Shraddha - Yogic Lifestyle Educa

Paramahamsa Satyananda Saraswati & Paramahamsa Niranjanananda Saraswati during Sat Chandi Mahayajna, Rikhia Peeth '06.

"This is the concept of faith in Yoga; humbleness, simplicity, awareness of higher realities and surrendering oneself to the supreme energy." Swami Niranjan in the March issue of "YOGA" magazine, 1992.

"Similarly, faith is not something you can conceptualize or intellectualize about. It is something you have. Just as you are endowed with life in this body, you are endowed with faith in this body. Life itself is faith. No one is born without faith. You live because of your faith. ... Faith is an expression of your innocence combined with wisdom and trust in something. That trust has to be in yourself, because trust in yourself is trust in the qualities you have inherited and are cultivating and developing." Swami Niranjan in the January issue of "YOGA" magazine, 2004

"Man's biggest strength is not intellect, it is faith and trust. If faith and trust become solid and stable, then they switch on God's power. A lot of people are intellectual; they ask question after question, they follow mathematical logic, which does not help here. Faith and trust are not only the basis of a bhakta's life, but they form the very foundation of human life."

"Without faith and trust, man would not survive even for a single day. If these qualities are channelled properly towards God, life will be full of bliss and wonder, and the journey of life will be completed successfully."

Sayings of a Paramahamsa, Swami Satyananda Saraswati in the January issue of "YOGA" magazine, 2003

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I was asked by someone: "And what about Faith?" My reply was that I don't generally deal with faith, but that I was faithful to my wife. This because I am a wisecracking wit, or maybe twit.

My reply astonished me. I said I am a container filled to the brim with faith. In me there is a deep, deep ocean of faith. In the abyss of this ocean many wonderful unique creatures exist. They are the mysterious, unspoken thoughts of my universe of faith. This is where my faith dwells. This faith is mine and mine alone.

Other people also have their abyss of faith. Their faith is theirs and theirs alone.

My chattering mind asked me "Can you share your faith?" And I answered that I find that impossible. And I wish it were otherwise.

You see every time I drag these faith thoughts to the surface with words; they are distorted critters, half dead and meaningless in this world. They don't belong here.

Sometimes I drag a corset, or straightjacket to the surface. I feel constrained and wished I could burst out and be free again. I say the words "I believe in..." Which really means my belief is restricted. It rejects any other belief.

Sometimes my faith comes to the surface as a sock with huge holes in it. I mend the holes with threads of half-truths and straight out lies.

Visualise a field with wild flowers of every shape, size and colour. Every flower is different. What do you see? A daffodil, a rose, lotus, tulip, magnolia, or any other flower of your choice. There are big flowers, small flowers, pungent flowers, nicely scented flowers, vividly coloured flowers, and delicately coloured flowers.

Every flower represents somebody's faith. They are all different. Some are seedlings, just starting out on their journey through life. They need careful nursing. Some are in full bloom. Some are wilting. Some have changed into fruit with seeds in them. Visualise your faith flower, what stage is it at and what condition is it in?

How the stamen of my flower longs to be fertilised by the pollen of another type of flower. But that so rarely happens. Wished it were otherwise.

We all have our own unique individual faith, and seldom are we understood or included in someone else's faith and beliefs. Wished it were otherwise.

Merimac Foxburr of Loamsdown was not exactly a hobbit even though he looked a bit like one. But whatever his looks were, one could tell straight away that Merimac was an advanced soul, as these can easily be recognised because they practise and teach Yoga. He had been doing quite well with his sadhana and steady progress was his reward. Currently, Merimac lived with his companion Mantsari, the cat, and the 108 bats in his comfortable cave that had been in his family's possession for many hundreds of years. His life was easy and joyful and maybe that's why he knew that he had to go and spend some time with Master Monsoon. The plan had been formulated and put into action and the time set to leave by the end of the year in search for the Master. There were just a few more things to tidy and do, such as carve out the cave extension for his Yoga classes /sadhana room as well as find somebody to come in and feed Mantsari and the bats.

One of the hardest things to leave behind would be his bat-breeding area. It had been his mother's idea to use the lower part in the back of the cave to breed the rare magic bat. The creatures had free access to the area and were enticed to stay because of the cosy conditions and delicious food supplied daily. Not only did he enjoy the bats' company at night, but the flying friends kept the memory of his mother alive in him. How he wished he could take that part of the cave with him!

At the time of the New Year, which starts with the new moon after the miraculous Pleiades star system can first be seen in the night sky, Merimac had a big party, not quite the farewell yet, but maybe the last time he and all his friends would be together. It was a merry affair and everyone enjoyed the performances of the eight dancing bats and the twenty diving ones very much. Each person was aware that a fresh beginning was drawing near, and things would never be the same again.

And then, one week later, disaster struck: twenty days of hail topped by an earthquake. Luckily, Merimac and Mantsari had been visiting friends on the next hillside at the time of the earthquake and were well but quite shocked to find the cave was in shambles; rubble and rocks everywhere, pictures of the Master fallen to the ground and smashed. And even though the entrance was still usable, it was pretty hard to get past the chimney. The kitchen was fine, only a couple of cups broken. But worst was the bat-cage, it had been rendered unusable. Fortunately none of the bats had come to harm, thanks to their ultrasonic abilities. But what a mess the earthquake had caused here, this could not be cleaned up or repaired, it would need complete rebuilding!

How interesting that it had struck hardest what he loved most, while other areas like the kitchen were hardly touched. The cave itself was fine, in fact the newly created window (by the earthquake!) in the northwall was wonderful; Mantsari had come up with the same innovative idea just a few weeks earlier. But who would want to come and live in his cave now while he was away, looking after pot plants and cat and bats? What transformation would come from this disaster?

So Merimac set to work and all the inhabitants from Loamsdown turned up and helped, it was great! Rubble and rocks were cleared, in fact someone built a beautiful, arty rock wall around the entrance garden from it. The chimney was stabilised and the broken cups replaced. And with much care and effort from twelve wonderful craftsmen the bat cage was rebuilt exactly as his mother had designed it, down to the smallest adornment in the black lattice and with the same colour and hue originally used. Nobody would have been able to tell the difference. Mantsari told the bats about the reconstruction. They had shifted into several caves along the western slope of the hillside after the disaster, and every one of the 108 magic bats moved merrily back into Merimac's new old cave. And things were just like they had been before. Merimac carved the extension for the new sadhana-cave out himself and his old school mate Losdoc, who had lost his own cave in the disaster, moved in and took care of everything when Merimac left to find the Master at the end of the year. Unfortunately, this was not how things were meant to happen, and Merimac never found the Master. Instead he missed Mantsari, his bats and all his friends so much that he turned around after one month of fruitless search, turned around too quickly in fact, fell into a ravine and died.

So Merimac set to work and all the inhabitants from Loamsdown turned up and helped, it was great! Rubble and rocks were cleared, and someone even created a beautiful, imaginative statue near the entrance from it. Once the area of the bat cage had been tidied, it revealed itself as the best place for the new sadhana room. Why hadn't he thought of that before? The bats seemed happy enough in the caves along the western slope of the hillside, where they had moved after the disaster, and Mantsari agreed that it was a good idea. So, that's what they did. The new sadhana room was expertly designed and carved by expert-designers and carvers and the result was stunning: walls and ceiling had the colour of iridescent charcoal and the floors glowed like the reflection of an open fire on chocolate. Merimac left as planned at the end of the year after having found a fellow advanced-soul to take over his Yoga classes, be good company for Mantsari and feed the bats. But that was also not what was meant to happen, and Merimac searched and searched for the Master, and as far as we know he is still searching today ...

So Merimac set to work and all the inhabitants from Loamsdown turned up and helped, it was great! Rubble and rocks were cleared, and several sharp-thinking citizens even created a beautiful hexagonal forecourt from the debris. Merimac decided that really it was not very useful to start building a new sadhana room now, when he was on the verge of leaving and instead rented the cave out for the years to come. The bats were moved to his old school mate Losdoc's place but never felt really happy there and eventually left Loamsdown for good. Merimac went in search of the Master, and ultimately found him years away from home, however he arrived too late as the Master had just died the day before.

So Merimac set to work and all the inhabitants from Loamsdown turned up and helped, it was great! Rubble and rocks were cleared, and someone even created a beautiful almost life-like statue of the Master in the centre of the cave from the debris. The kitchen was completely taken out and the chimney straightened. Once the area of the bat cage had been tidied, it revealed itself as a great place for an altar and a new picture of Master Monsoon was lovingly placed on this. And all of a sudden the whole cave turned into a sanctuary! The floors shimmered in a transparent black and the walls sparkled like pearls. Merimac understood that his cave now belonged to all the people of Loamsdown and that they would take good care of it and the bats for ever after. He felt great liberation and lightness at heart and left as soon as the opening ceremony was completed. He found Master Monsoon within weeks, lived with him for many rich years and ultimately reached enlightenment.

MS (Multiple Sclerosis) is a progressively degenerative, auto-immune disease of the nervous system in the brain and the spinal column. The myelin layer that usually protects and supports the nerves becomes inflamed, damaged and eventually completely destroyed. The communication through the nerve impulses may break down. The course of the disease can be different for each person, often people will experience attacks of varying duration (days or months or even years) followed by a restoration period where functions will improve again, to then experience another relapse years or even decades later.

All parts of the individual that are controlled by the nervous system can be affected including functions of vision, hearing, speech, walking, writing, and memory. Muscle weakness and spasms, fatigue, numbness, and prickling pain are common symptoms. Decreased concentration, attention deficits, depression, manic depression, and paranoia can be part of the mental changes. As the disease worsens, patients may experience sexual dysfunction or reduced bowel and bladder control[i]. Symptoms can vary during different phases and among different people.

It is estimated that there are approximately 4000 people living with MS in New Zealand. Unfortunately, as Medline Plus[ii] state, "there is no known cure for multiple sclerosis at this time. However, there are promising therapies that may slow the disease. The goal of treatment is to control symptoms and maintain a normal quality of life." The Happy Families Website[iii] describes that Yoga and Tai Chi are good for stretching and a sense of well-being.

A study[iv] in 2004 in the US showed improvement in fatigue in the groups that exercised and practiced Yoga compared to the control group that performed neither. No effects on attention or alertness or any clear changes in mood were noted.

Professor Burk^{^[v]}, a leading neurologist in the USA, suggested that people with MS:

The above information suggests that Yoga (asana, pranayama, meditation and Yoga Nidra) can benefit people with MS by improving health and wellbeing on the physical, energetic, mental, emotional and spiritual levels. In fact, Yoga is an excellent complementary therapy for people with MS. Practising Yoga in a group environment on a regular basis allows clear instructions and assistance from the Yoga teacher as well as encouragement and support from the peers. When people with MS take up Yoga, they need to be especially cautious with balance and standing movements, as well as aware of their own limitations as not to overdo the physical (and other) aspects. A Yoga class therefore needs to be gentle and flexible to cater for each person's different abilities.

Because students with MS tire easily the class is only one hour in duration. We meet once a week in the gym where exercises are practiced on other weekdays. The group is small at this stage, only five regulars come: three women and two men, all over 50. They have agreed to start the class sitting up, even though one participant cannot do so for extended periods. People either lean against the wall or sit cross-legged without any other support during stages 1-3 of Kaya Sthairyam followed by chanting of the mantra Om three times and the peace invocation of Om Shanti.

Often, it is a struggle for everyone to be ready on time for an already short class. Some of the students may take several minutes to move into any of the base positions. Because most students cannot stand or are unable to stand without support, asanas are restricted to those starting from sitting, lying on front or back, Vajrasana and on all fours. An easy flow of postures has been created to save time by avoiding unnecessary changes in base positions: this flow moves from sitting asanas to postures on all fours and/or Vajrasana, to postures starting from lying on the front, then rolling onto the back and finally completing the class with Yoga Nidra in Shavasana for the last 15 to 20 minutes. In each session some movements from the Pawanmuktasana (PMA) part 1 are practised while still sitting up, sometimes one of the first three PMA part 3 is added. Favourites from Vajrasana include Shashankasana and Ananda Madirasana. Marjariasana and Vyaghrasana are practised with varying outcomes. On the front, asanas like the flying locust or half locust as well as simple backward bends play an important role in keeping the back flexible and strong. Lying on the back, all asanas that strengthen the abdominal muscles are particularly important and as well as spinal twists. Recently padma pushpam was added with great success.

The class finishes with Yoga Nidra to counteract any fatigue that may accompany the physical exertion of getting to class, onto the floor and then performing asanas. Rotation of consciousness especially supports the growth of new neural pathways, and the breathing will sustain a sense of well-being and connectedness, in particular as usually pranayama - other than Yogic Breathing in Shavasana just before Yoga Nidra - falls prey to the time shortage.

A little while back, we introduced Ashwini Mudra, then Vajroli / Sahajoli Mudra the following week and Moola Bandha a fortnight later. Within a month the feedback from the students was that urinary incontinence had now been mastered without drugs. This possibility had not been known before. Originally the mudras were introduced in preparation for Moola Bandha, which was to be taught for pain control as well as energy preservation.

The willingness of the students to try new asanas keeps astounding me and often the result is much more encouraging than expected - by me. We have done a Vipareet Karani asana variation against the wall, where apart from getting the legs there; the main problem was to keep the legs from slipping back down. We have given Hasta Pada Angushthasana and Meru Akarshanasana a go and performed a TTK variation sitting up against the wall.

The students are a chatty bunch and focus continues to be a challenge for some. The mood is always cheerful before, during and after class. People are determined to see the good in the situation and make the best out of life, as Brendon says: "The word 'giving up' is not part of my vocabulary." The social aspect is important, and the feeling of a support group shows when a cup of tea and biscuits are enjoyed after class.

The students report feeling great and relaxed at the end of the Yoga class and finding the class generally enjoyable and the effects remarkable. Brendon comments: "Yoga and exercise complement each other. Since I started practising both several times a week, I have been able to do things again I couldn't before. It's a pity not more people attend."

Brian explains: "Without Yoga and Gym I wouldn't be able to walk now. The Yoga class challenges me to give movements a go I wouldn't think of trying otherwise."

And Diane observes: "It makes you feel good, the stretching is so good for our bodies, and we don't get it like we do while doing Yoga, also the breathing is really great, especially for an Asthmatic like me, it also has enabled my to be a much better sleeper. I relax more fully and concentrate on the eyebrow centre and can then drift off to sleep which has been a God sent when the pain is really bad. Also I love finishing off with the Yoga Nidra; it is so good."

[i] http://www.medicinenet.com/multiple_sclerosis/article.htm

[ii] http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000737.htm

[iii] http://www.honeybalm.com/diseases/mulitple-schleroris.php

[iv] Randomized controlled trial of yoga and exercise in multiple sclerosis. Neurology. 2004 Jun 8;62(11):2058-64 ,

Oken BS, Kishiyama S, Zajdel D, Bourdette D, Carlsen J, Haas M, Hugos C, Kraemer DF, Lawrence J, Mass M.

[v] MS Waikato Trust Newsletter April 2006 Snippets from Professor Burks' Talks Hamilton: MS Waikato Trust