Swami is a primarily Hindu honorific, loosely akin to "master". It is derived from the Sanskrit language and means "owner of oneself", denoting complete mastery over instinctive and lower urges. It is a title added to one's name to emphasize learning and, of course, mastery of a specific field of knowledge, most often religious and/or spiritual. Many great yogis and gurus (teachers) of the Hindu tradition hold the title of Swami along with their nam ...

Read more here: » Swami: Encyclopedia - Swami

swami

one who controls his senses; a title of one in the renounced order of life.

(See also: swami, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Swami

(Sanskrit) Lord, master, spiritual teacher, title of a monk or nun

(See also: Swami, Body Mind and Soul)

In an age when 30-something CEOs and VPs no longer surprise us and paradigms are busted each day, holding one's own at the workplace is a challenge in itself. One hundred and forty-one years after Swami Vivekananda was born, we need to evoke his vision and focus on the fact that life at the workplace can be much simpler and more fulfilling.

The Swami may not have been a student of management theory but the fundamental truths that he taught are invaluable in today's globalised workplace, where employees are often resentful of the relative success of others.

(See also: Swami Vivekananda, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

The ideals and motto of the Divine Life Society - "Serve, love, give, purify, meditate and realise" - are reflected in the life and work of Swami Chidananda Saraswati. His spiritual journey began on a Buddha Purnima day in 1943 inspired by his mentor Swami Sivananda.

Chidananda's fervour to serve found the perfect outlet in the welfare work he undertook at Rishikesh. He believes that service alone can purify and prepare the soul for deep contemplation.

(See also: Swami Chidananda, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Swami Rama Tirtha rekindled the poetic vision of the Upanishads. His exposition of Vedanta through lectures and talks imparted a transcendental perspective to the ancient texts. He advocated greater brotherhood and bonding through a realisation of the true meaning of the spiritual law.

The essence of this is captured in a beautiful composition called The Faith: "What care I for caste or creed? / It is the deed; it is the deed/ what for class or clan? / It is the man, it is the man /...What for crown or crest? / It is the heart within the breast".

(See also: Swami Rama Tirtha, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Trilinga Swami

Sri Trilinga Swami of Benares, born in Andhra Desa, lived some fifty years ago. He lived for 280 years. He made his Tapas in Manasarovar (Tibet). Once Ramakrishna Paramahamsa also saw him at Benares.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Yogis: Trilinga Swami

Breathing Meditation: Radio Interview with Swami Prajnanananda Giri

This is a transcription of an interview with Swami Praj–anananda Giri for the "PhenomeNews" radio program in Detroit, USA, in December 1996.

Read more here: » Breathing Meditation: Radio Interview with Swami Prajnanananda Giri

Swami Krishna Ashram

Swami Krishna Ashram is a living saint at Daroli village, 14 miles below Gangotri, the origin of the Ganges. He has been living there for the last eight years in an absolutely nude state, in an icy region, where an ordinary man may require a woollen sweater, a Gothma and half a dozen blankets.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Yogis: Swami Krishna Ashram

There are numerous ways to awaken kundalini but generally these approaches may divided into two groups. In the first group are paths such as Mantra Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Laya Yoga or Raja Yoga. In these paths the kundalini is awakened through the effort of the individual. In the second group is the path that is variously called Sahaja Yoga, Kundalini Yoga or Siddha Mahayoga. In this path the kundalini is spontaneously awakened by the grace of the Siddha guru in a process that is called shaktipat.

Read more here: » Siddha Mahayoga: The Lineage of Swami Shivom Tirth

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

Meditation is the best medicine, an instant medicine for mental health.

In order to understand the real approach and significance of Meditation, one must first understand what health signifies. Complete health is a symphony of both physical and mental well being.

(See also: Meditation for Beginners, Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Kapalabhati is an exercise for the purification of skull and lungs. Though this is one of the Shat-Karmas (six purificatory exercises), yet it is a variety of Pranayama exercises.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Kapalabhati: Kapalabhati and Kundalini Yoga

The Ashtavakra Gita , also known as Ashtavakra Samhita , is a treatise that offers simple recipes for almost instant liberation. Swami Shantananda of Vasistha Guha calls it “a quantum leap into the absolute”.

A unique treatise on the non-dualistic advaita philosophy , the Ashtavakra Gita “guarantees to transport a seeker instantaneously from time to eternity, from the relative to the absolute and from bondage to liberation”, writes Swami Shantananda.

(See also: Ashtavakra Gita, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Kamlesh Kumari Devi, alias Gita Murti, commenced preaching the Gita at the age of two and a half years. She was born on Tuesday, the 12th of December, 1939. The ideas of the transmigration of soul and eternity of life, although recorded in our holy scriptures, are dormant and latent in our practical life.

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.

Read more here: » Reincarnation: Reincarnation Is Quite True - II

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.

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

Swami Ranganathananda of the Ramakrishna Mission says that when a soul is uplifted, a worthwhile conversion takes place that takes the soul vertically upward - from bad to good. This conversion benefits both the individual and society. Organised religion has two sides to it: One is dogmatic, narrow, given to fanaticism, that insists on rituals, rules, regulations, disciplines. The other side, the spiritual, elevates and feeds the soul and accepts goodness in all religions. Rituals and prayers are merely means to rein in our senses to bring out our sattvic gunas.

(See also:  , God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

The soul accompanied by the chief vital air (Mukhya Prana), the sense-organs and the mind and taking with itself Avidya, good and evil actions and the impressions left by his previous existence, leaves its former body and obtains a new body.

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.

Read more here: » Soul’s Journey After Death: Soul’s Journey After Death

Lord Yama is the King of justice. His city is built of diamonds and jewels. It is effulgent and impregnable. It is full of palaces and mansions. It has four gateways. It is surrounded by high ramparts. It measures a thousand Yojanas. Chitragupta, the recorder of fate of all human beings, also dwells in this city of Justice. He records the good and evil of men. This marvellous city was created by the architect of the universe (Visvakarma) by the power of his Yoga

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: The City Of Justice

Kine form high and excellent energy. The gift of kine is highly spoken of. Those good men, who, shorn of pride, make gift of kine, are considered as doers of righteous deeds and as givers of all articles. Such men acquire the highly sacred region of kine.

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.

Read more here: » Lokas Or Planes: Goloka