abhimukti magazine

4 Abhimukti

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8 Abhimukti JANUARY 2011

meditationwhat is it?

By Heal thAndYoga.com

An ordinary person may con-

sider meditation as a worship or

prayer. But it is not so. Meditation

means awareness. Whatever you

do with awareness is meditation.

"Watching your breath" is medita-

tion; listening to the birds is medi-

tation. As long as these activities

are free from any other distraction

to the mind, it is effective medita-

tion.

Meditation is not a technique

but a way of life. Meditation

means an understanding of the

thought process. It describes a state

of consciousness, when the mind

is free of scattered thoughts and

various patterns. The meditator re-

alizes that all the activity of the

mind is reduced to one.

A Tibetan Lama was being

monitored on a brain scan ma-

chine by a scientist wishing to test

physiological functions during

deep meditation. The scientist said

- "Very good Sir. The machine

shows that you are able to go very

deep in brain relaxation, and that

validates your meditation". "No",

said the Lama, "This (pointing to

his brain) validates the machine!".

These days it is commonly un-

derstood to mean some form of

spiritual practice where one sits

down with eyes closed and empties

the mind to attain inner peace, re-

laxation or even an experience of

God. Some people use the term as

"my gardening is my meditation"

or for jogging or art or music,

hence creating confusion or mis-

understanding.

The word meditation, is de-

rived from two Latin words : med-

itari (to think, to dwell upon, to

exercise the mind) and mederi (to

heal). Its Sanskrit derivation

'medha' means wisdom.

Many years ago meditation was

considered something just not

meant for modern people, but now

it has become very popular with

all types of people. Published sci-

“Meditation is not atechnique but away of life”

entific and medical evidence has

proved its benefits, but it still needs

to be much understood.

Traditionally, the classical yoga

texts, describe that to attain true

states of meditation one must go

through several stages. After the

necessary preparation of personal

and social code, physical position,

breath control, and relaxation

come the more advanced stages of

concentration, contempla-

tion, and then ultimately

absorption. But that does

not mean that one must

perfect any one stage be-

fore moving onto the

next. The Integral yoga

approach is simulta-

neous applica-

tion of a little

of all stages to-

gether.

Commonly

today, people

can mean

any one of these stages when they

refer to the term meditation. Some

schools only teach concentration

techniques, some relaxation, and

others teach free form contempla-

tive activities like just sitting and

awaiting absorption. Some call it

meditation without giving cre-

dence to yoga for fear of being

branded 'eastern'. But yoga is not

something eastern or western as it

is universal in its approach and

application.

With regular practice

of a balanced series of

techniques, the energy of

the body and mind can be

liberated and the quality

of consciousness can

be expanded. This is

not a subjective

claim but is now

being investigated

by scientists and

being shown as

empirical fact.

SELF DISCOVERY


ayurvedaIndia’s traditional, natural system of medicine

By www.Holis ticOnl ine.com

Ayurveda is India’s traditional,

natural system of medicine that

has been practiced for more than

5,000 years. Ayurveda is a Sanskrit

word that literally translated

means "science of life" or "prac-

tices of longevity." Ayurveda was

the system of health care con-

ceived and developed by the seers

(rishis) and natural scientists

through centuries of observations,

experiments, discussions, and

meditations. For several thousand

years their teachings were

passed on orally from

teacher to student; about the

fifth to sixth century BC,

elaborately detailed texts

were written in Sanskrit, the

ancient language of India.

For many years Ayurveda

flourished and was used by

rich and poor alike in India

and Southeast Asia.

Manuscript page from

Atharva-Veda, earliest Indian text

(approx. 1500 BC) with much

medical information, one of sev-

eral Vedas (meaning "knowledge"),

upon which Ayurvedic medical

practice is based on. Ayurvedic

manuals were written by Charaka,

Sushruta, and Vagbhata that give

detailed descriptions of the various

practices. Charaka listed 500 hun-

dred remedies and Sushruta over

700 vegetable medicines.

Ayurveda emphasizes prevention

of disease, rejuvenation of our

body systems, and extension of life

span. The profound premise and

promise of Ayurveda is that

through certain practices, not only

can we prevent heart disease and

make our headaches go away, but

we can also better understand our-

selves and the world around us,

“Ayurveda provides anintegrated approach topreventing and treat-

ing illness throughlifestyle interventions

and natural therapies”

live a long healthy life in balance

and harmony, achieve our fullest

potential, and express our true

inner nature on a daily basis.

Ayurveda provides an inte-

grated approach to preventing and

treating illness through lifestyle

interventions and natural thera-

pies. It is based on the view that

the elements, forces, and princi-

ples that comprise all of nature -

and that holds it together and

make it function - are also seen in

human beings. In Ayurveda, the

mind (or consciousness) and the

body (or physical mass) not only

influence each other - they are

each other. Together they form the

mind-body. The universal con-

sciousness is an intelligent, aware

ocean of energy that gives rise to

the physical world we perceive

through our five senses.

Ayurvedic philosophy and

practices link us to every

aspect of ourselves and

remind us that we are

in union with every as-

pect of nature, each

other, and the entire

universe.

There can be no

mental health without

physical health, and vice versa. In

Ayurveda, symptoms and diseases

that could be categorized as men-

tal thoughts or feelings are just as

important as symptoms and dis-

eases of the physical body. Both

are due to imbalances within a

person, and both are treated by

restoring the natural balance men-

tally and physically. In Ayurveda

your whole life and lifestyle must

be in harmony before you can

enjoy true well being. Lifestyle

interventions are a major

Ayurvedic preventive and thera-

peutic approach.

ayurveda MEDICINE


In India, Ayurvedic

practitioners receive state-

recognized, institutionalized

training in parallel to their

physician counterparts. The

research base is growing con-

cerning the physiological ef-

fects of meditative techniques

and yoga postures in Indian

medical literature and West-

ern psychological literature.

Published studies have docu-

mented reductions in cardio-

vascular disease risk factors,

including blood pressure,

cholesterol, and reaction to

stress, in individuals who

practice Ayurvedic methods.

Laboratory and clinical

studies on Ayurvedic herbal

preparations and other thera-

pies have shown them to have

a range of potentially benefi-

cial effects for preventing and

treating certain cancers, treat-

ing infectious disease, treating

diabetes, promoting health,

and treating aging. Mecha-

nisms underlying these effects

may include free-radical

scavenging effects, immune

system modulation, brain

neurotransmitter modulation,

and hormonal effects.


autobiographyof a yogi

Autobiography of a Yogi is not

an ordinary book. It is a spiritual

treasure. To read its message of

hope to all truth seekers is to begin

a great adventure.

Paramahansa Yogananda was

born on January 5, 1893, in

Gorakhpur, India. His original

name was Mukunda

Lal Ghosh. He hailed

from a well-to-do

Bengali family. From

his early childhood,

his parents were well

aware of the spiritual

significance of his

birth. As a boy he

was driven by an in-

tense urge to seek the

Divine and develop a friendly atti-

tude towards God in all his forms

and aspects.

He went through many per-

sonal experiences that strength-

ened his faith in the Divine and

propelled him to find a Guru who

would help him reach the Highest

Truth. At the age of 17 he met

Swami Yukteswar Giri and became

his disciple. He spent the next ten

years under the guidance of his

Guru, practicing Kriya Yoga and

exploring the inner worlds. To

prepare him for his future mission

in the western world, his Guru en-

couraged him to join a college and

receive modern education.

After he completed his educa-

tion in 1915, Swami Yukteswar

initiated him into monk hood and

gave him the name Yogananda.

The Swami became very popular

both in the east and the west

through his teachings and his

speeches. His Autobiography of a

Yogi, which was published in

1943, attracted the attention of

many. After spreading the message

of love in many parts of the world

Only rarely does a sage ofParamhansa Yogananda's staturewrite a firsthand account of his lifeexperiences. Followers of many re-ligious traditions have come to rec-ognize Autobiography of a Yogi asa masterpiece of spiritual literature.

and proving beyond doubt that

through sustained self efforts

human beings can ascend to

extraordinary transcendental

heights, he passed away on

March 7, 1952.

It has been said that due to his

extraordinary spiritual powers, his

body did not suffer any decay even

twenty long days after his death, a

fact which was recorded officially

by the doctors.

Abhimukti magazine is proud

to recommend His Autobiograph-

ical work. This book has pro-

found spiritual significance for

any one interested in spiritual

matters, irrespective of caste

and creed. It narrates in

great detail the first hand

experiences of sri Yo-

gananda and his encoun-

ters with the higher

worlds and divine beings.

Sri Yogananda proved

beyond doubt that any one

with devotion, determina-

tion and concentration can

transcend human limita-

tions and experience the

divine and establish one-

self in the divine con-

sciousness. Any one who

reads his experiences

with a deep faith in the spiritual

possibilities of human existence,

is bound to be influenced by the

powerful vibrations this book

brings into his or her conscious-

ness. Be prepared for an incredible

journey into the deeper recesses of

our own consciousness.

Autobiography of a Yogi

ISBN 1-56589-212-7

autobiography

Only rarely does a sage ofParamhansa Yogananda's staturewrite a firsthand account of his lifeexperiences. Followers of many re-ligious traditions have come to rec-ognize Autobiography of a Yogi asa masterpiece of spiritual literature.

SELF DISCOVERY BOOKS


chinese herbal medicines for the

common coldBy Joel Harvey Schreck

www.acupuncture.com

We've all heard it said “We can

land spaceships on Mars, but can't

even cure the common cold.” The

cold seems to be a humbling curse

that is mankind's burden forever.

Despite the frustrations of science,

some people claim to cure a cold

with an amazing variety of stuff

like garlic, ginger, zinc, and

vitamin C. These never worked

for me. I found that once my

cold started, I was in for a week

of suffering.

That is, until an acquaintance

gave me a vial of Chinese pills and

told me to take them if I felt a cold

coming on. A few days later, I

awoke with a sore throat. Before

leaving for work, I remembered

the pills and took them. That

evening, I realized that my

budding cold had vanished, gone

without a trace. What was

that stuff?

The stuff tuned out to be Yin

Chiao. Was this a fluke? How

could no one know about this? As

it turns out, it was no fluke. Since

that day, Yin Chiao and similar

Chinese remedies have ended

most of my colds. Perhaps medical

science hasn't cured the

common cold, but it appears

that Chinese herbalists did it

hundreds of years ago. The

formula for Yin Chiao was

first published in the

eighteenth century. It's hard

to understand why it would take

the West so long to discover

them. I imagine if bad news

travels quickly, good news must

travel slowly.

Different ideas, no matter how

good, are met with resistance.

That’s why it took us about a thou-

sand years to discover Chinese

food. With pharmaceutical cold

medicines proving to be harmful,

Different ideas, nomatter how good, aremet with resistance.

let's hope it doesn't take another

thousand years to discover Chi-

nese herbal medicine. Not only are

they safer, but Chinese herbs are

simply more effective. When you

discover them, you'll never even

think about drugs for colds or vis-

iting the doctor for a cold. When

Western civilization discovers

them, it could turn our medical es-

tablishment upside down, easing

suffering and preventing millions

of needless trips to the doctor.

This might be bad news for doc-

tors, but it's very good news for

everyone else.

Though ancient Chinese

herbalists knew nothing about

germs, they knew that respiratory

diseases were caused by exterior

wind evils. Evils that caused seri-

ous diseases like in-

fluenza and measles

were called wind-

heat evils. Common

colds were caused by

wind-cold evils.

Our bodies are pro-

tected from wind evils by

defensive energy, known as wei

qi. With adequate wei qi, you can

be exposed to disease without get-

ting sick. Herbs such as astragalus

can be used to boost the wei qi,

protecting us from invaders. They

block the entry of wind evils.

Expelling these evils requires

herbs that release exterior condi-

tions. Some of these are ginger,

mint, kudzu root, and many oth-

ers. Some of these herbs protect

against wind-heat evils; others de-

fend against wind-cold invaders.

These herbs are rarely taken alone,

but are combined in formulas that

greatly increase their potency.

Some of the most popular Chinese

MEDICINE

cold formulas appear to work on

any kind of wind invasion, hot or

cold. However, I have found that

certain formulas work better on

different parts of the body.

For example, colds originating

in the throat seem to respond best

to Yin Chiao, which is taken at the

first sign of cold. Keep them

with you during cold season; the

sooner you take them, the better

they work. Yin Chiao contains

remarkably simple and safe herbs.

They are: honeysuckle, forsythia,

balloon flower, peppermint,

edible burdock, crested grass,

schizonepeta, fermented soybean,

and Chinese licorice root.

For colds that begin in the nose,

I prefer Gan Mao Ling. Use it alone

or combine it with Yin Chiao when

nasal or sinus congestion is present

at the onset. Gan mao ling con-

tains: Ilex Root, Chrysanthemum

Flower, Vitex Herb, Isatis Root, and

honeysuckle flower.

To relieve colds which are too

far developed to stop, or to relieve

colds that begin with body aches,

fever, and chills, I believe the best

remedy is Zong Gan Ling which

contains: kudzu root, hairy holly

root, vervain, woad root, worm-

wood, gypsum, and notopterygi.

Preventing a cold requires a differ-

ent formula altogether, one that

strengthens the body's defensive

energy. The most famous of these

formulas is called Yu Ping Feng

San, or otherwise known as, Jade

Windscreen or Jade Shield. This

formula is used to build defensive

energy (wei qi) and protect against

cold, flu, and other invasions. Jade

Screen contains astragalus,

Atractylodis, and Siler.

Many of these formulas are avail-

able in natural food stores, partic-

ularly on the West Coast. If you

can't find them at your local health

food store, you can certainly find

them on the web. I strongly suggest

that you try them. They will open

your eyes to the potency and relia-

bility of Chinese herbals. And un-

like many of the drugs at your

drugstore, all of these are safe for

children.

Remember that a mere hun-

dred years ago, no one in the West

had even heard of Chinese food.

Today there are Chinese restau-

rants everywhere. I can assure

you that Chinese cold medicines

work, and will become as valuable

to our culture in the 21st century

as Chinese food became in the

20th century.



7-day detox programIn working with so many

women and men over the years,

Dr. Etti formulated a therapeutic

program that, slowly but surely,

proved its effectiveness and ulti-

mately led to the 7-day detoxifica-

tion program that has won so

many adherents today. Through

this program, Dr. Etti has

helped bring about a

transformation in the way

people eat, think and

function, resulting in a

healthier, more capable

and more self-fulfilled in-

dividual.

As a doctor of holistic

health, Dr. Etti compre-

hends that a true transformation

occurs only when a perfect bal-

ance of all modalities of body and

mind is achieved. As any missing

ingredient from a gourmet recipe

will result in an imperfect dish,

any key element lacking in one's

being will cause an imbalance at

one's core that can have an adverse

effect on so many levels. Dr. Etti's

7-day Detox works because the

program encompasses every facet

of our lives, from our daily bodily

demands and mental concerns to

deeper matters of the mind and

soul. While so many years have

gone into its development, it is,

nonetheless, a simple program to

put into practice, one that can eas-

ily be incorporated into everyday

life. Nearly everyone who uses the

program loves it; many use the

word 'fun' to describe how easy

and enjoyable it is to make the pro-

gram part of one's life.

The basis for the Detox is a

Juice Cleansing that removes your

body's toxins. This is combined

with Body Movement and Dance

that reconnects you with your

essence and brings to the surface

an energy that one may not realize

he or she possesses. Then, Healing

Meditation helps you discover

“Dr. Etti's 7-day Detox worksbecause the program encom-

passes every facet of our lives,from our daily bodily demandsand mental concerns to deepermatters of the mind and soul”

your authentic self and Inspiring

Dialogues with Dr. Etti provide

you a supportive environment to

shed your layers and enable your

emotional being to reveal itself. Fi-

nally the Closing Breakfast Cere-

mony concludes the 7-day journey

and you walk away a very differ-

ent person, unencumbered by the

physical and mental strife that ac-

companied you to the studio a

week prior.

It is an amazing, transforming

process that will continue to re-

ward long after you have returned

home; in many cases, it becomes

part of a new, more vital, more ca-

pable YOU.

Dr. Etti offers a total health ex-

perience through her personalized

detox programs. As a psychother-

apist, dancer and a Doctor of Ho-

listic Nutrition, she uses a variety

of modalities to make healthful,

dynamic living more accessible to

today's women and men.

Want to learn more visit her Ho-

listic Health Studio located in

5700 Collins Avenue, 16M Miami

Beach, FL 33140 or call 305-861-

9383. Visit her on the web at

www.dretti.com

7-day HEALTH

yogaunderstanding the basics

Yoga is becoming an ever

growing activity among Ameri-

cans. This ancient Eastern spiritual

practice was created about five

thousand years ago and incorpo-

rates meditation and Eastern

philosophical practices.

Techniques for experiencing

higher states of consciousness in

meditation were developed by

the shramanic traditions and in

the Upanishadic traditions of an-

cient times.

The Buddhist texts are proba-

bly the earliest texts describing

meditation techniques. They de-

scribe meditative practices and

states that existed before the Bud-

dha, as well as those first devel-

oped within Buddhism. In Hindu

literature, the term "yoga" first oc-

curs in the Katha Upanishad,

where it refers to control of the

senses and the cessation of mental

activity leading to a supreme state.

The goals of yoga are varied

and depending on an individuals

philosophical perspective they

range from improving health to

achieving Liberation. Within Jain-

ism and the monist schools of Ad-

vaita Vedanta and Shaivism, the

goal of yoga takes the form of

Liberation, which is freedom from

all worldly suffering and the cycle

of birth and death (Samsara),

at which point there is a realiza-

tion of identity with the Supreme

Brahman.

In the Mahabharata, the goal

of yoga is variously described as

entering the world of Brahma, as

Brahman, or as perceiving the

Brahman or Atman that pervades

all things.

For the bhakti schools of Vaish-

navism, bhakti or service to

Svayam Bhagavan itself may be the

ultimate goal of the yoga process,

where the goal is to enjoy an eter-

nal relationship with Vishnu.

In our modern world yoga can

be defined as a way of connecting

our true inner self with the uni-

versal consciousness that manifests

the space we live in. A union with

the very essence of creation.


by wavesofexpression.com

The word chakra is Sanskrit for

wheel or disk and relates to the en-

ergy channels running through

the human body. They are the

openings for life energy to flow

into and out of our AURA. Each

chakra transmits and receives life-

force energy often called chi, qi, or

prana. There are also many minor

chakras, called meridians. Chakras

are vertically aligned from the base

of the spine to the crown of the

head. They correlate to levels of

consciousness, elemental blue-

prints, developmental stages of life,

colors, sounds, and body func-

tions. Chakras can be blocked by

discordant energy and cleared by

light and love. Close your eyes and

take in the earth's energy up

through your feet, and try to

feel this elemental energy sparking

each chakra up through the top of

your head. If one or more of your

chakras is out of balance or

blocked, you will probably feel it.

Ask your High Self to clear and

balance your chakras.

The first CHAKRA (tail-

bone) is RED and it rep-

resents the element earth.

It is related to our survival in-

stincts, our sense of grounding

and connection to our bodies,

our heritage, and the physical

plane. The first chakra is the root

chakra, and the organs it governs

involve physical body support; the

base of the spine, legs, bones, feet,

and the immune system.

The second CHAKRA (re-

productive center) is OR-

ANGE and its energy

relates to the element water, and to

emotions and sexuality, connecting

us through feeling, desire, sensa-

tion, and movement. The second

chakra governs the sexual organs,

large intestine, lower vertebrae,

pelvis, appendix, bladder, and the

hip area.

The third CHAKRA (solar

plexus) is YELLOW and

its energy element is fire.

It rules our personal power, will,

ego, self-esteem and autonomy, as

chakrasthe seven basic energy channels

well as our metabolism. The

organs it governs are the abdomen,

stomach, upper intestines, liver,

gallbladder, kidney, pancreas,

adrenal glands, spleen, and

middle spine.

The fourth CHAKRA

(heart) is GREEN and it

represents the element

air. It involves energy related to

love, forgiveness, and compassion.

It integrates the duality of mind

and body, male and female, inner

and outer worlds, separateness and

unity. A clear fourth chakra en-

ables deep love, compassion, peace

and balance. The organs involved

are the heart and circulatory sys-

tem, lungs, shoulders and arms,

ribs/breasts, diaphragm, and thy-

mus gland.

The fifth CHAKRA

(throat) is BLUE and rep-

resents sound. Its ener-

gies relate to will and

self-expression, communication

and creativity. Here we experience

the world through language. The

organs affected by the fifth chakra

are the throat, thyroid, trachea,

neck vertebrae, mouth, teeth and

gums, esophagus, parathyroid, and

hypothalamus.

The sixth CHAKRA (third

eye) is PURPLE and its el-

ement is light. It is re-

lated to the act of seeing, both

physically and intuitively, allowing

insight and wisdom. It governs

the brain, nervous system, eyes,

ears, nose pineal gland, and pitu-

itary gland.

The seventh CHAKRA

(crown) is WHITE and its

energy relates to spiritu-

ality. It is our connection to the

universe, to the divine place of all-

knowing. A clear crown chakra al-

lows us to tap into pure Source, to

knowledge, wisdom, understand-

ing, spiritual connection, and bliss.

Organs involved with the crown

chakra are the muscular system,

the skeletal system, and the skin.

SELF DISCOVERY


urantia111:1.5 Mortal mind is a

temporary intellect system loaned

to human beings for use during a

material lifetime, and as they use

this mind, they are either accept-

ing or rejecting the potential of

eternal existence. Mind is about all

you have of universe reality that is

subject to your will, and the soul –

the morontia self – will faithfully

portray the harvest of the tempo-

ral decisions which the mortal self

is making. Human consciousness

rests gently upon the electrochem-

ical mechanism below and deli-

cately touches the spirit-morontia

energy system above. Of neither of

these two systems is the human

being ever completely conscious in

his mortal life; therefore must he

work in mind, of which he is con-

scious. And it is not so much what

mind comprehends as what mind

desires to comprehend that insures

survival; it is not so much what

mind is like as what mind is striv-

ing to be like that constitutes spirit

identification. It is not so much

that man is conscious of God as

that man yearns for God that re-

sults in universe ascension. What

you are today is not so important

as what you are becoming day by

day and in eternity.

Mind is the cosmic instrument

on which the human will can play

the discords of destruction, or

upon which this same human will

can bring forth the exquisite

melodies of God identification and

consequent eternal survival. The

Adjuster bestowed upon man is, in

the last analysis, impervious to evil

and incapable of sin, but mortal

mind can actually be twisted, dis-

torted, and rendered evil and ugly

by the sinful machinations of a

perverse and self-seeking human

will. Likewise can this mind be

made noble, beautiful, true, and

good – actually great – in accor-

dance with the spirit-illuminated

will of a God-knowing human.

The Urantia Book offers a clear

and concise integration of science,

philosophy, and religion. Those

who read and study it believe that

The Urantia Book has the capacity

to make a significant contribution

to the religious and philosophical

thinking of people worldwide.

BOOK QUOTES

abhimukti magazine

Documents

term meditation

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word meditation

truestates of meditation

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