Lingam Puja: Multiply Consciousness

The Lingam Worship:

The worship of Lord Siva, represented in the form of a Lingam is the Siva Linga Puja.

Each year, based on the lunar calendar, the Mahasivratri is observed by millions, the yogis and householders alike throughout India. Mahasivratri is a sacred vortex of time that easily confers enlightenment and grace to evolve in ease with observation of yogic disciplines. With the upcoming Mahasivratri of this year- March 10^th 2013, the Siva Lingam Puja holds a key to an inner journey.

The Siva Lingam puja is the most personal and intimate time for a yogi as moments of absorption into the Divine, fully aware and intensely in union with Source through breath and as breathless joys. The yogic discipline of doing the Siva Lingam puja is considered the most potent of all yogic practices in being able to push a yogi through states of consciousness and as grace, evolve to be the object of worship, to be Lord Siva- as in the journey into One to be Oneness.

In the yogi traditions of mystical India, each precious moment as human is for the purpose of enhancing more of consciousness and closer to Source. This journey beyond consciousness is enhanced each day with deeper and even more empowerment in the awakened inner wisdom. After having woken up to be the Spirit, the yogi then starts enhancing this experience through intensifying the bliss state for the mind to be at all times. In this journey through consciousness guided by bliss, the yogi understands effort and progress as a yogi through the push factor of own effort and divine grace as the pull factor- through the Siva Lingam puja.

 

What is a Puja?

 A puja is not meditation in the sense, a puja requires a highly alert and involving state of mind. A puja is when Source/object of worship is celebrated in the physical form with offerings of flowers; milk; water etc along with mantra. A puja is a concentrated enhanced form of worship and can be called the mother of all meditations- a puja leads to a mind that is meditative, the natural state of the mind  that is be defined as meditation. By doing a Siva Linga Puja, the yogi aligns in the receiving end of grace by invoking the power of the infinite Source in human realities for themselves and for the entire world.

Utilizing the Lingam as representation of the infinite with the mind in super aware state of connecting as a bridge between the Divine invoked and the object of focus with through offerings of the heart, a Siva Linga Puja is done.

So, what is the meaning of the Lingam?

To yogis, the Lingam is the most apt form representing the Infinite. The Lingam is the infinite as in Form referred in Sanskrit as stambha- beginning-less and endless pillar. The traditional description of the Lingam representing the phallus is not the entire meaning behind the Lingam. Yes, the Lingam is the representation of the ‘Wand of Light” as the experience of our own inner Light rushing above through the spine.

When a yogi does the Lingam Puja, the yogi is invoking the infinite Spirit from within and the Infinite God Almighty of formlessness to be the dweller in the Lingam, the form. The Lingam serves to house, represent and radiant the energies of Infinity.

Later through history by way of Western historians and through ways of convenience in hypothesis, a Lingam began pegged with the meaning of phallus as in being shape.

How is a Siva Linga Puja done?
- Attain or purchase a small Siva Lingam. You will need a few utensils that will help contain the water, milk and other offerings you may pour over the Lingam.
- Attain, receive or learn simple mantras, preferable for Ganesh, Lord Siva and Goddess Sakti. Your Siva Linga Puja is an inner journey through mantras, journey of uniting your external realities and infinite inner realities through the puja using the mind in focus and surrender of all thoughts through the fire of bhakti, devotional love.
- Once a day or once a week or whenever convenient- commit to doing a Siva Linga Puja.

The Inner Journey of the Siva Lingam Puja:

- Prepare Yourself: Prepare yourself for the Siva Linga Puja as a very personal journey between you and Source. Having a shower or washing your face helps to refresh your mind and body. Set aside atleast 45 minutes of uninterrupted time. Create a sacred space for yourself, preferably an altar space that can hold and carry forward positive energies of a Siva Linga Puja. Pick up offerings of flowers, water, milk or anything else you may feel like offering to the Lingam.


- Abishekam:  There is no right or wrong way in a pure heart’s ritual. Begin at first reciting the mantra invoking Lord Siva. Connect your breath to the mantra resonance and feel the invoked Presence through your chanting. Now begin pouring water over the Lingam slowly invoking the Divine Infinite in the Lingam. You may pour milk over the Lingam collecting the milk for later use as Prasad, Divine sanctified offerings. After the final slow pouring the water finally to bathe and cleanse the Lingam, the Lingam is ready for the Puja.

- Siva Lingam Puja: Have many flowers, if not, many petals of flowers as that you will offer the Lingam with every mantra recited invoking Lord Siva. Ideally, when Lord Siva is invoked, it is perfect wisdom to invoke the Divine Goddess to complete the wholeness within the Divine. We end this puja invoking the awake mind state, the God of sustenance and abundance, Lord Vishnu.

- Invoke Blessings of Source:- A Siva Lingam Puja is powerful as we have invoked the power of Infinity in our realities. As we bring the Siva Lingam Puja to closure, from the depth of depth, invoke peace through reciting “Shanthi” by expanding to the infinite vastness we are and bringing forth this energy blessings of peace into our own human form and realities. Create an intent in “Peace” ie, may this Peace for all the living or; may this Peace be for my own health and the health of all of humanity. Blessed are the messengers and custodians of Peace.

-  Sacred Shrine/Altar at your Heart Shrine:- After a Siva Lingam Puja, store the Lingam at an altar space as to keep the divine energies and blessings vibrant in our physical and spiritual realities.

Benefits of a Siva Linga Puja:

1.    Grace to be a Yogi: When we surrender our total focus of the mind to Source, through the puja, the mind develops the ability to rejoice in the dance of stillness. This dance of stillness is the Mother of all meditative practices.

2.    Evolve and Be God: As we invoke the presence of Source through our mantras holding the focus, we are drawing more and more proximity to the object of worship and gradually, we attain all the attributes we are invoking, ie, we slowly evolve to be angelic, invoking the presence of God/Source.

3.     Awaken our innate genius: We awaken to the deeper dimensions of consciousness within ourselves that triggers the innate special powers within ourselves, the “Siddhis”. The Siddhis are the unique special abilities awakened in each of us such as musical genius, the ability to see the future, the awakening of various extra sensory perceptions, ESP etc. Yogis tend to disregard this awakening of various facets of the mind as it distracts us from the power of worship that grows in potency through humility.

4.    Soul Empowerment: We wake up to the joys and bliss of experiencing Source/God- “Ananda”. This joy ebbing from the bottom of the heart through our Lingam Puja is a higher conscious vibratory state. To be in this bliss form state is to be God- with Lord Siva described as Satchidananda, the bliss form. Slowly but surely, our realities too begin to vibrate the higher frequencies of this divine bliss.

5.    Deepen our yoga practice: When we do our daily yoga practice through the various sequences, we understand the deeper journey within after having done the Siva Lingam puja. In fact, it is advisable to do the Siva Lingam Puja after doing our hatha yoga practice so to seat the enormous vast immense energies of Source within us through the awake ‘nerve centers’, the nadis. Hatha yoga and the Siva Lingam Puja is naturally compatible and enhancing to each other.

6.    Live the Magic of Now: To experience being God/Source; worship the Infinite Almighty through the mind and breath; attain grace of inner wisdom as a journey through consciousness- makes us Angelic and God like. Slowly but surely, we not only awaken to the vastness we each truly are but are also guided, protected and gifted with the most valuable gift of this human birth- to be able to celebrate the Now moment completely.

7.    Multiply Potency of Consciousness: Worshipping the Lingam is multiplying consciousness. As we invoke ourselves to be Spirit, the Holy Ghost, we celebrate Lord Almighty Source of Infinite as in Form, empowering this Form to be Formlessness ever more.

8.    Be Blessed: Lord Siva, the nameless Infinite Being invoked represents blessings of wellbeing, wisdom and highest purpose as the Yogi.

For more info visit- www.worldyogaday.co

Victory & Declaration of Consciousness. Historical significance of Dec 21st 2012

Dec 21st 2012 London: 3 Magic Words Premier: The gala featured a special London premiere screening of the ground-breaking metaphysical documentary from Starseed Film, "3 MAGIC WORDS," at the Odeon West End Cinema in Leicester Square followed by a panel discussion with the writer/producer/ director of the movie, Michael Perlin, co-producer Maura Hoffman,Theresa Ibis, founder of Indigo Bridge In Service (IBIS), Dolores Cannon and Nandhi. "3 Magic Words" evolved from Perlin's personal and lengthy study of metaphysics as he became determined to find a common theme in all of the ancient mystical teachings. The occasion included a "blue carpet" with celebrity appearances and a live performance by Lucinda Drayton ("A Hundred Thousand Angels"). http://3magicwordsmovie.com/

The evening held a Global Meditation led by Sonya Sophia (Sophia School Of Living Arts), a World Peace Prayer conducted by Gudni Gudnason (Modern Mystery School), the announcement of the Declaration of Consciousness by Tapasyogi Nandhi, the reading of this Declaration of Consciousness by 10 year old Simran Serene Chevaliar and the signing of "The Declaration of Consciousness." 

Announcing our Declaration of Consciousness in London Dec 21 2012

At the time of birth of Buddha, the court astrologers (as done even today in most parts of India) looked into the baby boy’s horoscope. They saw in his astrological chart the immense being he was. So he was named Siddhartha, the one who is a Siddha. Siddha in Sanskrit and ancient Tamil means the one who has mastered the mind, the conscious beings.

On Dec 21^st 2012, London, at the movie 3 Magic Words premier, Declaration of Consciousness was announced- to usher humanity to the new dawn. On this day, Consciousness has won a long war after so many battles through the history of humanity. 

Dec 21^st 2012 will also be noted as the day when the critical mass of consciousness of humanity has been reached- and hence, the declaration.

This announcement is an historical epic moment due to the relevant facts. This is a proud day for England and Europe. This is Triumph of the United States as in declaration of Freedom, now with the resolve as the Rights of Freedom for every individual. This Day is the Triumph for Humanity. This realization awakens us to be conscious and declare for ourselves our individual basic freedom.

Dec 21^st 2012 is of historic significance for each one of us here, for all of humanity and especially for the truth of a full circle of history being completed today.

Consciousness became more visible in England, in 1689 through the Bill of Rights; evolved in USA with the Declaration of Independence and has now come back, in maturity, announced in London on this day Dec 21st 2012- back in England- now for the entire world as Declaration of Consciousness.

From ascertaining consciousness for a colonial empire, and then for a nation as freedom, consciousness now relates to the absolute rights of every individual on Planet Earth as – the core essence of every human as in adhering to the ahimsa principle of non-violence, non-killing; tolerance of every path to the Divine; Honoring the Feminine; protecting and nurturing our children; and upholding Planet Earth- as basic consciousness. (For specifics http://declarationofconsciousness.org)

Historical Thread of Consciousness-

United States of America has been built on the tenets enshrined in the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Written by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Consciousness is articulate, poetic and enlightened in its core principle that all humans are equal and everyone has the inherent right to be free.

Yet, the ground reality beneath Thomas Jefferson, the author and visionary behind the one of most celebrated historic document, the Declaration of Consciousness is bound by contradiction. Thomas Jefferson was the second largest slave owner in his state and during his entire lifetime, he freed only two of his hundreds of slaves. So how can the ‘consciousness’ within the vision of Declaration of Consciousness be reconciled?

We need to look deeper into history to find the answer.

The teachings of Jesus Christ were from immense consciousness that was way beyond his times- so he was crucified by a society that could not handle that extent of ‘truth’ in those times. Should Jesus be with us today and he said the same words, each of us would have appreciated him as we are now so much more aligned to the higher wisdom he spoke about as our own inner knowing. However, Jesus, had he been with us today, would speak differently, as consciousness grows and is ever growing.

When Thomas Jefferson inherited slaves as property from his father and had over hundred slaves in his Moticello estate- slavery was taken for granted. The first English settlers of 1660 came to the new land, America, with slaves. The backdrop of social norm where slavery was considered not only the wheel of economy but also an acceptable norm was the prevailing extent of consciousness in those times.

Historians have noted that Thomas Jefferson took the effort to be a ‘good’ master to his slaves, calling his slaves his ‘family’.  At the time Jefferson wrote the historical document until years after America gained its independence – the ingrained assumption of ‘freedom’ as applicability exclusive to  the white population. Should Jefferson (who was the President of America in 1801-1809) had taken any step towards emancipation of his slaves or in public, decried the institution of slavery- his political career would have been wiped out. Jefferson would have risked being assassinated almost immediately.

This truth is evident when in 1865 Abraham Lincoln, aged 56, was assassinated due to the cornerstone policy of his presidency – emancipation of slavery. 

It had taken another hundred years and more for America to then gain a higher layer of consciousness through the Black Civil Rights movement headed by Martin Luther King that gained more equality for the entire population of America. He too was assassinated.

The life message of Mahatma Gandhi was in ‘ahimsa’- the realization of the Oneness of all humans and the living beings.  India won its freedom without bloodshed and yet, after attaining the freedom for the nation- Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated.

Consciousness however triumphed through the intent of these higher conscious masters and leaders through history- to ascend humanity to the next levels of civilization.

Through history, the seed of consciousness planted by the wise has grown and is growing further to become the realities we are experiencing today. It is unfortunate that communist countries and dictators have subdued the entire population through fear and dependency to bottle individual freedom and consciousness with the primary tactic of using force. Consciousness and the urge for individual freedom however cannot be kept locked up for indefinite time as we have seen the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the regimes of Eastern Europe.

The time has come to state the innermost aspiration of every human on planet earth. This aspiration is the basic urge and need of every human to want to be free, to want peace, to create a society of harmony and conscience and to uphold and sustain planet earth as in environment. By Declaration of Consciousness, we frame this common aspiration that is within the heart of all humans- the right of consciousness that guarantees freedom for an individual.

This freedom in the external aspect is one that is not subdued by past beliefs and rules of conduct. In Declaration of Consciousness as an inner directive- is humanity ready to evolve to be the Angelic Being- free of the mind and its prejudice, free to understand that we are one with Source/God/Infinity and free to follow our heart’s aspiration that entails basic goodness as one human to another?

Declaration of Consciousness is an innermost truth and realization that all humans can evolve to be the higher consciousness the Sages of the past and present speak about attaining so peace, abundance, non-violence and a just society prevails.

This is the new age of consciousness. We are the Peace Messengers ushering each to be Prophet.

About:

The Declaration of Consciousness is a non-profit organization, with the mission to embark on a powerful intent to convey a message of unity consciousness to all of humanity. Our goal is to reach our Declaration to all national leaders through the United Nations. Simultaneously we will actively awaken the grass roots of humanity through music. movies and media. We deeply value our coming together in commitment for volunteering your time, funds and sharing the Declaration of Consciousness with the world.

http://www.declarationofconsciousness.org

Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Declaration-of-Consciousness/121346381355518

Nandhi announcing Declaration of Consciousness for humanity

10 year old Simran, representative of the future of Consciousness, reading our Declaration of Consciousness

Simran signs this Declaration

Melissa Athens, President of Declaration of Consciousness signing 

Panel of 3 Magic Words taking questions from the audience

The Declaration of Consciousness signed

Photo of Stone Hedge on the Dec 21st morning.

This photo was taken by the 3 MagicWords Cast after a heart ritual.

Uncle Lewis & the 3 Magic Words

Uncle Lewis & the 3 Magic Words


Uncle Lewis and Nandhi in London at the time of his MBA graduation.

London and this upcoming event heralding consciousness as on Dec 21^st, the movie premier of 3 Magic Words & Declaration of Consciousness holds a special circle of completion for Nandhi.

When Nandhi was little, around 9 years of age, he longed to meet a “Guru” who could guide him. He was studying in a boarding school, Lawrence School, Lovedale, in India. Nandhi was a loner and he preferred to spend much of his time by himself with nature in the nearby forests within the campus of his boarding school. Deep in him, Nandhi knew that the loneliness he felt was the intense craving to meet someone who could open the doors to another world- a world of completion, stillness and vastness.

This dream would come true soon. Aged 15, during his school holidays, he finally met his “Guru”- Lewis Parker, from London. Lewis had been travelling once or twice every year to India. The object of his travel to India was not very clear even to himself but in part it was a seeking to connect an immense spiritual awakening Lewis had had when he was a child and Lewis felt an strong bond with India through the  travels, through the persons he met and through the ancient connect he had for the mystical wisdom that was in India. It was on one of those trips that Lewis was introduced to Nandhi while in India.

For Nandhi, connecting with Lewis, whom he called “Uncle Lewis” was a turning point in his life when for the first time he could ask philosophical questions and receive profound answers that would point out to a deeper truth that Nandhi had always been seeking. As a “Guru” Lewis enjoyed every moment with Nandhi sharing his knowledge on mysticism and the yogic wisdom that he had always wanted to share and he found an eager student in Nandhi.

Shortly after they first met, Lewis sent to Nandhi a book titled, 3 Magic Words written by U.S Anderson. Lewis and Nandhi would write letters to each other with a perfect chain of immediate replies and the communication was exciting to both due to its philosophical nature and mystical wisdom Lewis had to share and for Nandhi to delve into with more questions and thoughts while having to confront a challenging environment in school.

The book 3 Magic Words, however, for reason Nandhi still cannot fathom until today- was laying unread. Reading was Nandhi’s passion even at that early age and yet, Nandhi cannot understand why he did not read that book given to him by Lewis with so much love and caring.

When Nandhi completed his undergraduate studies in India, Lewis welcomed him to London to do his Masters. Nandhi was happy to do his studies in London where he could see and spend more time with Lewis and experience a newer reality as an adventure. The three years Nandhi spent in London went fast. The deep moments with Lewis; the thrill of being a college student; the inspiration to be a ‘man’ by starting his own business with Lewis as a senior partner mentoring him;  the excitement of experience in being in a new country and meeting; and making so many new friends- made time fly.

It was time to return back to India. For the first time, Nandhi had mixed feelings at the thought of leaving London as he knew he was not going to spend more time with Lewis. Lewis, though sad, did his best to not express it. Instead, he told Nandhi, “A vast new life waits for you. Just be yourself and experience all the great realities you will create!.” Uncle Lewis was like a foster father, a Guru and a mentor to Nandhi and parting ways with Lewis and London was sentimental for Nandhi.

Back in India, Nandhi started his business of exports in granite. He got married to girl chosen by his parents. He was now stuck in his mundane world of a human rat race. He did keep in touch with Lewis by way of letters and phone calls. About two years after his return to India, Nandhi began to sense despair in Lewis’s voice. Lewis had told him over the phone, “You have much to do. You can take as much failures and you will rebound. My life is nearly over.” The phone conversation was followed by a letter he wrote to Nandhi saying, “When I met you, from the first moment I knew you were to do great things for humanity. You are resilient and you will never give up. You have a great future ahead of you.” The tone of Lewis’s message was not normal.

A month later, Nandhi was given the news that Lewis Parker had committed suicide by hanging himself in his home in London. The reason for his suicide was that Lewis felt his life was wasted in London distanced from spirituality and human companionship. He told those around him, “I am wasted in this circumstance. I want to be reborn in India pursuing a life of a yogi”.

The suicide was more than a shock for Nandhi. It broke every foundation of spirituality Nandhi had. Nandhi felt betrayed by life and its illusions. Lewis’s death for Nandhi was a painful awakening that everything about life was unreal and all the philosophy and faith was now meaningless.

Nandhi went to England for Lewis’s funeral. Early in the cold frigid morning, at around 5, Nandhi sat near the book shelves stacked with Lewis’s books. It was painful for him to feel the void of Uncle Lewis. Nandhi held his breath with an intent, “Uncle Lewis, knowing you are here now as Spirit. You just left for whatever reason, but you abandoned me. Is there anything you want to tell me? Appear before me and I will not be frightened. Please show me a sign that you are there. What is my future? I need you to guide me!”.

Just then, Nandhi could hear an inner voice- that of Lewis- say, “I gave you the book 3 Magic Words at the beginning of our relationship. It is beyond my understanding that you never ever read it. There must be divine reasons for this. It is time for you now begin your our journey into the experience of the Divine rather than read about it or hear about it. Your Divine journey begins now.”

Just then, one of books tumbled down the book shelf. Nandhi picked up the book so see what it was about. It was a book about the Hindu Goddesses. Picking up this book to take home, Nandhi started reading the book right away.

In the airplane headed back to India, Nandhi felt a love that was comforting surround him. He started praying to the Goddess, as the various forms he had known through childhood. There was intensely beautiful comfort in this new awareness. His journey into the Divine had truly begun!

It was shortly after this, four months later, that he was taken through his death initiation by his Siddhar Guru Bhairavasekarswamy. The initiation process was through a night; awakening Nandhi through the various deaths of past births and the realization that he was the spirit/soul dwelling in the body. The experience of liberation, the pure joy, the overwhelming bliss of being One- all this was the experience Lewis would mention describing his own awakening as the ‘flash of Kundalini” to Nandhi several years ago- and now- Nandhi was experiencing this huge wake up state. After this death initiation, Nandhi became a yogi, taking the plunge into the spiritual wilderness of India- into the caves, the forests, the shrines- for the next twelve years. This was a journey of transformation that connected him to the various enlightened masters and to the inner most dance of silence and stillness. It was his  deepest desire of childhood coming true, but there was sadness that all this wonderful experience could not be shared with Lewis.

Fast forward in time- eighteen years later in Santa Monica, USA- Michael Perlin, the director of 3 Magic Movies approached Nandhi with a request for an interview for the film. For a strange reason, the name of the movie, the 3 Magic Words did not trigger any memory of the past- even as Michael asked questions pertinent towards the quest within the movie. For Nandhi, the filmed interview for the movie at that time did not seem in any way relating to his past and the name of the movie 3 Magic Words did not connect with the first book of Lewis, 3 Magic Words at all.

It was just recently, September 2012, when Nandhi had a vivid meditation experience of one of the Sages of the past whom he had encountered many years ago that woke up the synchronicities of the past and the now. That Sage had told Nandhi, during a meditative stint Nandhi was undertaking, the essence within yogic pursuit, the seed of realization as in the words- “Tat Vam Asi.

Tat Vam Asi is a Sanskrit word of the highest realization of Sages – “That thou art,” “Thou art that,” “You are that,” or “That you are”. Tat Vam Asi means, the realization of “I Am God!”. (This is another story- for more- http://www.dolorescannon.com/blog/3-magic-words-movie-2/story-3-magic-words-movie-declaration-consciousness-nandhi-yogi/) 

This Sage- in the recent meditation- was reminding Nandhi of a sacred purpose as in time that has come after all the years. The message was the reality of purpose that wasactually happening. It was  only then that Nandhi connected, remembered and realized- it was in the movie 3 Magic Words, with the meaning within the movie- Tat Vam Asi- I am God that has now turned up as an actual reality.

Nandhi also realized that this was the essence of Lewis’s teaching through the book 3 Magic Words that now had been made into the movie!

3 Magic Words, the movie:- http://3magicwordsmovie.com/

This visit to London on Dec 21^st, for Nandhi, is homage to the past as a full circle complete. This visit reckons thoughts as memories of his first Guru Uncle Lewis, the inner journey he undertook with the grace and guidance of all the masters of consciousness and the sacred defined time of awakening for humanity as that of now as realities created.

Declaration of Consciousness:- http://declarationofconsciousness.org/ 

"The intent of all realized and higher conscious beings who lived on Earth had been to plant seeds of consciousness so humanity would slowly but surely realize. These mighty seeds of intent have multiplied as the prevailing consciousness of today as the idea in time that is before us."--Tapasyogi Nandhi

Our Inner Fire Music:- www.turiyanada.com

Grace of Food: Siddhar Wisdom

Food determines our wellbeing. Food is also medicine in its ability to heal and immunize. As a vital input into ourselves, food also determines our thinking and thought patterns. Food is pure energy. To enhance the energy present in the food, before we eat, saying grace matters. There are of course, a countless ways to say grace before eating our food as each culture, religion and families have different ways to express gratitude. From the Siddhar perspective, food also has a component of dharma, basic goodness, as an energy field to be enhanced.

In India, it is normal, in fact, a cultural practice, to offer food to the guests before eating, even if the guests are strangers. This practice of offering food has deep meaning in the causal of dharma. Nearly every saint, sadhu, guru and yogi in India would agree that offering food as dharma to feed others is the most potent of all actions - simply because, as Siddhar Rajaswamy says, “The stomach pit is the only pit in the human body that can be satisfied and every human, rich or poor goes through the pangs of hunger. Food also represents the body and when we feed people, we set into motion, the grace of well-being not only for ourselves but for humanity itself.”

Let us begin with this story to understand how we may say grace before eating. The story is from the time of the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas, the five brothers (the good guys) are in exile, hiding in the forest. The Pandavas, the five brothers were married to Draupadi. The Kauravas, hundred cousins (the bad guys) found out their cousins, the Pandavas hiding place in the forest. Draupadi was a Goddess incarnate who was graced with Lord Krishna in the divine relationship of a brother- and in this birth, she was thew wife to the five brothers, the Pandavas.

Determined to inflict damage on the Pandavas, the Kauravas summoned Sage Durvasa.  Sage Durvasa had done tremendous tapas and due to the potency of his tapas, every word he spoke came true. But Sage Durvasa had a vice - inspite of years of intense penance that gave him enormous siddhis (powers), he had not conquered anger. Durvasa was extremely short tempered and in a moment, he could curse anyone.

The Kauravas requested Durvasa to go and visit the Pandavas in the forest intending that Durvasa would arrive at the little hut dwelling of the Pandavas just after the Pandavas had their food.

The custom in Indian households, still followed in many households today is, when you have any guests come to your house, you need to offer them food. So there was Durvasa with his retinue of disciples standing outside the Pandava brothers house and Draupadi was shocked and worried. Seeing Durvasa standing before her as a guest, Draupadi realized that there was absolutely no food grain left in the house to cook for that day and her guest and all his disciples. As she stood in silence, Durvasa muttered, “Divine Host, my disciples and I are hungry and tired. We will go and take a bath in the nearby stream and we will come back to your home shortly.” Draupadi understood this to mean that Durvasa and his disciples had indicated the need to be fed and they would be taking a bath to give  Draupadi time to cook their food!

Just after Durvasa left to have a bath with his entourage, Draupadi started crying out to Lord Krishna, “Please come and save me Krishna!”. Lord Krishna appeared and asked Draupadi why she should panic when there was already all the food of the universe available to her. Draupadi says to Lord Krishna, “Krishna, this is not a joke. Don’t you realize that we have no food in this household? Every morsel of food has been consumed.” Lord Krishna goes to the vessel in which the food was cooked and He picks up a tiny morsel of leftover rice and He puts it in His mouth saying, “May all the stomachs of all living beings be full and satisfied!”.

Meanwhile, Durvasa and his disciples had just completed bathing and were returning in anticipation to eat the food they thought was being prepared by Draupadi for them. Just then, their stomachs felt full already. Another custom followed in India today is, if you are invited into the home of your guest to eat, you need to eat well. To eat well as a guest is to honor the host. Durvasa was now perplexed as to how he could face Draupadi as it would be an insult to not be able to eat. Understanding such a circumstance, Durvasa and his retinue quietly slipped away.

This story expresses Siddhar wisdom. Whenever we prepare to eat, if we could for a moment close our eyes, imagine ourselves to be the vast Spirit, like Lord Krishna and make a deep wishful intent- “May all creatures and may all of humanity be fed”, and then as an ethereal Being, we inhale the food’s aroma and say gratitude to Source for having given us this food, we set into momentum potent dharma.

"Great indeed is the power acquired through austerity to endure hunger. But greater still is the power of those who relieve the hunger of others."

-Tirukkural 23:225, Spiritual Poetry of a Tamil Saint, Siddhar Thiruvalluvar

When we understand the significance of imagining and creating the intent to feed every stomach on planet earth before consuming our own food, even if we are physically not doing so, we are reflecting a positive thought of vibrational energy. When we acknowledge ourselves to be the Universal Spirit and intend the fulfillment of every hunger, we invoke the energy of the Source, to enable this. Accompanied by gratitude as our reality in the moment, the food becomes cleansed, energized and serves our well-being.

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Conquer Time :- Emperor Empowerment!

Conquer Time the Yogic Way! ~ Tapasyogi Kalathi Adiyen Aadi Nandhi

Photo: Sasmita

The difference between an emperor of time and a slave is that an emperor owns time and the realities within it, while a slave is trapped in seemingly uncontrollable natural ups and downs.

Stepping into the Sabarmati Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi, in Gujarat, India, it is mind-boggling to see that there are thousands of books written by one man and another few thousand books written about him.

This one man, Mahatma Gandhi, had far too many activities on his plate, apart from the already overwhelming initiatives he undertook in the freedom struggle of India. He did his fair share of chores for the upkeep of the Ashram. There was not a single piece of correspondence sent to him—from all parts of colonial India (that includes today’s Pakistan and Bangladesh) and from all parts of the world—that was not replied to by him personally. Added to all these daily activities was Mahatma Gandhi’s daily prioritization of time to spin cotton for his own clothes, garden, tend his animals and meet the numerous people who showed up every day at his Ashram.

So how did Mahatma Gandhi manage so much within 24 hours? What was his yogic secret? Mahatma Gandhi was named the “Mahatma”—the “Great Soul”—to denote the yogi in him who was the emperor—the yogi who had conquered time, reality and the limits of the human.

In India, millions of gods and goddesses are worshiped in various forms. From the mystical yogic perspective of the Siddhars, some of our most important visible forms of “God” today are our wristwatches and our clocks. But when we learn how to align time with timelessness, we are in tune with the evolving grace that is the absolute gift of being born human.

Yogis, sages and enlightened masters in India are called “Maharaj,” King of Kings, for the reason that they truly are the emperors. The difference between an emperor and a slave is that an emperor owns time and the realities within it, while a slave does not own time. Yes, everything comes back to time and how we are either enslaved within time or timeless and free through defining time of our own accord, as an emperor.

Whether we like it or not, we are born into the 24-hour cycle of time, which has its days and nights. We are born with a mind that is captured by the limits there are to the hours we can spend in sleep, in being awake and in the dream states. This mind is also a slave to the past and its momentum. This can be attributed in part to “karma,” the law of equating the past with the present. This emotional roller coaster creates lopsided realities and further traps the mind in seemingly uncontrollable natural ups and downs.

As a slave, we then see our reality as in a movie theatre, without any control over what unfolds, forgetting that this is a movie and we do have a choice.

We can of course choose to be a slave or an emperor!

An emperor owns time. So how do we begin setting ourselves free from time and redefining time and the realities unfolding before us? How do we become the emperor?

Photo: Monika N.

Light your Lamp at least once a day!

From beginning to end, life’s journey is between us, as individuals, and Source/God. In between Source and our true identity as Soul is our mind. Lighting our outer and inner lamp is a mother to all meditation effort, as we are able to let go and surrender all our worries, emotions and good and bad thoughts to Source. We still the mind to a place of calm, harmony and optimism.

When we light a lamp to connect with Source/our inner self/infinity once a day, we are lighting and manifesting the inner lamp within ourselves. Lighting our inner lamp at least once a day breaks our entrapment in the 24-hour cycle of time by awakening us to the space of timelessness, which we experience during these moments spent with ourselves and Source.  The experience of connecting to Source is guided by joy, happiness and liberation each day, with our objective being to have more and more of this.

Once a week, set yourself one day to take a supreme holiday.

Ultimately, if we can prioritize one day a week just for us to reconnect to Source, our journey to become the emperor has just begun. This one special day is for us to meditate, pray, do yoga or anything that will bring us to our own centers. It is not about our creative zeal or even our family, let alone our career. It is about us expanding our consciousness to be Source/infinite, devoid of our mind,reclaiming ourselves as Spirit having a human experience.

Once every fortnight, utilize the days of the full moon and new moon as vortices of time to penetrate beyond ordinary consciousness.

The full moon period is a vortex of time that enables you to make a shift in shaping your existing realities. The full moon directly works with our minds. From the yogic perspective, when we observe this full moon vortex of time with a focus on Lord Vishnu, we are able to transform our spiritual and material realities through the mind and its ability to focus on expanding the realities we truly desire.

Likewise, during the new moon, the vortex of being and Spirit, we are able to leapfrog our evolution as we observe the worship of Lord Siva. In the space of infinity, where consciousness is forever expanding, our mind and our realities can be taken several notches above. The yogis prefer the new moon vortex as it offers the chance to preset the mind to a much higher “station” in its ever-expanding consciousness, able to make potent each thought.

Observe Mahasivratri as a yogi—be Lord Siva!

The grandest and the most powerful vortex of time/timelessness is the once-a-year enlightening vortex of time: Mahasivratri, the supreme night of the yogi, Lord Siva. This vortex, based on the lunar calendar, has been observed by hundreds of millions of regular householders and spiritual seekers dating far back through the history of India.

Observe this potent vortex of time and start your yogic inner journey by way of fasting, meditating, pilgrimage, silence and worship at least two weeks before this sacred day. Slowly, but surely, we begin to realize that we can slip out of the limitations of time (as we do in sleep) and the limitations of the mind, to attain the yogic turiya state—“sleepless sleep.” As Mahasivratri nears, through the grace of this enlightening vortex of time and our own effort, we easily step into the state of turiya—we experience Spirit having a human experience.

On the night of Mahasivratri, most spiritual weekend warriors try not to sleep, so as to get the blessings of this sacred night. For us, the yogis, we are already in the beautiful sleepless sleep state of turiya, a state of inspired awareness, and on this night, we become the vast infinity of being, Lord Siva. Each of us has our own unique experience of “being God.”

Photo: Sudarshan Vijayaraghavan

After having the sacred, fruitful experience of being Lord Siva on Mahasivratri, the mind will never be the same. Realities naturally align themselves to harmony. Innermost desires and highest purposes are fulfilled through the empowered super mind that has experienced being God—the enlightened mind.

We utilize the joyful splendor of the Mahasivratri night experience once a week when we observe that one sacred supreme holiday for ourselves, to further intensify our Source connection, renewing us and deepening our worship.

Every day, when we light our lamp, we carry forward our expanding consciousness to even vaster realms while we are in the state of super-consciousness—the state ofturiya. Our every thought now comes from the genius of the mind that is aligned to its pristine Source state. Ultimately, we understand and awaken to the need to be in a perpetual state of joy, bliss and inspiration, and we set our daily discipline to attain this angelic state of being.

All this discipline of being united with Source leads us to be in the magic of the “now” moment. Being in the “now” as Spirit having a human experience, our karma that limits us is transmuted to become opportunities for growth.

Where can there be the past momentum of karma if we are not in past or future but in the now, not as humans but as Spirit having a human experience?

In this enlightened state, where each thought is empowerment to further embrace reality, free of karmic restraints—we are the emperor.

The secret behind the dazzling work and life message left behind by Mahatma Gandhi, in his books and in his legacy, can be attributed to the state of turiya he was in. Every day, he was up by three am, ready to start the day in communal prayers. He seldom took a nap during the day. He held another communal prayer meeting at 10 pm, after which he would read before getting to sleep.

Being in the state of turiya, he was a cause of setting into humanity’s consciousness the reality of harmony, love and peace. Mahatma Gandhi was an emperor, a “Maharaj,” who conquered time as a yogi.

When humanity sets itself free by awakening to timelessness, we will chart the destiny for our future, through a consciousness where physical and material abundance flows naturally, in harmony and fulfillment for all. Peace reigns supreme where consciousness is.

In 2013, Mahasivratri falls on March 10^th. For more information on observing Mahasivratri, see the World Yoga Day website: www.worldyogaday.co.

Our music of Inner Fire: www.TuriyaNada.com

About the Siddhars

About Siddhars (from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhar) (Tamil: சித்தர்):  are saints in India, mostly of the Saivaite denomination in Tamil Nadu, who professed and practiced an unorthodox type of Sadhana, or spiritual practice, to attain liberation. Yogic powers called Siddhis are acquired by constant practice of certain yogic disciplines. Those who acquire these Siddhis are called Siddhas. These Siddhars can be compared to Mystics of the western civilization. Siddhars are people who are believed to control and transcend the barriers of time and space by meditation (Yoga) and herbs that transform the body to make it potentially deathless, and a particular breathing-practice, a type of Pranayama. Through their practices they are believed to have reached stages of insight which enabled them to tune into the powers hidden in various material substances and practices, useful for suffering and ignorant mankind. Typically Siddhars were saints, doctors, alchemists and mystics all at once. They wrote their findings, in the form of poems in Tamil language, on palm leaves which are collected and stored in what are known today as Palm leaf manuscript, today still owned by private families in Tamil Nadu and handed down through the generations, as well as public institutions such as Universities all over the world.

Siddhars from Nandhi's perspective:

After years of inner journeying, meeting and absorbing the Siddhar wisdom, being consumed in the Siddhar mantras while living the life of the Siddhar, it is inspiring to write about the "Siddhars" from this experience.

The term Siddhar has always drawn intrigue, curiosity, interest and respect in India. The little known aspect about them other than from their divine poetry and literature has always created mystery while revealing the secrets of this yogic path to those who are spiritually mature seekers.  In Tamilnadu and as in rest of India, it is common for an enlightened being to be called a Siddha or a Siddhar. When Gautama Buddha was born, the astrologers identified his star of birth to be powerful in all aspects, as a higher being- so he was named Siddhartha- the one who is a Siddhar. Siddhartha later left his home to seek ‘nirvana’, the attainment of liberation of the mind, to then be called Gautama Buddha.

Siddhars are Sages who journey beyond enlightenment as the 'liberated' yogis. In this journey within consciousness, the Siddhars abandon beliefs for experience. Connecting to the ancient lineage of Gurus who pave way for guidance, protection and grace, their's is a process of 'unlearning'. The inner journey of the Siddhars is based on tapas (to light the fire within of perpetual Source union). The Siddhars follow the path of oneness that embodies ahimsa (ahimsa is the life message of Mahatma Gandhi. Ahimsa means- non-violence, non-killing, tolerance and love for not only all of humanity but for all creatures as well). For the Siddhars, external knowledge especially from a book is hardly relevant as much of their knowing, practice and teachings is based on self-knowledge, the wisdom from within. With depth of silence, meditation and mantra japa (recitation of mantras) as tapas, the Siddhars examine the human realities from cosmic consciousness. Those who chose the path of the Siddhars are often not from the Brahmin caste (priests, the upper hierarchy of the Indian society) and the Brahmins who take to the path of the Siddhars often renounce their caste as a Brahmin to be able to tread this ego free wisdom. The Siddhar tradition is devoid of castes, traditions, beliefs and written teachings. Instead, the ancient wisdom was conveyed through resonance, the mantra deeksha (initiation) and the guru's grace- with much of evolving transformation happening from one's own effort- tapas (inner fire) and sadhana (daily discipline). For a Siddhar Sage, divinity is in form and formlessness, with the worship centered more towards a simple fire lamp as a symbolic focus of their own inner lamp. Siddhars prefer to call God, Source as to free wisdom from stagnancy of dogma. The South Indian Siddhar's teachings of Tantiram are the roots to the term 'tantra', where the awakened roots of the human as in the mode of survival, sexual and primal needs unite with cosmic consciousness to transcend a normal human into an angelic yogi. Siddhars worship the Divine Feminine as the essence to wholeness.

Siddhars from the practical sense:-

In the pathway of the Siddhars, as we journey through consciousness, we realize our mind being empowered by the extra abilities such as envisioning the future, seeing the past of another person, reading the thoughts of others etc. Due to the absence of ego, the Siddhar Sages do not succumb to these extra powers of the mind and the super-normal abilities that awaken with the mind connecting with Source/God. However, the Siddhars, realizing their vastness of being Spirit/Source in their ability to transcend the mind and the limits of the mind, bring this blessing to benefit humanity. The Siddhars bless humanity by way of deepening their tapas and flowing as the guiding wisdom to all who meditate, as Guru Ayya did while he meditated in his cave for over 18 years. There are other Siddhars who are in humanity as healers, scientists, visionaries and other professions who utilize the states of higher consciousness to effect changes in real terms. Some of the notable nature of the Siddhars are- absence of ego, total love for God/Source as bhakti (devotion), lack of organization and followers around them. To a Siddhar Sage living in the midst of humanity with a life of purpose and focus, multidimensional talents as genius are brought to fore. The path of the Siddhars is  attuned, aligned and suited to the current modern day society as it is a journey to seek being whole due to understanding the power of now and the colossal vastness of the human as in basic nature of goodness.

Listen/more info: Cave of the Siddhars, the debut album of Turiya Nada