The Essence of Yoga in Daily Life
Yoga in daily life is the integration of spiritual discipline into every action. You must know your purpose. I taught yoga abroad and required a commitment to vegetarianism, refusing to teach those who ate meat. In India, some who never ate meat now do. Upon waking, affirm "I am a human being." Water is divine; a few drops remind you it is within all. Apply it like an injection to feel Jagadīś in your body. Do not let animals into sleeping rooms, though a cat or goat is good. Protect animals and India. Sanātana Dharma exists only in India. Many Indians abroad worship and have left meat. Practice yoga daily. Protect animals, protect India. Do not let animals into the house. The alternative to mobile confusion is to say Om when using the telephone.
"Water is Jagadīś. Jagadīś, Sarveś, Jagadīś, Bhagavān."
"The alternative is to say Oṃ. Say Om whenever you pick up the telephone."
Filming location: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
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Around the world - Bhajans from Kailash(1/3)
The divine names invoke presence and remembrance.
Chanting connects the seeker to the sacred essence. These names are not mere words but vessels of consciousness. Repetition purifies the mind and aligns it with truth. The practice is an offering and a call for grace. It awakens the heart from spiritual slumber. Devotion through sound becomes a direct path to realization.
"Satguru merā sāyī, majāl ke pāṇḍ se kāryo ham ko pā."
"Chūṭ bhajan mein lāg, jāg re jāg."
Filming location: Rajasthan, India
The Essence of Yoga in the Indian Tradition
Evening satsang from Kaliash Ashram, Rajasthan, India. Bhajans on the occasion of Sri Devpuriji Mahasamadhi.
Vegetarian cooking lesson 16, Indian Gunda and Sangri Sabji
Preparing guṇḍā and saṅgrī involves sourcing and cooking desert vegetables.
These vegetables grow in Rajasthan and are harvested, cooked, dried, and prepared at specific ashrams. They are soaked overnight after this process. Cooking begins by tempering cumin seeds in oil, followed by onions and a wet spice mixture. The soaked vegetables are added and cooked until dry. Chapatis are prepared separately, with emphasis on proper rolling and cooking technique. The final dish is seasoned with souring agents like mango powder or yogurt, added carefully off the heat to prevent curdling. This dry preparation is practical for travel.
"Always know where our food comes from, what we are eating, and through whose hands it has passed."
"Guṇḍā Sabjī and Saṅgrī Sabjī are very good for traveling because they are dry sabjīs, not liquid."
Filming location: Vép, Hungary
Calming down the vrittis
Yoga is the stilling of the mind's modifications. Discipline in all aspects of life is the foundation. The mind's thoughts are like waves in a pond; a single ripple obscures clarity. As long as thoughts are unpeaceful, meditation is not present. To calm the vṛttis, one must practice and seek solitude. A retreat to a peaceful natural place allows the system to recharge and quiet. The practice of Brahmari Pranayama specifically calms the brain and sharpens the senses through sound vibration. This sound connects to the primordial Om, the formless source of all creation. Everything visible and invisible arises from this sound.
"Yogaḥ citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ: through the practice of yoga, you can calm down all your thoughts, your vṛttis."
"Everything—all that is visible, invisible, hearing, tasting, feeling—all this is only from one source: from the Aum, the sound."
