For Seekers by Seekers

Yogic 3 part breathing uses 100% of lung capacity compared to 10% what we normally use. Shifting the breathing style has immense benefits - better immunity, elimination of diseases, calm mind. In this podcast, we explain how to breathe right by dividing the lungs as three portions and exercising the surrounding muscles - diaphragm for the bottom third, inter coastal muscles for the mid section and thoracic muscles for the top third part of your lungs.

Vedanta uses examples to teach us several esoteric concepts. Just as an ignorant person uses the sandalwood tree directly as firewood whereas a wise person knows the value and sells it in the market, we should recognize the rarity & uniqueness of human life. It can be used both for (1) eat, sleep, procreate or (2) to realize that there is a ‘higher’ potential in us. It’s up to us to figure out how to use the body!

Theory of reincarnation + theory of karma explains why twins lead totally different lives. The subtle body (emotional mind + rational mind + memory + ego + senses + prana) leave the physical body at death and look for a suitable new body to fructify their vasanas (desires). The theory of karma says that they get a new body (human, animal, plant, insect....) based on their karma - how well they have fine timings their mind. This is the only logical explanation that I have come across!

Humans are the only species in this universe who are self-conscious. This leads us to, naturally find faults with our own being and / or compare with others. The comparision naturally leads us to make changes - either add or delete something to make us more attractive in line with our expectations. Why can’t we just accept our own selves, with all our warts and all and apply this unique ability to steer towards the goal of human life and the path to follow?

Sponsoring thought is the first thought occurring in us. This triggers successive thoughts that are entirely based on our mind set. In Japa, we chant a sacred mantra (a chant is a thought) over and over again, letting the mind not to diverge and to stay focussed with one thought. When the sponsoring thought and successive thoughts are the same, the mind’s nature of wandering away is reduced!

Brtruhari’s Vairagyashatakam describes that everything in this world is coupled with fear: if we have wealth, we are fearful of thieves or taxman; if we have physical beauty, we are afraid of old age; if we enjoy / over eat or drink then we are fearful of disease; if we are well learned then we are fearful of learned opponents who can bring us down.....the only thing that would make us fearless is vairagya - not clinging to enjoyments / not being psychologically dependent on any object, person, situation, circumstance for our happiness.

B Gita Ch 2 and Kathopanishad explain death as an event when the embodied soul discards the physical body made of five great elements and moves on to find another suitable body to manifest the desires, thoughts, emotions. Death means packing up the subtle body - mind, memories, intellect, Prana and then finding a new body to play our our desires. The new body is governed by the karma we build - can be any body- human again or an animal, reptile, insect, plant or anything else! Caring for our mind and fine tuning the qualities in them is essential to reduce the number of births & deaths we go through. So, rather than treat death as end of life, treat it as an event to move on with the mind - and begin cultivating the mind to carry forward a great morally ethical mind!

Upanishads say that the entire material world is permeated by Brahman. Because it is so intricately intertwines we miss noticing Brahman. So, Upanishads employ this unique method to say what all is NOT Brahman and then we automatically understand what Brahman is! This is known as ‘sabda pramana’ - proof of the words.

Subjective & Objective are two words that are grossly misunderstood by many. Science is said to be objective - which means it is all about objects perceived by five sense organs. But spiritual enquiry is said to be subjective - which means it is enquiring into the topic of I, the subject who is experiencing this world. Spiritual scientists apply logic, objective method of enquiry to understand the subject. On course they take help of Upanishads - which is known as ‘sabda Pramana’ or proof about I in words. Anyone who follows the rigorous reasoning of Upanishads will reach the same conclusion about the subject, the Brahman

Arjuna faced a dilemma: Kill people he loved to win the kingdom or let go of the kingdom and be called a coward, and a person who did not do his rightful duty. His confusion was the result of attachment & emotional dependence on few people he loved. This attachment caused him to grieve the (imaginary) loss of their death, and this deluded his rational mind - he became incapable of taking any decisions. War was just an event but his attachment -grief - depression - delusion was the problem. Likewise, death (or any other event like stock market crash) is just an event. Only if it is death of our loved one, it causes us grief-depression-delusion. So, yes, the same dilemma is applicable to us now and also a few thousands of year later too! So will the solution to this fundamental universal problem be too!