Yoga Lessons Dictionary

Dharma - from the verbal root dhr meaning ‘to sustain’; lit. that which sustains;

1) the natural, characteristic function of a thing; that which cannot be separated from its nature;

2) religion in general.

3) the socio-religious duties prescribed in sastra for different classes of persons in the varnasrama system; one’s fixed occupation in relation to the highest ideals known to man.

Dharma is aspired for by persons who not only desire enjoyment in this world, but who hanker for something more, like Svarga. For this it is necessary to follow the religious codes outlined in sastra. By following the religious duties prescribed according to varnasrama, one can enjoy happiness in this life and attain Svarga. The performance of dharmika duties is foremost for such people, and therefore their purusartha (goal of life) is known as dharma.

There are many types of dharma. Stri-dharma (a woman’s dharma) refers to the duties, behaviour etc., that sustain the proper nature of a woman. Similarly, dharmas such as purusa-dharma, brahmana-dharma, sudra-dharma; and sannyasa-dharma, are described in dharma-sastras. Ultimately, however, dharma means the natural attraction of the part for the whole, the jiva for Krsna. All of these other dharmas are only related to this temporary body, therefore, in the midst of performing them, one must cultivate atma-dharma, the soul’s eternal occupation as servant of Krsna, so that one can reach the point, either now or tomorrow, of sarva-dharman parityajya, giving up all secondary dharmas and taking full shelter of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.

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

Kundalini Awakening

Kundalini awakening or pranic awakening and its cross-tradition similars-the spontaneous spinal rockings known in Judaism as davening and in Sufisim as zikr; the "taken-over" gyrations of gospel "holy ghost" shaking and dancing and charismatic/pentacostal "mani-festations"; the Dionysian "revel"; QuakerismÕs and Shakerism's autonomic quaking and shaking; Tai Chi guided by chi itself; the shamanic trance-dance; BuddhismÕs and Raja-YogaÕs effortless "straight back" (uju-kaya) meditation; the yogically derived ecstatic belly-dance and Flamenco; and even the full-bodied, spontaneous Reichian "reflex"-literally embody the spiritual path.

Read more here: » Kundalini Awakening: Kundalini and Sahaja Yoga (Spontaneous Yoga)

Celtic Marriage

This article is not just for those interested in the traditions of Celtic Marriage, it is also a look into the complex body of law that governed the ancient Celts.

For the ancient Celts, marriage was a very different thing than what we conceive of as "marriage" today. For them, marriage or handfasting as some know it was a form of contract that had several purposes. These included the protection of property rights, the care of progeny (children), and the rights of the individuals involved in the relationships themselves.

Read more here: » Ancient Celts: Celtic Marriage

 There's a myriad of psychic gifts and terms to describe those gifts and psychic powers. We have compiled a short list here to help you understand the different types and levels of psychics.

Read more here: » Psychic Ability: Psychic Gifts and Psychic Powers

Brahmin: A priest or scholar; a member of the most privileged of the four social classes of Hinduism.

(See also: Brahmin ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Many of us take our dreams for granted, not realizing that the dream state is actually an expanded state of consciousness. Due to the fact that the ego lets go of a lot of the control it normally exercises during the day, we become more open to healing forces that help us to regain balance mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually as we dream.

Read more here: » Meaning of Dreams: Spiritual Guidance from dreams

Karma Yoga Lesson XI

The dullness in Karma Yogi's life; The power of cumulation; Dryness; The Air trial, without programme; Reversion; The task one of changing the center; The need for watchfulness.

Read more here: » Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga - Lesson XI (of XI )

Karma Yoga Lesson IX

All worship began as the worship of the dead, The offer of thilah, good thoughts, and akshatas undying affection to the manes; The tarpana; The fire mystery; The use of incense; the modern fire worship suggested; The Lord's prayer and Fateha; The obligations to other lives in Nature; The Eucharist; The duty to the Universal Mind, Brahma.

Read more here: » Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga - Lesson IX (of XI )

Karma Yoga Lesson II

Creed and Sradha, their etymology; Man defined; Fear and doubt, divisions of man, The dangers of inaction; The cant of Kant's categorical imperative; "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law" the mantra here.

Read more here: » Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga - Lesson II (of XI )

Karma Yoga Lesson X

The Karma Yogi that has got beyond selfishness; The modern problem; The substitute for Asceticism; Vicarious suffering; The East requires a different praxis; Schemes for the Western (Vani) social worker; His ideal to be the Sun; Sun worship; A mantra.

Read more here: » Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga - Lesson X (of XI )

Karma Yoga Lesson VlI

Janaka and Shuka; Living as kings do; Helping humanity and geocentricity; Teaching the law, guarding oneself; Every act to be a sacrament.

Read more here: » Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga - Lesson VII (of XI )

Karma Yoga Lesson VIII

The danger in Vedic ritual; Thought is beyond time; It is a sacrifice of the Mind of God; Thought the builder; The universe, of thought, of the dead that are living; Brief description of death and after; The need of interchange of intercourse with the plane of the dead.

Read more here: » Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga - Lesson VIII (of XI )

In YOGA Tradition, Karma has a much deeper meaning, which, to a certain extent only, is related to the western idea of Destiny or Fate. In this vision, Karma is the accumulation of our past actions. These past actions (triggering actions) are causes which determine other actions (triggered reactions) in exact accordance with the charge of the corresponding past actions.

Read more here: » Karma Yoga: Karma, The Law of Action followed by Reaction

The four main spiritual paths for God-realisation are Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Karma Yoga is suitable for a man of active temperament, Bhakti Yoga for a man of devotional temperament, Raja Yoga for a man of mystic temperament, and Jnana Yoga for a man of rational and philosophical temperament, or a man of enquiry.

Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga or Kundalini Yoga, Lambika Yoga and Hatha Yoga, are other Yogas. Yoga, really, means union with God. The practice of Yoga leads to communion with the Lord. Whatever may be the starting point, the end reached is the same.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Hindu Yoga: The Four Paths of Hindu Yoga

Chinese System of Food Cures: Anthology of dietary prescriptions set forth by Henry C. Lu, Ph.D. The appropriateness of specific foods for particular symptoms, conditions, and diseases is based on three classes of food attributes: flavor, energy, and movement.

The system associates flavors - pungent, sweet, sour, bitter, and salty - with different internal organs. Energies - cold, hot, warm, cool, and neutral - determine the ultimate effect of ingesting specific foods. Movement refers to the tendency of different foods to move in different directions in the body: outward, inward, upward, or downward.

(See also: Chinese System of Food Cures , Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

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

Karma Yoga Lesson I

What the West thinks of Eastern Yogi methods; History of Karma Yoga Buddhist and Jain views thereof; Their Law of Karma The Hindu view and caste system; "In the beginning was the Deed"; Free will and Predestination; The doubter dissected; The Power and Nature of Faith; Mantra.

Read more here: » Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga - Lesson I (of XI )

Karma Yoga Lesson VI

Detachment; Accept the universe of thought without being affected by it; Avoid cosmogony; You Call change your environment; True vairagya or detachment; Change your point of view; The tangle of thought; The use of the "Neti," "Neti" mantra.

Read more here: » Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga - Lesson VI (of XI )

Hinduism Lexicon on B

From backbiting to buddhi chitta.

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hinduism Lexicon on B

To attain jitendriyata is to achieve full control over ones senses. This leads to what is called God-realisation. In this controlled state all pain and suffering cease permanently.

There are different paths to achieve this height: Gyan yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga, raja yoga, hatha yoga, swara yoga, nada yoga, astanga yoga; all of these lead to the same goal of achieving communion with God. The shortest and most suitable path ordained in this Kali Yuga is bhakti yoga.

Read more here: » Bhakti Yoga: Lasting Happiness Through Bhakti Yoga