Humans must have discipline
Rāja Yoga is the yoga of discipline, a lifelong practice beginning now. All of nature exists in perfect discipline according to its dharma, but humans have lost this human nature. Acting against our dharma creates the great problems on earth. A lack of discipline leads to destruction, as seen when impurity in holy places provoked a natural disaster. That event was a punishment for going against nature. Many modern illnesses exist because there is no discipline. Rāja Yoga provides the awareness of this need for discipline in all actions—eating, thinking, and behaving. The foundation is practicing Yama and Niyama, the ten lifelong commandments. Success in yoga depends on this discipline. Formal practices like āsana will follow naturally from a disciplined life, and samādhi will come in time. A Rāja Yogī is ever happy, comfortable, and self-aware by following these principles.
"O human, you should have discipline. Take care of nature."
"If you go against nature, nature will punish you."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
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Around the world - Surya Namaskar, Zagreb, CRO
Surya Namaskāra integrates posture, cakra concentration, and mantra for holistic purification. This classical yoga sequence is best performed at sunrise or sunset, honoring the sun as a life-giving deity. The practice involves precise physical movements, each linked to a specific cakra and breath. Quality is paramount: perfect the movement, maintain relaxation, focus on the cakra, and know the mantra. This complete structure yields the benefits. Daily practice makes one's being like the sun, purifying the atmosphere so negativity cannot take hold. Correct alignment prevents injury; the spine must remain straight during forward and backward bends. Concentration involves feeling each cakra's location and qualities. Integrating silent or spoken mantras with movement and breath deepens the effect, working on the body, cakras, and consciousness.
"Anything thrown toward the sun either gets burned or, if it is dust, merely falls into your own eyes."
"My photograph, my image, is the sun. Whenever you wish to see me, look at the sun."
Filming location: Zagreb, Croatia
Tree planting in Auckland
A community gathers to plant a tree for peace following a national tragedy. This beach was a replacement for one lost to development decades prior. The planting is a symbol of peace and unity, directly responding to a recent shooting in Christchurch. Representatives from many nations express honor at participating. They emphasize that the tree represents a global wish for peace, harmony, and the fulfillment of prayers. The act is a practical step toward protecting humanity and the environment. The tree is blessed as a living being essential for life and a focal point for meditation. It is dedicated to the victims of the violence, with prayers that such events never recur. The ceremony concludes with collective prayers and blessings for peace.
"This tree is for the peace of the whole world."
"We are humans and we are all one."
Filming location: Auckland, New Zealand
Chakras, Nadis and Kundalini
Chakras are rotating circles of energy within the body, representing major energy centers. They are symbolic, not literal anatomical structures. Thousands exist at the junctions of the nāḍīs, the body's nerve network. This system exists for the soul's journey, supported by five bodily sheaths and the five elements. The three main channels are the Iḍā (Moon, mind/emotion), Piṅgalā (Sun, action/temperament), and central Suṣumnā. Their intersections form powerful chakras, like the Viśuddhi at the throat for purification. The mind is a messenger between senses and intellect; do not block it, but give it direction. Problems arise from suppressed emotions, which can manifest as physical illness. Practices like prāṇāyāma maintain this network for health. Awakening energies like kuṇḍalinī requires great care, as improper handling can be harmful.
"These chakras are a methodological representation. You will not see this exact picture if you look within your own body."
"The mind is a river; we should not block it. If we block a dam, we must provide an outlet."
Filming location: London, UK
The Awakening of Consciousness: Kuṇḍalinī and Cakras
The science of yoga is the science of body, mind, and consciousness. Yoga is the eternal balancing principle in the universe, not a religion or dogma. The cosmic vibration, declared as OM, exists within and outside us. Human life is a precious chance within the cycle of rebirth. The human intellect can be trained endlessly, and dormant abilities within are connected to the cakras, or energy centers. The subtle body has 72,000 nāḍīs, or channels, for transmitting consciousness and energy. The mind functions between the subconscious and conscious, taking in impressions that become desires. The intellect's duty is to give judgment. We normally experience three levels of consciousness: waking, dream, and deep sleep. Past deeds create our destiny, or prārabdha karma. The Kuṇḍalinī energy and the cakra system are responsible for developing consciousness and freeing it from subconscious fears. The major nāḍīs are Iḍā, Piṅgalā, and Suṣumṇā, balancing emotion and intellect. Haṭha Yoga unites these sympathetic and parasympathetic principles. The awakening of Kuṇḍalinī is a divine process of becoming wise and calm, not a physical sensation. The cakras are located along the spinal column and are psychic energy centers. They are connected to the five elements and influence the body. Mastery leads towards liberation, the union of individual consciousness with cosmic consciousness. This requires lifelong practice and guidance.
"Yoga is not a religion, it is not a philosophy, it is not a dogma, but it is the eternal principle in this universe."
"The awakening of the Kuṇḍalinī is a divine process; you don't feel it as a physical sensation. You feel happy, as if in the lap of the mother."
Filming location: Zagreb, Croatia
DVD 188
