The Markandey Bhawan, Chattarpur complex has been witness to many a Delhi shivir since over last 3 years, none better than the latest one which saw Sadhaks from far-flung regions as London, Australia, Canada and The States fly down to the Indian shores. Though every successive shivir seems to be better than the preceding one, it wouldnt be wrong to call this shivir a notch above many held earlier at this serene place.
Baba ji and Guru Ma in the presence of Lord Shiva and the Universal Mantra emanating from Shiva made for a pretty picture during the 10 day duration of the shivir
Essence of the shivir
The positives, which are pertinent to all Shiv Yogis were goal materialization and awareness towards whatever one does.
■Golden book for goal
Baba ji emphasised that as a thumb rule all Shiv sadhaks must write the golden book everyday.
The short term goals must be written everyday until they come to be true. Before going to sleep a sadhak must invoke the higher powers to inundate his goal and after visualizing the happiness upon accomplishment of the goal, one must write it in the book on a different page all over again to doze off dreaming about that for the night.
Also he advised all to be a tad more creative and ornamental while writing the wishes. He laid special emphasis on the phrase "I reward myself with..................." in every wish a sadhak should write.
For example "I reward myself with a very healthy liver"
In his words "The wish should be a burning desire, only then can it be a reality. Mechanically praying even with eyes closed is of little use. Shiva has endowed emotions on His children to experience delight and add zing to life. So seek with emotion and work towards the goal with unbridled zeal until it is a reality"
An amazing incident so happened that:
On the second day of Shambhavi, as people took turns to ask their doubts and questions to Baba ji, a sadhak shared that the previous night he had written in the Golden book that "he talked to Baba ji during the shivir on mike", much to the applause of the crowd. Baba ji too cited this as a classic case of instant wish materialization.
■Benefits of Sewa
Baba ji dwelt on the need to tender service to fellow beings on the planet for one's own prosperity.
Not veering any further, He gave his own instance as a case in point. He told the sadhak gathering about his early marriage and with that, inculcation of the "wont to give". He broadly described how Guru Ma used to prepare a surfeit of rotis and food for the destitute and the penury-stricken. He went on to add that the enormous shower of prosperity,abundance and speedy spiritual growth was a result of such philanthropy. That He is able to initiate so many people , bless so many simultaneously with Sanjeevani power and the divine energies that follow him was a consequence of regular sewa which Guru Ma and he had done in the olden days. He attributed the proliferation of Shiv Yog and divinity through him to the almighty whose agents he deigned to serve in the bygone times.
He reminisced how he his early wish to put a smile on children's face had manifested into "The Children of God" project which had become a worldwide phenomenon in no time.
■Prana Kriyas
Continuing the practice of teaching new Pran Kriyas at every shivir since Kurukshetra shivir , Baba ji perked up the senses and extra sensory areas by following a routine of physical kriyas taught by the sages for longevity and sustainability of zest in the rigmarole of life.
The master himself exhibited the techniques and ways of performing these kriyas with such alacrity that every attendant by the end of the shivir knew them by heart.
He harped time and again that doing the exercises on a daily basis would lead to reduction in sleep requirement and accruement of bio-etheric energy levels leading to incisiveness in whatever one does. Also he said that the sacred techniques would expedite the spiritual growth and healing processes.
The disciples were all too happy to learn the tricks of the trade by practising them along with the divine powers and in the presence of The Guru himself.
For greater focus, the kriyas would be a great complement to the 2 morning and evening meditations and help one accomplish goals faster. He implored everyone to learn these and accomodate them in the daily lifestyle to rid oneself completely of diseases.
Guru Ma like all other sadhaks followed and matched Baba ji , kriya for kriya.
6 months of these Kriyas , done daily result in "kaya kalp" which means complete tranformation of all the body cells into rejuvenated and health ones. Any disease if present shall perish too. Such results will come on the caveat that these will have to be done daily without a miss. The effect will be evident and benefits would become tangible in the first 21 days itself.
Doing these kriyas results in "DNA structure control" which means that the sadhak gains control over every cell of his body and by virtue of which he gains the ability communicate and command any and every cell of the body. And so like Ishan Shivanand ji one can command one's body to stay warm and roam in chilly conditions in cut sleeves.
Criticism causes lowering of vibration and hence that should be done away with to extract maximum benefit of these exercises.
The 3 Sooksham (subtle) Praan drift away as we drift away from the soul. These kriyas alongwith Unconditional love, gratitude and forgiveness help bring the 3 subtle sub bodies of the Pranmay Kosh back with the 5 sub bodies. A unison of the 8 Prans creating a complete being whose wishes materialize at the drop of a hat.
Contraction of subtle bodies takes place on experiencing negative emotions.
He deliberated on a very essential fact adding that
"Youre not the body. This body is yours. Learn to communicate with it. Learn to request to it. Learn to command it"
■Food
Baba ji underlined that the fact that the aliment of the Annamay Kosha is FOOD. But this does not mean we should ingest anything and everything that comes our way. He said that in the times of yore, disciples getting deeksha used to eat only "Amrit Bhojan". Amrit Bhojan means natural and uncooked food. He added that eating Amrit bhojan increases the healing powers and "pran shakti" thereby accentuating the meditativeness manifold. During his times he used to eat "Anaj" or wholegrain only once ie around 5-6 pm and retire for the night at about 7 to get up at 3am the next day.The whole day used to go in meditation and eating only eaw fruits and veggies.
But he said that in these fast paced times one must look to Amrit Bhojan at least once a day if not all the time to nourish the body completely. Taking Kosher food, he said was extremely beneficial and crucial for enhancing life force energy in the body.
Sugar, he stated is white poison. It only caters to and satiates the tongue and taste buds and does nothing to alleviate bodily growth except that it might add to the adipose. Instead he suggested incorporating Orange and other fruits which are rich in natural sugars, glucose and sucrose giving the body an instant energy source.
Also he impelled all to inculcate Curd and beans in their diet.
The emphasis of the shivir was on Diabetics but Baba ji said everyone should follow these healthy food patterns.
CONCEPT OF EARNING ONE'S FOOD
Baba ji propounded the wonder theory of Earning one's food
He elaborated that whenever one sits to eat anything, one must ask oneself these questions :
Have I earned what I am about to eat ?
Have I worked enough to warrant more food?
During Bhandara or food sessions in shivirs, before taking an extra serving, interrogate as to whether all the pran kriyas and meditations have been done properly by me ? Did I commit my 100%?
If the answers to all the above questions is yes, then only one should indulge in eating any food item, or else retract.
The main aim of such an exercise as stated by Baba ji is that one must expend energy before intaking anything. The situation is analogous to refilling of petrol in a car.
The petrol is filled only when the previous filling is emptied ie the tank is empty. If petrol is filled on a full tank, the petrol would leak and get wasted. Likewise if we, humans forcefully eat out of the sheer motive of tongue appeasing, it is an exercise in futility. The extra food is waste. The body does not require it , its an extraneous entity and is a prospective haven for diseases as Diabetes, High Blood pressure, Sugar et al.
So one must push oneself physically especially in these times when sedentary lifestyles have become a norm than an exception.
As in umpteen other instances during the shivir, yet again Baba ji led by example.
On the 6th day of the shivir, the Bhandara had "Bread Pakoras" , a delicious delicacy of Northern India. During the break Baba ji was offered these Pakoras. The Pakoras were scrumptious and too good to be missed. The fragrance of the freshly cooked Bread Pakoras was extremely enticing.
But as Baba ji asked himself whether he had earned them by way of requisite amount of physical activity, the answer was a big NO. His conscience told him that he wouldve been liable to eat them had he taken 5-6 rounds of the complete venue. So he traded the lip smacking bread pakroas for a very healthy subsitute in peanuts, which are full of proteins and other essential nutrients.
INTERESTING INCIDENT
In yet another incident Circa 2nd day of Siddhya dhyan, Baba ji had a very interesting anecdote to narrate. The previous day, in the breakfast session, the menu consisted of Poha, a dish made of rice.
The much maligned Poha
The sadhaks didnt appreciate the preparation too much as the caterer had served it cold and some complained of a stale flavour. Baba ji when he came to know of this immediately changed the menu for breakfast, the next day. The menu now was a lip smacking array of pakoras which all ate with glee and in excess amounts. In the session succeeding the pakora breakfast feast Baba ji laughed and made everyone laugh in equal measure. He chuckled, chortled and was very amused at how things panned out. He said, " Aj pakore badey swad they. Nahi ? ( Everyone was thrown into peels of laughter including Baba ji and Guru Ma) Guru Ma Mujhse keh rahi thi ek kha k to dekho. Kal ka poha ajeeb thaa. Kya ye poha banaa dete hain tadke wadke laga ke. Pohaa naam hi ajeeb hai.Hatwa hi dete hain Poha ko. Par khaana aaj swaad tha to sabhi ne zyda kha lia (second round of hillarious laughter follows). Kal poha k bahaane kum to khaaya thaa.
The Gobi pakoras were mouth watering and sadhaks who are advised to eat frugally during deeksha sessions ate by the truckloads
He narrated BOTH these these incidents in the succeeding sessions much to the mirth, applause and astonishment of the sadhak gathering.
This is what we call the Siddha way of approach to life ie Baba ji's way.
Important teachings in brief
The most important teaching was that
The body will try and resist any change in the timetable that will be required to accommodate the sadhnas and praan kriyas. If resistance is strong ask yourself ----Tum chahtey kya ho?
1. In Kurukshetra, some new sadhaks had griped that they had their own Guru Mantra and they were comfortable with mantras other than those which Baba ji had taught and so taking cognisance of that fact, Baba ji gave mantra Deeksha for the "Universal Mantra" --------OM, which in his words is the genesis of every mantra.
The moot point of the shivir as per Baba ji wasnt mantra or technique for spiritual ascent but bhav (feelings) in :
a.Swadhyay (Meditational chantings),
b.Nishkam Sewa (Self effacing service)
and
c.Sadhna(Meditation)
2.In Swadhyay, Baba ji was very particular about bringing to the fore, the feeling of gratitude and love for the divine beings , who are the lynchpins of our ascension and who help us in our spiritual journey ie The Guru, Shakti and Shiva.
The Swadhyay, he contended must be done daily to rid the house of the sadhak of all the negativity.In the same vein he added that chanting Namah shivaya loudly aides and expedites "Panch Tatwa shuddhi" ie purification of the 5 elements viz. Sky, Air,Fire,Water and Earth. Distortion and turbulence in these 5 elements is the root cause of all diseases. These 5 elements correspond to the 5 chakras which are:
YA Sky for VISHUDDHI ( Disturbance causes ailments like Cough and cold,thyroid problem etc.)
VA Air for ANAHAT ( Disturbance causes ailments like Heart disorders,Lung diseases etc)
SHI Fire for MANIPUR ( Disturbance causes ailments like Stomach disorders, Diabetes,Sugar etc)
MA Water for SWADDHISTHAN ( Disturbance causes ailments like stones in Gall bladder, Urinary tract infections etc.)
NA Earth for MULADHAR ( Disturbance causes ailments like Joint pains, Muscular disorders etc)
So chanting of Namah shivaya rids one of all ailments and keeps us at a safe distance from disease.
3.Baba ji explained that whatever we do with our conscious mind, feeds into the sub conscious mind with time. This is called mind mapping. The feelings we emote while in our senses ie at the conscious level ie being awake are fed into the subconscious.
In other words emotions are the bridge from the conscious to the sub conscious. So be happy and divine all the time for your sub conscious to be fed knowledgeable fodder.
The Golden book works on the same principle of feeding the sub conscious with the emotion of achievment of the goal so that it manifests into a reality.5 bodies obey sub conscious
4.Gratitude: Baba ji strongly dwelt on the fact that one must be highly grateful for the SANJEEVANI healing power that one has got. Moreover one must be extremely humble and polite while doing the invocation as the Sanjeevani is not our creation. It has been inherited to us and that too by the "Tapobal" or Meditational Strength of someone else (Baba ji and Divine beings in our case).
Yet another time Baba ji was at the forefront to guide all his disciples. The way he expresses his gratitude to the divine powers who have given him every competence of the universe was proof enough of how all the sadhaks must be deeply thankful for the spiritual growth that they have embarked and also how they must thank the Goddess Sanjeevani and Baba ji for the healing capabilities endowed to them.
5. If people have started to be rude to you, if people seem doughty to you, if you see many flaws in everyone, there is a need to bring forth a change within. Extend the period of meditation. Seek Guru's presence. The external world is how we are internally. The people and environment around us is a reflection of our state of mind. A calm and peaceful state of being will be characterised by concordal family and friends and an amiable environment all around. That BRINGINHG ABOUT A CHANGE INTERNALLY CHANGES THE EXTERNAL happenings is best demonstrated by the fact that during a shivir we get some good news or some stuck work clears. It happens because we clear our karmas and change internally.One is well off practising this at home too. Whenever you feel low, unite your 5 bodies , go deep in meditation , seek forgiveness and project that alls well and youre happy. Send unconditional love.
6. Everyone must do their own work themselves as far as possible instead of asking others to do it.
7.At the time of death no degree, no amount of wealth, no amount of good experiences would be recalled. What would matter is the incomplete wishes, unaccomplished feats and unattended relationships. So mend all these for speeding the access to communion with the almight ie Shiva otherwise death too shall be as disconcerting as the life gone by. So write in the Golden book whatever you want in life, be they healthy relations, healthy bank balance, loving family or a successful career. Leave nothing unheeded. Seek 200% life. Live everyday as the last because one day there will be no tomorrow and there is no barter system with Yamraj (God of death) to exchange a prolonged life span for materialistic achievements.
8. There is a famous saying that it takes all sorts to make a world. It means that one must never correct anyone. Every being is unique and diversity is essential: the world would be incomplete if everyone were alike. So accept everyone the way they are.
9. Express sweetness of every quality of every being and highlight positive traits of family members.
10. Be minbdful of all karmas. Remember Shiv Yog is knowingness. Always keep your eyes wide open, mind alert and think before you speak or act. Ask yourself which energy will this action of mine brew ?
11. The body will resist any change in the timetable, controlled by the karmas. So if you dont feel like doing sadhna or kriyas ask yourself "Main chahta kya hun ?"
12. Feel every emotion and then say anything. There is no power in blabbering.Head redirects to logic and heart to inner wisdom as the latter encompasses the soul. So stay away from logically explaining mistakes of others. Logic can prove anything as right.
13. Prolonged meditation causes a state of stupefaction similar to a drunken state as the ambroisal nectar starts to flow from the Bindu chakra but hate, jealousy , anger , fear and resentment cause squandering of this nectar and the state of stupor soon diminishes as the logic mind takes over.
14. Though very very implictly, Baba ji did mention Meditation a must for ascension into the impending 4th Dimension.
15.Disease isnt punishment, but a signal, an indicator and a reminder that somewhere, something is wrong with the system and the need is for rectification. Allopathy gives excuses like heredity for the causes of diseases which are beyond their scope. But in actuality, all diseases are attributed only to negative emotions.
16. Change yourself daily. Improve everyday. Commit yourself to improve your behaviour and love towards others every passing day. Every morning you wake up, say to yourself that youre a better person than what you were yesterday and you will strive to improve with every passing hour.
17.One must take vicarious pleasures in others’ success instead of being jealous and envious.The number of Diabetes patients has skyrocketed in India, particularly in South over the last two decades primarily due to a feeling of negative competition between communities and in families where a woman having a BMW becomes superior to the one having a Mercedes.
Remember, these instances of one upmanship will lead us far away from our souls as one day when the divine teaching that "every being is you and you are every being" will dawn upon us, we will realise that no amount of atonement can penance for the grievous mistakes we have committed. So bask in others' glory than being jealous. Enjoy everyone's success as your own.
18. One must commit to everything. Commitment to family, commitment to the employers, commitment to siblings, commitment to spouse, commitment to household work and commitment towards sadhna sewa and sankirtan which will ultimately lead one to committment towards Shiva.
18. Fix Shree yantras and Mahamrityunjay yantras in a room inhabited by a sick person. Vastu yantras must also be fitted for a faster healing process.
19. The Chakras of the Pran shareer contract and close on computer radiation exposure and since computers and gadgets have become indispensable, wearing a metal Shree Yantra is a must.
20. The Maha Meru heals people around it and opens the chakras of sadhaks who remain in its vicinity.
21. In a normal human , 96% of the body remains dormant and at the most 4% is working. We let the 96% redundant body rule over us. Practise of doing everything with the other 96% of the body must be done every single day.
22. We all are Sons of a Creator
And not of a Judge
so we must endeavour to emulate our Father in channelising our energies in constructive purposes instead of judging, upbraiding and rejecting others.
CULMINATION OF THE SHIVIR
The last day of the shivir bore testimony to the magnitude of healing that had taken place over the course of 9 days. Baba ji was anxious and curious as a "student awaiting his report card" when the medical test reports were to be read by Dr Chaudhary, a dedicated doctor sadhak whom Baba ji politely dubbed as a "saint himself". A few diabetic sadhaks had undergone tests at the start of the shivir at Baba ji's behest to test the efficacy and veracity of the meditations and energy that Baba ji gave.
Dr Chaudhary in all his humbleness, fluency and eloquence, characteristic of him called upon the selected few sadhaks who had undergone a sea change in their blood glucose levels, triglyceride levels and had their Insulin levels back to the perfect amounts.
All of those who came up to share the experiences had very few words to say and it was evident from this incident that the dedicated ones speak less and feel more. Baba ji nevertheless eked out a few words from them and they obliged expectedly so with their thankfulness to Baba ji who in turn goaded them to turn more healthy by continuing the routine of pran kriyas, sadhna , sankirtan and sewa, set up during the shivir.
The conclusion coming out of the shivir as realised by a sadhak was :
Tread the path shown by the Guru and toe the line of siddhas despite hitches and without tinkering with teachings to suit your personal needs and you will ascend.
