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He teaches yoga exercises, gives lectures, and publishes books. For forty years, he has been teaching yoga in Western Europe and around the world. He has founded many yoga centers and trained thousands of yoga teachers. However, this is a man's work, teaching us on a practical level how to contribute to the measure, how to maintain ecological balance, and how to protect nature. For the last ten years, he has been intensively devoted to this measure of activity. Every year, he organizes conferences around the world on inter-ethnic dialogue, for which he has served as the head of state and president of the government, and recently also with the UN. With the money gained from publishing activities, he has built hospitals and schools, from primary school to university, in the poorest parts of the world. In recent years, he has been studying pregnant women and raising children in early childhood. His ecological activities are also known worldwide. Now, when we were sitting with Mr. Primátor, he said something that was news for me: they planted six million trees in southern Australia. So, forestry projects are spread all over the world. And also, as he says, the nearest problem in today's or future years is water. Today, they are already building maintenance systems for drinking water and its redistribution to the population in the driest areas of the world. Merciful Lord, lead us from unreality to reality. Lead us from darkness to the light. Lead us from mortality to immortality. Peace, harmony, and good health should be in the whole world. Peace, peace, peace. Asato mā sadgamaya, tamaso mā jyotir gamaya. Oṃ Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ. Salutation to the cosmic light, Lord of our hearts, omniscient and omnipresent. In his divine presence, very good evening, dear brothers and sisters. Respected Mayor of the city, Dr., the Vice Mayor of the city, here in the media, welcome all of you. It is my great privilege to be here. It seems that in Slovakia, every city is like a jewel. Yesterday I was introduced to Humenné, how beautiful the history is. The day before yesterday, Košice, and today here, a beautiful hall, ancient culture, beautiful traditions, and people full of love. And in each of you, the spiritual light is hidden. It’s a blessing for me to be here with you this evening. Our subject is Harmony for Body, Mind, and Soul through Yoga in Daily Life. Yoga is a science of body, mind, consciousness, and soul. Yoga is a very ancient practice. It is older than this planet, because yoga means balance, harmony, and unity, which are in this entire universe. There are four main principles. The space, that’s called the cosmic mother, the endless universe. Then comes the consciousness. That consciousness is known as the golden egg, the golden embryo in the womb of the cosmic mother. Then comes the balancing principle that we call yoga, which unites the space and consciousness. And then it is called the energy. These four together are an entire universe, and time to time, that cosmic energy becomes active, and that energy is within our body too. Our planet, you know, is known as a living planet. On this planet, the Creator has created 8.4 million different creatures. Out of 8.4 million, one is the human. And humans have got more talents. Within the human body, there is immense energy which is dormant. The human consciousness, the human memory, the human thoughts, the human mind, the human intellect, and human actions can change anything. Though we have a good side of being a human, at the same time we have a negative side. That’s called hate, jealousy, greed, anger, revenge, selfishness, ego. These are the negative or the dark sides of the human. Mahatma Gandhi said, "Mother Nature has enough for everyone's needs, but not for their greed." So human greed is without borders. Out of that human greed, we can see in past stories, the centuries and centuries, we can find in the past. And so the question comes: can we live in peace together? Can we respect each other? Can we live together? Or should we fight? For what? Though humans think that they are greater, they are also mortal beings. Humans will also die. We are not immortal in physical form. And we know whatever happens has happened out of the pollution of the human mind. We humans are the most unhappy creatures on this planet. We humans are most troublesome on this planet. We humans have mostly disease, physical, mental. If we see where is the plus point for our life, and what is the aim of human life? Just to eat and drink? Sleep and have children. Animals are also experts in this. We humans have some higher consciousness, and definitely the Creator had some expectation. I remember something. The life of Jesus was very hard for him. And he was screaming and saying to the Father, "Holy Father, why me?" And the voice came, "Because, my son, I trust in you." Definitely, that Holy Father or God or whatever we call, had trust in us, had some plans with us. For what are we here? Ko’ham, katham idaṁ jātam, ko ve kartasya vidyate? Beautifully it is said in Sanskrit by the great Śaṅkarācārya, who lived thousands of years ago. Who am I? I am not this body. I am not this blood. Also, I am not this emotion and this intellect. And I am not this soul, because it is my soul. Ko’ham, who am I? Katam idaṁ jātam, from where did I come? Do you know your origin? When? In this endless universe, you as an individual soul came into existence. That is our origin. The body will die. What will happen with your soul, with you? If you believe there is a heaven, and if you believe there is a hell, who is going into heaven or hell? Not this body, but that spirit, that soul. The problem is there: we lost our confidence, faith. Many people go to church only as a tradition. If we follow the words in the holy book, what is said, and think it over, we will be happy. So, who is going to heaven or hell? Who is going to be born again? And if not, then what will happen? Astral body. You go while dreaming. You sleep here in Spišská Nová Ves. "Bolo to krásne stretnutie v noci?" What are you talking about? So, you were not physically there. You were with the astral body. Similarly, we will leave this physical body here, like we change the dress, and off we go. So, koham, who am I? From where did I come, and where am I going? Do you know where you want to go? Did you reserve? Death is like a dark space. You have to jump into it. No one will go with you. No one will hold your hands. We came alone, we live alone, and we will go alone. Endless journey in the universe, your individual soul, as you are fluttering on the waves of time through the endless universe, through darkness, light, experiencing happiness, unhappiness, pain, pleasure. And again, we are here. Why is human life given? And what is the purpose of my life? The purpose of life is to get liberation, the salvation from this worldly sin. You call sin, we call karma, that this individual consciousness merges again to the Cosmic Consciousness, to the origin. And for that, there are many different ways in the world. One way is religion, the other way is spirituality, or many different ways. I used to say helping hands have more value than folded hands. Help. God gave us the intellect to understand that someone needs help. Doesn’t matter which creature it is. Love feels all. And pain feels all. Everyone would like to be happy. Each entity would like to be happy. Day and night, they are active to be happy, to search for happiness. Because God is happiness, God is love, God is the truth, God is ultimate, and that is our destiny. If we forget this, for what we are born, then we are stuck here again. We are in the rebirth and death, rebirth and death. If you believe or not, belief doesn’t change. Truth is that we are coming and going. In modern language, they developed one word that’s called recycling. This word is taken from spirituality. And you all know what recycling means. This word "recycling" came about since human beings began to create pollution. Pesticides, plastics, which are not friendly for the environment. So we begin to develop what is called environment-friendly production. What does that mean? That it can be recycled. It becomes one with the soil again. So if you believe in recycling, this world is taken from reincarnation. So if you believe in recycling, it’s no problem to believe in rebirth. This is a cosmic cycling. Finally, this consciousness should become one with that divine consciousness. Another part, now coming to our body again. Though the body is not everything, but without the body, everything is nothing. We would like to live. We would like to be healthy. We would like to enjoy life. So how do we do that? One thing: try to be healthy. We cannot buy health, but we can gain health. The principle of the body, or the nature of the body, is three: to be born, to grow and die. But this is the body’s instrument for us. This instrument is given for higher achievements. Many of you know, many don’t know. Let’s see the monastery and the monks in the monastery. The nuns and the monks, how many hours they were praying, how many hours they were standing on the knee? They achieved something, they got the mercy of the Lord. And compare yourself, how many hours or minutes or seconds do you pray every day? Very little. What do you expect now? How many lives do we have to be born? That is some minutes or seconds which we pray will become like one lifelong. So lucky are they, time to time they can think of God in the way which you believe. God will come to you in that form in which you believe. God is one. God has no name. God has no form. But we give the name and form, and he will appear to us in that way, for our good health, physical health, mental health, social health, and spiritual health. This leads to the harmony of body, mind, and soul. Physical health, first of all, nourishment. Good, organic, healthy food. Good air, you people from now, Spišská Nová Ves, have so good air. Your lungs will be really good. Go to the center of Bratislava, and then you will know what is different in the air, and then you will see what kind of air is there. Go to Athens, and then you will know what is good air. All the big cities of the world, so you are blessed that you are here in this area. Good nourishment, and we, yogīs, always advise to be vegetarian. The first principle: thou shalt not kill. You have no right to destroy the life which God has given. Second, you never know which illness that animal had which was killed and you have to eat. So you don’t know how those hormones will affect your body. In the last few decades, humans begin to consume too much meat. Especially after the Second World War. Between the First and Second World Wars, there was a hunger. And in people’s minds came something. So-called rich people could provide the meat. Like a high society, and so it was a kind of a status to eat meat; it is something rich. Never in the history was that much meat consumed as now humans are doing. And therefore, never in history were there that many illnesses, like cancers and many other illnesses. It’s your choice. Another is called movements, exercising, yoga, and breathing. This will create a harmony in the body, then relaxation and meditation. Relaxation and meditation will create the harmony of the mind. We will do this evening some kind of relaxation. Then the social health: to keep away from criminalities and drugs. Work for the society, work for your family, neighbors, your town. You will have a good name in the society. Do some social work, follow your traditions, your cultures. That’s a social health. And spiritual health: to have tolerance, respect for every belief and culture, and wish happiness for the whole world. Let them do what they are doing. We should just help them. Help doesn’t need arguments. Help doesn’t need any conditions. You just help, that’s it. Then spirituality will grow. Spirituality means purity, crystal clear. Transform your mind, your consciousness, and your intellect. It is all in your hands; you cannot buy it in the market. So, yoga in daily life is designed from thousands of years of ancient literature, authentic literature. It’s called the ancient wisdom for modern life. In your country, thousands of people are practicing yoga. In your country, I have been coming since 1973. So many, many people have been learning and teaching and practicing. Health from your food, and limit your food. We eat much too much. That’s our problem. My biggest problem is that we can’t say no to our eating. And that’s how it affects our body, which we don’t think about. There is a steam engine which goes with the steam. If you put alcohol inside, that will not function. Zneužívaných. The holy Assisi, from friends from Assisi, he said alcohol should be buried in the earth so deep that no one can smell it. It will destroy the human spirit. So it is your choice, my dear. I have no mineral water factory, so that I make a business. Awake the consciousness in the people towards the healthy way of life. Now, yoga exercises. Some demonstration will come. Please. Where there is the human, there is the yoga. And yoga is designed for the well-being of the human. Unfortunately, many people in the world begin to commercialize yoga. Many people practice yoga; yoga has an artistic aspect, like in theatre or in the zoo. Take your glass and come more near this side, so they have place. Thank you. Dobry. When sometimes, when people hear about yoga, they say they would like to practice, but cannot stand on the head. Must I stand on my head? I said no. Please stand on your legs. Some years ago, this is about 1978, in Slovakia, I think there is one place called Žiar. In Slovakia, there is the city of Žiar. Is it there? Yes. I had there one disciple who was about 60 or 70 years old. In 1978, he read about head standing and how good it is. Your hair will be again black or blonde. Your memory will be good. You will become young. So he tried to practice, and he felt very good. Eyesight became better. The hearing became better. Even his teeth, again, the gums became stronger and better. Because there is more circulation towards the head, but too much is too much. So one weekend, he thought, "I will now do longer time." So he stood for 35 minutes, then he became unconscious. The ambulance came and took him to the hospital. After three days, the doctor asked him, "What have you been doing?" I was standing on my head. The doctor said, "Now you should know the head is not for standing. The legs are for standing." So many people misunderstand, or they think we have to sit in lotus, one leg up here, another leg here. When in the beginning I was traveling through Slovakia, people asked a question. If we have to practice yoga, must we sit on the middle bed? I said, "No, thank you. You have to sit on a very soft mat." So, some people are too much extremist. That’s not yoga. Yoga is something that makes you happy, balanced, and healthy. And everyone can do it. So, to harmonize body and mind, we will do now a kind of meditation, or we may call it relaxation. And you can do it with us. So, if you want to do it, and I tell you it’s the chance today. So open, you can take off your shoes, so that you feel more energy from the earth. You know how many hours your feet are in the shoes already? Make them free. You lie down, and you may lean on your chair and place your hands on your thighs. Index finger and thumb together. This affects very much the release of tension. Thighs and the palms touching either thighs or up. Legs slightly stretch out. Feel your foot soles. Those who took off their shoes will now only feel energy. Close your eyes and relax. So please, everybody, make yourself comfortable. For a while, withdraw yourself from the external world. Once deep in, heat and exhale and relax the whole body. Feel your foot soles. How the energy is transmitting. Your foot soles are touching the ground directly. Mother Earth. Feel your toes. They are free. They are not present in the soles. Relax. Feel and relax your ankle joint. Feel your calf muscles. There is nothing new to see. Keep your eyes closed. If you want to experience, open eyes make you more restless. Relax your legs consciously. Relax your hips. Relax your stomach muscles. The whole trunk of the body is relaxed. Relax your elbows. Relax your shoulders. Relax your neck muscles. And relax your face muscles. No tensions at all, physically or mentally. Just relax, relax. Feel your whole body from the toes to the top of the head. From the top of the head to the toes, feel that your body is completely relaxed. Feel your body; it’s relaxed. The whole day has passed; you were working very hard, physically as well as mentally. But now it is time to relax. Now feel your breath. Do not change the breath rhythm. Just feel. You know that you are inhaling, and you know that you are exhaling. Our life is the breath. How beautiful it is that we can breathe freely. Relax the whole body. Feel the breath. At the time of inhalation, cosmic energy is flowing in your body. And at the time of the exhalation, all the toxins are exhaled. Relax. Feel the breath. During the inhalation, the trunk of the body is expanding, and during the exhalation, it is contracting. And prepare mentally, we will do some exercise. Relax. Just relax. Now, deep inhale and exhale. Feel the whole body. Become extroverted. Move your fingers. Close the fist and open the palms. Hold your hands and rub the palms. Place the palms on the face and rub a little bit on the face. Open your eyes. This was just ten minutes. Whenever you come home, or if you have time in the office, you relax. It will harmonize your body. Now we will do some exercises. You are welcome to do it, which you can do anywhere. So please sit up and stand up. If you would like to do it while standing up. Don’t miss the chance. Interlock the fingers. Hands on the head. Inhale and stretch your hands up, and stand on your toes. Exhale and hands down. Go ahead. One, two. This stretching will give you immense energy. The muscles are stretched, one, two, legs apart, a little more, stretch the hands up, one, now exhale and bend to the left side, your left side, inhale. Inhale in the middle. Exhale to the right. Feel the stretching of all the muscles. Inhale in the middle. Exhale to the left. Inhale in the middle. Exhale, hands down. Now place the tips of your fingers on your shoulders, and bring the shoulders to the front, elbows, and rotation of the shoulders. How you feel it yourself, the fine muscles are influenced: shoulder muscles, the back muscles. Other direction. Very good. And pose in the front. Tire. Okay. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Jedna. Vystrčme ruce. Dva. A dva. Is there anywhere we can open the windows, or is this not possible? Is it possible somewhere to get fresh air? One. And man gate, open it. Two. And man, gate open it. One. Vchodové dvere. Sit down. This was a glimpse. For you, prāṇāyāma, that you can do anywhere. Now, I have some special exercise, and it is said every third person in the world has a back problem, and those who don’t have will have. And those who want to get rid of it, and those who want to get rid of it, should practice. Truth is this: our body needs something after a while. We have yoga in our life; use it or lose it. That’s it. So, you come a little far, you stay there. You don’t need a mattress. Lie down here, in the middle. Lie down. Ānandāsana. Thank you. You also came from a little far. Okay, I put them like this so that everyone can see them. Unfortunately, some cannot see. That’s why the speaker always has a high. Not that the master must always sit up. Always, we have to sit and look to see if the last person on the chair can see the speaker or not. Now, the back problem has many, many reasons. We don’t know what. Not a correct posture, working in the office on the internet, driving a car, and many, many things. But before you do these exercises, you have to consult with your doctor or orthopedist. If you have a particular problem, like a slipped disc. Otherwise, you can do it without any problem. It is good for the pancreas. Good for the liver. Good for the kidneys. Good for digestion. Good for the back muscles. And very good for our backbone. Good for the hip joints. Good for the neck, for many, many things, and very simple. Everyone can do it. Okay? So translate: bend left knee. Not you, this is you. Good, good. Place the foot on the other side of the thigh, the right thigh. Very good. Hands beside the body. Now slowly bring your left knee to the ground on the right side. Helping with the right hand, and look to the left. Hey, hey, this side, boy. Yes. Tak. Remain there. Now you see how the muscles are twisted, stretched. I wish you could also do, but perhaps this weekend you can. Slowly come to the middle, stretch the hands, arms are still in motion. Stretch the left knee on the ground and bend the right knee. Place the right foot outside of the thigh, and with the left hand, help your right knee to come down to the left side. Try to get your knee down. Try your knee down. In the middle. In the middle. And stretch leg out. So, one. Two. Three, four, tell him to relax, relax. Right knee, one, two, three, four. Very good, thank you. Second, place your left heel on your right toes. Hand sidewards. You relax, boy. Aha, there is a problem with hearing. Now, the toes to the right side, touching the floor. And head to the left side. In the middle. Change the heel. Yes, heels to the left side. Head to the right side. And in the middle, this is the second exercise for your back. Now, the third one. Bend your knees. And bring the knees towards the body. Yes, and hold the knees. No, no, no. Now knees to the right side, head to the left side. As far as you can, and back. Other side. Very good. Good. Sit up. Marjari. Cat pose. This is good for digestion, very good for the back. And it’s also very good for the male who has a problem with prostatitis. Or when women have pain during menstruation, like cramps, immediately this will release the cramps. Immediately, one. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Now, one round you do yourself. You see how the back is turning, twisting. It’s a beautiful feeling. And it’s not difficult at all. If you have a knee problem, then you don’t need to sit like that in the first posture. You can immediately go to this posture. And you can do morning anytime, but not immediately after eating. Yes, then one which improves your muscles and awakens the energy centers, and it is a very, very beautiful exercise. After that, we will go to plant the peace tree very soon. I will explain to you about the peace tree then. Khatu Pranam. Okay? Yes, please. You do it. These are very beautiful, dynamic movements. They stretch the muscles. It strengthens the muscles. It’s very good for the back bones. Also for the hip joints. It’s very good for the breath, and it improves the immunity in the body. Morning, if you do two or three rounds, it will help you very much. Evening, when you come home, you do this first exercise. This is called Kaṭhūpraṇām. You have your Yoga and Daily Life books, and you can read and learn from that also. In this city, you also have Yoga and Daily Life courses. Yoga is individual, not for the whole people at the same exercises. The world peace tree began with these thoughts, that it should remind us what peace means. And wherever I come around the world, I plant a peace tree. In many cities, many countries, and every year on the day when the tree was planted, people go there and have a peace prayer. So I’m very happy, we’ll be very happy if you will give your hands for this peace tree. It means we are for peace, and we are very happy also that the respected mayor of the city and the vice mayor, as well as the media, have great interest to have this peace tree in the beautiful square here. Dear brothers and sisters, there are a lot of things we can talk about: yoga, about human life, the creation of the world, but next time. This weekend we will have more exercises and explanations. You are welcome. And thank you for listening. And thank you to the demonstrators, organizers, and the translator. Thank you.