yogi's musings - vicaas blog

Sri Radha's birthplace - Barsana

2011-02-07T05:49:00.000-08:00

I recently had the good fortune of visiting Sri Radha's birthplace in village barsana near Goverdhan / Mathura. Guruji had mentioned that Radha's birth is supposed to be a divine birth and she had been found as an infant lying in the fields by her foster father Vrishbhan. Legends have it that she was an avatar of Lord Shiva. Esoterically, she represents the "Shree" - the Maha Prakriti or the feminine / creative force with Lord Krishna who represents the divine male aspect of God / Parambrahma beyond creation. I must say, Her influence in the braj region is supreme. As the presiding deity she is even more revered than Sri Krishna I dare say and when you visit the Braj, everyone salutes you with a customary - "Radhe Radhe". Nobody says "Jai Sri Krishna". As I visited the temple situated on a hilly portion of Barsana village, there were the familiar village scenes on the way - devotees walking with offerings to the temple, a few monkeys lurking here and there and the normal atmosphere that you find in a spiritual spot - holy vibrations. The temple was not crowded, it being a normal week day. I had no problems having the darshans of the Deities - Sri Radha and Krishna. As I stood before the Deity and handed over my offerings to the priests and bowed down squatting on the floor, I could slowly sense a holy vibration becoming stronger and quietly building up within me. I looked at the Deity and prayed to her for blessings in my life. As I quietly prayed for about half a minute or so, I suddenly sensed a overwhelming feeling of love welling up from the bottom of my heart. Judging from my past experiences in temples, I could sense that the Deity had indeed responded immediately to my supplications. A strange thing happened after that. Suddenly I forgot myself and my problems and asked her to bless my family, and then I forgot my family, I found myself praying for my wife's extended family and then I forgot that and I prayed for friends and thereafter I forgot everything. The love and bliss in my heart was torrential. My heart and soul drenched with Her love, I just asked Her to bless everyone in my life and then the entire mankind. After sitting for a few minutes, I took leave of the temple pledging silently to myself - I shall return.......

Forewarning by a brother disciple at Goverdhan

2009-07-15T00:50:00.000-07:00

I have recently returned from a trip to Goverdhan - to the place of my respected Guru. The occasion was Guru Poornima on the 7th July. I also decided to undertake a parikrama of the sacred Goverdhan Hill. The distance to be covered barefoot is about 21 kilometers. As luck would have it, I hurt my foot badly and am still limping. But they say, if you get hurt during the parikrama, it means that the Deity of Goverdhan has taken away a major part of your evil karmic consequences and let you go off lightly.
During the last day that I was there, I and a brother disciple were discussing some techniques of pranayama. After that I left for my Guru's room and he was to follow later. He told me later that he got a mental message asking him to lie down in his room. As soon as he lay down, he went into a semi trance condition and saw me sitting in my car in bangalore. The vision went as follows - I have parked the car somewhere and am waiting for someone. Suddenly a car comes behind me and stops. The lady sitting at the wheel behind me asks me to move my vehicle a little further which I do and suddenly a small girl comes running in front of my car. My vehicle is about to go over her. With this the vision ended. A voice spoke in his mind - "ask Vicaas to be careful while driving for the next 1 1/2 months or so."
As he related the above vision, jitters went down my spine. But I guess there would be some protection, because otherwise this incident would not be reported to him and informed to me.
As I return back, I am anxious that I should take all care while driving. Hopefully nothing will go wrong and divine grace will avert the situation.

The Sound of Om

2009-05-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

Om is said to be the eternal witness in our scriptures - the beginningless and the endless sound. Yogis meditate in order to merge their consciousness with this wondrous sound. It is God itself. It is also known as Maha Prakriti - the Cosmic Nature which manifests in varied forms in the Universe. It is the alpha and the omega.
While meditating few days back in the evening - the consciousness went deep within and I heard the sound - like an ocean roar. It was not a physical sound however. It was an intiutive hearing - much different from physical hearing. I felt the intoxicating sound entered through a window in my consciousness slowly - its Siren like melting fingers calling me into itself. The sound and the feeling it generated was as if someone showered beautiful petals of light and love on me. My heart felt as if it wanted to leave everything behind and melt in the ambrosia of the sound and just wanted to lose my physical consciousness. And they say - meditation and Puja is so boring..... Is it but ?? Ask me.... :-)
Finding Om means touching the fringes of God consciousness. Merging in Om means merging into God - into Infinity and to be in touch with all power, all love, all bliss possible in the universe. This is what Yogis aim. And this is the known zenith of Yoga. They say there are further peaks to be climbed after this...but that is for immortals.....who have already merged their consciousness with Om in its deepest recesses and have become one with It.

Visit to Shirdi - at Sai Baba's Samadhi

2009-05-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

I remember that my own spiritual search started at the age of 13 years when I saw a movie based on the life of Sai Baba. I read books on him then. However it never went beyond that and I ultimately chose a different spiritual path. Still the feeling of gratitude remained within my heart - all these years. A few weeks back I casually mentioned to Rinky (my wife), that we should visit Shirdi - the samadhi and the place of one of India's most well renowned saint - Sri Sai Baba. I forgot about it. A few days later I was meditating in the evening. As I ended, my eyes were still closed. Suddenly I saw him sitting in front of me wearing white robes. I opened and shut my eyes again. He was still there. As I got up, I had a strange feeling within me. Within two weeks or so, without doing much effort and planning, I and Rinky landed in Shirdi. Neither of us had been here before. So both of us were looking forward to it.
As we reached Shirdi and straightaway booked into a hotel nearby to the temple, we went after eating something. The queues were quite long and I was slightly exasperated. Still we edged along slowly. Finally as we reached the samadhi hall, we saw his statue on top of the samadhi from a distance. There was a rush of devotees in the queues from both the sides of the hall. As we went nearer, I found a change in the atmosphere - it was bright, cheerful and charged with positivity. The samadhi has a removable glass window on the sides and you couldn't quite touch anything. We couldnt stay for more than a couple of seconds. As we went near, a security guard motioned to me to stay on the side and then we saw him having the glass window removed. He asked me to come forward and take darshan. There was a sudden rush of people again, but both I and Rinky managed to touch the samadhi devotedly. We were both thrilled at our good fortune. I handed over some money to the guard happily for this favour.
We came out and moved towards the "Dwarkamai" - the name given to then very old and dilapidated mosque where Baba used to stay. It has been repaired now and has Baba's Dhuni (sacred fire) which has been kept burning non stop till date since his passing away. It was his dwelling place for very long and at times when he referred to it, people felt as the mosque was an actual living entity. He often said that it had its own presiding deity that blessed those who entered it and removed troubles from their lives. We went inside and bowed to his photographs, saw the place where he cooked and often rested. I felt a very strong holy vibration from the spot where he cooked meals for self and other disciples and guest. Suddenly there was a tap on my shoulder and as I turned around, I saw a lady smiling at me. She handed a coconut in my hand. Before I could understand, she said - "this is for you. It is from Dwarkamai. Keep it with you at your home, it is auspicious." Rinky joined in and asked her again. She explained how to keep it. We both came out smiling from Dwarkamai, thrilled again at our good fortune. There were lot of people inside, but I did not see anyone else getting anything. So I guessed it was a blessing from Baba again. The third place was Abdul Baba's cottage room. Abdul baba was Sai Baba's contemporary and disciple and a great saint. His cottage was nearby. He used to read out Quran daily to Sai Baba. As we entered the room in a queue and bowed down, the moulavi blessed us when our turn came. Suddenly he motioned us to stand aside from the queue. His aide asked me to sit down. I was surprised. He brought some of Abdul Baba's holy articles one by one from a chest and asked me to touch them to my forehead and worship them. The articles included his stick sudded with silver with some Quran verses on it. I and then Rinky followed his instructions. He then gave me two coins out of a mug used by Abdul Baba and motioned me to keep them. Before we went out, he gave some Udi (the ash given by Sai Baba) to us. We noted that some other people in the crowd tried to see the same articles he had given us but he refused to let anyone touch them. By this time, both of us were sure that something strange was happening and we both were being accorded a special welcome from Baba wherever we were going. The next day it was a trip to the Shinganapur Shani temple. The trip was pleasant though we got stuck in a traffic jam for some time while coming back. Rinky left for Mumbai that evening. I had one more day left so decided to go the next day to visit the Upasani Baba's ashram a few kilometers away. Upasani Baba was Sai Baba's disciple and was said to be highly advanced spiritually. I took an auto from the bus stand and reached the place in twenty minutes. The ashram had a serene look. I walked in with a basket of flowers, coconut and incense. An arti was going on with some women singing bhajans beautifully before Upasani Baba's statue. I stood in the line. Again the same thing - there must be around 50 people in the queue and around me but suddenly the temple priest came forward to me, took me out of the queue and helped me to put flowers and incense as if I was some important VIP dignitary. He took me aside and explained where all to go in the ashram. I followed his instructions and did puja wherever he had asked me to. When I came back to the hall, I was surprised to find him waiting for me. He asked me to sit in the verandah for a while and then took me to another building where a Dattatreya statue had been installed and consecrated by Upasani Baba. The place was full of strong spiritual vibrations. I paid obeisances there and later the priest gave a brief history of the place to me. All this while, there were so many visitors to the ashram temple, but he was oblivious of everyone, and only with me. By the time I returned to the auto waiting for me, I figured that Baba was giving me so much importance out of his love and probably to convey that he had invited me to his place - Shirdi. I felt happy but at the same time felt a chill go down my spine. I thought to myself "Are these things really happening to me ? Am I really experiencing all this or is it just a dream ?" I like to think it isn't, and that the Baba has actually blessed this "nobody" with his love.

A spirit in my room - March 2009 - Goverdhan visit

2009-04-06T06:09:00.000-07:00

After about three months of grueling uncertainities at work, pressures all around, house shifting, school shifting, embroiled in controversies, visits to police station and God knows what, I finally landed back at my dear Guru Sri Shailndra Sharma's feet again. Luckily I landed on the first navaratra. Navratri consists of nine auspicious nights - especially favored highly by those who meditate on the various forms of the mother Goddess. I worship the Goddess Tripur Sundari. So I decided to spend the navratris worshipping the Goddess at my Guru's place. The place is such an ethereal presence especially during nights. A panditji was performing the pujas in a seperate room earmarked for the purpose. I too set up a small photo of the Tripur Sundari in a corner of the room and did my small worship there.
Predictably, each day of my stay was filled up with a new revelation. On the second day of my arrival I worshiped the Goverdhan Hill (called Giriraj - the powerful governing deity of the village Goverdhan) that Krishna had worshipped thousands of years back. As my brother disciple and I performed the abhishek of the rock at a particular spot with milk, water and few fresh flowers, atmosphere suddenly got charged with a tremendous blessing. We were bathed in the electrifying benediction emerging from the spot and surrounding our bodies. The very same evening, I was walking in the twilight from my room to my Guru's room. Mid way I heard footsteps behind and saw a tall man wearing black clothes a few feet away. I had heard stories of the guardian spirits of goverdhan dressed up similarly. I moved a little further and bowed down to a divine statue. I turned around again and the figure disappeared. In excitement, I went and was babbling to others and to my Guru. My brother disciple told me that its a blessing to be able to see these things and it simply means that the deity has accepted my worship. I felt so happy.
The same night another incident happened that left me somewhat amazed. I was sharing my room with the panditji who was doing the puja for the Goddess. I was sleeping on a mattress on the floor while he was sleeping on a big bed in the same room. Around midnight when I was fast asleep, a spirit materialised in the room and spoke to him. He first thought it was me, but then he saw that I was fast asleep. The spirit appeared to be that of a gentle and benign man dressed in white clothes and asked his permission to rest on the bed for a while. He agreed and the spirit lay down beside him. After about two hours the presence disappeared from the room. Though they had conversed for a short while, I did not hear anything. Why he chose to come to our room remains a mystery. But he lay down facing me and yet did not speak to me. When I woke up in the morning, my head was heavy. Again the same excited babbling to my Guru. And as usual He was nonchalent about it.
The next day my Guru agreed to initiate me in the next Yoga level - the third kriya - adding a remark laughingly to a brother disciple , " Vicaas is gone now, caught into this net for sure. He wont be able to escape out of this ever" Practise gets grueling and tougher after this and I made promises to my Guru that I would come up to his expectations.
I came back after the last navaratra -full of blessings and renewed energy to carry on my spiritual journey to the summit of yoga.

Some Mystical Experiences with my Guru

2008-12-30T08:35:00.000-08:00

I have returned from Goverdhan a few days back. Spent about 10 days with my dear Guruji. Although we talk about all mundane matters, yet every time after coming back I realise that I have gained so much in my thinking. There is so much inspiration in my life without my even realising.

We had a particular Hanuman Puja on 11th and 12th December. On the 12th - there was the final puja where we all were gathered in a room. Some people clicked photographs as well. Later on we saw in the photos - 6 mystical lights descending on his head or hovering over it. We were all intrigued by the phenomenon. Some tried to explain it as light reflection on the lens but it was not convincing. I have attached the photo here.

I told him the next day that I would like to experience paranormal things. He laughed and said it was nothing great. In the night around 7 pm, we go for exercise in a small gym. The moment we stepped out, he pointed me to listen quietly with a finger on his lips. I could hear the sound of anklets (paayal) worn by rajasthani ladies. It was as if someone was dancing and playing about us. Sometimes to the right, then to left, then back and then front. It was unbelievable. He pointed to me to ignore it and not look around or behind. When we reached the excercise room - he said.....there are several benign spirits - thousands of years old...who visit this area at times. When we finished exercise and went back, the sound started following us back. As soon as we sat in the room. I told him, I think my mind is playing games with me...this cant be real. He smiled. In a moment, there were three knocks on the outside door. He asked me to go and check it out. I suddenly froze in fear when I realised that there was no one around at that time and normally if someone wanted to come in, they dont knock...they just come in. He urged me to go and look. Slightly shaky I went outside and looked, there was no one around. When I came back and told him, he laughed and said.. "that was their way of playing a small joke on you. They probably heard you. Dont worry.."

Wonders will never cease. Well I asked for a supernatural experience - I got it. I got some others as well...but that story is for some other day.

A Boulevard of Broken Dreams

2008-11-03T09:27:00.000-08:00

Almost every other day for about a month now, I have been getting news of friends, acquaintances or others in USA losing their jobs, getting laid off, facing rough weather. It saddens me to see such a state of affairs. People have gone there imagining a better quality of life, more money, more fun etc etc. Alas its no longer so - or so it seems for the time being. Lonliness I have seen and I can understand and Health problems too. But somehow personally, its quite unsettling for me to see people put their entire life into a job role, working for a company for a monthly salary and then getting blown to pieces when suddenly the company they have been working for decides to throw them out. Maybe its because I my mind doesnt agree to the concept of working under anyone. But this is life for the majority of us.
Talking about USA and other western countries - I fail to understand what kind of a false world we all live in !! Our own small cocoons and misleading imaginations of a comfort zone abroad - when it is not even there any longer. The US of sixties and seventies is gone now. India is a much better place now in comparison to USA - in all respects. Why live there in search of a heaven which is non existent ? To me now - its just a boulevard of broken dreams. Nothing else..

VOICE OF A SILENT GODDESS

2008-10-27T03:37:00.000-07:00

The last about 1 1/2 months have been spent mostly in secret worship, away from my family, mostly worshipping an ancient Goddess through ritualistic chants given in an ancient scripture. I have been seeking her blessings, both for mundane and spiritual reasons. I must confess that I got tired of the routine in between and wanted to stop midway (I think it was the 8th of October). That evening I decided I wouldn't go further with all the daily drudgery and the tiring routine with my chants and invocations. Around midnight, I was woken up by some invisible presence in the room. It was so tangible and powerful that I got up as if touched by a live wire. I remember a female voice clearly saying in my ear - " Shall I go away then ? " I thought I must be dreaming and dozed off but was woken up again by the same presence. This time it was scary. Remembering my Guru, I sat up on the bed and turned the light on, thinking to myself - "Boss, you better continue. Seems the one you were calling all the while is here." The next day i rang up my Guru and he confirmed the validity of the experience saying that he would have been more surprised, if nothing had happened at all. He ended the conversation with the same advice - "this better continue to the end. Dont stop now that you have come so far...... not now." After this, surprisingly the daily worship changed in terms of the experience it was giving me. I smilingly prayed to the Goddess not to go, but to be there with me always. Then onwards, it was almost like, some part of me woke up inside me, sending me slowly into raptures of devotion to the Goddess. I would offer her myself, my body, my ego and my soul - urging her to bless me. An almost physical nerve around the heart region would open up daily as if someone unzipped it every time I started the devotional routine - ah , sheer nectar of her presence captivated my mind. Now that I am ending with the particular worship, the presence of the Goddess is ever more strong. The Goddess I was worshipping is known as the "Tripur Sundari" - the Mother Divinity who is said to have existed before the beginning of the three types of creation in the universe - the physcial, astral and the causal. Tri (three) - pur (before). And the scripture I am referring to is "Soundarya Lahiri" - literally translated - "The waves of Divine Beauty". When I started my worship, I was unaware - but as I end with the puja, I now understand why Adi Shankaracharya (the saint who wrote this scripture), chose to call it so. The Goddess is actually the epitome of the waves of divine beauty. I bow down to Her everywhere - in my mind and heart, in my body and in this universe. Words are limited and I just can not explain to anyone in words what I have felt.

Siddhi Vinayak

2008-08-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

I have travelled the entire month of July I think. Away to Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh and Goverdhan - at the feet of my Guruji. When I visited Mumbai, I met some relatives after a long time. But imagine the state of my mind - I was most excited to visit the Siddhivinayak temple. The temple is around 200 years old. A few years back I was in mumbai and visited the Babulnath, Mahalaxmi temples and then came to Siddhivinayak at the end.
As I entered the temple for the first time, it was without any expectation of any kind. But the force in the temple is so powerful, that I was overwhelmed as soon as I entered. My head bowed down on its own and I felt a powerful blessing around my head and heart region. I had decided then and there that I would visit the siddhivinayak whenever I visited Mumbai in my life. Such a tremedous spiritual force in the heart of the city known for materialism - will wonders ever cease ??!!!
If anyone visits Mumbai and is even a little bit spiritual, he or she should visit this temple and bow down to the divinity - Ganesha may not be visible in his true form before our eyes - perhaps we are too gross to see His divine form. But in this temple - His presence is tangible and powerful.

Significance of numerology

2008-07-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

The science of numerology has been used by people throughout the ages to interpret and improve life. Its amazing how the alphabets are connected to numbers which are connected to planets. There are two systems of numerology - the chaldean and the pythagorean. In my own experience I have found that the pythagorus systems applies more accurately to the visible and the outward things of life and the chaldean to the invisible and hidden fabric. Both are applicable, but in different ways. Part of my research has always been on my own self so I started with the change of the name from vikas to vikaas. I stumbled on astrological and numerological truths quite accidently - as I dont consider myself to be gifted or intelligent - so there was no question of me deciphering things after long winded researches. But, after years of experience, I can now diffidently vouch that anyone who understands numerology properly can give twists to his / her life in lot of ways. I have engineered these "twists" in my own life. And I have found that planets impact life most powerfully through our names. All other things come later. The name is the most important thing with which we identify ourselves. The planets are called "grahas" i.e. those which grasp or catch. True to their nature which is revealed by their sanskrit name, they "grasp" or "catch" - and so they catch us through our mental associations - with our names. This is the basis of numerology.
vicaas@gmail.com

Child is the Father of Man

2008-06-17T04:09:00.001-07:00

Past two days have been mostly spent in bed, nursing my back. I have had a severe bachache since sunday. I thought as I am spending so much time resting in bed, I might as well lecture my son on some general spirituality. I started with story of "our father in heaven", brahma, vishnu & mahesh and hanuman. There were so many questions from my 6 year old that I ended up with telling him about the process of opening the spiritual eye in the center of the forehead. Little did I realise that the kids can be so inquisitive !! My wife thinks I have flipped my lid by explaining him things beyond his age. To put a stop to his questions, I told him - "count Om for 10 times between your eyebrows and pray to my Guru. After 10 years, your third eye will open." I said all this yesterday. Today he came back from school to my bed, where I have been resting and says to me "Papa I have started counting the days when I say Om in my third eye and it will open. I have written up till 200 on a piece of paper. I am going to write up till 3000 and I am going to tick everyday to count uptill 3000 days till I have opened my spiritual eye and I see God". Good Lord !!! I gave him a vague figure of 3000 days and his enthusiasm is seen to be believed. After he went out to play, I thought philosophically - if only our faith was such like small children, we would accompalish so much in our lives. After all William Wordsworth did write - "Child is the father of man......."
In the morning today, I was reading that Sri Shyama Charan Lahiri, who is considered to be the originator of Kriya yoga used to practise yoga for 12 hours a day till he attained the goal. On a serious ending note, I actually feel like getting the spirit of my son and his enthusiasm has already pricked my conscience. I need to spend more time practising my sadhana. This life is truly in vain till I attain the goal my Guru has set before me.
vicaas@gmail.com

Intensive Sadhana and it's aim

2008-06-09T08:17:00.000-07:00

A few months back, I came across an interesting lecture by a Guru on youtube. He is from my own Yoga lineage but lives somewhere in the US now. He was saying - " if you want self realisation in 3 years, practise meditation for 18 hours a day. If you meditate for 12 hours a day, you would get liberation within 6 to 12 years. If you practise meditation for 6 hours daily, you may get self realisation in 24 years or so. And if you practise mediation for 2 to 3 years every day - you may get realised in this life or perhaps the next one, if you are consistent. " I wonder how many people would have the stamina for a 12 hours routine ? But look at the reward at the end. Why dont such lectures inspire people to take up yoga and meditation seriously ? Does it seem uninteresting because of non belief or because we have a lot on our agenda ? Perhaps its a little bit of both. I have been practising a yoga technique given newly by my Guru for the past three weeks. At the end of the practise session, the results are so much that I am amazed. The murmur of the physical heart dies down considerably and that of the thoughts in the mind. The mind flies off in some strange unknown direction. The heart is cleansed off muck in a strange incomprehensible way. The resulting feeling of well being and confidence is palpable. And I am only three weeks into this new technique that I am practising. I wish the world knew what lies underneath yoga practise !!! No, its not just boring asanaas and pranayama breathing....there is lot more to discover ....if you just practise long enough and intensively......

Silent Spaces in my mind

2008-06-07T10:22:00.000-07:00

While meditating today I observed the energy centers in the spine clearly. A friend suddenly called after many days, so had to break the meditation and talk to her. By the time I got up, there was a sense of gentle pressure in between the eyebrows and slightly above. After having dinner, I went out for a walk to the roadside Pan shop (Indian betel leaf). The entire lane in my area is lined by tall trees. In the gentle breeze and shadows falling on me. suddenly a sense of powerful silence overcame me. As if my body and the entire area got enveloped by a sense of sacredness & other worldliness. The brain was almost silent, watching intently inwardly & outside - no thoughts ! Its an inexplicable state of mind, impossible to convey in words !! The pressure in between the eyebrows went a little deeper up to an inch perhaps and then gave way to a sense of silent euphoria. I could sense the spinal meridian coming up to the centre of the brain and to the point between the eyebrows and then lower even up to the tip of the nose - a strange feeling of pleasure - an intoxication overcoming me. Reaching the shop, the area had some traffic, cars & scooters zipping past me while I walked on the sidewalk. Still, the mind was undisturbed - not registering any noise. I felt as if I staggered slightly while paying the shopkeeper for the sweet paan. Body was as if in slow motion. He looked at me and probably thought I was drunk. But how would he know - drunk with what ? The state of being is so powerful that I can ask for anything - and it would be granted to me. But I dont feel like anything. The feeling is that of absolute contentment as I observe these silent spaces in my mind. I remembered my Guru's words uttered years back one winter evening, years ago as I sat near his feet - "People think that superconscinousness is somewhere up there. Superconscinousness doesnt come out of the sky, it is always around you. You just have to be receptive enough to enter it...."
vicaas@gmail.com

Conditioning of the human mind

2008-06-07T10:21:00.001-07:00

When we are born, we are born with a certain environment around us, some beliefs, some experiences etc etc. Our elders guide us as per their experience - sometimes relevant and sometimes not so. But often we do not question what comes down to us. Experience is indeed invaluable. But what I am talking about is our psychological complexes which are unnecessary and prove harmful for our functioning. I am talking about those conditionings of our minds which allow us to function within a certain periphery and not look or think beyond it. After I take birth, my parents sent me to school. By the time I got out of it, I saw in the magazines and newspapers and saw my teachers talking about it, my parents counselling about it - that it is absolutely essential to be gainfully employed under a big company and rise in my career. Why ? What would happen if I didnt go this way ? What if i decided to invest in a farmhouse in a rural area, grow medicinal plants and dutch roses and spend most of my time meditating and mastering my own self ? Would I waste my life, if I decided to do it ? Who will judge ? My parents ? They cant, because they are part of this web. This society ? - it can't, because it is part of this mad race to nowhere. Can I rely on my heart and my own discretion to follow the path of my life, even if it is off the beaten track ? It would require tremendous courage and freedom from conditioning of my mind to attempt this. But its possible. It has been done, people live such lives, they are successful and yet, they are away from the societal conditionings. Prevalent beliefs of our society are actually conditioning of our own mind - because after all, a group of minds form the society - dont they ? That which is outside everywhere, is actually within.

vicaas@gmail.com

Brain and spine

2008-06-07T10:19:00.000-07:00

I have started following the basic course in the Iyengar's - LIGHT OF YOGA book a few days back. Few basic asanas and stretches - and I feel such a great difference. One normally doesn't realise that the supply of blood is so constricted at certain areas of the body. Some nerves dont get blood flow at all. Some muscles are not excercised by us at all. This leads to various problems in the body with age. Try doing even the simplest of yoga postures and they bring about such poise to the body that its amazing. I have been thinking that our body which has created the entire universe around us is such an amazing piece of machinery. It needs to be cared for, to be nourished because it houses the brain - which creates the entire universe and millions of things that we use in this world. Brain or our mind can actually be called Brahma - the Indian name for the creator aspect of God. Isn't it important to excercise the brain muscles as well then ? There is no way other than nourishing it with proper blood supply, energy and as far as eating is concerned - with the proper nutrients. Which food to eat ? - eat brahmi (the herb), almonds and other such food. How do u nourish it with more blood ? - By doing inverted postures in yoga like sarvangasana. How do u give it more energy ? - by meditation and pranayama. Pranayama & Meditation leads to the energy flow going towards the brain instead of flowing out through the sense nerves. The primary channel through which the energy flows is through the spine. Spine too is such a mystery - it connects the brain with the body and the rest of the world. So, a corollary point is that a person in whom there is excellent blood and energy flow in the brain and spine would be would be quite an evolutioned person - a person with balanced mind, calm nature, higher thoughts and noble purposes and also with lesser physical, mental and emotional problems in life. The thumb rule is - lesser the energy level in the spine - the baser and lower the life and more the problems. Higher the energy level and higher your attention up in the spine - the better the quality of life and lesser the problems. Strangely, when you look at the shape of the brain with the spine - doesnt it resemble the structure of a sperm ? But more on this some other time....

vicaas@gmail.com

2008-06-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

My intuition or the sixth sense has been slightly overactive for almost about an year now or maybe a little more. Now the daily recurrence is so much, that I have no option but to start treating it as normal. Nevertheless, I guess I should note it down for the sake of it. I have noticed that I just have to think of something and whosoever is in front of me either says it or does it within a couple of minutes. I think of someone and that person either calls me or is thinking of me. It also seems I can feel thoughts of anyone thinking strongly about me at any time. I was just thinking of the heliacal DNA structure today evening. I just started writing this article about it and put the TV on. The spiderman movie is playing on AXN. The scene was showing DNA changes happening in Peter Parkers body - the exact thing I was thinking and writing about. Recently I was thinking about my friend Bina who lives in Birmingham now, wondering how she was doing. Today evening, while I am updating this blog, she suddenly called up regarding something after a long long long time. Another example - I was in the M K Retail store today in the evening and saw jaggery packets. My thought went on to the yummy Jaggery rice we used to eat in the childhood. After dinner today, my wife suddenly gave me jaggery rice to eat saying that it came from my aunts house. I haven't eaten it in years. Why did I notice the jaggery packets just today only in the store !!?? Several times while going to my office, I happen to pass by the kitchen thinking I need a cup of tea. Before I cross it, invariably a maid asks me if I need a cup of tea !!! When I am having tea - I just feel like having biscuits and lo presto - in a minute the maid comes with some biscuits in a bowl even though I never normally ask for biscuits and maid doesnt offer me biscuits normally. During the daily working - I often tell Shivani (my Indira nagar preschool center head) about what needs to be done. Most of the time - before I am about to say it - she says the same thing. I just quietly smile to myself. And people say - "future is unknown, no one knows what will happen" .........oh really !!! :-))
Anyhow - lets get back to my thoughts on DNA. Our genes are made up of DNA which has a heliacal shape - the shape of a twisted ladder. The wikipedia website says - "Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses. The main role of DNA molecules is the long-term storage of information." What information are we talking about ? - Well, it can be anything - from structure of body to behaviour to diseases to xyz... So what about yogis who have supernormal abilities ? Has their DNA changed ? Guruji said that it does change by practise of Kriya Yoga. If a yogi reaches the state of cosmic consciousness - the DNA in his body would have to be different than a normal one corresponding to his superior abilities. What I have been thinking of is the DNA shape. One of the advanced kriya yoga technique involves the revolution of prana within the body and it suddenly struck me that the path undertaken during this revolution vaguely suggests the heliacal DNA structure. This peculiar pathway of the prana is also supposed to be the representation of the vibration of Om. So is vibration of Om linked to the heliacal structure of DNA in some way ? I can't say as yet. Time will tell.

OUR SHORT SIGHTED GOALS

2008-06-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

People around me are so focussed on their careers, their familieis, their own goals - small or big. Most of us go by through the years clueless as to what our destination is. Or if we have a destination, then its so unimaginably short sighted that its amazing to see ourselves waste our lives over trivialities - I want to have a few crores in my bank account, I want my children to study in good schools, I want to make a few properties, I want to see the world, I want to be famous, I want to retire on a very big post in an organisation and blah blah......... But none of us really think of what is the end of this short lifetime ? Why are we doing all these fleeting things when we have to leave it all one day ? Where is the permanence, the stability ? There is nothing like stability here. Life is fleeting and momentary. And inspite of this truth starting at everyone in the face, we choose to be blind to it and run after the daily things. People translate Maya as money. Maya is not money. This blindness to truth is maya, the delusion of seeing permanence in impermanent things and remaining blissfully oblivious of the underlying reality. What is the underlying reality ? Only a true Guru would be able to show, that too if you are prepared to understand. You would understand only if you are tired of all these games and want something else. But majority of us sadly are destined to be part of this, and a very very few who are tired of playing would look beyond the physical. I cant judge others I guess. As for me, I am going to tread the lonely way soon, on to my goal - Samadhi.
vicaas@gmail.com

2008-06-07T10:16:00.001-07:00

MY GURU'S LOVE - 29th May 2008 12.00 am
Since the time i started my spiritual search - I think I started when I was 13 years old - I had been reading stories about the great saints and their love & devotion to their Guru's. All the saints say - there is nothing greater than a Guru's love & protection - the Bhagwad Gita says it, the Guru Gita says it, the Ramayana says it - and so do all the great spiritual texts. I tried to imagine how wonderful it would be to have such a Guru as I grew spiritually & thought those saints mentioned in the books were so lucky to have great Gurus who protected & guided them, but what about us poor mortals !! I couldnt be so lucky after all, I thought to myself. After I met my Guru, I realised what a Guru's grace, protection & love can be. What I had only read and imagined came true in my own life. Till date, I dont remember a single instance when I have prayed to my Guru for help, protection & guidance, and he has failed me !!! Not even one single instance in all these years that I have known him !!! I am myself stupefied at times as to how my Guru manages to reach me just in the fraction of a second, as soon as I think of him and I get immediate response. I am even more clueless as to what good deeds I have done in my past life to deserve such a divine protection & grace. For a Guru to reach a disciple instantly means only one thing - that he has connected his own consciousness to the disciple and that he has the power to transcend time and space.
vicaas@gmail.com

2008-06-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

THE PLANET EARTH - 1.15 AM - 28th May 2008
I have achieved many things in divergent areas of life. I wonder sometimes if I had not been practising kriya yoga, would life have changed to the extent that it has changed ? Perhaps it may have, perhaps not. And then I think, its not yoga - its my benefactor, my Guru, my Teacher - Sri Shailendra Sharma - who changed my life. When I had met him years earlier, he remarked - "vicaas, my honorable Guru (Sri Satya Charan Lahiri) made my life. Before meeting him, I was nothing." Today it is with a smile that I am writing this testimony - My Guru Sri Shailendra Sharma made my life completely. Before meeting him, I myself was a nothing.
Since a few weeks, after getting up from my morning & evening meditations, I have been feeling a strange kinship with our planet earth. An awareness of earth has overpowered my thoughts - though strangely, I have not consciously been thinking about it at any time. We worship the stars and planets to lesson the burdens of our karma - at least the Hindus who believe in astrology do, but we strangely ignore the great mother earth on which we live. I think hardly anyone of us ever worships her. From spirits to gods to goblins to kings to commoners......all live here, all need the earth to express themselves. But who acknowledges that ? We would rather look for a krishna, vishnu, brahma or shiva in the skies, but we dont see this Goddess on whose breast we walk and live, who sustains our lives and into whom we merge in the end. Isn't it strange ? Or is it that only yogis see things which common people don't see ? For the past few weeks, I cannot help bowing down to earth in love & reverence - when I wake up, when I meditate & before I sleep. My thoughts go on to what my Guru had said years earlier about "earth consciousness" - "every yogi enters the state of earth / planetary conscinousness someday." At the time he expressed it, it sounded so strange. I am beginning to understand it now after so many years. I know its difficult to believe, but I can feel now that this planet is alive and it has a consciousness like all of us.
vicaas@gmail.com