HH Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji & Kriya Yoga -3

Kriya Yoga - helps aspirants to learn to activate and control their senses and to control their thought processes.Kriya Yoga involves learning breath control (Pranayama) to effectively channel the flow of prana (life force) which traverses the 72,000 nadis or astral nerves in the human body. By doing so the aspirant learns to direct mental power to open the three ganthis, (important knots in the nervous system) which obstruct the rhythmic flow of prana. By undoing these knots a kriya yogi opens the path for Kundalini energy to flow. According to Markandeya Purana, Kriya Yoga was revealed by Lord Dattatreya to great saints and yogis of ancient India. Sri Swamiji has made it part of His mission to revive this ancient knowledge and bring it to the West.


Pranayama - What is this?
"Inhaling and Exhaling. It sounds very easy but as you begin to practice, it is not as easy as it sounds. The practice of Kriya Yoga is good for Health, Knowledge and Meditation. Kriya Yoga helps us ease our tension on our day to day living." Swamiji further says that those who are equipped with this knowledge who puts it to practice are really gifted as this is a very rare and unique science of ancient yogic practice. He further reiterates that the word Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Kriya Yoga are common names that many people would have already heard of before. Some people have now found it as a tool to make money and to commercialise this ancient art, as though it is a very cheap commodity. There are people who are now giving lectures, producing beautiful books and teaching. But, sadly many are only touching the surface and not going beyond that. There are so many theories & lectures on radio, television and various seminars. "They are talking, talking and talking. That's all they do, but not much knowledge imparted. That is not all there is to know. We can advance further, only if we practice daily. Life is short. So, don't waste it by not inculcating this practice daily.


Kriya Yoga is not religion.
Do not think of Kriya Yoga as a form of religion. It may sound funny as so many mantras are chanted during the pranayama. These are actually the names of Indian Gods. This is so because each deity, god or angel is a master of a particular pranayama. That is why certain pranayama has a certain names to chant. In actual, we are merely praising the masters of the pranayamas and not worshipping the Hindu deities. Shivaya is Hindu and therefore one might regard it as a Hindu religion matter. However, a Muslim saint is also a master of a pranayama. Christ is also a master of one kriya pranayama. Because Christ is doing miracles, there is one pranayama that he knows. Lord Buddha also practiced one pranayama and a master of it. As you can see, Christ, Buddha, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam or Hindu can all equip with this knowledge, practice it and become a master in it. It is not a matter like a religion in a very narrow context.


We can't escape by not doing prana...
"Prana" (vital energy) is very important in Yoga. Prana is our soul. Prana is already within us as we are breathing. When one goes into a coma, he is still doing pranayama (breathing). You may be in any state, whether out-of-body, conscious, unconscious, hypnotised, chanting Omkara or So hum but your breathing never stops no matter what your activity is so long as you are alive.


Short Breaths and Long Breaths - Which is better?
Some people breathe short. That's why they have such a short life. When pain afflicts your body, try taking long, slow breaths. Inhale long and exhale long (slowly). Those masters of this art of breathing (Yogis) have lived 120 yrs, 200 yrs or 300 yrs. When Yogis control their intake of food, control their breath, control the senses & controls all sorts of actions they exceed normal human lifespan.


Our Attitude and Our Actions.
Our attitude and our actions have to be monitored closely. If someone says something to upset your feelings, you might feel upset, angry, disappointed, afraid, or hungry. One can sometimes be so uptight that one may not sleep, eat, talk & feel so sad and miserable. When we give in to these negative feelings, our energy is automatically used. The result is that you might just get disappointed with life itself. The energy lost can be likened to one year of life wasted. Whenever we get angry, our energy is lost again. Three or four days worth of energy is lost when we fail to control our emotions. One moment of tension when we might say,"Arrrghh!! The tension! I want to Kill!! (Tension moments) is equal to 3 or 4 days of our life is wasted. Our nervous system is working so hard and pumping our system, our heart is rapidly pounding and that results in our nervous system becoming weak. That is why we must learn to take things calmly. Be calm.


When our nervous system becomes weak, we begin to lose interest in everything. Such people might find food tasteless and unable to sleep. That's why some people are after some yogis, healing classes and so forth. Kriya Yoga may be able to alleviate you from all this mundane problems.


(Adapted from Swamiji's speech delivered during a Kriya Yoga class in 1986 that took place in "The Centre of the Light, Massachusetts, USA)

The Master who uses music to aid in Healing-2 HH Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji

WHAT IS NADA CHIKITSA?(CURING AILMENTS THROUGH MUSIC)
Music is a force that unites Humanity the world over. Music has for centuries been known to have a pleasing appeal to both humans and animals. Music is a harmonizing factor in today's world which is full of conflicts and tensions. Transgressing man-made frontiers, Music sends the message of harmony, peace and brotherhood. Musical Ragas (Tunes) are said to help treatment of patients with afflictions of physical and mental nature, in certain conditions.



Parama Poojya Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji of Mysore, India, Himself a great Musician and a composer, has been conducting Spiritual Music Concerts for meditation and Healing (Nada Chikitsa) in India and many other countries in Europe, America and Caribbean Islands. Listening to His Healing and Meditation music in person, or to his many recordings, is the melodical medicine prescribed by Sri Swamiji for all ailments and conditions ranging from Coma to Cancer and migraine to mental depression.

MUSIC THERAPY
"The music therapy is combined with Ayurveda, Psychology, Gemenotherapy and Astrology" says Sri Swamiji. He further adds " I only effect a rapport between man and God, the supreme reality, with help coming from man himself in good measure. I attune man to God through belief and music. Once that results, body-consciousness vanishes gradually, and with that, affliction ceases to be experienced and ceases to exist. That is healing through Music and Meditation.

"There is no complication about it, once you are in tune with the 'modus operandi'. "Listen with your heart and not with your intellect" He insists, not without reason, for He is no purist composer or musician. Sri Swamiji's therapy lays stress on Ekagratha or concentration on the part of the Healer-Musician and listener. "Listening, " He says "is a special technique requiring Indriya nigraha or sense control."



Cerebral sounds are aroused and long concentration on a Raga (tune) creates a healing effect on the listener. He Himself plays an synthesizer which produces the sounds of many instruments. He has opted for the synthesizer to reduce the number of accompanists in His concert troupe. The resounding synthesizer sets pace and the other instruments keep company, a melodious fusion sends the air.

Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji sees healing with music as a yogic practice. Yoga teaches that the astral body has 72000 nerve lets and 14 major nadis or nerves. Each nadi vibrates at its own frequency. Music soothes the nadis and helps them to vibrate at the proper rate. Music becomes a therapy, He says, when the healer, musicians and listeners all deeply concentrate on the sound.

Sri Swamiji stresses on concentration or Ekagrata on the part of the healer musician and the listener. Listening is a special technique where sense control or Indriya Nigraha is required. "Physical health and results from a healthy mind," Sri Swamiji says. "Music of the right type helps in achieving relaxation by soothing the nerves and through that, comes peace and stillness of the mind."Sri Swamiji claims that "ragas are the unspoiled sounds of eternal nature, the soul of man and Paramatman.

In the hands of the perfect technician, they are great forces." Sri Swamiji uses a synthesizer because this instrument can reproduce singly or in combination the sounds of more than 1,100 instruments. This allows Sri Swamiji a greater range for healing through music. Not all ailments can be cured by Sri Swamiji's music however, especially those which have already reached a terminal state.

Music therapy requires more than just intense meditation on sound. This great master understands the varying vibrational qualities of the different ragas and knows which raga can help a particular disease. Certain ragas can only be played at selected times to be healing.

HH Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji - 1 An introduction.

An introduction of HH Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji.
HH Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji was born at Mekedatu in southern India on May 26, 1942. A Moslem saint predicted to His parents that their child would have supreme wisdom and knowledge and was destined to uplift mankind.

The holy Mother of Sri Swamiji
In the pious confluence of the rivers Kaveri, Arkavati and Gupta Gamini is situated the village of Mekadatu in Karnataka State, India. This sacred place is famous as "Agastya Kshetra" i.e. the pilgrim center sanctified by Sage Agastya. A pious Brahmin by the name of Linganne Sarma lived in the village. His wife was Savitri. The couple were ritualistic, kind and noble. In the pleasant season of spring, in the month of Fisakha, on the fifth day of the brilliant fortnight (the day on which Adi Sankaracharya was born in 7th century) the divine child Jayalakshmi was born.

She was beautiful and had a divine, noble power of attraction. She radiated mercy, peace and piety as she grew up. She was a source of endless joy to her parents. She worshipped Lord Shiva (Sangameswara) daily and served the saints and sages. She was initiated by a Muslim Fakir. As a result of severe penance she attained God realization and divine powers. She used to enlighten people regarding righteous living and helped them progress in the service of God. With her spiritual powers, she cured the sick and suffering. She relieved many people of their problems with her divine help. Eventually she married Sri Narasimha Sastry. She was a dutiful wife and gave birth to the incarnation of Lord Dattatreya.

Her child is a perfect Yogi, the embodiment of Truth - Knowledge - Bliss (Sat - Chit - Ananda). The child named Satyanarayana is none else than our beloved Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji who feeds us throughout the world with a diet of Divine Knowledge.

The Actual Birth
- occurred on a rock in the Kaveri river. His mother Jayalakshmi was in deep meditation and the child was born covered with holy ash. The child was named Satyanarayana. His mother, whom the Swami calls His first Guru, initiated Him into spiritual life before her passing in 1951. Satyanarayana completed His education like other children, but found school had nothing to offer Him. He was endowed at birth with great knowledge and power.

Even as a child, he organized satsangs and taught bhajans to His friends, and performed "siddhis" to entertain them, such as turning tree leaves into sweets. For some time He performed various mundane jobs to earn a living, such as school teacher and postal worker. All along, however, he had been serving his fellow humans, helping them with their problems. Through his miraculous powers He was able to understand their situations, knowing their past, present , and future and helped them to overcome difficulties. Some of them became his first disciples who were soon to be followed by more. He sang bhajans and kirtans for them and started giving yoga classes in small village huts or on river banks, while he was wandering the countryside as a monk. He acquired a following which demanded all of His time an attention. In 1966 He moved to the present site of the Mysore Ashram, which in the early days was only a straw hut in a field. It was there at Mysore that He became Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji . Since then Sri Swamiji has been helping people in His unique way. People come to Him for help with their worldly affairs, or to become healed of physical afflictions, or for guidance in their spiritual practice. Many come to hear His beautiful and powerful songs, which draw the heart and mind to God or to celebrate the special Hindu holidays in the old vedic traditions.