Aum Chant Before Yoga

......For the last three months, i have got initiated into yoga, by my aastha teacher who comes home and teaches us every morning. Over these last 3 months, i can feel certain changes in my body. The spine has become more flexible and my mind calmner, and while doing various asanas one is tested for patience and flexibility...and we figure out there is a long way to go.

We begin the session with Aum chants. why ?

The Mandukya Upanishad elucidates the inner meaning of Aum, which embodies the highest wisdom. Aum has three syllables. A represents the waking state. U represents the dreaming state. M represents the state of deep sleep. Aum in its entirety, plus the moment of silence which follows it, represents the shanti, the peace beyond understanding. Thus, Aum japa performed as an invocation to Lord Ganesha, the Lord of Wisdom and Knowledge -- while love is welling up from our hearts and tears are for no reason flowing simultaneously -- calls forth the knowledge of the entirety of our existence in these four categories of consciousness.

For Aum japa to be effective, the mantra must be pronounced correctly. The first syllable is A, pronounced as the English word "awe," but prolonged: "aaa." The second syllable is U, as in "roof," pronounced "oo" but prolonged: "ooo." The third syllable is M, pronounced "mm" with the front teeth gently touching and the sound prolonged: "mmmm." Each repetition is sounded for about seven seconds, with two seconds on A, two seconds on U and three seconds on M, with a silence of about two seconds before the next repetition. The three syllables are run together: AAUUMM (silence), AAUUMM (silence), AAUUMM (silence). On the first syllable, A, we feel the solar plexus and chest vibrating. On the second syllable, U, the throat vibrates. The third syllable, M, vibrates the top of the head.

Thus, proper chanting of Aum also is a high form of yoga, moving energy from the lower chakras of the body up to the highest chakra, or energy center -- the sahasrara chakra at the crown of the head.

I am Happy !!! :)

My Monologue

Q: Are you happy ?
A: The most profound esoteric question in the universe. I asked myself and i figured out that "Well there are lots and lots of things that can make me happier but till that happens i like the state of being that i am in - I AM HAPPY. "

Q: But why am I happy ?
A: I have no answer to this question - but these borrowed words from Charles Schulz sum up what I feel : " My life has no purpose, no direction , no aim and no meaning and yet I am happy.I can't figure it out . What am i doing right ?

Q: Do i have to do anything for this happiness ?
Well nothing.......just be and go with the flow nothing more is needed. At times when it gets too much and i cannot take it then i stand up and fight for my happiness as advised by Ayn Rand " Learn to value yourself, which means to fight for your happiness." In this scenario my happiness is whatever i may be wanting to do at that point in time - a break, a holiday, sleep, or can be anything else.

Q: What comprises Happiness ? Or rather in simple words what is the recipe of happiness ?
A : One is happy as a result of one's own efforts, once one knows the necessary ingredients of happiness - simple tastes, a certain degree of courage, self denial to a point, love of work, and above all, a clear conscience. Happiness is no vague dream, its a workable solution. In my specific case one thing that clearly makes me happy is travel and security ( financial and emotional) and of course Good health.

Q: How does one pursue happiness ?
A : Pursuing happiness is the most ridiculous phrase, if you pursue it you will never find it. It is you and it is your natural state of being, so just be yourself - do not pretend, do not put on a face or facade, be honest to yourself and to others and you will be relaxed as you are not forcing yourself to be anything you are not.

Q : Does our happiness depend on others ?
A : No. A happy person spreads happiness and sometimes those for whom we love and care for their unhappiness may make us unhappy. But ultimately we are the sun and centre of our universe from which everything else emanates.

Q : The secret of happiness ?
A : Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live in every experience, painful or joyous; to live in gratitude for every moment , to live abundantly. The threshold of life holds both - the more our threshold of pain increases, the more the threshold of happiness and vice versa. Its the spectrum and range... the higher we go ,the lower we can fall.....as far as the range of experience is concerned. So always remember there is always something equal and opposite at the other end of the spectrum and be ready for everything that life throws your way.

Q: The greatest happiness of life ?
A: Freedom, to be able to do what you want to do whenever you want to do and however you want to do. There can be nothing greater than this, except, act responsibily because " with great power comes great responsibility."

Be Happy !!!