yajna Yajna is not just ritual. Just to light a fire and chant some mantras is not yajna. It is much more than that. To make a yajna efficacious and derive all of its benefits, one has to pour the heart and soul into it. This is why yajnas performed by rishis, munis and enlightened saints are very dynamic and powerful. Because they alone can accomplish the total projection of oneself that a yajna demands. It is as if life is poured into the yajna by their very presence. is this a waste of time? what is the purpose of these rituals? thanks
There are plenty of members who can provide the main stream thinking. Here, I am going to present an alternate view: Rituals are usually from primitive thinking and sometimes to provide an emotional need to bind to a thought process. During Mahabharat days, assuming those people were super advanced in technology and social evolution - the need for Yajna ritual may not be there. The only item that can exist at the time is the "wax on, wax off" type activity that is in relation to asking someone of authority to provide the command code for ones personal use - similar to allowing your kid to access your computer to play a video game etc after they have done their chores. After Mahabharat, if there was a major devastation to a point where the technology infrastructure moved back to stone age (no written records) then the stories of the big war and the society influenced the later generations to again fall into the ritual process just as kids play barbie/ken, house games etc. Rituals are games kids play and perhaps later ingrained in the adult mind as the old timers who actually lived in the technology era passed away. Just a thought....
What is yoga, exactly? Saw some classes going at my gym, but wasn't sure whether I should join. Is it ^? Is it physical exercise or mental?
Yoga and Yoke are bleieved to be taken from the same Sanskrit root word, YUJ, I think. Yoga in relaity is acctualy a word used to name the state of union between God and Man, wherein there is no didstiction between God and the Soul, and idea expressed in the writting of Christian Saints and Mystics, also Jewish, aswell as the Eastern writtings that alot of people know today, and associate this kind of concept with. So basicaly it means "being Yoked" or "too Yoke" something along those lines, but that is a very literal and dry represenstation. But it also applies to the method of attaining union, and of this there are many branches; Hatha = Physical Exercises (asna), Breath Control (prajnayama) mainly, Karma = Which is the preformence of Good works, Charity, ect. Mantra = Recitation of Prayers, but also a lot more involved than mearly saying the words. Yoga is both mental and physical, but as you progress it becomes more mental and less physical, Hatha would be like Kindergarden/Grade 1 or something, getting you ready and comfortable, instilling basic ideas and things that will be used for the reast of your education, not always needed for the gifted, who are far and few between, but a neccesary step for most, then up through to Tantra and Kriya which would be like a Phd. A little side note, Yoga is attained by completely stilling the mind, which inturn means the breath is stilled, as the two are intimately conected, in this sate of complete reast you merge with ........ and Samadhi or Nirvana is experienced, which is the mearger with what is know as God. There is much much more, if you want to try something that will help you greatly, keep you attention Focused on the bridge of your nose/in between your eye brows, watch your ingoing and out going breath at this erea, and think of God, that God is with you, "For he who knocks it will be opened to him" Also have a look at these pages, they might look a little funny (some of them) but they are amoungst the best organisations that I've discovered, http://www.kriya.org/ http://www.prajnanamission.org./ http://www.yoganiketan.net/ http://www.yogananda-srf.org/ http://www.ananda.org/ http://www.workofthechariot.com/ http://www.yogamag.net/links.htm http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/ http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/ (the site for "The Divine Life Sociey" homepage seems to be down at the moment, but Sivananda is one of the great gurus of modern times.) This one has a whole heap of differnt sites, some of which are above; http://www.yogasite.com/yoga-orgs.html
Yoga can be compared to Maslov's "self-actualization" in the heirarchy of human needs. Most Yoga lessons in USA are limited to Hatha Yoga in schools and colleges. The mind part is rarely practiced since it takes many years and there are not enough teachers who can teach with a western social structure. Otherwise it perhaps becomes like learning Klingon language with no one to talk to, to practice.
And, so many Christians are opposed and prejudiced against yoga, so now it's tough to find a genuine Enlightened guru in the US...make a pilgrimage to India or even better, learn the language and move there.
Funny, you should mention that. Many years ago, I offered a yoga class at a local college. We got some flack until the local church found out I was one of their member. Then we quietly settled the conflict. In the coming great holy war - Christians should join forces with compatible groups...
Yajna is not a waste, unless otherwise done for a good purpose. Its is nothing but to use our life-force (body, mind and soul) to modulate the energy surrounding us in the atmosphere for a particular result. This as explained in various old texts as which can be used to produce rain, prosperity, kids, etc. I know few people might think funny of the “kids” in the list, but this is what it is known as “Puthra Kameshti”. “To make a yajna efficacious and derive all of its benefits, one has to pour the heart and soul into it.” True, since the machine which is used to modulate should be at its best performance, a purified mind, soul and body is required for this. This is the reason why preparation for the Yajna is difficult and time consuming than the Yajna itself. “This is why yajnas performed by rishis, munis and enlightened saints are very dynamic and powerful. “ This is also true as in Yajna the will power of the person (who is conducting it) matters a lot. End results fully depend on the that. For which they make themselves very purified though years of meditation and strict way of life, which includes food habits, cloths, life practices, sex, meditation, belief in a God. Etc. “what is the purpose of these rituals? “ Varies from Yajna to Yajna.
