International Yoga Day - 21 June

By Lt Col R K Langar

The word yoga has assumed worldwide significance after UN declaration that Jun 21 shall be celebrated as International Yoga Day. Yoga, which has a spiritual connotation originated from India and has now travelled to the West and other parts of the world. The West is using yoga in many of its physical activities only whether it is weight reduction or other wellness activities. In India also many people consider yoga as a physical fitness industry and as alternative medicine. I often hear people saying ‘ I am doing yoga’ and by doing so I have been able to get rid of my physical pains. People generally equate yoga with wellness activities which include Asnas and Pranayam to some extent. Such understanding of yoga, which is limited to body fitness technique, is not what yoga is in the true sense. (more…)

In World Drama Man Plays Three Different Roles

By Lt Col R K Langar

Human life on earth has been described in a number of ways. It is said that life is a battle field (Dharamshetra as described in Bhagavad Gita) where there is a continuous battle going on inside a man between knowledge and ignorance, between discrimination and reactive attitude. Some say  life is a school where we keep on learning as long as we live. Life is also described as a game which you must play and give in your best without competing with others. Life is also Yoga – a continuous process of self conquest for connecting with God which is also a process of self awareness or knowing "Who Am I". And in relation to the world life has also been described as a stage drama where we appear to play our roles and then leave the world. (more…)

Does Immortal Die

By Lt Col R K Langar

Immortality- what does it mean

In common parlance immorality means a living being in the world who is not subject to death. Take the case if a human being who consists of body including mind and intellect and a soul or Atma. As per the Vedantic philosophy or Hinduism, when the man dies it is only the body which perishes but not the Atma which being a fragment of God is not subject to birth or death and is immortal. Hence we can say that a man who identifies with the body alone and not the Atma would say that when the body dies the man dies on the other hand those who are soul conscious would say that I am established in my soul or spirit and hence I am immortal because the Atma is not subject to birth and death. The Atma moves from one worn out body to another new body and this process keeps on repeating itself till the soul is liberated from the cycle of birth and death. (more…)

Definitions of yoga in Gita

By Lt Col R K Langar

If one truly wants to understand  what is YOGA there is no other book other than Bhagavad Gita which can give a comprehensive meaning of the word yoga. Bhagavad Gita as a scripture is Brahmavidya and  to realize It Gita teaches Yogashastra. The yoga of Gita is a practical discipline for realization of God or Brahmavidya, the philosophical wisdom. Each of the eighteen chapters of Gita are titled as Yoga chapters with the subject and at the end of each chapter definition of Bhagavad Gita as science of the Absolute and the method to realize It through practice of yoga. (more…)

The Chakra Centers and the Capacity of Activating Them - part 2

Author: Yuga Rishi Shriram Sharma Acharya

Everyone knows about the 6 Chakras. In reality they are 7 in number. The seventh Chakra is Sahasrar and is generally not counted because it is the leader of all subordinate Chakras. Thus the 7 energy Chakras (plexuses) are symbols of 7 Lokas (worlds), 7 Rishis, 7 seers and 7 continents.

A description of energies and forms associated with each Chakra can be found in many scriptures pertaining to spiritual practices. No doubt some differences are there yet briefly following is the information commonly given by all. (more…)

The Chakra Centers and the Capacity of Activating Them - part 1

Author: Yuga Rishi Shriram Sharma Acharya

In ancient times researchers of Soul Sciences very intricately discovered conscious principles of the subtle world. In this very human body (microcosm) they found the mirror-image of the material world (macrocosm). Whatever one perceives in the gross world is present in the human body in a subtle form. Hence instead of carrying out research studies pertaining to the external world with the help of very expensive scientific technical apparatus, the ancient seers/sages looked upon the human body as a reflection of the gigantic cosmos and hence conducted research studies by diving deep into their souls within the body. (more…)

Mantra and Consciousness

Author: sushant pandey

A mantra is a combination of psychically potent sound syllables that are capable of influencing the human system. It works on different levels of being (from gross to the subtlest).

Mantras as it is defined, is that tool which liberates the mind from bondage, here bondage means ‘the state of identification of the gross mind’. Mind is always identified with the world of idea name, form and objects. At the energetic level the identification leads to dissipation of energy (vikshepa), mind is tied down to the plane of gross sensorial world creating the spectrum of experiences colored by the polar opposites of pains–pleasures, heat-cold, depression-elation etc. Here in these conditions mantras helps to tune the vibrations of mind to the subtler frequencies of mantras and hence helps to internalize it. (more…)

Enlightenment Easy

Author: Bruce Boyd

Enlightenment: like falling off a log?

I believe that being enlightened is a very easy state to be in. Certainly being dysfunctional is far more difficult, exhausting in fact. If you take a good look at the average American city-dweller, you generally see the face of total exhaustion regardless of the time of day or day of the week. What is it they are trying to do that is so tiring? (more…)

Spiritual Yoga - The Meditation of Introversion, The Extroversion of Yoga

Author: Jamie Alan

Yoga that I was taught was incredibly difficult and almost impossible to do at first. There were some serious hangups in the beginning but like anything once you get some practice it gets a whole lot easier. Knowing what Yoga is all about really helps to achieve the end result in each practice much clearer. (more…)

Yoga: Mind, Body and Soul

Author: ATrujillo

Yoga is a philosophy of life as well as a system of exercises that encourages the union of mind, body, and spirit. Yoga dates back as far as 4000 BC, and was developed first in India. It is a classical science and philosophy that was developed by the Indian sage Patanjali. Yoga comes from the original Sanskrit word, 'joga,' which means 'to join. It has been around for a long time, yet its teachings are still applicable today. Yoga is geared towards self-development and is an important element in personal growth. It is an ancient set of teachings and practices, yet it is truly very simple to do. (more…)