Wednesday, December 3, 2008

YOGA: Hinduism or Health (Yoga-u-metaphysics)

This post is about Yoga. It has been discussed here due to the recent queries and doubts amongst Islamic authorities as to what aspects of Yoga are not religious and can be practiced by Muslims. An fairly thorough introduction to Hinduism is followed by the role of health in Yoga.

DEFINITION

The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit language and means "union" or to yoke and make One. Most people think of Yoga as the physical exercise practiced by the Indians for health. In fact, Yoga is a lot broader and deeper in perspective and effectively means any practice that takes you closer to union with the Divine or God. Yoga is part (Darashana) of the Sanatana Dharma  of the Hindu religion.

THE SANATANA DHARMA

The Sanatana Dharma means the eternal or perennial way of nature and is based on the ancient scriptures called the Vedas which were received by rishis in the sacred metaphysical language of Sanskrit. They contain mystical formulae, chants, rituals, teachings and philosophies that allow man to live in harmony with the Universe. The 4 goals of life (wealth, righteousness, desire & freedom), the 4 castes (priestly, warrior, merchant & workers) and 4 stages of Hindu life (student, householder, monk and renunciant) were guides for society to live in this harmony or dharma throughout their cosmological cycles of the 4 yugas or ages (truth/golden, silver, iron, bronze and iron). It is much the same as the Tao of the Taoist with the balance of ying, yang and chi corresponing to the 3 gunas of Hinduism (activity, inertia and harmony) and the Ayurvedic doshas of Pitta, Kapha & Vata; as well as to the Buddhists Dharma of right living to escape the wheel of karma and suffering.


HINDUISM


Hinduism is the oldest religion of the world or, as Swami calls it, the great grandfather of religions and has the most comprehensive and complex coverage of all aspects of life. Its scriptures are so many and vast as to defy description and are an ocean of practical as well as spiritual knowledge. They are believed to have been received and passed down to humanity via the revelations of Indian Himalayan Godmen, rishis and sages. To categorize this work, for the purpose of understanding Yoga, Hinduism can be divided into the following:

(i) The 4 VEDAS (including the subsidary 6 limbs: grammar, pronounciation, poetic meter, etymology & lexicology, ritual & astrology/astronomy) - they are highest authority of Hinduism; being the revealed scriptures


(ii) 18 PURANAS (6 Brahma, 6 Vishnu, 6 Siva) - mostly allegorical in nature though containing many historical narratives

(iii) The SMRITIS (2 epics of the Ramayana & Mahabharata -Bhagvad Gita) - compositions of sages interpreting the Vedas and presribing codes of conduct

(iv) The 6 DARASHANAS: Metaphyscial Systems
(including Sage Pantanj'si Yoga Sutras, Sage Kapila's Sankhya Philosophy, Shankacharya's Vedanta, Bhadrayana's Mimamsa/ritualism, Jaimini's Logicism, Atominism) Also there are the 2 heteredox systems of Buddism & Jainism. All these systems have 2 axiomatic assumptions i) endless cycle of re-birth ii) possibility of transcending phenomenal existence.

(v) The TANTRAS (including Agamas) - sacred writings which deal with the practical aspects of religious disciplines

(vi) The 64 ARTS (branches of knowledge in the arts - chatuh shashti kala)

A classical curriculum of sacred sciences, studies, arts and skills of cultured living listed in various Hindu shastras. In addition to these it lists 64 bahya kalas, or practical arts, as required study for cultured persons. They are:

They are: 1) singing, 2) instrumental music, 3) dancing, 4) painting, 5) forehead adornments, 6) making decorative floral and grain designs on the floor, 7) home and temple flower arranging, 8) personal grooming, 9) mosaic tiling, 10) bedroom arrangements, 11)creating music with water, 12) splashing and squirting with water, 13) secret mantras, 14) making flower garlands, 15) head adornments, 16) dressing, 17) costume decorations, 18) perfumery, 19) jewelry making, 20) magic and illusions, 21) ointments for charm and virility, 22) manual dexterity, 23) skills of cooking, eating and drinking, 24) beverage and dessert preparation, 25) sewing (making and mending garments), 26) embroidery, 27) playing vina and drum, 28) riddles and rhymes, 29) poetry games, 30)tongue twisters and difficult recitation, 31) literary recitation, 32) drama and story telling, 33) verse composition game, 34) furniture caning, 35)erotic devices and knowledge of sexual arts, 36) crafting wooden furniture, 37)architecture and house construction, 38) distinguishing between ordinary and precious stones and metals, 39) metal-working, 40) gems and mining, 41) gardening and horticulture, 42) games of wager involving animals, 43) training parrots and mynas to speak, 44) hairdressing, 45) coding messages, 46) speaking in code, 47) knowledge of foreign languages and dialects, 48) making flower carriages, 49) spells, charms and omens, 50)making simple mechanical devices, 51) memory training, 52) game of reciting verses from hearing, 53) decoding messages, 54) the meanings of words, 55) dictionary studies, 56) prosody and rhetoric, 57) impersonation, 58) artful dressing, 59) games of dice, 60) the game of akarsha (a dice game played on a board), 61) making dolls and toys for children, 62) personal etiquette and animal training, 63) knowledge of dharmic warfare and victory, and 64) physical culture.

Hinduism holds as sacred 4 mothers; the physical mother, the cow, mother nature and the Gayatri mantra.
The Gayatri (ritual), Ganga (worship) & Gita (knowledge) make up the 3 fundamental aspects of the Hindu religious life and philosophy. The Gayatri mantra is thought of as the mother of the Vedas (the first expansion of THE WORD - AUM)

Veda means knowledge and the 4 Vedas (beginning with the Rig Ved) are considered the oldest foundation of Hindu scripture and culture; dealing with knowledge for the maintenance of dharma, prosperity and fulfillment in the world.

Vedanta means the end of knowledge and is the philosophical cream of the Vedas, called the Upanishads; dealing with the highest philosophy of the Self -realisation and ones ultimate freedom or Moksha from identification with the world. The triple cannon of Vedanta are the Upanishads, Brahma Sutras (Sage Vyasa) and Bhagvad Gita (sometimes referred to as the 5th Veda). Vedanta also forms one of the Darashanas, and
3 of its 8 schools are associated with Advaita/non-dualism.

Advaita or the philosophy of non-dualism is a later development through the works (Vivekachudamani) and commentaries of Adi Shankacharya and has become the most popularised aspect of Vedanta and Hinduism; more recently made more relevant for our times through the methods of Self-inquiry as taught by the Sages Ramana Maharishi (Who am "I"?), Nisargadatta Maharaj (I am That), Ramesh Balsekar (synthesis of Ramana, Nisargadatta, Zen, teachings of Wu Wei Wu and modern physics) and Eckhart Tolle (equating the "I" to being, presence or the Power of Now).



In fact, some of the ancient works of Hindu Vedanta trying to explain the unexplainable though prose are very similar to Zen Buddhism and the concepts in the Tao Te Ching as well as in the mysic poets ranging from the Hindu poems of Jnana Sambar to the Sufi poems of Kabir & Rumi to the western works of Blake, Shelley, Keats and Milton.

And, though Advaita was established by Shankacharya to resurrect the Vedic philosophy and counter the spread of buddhism in India in the 9th Century (?), a similar philosophy to Advaita, Ajata Vada, can be traced as far back to the eternal works of Sage Ribhu (Ribhu Gita), Rishi Vaishista (Yoga Vaishista), Ashavakra Gita (to King Janaka) and Dattetraya (Avadhuta Gita) over 20,000 years ago in the Hindu Treta Yuga.

After Shankacharya work on Non-dualism, a further division was propounded by Ramanuja (Qualified Non-dualism) and Madhwa (Dualism). In fact, the 5 other schools of Vedanta Darashana are monotheistic - with qualified non-dualism and dualism most well known and significant to Shankara's work. Thus, Vedanta are often broadly classified conceptually as falling into one of these three schools of thought (non-dualism/advaita, qualified non-dualism or dualism). Perhaps, this could be extended to five (ajata/non-causality, non-dualism (oneness), qualified non-dualism (spontaneous creation/existentialism), macro-dualism (world of objects & phenomena), micro-dualism (mind-body complex); with dualism associated with causality & concept of karma.

As far as the philosophy of Yoga goes, it is well acknowledged by Hindus that it is best exemplified by the Bhagvad Gita - the Hindu equivalent to the Koran or Bible - as taught by Krishna over 5,000 years ago; a period long after the "eternal" Vedas were received and transmitted by the rishis. It contains the essence of all Hindu teaching (Yoga, Vedanta & Sankhya) and explains that there are various types of yoga for the various temperaments, inner instrument, or psychological constitution of the individual and are all valid paths leading to realizing God or the Self. The easiest beginners version of it is most likely the one interpreted by Jack Hawley called "The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners.

It should be noted however, that strictly speaking Yoga as it is applied in exercise is derived from the Raja Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali; one of the 6 darshanas mentioned above; and that of these 6, the combination of (i) Yoga, (ii) Vedanta (along with the triple cannon of Upanishad, Brahma Sutras & the Gita; incuding the various older gitas) and (iii) the Sankhya philosophy are the 3 darashanas that have become the most universally appreciated by all; modern Hindus and westerners.

VARIOUS YOGAS (as per the Bhagvad Gita)

Yoga for technique & ritual = Tantra Yoga using Yantras (sacred shapes & designs) and Mantras (sacred sounds of Sanskrit) and Mudras (hand gestures) and Timing (Jyotish); often conducted by the Brahmin caste and priests.

Yoga for dedicated selfless action and work = Karma Yoga for detachment.

Yoga for the emotion and worship = Bhakti Yoga for devotion.

Yoga for the intellect and wisdom = Jnana Yoga for intelligence/knowledge.

Integral Yoga = Raja Yoga (incorporates aspects kundalini, mantra, dhyana yoga, etc...) and is a yoga for will power and mental control.

The Bhagvad Gita explains the various Yogas concisely and in their philosophical essence. These yogas are given as exercises of body, mind, heart, will and intellect for realizing God or the Self that transcends these instruments, time or space.

Often the idea of reincarnation or evolution requires a transformation from the yoga of ritual (Tantra) to a yoga through meditation (Raja Dhyana Yoga). However, the framework is such that any path can be chosen and the goal reached by the earnestness and ripening of following ones swa dharma or nature along any or all of these aspects of yoga. Ultimately, it must lead beyond any requirement or prescription to a state of Oneness.

These beliefs are part of Hinduism in the larger context of Yoga as Union with God rather than health. The Bhagvad Gita makes little reference to the health exercise or techniques of Raja Yoga but rather the role of yogic will in practices of austerity and "tapas".

RAJA YOGA

Of the 6 Darashanas from the above categories of Hindu schools of thought, Maharishi Pantanjali's Raja Yoga Sutras is the source of the modern day concept and practice from which term yoga is derived and used. This Sutra explains all the exercises and powers (or siddhis) that develop in the consciousness of one who practices this yoga of will diligently. Thus, Raja Yoga is the yogic science of consciousness and is very much associated with the yogic physiology which shall be discussed later.

There are 8 steps to Raja Yoga starting with the outer discipline, transformation and control of behavior. They make up the first 2 steps called Yama & Niyama.


Yamas = DON'TS (restrainsts over lower nature)

Ahimsa (non-violence), Satyam (truthfullness), Brahmacharya (moderation/celibacy), Astaya (non-stealing), Aparigala (non-coveteousness)

Niyamas = DO's

Saucha (purity), Santosham (contentment), Tapas (austerity), Swadhyaya (study sacred texts), Ishwar Pranidhana (living with awareness of the divine - surrender to God's Will)

These have a lot to do with moral conduct and social precepts and prepares the "yogi" for the next 2 steps of Asana & Pranayama or posture and breath. The focus now becomes the body rather than the inter-action with the world and the environment.

The practice of Yoga as we know it , for its contemporary, commercial and health benefits only , involves these 2 components of ASANA & PRANAYAMA and is called HATHA YOGA.

The aim of these is to make the body flexible and the mind calm to prepare for the deeper practice of Yoga through the remaining 4 steps: Pratyahara (sense withdrawal) to Dharana (concentration) to Dhyana (contemplation) to Samadhi (absorption) and have more to do with the mind and its transcendence.

Thus, Raja Yoga is also called the Integral Yoga and it integrates aspects of the the various yogas (outer karma, inner bhakti & wholeness of jnana), through these 8 steps, to take the Yogi to the state of Samadhi, Self-realisation and Enlightenment.

HATHA YOGA


Hatha Yoga is a component of Raja Yoga and ranges greatly today from the more traditional versions to Iyengar and the more contemporary ones to fusion yoga, that incorporates other health or exercise disciplines such as in Pilates.

Some Yoga styles are more physically health orientated, solely hatha, whilst some are more spiritual in orientation, sometimes adopting the full Raja Yoga philosophy. Others are a blend between these two and this is where confusion often arises regarding the religious orientation of practitioners.

Asana & Pranayama = posture & breath

Postures in Hatha Yoga are numerous and often have an element of animism in the poses; for example, the cobra pose. But even this pose is more for the bio-mechanical benefits and, in fact, the cobra pose is almost identical to one of the main exercises physiotherapists give patients for low back pain because it strengthens the back muscles, lengthens the abdominal muscles and adds flexibility to the spine.

The most popular and well known component of hatha yoga is the series of sequential movements that are made up of 12 postures and is called the Surya namaskar. This means prostrations to the Sun and is part of the solar yoga to worship and concentrate on the Sun as the source of life and thereby, imbibe its properties and qualities into the yoga practicioners body and mind through its prana giving life force.

An ASANA often involves a prolonged stretch of the whole body in different positions and directions and involves all limbs.

PRANAYAMA at its simplest level just involves deep breathing and is often combined with postures to maximize the blood flow to the areas after a prolonged stretch. One usually breathes in with a stretch and out with exhaling or relaxing.

HATHA YOGA in this physical aspect is solely for health and not for inner yoga of self realization. It is just a preparation, i.e. a healthy, flexible body makes for a healthy, subtle mind;
potentially relaxed and receptive for the meditation (dhyana yoga) of Raja Yoga

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CONTRAST OF AIMS between Raja Yoga & Hatha Yoga
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(RAJA) YOGA = Union with GOD within your SELF or HEART through whatever form your mind conceives (visual light or personality) or through contemplation on the abstract formless (auditory AUM) = PSYCHOLOGICAL in orientation

VS

HATHA YOGA = flexibility and strength for a healthy body and relaxed mind = PHYSICAL in orientation
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VARIATIONS OF HATHA YOGA

Practitioners need to be aware of the differences in terminology and practice between traditional Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga and various modern eclectic off-shoots. Perhaps there needs to be a clearer sufix before the word Yoga to decipher its orientation as health or spiritually based.

The one problem here is that there are already such words as mentioned earlier with regards to Karma, Bhakti & Jana etc... So maybe Yoga instructors should become more aware in differentiating between these essential variations of Yoga to the sub variation within Raja Yoga's Hatha Yoga.

The most fundamental thing for non Hindus to realise is the purely bio-mechanical and bio-chemical scientific advantages of practicing physical yoga for health

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HEALTH MODALITIES - HOLISITC
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5 LEVELS => MAINSTREAM VS ALTERNATIVE => SYSTEM => ELEMENT

----------------------Grace & Dhyana (Raja)Yoga----------------------

5th.Bio-spiritual => Prayer VS Linga amrit/ash => Atmic (Ether)

4th.Bio-environ-mental => Anti-pollution VS Homas, yagnas, jyotish => Mind/ Nervous (Air)

3rd.Bio-vibrational-pranic => Acupuncture VS Pranayama => Pranic/Vibration (Fire)

2nd.Bio-chemical => Allopathy, Nutritional, Naturopathy VS Ayurveda, TCM => Endocrinal (Water)
 
1st.Bio-mechanical => Surgery VS Massage/Pscyho-somatices => Musculo-skeletal (Earth)

PHYSIOTHERAPY/Body Work VS HATHA YOGA/Asana

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From Bio-mechanical up to Bio-spiritual levels, the focus goes form Hatha Yoga to the higher psychological components steps of dhyana or meditation in Raja Yoga

But there is NO need to involve these subjective psychological steps if it is against ones religious beliefs. Rather just accept the health benefits to posture and health

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BIO-MECHANICS of PHYSIOTHERAPY & YOGA

Physiotherapy is a paramedical health profession that is part of the mainstream bio-medical model which subscribes to the authority of the scientific method and is an accepted part of the medical institution. It involves manual handling, exercise prescription and education and covers all aspects from orthopaedics to neurology to cardio-respiratory medicine.Its focuses is on rehabilitative medicine and deals mainly with bio-mechanics, movement science and the musculo-skelatal system of the body.

One of the main principles of this is the fact that muscles use the bones as levers to cause movement and depends on the antagonistic relationship of muscles. This means that often muscles must work in opposition via vector forces to effect movement in the desired direction under the control and co-ordination of the brain and nervous system. This relationship between muscle working in tandem depends on the length-strength relationship between them. If across a single axis hinge joint there are two muscles if one contracts and shortens the other must relax and lengthen.

In physiotherapy treatments and exercise prescription this it is often a vital aspect of a physiotherapist job to use this principle to correct the muscle balance in localised areas of the clients body; whether as part treating tone in a stroke patient or training an elite athlete. This flexibility and strength allows optimal movement as well as contributes to ones overall posture.

It is with regards to this aspect of posture that Yoga follows the same bio-mechanical principles. Rather than across one or two joints, Yoga effectively leads to the same flexibility, tone and strength throughout the whole body by the same principles of stretching and isotonic strengthening leading to optimal length and strength of muscles and ultimately flexibility of body posture and indirectly mind.

It is also useful to note that many yoga instructors do not have a foundation in anatomy, physiology and movement science as physiotherapists do. By understanding bio-mechanics yoga instructors who are so trained are more able to detect compensatory and incorrect movements in their students but also better able to adopt and modify postures to suite those students with pathologies, injuries or limitations (such as the obese).

Yoga also compliments internal systemic medicine through its pranayama component. By combining with deep breathing Yoga postures, which stretch specific internal organs and on releasing the position, increase well oxygenated blood to circulate more deeply into the tissues to remove toxins and increase life to these areas.

This compliments the other Indian health practice of Ayurveda that is a natural alternative to allopathy. Thus, Yoga helps for both bio-mechanically for the musculo-skeletal and bio-chemically for the internal organs and endocrinal systems.

Also, by holding the stretches in a prolonged position it strengthens the will and nervous system.

Thus, the whole purpose is for health to have muscles of iron and nerves of steel to deal with the challenges of life and living.

And as a life-style, the combination of specifically, co-ordinated administration of appropriate herbs (Ayurveda), asanas and pranayama techniques (Hatha Yoga), mantras (Sanskrit Metaphysical sounds) ideally with timings to nature (Tantra & Jyotish) such as gathering the solar rays at dawn and dusk especially during the half yearly passage of the Sun northwards, Yoga is really part of a very holistic process of preventing disease, increasing longevity, health and happiness. 


SANKHYA PHILOSOPHY & THE 5 SHEATHS

Just as the Raja Yoga Sutras came from the Maharishi Pantanjali forming one of the Darashanas of Hinduism, so too was the Sankhya philosophy received and given as a Darashana by Sage Kapila. Rather than explaining health through bio-mechanics or the medical mainstream of alternative models, this explains the constitution of man from the aspect of vedic metaphysics and nature in general.

Sankhya Categories

This divides up the Universe into 24 components of corresponding 5 elements (elements of nature & food), to 5 organs of knowledge (senses), to 5 organs of actions, 5 pranas (breath), 4 components of Antahkarana or mind (citta - memory, buddhi - intellect, manas - mind/perception, ahamkara - ego). (For more knowledge of this inter-relationship it is suggested taht you read Dr David Frawley's works on the Vedas and health. He is one of the foremost Vedic scholars and pundits.)

And, just as Swami, from the Absolute level, explains that He has both Maya and all Jivas in His hand, so too, the Sankhya philosophy reveals the reflections of the Maya of the Universe on the macro God level to the Koshas or sheaths of the body on the micro-individual level. 

Cosmic to Individual

Paratma Eswaran (God) => exists in Man as Jiva, Soul, Atma, purified Ego;
Prakriti or nature => Chitta or Cosiousness
Mahat (Cosmic intelligence) => as Buddhi or discrimination 

5 Koshas - Atmic Sheaths

1) Annamaya kosha - food - physical - the five elements
2) Pranamaya kosha - breath - vital - the five pranas

3) Manomaya kosha - impressions - outer mind - the five kinds of sensory impressions
4) Vijnanamaya kosha - ideas - intelligence - directed mental activity
5) Anandamaya kosha - experiences - deeper mind - memory, subliminal and superconscious mind
Of the 5 sheaths, the sheath of pranayama carrries the prana through the breath and is related to the nadis of the yogic physiology and chakras

BIO-PRANA & YOGIC PHYSIOLOGY & CHAKRAS
 
According to yogic physiology, the breath is also supposed carry prana into the body as it enters to be absorbed from the atmosphere, originating form the Sun. Like meridiens in the chinese systems which carry chi, the indians ayurvedic system of health have a similar bio-pranic system called nadis which carry (5) prana(s) or this life force via the breath. The 5 types are: pranas (air that moves forward), Apana (air that moves downwards) Udana (upward moving air), Samana (balancing air), Vyana (outward moving air)

There are 72,000 nadis or channels that make up the bio-pranic anatomy with 12 main ones and 3 notable ones that inter-lock up the spine at the chakra points.

There are 7 main chakras and these correspond to the spokes where the nadis meet in the centre bringing prana to these locations where there are the associated nerve plexus, organs, endocrine glands and blood circulate.

In fact, in yogic philosophy the only 2 properties we have are the consciousness made up of the 5 elemental food body and the breath made up of this life force. The mind is nothing but the breath which according to yoga carries the thoughts through the prana and the 7 levels of chakra represent psychological levels of functioning from the root of controlling expenditures (including the root of money) to the 7th of thoughtless blissful samadhi state!

These 3 main nadis are called ida, pingala with a central sushmuna nadi that runs centrally up the spine. The image is clearly represented by the symbol for medicine; the cadeucus with the staff and the inter-twining serpents. The 2 serpents are the lunar (ida) and solar (pingala) psychic nerves or currents that carry yin and yang energies respectively throughout the body.

Interestingly, the breath alternates between these 2 currents every 2 and a half hours and tantric and kundalini yoga is the science of consciousness that uses techniques to time actions to the activities of the cosmos and breath; for example through alternate nostril breathing.

In fact, the cosmic sound AUM equates to the gunas, internal and external states as well as to these currents. Thus, the best time for aggressive actions is during the day when the person is in the waking state and the raja guna is predominate and the solar current is more open. This equates to the function of Brahma, the creator, and the letter A in AUM. Thus, yoga is a metaphysical science that harmonises the individual to nature and the cosmos.

Ultimately, yogic physiology considers that the each person's constitution can ultimately collect a reservoir of pranic cosmic force that stores coiled at the seat of the spine and is called Kundalini; the serpent psychic force of energy. This is not normally activated as sufficient energy and prana is available through food and the breath to deal with the activates of daily life.

KUNDALINI & SAMADHI

But the yogi, yearning to attain the Godhood or sometimes to achieve siddhi powers, aims to increase the prana into the nadis through his practices and eventually awaken and raise the Kundalini force to the crown chakra for the descent of the universal cosmic force, so as to still the mind and experience glimpses of enlightenment (satori of Nirvana) or Samadhi (equanimity of intellect = no thoughts);

Note: There are different stages of samadhi from (i) Kevala Samadhi (oneness with efforts to still mind), Savikalpa (spontaneous thought free experience of oneness with environment), Nivikalpa (transendence, suspension of faculties withouth awareness of body or world), Sahaja Samadhi (final natural state of freedom but with full spontaneous use of faculties). http://www.srichinmoy.org/spirituality/concentration_meditation_contemplation/samadhi/

It should be noted that often people's complaints about Kundalini energies, whether genuine or psycho-somatic only, have more to do with purification of the nadis than an actual awakening of the Kundalini. However, there are great dangers to mind, sanity and life when the kundalini is forced up too early or artificially by drugs or will power without devotion.

The breath, mind and nadis are inter-connected and sensitize the individual consciousness to nature and the environment. As the purification happens, more and more nadis get activated, stimulating and activating chakras from the foundation of the base to move higher and higher up to the 6th ajna mind chakra. The alchemy and purification of the brain bio-chemistry, nerves and cerebro-spinal fluids through diet, yoga and sadhana all prepare the yogi for his aim of transforming the constitution from more material to the more vibrational light qualities of prana and the solar light.

THE EYE OF WISDOM & THE "I" OF ADVAITA

In fact, the practice of gayatri mantra, jyotish meditation and the practice of jyotish astrology all serve the purpose of invoking the solar and atmic light, strengthening the intellect, balancing the brain (hemispheres), opening the eye of wisdom and causing the descent of the brahma prakash and jyotish.

The bio-mechanical and bio-chemical development of the body is for the maturation of mind to spiritualise matter. And philosophically, the human body and birth is the paradixcally illusion to realise that one is never the body and never born.

So ultimately, it is through Self inquiry (Advaita) into the source of consciousness and devotion to being that naturally makes the life force abide in the heart or centre (hridayam), opening the knots of the heart and allowing the purified, ripened, full life force to pass up to the thousand petalled lotus
(Brahmaranda at the fontanelle) and sink back down into the heart via the amrit nadi (with its primary 8 nadis centered 2 inches to the right in the chest) where the source of consciousness sits. Here inner and outer become one in consciousness and realisation becomes final by remaining fixed in this state.

Interestingly, in Hinduism this absolute formless state is represented by the abstract mathematical ellipsoid shape of the a stone called the lingam. The 3 horizontal lines with the red central dot represents the 3 planes; physical, astral and causal as well as the brahma, vishnu and rudra pranic knots at the 2nd, 4th and 6th chakras in body. The red dot symbolises the Sun and light of consiousness that sits in the heart as Narayana or the immanent God whilst the Lingam represents Siva as the transendental reality and inexhaustable source. Swami,who devotees accept to be the incaranation and manifestation of this imminent Narayana with all the powers of Siva-Sakti (Sai-Mother Baba-Father) coughs up this lingam from his body every Mahasivaratri night (symbolising when the Moon/Mind is most dead), and recently conducted the Athi Rudra Yagna (shamanic ritual conducted according to the prescritions of the Krishna Yajur Ved) also worships the Lingam; symbolising Siva or the formless Reality. The similar worship of a stone in Mecca is used by Muslims to worship the formless Allah. Curiously, if you remove the 3 lines of Sivaitism on the lingam you are left with the stone on its own and, if one removes the 3 parts of AUM one is left with the crescent Moon with a dot above it, symbolising the absolute. This dot takes the shape of a pentagram star in Islam. Co-incidently, Allah, Aum & Amen all use the latter A as the alpha of alphabets that points to wordless, namless, formless, Absolute.

Thus, not to digress, whilst simple asana, posture and pranayama in Hatha yoga prepares the musculo-skeletal and endocrinal systems to prepare the body and mind to receive more pranic energy into the body and, higher raja yoga exercises focus the mind and intellect for inquiry (tejas), both primarily borrow their the source of strength (ojas) and life from the heart which is tapped by sincerity and one-pointed devotion.. whatever you denomination and practice is. Love is God !

According to swami, an analogy can be taken from the lamp. The oil (ojas) is the devotion and bhakti in the heart, the flame (tejas) is the wick of the mind that burns with effulgence of jnana or knowledge and the air is the fan (prana) that allows it to happen (hatha and raja yoga through the will)

Prana is gathered from the Sun, absorbed from the food and inhaled through the breath; stored in the hair, finger tips/nails and semen and, is lost through speech, the eyes, sex and cutting the nails or hair.

Hindus also use jyotish or vedic astrology via their almanac called the Panchanga to time activities that best harmonise the direction of activities. This even includes the appropriate times for cutting their hair and nails so as to minimise the loss of prana; for example on full Moon days when the mind can absorb the maximun amount of prana. Symbolically, the Moon correlates to the Mind and the ida nadi current and full Moon days reflect the maximun amount of prana from the Sun.

VEDIC METAPHYSICS & WESTERN SCIENCE

As mentioned above, Jyotish or Vedic astrology uses the Panchanga or almanac to time all its festivals as well as finding the correct time or "Muhurta" to conduct events conducive to nature and the balance of elements and cosmic forces. To a large extent this is part of the Vedantic metaphysical philosophy which very much subscribes to the the
sacred geometry of a closed Universe of symmetry and harmony.

Western science and minds, being very much more analytic and linear rather than synthetic and lateral in approach is less open to making the same assumptions that the Vedas do on the authority of the rishis. Its approach to metaphysics has been reflected in the Greek civilisation by Pythogorus to the Rennaisance.

However, western philosophy, being made up of logic, theory of knowledge, aesthetics, metaphysics and ethics, would place the Indian symbolic mind, that makes associations based on correspondence, into a realm of metaphysics. It is much more prone to question the very acquisition of knowledge from the mind itself and take the Socratic skeptical approach to assumptions with any dialectically meaningful discourse based on axioms, bias, deductive and inductive logic. In fact, it's approach is more empirical and often scientific in following the method of observations with induction against stringent doubts posed by Poppers rules.

However, what is does not acknowledge is that what scientists of quantum mechanics are discovering about Consciousness is already presumed through Vedantic authority; that is that dualism, qualified non-dualism and non-dualism have already considered the observer (with his antarakarana) as well as the observed (universe) on the foundation of the one non-dual consciousness. Anyway, the science from the Greeks to the British seem to have set the stage for a grant synthesis with Vedantic metaphysics.

Interestingly, swami seems to have prepared us for this gradually, from the free modern education to mantric bhajans to the promotion of the Gayatri mantra to the state of the art super-speciality hospital to introducing Veda chanting to Ayurveda to the recent introduction of Jyotish classes for his students to the Metaphysical school to be opened in Mysore.

NUMBER 9 & the UNIVERSE

As far as Vedic Metaphysics goes, this post is already long enough and perhaps more shall be mentioned in future ones. But in relation to the Vedic concept of Brahma and a closed, intelligent Universe based on a law of symmetry, proportion, harmony and balance, numbers play the significant role in sacred geometry. This is used in Vedic numerology, Vastu (Indian Geomancy) as well as the Vedic science of Jyotish as the highest limb of metaphysics in the Vedas; studying the three dimensional light show of space and time using divisions based fundamentally on the number 9. The following are some abstract points to think about.

* Number 9 is the most important number in the decimal system (10 fingers to count with!), is the only number that when added against returns a number to itself and always return to 9 again with its multiplication. It therefore represents completion and the universe in numerology and
is always associated with Brahma, the Absolute and space.

* In a Jyotish Vedic chart there are 27 Nakshatras or divisions of the constellations around the Milky Way. Each has 4 parts of padas to make 108 sections. This is also related to the 9th divisional harmonic chart called the Navamsa. The Moon as the ruler of the mind placement in a 108th pada reveals a lot about the nature of the persons mind. Each pada also has a Sanskrit alphabet associated with it that helps choose a new borns name; resonating the cosmic nature with the individual temperamental type. Jyotish consider 9 planets in reading a chart (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu & the 9th south node of the Moon, Kethu)

*With 108, metaphorically, 10 symbolises the Sun and Atma whilst 8 the transformational powers of nature and
projecting powers of Mind or Maya (Rahu). Or, as the great Advaitic proponent Adi Shankara explained, it projects the illusion of the Universe of name and form appearing as a snake rather than the foundation on which it appears; the rope as the the veiling powers of mind & memory/vasana (Kethu) , brahma or space = 9

* There are 108 (9) parts to a mala. The number 108 represents God or natures in all its aspects. In Hinduism,
the number 108 represents the alpha & omega or the infinite potentiality where;

108 togehter = Paraatma GOD where

Generational Brahma Raja Guna A (x2) = 1,
Organisational Vishnu Satwa Guna U (x2) = 0,
Destructional
(transformational) Rudra Tama Guna M (x2) = 8

* The significance of number 9 is found in the sacred geometry and architecture of the Pyramids and was used in Keith Critchlows (Head, Royal Architecture of Lonon & leading exponent of Sacred Architecture in the world) design of Swami's super-speciality hospital.

COSMOLOGY

Just as the metaphysics of 9 has some connection to the universe, the number 5 is connected to man. From the 5 koshas to the 5 senses to the 5 digits to the 5 limbs to the pentagram to the Fibonacci number to our DNA spiral to perhaps the 5 root races of mankind, 5 features significantly with man. And co-incidently, there are the 5 aspects of western philosophy mentioned earlier. So I have further divided Vedantic metaphysics into 5. From the (i) micro-dualism of health to the (ii) macro-dualism of causality and karma to (iii) qualified non-dualism to the (iv) non-dualism of advaita to the (v) ajata philosophy of non-causality, Hinduism covers every point of view. On the other hand, western philosophies are mainly dualistic but are beginning to approach the non-dualistic revelations through advances in theories in quantum physics and the science of consciousness.

But the foundation of progress is on the assumption that the world is real and has existed prior to the observer whose intellect in perceiving the effects and thereby via cognitive phenomena of memory traces the original cause to the cause of karma itself; ie. the original big bang of AUM. This cosmology is traced to the Creator Himself or God with cosmological story of Brahma to the Laws of Manu & Lords of Karma, but even in western science the same causality and logic was applied for the singularity theory (of Penrose), that led physicists such as Hawkins to use Einstein's relativity theory in reversing speed and time to the original minute point if immense mass, that exploded to be come the
universe of today.

This concept is that the Universe is the reverberation of this original explosion and to Vedantists is the cosmic hum permeating the space of ether as AUM made up of the 3 Gunas of consciousness. The 3 inner subjective states of mind & 3 outer objective states of nature are part and parcel of this cosmic matter and hum.

In Hindu cosmology this AUM of causal (heaven), astral (nether) and physical worlds (earth) are reflected in the body through the 3 granthi that refract into the 7 colours that make up the 7 levels, above and below, to cover the 14 worlds. In the body these are the
7 chakras with each nadi in a chakra denoted by a petal that has a sanskrit letter attributed to it and whose sound causes it to vibrate the chakra and direct prana to that nadi to receive the assocaited powers of nature through the ethers of sound and consciousness.

Thus, Sanskirt and the Vedas are the Language of Nature and the Gods (the original 7 Rishis & the 7 seed bija sounds in the chakras) and is used in Yoga to help direct prana through mind (thought) and word (Mantra) to the body and is often used in co-ordiation with asanas and pranayama to activate these forces of nature.

TO BE CONTINUED

The next posting will focus on the role of Sanskrit and Mantra in Yoga; Hatha, Raja and others (Bhakti & Jnana) in the context of Islam & Muslims. It will focus on the Sanskrit language and the controversy between the physical practice of Hatha Yoga (3rd & 4th steps of Raja yoga) against the inclusion of mantras and chants as a compliment to the 6th step of Raja Yoga for Dharana or mind control and concentration.

FOR MORE ON ISLAM & YOGA VISIT:

Islam, Sufism & Perennialists

http://innereyesfamilyorchestra.blogspot.com/2011/11/islam-sufism-great-muslim-sufi-scholars.html

Yoga
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga
www.yogamovement.com
www.pantanjalisutras.com

Jyotish
http://jyotish-vedicastrology.blogspot.com/

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