Namaste Dear Akhanda Yoga Online Family,

Wishing you all a very auspicious Navratri, 9 Night Shakti Festival!

Navratri is a powerful time in the Yogic calendar to explore and celebrate the infinite potential of the Divine feminine, Shakti in the Universe - also manifesting within us as Kundalini Energy.

It is not only a time for celebration but also a profound opportunity for introspection—activating our deeper Soul purpose and allowing for inner reprogramming. 

The word Navratri comes from the Sanskrit words "Nav" (नव) meaning nine and "Ratri" (रात्रि) meaning night - and is dedicated to honoring Durga and her symbolic manifestations.

Commencing straight after the ancestral period, this year it is taking place from the 3rd of October, culminating in Dussehra, or Vijayadasami, on the 12th of October.

During these sacred days, we are invited to clear away the habits through which we self-sabotage and repeat past unhelpful patterns, in order to redirect our fragmented energy back towards our Soul Purpose.

It is a time of inner focus, releasing fear and ego, renewing Sankalp Shakti and aligning with a higher calling - allowing us to move forward with clarity and strength.

Join us with your loved ones for our FREE Navratri Community Satsangh on the ninth day of Navratri.

A special Sadhana session where Dr. Yogrishi and Prakashini Ji will guide us through a Chakra Meditation and stories from the Devi Mahatmyam.

Friday 11th October 2024. 

USA (Pacific Time): 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
USA & Canada (Eastern Time): 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Europe: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM 
UK: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
India: 7:30 PM - 8.30 PM

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

1) Online: We will be hosting this session virtually on Akhanda Yoga Online and Zoom. 

Join on Akhanda Yoga Online: https://akhandayogaonline.com/programs/live-ftslcemjctq

Join on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83925898571?pwd=Enja9VaeSxWu99ojb7yM6JnZ0HHchd.1 

2) In-Person: For those that are in India and able to join us in person, the session will be broadcasted live from Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram.

Recap of Karma Yoga and Seva - Wisdom Waves Satsang 31/8/2024:

Karma Yoga: The Path of Selfless Action

• Concept: Each action is a seed; some bring obstacles, others bring joy and spiritual support.

• Action and Inaction: Both are forms of action with their own consequences.

• Harmony with Higher Self: "Yoga Karmasu Kosalam" (Bhagavad Gita 2:50) - Align actions with your Highest Self for spiritual growth.

Seva: The Expression of Belief Through Selfless Service

• Belief in Action: Seva embodies our highest values in our actions

• Diverse Forms: This is not just the soup kitchen and Mother Theresa kind of Seva. The Seva od Motherhood, teaching and sharing wellbeing, and so forth are also Seva opportunities and able to create profound spiritual transformation when undertaken with the correct attitude.

• Divine Service: "Every selfless act is born from the Brahman" (Bhagavad Gita 3:15-19) - Selfless service connects us to the Divine.

Humility: Foundation of Sincere Yoga Practice

• Key Attitude: Recognize every single individual has limitations, not just others that we so easily judge. Know that you are enough without being everything perfectly, and stay stay grounded in surrender to the vastness of this Universe.

• Example: Hanuman - Power balanced with humility, service as the highest form of Yoga.

• Prana Connection: Harness inner strength without ego, grow deeply, authentically as dedicated practitioners and teachers.

With Love and Humble Pranams, Kal Prakashini

Wisdom Waves 24/08/2024 Recap: Understanding the role of belief in the Yogic context.

We explored the concepts of asthik (believer) and nasthik (non-believer, an equivalent in english could be atheist). These ideas are central to the vast majority of the Vedas and Tantras, which emphasize belief as a foundational aspect of spiritual practice and daily life. The session highlighted that belief is not just a matter of religious or spiritual faith but serves as a broader, guiding principle that influences our thoughts, actions, and overall worldview. Modern neuroscience research also supports these ancient teachings over the recent decades, showing that beliefs influence how our brain and body function.

Key Points:

1. Belief as a Guiding Force: Belief shapes our perception of reality and influences our decisions. It acts as a compass, guiding us through life's challenges and opportunities. Especially allowing us to go beyond our intellectual limitations in times of challenge

2. Collective Belief: Shared beliefs within a community can create powerful energy that supports personal growth and transformation, fostering unity and purpose for something bigger than our individual parts.

3. The Placebo Effect: A well-known example from modern science from the 90s, the placebo effect, demonstrates how what we believe can cause real physiological changes in the body. This has been added to by a staggering amount of research in the recent decades, supporting what the Yogis have practiced and shared for many thousands of years!

4. Belief and Surrender: Trusting in a higher power or the flow of life requires a strong foundation of belief, enabling us to surrender with faith and embrace the waves of life. Being connected to other like-minded community and support is very helpful for this!

5. Requirement for an Adhikari (which include serious practices and Yoga teachers): Furthermore, we learned that the Yogic texts emphasize the importance of belief in something beyond one's immediate self in order to be an adhikari (a competent practitioner, and especially a teacher). This belief can be in a divine energy, the Universe, a god or messengers, or an invisible guiding hand—anything that transcends the individual mind and body. This requirement serves as a foundation for the authentic attitudes necessary for those who are committed to practicing and teaching yoga. It is a crucial guideline from Yogic texts, distinguishing it from modern legal concepts of cultural appropriation.

Looking forward to seeing you bright and early on Saturday for our next Wisdom Waves!

Namaste to you all, Love and Light, authored by Prakashiniji✨️🙏

namaste, I had no internet connection last saturday. is it possible to see the recorded video of the satsang? thank you for your answer

During our session, Vishvaji beautifully described the meaning of the word Ashram.  

An Ashram is not just a physical space but a place where people come together to do work—both outer and inner work. It is a sanctuary for deep personal and collective growth, a place where the attitude of humility, Seva and Oneness is the objective of the practice.

Vishvaji and Prakashiniji also explored the concept of Ashramas of Yogic Living with us, which outlines the traditional phases of life generally dedicated to particular Dharmas (duties in this context).

In modern life, we may experience these phases in different sequences, intermittently dipping into different phases, or even fusions of them. The Ashramas offer a traditional framework for understanding the different stages of life and the dharmic responsibilities we embrace at each stage.

Here’s a brief look at each:

• Brahmacharya (Student Life): A time of dedicated learning and self-study, where one conserves energy for personal growth and spiritual development and abstains from relationship distractions.

• Grihastha (Housedweller Life): A period of supporting familial relations, a household and material activities, where one balances worldly responsibilities and material expansion with spiritual expansion.

• Vanaprastha (Retreating to ‘Forest’ Life): A stage of gradually withdrawing from material and family-focused services to focus on the Seva (serving) of collective wellbeing. Allowing the next generation to become independent and take care of their own material needs while transitioning to the ‘forest’ of collective wellbeing.

• Sannyasa (Renouncing Worldly Life): A phase of internal detachment from all worldly activities, with the understanding that one will eventually lay down and everything in this Circle of Life will eventually come to an end.

These stages provide a roadmap for navigating life’s journey with purpose and balance, honoring the spiritual responsibilities that align with each phase.

It was eye-opening to discuss how these traditional concepts resonate with us within our community today, and we look forward to continuing these deep explorations and additional related topics with you.

Love and Light, authored by Prakashiniji✨️🙏

Namaste Akhanda Yoga Online Family!

Here you will find our dedicated community channel for exploring the profound teachings of Yoga philosophy. 

Led by Dr. Yogrishi Vishvketu, Prakashini Ji, and other senior members of the Akhanda Yoga faculty, the Wisdom Waves: Saturday Satsanghs series will take you on a journey through key Yogic texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Upanishads.

Please feel free to use this space to ask questions, share your experience, and further discuss the topics with the community.

If there is something you would like us to cover in one of the sessions, please let us know here 🧡