Rishiculture Yoga Magazine October 2015

RishiCulture YOGA October 2015

The Meaning of Five

Vishuddha is the 5th Chakra

RishiCulture YOGA Content 4 5 6 9 10 15 17 18 21 22 27 28 30 31 32 34 35 36 40 42 44

Fill My Life With Sacred Fire : A Poem Five Agnis (Fires) Human Relations & the Five Chitta Bhumis Panchamukha Ganesh A Few Thoughts on Pancha Mahabhutas Gayatri Mantra Why We Suffer: The Five Kleshas The Yoga of Time: Chrono-Biology & Your Inner Plant Pancha Hanuman Symbolism of Five The Guest House: A Poem Graphic Evolution of 5 Five States of the Breath Five Hot Spices Bhekasana, The Frog Pose The Five-Fold Aspect of Shiva Na-Ma-Shi-Va-Ya The Emperor’s Quest: An Anandakapila Fable Artist or Yogi?

Concept of Agni in Ayurveda Tapas & Purification

RishiCulture YOGA Mission Our offering to the Guru is the expression of our gratitude for the knowledge that has been imparted to us through the production of a beautiful Magazine that contains our stories, moments of swadyaya, poems, photographs and artwork detailing our continued efforts on the Yoga path.

Editor’s Note It has been a while since the last issue of the Rishiculture Yoga Magazine.

Sincere thanks to all contributors in helping me make this issue manifest.

This issue is packed with the theme of ‘five’. More than 35 concepts are presented, but I am sure that we did not list them all. Let us know of any others that you can think of, and if we get enough feedback we will do a follow up article in the next issue of the Magazine.

In this issue, there is an article from Ammaji on the Five Chitta Bhumis, and an article from Dr. Ananda on the Pancha Mahabhutas.

Throughout the magazine there are explanations and images of various 5-headed Hindu Gods, several poems, and a nice article from Yogacharini Jnanasundari on the frog, and Bekasana, the frog pose among many others.

I also wrote a short article asking the question if there is a difference between being an artist and a Yogi.

Please consider contributing content for the upcoming issues of the RishiCulture Yoga Magazine as we are getting dangerously low on content. All sincere contributions are welcome. Remember that this Magazine does not exist without you.

Enjoy this issue and I look forward to collaborating with you in the very near future.

Jennifer Dany Aubé Managing Editor and Designer jendany@yahoo.com

Acknowledgements Sincere thanks to all the contributors to this issue of the RishiCulture Yoga Magazine. Images used in this publication are copyrighted to the original artists. Other images have been purchased through the stock photo site Fotolia.

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Fill My Life with Sacred Fire Poem by Tushar Ray, India

Please fill my life with Thy sacred fire By touching my heart to light-up Then pick me up for service As the flame in Thy Temple Allowing it to ignite day and night Thy touch will manifest across the dark sky Allowing the stars blossoming all night long Removing all darkness from my eyes So eyes shed light any course they take And my pain will shoot up following the flame

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Five Kinds of Agni Kāla-agni, the fire of time; Kśudhā-agni, the fire of hunger; Śīta-agni, the cold fire; Kopa-agni, the fire of anger; and Jñāna-agni, the fire of knowledge.

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Human Relations and the Five Chitta Bhumis

by Ammaji, Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, India I do wish human beings would make up their minds once and for all, whether they are good or bad!

One way or the other! Black or white! No greys! No in betweens!

If I know where people stand, I would know how to relate to them!

Instead, most are like the weather in England, one moment sunny, the next pouring rain.

Unpredictable, that’s what they are, these “featherless bipeds” (as Aristotle termed them).

Consistency, thy name is not mankind. One day, my corner fruit seller meets me with a big smile, a laugh and a generous discount while the next time I come, he growls and snarls forcing me to keep a safe distance. This second, my grandchild bubbles and gleams with shrieks of joy, while in the next minute, a huge howl of protest wells up as two egos rub sharp edges against each other.

Last night in Satsangha, all the students were on fire, aglow with inspiration and this morning they sat glumly, in darkness, pretending to meditate, but really inwardly protesting the 4:30 a.m. wake up bell. One moment the associate praises one’s virtues to high heaven while some time later, no one can please him. “I’ll be grateful forever“ lasts only as long as each request is met with a cheerful affirmation.

Best friends today and best enemies tomorrow. Relationships of convenience, to serve money and purpose.

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Infidelity, thy name is human. A touching gesture of sensitivity is made which imprints the heart.

Some time later, the same person throws a shovel of mud in our face.

Which is the real self? What self should we relate to? The same person can perform the most unselfish of acts, yet turn around and steal the very shoes under your feet! What to say? What to do? All seems to exist on a spectrum, fluctuating from great goodness to downright evil! How confusing it all is?

Only stable personalities can behave in a stable way. Only people of consistent character can be consistent. Only those of equal mindedness can exhibit predictable behavior.

Pondering these ironies, I recall a concept which classifies the “Stuff of Consciousness” usually called “Chitta Bhumi”. Chitta Bhumis are five in number: Mudha, Kshipta, Vikshipta, Ekagrata and Niruddha.

This idea, when examined, gives a new perspective of this perplexing question of instability in human relationships. The wise sages said that the mind stuff evolves through five stages in its development. These stages, in a fascinating parallel, mirror the unfoldment of life on earth.

The first stage is mud, pure and simple, slime and the creatures which emerge from slime, like worms and grubs and snakes and snails. The consciousness

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is called “Mudha” or clouded, unclean, dull, tamasika, caught up in automatic patterns in a stimulus – response mechanism.

At this stage the organism is unpredictable. It can attack or retreat as survival demands.

There is scarcely any light, and virtually no feeling at all. It is a dull mechanical existence, a field of blind conditioned responses.

As consciousness unfolds, the second stage emerges: this stage is Kshipta, or scattered, diffused, unstable, the movement wild as a chicken running haphazardly here and there. A frightened deer dashing in panic across a highway at night caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. A wild rabbit being chased by a fox and darting without reason from side to side.

The third development of the Chitta is Vikshipta, or partially distracted, partially scattered. Higher levels of animal life which have more development in consciousness represent this stage. A lion capable of stalking its prey, waiting in patience for hours to make the strike; an alert dog which is focused on its object for some short time, then reverts to aimless barking. When mind stuff starts to settle itself and become refined, it gains capacity to concentrate, to fix itself in one place and dig deeply into that place. This level is called “Ekagrata “or onepointedness. More developed animals exhibit this when they are fixed one-pointedly on their prey, such as a cat hunting a mouse, or a hawk preparing itself to swoop down upon a rabbit. In the human

States of Mind 1. M oodha (Dull)

2. Kshipta (Totally Distracted)

3. Vikshipta (Partially Distracted)

4. E kagrata (One Pointed)

5. N iruddha (Concentrated)

state, Ekagrata is manifested when the mind is consciously brought under control and brought to bear in full force with the concentrated power of its focus. Anyone who possesses skill of any kind has cultivated this power to concentrate.

Animals can possess concentrated focus, but it is an automatic survival mechanism which allows them to trap their prey.

The last level of refinement of the Chitta Bhumi is Niruddha, or the complete quietude. A meditating Yogi has reached that state. It can also be attained by an experience of profound love, when the mindstuff empties itself and becomes free of the sensation of self.

In this way the five levels of the Chitta Bhumi parallel the evolution of consciousness up through the mind stuff from a level of mud, to a level of wild distraction, to a level of partial distraction, to a state of concentration, to finally, a state of total quietude.

Now, let us back track to where I started, complaining about the fickleness of human behaviour, the unpredictability of most people.

The average mind hovers between loitering in a pile of mud, occasionally lifting its nose out to sniff the air. Some manage to climb out of the mud, and run wildly here and there, without rhyme or reason, resembling headless chickens. A few more can escape the mud pile and occasionally stay in one place long enough to concentrate a bit before getting distracted and running off again.

A few evolve far enough to train their minds to concentrate, to go deeply into things, to stay still, work hard, dig deep, penetrate the world’s mysteries and understand.

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A blessed few have lifted their “crowned heads” to the sky and sit quietly in blessed peacefulness.

Now tell me, what kind of consistency can one expect from creatures dwelling in the mud and slime? From a chicken?

From a restless animal? Almost zero, as there is no steadiness of mind; hence there can be no consistency of behaviour. The Vikshipta type may one day keep the promise, and one day not. The Kshipta type may never keep a promise. The Mudha type will not even know it has made a promise!

High beings have a control of their mind stuff. Hence, they are able to consciously choose their behaviour and conduct their life along a set of fixed principles, such as Yama and Niyama. When one is loyal to his moral and ethical code, then one can be assured that person’s behaviour is predictable.

Given that one has also reached that same level or portal of complete mastery, one may then create a stable, predictable satisfying relationship with one’s equal in consciousness.

Trying to form relationships with those stuck at Mudha, Kshipta and Vikshipta, is like trying to form a relationship with a worm, a snake, a bat, a chick or a fox.

Who would be so stupid? I can give many real life examples of Mudha, Kshipta and Vikshipta levels of mind stuff development as they are the most commonly found. One classic example of a mixture of Mudha and Kshipta comes readily to mind. It is

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amusing but at the same time, quite pathetic.

A close associate of ours has what can only kindly be called a dysfunctional family. Once they had to make an out of town trip to attend an important family function. Family members were father, mother and five daughters (teenagers and in their twenties).

They resolved to leave early, by dawn. By the time all woke up, had bath, got dressed, did puja, it was almost 8 am. So mother said “No use, we will have breakfast and rest a bit”. When preparing to leave, mother said,” We cannot go now. It is Rahu Kalam. We will have to wait till 1 p.m.. (Rahu Kalam is an inauspicious hour in which nothing should be done).

So, everyone settled down to wait.

When the clock struck one, they got ready to move, but mother said, “Better we have lunch before we go “. By the time lunch was finished and everyone had a rest, it was 4 pm. All felt tired; the trip was about a five hour journey so they all agreed it was too late to go “We will go early tomorrow, “said the mother and all agreed and settled down to watch television.

I do not know if they ever attended the family function or not as I lost patience in hearing the story. This instability and inability to stick to a schedule was extreme in their case, but I am often surprised how many people go round and round in similar traps. It is remarkable how easily people change not only their minds, but also their hearts.

Actually I could relate a large number of stories like this as the

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lowest three levels of evolution of mind stuff are so common. I cannot resist relating my favourite one. This happened about 45 years ago, when I was in my twenties, helping Swamiji run the Ashram in Lawspet.

A young American girl student was wildly infatuated with me, and gushed to me day and night. ”Meenakshi, I want to devote the rest of my life to serving you. I will wash your clothes, clean your room, massage your feet. All I want is to serve you as my Guru’s wife.” I was, I admit, quite flattered to hear all this. She had only been in the course for two weeks, but she was so enthusiastic. I felt happy I would have someone to help me out. One Saturday night she was especially devoted and reiterated again her desire to devote her whole life to my service. After Hatha Yoga class the next morning I happened to look out the balcony, and saw her and one of the boys who had joined the course loading their luggage into a taxi. She ran to the window and called, “O Meenakshi!

You will be so happy to know that Joseph and I have fallen in love and we‘re going to Nepal for a trip. Wish you all the best!”

She blew me a kiss and drove off into the sunrise with her new lover. So much for devoting her whole life to serving me!

I hope you have gained a new perspective from this private Satsanga with me. A life of consciousness is a marvelous magic journey, isn’t it?

Be always cheerful! That is the best mantra!

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PaĂąchamukha Ganesh The most relevant meaning of the five-headed Ganesh is that these heads represents the five koshas: the various bodies from the most material one (flesh body) to the most tenuous in the subtile anatomy experienced by the yogi.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Annamaya Kosha : Physical Sheath Pranamaya Kosha : Vital Energy Sheath Manomaya Kosha : Mental Sheath Vighnânamaya Kosha : Higher Mental Sheath October 2015 Anandamaya Kosha : Blissful Sheath

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All systems of Indian philosophy and healing give importance to the Pancha Mahabhutas, the five major elements of the manifest world. They are: pritvi or bhumi (earth); apas or jala (water); tejas or agni (fire); vayu (air); and akash (ether or space).

The Mahabhutas are considered the grossest manifestation in our journey from Purusha-Prakriti. They are also the starting point for our journey back to the ultimate oneness of OM. I have been contemplating the Pancha Mahabhutas recently and have realized that these universal elements have both positive and negative connotations.

(1) Pritvi (earth) refers to the cohesive aspects of solid material that is tightly bound together. This is the firm foundation upon which we can begin our spiritual journey. It implies a positive sense of stability but can also imply a negative stubborn refusal to change, the hard rock that prevents one’s growth. Dirt can blemish and make one impure.

It can be utilized to further one’s growth or it can bog one down to an early death.

(2) Apas (water) refers to the ability to adapt in a fluid manner. This liquid quality enables one to live a relatively stress free life. Water can either clean and purify or put out the fire of aspiration, creativity and motivation.

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Some Water may induce a sense of ‘wishywashy-ness’ that prevents one from doing what must be done as part of one’s dharmic responsibilities. When the element of water finds its rightful balance it is lovely, but if not, it can create a tsunami of barriers to one’s growth.

(3) Tejas (fire) refers to the fire of aspiration, creativity and motivation.

Yet too much of it and one is sure to get burned. Having a “fire in one’s belly” is a thermal state with a double edged sword. It can ignite the desire to do one’s best, with great perseverence and intention, but if the flame burns too hot, for too long, it can create indigestion and burn out. Fire can be the light of wisdom when it is a steady flame but it can also destroy everything if it is an unstable inferno.

(4) Vayu (air) refers to the gentle breeze that relaxes and reinvigorates. It is the inner ability to move with the flow of psychic energy.

If left unchecked, it can grow into a whirlwind or tornado that creates havoc everywhere.

When vata or pawan, the internal wind-like psychic energy is balanced, then the energies that flow from the nervous system are also balanced.

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Thoughts on the Pa nch a M ah abhutas

by Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani

If left unchecked, great instability manifests within the whole nervous system, which is detrimental to one’s health.

Like too much air in the body is not a good thing, then so is too much of it in the ego, as it leads to bloated heads. Airy types with no connection to reality abound in the world today and most need a bit of deflating by an ego-dectomy. That was Pujya Swamiji’s specialty, especially the ones he did without anaesthesia.

(5) Akash (ether) is the grand space that enables one to grow in all directions and dimensions. It is the most subtle of the elements and gives one maximum freedom. But with freedom comes responsibility, and if not used with awareness, it is easy to misuse one’s freedom to justify doing wrong things. When ether is in excess, one becomes scattered and looses focus of one’s goals. Instead of expanding one’s consciousness, one may end up stretched out beyond one’s breaking point.

The final analysis of this concept makes us realise that the difference between the positive and negative aspects of the elements rests ultimately in our hands. If we are conscious and aware, we can maximize the positives resulting in our growth. If we choose not to do so, then we will be overcome by negative qualities which, ultimately, can only result in our spiritual and physical demise.

The choice is ours!

Ancient Hindus were great environmentalists and worshiped all aspects of Mother Nature as manifestations of the Divine.

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Abuse of natural resources was kept at a minimum, through the cultivation of a reverential attitude towards all elements of the manifest world.

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AUM bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tát savitúr váreṇ(i)yaṃ bhárgo devásya dhīmahi dhíyo yó naḥ prachodáyāt O’ Supreme Consciousness, may our intellect bear THAT which: • embodies and protects the vital-intellectual energies; • eliminates sufferings; and • embodies happiness.

May our intellect bear THAT which is: • self-luminous, divine-brilliance and the ultimate creative source; • the best of the best and the most virtuous; • the cleanser of all our imperfections; and • the aggregate of all divine virtues and strengths.

We pray for you to: • enlighten our intellect on the righteous path; and • unfold our hidden universal potentialities and capabilities.

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Raga

Attraction to pleasure

Abhinivesa Fear of death

Dvesa

Aversion to pain

Asmita Ego

Avidya 14 16

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Igorance, the root of all suffering

Why We Suffer Chapter two, verse three of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, in Sanskrit reads: avidyā-asmitā-rāga-dveṣaabhiniveśaḥ kleśāḥ.

The five kleshas or causes of suffering are linked together in a cause and effect sequence: the basis of suffering is ignorance.

This is one of the most brief (six words, seventeen syllables) and yet profoundly complete descriptions of the cause of human suffering. Lets begin by defining, in English, its six Sanskrit words.

To be ignorant is to be oblivious of the origin and composition of the universe, and of the inner presence of the Eternal, Blissful, and Conscious True-Self.

avidyā = ignorance; confusion; lack of insight. asmitā = ego; self-centeredness; identification with the human body and that which is mutable in human beings; the belief/feeling that ‘I-am-this’ (in relation to objects/ phenomena). rāga = desire; attraction; wish; belief that outer circumstances are responsible for happiness; mental excitement and passionate emotional agitation due to desires for certain things. dveṣa = revulsion; aversion; belief that outer circumstances are responsible for unhappiness; mental excitement and passionate emotional agitation due to aversions to certain things. abhiniveśaḥ = deep seated anxiety; fear of death; tenacious determination to obtaining certain things/circumstances and avoiding others. kleśaḥ = the obstacles on the spiritual path; the cause of psychological suffering.

This leads to the belief: ’I am my body, emotions, mind, and intellect',

own True-Self, and instead believing that one is the mortal body, mind, and personality, creates the conditions in the mindfield for the seeds of the other four causes of suffering to grow.

Although ignorance, and the resulting beliefs, are present in all minds, the control they have over one’s mind and emotions varies according to their intensity.

Which results in a constant state of mental, emotional, and physical agitation due to a desire to obtain pleasure and happiness through external objects.

Which results in a state of constant mental, emotional, and physical agitation due to an aversion and fear that objects or events will not fulfill one's desires, and thus cause one to feel unhappy.

Which results in a tenacious determination to continue trying to obtain an unbroken experience of physical pleasure and emotional happiness through obtaining the objects of sensory pleasure which one desires, and avoiding those which one fears, even though experience proves that lasting pleasure and happiness is not experienced through a life focused on fulfilling the unending desires of the senses.

Ignorance of the fact that the Eternal Peace, Love, and Happiness that one is seeking externally, is already within one's

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The Yoga of Time: Chronobiology and Your Inner Plant

by Yogacharini Danielle Prohom Olson, Canada https://bodydivineyoga.wordpress.com Recently a lovely little article appeared in my Facebook feed which invited me to cultivate my inner plant. This was not to be an exercise in anthropomorphism, stated its author, but an opportunity to “vegetalize your already more than human body”. And as I read these words, I realized I had finally found a way to contextualize (and put into practice) my growing fascination with the yoga of time.

Not grand cycles of time like the Yugas, but the monthly, daily, even hourly cycles that regulate our biological clock. Like plants, our cells contain cryptochromes (light-sensitive proteins) which respond to the rising and setting sun and changing moon phases. And plant geneticists and biologists speculate that these genes are why the same cycles of time that regulate the growth, rest and reproduction of lettuce, trees and flowers, govern our metabolic processes as well.

Chronobiology increasingly confirms that within every moon phase and daily cycle – there are peak times for everything.

Chronobiology (meaning biology and time) suggests that solar and lunar cycles DO create real fluctuations in our bodies and brains, regulating physiological processes such as sleep wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature, neurotransmitter activity and other important bodily functions.

Was this I wondered, why ancient Vedic and Ayurveda texts put so much emphasis on harmonizing human activity with the cycles of the sun, moon and solar system?

Today their teachings on propitious hours, days and moon phases for meditation, sadana and asana has largely been washed out of modern yoga practice as irrelevant superstition – yet the new science of

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Indeed research compiled in Michael Smolensky’s book The Body Clock Guide To Better Health lends support toVedic texts which tell us that when it comes to maximizing our full potential, timing is everything.

Smolensky is the director of the Hermann Hospital Center for Chronobiology and Chronotherapeutic Studies, and he asserts that fluctuations in our

circadian rhythm, a roughly 24 hour period (following the earth’s rotational cycle) leaves us better performing certain tasks at certain times. For example, morning are best for tackling mental tasks because mental alertness and concentration peak from 9am and midday and wane in the early afternoon (best time for taking a nap). And because our muscular strength, pain tolerance and physical strength peak at about 3pm to 6pm Smolensky suggests this is the time to perform strength and agility based exercise.

Does this lend support to ancient Vedic texts which divide each of the 24 hours into kapha, pitta, and vata periods during which the predominating qualities of those doshas are prevalent? The three doshas are said to be the equivalent of Sun, Moon and Air energies of our body. And in the great healing tradition of Ayurveda, aligning ourselves with these energetic qualities starts with getting up in the morning.

The period before sunrise is related to Vatta, and is known as the Brahma Muharta or “ambroisal hours. And one of the very first Ayurvedic texts advises :”One should wake up in the Brahma Muhurta for sustaining perfect health and for achieving a long life span, as desired.” Conversely waking later was believed to contribute to lethargy, fatigue and a host of physical disorders. So could waking up during Brahma Muhurta actually help synchronize our natural clock?

Each morning when the earth rotates into sunlight the geomagnetic field recoils from the impact of the solar wind. This creates a surge in the fields lines of magnetic force that run throughout the earth -and our bodies and brains- releasing the hormones and neurochemicals which shift our physiology from sleeping to waking. And as Dharma Sing Khalsa MD, author of Meditation as Medicine: Activate the Power of Your Healing Force suggests – if this transition between sleep and waking does not occur in tandem with our natural circadian rhythm, it can “diminish the production of stimulating neurochemicals, and leave people groggy and depressed all day.

Or it can cause the opposite effect, the o verproduction of the stress hormonal cortisol, which can cause agitation, immune dysfunction, memory loss and premature aging.

Ancient Vedic texts are also full of instructions on observing the cycles of the moon. Different phases of the moon were believed to have different energetic forces that could be harnessed through appropriate breathing exercises or meditations. And again, while we regard these idea’s as folklore, studies referenced by Douglas Rushkoff in Present Shock, When Everything Happens NOW suggest that our brain is dominated by a different neurotransmitter during each moon phase.

And while this research is still far from definitive, there is evidence that at the beginning of the new moon acetylcholine (associated with heightened attention) is predominant, nearer to the full moon a uptake in serotonin occurs (the feel good chemical that gets boosted by anti depressants) and as the moon wanes our dopamine (responsible for reward driven learning) increases. Finally in the last moon phase we are dominated by norepinephrine (an arousal chemical that regulates the flight or fight response, anxiety and other instinctual behaviors).

So is it so far-fetched to consider that guided by the moon phases, the yogi’s various rituals, sadhanas, and proscriptions, might have indeed intensified states of consciousness or even altered their biology?

I’ve given only a few of the examples of research which supports ancient contentions that living in sync with daily, monthly and hourly cycles benefits us physically, emotionally and mentally. And this is important, as Rushkoff points out, because most of us live, work and sleep in artificial environments oblivious to the hundreds of thousands of years of human evolution that have cued “everything from our thyroids to our spleens to store, cleanse and metabolize at appropriate intervals.”And as chronobiologists have found, this is directly linked to epidemic problems as sleep

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disorders, depression, dementia , diabetes, and obesity – to name but a few.

As a yoga teacher and practitioner this concerns me because most of us also practice yoga this way.

We perform the same routines and sequence of postures day in and day out – paying little attention to the effects on our physiology of the changing hours, days and moon phases. And to me it suggests that we’re missing out on a vital component of Hatha Yoga (the mother of modern practice), one that emphasizes the importance of “yoking” our being to solar (Ha) and lunar (tha) cycles.

So an obvious question arises, could aligning with natural cycles actually enhance the effectiveness of our yoga practice? Since mental concentration is high in the morning does it make it a good time for mediation? And because muscular strength and concentration fall in early afternoon- is it an ideal time for restorative yoga? And is late afternoon (when physical performance peaks and the risk of injury drops) the best time for a more energetic power yoga workout?

Now I want to acknowledge that it’s really not as simple as all that.

The changing moon phases affect the appropriate times for differing activities each day. For example in the new moon phase, people will be most alert during the early morning hours, while in the second phase leading up to the full moon, people

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function best in the afternoon.

Further complicating matters is the fact that everyone’s body clock isn’t the same. Chronobiological research demonstrates people operate on either of two distinctive chronotypes, morning people tend to wake up and go to sleep earlier and to be most productive early in the day. Evening people tend to wake up later, start more slowly and peak in the evening.

So I wondered, beyond someone inventing an App that meshes our

chronotype with moon phases and circadian rhythms was there a simple way to put the yoga of time into practice?And this brings me back to the lovely plant embodiment exercise with which I introduced this post – because it granted me a clarifying epiphany. The answer was within the body – as always.

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Utilizing the great yogic metaphor of body as tree, this meditation instructs us to “ Find a patch of sunlight. Stand tall, let your feet sink into the ground below you, and close your eyes. Reach your bare arms outward and feel the sun warm your skin…feel the lift and lilt as your leaves and stems reach for more sunlight…”

Now considering that the same cryptochromes responsible for a plant “knowing” whether it is in the light or the dark are the same group of genes that keep humans in tune with their biological clock, this meditation aptly asks: “Can you feel the energetic shift when the far-red light of the rising and setting sun cues your body in to the earth’s rotational rhythms?”

I love this because it encourages us to sink deep down into the innate wisdom of our cells. It invites us to “acquire a bodily memory of the play of light and colour as they change over the seasons”. And it suggests that by cultivating our inner plant we can reconnect with our nature as beings in time, we can begin to instinctively sense and move in harmony with the cycles of time that regulate all life on the planet.

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Panchamukhi Hanuman In the Ramayana, the significance of number five is beautifully narrated as follows: ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

The son of one of the five elements (son of wind (air)– Pavana Thanaya) crossed one of the five elements (water – the ocean), through one of the five elements (sky, ether), met the daughter of one of the five elements (daughter of earth – Sita Devi) burnt down Lanka by one of the five elements (fire).

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Symbolism of Five The Prana Vayus (Major)

Pancha Sahita Pranayama

1. U dana Vayu (governs all the autonomic functions); 2. Pranaha Vayu (governs respiration, heart activity, speech); 3. Samana Vayu (governs the assimilation & digestion of food); 4. A pana Vayu (governs excretion functions of the kidney, bladder, colon, genitals); and 5. Vyana Vayu (governs all voluntary and involuntary body movements.

The Senses & Sense Organs

The Five Part Ratio Breath is said to control the 5 elements associated with the 5 major organs and controls the Pancha Prana Vayus, which are associated through the nervous system to the 5 major organs. This pranayama is done over 45 days, each organ for 9 days.

DAYS

ORGAN

RATIO

ELEMENT

1 to 9

Lung

4:16:8:4

Ether

10 to 18

Liver

4:4:16:8

Water

19 to 27

Digestive Organs

8:4:4:16

Fire

28 to 36

Elimination Organs

16:8:4:4

Earth

37 to 45

Heart

4:16:8:0

Air

The Prana Vayus (Minor) 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Naga Vayu (belching, vomiting); Kourma Vayu (hiccups, eye blinking); Krikalara Vayu, (coughing, sneezing); Devadatta Vayu (yawning, feeling hunger); and Dhananjava Vayu (fatigue, redess of ears, drooping of eyelids).

The Five Tastes Sweet; Salty; Sour; Bitter, and Pugent.

The Koshas The Chitta Bhumis 1. Moodha, dull; 2. Kshipta, distracted; 3. Vikshipta, partially distracted; 4. Ekagrata, one-pointed; 5. Niruddha, mastered.

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1. A nnamaya Kosha : Physical Sheath 2. Pranamaya Kosha : Vital Energy Sheath 3. Manomaya Kosha : Mental Sheath 4. Vighn창namaya Kosha : Higher Mental Sheath 5. Anandamaya Kosha : Blissful Sheath

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The Pancha Mahabhutas

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2.

3.

4.

5.

bhūmi (earth); jala (water); agni (fire); pavan (air or wind); and akash (ether or void).

The Five Kinds of Agni 1.

2.

3.

4.

Kāla-agni, the fire of time; Kśudhā-agni, the fire of hunger; Śīta-agni, the cold fire; Kopa-agni, the fire of anger; and

5. Jñāna-agni, the fire of knowledge.

The Five Books of the Torah Collectively called the Five Books of Moses, the Pentateuch (Greek for “five containers,” referring to the scroll cases in which the books were kept), or Humash (Hebrew for “fifth”).

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

The Khamsa It is an ancient symbol shaped like a hand with five fingers, is used as a protective amulet by Jews.

The same symbol is also very popular in Arabic culture, known to protect from envy and the evil eye.

Pentameter In poetry, pentameter is a verse with 5 repeating lines and iambic pentameter (commonly associated with Shakespeare), is a line that has 10 syllables (2×5).

When a character’s lines are in iambic pentameter, it usually indicates they are saying something of importance, as in a soliloquy where hidden information about a character is disclosed.

The Five Wounds of Christ While in the course of his Passion, Jesus suffered five wounds: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Scourging at the Pillar; Crowning with Thorns; Wounds in hands; Wounds in feet; and Side Wound of Christ.

The States of the Breath

The Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam are the framework of Muslim life.

1. Shahadah: declaring there is no god except God; 2. Salat: ritual prayer five times a day; 3. Sawm: fasting and self-control during the holy month of Ramadan; 4. Zakat: giving 2.5% of one’s savings to those in need; and 5. Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime, if one is able.

Breath in, hold in, breath out, hold out and cessation of breath.

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Pancha Maha Yajnas

The Pancha Vrittis

Duties and responsibilities of the Hindu life has been classified into five great Yajnas.

The five movements in the mind:

1. B rahmayajna (study of scriptures, selfdevelopment; and teaching others); 2. Devayajna (meditation, praying and worship of the devas by pouring oblations into the sacred fire); 3. Pitriyajna (offering tarpana libations in respect and gratitude to ancestors); 4. Manushyayajna (caring for and feeding fellow humans); and 5. Bhutayajna (caring for nature and all life).

Sacred Sikh Symbols The Five Ks are the five items of dress and physical appearance given to Sikhs by Guru Gobind Singh when he gathered together the first members of the Khalsa on Vaisakhi day in 1699. These symbols give Sikhs a unique identity signifying discipline and spirituality. However, these items cannot be reduced to just symbols and must be worn in their full form.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Pramana (knowing correctly); Viparyaya (incorrect knowing); Vikalpa (fantasy or imagination); Nidra (deep sleep); and Smriti (recollection or memory).

Five Thieves (Evils) In Sikhism, the Five Thieves are the five major weaknesses of the human personality at variance with its spiritual essence, and are known as “thieves” because they steal a person’s common sense. The word ‘evil’ may be understood as “sin”, “defect” or “defilement”.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Kam (lust); Krodh (anger); Moh (attachment); Lobh (greed); and Ankhar (ego).

The Pancha Kavyas These are considered the essential works of Sanskrit poetry:

1. K esh (Uncut hair, which is kept covered by a turban. The turban is a symbol of leadership.)

2. Kangha (A small wooden comb, symbolizing cleanliness and order. As a Sikh combs their hair daily, he or she should also comb their mind with the Guru’s wisdom) 3. Kara (A steel bracelet, symbolizing strength and integrity) 4. Kachhehra (Cotton boxer shorts, symbolizing selfcontrol and chastity; prohibition of adultery); 5. Kirpan (A ceremonial sword, symbolizing readiness to protect the weak, and defend against injustice and persecution.)

1. R aghuvamsha - Kalidasa: The story of Shri Rama and His ancestors 2. Kumarasambhava - Kalidasa: The story of the birth of Kartikeya Bhagawan 3. Kiratarjuniyam - Bharavi: The story of Arjuna and the hunter from Mahabharata 4. Naishadiyacharita - Sriharsha: The story of Nala and Damayanti 5. Shishupalavadha - Magha: The defeat of Shishupala by Krishna

The Five Percenters

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Members of The Nation of Gods and Earths, a primarily African American religious organization, call themselves the “Five-Percenters” because they believe that only 5% of mankind is truly enlightened.

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The Pancha Vratas The five main Jain vows are: himsa (to be free from injury); A Satya (to be free from falsehood); Asteya (to be free from theft); Brahmacharya (to be free from unchastity); and Aparigraha (to be free from worldly attachment).

The Pancha Mukha

The Hindrances In the Buddhist tradition they are called the five poisons or hindrances. They are negative mental states that impede our practice and lead us toward unwholesome action:

The 5-headed form of Hanuman. Each head represents one of the following: 1. H anuman, a monkey in center represents courage & strength; 2. Narasimha, a lion facing south represents fearlessness; 3. Garuda, an eagle facing west represents magical skills and the power to cure snake bites; 4. Varaha, a boar facing north represents health and exorcism; 5. Hayagriva, a horse facing the sky represents victory over enemies.

The Kleshas The Yoga Sutra explains the five reasons we are bound. These troubles, or afflictions, are known as the kleshas:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

vidya (ignorance, the root of all suffering); A Raga (attraction to pleasure); Dvesa (aversion to pain); Abinivesa (fear of death); and Asmita (ego).

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

ack of discernment; L Attachment or desire; Aversion or fear; Pride; and Jealousy or envy.

Sadashiva There are 64 forms of God Shiva. These forms are described in Shiva Agamas, Sculptures and Paintings, Religious Texts and Puranas.

Sadashiva is one form, with five heads and ten hands.

DEITY HEAD

DIRECTION

MAHABHUTAS

CHAKRA

SENSE TANMATRA

Sadyojat

West

Earth

Muladhara

Nose/Smell

Vamdeva

North

Fire

Manipura

Eyes/Sight

Tatpurusha

East

Air

Anahata

Skin/Touch

Aghora

South

Water

Svadhistana

Tongue/Taste

Ishana

S. East

Ether

Vishuddha

Ears/Sound

Even the shiva mantra has five parts: Na - Ma - Shi - Va - Ya.

Bhutagni There are five kinds of Agni innate in each of the mahabhuta of the body. Every bhutagni digests its own corresponding component mahabhuta in the food that we ingest.

Prathivagni, Apyaagni, Agneyaagni, Vayavaagni and Nabhasagni.

The Oceans Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, Antarctic; and Indian.

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Was will be All thatNiyamas was Was is

The Pentagram

The five-pointed star has religious significance in various faiths.

In Yoga, Utthita Tadasana, a standing posture with arms and legs outstretched is referred to as the 5-pointed star pose.

In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the Niyamas are the second limb of the eight limbs of Yoga. These virtues and ethical premises are considered in Hinduism as necessary for an individual to achieve a self-realized, enlightened, liberated state of existence.

All that will be Will be was After it is is

Five-Headed Brahma Brahmā is traditionally depicted with four heads, four faces, and four arms.

With each head, He continually recites one of the four Vedas. There is a story of a fifth head.

This head came when Shatrupa started flying away from him and the head came on top of the four heads - symbolizing lust and ego. The head was decapitated by Shiva returning Brahmā to his four head avatar which gave birth to the Vedas.

Yamas and Mahavratas The Yamas of Patañjali’s classical yoga system, are the first limb of the eight limbs of Yoga. They are virtuous self-restraints that affect the yogi’s relations with others.

In Jain philosophy, right knowledge, right faith, and right conduct are essential for attaining liberation. In order to acquire these, one must observe the five great vows or Mahavratas: 1. A hiṃsā (nonviolence, non-harming other living beings); 2. Satya (truthfulness, non-falsehood); 3. Asteya (non-stealing); 4. Brahmacharya (celibacy, non-cheating on one’s partner); and 5. Aparigraha (non-avarice, non-possessiveness).

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1. Ś auca (purity, clearness of mind, speech and body); 2. Santoṣa (contentment, acceptance of others and of one’s circumstances as they are, optimism for self); 3. Tapas (persistent meditation, perseverance, austerity); 4. Svādhyāya (study of self, self-reflection, introspection of self’s thoughts, speeches and actions); and 5. Īśvarapraṇidhāna (contemplation of the True Self).

Rivers of the Punjab Punjab literally means “(The Land of) Five Waters” referring to the following rivers: the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas. All are tributaries of the Indus River, the Chenab being the largest.

Pancha Skandha - The Five Aggregates In the Buddhist tradition, once we have a physical body, we also have what are known as the five skandhas — the aggregates that compose our whole mental and physical existence. They are the constituents of our experience, the support for the grasping of ego, and also the basis for the suffering of samsara.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Form (rūpa); Feeling (vedanā); Perception (saṃjñā); Formations (saṃskāra); and Consciousness (vijñāna).

Pañca-sila - Buddhist Moral Precepts 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Refrain from destroying living creatures.

Refrain from taking that which is not given.

Refrain from sexual misconduct.

Refrain from incorrect speech.

Refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.

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The Guest House : A Poem This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they are a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.

Meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes. because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

by Jelaluddin Rumi (translated by Coleman Barks)

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Gr aphic

Evolution

of

Five

Through purely graphical evidence, the European glyph for the number 5 appears to have evolved from the Khmer but its earliest appearance does not resemble what we now associate with the glyph for 5 at all. Indeed, it is far easier to trace the roots of the modern glyphs for the numbers 1-4 to the Brahmin Indians than it is for the number 5.

The glyph for the number 5 has been through a remarkable evolution. From resembling a rotated lowercase “h�, to a symbol which we are more likely to recognise as a backwards 3 or the rudiments of the glyph 4. Perhaps the evolution of the glyph for the number 5 can provide us with the first hint of creativity.

Text Adapted from Wikipedia

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Five States

of the

Breath

B reath I n H old I n B reath O ut H old O ut C essation of B reath

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5

Hot Spices

With the transition of the seasons, and cooler weather ahead, here are a few spices to help maintain an active metabolism and keep us warm. Experiment, add a pinch in your food and drink.

1. black and red pepper 2. cayenne pepper 3. chili powder and fresh chiles 4. crushed red pepper flakes 5. ginger

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Bhek âsana, the Frog pose

by Yogacharini Jnanasundari (Janita Stenhouse), France What a wonderful bird the frog are.

He ain’t got no wings hardly.

He ain’t got no tail hardly either.

When he hop, he fly almost; When he stand he sit almost; And when he sit, he sit on what he ain’t got hardly.

(Anonymous) I remember this little poem from my childhood and, though I can’t recall at all where I learnt it, it has always made me laugh, with its awful grammar and potty ideas. But it’s true that a frog gives the impression of being able to fly with its huge jumping range – up to twenty times its own length! Of course in order to do that it has evolved some specialised muscles and bones; where one might expect a leg to contain a tibia, a fibula and metatarsals, a frog’s hind leg has just one strong bone, and where you’d expect to see an ulna alongside a radius in the forelimb, again the frog has just one bone. These specialised limbs, along with fewer antagonistic muscles, give it power in its jump: longer and faster a perfect example of a species evolving to suit its needs and environment. In Yoga one of the 26 minor accomplishments resulting from mastery of the kundalinî is Darduri Siddhi, the ability to jump with the power and agility equal to that of a frog.

And don’t you just love those webbed digits? The webbing is proportional to the time a frog spends in the water, in other words an aquatic frog is well-webbed, where a desert-living frog is less webbed. Yes, there are frogs living in very dry places; in fact they are found in many different habitats, ranging from tropical to sub-arctic regions, though they particularly like tropical rainforests.

Who in childhood has not collected frogspawn and watched in fascination the development of the eggs through the (vegetarian) tadpole stage into the fully grown (carnivorous) amphibian? Did you ever notice that it closes its eyes when eating? This is because the eyeballs apply pressure to help swallow.

A frog has a recognisable call, especially during the mating season and at night. The sound is welcomed in India as it heralds the monsoon and a fall in temperature.

I remember trying to get to sleep on the roof (too hot inside) and having to block out the racket made by the hundreds of frogs in the culvert opposite our house. Did you know that the English consider the frog to say “croak”, a French frog says “coa coa”, in Arabic it is “gar gar” and (my favourite) a Hungarian frog says “bre ke ke”?

And of course all cartoon frogs say “ribbit”, for the simple reason that the species of frog living near the film studios in Hollywood happens to say “ribbit”.

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adult

Frogs also r we can learn to a new opportunities

You remember the frog prince stories, in which the unfortunate prince has been changed magically into a frog by a wicked sorcerer or witch. The princess kisses the frog and he turns back into a handsome prince (they are always handsome and charming....this is how you know it’s a fairytale), but in India it is the other way around! In the Ramayana, Mandodari was born as a frog which one day witnessed the poisoning of a bowl of milk destined for a hermit. Nobly the frog jumped into the bowl to discourage the hermit from drinking the poisoned milk, but he (ungrateful!) cursed the frog he found floating about in the bowl. The curse was reversed by the gods who deemed her generosity merited a boon rather than a curse, and she was turned into a beautiful maiden who subsequently married Ravana, king of Lanka. She it was who wisely counselled him to return Sita to Rama in order to avoid a lot of grief.

(He didn’t listen, of course, and the rest is history. She does get to marry the next ruler of Lanka though, so hopefully did in the end live happily ever after in true fairytale style.)

Frogs produce poison in the parotid glands behind their protruding eyes to protect themselves against predators, and science is investigating ways of using their poisons, for example as painkillers, although shamans throughout history have used the hallucinogens in some poisons for ritual purposes (not to be tried at home, please).

Pliny the Elder (23-79 CE) mentions the use of frogs – a bone taken from the right flank would keep water from boiling, while a bone from the left side would repel attack by dogs (probably not try this either). Frogs have always symbolised fertility, abundance and prosperity – the feng shui frog with a coin in its mouth for example – presumably because of its abundant egg production. A female lays thousands of eggs every year, of which only a few survive to become ts, the others providing nutrition for birds and pond dwelling creatures (especially newts), or just drying up and dying.

represent renewal and rebirth, and radical transformation. This is why in performing Bhekâsana consciously adjust serenely to changing situations with a balanced and peaceful attitude, trusting in our intuition, and to navigate s and experiences with ease. In other words, to swim through life’s transformations with tranquillity.

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the five-fold aspect of Shiva Siva is sometimes shown with five faces. Each of the faces has a name and represents a specific aspect of Siva.

Ishana faces south east and represents Iswara, also known as Sadasiva or the Eternal Siva.

Pancha Brahma is a concept in Hindu tradition and it mentions that Brahman or Supreme Truth took form in five stages.

Information about this concept is found in the Pancha Brahma Upanishad, which is part of the Krishna Yajur Veda.

Tatpurusha faces east and represents Siva with a deluded purusha or ego.

The five forms are Satyojatha, Aghora, Vamadeva, Tatpurusha and Ishana.

Aghora faces south and represents the destructive and regenerative aspect of Siva that, like fire, first devours life and then prepares the ground for its renewal.

Sathyojatha is associated with earth, sun, Goddess Lakshmi, Brahma, OM, Rig Veda, household fire, mantras, yellow and seven notes. This form provides all that is wished for.

Vamadeva faces north and represents the healer and preserver.

Satyojatha faces west and represents the creative power of Siva.

Aghora is associated with water, moon, Goddess Parvati, Yajur Veda, south fire, fifty letters and blue. This form destroys all evil.

Vamadeva is associated with fire, Sama Veda, white, and yajna fire. It provides knowledge and destroys sin.

Thatpurusha is associated with air, Atharva Veda, red and all functions relating to Brahman or the Supreme Truth.

The form of Ishana encompasses the other four forms. What is heard and seen is this form.

There is another concept of Pancha Braham which states that the five forms are Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Ishana and Sadashiva. This is mentioned in the Lalithopakyanam and Brahmana Purana.

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. . . .

NA MA SHI VA YA

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The Emperor’s Quest:

An Anandak apila Fable

by Dr Jonn Mumford, Australia Once upon a time, that is to say some time or other, an Emperor, who had everything, felt he had “no thing” despite all evidence to the contrary!

He never stopped to be mind-ful of himself and appreciate he had more than enough of the finest food to gourmandize upon, golden chariots to convey him everywhere and no where and every place but “now here”, health, good looks, more wealth than he could conceive in his neurotic brain, meaningful work to do (if you call being a “Politician” purportedly charged with governance of a country “Work”?) and a bevy of “friends”(meaning hanger-oners) bewitched by his power and majesty.

Unfortunately he had an obsession, what we would call, when I was young, (long, long ago) “Existential Angst”, caught between the paradoxical dictums of Socrate’s’ “the unexamined life is not worth living” and Freud’s’ “As soon as a man begins to question life he already is sick” (not much has changed in 2500 years!) and not realizing the middle word in “life” is “if” he never stopped to examine himself or thought to directly acknowledge he was “sick”!

Sunrise to sunset and sunset to sunrise he ruminated, perturbated, excogitated and, agonized in an endless cycle of fruitless mentation over “the meaning of life”, the

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“purpose of life” and the “why?” of life.

He consulted all of his advisors about his search for the “meaning of life”- to no avail- although one day his chief advisor brought a 14 year old girl, said to be possessed of psychic powers, and quite a prodigy, to him, and when he asked her “WHY?” she promptly replied “BECAUSE!” turned on her heel and walked out of the throne room.

Unfortunately the Emperor’s I.Q. was not quite up to the 14-year-old girl’s (which of us is equal to a girl’s intellect?) and he failed to grasp that she had given him the very answer he so earnestly and desperately was seeking.

Many years passed by and the Emperor became more haggard, more discontent as he contemplated “The meaning of life” –in fact some of his courtiers claimed they could actually see the hamster in his head continuously running the “hamster wheel” 24/7 and as the days turned into weeks and the weeks multiplied into years the result was he graduated beyond “discontent” to positively “malcontent”.

This was one very disgruntled Emperor who did not even notice the Emperors of bordering countries were constantly busy doing interesting fun things, such as starting illegal wars, getting at least a hundred thousand or more innocent civilians killed, and one goof head in a neighboring country, even managed to snatch “defeat” from the jaws of “victory” while bankrupting his Kingdom and dragging the whole globe down with him.

The Emperor was truly an example of a man who had every pleasure at his command and enjoyed

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nothing! The psychiatrists have a fancy word for such a state: ” ANHEDONIA” and good, kind, and patient reader I assure you if you ever find yourself in such a state (Paralysis by Analysis) seek help immediately, if not sooner!

This Emperor was not “most men” and yet he personified Henry David Thoreau’s comment: “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them”.

He passed through his mid-life crisis with profound oblivion, for the crisis in his head, from pondering the imponderable, superseded all else.

When he was sixty, and looking a hundred, some curious news was brought to him; a shepherd had discovered a secret cave with an oval entrance and engraved over the opening was the Emperor’s name – and bravely the not so young youth, (herding sheep for years had not made him “sheep like”) ventured within the cave and reported he had found a large chest inside with a gold plaque on the top upon which was written the cryptic message “Emperor’s wish fulfilled”.

The Emperor, accompanied by his senior courtiers, rushed to the cave and eagerly dashed inside to indeed discover a large trunk with ”Emperor’s wish fulfilled” upon a gold plate anchored to the lid. Trembling with anticipation he ordered the lock and hasp broken and threw open the trunk to reveal within countless leather bound diaries with the year and his name embossed in silver on the covers – to be precise there were, because I know you expect an accurate account, sixty of these thick diaries- one for each year of his life.

He grasped the first tome and opening it found the first page blank and promptly proceeded to turn every page over to discover nothing!

He did not realize he had another fifty-nine volumes to go through – I pre-empted by telling you the number of diaries to help you understand what he was up against – a courtesy, dear, kind, patient reader, I am sure you will appreciate – which reminds me have you ever contemplated why people visiting a doctor are called “patients” and the doctor refers to his premises as “a practice”? I could tell you however I am sure you will work it out and anyways such digressions could keep us here all day and you are all busy people and the art of reading is a dying art and long paragraphs are considered very bad form – unless you are Norman Mailer!

I love that man – he could write a paragraph three pages long and you never even noticed!

Anyways back to our Royal subject, who by now, was in a state of frenzy with his eyes bugging out on a pair of stalks called the “optic nerves”, and trembling hands, feverishly working his way through each diary flipping through the blank pages to be cast aside in an ever growing mound behind him. So many pages, so many years, all blank! All wasted! Waste paper really!

Half way through his desperate haste, actually three hours, he rationalized (don’t we all? – humans can survive three weeks without food, four days maximum without water – five minutes –give or take, without air – but not a second without rationalizing ourselves to ourself!) that the answer to his quest must be at the bottom of the chest and the blank diaries were merely the concealer before the revealer!

By now the cave, word having spread, was brightly lit with TV lights for the cameras and burst of flashbulbs from the hoard of journalists eagerly jostling, juggling,

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and struggling to catch the elderly monarch’s every movement, as he reached the very bottom layer of diaries and written in gold, whereas the other diaries were merely embossed with silver, “THE MEANING AND PURPOSE OF LIFE”

Shaking with anticipation, he stopped and took a deep breath to prepare himself for the truth.

At last the moment of truth, the end of a life spent in fruitless searching and the answer was within grasp. Another deep breath and yet another to bring himself under control.

A veil about to be lifted, the evil obsession he had been searching for removed, a chance to live again: Ney it was an apocalyptic if not absolutely apoplectic moment in eternity- a frozen instant of time suspended between his birth and death and actually narrowed down, now, literally, to the space between his next inspiration and expiration.

Ripping out the last of the diaries with the TV lights, beaming right to the bottom of the chest, which was one solid highly polished mirror, and in a blinding flash he gazed upon himself!

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Marina Abramovic:Artist or Yogi?

Artist is Present

by Yogacharini Jennifer Dany Aubé, Canada

The

Marina Abramović is a pioneer of performance art. She began using her own body as the subject, object, and medium of her work in the early 1970’s.

The exhibition The Artist Is Present, took place at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2012. It is Abramovic’s longest performance piece to date.

The performance consisted of Abramović sitting quietly, every day the museum was open, for 3 months.

Across from her was an empty chair, and visitors were encouraged to sit silently across from the artist for a duration of their choosing, becoming active participants in the artwork.

Sitting quietly all day does not seem like much of a performance. The action, or rather interaction, between Abramović and the visitor came

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through the power of the gaze. Each looking and seeing and in reciprocity, being looked at and being seen, and each being fed with the energy and gaze of the spectators. A profound connection was made possible using only the eyes. The more time spent in this gaze or seeing meditation, the deeper the connection and understanding of a fellow human being. Despite the perceived stillness, the performers revealed their vulnerabilities, sadness, lonliness and dreams, and at times displayed their profound understanding, empathy and need to connect, with tears.

Visitors lined up for hours for an opportunity to sit quietly and to connect with a stranger. Some sat for minutes, others for hours, and others showed up at the museum everyday to further deepen their

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gaze and strengthen their interconnection. What does that say about us and the society we live in?

It is true that in this mordern world that communication technologies are connecting us to one another like never before... and yet as individuals, we have never been more disconnected or alone.

The sadhak meditating in a cave in the Himalayas is replaced by four white walls and two chairs, a performance artist and spectators in a museum in one of the busiest, richest and most cosmopolitan cities in North America.

Marina Abramović: Artist or Yogi?

In moments of great achievement, there is no difference, they transcend and meld into a same meaning.

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Vivekananda Describes the Mythology of 5-Headed Brahma as Allegory.

When a child grows, his psychological brain is marked as Brahma-Saraswati. He creates and understands the new world around him with Knowledge.

Saraswati (knowledge) is also created as Brahma, from information gathered through the five senses. We need to direct our senses in all directions so that creation is all around.

Moni

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Concept of Agni in Ayurveda

by Dr. Narendra Shanker Tripathi, India Origially published in the Asian Journal of Modern and Ayurvedic Medical Science,Vol.1,no.1, July 2012.

INTRODUCTION The term of Agni, in common language, means fire. However, in the context of the functioning of a living organism, which maintains its integrity and performs its vital activities, by converting in Pakadi-Karmas or bio-physical and bio- chemical processes, the foods consumed in various ways – licked, masticated, drunk, etc. not only into its various structural and functional constituents but also to provide the Shakti or energy necessary for processing with its innumerable vital activities, this term does not actually mean fire.

In these sequences, the term Agni comprehends various factors which participate in and direct the course of digestion and metabolism in living organism.

TYPES OF AGNI Agni, by name of Agni-vyapar is an agent that helps in the digestion and metabolism of food stuffs and drugs. There are many types of Agni in the body. There may be specific types of Agni’s for specific type of Para going on in the body at different level. But it has been classified into three broad headings: jatharagni, bhutagni and dhatwagni.

Further they may be classified as one, seven and five types respectively.

First is jatharagni. It is related with the gastro-intestinal digestion and absorption. In addition it has been

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considered to influence the Agni situated elsewhere.

The concept of dhatwagni and bhutagni refers to the intermediary tissue metabolism. The dhatwagni are seven (Rasagni, raktagni, mansagni, medoagni, asthiagni, mazzagni, and shukragni ) and bhutagni are five (prathivagni, apyaagni, agneyaagni, vayavaagni, and nabhasagni) JATHARAGNI It converts the gross food particles into smaller particles which are then able to be absorbed. It is related to the gastro-intestinal tract. ( Jathar means Gastrium) The Ayu (life span), Varna (complexion), Bal (vitality), Swasthya (good health), Utsaha (enthusiasm ), Sharir Vridhi, Prabha (glow), Oja (vital essence), Tej (lusture), Agnis and the Pran (life breaths) are derived from the Agni in the body.

When the Agni is extinguished man dies, when a man is induced with it adequately, he lives long in good health, when it is de-arranged, he begins to ail. Therefore the function of Agni is said to be the main stay of life. The food which is considered the nourishing factor of the Sharir, Dhatu, Ojas, Bal, Varna and other things, that very food too, is dependent for its nutrient action on the jatharagni as from the undigested food, the sharir dhatu cannot be formed.

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BHUTAGNI There are five kinds of Agni innate in each of the mahabhuta of the body – prithvi, apya, agneya, vayava and nabhasa, every bhutagni digests its own corresponding component mahabhuta, in the ingested food which is a compound of the mahabhutas. Just as a quality in the substances nourishes individually its corresponding quality in the body as for example, the mahabhuta of prithvi in the body is nourished by the mahabhutas nourish their corresponding qualities, thus making for complete nourishment.

DHATWAGNI The body substaining Dhatu, which are seven, undergo combustion by their Dhatwagni and each of them gets transformed into products namely Prasad (vital substances) and Kitta (excretory substances).

The very causative factor of amavata, the ama is resultant of hypo functioning of Agni.

Accordingly, as to the Dosha or Doshas which may influence Jatharagni, there are three types of Agni disorders: vishmagni, Tikshnagni and Mandagni.

1. VISHMAGNI It is caused by vitiation of Vata and results in Vishtabdha-Jirna.

It manifests with Shoola (pain in abdomen), adhaman (digestion of abdomen), todabheda (pricking like pain), apravriti of adhovayu

and malas (non movement of flatus and excreta), stabdhata (stiffness), murchha (fainting) and angamarda etc.symptoms of vata (vroddhi ).

2. TIKSHNAGNI It is caused by vitiation of pitta and results in vidag-dhajirna. It manifests with bhrama (giddiness), trishna (thirst), Murchha and osha (heating), chosha (scorching), Sweda (perspiration), amlodgara (belching), daha (burning sensation) and other symptoms of pitta. 10 3. MANDAGNI It is caused by vitiation of kapha which is the main cause in formation of Ama and results in amajirna. It produces gaurava (heaviness of abdomen / or of whole body), utklesh (nausea), shotha on kapola (cheeks) and akshikuta (eye orbit) and avidagdha udagara (belching), occurring soon after and according to meals.

RELATION OF AGNI WITH PRAKRITI Agni have strong relation with different types of Prakrities (personalities)12,13,14.In Vata Prakriti individual Vismagni (unstable digestive & metabolic power) is very common. In person having Pitta Prakriti, Agni is very potent. Mandagni is common in Kapha Prakriti individuals.

Homeostasis15 is also maintained by the proper functioning of the agni. Seasonal variation15 also affect the functioning of agni.

Thus disorder of kapha is the root cause in the genesis of Ama

and this disease. Ama is also of the nature of Kapha, its physical properties are quite similar to Kapha.

If all the 13 Agnis are not in normal state and remain untreated, several types of disease may develop due to accumulation of Ama. The Dhatwagni and Bhutagni may be vitiated in the same way as Jatharagni by the tridosha. Thus if Dhatwagni and bhutagni are depressed it will result in the production of “Ama ”.

CONCLUSION Agni may be correlated with digestive & metabolic fire in the body.It is the substance secreted in our body, which is directly responsible for chemical changes in the body. It consist digestive (pak) enzymes and different kinds of hormones, and co-enzymes activities etc. which participate in these digestive & metabolic functions. It is a logical conclusion that Ama is produced due to hypo-functioning of Agni.

At any level of the three Pakas (digestion and metabolism i.e.

Madhur, Amla & Katu avastha paka & vipaka) due to hypofunctioning of the agni concerned unwanted chemical substances are produced known as Ama. Hypo-functioning of any Agni specially of Jatharagni is likely to affect the function of other too, leading to formation of Ama in the different stage of Paka-karma.

Lastly we can say that Agni plays very important role in growth, development & maintenance of the body.

REFERENCES 1. I ntroduction to Kaya Chikitsa by C – dwarkanath (p-45) 2. C harak Samhita, chikitsasthan 15/13(Chakrapani) 3. C harak Samhita, chikitsasthan (15/4, 13,15) 4. C harak Samhita, chikitsasthan (15/3-4) 5. C harak Samhita, chikitsasthan (15/5) 6. C harak Samhita, chikitsasthan (15/13-14) 7. C harak Samhita, chikitsasthan (15/15) 8. C harak Samhita, chikitsasthan (15/49-50) 9. M adhav Nidan (Madhukosh-1986 Ed.) p-206/Shlok -12 10. M adhav Nidan (Madhukosh-1986 Ed.) p-206/Shlok -11 11. M adhav Nidan (Madhukosh-1986 Ed.) p-206/Shlok -10 12. T ripathi NS. Concept of formation of prakriti in ayurveda, The Indian Journal of Research Anvikshiki, Vol5, Number-4 July-August 2011.

13. T ripathi NS. Conceptual Study Of Development Of Prakriti in Ayurveda, The Indian Journal Of Research Anvikshiki, Vol-5, Number-4 JulyAugust 2011.

14. T ripathi NS. Conceptual Study Of Vata Dosha-“The Controller Of Body”, The Indian Journal Of Research Anvikshiki, Vol-6, Number-1 Jan-Feb 2012.

15. C haudhary Sunil Kumar, Tripathi NS. Concept Of Homeostasis In Ayurveda, The Indian Journal Of Research Anvikshiki, Vol-6, Number-4 July-August 2012.

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Tapas & Purification

by Yogacharini Vera Almeida, Portugal The word Tapas is related with heat, to burn, in this case a fire that purifies body, emotion and mind.

The concept of Tapasya is often misunderstood for a penance to harm the body, but it goes much deeper than that, it is in fact a act of penance, but one that tackles weaknesses, so that they can be turned into strong points. It is the conscious act of choosing to change the self.

Hatha Yoga practice for example is a form of Tapas, we push our body to become more flexible, stronger and healthier. In fact all Ashram life is a form of Tapas.

Paying respect to the Gods by going to Aarthi every morning and every evening, or singing the Surya Mantras are also forms of discipline, actually all rituals are a form of self discipline may this be directed to a deity or to our beloved Guru and teachers. They provide us a routine that creates self awareness and discipline.

By undergoing difficult tasks we become more disciplined, more aware and more in control of our lives. These challenges that we undergo must confront our weakness, confront our animal Samskaras, putting behind our primordial animal impulses and exalting our humaneness.

As part of the 5 Nyamas mentioned in Patanjali´s Yoga Sutras, Tapas is also one of the branches of Kriya Yoga. This Yoga of action is a 3-fold Sadhana which, according to Patanjali, can

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itself lead to Samadhi.

Tapas, Sawadyaya and Iswara Pranidanan are closely related.

It is virtually impossible to write about one without mentioning the others. While pondering more deeply about Tapas this became very clear to me.

So the practice of Tapas can help us overcome difficulties that might come up while trying to live life according to the Yamas and Nyamas. As long as we understand were the problems and difficulties are (for this we need the use of swadyaya) we can impose on ourself a certain action, a certain routine that will go against the bad habits and establish a new way of acting.

Of course this is not something we will achieve in a day, like everything on the Yoga path, regularity, rhythm and repetition are the key to evolution and successes. When undergoing this process of change through Tapasya, we are also overcoming our Kleshas, the psycho-somatic afflictions that hold us back from human and spiritual evolution.

Avidya is ignorance. With practice of tapasya we become more aware of our tendencies and difficulties.

Asmita is the ego. By performing Tapas we bring the ego under control and get a grip over our egotistic tendencies and attitudes.

Raaga is related to attractions and Dwesha with repulsion. To develop as human beings, we

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need to overcome the cycle of attraction and repulsion, and act according to what is right and wrong rather than doing what we like or dislike. Follow the universal truth and not the personal one. Once again Tapasya is one way to gain the insight we need to act in harmony with the universe.

The self-purifying method has been present in many different religions and cultures throughout the course of history. With a similar purpose, perfecting the self and surrendering it to God (Iswara Pranidanan).

There is sometimes a tendency for men to mistake penance with self-flagellation and self-harming.

While talking about Ahimsa in Satasanga, Ammaji gave us the example of the Jain nuns that pluck their hair one by one as a form of purification. This example shocked me very deeply, especially because the core of their religion is Ahimsa, and this act clearly violates this Yama.

Here is a obvious perversion of the concept of Tapasya. So it is good to keep in mind that if the idea of Tapas is taken too far, it will stop to be beneficial.

Also in Christianity, in my opinion, this concept has been again perverted.

Even nowadays people flagellate them self so that God will relieve them from their sins or grant them something they really want or need. Here they are not

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concentrated in self improvement, but they are hoping for a miracle, expecting that God will value their physical pain, and grant them what they wish.

Some years ago my parents took me to Nossa Sr. de Fatima´s temple in Portugal. It is the biggest and more popular temple in Portugal and Fatima is definitely the dearest Saint of the Portuguese People.

John Paul II was a great devotee of this Saint, that and the fact that Her story is quit recent, towards the end of the 20th century, contributed to turn this temple into a big institution. I was blown away in amazement as soon as I arrived.

First, by the size of the temple, then by the unbelievable quantity of shops that all sell the exact same products (souvenirs, candles, and images of the saint and of the Pope),

makes people do this; when a beloved one is ill, or the difficulties of life prove to be more that they can bare. But does the Divine really appreciate all that suffering?

Will it really make Him help them?

Will these acts make them become better Human beings? Or are

good, then nothing good can sprout from it.

they in fact just violating Ahimsa? Maybe they are just burning heavy Karma from this life or previous ones. The way I see it, if we don’t practice Tapasya with awareness of the action we are performing, if we don’t do it with a higher purpose, it becomes simply violence to the self.

In the old Hindu scriptures, the Mahabharata, there are many stories of people and saints that got boons from the Gods by performing austere Tapas. Like staying for long periods of time with one arm pointing to the sky, or sitting under a tree for years chanting the Mantra OM. Even Assuras or demons were often granted boons, due to their ability to undergo extremely difficult Tapas.

Dr. Ananda mentioned that there is an expression in India that refers

but mostly by the immense number of people crawling around the temple in the thick of summer, with their knees bleeding and clearly in pain. It was shocking. Of course I understand that it is despair that

to a difficult task as an assuric task. Boons granted to the assuras (demons) were misused by them and consequently lead them to condemnations. Once again, if the intention behind the action is not

By creating a strong self discipline through the practice of Tapas, we also improve our willingness to adjust to others. We start to see an opportunity in every situation to learn and grow. For example when someone is unkind or unjust toward us, rather than being angry or upset, we are able to cultivate detachment from the situation we are in and learn from it. There is a popular saying that says, “what doesn´t kill you makes you stronger”. This stops us from concentrating on negative thoughts, feelings and attitudes, and enables us to focus on productive uplifting choices. We are able to see the other person with understanding eyes and avoid uncomfortable or violent situations.

In the Yoga Sutras Patanjali tells us that by perfecting Tapasya, we will become free from all impurities and will have total control over our body and sense organs.

I believe that if we are able to practice tapasya we will gain such power that we will be able to improve immensely in any other Yama and Nyama, and ensure that we are going in the right direction, on the path of conscious evolution.

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Mission: "Our offering to the Guru is the expression of our gratitude for the knowledge that has been imparted to us through the production of a beautiful Magazine that contains our stories, moments of swadyaya, poems, photographs and artwork detailing our continued efforts on the Yoga path."

We all live busy lives, but without your contributions this magazine does not exist.

Content length does not matter. Theme or subject of your content does not matter, as in the end, it all comes together under the roof of 'conscious evolution'. Scholarly articles or long essays are not required... a few lines of self-reflection fulfills the mandate of the magazine. With the number of Gitananda students now connected through email and social media there should be lots of contributors, but this is never the case... each issue of the magazine is a struggle.

Amma is always happy to to read through the contributions made by the Gitananda family, so let’s not disappoint her. Swami Gitananda. the ‘lion of Pondicherry’, is watching over us, and with a mighty ROAR!... he is telling us to ‘GET TO IT!’ even more so if it is hard or inconvenient as this ensures our continued growth.

What personal change, aha! moments or incremental transformation have you gone through in the last year?

Reflect. Write. Draw. Snap a Photo. Share.

RishiCulture YOGA About Swami Gitananda Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri was one of the most potent and effective forces in the field of ashtanga yoga worldwide. Trained in modern allopathic medicine, he combined the ancient traditional spiritual sciences with a modern scientific temperament. His hundreds of thousands of students around the world were attracted to his clear, rational, scientific expositions of ancient philosophical and spiritual concepts. A practical man to the core, the technology of yoga which he transmitted to his students has proven an effective method of attaining perfect health, well being, personality and intellectual development.

Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj was the purveyor of a vast, scientific, rational and systematic body of yoga knowledge. He embodied in himself the Bengali tantric tradition of his life-long guru Sri Kanakananda Swamigal with the Shiva Yoga and ritualistic expertise of the line of gurus of Sri Kambliswamy Madam, as imparted to him by his predecessor Sri Shankaragiri Swamigal.

The vast living and vibrant knowledge which he imparted so freely to hundreds of thousands of students included a complete and rational system of Hatha Yoga practices which provided a base for the higher techniques. For those who prepared themselves properly, he offered a complete system of jnana yoga techniques to purify, steady and cultivate the mind, and free it of hang-ups and false concepts and conditions.

Mission of the Magazine Our offering to the Guru is the expression of our gratitude for the knowledge that has been imparted to us through the production of a beautiful Magazine that contains our stories, moments of swadyaya, poems, photographs and artwork detailing our continued efforts on the Yoga path.

The Magazine is published three times a year in February, June and October. All issues can be downloaded for free and printed copies are also available.

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