Ahymsin Association of Himalayan Yoga Meditation Societies International [email protected]Two minutes meditation Full moon meditation Silence programmes The Science of Mudras One evening last March, Swami Veda hosted a lecture by Acharya Sunderlal Dabral at SRSG. The information in the following article is taken from that lecture. Please see information about the upcoming Dec’08 Mudra seminar with Acharya Dabral later in this newsletter. Mudra is a Sanskrit word meaning a “seal.” Mudras are formed by joining or placing the fingers and hands in various positions to produce certain results. The ancient vedic texts define mudra as “that which pleases the deities and divinities, which melts our accumulated samskaras, and which fulfills our inner desires.” Mudras serve as a link to help us rise from our lower worldly consciousness to a higher supreme consciousness. There are three kinds of mudras. (1) Mudras used in yoga and meditation. Exterior mudras are seen in physical postures such as the yoga mudra asana. Interior mudras are linked to the process of concentration and meditation. (2) There are mudras or seals in our bodies such as the lines of the forehead, forms of the face, the balance and proportion of the body, and the lines of the palms and feet. Sumudraka Shastra is the science of reading an individual’s character through such configurations of the body. (3) Mudras of the hand which are used for triggering certain energies. The fingers are related to different types of energies, and when they are brought together in specific ways, they produce subtle effects. According to the ancient vedic texts, the human body is made up of five basic elements, the Pancha Tattwas. Each of the SRSG Statue of Sankaracharya Bestowing blessing in Abhaya Mudra (Freedom from fear) Acharya Sundarlal Dabralji showing Nirvana Mudra
Transcript
Ahymsin Association of Himalayan Yoga Meditation Societies International [email protected]
Two minutes meditation Full moon meditation Silence programmes
The Science of Mudras
One evening last March, Swami Veda hosted a lecture by Acharya Sunderlal Dabral at SRSG. The information in the following article is taken from that lecture. Please see information about the upcoming Dec’08 Mudra seminar with Acharya Dabral later in this newsletter.
Mudra is a Sanskrit word meaning a “seal.” Mudras are formed by joining or placing the fingers and hands in various positions to produce certain results. The ancient vedic texts define mudra as “that which pleases the deities and divinities, which melts our accumulated samskaras, and which fulfills our inner desires.” Mudras serve as a link to help us rise from our lower worldly consciousness to a higher supreme consciousness.
There are three kinds of mudras. (1) Mudras used in yoga and meditation. Exterior mudras are seen in physical postures such as the yoga mudra asana. Interior mudras are linked to the process of concentration and meditation. (2) There are mudras or seals in our bodies such as the lines of the
forehead, forms of the face, the balance and proportion of the body, and the lines of the palms and feet. Sumudraka Shastra is the science of reading an individual’s character through such configurations of the body. (3) Mudras of the hand which are used for triggering certain energies. The fingers are related to different types of energies, and when they are brought together in specific ways, they produce subtle effects.
According to the ancient vedic texts, the human body is made up of five basic elements, the Pancha Tattwas. Each of the
SRSG Statue of Sankaracharya
Bestowing blessing in Abhaya Mudra
(Freedom from fear)
Acharya Sundarlal Dabralji showing
Nirvana Mudra
five fingers of the hand corresponds to one of these vital elements in the body. The thumb is agni (fire), the forefinger is vaya (air), the middle finger is akash (ether or space), the ring finger is prithvi (earth) and the little finger is jal (water). There is a tremendous flow of energy in the hands and by joining different tattwas (fingers) different mudras are created. Mudras are formed by placing the hands and fists in certain positions. The forming of specific mudras helps to balance the elements and when combined with visualization and affirmation may be used to promote healing and good health.
One familiar mudra is the Jnana (Gyan) mudra. It is formed by touching the tips of the forefinger and thumb together, creating a union of the fire and air elements. When used in a meditation asana, this mudra is sometimes referred to as the “finger lock” and serves to close the circuit of energy in the body. It is called the mudra of knowledge and is said to help sharpen the memory, enhance mental concentration and increase the capacity to learn. The Bhagavad Gita states Krishna was in this pose while imparting knowledge to Arjuna. Other mudras a practitioner of yoga may be familiar with is the namaskara mudra (1
st and 12
th
positions of Sun Salutation) and the Vishnu mudra, used for alternately closing nostrils while performing nadi shodhanam.
Mudras are used in worship and rituals whether Hindu, Bhuddhist or Christian. In the Hindu tradition there are ten mudras for invoking the presence of the deity in the image or object of the worship. It is through the combination of mudra, mantra and bhavana that the desired effect is produced. Mudra is the physical expression, mantra is the thought, and bhavana is the feeling or sentiment. The physical gesture alone will not be successful without mantra and bhavana.
Children’s Fish Rhyme ( with Matshya Mudra )
m;%lI j;l k:I hE r;n;I , j;Iv;n; Ws;k:; hE p;;n;I =
A seat of the Himalayan Tradition located in the land of the Gods
Mudra Workshop 8th
to 14th
DECEMBER
with Acharya Dabral In sadhana there is a special place for mudras and their practices. Mudras are a powerful method for making spiritual advancement. The human body is full of many deep mysteries and potentials that can be expressed through the language of mudra. With the practice of mudra one can achieve great results in sadhana and at the same time help one to attain physical well-being.
In yogic practices or spiritual sadhana, the asanas, pranayama and mudras should be taught by a competent teacher. Mantra represents jnana shakti (power of wisdom) and mudra represents
kriya shakti (power of action). Mudra is a ritual practice that evokes deep feelings and emotions (bhavana). By practicing mudras one receives the blessings of the gods and one’s negative tendencies are diminished.
To learn the practice of mudras systematically, a week long programme has been specifically designed which will include the understanding and practice of mudra shastra. The programme will consist of seven consecutive evening lectures by Acharya Sunderlal Dabral and assisted by Swami Veda Bharati.
Overview of 7 day Programme
Day 1: Introduction & Overview of the meaning and practices of mudras, and mudra shastra.
Day 2: Demonstration and practices of some exclusive mudras (Gyan, Tattva, Vairagya, Dhyana) and their meaning, benefits, and relationship to yogic practices.
Day 3: Demonstration of the Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Samana mudras and their practices.
Day 4: The 24 mudras to be performed prior to the the practice of Gayatri mantra. Explanation and practices.
Day 5: After Gayatri practices there follow eight mudras. Practice and explanation of Surbhi (Dhenu), Jnana, Varaigya, Yoni, Shankha, Linga and Nirvana mudras.
Day 6: The practice of mudras in shakti sadhana (Sri Vidya) specifically Yoni mudra, Trikhanda mudra, etc., explanation and practice
Day 7: Some special mudras which will enhance your practice of sadhana such as Shanjeevani mudra, Shankha mudra, Linga mudra and Nirvana mudras.
Swami Veda Bharati will host a “Pain Management through Meditation Practices” Conference at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama from 24
th February
through 28th February 2009. All who
wish to attend are invited. Those who have ever had any kind of pain, those who treat or know people who experience pain, those who have already risen above all pains and wish to help their fellow humans – all will be welcome!
The fee for the conference and the daily schedule have not been finalized yet, but it is not too early to set aside this time as a time to come to SRSG to study and explore meditation and pain management.
This conference will deal with the treatment of pain from a meditational point of view. Areas of treatment known to medical practitioners and other therapists will be recognized. The spiritual philosophy of pain will be summarized as it applies to therapy.
What is the current research available on the activation of pleasure centres of the brain and related hormonal and physiological changes produced through meditation and through altruistic personal philosophies and practices? Relevant meditation practices not yet known to researchers and their application to treatment of pain will be explored.
What are the philosophical-spiritual, the psychological, and the neuro-physiological definitions of pain? And what are the pain mechanisms associated with each of these definitions? How are these three levels of pain integrated into a single mixture, and how are their separate facts separated so one can tell where one level ends and another begins?
An antidote to pain can be found in pleasure. Pleasure can serve as a distraction from pain, and with concentration, can replace pain. Pleasure can take the form of the physical, the social and loving, the creative, the philosophical, and the spiritually experiential.
What are the chemical-hormonal paths that pain takes? These waves may be diverted, reducing the strength and frequency of pain by replacing them with the opening of electrical and chemical-hormonal channels of pleasure through love, creativity, philosophical analysis and meditation experience. How meditation activates the pleasure centres of the brain and why this is the best antidote to pain will be addressed as will methods to train patients to replace the intensity and frequency of pain through devices like all-absorbing creativity, philosophical analysis, and meditational experience.
Points to be considered include:
1. One is having a heart attack. Part of the problem is the actual physical heart attack, and rest is the anxiety one is suffering, causing increased stress and potentially adding to the strength of the attack. How may a meditation practitioner reduce the
levels of stress and anxiety, reducing the risks and improving outcomes in cardiovascular disease and events such as heart attacks?
2. Meditators have lived with chronic pain and yet remain creative and happy and continue to serve others. What are their mental and neuro-physiological processes? How do their personal philosophies help them?
3. Some meditators have chosen to undergo surgery without anaesthesia.
Swamiji can speak experientially about his own experiences of pain management through meditation practices and reminds us, “Pain and suffering are two different things. . . There could be an objective measurement for pain, but there cannot be an objective measurement for suffering. For the same amount of pain, one person cries and wails and keeps the whole hospital awake all night. And the next person, who has pain all over his body, is suffering from metastasized cancer and has the quiet mind. Whose suffering is greater? One has learned to suffer less. One has learned to suffer less from the same amount of pain which others suffer more. That is where the spiritual strength comes in.”
Swamiji has given the impetus and direction for the “Pain Management through Meditation Practices” Conference, and Veena Maitra, an AHYMSIN Board member, heads the conference planning committee of volunteers, which would be interested in hearing of any personal experiences of meditation practices having helped someone manage pain. These personal experiences can be sent to [email protected].
Remembering Swami Hari
Swami Hariharananda Bharati, beloved teacher and guide, left his body on June 29, 2008 in India. Swami Hari, affectionately known as the "Laughing Swami", would bring a smile to everyone's face with his infectious laugh and selfless humility. He was a living example of the joy that blossoms from devoting your mind and heart to God. Over the past decade he traveled the world gracing countless students with his practical teachings about Yoga and Meditation shared in the stream of his joyful love. Before leaving his body, Swami Hari fulfilled his Gurudeva Swami Rama's mission to create vocational training, a public school (K-12), and an herbal plantation for education and training in the cultivation and processing of herbal plants for the underprivileged and underserved people in the remote foothills of the Himalayas: Swami Rama Insti-tute of Vocational Education and Research at village Malethi (SRIVERM).
Pierre Lefebvre: Coordinating Yoga training with a guitar?
This statement might sound a bit weird but this is what has been happening for over a year as a young musician from Quebec, Pierre Lefebvre, enthusiastically took charge of administrating the Himalayan Yoga Tradition-Teacher Training Program (HYT-TTP) of the AHYMSIN (Association of Himalayan Yoga Meditation Societies International).
Pierre was born in Alma, in the province of Quebec, the French speaking part of Canada. By education, training and profession, Pierre is a musician who earned his Master’s degree (M. Mus.) in Classical Guitar from the prestigious University of Montreal, under the guidance of M. Peter McCutcheon. He presented his Final Recital to the University on 29
th
November 2004.
During his training in the University, he performed guitar in Master classes for Rémi Boucher (2001),
Gruber Malkar duet (2002), William Kanengiser (2003), and Pepe Romero (2003).
Pierre was also nominated as Chairman of the Board of Director of “Ensemble de Musique Balinaise Giri Kedaton” (Balinese gamelan ensemble in residence at the University of Montreal), as well as performing in this Ensemble from 2000 to 2005. www.girikedaton.com
At a very young age, Pierre was also appointed Stage Manager at the “Salle Claude Champagne” (a 1000 seat concert hall for classical and orchestral music) in Montreal from 2002 to 2005.
He has been teaching music for the last twelve years. He was Guitar teacher at the well known Montreal International School from 2002 to 2004.
Since March 2005, Pierre has been living in Rishikesh (India) in the SRSG Campus where he initially came to study in the Gurukulam. Swamiji asked him to shelve his studies in Gurukulam in September 2006 and assigned him several important tasks which needed the talents, sincerity and hard work of Pierre. These tasks included supervision of the construction of the SRSG Manuscript Collection and help preparing for the foundation of AHYMSIN at the February 2007 events.
Since the creation of AHYMSIN, Pierre has been administrating the TTP international office at AHYMSIN Headquarters in the SRSG. His duties also include working with and assisting the AHYMSIN Vice President for TTP, Dr. Mehrad Nazari, and the TTP committee to develop and strengthen the programme.
While involving himself in the myriads of activities in the SRSG all this while he quietly found his soul mate Meena Bhatt from Dehradun and married her on 11
th February 2008.
Music does not recognize any boundaries. Following that dictum, Pierre has been learning sitar from Shri Jagat Adhikary (one of the five original disciples of the world renowned sitar maestro Pt. Ravi Shankar) for the past 2 ½ years.
So here is a western classical musician and a yoga aspirant all rolled in to one, our man in the TTP. Alas, come September and Pierre is back where he came from. We are talking, of course, of the Gurukulam of the SRSG. Hopefully, some day Pierre will help to spread the teachings of Swami Rama and Swami Veda.
This month is the last chance to become a part of this magnificent spiritual occasion held in a breath taking environment. Come for a Spiritual Retreat, the Teacher Training Program or to the Teacher Continuing Education program and enjoy the beautiful settings of Rancho La Puerta in Baja California, Mexico. Swami Veda invites you personally. He will be present with the entire TTP faculty for the
whole month of August. .
For more information, please visit: www.himalayanyogatradition.com www.rancholapuerta.com You can also write to: [email protected]
Insight Seeing Tour to Joshimath, Valley of the Flowers and Badrinath.
26th September – 3
rd October
For registration and cost information, please write to [email protected] Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teacher Training Programs (HYT-TTP) For information about all programs, see website www.himalayanyogatradition.com, or write to [email protected] 2
nd – 16
th August
Teacher Training Program at Rancho La Puerta, Mexico. 2
nd – 30
th August
Yoga Teacher Continuing Education Program at Rancho La Puerta, Mexico 2
nd – 30
th August
Spiritual Retreat with Swami Veda at Rancho La Puerta, Mexico 5
th – 18
th October
Teacher Training Program at Sadhaka Grama in Rishikesh, India
Mudra Workshop with Acharya Sunderlal Dubral and Swami Veda 8
th – 14
th December
Pain Management through Meditation Practices Seminar 24
