69) Happy Deepavali

Today i.e Tue 13 November is Deepavali and I wish everyone a Happy Deepavali .

On this day ,I would like to share Swami Sivananda's Message on Deepavali

Many Deepavali festivals have come and gone. Yet the hearts of the vast majority are as dark as the night of the new moon. The house is lit with lamps, but the heart is full of the darkness of ignorance.

O man! Wake up from the slumber of ignorance. Realise the constant and eternal light of the Soul, which neither rises nor sets, through meditation and deep enquiry.

May you all attain full inner illumination! May the supreme light of lights enlighten your understanding! May you all attain the inexhaustible spiritual wealth of the Self! May you all prosper gloriously on the material as well as spiritual planes!

- Swami Sivananda's Deepavali Message

30)Practised Before Preaching

Today i.e 8th September being the birthday of Swami Sivananda I am sharing the following message by Swami Chidananda . Swami Sivananda’s preachings are all backed by his personal experience of practical Sadhana of the past twenty-five years of ascetic life. His teachings are not based on mere academic knowledge or study of ancient and modern philosophies and religions, but have been carefully devised after personal practice of many years and intimate knowledge. They can easily be comprehended and translated into practice by any sincere aspirant.

Gurudev used to write addressing young aspirants:

You must be very correct, very punctual, very regular. You should discipline yourself rigidly. Otherwise, you cannot attain the highest, the Realisation. It is not an easy task. Happy-go-lucky type easy temperament is no good in spiritual pursuits. Have you noticed how correct, how strict, how disciplined are the soldiers in the army? They have to stand in the parade according to the unit or battalion they belong to. They have to be absolutely spick and span. They do polishing of the shoes and brass by themselves. Even if a single button is dull, the inspecting officer spots the soldier and puts him into quarter-guard, and he will have to do fettling duty. They are always fighting fit, trim and clean, neat and tidy, because they have been drilled into this sort of correctness, precision and training. When an ordinary soldier is required to be so disciplined, so correct, so punctual, so regular, then what to say about you, O aspirant! A spiritual aspirant has to be even ten times more strict, regular, punctual, correct, well-disciplined. A soldier fights to win a battle, whereas an aspirant has to win the kingdom of heaven, win Kaivalya Moksha. Therefore, never give leniency to your mind.

When Gurudev said that, there was hundred per cent impact on the hearer. After hearing Gurudev, one could no longer remain what he was till then. Why? Because when Gurudev gave any instruction, one could clearly see he gave it with the firm conviction of his own practice. In fact, whatever Gurudev has said about Sadhana is based on his own experience only. He advised to the Sadhakas and disciples only such Sadhana which he himself had practised for such a long time that it had become his daily routine, his second nature. So it carried conviction, it carried a force behind it. The hearer immediately felt in his heart, ‘Here is someone who is saying what he himself has gone through; he is not giving us some theoretical or bookish knowledge; he is giving a part of his own life, his own self.’

That was the power behind Gurudev’s words. In spite of this fact, he seldom gave such straight, direct talk, rarely, very rarely, once in a while only. Gurudev used to say:

If anyone who is living in Sivananda Ashram complains of lack of guidance, he must be a lazy person, he has no interest in his own welfare. I have given everything necessary for a Sadhaka in my 300 books. If a Sadhaka is seriously interested in his own good, he should go through these books and he will have no more any doubts. He will never have any hesitation in proceeding with his Sadhana. Everything necessary for a spiritual aspirant is given in these books. Study them. If you have got any doubts after a sincere study, do come to me and ask.

He was indeed hundred per cent right. If anyone with real interest takes the pains to go through the hard labour Gurudev has put into his writings, then there will be an absolutely clear path ahead of him. For every question, for every doubt, there is an answer in his books. He was indeed, a man of practical wisdom.

Sri Swami Chidananda

14 -Special Instructions for effective Asana Practice by Swami Sivananda

Today i.e 14th July is the Maha Samadhi day of Swami Sivananda and toady was the day I started my Yoga Journey at the Sivananda Yoga Centre in Chennai ,India 10 years back in 1997 and as a tribute to my Master ( Swami Sivananda ) I am sharing these special instructions for an effective Asana Practice by Swami Sivananda as today's message .


1) Asanas should be practised in a well ventilated , clean room where there is free movement of fresh air .The floor must be even . Asanas can be practised on the sandy bed of rivers , open airy places and by the sea-side also .If you practise them in a room , see that the room is not congested so as to allow free movement of hnads , legs and of the body .

2) Asanas should be done on empty stomach in the morning or at least three hours after food .Morning time is best for doing Asanas .

3) Get up at 4 a.m .Answer the calls of nature .Wash your face .Then practise your Asanas , Pranayama and Meditation .This order is beneficial .If you are very particular to meditate from 4 to 6 a.m., you can do Sirshasanafor 10 to 15 minutes and then sit for meditation .When meditation is over , you can take to other Asanas .

4) Be regular in the Practice .Those who practice by fits and starts will not derive any benefit .

5) Start with minimum time of doing Asanas and then gradually increase the period . You can do the Asanas as long as you can comfortably keep up the posture .

6) Asana is the third Anga in Ashtange Yoga .When you are established in Asanas ,then only you will derive benefits of Pranayama .

7) Maximum benefits can be achieved if Japa also is done during the practice of Asanas and Pranayama .

8) Regularity in the practice is very necessary if one wants to relaise the maximum benefits of Asanas .Generally , people practice for two months in the beginning with great interest and enthusiasm and leave off the practice . This is a sad mistake .They want a Yoga teacher always by their side . They have got the effeminate learning mentality .They are lazy , torpid and slothful .

9)Physical exercises draw the Prana out .Asanas send the Prana in , and distribute it quite evenly throughout the body and different systems .Asanas are not only physical but also spiritual , as they awaken the Serpent Power ( Kundalini ) that is sleeping in the Muladhara Chakra .


10) Ladies also should practice Asanas .They will have healthy and strong children .If mothers are healthy and strong , children also will be healthy and strong . Regeneration of the young ladies means the regeneration of the whole world .If ladies practice a course of Asanas systematically with interest and attention ,they will have wonderful health and vitality .There is no doubt of this .

11) In the beginning you cannot perform some of the Asanas perfectly .Regular practice will bring perfection .Patience and preseverance , earnestness and sincerity are needed .

12) Never change the Asanas .Adhere to one set tenaciously .If you do one set of Asanas today and some other tomorrow and so on , you cannot derive much benefit .

13) The more steady you are in the Asana , the more you will be able to concentrate and make your mind one pointed . You cannot get on well in your meditation without having a steady posture .

14) If you cannot perform a particular Asana quite satisfactorily , do not loose heart .Where there is a will , there is a way .Rome was not built in a day .Try , try , try again .Continuous practice will make you all right .


15) Those who practice Japa can repeat the Mantra during the practice of Asanas .When you recite the Mantra for six months , a hbait will be formed and the force of Samskara will keep up the uninterrupted practice even during the performance of Asana .There will be no difficulty .Business people who have very little time at their disposal , can have Japa during their practice of Asanas .It is something like getting four fruits by throwing one stone only .You will get many siddhis .

16) If you are careful about your diet , Asanas and meditation , you will have fine , lustrous eyes , fair complexion and peace of mind in a short time .Hatha Yoga ensures beauty , health , strength and long life to the Yogic students .


17) Avoid unnecessary worry .Do not be troubled .Be not anxious .Do not be idle .Do not waste time .Do not worry yourself if there is delay in your progress . Wait cooly .You are bound to succeed if you are sincere .

18) Never miss a day in your Sadhana , spiritual practices .


19) The practice of Asanas before starting Japa and Meditation is very good and conducice .It removes laziness and drowsiness of the body and mind .It steadies the mind .It fills the mind with new vigour and peace .


20) Sattvice food is necessary when you practice Asanas and Pranayama .Take milk , Ghee , sweet curd , fruits , almonds , cream , etc .Give up garlic , onions , meat ,fish , smoking , liquors , sour and pungent articles . Overloading must be avoided . Take Mithahara .Be regular and punctual in taking meals .Eating all sorts of things at all times is highly dangerous for a Yogi .


21) Asana and Pranayama remove all sorts of diseases , improve health , energise digestion , invigorate the nerves , straighten the Sushumna Nadi , remove Rajas and awaken the Kundalini . Practice of Asana and Pranayama bestows good health and a steady mind . As no Sadhana is possible without good health , no meditation is possible without a steady mind .Hatha Yoga is of immense use for Shyana Yogis , Karma Yogins , Bhakatas and Vedantins as well .