All aspirants commit mistakes now in jumping to Samadhi and Dhyana all at once as soon as they leave their houses without caring a bit for ethical perfection. The mind remains in the same condition although they have practiced meditation for fifteen years. They have the same jealousy, hatred, idea of superiority, pride, egoism, etc. Meditation and Samadhi come by themselves when one has the ethical perfection.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Ethics: Ethics is a Means to Yoga

Bhakti Yoga

Bhakti is the slender silken thread of Prema or Love that binds the heart of a devotee with the Lotus Feet of the Lord. Bhakti is intense devotion and supreme attachment to God. It is the spontaneous outpouring of love towards God. It is pure, unselfish, Divine Love or Suddha Prema. Bhakti is sacred, higher emotion with sublime sentiment that unites the devotee with the Lord. It has to be experienced by the Bhaktas.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Bhakti Yoga: Bhakti Yoga Sadhana

It is due to the veil of ignorance that you have forgotten your real essential nature, the Sat-Chit-Ananda state. It is not at all necessary for you to renounce the world and run to some Himalayan cave to regain your lost divinity. Here is an easy Sadhana by which you can definitely attain God-consciousness, even while living in the world amidst multifarious activities.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Yoga: A Dynamic Yoga

Most of the diseases take their origin in over-eating, sexual excess and outbursts of anger and hatred. If the mind is kept cool and calm at all times, you will have wonderful health, strength and vitality.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Yoga Sadhana: Yoga for Health

Paschimottanasana

Sit on the ground and stretch the legs stiff like a stick. Catch the toes with the thumb, index and middle fingers. While catching, you will have to bend the trunk forwards. Exhale.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Paschimottanasana: Different Yoga Asanas - Paschimottanasana

Ethics as a Means to Yoga.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Yoga: Yoga of Right Conduct

Siddhasana

Next to Padmasana comes Siddhasana in importance. Young Brahmacharins who attempt to get established in celibacy should practice this Asana. Sit on your seat. Spread the legs

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Siddhasana: Different Yoga Asanas - Siddhasana

Halasana

Spread a blanket on the ground and lie flat on your back. Keep the hands at the sides on the ground with the palm facing the ground. Join both your legs. Lift the legs slowly up as in Sarvangasana.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Halasana: Different Yoga Asanas - Halasana

 Instructions on Meditation.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Meditation: Special Instructions on Meditation

By the practice of Siddhasana, Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha, Maha Mudra, Yoga Mudra, Nauli, etc., a Hatha Yogi transmutes his seminal energy into Ojas-Sakti. By the practice of Navavidha Bhakti (Sravana, Kirtana, Smarana, Padasevana, Archana, Vandana, Sakhya, Dasya, Atmanivedana) and Japa, a Bhakta destroys the impurity of his mind and fixes it on God.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Brahmacharya: Sadhana for Success in Brahmacharya

 Brahmacharya is the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, by which one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman. It means control of not only the reproductive Indriya but also control of all senses in thought, word and deed

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Brahmacharya: Importance of Brahmacharya - Yoga and Sex

About the mind and how the mind can be controlled.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Mind Control: Mind, Its Mysteries and Control

The mind is like a wheel which revolves endlessly with tremendous velocity. It generates new thoughts with every revolution. This wheel is set in motion by the vibration of psychic Prana or subtle Prana. The practice of Pranayama lessens the velocity of the mind and slows down the wheel gradually. Perfect control of Prana will bring the wheel to a standstill.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Control of Thought: The Mind and Control of Thought

Matsyasana

Sit on the blanket and form the foot-lock as in Padmasana. Then lie flat on the back. Stretch the head back so that the top of your head rests on the ground firmly on one side and the buttocks on the other, thus making a bridge or an arch of the trunk.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Matsyasana: Different Yoga Asanas - Matsyasana

Mind is not only daily made, but hourly made. In every minute it changes its colour and shape like a chameleon. It is very wavering and unsteady (Chanchalam and Asthiram).

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Mind: Facts About Mind

"A Brahmachari should avoid looking at a woman with lustful eyes. He should not have a desire to touch her or go near her with evil intention. He should not play, cut jokes or talk with her. He should not praise a woman's qualities within himself or to his friends."

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Brahmacharya: How to Keep Up Brahmacharya

This world is full of miseries and sufferings. If you want to get rid of the pains and afflictions of this Samsara, you must practice meditation. Meditation is the pathway to Divinity.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Meditation: Benefits of Meditation

This is a world of diversity. Intellects are different. Faces are different. Religions are different. Sounds are different. Faiths are different. Colours are different. Faculties are different. Tastes and temperaments are different. But one thing is common in all. Everyone of us wants Nitya Sukha (eternal happiness), infinite knowledge, immortality, freedom and independence. These things can be obtained by knowledge of the Self alone.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Self-Knowledge: Who Am I?

Complete celibacy is the master-key to open the realms of elysian Bliss. The avenue to the abode of Supreme Peace begins from Brahmacharya or purity. Brahmacharya is the vow of celibacy in thought, word and deed, by which one attains Self-realisation or reaches Brahman.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Brahmacharya: What Is Brahmacharya?

There are different kinds of meditation. A particular kind is best suited for a particular mind. The kind of meditation varies according to taste, temperament, capacity and type of mind of the individual.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Meditation: Different Kinds of Meditation