Yogi Tips-2 Karma

The Sage then narrated, "The fifth sheath of true being is pure joy with the union of divine sparkling as overflowing peace within us. Here, however, is a greater understanding when the body, mind and soul cry to be united with this immense divine. The soul is already 'That', but the mind and body must repay karma to become That. This yogic reality then puts life on a 'fast-forward' mode. The yogin sits in calm divine within the eye of a hurricane like energy field while all else is redeemed through higher energy flowing from within. Yoga is the centering force, the yogin is within and beyond this 'reality', burning out karma of past, present and future."

1. Each asana, 'the seat', nurtures divine attributes. Each asana of yoga represents evolution of the human body and representation of each living entity. Each living entity has that 'special', i.e., an ant for its strength in proportion to its size, a camel for its ability to sustain etc. Plunge into capturing this divine nectar of understanding within each asana.

2. Recognizing the process of surrender within each asana, create a single pointed mind pegged to the divine throughout the yoga session.

3. A single pointed mind and infinite energy are the outcome of 'divine breathing'. The breath is held as a song with each breath more deep with the need to merge with the divine. Elongated deep breath with the urge to merge in the divine provides the 'intoxicating' feeling and in turn allows for even deeper breathing as an inward whirl into the divine. Drunk in this divine, set yourself free of the thoughts and in that emptiness alternating in fullness, feel the presence of the divine within yourself.

4. Begin to recognize the body as a divine creation of elements in the male and female principle. Begin with the element of earth, then water, then fire, then air and finally space. Ascend upward through each uniting the male and female to become one whole through each. The concept of yin and yang of wholeness applies here when each element is visualized as the basis of our own creation of the body, mind, karma and divine attributes. For instance, if the male element is space or nothingness, the feminine divine is fullness and manifestation.

5. Each 'chakra' or energy center within us is a ‘seat’ within to climb up. Rest and rejuvenate and be absorbed within each energy center before leaping upward to the next. What takes us above is the feminine divine grace characterized as gentleness and nurturing energy. Siddhars invoke the grace of the Goddess to move above to the next orbit at every stage much as a child cries and the mother responds to the child’s need.

6. Climbing up each chakra through the divinity present in each, then perform the 'bandha' in each. Bandha means to lock/ block/withhold… the sages mention the process as like creating a dam to withhold water. It implies, locking the energy at each chakra as our consciousness surges upwards withholding wastage of energy due to its natural downward flow.

7. Gently contracting the muscles as you start with the base below your spine, then your genital area and above your navel area, form this as the most important ‘lock’ as you climb upward.

As you climb upward to your solar plexus region, keep adding up the ‘locks’ while being conscious of the breath now held within. Hold the breath as a huge pot from your belly upwards and perform the ‘bandha’.
It is in the ‘bandhas’ and breath-retaining techniques that the evolved yogis are able to take their body beyond the influence of outside temperatures as the body builds tapasic heat. It Tibetian tantric yoga, it is called ‘tumo’. It is the presence of Mother Kundalini.

8. The sacred fire that destroys karma is alight upon climbing above the navel. The navel chakra is the realms beyond animal instinct and seat above the grasp of ego and attachment. From here and above, seeds of negative karma of past, present and future are burnt as the mantra energy and mental resonance takes us deeper to the divine without the downward pull.

9.Yoga is a good workout to burn negative karma with divine guidance and protection with the internal fire invoked. This internal fire constantly fed by surrender of ego burns the seeds of past, present and future karma that prevents us from being divine beings. Our inherent good nature is angel just waiting to be released as our true personality, wishing to fulfill its duty of earthly manmifestation.
The law of karma begins with good thoughts free of ego.

9. Incorporate your daily yoga with these divine insights. Each day of the journey opens newer doors above and the pathway to becoming the infinite becomes wider with our intellect drinking higher wisdom absorbed in our yoga to become our own personal Guru.

10. When in the final stage of relaxation as in shavasana, the corpse pose, imagine yourself free of the mind and body. Ask yourself, “Whom am ‘I’?”. Then feel your blissful free spirit. Hold this truthful experience of true freedom. In actual world, this would allow you to see everything with detachment, free of ego.

11. Yoga sets free the spirit that then evokes all the divine forces to work along with the awakened knowing. Heart's work is always inspiring, courageous and is spiritual, the essence of the yogic journey.

12. Being in Spirit is the objective of yoga and this is the Space element representing fullness/void. Attaining the knowledge to represent the form of space, celebrate the immense freedom to be.

A quote from Patanjali- " Be steadfast in your abstentation from thoughts of falsehood, of fear that things won't work out. Be steadfast! And you will set in motion the dormant forces which will collaborate with you because you were in Spirit rather than form".

Nandhi learnt and practiced Turiya Yoga, the yogic practices of the South Indian Siddhars after his initiation into this mystical path. He recently moved from India to settle in Santa Monica. His website www.nandhi.com “Visions Beyond Enlightenment”, is an art gallery inspired by the Siddhars.