"The Jivamukta is not transformed by pleasure or pain.
Joy does not exalt the mukta, nor is the mukta depressed by pain.
The Jivamukti no longer regards the world as real...
The Jivamuktiis pure the akasha...
The Jivamukti is neither subject to attachment, nor to egoism.
The Jivamukti does not fear the world,
Nor does the world fear the jivamukta
The jivamukta is at peace with the ways of the world.
The mukta is free from worldly-mindedness...
Finally, the jivamukta maintains a cool head."
-Vidyaranya, The Jivan-Mukti-Viveka
Jivamukti Yoga provides the jiva (individual soul) with a means to liberation, freedom from the bondage of maya (illusion).
The 5 Elements of Jivamukti Yoga:
1. Scripture: Avid studying of the ancient sanskrit texts including Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads & Sanskrit alphabet & grammar.
2. Bhakti (Devotion): Practicing compassion towards all living beings as well as letting go & letting God & loving all life brings to you.
3. Ahimsa (Non-violence): Following a vegetarian diet as well as animal, environmental & social activism.
4. Music: Singing devotional prayer songs or chanting the many names of God, often in kirtan, or call & response, format.
5. Meditation: One-pointed mindfulness.
3 Types of Jivas:
1. Pravahi (tamas): worldly & not interested in attaining enlightenment
2. Maryada (rajas): seeks enlightenment through systematic approaches.
3. Pushti (sattva): filled with the grace of God.
Kashiraja
to reign with light
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Guru Invocation
Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshvara, Guru Sakshat, Param Bramha, Tasmai Shri Guruvey Namaha
Acknowledging the many different teachers in our life's that lead us in the direction of enlightenment if we are open enough to recognize them, listen to them and follow their lead. Honoring Guru Brahma, the creator, and acknowledging our birth and our existence as an aid toward enlightenment. Honoring Guru Vishnu, the preserver, and acknowledging our time here on earth, our experience as a human being, and what a blessing that is. Honoring Guru Devo Maheshvara, Shiva (the destroyer), and acknowledging revelations and the opportunity they provide for transformation. Honoring Guru Sakshat, the teacher nearby, both within ourselves and the people around us, which act like mirrors reflecting back aspects of ourselves, whether that is divinity or resistances. Honoring Param Bramha, formless and infinite. Lastly, Tasmai Shri Guruvey Namaha finishes the invocation by offering one's life up to God.
Acknowledging the many different teachers in our life's that lead us in the direction of enlightenment if we are open enough to recognize them, listen to them and follow their lead. Honoring Guru Brahma, the creator, and acknowledging our birth and our existence as an aid toward enlightenment. Honoring Guru Vishnu, the preserver, and acknowledging our time here on earth, our experience as a human being, and what a blessing that is. Honoring Guru Devo Maheshvara, Shiva (the destroyer), and acknowledging revelations and the opportunity they provide for transformation. Honoring Guru Sakshat, the teacher nearby, both within ourselves and the people around us, which act like mirrors reflecting back aspects of ourselves, whether that is divinity or resistances. Honoring Param Bramha, formless and infinite. Lastly, Tasmai Shri Guruvey Namaha finishes the invocation by offering one's life up to God.
Monday, September 26, 2011
The 5 Bodies
Within each of us lies 5 bodies in which the most central body is the Self, or Atman. It is good to purify the 5 bodies so that our true divinity, or Brahman, can reveal itself and shine through as the light of absolute consciousness. The 5 bodies can be categorized into 3 types: material, astral and causal.
The most external body is our material, or physical body as is called the Annamaya Kosha. Annamaya meaning food, kosha meaning covering. Annamaya Kosha can be purified through eating a clean diet, through asana (yoga poses) and through kriya (yogic cleansing techniques). A clean diet consists of chemical free plant foods. Animal products are typically laden with all the chemical residues from a lifetime of consuming inorganic and or genetically modified animal feed. Asanas are meant to aide the yogi in physical cleansing through ringing out and accessing deep parts of the body as well as purify the thoughts through one-pointed focus on alignment, and balancing Sthira (steadiness, strength and grounding) and Sukha (gentleness and softness). Kriyas are cleansing techniques a yogi uses to purify the body, the breath, the mind and the spirit. To read more about Kriyas and for some kriya techniques follow this link.
Within Annamaya Kosha lies Pranamaya Kosha, vital or astral body. Pranamaya meaning vitality. Pranamaya Kosha can be purified through Pranayama (yogic breathing techniques) as well as kriya. For more on Pranayama and to learn some techniques follow this link.
Within Pranamaya Kosha lies Manomaya Kosha, or the emotional body, also categorized under the astral body. Manomaya meaning emotions. Manomaya Kosha can be cleansed through karma yoga (selfless service and the yoga of action), bhakti yoga (devotion to God and the yoga of love), chanting (devotional prayer songs chanting the many names of God), yamas (how we treat the world) and niyamas (how we treat ourselves). Karma yoga is one of the 4 major yogas and is rooted in selfless service and is a good way to make sure our actions are in alignment with the Universe and, therefore, cause good karmic affects. There are 3 types of karma: past, present and future. Sanchitta is our unresolved past actions, in this lifetime or previous lifetimes. Parabda is our present action in which we have control over. Agami is our future action in which we also have no control over, and are the result of our present actions, which we DO have control over. Bhakti yoga is also one of the 4 major yogas and is the yoga of love, devotion and prayer. Bhakti yogis see every moment as an opportunity to love yourself, your fellow living beings, life, the Universe, all of it! Every moment contains a drop of golden nectar and it is our greatest gift to see that, honor it and be in a constant state of gratitude and devotion over it. Many Bhakti yogis, as well as many other paths, invoke a connection to spirit by chanting or singing out the many names of God. It is said that in chanting the names repeatedly, known as japa, one becomes completely immersed in and connected to Spirit. Yamas and Niyamas can be filed under Ashtanga Yoga, the 8-limbed path to Self-realization. They are the first two limbs. Yamas are the way we interact with the world around us and are classified into 5 restraints or abstinences. Ahimsa, or non-violence, is the first of the 5 restraints or abstinence and works to endhostility and hold compassion for all living things. Satya, or non-lying, promotes truthfulness and power of the spoken word. Asteya, or non-stealing, reminds us to practice faith in that all things will come to us when, where and how they are meant to. Bramhacharya, non-hoarding, invokes the practice of moderation and strength of will. Last but not least, Aparigraha, non-possession reminds us not to continually let go of our physical, mental and emotional attachments to things. Niyamasare the way we interact with ourselves and are classified into 5 observances. First is Saucham, defined as purity, health & radiance. This includes what we put into our bodies, mind and spirit. Pure diet, pure thoughts, and pure intention are healthy practices for this observance. Santosha, or contentment, is another observance as entails being ok with whatever we experience because it is all meant to be and there is no good or bad and we can only control our reactions to our experience and not what we experience itself. Tapas, or heat, comes with self discipline rooted in the physical practice as well as meditation. When we begin to feel the heat and are in the climax of our experience, it is best to stay there and handle it with grace, compassion and integrity so as to move through it and experience true transformation. Svadhyaya, self-study, is the observance of one's own ego in order to understand it and go beyond it. Isvara Pranidhana is the last observance and requires devotion and surrender to cosmic intelligence or divine intuition, offering your experience up to God as a form of prayer.
Within Manomaya Kosha lies Vijnanamaya Kosha, or the intellectual body, also within the astral body. Vijnanamaya meaning intellect. The intellectual body is comprised of thoughts and ideas and can be purified through satsang, or keeping company of those also interested in seeking liberation from the ego and merging with Oneness, as well as through the study of scriptures (from any enlightened beings), sanskrit (ancient yogic language) and meditation (one-pointed mindfulness). Scriptures from all enlightened beings are equally helpful such as the Rig Vedas, Vedas, Yoga Sutras, the Bible, the Koran, etc.
Finally, the innermost core of the 5 bodies encompasses the Anandamaya Kosha, or the bliss body, which lies within the causal or seed body. Anandamaya meaning bliss. Anandamaya Kosha can be purified through complete and total connection with the Universe, the state of true ecstacy, also known as Samadhi, which is the 8th limb of Ashtanga yoga.
All 5 bodies interact with and affect each other and so purifying them can lead to a heightened state of awareness, and allows for consciousness to shine through.
The most external body is our material, or physical body as is called the Annamaya Kosha. Annamaya meaning food, kosha meaning covering. Annamaya Kosha can be purified through eating a clean diet, through asana (yoga poses) and through kriya (yogic cleansing techniques). A clean diet consists of chemical free plant foods. Animal products are typically laden with all the chemical residues from a lifetime of consuming inorganic and or genetically modified animal feed. Asanas are meant to aide the yogi in physical cleansing through ringing out and accessing deep parts of the body as well as purify the thoughts through one-pointed focus on alignment, and balancing Sthira (steadiness, strength and grounding) and Sukha (gentleness and softness). Kriyas are cleansing techniques a yogi uses to purify the body, the breath, the mind and the spirit. To read more about Kriyas and for some kriya techniques follow this link.
Within Annamaya Kosha lies Pranamaya Kosha, vital or astral body. Pranamaya meaning vitality. Pranamaya Kosha can be purified through Pranayama (yogic breathing techniques) as well as kriya. For more on Pranayama and to learn some techniques follow this link.
Within Pranamaya Kosha lies Manomaya Kosha, or the emotional body, also categorized under the astral body. Manomaya meaning emotions. Manomaya Kosha can be cleansed through karma yoga (selfless service and the yoga of action), bhakti yoga (devotion to God and the yoga of love), chanting (devotional prayer songs chanting the many names of God), yamas (how we treat the world) and niyamas (how we treat ourselves). Karma yoga is one of the 4 major yogas and is rooted in selfless service and is a good way to make sure our actions are in alignment with the Universe and, therefore, cause good karmic affects. There are 3 types of karma: past, present and future. Sanchitta is our unresolved past actions, in this lifetime or previous lifetimes. Parabda is our present action in which we have control over. Agami is our future action in which we also have no control over, and are the result of our present actions, which we DO have control over. Bhakti yoga is also one of the 4 major yogas and is the yoga of love, devotion and prayer. Bhakti yogis see every moment as an opportunity to love yourself, your fellow living beings, life, the Universe, all of it! Every moment contains a drop of golden nectar and it is our greatest gift to see that, honor it and be in a constant state of gratitude and devotion over it. Many Bhakti yogis, as well as many other paths, invoke a connection to spirit by chanting or singing out the many names of God. It is said that in chanting the names repeatedly, known as japa, one becomes completely immersed in and connected to Spirit. Yamas and Niyamas can be filed under Ashtanga Yoga, the 8-limbed path to Self-realization. They are the first two limbs. Yamas are the way we interact with the world around us and are classified into 5 restraints or abstinences. Ahimsa, or non-violence, is the first of the 5 restraints or abstinence and works to endhostility and hold compassion for all living things. Satya, or non-lying, promotes truthfulness and power of the spoken word. Asteya, or non-stealing, reminds us to practice faith in that all things will come to us when, where and how they are meant to. Bramhacharya, non-hoarding, invokes the practice of moderation and strength of will. Last but not least, Aparigraha, non-possession reminds us not to continually let go of our physical, mental and emotional attachments to things. Niyamasare the way we interact with ourselves and are classified into 5 observances. First is Saucham, defined as purity, health & radiance. This includes what we put into our bodies, mind and spirit. Pure diet, pure thoughts, and pure intention are healthy practices for this observance. Santosha, or contentment, is another observance as entails being ok with whatever we experience because it is all meant to be and there is no good or bad and we can only control our reactions to our experience and not what we experience itself. Tapas, or heat, comes with self discipline rooted in the physical practice as well as meditation. When we begin to feel the heat and are in the climax of our experience, it is best to stay there and handle it with grace, compassion and integrity so as to move through it and experience true transformation. Svadhyaya, self-study, is the observance of one's own ego in order to understand it and go beyond it. Isvara Pranidhana is the last observance and requires devotion and surrender to cosmic intelligence or divine intuition, offering your experience up to God as a form of prayer.
Within Manomaya Kosha lies Vijnanamaya Kosha, or the intellectual body, also within the astral body. Vijnanamaya meaning intellect. The intellectual body is comprised of thoughts and ideas and can be purified through satsang, or keeping company of those also interested in seeking liberation from the ego and merging with Oneness, as well as through the study of scriptures (from any enlightened beings), sanskrit (ancient yogic language) and meditation (one-pointed mindfulness). Scriptures from all enlightened beings are equally helpful such as the Rig Vedas, Vedas, Yoga Sutras, the Bible, the Koran, etc.
Finally, the innermost core of the 5 bodies encompasses the Anandamaya Kosha, or the bliss body, which lies within the causal or seed body. Anandamaya meaning bliss. Anandamaya Kosha can be purified through complete and total connection with the Universe, the state of true ecstacy, also known as Samadhi, which is the 8th limb of Ashtanga yoga.
All 5 bodies interact with and affect each other and so purifying them can lead to a heightened state of awareness, and allows for consciousness to shine through.
Aaaaaahhhhh....Oooooooh.....Mmmmmmmm
"Om expresses the four states of consciousness - jagrat (waking), swapna (dreaming), sushupti (deep sleep), and turiya (samadhi) - both visually and in sound. When we chant Om, each part vibrates in a different part of the body and represents a different state of consciousness. The Ah blooms in the lower abdomen and represents jagrat, the waking state. Oooh vibrates in the solar plexus and heart and represents swapna, the dream state. Mmm vibrates in our skull and represents sushupti, deep sleep. The fourth state, turiya, exists in the continuing vibration and resonating, unstruck sound of Om. Om is the sound that is God's name." - Summarized from the book Jivamukti Yoga by Sharon Gannon & David Life.
Heart Wide Open: a heart opening medititation
My most favorite, most satisfying, most heart-filling meditation to do involves opening your heart wide open to interact with and accept the whole Universe into your heart without hesitation or fear. This meditation can be done anywhere and anytime. It is a good way to view the present moment with clarity, and to progress.
To begin, get comfortable and try to relax your body as much as possible, feel the ground beneath you and visualize roots growing from your body into the earth as you grow the spine tall and allow your crown chakra to remain open. Breath open through and soften the front body, especially the heart center, Anahata chakra. Imagine your heart center opening wide with each inhale to interact with and connect to the Universe, and love what you find. Let the feeling of wholeness and Universal love tickle and warm your soul. As you exhale allow the heart to close back in and take a moment to accept love into your heart. Feel the fullness of love and then do it again. Continue inhaling to open and exhaling to close, breathing the whole Universe in and out through your heart. If a bit of darkness is revealed to you, feel the resistance it causes as you try to open to the Universe and breath open to break the resistance up and out of your heart until it is gone. As you do this see the truth about what is revealed to you and ask yourself tough questions. Validate, forgive, and accept it into your heart and let it go. Each moment, live and breath open into your true life’s path and love every single moment of it, no matter how dark or tough it gets.
To begin, get comfortable and try to relax your body as much as possible, feel the ground beneath you and visualize roots growing from your body into the earth as you grow the spine tall and allow your crown chakra to remain open. Breath open through and soften the front body, especially the heart center, Anahata chakra. Imagine your heart center opening wide with each inhale to interact with and connect to the Universe, and love what you find. Let the feeling of wholeness and Universal love tickle and warm your soul. As you exhale allow the heart to close back in and take a moment to accept love into your heart. Feel the fullness of love and then do it again. Continue inhaling to open and exhaling to close, breathing the whole Universe in and out through your heart. If a bit of darkness is revealed to you, feel the resistance it causes as you try to open to the Universe and breath open to break the resistance up and out of your heart until it is gone. As you do this see the truth about what is revealed to you and ask yourself tough questions. Validate, forgive, and accept it into your heart and let it go. Each moment, live and breath open into your true life’s path and love every single moment of it, no matter how dark or tough it gets.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)