while swadhisthana is the centre responsible for the sexual and emotional metabolism in which our psychic energy most spontaneously manifests itself. When our emotional life does not extend beyond this plane, blood pressure and cardiac function remain unstable and our role and purpose in life remains ill-defined and unclear. There is an ‘ache’ in the heart which never knows the experience of constancy, beyond the fickle and transitory emotional feelings. But the higher experiences of the human heart and mind remain impenetrable unless the energy can be stabilized and led up into the higher centres of consciousness. In this sense, heart diseases can be considered an evolutionary malady, where we suffer due to our bondage on the emotional plane, while our being aches to experience the constancy of human life which arises when emotional attachments and aversions have been transcended.

Siddhasana is the posture which is recommended by Dr. Christian Barnard, the heart transplant surgeon, to stabilize cardiac function in his patients. We have found that it proves most beneficial when learned during the late teens or early twenties, when the emotional and sexual drives and passions are likely to be unruly. At that time, siddhasana is found to rectify problems such as excessive nocturnal emission. If followed throughout life it bestows protection from emotional ravages and stabilizes the passions, preventing later cardiac demise. The heart is protected when there is neither suppression of, nor anarchical expression of the emotional complexes. The key to preservation of the heart lies in controlled expression of our desires, instincts and drives and this is learned by following the precepts and practices of yoga throughout the different stages of life. By incorporating some asanas, pranayama and meditation into the daily program from an early age, the penalty of an overtaxed heart is avoided in middle age, and the emotions are channelled and expressed in a more creative way throughout life.

The central role of cholesterol should be understood. This fatty substance is the precursor from which the sex hormones are synthesized by the gonads and the adrenal glands. It is also required in the production of the spermatozoa by the testes, along with other fatty protein complexes known as lipoproteins. These are needed to provide the structural requirements of the sperms, and also to provide the machinery which gives every sperm such an enormous energetic and motile capacity.

If the emotional and reproductive metabolism is unruly and uncontrolled then the turnover of new sperms must occur at a rapid rate and an enormous amount of energy must be constantly provided to synthesize these replacement sperms. As a result a high level of cholesterol and protein is necessary, and this usually comes from dietary sources. This necessitates a high protein and fat diet, and demands that the physiological systems of digestion and cell synthesis operate at a very high rate, pushing up the metabolic rate and basal temperature in the process. Strain on the heart, the digestive organs such as the liver, and the eliminatory organs such as kidneys, bowels and sweat glands, is inevitable. Excessive wear and tear on the physiological systems is the end result and cardiac strain is one foremost effect.

Clearly the emotional metabolism must be stabilized if the body is to be preserved. This can be attained by the twin approach of dietary regulation, where a decreased protein and fat intake is recommended, coupled with the growth of self-knowledge, self-expression and self-control, which develops by following the royal path of yoga in the midst of the various worldly confrontations and difficulties. These measures are the best insulators against heart disease in the community as a whole.

In this regard, it is not enough to simply follow the precepts of a traditional religion. While this may provide a degree of mental and emotional security, it is actually suppressive and anti-evolutionary, for it does not allow us to come to terms with the emotional and instinctual factors of our nature directly. Traditional religions offer only precepts and concepts, but yoga offers psycho-physiological practices which channel emotional energy correctly. The key to an enlightened emotional and sexual life, free of mental conflicts and physiological exhaustion lies in the practice of yoga techniques in conjunction with our normal daily life experiences. Yoga does not require renunciation, but leads its practitioner to a fuller enjoyment of every aspect of life. The experiences of life should be enjoyed and understood if we are to progress and evolve. Blind adherence to dogmas only blocks this evolutionary process, leading to mental illness and physical disease, but yoga offers the sublime way to fully appreciate life and complete our evolutionary journey.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, March,1981)

Tributes paid to Brahmaleen Swami Satyanandaji Saraswati at Nashik.

Nashik: The news of Paramahansa Swami Satyanandaji Saraswati attaining Samadhi and leaving this material world came as a shock filled with innermost grief in Nashik . Swamiji attained Samadhi in Rikhiadham , Jharkhand at midnight of 5^th and 6^th December during the holiest of holy month of Margashirsha.

Swamiji has a large following in Nashik and a Yoga Center dedicated to him. As soon as the news of swamiji’s departure from the gross world arrived, a large gathering congregated in the Yoga Center where Maha Mrityunjay Mantra was chanted collectively and Holy Vishnu Sahastranam was recited. Members of the center and Swamiji’s followers offered floral tributes to the portrait of swamiji.

Swami Sagarananda from Trimbakeshwar, a few kms from Nashik, while speaking on the occasion reminisced his association with Swami Satyanandaji who used to frequent the holy place of Trimbakeshwar to get the guidance from Lord Trimbakeshwar for his spiritual advancement. Lord Trimbakeshwar was Swamiji’s Ishtadevata – the deity close to his heart. Swami Satyanandaji’s simplicity, humility and unflinching dedication  to spiritual advancement were exemplary, Swami Sagarananda noted. He further eulogized the divine service rendered by Brahmaleen Swami Satyanandaji to the cause of firmly establishing the movement of Yoga once again all over the world and making  a remarkable difference in human society.

Shashi Jadhav, the chief of Satyananda Yoga Kendra and Godavari Darshan Ashram in Nashik, Pramod Bhargave, Satishbhai Joshi, Yoga teachers Mukundbhai Shah, Nandu Desai , among others were present on the occasion. Chanting of Holy Bhagwat Geeta will continue in the center till 22^nd December, it was informed.

Swami Satyananda Saraswati
given at Sivanandashram, Paris on Sept. 15th 1979

There is a mysterious substance behind man’s existence. The wise men have tried to define and explain it, but most people have not yet been able to understand it. In the last decades, a tremendous awakening has taken place all over the world and now people have accepted the fact that there is a very mysterious power at the core, at the basis of existence.

From where do the thoughts come and from where does the consciousness emanate? There are thousands of such questions which man has not been able to answer. We can discuss and explain them very clearly in theoretical terms, but they will never be understood in this way, because this mysterious substance is not a matter of knowledge, but of experience. We may have perfected our intellectual concepts; we may comprehend the nature of the substance in perfect mathematical terms and be able to explain it in thousands of equations, but the ultimate thing that needs to be achieved is ‘the experience’.

When we realise the necessity of the experience, then we have to take a different direction altogether. The experience is not an outcome of intellect or even of scientific thinking, it is the culmination of a process of jumping over the mind. Knowledge is confined within the category of the mind; the experience is beyond mind, intellect, and emotion. Knowledge can be redefined but experience cannot. What is the way to the experience? Do we get this experience through a process of transmission? Can this experience be explained and understood, or is it an outcome of a process in which you transcend time and space barriers?

We know of two ways to achieve this experience, the vedic way and the tantric way. We have heard plenty about the vedic way in the past, but now we are talking about the tantric way of discovering this mysterious substance. Maybe you already have your own personal opinion about tantra. If so, for the time being, please forget all those concepts, otherwise it may’ not be possible for you to comprehend the entire role of tantra. Tantra literally means expansion of consciousness and liberation of energy. There are books which say that tantra is occultism, magic, sexual sublimation, or an underground spiritual practice. However, this is not the grammatical, etymological, philosophical or traditional meaning of tantra.

A process by which you are able to expand your personal consciousness is one aspect of tantra. Our consciousness is confined within an area; the mind functions within a given space. The activities of the mind and its capacities are related to the senses and sense experience. For example, you can only hear as much as your auditory system allows you; you can only see as far as your optic system allows you. This is the limitation of the personal mind. There are minute forms in this universe which you are unable to see. There are resonant waves of sound which you are unable to hear. This indicates that the mind functions within a very small, confined area.

Therefore, what we have to do is to break the barriers, then the mind can flow out of its confinement and experience infinity. But mind is dependent on the information supplied. If the sensory channels are incapable of supplying the information, then the mind is paralysed. If your judgement, logic, or mathematics fail to supply the necessary information and decisions to the mind, the mind fails. This is the limitation of mind. If you want to break this behaviour pattern, then you have to adopt a new system; you have to expand the mind.

Science of mantra and yantra

Expansion of mind takes place through certain techniques in which you isolate the mind and allow it to slow down. This is the process of tantric techniques. In this system the first technique is the science of mantra. If you want to expand the mind and realise the mysterious substance behind man’s existence, then mantra is the first step.

Mantra is a vehicle for awakening the deeper forces within oneself. Each mantra has certain wavelengths and frequencies that are able to penetrate the internal structure of the mind. If you practise a mantra even without trying to concentrate your mind, the sound waves that resonate during the practice permeate through and through your physical and inter-physical system. The different types of waves that you initiate while repeating the mantra, permeate a new dimension of your consciousness according to your practices. When you chant mantra, sometimes it produces standing waves, resonant waves, or rhythmic waves. When these various waves are produced, they not only influence the atmosphere outside, but the whole mental structure of your personality.

A sound is not just a noise. It is a wave that carries electrical vibrations with certain amounts of energy. When you practise mantra, the sound produced moves in a certain pattern. However, the sound recorded by your consciousness is not exactly the same as the sound heard through your ears. In the deeper mind, the sound of each mantra has its own archetype. Therefore, the sound of mantra has a totally different effect on our consciousness than other sounds which we may produce or utter.

Many people ask, ‘What is Om?’ Om is the dimension of your consciousness. When you chant Om, it penetrates into your consciousness and assumes a geometrical pattern. Every sound has a specific form- circular, triangular, rectangular, hexagonal, and almost any combination of so many types of geometrical patterns. These forms are not hypothetical, suppositional or imaginary. They are archetypes, and each sound has its own corresponding archetype. The archetype of mantra is known as yantra, and therefore, mantra is the subtle form of everything.

No need for concentration

The mantra you practise creates a lot of force within your inner self. Although you can concentrate with the help of a mantra, mantra is not a tool of concentration. The purpose of mantra is to permeate your whole body, mind, and spirit with resonant vibrations. Therefore, when you are practising mantra, even if your mind is not concentrated but jumping from thought to thought, you are still getting the full benefits.

Once I told my guru that the mantra he had given me was of no use because when I practised it, my mind would jump about like a monkey. What is the value of repeating a mantra if it doesn’t concentrate the mind?

He gave me some very practical advice: ‘You do so many things in life which apparently have no value. So why don’t you continue with the mantra for an extra five minutes.’ I repeated my mantra as he ordered for years together with absolute regularity. Even though I had no faith in it, the mantra had very deep and powerful effects on the whole structure of my consciousness. I practise it even today. So in tantric techniques, mantra is the first and foremost practice, which does not require concentration.

Expression rather than suppression

Everybody wants to realise and experience the mysterious substance behind man’s existence, but they don’t want to break the wall which separates them from it. They paint it again and again and keep the secret substance in obscurity.

When you sit for meditation and a thought comes, you suppress it. Thoughts of worry, anxiety, passion, anguish – different types of thoughts come to the mind when you practise mantra meditation. If you leave them unattended, they will crop up again. This is not the tantric way. The tantric way of dealing with the mind is to attend to each thought as it arises, and finish with it forever. That is the only way you will surpass it.

Even if you are able to isolate your mind, you cannot channelize it. You may be able to disassociate the mind from the sensory channels so that the senses cannot supply stimuli, but what about the inherent nature of the mind ? Mind is a bundle of samskaras, impressions. There are thousands of memories, of experiences. How are you going to deal with this multifarious nature of the mind? If you try to perform mental genocide, you will have to pay horribly. How many impressions in the mind are you going to decry, and who is going to do the job? This is how you create animosity within your own personality. Your religious mind says this is bad, and your free mind says it is good. So you already have two checks on one mind. This creates what we call internal conflict, which ultimately makes you schizophrenic.

You must allow the mind to think without opposing, abusing, or hating it. If there are any evil thoughts in the mind, learn to accept them; do not suppress them. Whatever thoughts arise, learn to face them with full awareness. They are your inheritance from childhood, from your parents, and from society. They are your personality, your structure. They are ‘you’, and you must not try to kill yourself. Therefore, when you practise mantra, please don’t quarrel with yourself. If your mind is running into fantasies, let it go.

Learn to witness the mind. Sometimes it regresses into the remote past, sometimes it goes into the very distant and unclear future. If you allow your mind total independence and liberty, it will transcend itself even without your knowledge. The path of experience is not so long and tedious. The experience is here and now. It is already in you, so you don’t have to develop it. It has always been in existence, but you are not able to experience it because you are bound by certain limitations. Allow your mind to flow, to break its barriers, to be anarchical, to wander freely like a vagabond, to commit crimes (inside, of course). Allow it to find itself, give it space to run, and let it experience psychic forms. Don’t worry about bad thoughts, or be happy about good ones. Just see them as you see cars moving down the street. You are aware of them, but you have no personal involvement. Like this, there is endless traffic in the mind, and when you are trying to practise mantra, the rush hour begins.

The mind is constantly resonating, vibrating with all kinds of impressions, even now, but you don’t see it, you don’t know it, because your senses are engaged. As soon as you isolate your mind, you can see the whole beautiful game it constantly plays. The more you evolve in spiritual life, the more you become aware of the homogeneity of the mind. So therefore, in tantra, do not aim at killing any of the expressions of the mind. Mind is not your problem at all- you are the mind’s problem, always wanting more experiences. So whenever you practise mantra, yantra or kriya yoga, please remember that you are not going to fight with the mind. As you practise your sadhana, you must see that you don’t interfere at all with the mind and the experiences that come to you.

Bindu – the ultimate point

In tantra the way of meditation is spontaneous. In kriya yoga, for example, there comes a moment when you experience expanded consciousness even if you do not want to. Tantra is liberation of energy. This energy, called shakti, is the sum total of the creation of the universe. To be in tune with shakti is the discovery of the self. The destiny of man is to discover the absolute universal energy. This is the bindu, the point. In a circle, there is one curve which represents time, a second curve which represents space, a third curve which represents object, and a fourth curve which represents transcendental consciousness. Then there is bindu, the point or dot at the centre which represents the absolute. This is the nature of reality and of the universe- time, space, object, transcendence, and the ultimate point.

In tantra, the emphasis is on bindu. The whole universe is an expansion from that bindu; matter has exploded out of bindu. Bindu is one absolute, but it has divided itself into millions. It is endless, and every speck of creation is absolute. There is no imperfection in this great universe, in everything you see around you- past, present and future. That is the extent of bindu.

So the bindu point at the eyebrow centre is the nucleus of the universal mind. It is the tiniest of points which explodes into the whole of creativity. When you concentrate on bindu, what happens? Time and space come closer. Otherwise they are very far from each other.

Imagine what is time and what is space. They are not outside- they are within the mind. Time and space are qualities, characteristics of the mind. If there is no time and no space, there is no mind; and if there is no mind, there is no time and no space. When you say mind, you must assume time and space, and when you say time and space, you must assume mind.

When you concentrate on bindu, time and space come closer. Time is positive and space is negative. One is Shiva and the other is Shakti. In symbolic language, one is male and the other female; one is plus and the other is minus. Mind consists of time and space; if you separate them, mind drops away. Bring them together and mind is assembled.

If you bring time and space together and connect them, what happens? It is the same as when you bring two electric wires, one positive and one negative, together- there is a spark. Bring time and space together and they will start sparking. But if you bring them closer to the bindu, there is an explosion of energy, like a bomb. This explosion is the self in tantra. I use the word explosion here but actually words have no meaning in spiritual life. Only the experience has any relevance.

Bindu is the womb of matter and the two poles of universal mind are time and space. We exist in time and space, so we can’t take time or space and throw them away. Only at the time of death, are time and space withdrawn into the universal mind at two different poles. Then they leave the body and enter into another body. But this is not what we mean here. We are talking about liberation of time and space, about active participation of time and space in relation to spiritual life. Therefore, when you practise concentration on bindu in the eyebrow centre, whatever experience arises, you must only feel that time and space are coming closer to each other. When this explosive awakening takes place, then what happens? Matter issues forth- the universal mind breaks into millions of fragments. It is all in the form of nebulae with each fragment a complete bindu, an absolute creator. It is like the atom splitting itself into thousands of atoms, all over.

At this time you have completed your evolution; the destiny of human life has been fulfilled. Just as when you finish university, you go out into the world and begin to work. So in spiritual life, when you have completed your evolutionary cycle, you go out and become a co-creator, a junior god. That’s the ultimate goal to which tantra leads mankind.

Satsang on Tantra

Can you tell us about the origin of Tantra?

Tantra is the first discovery of man. It predates vedic literature but it was not recorded in the written form until after the vedic period.

In ancient days when man was living closer to nature, he moved with the spontaneity of natural behaviour. His concepts about philosophy, God and morality were not the basic philosophy of a society, nation or religion- they were more for his own personal evolution. He began to think about realising a higher status in life rather than the higher values of a society. You must differentiate between these two. Higher values in life is spirituality. Higher values of a society is civilisation and a nation. In our world today there are many countries with higher social standards, but with very low values of life.

This tantric system did not spring from any organised system or planned method. It originated with each individual as a natural urge. To give you a very gross example: hunger is not an organised urge. A man feels hunger individually and tries to satisfy it by any means available. If he is beneath a fruit tree he will eat fruit; if he is in the forest he will hunt an animal for his food and so on. In this same way tantra developed with the individual.

As the evolution of man took place, he experienced many peculiar things and he began to wonder how they happened. For example, if someone dreamed that something was going to happen and it actually did happen, he began to wonder how he could dream of the events to come. So the thinking people began to seek the source of their intuitive knowledge and finally they came to conclude that there was a higher mind and that mind was not restricted by time and space. Man began to think of his existence, wanting to overcome his mental limitations and to realise that higher spiritual being within. For this purpose he developed certain practices which aroused his personal consciousness, made him more intuitive, and increased his awareness. This is how tantra began and continued expanding.

In many different countries, including India and Mexico, hundreds of practices were developed for the awakening of one particular faculty. People tried various methods of concentration and worship of gods. They tried herbs, minerals, narcotics, alcohol, fermented substances, chanting of mantras, the use of sounds like the drum, bell, conch, and all forms of music and dancing. However, it was chaotic in the beginning without books or a proper system.

It was not until later, after the vedic period, that certain spiritually minded people realised the great potential that lay within the tantric system and wrote it down in book form. Some suggested austere and puritanical life. Others recommended meditation and spiritual practices, and there were some who suggested the path of devotion and religion. This is how the science of tantra developed in the course of time.

What is the link between the ancient civilisations and the practices of tantra which are being revived today?

A lot will have to be said about it. As far as we know, the Atlantis civilisation was aware of the different tantric practices, symbology and other forms of experience. These were already present in the human mind in the Atlantean era, some 45,000 years ago. Every form of knowledge has its symbol in the universal mind. Just as modern computers have a symbolical language, so the human brain possesses archetypes in the form of geometrical shapes which we know as yantras in the science of tantra. Utilising these yantras the Atlantean people were able to organise the knowledge and create a structure of experience which enabled the individual to become aware of the psychic dimension of his personality.

Eventually some crisis must have occurred, compelling the Atlanteans to make a fast exodus. Some of them went as far a field as Latin America, while others went to the European continent, to the Indian subcontinent and to the Far East. I have been through many different countries and I was surprised to see some of the pre-Colombian art pieces in San Agustin, Colombia, and in Lima, Peru. In the open air museums there, the yogic postures, mudras, bandhas and yantras are clearly depicted in stone and terracotta figures.

Unfortunately, in almost every country, the tantric tradition is completely lost today. But the tradition was quietly maintained in India by some very sincere people who had the help of the more conscious and influential of the country. If you read through the most ancient books – the Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas, you will realise that the tantric tradition was the basis of every kind of knowledge in former times.

Nowadays, the basis of this knowledge remains encoded in the language, pictures and diagrams of tantra. Only very recently have scientists been able to discover that the human mind possesses its own archetypes and endless forms, symbols and languages, and that the understanding of language and perception depends on what is already contained in the universal mind.

Global evidence strongly suggests that a prior ancient civilisation has already realised, recognised and understood the reality of the universal mind and the individual mind. However, in spite of all the evidence, universal mind is still just a concept or hypothesis.

What are the differences between Indian tantra and Tibetan tantra?

In the Buddhist period, tantra was divided into two aspects, known as purusha, consciousness, and shakti or energy. Both consciousness and energy are within us in a united form. But for creation to take place, they have to first be realised separately. Now when you separate them, either you follow the prakriti path (shakti) or you follow consciousness (purusha). The Buddhist system preferred to follow the path of purusha tantra, whereas in India they followed the path known as prakriti tantra.

I will explain it to you in a different way. When you sit for meditation there are two distinct things which come before you. One is the awareness of consciousness, and the second is awareness of the experience. Now, what exactly are you going to do? You try to eradicate one of them. If you are meditating on a particular point and any thought or experience comes into your mind, you push it out and try to maintain consciousness. You try to separate consciousness from all experiences, thoughts and feelings; from every point of mental activity. This means that you are following the tantra of purusha.

In prakriti tantra, the practices develop concentration in order to explode the shakti from within. Many thoughts, many experiences and psychic visions will come into your mind and you may actually forget your mantra (Om), which is the symbol of purusha. Instead you will follow the experiences. You may see a blue sky, clouds, bright colours or any other symbol. Whatever you see you follow.

When you concentrate your mind on a symbol and continue to concentrate on that symbol, it is known as the path of purusha tantra. But when you become aware of the effects of that concentration meditation, it is called prakriti tantra. Tibet follows the tantra of purusha, and India the tantra of prakriti.

What are the different kinds of tantra?

In order to develop the higher mind, numerous practices were devised and these practices formed the different paths of tantra. The first path is known as dakshina marga or ‘right hand tantra’. It is for those who are beginning to live a spiritual life, whether they are renunciates or householders. This path talks of austerity and purity- purity of thought,* food, life and devotion, as in Christianity and Hinduism. The path of ‘right hand tantra’ is a very slow one which can be compared to travelling by bullock cart.

Of course many people were not satisfied with this path, so they made it more powerful by adding the practices of yoga- asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha, hatha yoga. But still they found that this was not a very quick way. The only difference was that it was like travelling by bicycle. So they discovered new ways, including the path of kundalini yoga.

In kundalini yoga they discovered mooladhara chakra and that if you can awaken this chakra, you can easily develop the higher mind. So the next thing they realised was that the sexual act could accomplish this. During the sexual act, two opposite energies are created by the man and the woman, and these energies can cause an explosive awakening in mooladhara chakra.

Then the question arose: ‘But everybody does it, and their kundalini doesn’t awaken?’ So they began to think about it. Then came the practices of vajroli mudra and sahajoli mudra. Utilising vajroli mudra, the shakti could be prevented from passing out. Generally when orgasm ends, a fall takes place, but if the orgasm can be contained or continued, mooladhara awakens and shakti can be directed up into the brain. Now the whole position changed, and the people began to practise this new form of tantra in great numbers. This became known as vama marga, the ‘left hand tantra’.

In kundalini yoga the brain is said to be the centre of higher consciousness, but it is not fully functioning. The brain has different areas and most of them are totally inactive. These inactive zones have special capacities which can be evolved through the tantric practices. Out of all the tantric systems, the quickest is the left hand path, but the right hand path is for a beginner. If you have no mental control, then you must follow right hand tantra, but if you are an advanced sadhaka or a yogi, and have control over your mind, you can practise left hand tantra.

The use of herbs was also introduced. About five to ten thousand years ago there was a plant, a type of creeper, named soma. They used to make a beverage or juice from soma and drink it on full moon night. With this they were able to transcend time, space and object. But they soon found that soma was not suitable for all, because many people could not face the transcendental experiences which it brought on. So they began to search for smoother ways as well.

There is a dialogue between Shiva and Parvati. Parvati, as a disciple, approaches Shiva and asks him the way to develop one’s innate power. Shiva instructs her that there are not one, but thousands of ways. For those people who are not very evolved, and who have animal tendencies, there are certain practices. Those who have human tendencies have other types of practices, and those who are sattvic, quiet in nature, have different practices again. So in fact, in the science of tantra, there are as many practices as there are human temperaments.

Why is there so much secrecy attached to the tantric practices?

There is nothing to hide in the tantric tradition, but for over ten centuries we have lived under the subjugation of those who followed different religious and political philosophies. These traditions considered some of the elements of tantra as sinful. Therefore, the attitude of the people towards tantra has changed, and so these questions are being asked. People have been converted to such an extent that their philosophical respect for tantra has been shattered and annihilated.

According to dharma the marital relationship, or the relationship between the two forces of nature, can never be considered sinful. It was considered as a dharma, a samskara. This is made clear in the vedic Smritis also. If you study the life of the rishis and munis of the past, you will understand that some of the elements considered as sinful by certain traditions are not considered as such in vedic tradition.

The word tantra is a composition of two words, ‘tanoti’ and ‘trayati’. Tanoti represents expansion and trayati stands for liberation. Therefore, tantra means expansion of mind and liberation of energy. Just as you liberate energy from matter, shakti is liberated from the mind. Here liberation does not stand to denote a religious state; liberation should be understood in the light of modern science. Energy is liberated from matter in the same way as butter is separated from milk. This is tantra.

What is the relationship between yoga and tantra?

Yoga is an offshoot of tantra. The practices of mahamudra, mahabheda mudra, siddhasana, padmasana, pranayama and so on, are all from the tantric texts. All the practices of hatha yoga and bhakti yoga were a part of tantra. The system of mantra is considered to be the very definition of tantra, and yantras and mandalas constitute the very life, the very substance of tantra. Kriya yoga is a part of tantra, and kundalini yoga, with its concepts of chakra awakening; ida, pingala and sushumna nadis, also arose from tantra.

Therefore, yoga as we know it today, is in fact tantra. But during history, people started criticising tantra because it accepted sexual life. Some religions believed that sexual life was not the divine life, others thought that if you want to rise high, you should abstain from sex. There were some religions which taught that sex was a sin. So when these religions became powerful, they began to oppose tantra.

Then the wise people took yoga out of tantra. They abandoned that part that was criticised and adopted that which was acceptable. So yoga is an offshoot of tantra.

How does the path of tantra differ from that of raja yoga?

In raja yoga there is withdrawal from life; in tantra there is acceptance of life. If a person drinks, leads an active sexual life, or eats meat, he can still evolve in the system of tantra. But in certain orthodox systems, these things are considered to be unholy, and if you have recourse to them, you will fall spiritually. In tantra, your way of life, according to your nature, is no barrier to spiritual illumination. Whether you drink or not is never held against you. Whether you are married or leading the life of a celibate, it is perfectly all right. Tantra will not force you to go against your beliefs.

The main premise in tantra yoga is that spiritual awakening can be had by anyone, under any circumstances, at any level of existence. Man should not oppose or antagonise nature; he should be spontaneous and learn to flow with it. If he opposes nature, he will develop a split personality by creating two patterns of thought.

When travelling in India and Nepal, I was intrigued by the temple art. Can you tell me why they display sexual interaction in such a spectacular manner?

Did you try to think about it? That which is behind the veil should be placed in front. Inhibitions have to be broken, so that the mind is exploded, so that there is nothing in the mind that is secret. By creating a social philosophy and social traditions, man hides from himself. This is not absolutely necessary. Man has certain inhibitions and these inhibitions have made him hide things. But the hidden things remain in his mind, unanalysed, unexpressed and unattended. Eventually they become archetypes, influencing the deeper personality.

One may not even know that this process is happening. These hidden things may influence the body or mind, leading to a cancer or perhaps disturbing the family relationships. They may damage the personality or they may inspire the creative faculties within the artist.

The statues in the great temples are the creations of artists. These painters and sculptors were very free. They thought about these hidden things and brought them to the public eye through their creations, so that people could see them for thousands of years. I have seen these temples in Nepal, Jaganath Puri, Konorak, and Khajuraho many times. But they hold no surprise, shame or fascination for me. Once the veil is lifted, the deep archetypes within the mind become known. Then the symbols or forms which express them are understood for what they are without any sense of repulsion or intrigue.

When most people look at these symbols, they see something which they know, but which they don’t want to face. An area of consciousness is behind the curtain, and the curtain has to be thrown aside. I can see what I know; I don’t see any difference between the temple art and the pictures in a gallery or exhibition. I can see them both equally because for me nothing new is depicted. Why shouldn’t these forms be expressed? After all, they represent a necessary aspect of creation.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, March, 1980)