1. Get up at 4 a.m. daily. This is Brahma Muhurta which is extremely favourable for meditation on God.
2. ASANA: Sit on Padma, Siddha or Sukha Asana for Japa and Meditation for half an hour, facing the east or the north. Increase the period gradually to three hours. Do Sirshasana and Sarvangasana for keeping up Brahmacharya and health. Take light physical exercises as walking, etc., regularly. Do twenty Pranayamas.
3. JAPA: Repeat any Mantra as pure Om or Om Namo Narayanaya, Om Namah Sivaya, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, Om Saravanabhavaya Namah, Sita Ram, Sri Ram, Hari Om, or Gayatri, according to your taste or inclination, from 108 to 21,600 times daily.
4. DIETETIC DISCIPLINE: Take Sattvic food, Suddha Ahara. Give up chillies, tamarind, garlic, onion, sour articles, oil, mustard and asafoetida. Observe moderation in diet (Mitahara). Do not overload the stomach. Give up those things which the mind likes best for a fortnight in a year. Eat simple food. Milk and fruits help concentration. Take food as medicine, to keep life going. Eating for enjoyment is sin. Give up salt and sugar for a month. You must be able to live on rice, dhall and bread without any chutni. Do not ask for extra salt for dhall and sugar for tea, coffee, or milk.
5. Have a separate meditation-room under lock and key.
6. Do charity regularly, every month, or even daily, according to your means, say six paisa per rupee.
7. SVADHYAYA: Study systematically the Gita, Ramayana, Bhagavata, Vishnu-Sahasranama, Lalita Sahasranama, Aditya Hridaya, Upanishads, Yoga-Vasishtha, the Bible, Zend Avesta, the Koran, the Tripitakas, the Granth Sahib, etc., from half an hour to one hour daily and have Suddha-Vichara.
8. Preserve the vital force (Veerya) very very carefully. Veerya is God in motion or manifestation, Vibhuti. Veerya is all power. Veerya is money. Veerya is the essence of life, thought and intelligence.
9. Get by heart some prayer, Slokas, Stotras, and repeat them as soon as you sit on the Asana before starting Japa or meditation. This will elevate the mind quickly.
10. Have Satsanga. Give up bad company, smoking, meat and alcoholic liquors entirely. Do not develop any evil habits.
11. Fast on Ekadasi day or live on milk and fruits only.
12. Have a Japa Mala (rosary) round your neck or in your pocket or underneath your pillow at night.
13. Observe Mouna for a couple of hours daily.
14. Speak the truth at all cost. Speak a little. Speak sweetly.
15. Reduce your wants. If you have four shirts reduce the number to three or two. Lead a happy contented life. Avoid unnecessary worry. Have plain living and high thinking.
16. Never hurt anybody. Control anger by love, Kshama (forgiveness) and Daya (compassion).
17. Do not depend upon servants. Self-reliance is the highest of all virtues.
18. Think of the mistakes you have committed during the course of the day, just before retiring to bed (self-analysis). Keep daily diary and self-correction register. Do not brood over past mistakes.
19. Remember that death is awaiting you every moment. Never fail to fulfil your duties. Have pure conduct (Sadachara).
20. Think of God as soon as you wake up and just before you go to sleep. Surrender yourself completely to God (Saranagati).
This is the essence of all spiritual Sadhanas. This will lead you to Moksha. All these Niyamas or spiritual canons must be rigidly observed. You must not give leniency to the mind.
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Next: Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 2.Resolves
Energy Enhancement Enlightened Texts Sri Swami Sivananda Essence of Yoga
Chapter 5
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 1.Twenty Spiritual Instructions
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 1.Twenty Spiritual Instructions, 1. Get up at 4 a.m. daily. This is Brahma Muhurta which is extremely favourable for meditation on God at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 2.Resolves
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 2.Resolves, The spiritual path is thorny, precipitous and rugged. Temptations will assail you. Your will, sometimes, will become weak. Sometimes, there will be downfall or a backward pull by the dark Asuric antagonistic forces. In order to strengthen your will and resist the unfavourable currents, you will have to make, again and again, fresh resolves. This will help you to ascend the ladder of Yoga, vigorously and quickly. Here are some resolves. Stick to them tenaciously. Watch the mind carefully and keep a daily spiritual record at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 3.Messages of Vairagya
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 3.Messages of Vairagya, There is not even an iota of bliss in this world. Every thing is illusory in this universe. All worldly things are generative of pain only and fraught with all dangers. This life is ephemeral. There is nothing so baneful as this life which is perishable in its nature. What beauty is there to be enjoyed in this body which is composed of blood and flesh and which has a tendency to rot? Even the most virulent poison is no poison but the sensual object is truly so. The former kills only one body, whereas, the latter destroys many bodies in successive births at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 4.Live Wisely
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 4.Live Wisely, Minus skin, minus dress, minus ornaments, physical beauty is nothing. Just imagine for a moment that the outer skin is removed. You will have to stand with a long stick to drive away crows and vultures. Physical beauty is superficial, illusory and fading. It is skin-deep only. Do not be deluded by external appearances. It is the jugglery of Maya. Go to the source-Atman, the Beauty of beauties, the Everlasting beauty at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 5.Message of Brahmacharya
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 5.Message of Brahmacharya, Brahmacharya is purity in thought, word and deed. Brahmacharya includes the control of not only the sex or reproductive Indriya but also other Indriyas. This is the definition of Brahmacharya in a broad sense. Brahmacharya is of two kinds viz., physical and mental. Physical is control of the body and mental is the control of evil thoughts. In mental Brahmacharya even a lustful thought will never enter the mind. Freedom from all sexual thoughts in waking as well as dreaming states is strict Brahmacharya at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 6.Upadesamritam
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 6.Upadesamritam, In the name of Tapascharya (austerities) do not spoil your health. Constant repetition of 'Vairagya Dindima' of Sri Sankara, with feeling, study of 'Vairagya Sataka' of Bhartrihari and 'Vairagya Prakarana' of Yoga-Vasishtha, reflection on the Slokas of Gita which treat of Vairagya, and finding out the defects in the sensual life will surely intensify your Vairagya at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 7.Practical Spiritual Instructions
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 7.Practical Spiritual Instructions, Thou art divine. Live up to it. Feel and realise thy divine nature. Do not murmur when you get difficulties, troubles, tribulations and diseases. Every difficulty is an opportunity for you to develop your will and power of endurance and to grow strong. Conquer the difficulties one by one. This is the beginning of a new life, a life of expansion, glory and divine splendour. Aspire and draw. Grow. Expand. Build up all positive qualities, the Daiva-Sampatti, viz., fortitude, patience and courage, that are dormant in you. Tread the spiritual path and realise: 'I am the Immortal Self' at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 8.Live in God
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 8.Live in God, Immortal Self. There is a maker for a pot or a table. So, there must be a creator for this marvellous world also. That creator is GOD. God is the wire-puller (Sutradhara) standing behind the machine of this world. He is the indweller of your heart. He presides over all actions (Karma-dhyaksha). He is the dispenser of the fruits of your actions. Live in God by singing His name, repeating His Mantra and surrendering the fruits of your actions unto Him at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 9.Universal Love
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 9.Universal Love, The only Sara Vastu in this world is Prema or love. It is eternal, infinite and undecaying. Physical love is passion or Moha or infatuation. Universal love is divine love. Cosmic love, Visva Prema, universal love are synonymous terms. God is Love. Love is God. Selfishness, greed, egoism, vanity, pride and hatred contract the heart and stand in the way of developing universal love at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 10.Practice of Meditation
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 10.Practice of Meditation, Meditation is the only royal road to the attainment of salvation or Moksha. Meditation kills all pains, sufferings, the three kinds of Taapas (fevers) and the five Kleshas (sorrows). Meditation gives the vision of unity. Meditation produces sense of oneness. Meditation is an aeroplane that helps the aspirant to soar high in the realms of eternal bliss and everlasting peace. It is a mysterious ladder that connects earth and heaven and takes the aspirant to the immortal abode of Brahman at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 11.Thy Real Nature
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 11.Thy Real Nature, Religion is faith for knowing and worshipping God. It is not a matter for discussion at a club table. It is the perception and realisation of the True Self. It is the fulfilment of the deepest craving in man. Therefore, hold religion as the goal of your life. Live every second of your life for its realisation. Life without religion is real death at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 12.Divine Life
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 12.Divine Life, Divine life is life in God or the Immortal Soul. He who leads the divine life is free from cares, worries, anxieties, miseries, sufferings and tribulations. He attains immortality, perfection, freedom, independence, eternal peace, supreme bliss and perennial joy. He radiates joy, peace and light everywhere at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 13.Divine Message
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 13.Divine Message, Pure as the snow of the Himalayas, bright as sunlight, expansive as the sky, all-pervading as the ether; unfathomable as the ocean, cool as the waters of the Ganges, is the Immortal Atman-the substratum for this world, body, mind and Prana. Nothing is sweeter than this Atman at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 14.Self-Analysis
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 14.Self-Analysis, Daily self-analysis or self-examination is an indispensable requisite. Then alone can you remove your defects and can grow rapidly in spirituality. A gardener watches the young plants very carefully. He removes the weeds daily. He puts a strong fence around them. He waters them at the proper time. Then alone they grow beautifully and yield fruits quickly. Even so, you should find out your defects through daily introspection and self-analysis and then eradicate them through suitable methods. If one method fails, you must adopt a combined method. If prayer fails, you should take recourse to Satsanga or association with the wise, Pranayama, meditation, dietetic regulation, enquiry, etc. You should destroy not only big waves of pride, hypocrisy, lust, anger, etc., that manifest on the surface of the conscious mind, but also their subtle impressions which lurk in the corners of the subconscious mind. Then only are you perfectly safe at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 15.Importance of Keeping a Spiritual Diary
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 15.Importance of Keeping a Spiritual Diary, The keeping up of a daily spiritual diary is an indispensable requisite and of paramount importance. Those who are already in the habit of keeping it know its incalculable advantages. Diary is a whip for goading the mind towards God. It shows the way to freedom and eternal bliss. It is your Guru. It is the eye-opener. It develops the Manana-Sakti or the power of reflection. It will help you to destroy all your evil qualities and to be regular in your spiritual practices. If you regularly maintain a diary, you will get solace, peace of mind and quick progress in the spiritual path. Those who desire to grow in morality and spirituality, those who wish to evolve rapidly must keep a daily record of their actions at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 16.Spiritual Diary
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 16.Spiritual Diary, 1. When did you get up from bed? 'Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.' You must get up at 4 a.m., and practise Japa and meditation. The meditative state of the mind will come by itself without exertion at this period at energyenhancement.org
- Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 17.The Spiritual Diary
Sri Swami Sivananda, Essence of Yoga Chapter 5: Spiritual Sadhana, 17.The Spiritual Diary, The Spiritual Diary is a whip for goading the mind towards righteousness and God. If you regularly maintain this diary you will get solace, peace of mind and make quick progress in the spiritual path. Maintain a daily diary and realise the marvellous results at energyenhancement.org
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