– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What sorts of things give you pause to wonder? snip Mike Dubbeld Mike, Transcendence? That’s an one is easy one. How about something really difficult to phantom like women 
Namaste Mike, But really here’s what I don’t get. Maya… What in the world is the point? You mean the point of Maya? That
Categories: Yoga Basic Yoga | 
No Comments »
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Objects are form, reading texts or prayers is form, thoughts are form. One should not claim that everyone should abandon form in a split second and worship the formless. It cannot be done until the practitioner attains to sufficient yogic ability. To worship the formless means achieving an ‘empty mind.’ That cannot be done without proceeding through the stages of ‘form’ first. Even a yogi when he starts meditating first has to proceed from ‘form’ to the ‘formless.’ This is the very basis of the marriage of Parvati to Shiva, this is how Parvati justifies to the yogis that when they are not meditating and even if they are capable of going beyond form when they return they are back in her realm! The yogis had to give in, because they knew it was the truth.
I have read this a few times. Each time all I feel is a empty, weary and numb. I guess that is what it is meant to do. Wade http://www.prahlad.org/gallery/ommen_speech.htm
different from yoga or that yoga is somehow different from Hinduism. Hinduism is the understanding of consciousness and its experience and its rituals are fundamentally rooted in the understanding of Raja Yoga.
Singh, this stuff you wrote sounds like an abstract of a PhD thesis, although I didn’t understand it, I think it is quite profound. qMan
different from yoga or that yoga is somehow different from Hinduism. Hinduism is the understanding of consciousness and its experience and its rituals are fundamentally rooted in the understanding of Raja Yoga. Singh, this stuff you wrote sounds like an abstract of a PhD thesis, although I didn’t understand it, I think it is quite profound.
Then I must have done something wrong, because I was trying to simply things. I think I may have used some terminology which is common to eastern philosophy thus leading to the confusion. What did you find confusing ?
Every year they get the head priest of Dakshineswar Kali temple to worship the Mother. They have a web site – www.kalimandir.org – from where you will get more information.
Interesting post, Pradip! I’m glad to hear from you that the Laguna Beach temple is a sincere place which does proper reverence to Mother Kali. I know of people in the Hollywood Ramakrishna monastery who has been doing japa and dhyana for decades without much spiritual progress. So the question is why some people have such experiences easily and others do not.
In "Meditation: Monks of the Ramakrishna Order," Swami Ashokananda (who started several Vedanta centers in California) says: "Great longing and faith are very important in the practice of meditation, for without intense desire for God and faith in Him meditation proves half-hearted and sterile. Where there is no interest in what you are doing, it becomes a mere formality, and effort is soon abandoned." (This book may be ordered through the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York at http://www.ramakrishna.org/bk_medt.htm) She has also had vision of her Guru in the past life. I asked her how her Guru looked like. The Guru is a famous personality who died in the 19th century. She told me that he looked exactly like the available phtotgraph except that he was floating in the air. This is the reason why I said that any one who has had any experience without initiation must have had past initiation.
If the famous personality is Sri Ramakrishna, then perhaps the photograph is one of these two: http://www.ramakrishna.org/rmk.htm http://www.ramakrishna.org/MEvents3.htm It seems that to have some connection with a teacher is very, very helpful. I don’t think you will be able to nail it down and say that absolutely no one can have any higher spiritual experience unless they have accepted a guru in this lifetime or a past lifetime. It is said that if a person seeks earnestly and develops virtue, even if there is no human teacher some divine being will play the role of the inner guru.* But this is rare. Usually when a person begins the spiritual journey, their awakening comes through a teacher. *In some commentaries on Patanjali’s Sutras, the point is developed that the earliest sages had no human teacher. God himself, in his Ishvara aspect, played the role of the guru. –outcast235
: . One side trashing : the other’s beliefs and attachments and the inability to find the grain of : truth in what the other has said. : A typical new age wish wash statement – believe anything and apply no reasoning. You can’t find truth in dogma. There is no truth in religion
: : : There is nowhere for it to propagate as it is everpresent everywhere. : The universe propagates, but not by the expression of Brahman. Brahman exists : as the foundation of all being, but it is Shakti that expresses as the : material universe. If you choose to believe in duality. Now you have two entities to worship according to your reasoning – Brahma and Shakti. But none can be outside or apart from the other. In substance that should really say Shiva and Shakti are not apart – the composite Whole is Brahma. If you separate as you have done, then so which is Infinite? If none – then welcome to religious practice
Dharmadeva : . In : the absolute pure Brahman, there is no such thing as existence/non-existence. : It is considered beyond it. The more essential difference between Hinduism (which use Brahman) and Tantra (which uses Brahma) is that Hinduism, along with Buddhism see the Absolute as a nothingness, whereas Tantra see it as Cosmic Bliss. It is because of the concept of nothingness, that these followers desperately seek false joys through worshipping idols and ultimately degrade themselves to religion. Whereas Tantra concerned with Bliss – Ananda – beyong pleasure and pain. There is not hint of the dead of nothingness in it
Idol worship crudifies the mind because it concentrates, in one way or another, on the material. The vibrations and ideation on the material are of short wave length and of matter. The spiritual ultimately of infinite wavelength and absolute.
:regarding the characteristics of cosmic : consciousness as if you’ve personally experienced it. Degrees of experience are around you – depends on what you want to experience. Samadhi is attainable. It depends on overcoming samaskara and the Grace of the Infinite. Whatever that grace is or come is not your or my will : by personal experience I can assure all people that concentrating on : a deity and performing incantation can lead to the empty body feeling of yoga : which is one of the first steps towards higher yoga practice. ‘empty body feeling’. All you are saying is a simply form of pratyahara – you need an idol for that which most people can do simply? My gosh Eventually : pratyahara is accomplished where the person becomes internalized and the : breathing seems to slow down to almost stopping. Pratyahara involves withdraw of sensory inclinations. The senses perceive matter (which is crudified vibration). Yet by idol worship you simply defeat the purpose : : Prakrti or Samkhya is both diversification and unification. Those who are inclined to realise Prakrti will say that and of course they will be bound by Prakrti. Their fallacy is that they cannot understand or perceive the Unification which can only be one and of which Prakrti is the agent of diversification. Prakrti and Purusa are two sides of the same paper. Brahma is that composite. Going : upwards along its hierarchy is integration and going down the hierarchy it is : differentiation. Integration ultimately means transcendence of the gunas of Prakrti. You can go up a much as you like in your model, but ultimately you need to go beyond up also At the highest levels of Samkhya Prakrti becomes ‘avyakta’ or : unmanifest, it becomes unified into a singular non-differentiated energy which : is not really distinguishable from consciousness. Sorry, not so. The unmanifest can having nothing to do with expressions – which is Prakrti’s creative force on the body of Purusa in Brahma
says… Why is idol worship faulty?
It isn’t you’re faulty. Answer – An idol is nothing but the imaginative creation of the human mind, with a finite beginning and end. On the other hand Brahma (God – Supreme Cosmic Consciousness) is beginningless and endless.
Please stop making statements regarding the characteristics of cosmic consciousness as if you’ve personally experienced it. I don’t think you’ve even experienced the five tattvas in your body much less cosmic consciousness. An idol, a finite creation of the human imagination cannot, therefore, be the cause of spiritual emancipation/liberation of the living entities. Moreover, the external idols of clay, stone and wood are composed of the five fundamental factors (ether, aerial, luminous, liquid, solid). Ideation on such crude objects cannot lead human beings towards Non-qualified Cosmic Consciousness; rather it will lead them towards degeneration.
Incorrect, by personal experience I can assure all people that concentrating on a deity and performing incantation can lead to the empty body feeling of yoga which is one of the first steps towards higher yoga practice. Eventually pratyahara is accomplished where the person becomes internalized and the breathing seems to slow down to almost stopping. The person literally becomes disinterested in the external. Intellectuals may make claims, but they have no experience to back up anything other than their wandering thoughts and their wild gesticulations such as ‘cannot possibly’ it is ‘impossible’ etc. Would it be true to say that Prakrti/Shakti is the Singular Entity? Answer – No. Prakrti is the Operative Principle that creates diversity. The original entity from which diversity has been created is not Prakrti. Objects are created due to the crudifying influence of Prakrti on that original entity (Consciosness). The differences amongst objects are due to the varying degrees of influence of that crudifying force. Thus, in no way can Prakrti be considered as the Singular Entity.
Incorrect, Prakrti or Samkhya is both diversification and unification. Going upwards along its hierarchy is integration and going down the hierarchy it is differentiation. At the highest levels of Samkhya Prakrti becomes ‘avyakta’ or unmanifest, it becomes unified into a singular non-differentiated energy which is not really distinguishable from consciousness. The philosophy of Samkhya also offers at its highest levels union into a singular entity, thus the philosophies of Shiva and Shakti are considered equivalent. In no way is Shakti the object or thought of worship.
In every way is Shakti the object of thought or worship. Shiva and Shakti are considered inseparable and there is no such thing as one without the other. As a person progresses through the various states of consciousness he is also transcending various levels of energy or shakti. In no way can an idol be the object of thought or worship.
An idol is the object of thought or worship until pratyahara occurs. And as the idol supports pratyahara, it is definitely a correct form of worship. I have tried it and it works. Please tell us what you have tried regarding the worship of the formless. The dialogues of Shiva and Pa’rvatii : Part 2 By Shrii Shrii A’nandamu’rti Once Pa’rvatii posed a question to Shiva: "Who is competent for moks’a [non-qualified liberation]? Who can attain moks’a?" Shiva answered, Atmajina’nam idam’ devi param’ moks’aeka sa’dhanam; Sukrtaerma’navo bhu’tva’ jina’niicenmoks’ama’pnuya’t. [Self-knowledge is the greatest means to attain salvation. People are born as human beings due to their past good sam'ska'ras, but to attain non-qualified liberation they will have to attain self-knowledge.]
This does not disqualify Shakti worship, you are misinterpreting self-knowledge. Self-knowledge is not only knowledge of the formless, it is also knowledge of form, understanding of perception, of Indriyas. As a matter of fact any beginner initiate not capable of pratyahara who says that he is capable of worshipping the formless is a liar, as he cannot escape form until he can acquire the empty feeling of yoga. And when he returns from that state of consciousness he’s back to the realm of form. Regarding the rest of your post regarding the formation of Agamas and Nigamas, it is utter nonsense. Stop spreading stupidity. Mudras are formulated not due to random poses, there is a science to them as well. The music and dance of Bharata definitely had a religious basis, but not the other way around. Anybody who does not understand the significance of the basic tattva mudras from practice should not comment on more complex mudras. Such a person is a foolish being attempting to appear intelligent.
Thank you guru Kunalji. Aren’t there 16 rituals, so-dasha(something), that a devotee is supposed to do to invite god into the moorthy? Those rituals are not tantric, are they? (Also, what do you make of the puranic story that shri Parvati ji’s peetaji did not want her to marry Shiv ji?)
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Quite a few people on the net, particularly of Islamic faith, have consistently opposed idol worship due to their religious beliefs. They have even found amongst the intellectuals quite a few supporters who like to pooh pooh idol worship as an ignorant act. In the face of inquiry regarding the ritualistic practices, quite a few Hindus seem to have become apologetic regarding their practices in temples and the installations of various idols and their ritualistic treatment. I will hereby explain the basis for idol worship in Hinduism and why it is better than general non-idolized worship. Hinduism is based on the understanding of yoga and nature. The deity of yoga is Shiva and the deity of nature is Shakti or Parvati. The two comprise the fundamental firstfold division of the singular absolute Brahman into consciousness and its experience. And all of Hindu rituals termed ‘tantra’ meaning the ‘methods’ are derived from the dialog between these two deities. The process of yoga attempts to increase awareness of the internal body until unity with the Brahman is achieved in the state of samadhi. It is more than a claim that there is one God, it is the proof. In Hinduism, to preach that there is one God without having experienced it, or being a siddha yourself, is even if intellectually correct, a hollow claim at best! For the oneness is not to be claimed, but to be experienced quite physically and for that reason Hinduism respects its ’siddhas’ or in Buddhist nomenclature ‘arhats’, and all of the incarnations of Vishnu have been ’siddha’ figures. Many religions have been defined by one ’siddha’ figure having attained unusual abilities such as powers of healing of Christ or the outer body experience of Muhammad travelling mentally across the region of Arabia overnight (khechari siddhi in yoga). Hinduism is a religion where not every siddha figure can even be counted, but only the prominent ones are given their due. And such siddhis are not deemed strange curiosities or accidents, there are exact methods for acquiring to them. But regardless, let’s say that one person has become accomplished, then what ? How does he help others to get there ? Or perhaps some people may not even be interested in becoming a siddha. Can he still help them in any other way ? That is the subject of Shiva and Parvati the marriage of these two schools of thought was said to be for the sake of BENEFITING MANKIND! And thus in the tantras Parvati says that the princes of Bharat (ancient India) were responsible for spreading the rituals for the benefit of the people. The cult of Shakti was born of royal family and formalized and fused with the school of yoga characterized by wandering hermits. Now, the application of yoga had to become more specific — not just how to obtain individual success in yoga, but its application to help others as well. Sanskrit sounds were formally studied, each and every one of them and how they helped in moving consciousness within the body. Thus the Shakti pithas came into being, the fifty one sacred sites in India/Pakistan region where a body of Sati, an incarnation of Shakti, was supposed to have fallen. They were born with the alphabet of Sanskrit. And if one looks at the yoga chakras today, one sees the location of every Sanskrit letter in the petals of the lotuses. The practice of yoga itself became closely associated with the use of Sanskrit sounds to locate and move the energy within the body. And each existing deity in Hinduism became associated with his ’shakti’ or energy complete with her incantation, because now the experience of the energy center of that deity was deemed the ’shakti.’ The body was considered an island of nine gems or nine energy centers and thus were born the nine most prominent shaktis worshipped during Navaratri, associated with nine planets and the nine astrological gems. These nine (Nava Durga) were then formally organized into three primary shakti deities (Mahasarasvati, Mahalakshmi, and Mahakali) and then those three were united into the singular complete shakti deity (Shree). The understanding of Sanskrit sounds led to the development of mantras or Sanskrit incantations with various applications. First bija mantras were developed which didn’t really have a meaning in terms of being a word. They were just sounds used in meditative practices to locate the various energy centers. Later more meaningful Vedic verses were constructed. Some mantras are considered to be siddhi giving others are not, they are intended for specific applications. Some attempt to negate effects of poisons on the body, others attempt to increase the energy of the body and thus will eventually provide yogic siddhi to the practitioner. Now comes the crux of idol worship based on mantras developed in the form of various tantras or ‘methods’ revealed by Shiva to Parvati. For the tantras have Parvati constantly complaining to her husband Shiva the cult of ascetic hermits, that the average person in society does not have this much of time, so please provide an EASY WAY so that the average man can benefit also! Thus idol worshipping and the rituals associated with them were born. Initially, the acquisition of such mantras or the ability to actualize its effects were handed down only from a guru who had himself acquired the mantra. The guru could help the disciple acquire the mantra faster than doing basic yoga practices by himself and attempting to acquire the mantra without a teacher. The guru started by first balancing the energy of the body of the disciple in a form of initiation. He could then rebalance the energy of his body constantly ensuring that the disciple did not suffer from any adverse effects and the balanced energy of his body was optimally conducive to such practice. But once the disciple was initiated, he had access to sanctified areas and substances (sanctified waters, pots, and of course the idol). The basic premise is that if a siddha has sufficient capability to transfer the energy of a mantra to an external substance, then others could benefit from it as well by constant exposure to such an object. Thus the various rituals associated with idol worshipping were born. The idol is supposed to be infused with the Sanskrit incantation of that particular deity and the process of sanctification itself can take several days. AND ONLY SUCH A SANCTIFIED IDOL IS DEEMED WORTHY OF BEING WORSHIPPED! But in all cases, the energy transferred has to come from an accomplished human being! Afterwards, the energy of the idol has to be preserved and preferably increased, thus contact from outsiders is prevented and rituals to bathe the idol with sanctified waters along with other steps are to be done several times a day. The devotees who are not initiated into the inner circle are not allowed to physically touch idols, but they can also benefit somewhat from it, they can circumambulate the deity and due to its proximity and the acquisition of sanctified substances such as water and prasada introduce the effects into their own bodies. Thus with idol worship is born the yogic ability to transfer energy using Sanskrit incantations to external substances. Such objects such as blessed talismans etc. are likewise created for the sake of maintaining harmony within a devotee’s body. Thus it should not be presumed that idol worship is somehow different from yoga or that yoga is somehow different from Hinduism. Hinduism is the understanding of consciousness and its experience and its rituals are fundamentally rooted in the understanding of Raja Yoga.
[snip] : There is nowhere for it to propagate as it is everpresent everywhere. Well, the universe is itself propagating all the time as an expression of the Infinite Consciousness, just it is in reduced or reducible wavelenghts.
The universe propagates, but not by the expression of Brahman. Brahman exists as the foundation of all being, but it is Shakti that expresses as the material universe. Those wavelengths are indeed propagation of Unification to diversification. As you suggest the spiritual is everywhere. If there was no propagation it could not be everywhere, of course the propagation is by reducing Infinint to finite within the Infinite
Unification does not propagate into diversity. Unification is always One. It never varies from Its state of eternal Oneness. The diversity is the manifestation of Shakti. While the diversity is supported by Brahman, Brahman is wholly untouched and outside of the diversity. So your idea that the One has become the many is in error. The One is the One and is the foundation of the many, but the One is utterly and totally beyond the many. : Idols are not worshipped in idol worship, The obviously no one needs them
Sri Ramakrishna saw their value. As did Vivekananda and the other leaders of the Ramakrishna movement. Some who exist as individuals might benefit from the use of a visual aid in developing their bhakti for the Lord. Others may not benefit. It’s really a matter of personal preference. You seem to think that your personal preference is more correct. This is called grandiosity. the Lord is worshipped with the : visual aid of an idol. If the Lord is worshipped and is Infinite the visual aid is useless.
Worshipping the Lord as a finite being does not limit His being infinite. Just because we choose to see the Lord as our friend, lover, or parent doesn’t mean He stops being infinite, nor does the Lord’s being infinite mean that He won’t come into our lives in some less than infinite form. Firstly, it is not a subtle aid (like a mantra) but the crudest of all expressions, ie matter. Secondly, the mind wishing to achieve realisation of the Infinite cannot play a little fallacy and resort back to the finite to experience what is essentially beyond finite perception.
The mind wishing to achieve realization has already lost, because realization is not, can not, and will never be something the mind can achieve. Realization comes purely as grace. If one has given all to their Lord, with or without the use of an idol, the Lord may deem to grant them realization. Whereas if we as individuals decide that we want realization, we have already precluded it from manifesting by the occluding thought of wanting it. The less subtle aid of an idol can accompany the more subtle aid of a mantra. Using one does not preclude using the other. There is nothing special about the idol itself.
Agreed. Accordingly, it can be thrown into the rubbish bin and persons who use them will not object. But persons who do use them often violently defend any loss of their idols – mainly because their minds have become crudified through ideation on matter
They may place too much importance on the idol, true. However, this still doesn’t negate the positive effects of the aid in the development of bhakti. [snip] If the so-called devotion is projecting outwards then it is not a spiritual seeking, as that is an inward practice – as only that can lead to subtlefication of mind.
The projection of devotion toward the Lord via the aid of an idol is always turned inward. That is, by the sincere worship of the Lord we are in fact establishing connection with the Lord of our heart, the supreme Brahman.
Idol worship crudifies the mind because it concentrates, in one way or another, on the material. The vibrations and ideation on the material are of short wave length and of matter. The spiritual ultimately of infinite wavelength and absolute. So you claim, but to what formless worship do you owe your confusion ?
Now I can see how Muslims and Hindus could possibly war with the excuse being their respective positions concerning idol worship. One side trashing the other’s beliefs and attachments and the inability to find the grain of truth in what the other has said. Wade
McDermid says… Sanskrit sounds were formally studied, each and every one of them and how they helped in moving consciousness within the body. … Are these the seed sounds? And is there a good resource or reference in english for all sanskrit sounds? many thanks.
The "bija" (seed) sounds are combinations of Sanskrit ’svara’ (sound). The most basic sounds of the Sanskrit alphabet themselves were studied individually. Most Sanskrit textbooks I’m sure provide a phonetic translation of its letters to the phonetic version of the Roman alphabet.
Idol worship crudifies the mind because it concentrates, in one way or another, on the material. The vibrations and ideation on the material are of short wave length and of matter. The spiritual ultimately of infinite wavelength and absolute. So you claim, but to what formless worship do you owe your confusion ? Now I can see how Muslims and Hindus could possibly war with the excuse being their respective positions concerning idol worship. One side trashing the other’s beliefs and attachments and the inability to find the grain of truth in what the other has said.
There can be deemed a ‘grain of truth’ in everything as the ultimate truth pervades everything. However, the most important point that I wanted to make was there is no such thing as ‘formless worship of the formless’ as claimed by many arrogant intellectuals. Objects are form, reading texts or prayers is form, thoughts are form. One should not claim that everyone should abandon form in a split second and worship the formless. It cannot be done until the practitioner attains to sufficient yogic ability. To worship the formless means achieving an ‘empty mind.’ That cannot be done without proceeding through the stages of ‘form’ first. Even a yogi when he starts meditating first has to proceed from ‘form’ to the ‘formless.’ This is the very basis of the marriage of Parvati to Shiva, this is how Parvati justifies to the yogis that when they are not meditating and even if they are capable of going beyond form when they return they are back in her realm! The yogis had to give in, because they knew it was the truth. YOU CANNOT DENY THE TRUTH FOR WANTING TO DECLARE YOURSELF SUPERIOR!
Sanskrit sounds were formally studied, each and every one of them and how they helped in moving consciousness within the body. …
Are these the seed sounds? And is there a good resource or reference in english for all sanskrit sounds? many thanks.
says… Idol worship crudifies the mind because it concentrates, in one way or another, on the material. The vibrations and ideation on the material are of short wave length and of matter. The spiritual ultimately of infinite wavelength and absolute.
So you claim, but to what formless worship do you owe your confusion ?
You see he only has material vision, for those like him yes: do not worship idols. Only those who have pure spiritual vision can do so. – Harinam – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Idol worship crudifies the mind because it concentrates, in one way or another, on the material. The vibrations and ideation on the material are of short wave length and of matter. The spiritual ultimately of infinite wavelength and absolute. The spiritual has no wavelength whatsoever. It is beyond all propagation. There is nowhere for it to propagate as it is everpresent everywhere. Idols are not worshipped in idol worship, the Lord is worshipped with the visual aid of an idol. There is nothing special about the idol itself. It is the projection of the devotee that charges an altar, sanctifying it as a place of worship. There is nothing wrong with idol worship when approached this way. As long as we remain aware that the Lord is everywhere, not just in our idol, and that our idol is only a symbol for the presence of the Lord, we can be assured that the presence of the Lord will accompany us wherever we are.
Ksingh, you seem to know alot about the Hindu religion, but what can you tell us about your religion …Sikhism, that is if you are a Sikh
My religion is not Sikhism, my religion is Hinduism. It is common for agrarians to have the last name Singh in the states of UP/Bihar.
says… : : The spiritual has no wavelength whatsoever. It is beyond all propagation. Accordingly, infinite. As the spiritual (All pervading Consciousness) is itself infinite. It cannot be any less. Naturally what is infinite cannot in your sense also have no wavelenght that is measurable. The difference in analogy is that you cannot say that the spirtual does not exist. To do so would be to deny spirituality. Taken for granted that it does exist then it is Infinite.
Incorrect, the term ‘existence’ is not meaningful when you discuss the absolute Brahman which I think you’re referring to using various amateur scientific-sounding terms such as ‘immeasurable wavelength’, ‘infinite’ etc. In the absolute pure Brahman, there is no such thing as existence/non-existence. It is considered beyond it. You are one confused personality attempting to sound intelligent by introducing fancy terms into your discussions. : There is nowhere for it to propagate as it is everpresent everywhere. Well, the universe is itself propagating all the time as an expression of the Infinite Consciousness, just it is in reduced or reducible wavelenghts. Those wavelengths are indeed propagation of Unification to diversification. As you suggest the spiritual is everywhere. If there was no propagation it could not be everywhere, of course the propagation is by reducing Infinint to finite within the Infinite
Oh, my God, your theories and thoughts are really an insult to both science and spirituality. Ha, ha, ha! This guy has to be one of the most confused spiritual scientists I’ve seen on this net yet. Propagation implies time (kAla) and there is no sense of time in the absolute Brahman, it is considered beyond form and time. In most eastern philosophy it is demonstrated that the sense of time is created by other factors such as ignorance of the complete. Thus a man who sees smoke and fire, because he cannot see their union, presumes that one comes first and the other comes later. However if the two were really separate then one couldn’t possibly be proven to be connected to the other, thus the contradiction. : : Idols are not worshipped in idol worship, The obviously no one needs them
I think you need all the help you can get.
Idol worship crudifies the mind because it concentrates, in one way or another, on the material. The vibrations and ideation on the material are of short wave length and of matter. The spiritual ultimately of infinite wavelength and absolute.
The spiritual has no wavelength whatsoever. It is beyond all propagation. There is nowhere for it to propagate as it is everpresent everywhere. Idols are not worshipped in idol worship, the Lord is worshipped with the visual aid of an idol. There is nothing special about the idol itself. It is the projection of the devotee that charges an altar, sanctifying it as a place of worship. There is nothing wrong with idol worship when approached this way. As long as we remain aware that the Lord is everywhere, not just in our idol, and that our idol is only a symbol for the presence of the Lord, we can be assured that the presence of the Lord will accompany us wherever we are.
: : The spiritual has no wavelength whatsoever. It is beyond all propagation. Accordingly, infinite. As the spiritual (All pervading Consciousness) is itself infinite. It cannot be any less. Naturally what is infinite cannot in your sense also have no wavelenght that is measurable. The difference in analogy is that you cannot say that the spirtual does not exist. To do so would be to deny spirituality. Taken for granted that it does exist then it is Infinite. : There is nowhere for it to propagate as it is everpresent everywhere. Well, the universe is itself propagating all the time as an expression of the Infinite Consciousness, just it is in reduced or reducible wavelenghts. Those wavelengths are indeed propagation of Unification to diversification. As you suggest the spiritual is everywhere. If there was no propagation it could not be everywhere, of course the propagation is by reducing Infinint to finite within the Infinite : : Idols are not worshipped in idol worship, The obviously no one needs them the Lord is worshipped with the : visual aid of an idol. If the Lord is worshipped and is Infinite the visual aid is useless. Firstly, it is not a subtle aid (like a mantra) but the crudest of all expressions, ie matter. Secondly, the mind wishing to achieve realisation of the Infinite cannot play a little fallacy and resort back to the finite to experience what is essentially beyond finite perception. There is nothing special about the idol itself. Accordingly, it can be thrown into the rubbish bin and persons who use them will not object. But persons who do use them often violently defend any loss of their idols – mainly because their minds have become crudified through ideation on matter It : is the projection of the devotee that charges an altar, sanctifying it as a : place of worship. If the so-called devotion is projecting outwards then it is not a spiritual seeking, as that is an inward practice – as only that can lead to subtlefication of mind.
Ksingh, you seem to know alot about the Hindu religion, but what can you tell us about your religion …Sikhism, that is if you are a Sikh — STEALTH "BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM." (Jesus) To worship God is to know Him and love Him, to act upon His law in every aspect of life, to enjoin goodness and forbid wrongdoing and oppression, to practise charity and justice and to serve Him by serving mankind. -The Way To Islam "An Eye For An Eye Will Make The Whole World Blind" -Mahatma Gandhi "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth". - Muhammad Ali, in "Time" USA, 1978 "Study The Past, The Answers To The Present Day Conflicts Are There" - STEALTH 2001
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Quite a few people on the net, particularly of Islamic faith, have consistently opposed idol worship due to their religious beliefs. They have even found amongst the intellectuals quite a few supporters who like to pooh pooh idol worship as an ignorant act. In the face of inquiry regarding the ritualistic practices, quite a few Hindus seem to have become apologetic regarding their practices in temples and the installations of various idols and their ritualistic treatment. I will hereby explain the basis for idol worship in Hinduism and why it is better than general non-idolized worship. Hinduism is based on the understanding of yoga and nature. The deity of yoga is Shiva and the deity of nature is Shakti or Parvati. The two comprise the fundamental firstfold division of the singular absolute Brahman into consciousness and its experience. And all of Hindu rituals termed ‘tantra’ meaning the ‘methods’ are derived from the dialog between these two deities. The process of yoga attempts to increase awareness of the internal body until unity with the Brahman is achieved in the state of samadhi. It is more than a claim that there is one God, it is the proof. In Hinduism, to preach that there is one God without having experienced it, or being a siddha yourself, is even if intellectually correct, a hollow claim at best! For the oneness is not to be claimed, but to be experienced quite physically and for that reason Hinduism respects its ’siddhas’ or in Buddhist nomenclature ‘arhats’, and all of the incarnations of Vishnu have been ’siddha’ figures. Many religions have been defined by one ’siddha’ figure having attained unusual abilities such as powers of healing of Christ or the outer body experience of Muhammad travelling mentally across the region of Arabia overnight (khechari siddhi in yoga). Hinduism is a religion where not every siddha figure can even be counted, but only the prominent ones are given their due. And such siddhis are not deemed strange curiosities or accidents, there are exact methods for acquiring to them. But regardless, let’s say that one person has become accomplished, then what ? How does he help others to get there ? Or perhaps some people may not even be interested in becoming a siddha. Can he still help them in any other way ? That is the subject of Shiva and Parvati the marriage of these two schools of thought was said to be for the sake of BENEFITING MANKIND! And thus in the tantras Parvati says that the princes of Bharat (ancient India) were responsible for spreading the rituals for the benefit of the people. The cult of Shakti was born of royal family and formalized and fused with the school of yoga characterized by wandering hermits. Now, the application of yoga had to become more specific — not just how to obtain individual success in yoga, but its application to help others as well. Sanskrit sounds were formally studied, each and every one of them and how they helped in moving consciousness within the body. Thus the Shakti pithas came into being, the fifty one sacred sites in India/Pakistan region where a body of Sati, an incarnation of Shakti, was supposed to have fallen. They were born with the alphabet of Sanskrit. And if one looks at the yoga chakras today, one sees the location of every Sanskrit letter in the petals of the lotuses. The practice of yoga itself became closely associated with the use of Sanskrit sounds to locate and move the energy within the body. And each existing deity in Hinduism became associated with his ’shakti’ or energy complete with her incantation, because now the experience of the energy center of that deity was deemed the ’shakti.’ The body was considered an island of nine gems or nine energy centers and thus were born the nine most prominent shaktis worshipped during Navaratri, associated with nine planets and the nine astrological gems. These nine (Nava Durga) were then formally organized into three primary shakti deities (Mahasarasvati, Mahalakshmi, and Mahakali) and then those three were united into the singular complete shakti deity (Shree). The understanding of Sanskrit sounds led to the development of mantras or Sanskrit incantations with various applications. First bija mantras were developed which didn’t really have a meaning in terms of being a word. They were just sounds used in meditative practices to locate the various energy centers. Later more meaningful Vedic verses were constructed. Some mantras are considered to be siddhi giving others are not, they are intended for specific applications. Some attempt to negate effects of poisons on the body, others attempt to increase the energy of the body and thus will eventually provide yogic siddhi to the practitioner. Now comes the crux of idol worship based on mantras developed in the form of various tantras or ‘methods’ revealed by Shiva to Parvati. For the tantras have Parvati constantly complaining to her husband Shiva the cult of ascetic hermits, that the average person in society does not have this much of time, so please provide an EASY WAY so that the average man can benefit also! Thus idol worshipping and the rituals associated with them were born. Initially, the acquisition of such mantras or the ability to actualize its effects were handed down only from a guru who had himself acquired the mantra. The guru could help the disciple acquire the mantra faster than doing basic yoga practices by himself and attempting to acquire the mantra without a teacher. The guru started by first balancing the energy of the body of the disciple in a form of initiation. He could then rebalance the energy of his body constantly ensuring that the disciple did not suffer from any adverse effects and the balanced energy of his body was optimally conducive to such practice. But once the disciple was initiated, he had access to sanctified areas and substances (sanctified waters, pots, and of course the idol). The basic premise is that if a siddha has sufficient capability to transfer the energy of a mantra to an external substance, then others could benefit from it as well by constant exposure to such an object. Thus the various rituals associated with idol worshipping were born. The idol is supposed to be infused with the Sanskrit incantation of that particular deity and the process of sanctification itself can take several days. AND ONLY SUCH A SANCTIFIED IDOL IS DEEMED WORTHY OF BEING WORSHIPPED! But in all cases, the energy transferred has to come from an accomplished human being! Afterwards, the energy of the idol has to be preserved and preferably increased, thus contact from outsiders is prevented and rituals to bathe the idol with sanctified waters along with other steps are to be done several times a day. The devotees who are not initiated into the inner circle are not allowed to physically touch idols, but they can also benefit somewhat from it, they can circumambulate the deity and due to its proximity and the acquisition of sanctified substances such as water and prasada introduce the effects into their own bodies. Thus with idol worship is born the yogic ability to transfer energy using Sanskrit incantations to external substances. Such objects such as blessed talismans etc. are likewise created for the sake of maintaining harmony within a devotee’s body. Thus it should not be presumed that idol worship is somehow different from yoga or that yoga is somehow different from Hinduism. Hinduism is the understanding of consciousness and its experience and its rituals are fundamentally rooted in the understanding of Raja Yoga.
Why is idol worship faulty? Answer – An idol is nothing but the imaginative creation of the human mind, with a finite beginning and end. On the other hand Brahma (God – Supreme Cosmic Consciousness) is beginningless and endless. An idol, a finite creation of the human imagination cannot, therefore, be the cause of spiritual emancipation/liberation of the living entities. Moreover, the external idols of clay, stone and wood are composed of the five fundamental factors (ether, aerial, luminous, liquid, solid). Ideation on such crude objects cannot lead human beings towards Non-qualified Cosmic Consciousness; rather it will lead them towards degeneration. Would it be true to say that Prakrti/Shakti is the Singular Entity? Answer – No. Prakrti is the Operative Principle that creates diversity. The original entity from which diversity has been created is not Prakrti. Objects are created due to the crudifying influence of Prakrti on that original entity (Consciosness). The differences amongst objects are due to the varying degrees of influence of that crudifying force. Thus, in no way can Prakrti be considered as the Singular Entity. In no way is Shakti the object or thought of worship. In no way can an idol be the object of thought or worship. — ‘The main characteristic of PROUT-based socioeconomic movements is that they aim to guarantee the comprehensive, multifarious liberation of humanity.’ P R Sarkar PROUT – PROgressive Utilisation Theory http://www.proutworld.org http://www.prout.org New Renaissance: A Journal for Social and Spiritual Awakening: http://www.ru.org — The dialogues of Shiva and Pa’rvatii : Part 2 By Shrii Shrii A’nandamu’rti Once Pa’rvatii posed a question to Shiva: "Who is competent for moks’a [non-qualified liberation]? Who can attain moks’a?" Shiva answered, Atmajina’nam idam’ devi param’ moks’aeka sa’dhanam; Sukrtaerma’navo bhu’tva’ jina’niicenmoks’ama’pnuya’t. [Self-knowledge is the greatest means to attain salvation. People are born as human beings due to their past good sam'ska'ras, but to attain non-qualified liberation they will have to attain self-knowledge.] The Formulation of Agama and Nigama Questions related to spiritual practice and spiritual progress — questions not simply for inquiry’s sake but for the sake of understanding and for the sake of following the instructions given — are known as pariprashnas (for example, questions put by disciples to their gurus as to how to sit, how to bid pran’a'ma [respectful salutations], and how to repeat mantra). Pran’ipa’tena pariprashnena seva’ya’ ["By surrender, spiritual questioning, and servicefulness"]. Questions put only for logic’s sake are not pariprashnas; with such questions the time of the questioner and that of the answerer is wasted. And sometimes questions are put not in order to know but in order to test the scholarship of the guru — such questions are not pariprashnas either. If pariprashnas are put and answered, and then recorded, or if people somehow get acquainted with such questions and answers, people will be benefited. But during the time of Sada’shiva nobody was there to put such questions. Pa’rvatii learned sa’dhana’ from Shiva (as did their son Bhaerava). Pa’rvatii and Shiva decided that the former would pose the questions, and the latter would reply, and thus people would get acquainted with the questions and answers and be benefited. They decided to formulate these questions and answers for the all-round development of human society. They decided to cover all branches of knowledge — art, architecture, literature, medical science, spiritual science, etc. For example, you know that in ancient times there was [a simple form of] giita [song]. There was also [va'dya, basic instrumental music]. And people were performing some mudra’s unconsciously with their hands and feet. So Lord Shiva and Pa’rvatii decided to coordinate and systematize giita, [va'dya] and mudra’. Pa’rvatii began to pose questions, and Shiva began to answer; and the sam’giita sha’stra [science of music] was produced. (The combined name of nrtya [dance], giita and va’dya is sam’giita.) Dance was known in quite a primitive age. This kind of dance was rhythmic. Even now the dances of soldiers are mainly rhythmic. There is no important role of mudra’ in their dance. The rule is that rhythmic dance requires strength; only males can do it; because it is tiring. But Pa’rvatii gave lalita nrtya, in which mudra’ has an important role. Indian dances and other Oriental dances are mudra’pradha’na [dominated by mudra']. And Occidental dances are chandapradha’na [rhythmic]. They decided to categorize mudra’. So Pa’rvatii questioned and Shiva answered. Pa’rvatii would ask, "What is the meaning of such and such mudra’ ?" and Shiva would reply. In this way mudra’ sha’stra came about, sam’giita sha’stra came about. Shiva invented a rhythmic dance and Pa’rvatii created a dance dominated by mudra’. In Shiva’s rhythmic dance one has to jump. In Sanskrit tan’d’
Categories: Yoga Basic Yoga | No Comments »
why not use a basic YOGA tape? www.yogazone.com or anything by RODNEY YEE for beginners. — read and post daily! rosie http://www.geocities.com/barrettetc/rosie.html
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – in yesterday’s karate lesson, i was reminded once again that i am as unflexible as a brick – a fact i had tried hard to ignore but now i must begin working on my flexibility. i’d be grateful for any advice on home stretching sessions. i know the stretch moves themselves that i need to do (and i’m not gonna attempt to describe them) – what i need is basics: do i do this every day? or just a few times a week? before/after cardio? before/after weight training? thanks for any input. nina 210/143/135
in yesterday’s karate lesson, i was reminded once again that i am as unflexible as a brick – a fact i had tried hard to ignore but now i must begin working on my flexibility. i’d be grateful for any advice on home stretching sessions. i know the stretch moves themselves that i need to do (and i’m not gonna attempt to describe them) – what i need is basics: do i do this every day? or just a few times a week? before/after cardio? before/after weight training? thanks for any input. nina 210/143/135
why not use a basic YOGA tape? www.yogazone.com or anything by RODNEY YEE for beginners.
well there’s a prob .. we don’t have a TV or VCR here. i could probably work out at BF’s mum’s place, who has a VCR, but she lives an hour away on the train and i know i would not get off my butt to do that often enough. nina 210/143/135
well then, there is always YOGA FOR DUMMIES, which actually gives you very perhaps your instructor could recommend something/someplace for you? — read and post daily! rosie http://www.geocities.com/barrettetc/rosie.html
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – why not use a basic YOGA tape? www.yogazone.com or anything by RODNEY YEE for beginners. well there’s a prob .. we don’t have a TV or VCR here. i could probably work out at BF’s mum’s place, who has a VCR, but she lives an hour away on the train and i know i would not get off my butt to do that often enough. nina 210/143/135
experienced: in yesterday’s karate lesson, i was reminded once again that i am as unflexible as a brick – a fact i had tried hard to ignore but now i must begin working on my flexibility. i’d be grateful for any advice on home stretching sessions. i know the stretch moves themselves that i need to do (and i’m not gonna attempt to describe them) – what i need is basics: do i do this every day? or just a few times a week? before/after cardio? before/after weight training?
I’m no expert, but stretching before (to prevent injury) and after (to just cool down or loosen up) any kind of exercise always seemed like a good idea to me. When I was younger (ok, this is a little embarrassing) and I wanted to be a cheerleader, I stretched everyday, and everyday I pushed myself a little bit more. (I wanted to be able to do the splits, since my cartwheels weren’t all that great ) Because of those days, I’m still more flexible than most people. I think doing it everyday is a good idea, but just be careful to not push yourself too hard. Trinity — Don’t you mess with a little girl’s dream ‘Cause she’s liable to grow up mean – "Control" by Poe
Hi! Congrats on finding the karate class. I practice aikido and Chong Shin tae kwon do myself – it’s a great workout!!
Hi Lee Ann. I remember you replied before when i asked something about ‘maybe someday’ taking up a martial art… now i’m here As far as stretching… 1) ask your sensei – she may have good tips for you. 2) warm up slightly (jumping jacks are great for this), stretch lightly (i.e. don’t push the body parts in question to their limits), do karate class or other cardio workout, then stretch again. *This* is when you can push the stretching a bit further – when your muscles are warm and loose. I’d stretch every day you can – definitely any day you have class or do some other workout.
cool. thanks for the advice. what are jumping jacks? (i’m still a foreigner… ) nina 210/143/135
well then, there is always YOGA FOR DUMMIES, which actually gives you very perhaps your instructor could recommend something/someplace for you?
well like i said, i know the stretches/exercises i should practise, i just don’t know anything basic about stretching, like when to do it and how often and how to combine with other forms of exercise. but maybe i’ll get stretching for dummies or something like that. nina 210/143/135
must begin working on my flexibility. i’d be grateful for any advice on home stretching sessions. i know the stretch moves themselves that i need to do (and i’m not gonna attempt to describe them) – what i need is basics: do i do this every day? or just a few times a week? before/after cardio? before/after weight training?
When I started my exercise plan, I was told to do the stretches daily. The PE instructor said you should try to hold the stretch for at least 20-30 seconds, but if you could stretch for a full minute, you will feel more difference faster. He also said the stretching works best when you are warmed up. I usually do my stretches after my cardio and before the weight training. But honestly, I figure it’s like any exercising – whenever it fits into your schedule is best for you. : ) And recently, I haven’t been as good about doing my stretches and I can tell a definite decline in flexibility. : ( Shawn
in yesterday’s karate lesson, i was reminded once again that i am as unflexible as a brick – a fact i had tried hard to ignore but now i must begin working on my flexibility. i’d be grateful for any advice on home stretching sessions. i know the stretch moves themselves that i need to do (and i’m not gonna attempt to describe them) – what i need is basics: do i do this every day? or just a few times a week? before/after cardio? before/after weight training?
Hi! Congrats on finding the karate class. I practice aikido and Chong Shin tae kwon do myself – it’s a great workout!! As far as stretching… 1) ask your sensei – she may have good tips for you. 2) warm up slightly (jumping jacks are great for this), stretch lightly (i.e. don’t push the body parts in question to their limits), do karate class or other cardio workout, then stretch again. *This* is when you can push the stretching a bit further – when your muscles are warm and loose. I’d stretch every day you can – definitely any day you have class or do some other workout. As far as stretching and weightlifting, I believe it’s better to stretch afterwards, but some of the experts around here can help you better with that! Lee Ann 160+/141/135?
what are jumping jacks? (i’m still a foreigner… ) Urg. I’ll try to explain.
yo, thanks. we used to do these in phys.ed., i just didn’t know the name. good idea! nina 210/142/135
what are jumping jacks? (i’m still a foreigner… )
Urg. I’ll try to explain. 1) Start standing, with feet together and arms down at your side. 2) Jump up, and land with your feet about shoulder-width apart; at the same time, swing your arms out at your sides until they meet overhead. 3) Jump up again, and land with your feet together; at the same time, swing your arms back down to your sides. 4) Repeat. :-) There are variations, but that’s the basic. Maybe you call them something else? They’ve been part of every sports team’s drill I’ve ever been on, as well as PE in school, etc… Lee Ann
Nina, give this link a look. http://www.enteract.com/~bradapp/docs/rec/stretching/
wicked, Krista. thanks a lot. nina 210/143/135
well then, there is always YOGA FOR DUMMIES, which actually gives you very perhaps your instructor could recommend something/someplace for you? well like i said, i know the stretches/exercises i should practise, i just don’t know anything basic about stretching, like when to do it and how often and how to combine with other forms of exercise. but maybe i’ll get stretching for dummies or something like that.
Nina, give this link a look. http://www.enteract.com/~bradapp/docs/rec/stretching/ Krista — http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html mistresskrista at home.com
Categories: Yoga Basic Yoga | No Comments »
We have listened talking about Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Siddha Yoga, Nidra Yoga, Naad Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Mantra Yoga, …YOGA… I would like to know your comments and bibliography about how much and what are they. Enric
Here are some thoughts: Sage Patanjali (approx. 500 – 600 b.c.) explained yoga for the common man and is based upon the philosophy of Sankhya. He also encompassed Ishwara, the personal God, as an additional principle. Sankhya philosophy recognizes a kind of demiurge or cosmic lord but emphasizes the pure consciousness beyond all manifestation as the true Divine. Yoga adds its practical system of development, its eight limbs or disciplines or stages (ashtanga) to the Sankhya system. These are : 1.restraint (yama), consisting of : i} ahimsa (non-violence) ii) satya (truthfulness) iii) asteya (non possessiveness) iv) brahmcharya (chastity) & v) aparigraha (non-covetousness) 2. practice or observances (niyama), consisting of: i) shaucha ( pysical cleanliness/ mental purity) ii) santosha (contentment) iii) tapas (fervour) iv) svadhyaya ( self study/learning the truth/study of the self) v) Isvara pranidhaan ( surrender of self to the infinite/ God) The above two disciplines channel the energies of the organs of action and senses of perception. 3.yogic postures (asana), 4.breath-control (pranayama), to be attempted only after achieving perfection of asana 5.control of the senses and the mind (pratyahara), The above five form the foundation of the following three: 6.attention/focussing of the mind/concentration (dharana), 7.meditation (dhyana) and 8.absorption (samadhi) leading to self realization/ realization of the infinite I thank and bow to Sage Patanjali for the above and thank B.K.S. Iyengar for the translation of such difficult concepts in english. This to me is the true practice of (ashtang) yoga. All other yogas stated in the post are part of this basic yoga practice. Ref: B.K.S.Iyenger, Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We have listened talking about Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Siddha Yoga, Nidra Yoga, Naad Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Mantra Yoga, …YOGA… I would like to know your comments and bibliography about how much and what are they. Enric
Categories: Yoga Basic Yoga | No Comments »
Try a book by Janet Balaskas. I think its call "Preparing for birth with Yoga". Sounds like what you loking for. Michel – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hi…i have about 7 weeks to go on my third (and last?) pregnancy….i’ve started a very basic yoga routine that takes about an hour to do…. i was wondering if there were any good exercises/meditions to do to help me stay grounded, focused, and relaxed…. i want to have a good mindset for the labor. i am having this one at home (as i did my last one), and i’d like to be able to "go with the flow" more this time. (i fought the contractions last time, and made labor last longer than it needed to. i’d like to work with the contractions this time.) any suggestions/help? thank you. katrina
hi…i have about 7 weeks to go on my third (and last?) pregnancy….i’ve started a very basic yoga routine that takes about an hour to do…. i was wondering if there were any good exercises/meditions to do to help me stay grounded, focused, and relaxed…. i want to have a good mindset for the labor. i am having this one at home (as i did my last one), and i’d like to be able to "go with the flow" more this time. (i fought the contractions last time, and made labor last longer than it needed to. i’d like to work with the contractions this time.) any suggestions/help? thank you. katrina
My yoga and meditation teacher here in Los Angeles teaches both pregnancy yoga and post natal yoga several times a week. The classes are so popular that she has released pregnancy yoga video that is available through several stores that I believe have nation wide chains. I will e-mail you my teacher’s e-mail address. I’m sure she’d be happy to answer any questions and can tell you where you can find her video in your area. Who knows, she might even know a yoga instructor in your area that she can recommend. -Krisha – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hi…i have about 7 weeks to go on my third (and last?) pregnancy….i’ve started a very basic yoga routine that takes about an hour to do…. i was wondering if there were any good exercises/meditions to do to help me stay grounded, focused, and relaxed…. i want to have a good mindset for the labor. i am having this one at home (as i did my last one), and i’d like to be able to "go with the flow" more this time. (i fought the contractions last time, and made labor last longer than it needed to. i’d like to work with the contractions this time.) any suggestions/help? thank you. katrina
Categories: Yoga Basic Yoga | No Comments »
Sorry if this has been asked before. I am trying to find more information about the moon salutation (Chandra Namaskara). I’d like a list with pictures if possible of the poses involved in this vinyasa. Thanks for the help, Willow
Me too. TSM Alec
Sorry if this has been asked before. I am trying to find more information about the moon salutation (Chandra Namaskara). I’d like a list with pictures if possible of the poses involved in this vinyasa. Thanks for the help, Willow
Hari Om! The first time I saw this vinyasa done was observing a children’s class at Satchidananda Ashram during my teacher training. It was SO beautiful and surprising. The kids made it look SO effortless! I will try my best to copy the verbal directions. I I’m sorry I have no way to get the sketches here… These directions assume you know how to do basic yoga poses already with minimal instruction. MOON SALUTATION Chandra Namaskar 1. PRANAMS: Stand in Tadasana. Press through the feet; lengthen through the top of the head. Hands together in namaste or prayer position in front of the chest. 2. HALF MOON: Circle fingertips overhead, interlacing fingers and pointing index fingers upward in temple position. Press left foot and hip, extending torso to the right. Straightn up, then move to press right foot and hip, extending torso to the left. Return to center. 3. VICTORY SQUAT: Step to the right and point toes slightly outward. Soften knees and squat, pressing sitz bones downward. Bending the elbows, angle the arms out from the body; fingertips upward. 4. FIVE_POINTED STAR: Straightening the legs, keep them spread wide. Bring the arms straight out from the shoulders. Extend through all 5 points outward. 5. TRIANGLE: Turn right toes to the right, left heel to the left. Bending at the waist, lower the right hand as you raise the left hand, being sure to keep the hips "stacked" over each other. 6. RUNNERS STRETCH (sideways forhead to knee): Lower both hands toward right foot, resting hands on left foot or floor. Press through feet, tailbone and crown. 7. LUNGE: Bend forward knee, bringing hands to floor on either side of leading foot and back knee to floor. Press through the forward foot, palms, sitz bones and crown. 8. EXTENDED_LEG SQUAT: Bring both hands to the left of the leading foot and press sitz bones downward as you pivot to face center, rotating extended let so that toes point upward. Press through hands, foot of bent leg, heel of extended foot sitz bones, crown. 9. SQUAT: Bring extended leg toward center. If flexability allows, bring palms together into namaste. 10. EXTENDED-LEG SQUAT: Placing hands back on floor, extend right leg to the side. 11. LUNGE: Pivot to face bent knee with hands on either side of the leading foot. Rotate back leg and bring knee to the floor. 12. RUNNERS STRETCH: Lift hips, hands on floor or leg, straight legs. Extend. 13. TRIANGLE: Sweep right arm upward and back, sliding left hand up left leg. 14. FIVE-POINTED STAR: Bring both arms up to shoulder level. Extend. 15. VICTORY SQUAT: Soften knees, squatting down. 16. HALF MOON: Straightening knees, turn toes to face foward. Step right foot close to the left as you bring the arms over head in temple position. Press the hips to right first, then left. Return to center. 17. PRANAMS: Circle arms back down to namaste or prayer position. Stand a moment in tadasana, pressing through the crown and feet.
Sorry if this has been asked before. I am trying to find more information about the moon salutation (Chandra Namaskara). I’d like a list with pictures if possible of the poses involved in this vinyasa. Thanks for the help, Willow
Is anyone out there willing to explain this sequence or tell me what book to find it in? Namaste, love and light ilene
There is a description of the moon salutation at: http://www.yogacenter.org/postures/ Namaste, Elladan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is anyone out there willing to explain this sequence or tell me what book to find it in? Namaste, love and light ilene
Categories: Yoga Basic Yoga | No Comments »
I saw an article recently advocating the use of Yoga in the treatment of diabetes. It was a specific type of Yoga that does involve some degree of aerobic exercise, but mostly stretching. I was wondering if anyone had any positive experience with Yoga in so far as it affected their diabetes.
While I’ve not done much yoga I do regularly practice Tai-Chi which includes many movements similar to basic yoga though through a slow moving "form" (much like a slow graceful dance based on martial arts positions). One goal of each of these exercises is a balance in mind-body, good-bad and all that sort of stuff. When I do Tai-Chi correctly I can feel a definate change in my body, things are the where they should be and there is much less stress both in my outlook and in the way my body interacts with itself. So, yes, there are grat benefits related to ones diabetes, if nothing else because you feel so much better about stuff that you take much better care of yourself! Just think of how much worse your control (of everything!) when your under tons of stress at work (school or whatever), youre running around like a madman, self medicating with alcohol or bites of cake 
and all that type of thing! than it is when your calm and relaxed doing moderate exercise BTW, you should be careful as sometimes when one practices these "arts" one can "turn on" "the body in ways that it’s not accustomed causing transient fluctuations in blood sugar etc.
I saw an article recently advocating the use of Yoga in the treatment of diabetes. It was a specific type of Yoga that does involve some degree of aerobic exercise, but mostly stretching. I was wondering if anyone had any positive experience with Yoga in so far as it affected their diabetes.
Several of my patients over the years were practicioners of yoga as well as being diabetic. They found it helpful just as others found that regular exercise not involving yoga is beneficial,and for the same reasons. I’d prefer tai chi, but if you’re asking should you give yoga a try, I’d say go for it! Bill Mayers, RT, RN
On Tue, 27 Aug 1996 scotttd said: I saw an article recently advocating the use of Yoga in the treatment of diabetes. It was a specific type of Yoga that does involve some degree of aerobic exercise, but mostly stretching. I was wondering if anyone had any positive experience with Yoga in so far as it affected their diabetes. Though I don’t practice Yoga myself. I do know a few who do, And a I do use a few "Meditation" methods myself on occasion when stress dictates Yoga can be very helpful in stress managment. This is it’s major benefit And controlling stress can be very helpful in controlling Blood Glucose Thus, It won’t hurt. However it is **NOT** a substutite for insulin, other meds or diet and exercise (Though some of it is exercise) However I stress. It’s an AID not a CURE I’ve seen some flame baits claming it’s cure, That it’s clearly not. (Though if you are only "Slightly" diabetic, it’s possible that controlling stress, may enable you to controll your diet, enough that you will drop below the DX threshold. You are really DIET/EXERCISE controlled is all not cured). `[1;33;44m "Nothing adds excitement like something that is none of your business" Mary had a little lamb, some wine, & a nice dessert! `[1;31;44mNet-Tamer V 1.04 – Registered
I saw an article recently advocating the use of Yoga in the treatment of diabetes. It was a specific type of Yoga that does involve some degree of aerobic exercise, but mostly stretching. I was wondering if anyone had any positive experience with Yoga in so far as it affected their diabetes.
Categories: Yoga Basic Yoga | No Comments »