YL August 2022

Om Ganapathaye ! FIFTY THREE YEARS IN THE PROPAGATION OF CLASSICAL RISHICULTURE ASHTANGA YOGA ICYER at Ananda Ashram is gearing up to INTERNATIONAL welcome students from all over the world for in- MONTHLY person training in the Gurukula of Rishiculture Gitananda Yoga as codified by our illustrious Vol.53 No. 08, AUGUST 2022 Guru Parampara. Extensive renovation and upgradation has been undertaken both at ICYER CONTENTS - 02 as well as Sri Kambaliswamy Madam over the past few months to manifest the best possible IMBIBING SPIRITUAL VALUES IN THE facilities and ambiance for students. The readers VERY AIR WE BREATHE can enjoy the beautiful images captured by Yogasadhaki Jyothipriya on the cover pages. SWAMI GITANANDA FOUR-FOLD RELAXATION: - 07 NADA YOGA PRACTICES Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani who has been promoted as Director of MUSINGS ON THE BRAHMA MUDRA - 12 the Institute of Salutogenesis and Complementary Medicine at Sri Balaji COUNTING THE TALA IN PRANAYAMA - 16 Vidyapeeth was honured with the “Lifetime Achiever Award” on 26 June 2022 by Tamil Nadu FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA - 18 Sports Yogasana Association in Chennai. The IMMERSION 2022 prestigious award was bestowed upon him for his four decades of service for the cause of Yoga This issue features an excellent thought by Gurumahan Maharishi Paranjothiar, provoking editorial by our beloved Ammaji who Founder of Universal Peace Foundation, never ceases to infuse her writings with the Thirumurthi Hills, Tamil Nadu in the presence of highest spiritual truths of Ritam Satyam. We also Dr. R Elangovan, Professor & Head, Faculty of feature extensive sharing by members of the Yoga Sciences & Therapy, Meenakshi Academy Gitananda Yoga Family International who have of Higher Education and Research, Chennai. The been participating in the Gitananda Nada Yoga event was well organised by the President of the immersion with Yogacharini Sangeeta and Dr Association Lion M Babu, and General Secretary Anandaji as well as the Deeper Gitananda course Yogacharya Ravi Arumugam. with Yogacharini Kalavathi and Dr Anandaji. May we always be worthy of the benevolent blessings of the magnificent Gurus of our illustrious Guru Parampara. Be blessed, and be a blessing! The official publication of Yoga Jivana Satsangha (International); Vishwa Yoga Samaj (Worldwide Yoga Congress); Sri Kambaliswamy Madam (Samadhi Site); SPARC (The Society for the Preservation of Ancient Rishi Culture); ICYER (International Centre for Yoga Education and Research) at Ananda Ashram, Tamil Nadu. Published from Ananda Ashram City Centre at Yoganjali Natyalayam, 25, II Cross, lyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry-605 013, India. Editor and Publisher : Ammaji Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, Editor: (I/C) Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani. Phone: +91-0413-2241561. E-mail: [email protected]; Website: www.rishiculture.in Printers : Sarguru Printographs, Villupuram, Tamil Nadu, India. Subscription Rate: Indian Rs. 500/year; International 50 Euros/ year. Note: All subscribers will be sent e-copies of Yoga Life every month from January 2021 onwards and hence are requested to register their preferred e-mail at [email protected] to ensure uninterrupted receipt of the journal.

IMBIBING SPIRITUAL VALUES IN THE VERY AIR WE BREATHE Pujya Ammaji Yogacharini MEENAKSHI DEVI BHAVANANI, Ashram Acharya and Director, ICYER at Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry. An extraordinarily elegant, exquisitely subtle system of understanding the human psyche may be found in contemplating the intriguing stories interwoven in our Hindu history and scriptures. So profound, so wise, and so deeply aware of the intricacies of human nature were our Rishis that they chose to impart Truths to live by in easily digestible forms - through heroic (and their opposite demonic) characters and the horrendously dramatic (and hence deeply impacting) events, which marked their lives. The heroes and demons, larger than life in our Hindu history, are the Cosmic Principles personified which govern the human psyche. When these Cosmic Principles are clothed in flesh, it becomes easy for the listener to assimilate the deeper message at the heart of an apparently entertaining epic. Who is there who doesn't love a good story? Especially a story which contains within its structure, all the conflicts, problems, choices, joys, sorrows and challenges which assault us in our own personal lives? Stories whose basic plot line is well known even to the youngest child, and which is retold in various media and forms, with greater and deeper complexity, as the childish mind matures to adulthood. Perhaps introduced to the great characters of Rama, Krishna, Arjuna, Duryodhana, Ravana and others at a beloved grandmother's knee, or in bewitching bed-time tales, the epic stories and their heroes are further elaborated in street plays, religious discourses, musical festivals, puppet shows, classical dance performances in paintings on the temple walls or in the sculptures which adorn the massive Gopurams, or on the pillars, or in the mesmerizing beauty of the mysterious idol deep in the black cavern of the temple's sanctum sanctorum? The same theme is eternally replayed with a million variations, in a million voices, colored in a slightly different hue with each re-telling, small incidents etched more clearly, or unusual aspects described, opening whole new vistas of understanding with each re-telling. Men have debated for thousands of years whether it was morally correct for Lord Rama to shoot his arrow and kill Vali, king of the Vanaras (Monkeys) from behind a tree. Yes, one is free even to criticize and question the behavior of one's God! These public debates are moral exercises, (called Pattimandram in Tamil). There is a no black and white in Hindu morality, but rather, emphasis is always on the need for development of Vairagya (detachment) which in turn gives Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 02

EDITORIAL proper perspective of any event, and leads to Viveka or discrimination, the ability to decide what is the right action in any given situation. Moral exercises, systematic studies in the structure of the human psyche, these are the deep impact of the limitless stories and fascinating tales bequeathed to us as a precious legacy by our spiritual ancestors. They teach us what it means to be human, what it means to be noble, how to live a life of purpose and deep meaning. We know very well our ancestors, for example, valued a life of consensus, of general agreement taken by the community towards actions which would affect the whole. All the Kings had counselors, and a good monarch never acted in haste, unilaterally, without consulting his trusted advisors. King Dasharata did not appoint his son Rama as the King-Designate without consulting the Assembly of Elders and the Raja Guru Rishi Vashishta. We know that even the poorest of the poor had his own power before the King. Did not the fisherman, the father of Satyavati, refuse the King Santanu the permission to marry his daughter? Was the King not bound by the father's right to select the husband of his daughter? Did the King of the Great Pandian Dynasty not literally die of shame when he realized he had unjustly executed Kovalan, the husband of Kannagi, as a thief? Did even a cow not have the right to call for justice to the King, when its calf was ruthlessly crushed by the King's son under his chariot wheels? And did not the great King decry that justice could be upheld only by submitting his own son to a similar fate? Do these stories not embed in our very cells the principles of true Dharma, upholding the social order with a stability of principle no matter what the personal cost? Do we not see even today the realization in our village folk that they too have a voice, no matter how humble and they, too, have a right to be heard? The total necessity of consultation of all concerned, no matter how humble, is an integral part of a stable social fabric and our epics hammer this point home to us, time and again from various angles. The tale of Harishchandra, the great King who held steadfast to Truth and to his promise to his Guru Viswamithra, and suffered loss of kingdom, wife and son, stands as a shining beacon to the nobility of purpose which considered one's word as an inviolatable bond. Keeping one's word was considered the essence of Truth, and there are legions of stories which illustrate this glorious ideal in thousands of ways. Contradictions are reconciled in a vast Universe in which opposites are equally true. Lord Rama was called the Maryada Purusha because he held to Truth Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 03

EDITORIAL and principles firmly, even at great personal cost. On the other hand, Lord Krishna is hailed as Leela Purusha, for his playful, mischievous nature often appeared to violate accepted moral and ethical principles. Both are revered as manifestations of God, yet, one holds strictly to the established order, the other, violates it with lovable, gleeful impunity. Which is right? \"Both!\" Is the answer of our Rishis! The Universe is large! It contains multitudes! The opposite of a great Truth is an equally great Truth. The opposite of any small truth is an equally small lie. A very interesting anecdote was told concerning Jawaharlal Nehru on this point. A famous American journalist once said, \"I used to think that every story had two sides to it. Now I understand that every story has many sides\". True Indian that he was, Jawaharlal Nehru responded, \"Welcome to Hinduism\". Yes! Welcome to Hinduism, a culture which understands that Truth is a multi-faceted perception. Yet, it also knows that Sat, Truth, is Eternal and unchanging in its deepest dimension and the closer one comes to Sat in consciousness, the more stable one will become. For every psychological, moral and ethical principle, there are a hundred stories in our Hindu heritage which \"flesh it out\", so it sinks deeply into the subconscious to become part of one's own response to similar challenges which rise in the course of one's life. Krishna told several \"lies\" in order to help the Pandavas defeat the Kauravas on the field of Kurukshetra. The most famous was the one he made Yudhisthira utter to Dronacharya, \"Aswathama is dead\" (Aswathama was the name of Dronacharya's beloved son). When the great Guru heard this sad news, he lost his will to fight, sat down dejected on the battlefield and was killed. Yudhisthira was known to be a man of impeccable truth, and Dronacharya, hence, believed his words. Actually, Yudhisthira said \"Aswathama (in a soft voice - the elephant) is dead\". The elephant Aswathama had been killed earlier to make this lie an apparent truth to dishearten and thus defeat Dronacharya. Was not this morally wrong of Krishna, who is God himself? To this date Pandits and commoners alike debate this question. There is no final answer. There is a final answer. Both statements are equally true. This is the stance of this elastic, amazing culture. This is the point which shines out from so many of our stories, stories which are not dogmatic, not doctrinaire, but designed to make us think: \"What is right - What is wrong - How must we live? What is a noble life?\" The answers change as we evolve and grow, and Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 04

EDITORIAL what is right or correct and moral at one level becomes wrong and incorrect and immoral at another level. Our epics are also designed to show us that nothing happens without a cause, and that there are no \"innocent victims\" in this Universe. Karma is inexorable and must be worked out. To understand why things happen, one must understand one's past not just in this lifetime, in this body, but in many previous lifetimes or bodies. Shakuntala's husband Dhushyanth, the King, denied she was his wife when she presented herself in his court. He had totally forgotten her. How could this happen? We wonder. We realize it was because Shakuntala neglected her duties as a hostess to the irritable Rishi Durvasa when he visited her father's Ashram. So, angered, the Rishi cursed her saying, \"May he who has caused you to forget your duties to a guest (in your lovesick, distracted state) also forget you\". Tit for Tat! We do something, we suffer the consequences! Shakuntala was not the victim of an erring husband, but her own negligent behavior. But our stories also tell us all is well that ends well, and when the Karma is \"paid\", is worked out, harmony and happiness (at some level) will be restored. There is no permanent domination, but rather a continuous evolving movement towards higher and greater stability and bliss, despite intermittent hardships. Shakuntala and her son Bharat are happily reunited with Dhushyanth and a great dynasty of Kings comes into being, descended from their son Bharat, after whom this great nation is named. Even Sita, the great consort of Lord Rama, brought her immense suffering upon herself. Knowing well that never in the history of the world has there been such a creature as a \"golden deer\", still, when Maricha by his magic changed himself into such a creature to lure her and through her, Lord Rama, into the forest, Sita insisted on having it caught for her. She made the fatal mistake of desiring something which was not real and had to endure unbearable torment as Karmic consequences. Is that not the story of all? Knowing full well that all the glamour, riches, and apparent thrill of the material is unreal, still we desire it and, in the process, undergo unspeakable torment! Our Rishis wanted us to escape this pitfall by warning us with the example of Ma Sita Devi herself! Those who have ears to hear and eyes to see perhaps have thus escaped similar sufferings, by learning by proxy from her sad story. One last interesting example from the thousands available and I shall close this dissertation. One of the most despicable characters in the Mahabharata is Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 05

EDITORIAL Duryodhana, the eldest of the evil Kauravas. Yet he was a man supremely self aware, conscious to an extreme of his own nature. How do we know this? Ved Vyasa, his grandfather and author of the epic story, has Duryodhana make this very profound statement: \"I know what is good, yet I cannot bring myself to do that thing. I know what is evil, yet I cannot stop myself from doing that thing\". Is that not the dilemma which many of us face? We know it is good to discipline ourselves, to rise early, to do Sadhana, to eat healthy food, to speak the Truth and yet we cannot make ourselves \"do that thing\". Our epics warn us well! Beware of the Duryodhana mind-set! We know well how tragically his story ends. Knowing where such an attitude leads, perhaps we can avoid a similar fate in our own lives. Saved by the sacred stories, we evolve more easily into Cosmic Bliss! We know it is wrong to lie, to be sick, morose, unhappy, to cheat and lie and yet, we cannot stop ourselves from \"doing those things\". Are we all not Duryodhanas? Should we not examine this \"quirk in our human heart\" and discover what makes us so perverse? What a marvelous, \"object lesson\" the quintessential \"bad guy\" Duryodhana is for us! Can we learn from his mistakes? Hundreds of generations have, through this elegant way of imparting spiritual principles, morality and ethics. In today's modern world, when more than ever, \"man suffers from himself\", these glorious heroic examples must be kept before us, beacons of light amidst the encircling gloom. \" “Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.” - Augustine of Hippo \" Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 06

SWAMI GITANANDA FOUR-FOLD RELAXATION: NADA YOGA PRACTICES Yogacharini Dr. SANGEETA LAURA BIAGI, Senior Mentor, Gitananda Nada Yoga, Italy Introduction On May 5, 2022, during Lesson 2 of Module 5 of our Gitananda Nada Yoga Online Immersion, Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani shared Swami Gitananda Giri's teachings on the “Four Levels of Relaxation”. These teachings, both accessible and deep, inspired the creation of a 25-minute sequence of Nada Yoga practices that take us on a journey of progressively deeper relaxation through intentional listening and vocal sounds. In Lesson Twenty-Nine of Yoga Step by Step, Swami Gitananda writes: Deep relaxation and Yoga are synonymous when we reach the inner phases of Yoga. For at this stage relaxation is not only body relaxation, but also a state where the physical body, emotions and mind are all brought up into a high state of conscious relaxation. [...] The Yoga system views the need for relaxation and its solution in four ways: 1. LETTING DOWN: This letting down is to deal with one's barriers to the needed advice and help, to let down one's prejudices and preconceived ideas and notions about people, things and ideas, to let down all of the false notions and materialistic idolatry that we have built up in modern living and in particular, to let down from the “God of Tension” which is virtually deified in “so-called” civilised society. To break away from the superstitions of our social and religious beliefs is not easy to do. These beliefs may be needed to support a healthy psyche. Therefore, it is necessary that you find out the truth, stripped of all false belief, about your own nature and the nature of the Supreme. Leave off all fears and anxieties and gain a positive attitude towards yourself and others. Cultivate the desire for right action when action is called for. 2. GIVING UP: One has to want to give up the stresses and strains that beset them. This does not mean a surrender or a defeat, as popularly suggested by the English term “to give up”. This giving up is to throw off any weaknesses which tend to build up to tension and to give off or let off those foolish tensions that oftentimes turn us into a smoking volcano. Giving up here is a positive process. 3. GIVING IN: To give in, in the Yoga concept of relaxation, is to “give in” to the dictates of the inner mind, the Higher Consciousness. Again, this is a positive process and is not the giving in of surrender. There is no negation or abdication of Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 07

SWAMI GITANANDA FOUR-FOLD RELAXATION: NADA YOGA PRACTICES positive actions and ideas. One has to take up an Inner Life study to understand what it really means in words to give in to the Inner Self. In the beginning, it is an intellectual process, highly exciting and satisfying, but it must move beyond the intellectual, ecstatic state to even a more positive, a more transcendental state. 4. GIVING OVER: The giving over of the control of the Higher Mind to the Higher Self is the highest and last stage of Four-Fold Relaxation. This is where the highest attainments of relaxation are achieved, where one can merge into beautiful super- conscious higher states of which you are aware, but no words can describe. Giving over represents the peak of fulfillment. These four layers of relaxation peel off resistances one by one: from the grossest vibrations (Cittavritti) of the distracted mind, to emotional hang-ups, to the refinement of our Inner Mind, and, ultimately, to surrender to the intelligent laws that sustain the Cosmos as we know it. Relaxing at deeper and deeper levels requires a willingness and capacity to cleanse, purify, and quieten our Inner Self. Swamiji's clarity of exposition does not imply that the process of Four-Fold Relaxation is simple. On the contrary. Most of us are barely aware of our negative thoughts, of destructive belief patterns emerging from unprocessed trauma. Even when we become aware, it takes conviction and faith (Shradda), strength (Veerya) and an undisturbed attention (Ekagrata) not to get sidetracked and distracted, and to decide to let go of our weaknesses. Nada Yoga practices give us accessible and practical tools to access these layers. LETTING DOWN Preconceived ideas may come up as inner voices, thoughts or beliefs. These have a noticeable effect in our bodies so the first step in this Four-Fold Relaxation is to regulate the breath through Sukha Pranayama. Sukha Pranayama: Breathe in and out through your nostrils, making your breath deep and even. Perform nine rounds of breathing in and out to a count of either four by four or six by six, and begin to calm down and focus your mind. Observe any negative thought or habitual patterns of thinking that you are ready to dismantle and outgrow. Focus on it, rather than pushing it to the back of your awareness. Remember that these thoughts - beliefs, false assumptions, negative voices - are part of what Maharishi Patanjali calls the Cittavritti, “the fluctuations of the lower mind”, the Citta. They can be heard, felt or visualised. “Catch them” with the control of your mind and bring them to your awareness. They behave like wild animals running here, there and everywhere. Corral them as you continue to breathe regularly, deeply and with ease. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 08

SWAMI GITANANDA FOUR-FOLD RELAXATION: NADA YOGA PRACTICES GIVING UP Giving up our habitual reaction to stress is not as easy as it may seem. When we are used to something, we become “used by it” and we may forget that living in a state of heightened stress is not “normal”. Thanks to the “whooshing sounds” and the movement of this practice, we shake off habits as well as stress. Nasarga Mukha Bhastrika: Begin with a Jathi (warm up / de-stress practice) by shaking your right and left foot and legs, your buttocks and hips, your shoulders, arms and hands, your head and then shaking the entire body all at once. Have fun with the shaking, and be mindful of both pushing your comfort level and listening to your body. Then, imagine that you are scooping up into your closed fist all the negative energies that weigh you down, and that you were able to focus on earlier. Then, with a big inhalation through the nose (Nasa), 'whoosh' them out with a sound through your mouth (Mukha) “Whooossssh!” Please gesture this Kriya with feeling (Bhava), as if you are gathering up the thoughts and stress and casting them away. Repeat for a total of three times or multiples of three. The sound of the whooshing sound, together with the shaking and gesture of “giving up” the worry and stress create a potent combination of breath, movement and sound which is a special quality of the teachings of Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga. GIVING IN The nature of Higher Consciousness is vibratory. Everything, as we perceive it through our senses, is a manifestation of the oscillations of Nada. Giving into the Wisdom of our Higher Mind implies developing outer and inner audience, so that our sense of listening may become so refined and subtle to allow us to hear its “dictates” (from Latin “dictare”, to dictate, to pronounce solemnly). Deep breathing and deep listening are integral to their mutual efficacy and are beautifully combined in Shabda Pratyahara Kriya. Shabda Pratyahara Kriya: Here are Swamiji's instructions for this Kriya (Yoga Step by Step, p. 211-12): Sit in any of the recommended postures [comfortable yogic sitting positions] and listen inside of your own head for the subtle sound of blood coursing through the arteries and veins, the sound of blood pressure or the “lub-dub” of the heart's pulsation. Other body sounds may be used as well. Listen intently for two or three minutes, then allow the thinking/ hearing to go outside of the body and listen for sounds right around the body. Sometimes a vibrant static sound can be heard in the air immediately around the head. After listening for a few minutes, let the ears come under the control of the mind and listen to your immediate Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 09

SWAMI GITANANDA FOUR-FOLD RELAXATION: NADA YOGA PRACTICES environment to sounds in the room or in the building or in the place where you sit. Now let the hearing go out into the area immediately around the site or building where you sit. Listen to every sound as it occurs. Now reach out with your hearing a hundred meters or so, perhaps up to a city block. Listen to any sounds occurring in that periphery. Stretch out the hearing for a mile, listening to all the sounds circumscribed by the limits of your Pratyahara Kriya. Now, let the thinking/hearing go as far away from you as humanly possible. Concentrating on sending the hearing to far- off distances: listen intently. In this way you have allowed the sense of hearing to do exactly what it has been created to do… to hear. Now having exercised the hearing to its fullest, withdraw the sense of hearing through a reversal of the steps of the Kriya, performing the true purpose of the Pratyahara at each stage until after ten to fifteen minutes, you re-enter the body again. Then listen intently to the subtle sounds within. Raise the mind with the last vestige of this inner concentration on sound into Bhrumadhya or Tisra Til or the Shiva Netra. These centres are included within the concept of Ajna Chakra, the Centre of Inspiration in Tantra, and Kundalini Yoga.[...] Be wise enough at this point to recognize the dominant part that the sense of hearing plays in one's Inner Life. In the Inner Life, the senses are reversed. Inner Sight is a lower speed of vibration than Inner Sound. Mastering physical hearing and Shabda, Inner Hearing, is the key to Pratyahara. GIVING OVER After cleansing and refining the sense of listening and calming the mind, we are fit to invoke and evoke the powerful Pranava AUM Mantra. The Shabda Pratyahara Kriya prepared us to receive the blessings of such wisdom. The last stage of the Four-Fold Relaxation, Giving Over, completes a cycle of practice that began with the noises of a distracted mind. Ammaji teaches us that “the Sound of Yoga is Silence”, and this Silence is so full of Prana! Relaxation and calm are possible here in a boundless field of inspiration and comfort. Pranava Pranayama: This is one of the gems in the teachings of this Parampara. The practice brings and binds together Asana, Mudra, Pranayama, Pratyahara and Dharana. The body is held in the Vajrasana with the Brahma Mudra hand “seal”; the full Mahat Yoga Pranayama is experienced, while the 'dance of the tongue' in the oral cavity produces the audible Beeja sounds of “Ahhh”, “Uuuuhhh”, and “Mmmm”, starting from the guttural, rising in the palatal, and completing in the cerebral resonators. The mind is focused and calm, one-pointed. Ears and heart open. We offer ourselves to the Divine, which manifests through us through sound, in a sonic embodiment of Nada. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 10

SWAMI GITANANDA FOUR-FOLD RELAXATION: NADA YOGA PRACTICES When this sequence is complete, we are invited to sit quietly and receive the benefits of a calm mind and an open heart. To come out of such a deep state of relaxation, we may move the pinky of our left hand followed by a gentle movement of the other fingers. We may then decide to lay down into Shavasana to rest longer; or we may bring the hands into the Namaskara Mudra to intone the Pranava AUM Mantra again to complete the sequence. Conclusion Stressors are part of life and rather than wishing them away, it would be better if we learned how to manage our reaction to them. Thanks to these wonderful practices, we regain a sense of balance and harmony, which allows us to catch those animalistic reactions as they spring up. May the Guru Parampara Continue to Bless us All! Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 11

MUSINGS ON THE BRAHMA MUDRA Members of the Deeper Gitananda Sadhana Editor's note: These are some beautiful answers submitted by members of the Deeper Gitananda Yoga Sadhana course currently being taught by Yogacharini Kalavathi and Dr Anandaji. Susan Marino, USA I have had limited mobility in my neck for years (result of being rear-ended in a car accident). I wondered if regular practice of Brahma Mudra might loosen something in my neck. It didn't (two weeks wasn't a long time); energetically, however something else is loosening. On a physical level, the practice has left me tingling and feeling blissful for some time after completing the three rounds of three. I've noticed my vocal tone and quality changes from day to day, as does the sheer volume of air coming through. Some days my breath is stretched and the sound warbles and dips. Other days it is as if I am playing a crystal glass in my body–the sound is clear and resonant. I've also noticed that the strength and quality of the sound can vary from side to side, depending on the day, and I've been wondering if there is a correlation between what is happening on each side and what is happening in my life. For instance, one day, I could barely get the breath to the end of the first ah on the right, but the ah on the left came through clear and strong. Another day, I had issues with the 'ee', and on another day too, my 'mm' felt strained and short. Some days, right and left are strongest, other days 'ee' and 'mm' are. The loosening I thought would happen physically is happening energetically. Something is changing in my life. I've started simply doing things that I was reluctant to try before, and I feel like doors are opening around me, as if my energetic field has shifted just a little, and I've stepped into a river. This morning I was practising in a place where I didn't feel comfortable making a sound, so I did it silently, with a whisper and intention. I felt similar levels of vibration and blissfulness in my body after this silent practice. I was wondering why that is. Have I taught my body a pattern that my mind can imagine and repeat energetically even if I am not fully doing the physical practice? Honestly, this is the trippiest thing about this week's practice–the ramifications this may have in the rest of my life. If my body plays this song when I Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 12

MUSINGS ON THE BRAHMA MUDRA am focusing my awareness on it, what other songs does my body play when my awareness goes in those directions? This is making me think about how strong the energy field around me is, and how powerful the effect can be of either actively engaging and changing it or withdrawing awareness and letting myself get blown about by whatever comes my way, positive or negative. If even thinking about doing a practice creates such a strong resonance within my body, what am I doing to my body in the moments I am inattentive or unfocussed? This completely shifted my understanding of pratyahara. Weird bits…wondering if anyone else had similar experiences triggering memory or sleep. While doing this practice, I've had flashes of image and sense memories from strange past experiences, for instance I felt a flash of standing in front of a disco in Richmond when I was in my early 20s. For a nanosecond, it was like I was right there. Another time I fell asleep during the rest between the practices. And I mean asleep. I woke up 30 minutes later, on the floor, wondering what just happened. Louise Hogan, UK The first question I asked myself was what I was hoping for. I wrote 'A bigger sense of acceptance or acceptability!! Accepting myself, the actions of others and things I can't control.' But I found so much more than this. I feel like I am opening up to the Universe, but this feeling is coming afterwards as well as during. Sometimes I thought the sounds were trying to reach away from me and other times I felt I was being restrictive. And then I analyse why that might be. So, am I accepting myself?! I believe so because I also want that awareness of when something has changed, or what might be the root cause. I had to exercise self control, Tapas, on the days when I really did only have enough time in the morning to complete one round. I wanted more! So, I started getting up earlier. Sometimes the light would seem to change in my mind during the final round, getting brighter. I know it could have been the light outside, but it seemed the same as when I started! And my attention would be drawn to the front of my head 'come back here…' it seemed to whisper shining a yellow light! I have always loved this practice. Adding the extra rounds adds that extra dimension - to really go with it. Thoughts still permeate my mind, but they aren't invasive or negative. I am beginning to control it and letting them go. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 13

MUSINGS ON THE BRAHMA MUDRA Wow to all three rounds without a break in between! An overwhelming and incredible sense of calm and freedom when lying in Shavasana. Blissfulness. Contentment. Claire Wilson, UK Thinking about different perspectives is so much part of my day-to-day job with the patients I see in my practice as a psychologist. Encouraging them to see alternative views is profoundly helpful in alleviating misunderstanding and distress. This practice therefore has been, for me, a fascinating introduction to this course. In the physical practice of Brahma Mudra, I have noted that what might seem like a simple exercise can be profound, depending on how it is viewed. I have tried both with eyes open and closed and noted the differences in experience of each. I have a preference for practising with eyes closed as I enjoy the more introspective experience. I also notice a tingling sensation in my head and can feel my heartbeat in my head and the warmth of the breath. I have found the practice very relaxing and have noticed the easing of tension in my neck over time. This has been a lovely practice and interesting to think about the sounds and their effects and what they relate to. It has also been helpful to learn about how these practices impact the body physically, for example the effect on the pineal gland and the positive impact therefore on hormones. Jan Hallé, UK It was with some trepidation that I began my practice in earnest as up until the session in Deeper Gitananda my experiences had not been good. By good, I mean comfortable. I have suffered with neck issues over the years that have worsened with age. Repeated attacks of vertigo have been 'put down' to compression in the neck possibly caused by osteocytes on the cervical vertebrae. No definitive diagnosis was ever made, and chiropractic treatment made matters worse. When I first encountered Brahma Mudra in my yoga class about five years ago, the benefits and remission from symptoms, those that regular asana practice had brought, suddenly came to a halt. Subsequent practice of Brahma Mudra, in class or in Step by Step, would have the same negative effect. So on that first live session the time had come to channel my own Adhimatra, embrace Shraddha and ditch the negative Smrithi. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 14

MUSINGS ON THE BRAHMA MUDRA After that first practice in the Zoom Womb far from feeling discomfort or experiencing symptoms that I had previously encountered I found myself in a strangely relaxed and peaceful place. It was as though I was unwinding those previous uncomfortable experiences as my neck turned. My outgoing breath was carrying with it those less than favourable memories. Was it the tala, which seemed longer than I had remembered it being before, that had brought about this complete turnaround? Or was it my increased awareness of sound and vibration? Or Shraddha? My practice continues, adapting tala as necessary according to how I am feeling. I have not had a repeat of the previous neck problems and I am in a state of ease. However, it is a practice that I reserve for later in the day. A relaxed, almost meditative state is not the best to be in when you have language classes to teach afterwards. Shirley Hochstetler, ICYER, Pondicherry My experience of Brahma Mudra varied widely depending on where and how I practised. I have the privilege of practising in the garden of Ananda Ashram as well as in the indoor room of the busy medical college of CYTER and the pastoral room of a Rural Health Center in a village outside Pondicherry. I also practised anywhere from 6am to 9pm and either alone, with a fellow student or with a new learner that wanted to join. The biggest difference was my ability to really access my 'felt sense' and deeply experience the moment in these different circumstances. The less I access my felt sense, the less any practice can influence me consciously, although the unconscious influence is always a part of yoga. Just the intention to do something I believe is helpful to me and good for me will have a positive and empowering effect regardless as I make an effort& believe in my ability to heal myself. So doing the practice always felt good and uplifting. The balancing effect of Brahma Mudra felt evident in all circumstances, meaning it was present, even when my ability to focus deeply was less present. The most permissive setting was the Patanjali Hut in the ashram garden. It was here I noticed some of the subtler nuances of Brahma Mudra. The best time of day was at 6 am after Arti in the Ashram. I didn't have to rush, the day was opening ahead of me. The constant return and rest at the center after examining all directions was like adding a block to a foundation each time I arrived there. So, at the end, I was very firm in myself, strong in my platform from which to spring towards anything the day brings. It was like a quiet, self-possessed confidence that brings a kind of joy in being me. So valuable. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 15

COUNTING THE TALA IN PRANAYAMA Yogacharini JNANASUNDARI, Senior Mentor, Gitananda Yoga, France. In Pranayama we are attempting to spread our awareness on the chosen technique, on the tala used, on the movement of Prana, and on the way it affects us. At first just getting the brain and the breathing system to connect the technique with the rhythm will take up a lot of our concentration. This can become a habit so that we end up more connected to the beat than to the more important aspects of the practice. Using counting to control the rhythm is helpful but can leave us locked into left-brain mode – not helpful when we are trying to achieve balance. Swamiji simply said to count slowly; I don't think he ever mentioned minutes or seconds. So, I tried counting slowly and found the rhythm would often alter as I went along. Then I tried using my pulse but discovered that an exhalation slows it while an inhalation speeds it up a little. I tried listening to the clock ticking and found the rhythm settled in nicely, but it did mean there had to be an audible clock nearby, and also it meant I was exteriorized. Then I remembered a counting technique I had learned from my music teacher in Varanasi many years ago and tried that. I found it released my concentration from the actual counting because it uses the sense of touch, and once the tala is established there's no need to actually count; the rhythm sets itself and I am able to keep my attention on the actual movement of prana. And I am no longer a prisoner in the left hemisphere of the brain! If you look at your hand, you'll see you have three phalanges or sections on four fingers – only two on the thumb. They're called the distal, middle and proximal -- as in distant, middle and near. So, I use the tip of the thumb to move from one phalanx to another, then one finger to another to set the tala at a reasonable speed, which very quickly has settled into a second per touch. I can use the fingers vertically, useful for the 3 tala, or horizontally – best for the 4 tala. For some talas I move the thumb horizontally rather than vertically – it's good to vary things now and then! A habit may be good, but any habit means you're not fully concentrating. I can also use not the phalanges, but the tips of the fingers followed by the joints, which is useful for the 8 tala. Here are two examples of this counting method showing the movement of the thumb tip over the phalanges: Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 16

COUNTING THE TALA IN PRANAYAMA Sama vritta – 3 tala horizontal Savitri pranayama – 4 tala vertical I use the other hand to count the rounds, using the same method – after each round I move the tip of the thumb to the next phalanx - this way I don't get lost. It's also useful to use the horizontal count for the rounds and the vertical count for the tala because it means each hand has its own task and each task has its own pattern. You'll be surprised how quickly the brain gets used to using this method and arranges the motor nerves to be helpful. Your Annamaya Kosha and Manomaya Kosha get used to the idea fairly quickly so you can concentrate on the pranayama rather than the movements or the counting. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 17

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 Editor's note: We are pleased to share some heartful submissions by members of the Gitananda Nada Yoga Sadhana course led by Yogacharini Sangeeta and Dr Anandaji over the past 7 months. More than fifty dedicated Sadhakas took part in this 100 hours online course that is now available through recordings for those interested. Dr LORI RUBENSTEIN FAZZIO, Clinical Director of Yoga Therapy, Loyola Marymount University, USA. Congratulations on wrapping up the first Nada Yoga course. I'm sure it was a rich experience for all. I am sorry that I was unable to keep up with it as it was a very full course at a time when life became very busy for me. I enjoyed the segments I attended in the beginning and hope to tune into the other sessions in the future. There are two key takeaways I treasure from the few sessions I did attend. One is refinement of the Pranava Pranayama and another is the sacredness of our voice in the world. While my intellect enjoys learning more practices, the Pranava Pranayama remains the practice I would take with me if I had to choose only one. In its simplest form it is like a key that opens the kingdom of awareness. With all the additional layers of Mandalas, subtle sensory awareness, talas and more it is a practice for lifetimes. I feel blessed to have received these teachings and honoured to share them with reverence to the Gitananda lineage. Somewhere along the way you both spoke of the power of the vibration we put into the world. The past couple of years have presented many challenges and I witness myself down- spiraling into a space of negativity. In the current climate of my surroundings, being happy is somehow frowned upon as insensitive to all those who are suffering. Labels with negative connotations such as “privileged” and “spiritual bypass” are thrown around to describe those who work on self- transformation. Instead of believing that we can uplift one another, there is a sense that bringing everyone into collective suffering is somehow the only answer. It is as if victim consciousness is in vogue and any elevated sense of consciousness is selfish and insensitive. This trend saddens me. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 18

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 When I step back and observe, it is apparent that much in the world is becoming more and more polarised. It is all around us. One action occurs and a more extreme opposite reaction ensues and the cycle moves further and further away from centre, from unification. It is anti-yoga and I feel it pulling me. When I feel this pull, there is a bubbling inside, deep inside from just below the region of the Manipura Chakra, bubbling up to the chest. I feel it stew in the throat as if what wants to come out is silenced. I see the image of the base of the tongue connecting to the fascia of the heart and am reminded that our words are expressions of the heart. And I also recognize that so often, words are an expression of our ego mind and that it takes silence of the mind to hear the inner voice. I remember that as all things are, this energy is ever changing, and I listen inward to the call of the Divine. Listening for the truth. And I remember that, as Swamiji said, 'happiness is our birthright'. It is closer to our essence than the Avidya we so easily identify with. So, I understand Nada Yoga to be more about listening than about making sound. Nada Anusandhana. Anahata. Unstruck sound. Listen to the Divine and remember who we really are: divine beings living a human experience. Thank you both for sharing with so much generosity, enthusiasm, and love. I love you both and hold immense gratitude in my heart for being on this path with you. May you always be blessed. Dr Rama Reddy Karri, Director Manasa Hospital, Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh, India. Acharya Bhavanani is my guide at CYTER and Guru at ICYER. I have listened to his lectures for hundreds of hours. Not even a single time do I get a feeling of boredom or satiation. Every time I listen to him, I gain some new knowledge about some aspects of life and newer insights. Acharya Bhavanani is a born yogi, teacher, philosopher, and medical doctor. He is in an ideal position to occupy the throne of the yoga therapy discipline. Being a Virtuoso of Carnatic Music and Bharata Natyam, in addition, who else can be the authority to speak on Nada Yoga? Saha Acharya Sangeeta is a combination of Perfection and relaxation. Marvellous planning and organising! The content may belong to Bhavanani Sir, but the scaffolding is Sangeeta Madam's. Her body may be Italian, but her heart and soul are Indian. Her efforts in imbibing the cultural norms and language skills Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 19

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 are amazing. Being a world-class singer and a top-notch Gitananda Yoga trainer, she is a perfect match as the associate acharya for this course. I was astonished to find her explaining the sound genesis and vocal apparatus more professionally than a medical person. I am very interested in knowing about one thing. Is it the raga, the tune which is important, or is it the lyrics or the text which is important? For instance, is it Sri Raga that is important, or is it the text, 'Endaromahanubhavulu', that is important? Can we try either of these as adjuncts with other Yoga procedures? I have thought about certain research ideas for Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, which are in hibernation. Bhavanani Sir knows. Two of them are related to our Nada Yoga course. One of the proposals is on Japa. Five groups of 'Yoga-naïve' persons with chronic schizophrenia will be selected for the study. Those who are stabilised with minimum maintenance drug dosage and who are with residual symptoms are included. The meditation and chanting of a sound is a type of Yoga practice. The groups are: 1. Omkara Japa group (Hindus) 2. Hallelujah Japa group (Christians) 3. Allah Japa group (Muslims) 4. Neutral object Japa group (Non-believers; chanting any specific word of their choice) 5. No intervention group Sample selection will be by Stratified Random Sampling with the intervention duration for three months. Pre- and post-intervention assessment of Neuro- cognition will be done with BCATS and Social and Emotional Cognition with the 'CYTER Manasa Mini SEA tool'. Another research proposal is on Chakra Meditation and its effect on Diabetes. Yoga-naïve cases with established T2DM are the subjects of the study. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 20

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 The following groups will be formed: 1. Manipura Chakra Meditation group: Meditation on the Chakra in one of the following ways daily for 15 minutes. 2. Subgroups: a. Meditation on Manipura Chakra symbol as a whole b. Meditation on Beeja Mantra 'Ram' ('Rang' with nasal tone) c. Meditation on Rudra/ Vruddha Rudra, the presiding deity d. Meditation on Lakini, the Shakthi (Energy form) 3. Assorted Asana-Pranayama protocol of AYUSH group. 4. No intervention group The duration of the Intervention is three months. Pre- and post-intervention assessments of HbA1C will be done. Those who required drastic changes in medication or diet or exercise will be dropped out from the study. Music therapy implements the tool of sound, influences the mind, and aims at the well-being of the person. Nada Yoga also is based on similar principles. A lesson on the interface between these two may be added to the course. Dr INGUNN HAGEN, Professor, Department of Psychology, NTNU, Norway For me, the modules of relaxation and Yoga Chikitsa were the main attractions when signing up for the Gitananda Nada Yoga course with Dr. Ananda and Dr. Sangeeta. However, there were also great learning moments in the rest of the modules in the course. In the following, I will reflect on what I gained from the Nada Yoga course. However, what I expect to put into use will be more implied than explicit, due to the limitations in format. My interest in relaxation was influenced by the fact that relaxation was one of the main themes identified in the results for the Norwegian qualitative data of the research project “Hippocampus: Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing among Young People through Yoga”. The project was developed to offer Yoga to young people in schools, and to emphasise those in situations of disadvantage like mental health problems and other challenges. The Yoga intervention in the Hippocampus project consisted of an 8-week Yoga course, offered as part of the school schedule. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 21

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 We were interested in how the young students experienced the Yoga course/intervention and its potential implications. The Hippocampus study focused on how practising Yoga could impact young people's sense of wellbeing, experienced stress or not, and sleep habits. We aimed for a mixed method design with pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, qualitative interviews with disadvantaged young people, logs/diaries from all young participants, focus groups with teachers (who were offered their own Yoga course), and reflection notes from Yoga teachers. Since the Norwegian survey did not show significant results, our research team decided to focus on the qualitative results, which consisted of nine semi-structured interviews with disadvantaged young people (with mental health challenges and/or refugee background), and 133 logs/diaries (only collected in Norway). As much as two thirds of the young people's log statements focused on how Yoga increased their relaxation and made them more aware about their need to relax. We find this interesting, as the logs were written statements, where the young people to a large degree could express their feelings and thoughts, and thus convey their experiences by the words of their own choosing. Moreover, the qualitative interviews also emphasised that relaxation was central to the young interviewees, and that being able to relax more was a consequence the interviewees appreciated by Yoga. The young informants mentioned yogic breathing (Pranayama), Shava Asana, and Yoga Nidra as especially impactful for making them relax. Naturally, this Yoga -induced relaxation had positive consequences for the young people's wellbeing, ability to cope with and counteract stress, as well as improved their sleep habits. Relaxation is indeed important for young people, among whom many have experienced increasing mental health challenges and stress levels in recent decades, much due to the increasing demands for performance and competition influenced by neo-liberal ideologies in many modern nations, including Norway. Young people themselves attribute much of the stress to the demands put on them by schools and reinforced by (especially middle-class) parents. Moreover, young people worry about the future, both their own lives and careers, but also that of the planet (like climate changes, global warming etc.). Furthermore, social media contributes to the constant need to perform, be popular and successful, valued through likes from peers. The recent, still ongoing Covid pandemic has added to the tension of young people and contributed to everybody's stress level. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 22

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 Thus, there is a need for everybody to aim for “relaxation response”, to cope with and counteract stress. One fruitful way to deal with stress is the four-fold relaxation, discussed by Dr. Sangeeta, in her essay on Dr. Gitananda's “Four Levels of Relaxation”. Dr. Sangeeta suggests interesting practices to regain relaxation according to these levels: 1. Letting down: become aware of one's preconceived ideas, like prejudices, and false notions, to understand the truth about self and others. Get rid of fears and develop positive attitudes, as well as be ready for right action when needed. Suggested practice: Sukha Pranayama. 2. Giving up: the stresses and strains that are results of the weaknesses that create tensions in one's life. This is a positive process of overcoming unnecessary sources of daily tension. Suggested practice: Nasarga Mukha Bhastrika. 3. Give in: To in the yogic relaxation sense is to give to the “dictates of the higher mind”. This is again a positive process that implies to live more according to one's higher consciousness and values. Suggested practice: Shabda Pratyahara. 4. Giving over: to the higher mind and to the Higher Self, which is said to be the highest level of relaxation in this Four-fold relaxation model. This highest stage represents the “peak of fulfilment”. Suggested practice: Pranava Pranayama. It is important to acknowledge that everybody has a certain level of stress or traumatic memory. Thus, I agree with Dr. Ananda's often repeated claim that non - pharmaceutical relaxation is the most important contribution of Yoga to humanity. We also need to realise that everything we perceive, even about stress or tension, is our perspective, not the truth. Thus, perceived stress is where we need to start. Swadhyaya or self-reflection can be a good tool: reflecting on one's feelings of entitlement and adding gratitude and humour can be appropriate ways to counteract and cope with stress. Dr. Ananda suggested an ABC of relaxation response which can also be included: to develop awareness, to focus on deep breathing (Pranayama), and to choose a different response and relax. The latter is about changing one's attitude, and to develop a Yoga Drishti (perspective). Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 23

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 Finally, I will mention some of the insights I drew from the section about Yoga Chikitsa, which is the application of Yoga as therapy. It is an important assumption in Yoga Chikitsa that the primary aim is to empower the individual, and to make them responsible for doing what needs to be done. The contribution of the therapist should be that of scaffolding; to contribute with structures that can support and safeguard the client. To be a competent yoga therapist, Dr. Ananda emphasised, requires both intelligence (mind) and empathy (heart), to be willing to share (as sharing is caring), to understand our limitations, and to continuously expand our learning curve. It is also an important assumption in Yoga Chikitsa that one needs to focus on the individual, so that it becomes a personalised approach. Yoga Chikitsa should also be based on Salutogenesis, where factors that contribute to good health are in focus. A central assumption in the salutogenic perspective is the concept 'Sense of Coherence' (SOC), which consists of understandability, manageability, and meaningfulness/purpose of life. It is important to understand the other person (client seeking your help) as a human being with their goals in life, rather than viewing them as a carrier of disease/problems. What is challenging the client's health and wellbeing, to what extent is it physical, social, mental, spiritual, or a combination? Again, the role of the therapist needs to be emphasised: active listening is a precondition for gaining knowledge about the client's world as s/he sees it, while also maintaining healthy boundaries. The goal is Sukha Sthanam, a sense of being at ease with oneself, or Swasth, a dynamic state of wholesome wellness. Balance or equilibrium is a goal in yoga, something which may offer the client a sense of contentment. All factors that contribute to health should be part of Yoga Chikitsa, including food, which is important for our day-to-day health, as well as healthy elimination. Another useful concept for the yoga therapist when trying to assist his/her client is the notion of Nara, where a person is not feeling whole, but experiencing misaligned/disjoint behaviour or a kind of psychic disassociation. The Yogic Pancha Kosha model can assist the therapist here, in understanding the alignment that the client is missing. Which of the four bodies, the physical (Annamaya Kosha), the emotional or life-force body (Pranamaya Kosha), the “lower” mind (Manomaya Kosha), the higher mind (Vijnanamaya Kosha), are out of sync with the fifth, body of bliss or cosmic body (Anandamaya Kosha)? The goal for healing is readjusting the mal-alignment, getting back to the central mean. Another concept for the goal could be that of Sthitaprajna, which are Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 24

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 qualities of mental health where a person is “contented,” “calm” and “firm in judgment and wisdom” (Yogapedia, quoting the Bhagavad Gita). Both the client and the yoga therapist need to become steady in their wisdom and free from their detachments and aversions. From a more Western point of view, it is important to regard mental health as a continuum and realise that the sense of being at ease with ourselves can vary from situation to situation, and with time and age for all of us. The therapist needs to understand what the primary cause/problem is, and what is the secondary problem / symptom of the client. Moreover, Dr. Ananda suggests that therapy needs to build on common sense and intuition, and to address the need of the moment. Personally, what I have gained from the Nada Yoga course is inspiration, new knowledge, reinforcement of ideas, and interesting principles for contributing to healing. Thank you for being such sources of inspiration and living role models! Finally, I must compliment Dr. Sangeeta for the atmosphere she created for the Nada course, with her happy mood, expressed gratitude, and showing so much care for each participant's inclusion and wellbeing. Her “The girl inside” video was also very touching to see! Dr. Ananda, who is well-known for his caring and sharing, also contributed immensely, with his deep knowledge, but clearly also with topics that were very dear to his heart. It was also so apparent that the two teachers enjoyed their cooperation about the Nada Yoga course. To participate in such a course was a gift for us participants. Thank you so much, both of you! I also wanted to thank Dr. Meena for demonstrating her work with “children with special needs”, and how they benefited from her Yoga sessions. Yoga allowed these children to explore and express themselves with confidence and joy. Dr. Meena's focus was using fun techniques, being in the presence and being respectful of the children. It was amazing to see the results; how happy those children had become! SHELL ANDREA, Yoga Educator, Teacher Trainer & Kirtan Leader, Canada Some of the most impactful teachings were among the first and second modules where I connected with the meaning of Nada and its practices. I wanted to summarise this for myself, and wrote a few words pertaining to it, as follows! An image search of the word “sound” results in numerous photos of instruments, musical notes, loudspeakers, microphones and ear buds. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 25

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 But one lone image stands out. It is of a woman reading a book, sitting in the sand at the beach, some body of water in the vicinity. What does this have to do with sound? We are surrounded by sensory input of all kinds, including aurally. Even when it is seemingly quiet, a large number of us have a soundtrack playing in our minds constantly. So, what is sound? According to Wikipedia, in physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the reception of such waves and their perception by the brain. Come back to the woman on the beach. Imagine you are that person, or pull up an old memory of sitting on a blanket or a comfy seat, perhaps not many people near you. What do you hear? An airplane flying high overhead in the distance, seagulls and their dramatic cries, something flapping in the wind? Most of all, can you hear the ripples and waves of the water lapping against the shore? Maybe a fish jumps out for a second and makes a splash. Now which of these sounds is the most peaceful to you? You received these sound waves, and now your brain perceives them as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. Think of the pleasant sound. What happens to you physically as a result? Then, think of the unpleasant sound. How did your body respond? Now, consider whether you had these responses in your body just by imagining or remembering these sounds. Our mind is a very powerful thing! Yoga is considered the process of stilling the mind and its waves or ripples, according to Maharishi Patanjali, an ancient Sage and master who codified the teachings of the Ashtanga Yoga model. Through this calming of the mind and its constant perceptions and distractions, we are able to remove suffering and realise the Self. In fact, all Yogic techniques have this same goal, they may just be worded differently. Enlightenment, realisation, liberation or freedom, however it is worded, if the practice does not lead to this awakening, it is not Yoga. Nada Yoga, the Yoga of sound, is no exception. Nada in Sanskrit is translated as pure eternal vibration, or currents of sound. It has been literally defined as “a loud sounding or droning or rushing”, but can refer to any sound, whether verbal, audible or not. The practice of Nada Yoga is utilising sound to access self-realisation. It gives an internal experience of sound frequencies through meditation. The essence of Nada is pure vibration that has always existed, is existing and will exist forever. It is eternal; it is the vibrational essence of the universe. Because of this, Nada is Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 26

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 considered connected to Purusha or Ishwara, or cosmic consciousness and this vibration is at the layer of causal existence, versus subtle or gross existence. Just making sounds is not Nada. Nada is the essence that lies behind everything. In Yoga, Nada practices are described using the concepts of Nada, Bindu, Kala. Nada is the unmanifest and Kala is the manifestation of the world. Bindu is the point between them. Pure vibration, or Nada, is formless. Remember the definition of sound as a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave? We are affected by these waves every moment even though we may not hear them. “Nada Yogis incorporate the full spectrum of frequencies – both those that are audible to the human ear and those that are inaudible – within the field of their Yoga Practice. This means that all forms of earthly music, the sounds of space, and even the entire electromagnetic spectrum of frequencies are included within this range of perception.” (Russill Paul) We need the form of the manifested world, art, drama, and experiences in order to access the unmanifest, that cosmic consciousness or essence of the universe that Nada is. This essence is described as condensing to a point that is called Bindu. It is an opening. An aperture like in your eye or a camera. It connects the unmanifest with the manifest. Imagine a piece of cardboard and you put a pinhole in it – now you connect one side of the cardboard with the other! You concentrate your gaze through the tiny point, and you can see the entire universe on the other side. This represents the concept of one pointedness. Yoga is a transformative process for a transcendental experience. By becoming one-pointed through meditation, you attain that higher state. That's why all the techniques are about focusing the mind. The further away (less concentrated) you are from the source, the more deviated your perception is. Kala is there for the sake of Bhoga (experience). From Kala, we start working with the gross embodiment – our scope of practice. The body, breath and mind. Nada Yoga practices bring together all the key elements of sacred sound that are explored in Mantra Yoga, music, and sounds of the universe. So how do we practice? We start with deep listening. I have been incorporating the Gitananda Nada Yoga practices, some since starting the Yoga Step-by-Step program weekly. I have been practising Kirtan (or rather celebrating with kirtan) for many years and my appreciation for it has exponentially grown since taking the Nada Yoga program. My most favourite and new practice again stems from the first module of the program – the Shabda Pratyahara. I find this to be the most impactful practice for calming me and connecting me to my own “Self”. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 27

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 OVIDIU PONORAN, Yoga Sadhaka, Romania Looking back at this beautiful online journey into the principles and practices of Gitananda Nada Yoga, there were some important learning moments for me that I would like to share below. We are first and foremost creators. As human beings, we have the Superpower to choose what we want to create in our life, moment by moment. What we think and speak repeatedly will manifest into existence. The way I speak to myself, creates me. The way I think of others, creates them in my mind. The learning for me is to be more conscious of what I think of and say to myself and others. I can intentionally and consciously use 'Vaak Shakti' in a healthy manner to uplift others, to honour their inborn and cultivated qualities, to appreciate their effort, to constantly remind them who they are at their best. When I call my son's name 'Andrei', I evoke in him the qualities of courage and strength. When I want to connect with and experience the Divine (Rupa) I will utter the sound 'AUM' which is the closest human approximation of Ishvara's vibrational essence (Nama). Then I sit still in silence and just listen. Maybe my sense of hearing is a little bit more refined this time and I can perceive and receive God's cosmic vibration. Self-directed neuroplasticity and horizontal integration. Before learning about the 'Homunculus', my understanding was that most of the Yoga practices are about vertical development and vertical integration, i.e. moving the energy up and down along the spine and chakras, conscious evolution to higher states of consciousness which I associate with vertical development, connecting with the Divine energy above. Learning about the homunculus was an 'Aha' moment that expanded my understanding about how asanas can influence the way neurons are firing together in our somatosensory and motor areas. This gave me a new way to approach my asana practice so I can create connections between the left and right brain leading to horizontal harmony and integration. For example, when I perform asanas or mudras in which one palm touches a part of the body on the opposite side, I move my awareness into my palms and feel the left and right hemispheres of the brain communicating. I've also incorporated Toppukaranam, the super-brain squat, in my practice. Pranava Aum Pranayama. Receiving the profound teachings about Pranava Aum Pranayama made me so happy, like a child that goes once a year to the Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 28

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 seaside and, the first day he sees the sea and feels the sand and water touching his skin, he starts to jump, and laugh, and play...he is so joyful! This is my favourite practice, it brings many aspects together: mind (intention: invoking the Divine; awareness of different sections of the lungs), breath (1:2, 1:3), body (Hasta Mudras) and sound (Akara, Ukara, Makara, Omkara). This is the type of practice that I like the most: easy to learn, can be refined endlessly because it takes a long time to master, and the theory behind it is vast, profound, and very interesting. I practice it daily then I sit quietly for a few minutes to experience the beautiful after-effect of openness and joy. The formula of the chakras and the practice of Dhara Bija Mantras. The teachings about the Chakras of the Gitananda Yoga tradition are the most profound that I've ever encountered. In particular, I liked the details about the formula of the Chakras and how to put it into practice. E = mc². E is energy, m - mass/matter which is perceived by the senses, c - speed of light. When we focus our mind - which is faster than light - on one particular centre correlated with a Pindam Chakra, we start to transform it from matter to energy, from Annamaya Kosha level into the purest level of Anandamaya Kosha. The chakras start to become energy vortexes at the Pranamaya Kosha level. When we focus our mind on a chakra we are channelizing the Prana into that centre as if we lit the fuse of that centre and the chakra comes alive with its cosmic energy. Dhara Bija Mantras are one of the means to put into practice the formula of the Chakras. Sit up in a comfortable position, set a clear pure intention for the practice, then direct your awareness toward each chakra and keep it focused there while uttering repeatedly the Bija sound associated with each individual chakra. In effect, this will create that intensity which will transform matter to energy. The Bija sounds for the chakras are Lang, Vang, Rang, Yang, Hang, Ang, Om. The nasal twang (-NG) is the “secret key” that helps the sound go upward. We need this nasal twang to move the sound from Vaikhari ->Madhyama ->Pashyanti -> Para, from Gross -> Subtle -> Causal ->Turiya. This way, the energy is going upwards and it leaves through the Trikuti Chakra (Tenth Chakra), so we experience the involutionary journey back to the source. Overcoming stress with Yoga. This was a subject dear to me because there is a high level of stress in modern society and I would like to teach people how they can deal with it in a natural and healthy way. Gitananda Yoga offers principles and techniques to deal with stress: adopting attitudes resulting in deep states of relaxation (four-fold relaxation), feeling and expressing gratitude, being a giver, Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 29

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 reducing our identification with the small self and connecting more with the cosmic aspect, removing accumulated tensions from body-mind and activating us (Nasarga Mukha Bhastrika, Mukha Bhastrika, Hakara Kriya, Nada Bhavana Shuddhi Kriya, Toppukaranam, Malla Kriya, Surya Nadi Asana and Pranayama), bring a state of relaxation and calm (Brahma Mudra, Chandra Nadi Asana and Pranayama, Savitri Pranayama, Sukha Pranayama). I use many of these techniques in my daily yoga sessions or when I experience stress in my life. I've also taught Nada Bhavana Shuddhi Kriya and Sukha Pranayama to my son, so he can apply them when going to basketball tournaments. Learning from seeing beloved Dr Ananda and beloved Yogacharini Sangeeta in action. I learnt from you, in the class-zoom-room and outside of the class, about what it means to embody profound interest in the teachings and care and generosity for the students. I appreciate your professionalism, punctuality, humour, and all the time and effort you put into creating this beautiful online course. You are an inspiration for me and the best way I can think of to show my gratitude is to work hard to embody such qualities and skills. HWAMIN FETTES, Yoga Sadhaki, Gitananda Yoga Australia Dr. Ananda and Dr. Sangeeta, thank you so much for blessing us with such a beautiful course which opened my perspective for a deeper understanding of Swamiji's teachings. I very much enjoyed every class as there was always something that touched my heart, they were so beautiful, I love you both very dearly. I couldn't help myself but to smile while listening to your dynamic teachings. I am so grateful to you both for opening my awareness to my voice and the power that lies in it. During the immersion I have learnt that, Nada, often translated as sound, actually means the Pure Vibration. Nada coalesces into a point or Bindu, an aperture through which the manifestation or creation unfolds as Kala. Hence Nada pervades in creation, in sounds and in silence. Nada is Eternal and is Anahata, the unstuck sound without cause. Nada is Ishwara which is Pranava according to Maharishi Patanjali. Nada exists in our breath as So- Ham Mantra. So- Ham is the Nada of Prana, that sings to us:“All That Is, I Am” in every breath (26000 times a day), from our first inhalation till our last exhalation. It was wonderful to learn that my voice is an expression of the Vak Devi, and that my voice is a Divine gift. I have freedom with responsibility to use my voice with respect according to my Dharma. Our vocal cord is a portal, like a Bindu, where Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 30

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 our thoughts are coalesced and expressed in our voice through the vehicle of our breath. We have choice over what and how we manifest. When we make a sound, it is produced in our vocal apparatus. The sound vibrates up into the skull and down through the spine and spreads into the shoulders, ribcage and pelvis. The sound vibration continues into the upper and lower limbs. Hence the sound is created and experienced in the whole body. One of the key practices of Gitananda Yoga is Pranava Pranayama. It is one of my favourite practices of our Parampara. Because of what I have learnt from Gitananda Nada Yoga Immersion, I now have deeper appreciation of this magical practice and I have fallen in love with Pranava Pranayama all over again. In Pranava Pranayama, the body, breath, mind and Nada are united, just as Akara, Ukara, and Makara unite and become AUMkara, the Pranava, the name of God in vibration. I feel the Prana in different lobes of the lungs, while listening to the Nada of A, U, M vibrate in my voice, my breath and every Pancha Kosha. I listen with my ears, with my spine, with my heart and through the whole body. With trust, I surrender myself and withdraw inward and merge into AUM where I lose myself. Then I am blessed with a tiny glimpse of “AUM as experience” as Swamiji teaches us. My words are inadequate to express the beauty of Pranava. With the knowledge I gained through the Immersion, I am better at conveying the subtle process of our vocalisation, journey of the sound vibration and importance of active listening and need to develop the ability for inner listening which opens our subtle senses to the inaudible, Pure Vibration of AUM as Nada. I also try to communicate an approach to Mantra chanting as devotional invocation of Divinity within us, instead as “emotional singing”. Comments I get from my students are that they love experiencing the unity of our voices filling the classroom, they feel very calm and relaxed and that it is a very beautiful practice. I have noticed the chanting Mantras together reduces shyness and leads to community bonding. They feel more comfortable with each other to share more about themselves. Swamiji taught us in YSS and that Pranava has unlimited healing potential. The meaning of healing is to bring back the original state, becoming the Whole again. Every time we invoke Pranava AUM, we are evoking in us the Divinity, the Source of our existence which is Wholesome and pure, the Pure Vibration of Nada. Indeed, the healing potential of Pranava must be unlimited. Dr. Ananda and Dr. Sangeeta, I thank you again from the bottom of my heart for sharing the precious gem of the teaching of Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga. Hari OM. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 31

FEEDBACK ON GITANANDA NADA YOGA IMMERSION 2022 Yogacharya MARY CECIL, NSHM Knowledge Campus, Kolkata Completion of this immersion was a bitter-sweet experience for me. The joy of being able to complete a course is always pleasant; but looking forward to coming together every Thursday is something which I will miss. As a teacher, we are always giving, which no doubt feels very rewarding; but I feel equally if not more joyful when I am able to replenish my knowledge and self- development. I had found a deep respect towards Guruji Dr Nagendra when I had met him a couple of years ago; and that same feeling I had experienced when I first had the opportunity to host Guruji Dr Ananda in our conference last year. I had studied under the Bihar School lineage for some 15 years before I went South. And somehow, I was always searching for similarities to my learning. But SVYASA, KPJAYI or Yoga Alliance none had that essence which I found in Dr Ananda's teachings. The concept of Nada Yoga brought back the Advaita-ism to Raja Yoga in my understanding. This was a big mind- opener for me. The simplicity with which Dr Ananda explains each concept clearly shows the depth of his understanding. I looked forward to the way you took the explanations to another dimension; the way you treated our ancient knowledge in a new modern perspective. The rendition of your Ave Maria will always stay fresh in my memory. Your soothing yet powerful voice gave a wonderful impetus to the entire syllabus. I have already started sharing some of the teachings, and I have seen people who are otherwise a bit conservative to a systematised asana sequence taking up the practices better and enjoying it. In my personal Sadhana, I have also incorporated the Dhara Beeja Chanting and want to learn the Dhala Beeja chanting someday. This is something interesting I thought of sharing which I came across a couple of days ago. The story of Adam and Eve is mythology based on life beginning with splitting of the atom. Adam is an atom while Eve is an electron; as electrons are the rib of an atom. God is the Good of your Higher Mind, the Cerebrum. Devil is the evil of your lower mind, Cerebellum. Heaven is your head, the highest heaved up place of your body and nature. Hell is your heel, the lowest place of your body and lower nature. The serpent is the Kundalini energy, the tree is your spine and the apple is your consciousness. Till we meet again.... Much love and peace. Vol.53 No. 08, August 2022 www.rishiculture.in 32