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Tuesday, May 24, 2016

There is no ignorance other than the ego ~ Atman Nityananda


There is no ignorance other than the ego 
Self-knowledge or Self-realization is not a matter of theoretical knowledge but of a knowledge that comes from direct experience.

 We cannot know the truth (God) in the same way we know an object, because Truth is the eternal Subject not an object. Since our Self (what we are essentially) and the Truth is the One and the same reality, One and the same 'substance' (Consciousness) by realizing our true nature we realize the Truth. Since our Self is not an object, to realize our Self is to Be our Self; nevertheless in order to awaken in our true nature (Consciousness) is necessary an intuitive clear 'perception' of what is our Self.

What impedes us realize that we are the Consciousness and not the body is the ego. Ego is not related only with the pride and egoism or selfishness but also it is the factor that causes the identification with body and mind. Because of ego we take our selves to be a body-mind entity named so and so, separate of God and life. 

Most spiritual texts and teachers say that because of ignorance we cannot realize our identity with God. There is no ignorance other than the ego. Ego and ignorance are identical. You can hear hundreds or thousands of times that you are the Consciousness and not the body as you sense and believe that you are; nevertheless if ego isn't transcended, awakening or realization cannot happen. The ego covers the clear silent space of consciousness as the clouds cover the sky. Only when the cloud of ego is gone the sky of space-like consciousness can be seen clearly.

Before awakening, if you become aware of the silent space of consciousness within, this experience is still an experience from the ego's point of view; that means that you as an ego you are aware of the silence. This is not awakening but only recognition of the inner silence as an experience of you. 

Only when a shift happens and it is realized that you Are the inner silence, which is independent of the body, mind and ego then the truth is revealed to you and awakening is taking place.

But even after awakening there is not always a clear unobstructed experience of the peace and bliss of our true nature, (Consciousness) due to the fact that the ego continues in our psych. That's why is necessary to continue with our practice in order to avoid identification with the ego, mind and body and keep our mind focused in the silence within. Practice continues until the total dissolution of the ego. As long as the ego exists in us, it functions mechanically and compulsively, independently of our will. Thus more or less impede us rest in our rue nature and covers the peace and bliss of the Self.

Self-realization happens when the ego dissolves totally and thus there is nothing to cover the light of consciousness or to delude us and make us feel that we are the body or the mind.

Self-realization means that we are established in the Self as the Self due to the total dissolution of the ego; there is an effortless uninterrupted abidance in the Self as the Self (called Sahaja samadhi), experiencing the peace and bliss eternal!


Monday, May 23, 2016

Self-realization and 'The myth of Theseus and the thread of Ariadne' ~ Atman Nityananda




The myth of Theseus and the thread of Ariadne 

Theseus had to slay the Minotaur. The Minotaur was imprisoned inside the labyrinth (maze) - a confusing, complex building constructed by Daedalus. Once somebody entered the labyrinth, it was impossible for him to leave and he was devoured by the monster. Ariadne therefore gave Theseus a spool of thread that he let unwind through the labyrinth so that he wouldn't lose his path. Theseus managed to kill the Minotaur and, using this thread, to get out of the labyrinth and to finally escape from Crete.

The labyrinth and the Minotaur represent our lower self, the low nature or shadow, the aggregation of fears, passions and suppressed and undesirable aspects of our character; the labyrinth represents the various subconscious levels of our mind in which the various aspects of ego is crystallized and the Minotaur the instinctive desires and passions and especially the sexual desire.

We are the hero Theseus that has to slay the ego (Minotaur) and Ariadne represents a reflection of our Soul or the light of awareness and our divine mother as well who always protects us and help us kill the ego and realize the Truth. The thread represents our connection with the light of awareness. We are connected with our soul when we are aware of the silent space of awareness within; this is what we call Self-awareness or Self-remembrance. We can connect with our Divine Mother by prayer, meditation, devotion, repetition of Shakti mantras and we can activate her power in us by awakening the Kundalini –Shakti.

We cannot explore and be aware of our subconscious egoic patterns if we are not capable to remain detached from the mind, its mental, emotional formations and impulses. We cannot remain detached if we have not developed a sattvic mind and self-awareness.

Self-awareness together with discrimination, dispassion, courage, determination, faith, patience, perseverance are the necessary virtues in order to slay the multi-face ego and realize our divine nature which is eternal, indestructible, peaceful and blissful.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Mind and Food by Swami Sivananda

Mind and Food 

"Aharasuddhau Sattvasuddhih
Sattvasuddhau Dhruva Smritih
Smritilabhe Sarvagrantheenam Vipramokshah."

"When the food is pure, the whole nature becomes pure; when the nature becomes pure, the memory becomes firm; and when a man is in possession of a firm memory, all the ties are severed." (Chhandogya Upanishad, VII-xxvi-2)


Mind is Made of Food

Mind is manufactured out of the food that we take. Subtlest part of food reaches upward to the heart and thence entering the arteries called the 'Hita', and thereby bringing into existence the aggregate of the organs of speech and being changed into the form of the mind, it increases the mind. And thus, the mind, being increased by food, is material and not eternal as held by the Vaiseshikas.

The Upanishadic philosophers believed that the mind depends upon the food for its formation. "The food that we take is transformed in three different ways: the gross or the heaviest part of it becomes the excrement; that of medium density is transformed into flesh and the finest part goes to form the mind." (Chhandogya Upanishad, VI-v-1) "Just as in the churning of curd, its fine particles rise up and are transformed into butter, so when food is consumed, the subtlest part rises up and is transformed into mind." (Chhandogya Upanishad, VI-vi-1 & 2). Later, even in the days of the Bhagavad-Gita, we find that the three different mental temperaments-the Sattvic, the Rajasic and the Tamasic-were supposed to be due to the three different kinds of food what we eat. (Bhagavad-Gita, XVII-8 & 10).

Quality of Mind depends upon Quality of Food

Food has a direct and intimate connection with the mind and plays a vital part in the make-up of the mind. Sattvic diet calms the mind. Rajasic diet excites the mind. Mark the difference in nature between a tiger which lives on flesh and a cow which lives on grass. Food exercises important influence on the mind. You see it clearly every day. It is very difficult to control the mind after a heavy, sumptuous, indigestible, rice meal. The mind runs, wanders and jumps like a monkey all the time. Alcohol causes tremendous excitement in the mind.

Food plays an important role in meditation. For purposes of meditation, the food must be light, Sattvic and nutritious. The body is Annamaya (made up of food). Bhairavi Chakra is in Annamaya Kosha. Bhairavi Chakra is Maya. Light Sattvic food, such as fruits, milk, etc., takes you to Vishnu Chakra and thence to Nirvikalpa state quite easily.

When the quality of the mind depends upon the quality of the food taken, it is natural to insist in the interest of the highest morality upon a kind of Sattvic regimen of diet for those aspirants who lead a contemplative life and householders who are attempting to lead a spiritual life in the world. It was because Narada had his impurity destroyed that the venerable Sanatkumara pointed out to him the way beyond darkness. The way which leads up beyond darkness, therefore, must be sought for in the purity of food, which involves in its train, the purity of mind.

NOTE: The impressions we take in by the five senses are also food for the mind. They affwct the quality of mind directly. The gunic quality of impressions we perceive form the gunic constitution of the mind. Sattvic impressions transform the mind in sattva, the same happens with rajasic and tamasic impressions. That's why we must be very carefull about the quality of impressions we perceive with our senses.  ~Atman Nityananda

Harmful Foods


Different foods produce different effects in different compartments of the brain. Spiced dishes, sour things, black gram, onions, garlic, tea, wine, fish, meat, mustard oil, etc., excite passions and emotions and should, therefore, be avoided. They should be particularly avoided by a Sadhaka. A Jijnasu (spiritual aspirant) should strictly give up meat, fish and alcoholic drinks as these make the mind coarse and produce excitement in the mind. Heavy food brings Tandri (drowsiness) and Alasya (laziness). Tea should be given up. It destroys Virya. Sugar must be taken in moderation. It is better if it is given up.

Food items helpful in Meditation
Milk, fruits, almonds, sugar-candy, butter, green oats, Bengal oats (Chenai) soaked in water overnight, bread, etc., are all helpful in meditation. Thed, a kind of Kandamula found in abundance in Brahmapuri, Vasishtha Guha and other parts of the Himalayas, is very Sattvic. It helps meditation. My friend and spiritual brother Swami Purushottamanandaji used to live on that for some days when he was at Vasishtha Guha, fourteen miles from the reputed Rishikesh. Sunthi-Sevana (taking powder of dried ginger) is very good for aspirants. It can be taken along with milk. It refreshes the mind and helps digestion. Yogins take it very often. Triphala water also is taken by Yogins. It removes constipation, cools the system and stops wet-dreams. Myrobalan or Haritaki (Harad of the yellow kind) can be chewed by Yogic practitioners very often. It preserves semen and checks nocturnal discharges. Potatoes boiled without salt or roasted in fire are very good.

A Note of Caution

Do not make sudden changes in anything, particularly in food. Let the change be gradual. The system should accommodate it without any hitch. Natura non facil saltum (nature never moves by leaps).

A Raja Yogin who wants to control the mind must be able to avoid the two extremes, viz., luxury and severe Tamasic Tapas. Too much fasting brings about extreme weakness. You cannot do any Sadhana. You cannot think. You cannot ratiocinate. Take any food that suits you. Do not make much fuss about it. Any food that is readily available and that agrees with your system is harmless.

When Food can be Dispensed With

Food is only a mass of energy. Water supplies energy to the body. Air also furnishes energy. You can live without food for very many days, but you cannot live without air even for some minutes. Oxygen is even more important. What is wanted to support the body is energy. If you can supply the energy from any other source, you can dispense with food entirely. Yogins keep up the body without food by drinking nectar. This nectar flows through a hole in the palate. It dribbles and nourishes the body. A Jnani can draw energy directly from his pure, irresistible will and support the body without food. If you know the process of drawing the energy from the cosmic energy or solar energy, you can maintain the body with this energy alone for any length of time and can dispense with food.

The Secret of Madhukari Bhiksha

The mind is made out of the subtle essence of food. So it is attached to those persons from whom it receives the food. If you live with a friend for a couple of months and take food with him, your mind gets attached to that friend who feeds you. That is the reason why a Sannyasin lives on Madhukari Bhiksha from three to five houses, avoids attachment and travels from village to village. He is not allowed to stay for more than a day in a village during his Parivrajaka (wandering itinerant) life. The mind of a Paramahamsa who thus lives on alms is as clean as the Ganga water and is absolutely free from attachment of any kind. ATTACHMENT BRINGS BONDAGE. Attachment is death. Attachment is the root of all evils.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Hints about true meditation ~ Atman Nityananda



Hints about true meditation

Meditation is to rest effortlessly in our essence (deep peace and silence). If you want to succeed in meditation forget that you are doing meditation and the attitude of achieving something. Have not impatience and expectations about what is going to happen or what state you will achieve.

Meditation is to let go everything including the letting go itself;  Do not try to let go or to drop the letting go itself; just be with yourself, rest in yourself, feel yourself, and be aware of yourself with the innocence and the curiosity of a child.

Meditation doesn't need much effort, it is quite effortless; effort (better to say exertion or struggling) always comes from the ego who wants to control and manipulate things, to make things happen by force. Much effort causes only stress, tightness and intensifies the identification with the ego and its expressions (thoughts, emotions, imaginations). 


Thus by much effort instead of achieving the meditative state (be relaxed and rest in our essential nature, the silence within) we get too tight and thus we achieve the opposite ; viz. we identify  more with the ego and its contexts, we are more caught in the ego mode. On the other hand by too little effort we get lost in daydreaming and identify with ego’s projections and imaginations or even to fall drowsy or asleep.

Deep meditation is effortless but until to reach this state of deep meditation where any effort drops by itself, an effortless effort is needed; that means a very smooth effort to be here, to be now, to be present, in a state of vividness and clarity, attentive and aware of ourselves.
When you start your meditation you may use a technique in order to make your mind more alert, calm and focus. No matter what technique you may use (repeating a mantra, listening a mantra, focusing on the breath, mindfulness, contemplation on a truth –“Consciousness I am”), do it without much effort or exertion, without the attitude to achieve something, without expectations or imaginations about the result, without the desire to do successful meditation, to succeed in meditation any way. And when after sometime you find your mind calm, clear and focused drop the technique and rest in yourself peacefully!
 OBSTACLES IN THE PRACTICE
 OF MEDITATION & SELF-ENQUIRY

1. Lack of motivation and interest
2. Predominance in the mind the rajas and tamas gunas. When rajas is predominant during the practice there is a strong impulse to move or do something. We cannot remain relaxed and quiet and the mind is uneasy. When tamas is predominant there is drowsines, dullness, lack of clarity and alertness. In both cases meditation and self-enquiry are impossible. 
3. Restlessness, emotional and mental worries
4. Mental turmoil or emotional frustration. Strong persistent thoughts or emotions
5. No relaxed body, unprepared body, difficulties with the asana
6. Impatience
7. Boredom
8. Drowsiness. Due to drowsiness we cannot remain alert and vigilant enough to meditate
9. Imbalance of  Vata dosha (cause incessant movement of the mind, impatience, mental agitation)
10. Lack of knowledge about these practices or erroneous knowledge
11. Resistance of ego creating a negative mood an unpleasantness or disgust to do meditation
12. Justifications (for example :I have not time, I'm tired, the conditions are not favorable etc.)
13. Inappropriate food (tamasic or rajasic food, eating a lot etc…)

14. Tiredness
15. Irregularity
16. Lack of concentration

17. Lack of Dispassion, Discrimination and control of senses and mind
18. No positive results from the practices (no experience of peace and serenity).  When we practice for long time and we have not results the ego doesn’t like to continue practice meditation.


Peace, Love, Harmony

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Conquest of Anger Part I / Path Divine ~ Swami Sivananda

 
Conquest of Anger Part I  

Anger makes everybody its slave and victim. It excites all. It holds sway over the whole world and also over the devatas. A little sound or a single word can upset the mind and throw a person out of balance so that he becomes the slave of anger. Anger destroys reason and makes a person do undreamed of acts. Under the influence of anger, a person abuses, insults and even murders his family members, guru and king, and repents afterwards.

Anger is very powerful. It is the enemy of peace. It is the foe of knowledge. It makes one perfectly blind. Anger is a sign of mental weakness. It always begins in folly and ends in repentance or remorse. If you control anger, you will have limitless energy in your reserve. Anger, when controlled, will be transmuted into a spiritual power which can move the whole world.

How anger is caused
The cause of sin or wrong action in this world is desire. Anger is only a modification or form of desire; anger is desire itself. You think of sense objects and attachment develops. From attachment, desire is born. When a desire arises, it generates rajas or activity and urges a person to work in order to possess the object of desire. When the desire is not gratified and when someone stands in the way of its fulfilment, the person becomes angry. The desire becomes transmuted into anger, just as milk is changed into curd.

The root cause of anger is ignorance and egoism. Anger arises when one is insulted, abused, criticized, or when one’s defects are pointed out. It results from loving one’s own opinion, from desiring to be honoured, and from imagining that one is wiser than and superior to all others.
Anger arises in one who thinks of his enemy. Even if you have forgotten the feeling of annoyance, it lurks in the mind in a dormant form for some time. If you renew the thoughts of jealousy, envy or hatred about the same person, the effects last longer. Repetition of angry feeling intensifies hatred. Simple ill-feeling develops into intense malice by repetition of anger.

Forms of anger
Irritation, frowning, resentment, indignation, rage, fury and wrath are all varieties of anger, classified according to the degree of intensity. Anger is a sharp, sudden, brief sentiment of displeasure. Resentment is persistent, continued anger. It is the bitter brooding over injuries. Wrath is a heightened sentiment of anger. Rage drives one beyond the bounds of prudence or discretion. Fury is stronger still and sweeps one away into uncontrollable violence. Irritability is a mild and subtle form of anger. Still subtler is displeasure, which is pride mixed with anger. With a sharp word or a grunt, you dismiss the ‘nuisance’. These are all forms of anger.

Anger and righteous indignation
Anger is personal and usually selfish. It is aroused by a real or supposed wrong to oneself. Indignation is impersonal and unselfish displeasure at unworthy acts. Pure indignation is not followed by regret and needs no repentance. It is also more self-controlled than anger. Anger is commonly a sin, while indignation is often a duty. We speak of ‘righteous indignation’. Suppose a man tries to molest a woman and a bystander becomes angry, it is called righteous indignation or noble anger, which is not bad. It is bad only when the anger is the outcome of greed, or selfish motives. Sometimes a religious teacher has to manifest a little anger outwardly and unselfishly to correct and improve his disciples. This is not bad. He has to do it. But he should be cool within, and hot and impetuous without. He should not allow the anger in his antahkarana for a long time. It should pass off the next moment even as a wave subsides in the sea.
A good person’s anger lasts for a second, a middling person’s for three hours, a base person’s for a day and a night, and a great sinner’s until death.

Effects of anger
Anger resides in the astral body, but it percolates into the physical body. Anger spoils the brain, nervous system and blood. When a wave of anger arises in the mind, prana begins to vibrate rapidly, you get agitated and excited, the blood boils and the body becomes hot. Even three minutes of violent hot temper may produce such deleterious effects in the nervous system that will take weeks or months to repair. In the light of modern psychology, rheumatism, heart disease and nervous disease are all due to anger.

The fire you kindle for your enemy burns yourself. Anger acts as a boomerang, because it comes back to the angry person and does harm to him. When anger is on the throne, reason takes to its heels. One who is influenced by anger is like one intoxicated by strong liquor. He loses his memory, his understanding becomes clouded and his intellect becomes perverted. Anger clouds understanding. When the mind is violently agitated, you cannot think properly and clearly.

All evil qualities and actions proceed from anger. If you can eradicate anger, all bad qualities will die by themselves. Anger begets injustice, rashness, persecution, jealousy, taking possession of others’ property, killing, harsh words and cruelty. An angry person loses normal consciousness for the time being and falls prey to anger. If you have an easily irritable mind, you will not be able to do your daily duties and business in an efficient manner. If you get angry, you will lose the battle of life.

Methods to control anger
Anger is a manifestation of shakti. It is very difficult to fight against it directly. First try to reduce its force, its frequency and duration. Endeavour to attenuate or thin out this formidable modification or vritti. Do not allow it to assume the form of a big wave in the surface of the conscious mind. Nip it in the bud when it is in the form of irritability in the subconscious mind. Divert the mind and entertain divine thoughts. Do rigorous japa or kirtan. Repeat some prayers or verses from the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana, or the Upanishads. Develop gradually the opposite positive divine virtues such as patience, love and forgiveness. The anger will gradually die by itself.

Food has a great deal to do with irritability. Take sattvic food such as milk, fruits, mung dal, curd, spinach, barley, ground nuts and buttermilk. Do not take carrots, onion, garlic, cauliflower, masoor-ki-dal, hot curry and chutney. Smoking, meat-eating and drinking liquor make the heart very irritable and they should be completely abandoned. Tobacco brings diseases of the heart and gives rise to ‘tobacco-heart’, which is easily irritated.

Whenever there is the likelihood of a burst of anger during a conversation or debate, stop your speech. Do not argue. Do not enter into heated debates and discussions. Always try to speak sweet and soft words. The words must be soft and the arguments hard; if the words are hard, it will bring discord. Speak sweetly. Speak little. Be mild, gentle and soft. Cultivate mildness, gentleness and softness again and again.

Control anger by pure reason. Why do you feel offended when someone calls you a dog or a donkey? Have you developed four legs and a tail like a dog? What is this abuse? It is a mere vibration in the ether. Then the wave of anger will at once naturally subside. It will not arise on other occasions also, if you are careful and thoughtful. It takes forty muscles to frown and only fifteen to smile. Why do you make the extra effort?

If you find it difficult to control anger, leave the place at once. Take a long walk. Drink cold water. Repeat Om Shanti 108 times. Do japa of your Ishta mantra or count from one to thirty. The anger will subside.

Self-restraint and serenity
When anger is controlled, evil is controlled and good prevails. Anger is the outlet or channel through which emerge harshness, cruelty, pain and harm, vengeance, violence, war and destruction. When anger is overcome, your understanding becomes clear, and discrimination is active. You are able to choose between right and wrong.
 
Do not cause pain or suffering to any living being from greed, selfishness, irritability or annoyance. Give up anger or ill-will. Give up the spirit of fighting and try your level best to keep a serene mind always. Be serene and tranquil under all circumstances. The divine light will descend on a calm mind only. Cultivate serenity again and again through constant and strenuous endeavour. Serenity is like a rock; waves of irritation may dash on it, but cannot affect it. Meditate daily on the ever-tranquil atman or the unchanging eternal. You will attain this sublime virtue gradually.

It is easy to do evil for evil, to do good for good, but it is difficult and sublime to do good for evil. The downward path to evil is very easy, but the upward path to good is very difficult, thorny and precipitous. Those who are endowed with strength and wisdom in order to do good for evil are, indeed, blessed souls. They are veritable gods on earth.

Om Peace

Monday, May 16, 2016

Self-realization and rebirth of water and spirit ~Atman Nityananda



Self-realization and rebirth of water and spirit


Spirituality is a way of living and a process by which we attain Self-realization or Liberation. By regular, diligent and sincere practice we aim to purify our heart and mind and by incessant practice of meditation to merge the pure mind completely in its source (Consciousness, Brahman).

"Self-realization can be achieved through constant meditation with a mind and heart that have become pure and stable through regular practice, selfless service and Japa Nama."
~ Swami Sivananda

"Liberation is the attainment of Supreme Bliss and Immortality and the elimination of all kinds of suffering. Liberation is freedom from birth and death. "
~ Swami Sivananda



What is to be born of water and spirit?


Jesus and Nicodemus

John 3:3,"Truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he can not see the kingdom of God."
John 3:5 "... Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.."
~ Jesus Christ


What really is to be born of water


To "be born of water" is related to the transformation of sexual energy. Sexual energy is related to the second major chakra, named Svadhisthana, (the element of this chakra is the water) and the first chakra, named Muladhara in which lies dormant the cosmic energy in the form of serpentine power or coiled energy called Kundalini Shakti. Due to relation of sexual energy with the Svadhisthana chakra which is related with the element of water, Jesus spoke in a symbolic way about the birth of water; incomprehensible for the majority but known to all those that know the esoteric human psychology and the spiritual process.

 The sexual energy by spiritual practices is transformed into spiritual energy and causes the following effects:

1. First is transformed into ojas and tejas* which are necessary to be developed the superior capabilities of the mind and achieve the deepest Samadhi without which the ego cannot be dissolved completely.
2. Second builds up the sheaths or bodies of light that are the true and imperishable bodies of the Soul.
3. Awaken the Sakti-kundalini, which awakens the superior capabilities of the seven major chakras which are positioned along the spine.

NOTE: Tejas*  (It is what makes the mind and the face of the enlightened ones to shine. That’s why in the sacred art of the Christian churches, (oriental and Western,) they have designed a gold (yellow or white) halo around the head of saints and Christ.

 Shakti Kundalini cannot be awakened if we have not purified the Ida, Pingala and Sushumna Nadis; this purification is aligned with the purification of the mind which is possible by several practices and which presupposes the dissolution of the egoic tendencies (anger, lust, gluttony, pride, greed, fear, impatience, jealousy, arrogance, vanity, etc.) .

How awakens the Kundalini
~ Swami Sivananda

Before the awakening the Kundalini is necessary to have Deha Suddhi (purity of body), Nadi Suddhi (purification of energy astral channels), Manas Suddhi (purity of mind), Buddhi Suddhi (purity of intellect), Bhuta Suddhi (purification of elements) and Adhara Suddhi (purification of the base of the spine).

If you have proper purification (Suddhi), perfection (Siddhi), will come by itself. Perfection (Siddhi) is not possible without purification (Suddhi).

One has to give up all desires and possess Vairaya (dispassion), before attempting to awaken the Kundalini. If a person full of impurities in his mind awakens the Shakti with extreme effort through asanas, mudras and pranayamas, he will ‘break his legs’and will have a fall. It will not be able to climb the ladder of yoga. That is the main reason why people leave the spiritual path or develop certain physical deformities. There is nothing wrong in Yoga. But achieve purity first, a full knowledge of the Sadhana, a suitable guide, and a steady and gradual practice.

Kundalini is awakened through pranayama, asanas and mudras by Hatha yogis, through concentration by raja yogis, through devotion and perfect self-surrender by bhaktas or devotees; by analytical will by jnanis; by repetition of the mantra and the grace of a true master.

The awakening of the Kundalini is not easy, as you can imagine. It is extremely difficult.

When all desires vanish when the mind becomes pure when all the senses are bowed down, you get firmness of mind to a considerable degree, and finally the idea of ​​egoism (Iness) and mine (Mineness)  fade, then the Kundalini is then awakened by itself. Only then, it is beneficial its awakening.


However the awakening of Kundalini Shakti for aspirants of Jnana Yoga and Bhakti Yoga it doesn’t happen by specific practices that are essential for aspirants of Tantra yoga or Kundalini yoga. For the aspirants of Jnana Yoga and Bhakti Yoga the purification nsdis and the mind happen by different practices and processes than those that follow the aspirants of Tantra and Hatha Yoga. Yet, it is true that there are qualities such as vairagya (dispassion) that the aspirants of all kind of yogas  have to develop in a very high level, although they develop it (the dispassion) by different processes. The Bhaktas by love and devotion to God, the Jnanis by discernment and reasoning sama and dama and Hatha yogis by mantras, controling the breath, the prana and the sexual energy.

Since this process of purification and control of the mind is very difficult and exigent,  Swami Sivananda (and me also from my own experience)  proposes the yoga of synthesis which includes practices and methods of all major yogas; each one according to his inclination, experience, mental and emotional capacities and destiny will have one or two of the yogas as the main ones in his sadhana, that is, he will spend more time practicing techniques of his favourite yoga. Personally I follow a sadhana based on Jnana yoga and Bhakti yoga but I Include in my sadhana other practices also.

Conclusion: To be born of water means the transformation of sexual energy and the awakening of kundalini-Shakti.

Being born of the spirit


To be born of the Spirit happens by the transformation of the mind into consciousness through deep meditation to its source Consciousness or Spirit (also Brahman, God, name it as you like). When the pure (by prolonged sadhana) mind meditates continuously and deeply in its source, Consciousness, at the end it melts in it and becomes identical with Consciousness. This is the birth of the Spirit.

This merging of the mind in Consciousness is possible only to a mind that has become pure sattvic through spiritual practices for a long time (and many lives of preparation in the past lives) a mind which it is enriched by ojas and tejas and empowered by the transformed sexual energy. The highest samadhis are possible only to a mind that is pure and is impregnated with Ojas and tejas. Without deep Nirvikalpa samadhi the fusion of the mind in consciousness it is impossible. Without the merging of the mind in consciousness the dissolution of ego and the transformation of mind as consciousness are impossible; and thus liberation is impossible as well.

Thus the purification of the mind that is related with the elimination of the egoic tendencies precedes of the new born of water and Spirit. Without the elimination of the egoic tendencies, and especially the sexual lust, the sexual energy the mind and the prana cannot become pure and thus cannot happen the awaken of kundalini as well as the mind cannot meditate deeply and merge in the Spirit. Without dying there is no rebirth of water and the Spirit, this is what all great masters told us in various ways.

The two 'births´ of water and spirit are not two different processes, but an integral process that happens from above and below at the same time. We try to purify the mind and vital and sexual energies by several practices in order to awaken the latent capacities of the mind and at the same time by meditation to connect our mind with its source (God, Consciousness, Brahman). This process, that I call it ´The double process´ ends with the Death (dissolution) of the ego and the clear or complerte realization that we are Consciousness. This is what we call as Self-realization, Liberation, Enlightenment or Divinization of the human being.

"Liberation is the annihilation only this small self-arrogating ego and the realization of the identity of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul. With the annihilation of this small I you possess totally the true universality, you attain eternal life."
~ Swami Sivananda


"The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman himself. Being Brahman, while still alive, he is released from the wheel of birth and death."
~ Swami Sivananda

Peace, Love and Harmony!