COME MEDITATE IN CONNECTICUT
Know Thyself – A Journey of Self-Discovery Through Meditation
The 6th Step: Balance
In perfect balance we have from everything equally. Moving out to gain more of one side will always result in having less on the other.
We experience complete balance when our emotions and desires (shown in the figure as the blue channel) work in perfect harmony with our actions (the yellow channel). On such days everything will be in the flow and even the most grumpy person will not be able to spoil your day but on the contrary might be shocked about the big undisturbed smile you might give him.
Most of us surely have enjoyed such days but when it comes to keep this pleasant state we might have ended up with a big question mark.
The 6th Step:
It is easy to say “find your balance” but unfortunately it is not that simple. We first have to understand what throws us out of balance and the effect of it on our subtle system. Only then we are able to make changes.
Imagine an airplane with only one wing, or one wheel. Everyone knows that it will never take off. The same principle applies for our subtle system. If we have only developed the right channel but not the left or vice versa we might face difficulties to reach our objectives.
If we go too much into our left channel representing our emotions, desires or the past we lose touch with our right channel which is the power of action. This can result in continuous drowsiness, lethargy, exhaustion, feeling depressed and in a later stage becoming suicidal.
If we push ourselves too much into the right channel, thinking a lot and constantly planning the future we lose touch with our left channel which is our emotions. This results in a lack of attention, restlessness, becoming more impatient and ending up with outbursts of anger or violent behavior.
When we are in balance we are in the present moment. In this state we are in complete control of our thoughts – if we want we can think, if we do not want we can stop our thoughts. We are not dragged down by our emotions nor are we beaten up by our demands and expectations what we have to reach. Everything we do becomes effortless and enjoyable.
Here is a small test:
Take a pen and a paper and over the day (maybe every hour) check in on yourself and see what you were thinking right then.
Write it down.
At the end of the day determine if your thoughts were more about the past or the future. This will give you a good idea if you tend to go into your left side or into your right.
Another test:
Watch people around you and try to determine if they are moving in the left channel (past, emotions, desires), in the right channel (futuristic, dynamic, thinking a lot) or in the center channel (balanced and in harmony with oneself and others).
The Goal
Thoughtless Awareness
Finding your balance means first of all to start being in the present moment by becoming thoughtless.
One can compare it with the state of a child. Children do not think about the past or the future. They are most of the time in the here and now. Therefore their attention is complete and can absorb everything around them apart from having seemingly unlimited energy that is not wasted by thought processing.
The Exercise
With the awakening of our Inner Energy, the Kundalini, balancing our left and right side becomes simple. When you meditate your Kundalini helps you to clear your thoughts and to calm down your emotions. If you have not done the guided meditation to awaken the Kundalini, yet, then see Step 1.
During the week-days there are live on-line meditations from 8:00-08:30 PM Eastern Time which you can join here: http://live.sahajameditation.com
These live meditations are being recorded, so that you can meditate also at any other time of the day with a guided meditation, if you wish to.
Here is a meditation with simple techniques how to clear the left and right side. This will help you to come into your center and enjoy the state of thoughtless awareness.
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In the following workshop Shri Mataji shows more techniques to clear the left and right side with the help of different elements:
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I wish you a wonderful time full of balance and joy,
Your’s, Angi
The 5th Step: Clearing Techniques
After a long summer break we are back and as the weather is still great to do all sorts of outdoors activities we thought of sharing some helpful treatments for clearing the subtle system which we usually do indoors but are also great to do out in nature.
Here is an overview of the various clearing techniques that allow us to get rid of stuck and negative energy and recharge our subtle systems.
FOOTSOAK
a treatment to dissolve stress, angry feelings, tension, edginess and too much thinking
The most recommended clearing technique is to take a foot-soak (around 10-15 minutes) every day after coming home from work or before going to bed.
Here is a short video clip how to do it at home. If you are near the sea or a lake or a river, you ca have your foot-soak there.
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Other techniques including the water element:
- Walking or standing barefoot in the morning or evening dew
- Standing barefoot on Mother Earth, pouring water over your feet
ICE-PACK
an emergency treatment to immediately calm down any stress feelings; great after a special stressful working day
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CANDLE TREATMENT
great to balance the emotional side and get rid of sadness, lethargy, depressive feelings etc
Take one candle and move it up and down the left side of your body. Do this for around 10 minutes. The flames help to pull out all negative energies from the emotional side. Please do not hold it too close to your clothes or any other inflammable objects.
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Another simple technique is to sit outside and let the sun light chase away all sad or depressive feelings. Please choose times of the day where the sun is not too hot.
MOTHER EARTH
It is an extremely simple technique: sit on the ground and put both hands flat on the ground. Let the earth absorb all tensions or negative energies.
All these techniques help a lot to clear our subtle body and allow the vibrations to flow more freely.
As long as the weather allows, try some of these techniques outdoors. Let Mother Earth give you a great treat and charge you with lots of fresh energy.
Yours, Angi
Say I am You
Something beautiful I would like to share with you all
A Personal Experience
All over the world people stream to meditation programs to experience the awakening of their Kundalini, the Inner Energy. With this awakening we receive a new awareness, and realize that our self is much more than we could ever have imagined. Therefore the process is also called as self-realization.
Here you can see how the Inner Energy is awakened, and hear a personal experience from a lady who tried it out. If you would like to experience the awakening of your Inner Energy, click here. I hope you enjoy it!
May 5th Declared World Realisation Day In Honour Of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Founder of Sahaja Yoga Meditation
The Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Sahaja Yoga World Foundation is pleased to announce the recognition of 5th May as World Realisation Day, in honour of the work and vision of the founder of Sahaja Yoga meditation, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. The date marks the day in 1970 when Shri Mataji managed to transcend significant cosmic barriers through her meditation under a Bilva tree on a remote beach in Nargol India, and open the final Chakra called the Sahasrara.
By effecting this momentous change, Shri Mataji opened the door to a new era of universal emancipation through spiritual growth, and most importantly she enabled the opportunity for large numbers of people to receive their spiritual enlightenment quickly and easily. Instead of having to retreat to mountaintop austerity, anyone could energize the vital Kundalini energy inside of them and become connected to the cosmic spirit through yoga meditation.
Shri Mataji made this process, called self-realisation, into the root of a form of yoga meditation she called Sahaja Yoga. Uniquely among practices of this kind, the key is ‘thoughtless awareness’, which elevates through mental silence, rather than through using visualisation or other kinds of mental focus. This form of meditation has grown massively over the past 40 years and is now practiced in over 122 countries. Practitioners come from all walks of life and cultures, and typically discover the kind of peace, satisfaction and general well-being that modern society tends to degrade.
Shri Mataji, who as a young child worked with Mahatma Gandhi in the non-violent struggle for India’s independence, was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and received the U.N. Peace Medal in 1989. She spent more than 40 years traveling the world to spread her message of peace and unity through her soothing form of meditation. Uniquely among the so-called gurus of the time, her key message was that every person carries the seed of their own mastery inside themselves. They can in effect become their own guru, without need to resort to dogma or ritual. The meditation would provide all that anyone needed to unlock the reality behind this material universe, and help them find purpose and enjoyment in their existence once more.
Shri Mataji passed away in 2011, but her legacy lives on in the lives and community work of her followers around the world. She repeatedly explained that every person has the right to obtain their self-realisation, and the process of delivering self-realisation to anyone who asks for it, free of charge and with no obligation, carries on today as strongly as when this extraordinary personality was alive.
The tree on the beach in India which was the only witness to the cosmic breakthrough has now been designated Nirmal Tree, named after Shri Mataji, and is officially recognized as a place of deep spiritual significance. It is hoped that the 5th May, a date which one day may rank as the most important anniversary in the history of mankind, will serve as a universal and suitably loving memorial to the guru of gurus and teacher of teachers, who brought tangible, meaningful spirituality to a world lost in fear and confusion.
More information can be found at www.shrimataji.org
Freedom is…
In the center, you have nothing but freedom, that’s all. Nothing but freedom. Then this freedom is the knowledge, this freedom is the love, this freedom is the discretion. ~ Shri Mataji
Today I Am Wise
Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world.
Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.
Rumi
Happy 90th Birthday, Shri Mataji!
Today millions of people around the world are celebrating the 90th Birth Anniversary of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi – the Great Spiritual Leader, the Great Visionary. In recognition of Her strength, love, devotion and compassion, many people call Her “Mother”. Those of us who have not heard or read about Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi could be surprised that the personality of such stature has not reached their awareness before… The impact of Her work and Her contribution to the well-being of humanity as a whole is hard to estimate.
When She was young, Shri Mataji worked with Mahatma Gandhi in the fight for India’s Independence. Her vision of universal peace and unity continues his dreams on a spiritual level. Gandhi recognized Shri Mataji’s spiritual gifts in Her early childhood and consulted Her on spiritual matters. Shri Mataji maintained that there is an innate spiritual potential – Primordial Energy – often referred to as “Kundalini”, within every human being, and it can be spontaneously awakened. She emphasized that this awakening, described as Self-Realization, cannot be purchased. Money has never been charged, nor will it be, for the experience of Self-Realization or for the teaching of Sahaja Yoga Meditation.
For more than forty years she travelled internationally, offering free public lectures and the experience of Self-Realization to all, regardless of race, religion or circumstance. Only in 1990, Shri Mataji conducted more than two hundred events in twenty-six countries, including Brazil, India, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, France, England, Poland, Spain, Italy, the United States, and many more. The distance she travelled in that year exceeded 83,885 miles, which was the equivalent of circling the globe three times.
Her unique discovery of a simple technique to trigger the awakening of the primordial energy, transformed millions around the world and many more are to come.
International Awards and Recognitions
● Italy, 1986: Declared the ‘Personality of The Year’ by the Italian Government.
● Moscow, Russia,1989: Shri Mataji had a meeting with the Head of the Ministry of Health, USSR. Following which Sahaja Yoga was granted a ‘Full Government Sponsorship’ which included funding for promotion and scientific research.
● St. Petersburg, Russia, 1993: Inaugurated the first International Conference on Medicine and Self-Knowledge, which became an annual event at the Academy thereafter.
● St. Petersburg, Russia, 1994: Got appointed as Honorary Member to ‘The presidium of Petroyaska’s Academy of Art and Science’ and was told, “You are even higher than science.” Only twelve people so far have been granted this honor; Albert Einstein is one among them.
● Brazil, 1994: The Mayor of city of Brazilia welcomed Shri Mataji at the airport and presented Her with the‘Key to The City’, and sponsored all of Her programs.
● 1994: Nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.
● Romania, 1995: Awarded Honorary Doctorate in Cognitive Science by Prof D. Drimer, head of the Ecological University Bucharest.
● Sydney, Australia, 1995: The Mayor of Sydney officially welcomes Shri Mataji during Her visit to Australia.
● Beijing, China, 1995: Official guest of the Chinese Government to speak at the United Nations International Women’s Conference.
● India, 1995: The Indian Government has granted Shri Mataji a one hour prime time television series, broadcast nationally.
● Sophia, Bulgaria, July 26, 1995: General Secretary of the international ‘Ecoforum for Peace’ expressed appreciation to Shri Mataji and wished realization of Her goals and ideals.
● 1996: Nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.
● France, May 2, 1996: International Award ‘La Pléiade’.
● India, 1997: The ‘Unity International Peace Award’ by the Unity International Foundations. Shri Mataji’s name included to the List of The Greatest People of The Planet for her fundamental contribution to the scientific and spiritual development.
● London, UK, 1997: Tribute to Shri Mataji at the Royal Albert Hall by Claes Nobel (Chairman of United Earth Organization and grandnephew of Alfred Nobel, creator of the Nobel Foundation). In his admiration speech Mr. Nobel acknowledged: “Shri Mataji’s discovery brings genuine hope to humanity”.
● Delhi, India, 1998: Greetings from the President and Prime-Minister of India on Shri Mataji’s 75th Birthday.
● India, 1998: A road in Navi Mumbai got named as the H.H. Shri Nirmala Devi Marg.
● Pune, India, 2001: Manav Ratna Award in recognition of Shri Mataji’s selfless work for all humanity.
● Moscow, Russia, 2003: Sahaja Yoga awarded “Best diagnosis and therapies of regenerative medicine 2003” by the Ministry of Health of Russia.
● Cabella Ligure, Italy, 2006: Awarded Honorary Citizenship of Italy by the local assembly for the Municipal Office of Cabella Ligure, Alessenandria Italy.
Awards and Recognitions in North America
“Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, the Mother, is recognized internationally as the most significant force in the world today and she will awaken in us the force that will change our life and change the world.”
– Dwight Tillery, Mayor of Cincinnati, September 10, 1992
● New York, USA, 1989-1994: Invited by the United Nations for four consecutive years to speak on ‘How to achieve world peace’.
● New York, USA, 1989: The U.N. Peace Medal as a recognition for Her outstanding contribution to the humanity and World Peace.
● USA,105th Congress, 1997 and 106th Congress, 2000: Honorarium read into Congressional Record by Congressman Eliot Engle commending Shri Mataji for her dedicated and tireless work for humanity.
● Cincinnati, USA,1992: Dwight Tillery, Mayor of Cincinnati, proclaimed September 10th as “Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Day”.
● Philadelphia, USA,1993: Edward G. Rendell, Mayor of Philadelphia, October 15th as “Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Day”.
● Los Angeles, USA, 1993 and 1994: Letter of Welcome and Continued Friendship was granted by Mayor Richard Riordan on behalf of the people of Los Angeles. 
● New York, USA,1994: Police escort was granted for a welcomingparade honoring Shri Mataji and celebrating her association with Mahatma Gandhi. The half day march originated on 5th Avenue and encircled Central Park.
● British Columbia, Canada, 1994: Letter of Welcome was granted by the Premier of the Province of British Columbia, Mr. Mike Harcourt, on behalf of the people of Canada.
● Vancouver, Canada, 1994: Letter of Welcome was granted by Mayor Philip W. Owen on behalf of the people of Vancouver, Canada.
● Yonkers, New York, USA, 1996: Letter of Welcome was granted by Mayor of Yonkers, New York. September 26 was proclaimed as “Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Day”.
● USA, 1999: Honorary Proclamation by the US Congress which was submitted to the Congressional Records.
● Berkley, USA, 2000: Shirley Dean, Mayor of Berkley, proclaimed June 5th as “Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Day”.
● Cincinnati, USA, 2001: Charlie Luken, Mayor of Cincinnati, proclaimed March 21st as “Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Day”.
● New York, USA, 2001: Congressional Recognition and 78th Birthday Greetings by House of Representatives.
● Plano, Texas, 2001: Special Recognition on Shri Mataji’s 78th Birthday from Jeran Akers, Mayor of the city of Plano, Texas.
● Texas, 2001: Special Greetings on Shri Mataji’s 78th Birthday from Rick Perry, Governor of Texas.
● Pittsburgh, USA, 2001: Tom Murphy, Mayor of Pittsburgh, proclaimed March 21st as “Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Day”.
● New York, USA, 2001: New York State Assembly Honoring Shri Mataji on the occasion of Her 78th Birthday.
● British Columbia, Canada, 2001: 78th Birthday Greetings by the Premier of the Province of British Columbia, Canada.
● Austin, USA, 2008: Will Wynn, Mayor of Austin City, proclaimed March 21 as “Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Day”.
● Prince Edward Island, Canada, 2010: Special Greetings on Shri Mataji’s 87th Birthday from Robert Chiz, Premier of Prince Edward Island.
● Ottawa, Canada, 2010: Warmest Congratulations on Shri Mataji’s 87th Birthday from the Prime Minister of Canada.
● Toronto, Canada, 2010: Special Greetings on Shri Mataji’s 87th Birthday from Premier Dalton McGuinty on behalf of the Government of Ontario.
● Toronto, Canada, 2010: Warmest Congratulations on Shri Mataji’s 87th Birthday from Mayor David Miller and Members of Toronto City Council.
● British Columbia, Canada, 2010: Warmest Congratulations on Shri Mataji’s 87th Birthday from the Premier of British Columbia, Canada.
● Washington, USA, 2010: Birthday Congratulations from the White House by Michelle Obama and recognition of Shri Mataji’s life as an important part of the American story.
● Washington, D.C., USA, 2012: Vincent Gray, Mayor of Washington, proclaimed March 21 as “Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Day”.
Some humanitarian institutions founded by Shri Mataji
Shri Mataji also founded many Non Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) which include:
1. An international health center to help patients from all over the world to use Sahaja Yoga Meditation techniques in order to treat their ailments. This health center has been producing very successful results in alleviating the symptoms of a number of incurable diseases such as cancer, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. (CBD Belapur, Vashi, India)
2. A charity organization for poor people “Nirmal Prem” in Greater Noida, India to provide shelter to destitute and homeless women, where they can also optionally learn Sahajayoga (Greater Noida, India)
3. An international music academy (PKS Academy, Vaitarna, Maharashtra, India) to promote classical music, as well as classical dance and fine arts.
4. An international theater company whose international cast and crew has successfully toured throughout Europe, Australia, Israel, India and the USA. Its mission to produce performances that promote racial and cultural understanding worldwide. (TEV)
5. A number of educational establishments to provide culture, ethics and moral values in children have been established (ISPS-Dharmshala in India, Canajoharie-US and many others).
The 4th Step: How To Feel Vibrations
In the steps 1-3 we talked about the Inner Energy and how we can actually feel it, when it is awakened. Although many people do get the experience of feeling the cool breeze and – what we call – the vibrations, there are also many who do not feel it right away. I was one of them, when I started to meditate. I did not feel anything at all, but I felt very relaxed and peaceful inside. This, and that I was never asked for money, made me go on with this meditation. It might sound strange to give importance to the fact that I did not have to pay for this meditation, but I always thought of meditation as something spiritual, where we connect with something higher, be it our own higher self or a higher power, and it always felt dishonest to me when people made a money business out of it.
Shri Mataji, the founder of Sahaja Yoga Meditation, always emphasised that this knowledge cannot be sold.
A Personal Recollection
My first experience of actually feeling the vibrations was maybe after two years. There were workshops from time to time where someone would sit behind a person and help clearing the energy centers (that will be a subject for a later post where you can learn how to help another person to balance their energy centers). In one of those sessions a lady “worked on me” and suddenly I felt a cool breeze spreading all over my back which was a quite interesting feeling as it was winter time and I was packed in a warm sweater, but the coolness came from under the sweater.
Therefore, please: Don’t give up!
Helpful Tricks
Luckily, there are some “tricks” to help.
We will make a big jump forward to one of the energy-centers that is placed at the level of the throat, called the Vishuddhi. This center allows us to feel the vibrations, so if we don’t, it indicates that this center is constricted.
We will have a deeper look into it later on, but for now it is enough to know that one of the main aspects of the throat-center is self-esteem.
If we do not respect ourselves, or are buried in guilt-feelings, this center is very likely blocked.
Let’s do a small test:
Take a paper and a pen.
Within 1 minute write down all your negative sides, your weaknesses, and negative habits.
Turn the paper around.
Now for another minute write down all your positive sides, your strengths and positive habits.
Who was the winner? The negative side, or the positive one? Most of the time it is the easiest thing for us, to find faults after faults with ourselves and feel terribly guilty about them, but when it comes to our qualities, we start thinking…
The 4th Step
We will work on several levels to open up the throat center.
There are some simple physical exercises and treatments we can use.
Regular meditation helps a lot. When our Inner Energy is awakened, she starts going into all those energy-centers that are constricted and starts removing all negative energies there. With time we start feeling an inner freshness and lightness, when more and more of these inner blocks are dissolved.
It is also important to become more mindful about how we deal with ourselves. Are we kind, loving and patient with ourselves and forgiving when we made a mistake? Or are we harsh and aggressive to our inner being, throwing one unkind guilt-feeling after the other on us, never being good enough for anything? Here is your new slogan:
How you want others to treat you, so treat yourself.
The Goal
We want our throat-center to open up more and more which will result in
- feeling vibrations (at the beginning it can be very faint, sometimes cool, sometimes warm)
- to be mindful towards oneself
- to let drop-out all guilt feelings
It is very important to see how we deal with mistakes we might have committed.
When guilt feelings are pressing down on us, we tend to justify our actions, thus not really facing what we have done wrong, and most of the time continuing with it, feeling more guilty, needing more justifications, and soon we are trapped in a vicious circle.
Sometimes we also have the misconception that we think if we have done something wrong, the only way to repent for it is feeling guilty – that is very wrong and one of the main reasons, why our throat center is blocked.
If we have done anything wrong, the best way is to face it, take up responsibility and never do the same mistake again. If we have accepted a mistake, and are committed to never repeat it again, there is no need to feel guilty anymore – we have learned a lesson that made us richer in our experience and it is time to go on. .
Sometimes it can happen, that we feel guilty without having done anything wrong at all. If this is the case, ask yourself again and again, why you feel guilty, and confirm to yourself with full confidence: I am not guilty at all!
The Exercise
For those who have not done yet the meditation to awaken the Inner Energy, please do that first, as all the other exercises will only work efficiently if the Inner Energy is awakened. You can find it in step 1.
Do the following twice a day if possible, in the morning and in the evening – it takes about 20 minutes.
Repeat these exercises as long as it takes to feel the vibrations in the hands and over the head.
- Take the small test from above, counter all negative aspects with positive ones and write them down – read the positive qualities of yourself every day as a loving reminder
- Gargle with lukewarm salt water
- massage your neck and shoulders with a little bit of olive oil
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Press your chin to the chest-bone, roll the tongue back, breathe relaxed and slowly in and out for 1 minute.
- In the following short video Shri Mataji showed some simple exercises to help the throat-center open up more
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Put the right hand on the left side of your neck, turn the head to the right and say 16 times aloud and with full confidence: I am not guilty !
.- Meditate
I wish you a wonderful week with beautiful meditations and maybe the first hints of the cool breeze in your hands!
Your´s, Angi
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