Thursday March 3, 2022 NYC

Talk at the End of the Asana & Meditation Class
Wednesday, March 2, 2022:

Reflecting Daily Life in Practice of Asana:
Confronting the Attachments in the Mind

“Do not do what you want to do;
if you do so, then you will be able to do what you want to do”
~ Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa

In this month’s Prananvadipa, I was struck by Shri Mahayogi’s teaching about recognizing the attachments in the mind that lead us to follow certain patterns of behavior. “Do not do what you want to do; if you do so, then you will be able to do what you want to do” is a teaching that I was familiar with, but when I read that portion of the Satsangha, it felt to me that Shri Mahayogi was describing what it meant in much greater detail, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how I myself act out of attachment (and its twin, avoidance) both in asana practice and in daily life.

I started to notice how often my mind would try to reach for its own comfort and convenience. It might be in the realm of asana, where it would try to convince me to practice fewer poses, or hold them for a shorter time, or even to skip a day of practice. Or it might be in the realm of work, where my tendency might be to change the priority of tasks towards ones where I feel more confident or in which I have a better chance of making a positive impression about myself. No matter the situation or task, whenever I found myself gravitating toward gratifying my mind, that teaching would come back to me and make me feel how much I was truly getting caught up in my mind’s attachments. More and more, I need to apply myself to proactively recognize the mechanism that brings up these attachments when I feel uncertain or uncomfortable, and make the strong effort necessary to “do what I want to do in Yoga,” as Shri Mahayogi says, which I feel means to really choose actions that will weaken the power of attachment…actions that cause those feelings of uncertainty and discomfort, and to do so consistently, so I can develop the habit of acting according to the Truth rather than according to my mind’s whims.

This may seem like a very basic and obvious necessity for learning and growth—recognizing the attachment to preconceived notions about what ought to be done and how to do it—but somehow reading Shri Mahayogi’s teaching about it seemed to inspire me with a sense of urgency toward dealing with it more thoroughly myself.

In my role at my job, I often am assigned tasks that don’t fall neatly into anyone else’s job description, and this week one such task really threatened to overwhelm me. It has all the elements that make me want to avoid it: big and messy, necessary and with a definite deadline, and outside my area of expertise. Having to tackle it gave me a strong desire to do almost any other task first…but then the teaching rang out in my head once again, “do not do what you want to do…” I felt that behind my avoidance was actually an attachment to how I wish to be perceived as a worker: reliable, competent, helpful. And along with that attachment, a fear of failure and having to admit that the task might be too much for me to accomplish within the given time frame.

Trying to look at the situation through the lens of Shri Mahayogi’s teaching made me feel that I could find a middle way. I didn’t have to come up with an excuse to get out of finishing the project—which is what my mind really wanted to urge me to do, and I could admit I was struggling without giving up entirely. By looking at myself with more honesty and clarity, perhaps the attachment to my self-image can start to be weakened a little bit, just as the Master seemed to be teaching in that Satsangha.

I am not sure my understanding of Shri Mahayogi’s words is well-developed, but when I confronted my feelings and tried to peek behind them according to his teaching, the overwhelmed and beleaguered feelings began to melt away. The sense of discomfort lessened, and when I later went to do my sadhana, I felt that perhaps my experience of not trying to either run away from my issue or deny that I was having an issue in the first place, could also improve the way I was confronting myself through trying to stay in a challenging pose for longer or being more consistent and thorough in the way I was practicing.

In that same Satsangha, Shri Mahayogi also mentions that time plays a role in getting rid of the mind’s attachments:

“Therefore, the words ‘if you do so’ imply the passage of time…at that time, the power of attachment is not there anymore, so you can do it without attachment, once you get the secret of it or understand it.”

I am determined to continue trying to practice not doing what I want to do, and checking my choices against the Truth, more and more until I myself am able to take actions without attachment, both in my sadhana and in my daily life.

~ Prajna

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Monday February 28, 2022 NYC

Talk at the End of the Asana & Meditation Class
Sunday, February 27, 2022:

Reflecting Daily Life in Practice of Asana:
Practicing to Move Beyond the Mind that Says “I Can’t”

Sometimes we are pushed or challenged in our practice of asana. It’s a good reminder that in asana we are not necessarily trying to always stay the same and practice the asana in the same way, but rather, we are trying to keep progressing more and more.

Sometimes I see in myself and also in the tendency of society the desire or hope to “be enough already” or to “be sufficient already.” This could be with many things.  And it may perhaps stem from a focus on achieving results rather than continuously learning and improving. That notion, which can stay somewhat subtly in the background of the mind, can influence us in many ways. Both in practice of asana and in daily life, where we may not push outside of our comfort zone or put ourselves in situations where we are in the seat of a “needing improvement” rather than “the one who already knows, already can do, already is sufficient” etc. And this can cause us to stagnate.

Shri Mahayogi often speaks about the importance of always wanting and working towards “improving oneself.” Whether looking at it from the view of practice of asana or in the way we are in our daily lives, improving oneself seems to require going beyond where we are right now. It is clear in asana when we are pushed a little beyond what we think our limit is, it feels new. Sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes challenging, sometimes making us worry about it and sometimes requiring extra effort and attention. But as we keep trying it, eventually it doesn’t require that effort, it is no longer uncomfortable and it becomes like second nature. Then it’s time to bring a new challenge and push beyond our next perceived limit and keep on going in this way, always seeking to progress forward.

Daily life is the same story. We are faced with new and changing circumstances all the time and as we try to improve ourselves it also requires us to try new things that may not feel comfortable, may not be easy, and may require increased attention and effort. But eventually, those things too, become easier and more as a second nature, and then it’s time to take another step forward. Always continuing.

I am reminded of the words shared by Gopala in this month’s Pranavadipa Testimony (Volume 87), that he gave up allowing himself to say “I can’t.” It’s perhaps a small thing, but how much we may put limits on ourselves, stopping ourselves in our tracks, just with such simple words!

We may never know where we may be led or what we are capable of without shifting away from the thought, “I can’t.”

Anyway, after today’s class, it seems we all have homework to do, some ways that we can push beyond where we are right now. We all, myself included, just have to keep in mind that nothing changes over night, but we are going through a process of improving ourselves and simply need to keep putting our efforts for each new challenge, consistently.

~ Sadhya

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Sunday February 27, 2022 NYC

Talk at the End of the Asana & Meditation Class
Friday, February 25, 2022:

I Began to Apply
“Make your body, words and intentions in daily life match.”

From the first time I read, “Make your thoughts, words and deeds always be as one,” in The Universal Gospel of Yoga, I thought of it as an unbelievably ambitious aim, and one that I would never be able to reach. “How can my thoughts, words and deeds ever be aligned? That is impossible.” Although I took the words as accurate and true, my mind was automatically convinced that I would never be able to experience them in my own life.

Recently, I read that these same words were spoken by Gopala (a disciple and practitioner in Japan) during a special meditation course in September of 2020, in which he spoke about his actual practice and experience of meditation. What he spoke on that occasion is now published Pranavadipa (Vol. 87) under the title:  “The Work of Constructing a Foundation for the Practice of Meditation.” When I read this title, I was instantly intrigued because for some good amount of time, I have been wanting to deepen my practice of meditation and have not found a way. I quickly told myself, “Pay attention and learn!”

In the course, Gopala had described the time when he had stayed at the Cave in New York City with Shri Mahayogi. Halfway into his stay, he asked Shri Mahayogi how to deepen his meditation. The answer was, “Make your body, words and intention in daily life match.” I immediately thought, “Oh! These words again! The unattainable words!” Not to my surprise, I wanted to dismiss them again, but when I read on, he further explained that “if these three do not match with one another, the mind cannot focus on one point during meditation.” And he further explained that the three must also be in accordance with the teachings of Yoga, rather than with our ego and desires.

I had to sit with and consider this for a moment because I had already concluded that I needed and wanted to deepen meditation in order to make progress in Yoga. This was clear, but what did not seem so clear was how to apply this challenging teaching. I made a little effort to place on hold the impulse to dismiss the words, but all I could do in lieu of that was to let the words live within me somewhere, sensing that I would need them at some point to help me get past my own ideas about what I can and cannot do—besides that, I just kept going about my daily routines.

It was a few days after reading the Testimony, while working as a teacher in my 5^th grade classroom that I got the opportunity to try something. Being a primary school teacher can be quite the constant struggle: the students react in all kinds of ways, and it feels so effortful to get them to learn or do anything! On this day, however, as I observed my mind during our interactions, I reached the conclusion that the most challenging aspect of my job was not the way the students react, but rather my own thoughts around those reactions, and around the struggles of getting them to do what I want them to do.

However, on that same day something began to open up; it wasn’t the literal words of the teaching, “Make your thoughts, words and deeds always be as one.” What was new was an intensified need to act upon these words and to know their meaning through action. At last, during one of those typical moments of tension with my students, I was able to “watch” my own internal reaction before it manifested outwardly as words and actions. In that split second between thinking and doing, I was able to ask myself, what is the intention right now behind these thoughts and words that are arising? These types of interactions felt like an uphill battle, so unpleasant and burdensome, so I already knew that something was not aligning with the Truth in my way of functioning. The result was always a lack of harmony, of lovingness and of tranquility—as if a dark shadow was hanging over me and over them too.

The only idea that I came up with in order to attempt to change the outcome was to try looking at it from my students’ point of view as soon as it began to happen. I was surprised to learn that it was possible to do this quite fast! As soon as a situation started, I asked myself “What do they hear, feel, see from me towards them right now? And…what is it that they really need from me?” The answer came quickly too: “what they need the most is to feel that I genuinely care about them.” I could admit that many times, they must have felt that I did not care for them so much, and perhaps they were right in thinking that. So then, “what is it that I care for the most?” My conclusion was that, based on my thoughts, words and deeds toward them, what I cared the most was to be perceived as the one who knows. In other words, wanting to show “I know” was a stronger of an intention than to show “I care.” And I could see that this intention was clearly not aligned with Yoga because through Yoga I have learned that all God’s creatures are precious and valuable in this world, they are God itself, all of us!

Desperate to try to switch this around, I quickly tried controlling my own impulse to come off as if “I know,” and instead try to nourish the intention to care for the student in front of me, and for all of them at the same time too. In other words, I decided to try to use each interaction for working toward bringing the intention of “caring” authentically into my thoughts, my words, my tone of voice, my movements and choices.

Yesterday, a student screamed from his desk with great angst, “I did not bring my homework today!” Instinctively, I wanted to scream back at him and chastise him for that. Well…in reality, I started to, but then I remembered that I was working on being one with my intention of caring, I asked him to come sit next to me. I made myself look him in the eyes gently, lower my tone, put a check on my intensity, slow down…and ask him with tenderness in my heart, “What happened Michael? My Miguelito, I know you are very responsible, so you must not have left your homework on purpose.” He explained his situation in simple words, with a good degree of hesitation. I could feel his little heart beating in my own chest. What was most amazing to me was that he was also looking at me straight into my eyes with deep tenderness, making me feel that we were both caring for each other above and beyond the circumstances. It was as if I was looking at myself through his eyes. At that instant, I noticed that the high degree of tension that typically arises in me during these moments had drastically subsided! Finally, I was at ease with him and him with me.

I am eager to continue checking my intentions by asking, “Am I caring for this precious person in front of me or am I seeking for them to think that ‘I know?’” Every time I have asked myself this question, the automatic result has been an immediate change in my attitude, and an opening up to the person in front of me, which allows me to feel that I care for them, and to my surprise, to feel cared for by them too!

Today, I can say that through these small efforts and simple experiences, I have gained hope in the path toward learning how to “make your thoughts, words and deeds always be as one,” something that I had deemed impossible for so many years. Thank you so much, Gopala, my gurubai, on the other side of the earth, for the motivation to try to use Shri Mahayogi’s words in my life for the first time.

~ Karuna

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Friday December 24, 2021 NYC

Celebration & Gratitude:
25 Years of Mahayogi Yoga Mission, NY

 “From Joy springs all creation, by Joy it is sustained,
towards Joy it proceeds, and to Joy it returns.”
—Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa

Twenty-five years ago, Shri Mahayogi first lit the most precious flame of Truth right here in New York. That first visit was made possible by the invitation and sincere efforts of two disciples, and since then, with the Mahayogi Yoga Mission, NY as the guardian and caretaker giving shelter and fuel to that flame, that Truth continues to shine forth like the fire of the brilliant unobstructed sun, as a beacon of light for all humanity and as the refuge for all who are seeking to know again that Joy that is our original and true nature.

As the end of this 25^th year comes to a close, we offer our sincere gratitude to Shri Mahayogi, for all that he bestows, all of the occasions he has returned to New York, and his continuous nourishing of our hearts and souls, ever-guiding us to experience and know for ourselves the Eternal Truth, Sanatana Dharma.

~

A letter to readers:

December 24^th is celebrated and honored by many people around the world as the eve that marks the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, who later came to be known as the Christ. As a child going to the church late at night on Christmas Eve, what I remember most is when everything became quiet, the only light was from candles, each person lighting the candle of the next until everyone was holding a light, and the incense billowing in the air consuming everything in the smell of frankincense and myrrh. At that time, it felt like being transported to another world, another age—the quiet welcoming of something holy—though I didn’t know at that time why that moment seemed to stand out, to be significant. Thinking back now, no words needed to be spoken for something in the heart to be sparked—that moment making the heart remember something that is easily forgotten in the hustle and bustle of living daily life. The silence and the flame being passed from one person to the next, until all held a light, simple as it was, was enough to symbolize something timeless and certain about the arrival and presence of a Holy Being in this world, and the significance of it for humanity—it is something that the heart can recognize, whether or not we are conscious of it.

Some years ago, as an adult, I decided to go again to a church on Christmas Eve after a very long absence. Again, this moment of silence came and the feeling of welcoming something holy. But this time, my mind could only think about Shri Mahayogi. That feeling of another world and another age that I used to feel had disappeared, because that sacred essence that keeps manifesting in each era is here, right now! Shri Mahayogi is the Holy Being that is living among us right now, bringing the light into our hearts in silence, one at a time, and by some great blessing or divine plan, I, along with others, have encountered him in this lifetime.

How overwhelmingly precious and joyful the presence and existence of each Holy Being is, no matter the era or location! It is practically unimaginable to think that to know and experience directly the presence of a Holy Being is not just a story that lives in scriptures of the past, but that even today we can experience such a thing firsthand. It is beyond what our minds can conjure up, yet this is precisely what the existence of Shri Mahayogi brings before us. And how overwhelmingly precious and joyful it is that a Holy Being, Shri Mahayogi, is among us right now!

That being said, if I think about it, how do we even come to know about the existence of a Holy Being, if not for the work of those who already recognized that Holy Being to spread the word, the gospel or good news, if you will, serving as the signs and the introduction to that Holy Being.

In my case, if it were not for Mahayogi Yoga Mission being right here in New York, I’m not sure how I would ever have learned about Shri Mahayogi. Truly I feel that through the Mission and the works that the Mission carries out, the flame of Shri Mahayogi’s light burns more brightly and is being passed on. When I first learned that it was on December 24^th that Mahayogi Yoga Mission, NY received official recognition from the government as an organization, truthfully, I was shocked. With many things typically being closed for holiday on December 24^th, all business activities quieting down, what an interesting and unusual day to become an official organization—as if it is meant to be another welcoming of something holy, the home to house the torch with flame burning brightly that can light up so many more candles.

At some point, I also came to learn that December 24^th is a significant day in the history of the Ramakrishna Mission as well. Shri Ramakrishna, today known as an Avatara, is another Holy Being who blessed this world with his life and teachings. As it turns out, it was on December 24^th that Swami Vivekananda, while gathered around a campfire with brother disciples, suddenly started to narrate the life story of Jesus of Nazareth and implored his brothers that they should all follow Jesus’ example and devote to live like Christ himself. In response, filled with passion and determination, they all took vows that very night, with the stars and the fire as witnesses, to become monks in devotion to their beloved master, Shri Ramakrishna—and thus began the Ramakrishna Order.

Indeed, December 24^th is an auspicious day!

With such rich moments of auspicious history attributed to this date, December 24^th, we cannot take lightly the fact that Shri Mahayogi’s Mission also has an historical moment on this date. The Mission is the body, or the tangible mark that gives opportunity for people of today and for people in the future to once again encounter that Eternal Truth, that appears again and again throughout the ages. The Mission preserves the teachings and the spirit of that sacred existence embodied in Shri Mahayogi, and takes great care in nurturing the souls hungry for Truth that arrive to its door.

This year, December 24^th, 2021 marks the 25^th Anniversary of the day that Mahayogi Yoga Mission, NY received official recognition in this land. In these past 25 years, how many hearts must Shri Mahayogi have stirred and inspired? How many faces, how many hands, how many souls must have played some role in the story and history of Joy, of Shri Mahayogi’s time coming to New York and the presence and development of the Mission here? Some surely came and went, some came and return now from time to time, and some have come and stayed.

Certainly, it is by the grace of Shri Mahayogi and the pure love that has been pouring out of his being during his time in New York over the past 25 years that the Mission has been able to continue and sustain. Yet, it can’t go without mentioning that it is also because of the sole and single-minded dedication and devotion of Anandamali, who has been tirelessly tending to all activities of the Mission and all practitioners, making great efforts to introduce Shri Mahayogi here in the West, to ensure that the flame lit by Shri Mahayogi grows into a stronger and more steady fire within the disciples and practitioners here in New York, and to prepare the way for the Mission to continue on into the future. Without her unwavering dedication to Shri Mahayogi and his work, the Joy of Shri Mahayogi would not have the ground upon which to unfold and blossom in such a faraway place from Japan.

I often think, Anandamali must be a true missionary—living far from home, far from all that is most natural and comfortable and far from Shri Mahayogi—yet firmly working towards introducing Shri Mahayogi to all seeking hearts. I never gave too much thought to what a missionary really was or what it meant to live out a mission. But as I witness the work of Anandamali, I see that she is always looking with an eye well into the future, to a bigger establishment of the Truth that is being revived by Shri Mahayogi, that can continue in its purity beyond the short span of our lifetimes. Her work is tireless. Unlike most of us, she doesn’t go to work in an office or at a specified location and then come home to rest at the end of the day. The work is never done, there is no vacation and no reward or security of money in the bank. There is only the thought of how important Shri Mahayogi is, how significant it is that he is here, and what can help the people here come closer to Shri Mahayogi. And there is Joy. I feel that she has true belief in Shri Mahayogi and clearly lives upon the conviction of that belief, giving over everything to steward that flame Shri Mahayogi first lit here 25 years ago, maintaining it and encouraging it to burn more and more brightly. I see her appreciation of the diverse cultures and backgrounds that present in us in this unique location where many people come and mix together, and I see that she also believes in us, always pushing us in a way that emboldens us to build our own strength, and to experience and cultivate our own determination, conviction and Joy towards Shri Mahayogi, Yoga and the Truth.

I mention all of this because I feel that this time of year and especially on this anniversary of 25 years of the Mission in New York, it is important to recognize and reflect on the spiritual work that surrounds, protects, and sets forth the life and teachings of Shri Mahayogi for the benefit of humanity. What is the role bestowed upon each of us in honoring and supporting this invaluable treasure?

In the time of Swami Vivekananda, he and his brother disciples took the vows of monks, yet there were also many others, who took it as their responsibility, their joy and their privilege to provide for those monks and their needs, so that their full concentration could be put to the task of devoting to the mission of Shri Ramakrishna and spreading his teachings. Perhaps in India and in other parts of Asia there is more of an ingrained understanding built around the recognition that generally people have the duty to provide support to those who are devoting to spiritual life or a spiritual mission, and by fulfilling that duty, the benefit returns to all people. This is an understanding I wish that I could have learned since childhood, that I wish I saw more present in this society. Whether one takes on a life devoted to living the mission of a Holy Being or whether one takes on the support of that mission in any kind of various role, the dedication to devote and support that common cause surely must play a part in welcoming something sacred and holy into our lives in the unfolding story of Joy.

Shri Mahayogi, the Holy Being of this era, is here! The Mahayogi Yoga Mission, NY is here! Let us work together and increasingly find new ways of spreading the light of Truth from one heart to another through our dedication and support of the Mission, of the disciples, and of the work of Truth.

As this year comes to a close and we get ready to embark on a New Year, please join me in reflection, in gratitude for all that has been done for us up until now, and in renewed conviction and dedication towards finding and fulfilling our own roles in the timeless and certain story of the arrival and presence of a Holy Being, Shri Mahayogi, in this world right now. The great blessing for all humanity that calls out to the hearts of today and those of the future.

~ Sadhya

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Monday November 29, 2021 NYC

CELEBRATION: Report from Satguru Jayanti, 2021

“I am very pleased to hear the many powerful and beautiful vows. I am so glad to hear you all have been deepening Yoga vigorously and cheerfully regardless of the difficult situations of the past one or two years. I am hoping to see all of your faces again in the near future.” 

—The words of Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa at the end of Satguru Jayanti, 2021

Jai Satguru Jayanti, Jai!
Pranam at the glorious lotus feet of our Beloved Guru, Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahamsa, who has been tirelessly teaching out of the most Pure Love and Grace for 45 years in Japan, for 25 years in New York and in other parts of the world. The gratitude we feel for Shri Mahayogi’s taking on form to live among us and to be our constant guide is inexpressible. How delighted we were to be able to see the beautiful and powerful form of the Master, even if it was only for one glimpse, after a long time…

*

Satguru Jayanti—November 23^rd—is the day that marks the holy birth of Shri Mahayogi, the day that the formless took on form. This joyous occasion was celebrated and commemorated amongst gurubai throughout Japan, Taiwan, Europe and New York.

The preparations for such a sacred event direct all of our minds to return again and again to Shri Mahayogi, and the significance of his life, his presence and his mission in this world. Jayanti messages filled with words of recognition, gratitude and conviction for Yoga were offered to Shri Mahayogi by many different gurubai from various locations in the world.

From the New York sangha, there were two Jayanti messages featured during the Jayanti ceremony as video messages, coming from two of the gurubai who have come to establish a regular practice of asana and meditation with the New York sangha throughout the past year—Imani in New York and Anthony in France. And in addition, this year the New York sangha also offered a song to Shri Mahayogi, with original lyrics and performance:

The offering to Shri Mahayogi
on this most holy occasion of Satguru Jayanti
 and
the 45^th & 25^th Anniversaries of the Mahayogi Mission
in Japan and New York, respectively,
and the expansion to Taiwan,
and
to many hearts throughout the world.

~Lyrics~

1:  About His Birth

Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa
You appeared in this world to unveil the Truth
which had been forgotten, hidden from our eyes
So through grace the formless took form just to guide

Your divine birth, no one can deny it, just like the sun rises after the night
Your divine grace, no one can deny it, just like the sun rises after the night

It is true, it is true, you came down for our sake
It is true, it is true, all to lead us to the Truth
It is true, it is true, you shine through all darkness
It is true, it is true, grace manifests through your birth

2:  About His Realization

Awakened to the True Self at a tender age
Beyond Advaita Vedanta is your realization
You have remained void of all duality
Yet you live among us, so we see Truth crystalized

Your state of Truth, no one can deny it, just like the sun rises after the night
Your life conveys Truth, no one can deny it, just like the sun rises after the night

It is true, It is true, you are the Truth Supreme
It is true, It is true, all-pervading serenity
It is true, It is true, you’re the purest of the pure
It is true, It is true, you enrapture all our hearts

3:  About His Time of Inquiry

Even though your state was already perfected
You immersed without rest in deep meditation,
You revealed the Truth till no question remained,
Law of the universe, secret of body, breath and mind

Unparalleled tapas, no one can deny it, just like the sun rises after the night
Your fire of Truth, no one can deny it, just like the sun rises after the night

It is true, it is true, for humanity you went through it all
It is true, it is true, you verified directly through your form
It is true, it is true, no subtlety hides from view
It is true, it is true, by your grace the path comes clear

4:  Truth is Within

By illuminating the Pure and the True
You show us our true nature is ever-free
You say to seek within where Truth dwells already,
Be still and know we’re Absolute Immortal Existence

Feel the Truth vibrating, no one can deny it, just like the sun rises after the night
Feel the Truth within, no one can deny it, just like the sun rises after the night

It is true, it is true, “I am That” “You are That”
It is true, it is true, Yes, “There is only That”
It is true, it is true, “That” alone is Reality
It is true, it is true, “That” itself is the Atman

5:  All is Manifestation of That 

Seeing only the singular Existence behind all
You show all forms and names as manifestation of One
You say act through pure Love and harmony
For all is God, we are all That, Joy permeates

Every single life, so sacred, no one can deny it, just like the sun rises after the night
Every single life, so divine, no one can deny it, just like the sun rises after the night

It is true, it is true, seeing the One shine through all forms
It is true, it is true, your Love imbues all with holiness
It is true, it is true, the invitation to return to pure Joy
It is true, it is true, ever-leading us to salvation

6:  Sanatana Dharma 

Sanatana Dharma, Eternal Truth
Holy gospel reigns in our heart endlessly
Each era you come to establish the Truth
Great blessing and proclamation of the Awakened

Ever-steady and certain, no one can deny it, just like the sun rises after the night
The glory of Love, no one can deny it, just like the sun rises after the night

At your feet, we bow down, witness to this most divine gift
At your feet, we bow down, unshakeable faith in our hearts
We vow and devote to spread the Dharma through our living proof
We vow and devote to live the legacy of our Beloved Guru

Below is the letter written to Shri Mahayogi on this occasion of Jayanti by Karuna, who was the lead of this offering of song:

Dear and Beloved Master, Shri Mahayogi,

“I want to be inhabited only by You.”

This was a statement in my Jayanti message to you last year. I wanted to fully embrace and live by “Yoga for my sake and for the sake of others.” With that longing in my heart, I decided to make concrete efforts to become more receptive to your words so that I could open more space within me for Shri Mahayogi and for Yoga to become part of me. That has been the direction I have tried to move in this past year.

My report to you Shri Mahayogi, is that even with this clearer aim guiding me, I experienced what you have pointed out many times, Yoga requires great fortitude and determination. Since I did not know how to gain that fortitude right away, I simply continued asking myself over and over: “Does what I am thinking, doing or saying match the intention I expressed to my Master last year of wishing to be ‘inhabited only by You?’” I cannot say that I have been able to make myself a perfect vessel for You, but what I can say is that this hope has made me more aware of how, when, and why my mind leads me away from my aim, and this has made a difference. For example, I began to notice the many and repetitive opportunities that come about in daily life to lead my mind back toward my aim of “being inhabited only by You,” and to try, in common daily situations, to turn my focus toward you and your teachings.

Interestingly, in an effort to find the fortitude needed to redirect my mind toward this aim, over and over, I have had to go deeper within me, to a place where I can be with you silently, listening to You more calmly… I am surprised at the way things go when it comes to Yoga and Shri Mahayogi! You see, the wanting to be “inhabited only by You,” is what gradually led me to become more aware that you were already in me! This unexpected discovery gives me much hope and courage every day because You are so very near, Shri Mahayogi!

Using your teachings, I also began to reason, “If Shri Mahayogi is in me, Shri Mahayogi must be in everyone too! Why not?” This deduction made sense, but it was not so easy for me to readily sense You in others. However, as things went, I came upon some images of Yasoda and Krishna, the child, and suddenly felt that the enchanting tenderness and the child-like mischievousness of Baby Krishna naturally led me to enjoy the thought that Krishna the child lives in everyone around me. Looking around with an imaginative eye and burning wish in my heart to be in the company of Krishna, I started to look for Him in others. I imagined him playing everywhere, in the bodies of everyone around me, no matter what a person looks like, how they behave, speak, their age… Krishna can hide in anyone! This playful way of looking at others, has been lightening up my days and interactions.

One day, however, as I was pondering about Krishna and his many stories of childhood and adulthood, I pondered that Krishna is actually the same as Shri Mahayogi, because both are completely pure; because absolutely no harm can possibly come from either. This led me to think that Shri Mahayogi is in everyone too, playing everywhere just like Krishna! Once again, while looking for you, I found that you are already there!

Shri Mahayogi, I do not know how things will go from now on, but I know one thing: You are here! This makes all the difference, because You make it so that there is no reason to have any concern at all—You ease the way. For the first time, I can breathe, live, experience something that I could not experience before. I would like to continue to be with You and to share the lovely and playful reality that you open up. I hope that if I continue to be more and more receptive to your words and your teachings, you will continue to bless us all with your presence, and to play with all of us.

As a young child, I was taught to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.” Today, on your Jayanti, I would like to say, “Your kingdom has come, let your will be done! May we always be inhabited only by you! And may we spread the great news to as many as possible! Let your will be done near and far!”

Jai, Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa, Ki! Jai!

Bowing at your Blessed Feet,
Karuna

奉納詩　日本語訳　（Translation of lyrics in Japanese)

1:　聖誕

サットグル・シュリー・マハーヨーギー・パラマハンサ
真理を明かすべく   この世に降臨された
忘れてしまった   隠されて見えなくなった真理を
導くために   恩寵によって形なきものが形となった

貴方の聖なる聖誕を   誰も否定することはできない   夜明けに日が昇るがごとき
貴方の聖なる恩寵を   誰も否定することはできない   夜明けに日が昇るがごとき

真に   貴方は   私たち皆のためにご降臨された
正に   正に   すべて我々を真理に導くために
真に   貴方は   すべての暗闇に光を照らす
正に   正に   恩寵は貴方の御聖誕を通して顕現した

2:　彼の悟り

幼くして真我に目覚め
アドヴァイタ・ヴェーダンタを超越した貴方の悟り
完全なる非二元性にとどまられながら
貴方は私たちと共に生きておられる、私たちが真理の結晶を見ることができるように

貴方の真理の境地を   誰も否定することはできない   夜明けに日が昇るがごとき
貴方の人生が真理を語っていることを   誰も否定することはできない   夜明けに日が昇るがごとき

真に   貴方は   至高の真理である
正に   正に   静穏が全てに浸透し行き渡る
真に   貴方は   純粋の中の純粋なる者
正に   正に   私たちのハートは酔いしれる

3:　探求期

貴方の境地はすでに完全であるのに
途切れることなく深い瞑想に没入され
なにも疑問がなくなるまで   真理を解明された
宇宙の法則   肉体   呼吸と心の秘儀を

貴方の比類のないタパスを   誰も否定することはできない   夜明けに日が昇るがごとき
貴方の真理の炎を   誰も否定することはできない   夜明けに日が昇るがごとき、

真に   貴方は   人々のために全てを行なわれた
正に   正に   貴方の御身を通して直接それを証明された
真に   貴方は   いかなる微細なものをも見逃さず解明された
正に   正に   貴方の恩寵により道が明かされる

4:　内なる真理

純粋なもの   真実を照らし出すことで
貴方は私たちの本質は自由であると示される
すでに真実が内在する内を探求するよう言われる
静まりて   私たちが絶対の不滅の存在であることを知れと

真理の響きを感じて   誰も否定することはできない   夜明けに日が昇るがごとき
内なる真理を感じて   誰も否定することはできない    夜明けに日が昇るがごとき

真に   真に   「私は『それ』だ！」「あなたは『それ』だ！」
正に   正に   『それ』だけがある！
真に   真に   『それ』だけがリアリティー
正に   正に   『それ』こそがアートマン 

5:　全ては『それ』の顕現

万物の背後に唯一の存在のみを見ておられ
貴方は私たちに全ての形と名前は一なる者の顕れであること示される
純粋な愛   調和をもって行為するように言われる
全てが神であり   私たちは皆『それ』である   歓喜が浸透していると   充満していると

全ての命が神聖であることを   誰も否定することはできない   夜明けに日が昇るがごとき
全ての命が神であることを   誰も否定することはできない   夜明けに日が昇るがごとき

真に   真に   貴方は一なる存在が全ての形を通して輝いているのを見られ
正に   正に   貴方の愛が万物を神聖さで染める
真に   真に   純粋な歓喜へ回帰する招待
正に   正に   永遠に救済への導き

6:　サナータナ・ダルマ　永遠の真理

サナータナ・ダルマ　永遠の真理
聖なる福音が   私たちのハートに永遠に君臨する
いつの時代にも   貴方は真理を確立するために顕れる
それは覚者の偉大なる祝福と宣言である

常に不動で確かなもの   誰も否定することはできない   夜明けに日が昇るがごとき
愛の栄光   誰も否定することはできない   夜明けに日が昇るがごとき

貴方の御足に   ひれ伏します   この最も聖なる贈り物の証人として
貴方の御足に   ひれ伏します   揺るぎない信仰をハートに灯し
私たちは   誓います   捧げます—ダルマを広めるために   生きた証拠になることを
私たちは   誓います   捧げます—最愛なるグルの偉業を生きることを

Jai Gurudeva!!!!!!!
OM TAT SAT, OM!!!!!!!

Monday November 1, 2021 NYC

Announcement: MYM’s Online Asana & Meditation Classes NOW Open for ALL

Starting from November, all Mahayogi Yoga Mission Asana & Meditation online classes are now expanding to ALL practitioners, including those who are new to our practice! 

The state that emerges from beyond the mind through the gradual stilling of the various waves of mind activity that are constantly moving, never letting us rest for even a moment, is the ultimate and original aim of Yoga. Since ancient times, this state has been described as Bliss or True Freedom, the inherent and natural state of the Self.

Mahayogi Yoga Mission’s Asana & Meditation classes introduce participants to the path of Yoga that is instructed to the disciples of the great Master of Yoga, Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa, who himself spontaneously realized the state of Yoga at the age of 8, and in response to the request of seekers, has been quietly teaching and conveying this aim of Yoga and the path to reach it for more than 40 years.

The time for asana and meditation is a precious time and equally so is the opportunity to learn and practice together! We are very happy to be able to expand our online classes and be able to welcome all levels, including very beginners and those who may have experience elsewhere but are new to our practice.

If you or someone you know is interested in attending for the first time, please visit our WELCOME PAGE for further instructions.

Classes will be held:

Tuesdays 8 – 9:30am EST
Wednesdays 7 – 8:30pm EST
Fridays 7 – 8:30pm EST
Sundays 9 – 11:30am EST

Visit our ONLINE SCHEDULE & REGISTRATION page to sign up.
We ask that everyone sign up 24 hours in advance so that we can best prepare for all participants.

For further inquiries, please contact info@mahayogiyogamission.org

Wednesday July 21, 2021 NYC

Announcement: New Summer Schedule 2021 (July & August)
of Online Asana & Meditation Classes!

Mahayogi Yoga Mission will be holding Asana and Meditation classes on Zoom throughout July and August. Classes will be held for:

• Anyone who is new to our practice (Introductory Class: Part 1 & 2)
• Anyone who is already familiar with our practice (Regular Coed, Women’s and Men’s Classes)
• Any Spanish speakers who would like to take our class in Spanish (Los cimientos del yoga: el asana y la meditación ~ open to all levels, Spanish language proficiency required)

Visit our website to see more, including the schedule and registration. (http://mahayogiyogamission.org/class/onlineclass.html)

24-hour advanced registration is required.

Please share with friends and family, in any part of the world.

Lake Paramahamsa in New York State (Swan Lake)

We look forward to practicing together soon!

Monday May 3, 2021 NYC

Editor’s Note: Pranavadipa Volume 77
“Sanatana Dharma—Eternal, Universal Truth”
&
“Spiritual Discipline and Prayer”

Pranavadipa Volume 77 was published on April 8^th, 2021, the day that officially marks the celebration of Sanatana Dharma Avatara Mela, the Grand Ceremony of the Divine Manifestations. One of the Satsangha that is part of this volume’s content was held one day before the celebration took place in April of 2019. Below are Shri Mahayogi’s words in response to a request to teach us about Sanatana Dharma. Shri Mahayogi graciously offered further insight into the purpose of this celebration itself, perceiving the question came from the sincere wish to have the mind properly prepared to attend the celebration of Sanatana Dharma Avatara Mela the next day.

“Sanatana means eternal. Dharma here refers to the teaching of Truth. Truth, of course, is eternal. It is not swayed or affected by the characteristics of an era or a culture, or any condition whatsoever. It is the Truth that continues to exist without change, transcending time. This Truth abides as the essence within all living beings and the entire universe. However, the human mind—due to not knowing this, and rather to the contrary, having a mistaken concept—comes into contact with this world and chases after transitory freedom or fake, vain happiness in the world. The result is miserable suffering.

However, when people are about to forget this Eternal Truth, then that Truth Itself incarnates, and appears on this Earth to remind people once again. For such Beings their Existences are beyond time and space, unbounded by it, yet, whoever it is that performs this work within this world limited by time and space—that Being is called the Avatara, translated as an incarnation of God—for such an Existence needs to manifest from time to time. That was Buddha, and in the modern era, Shri Ramakrishna; and for this truly important, precious and sacred Truth and Existence, let us [recall and] renew [our thoughts and gratitude toward them, along with] our intention [of aiming toward the state of Truth which the Avatara demonstrate through their life and live accordingly] once again.”

—Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa, Kyoto, April 2019

As the title of this Satsangha in Volume 77 suggests—“Sanatana Dharma—Eternal, Universal Truth,” which took place in Kyoto in 2019—the content is very timely, and with another Satsangha following in this same Volume—“Spiritual Discipline and Prayer,” which took place in Kyoto in 2006—the message that Shri Mahayogi seems to be bringing us, from many different angles and in response to many different questions is to see only Atman (the true Self) within everything by training the mind to focus only on the Truth, and act for the sake of Atman within all by following the work of the Avatara. That is, to practice karma yoga, which is to act “for those who are in pain and sorrow, for people, animals, living beings in such difficulty, [and] try to remove that suffering.”

Many questions arose from disciples trying to understand further, to move closer, to see and act upon the Truth while they go through the process of actually applying the teachings in their lives, bringing practical topics that reinforce the establishment and development of the spirit, teachings and actions needed to transform oneself.

To continue from the excerpt about Sanatana Dharma shared above, in the first Satsangha Shri Mahayogi also speaks about how it happens that the Avatara come time and time again, detailing specific examples, like that of Buddha, Jesus and Shri Ramakrishna, along with the historical contexts in which these occurred, and the importance of what each established during their respective times; he teaches about eternal time in Yoga; renunciation through discrimination versus the giving up and letting go of surrendering; bhakti yoga; the restraint of the mind through various means (raja yoga, jnana yoga, and bhakti yoga) and what it comes to be filled with; and Sat Chit Ananda, the enjoyment free of emotion which is the state of Joy or Bliss and the resulting lila (divine play). And in addition to that, as one attendee inquires into how to approach her work in education, where there is a lack of a guiding standard of faith in the curriculum that is coming to be centered around ethics and morality, Shri Mahayogi teaches about the universality of Yoga, and the universal preciousness of all life that goes beyond all notions of differentiations and discriminations and encourages us to learn the universal fundamentals of human beings through Yoga as our own base. For this time in which the world seems to be ripe with troubles caused by constant differentiation, this teaching—with universality at its core—seems to be ever-more important for each and every one of us to take to heart.

The second Satsangha of Pranavadipa (Vol. 77), “Spiritual Discipline and Prayer,” begins with the questions of a young man from Canada who has been practicing Buddhism and is traveling in Japan. He expresses that he knows that he needs to transform his mind but is struggling with repeated endless reactions of habitual thoughts and actions, and is finding it difficult to find faith while being under the influence of these. The reader may find familiarity in his question, as this can be a common state for many spiritual practitioners. Shri Mahayogi’s response and guidance may be simple, and it could be seen to some readers as a similar type of answer that Shri Mahayogi gives many times over, yet we would like to share his words here again, because if we take his straightforward answer to our hearts and really follow it, then surely we will know how powerful his answer really is:

“The [level of] devoted service that can eradicate all karma (cause and effect of actions) and sanskara, requires the level of intention where one is willing to exchange one’s own life for it. That intention is the beginning of the search for the Truth.

And what must be done next is to find the right Master and the right teachings. Then one has to ardently apply the teachings in action and apply the practice of disciplines given by the Guru (Master). This, of course, requires not only learning the Truth from the scriptures or the mouth of the Guru, but the application of the disciplines of practice using one’s body is also indispensable.

In Yoga, asana and pranayama (the method to control the breath or energy) fall under the category of the discipline of practicing through the body. Furthermore, one must work to carefully and watchfully control one’s daily actions.

In this current age, no matter what kind of occupation you have while living in society, you can realize Yoga. The more you continue, the more purified the mind becomes, and devoted service will be heightened more and more.”

After speaking these words, Shri Mahayogi further goes on to talk about sitting positions for meditation, prana and removing sanskara (latent impressions from past experience); and while Shri Mahayogi is giving this young man an overall teaching of Yoga, disciples ask questions that are centered around daily life activities and the ways of practicing and cultivating discipline in daily life. As he carefully responds considering the circumstances and conditions of each individual, Shri Mahayogi effortlessly raises our minds and hearts to again and again look towards and focus on seeing Atman in all, and directs us toward Atman, the essence of Eternal Existence, the true Self. Indeed, the bringing of ourselves to meet and align with the most pure and straightforward essence of Truth is always at the core.

We can see this very clearly in the following example, in which Shri Mahayogi responds to a practitioner who is asking about how to improve his communication and interactions with others.

“The common reason why human interactions often fail, is because you see differences in others; it’s this sense of differentiating oneself from others. A person who is favorable to you, or not favorable to you, a person you love, a person you hate, a person beneficial to you, a person of no benefit to you…various differentiations make your relations to others increasingly uneasy, troubled and confused.

What Yoga teaches is to remove these kinds of differentiations. The people and situations in front of you are inevitably in these conditions or situations, whether it’s family, colleagues or friends. Therefore, without making differentiations, you proactively act on what you think will be best for them—simply, that is what you can do. Then, do not be attached to the results, whether your actions go well or not. [When it comes to action,] the action has the other person as its object, but in actuality, there is only One—this can become possible by seeing the Atman within each and every one, whether it be strangers or children.”

Beyond directing us to look towards the core essence of Atman and the heart of all existence, through a conversation with one of the disciples, Shri Mahayogi also teaches about the meaning and origin of the word Atman—which ultimately has no proper translation into the English language that captures its true meaning—and how it ultimately came to indicate the “true Self.” It is fascinating to learn about and certainly can be a helpful tool for anyone who is trying to deepen understanding about what really is Atman, what really is the true Self.

Additional content of this second Satsangha includes the meaning of solitude through Shri Mahayogi’s experience of it, the true meaning of prayer, and where to focus one’s efforts in spiritual practice—particularly in relation to Yoga, the teachings of Buddha, the form of Buddhism that has developed and become popularized after Buddha’s life, and how the origin of Yoga and the realization and subsequent teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are, at their core, of the same content, whereas the content of Buddhism has strayed from that original teaching of Buddha—his exceedingly clear analysis is something that is remarkable and exceptional.

We are amazed with Shri Mahayogi’s clear understanding of the core content and the distinction that he makes for us when it comes to choosing the path that will lead towards concrete transformation of the mind! And as Shri Mahayogi responds to each attendee, truly the worldly concerns that tend to busy and worry our minds seem to pale starkly with the Truth and fall away, losing their power, as Shri Mahayogi, with precision and from many different directions, raises up and shines the light on the simple Truth that is ever right in front of our eyes.

* 

“Where do people go after death?”

When I first encountered a person’s death and witnessed the consciousness leave the body, this was the question that arose within me. For a brief moment, the mind became still and tried to go inward. However, the trivial matters of the world easily made me forget this essential question.

“People get sick. And eventually die. There is no one who can escape death.”

These words of the Buddha were very obvious facts, yet still so shocking. Because up until that moment, my mind had been devoted only to the happiness I can get in this world and the actual results I can achieve, I had tried not to look at the significant fact that death is inevitable to all. But by facing death head-on, whatever I had been chasing up until then crumbled so easily. No matter how much wealth or how many accomplishments I gain in this world, no matter how happy my life is, death will surely put an end to all of it.

“Then, what is the meaning of this life?”

“Am I this body that will eventually die, or will I continue to exist after death?”

Here again, this essential question came up. Yet this time, it wasn’t about others’ deaths, but the urgent matter of my own death. If I see myself as being so important, then I must answer this question. There is nothing more pointless than simply living day to day without finding a purpose to live for.

In this world, various religions preach about Heaven and Paradise, which is the world in which there is an easy life after death. Nevertheless, even if one can reach such a paradise after death, the issue of whether it is endless, whether death will arrive again, will continue to follow you like a shadow. This will get me nowhere, for this is simply replacing the issue with something else. (Pranavadipa Volume 77)

This heart-quenching search is how the Testimony in this month’s Pranavadipa (Vol. 77) begins—it is the translation of an article written by Yogadanda, a disciple of Shri Mahayogi in Japan. After introducing this very personal yet very universal inquiry, he then gradually starts to introduce the rishi (holy sages) of long ago, who unraveled these universal inquiries and their answers in the ancient verses of India called the Upanishad.

This Testimony includes the Prologue to some articles about the Upanishad that Yogadanda wrote later on, and the Testimony also includes one of these, which centers on the “Teaching of Uddalaka Aruni,” coming from the Chandogya Upanishad.

The uniqueness of this article is that through Yogadanda’s Testimony, not only are we introduced to the pristine teaching of Truth coming from the Upanishad, but how he has come to learn about this teaching through the presence and guidance of Shri Mahayogi, who grasps the core essence of what the rishi were originally expressing.

The particular teaching of the Upanishad which is written about in this article, is the story of a young man who, after studying 12 years and learning all there is to know, learns the true teaching of the knowledge that cannot be known, sitting at the side of his father. As Yogadanda introduces this teaching, he breaks it down for us in the way that he has learned from Shri Mahayogi, and draws a clear link between the way the Truth was taught in the story of this teaching and the way Shri Mahayogi teaches us today.

Through Yogadanda’s Testimony, it feels that we too can feel the Upanishad come to life, right now, today! And the universal message that is being heralded in the age of the Upanishad and right now, by Shri Mahayogi, is the powerful message to bring our minds only to the Truth—there is nothing else to know other than Truth, the Truth is the essence of each one of us and of all things, and there is no other base upon which to found our lives, except That!