Meditators and Longevity: New Discoveries
In December of 2010 in its Healthland section on the web, Time Magazine published an interesting article entitled “Explaining Why Meditators May Live Longer” by Maia Szalavitz. Below we excerpt some of the more interesting sections of the article: “The image of the ancient but … Continue reading
Yoga in Four Words
Chitta is the subtle energy that is the substance of the mind, and therefore the mind itself. Vritti is thought-wave; mental modification; mental whirlpool; a ripple in the chitta. Nirodha is restraint; restriction; suppression; dissolving.
Why Is Sanskrit So Special?
Long ago in India the science of creative sound was developed. Verbal sounds were discovered which could create desired effects when applied correctly. Sound was understood as one of the fundamental powers accessible to the human being. Many effects were found to be possible if the sound formulas known as mantras were correctly applied.
Yoga: Science or Religion?
Why is Yoga considered a science rather than a religion? Because it is a precise methodology that has nothing to do with faith or the action of another being–including God. If you do it, it works, if you don’t, it won’t. It is just like a machine.
How to Get Your Prayers Answered
Do you realize that you may have been praying to an unknown God and may not have been getting any response? Every Sunday you get into the church vibration and pray with both earnest and indifferent souls. You feel religious, and you feel afraid of God… Do you like to talk to a deaf, mute person? Do you want to go on appealing or talking to someone who never replies?
The Two Essential Pillars of Yoga
Two things are needed for the ending of mental modifications (vrittis). One is abhyasa–sustained spiritual practice. This is why Krishna speaks of abhyasa yoga. The other is purely psychological: vairagya: “Non-attachment; detachment; dispassion; absence of desire; disinterest; or indifference. Indifference towards and disgust for all worldly things and enjoyments.”