Saturday Aug 29, 2020 NYC

Editor’s Note: Pranavadipa Volume 69

During this time of great change in our lives and in our world, perhaps the opportunity to face questions pertaining to our very existence may be urgently knocking at our door. The Satsangha in this month’s issue of Pranavadipa (Vol. 69) is incredibly rich, the content being gathered from parts of the question and answer that happened during various Satsangha taking place over the course of several consecutive weeks in 2012, all falling under the theme of the main title, “Confronting ‘Life’ and ‘Death.’” The content probably relates to one of the closest matters that all human beings have in common, as without life there is no death, and without death, there is no life; such matters relate directly to how we want to live our lives; and this is very closely related to the sense of “I”.

Life and Death—some people may think of these as philosophical matters. But, is it really so? If we think about it seriously and objectively, we come to realize that these relate to everything we do and think, whether we are aware of it or not—and this is quite universal.

Satsangha begins with a question from a first-time attendee; her daughter, when down, asks her, “What are we living for?” So, she asked Shri Mahayogi for advice on how to answer her. Shri Mahayogi responded:

“Indeed, all of humanity living on this earth is facing a similar issue. The Yoga that began in ancient times has also tried to answer that question. What are we living for, and who is living—“I am living” may be how you answer that. Then, what is that “I”? Who am “I”? Being born, growing up, then going through various studies, jobs, and making a living, then dying. What is the meaning of all of this? After all, the answer cannot come unless you ultimately come to know who you are.

The answer that Yoga found, which is actually related to this conversation I just mentioned, is that the essence—“I”—is neither the body nor the mind, it is the Soul that exists deeper within. And Yoga teaches through experience that this Soul is the Eternal Existence; and that the Soul of the person who experiences this and the soul of others, or the substance that is abiding as the essence of the entire universe, do not differ one iota and are exactly the same. It is the One without a second. It is merely this Eternal Existence that is repeating being born and dying again and again within the limited realm of space and time. By knowing the true substance, you will become unentangled in things like ephemeral joy and pain, or the sadness that arises from the experiences in the world. These are just like inevitable conditions that refer to the world, so you just have to deal with them accordingly.

What’s more important is to know that even though it is within this limited time frame, the brilliance of this Existence—this sacred Life—is within everyone and you yourself are That. By knowing that, if you come to know the most important thing for yourself, then you will no longer be entangled so much in other things, meaning the experiences of this world. Realizing that is Satori (Awakening), and [that Truth] is the very essence of everyone. [It is important to] tell your own mind this, since the mind does not know it. For that is the only absolute salvation. 

The teaching of Yoga is the universal Truth, so I am sure that if your daughter hears it or reads about it a little, she will be able to find the answers there; when she is having doubts like that, then she must be seeking, therefore it is a good opportunity [to open herself to find a real answer].”

At another point in the Satsangha, a long-time practitioner asks: “Shri Mahayogi tells us to discriminate on death and to make death the object of meditation. I deduce that we ourselves are not clear how we want to live our own lives, perhaps because of not thinking thoroughly about death. Is it indeed necessary to think about death? Or, is it enough to just simply and steadily concentrate on Yoga?”

Then Shri Mahayogi started to answer:

“Within the process of concentrating on Yoga, over time, there comes an inevitable point in which one must conquer death. Why?—because a large part of the attachments that occupy the depths of the mind are resting upon death. In order to make progress in Yoga, you cannot avoid eradicating the sanskara of the fear of death. Conversely, simply and precisely because we were born, ignorance, pain-bearing obstacles, and various attachments, including the fear of death arise. Despite this fact, humans forget that they were born, and are deluded into or fancy living in their own physical body forever. This is the huge illusion of ignorance. That is exactly why you meditate on death and conquer and transcend it; and through that you will transcend the mind itself.”

Then he continues on about meditation on death in Yoga, and at one point speaks:

“Concentration and meditation [on death] are like putting death itself on top of an operating table—this concentration, this meditation, is, so to speak, like being a surgeon! It is extremely scientific, medical, philosophical, and psychological. You must not bring your preconceived notions! Truly, you put death itself on the operating table, dissect it, and find out what’s in there! It is a scientific task of discerning it. There are, as mentioned now too, conceptual thoughts, medical concepts, philosophical, psychological, and various elements that are vaguely creating the image of death. You must dissect each and every one of them, discriminate and make them completely naked! Meditation is like anatomy, so to say. You must thoroughly perform it, so much so that it is like that!”

Shri Mahayogi also spoke, answering a question, about his own inquiry into death—the thought that initiated him to experience it and enter into Nirvikalpa Samadhi at the age of 8.

Shri Mahayogi’s teachings, through answering the questions that come from the more advanced or long-time practitioners to those who are beginners, speak to all of our hearts. His way of guiding us is very clear and powerful, yet it is always enveloped in serenity. It is quite lively, quite spirited—absolutely FREE!!! It most definitely does not come from the kind of explanation one would receive from a scholar, it is of a completely different quality—Shri Mahayogi is not theoretically explaining when he answers, he is speaking the facts, which are purely coming from a type of knowing that is in a completely different category from that of intellectual knowledge, and rather it is the knowing coming from directly experiencing the Truth. We can clearly feel this from his presence and his words. From that state of Truth, from the realm of Fact that is beyond time and space, he speaks, explains, and guides us towards It, telling us again and again that we are all That and we must realize That—the entirety of our inner Self, the true Self, is the brilliance of this Existence—this sacred Life!

Shri Mahayogi does not give lectures, nor does he prepare any material to speak, he simply answers questions because we ask him. It is always simply that, he just answers from the state of Truth—his wisdom is unfathomable! But are his words what matter most? His presence itself is the immeasurable blessing and most tangible teaching for us to be guided towards returning to our origin!

But because we ask, he answers. And he answers for the sole purpose of us returning to our original Self, the true Self.

He explains the fact of why we can’t see It, and that for us to be able to see It, the work we need to do is to remove the obstacles that we ourselves have created on our own that block it. Thus, he explains the way to remove the obstacles, the block, is through the practice of discrimination between the Truth and the thoughts that arise in our minds over and over. Shri Mahayogi says:

“Deepen meditation. In order to do that, what is crucial is to purify the mind—to purify means to eradicate pain-bearing obstacles and ignorance. The biggest power for that is indeed, FAITH. Pure faith will bring you the power to proceed with leaps and bounds. And then you yourself awaken to the Truth that is within you. That is the supreme directive of Yoga.”

Shri Mahayogi also explains that “what the yogi practice is nivritti, a backtracking, or going against the flow.” It is quite fascinating that this nivritti, or “going against” the natural flow of outward development and manifestation that takes place in the world, is precisely what envelops us in an illusion that we believe to be real. It is this “going against” in all aspects that is at the heart of the discrimination that Shri Mahayogi is teaching in this Satsangha. We should put to the test everything we know and believe about what this life is and who we are, including the very content of what death itself is.

Although “facing death” is an important content in the process of discrimination and emphasized in the Satsangha of this Pranavadipa (Vol. 69), Shri Mahayogi also teaches about many other aspects of discrimination, including about where the passion that one needs to thoroughly discriminate comes from, how this differs in jnana yoga and in bhakti yoga, how to approach discrimination in regards to the results one may receive from various actions, the importance of correcting oneself according to the teaching of Truth again and again, and the True Independence that is reached at the end of thoroughgoing discrimination.

The content of Satsangha is filled with many clues as to how we can actually use the teachings and practices of Yoga to transform our mind. Shri Mahayogi always says that Yoga should be practical. It is not something to just think about once and think that we have understood. Rather, what we are being offered in Satsangha is how we can apply the practice of Yoga into every moment of our lives, examining and transforming our foundational views, and concretely bringing them to align with the Truth.

Once again we are amazed with Shri Mahayogi’s manner of teaching and the profound depth of his understanding that we are only still reaching out to try to grasp.

＊

This month’s Testimony contains the final part, Part 3, of the articles written by Shri Mahayogi’s disciple, Yukti, that we have been publishing over the course of the last two issues of Pranavadipa (Vol. 67 and 68): Living on the Words of Mother. Where has her search for the understanding and the bringing to life of the words of Mother Teresa—“Be Holy”—reached?

As she concretely pursued this search coming from her thirst to understand the meaning of the words of Mother in Parts 1 and 2, she continued her journey by continuing to study the words and life of Mother Teresa, what it all meant, and how she could try to act upon it herself, in whatever way she could that would make sense for her own life circumstances.

Yukti ended up making the decision to work as a nurse once again and move to Fukushima, where she was striving to work on the aftermath of the March 11^th Tofoku Earthquake and Tsunami that hit in 2011. This was two years after she went to India in search of the answer for “how the dying can best be served,” which she found upon her return from India in the words of Mother Teresa—“Be Holy.”

Part 3 begins with Yukti’s pursuit to know more about Mother’s words, and her striving to understand their meaning as much as possible before moving to Fukushima. At that time, she came across these words in a letter that Mother Teresa wrote to her sisters and brothers the day she passed: “Be only all for Jesus through Mary.” Yukti’s desire to know why this seemed to be of the utmost importance to Mother made her strive to know who Mary was, which then led her to begin to understand what the meaning of surrender is, and finally led her to come to realize the following:

“After all, the only thing of all the things that we can do, is to make an effort to make our own minds more pure… Before, I was so eagerly striving to see God in the people in front of me. I wanted to see God. I convinced myself that if I could see God in everything, the way I lived would change. However, on the contrary, that mind that was desiring so eagerly to see God in some way, made me go far away from loving the person in front of me. And I had overlooked how their words, gestures or expressions were trying to appeal to me. The fact and the Truth is that God is within everybody, whether I can see It or not. What I must do is only one thing—to get rid of my own thoughts, empty my mind, and continue to act, bringing the mind to the God in front of me. That is the way to purify ourselves and that is the meaning of purifying our mind and actions—to become such that you belong to God. I realized that there was nothing left for me to do but to aim for that.”

Her words are very simple yet very powerful, because they come from her own realization, reached by going through all the journey she went through up until then.

Yukti’s pursuit then continued on to who Jesus was and what qualities Mary must have had to make Mother want us to use Mary as a way to go closer to Jesus, as well as how all of this might relate to what she has learned about in Yoga through her great Master, Shri Mahayogi. Yukti’s articles end with her determining how she wants to live her life, just before moving to Fukushima.

Truly, Yukti’s story is so inspiring in many ways. And it is truly a testimony of why Shri Mahayogi suggests us to meditate on the life of a Saint. Because of her thirst, which is something that Shri Mahayogi mentions during Satsangha in one way or another, is so real and strong, thus, her aim and ideal are very clear and are reflected in the course of her actions. Through the account of what her experiences demonstrate, we can learn the tools that we too can use in order to strive towards our own aim and our own ideal. In her own way, Yukti was filling her mind with her aim and her ideal, she was filling her mind with Truth, and as she tried to learn, to understand and to live accordingly, she was going through the process of discrimination in the most natural way. Her experience and her example exemplify to us one way to approach the discrimination that Shri Mahayogi is teaching us about in this month’s Satsangha. There are three treasures that Buddha taught about: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. We hope that each of us finds the way to apply what Shri Mahayogi (Buddha) is teaching (Dharma) in our own life and circumstances, and it is certainly helpful and inspirational to be able to see how other practitioners (Sangha) are doing it in their lives.

Yukti’s writing may end here, but her practice of Yoga and striving to live more and more according to the Truth continues.

Publisher’s Note:
Yukti worked as a nurse in Fukushima for four and a half years, from April 2013 to October 2017.  Her original plan was to work there until around the time of the Tokyo Olympic in 2020 (postponed due to the pandemic), predicting that this might be the period in which the area would have the most need. But her father developed a serious physical condition, so in order for her to support her family, she moved to Osaka prefecture, much closer to where her family lives. Her father passed away a few months later, and she now lives in Ehime prefecture where her mother and 101 year-old her grandmother live. She is working as a nurse and supporting her family. We believe she continues with her same spirit and determination, serving those who are most in need according to her circumstance, and continues to live in her pursuit of the Truth.

Saturday Aug 22, 2020 NYC

Report: “Positive Transformation” Online Program, August 14^th, 2020

“See the infinite in the moment, for this moment we have been given now may never come again. That is why it is precious.” (excerpted from The Universal Gospel of Yoga—The Teachings of Sadguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahamsa)

Where is the world going?

In the current world condition, the level of uncertainty in our lives may be heightened and many of us may feel, perhaps more so now than in the past, that we are facing many unknowns. What will come next? Where are we going?

All around the world there are health concerns, economic concerns, social concerns, concerns of heightening political tensions, environmental disasters, and a range of other changes that are impacting the way we may be accustomed to living our day to day lives up until now.

With so many changes happening so rapidly, how can we take this time positively for our own internal growth and transformation, to deepen our own understanding of what Yoga is and what the teachings might mean if we try to learn about them through the experiences of each of our own day to day lives? With so many changes happening so rapidly, as if blatantly demonstrating to us the impermanence of the world and everything we create within it, how do we seize the opportunity of this moment, the preciousness of what is being given—even with its unexpected nature?

As restrictions in New York first began, this was the view that we, the Mahayogi Yoga Mission staff, were aiming to ingrain within ourselves. Thus naturally, when we decided to hold MYM’s first online program, this was the view that gave rise to the title—Positive Transformation in Times of Change: True Independence of the Mind. It was our hope to come together with participants for a journey into the learning and understanding process of two practitioners who are learning Yoga under the guidance of Shri Mahayogi.

We did not design this program as a lecture, but rather we attempted to create an atmosphere in which, through introducing how our practitioners (in this case, Aniruddha and Sadhya), have been trying to process what Shri Mahayogi has been teaching us, others may be able to feel how we can practice to bring our view towards the positive and use this time to bring transformation to our own minds.

One of the greatest parts of this online program is that, for the first time, anyone could be participating from any region of the world. This time attendees joined from Puerto Rico, France, Germany, Taiwan, and the USA (Oregon, Nevada, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and New York) and for some, this was the first time they were ever able to attend an MYM program.

Now, when we think about the situation that we are facing, perhaps more than ever before, we are coming face to face with exactly what the teachings of Buddha are all about, and what Shri Mahayogi has mentioned and taught us again and again—Impermanency. When we hear or read that “everything changes, there is nothing that is permanent,” how many of us really go deep into it, to the extent that we accept the very raw and sometimes harsh reality of this fact. Isn’t it that our mind may often say, “yeah, yeah, I know, that is nothing special—we know that, we hear it, we see it.” But do we really know firsthand beyond what is just skin deep? This may very much be a universal issue and it must have been the same in the past, too. Perhaps, this is how the human mind is. And it may be why, even though we may think we “know,” we try to control our circumstances—because we think or perhaps, even further, we believe that we can control such things.

We all know and can recognize to a certain extent that change is inevitable, when we look back at the past and what has happened in our lives, and in the world, up until now, it is quite evident. However, even so, when we are actually going about living our day to day lives, are we really accepting and acting upon the belief and deep recognition that this world and everything in it is indeed impermanent? Or is our belief otherwise so strong that even though we may think we know, we may still be taken by our emotions when they arise, and not be able to see “objectively”? This is a question that we each may need to face within ourselves, and wake up to the reality of what is in our mind.

In the opening of the program, Sadhya spoke that she was beginning to recognize from the way she had taken many opportunities for granted before restrictions began, expecting things to continue more or less as they were, that in fact her mind may be holding precisely the mistaken belief that the world is not that impermanent after all. If she did not have this belief somewhere within her mind, wouldn’t her way of taking actions and taking each moment as a precious opportunity be different?

Aniruddha shared his own discovery that perhaps his mind was holding onto the belief that “I am in control of my own destiny.” A belief that was challenged by restrictions in New York, and the fear of the pandemic that made the clients of his self-owned and operated natural pest control business to hesitate to call. It was as if everything that he thought he had created and worked hard for, to make himself independent, everything he thought that he had under his control, was all of the sudden out of his control.

This is exactly what the teachings of Buddha are about—Impermanency. There is nothing that we can control.

Now, are these two beliefs shared by Aniruddha and Sadhya unique to them? Probably not—these are common to many of us. The beliefs that things will continue on as they are and that we have some control over our conditions and circumstances in the external world, are quite commonplace in fact, and when we are faced with the reality that these things are not true, that is when our mind often feels a bit bewildered by it, not really wanting to accept the fact of it, and a variety of emotions may come as a result: uncertainty, anxiety, fear, frustration, sadness…just to name a few of the most familiar ones.

But these are the beliefs that Buddha taught are mistaken beliefs, and they are caused by the condition of “not knowing the Truth,” which is what he called “ignorance”—and this emotional result that comes when we are confronted with reality, that produces great discomfort in many of us, is what is often referred to as “suffering.”

Buddha analyzed the sufferings of the human beings and taught them categorized into eight different types of sufferings that No One Can Avoid.

The first four sufferings, which relate to bodily sufferings are:

• Old Age
• Sickness
• Death
• and the cause of the previous three, Birth.

And another four sufferings, which relate to the mental state are:

• Separation from loved ones
• Being with despised ones
• Not being able to get what one wants
• Having an impure body and mind, which, in brief, refers to the five aggregates of clinging. These are the aggregates of:
  • form
  • feeling
  • perception
  • formations of mental volition
  • consciousness

Aniruddha and Sadhya continued to share how they were trying to understand, through learning about these basic teachings of Buddha using their current experiences, how to cultivate a mind of fortitude, a mind that is less and less shakable by changing external conditions. And as they tried to take attendees through their process, they also broke down what they have come to understand so far about how these mistaken beliefs that Buddha teaches about bring us so much emotional discomfort.

Why is it that we suffer or have so much anxiety around facing these things, not wanting to really accept them when they come to us?

Here again the answer is in the teaching of Buddha, and Aniruddha and Sadhya verified it in their own experience: the suffering itself is caused by “desiring always for ‘me’, what I want, what will satisfy and please me.” And underneath that desire, as the foundation of it, lie these mistaken beliefs that Buddha pointed out:

• Believing that we can have control over things outside of ourselves
• Believing that we, ourselves (our own mind and body), and the things around us will continue on
• And, believing that this existence of “me” is separate from others

As Aniruddha and Sadhya gained a clearer understanding about what might be happening within their own minds, relating what they observe in themselves to these teachings of Buddha, they again brought participants back to the question of: so what now? What can we do to cultivate fortitude within our own minds?

That answer itself was captured in the highlight of the program—a story of the recent experience and powerful realization that Aniruddha went through. In this experience, he shared that he had been caught up in his own desire for himself. This was related to wanting to ensure his financial gain with some upcoming jobs. However, circumstances required that he give up these jobs in order to continue physically participating to support some efforts that he had been involved in. Having to give up his own plans and what he was counting on for financial gain, especially during this crucial time, perhaps led him to become caught up in frustration and anger over the situation. (Surely we have all experienced something similar in our lifetimes!)

But then it was pointed out to him that there was a person, whom Aniruddha might not have recognized before, that was counting on these efforts and would benefit greatly. Aniruddha had to go through a battle within his mind. What is important?! Even though he had been learning these teachings of Buddha, he could not recognize by himself what was happening right away because of his emotional state. But when it was pointed out to him, he started to look objectively at himself and recognize that he was putting his own desire, his own benefit, before that of others. Then further he came to the clear conclusion that the financial benefit for himself and the benefit that would be received by the other person from making these efforts, was incomparable—the other’s benefit was much more. When he understood it deeply and accepted the situation fully, then he recognized also that it was this desire itself that was causing him to suffer in anger over things not going according to how he wanted.

He said that upon seeing this, the cloud of anger and frustration immediately disappeared, and his mind was only wanting happily to do whatever he could for the benefit of the other person. The shift happened right then and there—from blaming an external circumstance, to looking within his own mind. Aniruddha’s example was a very clear and concrete depiction of POSITIVE TRANSFORMATION.

This positive transformation, did not come through changing the conditions of the world or controlling external circumstances, but rather through applying this teaching of Buddha to accept the reality of the circumstance, seeing what the mind was doing, and then SHIFTING it to work in a new direction. In a way, we can see that this small shift, from believing the cause to be due to others or external factors and focusing primarily on the benefit for “me”, to trying to find the cause within and focusing on the benefit for “others,” was itself what “ended the suffering” of this situation, and allowed Aniruddha to “become free.” The key to start cultivating our mind is to look within.

True Independence. Imagine if we all work to make these small shifts within our own minds, in our daily life situations? Perhaps this is what will bring us little by little towards what Buddha taught as “the end of suffering,” or Nirvana! Perhaps this is what will bring us to become less and less dependent and tossed about by the ever-changing conditions of the world and lead us towards the state of True Independence, which is something that Aniruddha and Sadhya are still both striving to understand more about. (Though Shri Mahayogi teaches about this state from his own experience of it in Pranavadipa Vol. 69.)

In making these small shifts and working towards a state of True Independence, it does not necessarily mean that each one only thinks about themselves and forgets about everyone else in the world, and towards the end of the program, Aniruddha and Sadhya spoke about how they are beginning to understand that. Buddha taught about Co-Existence, that all of existence is like one interwoven mesh, inseparable from the rest. If the case, as observed in themselves, is that normally we may not recognize this, caught up in the desire for ourselves, then it may be easy to overlook how our desires may require others to give up for us. So then, if we can make these small shifts in our beliefs and the way we take action, perhaps our view and want to give of ourselves for others will instead grow more and more, thus adding another degree of positive transformation, not only to ourselves, but to those around us too.

All in all, the program concluded with Aniruddha and Sadhya sharing their own views of how this particular time of great change may bring to our lives more opportunity and urgency to face the questions most relevant to our existence in this world, how we want to live our lives, and in what state of mind.

At the very end, Aniruddha spoke our gratitude for our great Master, Shri Mahayogi, expressing that without the guidance and grace of Shri Mahayogi, we would not have been able to approach the teaching of Buddha in such a way to experience and realize more concretely its practicality and applicability to all humanity, regardless of background or religion, or the time period in which one lives—the ancient past, the present, or the future—this teaching is truly universal to all human experience and provides real tools for actual transformation.

*

These basic teachings of Buddha might sound or look very simple, indeed. But the fact of it is what makes it worthy to be called Universal Truth—because it is the Truth beyond time and space. Though this Truth is very simple, our own mind may be having a hard time to see or accept it easily when we hear or see it. Our mind might not be able to grasp how immense the contribution that Buddha and the Yogi of ancient times made for all living beings. It is so awe-striking. Because of their discovery, because of their presence, we have the opportunity to see it ourselves. Not only that, but such a being exists in this current time, in which we are living now! Shri Mahayogi, after awakening at the age 8, went through a period in his teenage years of immersing himself in meditation at all times, and in so doing unraveled the mechanism by which the mind functions, along with the fundamental cause of suffering, that is to say, he independently discovered the law of karma and came to know that the cause of all suffering is, ultimately, that which is produced due to ignorance, or not knowing the Truth.

Again and again, we are so humbled by the fact that we have the opportunity to be with and learn from Shri Mahayogi, a Buddha of the modern age.

To our most beloved, our venerable Master,
Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa,
and to all of you.

We humbly, bow down.

Monday Aug 10, 2020 NYC

Report: Talk Held at Company
as an Introduction to our First Online Program
“Positive Transformation in Times of Change:
TRUE INDEPENDENCE OF THE MIND”

On  August 6^th Mahayogi Yoga Mission held an online talk for a company on understanding the nature of the mind and cultivating inner fortitude—from the perspective of Yoga as a science. This talk was a preparation to the MYM program coming up this Friday, August 14^th 7 – 8 PM.  

The following is a summary written by the company’s event organizer:

Sadhya and Aniruddha presented their keen observations and experimenting on changing their own mind habits in relation to various personal and professional matters.

How do we even begin to understand the nature of the mind during these tough times?

Working in teams, working from home, facing our mind, and dealing with emerging emotions that we usually cover up (fear, worry, anxiety, you name it)—these are exactly the things that currently constitute the content of the minds of most people around the world, as we live through the Covid-19 world conditions and changes; and they are exactly the things that, when and if shifted, can have significant effects on our lives and on the lives of those around us.

The same mind crosses through the East and the West and operates similarly in any human being (ancient or modern, and of any cultural background); what yogi of the ancient East found is being confirmed today by science in the modern West. This science is therefore timeless and relates to anyone anywhere.

In an objective and personable way that focused on exploring the thoughts and questions that naturally emerge from within our minds as we go about seeking something to rely on when we find ourselves standing on shaken grounds, our guest speakers laid out, on the operating table, the scientific step-by-step process of observing, identifying, and experimenting with its content and, in doing so, cultivating inner fortitude.

Through various relatable examples from their personal and professional lives, Sadhya who works as a high school teacher and Aniruddha who operates a small pest-control business in NY, shared scenarios of the mind that are common to everyone, like “comparing ourselves to others around us” “putting others down so we feel better about ourselves” “worrying about the opinions of others about us” and “refusing to see the lows of a relationship, while clinging to its highs”—all common human issues. The specifics may differ among people, but the mind operates in the same way.

It was explained that in order for us to walk away from the rollercoaster of the mind and its emotional ups and downs, we need to turn our seeking inwards—we need to understand our own mind and emotions in order to be able to walk away from the mind’s habitual dependence on externally changing conditions. Unlike the usual habit of the mind of thinking that the person in front of us is the issue, the real work begins when we accept that all these thoughts are actually happening within our own mind!

By turning inwards the mind’s external direction (that usually seeks the material gains of happiness and joy found in the world), and by directing it towards our own self, is where we can truly begin. Happiness and independence from these thoughts is found within us in the depth of the mind, and to become aware of what our mind is holding onto is the first step in this opportunity that the current world condition is presenting us with. Then the inquiry starts!

When we look inwards, what emerges from within us is a common factor: our Oneness—the Universal Essence. Then, seeing our self in the person in front of us whether we are working together or speaking with one another, we can then treat others in the way we treat our own selves. We then need to observe our mind’s patterns and inquire into why our mind is presenting us with such thoughts. The internal work of trying to detach from these thoughts can significantly lessen the weight of any negative emotions, and facing this can bring about real positive transformation—especially at this time.

*

In MYM’s upcoming public program, we’ll be taking a deeper dive into the teaching of Yoga that can be applied positively by anyone in our current changing times, as we examine what the True Independence of Yoga really means.

This Friday August 14^th, 7 – 8pm

Positive Transformation in Times of Change:
TRUE INDEPENDENCE OF THE MIND

In the midst of unexpected and changing circumstances,
the key is to learn the nature of the mind and cultivate inner fortitude.

Make sure to register to attend by Thursday, Aug. 13^th at 7pm, at which time registration will close.

All are welcome to attend. No prior experience or knowledge of Yoga is necessary.

SPEAKERS: Aniruddha and Sadhya

Register HERE.
* Tickets will be available for purchase for up to 24 hours in advance.
* Please note that using Zoom is required for attending this program.
We will be happy to provide technical assistance to anyone who may need it.

Please reach out to info@mahayogiyogamission.org for any inquiries about this event.

Wednesday July 29, 2020 NYC

Announcement: First Online Program!

Positive Transformation in Times of Change:
TRUE INDEPENDENCE OF THE MIND

Friday, August 14th     7 – 8pm

In the midst of unexpected and changing circumstances, the key is to learn the nature of the mind and cultivate inner fortitude.

This online talk with Mahayogi Yoga Mission practitioners will be centered on the unwavering state of true Independence, which can be cultivated within each and every one of ourselves.

All are welcome to attend. No prior experience or knowledge of Yoga is necessary.

SPEAKERS: Aniruddha and Sadhya

Register HERE.
* Tickets will be available for purchase for up to 24 hours in advance.
* Please note that using Zoom is required for attending this program.
We will be happy to provide technical assistance to anyone who may need it.

Please reach out to info@mahayogiyogamission.org for any inquiries about this event.

Wednesday July 22, 2020 NYC

Editor’s Note: Pranavadipa Volume 68

Do you know what meditation really is?
How do I meditate? What is the benefit of meditation?
If I can’t meditate, what should I do…?

 How do you understand the words of Buddha:
“To rely on oneself, to rely on Dharma”?

How do you understand the words of Vivekananda:
“If you cannot, dream but truer dreams”?

If someone were to ask you these questions, how would you answer? What would your answers be based on? And with what level of clarity would you be able to respond?

PASSION: To inquire. To seek to learn. To seek to understand. These are the forces that are essential in propelling one along the path of Yoga, no matter if one is just beginning the practice of Yoga or has been practicing for an extended amount of time.

In this month’s Pranavadipa (Vol. 68) the attendees present in the selected Satsangha represent a range of different practitioners, from brand new beginners, to more advanced, and the types of questions asked to Shri Mahayogi also represent a range in depth of practice. It is fascinating to see how the conversation between this group of practitioners and Shri Mahayogi unfolds and how seamlessly Shri Mahayogi responds to each practitioner, mirroring in his response the level of depth with which each asks their questions.

The Satsangha begins with an inquiry into the meaning of the words of Buddha in the above question, particularly in regards to what “oneself” is referring to and how the practitioner should understand the way to apply this teaching. It then continues into the topic of bhakti, which leads into a conversation about the state of a bodhisattva. As attendees continue to inquire into this state, a connection between it and what is referred to in the words above of Swami Vivekananda is revealed, as is how what is referred to in the Yoga Sutra as dharma megha samadhi is related. Not only does Shri Mahayogi speak with remarkable clarity about the content of this state, but he also speaks about how to progress towards it and how one proceeds from there to the final realization! It is astounding to see the precision and detail with which Shri Mahayogi teaches about these topics—it is so evident that his answer comes from his experience and the state where he is—the complete Pure and Free state, unbound by all the information, ideas and interpretations that our minds are filled with. How rare is the opportunity to receive guidance from one who is in that state, one who can really grasp and know it, the true Master of Yoga, who is in the state of a Buddha.

The Satsangha continues further still, as practitioners inquire into meditation itself, how to overcome obstacles or the feeling of “I can’t meditate,” the most important key to meditation, and the benefits of meditation. This inquiry continues into the topic of attaining to the state of Satori, the preciousness of the opportunity and moment that we have now to do so, and the teachings of the Four Noble Truths as the most relevant and accessible entry-point for anyone standing at the gate of the path of Yoga.

There is so much we can learn and study in this very rich Satsangha. Pranam and our utmost gratitude and reverence to Shri Mahayogi, who graciously offers his words and teachings—the Infinite Knowledge directly coming from his own experience, from the Love and Compassion that spring forth from his presence.

Shri Mahayogi has said in the past that, for himself, he has nothing to say, and that the answers he gives are in the questions asked, suggesting that how and what Shri Mahayogi answers, including the depth and detail of his answer, is in direct proportion with the hunger and depth of inquiry of the practitioner who asks. We also extend our gratitude to the participants of this Satsangha, who asked the questions that allowed for these precious teachings of Shri Mahayogi to come to light.

*

The Testimony this month is the second part of the writings of Yukti, a disciple of Shri Mahayogi in Japan, whose journey we were first introduced to in last month’s Testimony (Vol. 67) Living on the Words of Mother, Part 1 of 3.

“How can the dying best be served?” —Yukti started to yearn to know the answer when she was working as a nurse, and this became her aim. There may be different approaches to seek out the answer, but Yukti’s approach, as she expressed in her own words, was not to look to “some eminent theorist or researcher within the nursing profession, but a single nun who dedicated her entire life to God. It was Mother Teresa.” Through trying to seek through the life and example of Mother Teresa, she found that the answer was “Being Holy.” Then she realized that “the inquiry I had been pursuing did not come from a sense of my duty as a nurse, but came from an eager desire in the depth of my heart, desperately yearning to save souls.”

In her own words, she then recalled her life, and the time she first encountered Yoga 15 years prior to this writing. “At the time, I was very sick and I didn’t expect to be living 15 years later. As I think about why I encountered Yoga and was allowed to live, I wanted to answer, ‘Yes’ to Mother’s message, no matter how far away I am from being holy at this moment. Because, there is only this reason that I am allowed to live, even now too: to be holy.” With this, her realization reached to the resolution that it must involve the way she lives: “However, just getting that answer was not enough, because the answer must be realized and lived.” Then her journey continues on as she strives for that.

In this month’s Part 2, Yukti’s determination to know how to “Be Holy” is so firm that nothing can stop her—this urge to realize her aim and live in accordance with it, and this drive to win over any hesitation she may have or feeling of self-consciousness that may come up along the way, comes from her seeing only the aim. As she goes towards the aim by diving into the life and teachings of Mother, it is as if she is given a “message” to decode in order to open a door, then after she opens that door, she walks, and comes upon the next “message” to decode for going through the next the door, and in this way she is led forward.

It is the passion with the clarity of an aim and the strong drive to go closer towards it by putting ourselves through a process of learning that gives rise to progress—not following our own ideas of what we think the path should look like.

The great part in this testimony of Yukti is that, through her writing, she allows us to take a peek, in a very concrete way, into what she was thinking and what she was contemplating upon as she progressed each step of the way, and into how she tried to decode each message. Her process, the ways in which she strives to understand and apply her new learnings into her own life situation, gives us much inspiration and provides many opportunities for us as readers to learn an example of how one goes about learning through action driven by working towards an aim. But beneath it all, she must have a deep gratitude and sheer recognition of her life’s mission: “there is only this reason that I am allowed to live.”

There are several aspects of Yukti’s journey that are actually very much connected to the topics in the Satsangha in this issue of Pranavadipa (Vol. 68).

During the Satsangha, there was a question about the possible reasons for which one may get stuck and not be able to meditate even though one tries to practice, and Shri Mahayogi answers that “it all boils down to how crucial the issues upon which one meditates are within the mind.” Yukti’s way of taking action driven by her strong want to attain her aim is an example of exactly that.

Additionally, her journey, a consequence of her sincere seeking with all her heart, mind and strength, naturally led her further and further toward the words of Swami Vivekananda, “dream but truer dreams,” that Shri Mahayogi teaches about in this month’s Satsangha (Vol. 68). The decision to move to Fukushima, the disaster area of the Great East Japan Earthquake, where the people were and still are suffering from the aftermath of the earthquake, the tsunami and the on-going situation with the nuclear power plants, came to Yukti. She wrote, “…as the days passed, I came to know that there is no need to hesitate or to have a particular resolution. Because I felt that working in the disaster area is what God was calling me to do, was asking me to do, so it was a very natural thing.” These words reflect her depth of yearning and the determination of her soul to realize the aim, and this must be precisely what brought Yukti to take action, this recognition that “the answer must be realized and lived.”

There must be many people who are inspired by Mother Teresa and strive to learn and follow her example. However, something that is perhaps a bit distinctive in Yukti’s case, is that by her striving to follow and learn from the example of Mother Teresa as a guide for the purpose of going closer towards her aim—in her own way, without any boundary of religion—she came to know Mother, she came to know the heart of Mother Teresa more and more closely, all the while being guided by Shri Mahayogi. At one point, she wrote, “I could not think about Yoga anymore.” Yet, most importantly, she was very aware that while she was striving to know and live on the words of Mother, her Guru was Shri Mahayogi—and from the larger perspective, Shri Mahayogi was surely guiding her, his grace behind it all. Shri Mahayogi teaches that the content of Yoga is the very essence of religion—Yukti’s story and how Shri Mahayogi, her Guru, guides her, his disciple, is a beautiful demonstration of the way Guru and disciple are bonded in Love and Trust.

In the beginning (Part 1) of the entire article of “Living on the Words of Mother,” Yukti wrote:

“As I began to know her more, I began to think of her words more deeply, meditate on them and I began to act on them. What I have come to understand from that is that if we meditate upon the words of holy beings, and seriously continue to apply them in practice through our actions, then we will surely come to see the Truth ahead.”

It is a very powerful statement!—because these words of recognition come from her very own experience. Only those who have gone through experiencing these processes first hand can really say such things with conviction.

Yukti may not necessarily have been intentionally trying to practice Yoga through her search, yet with the yearning for going towards her aim she threw herself entirely into it, heart and soul, which ultimately led her to unintentionally go through the practice of sadhana in Yoga, and through that she started to come closer and closer to the Truth.

Shri Mahayogi once mentioned that it is of great benefit to have an image of one’s ideal as a siddha (perfected one). And that this ideal should not be one who has been perfected since birth (avatara) but an ordinary person or disciple of an Enlightened Being, just like us, who later became a saint. Your ideal siddha is one who you really admire and who you aim to bring your way of being towards, going ever closer to their heart, even in your own life circumstances—who you study to find out about how they lived their life, and you think and meditate on them, including what led them to become a saint, what the turning points were in their life, what the teachings or lessons were that they learned along the way, what realizations and impulses came about within those turning points, and what actions they made to remain as a siddha, working to deepen their state, rather than turning back.

What we can see in the experience of Yukti, with Mother Teresa as the image of her ideal siddha, is itself a testimony of Shri Mahayogi’s way of guiding his disciples ever-closer to the Truth.

Saturday June 27, 2020 NYC

Under the Abrupt Condition of Quarantine and its Major Life Transitions:
A Testimony of Reformation

“Understand it as condition of seclusion like that of Yoga—Kumbhaka.”

                                                                                                -Satguru Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa

Almost right after Shri Mahayogi went back to Japan after the winter visit, NYC went into PAUSE under the conditions of the worldwide health pandemic. Mahayogi Yoga Mission’s Asana & Meditation classes were suspended, along with other in-person activities, like the Study in Practice group (SIP), which had been meeting since the Fall of 2018 with the principle of deepening spiritual practice and understanding through acting upon and thereby experientially learning the teachings of Yoga.

Up until the PAUSE, the members of Study in Practice had been meeting about twice a month. However, spontaneously and out of the member’s own will, one of two smaller groups within the Study in Practice group began to meet twice a week by phone at the same time that Mahayogi Yoga Mission had held its regular Asana & Meditation classes. Around the same time, Anandamali, the director of the Mission in New York, sent a message, “We should take this time positively, as a time to study and practice the teachings of Shri Mahayogi more deeply. My heart is with you.” Then the other small group of the larger Study in Practice group also decided to meet, in the same way as the first.

Suddenly, concerning about the Sangha and the situation in New York, Shri Mahayogi sent a message:

“You have to endure.
Understand this as a condition of seclusion,
like that of Yoga—Kumbhaka.
Persist—there is nothing you can do but that.”

Certainly, we had no idea how long this condition would and will continue. However, definitely “Kumbhaka” in the message of Shri Mahayogi was the great guideline. The period of being in quarantine can be a very difficult time, however it is up to us, each individual, how to take this time of constraint as the positive practice time for Kumbhaka so that the energy within us will strengthen and that we may build within ourselves the internal fortitude that comes as a result.

Definitively, with this condition of being more or less isolated, meeting twice a week for Study in Practice was a dramatic shift in frequency and it intensified the focus of the group toward the internal work of the mind, which is actually the most important part of the work of Yoga, though it can be the most challenging.

When Study in Practice began, around the end of August, 2018, Shri Mahayogi gave a message to the Sangha through the following metaphor:

“The most vital part is missing.
A man who had heard about the Truth, thought that he wanted to cross to the other shore, the Truth. This is the step where one just gets interested in Yoga or spiritual things. Then he tried to embark on the journey, pulling hard on the oars. The night passed and the next morning, when he looked around, he was still at the same place. He had not taken off the rope that his boat was moored with to the shore of the world. This is a very common mistake that all are liable to fall into. Before one begins the journey and pulls on the oars, or learns the Truth and devotes to the spiritual practice of disciplines, one ought to have taken off the ropes. Unless one completes this basic step well, the boat cannot progress forward no matter how much one pulls on the oars.”

Then he clarified that our task is “to clarify and identify what these ropes are, and renounce them.”

In a way, the consistency of this intensive time of internal focus, with the condition of limited stimulation from outside activities, led our work intensely towards doing this.

The following is the testimony of one practitioner who was very much in the struggle of the vicious cycle of the mind, yet he suddenly saw through to a moment of Light. It is truly a blessing. For many years we witnessed this vicious cycle, yet somehow he kept going and did not give up searching, even though many things were clouded. It really proves that we cannot judge ourselves, whether we are making progress or not, but rather, if we don’t give up and stick to it, by going through it, eventually we will see the Light.

*

“I Know” is the Obstacle!

Over the last couple of weeks I was asked by my senior disciples to think deeply about what I am living for and what I want to do in this life. After thinking about it for a few days I decided to just watch my mind to see if there is something that will surface and to see what some of the obstacles are that stand in the way of me finding the answer.

On the weekend, I was invited to go to the mountains to visit a friend. A day before the trip, because I started to worry that I might lose focus of my homework during the time of the visit, I decided to make an effort to try and always remember the teaching that I am the Consciousness, not the body, and so is everybody else.

Once I arrived, I quickly found that, because I spent most of the last few months at home, not interacting much with others, I had a strong impulse to chat a lot. So I decided to engage in conversations, but at the same time try not to forget my goal and try to focus on the true Self in others and myself.

Later that night, while sitting by the fire, a conversation started up between a friend of mine and I about one of the Satsangha from last summer that we had both attended. My friend was expressing her opinion about one of the attendees and what she thought about this person’s demeanor during the event. As she continued to express, I felt a strong reaction in my mind saying “you actually don’t know about this person but I do,” and a strong need to say something to make her change the way she was thinking. So I tried to say something, but the more intensely I was trying to convince her that her opinion is wrong and that I know what’s what, the more she was talking about the same thing and maintaining her own point of view. The reaction in my mind became so strong that it actually started to bother me a lot. At this point, wanting to change this, I stopped and asked myself, “why am I so bothered?” It suddenly dawned on me that the issue was that, in my mind, I thought that I knew best, that what I thought was right and what she thought was wrong. This made me suffer greatly. I felt that I had no choice but to ask myself whether I really knew about this person who attended the Satsangha or not. Looking at my mind I realized that I didn’t really know at all and there was no way I could claim that I was right. Accepting this, I started to really listen to my friend and realized that she was bothered by something about this person’s demeanor, but up until this point I couldn’t see it because of my preconceived idea that “I know” and “I am right.” Finally, I started to think about how there were so many things that were discussed at that Satsangha and I wondered if any of us would be better off focusing on remembering the teachings of Shri Mahayogi that were given that day instead. So I asked her if there was anything that she took from the Satsangha, and after thinking for some time she shared one of the teachings that Shri Mahayogi had spoken, and right away the energy changed and the conversation took a completely different turn.

After this, I immediately remembered my goal for this trip, and tried to stay quiet, to just think and focus on the Consciousness and on others as being that same Consciousness. Then I realized that one of the things that stops me from getting closer to realizing what I really want and what I really want to live for, is that I carry the strong preconceived idea that I know and I am right about many things, including life and Yoga practice. From here comes a way of expressing myself that tends to be pushy and to lean a little towards sounding fanatic about some topics. Also, I probably don’t see things that are being revealed to me on a daily basis because the mind is full with this attitude.

Meanwhile, my friend started to talk with somebody else and overhearing their conversation, I noticed my mind quickly trying to interrupt again with the same tendency to prove a point, but this time I continued to focus on the thought and essence of them as being the Pure Consciousness—and then something happened. Immediately there was a moment of clarity in which I felt overwhelmed by the feeling that there’s nothing to be said, that there’s no need to change anything, that this Consciousness is just playing using the minds and bodies of my friends. I saw them as innocent kids at play and that the whole creation is like that too, that there’s nothing to be achieved, that we are all moving on the path towards realizing the Truth at our own pace and that there’s nobody higher or lower just because one might understand more or less. Our minds are different, and from now on I’ll have to strive to really understand the mind of the person in front of me in order to be able to really connect with them.

Now, I can’t say with conviction that I found my life’s purpose that night, but I know that those moments of freedom that I had are something that I would like to experience more often, together with the closeness that I felt with the people around me. I also have to accept that those small moments of clarity happened because I met Shri Mahayogi and attempted to understand and practice the teachings of Yoga under his guidance. This makes me more confident that if I just try to think and act based on the teachings as often as I can, I will have more and more of these moments, and hopefully, one day, the feeling of Oneness will occupy my mind permanently.

Thank you very much Shri Mahayogi!

Ekanta, June 2020

 *

We found that, interestingly, this testimony is precisely an example of how one result of “Kumbhaka” could appear.

At the start of quarantine, as an effect of the conditions, Ekanta lost his job. Around the same time, he experienced a physical condition that did not allow him to use his physical body for anything more than the absolute necessities—in fact anything other than lying down or walking for short periods of time was challenging. On top of that, the condition of isolation from quarantine was further compounded by the fact that his roommate was gone most of the time, along with the majority of his friends, who would often stay upstate. At one point his physical condition started to improve, and he was able to be a little bit more physically active—but then, he soon became injured again. Truly, it must have been so difficult to bear it.

Looking back now, or if we see it from different perspective, it was actually as if, for some reason, Ekanta was truly forced into a state in which all external conditions were putting him under a completely unusual and intense form of restraint—with “nowhere to escape.” Even so, somehow he continued to hold on to the SIP group meetings and in spite of the struggle of his own mind in these conditions, endured it.

When the moment came to visit his friends and momentarily relax these tight conditions, an experience of a glimpse of Truth came, as if all these conditions he went through were given through the grace of Shri Mahayogi.

In a way, what he went through very much resembles the practice of asana (physical postures) that Shri Mahayogi teaches, or rather, it symbolically revealed how what can happen through practice of asana on a smaller scale, can be like a representation of what can happen through the “kumbhaka” of the quarantine. In the way that Shri Mahayogi teaches practice of asana, there is a combination of juxtaposing asana and savasana (corpse pose). During each asana, a condition of intense restraint and concentration is created and maintained for some time, and is then followed by savasana, which allows for the opposite state to come as its contrast—the relaxed state of completely letting go. Shri Mahayogi teaches that savasana is an important asana. The role of savasana might not be understood properly, but we can also see from this example that when practiced correctly, it can create within the mind the state of sattva, which can give rise to even the smallest amount of space—and that space is where the Truth can emerge.

Daily practice of asana is the training that prepares us for living life every day. And often what we face within ourselves during practice of asana, has the same content of what we have to face in our day to day lives, albeit on a much larger and more prolonged scale. If we train to endure in asana, then when the conditions arise in actual life situations, we must use that training to endure and persist for as long as we need to, until the condition of “release” comes. If we do so, then the space cleared in the mind for the Truth perhaps may be much more than what is cleared while on the yoga mat.

We are in awe of how all of this once again reveals the vastness of Shri Mahayogi’s grace and guidance that is inherent in the teachings and practices that Shri Mahayogi  bestows upon us.

Saturday June 13, 2020 NYC

Editor’s Note: Pranavadipa Volume 67

“Seek nothing but what you must Attain.
Seek nothing but what you must Realize.
Seek nothing but the Truth.”

-Satrugu Shri Mahayogi Paramahansa,
from The Universal Gospel Of Yoga

These words, spoken by Shri Mahayogi and recorded in the teaching “The Aim of Life” in The Universal Gospel of Yoga, straightforwardly speak directly to the core of every human being’s existence. These words are simple, yet so strong that they can shake one’s mind out of being caught up in its own stories and illusions and make it recognize at once that the only thing that truly matters is precisely that. These words stand boldly, unable to be touched or moved by any worldly matters.

But what do they mean? Is it enough to merely read these words and experience one passing moment of recognition? What is it really that we must attain? What is it really that we must realize? And how do we do it? With the world constantly changing around us, bringing one new situation after another, how can we keep our minds unshakeable amidst external conditions and clear about aiming for the Truth?

In this month’s Pranavadipa (Vol. 67), the primary content is around the seriousness needed by practitioner to seek the Truth, as well as the practice of discrimination, the process of differentiating between the content of the mind and the teaching of the Truth, in order to bring the mind to the Truth.

The Satsangha in this issue, coming from the first Satsangha that took place in New York during Shri Mahayogi’s most recent visit (Dec 2019 – Feb 2020), has many questions that relate to how to correctly practice discrimination, which at times can be a practice that many practitioners may not be clear on how to approach or go about. However, Shri Mahayogi carefully responds to each question, at times clarifying misunderstandings, at other times breaking down how to approach the mind, and then also firmly directing the mind to always aim towards a content that is the purest of the pure—the unchangeable Existence.

At the same time, Shri Mahayogi teaches us about what seriousness is when it comes to seeking the Truth and the imperativeness of “staking your life” on it. In response to the shock expressed by some attendees as they try to interpret what this strong message means, Shri Mahayogi compassionately helps us all to see, through the simple example of romantic love, how we already know how to stake our lives on something and rather all we need to do is to instead direct that action towards something that is unchangeable and eternal.

“Seek nothing but what you must Attain.
Seek nothing but what you must Realize.
Seek nothing but the Truth.”

To constantly remind ourselves of this, to empty ourselves of that which is changeable and unnecessary, and to instead fill ourselves with the teachings of Yoga, will surely bring about the seriousness to seek only the Truth, and bring the mind to concentrate and base its activities upon it. Then the process of discrimination will come more naturally, our seriousness will become stronger and our capacity to understand beyond the surface level of the words will be continuously developed. As we read through this Satsangha, let’s aim to think deeply on Shri Mahayogi’s words, and strive to discover what they really mean by trying to put them into action.

*

Yoga is practical—Shri Mahayogi says—it is not about intellectual understanding. It is about transformation. True transformation can happen only through experience. Experience can happen only through actually putting our body and mind into action. If we sincerely want to learn Yoga, and in order to understand the teachings, we need to experience them through putting them into action—to do so is to embark on the true path of learning. Otherwise the depth of the meaning remains veiled to our eyes and does not fully penetrate into our heart and our being.

This month’s Testimony is coming from the first part of “Living on the Words of Mother,” and is the writing of Yukti, a disciple of Shri Mahayogi in Japan. These articles were originally published in Paramahamsa (Mahayogi Mission Japan’s bi-monthly publication) between Sept. 2012 and Jan. 2014.

The first part of this month’s article begins with her narration:

“On March 11, 2011, I was working as a nurse and left Japan to volunteer at Mother Teresa’s facility in Kolkota, India, in search of an answer to a question I had been continuing to pursue while attending to patients. I found the answer in the words of Mother. It was for me myself, who is attending to the dying, watching over a person’s final hours, to become holy. However, just getting that answer was not enough, because the answer must be realized and lived.”

“……. As I began to know her more, I began to think of her words more deeply, meditate on them and I began to act on them. What I have come to understand from that is that if we meditate upon the words of holy beings, and seriously continue to apply them in practice through our actions, then we will surely come to see the Truth ahead.

From now on, I would like to write about what I have practiced and what I will be practicing. First I would like to revisit my previous article about my experiences in India, “Message from the Mother,” and share with you the things that I felt more deeply.”

Then the article goes on to detail her actual course of actions, her journey of striving to discover and understand the deeper meaning behind Mother Teresa’s words, even to the point of designing her life around putting herself in situations that would make her test Mother Teresa’s words and try to experience for herself their meaning and where they come from.

This is a remarkable Testimony, whether you practice Yoga or not, there is so much that we can all learn from. In fact, in her writing, she rarely uses the word Yoga, even at one point writing, “after I returned [from India] to Japan, I could not think about Yoga anymore,” however her actions themselves are her own example of exactly what Yoga is, and exactly how Shri Mahayogi teaches us. Throughout her journey the underlying presence of her great master, Shri Mahayogi, is always there, and through this example we can see that Yoga is indeed universal, the essence of religion and the genuine search inherent within our human nature.

This is the first of three parts that will be published over three volumes of Pranavadipa. And we look forward to continuing to share her experience, learning, and transformation in the next two Volumes.

In preparation for reading this Testimony we suggest first reading “Searching for God’s Love”, an article by Yukti that is already published on the Mahayogi Yoga Mission website.http://www.mahayogiyogamission.org/teaching/gods_love1.html

Sunday May 24, 2020 NY

ANNOUNCEMENT:
Release of First Spanish Publication
& Reprint of The Universal Gospel of Yoga (English)

“La Verdad Suprema no tiene ni nombre ni forma, simplemente Existencia. Ella sola es la Verdadera Realidad, el verdadero Ser, eso que es llamado Dios. Lo que es Uno se manifiesta a Sí Mismo como todos los seres y todas las cosas. Regocíjate en la dicha del Silencio no-dual.”      
– Sadguru Sri Mahayogi Paramahamsa, selección de El Evangelio Universal del Yoga

*

“The Supreme Truth has no name or form, simply Existence. It alone is True Reality, the true Self, that which is called God. That which is One manifests Itself as all beings and all things. Rejoice in the bliss of non-dualistic Silence.”
– Sadguru Sri Mahayogi Paramahamsa, Excerpt from The Universal Gospel of Yoga

It is with immense joy that we announce the publication of El Evangelio Universal del Yoga, the long-awaited Spanish translation of The Universal Gospel of Yoga: The Teachings of Sadguru Sri Mahayogi Paramahamsa!!!

Es con inmensa dicha que anunciamos la publicación de El Evangelio Universal del Yoga, la tan esperada traducción de The Universal Gospel of Yoga: The Teachings of Sadguru Sri Mahayogi Paramahamsa!!!

This is the first-ever book of Shri Mahayogi’s teachings to be published in Spanish and is a result of the sincere desire for these invaluable teachings of Yoga, as well as the essence of Shri Mahayogi, to reach further and further to those who may best be able to receive them in the Spanish language. As this is the first publication of the Spanish translation, we have placed a new Preface, which includes the meaning of the title of this book, “The Universal Gospel of Yoga.”

Este es el primerísimo libro de enseñanzas de Shri Mahayogi publicado en español, y es el resultado de un genuino deseo de que estas invaluables enseñanzas del Yoga, así como la esencia de Shri Mahayogi, alcancen aquellos que mejor los puedan recibir en el idioma español. Al ser la primera vez que se publica la traducción al español, hemos introducido en ella un nuevo prefacio, que contiene el significado de su título, “El Evangelio Universal del Yoga”.

The significance of why such a title is given to this book is important for readers in both English and Spanish to understand, and it brings us back to the original meaning of what Yoga is. And thus, we are also very pleased to announce that The Universal Gospel of Yoga (English) is also back in print, now in its 4^th Edition, incorporating this new Preface. Additionally, it includes some editing that we hope better captures the subtle meaning behind the words that Shri Mahayogi originally spoke in Japanese.

La significación del por qué detrás del título de este libro es importante de entender para los lectores del inglés tanto como del español; nos regresa al significado original de lo que es el Yoga. Y con esto, estamos también muy complacidos de poder anunciar que el libro, The Universal Gospel of Yoga (en inglés) también vuelve a estar disponible ahora en su 4ta edición, e incorpora el nuevo prefacio. Adicionalmente, contiene algunas reviciones que esperamos mejor capturen el significado sutil detrás de las palabras que Shri Mahayogi originalmente enunció en japonés.

We humbly offer our gratitude to Shri Mahayogi,
our beloved Satguru,
our guiding light on the path of Yoga.
Through his blessing we have the great opportunity to be introduced to Yoga,
and through his existence these precious teachings are revealed.
Through his grace these publications have come to fruition
and our great hope is that his teaching and existence come to be known,
beyond any limit of time, place or language.

Humildemente ofrecemos nuestro agradecimiento a Shri Mahayogi,
nuestro amado Satguru,
nuestra luz guiadora en el sendero del Yoga.
A través de sus bendiciones es que tenemos la gran oportunidad de conocer el Yoga,
y a través de su existencia, es que estas preciadas enseñanzas son reveladas.
Por medio de su gracia estas publicaciones se han venido a materializar
y es nuestra gran esperanza que sus enseñanzas y su existencia se lleguen a conocer,
más allá de límites de tiempo, lugar o idioma.

The Universal Gospel of Yoga and El Evangelio Universal del Yoga are available for purchase. For more details on ordering and shipping, please see the links below.

The Universal Gospel of Yoga y El Evangelio Universal del Yoga están disponibles para la compra. Para más detalles sobre pedidos y envíos, por favor oprima los siguientes enlaces.

• The Universal Gospel of Yoga
• El Evangelio Universal del Yoga

Please note that due to the current pandemic, domestic shipping times may be longer than usual and for international orders we ask that you please contact us directly, as postal service in some countries may be temporarily limited. info@mahayogiyogamission.org

Por favor, esté al tanto de que por causa de la pandemia, los envíos domésticos pueden tomar más tiempo de lo normal. Para envíos internacionales, pedimos que se comuniquen con nosotros directamente ya que los servicios postales en algunos países pueden estar limitados actualmente.
info@mahayogiyogamission.org

*If you are currently residing in NYC, pick-up arrangements may be possible. Please contact info@mahayogiyogamission.org

*Si usted reside en la ciudad de Nueva York corrientemente, es factible hacer otro tipo de arreglo para recibir su pedido. Por favor comuníquese por correo electrónico info@mahayogiyogamission.org

Monday May 18, 2020 NY

GRACE OF THE MASTER: Shri Mahayogi’s Visit to NY this Winter

Pranam to our Beloved Master, Shri Mahayogi.

We would like to offer our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to Shri Mahayogi
for the precious time that he has spent in New York this past winter,
transmitting the teachings of Yoga and enlivening all
who had the great opportunity to gather at his beautiful lotus feet,
in his infinite grace.  

In its own way, Shri Mahayogi’s visit to New York this winter (mid-December to end of February 2020) heralded the spring, bringing to us a light so bright as to keep our eyes and hearts drawn always upwards towards the Truth. This was the third occasion Shri Mahayogi came to New York over the course of one year, and was his longest stay, almost three months. Who could have known back then how the worldwide situation would be now. But looking back, it feels as if Shri Mahayogi was filling us with the spiritual strength needed to face the rapidly changing conditions of the world.

During those three months, between the weekly Sadhana Programs and the four Satsangha that were offered, many people were drawn to be at the side of the Master. Some came to meet Shri Mahayogi for the first time, some who met Shri Mahayogi during the past visit attended regularly, and there were even some faces that gratefully appeared after many years of absence. A steady stream of practitioners from Japan also made the trip across the world to spend concentrated time of learning with Shri Mahayogi in New York. Whether new or old, whether from the United States, from Europe, or from various parts of Asia, Shri Mahayogi graciously and warmly welcomed all to his side.

Those who had not seen Shri Mahayogi in many years expressed their amazement at the fact that “Shri Mahayogi remains so unchanged. ”Many who experienced Shri Mahayogi for the first time either expressed the deep quietude or joy they felt within themselves afterward or departed from the programs with faces smiling and shining. Again and again, attendees expressed that they had never experienced anything quite like this before, whether in reference to the experience of practicing asana, to the experience of gathering with Shri Mahayogi to ask questions, or, what was probably most impactful and felt most strongly, the experience of Shri Mahayogi himself.

Apart from the concentrated times of learning that occurred during the Satsangha, every Sunday Shri Mahayogi offered a Sadhana program,

in which attendees gathered to practice asana and meditation under the guidance of the Master. In silence, Shri Mahayogi tenderly and with great care and attention watched over all the practitioners in the program, guiding and bringing all to align their minds and hearts with Yoga, and by the end of each class, the space and everything in and around it would become palpably quiet, still, and filled with peacefulness. And there were also times in which Shri Mahayogi pulled together new attendees at the end and offered to answer their questions. In these intimate moments, Shri Mahayogi generously and compassionately transmitted the teaching of Truth, which seemed to calm the tears that some shed as they described their life struggle, while bringing joyous exchanges of laughter with others.

  No one can deny that much has transpired since Shri Mahayogi’s return to Japan, both in New York and around the world, and for many, the past three months have brought significant changes and ample uncertainty. Yet, the great gift of Shri Mahayogi’s presence and this unparalleled opportunity we have had in New York to spend time learning from the Master continues to reverberate strongly in our hearts, and the teachings that come from these concentrated times with Shri Mahayogi can provide sustenance and inspiration not only to those who experienced them first hand, but even to those who read or come to hear about them now and later on.

We are very happy to announce that each of the four Satsangha that Shri Mahayogi offered during this visit have already been or will soon be published in Pranavadipa, Mahayogi Yoga Mission’s online publication of study material (Volumes 64, 65, 66, and 67).

Even if you were unable to attend the Satsangha, we hope that you will read, study and be filled by the spiritual grace that abounds in each and every word and interaction that transpired in the presence of Shri Mahayogi. Even the moments of silence, which are often overflowing the most with this profound grace, can be felt as we read.

Every moment provides us with an opportunity to practice Yoga, every moment provides us with an opportunity that may not come again—every moment is precious. When it comes to the teaching of Truth and the opportunity to put Yoga into practice, may we all strive to not take for granted a single moment that we are given, past, present or future.

Friday Dec 27, 2019 NY

Announcement: Pranavadipa Relaunches!

Pranavadipa, our monthly online subscription-based publication of teachings and study material, has officially relaunched!

We truly appreciate everyone who has been patiently waiting as we transition to a new system. Knowing that through the content of Pranavadipa the powerful Light of Eternal Truth has the opportunity to shine forth and nourish the hearts of those who seek It in their daily lives around the globe, we recognize the importance and preciousness of having this publication available. And we would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support of this work.

Please read more about what Pranavadipa is HERE and how to SUBSCRIBE.

***

Though the newest volume of Pranavadipa (Vol. 61) is arriving to you a little later than usual, its content is just as rich and enlivening as ever.

The Satsangha published in this Volume is coming from Shri Mahayogi’s visit to Matsuyama in Japan, where seekers have been practicing and building their understanding of the teachings of Yoga. Though there have been Yoga activities happening and slowly building in Matsuyama since 2005 it is only in the past few years that Shri Mahayogi has begun to travel there on a regular basis to offer Satsangha to the practitioners. You can surely feel how the attendees of the Satsangha must recognize and cherish this precious opportunity to ask the questions they have been waiting to ask and value these important moments at the feet of the Master to seek his guidance so that they can advance their practice until the next opportunity.

The questions themselves are clearly based in the actual challenges faced in daily life that the practitioners are facing as they strive to implement the teachings of Yoga into both their surroundings and in the way their mind approaches or views the situations they are in. These challenges are nothing unique to those who are asking them, but are common things that we all face and can all easily relate to.

Shri Mahayogi crisply and compassionately teaches about true independence, concrete discrimination within the mind, how to approach and interact with loved ones, how to train the mind and how to face a lack of passion and rather cultivate what is lacking. The stark truth of Shri Mahayogi’s words, from beginning to end, seem to shake confusion, misunderstanding, and lack of determination out of our minds—and at the same time inspire us to proceed forth on the path of Yoga with vigor and resolve.

This Volume’s Testimony, written by Sananda, consists of two articles from a series called “Yoga Explained.” The first of the two articles introduces and breaks down for us what Yoga is, in relation to the second and most important of the sutra contained in the ancient scripture: “Yoga is the restraint of the activities of the mind.” It goes on to detail where the teaching of Yoga originates, how it is passed down, and the importance of this state of Yoga being transmitted by one who has mastered it in absolute. And the second article contains a very relatable and practical explanation of how the mind functions and where its activity comes from to begin with. This is the great science of Yoga! Together, these articles, with their many examples and easy language, provide us with a generous amount of detail and understanding that only comes from studying the teachings of Yoga by actually practicing and experiencing them.

May we all be inspired to aim to discover for ourselves through putting practice into action the depth of understanding and realization that can only come through actual experience!