Taking Sannyasa

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by khallianen

I'll have to wait to look at the yoga book. The authentication server is down on the library at Sacramento State University for some reason.

They give all students free lifetime access.



The way I use to approach life that is quite appropriate!

Namaste.

It is erroneous to compare the Kali Yuga - the age of Kali - which we are now in, if we don't discount Sri Yukteshwar Giri's mathematical theories which is leading us back into the ascending arc into Dwarpara Yuga based on half the timeframe of the Precession of the Equinox, but I digress...

'Kali' as in 'Kali Yuga' and 'Kali' as in 'Goddess Kali' are pronounced entirely different, even though lazy Westerners, like me, spell them the same way (I should really start using IAST).

The 'Kali' as in 'Kali yuga' means, disquiet...unrest...quarrel...hard to pinpoint it in English, actually.

Aum Namah Shivaya

[Shivani Devi]

Namaste.

The book will be of little use, unless you are prepared to really go into doing contortions that arthritis will never permit now. LOL

However, for those younger ones or those who really want to go into Hatha Yoga, there are only 4 books out there:

1. Yoga Aphorisms/Sutras - Patanjali
2. Hatha Yoga Pradipika - Swami Swatmarama
3. The Complete And Illustrated Book of Yoga - Swami Vishnu-Devananda and
4. Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha - Swami Satyananda Saraswati

There is nothing more...nothing more...

This isn't just in reply to you, Khalli - but for everybody else out there who may be interested in this.

The best commentary on the Bhagavad Gita I have ever read?



...and here's another beautiful picture of my many teachers...what an intelligent one he is!



Aum Namah Shivaya

[Khalli]

I still need to meditate, but, this is awesome. Learning something new stimulates the mind and more.

I see this is going to be a challenge as seeing this is a way different way to approach life.

But, I found that the way I do think, subjects I like and know are not answering some of the questions I have. Logic dictates to look elsewhere now.

Thank you and I'll be back online after I'm done.

David

[Khalli]

Actually I have or should I say had arthritis.

When I said after I starting meditating it was for pain because I can't take most meds for pain or arthritis. I have a deadly allergic reaction to aspirin and aspirin related compounds.

So instead of just healing I tried something else. Seemed to work, I'm not kidding about feeling younger. I can do things I haven't in years and when Planet Fitness opens here, I'm going back to lifting weights again.

I've also dance while listening to music again. Haven't done that since 2005. So why not try, only way to find out.

[Shivani Devi]

Namaste.

Yes, I realise I should get up off my...base chakra and do something else besides meditation, japa and worship...it just stiffens me up too much. I was thinking more along the lines of Tai Chi.

I'm also alleviating the pain by talking about my heart spirituality and my gurus and getting their blessings...I need to open fully up like this from time to time, but I can never find an opportunity of doing so.

Aum Namah Shivaya

[Shivani Devi]

Namaste.

Now, would you like to know the 'kicker' of all synchronicities here?

After listening to Autobiography of a Yogi, I also decided to google the Sydney homepage of the SRF, because that's the closest chapter to me at about 100kms away, but that's not far, really.

However, my eyes fell upon the 'Spiritual Retreats' tab on their Home Page and I thought to myself 'yeah, a three day silent meditation intensive, sounds wonderful right now...I wonder how much it costs?' I mean, I have until October to save up...or even next year (they do it every 6 months).

However, I noticed the location of the event...in an old mansion in a suburb of Bowral, NSW called Burradoo...guess what? my mother lives fricken 5 MINUTES AWAY! - this location is also about 100kms away from me in the opposite direction. I live in a place called Shellharbour - triangulate distance away! LOL

Aum Namah Shivaya

[Shivani Devi]

Namaste.

There was one of the Disciples of Swami Sivananda I could never relate to, no matter how much I tried and that was Baba Muktananda.

I mean, I adored his Tantric teachings and the fact he was a Shiva devotee...but he wasn't very practical and was a terrible administrator.

I really tried to overcome my bias, so I went to the Sydney 'Siddha Peeth' Ashram to stay for a week, back in my early '30's.

I met Swami 'Gurumayi' Chidvilasananda, who seemed to be the rudest, most arrogant...you get the picture...

Then I looked around and noticed all the money! all of the worshippers were doctors, lawyers, rich people, gold Rolexes, expensive cars...everything was lined in gold leaf...it looked like the foyer of an exclusive hotel...and the food, like $10 for a bowl of Dhall and rice...seriously?

I also never felt anything there when chanting, singing or meditating...nothing. I left that place and never returned...a few years later, a scandal broke out - as I knew it would...

I returned to Mangrove Mountain and to this one, Swami Satyananda:



Aum Namah Shivaya

[Shivani Devi]

Namaste.

Going off to meditate myself and then have rest. I just managed to get down a large plate of pasta salad with fusilli, cherry tomatoes, rocket, roasted eggplant, fetta cheese, basil, spring onions and a balsamic vinaigrette - washed down with some organic soya milk.

One good thing - my stomach knows what it wants and when it wants when I don't feel like eating anything whatsoever.

So, shower, meditation, worship and rest now - I may be back on in a few hours, it's only 7:30PM over here...but maybe not...see how it goes.

Thanks for the chat, David. We should keep doing it and you can ask me any questions here in this thread. I am enjoying this talk, but I gtg.

*hugs*

Dianne.

Aum Namah Shivaya

[Khalli]

Back from meditating.

Interesting posts, seems there are more things in common.

Tai Chi does help. I have only returned to doing myself. I use to do everyday when I was a teenager and in college. But, life interfered and I stopped in my late 20's. Still seemed to remember most of the movements though. I just need to be more diligent on doing regularly.

About SRF I looked up if there was anything near Redding about them. They have a center in Mount Shasta, a town north of us about 60 miles away.
The 100kms is 62.1371 miles.

Not only that, When I worked for CalTrans, city of Mount Shasta was in my district.

Is having a guru necessary?

Enjoy your dinner, I still be up for a few hours.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by khallianen

Back from meditating.

Interesting posts, seems there are more things in common.

Tai Chi does help. I have only returned to doing myself. I use to do everyday when I was a teenager and in college. But, life interfered and I stopped in my late 20's. Still seemed to remember most of the movements though. I just need to be more diligent on doing regularly.

About SRF I looked up if there was anything near Redding about them. They have a center in Mount Shasta, a town north of us about 60 miles away.
The 100kms is 62.1371 miles.

Not only that, When I worked for CalTrans, city of Mount Shasta was in my district.

Is having a guru necessary?

Enjoy your dinner, I still be up for a few hours.

Namaste.

Glad you could wait up, but I'm getting rather sleepy now and need my beauty sleep - the pain is returning as well, so need to take my meds before I doze.

That is indeed a very weird coincidence! yeah, more things in common and there are probably mountains of them (look up the Balinese symbol for OM).

Yeah, that's pretty strange synchronous stuff there...

Is having a Guru necessary? depends on who you talk to, but most will reply with an emphatic yes - but for others, it makes no difference, so no, I wouldn't deem it necessary, just very helpful.

Some people can only go so far and need help after that point, but others do not..

I could never settle on a single Guru. I have had many teachers, like the disciples of Swami Sivananda and Swami Yogananda and Sri Yukteshwar and Osho...etc, but even though they were very beautiful souls...enlightened Masters, there was not one I felt a real, deep 'soul connection' with, as in "I have known you many lifetimes" stuff, even though I admired, respected and venerated them all and they taught me a lot...they had so many disciples to really have any one-on-one or quality time for any of them really...they were all just way too busy!

Still, I learned a lot through their words, teachings, limited darshan (appearance) but none really 'did it for me'. The only time I ever felt anything like it or close to it, was the time I read the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra (VBT), in which Lord Siva assumes the role of Guru (Dakshinamurthy) to His Divine Love, Parvati...or paying my deepest respects to he who wrote the VBT in the first place- Adi Guru - the FIRST Guru and that would be Shankaracharya.

Aum Namah Shivaya