2005-04-17

2. Rupshi: “The Yogi proposes to himself no less a task than to master the whole universe.” – Page 12. What does this mean?
SV: We have the same supreme energy within us - the Prana. By mastering it, we can master the universe...

3. Ajay Kshatriya: Do we need to follow all 8 paths in sequence or can we try them in parallel?
SV: Ideally, you would go in sequence. Practically, one nibbles at a little bit of each and goes in parallel.

4. Rupshi, Shri Rao: “Just as a physicist, when he pushes his knowledge to its limits…” – page 13 – The internal-external justification.
SV: No real difference between them..

5. Rupshi, Sandhya: Food habits – elephants, tigers, bulls, veg vs non-veg.
SV: One shouldn't judge others by one's own standards. Sri Ramakrishna said that if stopping the intake of meat makes one's mind get unbalanced, then it is better to eat meat and practice yoga. Each person will do their own thing.

6. Sandhya – Purify your nerve current – Is it same as purify your thoughts? What is nerve current?

7. Somik - Balancing out – Pg. 19, I find myself violating most of the criteria. These are hard standards for students.
SV: Not necessarily. Swami Vivekananda's life was extremely active, especially the last ten years. The question is not how much you work, but how you do it. You can be extremely busy, and yet retain your control on yourself. Besides, its a wonderful thing to be a student, enjoy it while you can.

8. Rupshi: Human birth – highest – why? How can we know?
SV: We can't. We say this by inference, from the self-realized sages. The great sage Ramana Maharishi said that he gave self-realization to a cow, crow and a dog, who were otherwise not capable of realizing themselves. Given that in most of the other things he said and did, he was right, we draw an inference that he must be right in this declaration as well.

Patanjali's Aphorisms

Swamiji explained that this is the definition of Raja Yoga. We need to read all the aphorisms till #14 for our next session at the retreat.

He also explained the difference between Prana and Akasha, and that Prana acts on the Akasha (energy acts on matter). We discussed Einstein's mass-energy equation, E = mc^2. It is incredible that Swami Vivekananda's explanation came long before Einsein's equation, and how the latter agrees completely with this model.

2005-04-10

2. Rupshi: “The Yogi proposes to himself no less a task than to master the whole universe.” – Page 12. What does this mean?

3. Ajay (K): Do we need to follow all 8 paths in sequence or can we try them in parallel?

4. Rupshi, Shri Rao: “Just as a physicist, when he pushes his knowledge to its limits…” – page 13 – The internal-external justification.

5. Rupshi, Sandhya: Food habits – elephants, tigers, bulls, veg vs non-veg.

6. Sandhya – Purify your nerve current – Is it same as purify your thoughts? What is nerve current?

7. Somik - Balancing out – Pg. 19

8. Rupshi: Human birth – highest – why?

On nerve currents – check Kevin Warwick's website, especiall the I, Cyborg section.