COME MEDITATE IN CONNECTICUT
The Way to Self-Realisation – the Knowledge of the Spirit
Keeping Balanced in a Chaotic World
Dear All,
I hope you all have recovered from the after-effects of the snow-storm by now and had – despite the wide-spread power failures – some deep meditative experiences.
In a world that is changing so fast, where one crisis is chasing after the other, where even the most optimistic people might grow some sorrow wrinkles on their foreheads, it is more important than ever that we do not lose our balance. “Easier said than done!” many might think – no worries, it is not as difficult as it might seem. It just takes 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the evening every day to “meet” with the All-Pervading Power and to connect with it.
How and what you experience in this connection is as different for everyone as humans are different from each other. But to understand more about this Power and how it works it might be worth a deeper look. According to archeology it seems that already the earliest human-beings felt that there is so much more to life than we can possibly understand. Throughout our evolution we tried to describe this “something more” and get in touch with it in hundreds of different ways. By whatever name you call it – it all comes back to the same conclusion: there is a power at work that even modern science is not capable of understanding – let’s call it the very life force, the spark of life in every being, that cannot be seen, that cannot be touched, but for sure we know it is there, because if it is not than there is no life anymore.
Books and books can be written about this life force that balances everything in so subtle ways that mostly we do not even realize it. But ask a scientist how high is the probability that out of nothing the elements came together in such a balanced way that this world could be created the answer would be: take a jar with 40 white balls at the bottom, then 40 red balls on top and shake it. How many times do you have to shake the jar so that the balls will be in the exact same order as they were at the beginning?
In the West we have made tremendous progress in technology but in ancient India people explored more the spiritual aspects of life and thus gained deeper insights on how this life force works and how we are connected to it. It was a knowledge that could not easily be explained – like how would you describe colors to a blind? So this knowledge had to be experienced, and that was the intent of all spiritual people who came into this world: to help us open our eyes so that we can see the colors ourselves…
Sahaja Meditation helps us to easily connect to this All-Pervading Power and start experiencing it. Still – it might be somewhat difficult to dive into it while standing in a world that has gone out of balance in quite a number of ways, effecting our lives as well. So what we need most nowadays is to come back into balance, starting within. And here we come to one very important energy center in us that is actually taking care of our inner balance – the Nabhi Chakra (which is the Sanskrit name of this energy center).
Apart from producing energy for a number of organs (part of the liver, intestines, stomach, spleen) it focuses on the welfare and evolution in people as well. Here is a detailed “landscape” of this energy center:
- on the left side of the navel: satisfaction, sustenance of the family and household
- on the right side of the navel: power of attention, prosperity in job and financial matters
- in the center: balance, the personal evolution, moral values
You can see how closely our balance is connected to family life, job and financial well-being, for most of us these are the main pillars or foundations on which we build our lives. So just imagine when this center goes out of balance! Life can become quite miserable, then. Therefore it is more important than ever that we take good care of our Nabhi – that means, to meditate and let the All-Pervading Power nourish this energy center with everything it needs to keep us in balance.
A 10-Minutes-Meditation with focus on the Nabhi Center
(make yourself comfortable, can be on a chair, on the floor, on a couch… ):
- If your Inner Energy is already awakened you can skip 1). Otherwise please take the time once for the 20-minutes-meditation by the founder of Sahaja Meditation, Shri Mataji, where she leads you through the process of awakening this energy. If this energy is not awakened the rest will not work!
- Start your meditation by “Raising the Inner Energy” and put the shield of protection around you:Here is a helpful animation how to do it: http://sahajayogawa.com/flash/charlie.swf
Or the detailed description in our Meditation Tips on page 4 and 5: Meditation Tips - Put your right hand on top of the head, put a little bit of pressure and focus there, where you feel the pressure.
- Keep focused on top of your hand, put both hands on the lap and try to feel your left and right middle fingers – do they feel cool, warm, heavy, tingling, any different from he rest of the hand? If they feel cool it means the center is in balance; warm, heavy or tingling sensations indicate that the center is disturbed in its balance
The left middle finger corresponds to your left Nabhi: If you feel a warm, heavy or tingling sensation on the left middle finger put your right hand on the left side of your navel, left hand palm upwards on the lap, keep the focus on top of your head, stay in mental silence for about 10 minutes (or longer if you wish so)
The right middle finger corresponds to your right Nabhi: If you feel a warm, heavy or tingling sensation on the right middle finger put your left hand on the right side of your navel, right hand palm upwards on the lap, keep the focus on top of your head, stay in mental silence for about 10 minutes (or longer if you wish so)
Both middle fingers together corresponds to your center Nabhi: If you feel a warm, heavy or tingling sensation on both middle fingers put your right hand on your navel, left hand palm upwards on the lap, keep the focus on top of your head, stay in mental silence for about 10 minutes (or longer if you wish so)
- Stay in mental silence for about 10 minutes (or as long as you wish to)
- Then hold your hand over the head and see if you feel vibrations coming out – it might feel like a cool breeze, or warm, maybe a tingling, or simply “somehow different”.
- End the meditation again with “Raising the Energy” and giving yourself “a bhandan” (shield of protection).
I wish you all a wonderful and specially balanced week and remember to keep your Nabhi happy!
Yours, Angi
Walking Batteries
Dear All,
I hope despite the heavy snow fall and the wide-spread power failures you are all well and had nevertheless a little bit of time for your meditation!
Last week my internet connection broke (therefore no new post then) and on top of that the electricity was gone as well, fortunately only for a day. What an adventure! Luckily we were well prepared, being stuffed into three sweaters and enjoying an atmospheric candlelight dinner – always make the best of the situation you are in!
Now, how many of you were in the same situation? Isn’t it quite an eye-opener how many things we use without ever thinking of it – the constant flow of information through various internet sources, chatting, skyping, e-mailing with family and friends, having a warm home, a warm bath! The list can fill some pages of the small small things that we use every day and take so much for granted.
It surely reminded me of one thing: how important it is to be connected! Nowadays more than ever! And the greatest connection we can achieve is our connection with the All-Pervading Power that is all around us – and still a bit of a mystery to many. Now some may ask “why should we need to connect to that power? What’s in it for us? Already our time is short pressed so… ahem… isn’t it more for navel-gazers…”
Well, think of yourself as kind of a walking battery filled with a certain amount of energy, an energy that you have to manage every day. We immediately feel it if we strain our battery too much, when we get overworked, tired, stressed, or anxious… All things that cost us precious energy. And the more energy we lose the more we put our well-being at risk.
Sahaja Meditation is a very unique, simple and effortless way to become “connected”. And here are my seven personal reasons why I do not want to miss it anymore, because…
- When the battery is connected to the mains there is an endless supply of energy – that happens when we focus on top of our head and go into the state of thoughtless awareness
- The All Pervading Power is providing us with essential information about our current physical, emotional and mental being
- After decoding the information I can use this power to remove any blockages in my inner system that prevents this energy to flow
- I can use the same Power to check the state of other people
- … and remove any blockages in them as well, even if they are at the other side of the world at the very moment!
- If I have a decision to make and I am not sure which way to go I can ask this All-Pervading Power what to do
- And I know that at each step I will be supported, protected and helped – really, I have experienced quite a number of “miracles” , so that even my friends were amazed how things were always working out so well for me! Which does not mean that times were always easy, no, but the way how problems got solved, or how I could suddenly deal with difficult situations were many times just fascinating!
Curious how all that works? Keep in the loop! Follow the weekly meditation we are sending out, try it on a regular basis, experiment with it!
And here it is – our simple 10-minutes-meditation for this week:
(sit comfortably wherever you like):
- If your Inner Energy is already awakened you can skip 1). Otherwise please take the time once for the 20-minutes-meditation by the founder of Sahaja Meditation, Shri Mataji, where she leads you through the process of awakening this energy. If this energy is not awakened the rest will not work!
- Start your meditation by “Raising the Inner Energy” and put the shield of protection around you:
Here is a helpful animation how to do it: http://sahajayogawa.com/flash/charlie.swf
Or the detailed description in our Meditation Tips on page 4 and 5: Meditation Tips - Put your right hand below the center of your abdomen over the place of the Sacrum Bone – this is the seat of your Inner Energy, the Kundalini (see the triangle on the Subtle Body chart) – the left hand rests on your lap, palm upwards. Ask this energy silently in your heart: Please connect me to the All-Pervading Power
- Then move your right hand, palm facing towards you, from the sacrum bone up along the spine to the top of your head. Do that 7 times
- Put your right hand on top of the head, put a little bit of pressure and focus there, where you feel the pressure. Let the hand rest on your lap, palm upwards, but keep the focus on top of your head. Stay in mental silence for about 10 minutes (or as long as you wish to)
- Then hold your hand over the head and see if you feel vibrations coming out – it might feel like a cool breeze, or warm, maybe a tingling, or simply “somehow different”.
- End the meditation again with “Raising the Energy” and giving yourself “a bhandan” (shield of protection).
Connect yourself to the mains – unlike a normal battery which loses energy with each charge you will gain energy as your meditations deepen! 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the evening and you may soon see for yourself that “things” start to become easier!
I wish you a wonderful week
Yours, Angi
What Has Star Trek To Do With Thoughtless Awareness?
Dear All,
I hope you have enjoyed wonderful meditation sessions at home or with others the last week! Here see one of my friends in deep meditation, clearly completely thoughtless.
You might have found out that each and every meditation is different. Sometimes it is easy to slide without any effort into the state of meditation, where we enjoy the silence within. Sometimes we might even feel all this nourishing energies at work, flowing to those parts in our body that need attention. But sometimes it can be really difficult to stop all those thoughts that keep our attention in their grip! Then what to do?
Meditation starts by being thoughtless. When there are no thoughts going through our head than we are in the state which we call Mental Silence. Dr. Ramesh Manosha, who led an extensive Meditation Research Program in Australia , explains it like this:
The authentic experience of Mental Stillness and/or Mental Silence is neither concentration, nor relaxation, nor is it a different way of thinking. Mental Stillness is the experience of inner silence, which brings a peaceful and clearer awareness.
Mental Silence is a state of effortless balance and integration, that facilitates not only the reduction of stress, but other therapeutic and integrational processes. This experience helps reduce stress and facilitate individual and interpersonal performance.
Now, if it is really difficult to become thoughtless I have a little trick: I watch Star Trek. And while I am watching most of the times I sit on the floor and have both my hands down towards Mother Earth. It seems that watching something that is “out of the world” calms me down, I can slowly detach myself from whatever has happened during the day and with my hands down I allow Mother Earth to balance me.
Which does not mean that everyone has to watch Star Trek now! No, the truth is, as many people there are as many different ways there are to help us becoming thoughtless. For some it might be sports, for some music, for some being creative, the list is endless. Find out what it is for you! Are you the one with the guitar in his hands?
Or more the one who likes to swing a brush?
Does your thought processing slow down when you go for a run, or do you become thoughtless when you just look at a beautiful sculpture? And here is a small surprise: Whatever helps you to become thoughtless is also something that gives you joy! So here is a small but significant formula:
Meditation = A State of Being Thoughtless = Joy
Did you notice something in my last sentence? I did not say ‘the more you meditate’, I said ‘the more you are in meditation‘. Because you do not do anything to meditate. You just are. Here and now. In a state of thoughtless awareness. That means you can meditate wherever you are, in the metro, on the bus, even in work. The only thing you have to learn is to control your thoughts. Then you truly are a master of meditation!
So here again a short 10-minute-meditation for your week
(sit wherever you like, on the floor, on the couch, in the bath tub… important is that you feel comfortable):
- As mentioned before this only works if your Inner Energy is already awakened. Here is a 20-minutes-meditation by the founder of Sahaja Meditation, Shri Mataji, herself where she leads you through the process of awakening this energy in you. If you have done that already before than skip step 1)
- We start our meditation by raising our Inner Energy and put the shield of protection around us:
Here the nice animation how to do it: http://sahajayogawa.com/flash/charlie.swf
Or the detailed description in our Meditation Tips on page 4 and 5: Meditation Tips - Put both hands on or towards Mother Earth, focus on top of your head and sit for about 10 minutes in mental silence.
- If a thought comes tell the thought: I forgive. If thoughts keep coming put your right hand on top of the head, put a little bit of pressure and focus there, where you feel the pressure. Put the hand down, but keep the focus still on that part of your head.
- After the 10 minutes hold your hand over your head and see if you feel vibrations coming out – it might feel like a cool breeze, sometimes also like a warm breeze, like a tingling, or simply “somehow different”.
- End the meditation again with “raising the energy” and giving yourself “a bhandan” (shield of protection).
- Enjoy your day!
And don’t forget: 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the evening! You might soon notice the benefit of doing it!
Yours, Angi
Go With The Flow or How To Recycle Bad Energies for Good Ones
Dear All,
Have you ever had a day where just nothing was going right? “Well, of course, who hasn’t?” you might say. Ok, so next question: could you do something about it? Already more difficult to answer, isn’t it?
And maybe – being already in a stressful situation, getting nothing to work, others putting more pressure on you – someone walks by, totally relaxed and throws a “hey, keep cool, just let it flow” at you. Now, that would help us, right? About as much as “a shot in the kneecap”, as we Austrians say.
Because the point is – we simply do not know “how to let it flow”. But there is a whole story behind this one expression and here are the good news: we can learn “how to let it flow”.
Everyone who has already dug deeper into all the info provided in this blog might have stumbled over terms like the “inner energy”, the “energy centers” and about “the vibrations” flowing through our body, to be exact, along our nervous systems. The little secret about it all is, that when this energy is awakened, when it starts “flowing” through our energy centers along the spinal cord and comes out on top of the head then there, right at the last energy center the connection with the Greater Energy around us takes place. And that is, where “the flow” starts.
To keep it flowing we need to meditate, means to be in mental silence, means to pull our attention on top of our head. In this state we allow the universe to provide us with as much energy as we need. One can say it is almost like a recycling process 
all negative energy that might trouble us is taken out, all energy that is nourishing us flows in.
Now we know why it is so important to give ourselves each day 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the evening: to let it flow.
There are a lot of things we can do to improve our meditation but let us begin simple:
The 7 steps to “Be In The Flow”
- Awaken Your Inner Energy
This is done only once and takes about 20 minutes. If you went through it already skip step 1). When your Inner Energy is activated it will stay so, there is no need to repeat the affirmations (although you can do so if you like) - At the beginning and the end of each meditation we do what we call “raising the energy” and give ourselves “a shield of protection”.
Here is a nice animation how to do it: http://sahajayogawa.com/flash/charlie.swf
You can also find a detailed description in our Meditation Tips on page 4 and 5: Meditation Tips - Put your right hand on your head for some seconds, put the hand down again but keep focused on the top of your head where your hand was.
- Sit still for about 10 minutes, hands palm upwards as shown in the photo above to let the energy flow freely through them, keep the focus on top of your head. If you find your mind wandering repeat step 3) as many times as it helps you to focus. If you feel like it have some pleasant music. In this time we allow the flow to happen – we do not need to do anything, just surrender to it.
- After the 10 minutes hold your hand over your head and see if you feel vibrations coming out – it might feel like a cool breeze, sometimes also like a warm breeze, like a tingling, or simply “somehow different”.
- End the meditation again with “raising the energy” and giving yourself “a bhandan” (shield of protection).
- Enjoy your day!
One small trick:
when you feel stressed during the day go somewhere with a little privacy (like the bathroom i.e.), raise your Inner Energy and give the shield of protection. It even helps already if you just press your hand on top of your head and focus there for some moments. And if you are a real pro then wherever you are just focus on top of your head for some moments – it can make all the difference!
I wish you a wonderful week full of meditative experiences!
Yours, Angi
Why Meditation? Because…
Dear All,
After a long summer break we are back again and hope you enjoyed the sunny time of the year as we did, maybe with some deep meditation experiences?
Slowly but continuously this blog is growing as we try to put in all the information that might be helpful for you to become a meditation expert. But why meditate at all? … True, nowadays we have to deal in our daily life with so many different people and situations, more so in tight schedules, that it is hard not to build up inner stress, anxieties, depressive feelings and in the long run health issues. And true, meditation in general, and Sahaja Meditation in particular is a fantastic way to cool down again and come back into balance.
But it is not the only reward we get out of it. Especially Sahaja Meditation is a tool that allows us to learn more about our strengths, our inner powers and our own unique personality. Each and everyone of us is a storehouse of amazing qualities that want to be explored, a magnetic inner-being that wants to be lived. All you have to do is to give 20 minutes to yourself, each and every day, preferably 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the evening and meditate.
Now, what makes Sahaja Meditation so special? A lot could be said about that but to keep it short for now – it is not only that we can achieve the state of real meditation easily, no, we start feeling ourself in a very new way, and by saying “feeling” I mean feeling. Sahaja Meditation activates our own Inner Energy and once it flows through our body we feel the vibrations like a cool breeze in our hands and over the head. Once we start feeling this we have got our “vibratory awareness”. It is these vibrations that guide us deeper into our personality, a personality that is expressed through our different energy centers. How to meditate and how to feel the state of these energy centers of your subtle being, all this you can learn in our meditation classes, even online, they are always FREE !
So come and join us, let’s meditate together, in classes or virtually and maybe you would like to share your personal Sahaja Meditation experiences as well! We are looking forward to meet you!
Lots of joy
Yours, Angi
Stress Management and Depression – Results on studies how Sahaja Meditation is an effective way to reduce work-related stress and depressive feelings
Meditation back to basics
Fulltime workers who used a traditional ‘silent’ form of meditation became much less stressed and depressed compared to more conventional approaches to relaxation or even placebo, according to a paper published today in the online journal Evidence Based Complementary Medicine, a leading publication in its field.
A team of researchers, led by Dr Ramesh Manocha of Sydney University’s Meditation Research Programme, monitored stress levels of fulltime Australian workers in Sydney’s CBD to determine the effectiveness of meditation in combating this widespread and expensive problem.
Expecting to fly – the story of a seeker, being lost in drugs and alcohol, love won and lost, before his first encounter with a most unusual yogi lady
Overview
This is the story of a search for the magical and profound amidst the pressures and distractions of the modern world, a chronicle that includes a rich store of reported experience in higher states of consciousness. The trail leads through strange territory. The author was, in his own words, a reckless individual with many failings, driven by things he did not understand. His journey encompasses childhood hopes and fears, love won and lost, alcoholic excess and psychedelic drugs. He vividly portrays the extraordinary properties of LSD, charting initial wonder and revelation and ultimate frustration and disillusionment, before telling of his first encounter with a most unusual yogi lady. The book gives a candid account of the astonishing things he learned and experienced in her company over a period of many years.
The book is available at:
Authorhouse:
http://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/BookSearchResults.aspx?Search=Expecting%20to%20Fly
or
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Expecting-Fly-search-Patrick-Sheridan/dp/1456770314/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1298461170&sr=1-1
Preview
As hours and days pass, I feel myself increasingly to be an elusive, detached personality passing through everyone and everything around me. The image of the timeless archetypal figure, indescribably beautiful, is now reflected back at me from the eyes of everyone I look at. I begin to feel I am everywhere and nowhere at once. I do not feel any barriers between myself and others. I have nothing to fear in this world because I am enveloped by a profound sense of oneness that binds everything into an ocean of love. Looking at other people in the street, I see only one playful, divine personality smiling back at me from everyone. My heart is open and overflowing with joy. I want to be an artist, a poet, a musician to express this joy. I begin to take an ecstatic delight in everything I do. I feel quite detached from my body and yet the simplest physical act, walking, sitting, eating, cleaning my teeth – even just breathing – is supremely satisfying. I feel time itself is slowing down, or maybe I am speeding up. I am aware of a series of images of myself following and anticipating my actions. I am not sure which one is really me, but I am enjoying myself so much that I don’t really care. My every movement leaves golden traces in the air. The material world is fading, dissolving, appearing more and more unreal like a myth or a dream. I feel I am awakening out of a dream. Only the dimension of spirit that I exist in is real, more intensely real than anything I have known. I am aware of my dream-like body, which seems somehow small and below me. I feel that to die and leave my body would be a matter of no particular concern; it would mean only changing one dimension of existence for another. It would mean no more to me than moving from one room to another within my own home. I feel that a lifetime in a human body is a very short time indeed. I see that the spirit permeates and transcends the material universe and all matter is reduced abruptly to an illusory, uniform ‘stuff’ that I look down upon as I would the cloud layer from an aeroplane. The transition is stunning; I have escaped from a dull and oppressive material existence, and the luminous beauty of the divine shines through the dissipating fog of space-time. With a delightful sense of freedom, I realise I have left all of my past, my past lives, the whole history of evolution behind me.
Research on how Sahaja Meditation helps children with ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
ADHD is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often persists into adulthood. It includes some combination of problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. Children with ADHD also may struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships and poor performance in school.
A new research in Sydney, the Royal Hospital For Women showed that Sahaja Meditation can significantly help children suffering from ADHD.
If you want to know more about the scientific researches on the effects of Sahaja Meditation you might find this link to the website of Prof. Katya Rubia very useful. It covers topics like ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, Drug Abuse, Resilience and some more.
Start meditating with your child! Come to one of our programs (always free!) or simply go online. Following links might be helpful for you:
Towards Sustainable Global Health 2011
For the second time this international event takes place in Heidelberg, Germany.
Goals & Objectives
Prevention plays a key role in addressing global health challenges such as the control of pandemics, the rising tide of non-communicable diseases, and the spread of violence and injuries. Participants at the 2nd International Conference & Exhibition Towards Sustainable Global Health – on Global Health & Preventive Medicine and the First German Health Forum, taking place at the Heidelberg Congress Center, on June 14 _ 17, 2011 will be sharing knowledge and insights for working on a holistic strategy for effectively promoting and establishing a shift of paradigms from a mere repair approach towards prevention and health promotion.
Sahaja Meditation again at the Global Health 2011 Congress
This time again doctors will participate at the congress for Global Health and talk about their researches and amazing results on Sahaja Meditation.
Here is the report about Sahaja Meditation from the first Global Health Congress in 2007: Towards Sustainable Global Health
21 frequently asked questions about meditation
-
What is meditation?
Meditation is surrender. It is not thinking. It is the vehicle that connects us both with our true Self and with that which is beyond yourself. Meditation is the thing that nourishes our spirit. It is the fuel for our for our spiritual growth and the key for our ascent. Simply put, it is our connection with the Divine. - Where did meditation come from?
At its roots, mediation can be traced back to ancient times. Researchers speculate that even primitive societies may have discovered altered states of consciousness and meditative states while staring into the flames of their campfires. Meditation techniques can be found in Indian scriptures dated at five thousand years old. Over thousands of years, meditation evolved into different structured practices and styles, spreading across Asia, its continent of origin. It was only in the 1960s and 70s that meditation became a popular in the West. From that point, many variations have spread across the globe. - What are the benefits of meditation in my daily life?
The benefits gained from meditation include a healthy distancing from the stressful things of life and a trust in that forces that shape your everyday existence. Life can be very demanding. It is important to have both the ways and means to cope. It’s easy to get into a stressful and irritable mood thinking about the pressures of work and family life. There is also a risk of losing focus on all the good things of life. Meditation helps you to witness that which is stressful. It helps you to see things clearly, as if from a distance. - How is meditation different from relaxation, thinking, concentration or self-hypnosis?
Sahaja meditation is indeed different from all these techniques because it not only relaxes us, not only enriches us with peace, joy and optimism, but it actually transforms a human being, gradually and deeply, into a beautiful and happy individual. This happens without great effort, thought or concentration. [read more…]
Everyday with Shri Mataji – Get Spiritual Quotes Daily
Sahaja Yoga Meditation App
COME MEDITATE IN CONNECTICUT 