Kirtan is part of mantra yoga as well as bhakti yoga. Kirtan is joyful chanting in which the name of God is repeated. Kirtan is most powerful when it is done in a group. Together, a powerful vibration is generated in which the separation between individuals disappears. One turns towards God through dance, music and chants. Kirtan is a practice of devotion. Kirtan is the first step of mantra as it is a tool of pratyahara (sense withdrawal), introverting the mind through external practice. When the mind and senses are still externalized, it is difficult to concentrate during mantra japa, and thus at the beginning kirtan is the most powerful practice. However, it does not matter how far one is on the path of yoga, kirtan remains powerful as it is a tool to open the heart and connect with the higher consciousness. In kirtan, it does not matter whether one is a great singer or not. All what matters is the devotion to the Supreme. Bhakti is by itself a complete practice that can lead one to higher experience. "Kumbhak ( Retention of breath) can be attained through Bhakti also. When the emotion reaches climax, the breath stops and the mind becomes fixed" – Neem Karoli Baba
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2/8/2023 0 Comments Yoga as lifestyle!Yoga is a lifestyle, in which should establish one’s yoga experience in daily life. Yoga does not only happen in the moments of asana, pranayama and meditation. One must not only feel oneness with the higher consciousness in one’s sadhana, but rather carry the same feeling with oneself in every daily activity. To do what you do in the foreground, whereas the mind is fixed on the higher consciousness in the background. In this way, one establishes purity in mind, speech and action, in which everything is dedicated towards the higher consciousness. Yoga happens in every activity. It is how one deals with the outside world and difficult situations. Humanity does not suffer because they don’t have asana, pranayama and meditation. Humanity suffers because of the outside world and relationships. Thus, yoga is to be in balance with the outside world. There is yoga as a practice and yoga as a result. Some are in the state of yoga without ever having practiced yoga, whereas others have practiced yoga their whole lives without ever attaining the state of yoga. When the state of yoga is established, the world and situations are experienced beyond the dualities of good and bad, right or wrong, but rather situations simply ‘are’. One is completely non-affected and the outside world is experienced as nothing more than ripples on the surface of the ocean, in which one always resides in the stillness of the ocean. Wisdom is the result of iccha shakti, willpower and kriya shakti, action power. One needs the will, the action without distraction) and its result will lead to wisdom. In the tantric scriptures, five ways are mentioned to get this jnana shakti. The five methods that obtain jnana are as follows:
There is not one specific tradition that one should follow to obtain this wisdom. Not even the practice of yoga. There are two different types of yoga: yoga as practice and yoga as result. There are those in the state of yoga who have never practiced. And those who have practiced their whole life but never reach the state of yoga. It is nothing external, but all internal. Some have obtained the same wisdom through a different way. |
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Shanti Yoga Ashram
Machhegaun Village, Kathmandu Nepal Tel: (977) 1-5214063, 9841-574957 info@shantiyogaashram.com |