Tuesday, June 21, 2011

YOGA, A LIFESTYLE - Swami Nirjananda Saraswati

Yoga becomes a Life style ,when we follow the Yoga Of Sivananda, as told by Swami Niranjananda Saraswati.

Yoga no longer becomes an hr practice everyday, it is more an attitude and awareness with which we live 24 hours a day.
The final outcome of Yoga is not isolating ourselves from the world but involving ourselves more deeply in the affairs of the world, knowing our place in it,our duties,and how can we make a difference in other people's lives.
This is what Swami Sivananda called the Divine Life.

One become more Sattwic in nature, more mature in wisdom and develop greater understanding, greater identification with the environment and world.
We cannot escape to the mountains to experience higher conciousness,we have to escape to the world to realize higher conciousness.It's a question of training ourselves.
Train ourselves for that state which means manage our responses, reactions, attitudes, convictions, creativity and performance.

As computer functions according to its programe and software,we have to replace the software inside and upgrade the programming of our mind.
This is possible by 18 "ITIES" Of Swami Sivananda Saraswati.

  1. Serenity-It is the first change in the software,when we are at serene we are at peace with ourselves.
There are two areas of experience,one is "appearence" and the other is "reality" but both are Satya.But there is difference, one Satya is real and other is the apparent real.

Yogasutras state that we are attracted to pleasure as it gives happiness and we reject pain as it gives suffering.Serenity is finding the true reality and not being caught in the apparent reality and its reactions.
When we work for ourselves there is expectations, desire, need; we are affected by success and failure.when we work for higher cause then success and failure doesn't affect us at all.
When this happens we are free from the emotional and mental responses and reactions associated with selfish attitudes.

2. Regularity-It indicates positive and stable mind.when we are unstable we are irregular in practice and lose faith.

3.Absence of vanity-Can you be natural you? If you can then you have overcome your vanities. But the moment you try to project yourself either as a confident or under-confident person you subject yourself to vanities.Humility is the antidote to vanity. Don't try to create an impression.

4.Sincerity-It's an important sadhana and an attitude.It is purity and innocence of heart.Ask yourself ,"Am I sincere with myself ?"

5.Simplicity-It is learning to become umcomplicated, by getting rid of unnecessary and complicated pretences in life.

6.Veracity-Adherence to  Truth is veracity.Truth in normal life is diplomacy,not political or crooked but that arises out of knowing how words can influence another person's mind.So Veracity is diplomatic communication of truth.

7.Equanimity-It is being even tempered,even in extreme situation like in happiness and sufferings.

8.Fixity-It is being stable, constant and one-pointed. Focussed state of mind is Fixity.

9.Non-Irritability-It means not to be irritated or annoyed but to have patience and tolerance not just with others but with ourselves too.

10. Adaptability-It means adjustment in every situation. For eg: when we are sitiing in a boat rocked by a big waves,we have to move our body to the movement of boat.
11.Humility- The key to humility is consideration.When we are able to develop the faculty of consideration, then a natural attitude of respect develops within us, leads us to humility.

12.Tenacity- It means having a clear mind and holding on to our beliefs.

13. Integrity- It is to bring together the fractured personality.

14.Nobility- It means high, good, refined character.

15.Magnanimity- It means ability to forgive and generosity.

16.Charity-It means helping others to overcome their needs.

17.Generosity-Sharing and making others happy.

18.Purity-It is an expression of true self. It is expressed through appropriate thought, action and behaviour.

These are the 18 'ities' of Swami Sivananda which represent new programming for our mental software, along with asana and pranayama.

Work with one 'ity' per month, make it a sankalpa/resolution.
For eg : Every morning say to yourself ,"This month I am working on serenity".
Remember the concept of serenity as you go through the day's routine.

At the end of the day make a  note in your spiritual diary,like "How long was I serene today?" and "When did I lose my serenity?".
Even if you are able to take one step in the first month, that's fine. It's not practice which you do only once but rotate it continously.
The 'ities' are attempt fill our life with positive  and beautiful qualities,and cultivate positive habits.

Do not become neurotic about how to change  negative habit; just make the effort to cultivate positive habits.

 "HARI OM TAT SAT"

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