Mahashivarathri – Opening the third eye - Sadhguru

The 14th day of every month or the day before the New Moon which is the darkest night in the lunar month, is known as Shivarathri. Among all the 12 Shivarathris in a year Mahashivarathri is the most powerful one. On this day the planetary positions, especially in the northern hemisphere, are such there is a natural upsurge of energies in the human system.

In the yogic tradition, Shiva is not worshipped as a God but considered as the Adi Guru, the first Guru from whom the knowledge originated. For the ascetics that is the day he became one with the Kailash; he became like a mountain - still, absolutely still. After many millennia in meditation, one day he became  absolutely still; that day is Mahashivarathri. All movement in him stopped and he became utterly still, so ascetics see Mahashivarathri as the day of stillness.

Shiva has always been referred to as Triambaka in so many ways because he has a third eye. The third eye is the eye of vision. These two eyes are sensory organs; they feed the mind with all nonsense because what you see is not the truth. You see this person, think something about him; if you see that person it is something about him, but you are not able to see the Shiva in him. These two eyes don’t see the truth so another eye, an eye of deeper penetration, has to be opened up. In this country, in this tradition, knowing doesn’t mean reading books, knowing doesn’t mean listening to someone, knowing doesn’t mean getting information from here and there. Knowing means opening up a new vision into life. So true knowing means your third eye has to open up. If your third eye is not opened then there is no way you can see Shiva. So this day, the Mahashivarathri day, that possibility, nature is bringing it close. Everyday it is possible; it is not that you will have to wait for this day. But this day nature offers it to you easily.

One of the prescriptions for today is you do not lie down in horizontal positions; remain in a vertical position. Remaining vertical alone is not sufficient; we will have to be in such position where we are not ourselves. Allow him to be; you are not. Shiva means ‘that which is not’. If you become like that the possibility of opening up new vision into life, looking at life with clarity is possible.

Any amount of thinking, any amount of philosophising, will not bring clarity into your mind. Only when vision opens, only then there is clarity. Nobody, no situation, can distort this clarity within you. But the logical clarity you create, anybody can distort it. So today is an opportunity for you to become a “Triambaka”, for you to open your third eye.

Mahashivarathri is very significant for people who are in the spiritual process, it is also very significant for people who are in family situations, and it is also very significant for the ambitious in the world. By people who live in family situations, Mahashivarathri is worshiped as Shiva’s wedding anniversary. For the ascetics that is the day he became one with the Kailash, because he became like a mountain - still, absolutely still. And the ambitious of the world see that day as the day Shiva conquered all his enemies.

Now, why are this day and this night held in so much importance in yogic traditions? Modern science has gone through many phases and arrived at a point today where they’re out to prove to you that everything that you know as life, everything that you know as matter and existence, everything that you know as the cosmos, as galaxies, it is all just one energy manifesting itself in millions and millions of ways. This reality is an experiential reality in every yogi; the word “yogi” means just that. As you know, the word “yoga” means union. The word “yogi” means one who has known the oneness of existence.

When I say “yoga,” I’m not referring to any one particular practice or system; all longing to know the unbounded, all longing to know the oneness in the existence is yoga. This night offers one such

opportunity to experience this. The sages and seers of the past recognised this natural phenomenon in the human body and they made it a part of the tradition to make use of that day as a day of sadhana, as a day of intensifying the spiritual processes. In Isha we have set up a tradition where the Shivarathri day every month is of importance to people who are here. The Mahashivarathri, which occurs once in a year, is of even greater significance. We want to be aware, awake, focused, and vertical also. So various situations are created at Isha Yoga Center on this day, combining powerful meditations and celebration, which will definitely keep you awake.

Mahashivarathri - Savour the darkness ---- Sadhguru

This Mahashivarathri, this is a day of many possibilities; rather this is a night of many possibilities. This day,the 14th day of every month, which is known as a Shivarathri, is the darkest day of the month. Celebrating Shivarathri on a monthly basis, or this particular day,which is noted as the Mahashivarathrialmost seems like celebration of darkness. Any logical mind would resist darkness; any thinking mindwould naturally opt for light, not darkness. But the word literally means that which is not. That which is,is existence; that which is, is creation. That which is not is Shiva.

That which is not means, if you open your eyes and look around, if your vision is for small things, you

will see lots of creation. If your vision is really looking for big things, you will see the biggest presence in the existence is a vast emptiness. Just a few spots which we call as galaxies are generally so much noticed, but the vast emptiness that holds it doesn’t come into everybody’s notice. This vastness, this unbounded emptiness, is what is referred to as Shiva. As today modern science also proves that everything comes from nothing and also goes back to nothing, it is in this context that Shiva, the vast emptiness or nothingness, is referred to as the great lord, or Mahadeva.

Every religion, every culture on this planet has always been talking about the omnipresent, all

pervading nature of the Divine. If we look at it, the only thing that can be truly all pervading, the only

thing that can be everywhere is darkness, or nothingness, or emptiness. Generally, when people are

seeking well-being, we talk of the divine as the light. When people are no more seeking well-being, they are looking beyond their life in terms of dissolving. If the object of their worship and their sadhana is dissolution, then we always refer to the divine as darkness. Light, however great the source of light may be, the greatest source of light that we know on this planet is the sun. Even the sun’s light, with your hand you could stop it and leave darkness behind, a shadow of darkness behind. But darkness is all-enveloping, everywhere.

The immature minds in the world have always described darkness as the devil. But, when you describe the divine as all-pervading, you’re obviously referring to the divine as darkness, because only darkness is all-pervading. It is everywhere; it doesn’t need any support from anything. Light always comes from a source that is burning itself out, it has a beginning and an end. It is always from a limited source.

Darkness has no source; it is a source unto itself. It is all-pervading, everywhere, omnipresent. So when we say Shiva, it is this vast emptiness of existence. It is in the lap of this vast emptiness, that all creation has happened. It is that lap of emptiness that we refer to as the Shiva. All the ancient prayers in this culture have always been not about saving yourself, not about protecting yourself, not about doing better in life.

All the ancient prayers have always been about ‘Oh lord, destroy me, so that I can become like

yourself’. So when we say Shivarathri, which is the darkest night of the month, it is an opportunity for one to dissolve their limitedness, to experience the unboundedness of the source of creation, which is the seed in every human being. Today is an opportunity and a possibility to bring yourself to that experience of the vast emptiness within every human being, which is the source of all creation.

On the one hand, Shiva is known as the destroyer, on the other, he is known as the most

compassionate. He is also known to be the greatest of the givers. The yogic lore is rife with many stories about Shiva’s compassion. The commonplace ways of expression of his compassion have been incredible and astonishing at the same time. He is a great giver; at the same time he does not like those who ask for anything. The asking people never got along with Shiva. So Mahashivarathri is a special night for receiving too.

The devotees and the spiritual sadhakas in the world live a life of exuberance and intensity. But for

most of the common folk have many things to fulfil. It is a true joy to see people who have entangled

themselves in various commitments and duties, pursue the spiritual path with great vigour. It’s our wish and blessing that today you must not pass this night without knowing at least a moment of the vastness of this emptiness that we call as Shiva. Let this night not just be a night of wakefulness, but let this night be a night of awakening for every one of you.

The 7 Chakras and Their Significance to Your Life - Sadhguru

Chakras are energy centers. Although most people have heard of seven chakras, there are actually 114 in the body. The human body is a complex energy form; in addition to the 114 chakras, it also has 72,000 "nadis," or energy channels, along which vital energy, or "prana," moves. When the nadis meet at different points in the body, they form a triangle. We call this triangle a chakra, which means "wheel." We call it a wheel because it symbolizes growth, dynamism and movement, so even though it is actually a triangle, we call it a chakra. Some of these centers are very powerful, while others are not as powerful. At different levels, these energy centers produce different qualities in a human being.
Fundamentally, any spiritual path can be described as a journey from the base chakra, called the "Mooladhara," which is located at the base of the spine, to the "Sahasrar," which located at the top of the head. This journey of movement from the Mooladhara to Sahasrar is from one dimension to another. It may happen in many different ways, and various yogic practices can effect this movement.
Mooladhara is really made up of two terms: "Moola" means the root or source, and "adhar" means the foundation. It is the very basic foundation of life. In the physical body, your energies need to be in the Mooladhara chakra to some extent. Otherwise, you cannot exist. If the Mooladhara chakra alone is dominant, food and sleep will be the predominant factors in your life.
We can speak in terms of lower and higher chakras, but such language is often and too easily misunderstood. It is like comparing the foundation of a building to the roof; the roof is not superior to the foundation. The foundation of the building is more basic to the building than the roof, and the quality, life span, stability and security of the building depends, to a large extent, on the foundation rather than the roof. But in terms of language, the roof is higher, and the foundation is lower.
The second chakra is "Swadhisthana." If your energies move into Swadhisthana, you are a pleasure seeker. The Swadhisthana chakra is located just above the genital organs. When this chakra is active, you enjoy the physical world in so many ways. If you look at a pleasure seeker, you will see that his life and his experience of life are just a little more intense compared with a person who is only about food and sleep.
If your energy moves into the "Manipuraka" chakra, located just below the navel, you are a doer in the world. You are all about action. You can do many, many things. If your energies move into the "Anahata" chakra, you are a creative person. A person who is creative in nature, like an artist or an actor, is someone who lives very intensely -- more intensely, perhaps, than a businessman, who is all action.
The Anahata literally means the "un-struck." If you want to make any sound, you have to strike two objects together. The un-struck sound is called "Anahata." Anahata is located in the heart area and is like a transition between your lower chakras and your higher chakras, between survival instincts and the instinct to liberate yourself. The lower three chakras are mainly concerned with your physical existence. Anahata is a combination; it is a meeting place for both the survival and the enlightenment chakras.
The next chakra is the "Vishuddhi," which literally means "filter." Vishuddhi is located in the area of your throat. If your energies move into Vishuddhi, you become a very powerful human being, but this power is not just political or administrative. A person can be powerful in many ways. A person can become so powerful that if he just sits in one place, things will happen for him. He can manifest life beyond the limitations of time and space.
If your energies move into the "Agna" chakra, located between your eyebrows, you are intellectually enlightened. You have attained to a new balance and peace within you. The outside no longer disturbs you, but you are still experientially not liberated.
If your energies move into "Sahasrar," at the crown of your head, you become ecstatic beyond all reason. You will simply burst with ecstasy for no reason whatsoever.
Chakras have more than one dimension to them. One dimension is their physical existence, but they also have a spiritual dimension. This means that they can be completely transformed into a new dimension. If you bring the right kind of awareness, the same Mooladhara that craves food and sleep can become absolutely free from the process of food and sleep. If one wants to go beyond food and sleep, one needs to transform the Mooladhara to an evolved state.
To move from Mooladhara to Agna, from the lowest of these seven chakras to the second highest, there are many procedures, methods and processes through which one can raise his energies. But from Agna to Sahasrar, the sixth chakra to the highest chakra, there is no path. You can only jump there. In a way, you have to fall upward. So, the question of going step by step to that dimension does not really arise. There is no way.
It is for this reason that spiritual traditions have emphasized the significance of a guru's role in one's realization; guru literally means "dispeller of darkness." You can only jump into an abyss -- the depth of which you do not know -- if you have an absolutely insane heart, or if your trust in someone is so deep that you are willing to do anything in their presence. Most people, due to a lack of either of these two aspects, just get stuck in the Agna chakra. When this happens, peacefulness is the highest state they will know. It is only from this limitation that there has been so much talk about peace being the highest possibility. But for someone seeking their ultimate nature, peace is only the beginning; it is not the ultimate goal.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

GUAVA – POOR MAN’S APPLE

Guava is one of the famous and well-known fruit grown all over India herb and many parts of the world. Guava tree bears fruits twice in a year, in summer and winter, but the fruit in winter is considered, superior in quality and taste. The pulp of guava is very useful for human system.
Guava is digestive, gives vigor & strength to heart, lungs and the whole body. It is an effective aphrodis, improves blood circulation, heals and dries wound and is an antiseptic.
In unani physician & researcher advises a guava a day for good digestion and regular bowel action. It is said in Unani ” guava is hundred times more advantageous than apples.
Take it straight with its skin on; chew thoroughly without spitting out the seeds for maximum benefit digestion will become so strong that you can digest pebble.
Guava is a very nutritious fruit, when eaten with seeds it gives roughage to the diet helps in the normal evacuation of the bowels.
The fruit improves overall resistance.
DIGESTIVE & STOMACH PROBLEMS:
1 - Taking pulps of roast guava (without seed) with orange juice two or three times a day cures indigestion
2 - Taking guava with rock salt after meals eliminated gas and increase appetite
3 - Consuming the ground paste of guava’s fresh leaves with water cures stomachache.
CONSTIPATION:
1-Eating guava in breakfast or before meals activates digestion and cures constipation
2-Eating guava & papaya with little black pepper powder, rock salt & lemon juice sprinkled on it, after meals activates normal movement of bowels
LOOSE MOTIONS & DIARRHEA:
1-Taking boiled water of guava leaves, two to three times a day controls loose motions
2-The bark of root of guava dried and roasted slightly and powdered. A pinch of this powder taken in buttermilk checks diarrhoea, an especially useful remedy in infants & children
ITCHING:
Eating 250 gm of ripe guava regularly in the afternoon for about a month purifies blood, cleans the stomach and intestines and thus cures itching due to bowels movements, pustules etc
WOUNDS:
Applying paste of guava leaves on wounds helps in curing them.
TOOTH-ACHE:
Munching fresh Guava leaves or gargling with guava leaf water (in which guava leaves are boiled) eliminates swelling of gum's and cures toothache
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE:
Consuming the oozed out water of the salad of guavas with little rock salt, black pepper powder, lemon juice on it twice or thrice a week controls high blood pressure.
It is interesting to note, while the fruit is a laxative and digestive, the leaves and root bark check diarrhea and bind the stomach.

OTHER USES:

A part from the curative properties, its wood is very hard and used for making “Harmonium” etc. on which carving can also be done.

The bark and dry leaves are used for making printing colors and dyes for cloths. Rich in calories guava has many qualities of apple and thus is called the ” poor man’s apple”.

A word of caution

  Hakeem's of Unani Suggests that guava should not be taken empty stomach because it gives rise to phlegm in the body. Water should not be taken after eating guava for it may lead to cholera.

Inner Voice - Failure just an idea - Sadguru

There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just an idea just as success is a stupid idea. Instead of trying to change the world, change the idea. If you just change that, everything is just great.
If you were a beggar on the street, and if you could walk into the restaurant and eat a masala dosa, this would be the height of your success! So you've gotten trapped in social situations and this idea of success is not even your idea, why am I crediting you with this? Every idea, thought, emotion or value that you have is picked up from somewhere and it rules you from within. Your religion, your society and your culture have trained you to believe that this is it.
Don't become a slave to somebody's idea; that is the first and foremost success.
Success and failure is not in the volumes of money flowing into your life; success and failure is not dependent upon the recognition that you find in the world.
You are successful with life if you know how to walk with joy even through hell.
For one who is seeing this life as a stepping stone for a larger possibility, for him there is no failure. For one who is looking at the simple events of this life itself as the goal of life, for him there is failure and success. Various situations in your life can either be used to make yourself stronger and better or you can sit and cry. This is the choice you have.
Everything it doesn't matter what happens, even the most horrific event in your life can also be used for your growth and your well-being.
The small events of your life --your business, your marriage, your children and a hundred other things are just a stepping stone. It is entirely up to you whether you go with them or without them. You may be a sanyasi or in samsara, but your goal has to be `mukthi'. Only that defines your success or failure.