Sadhanas Dictionary

tapas: (Sanskrit) "Warmth, heat," hence psychic energy, spiritual fervor or ardor.

1)    Purificatory spiritual disciplines, severe austerity, penance and sacrifice. The endurance of pain, suffering, through the performance of extreme penance, religious austerity and mortification. By comparison, sadhana is austerity of a simple, sustained kind, while tapas is austerity of a severe, psychetransforming nature. Tapas is extreme bodily mortification, long term sadhanas, such as meditating under a tree in one place for 12 years, taking a lifetime vow of silence and never speaking or writing, or standing on one leg for a prescribed number of years. Scriptures warn against extreme asceticism that harm the body.

2)    On a deeper level, tapas is the intense inner state of kundalini "fire" which stimulates mental anguish and separates the individual from society. Life does not go on as usual when this condition occurs. The association with a satguru, Sadasiva, brings the devotee into tapas; and it brings him out of it. The fire of tapas burns on the dross of sanchita karmas. This is the source of heat, dismay, depression and striving until final and total surrender, prapatti. The individual can mollify this heated condition by continuing his regular sadhana as outlined by the guru. The fires of self-transformation may be stimulated by the practice of tapas, or come unbidden. One can "do" tapas, but the true tapas is a condition of being and consciousness which is a state of grace, bringing positive change, transformation and purification of one's nature. Guru bhakti is the only force that can cool the fires of tapas.

See: kundalini, penance, sadhana.

(See also: Tapas , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Advaita Siddhanta: (Sanskrit) "Nondual perfect conclusions." Saivite philosophy codified in the Agamas which has at its core the nondual (advaitic) identity of God, soul and world. This monistic-theistic philosophy, unlike the Shankara, or Smarta view, holds that maya (the principle of manifestation) is not an obstacle to God Realization, but God's own power and presence guiding the soul's evolution to perfection. While Advaita Vedanta stresses Upanishadic philosophy, Advaita Siddhanta adds to this a strong emphasis on internal and external worship, yoga sadhanas and tapas. Advaita Siddhanta is a term used in South India to distinguish Tirumular's school from the pluralistic Siddhanta of Meykandar and Aghorasiva. This unified Vedic-Agamic doctrine is also known as Shuddha Saiva Siddhanta. It is the philosophy of this contemporary Hindu catechism. See: Advaita Ishvaravada, dvaitaadvaita, monistic theism, Saiva Siddhanta.

(See also: Advaita Siddhanta , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Shunya yantra

The Shunya Sadhana has no audible Mantra, unlike all other Yantra sadhanas. The picture above is of Shunyayantra. There are ten circles (approximate) representating ten solar-rings and the dot represents the Parambrahman. A Sadhak who performs shunya-sadhana is a shunya-sadhak. €€€

(See also: Shunya yantra , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

One should become perfectly desireless and should be full of Vairagya before attempting to awaken Kundalini. It can be awakened only when a man rises above Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and other impurities. Kundalini can be awakened through rising above desires of the senses. The Yogi, who has got a pure heart and a mind free from passions and desires will be benefited by awakening Kundalini. If a man with a lot of impurities in the mind awakens the Sakti by sheer force through Asanas, Pranayamas and Mudras, he will break his legs and stumble down.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Yoga Sadhana: Yoga Sadhanas for Kundalini Awakening

Hinduism Lexicon on A

From aadheenam to axis.

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hinduism Lexicon on A

According to Kalki Bhagavan, teachings and sadhanas (spiritual practices) has never brought anyone to liberation or enlightenment, at the most they will create a transformation. Kalkis advice is to be fully aware of who we are, to confront ourselves and to fully experience the pain inside of us. This will lead to joy and be the best preparation for enlightenment.

Read more here: » Kalki Bhagavan on the path to Liberation (Mukti)

Sacred Sites: Temples as Places Of Deep Insight

Temples and other places of worship play a significant role in cultural reformation. The innate vibrations, cultural complexion, and spiritual qualities resonate all around the devotee. So they are more than places of worship; they are cultural rendezvous centres for traditional community activities. They are also meeting places for families and friends.

Read more here: » Sacred Sites: Temples as Places Of Deep Insight

O Divine Mother Kundalini, the Divine Cosmic Energy that is hidden in men! Thou art Kali, Durga, Adisakti, Rajarajeswari, Tripurasundari, Maha-Lakshmi, Maha-Sarasvati! Thou hast put on all these names and forms. Thou hast manifested as Prana, electricity, force, magnetism, cohesion, gravitation in this universe. This whole universe rests in Thy bosom. Crores of salutations unto thee. O Mother of this world! Lead me on to open the Sushumna Nadi and take Thee along the Chakras to Sahasrara Chakra and to merge myself in Thee and Thy consort, Lord Siva.

Read more here: » Kundalini Yoga: Preface to Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda

One should become perfectly desireless and should be full of Vairagya before attempting to awaken Kundalini. It can be awakened only when a man rises above Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and other impurities. Kundalini can be awakened through rising above desires of the senses. The Yogi, who has got a pure heart and a mind free from passions and desires will be benefited by awakening Kundalini. If a man with a lot of impurities in the mind awakens the Sakti by sheer force through Asanas, Pranayamas and Mudras, he will break his legs and stumble down. He will not be able to ascend the Yogic ladder.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Awaken The Kundalini: How To Awaken The Kundalini

Karma is the most widely used term in popular spirituality (with an exception of Semitic religions; Christianity, Judaism and Islam). Karma is believed to decide ones progress or failure both in the material as well as spiritual spheres, in terms of health, wealth and even attainment of enlightenment. Karma is one of the cosmic or natural laws governing the universe. Though cosmic laws cannot be defined and can only be understood through application and observation, we will try to define it as much as possible.

Read more here: » Karma: Creating Sat Karma

The word Kundalini is a familiar one to all students of Yoga, as it is well known as the power, in the form of a coiled serpent, residing in Muladhara Chakra, the first of the seven Chakras, the other six being Svadhishthana, Manipuraka, Anahata, Visuddha, Ajna and Sahasrara, in order.
Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Kundalini and Yoga: Kundalini in different yoga philosophies

The mission of The Golden Age Foundation is to bring humanity into a golden era. The work is to bring about a fundamental change in the nature of each and every one of us where our consciousness undergoes a transformation.

Read more here: » Enlightenment: Services of The Golden Age Foundation

An interview with Sri Samadarshini and Sri Ananda Giri from the Golden Age Foundation in Varadyapalyam, India, April 2003. By Eva Brenckert, Edited by Parlan Fritz

Read more here: » Spiritual Parenting: Srishti, the Art of Spiritual Parenting

Hinduism is the religion of the Hindus, a name given to the Universal Religion which hailed supreme in India. It is the oldest of all living religions. This is not founded by any prophet. Buddhism, Christianity and Mohammedanism owe their origin to the prophets. Their dates are fixed. But no such date can be fixed for Hinduism. Hinduism is not born of the teachings of particular prophets. It is not based on a set of dogmas preached by a particular set of teachers. It is free from religious fanaticism.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hindu Religion Ð All About Hinduism

Distant healing is known as “absent treatment” also. You can transmit Prana through space to your friend who is living at a distance. He should have a receptive mental attitude. You must feel yourself en rapport (in direct relation and in sympathy) with the people whom you heal with this Distant Healing method.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Distant Healing: Distant Healing and Pranic Healing

The Oneness Festival and The World University of Consciousness is arranged as a joint venture between a team of people in the west, with the headquarters in Sweden, and the Golden Age Foundation in India.

The Golden Age Foundation is a non-profit spiritual Institution. The Institution is born in India and is well known as Kalki Dharma.

Read more here: » Enlightenment: Presentation of The Golden Age Foundation

The main principle is that when awakened, Kundalini Sakti, either Herself or Her eject, ceases to be a static Power which sustains the world-consciousness, the content of which is held only so long as She sleeps; and when once set in movement is drawn to that other static centre in the Thousand-petalled Lotus (Sahasrara) which is Herself in union with the Siva-consciousness or the consciousness of ecstasy beyond the world of form. When Kundalini sleeps, man is awake to this world. When She wakes, he sleeps—that is, loses all consciousness of the world and enters his causal body. In Yoga, he passes beyond to formless Consciousness.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Kundalini Yoga: Essence Of Kundalini Yoga

This article explore the wisdom of the ancients and how the teaching of the Golden Age Foundation relates to this ancient way of looking at life.

Read more here: » The Way Of The Ancients

Ashtanga Yoga mentions nothing about this Kundalini, but propounds a still subtle, higher path, philosophical and rational, and asks the aspirant to control the mind, to withdraw all the senses and to plunge in meditation. Unlike Ashtanga Yoga which is mechanical and mystical, Ashtanga Yoga teaches a technique with eight limbs, appealing to the heart and intellect of aspirants.

Read more here: » Kundalini: Ashtanga Yoga and Kundalini

The essence of Sadhana.

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

Read more here: » Sadhana: Essence of Sadhana