Mon Nov 24th, 2014 0:00am Manhattan, NYC

BEHIND THE SCENE:
We were heading to the class from Central Park, where Petal 3 had just been completed. My eyes were gazing forward but I was not really looking at anything in particular. Or, I should say that my mind was not connecting to anything, just the space in front of my eyes. Suddenly I heard a voice resound from the vastness,

“Stop!”

All at once, yet in slow motion,
I was drawn to its source by a strong magnetic force,
in the same way that iron is instantly drawn to a magnet…

Thus, this message was born:

“Stop mind, Stop! Abide only in the Source.”

 ***

This April at a festival in Osaka, Japan,
our gurubai (brothers and sisters from the Mahayogi Yoga Mission in Japan)
performed in a temple an original play titled,
“Eternal Buddha.”

The story of the play is of Buddha and the murderous bandit Anglimala
who later became Buddha’s disciple.

In one scene Buddha says to Anglimala,

“Stop Anglimala!”

For it is Anglimala himself who is the mind.

Let the mind stop its activity and abide in its source.
Buddha is within all of us.

 –Anandamali

***
You may want to watch
The English translation of the play “Eternal Buddha”.
Performed in Osaka, on April 6th, 2014
Written by Sanatana
Click →　epiphany vol.5 – The Eternal Buddha (with English Subtitles)

Sun Nov 23rd, 2014 00:00am Manhattan, NYC

GURU JAYANTI—HOLY BIRTHDAY OF THE GURU:

HOLY JAYANTI
DEDICATION:

Our Beloved, Revered Master
SATGURU SHRI MAHAYOGI PARAMAHANSA,

We are filled with joy and gratitude as we are able to
celebrate your Holy Jayanti with you and with everyone
again this year. On this most auspicious of days, we renew
our vow to live every moment in devotion to you,
to serve you with purity of heart and to Awaken to
True Existence. Through your boundless grace we are
blessed to have the opportunity to witness and
experience the embodiment of Truth.
The purity of your existence shines into the depths
of our being, bringing forth the conviction
that the same Truth is our very essence.

Jai! Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa Ki Jai!

HYMN:

TO SATGURU SHRI MAHAYOGI PARAMAHANSA

The eternal Truth that dwells in all human beings;
That you awaken with love,
out of overflowing compassion,
You ignite the faith in one’s own Atman,
which is beyond death,
For the Bhakta of the Guru perceive in his very body
the imperishable Brahman manifested in a tangible form,
And because of the Paramahansa’s immortal nectar words
they feel Enlightenment manifested in a tangible form.
Salutation to you, the great lord, the great saint;
Salutation to you, Mahayogi, Om.

 Hymn Lyrics by Sanatana

*  *  *

SONG OFFERING TO THE MASTER
—from a disciple in New York:

“Seeing”

* Adapted from text in Raja Yoga by Swami Vivekananda
Composed and performed by Shantipada

(Click on the left edge of the sound player to start the song.)

Sat Aug 23th, 2014 07:00pm Washington Square Park, NYC

She was there for a good while.
Her mom called her to go many times, but she did not want to leave.

WITNESS:
It was a blessing to receive the silent teaching of Sri Mahayogi through his adherents. A small child came charging up to the mandala and was scooped up at the last moment by big hands, their climb over Sadhya deferred. Those who paused to see the demonstration seemed quietly pleased and challenged. The words of Laurie Lee come to mind “…here are lessons for the final mile of pilgrim kings, the mile still left when all have reached their tether’s end: that mile where the Child lies hid.” Finally, fearlessness!        –Shantipada

WITNESS:
Stillness spoke amidst the swirling busyness of Washington Square, reflecting the fountain. Centered and silent. Beauty spoke, and speaks Eternally. Thank you!              –Nadisa

Sat Aug 16th, 2014 6:35pm Washington Square Park, NYC

Wings of the Paramahansa grace the sky~~!!!

WITNESS:
To experience Project Sahasrara is to be transported into a time-lapse photograph, where the constant swirl of motion of passersby and onlookers is eclipsed into blurry nothingness by the silence and focus of deep practice.    　–Prajna

Sun Aug 10th, 2014 10:10pm Manhattan, NYC

On the night of the Super Moon,

EKA GRATA—ONE-POINTEDNESS:

“The entire process of Yoga, from beginning to end,
is all about establishing Eka Grata.“

“It is of the utmost necessity for realization of Yoga.
That is all you need for the attainment of Satori.”

“It is, in other words, inexorable, enormous passion.”

-Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa

Sun Aug 10th, 2014 3:50pm Washington Square Park, NYC

WITNESS:
Washington Square Park on a Saturday afternoon “contains multitudes” as Walt Whitman might say. There are people walking dogs, playing jazz, taking pictures, walking hand in hand or walking solo. In the midst of all this whirl of activity is an oasis of peace. On a beautiful, circular painted lotus are two practitioners in orange. They are doing asanas and sitting in deep silence. Some people glance at them and dismiss them as just another part of the park circus. Some look at them with idle curiosity. But others look upon their practice and recognize that something important and very real is going on here. Those onlookers just might have been open to receiving the blessing.  　–Yajna

***

The color of the book SATORI is reminiscent of the beautiful moon.
In a certain light, its subtle gold color mysteriously transforms into a shining  silver.
I have only seen it twice. Have you seen it yet?

Today is the Super Moon.

Fri Aug 8th, 2014 6:45pm Washington Square Park, NYC

TESTIMONIAL FROM A WITNESS:

As I gravitated towards the fountain I situated myself to get a frontal view of two persons from the Mahayogi Yoga Mission who were practicing asana. When they entered a meditative state of mind I could feel the power of stillness. With many curious passersby, the sounds of improvisational music was subdued in the environment. It was obvious to me that the trance like state in which the two very disciplined persons were in allowed me to connect with the energy that was emanating from them. It was a gratifying experience, to dare to stare at the silent statement that was being made. During the hours or so that this silent manifestation was taking place, I visualized a multitude of like-minded people meditating around the fountain, complementing the motion of the day with their stillness. What a contrast that would be. For me to have shared this moment reaffirmed that life is more than expending energy for its own sake. It’s as if entering this realm is equivalent to being plugged into a socket to get to the power source. And doing so, in that stillness, guides the inner being to life’s meaning.   –A passerby

A child rides on his father´s shoulders. The father reads to him out loud
“STOP MIND STOP.”
The boy chimes, “STOP MIND STOP!”
Then the father asks, “Do you know what the mind is?”
The son chimes again, “STOP MIND STOP!”
The father points to his own head and says, “all the thoughts in here is mind.”
The child continues chiming “STOP MIND STOP” as they both walk away.

WITNESS:
Ballerinas dancing, tourists perusing, acrobats performing, a stream of runners passing by, children giggling, drummers slapping their drums, a concert in the park…revolving around the sahasrara. Some are drawn to it, for a moment of more, for a curious peek, some stay and seek more. All searching for something they may not know what. I am pulled to it as well, and as I look with limited eyes, I see two figures, I see their seat, the sahasrara lotus, and I read the message “STOP MIND STOP” “ABIDE IN THE SOURCE”. Sometimes these figures move slowly and sometimes they stay still in a long and intense pose. The power of the sahasrara is brought to life through them. Their eyes, open or closed, look in, not out: they swallow  the vortex of our minds and lead us into the sahasrara. This center of stillness, is a pond of peace among the busyness. Whether we realize it or not, it is and open doorway into that “source”. As I watch with these limited eyes, I experience the pull of the sahasrara. My thoughts return to the image of Shri Mahayogi. Emotional and humbled, I feel myself surrender—gratitude swells up.   –Karuna

The night of the Pre Super Moon!

Sun Aug 3st, 2014 4:00pm Washington Square Park, NYC

Mr. Lock is among the audience. He plays the drum for groups of acrobatic performers that are often in Washington Square Park at the same time.
He has been attending the class since then.

A witness presented us with several photos he has taken of Project Sahasrara and requested that we please accept them as a token of his appreciation.

 Fri Aug 1st, 2014 6:40pm Washington Square Park, NYC 

The story of Two Disciples:

“Conscientious amidst the neglectful, Vigilant amidst the slumbering,
The wise one advances rapidly, as a swift horse gallops ahead of a lame one.”

Once there were two disciples. After receiving a subject of meditation from the Buddha, they went off to a monastery in the forest. During the rainy season, one of them, who was rather lazy, spent his time warming himself by the wood fire and talking to young novices throughout the first watch of the night and generally idling away his time. (After which he remained sitting without sleep.)

The other faithfully performed the duties of a disciple. He walked in meditation during the first watch, rested during the second watch and again meditated during the last watch of the night.

At the end of the rainy season, both of them went to pay homage to the Buddha, and the Buddha asked them how they had spent their time during the rainy season.

To this the lazy and negligent disciple answered that the other disciple had been idling away his time, just lying down and sleeping, whereas he usually sat warming himself by the fire during the first watch of the night and then stayed up without sleeping.

But the Buddha knew quite well how the two disciples had spent their time, so he taught the idle one by saying that “Though you are lazy and negligent you claim to be diligent and ever mindful, however, in fact you are lazy and the other one is serious and diligent.”

＊＊＊

The lazy disciple thought that his actions, talking about the Truth to younger novices and remaining sitting without sleep, appear to have been more serious than the other disciple’s, who was walking around and then sleeping after that, which meant that the other one was lazy.

However, in reality the results of meditation manifest themselves in one’s way of behavior or one’s expression, so Buddha saw through that and taught what laziness and diligence really are.

There are many teachings similar to this throughout the world, they all teach the importance of the internal aspect rather than the external.

Mon July 28th 2014 1:48am The Cave NYC

WORDS OF THE SEER:

“The activities of the mind are always known,
since its master, the Puruṣa, is never subject to change.”

-Yoga Sūtras 4-18  

“Since the mind is an object of perception it cannot illuminate itself.”
–Yoga Sūtras 4-19  

Translated by Sanatana