Thu Jan 29th, 2015 06:00Am Manhattan, NYC

 

DEDICATION:

What is Yoga?

“Yoga is to realize the Truth.
It is to realize the True Self.”

-Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa,
The Universal Gospel Of Yoga

 

The Purpose of Yoga

“The purpose of Yoga is very clear from its beginning.
Our True Self is the Pure Existence called Atman,
and the purpose of Yoga is to ‘realize It’ and ‘live It.’ ”

-Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa,
Teachings on the MAHAYOGI YOGA MISSION web-site

 

“Hear the words of Truth, reflect upon them, and meditate.”
-Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa

 It is said that when we practice Yoga, it is important to go through the three processes mentioned above. Have you ever thought about why this is significant or why this is so?

“Hear the words of Truth, the words of the Awakened Ones, think through them thoroughly and then meditate.” This teaching alone represents two of the three components of kriya yoga, the daily practice that practitioners of Yoga must carry out. It also encompasses two of the five niyama (observances) from ashtanga yoga (The Eight Limbs of Yoga).

The teachings of Yoga are for those who are seeking Truth, and their purpose is that of Self-Realization. As practitioners of Yoga, we treasure each word of Truth and, with the aim of realizing the Truth, dedicate ourselves to fully understanding the depth of meaning behind the words, intuiting their very essence. Understanding of the Truth does not come merely by reading or hearing the words of Truth, no matter how much we might hear or how many times we may read.

We should think thoroughly about why it is important for the practitioner to go through these processes and why it is important for us to understand deeply for ourselves rather than just remaining on the surface of the words, understanding them simply ‘through much hearing’ as mentioned in the sutra below.

 

“This true Self cannot be attained through doctrines, nor through intelligence,
nor through much hearing.
It can be attained only by one whom this Self chooses and
[to whom] this Self reveals Its own nature.”

-Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1-2-23

During the summer of 2012, for the three months that Shri Mahayogi was in NY, a group of disciples and students in Kyoto, Japan came together and dedicated themselves to studying the yama (abstinence) and niyama. Each disciple chose one yama or one niyama to explore deeply. They were to think thoroughly about it, including throughout their daily activities, meditate on it and later present what they had come to understand about it to the rest of the group in order to study the subject together. One disciple, Satya, chose to study svadyaya, the study of sacred scriptures. Recently, the notes she took about what she learned from this program and her experience after three years were posted on MYM of Kyoto’s blog. The following are the translations of her notes:

• First of all, reading sacred scriptures is completely different from regular reading.

• On reading books = books are for activating the mind, causing it to move.

• On reading sacred scripture = these books are for restraining the activity of the mind.

• We must NOT interpret the meaning in our own way or to please the ego. → Cultivate the ability to listen. Acceptance with humbleness, without protesting, is important.

How to read the sacred scriptures–

• How much and how in depth you relate yourself to the teaching is essential.

• Trying to feel and understand the teachings through sensing and experiencing the depth of their meaning is important.

• It is possible to meet one’s Ishta (one’s personal ideal saint) !!!
It seems that it happens as a result of studying sacred scriptures.

 

After sharing these notes, Satya wrote that she realized that now, three years later, she has verified it to be true, “you can meet your Ishta.”

 

The third issue of Pranavadipa will be released in 10 days!
For those who hunger for Truth, this has been a powerful way to stay connected to the teachings of Shri Mahayogi and His energetic presence that can be found within them. It is as if we are receiving the spiritual food we need to sustain us for one month. How have you been relating the teachings to yourself and to your daily life? Exquisite food has such a wonderful and enticing aroma! However, unless we take it into our mouths and chew, swallow and digest it, we never get to taste how truly delicious it is, nor can we experience the sustenance that it brings us. It sits outside of us, only pleasing us with its sweet aroma.

Don’t you yearn to partake in and enjoy this splendid feast with all of your senses?!

 

Wed Jan 7th, 2015 07:00Pm Manhattan, NYC

CONVEYANCE:
Greetings from snowy New York,

The second volume of our monthly publication, Pranavadipa, will be available online starting tomorrow, January 8th.

Along with newly translated teachings from our Master, Shri Mahayogi Paramahamsa, this volume includes a section entitled: Testimonies from Actual Practitioners—writings from dedicated practitioners of Shri Mahayogi’s teachings. For the first one, we have decided to introduce an article by Mr. Shimada, the first in a series of his articles that will run through the next several issues.

Mr. Shimada, the disciple who has been contributing this inspiring series of sincere reflections about Yoga for Paramahamsa (the Japanese MYM bi-monthly newsletter), has been practicing with Mahayogi Yoga Mission in Japan since July 2010. He related the impact that his discovery of Yoga had on him, and his transformation is even more inspiring considering the difficult personal situation he was going through when he began to practice. In addition to sustaining a committed practice of Yoga, he is a single father of a teenage son and has a full-time corporate job.

This testimony reveals the real-life experience of an actual practitioner of Shri Mahayogi’s teachings. His words come from his firsthand experience of the practice and his great dedication and faith in the Yoga he has received from the Master. He is living proof of the results that come through Yoga and Shri Mahayogi’s teachings when they are lived out every moment and placed at the center of our hearts. These articles are a valuable source of inspiration and support for anybody attempting to enter Yoga and transform their lives through it, as well as those who are already on the path.

Today, we posted Mr. Shimada’s first article in this series on our website under “teachings.” We recommend that you read it because it serves as the introduction to the second article, which will be available in Pranavadipa Vol. 2 starting tomorrow.  (click to read the article)

Stay connected to the Truth!

Jai Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa Ki, Jai!

 

Thur Jan 1st, 2015 00:00am Manhattan, NYC

DEDICATION:
The image of Sahasrara Chakra (Thousand-Petaled Lotus) used for the PROJECT SAHASRARA blog, is a symbol of Satori, Awakening. It came from the tapestry created by our Master, Shri Mahayogi in 1976, the year Mahayogi Yoga Ashrama was established. Shri Mahayogi designed it to symbolize Yoga, and one of his students from the inaugural year dyed the tapestry. This piece is especially treasured as the first artwork he created since the establishment of the Ashrama.

In the center of the sahasrara, surrounded by petals, each of which are delicately painted, the symbol of the Holy Feet is drawn. In the most ancient times, the human form was not used to depict God or Buddha (an Awakened Being). Instead, the Bodhi Tree or a Dharma Wheel were said to be used to convey their Existence. Truly, Buddhapada (The footprint of Buddha) is a symbol of Supreme Existence or the Truth itself. Furthermore, such symbolic forms must have come from concrete realization experienced by yogi in deep, profound samadhi, which they then revealed as a gift for generations to come.

Isn’t it fascinating to see this image of Truth drawn by an Enlightened Master, Shri Mahayogi?

Isn’t it fascinating that Sri Mahayogi drew this symbol, of the sahasrara, which is the final chakra, and representative of the sole aim of the practice of Yoga?

Isn’t it fascinating that Sri Mahayogi drew footprints in the center of sahasrara chakra? It must be the symbol of Lila, the True Reality!

Isn’t it fascinating that the great yogi have left us these symbols that lead us to the Truth and, at the same time, are the Truth?

So then, how is the Truth revealed?

When the mind is unveiled, the Truth emerges!

Through single-pointed concentration all is revealed!

It is the same now as it was in the past. Until recently, the teachings of Yoga were not readily available and were conveyed only to those who were truly seeking above all else, driving them to search for the teacher who abided in that state of Truth. Even though today there is a multitude of information at our fingertips, unless one really wants to know more than anything else, the Truth will not be revealed.

Yoga requires one to take concrete action, seeking the Truth. It is nothing about gaining knowledge, rather, Yoga is about realizing the Truth with your very being.

Do you want to understand the meaning of such symbols? Do you want to understand Sri Mahayogi? It is possible if we actively seek that! Just as the ancient yogi dedicated themselves to discovering the secret meaning of the world and the Self, and experienced it, we too can come to experience That!

Today is our new beginning.

 

With humble dedication to our Honorable and most Beloved Master,
Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa,
We bow in gratitude.