Some Yogic students think that only he who can fly in the air, walk on the water, and do such other miracles, can be called a Yogi. It is a sad mistake. To be peaceful, to be calm, to radiate joy, to have an intense aspiration to realise God, to have the spirit of service and devotion, to be self-controlled-this is real Yoga. Flying in the air is not yoga. Why should one aspire to fly like a bird after attaining the human birth? You must have a willing heart to serve everybody and a desire to possess all divine virtues. This is Yoga.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The Padma And Vajra Asanas

8. Placing of the right foot on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh, is Padmasana. This posture is the destroyer of all sins.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The Essential Nature Of Man

26. Like a light in a vessel, the Atman is within the body-thus one should think. Atman is of the dimensions of a thumb. It is a light without smoke. It is without form. It is shining within the body. It is undifferentiable and immortal.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Videha Mukti

37. He has done what ought to be done. Therefore, he is a fortunate person.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Non-Dual Brahman

40. After that, That alone remains. That is the soundless, the touchless, the formless and the deathless.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The Four Kinds Of Vak

18. Sprouting in Para, Vak (power of speech) gives forth two leaves in Pasyanti, buds forth in Madhyama and blossoms in Vaikhari-that Vak, earlier described, reaches the stage of the absorption of sound, reversing the above order, viz., beginning with Vaikhari, etc.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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The practice of Yoga lessens and prevents the decay of tissues, by increasing the life-force, and fills the system with abundant energy.

Through the practice of Yoga, the evolution of man is quickened. What he can gain in hundreds of births, he can gain in one birth through the practice of Yoga, and attain final emancipation. He can attain longevity and attain perfect health. He can compress in one life the experiences of several hundreds of births.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Yogi Bhusunda

Yogi Bhusunda is one of the Chiranjivis amongst the Yogins. He was the master in the science of Pranayama. It is said that a big nest, like a mountain, was built by him on the southern branch of the Kalpa Vriksha, situated at the northern summit of the Mahameru. Bhusunda lived in this nest. He was a Trikala Jnani.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Tirumula Nayanar

Tirumula Nayanar was a great Yogi in Kailas. He had all the 8 major Siddhis through the grace of Nandi, the Vahana of Lord Siva. He was a friend of Agastya Muni

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Instructions On Siddhis

By the process of Hatha Yoga, the Yogi attains perfect physical body-Rupalavanya Bala Vajrasam-hanana Kaya Sampat. "The perfection of the body consists in beauty, grace, strength and adamantine hardness." The power to bear extreme cold and heat (Titiksha), the power to live without water and food and other powers come under the category of Kaya Sampat (perfection of body).

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Power Of A Yogi

A Yogi forgets the body in order to concentrate the mind on the Lord. He conquers heat and cold by mastering breath-control and by controlling his nervous system.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Yogi: Power Of A Yogi

A Meditation On Sri Shankaracharya - a Hindu Prayer.

From Hindu Fasts & Festivals by Sri Swami Sivananda.

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Mantras

Awakening Kundalini is effected by Mantra also. It is a portion of Bhakti Yoga. Some aspirants should repeat the Mantra given by their Guru even lakhs of times. During the time of Diksha of an Uttama Adhikari, the Guru utters a particular Mantra and Kundalini is awakened immediately.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Mansoor

Mansoor was a Sufist Brahma-Jnani. He lived in Persia, some four hundred years ago. He was repeating always "Anal-haq! Anal-haq!" This corresponds to "Soham" or "Aham Brahma Asmi" of the Vedantins.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Sri Appayya Jayanthi

SRI APPAYYA Dikshita was born in the Krishna Paksha of the Kanya month of Pramateecha Varsha 1544 A.D.) on the auspicious hour and day under the Uttaraproshtapada constellation. His Jayanthi is celebrated every year on 2nd October.

From Hindu Fasts & Festivals by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Sri Appayya Jayanthi: Hindu Traditions - Sri Appayya Jayanthi

Mitahara, Asana And Shakti-Chalana

5. Of these two, viz., Prana and Vasanas, the student of Yoga should control Prana by moderate food (Mitahara), by Asanas or Yogic postures and thirdly by Shakti-Chalana.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad: Mitahara, Asana And Shakti-Chalana

Man can hardly attain perfection in one life. He has to develop his heart, intellect and hand. He has to mould his character in a perfect manner. He has to develop various virtuous qualities such as mercy, tolerance, love, forgiveness, equal vision, courage, etc.

The doctrine of reincarnation is quite rational. It gives ample chances for man’s rectification, growth and gradual evolution.

The death and dying and the life after death has always fascinated man. This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

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Avatara is the decent of God on earth for the ascent of man. The Lord Krishna says: - Though unborn, the Imperishable Self and also the Lord of all beings, yet brooding over nature which is Mine own, I am born through My Own Power. Whenever there is decline of righteousness, then I Myself come forth. For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the evil-doers, for the sake of firmly establishing righteousness, I am born from age to age - (Ch. IV-6, 7, 8).

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Those who practise Pranayama, can impart their Prana for pranic healing of morbid diseases. They can also recharge themselves with Prana in no time by practising Kumbhaka. Never think that you will be depleted of your Prana by distributing it to others. The more you will give, the more it will flow to you from the cosmic source (Hiranyagarbha). That is the law of Nature.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

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The Sutras or aphorisms of Vyasa are the basis of the Vedanta philosophy. These Sutras have been variously explained by different commentators. From these interpretations have arisen several schools of philosophy: Kevala Advaita philosophy of Sri Sankaracharya the philosophy of Qualified Monism or Visishtadvaita of Sri Ramanujacharya, the Dvaita philosophy of Sri Madhvacharya, the Bhedabheda philosophy of Sri Nimbarkacharya, the Suddha Advaita philosophy of Sri Vallabhacharya, the Achintya Bhedabheda philosophy of Sri Chaitanya and the Siddhanta philosophy of Sri Meykandar.

Each system of philosophy treats of three main problems: God, world and soul. The several schools of philosophy are only different attempts at discovering the Truth.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Vedanta Philosophy: The Vedanta Schools of Philosophy

Most people use only a fraction of their lung capacity for breathing. They breathe shallowly, barely expanding the ribcage. Their shoulders are hunched, they have painful tension in the upper part of the back and neck, and they suffer from lack of oxygen. They should learn the full Yogic breathing.

Read more here: » Yoga Positions: Proper Breathing - Yoga Position

Four Asanas are prescribed for the purpose of Japa and meditation. They are Padmasana, Siddhasana, Svastikasana and Sukhasana. You must be able to sit in any one of these four Asanas at a stretch for full three hours without shaking the body. Then only you will get Asana-Jaya, mastery over the Asana. Without securing a steady Asana, you cannot further get on well in meditation. The steadier you are in your Asana, the more you will be able to concentrate and make your mind one-pointed. If you can be steady in the posture even for one hour, you will be able to acquire one-pointed mind and feel thereby infinite peace and Atmic Ananda.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Asanas: Importance Of Asanas