Tuesday January 8, 2019 NYC
Editor’s Note: Pranavadipa Volume 50
“Seeing the Infinite in the moment—
And this moment we have been given now may never come again.
That is why it is precious. ”
—Excerpt from “Ichi Go, Ichi Eh:
Every Chance is the Last Chance”, The Universal Gospel of Yoga.
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As we enter the new year, let’s not forget how precious each moment is, what opportunity each moment brings, nor how much of a gift this Life is!
The first Volume of Pranavadipa (Vol. 50) of 2019 has just been published and we are very happy to be able to share the content.
This issue’s Satsangha is coming from a special Satsangha which took place in Matsuyama, Japan.
Shri Mahayogi was first invited to go to Matsuyama in 1995, six months before Shri Mahayogi’s first visit to New York. Actually, Anandamali, a disciple who lives in New York and who first invited Shri Mahayogi here, was invited to go to Matsuyama by the founder of a Yoga school there when she visited New York to conduct research on Yoga centers. Anandamali took this Yoga school founder to many Yoga centers in New York but while doing so kept speaking about Shri Mahayogi constantly, even when in the cab on the way back to the airport. Anandamali requested that she go to meet Shri Mahayogi in Kyoto upon returning to Japan.
Months later, Anandamali went to Kyoto for Shri Mahayogi’s Jayanti (celebration of Divine Birth), and this same woman, the founder of that Yoga school, came to attend the Jayanti and meet Shri Mahayogi and Anandamali. At that time, she invited Anandamali to her Yoga school in Matsuyama, but Anandamali refused to go, informing her that she did not want to miss any moments with Shri Mahayogi since that was what she had come to Kyoto for. The woman then purchased tickets for both Shri Mahayogi and Andanamali, so that both could visit her Yoga school in Matsuyama. There Shri Mahayogi gave one public Satsangha and one just for staff. Since then, many people started to come to see Shri Mahayogi in Kyoto from Matsuyama. Anandi (who later started to organize classes and activities in Matsuyama under the name of Yoga Circle) was one of these attendees and gradually sangha was formed in Matsuyama as well. The sangha there has been preparing to invite Shri Mahayogi to visit and offer Satsangha there for many years, which he eventually accepted. Now, for the last few years, Shri Mahayogi has been going there to give Satsangha once a year.
His visit to Matsuyama is a precious opportunity for the practitioners there and it is clear in the sincerity of their questions that they are truly taking this opportunity to learn and to receive guidance that can be practically applied in their daily lives.
The content covers a range of topics, from the meaning of true Freedom, to the Buddha’s teaching. But what is unique is that all is framed in the context of how the attendees are living their daily lives, what struggles or questions they have about how to manage family relationships, interactions with others and even how to cultivate the correct attitude of Yoga behind their daily actions. As we read, surely we can all relate to the questions that are asked and therefore we too have the opportunity to apply Shri Mahayogi’s practical teaching into our own lives, even right now!
The Testimony for this issue is a demonstration of one disciple’s dedication to practice the teachings that we have received from the Master. In this case, the practice begins through the means of asana. However, this practice of asana gradually expands, through the struggle of keeping up with doing it every single day. Through her sharing, again and again, it is clear that what is truly important for us to have is indeed passion. But in order to have passion, we need to have an aim. Whether it is a short-term goal or a long-term goal, if it is clear, of course that means we want to attain it, so we will be able to go through whatever we need to go through. We hope that the reader can take something from the Testimony and put it into his or her own practice.
And now we would like to share the following words from the same writer as this month’s Testimony, Sadhya. We hope that they will spark inspiration for practice within the reader.
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The Time to Practice Asana is Precious
“The time to practice asana is precious, we never know when we may not have the opportunity anymore.”
When Anandamali spoke these words to me, I was suddenly inundated by a flood of memories. Since I met Shri Mahayogi 5 years ago everything in my life seems to have moved and shifted, tumultuously tossed up and down and then passed away. Many memories have become a haze, people and places that each had their moment, now like intangible holograms fading into shadows. The constant, what stands out in the daily as something that never shifted, is the practice of asana. Asana was my steady ground, the one part of the day I could count on, and what would, day after day, bring my feet to the ground and place me in front of Shri Mahayogi again and again.
If I think about it, asana has been the one part of my day, when I allow my mind to forget everything else. To set it all aside and really focus everything towards that practice. It has helped me to gain control of my mind when it gets hung up on something, or when it is going in far too many directions all at once.
For some, asana may at times be taken as a chore or as a burden, but truly, to me, I have taken asana as a form of worship. It is a service of worship that happens daily right in my own home. It is a moment to meet with God, to come before God as we are, whatever that may be or look like on a given day.
At any moment we may lose the opportunity to practice asana. It could be our life conditions, or it could be that something happens to this fragile body, and then it may no longer be possible. If we have the opportunity to practice asana now, then we should not hesitate. Jump in and enjoy the discovery! Truly it is precious!! Everything in this world arises and passes away, and so too will the time to practice asana. Therefore, we cannot let our minds tell us that we’ll do it tomorrow. Will there be a tomorrow? We never know, so why wait?!
November 2017
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Now that January has arrived, those of us in NYC will also be blessed with THE MOST PRECIOUS OPPORTUNITY OF LEARNING FROM AND RECEIVING THE DIRECT GUIDANCE AND TEACHING OF OUR MOST REVERED SATGURU SHRI MAHAYOGI PARAMAHANSA. What a treasure it is to be able to start the new year with a visit from our great Master. Just like in Matsuyama, may we too, recognize the preciousness of this opportunity and bring our own questions to Shri Mahayogi with sincerity and true dedication to put into practice his teaching. There is no better moment to practice and learn than this moment we have now.
The Sunday Sadhana Program directed by Shri Mahayogi will be held from 3-5pm at Still Mind Zendo.
Register for the Sadhana Program through Eventbrite
http://mym2019.eventbrite.com
Satsangha will still be held Feb. 2nd & 23rd, 3:00-4:30pm. Location TBA.
Register for Satsangha through Eventbrite
http://ssmp2019.eventbrite.com
Don’t miss these precious opportunities!!!