Divya Jivan Newsletter
Sivananda Ashram, Ahmedabad
February 2017
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OM Namo Bhagawate Sivanandaya!
OM Namo Bhagawate Chidanandaya!
OM Namo Narayanaya!
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"Worship of Lord Shiva" on the occasion of auspicious Shivaratri  (Feb 24, 2017)

"The formal worship consists of bathing the Lord. Lord Shiva is considered to be the Form of Light (which the Shiva Lingam represents). He is burning with the fire of austerity. He is therefore best propitiated with cool bathing. While bathing the Lingam the devotee prays: “O Lord! I will bathe Thee with water, milk, etc. Do Thou kindly bathe me with the milk of wisdom. Do Thou kindly wash me of all my sins, so that the fire of worldliness which is scorching me may be put out once for all, so that I may be one with Thee—the One alone without a second.”

Offer this inner worship to Lord Shiva daily: “I worship the jewel of my Self, the Shiva residing in the Lotus of my heart. I bathe Him with the water of my pure mind brought from the river of faith and devotion. I worship Him with the fragrant flowers of Samadhi—all this so that I may not be born again in this world.”

Here is another formula for the supreme worship of the Lord: “O Shiva! you are my Self. My mind is Parvati. My Pranas are your servants. My body is your house. My actions in this world are your worship. My sleep is Samadhi. My walk is circumambulation of you. My speech is your prayer. Thus do I offer all that I am to you."- Swami Sivananda  << More>>

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Early Morning Meditation Talks from Ponder These Truths by Sri Swami Chidananda

"Four Powerful Transforming Factors"
 "Radiant Divinities! Beloved sadhaks and seekers! Today let us consider four valuable means of making your life sublime, four valuable factors that will keep your life moving towards the grand divine destiny, to fulfill which you have been endowed with this human status. For the power to feel, think, reason, understand, expand in knowledge and grow in wisdom is verily the uniqueness of this privileged status of yours as a human being on earth. These factors will enrich your human status, adorn your spiritual life, enrich your sadhana and abhyasa, and augment your movement towards your grand divine destiny of atma-jnana, transcendental experience, God-realization."
 
 ".......These four powerful forces, powerful transforming factors, can enhance your spiritual life, make it fully God-oriented, give it a push in the right direction, take you towards the Goal Supreme—the power of the Name which immediately links you up with the Unmanifest, the transcendental Reality; constant remembrance of God in the mind; bhav, the right feeling, sublime spiritual feeling in your heart; and fourth, the right vision, which beholds the Reality everywhere, so that you live, move and have your being in God."- Swami Chidananda  << More>>


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Learning of  "Jeevan Yog" from a Yoga Acharya Swami Adhyatmananda
Through TV episodes of "Jeevan Yoga" Series by Doordarshan Girnar

Can those having High Blood Pressure practice Asanas? 
"Yes, they can practice Asanas; in fact they must surely practice them. All the Asanas excepting Shirsasana can be practiced. All the Asanas can be performed without any fear. But the special Asanas and Pranayama that can offer benefits are: Shashankasana, Shavasana and Pranayama carried out with ease.

"Initially practise these three Asanas. When there is recession in the blood pressure then you can without fear and without worry perform beginning with Trikonasana and Suryanamaskara, you can practise Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Halasana, Paschimottanasana, Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana, Dhanurasana or Chakrasana, Ardha­matsyendrasana, Yogamudra, Mayurasana. All can be practiced without any fear.   <<More>>  / Jeevan Yog : Episode _7 

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Upcoming Events and Highlighting the News

Indian Council of Social Welfare (Gujarat State) organized a function on Jan 21, 2017. H. H. Sri Swami Adhyatmanandaji Maharaj was honored an award, "Glory of Gujarat" (rightly so) with the worthy hands of H. E. Governor of Gujarat, Mr. Omprakash Kohliji. Sri Swami Maharaj is beloved disciple of H.H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj. Swamiji has embraced the life in the Holy order of Sanyas in the year 1974. Since then, He has been the charioteer of spreading the messages of spiritual masters and ancient Holy Scriptures. He has been the President of Sivananda Ashram, Ahmedabad as well as President of Gujarat Divya Jivan Sangh, Ahmedabad. Pujya Sri Swamiji Maharaj has embraced service to the humanity above the self through imparting the knowledge of ancient cultural and spiritual heritage of Yogic Science encompassing Asanas; Pranayama and Meditation. Swamiji's discourses on ancient Holy Scriptures and spiritual deliveries on the subjects of Gita, Upanishads, Srimat Bhagavat are in simple and lucid language which has touched and inspired millions during last forty years of his monastic life. Sri Swamiji is Yoga Guru of global repute. Countless people have learned Yoga through HIS Yoga camp. Yoga aspirants from across the globe have attended HIS Yoga Teachers Training Course and more than 1000 yoga teachers have been trained.

An icon of inspiration and service to Youth, Swamiji's profound contribution to modern youth to free them from the vices of the drugs addictions in the east and the west has brought Him in great light. Swamiji is great missionary on blood donation front and affirms his faith in “Donate blood and save life”. Swamiji was honored by the Governor of Gujarat as centurion blood donor. << more>>.

Shivaratri Utsav ( Feb 24, 2017) - Join with us in Shiva Pujan,  Archana,  Abhisheka,  Aarati, Bhajan-  Kirtan, prasad & more continuous throughout twenty four hours on sacred Shivaratri Utsav. If, you plan to stay at the ashram during the Shivaratri festival, please let us know ahead and help us make proper arrangements for our Guests. For the details visit the Guest information page on the Divya Jivan Website.  

Upcoming Yoga Teachers Training Course (38^th YTTC) is organized from May 11, 2017 - May 30, 2017.  Plan ahead and Register in time. For the details, visit our SIVA Yoga Center page.

News & Activity report for the Month of January 2017
Divya Jivan / January 2017/ February 2017
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Gitamrutam

 “OM Tat Sat”: this has been declared to be the triple designation of Brahman. By that were created formerly the Brahmanas, the Vedas and the sacrifices.(17:23)

Therefore, with the utterance of “Om” are the acts of gift, sacrifice and austerity as enjoined in the scriptures always begun by the students of Brahman. (17:24)

Uttering Tat, without aiming at the fruits, are the acts of sacrifice and austerity and the various acts of gift performed by the seekers of liberation. (17:25)

The word Sat is used in the sense of reality and of goodness; and so also, O Arjuna, it is used in the sense of an auspicious act!(17:26)

Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity and gift, is also called Sat, and also action in connection with these (or for the sake of the Supreme) is called Sat.(17:27) 

 
Whatever is sacrificed, given or performed, and whatever austerity is practised without faith, it is called Asat, O Arjuna! It is naught here or hereafter (after death). (17:28)

Shivarpanmastu !

 Gurudevarpanmastu!
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