Yamas And Niyamas

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      Claiming Your Spiritual Identity Exercise 2

      Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami teaches the second practical exercise in claiming our spiritual identity: The three types of control we should practise: animal instinct; ramifications of the intellect and pride of ...

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      Improving Our Character - Publisher's Desk

      Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami reads his editorial from the Jan/Feb/Mar 2012 edition of Hinduism Today magazine. Spiritual life is no different from real life. The key to progressing along the life ...

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      Improving Our Character

      Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives a presentation which is based on the Hinduism Today's Publisher Desk article entitled "How to Improve our Character"? Character is defined as hte sum total of the mental and ...

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      Practice Makes Perfect

      Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives a presentation on a topic entitled "Practice Makes Perfect" which featured in the Jan/Feb/Mar 2011 Hinduism Today. In this Presentation Bodhinatha explains that deep inside we are perfect ...

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      Can Everyone Benefit from Yoga?

      While openly available, yoga is rooted in Hindu scripture, teaches Hindu practices and leads to oneness with God. Yoga is comprised of eight main practices namely yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, ...

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      The Three Stages of Faith

      Bodhinatha's presentation is based on the Oct/Nov/Dec 2009 Hinduism Today edition and is entitled "The Three Stages of Faith". Faith is central to all religions. However, Hinduism considers that faith is the first ...

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      Noninjury: the Foremost Virtue - Publisher's Desk

      Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami reads his editorial from the Jul/Aug/Sep 2014 edition of Hinduism Today magazine. Nonviolence or ahimsa is the first and foremost ethical principle of Hinduism and the highest ...

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      Can Everyone Benefit from Yoga? Part 2

      Our publisher, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, reads his Publisher's Desk editorial from the April/May/June 2010 edition of Hinduism Today Magazine. Part 2 of 2. In part 2 Bodhinatha discusses the benefits ...

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      Monthly Video - February 2010

      Our monthly video for February 2010. Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, spiritual head of Kauai's Hindu Monastery and publisher of Hinduism Today Magazine, reads his Publisher's Desk editorial from the April/May/June 2010 ...

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      Ten Tales About Religious Life

      Ten Tales About Religious Life is a series of short stories for 10 to 12-year-olds illustrating key concepts for good conduct for Hindus in a modern context in a cultural ...

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      Bodhinatha's June 2013 Mid-West Trip Part 5

      After Minnesota, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami traveled to Ontario, Canada, to visit the Hindu Temple of Windsor and the home of one of his formal sishyas. Windsor is just across the ...

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      Path to Higher Consciousness

      Bodhinatha's presentation is based on the Oct/Nov/Dec 2014 edition of Hinduism Today and is entitled "Path to Higher Consciousness". Bodhinatha explains that attaining higher consciousness requires more than virtuous living and humanitarian ...

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      Surrender is Central to All Yogas

      Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami reads his editorial from the Jul/Aug/Sep 2017 edition of Hinduism Today magazine. "Individuals who are not religious make progress toward achieving their goals in life by self-effort. Whatever they accomplish is, from their perspective, solely the result of what they do to achieve it." In order to unfold spiritually, one must relinquish his free instinctive nature and surrender ...

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      Ten Tales About Self-Control

      Ten Tales About Self-Control is a series of short stories for 10 to 12-year-olds illustrating key concepts for good conduct for Hindus in a modern context in a cultural setting ...

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      Yoga's Forgotten Foundation

      Ancient secrets from the yoga tadition for building good character and self-discipline, the seldom-taught but essential first steps for knowing God within. ...

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      What Is Karma?

      Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami reads from Lesson 31 of the Himalayan Academy publication "Path To Siva," explaining the law of Karma which is considered as the automatic system of divine justice. The three ...

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      Karma Management Part 1

      I get many questions about karma that are way off the mark. We need to understand karma and apply it to our life. Here are 4 of the principles Principle ...

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      Karma Management Part 2

      Review of part 1 plus... Fifth principle: create no negative karmas. Refrain from actions that will create negative karmas. Promise to. Sixth principle: Mitigate past karma. As long as we're ...

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      Austerity Part 1

      Bodhinatha elaborates on the four-fold concept of austerity, which Gurudeva defined as sadhana, penance, tapas and sacrifice. So, why bother performing austerities? It increases our speed on the spiritual path. ...

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      What Is Our Code of Conduct? Yamas

      "Siva's devotees...move the forces of the world and are not moved or affected by them." We meet and interact with all kinds of people. If we're not following all the yamas it gets difficult to hold spirituality and to meditate. Actions which deviate from ...

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      Playfulness in Children

      Two boys were on a task force program at Kauai Aadheenam many years ago. I found them one day playing hide and seek in his office and couldn't help laughing. ...

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      Playfulness in Children

      Two boys were on a task force program at Kauai Aadheenam many years ago. I found them one day playing hide and seek in his office and couldn't help laughing. ...

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      Antar Mandir, The Inner Temple

      I am working on an article countering the intention of some in North India to build a Sri Ram temple at Ayodhya whether it causes violence or not. We should ...

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      Gurudeva's Spiritual Toolbox

      Gurudeva said you can either use these tools, or hang them on the wall. The Yamas and Niyamas are two of these tools. When you get to these chapters in ...

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      Yamas and Niyamas pt 1

      The essence of our being is God. This is a beautiful teaching but it is also important to be grounded in other realities. We are a soul, but our soul ...

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      Yamas and Niyamas part 2 Foundation

      Today many people interested in a spiritual path say "Forget the basics, let's just start with the end of the path." Of course this approach doesn't work very well because they don't have a foundation. Gurudeva said that the yamas and ...

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      Yamas and Niyamas part 3 Ashtanga Yoga

      The Yamas are the first stage of the spiritual path. It is the first step in ashtanga yoga, followed by niyama. If someone want to follow the traditional yoga path, ...

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      Yamas and Niyamas part 4 Reference List

      Here is a reference list as to how to self reflect on the yamas and niyamas. For most of the adults we are in contact with, the nonadhereance is going ...

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      Relation of noninjury to contentment

      Bodhinatha continues his talk on the yamas and niyamas, relating the yama noninjury to the niyama of contentment. If we are content within ourselves, the tendency to disturb or hurt ...

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      Satya, or Truthfulness

      Bodhinatha talks about the second yama, truthfulness, satya, with regard to lying and betraying promises. Lying builds a layer of darkness in the subconscious that covers up the soul nature. ...

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      Noninjury and Brahmacharya

      Cybertalk: Bodhinatha speaks on vasudhaiva kutumbakam, "The whole world is one family," in reference to the current problem in India. He discusses the problem of the "my people" concept, that of exclusion, and the division it ...

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      Hindu Children's Modern Stories

      Excerpts from newly published short stories that teach moral values based on the yamas & niyamas, Hinduisms twenty cardinal virtues ...

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      Hinduism's Code of Conduct

      The following paragraphs, with accompanying illustrations by A. Manivel of Chennai, elucidate the yamas and niyamas. Together the yamas and niyamas provide the foundation to support our yoga practice so ...

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      Hinduistischer Verhaltenscode

      Hinduism's Code of Conduct in German (Yamas and Niyamas) ...

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      Silence Is Golden

      We all seek silent moments, islands in the sea of sound, to reflect upon and reap the lessons from lifes experiences. Usually our quest for quietude is an outer search. ...

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      What Is Our Code of Conduct? Niyamas

      In Patanjali's comments on the niyamas he speaks on religious action, kriya, bringing about samadhi and attenuating the kleshas. We think we have to be detached from that which we ...

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      Non-stealing or Non-coveting Part 1

      Bodhinatha continues today with the yamas, the Vedic restraints, with number three, nonstealing, neither stealing, nor coveting nor entering into debt. Though the grossest form of asteya, stealing other people's ...

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      Non-stealing or Non-coveting Part 2

      Bodhinatha talks today on not coveting, an aspect of the yama asteya, nonstealing. Gurudeva described it as owning something mentally and emotionally without actually owning it physically. This easily leads ...

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      Non-stealing or Non-coveting Part 3

      Bodhinatha discusses how to harness desire and conquering the tendency to steal or covet by doing its opposite, giving, which is the niyama of dana. Giving brings true happiness, as ...

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      Vows (Foundation) part 1 of 4

      Bodhinatha talks about the necessity of a proper foundation for spiritual progress, drawing on the example of how skyscrapers are built. This was Gurudeva's strong message when he returned from ...

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      Patience and Forbearance

      Bodhinatha shares with an article he wrote for a religious newspaper published in Mauritius, titled "Patience and Forbearance." In it he gives examples of patience and how one can lead a cultured ...

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      Revealed Scriptures

      Bodhinatha speaks about Hinduism's revealed scriptures, the Vedas and Agamas. These are called sruti, "that which is heard." This ties into the 6th niyama, siddhanta sravana, which is literally scriptural "listening." The transferrence ...

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      Jivana Ritau Focuses

      Bodhinatha speaks a bit about the Jivana Ritau and its focus on looking at areas we are weak in and trying to upgrade. The yamas and niyamas are the ideals ...

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      The Power of Words

      Controlling our speech is a key spiritual practice. Remember Gurudeva's advice: "Think before you speak and speak only that which is true, kind, helpful and necessary." "Using profane language is a curse upon the system we call life." To accept life as our creation and not somebody else's takes our observation. If there's too much ...

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      Awareness, Will and Life Force

      Learn from the experience of others following the yamas and niyamas thereby quickening progress in life. Awareness gives us energy. Willpower (mati) needs to be governed by intelligence, used wisely. ...

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      The Importance of Controlling Anger

      Part 2 of 4 - In Bodhinatha's moksha ritau address for 2002, he continues with a practical explanation of the affects of anger and how important it is to get ...

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      Strengthening Hinduism in Your Community

      Bodhinatha delivers a wonderful talk which he will be giving at the Hindu Renaissance 2, the second rally on Hindu Rennaisance organized by the Malaysian Hindu Sangam. Gurudeva encouraged Hindus ...

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      False Concepts About the Spiritual Path

      As is true in many areas of life, there are more false concepts about something than true concepts, and this is certainly true regarding the spiritual path. Here Bodhinatha speaks ...

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      Putting Gurudeva's Teachings to the Best Use, Part 4

      Bodhinatha continues his Gurudeva mahasamadhi observances class with this part on the importance of The Master Course Trilogy in helping us establish our foundation of philosophical understanding (Dancing with Siva) ...

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      Force Fields and Thought

      You are much more influenced by those who surround you then you realize. We want to be the changer rather than the changed. We need to be challenged to strengthen ...

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      Yama 5 - Kshama, Patience

      Yama number 5 - kshama, patience. The youth group in Malaysia is focusing on the yamas and niyamas as the basics for successful temple worship. There are many opportunities to ...

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      Yama 6 - Dhriti, Steadfastness

      Yama number 6 - dhriti, steadfastness. Willpower has to be used to be steadfast. Overcoming fear, and perseverance, are steadfastness. Gurudeva said, "consistency is the key to the conquest of karma." Dhriti is also important to progressing on ...

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      Yama 7 - Daya, Compassion

      Yama number 7 - daya, compassion. Compassion is conquering cruelty. It is the outgrowth of love. Bodhinatha explains he difference beween ahimsa and daya. Part of compassion is the desire ...

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      Yama 8 - Arjava, Honesty

      Yama number 8 - arjava, honesty. Part of the reason for these talks is that there is a high demand in Malaysia. We need to harness the tendency to be ...

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      Yama 9 - Mitahara, Moderate Appetite

      Bodhinatha begins with a note about Mother's Day, Father's Day and Grandparent's Day. He offers the key that we should be openly appreciative of our elders, and the more specific ...

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      Yama 10 - Saucha, Purity

      Yama number 10, saucha, purity. Purity includes clean clothing, good character, physical surroundings and no foul language. Physical purity is important, especially washing clothes regularly, or putting them in the ...

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      Niyama 1 - Hri, Remorse and Modesty

      Bodhinatha speaks on hri, the niyama of remorse, which is needed to resolve problems. Niyamas focus on helping us to express our divine qualities. Criminals will repeat crimes unless they ...

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      Niyama 2 - Santosha, Contentment

      Bodhinatha speaks on santosha, contentment. This niyama is about being content and happy on the inside of ourselves no matter what happens on the outside. Unfulfilled desires keep us from ...

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      Niyama 3 - Dana, Giving

      After a short introduction on the progress of our children's course, of efforts to get Gurudeva's teachings to a broader region through classes and camps in various countries, Bodhinatha speaks ...

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      Niyama 4 - Astikya, Faith

      Bodhinatha speaks on the niyama of astikya, faith. In Hinduism experience develops faith. Faith starts out as a belief in what we have not yet experienced. This leads to experience ...

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      Niyama 5 - Ishvarapujana, Worship

      Bodhinatha speaks on the niyama of Ishvarapujana, worship of the Gods. Cultivate devotion by having a home shrine so that God and the Gods live with you all day long. ...

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      Niyama 6 - Siddhanta Shravana

      The niyama of siddhanta shravana involves studying and listening to learned people, our primary scriptures, the Vedas, and other holy texts. This guides us to become more spiritual people. But ...

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      Improving Our Behavior with the Help of the Guru - Part 1

      Part 1 of 7 - Bodhinatha gives a class during Guru Purnima on the role of the guru. The guru has five major tasks, to provide encouragement to keep striving, ...

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      Improving Our Behavior with the Help of the Guru - Part 2

      Part 2 of 7 - Continuing Bodhinatha's first Guru Purnima class on the role of the guru, focusing on the guru's major task of helping us improve our behavior by ...

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      Improving Our Behavior with the Help of the Guru - Part 3

      Part 3 of 7 - Continuing Bodhinatha's first Guru Purnima class on the role of the guru, Bodhinatha says that worship and meditation are important in spiritual life, but a ...

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      Improving Our Behavior with the Help of the Guru Part 4

      Part 4 of 7 - Continuing Bodhinatha's first Guru Purnima class on the role of the guru and his task of helping us improve our behavior, we look at rung ...

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      Improving Our Behavior with the Help of the Guru Part 5

      Part 5 of 7 - Continuing Bodhinatha's first Guru Purnima class on the role of the guru and his task of helping us improve our behavior, Bodhinatha tells us that ...

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      Becoming a More Spiritual Person Part 1

      Part 1 of 3 - Bodhinatha gives a second class during Guru Purnima on the role of the guru. Beginning with a glorious quote from Gurudeva about the spirit of ...

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      Becoming a More Spiritual Person Part 2

      Part 2 of 3 - Bodhinatha continues his second class during Guru Purnima, talking about becoming a more spiritual person and how we can do that through learning from our ...

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      Becoming a More Spiritual Person Part 3

      Part 3 of 3 - Bodhinatha continues his second class during Guru Purnima, talking more about not making the same mistake twice. Using the yamas and niyamas as a reference ...

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      Niyama 7 - Mati, Cognition

      Bodhinatha speaks about the niyama mati, cognition. He urges seekers to develop a spiritual will and intellect with their guru's guidance. Part of mati involves cultivating and awakening our intuition, ...

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      Niyama 7 - Mati, Cognition

      Bodhinatha speaks about the niyama mati, cognition. He urges seekers to develop a spiritual will and intellect with their guru's guidance. Part of mati involves cultivating and awakening our intuition, ...

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      Niyama 8 - Vrata, Vows

      Bodhinatha speaks on the eighth niyama, vrata, the practice of taking vows to ourselves, to the inner worlds and to family and community. Vows are a sacred trust. There are ...

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      Niyama 9 - Japa, Recitation

      Bodhinatha speaks on the niyama of japa, the many dimensions of the sacred science of chanting a mantra, a holy syllable, word or sentence again and again. Often japa is ...

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      Yama 4 - Brahmacharya

      Bodhinatha spoke on the yama of brahmacharya, purity and chastity, today. He described it as the harnessing of the instincts, including sexual desire, stressing the value of remaining celibate until ...

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      Yama 1 - Ahimsa

      Bodhinatha speaks on the first yama, ahimsa, which is noninjury in thought, word and deed. The law of karma decrees that it is wise not to harm or hurt others, ...

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      Introduction to the Yamas and Niyamas

      Cybertalk: Bodhinatha gives his introduction to the Yamas and niyamas, the Hindu Code of Conduct. He explains that a simple look at what it means to be a Hindu is ...

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      Yama 2 - Satya, Truthfulness

      Bodhinatha speaks on satya, the second yama. Truthfulness relates to what we say and honesty to what we do. People lie when they are fearful. People also lie to make ...

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      Putting Gurudeva's Teachings to the Best Use, Part 2

      Bodhinatha continues his Gurudeva mahasamadhi observances class with this part on how Gurudeva continues to influence us by his teachings. All who continue to put into practice the teachings he ...

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      Putting Gurudeva's Teachings to the Best Use, Part 3

      Bodhinatha continues his Gurudeva mahasamadhi observances class with this part on ashtanga yoga, which is the teaching of our Nandinatha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara. When you go to study yoga somewhere ...

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      Tolerance as a Hindu Value

      Bodhinatha began by speaking of the troubles in the world today, in the aftermath of 9/11. At the core of the problem is hatred, and we need to counter all ...

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      Contentment - Santosha, Cultivating Joy and Serenity in Life

      Santosha, the second niyama. Find joy in the morning. In the physical world no thing is perfect as it is subject to creation, preservation and dissolution. Perfection is in the ...

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      Sadhana Path of Change

      Follow Gurudeva's teachings in a serious way; take up a daily vigil, sandhya vandana, worshiping at the change of days (sunrise and sunset). It takes time to change and master ...

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      Activating Kundalini; Patanjali's Kriya Yoga

      Unless kundalini is active, the deepest meditative states are not available to us. But to activate kundalini, Gurudeva tells us we must invoke the grace of Lord Ganesha and Lord ...

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      Purify Subconscious, Let Go of Negative Attachments

      With the worship of Lord Karttikeya, the study of Gurudeva's teachings and the practice of daily sadhana awaken kundalini in a gentle controlled way. Through svadhyaya, communion with Ishta Devata ...

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      Handling Life's Experiences

      The three gunas: brightness (satya,) activity (rajas), inertia (tamas). Each soul needs a certain amount of experience before it is ready to transcend the world through achieving liberation. How many ...

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      Bhakti, Devotion, the Key to Meditation

      It's easier to meditate after puja. If you try and practice meditation without devotional practice you can build up the ego and spiritual pride. External and internal worship. Give up ...

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      Stabilize Consciousness in the Muladhara Chakra and Above

      The challenge of not falling below the muladhara chakra. "Achieve freedom with responsibility," living in the box of dharma. Ahimsa and himsa: Patanjali advises: to overcome the propensity to do harm, cultivate the ...

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      How Do We Use Our Home Shrine?

      We need to perfect Ishvarapujana, personal worship, before we can expect to do really well in meditation. "The idea of Ishvarapujana, worship, is to always be living with God, living in Siva in God's house..." Learn the spirit of the puja, learn the spirit of devotion, get ...

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      Ahimsa, All is One, See Others As Yourself

      The desire to harm comes from discontent. A profound basis for ahimsa is that everything is One and everything is Divine. See the Divine shine forth in all beings, all ...

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      What Is Good Conduct?

      Good conduct is right thought, right speech and right action." Apply T-H-I-N-K: true, helpful, inspirational, necessary, kind in our thoughts, words and deeds. "Conduct ourself properly within ourself." Encourage rather than discourage. Praise rather ...

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      Sleep and Dreams: Working with Our Dreams

      Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami reads this chapter from his book Merging with Siva ...

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      Why Should We Learn a Cultural Art?

      Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami reads from Lesson 66 of the Himalayan Academy publication Path To Siva, discussing the importance of Hindu Art and Culture ...

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      Restraints and Observances

      Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami reads from "Living With Siva," lesson 8, discussing Hinduism's yamas and niyamas, its religious restraints and observances. ...

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      Yamas, Niyamas - Remolding Our Character

      "Yamas and niyamas are ancient scriptural injunctions for all aspects of human thought, attitude and behavior." Our behavior is based on attitudes which are based on thoughts. Character can be remolded with great dedication and effort and it is the foundation for spiritual unfoldment. Hinduism ...

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      Bodhinatha discusses the seven chakras, the pranic body, the San Marga and the 52 character qualities

      A class given by Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami during the 2014 Mauritius Innersearch. He discusses the seven chakras, the pranic body, the San Marga and the 52 character qualities. ...

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      Gossiping, Easiest way to enlightenment

      A cybercadet from Texas asks about backbitting and gossip and wonders what to do when at family events that is all that takes place. Gurudeva gives his permission to her ...

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      The Quiet Mind

      Insights become more clear when you look at them from the fourth dimension. To enjoy peace it's helpful to have the mind quiet, practicing abstinence from excessive talk. Nirvikalpa samadhi: ...

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      From Merging With Siva - The River of Life - Part 7

      Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami gives his weekly upadesha in Kadavul Temple at Kauai's Hindu Monastery in Hawaii. It is part seven of a series of talks elaborating on the inspired teachings ...

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      Life, the Great Experience - Instinctive - Part 1

      The philosophy of all gurus: To do nothing is the greatest thing on Earth. We have an instinctive nature to which power is given when we go against what we ...