Newsletter #2 August 2015

Dear all,

The Bhrigu Yoga Bhrama Chinta Pranali Trust is delighted to introduce the second Newsletter.

We are happy to share some of the precious knowledge which we believe could enable and promote the wellbeing of all.

In this newsletter we will learn about the first two impediments and how to overcome them. We will also introduce the meaning of "Dik".

We wish you all a joyful day with best wishes,

Bhrigu Yoga Bhrama Chinta Pranali Trust

by Dr. Jayant. K. Bhadury & Acharya Hemant. K. Bhadury

Impediments and how to overcome them

From the beginning and along the practice of Yoga numerous impediments begin arriving forcibly. During Yogic practice the daily routine of the practitioner comes as the first impediment in the individual's spiritual upliftment; it proves an obstacle at the very first step of Yoga- the area of bodily yoga. For this we are required for extra willpower in abundant quantities, so that the person may be able to face the problems coming on his way to the yogic union with the supreme one. If we swim with the current- motion comes effortlessly, but when we decide to swim against it, then we predictably require more energy. It is this energy which- if it manages to rise above the current- helps the person defy the current.

‘During the phase of meditation trance, obstacles begin to come forcibly. In such a condition the Yogi ought to jettison these obstacles gradually‘. Thus has been said in the Yoga darsan of Patanjali.

1) Disease, 2) Despair, 3) Doubt, 4) Negligence, 5) Sloth, 6) Hankering for carnal pleasures, 7) False perception, 8) Dissatisfaction and 9) Disorganization – these are the nine deflections of the conscious mind under the step of meditative trance these nine impurities of the mind are mentioned. It is imperative to know how to remove these before one begins Yoga (Samadhipada 30)

Dik - Any cluster of parallel lines heading towards infinity is called dik

For instance our everyday perception of direction – east, west, north, south, is colored by our visual frame of reference ‘inherited’ because of living on earth and watching other heavenly bodies from it. An analogy: suppose we move endlessly in any one direction on the earth's surface. After a certain point in time we would be back where we started even though we don’t change direction. For example, a person moving north to south in a straight line will end up going south to north, even though he swears he was moving north all the time. In fact, this man is behaving like dik particles- heading infinitely in a given direction.

The ‘directionlessness’ of existence in space is due to the dik attribute of space: seen from any point in space, the space seems to stretch to infinity in a straight line and dik conceptualizes the infinity of a straight line- as opposed to the finite nature of a circle or a square or a triangle. The result: Earth (circle) is merges finite and one direction imperceptibly into another, but dik (straight parallel lines) is not, and there is no merging of dik at any point in time or space.

(1) Disease (Vyadhi): When the mutual balance of Vata, Pitta and Kapha in the body get vitiated, that is called ‘disease’. It has an effect on the mind in addition to the eleven sensory and motor organs (the five sensory organs and six ‘action organs’ e.g. the two hands, two feet and anus- the latter ‘working’ in the act of defecating – and the penis).

Herein the mind is mentioned separately from the body because mental powers immediately go to work to remove a disease once it occurs, and since the mind is the primary thing, hence any disturbance in its line of action impedes all yoga-related work. Therefore mental concentration is paramount for yoga and for this it is imperative that the body remains free from disease. This is only possible via a gradually followed daily routine, regular practice of yoga and a balance diet of light nature (satvic food).

(2) Despair (Styana): The feeling of mental incapacity that arises from imaginings of the ‘adverseness’ of the time and place of practicing Yoga, is called Styana (despair). Hence, no matter what the circumstances are like (favorable or not) it is only by making them conducive to Yoga practice can this mental impurity be removed.

In the following newsletters the additional seven impediments will be addressed.

With good wishes to you all,
Dr. Jayant. K. Bhadury and Acharya Hemant. K. Bhadury

Guru Purnima

Guru Purnima is the festival when we celebrate the Guru’s being. According to the Indian calendar, the date of Guru Purnima is a time when Lord Vishnu is sleeping, meaning that His energy is not in an active form. So the source of energy is sleeping, dormant. The Guru is also a source of energy and he spreads his energy to all. The Master shows the path leading from darkness to light, and thus he is above all.

The month starting at the day after Guru Purnima, is the month of Lord Shiva. [Lord Shiva represents the destructive quality. This can also be viewed as the quality of “change.” Something is destroyed so that new things can be created; for example, someone passes away and then gets a new body. Lord Shiva is the one who is changing and creating new things in life. He is balanced, He is conscious, and He controls everything - these all are the qualities of a Master].

The Guru Mantra:
" ऊं सतोतमरजो बिन्दु अबिन्दु गुरु सहाय "।

“AUM Sato Tam Rajo Bindoo ABindoo Guru Sahai”.

AUM is the symbol of the Absolute. AUM creates the three Gunas, namely Satvik, Rajsik and Tamasik; these in turn create the Five Elements (Panch Mahabhoot - पंच महाभूत).

Bindoo is an active energy point in our body that is the cause of all our actions and thoughts as well as all our physical and psychological activities. ABindoo are countless energy channels in the Infinite. “Master, you are above all these, so help me, protect me and bless me for all the good things in all aspects of life. Master, you are above all these energies, you are the one who is capable, who shows us our path. Protect us from all bad energies, and bless us with all the good ones!” We say that Satvik is a form of Lord Bhrama, Rajasik is a form of Lord Vishnu and Tamasic is a form of Lord Shiva - and the Master is above all of them. This is why Guru Purnima is important. That is why we celebrate the Guru’s being.