Today we are spending large amounts of time daily in front of computer screens, cell phones, other electrical items or an electrified urban environment. In the process we are exposing ourselves to powerful artificial electrical energies on many levels. This is a necessity in the information technology era. But it has
Karmic Responsibility: Taking Control of Your Life The first thing Vedic counseling teaches us is that our lives are a product of our own actions or karma. Who we are and what we experience, both individually and collectively, is the result of forces that we have set in motion and are ultimately responsible for. We
All great ancient civilizations centered their cultures on profound systems of astronomy and astrology, connecting conditions and events on the Earth to cosmic influences deriving from the stars. Whether it is India or China, Egypt or Babylonia, or the Mayas and Incas of America, we find in each case an astrological foundation for their spiritual
Most of us spend several hours on the day on a computer, tablet or smart phone. Though often necessary for our work, it creates tension, depletes the mind and can dull the senses if we don’t know how to compensate for its influence. On top of this, we may be wired up to music for
Following Ayurveda along with Yoga helps us gain complete harmony and balance in body and mind so that we can discover our true Self that is one with all. Most people today practice Yoga, particularly asana and pranayama, for health benefits as the primary factor, extending at times to mantra, mindfulness and meditation to improve
We will explore the extensive relationship and vast interconnections between Yoga and Ayurveda, focusing on the Yoga Sutras. This examination extends to important issues of Yoga sadhana, Yoga therapy and Ayurvedic healing. Yoga, Ayurveda and related Vedic disciplines have more connections than usually acknowledged, particularly in the West. We cannot understand one of these systems
By Dr David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) Karma, meaning action, is a Vedic term for explaining the reincarnating soul’s evolution from life to life. Karma is portrayed as the effect of our individual actions, extending from past lives to present and future lives. It is often regarded as a force of determination, like fate or
Ayurvedic Astrology: Hinduism Today With the Covid-19 era focusing humanity on wellness more than ever before, we present the special Vedic branch of medical astrology and the astrology of healing. By Vamadeva Shastri, first published in Hinduism Today Magazine Seeking knowledge: OUR HUMAN LIVES ARE GOVERNED BY the same cosmic forces that rule
Shiva and Prana Yoga Prana Yoga is one of the most important Yoga traditions and an integral part of the worship of Shiva Mahadev, who represents the highest immortal Prana of pure consciousness beyond time, space and karma. Shiva and the Unitary Prana Shiva is the unitary prana behind the dualistic movements of the
Shiva as the Drinker of Poison Shiva is the great ecstatic deity of Yoga, the supreme Lord of the highest inner energy and transformation. He has the deepest experience of bliss (ananda) as his constant state of being. He is the foremost drinker of the Soma, the amrita or mystic nectar which is the delight
Some scholars state that there is no mention of Shakti in the Yoga Sutras. This is incorrect. Shakti is the last word in the Yoga Sutras that sums up its entire teaching and defines its ultimate goal as the realization of the Purusha. It suggests what is referred to as Kundalini Shakti in other Yoga
Upanishadic sages thousands of years ago understood the secrets of neuroscience, but going beyond the physical body and mind to higher levels of consciousness. Vedic Deities (Devatas) can be defined relative to mind, sensory, pranic, and motor functions that can easily be correlated to the workings of the brain and the nervous system. For example,
While Prana is common in Yogic thought and different forms of Prana may be introduced, the subject of Prana and its different subtypes is seldom examined in depth. In this detailed article we will look into this vast subject, that we might be awakened to the great expanse of Prana in all of its manifestations.
The Many Dimensions of Soma Soma is part of a vast cosmic symbolism in the Vedic world view of the ancient Rishis. It cannot be reduced to a single plant as some scholars have proposed or even to any mere botanical preparation. For every Agni or form of the cosmic fire in the universe there
Mauna, the Secret Limb of Yoga Mauna refers to the practice of not-speaking, and one who does this regularly is called a Muni, a sign of great respect in Hindu and yogic thought. While not-speaking is an important part of Mauna, it is much more than that. The voice is the foremost of our motor
Most Ayurvedic practitioners look upon Lord Dhanvantari, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, as the deity of Ayurveda and ideal doctor. Certainly that is an important tradition worthy of following based on profound Puranic stories and symbolism. Yet in the Rigveda, the oldest Vedic text, and Shruti or book of mantric vision of the Rishis, the
For the Winter Solstice December 21, which marks the rebirth of the Sun and Agni What if the most powerful force for energizing all Yoga practices were as obvious and visible as the Sun? The fact is that it is. The Sun, properly understood not merely as an outer but as an inner energy source,
Yoga is defined as Samadhi in the Yoga Sutras. Yet few Yoga practitioners know what Samadhi is or how to approach it. But without understanding Samadhi one cannot understand Yoga in the true sense of the term. Samadhi is complete coherence and composure of mind, the mind fully united with the power of seeing, so
Today we are spending large amounts of time daily in front of computer screens, cell phones, other electrical items or an electrified urban environment. In the process we are exposing ourselves to powerful artificial electrical energies on many levels. This is a necessity in the information technology era. But it has
Yoga Nidra is a popular topic today but seldom taken to the depth that it is presented with in the Vedantic teachings. Here we will examine it according to the views of the great teacher, Shankara. Adi Shankara or Shankaracharya is the most lauded exponent of Advaita or non-dualistic Vedanta. Most Advaita taught looks
Meditation is the key practice of traditional Yoga and the prime factor behind an authentic Ayurvedic lifestyle. Mantra is its foundation. Meditation goes to the root of our consciousness and prana, connecting us to our higher Self and aligning us with the healing forces of the Self-aware universe. If we don’t meditate daily we lose
Concentration and Meditation To reach the meditative state, concentration is required first. A scattered, distracted, and inattentive mind cannot truly meditate, even if one sits silently for long periods of time. As the Yoga Sutras teach us, one must first develop the one-pointed mind (ekagra chitta) in order to reach state in which
Which aspects of our nature are emotions rooted in and how can we best understand them? Emotions are most connected to Prana in yogic thought and have their roots in pranamaya kosha, the Pranic sheath that mediates between body and mind. Emotions are based in instincts, notably hunger, thirst, survival and reproduction, which are
Yoga and Ayurveda View of the Mind Audio In modern medicine brain, mind and consciousness are equated, with the mind regarded as only a function of the brain, and consciousness merely a function of the mind. Mind and consciousness are reduced to brain chemistry, as if there were no real intelligence or real person there.
Lord Shiva has a central yet complex role in Vedic astrology, associated with a number of planetary energies, though he has specific planetary associations. We will explore these from my years of research in Vedic texts and Shaivite Yoga. Shiva and the Sun and Moon Shiva’s connections to the Sun are powerful and
All great ancient civilizations centered their cultures on profound systems of astronomy and astrology, connecting conditions and events on the Earth to cosmic influences deriving from the stars. Whether it is India or China, Egypt or Babylonia, or the Mayas and Incas of America, we find in each case an astrological foundation for their spiritual
Vishnu is the primary Devata for the Sun in Vedic thought, notably in the form of Surya-Narayana. Narayana is the cosmic form of Vishnu who rules over the entire universe. The mantra – OM Namo Narayanaya! – is a mantra of sadhus and connects us with the supreme Consciousness. It can be used to draw
An indepth study of the Vedic Understanding of the Milky Way and the Zodiac Soma and the Orientation of the Zodiac The key to the meaning of the signs of the zodiac should be evident from the orientation of the zodiac itself. The most dramatic factor in stellar observation for any person is the Milky
The Bhagavad Gita and Mahabharata are not just religious books but the very history, inspiration and wisdom of India as Bharat. One cannot study or know India and its unique dharmic civilization without them.
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