While I was talking about the topic of Mantras this topic came that which Mantras can be chanted for one’s own benefit without having ‘Initiation’ or ‘Deeksha’. Out of many groups of Mantras that can be chanted without Initiation the Nakshatra Mantras are also there. How to find which Nakshatra Deity you should choose, is based on your horoscope; Especially the position of moon. For those who are following our WhatsApp Channel ( https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaBmY9G1dAw8bjI4qx0Q ) this has been already explained. You are encouraged to join the channel to stay updated on the topics that we discuss there.
Here is the list of the all 27 Nakshatras, their deities and mantras associated with them that you can use for creating a shield of protection for yourself.
ashwini – Aum ashwinikumaaraabhyaam namah
bharaNi – Aum yamaaya namah
KrittikA – Aum Agnaye namah
rohiNi – Aum bramhaNe namah
mrigshirA – Aum som somaaya namah / Aum chandramase namah
Acharya Agyaatdarshan, I have had boundless love and devotion towards the Shakti and used to chant Lalita Sahasranma with unflinching and selfless devotion years ago and have experienced some wonderful things, and had the intense desire to understand Sri Vidya, my question is with respect to your above clarification, and I have a question to you in reference to this statement from your response,
“Normal condition of a Sadhaka is in the first three categories only. In fact In these many years of teaching we have come across only one sadhaka who we can put in the Ekagrata mind category. If that person would have asked for it we would have initiated him in SriVidya directly. He was ready. He was not only ready but occasionally experiencing Turya-Sushupti and Turya-Swapna as well. Alas! He came, he listened and enjoyed our talks, kept coming for few months and drifted away. He was trying something else and he didn’t seem to have any inclination towards Sri Vidya Sadhana! Honestly speaking as teachers we did feel how mutual much loss it was but we principally we can NOT ask someone to take Sri Vidya deeksha even if that person is ready. He/She HAS TO request for it and as Teachers we have to take permission from MahaShakti!”
What is the reason for not asking when someone is ready, but they might not know to ask, is it ok to have that person drift and feeling the loss, isn’t it the duty of the Guru to guide when someone comes and is ready, and I am intrigued by this “Permission from MahaShakti”, does it mean that you see the MahaShakti blessing the acceptance , I mean in a concrete manner, what does that acceptance constitue and how is it validated.
I have to come to a stage after years of spiritual Saadhana, to be settled in absolute stillness, sometimes my own chanting of the Vedas seems noise like to me, so I don’t chant that often loudly, being in that absolute stillness not conditioned by any external or internal influence has seemed to have become my goal over the years of saadhana without my knowledge, God and Satan , I have not seen nor have I seen or met anyone who can with absolute conviction say has seen God, being rebelliously rational, everything has to be explained with logic and reason, and there has to be a basis for everything.
But for whatever reason, I had this tremendous devotion and my intense emotions with the devotion is expressed in my meditations, and chanting, I am not even sure if that is the coditioning of growing up in Hindu culture and subject to that conditioning, so different scientific opinions have been expressed on the devotional state, but coming back to my main question, please elaborate on why the Guru can’t order and say you have to be inititated, and what is the permission of the MahaShakti ?
I also I am a little bit troubled and intrigued by this concept of Moksha and last birth, how does one even know what is all that , as far as know Moha kshaya is moksha, cutting down the desires of all kind is liberation and not being attached to desires but yet work for the sake of working selflessly is the true liberation for me, I can’t see my liberation after my death of the last birth.
Any way I will appreciate if you can take a few moments to clarify the two questions that I have asked,
with prayerful regards Madhukar
Shivoham!
Beloved Madhukar,
It is really nice to entertain questions and doubts from someone who is already walking the path of self-inquiry (through whatever means or principles) sincerely and has discovered some personal truths. Your personal understanding (assuming it is your own revelation through contemplation and not through words of others) about the concept of moksha confirms that you are well into swadhyaya. Your intellectual indulgence is thus proven.
As far as ‘seeing God’ is concerned, and your insistence on rationalism – I see it differently. ‘You haven’t seen yourself too but don’t you exist? Rather everything else matters (and exists) because of your chetana. And I add – God is not seen. It is experienced as Self. On the lighter note.. I think you have not met someone like Om Swami as yet it seems. He has seen! Why don’t you try meeting him. (Smiles)
Anyways.. Your longtime unexplained pull towards devotional actions (that you have termed as bhakti) indicate your susceptibility and longing for the joy and comfort that any emotional connect has in it. In a way this seems to somewhat balance your approach in the search of truth.
As I can see Madhukar, In the web of your thoughts you have asked two questions now.
Why should a Guru not order (insist) a person should take deeksha if he observes readiness?
What is this Mahashakti’s permission and how (literally the process) it is obtained?
The answer to the first one is – A true spiritual Guru has come to realize the reality of self by disconnecting from all (‘all’ means every) so called responsibilities.. [You may call it vairaygya] and therefore neither inclined (by way of cultivated sanskaras) nor obliged (by way of krita-Krityataa) to offer unsolicited advice/solutions to anyone. It is incumbent on the student to approach the teacher in all ‘his/her seeking and humility to ask, whatever it be. O boy! Even in this new world a simple thing as ‘insurance’ is also a subject matter of ‘solicitation’ and you want a spiritual teacher to behave worse than an ‘insurance advisor’ (I’m not referring to sales guys here LoL).
On the serious note, it is the dictum in Guru Parampara of ours. May be there would be other lineages who engage their teams in surveying the neighborhood to identify all semi-ripened spiritual aspirants to make them realized. I don’t know.
Now about the second question – I’m not supposed to give you the exact method or process about how this validation or permission is obtained from MahaShakti however just to hint you I would like to quote a verse from Tantric scripture, contemplation on which may give you some satisfaction that this ‘Man in Red’ (Acharya Agyaatadrshan Anand Nath) is not making it up. Here it is –
Yāmavasthāṁ samālambya yadayaṁ mama vakṣyati | Tadavaśyaṁ kariṣye’hamiti saṅkalpya tiṣṭhati||
Whatever be our means in this life the end goal for all of us are – health, peace and joy. The ‘means’ for the most of you are acquiring good job, earning abundant money, keep the company of well-oiled & meaningful relationships etc. For that you have to apply your ‘mind’. On the other hand a spiritual seeker might tend to translate these goals to sat, chit and ananda but even for a spiritual seeker the former (health, peace and joy) are the basis of an uninterrupted, unobstructed and enthusiasm-laden journey on the path of Sadhana. Here they have to ‘mind’ their mind. Therefore unhesitatingly we have to agree with ancient Masters who tell us that both in our material and spiritual pursuits, the most crucial tool that we must care about is our own Mind.
To summarize –
With a perfectly wired and well controlled mind we achieve all the success
With a healthy mind we create health & get more out of this Life
With an organized mind we avoid confusions and take right decisions
With a trained mind we excel in anything we do
With an open mind we are able to appreciate the contrary views
With a positive mind we feel energetic and enthusiastic
With a balanced mind we navigate well through the challenges of life
With a sorted out mind we get free from stress and fears
With a determined mind we achieve the ‘unachievable’
With an unbiased mind we judge the situations and opportunities well
.
With an alert mind we successfully purify and modify our sanskaras
With a steady and focused mind we successfully investigate the subtler realms
With a calm mind we succeed in our dharanas
With a one-pointed mind we achieve success in meditation & siddhis
With a stilled mind we know the ‘Truth’ of self the atman
With the freedom from mind we see our oneness with the Supreme
On the contrary a cluttered, unmanaged, un-disciplined mind is the root cause of all the sufferings, failures and deprivations that we can imagine. Hence, by all means we must work on our mind and learn to re-wire it for achieving excellence in everything we do. ||yogah karmashu kaushlam|| In true sense we shall be walking the path of spiritual transformation by attending to our mind.
Workshop: When, Where and Duration [10 Hrs]
The workshop shall be conducted LIVE Online
In What All This Workshop Can Help Me
We are talking benefits! It should have been amply clear that this workshop is going to be about ‘working on the mind’ and therefore you can think through what it can do to your life. For better understanding though, let us list out the areas that you will heal, resolve, bring clarity on, bust the confusions and be able to create a difference in.
As you progress through Workshop you shall be able to –
Sort out your long ignored inner conflicts
Come out of guilt and agony of the past
Positively resolve a heartbreak or loss of relationship
See through your on fears and wipe them off
Gain confidence to deal with tough situations
Achieve more positive and stable emotional state
Get rid of your traits of anger, jealousy, hatred etc.
Gain control over your obsessive behaviors
Set positive and achievable goals for self
Get motivated to drop your negative habits and addictions
Develop acumen for improving on self
Stay calm in the face of challenges
Change the tonality of your vrittis
Obtain the least agitated state of chittam
Be led to acquire Ekagrata (focus and concentration)
Achieve deeper engrossment in sadhana
And much more..
It should not be out of context to say that if you follow the instructions and techniques given out in this workshop with sincerity and work patiently through the month you shall come out as a visibly transformed person and A transformed ‘You’ is the gift that you can offer to the world, your loved ones and to yourself at the end of just four weeks. Nonetheless it goes without saying that the journey to perfection is really a long one!
Methodology, Content and Proof of Efficacy
Ancient Masters have clearly stated that to allow a piece of information to turn into an agent of transformation one must go through the phases of shravaN, manan, nididhyAsan. Only a piece of understanding that firmly takes seat in our buddhi becomes a trigger for initiating a new modified response in our actions. Here actions literally don’t mean physical action but our responses at the level of mind too that create positive, negative or dispassionate feelings/experiences. Since we all aspire for positive and pleasurable experiences this ‘inner response’ needs to be culled with utmost care. In fact most of our responses are kind of hardwired and therefore we seemingly don’t have any control whatsoever on ‘how we feel’ moment to moment. State is such that people, situations, events, external and internal triggers continue to create tremors and tides in our psyche and we helplessly suffer through all unwanted, negative, frightful, disgusting and irking experiences.
Masters promise that our suffering can end and we can actively change our responses by following the correct way of thinking. How? Are we not thinking properly now? Well.. Just because thoughts are ‘happening’ to us we should not presume that we are the ‘thinker’. You have not been given any training in any school on ‘How to think?’. Just because you are able to carry out of daily social transactions should not mean you truly know ‘How to respond’ and ‘How to act mindfully’. You need to learn systematically all these things and the outcome of it shall be far more rewarding than you can imagine.
This practice oriented Workshop shall teach you about (but not limited to) the following –
Correct way of listening
Steps in preparing yourself for the process of Contemplation
Role of Breath, Postures and field of vision over thoughts
Thoughts and their Connection with Chakras
How to begin with Contemplation
What to focus on and how
How to properly record your experience
Setting a goal and purpose
Modification of existing responses
Instilling appropriate new responses
What to do during the day
How to get rid of obsessions & plaguing thoughts
Correct Method of Meditation (Basics)
This method of manan & nididhyAsan (together it can be roughly translated as ‘contemplation’) is a time-tested method since time immemorial. Starting from Vedic scholars to Yogis, philosophers to tantra practitioners, thinkers to seekers all have engaged in this sacred practice. This practice has been hailed from the ancient times across the spectrum of different schools of thoughts. Adi Shankarachaya in his famous text ‘Vivek Chudamani’ has listed this practice as the final step of preparation for attaining ‘highest truth’. Pandit Gopinath Kaviraj, a renowned Tantra Master of just gone by century has hailed this practice openheartedly.
Who Can Attend
You are eligible!
There is no entry bar for this workshop, all can benefit from it.
How to Register
You are required to send in your requests on shakti.multiversity@gmail.com or you can also contact us on WhatsApp (text only) at +91 79859 28336 we will be happy to guide you further.
प्राणायाम, श्वास से प्राप्त होने वाली ऊर्जा (प्राण) पर नियंत्रण प्राप्त करने की एक योगिक विधि है। चूंकि स्थूल रूप से यह श्वास लेने और छोड़ने की प्रक्रिया जैसा दीखता है इसलिए हमें श्वास-प्रश्वास के विभिन्न प्रभावों के बारे में समझना होगा।
सबसे पहले स्थूल शरीर के बारे में विचार करते हैं –
सभी यह जानते हैं कि श्वास-प्रश्वास (सांस लेना और छोड़ना) एक ऐसी प्रक्रिया है जो न केवल शरीर के सभी अंगों को आवश्यक प्राण (जीवनी शक्ति या ऊर्जा) पहुंचाती है बल्कि उन्हें पोषित करने का काम भी करती है। बहुतों को यह जान कर आश्चर्य होगा कि शरीर से अनावश्यक जहरीले अवयवों (टॉक्सिन्स) को निकालने का ज्यादातर काम (लगभग ८० %) हमारा श्वसन-तंत्र (सांस छोड़ते समय) करता है। यानि की यदि फेफड़े अपना काम पूरी तरह से न करें तो शरीर न केवल कमजोर एवं अशक्त होने लगेगा बल्कि उसमे इतने जहरीले पदार्थ की मात्रा इकठ्ठी हो जाएगी कि कोशिकाएं, उत्तक एवं अंग मरने लगेंगे। अर्थ यह हुआ कि यदिसही ढंग से, पूरी सांस नहीं ली और छोड़ी जाएगी तो शरीर में ऊर्जा की कमी एवं जहरीले पदार्थों की मात्रा बढ़ती चली जाएगी एवं इस स्थूल शरीर का जीवनकाल कम हो जायेगा।
अब प्राण-शरीर पर इस प्रक्रिया के प्रभावों को देखते हैं –
योग-विज्ञान यह मानता है कि स्थूल शरीर के पीछे एक विरल-ऊर्जा शरीर है – इसे योग-ग्रंथों में प्राणमय कोष कहा जाता है। इसी प्राण-शरीर के भीतर ७२००० नाड़ियों, इड़ा-पिङ्गला-सुषुम्ना, सप्त-चक्रों एवं कुण्डलिनी आदि की स्थिति है। हालांकि आधुनिक औषधिविज्ञ, विज्ञान इस बाबत अभी भी प्रयोगों में ही लगे हुए हैं और इस बाबत कोई स्पष्ट विचार नहीं रखते परन्तु यदि उन योगियों की माने जिन्हों ने योग-शास्त्र मानवता के लिए रचे हैं तो यह मानना पड़ेगा कि स्थूल शरीर को चलाने की समस्त प्रक्रिया इसी ऊर्जा-शरीर या प्राण-शरीर पर ही निर्भर है और इस शरीर में प्राण-ऊर्जा का संवहन नाड़ियों का सबसे बड़ा कार्य है।
योग-शास्त्र कहता है कि इन नाड़ियों की शुद्धि एवं स्वस्थ स्थिति स्थूल शरीर के स्वास्थ्य का मूलभूत कारण है। इस बाबत एक विशेष प्रक्रिया जिसे नाड़ी-शोधन प्राणायाम कहा जाता है उसका अभ्यास करने का निर्देश सभी प्रामाणिक योग-ग्रन्थ करते हैं। यहां जन-सामान्य के हित में यह स्पष्ट करना आवश्यक उचित होगा कि शुक्ल यजुर्वेद की त्रिशिखब्राह्मणोपनिषद में योग के सोपानों का जो सही क्रम दिया गया है वह स्पष्टता से कहता है कि सबसे पहले नाड़ीशुद्धि पूर्ण की जानी चाहिए तत्पश्चात ही अन्य कोई प्राणायाम किये जाने की अनुमति है –
संक्षेप में यह कहने में कोई भी संदेह नहीं होना चाहिए कि नाड़ीशोधन (प्राणायाम) से स्वस्थ, रोगमुक्त शरीर व आयुष्य की प्राप्ति अवश्य ही होती है।
-आचार्य अज्ञातदर्शन आनंद नाथ
नोट – यदि आप निःशुल्क नाड़ीशोधन कार्यशाला में भाग लेना चाहते हैं तो Shakti Multiversity की वेबसाइट पर जाकर वहाँ उपलब्ध कार्यक्रम में अपना पंजीकरण करवा सकते हैं। यदि आगामी कार्यक्रम वहाँ न प्राप्त हो तो shaktimultiversity@gmail.com पर सन्देश (ई-मेल) भेज कर अपनी इच्छा का प्राकट्य करें, आप को अगले कार्यक्रम के लिए सूचना व निमन्त्रण भेजा जायेगा।
Param Poojya Gurudev Shri Antdev ji Maharaj reads Newspaper (2022 AD: A living Master in the Gurumandala at the age 112 years) This picture was taken at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India in the year 2018
Dear Master AD,
I have read at many places that human body is designed to live for 120 years. We see that now a days people struggle to lead a healthy life even beyond 70 years of age. Further, even if some cross this age they are generally sick, weak and become a burden on the people around them. That kind of longevity, I feel is not worth seeking.
So,my question is: Is it true that human body is designed to live for 120 years? If it is true then can you please guide on how to live 100 years healthy?
– Arun K. M.
Beloved Arun,
You have presented one suspicion and a question. Let me take both the topics separately and in little detail.
CAN A PERSON LIVE FOR 120 YEARS OR MORE
If you asking me, then I being the firm believer of sanatan dharma and ancient wisdom shall tell you that standard human lifespan is 120 years. If you ask me how I arrived at this number then I’ll refer back to ancient Indian Science of Astrology wherein VimshottariDasha is most prevalent. Every jataka or individual whose Horoscope is prepared is given a table of Dashas till 120 years from the time of birth. It does not mean everyone will live for 120 years rather one’s possible death can very well be predicted within this 120 years of duration. However, that should not be taken as the upper hard limit. It only means this 120 years should be a standard human life expectancy if every factor that affects the age of jataka has desired optimum strength.
I have personally met some of sages and Yogis who (in my own observation and reading) should have crossed this limit. One very recent example in India is Devraha Baba, who as per legends is said to have lived over 200 years. Even if that is not true he definitely lived well beyond 120 years or may be for about 150 years(?) In our own Gurumandala, Tantra Gurudev Shri Antdev ji Maharaj (in Photo above) in Bairagi Linegae is well beyond 110 years of age. There are so many places on the globe where majority of population lives beyond 100 years. For example there’s this island of centenarians by the name if Ikaria where almost every person (1 out of 3) lives above 100 years.
HUMAN LIFESPAN AS PER VEDAS IS 100 YEARS AND MORE
Each one of us wishes us for a long life and the question would be how much really we can ask for? As a student and teacher of ancient wisdom, it would be natural for me to refer this question to Vedic Rishis. Vedas are one of the most ancient scriptures available to mankind so if we examine the understanding of Vedas then we would know what was actual span of life in the times of Vedic period. In Atharva Veda we find prayers that are made to Sun God asking for certain blessings pertaining to granting us the full span of life. Out of the first eight mantras of 19/67 Atharva Veda, that are directed to Sun God the first one and last one are important as far as complete age (poorna Aayu) of human beings is concerned. The first mantra says –
Jeevema Sharadah Shatam | 1 |O Sun Lord, bless so that I live for 100 years.
The eighth mantra reads –
Bhooyasee Sharadah Shataat | 8 | O Sun Lord, bless so that I live beyond 100 years.
Let us take another Vedic text – Ishopanishad. Especially the second mantra of this Upanishad from Shukla Yajurveda is worth noting in our quest. It reads –
कुर्वन्नेवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेत् सतं समाः | एवं त्वयि नान्यथेतोऽस्ति न कर्म लिप्यते नरे || 2 ||
It translates as “If one wishes to live for 100 years, one should live engaging oneself in Karma (action/activity). The only way through which, one should live is, that despite doing karma one should not cling to (fruits thereof) it (Karma).“
See, its saying 100 again!
I personally find it more than convincing that 100+ years is a standard human life which can be further enhanced or reduced based on the quality of our everyday actions and way of living. Lets see what modern science has to say on this.
DOES SCIENCE SUPPORT VEDAS DEPICTING HUMAN LIFESPAN 100 YEARS AND BEYOND
While the average human life span tends to hover around 70 years in current times but that does not mean we are supposed to live only for 70 years. A modern hypotheses that takes DNA damage as a criterion for aging presents the possibility for humans to live as long as 120 years. This DNA damage theory of aging, clearly indicates we humans can successfully live up to 120 years of age provided we do not accelerate DNA damage due to our own self-damaging lifestyles. Is it not in coherence with the Vimshottari Dasha System of Indian Astrology?
Having attended to your suspicion we now move to your question about ‘How’. While scientists are working on DNA repair therapies and modifications in Genes to further enhance the life span of human beings, let us examine what knowhow already exists in systems of ancient wisdom to live that long as mother nature has programmed our bodies to survive.
SECRETS FROM YOGA AND AYURVEDA FOR LIVING BEYOND 100 YEARS
We should keep in mind that this creation itself is the celebration of mother nature therefore our lives should be reflection of the same spirit. Aligning all our physical and mental activities with the nature’s rules shall help us live a life that is free from all the struggles and unnecessary stress. Living thus shall support us in enjoying Radiant health, stay active longer and most importantly stay positive and enthusiastic about life itself.
Let us now discuss few most important factors that contribute to a long healthy life.
LIVING FOR A HIGHER PURPOSE MAKE YOU LIVE LONGER
Accept it or not, there is no real thing like ‘retirement’ from life. In fact aasharam system that was laid down by ancient rishis emphasizes that every phase of life right from childhood-youth to old age must be lived with a purpose in mind. There are four major goals of life human life, namely dharma, artha, kaama, moksha these are called purusharthas of life. For most of people their youthful days are spent in pursuing artha (money and materials required for living) and kaama (fulfillment of desires pertaining to sense pleasures) however the ultimate purpose of this life is to attain an inner state of contentment and joy wherein we fully accept the transient nature of this world, get fully prepared to let go this body and move on (embrace death joyously).
The pursuit of moksha is a continuous effort and while we continue to work on ourselves we must create noble reasons to engage in such activities that are linked to a higher purpose, a goal that is larger than life in itself. Look at the nature, it is here serving and feeding every single life-form in the world. Just like this, by anchoring our nature in sato-guna or benevolence it becomes possible to live for others.
Those who enthusiastically and joyously live for others, they never retire, remain always active – thus live longer!
SMILE ADDS YEARS TO YOUR LIFE – BE HAPPY
Smile is that radiant ornament which a human face has been adorned with by nature. We instinctively smile when we meet other people. Smile is an assurance for others that you are no threat to them. Smile on your face indicates you are happy with your own life. A smiling person is naturally able to spread happiness around. Smile and laughing has been found to a natural booster of our immunity.. Laughter is an expression of inherent sense of humor that declares – not everything happens here with a reason or a purpose; that life is unpredictable.. that this Norwegian research study which took 15 years to show that laughing reduces the risk of heart diseases by 73 percent and 48 percent less risk of death from all causes is laughable (who can laugh for 15 years??) .. that we can fail despite doing everything right.
We need no experts to prove that smiling improves overall feeling but this is the age of scientific temperament and some science-soaked brains would probably require a double-blind research to establish it beyond all doubts that ‘Having food satiates hunger’ (smiles). If you are also one of them and need more proof on how smile can add to our years of life then a research at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan should come to pull you out of your dark hole of ignorance and enlighten you about the ‘power of smile’. This research showed that if you mostly live with no smile at all, you live for roughly 73 years, with partial smile you are most likely to improve your chances to live up to 75 years of age but if you grin is so wide that it has been able to itch deep creases around your eyes then you are most likely to live around the age of 80 years.. Amazing! Isn’t it?
Smile improves our relationships. So don’t just keep yourself limited to the keying-in abbreviations like LOL and ROFL over the chats, in reality keep a broad smile on your face and laugh out loud.. You shall end up adding 7+ smiling years to your life. Its not a joke that laughter has been called ‘the best medicine’ but not the type that is ‘practiced’ in ‘laughter clubs’ rather that which flows from within in response to awkward and illogical situations presented to us in day to day. After all intelligence is not everything, btw intellect too needs rest sometimes!
A genuine smile is also referred to as ‘Duchenne Smile’. It engages all the muscles of your face from lips, cheeks to eyes. If you have forgotten to smile and wish to ‘learn to smile’, I invite you to join any of our programmes there you will be taught the secret to restore your genuine smile.
EAT, SLEEP, SHIT AND PEE WHEN YOU GET THE FEELING
“What is enlightenment?” the curious student of a Zen Master asked.
Master replied “When hungry, eat. When tired, sleep.”
Living with the natural flow is what makes our lives free of struggles, tensions, stress and dis-ease. Life of ease keeps away the disease.
You should have your meals only when you feel really hungry. It helps in proper digestion of the food and also lesser toxins are produced for body to handle. The question might come in your mind, what type of food should I have? Well, vegetarian diet always helps. In some studies a compound by the name of Spermidine has been found to be the extremely effective in stopping senescence of human cells. This anti-aging chemical naturally occurs in whole grain foods. I suggest few superfoods that you must include in your diet every day – Raisins, sprouts especially Wheat germ, Desi Indian Cow milk products, Amla (Indian gooseberry), Aged cheese, seasonal fruits and Chyavanprash with swarn bhasma. Cooking and serving in aluminum pots/vessels should be avoided. This was a bit elaborate opinion on food however its better to be aware. Lets focus on other physiological functions.
In fact all other bodily urges should also be dealt with keeping the same principle in mind. There must be a reason why these are called ‘nature’s call’. These bodily activities are to be carried out keeping an eye on the cycles or the nature. As per Ayurveda stopping the vega (urge to shit, urinate etc.) is a silent killer. Lot many diseases can develop if we engage in this ‘stopping business’. Holding poop or urine in when body is already signaling to get rid of it, affects our health not only by assimilation and absorption of toxins but also because such abnormal response to the body’s natural call affects many physiological functions and health of related organs.
Some of you may still ask, what if I feel hungry all the time or I have to visit loo 5 times a day. The night folks will come back and say “I don’t get sleep at night but comfortably sleep in through the morning till noon” and so on. Look! You are not following nature’s signals here. These anomalies need medical and disciplinary interventions. Better, adopt an active lifestyle. If that doesn’t help check with a doctor. Help yourself and try to align your routine as per the Sun-Moon cycle. Such abnormal patterns can be restored to a state when these would be in sync with the nature’s rhythms leading to health and all round success in life.
PERIODIC FASTING IMPROVES LONGEVITY
Although it may sound like a contradiction to ‘follow the urge’ dictum but great Indian sages have given out these golden rules based on their deep study of every aspect of life.
Fasting has been practised since ages in many religious traditions including Vedic, Sanatan culture. It is not without a reason Hindu Lunar Calendar is populated with so many festivals and fasting occasions. Fasting is associated with inner-cleansing at the level of body and mind but that does not mean you can ignore cleanliness at the outer level. Keeping your body and habitat clean and clutter free helps you live a life that is free of unwanted burdens. Fasting is about the same cleanliness drive being extended to your real home – the body and mind where you live. Are scriptures making it up? No, even modern researches have proven it beyond doubt that conducting oneself through the regular fasting (i.e. once a week) you ward off many diseases and pre-mature aging.
THE MOST EFFECTIVE FASTING REGIME FOR ANTI AGING – CHANDRAAYANA VRAT
Now a days the ‘intermittent fasting’ is being discussed more than it would have ever been in the history of mankind. I am of opinion that people of hunting age would have been ‘suffering’ from this syndrome of ‘intermittent fasting’ due to unavailability of the prey (food) thus out of compulsions were practising intermittent fasting anyways. Jokes apart, in reality by fasting we give rest to our digestive system and allow our body a window in time to expel undesired toxins from the body. It helps rejuvenate our whole body and mind.
While different ways of fasting can yield different benefits one particular method supersedes In some of our self-transformation programmes we use an ancient fasting protocol known as ‘Chandrayana Vrat’. This particular fasting regime is one of the toughest but the most powerful fasting protocol that can be undertaken once or maximum twice in a year for age reversal. It completely rejuvenates your system, re-organizes your energies, cleanses the nadi-system when conjoined with appropriate yogic processes and most importantly it flushes out accumulated diseases from the body with very minor symptoms. If you wish to learn about it, consider attending Practical Shiva Sutras programme, you can understand more about it. There are four types of Chandraayana Vrat, commonly known as Yati Chandraayana, Shishu Chandraayan, Yava Madhya and Pipilika Madhya. Here in the programme (retreat) the most suitable one is recommended after evaluating your spiritual, energetic and physical health.
Whatever be your fasting protocol you must try to observe fast on period basis to improve your longevity.
CONSERVE AND DISCIPLINE YOUR ENERGIES – CELIBACY
Ancient sanatan system of Varnashram provides a framework for every individual to pursue a life that is lived to achieve the highest possible for anyone of us. There are four phases that have been defined as ashrams namely bhrahmacharya, grihastha, vAnaprastha and sanyaas. In may seem as if all the discipline of saving energies is limited to the first phase i.e. brahmacharya ashram which lasts for the first 25 years of age but that is not true. Even in grihastha ashram every person needs to discipline and moderate the sensual and sexual indulgence. So, by way of discipling your senses for all practical purposes even in grihastha ashram you can practise brahmacharya. But the question is ‘Why’? And is brahmcharya (mostly perceived as celibacy) limited to the context of sex?
Well, this question of why men need to save their energies and not pour them out in our pursuit of sexual or sensual pleasures has been meticulously answered in ancient scriptures of Vedic, Yogic and Tantric systems. In these systems the upward movement of sexual energy (and semen) has been linked to one’s capacity development for spiritual awakening. I am not sure if your wish to live 100 long years is for any spiritual goal so the motivation for conservation of semen may not be there at all. However, when we consider Ayurvedic principle of Sapta-Dhatus it may sink in much better. Lets see how?
As per Ayurveda the food that we eat goes through the following series of transmutations and gets converted into 7 dhatus. Those dhatus are –
Rasa (Juices that get absorbed through digestive system in the form of plasma)
Rakta (part of purified Rasa gets converted in blood and this blood then supplies the nutrition to every cell of the body)
Mamsa (further part of processed Rakta then stabilizes itself in the muscles, tissues or flesh)
Meda (The Mamsa or various organs then transmutes into adipose tissues, lymph and fat)
Asthi (from Meda the mineral and calcium nutrition gets to the skeletal structure as bones)
Majja (the bones then transmute into the bone marrow, that fills the bony spaces from within)
Shukra (the part of the bone marrow then finally gets converted into semen)
Now, looking at the above sequence where the quantity of every consequent dhatu is dependent on the supply from the previous one shows how precious the shukra or semen is. Further this shukra or semen gets converted into another invisible radiance that is referred to ojas and at physical level it is known as immunity. At mental level ojas means self-confidence, will-power, enthusiasm and creativity. A lot is being discussed about NoFAP amongst the youngsters and youth who have experienced both sides of the coin. The ones who have succeeded in controlling the urge report back how dramatically their lives has transformed. When indiscriminately losing the vital fluid affects the young ones who are in their golden era of youth how would it impact those who have crossed their youth. Needless to say therefore, whether you take it or not but the Ojas is our overall capacity in life. Spend it as less as you can!
It would be unfair to believe that conserving semen is ultimate energy management. Your mind is the place where most of your energies are lost in chaotic thinking and undirected efforts. You must also learn some effective ways to manage and modulate your life-energies. These are pranayama, yoga and meditation etc. It will help you channelize your energies in the right ways for creating a blissful and healthy life and who knows if you did everything right you may live beyond 120 years also!
At the end let me clarify that there is much more that can be said about the subject and I have not covered so many points on disciplining one’s life to be able to keep one’s body strong till the time of departure from this plane of waking experience for as a believer of Principles of Sanatan Dharma, I would prefer to believe that it is immaterial whether we live for 32 years or 102 years, the purpose of living must be fulfilled. A life that is lived aspiring for the highest Goal attainable, is worth it or else what is the point in living for even thousands of years.
Its all about you! 