The Newsletters
The reason why many turn to substance abuse is that they are unable to d
eal with life’s problems. Depression and anger, sadness and frustration are further fuelled by drug-dependency, alcoholism or both.
Daniel Goleman in a book entitled Emotional Intelligence says that it is the lack of application of intelligence to emotions that makes one lonely, depressed, angry, unruly, prone to worry, impulsive and aggressive.
A scientific assessment of the emotional and spiritual mind has emerged in an attempt to understand why we can be reasonable one moment and irrational the very next moment. Goleman attributed it to two minds, one emotional and the other rational; one that feels and one that thinks. The rational mind is prominent in analytical approach while the other one can be impulsive, powerful and at times illogical. He argues that the emotional mind is far quicker than the rational mind at making split-second decisions without analytical reflection about the potential consequences. This can be bewildering to the analytically inclined rational mind.
Spiritual teachers such as Buddha and Jesus touched their disciples’ hearts by speaking the language of emotions. This is why their teachings are so effective.
Why is improving the emotional quotient (EQ) or imbibing spiritual intelligence important? Because it helps us deal with problems in a constructive manner, and stops us getting addicted to harmful habits like substance abuse.
Family members can take an interest in improving the EQ and spiritual quotient (SQ) of their near and dear ones as an effective way to combat drug abuse. One method is practising yoga and meditation to enhance emotional intelligence and manage stress. To manage stress, we need to leverage intelligence without having to make drastic changes in lifestyle. Not everyone can retreat to the Himalayas or engage in difficult Hatha Yoga.
Sahaja Yoga, founded by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, is a method which helps achieve self-realisation in a simple and practical manner. Sahaja Yoga is based on the principle that enlightenment and good health require proper balance within the seven major chakras.
Shri Mataji says, “En masse inner transformation by self-realization is the reality now. Sahaja Yoga is the spontaneous union of individual consciousness with the all-pervading power through the awakening of the residual power of the Kundalini.
“Just as an egg gets transformed into a bird or a seed into a plant, Sahaja Yoga helps transformation of a person to a higher awareness level. The awakening of the inherent dormant energy can be accomplished in a practical and simple manner.”
Adapted from India Times
The Art Gallery of New South Wales is showing an exhibition on the theme of the Goddess running from 13 October 2006 to 28 January 2007.
If you visit on a Sunday you can also see Indian Classical Dance performances (see Art Gallery of New South Wales website for performance times).
From the Art Gallery of New South Wales website:
Goddess: Divine Energy will be the first major exhibition in Australia to explore the many manifestations of the divine female in Hindu and Buddhist art. Created as a focus for veneration and meditation, these beautiful works of art are rich with symbols that convey the many lessons and insights the Goddess provides as she guides towards the attainment of ultimate bliss. The power (shakti) and wisdom (prajna) of the Goddess resides within each one of us waiting to be awakened.
Over 150 exquisitely carved sculptures and delicately composed paintings from India, Tibet and Nepal, dating from about 2000 BCE through to the 20th century, have been gathered from collections around the world for display.
Goddess: Divine Energy will offer a rare opportunity to delve into the world and wisdom of the Goddess. An extensive events program of film, performance, talks, meditation and music will accompany this exhibition.
The Sahaja Yoga Realise Australia Tour visited southern New South Wales during the first weekend of October 2006.
The Realise Australia tours were inspired by the visit of Shri Mataji and her husband, Sir CP Srivastava, in early 2006. Sahaja Yogis in Australia had received so many blessings and love from Shri Mataji and Sir CP that they wanted to spread this love to those who were not able to experience it directly.
The first tour began on the first weekend of October 2006 with Sahaja Yogis travelling south to Wollongong, Kiama, Nowra, Ulladulla, Batemans Bay, Canberra and Bowral before returning to Sydney.
Participants’ comments provide an indication of the joy, love and dynamism experienced during the tour.
I joined the Tour in Canberra. There was an amazing dynamic. Everybody’s heart was so open, vibrations were flowing so freely from one to another, supporting, encouraging each and everyone who was giving out their best. We were all swimming in such bubbling joy! MP, Canberra performance
A lasting image in my mind will definitely be of Ulladulla where, upon opening my eyes after a gentle and beautiful guided meditation given by Caroline, I saw in front of us a row of brand new yogis – self-realised souls – with that look of the deepest meditation on their serene faces. It was the most beautiful sight on that whole magical tour – a journey right into the depths of our hearts.
With that attention to giving Self-realisation and explaining the subtleties of Sahaja Yoga, one can’t help but feel the language of vibrations spontaneously expressing through the strength of our collectivity. CL, Bowral performance
One Sahaja Yogi was speaking to a young man who had been watching intently for most of the programme at Batemans Bay. Afterwards he asked about Shri Mataji, and the yogi explained to him all that Shri Mataji had done for the people of the world within the last thirty years or so: how She has completely dedicated all her time to giving en masse Self-realisation and spreading peace all over the world without ever charging for anything – just giving. She then asked if the young man knew of anyone else who had done such work in these days. His reply was, “Yes, Jesus and Buddha”. Batemans Bay performance
NSW SOUTHERN REGION FOLLOW-UP PROGRAMS
Weekly follow-up programs are now being conducted in the following centres:
Kiama: Every Monday, 7.30 – 8.45 pm at Kiama CWA Hall, Shoalhaven St, Kiama
Nowra: Every Tuesday, 10.30 am – 12 noon at Nowra Scout Hall, Cnr Shoalhaven and Jervis Sts, Nowra
Fairy Meadow (Wollongong): Every Tuesday evening, 7.30 – 8.45 pm at Fairy Meadow Community Centre, Fairy Meadow
Albion Park Rail: Every Wednesday, 10.30 – 11.30 am at Danze Gallery, Shaban St, Albion Park Rail
All enquiries: 1300 724252 or go to the Realise Australia Tour site
On one of my many travels to India I purchased a beautiful book entitled, The Devi Gita – The Song of the Goddess: A Translation, Annotation and Commentary, by C. Mackenzie Brown. In the Introduction there is a description of Kundalini Yoga:
The Kundalini system presupposes an esoteric or subtle physiology, consisting of several mystic energy channels or arteries (nadis) within the body, connecting various psychoenergetic centres (chakras, padmas) lying along the central axis or spine.
In the lowermost centre, the Base Support (Mooladhara) at the bottom end of the spine, resides the Kundalini or ‘Coiled One’, thus refered to as the Serpent Power. The Kundalini is none other than the Goddess manifesting within our bodies as the guiding psychospiritual power of our being. In unenlightened, ordinary beings, she lies dormant. The goal of this yoga is to awaken her in the Base Support Center and to cause her to ascend the central axis, breaking through the other centres until she reaches the uppermost center at the top of or slightly above the head, where she unites with her male counterpart, Siva.
This is exactly what takes place in Sahaja Yoga. Sahaja Yoga actualises Kundalini Yoga.
In times gone by, to achieve Kundalini Yoga the aspirant had to go through penances or tapas, to purify and gain understanding, and then mastery of the different aspects of their nature. Eventually, maybe many lifetimes later, the aspirant may encounter a guru who is a yogi, and at the hands of that guru-yogi, attain their self-realisation, meaning the opening of their Sahasrara Chakra through Kundalini awakening. This was a very long process.
When Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder and sole guru of Sahaja Yoga, started this work in 1970, She realised that we, the people of this modern, Technological Age, didn’t have the luxury of time on our sides anymore. Through all the advancements we had achieved, and through blindly following the false gurus who had sprung up everywhere like mushrooms, we were destroying our brains and our subtle systems. Our Sahasraras were entangled, over-developed masses of nerves, our chakras and nadis torn, shrivelled and disconnected.
So for a jet age people, a jet age process was devised by Shri Mataji, and this system She named Sahaja Yoga. In this process the Kundalini is awakened “sahaja” which means spontanaeously (click on the image on the left, to see a demonstration of the kundalini rising). To use the analogy of skyscrapers, this process takes us up to the penthouse in one swift and beautiful moment. We are then given the tools to understand both the vista and the floors below. Then, armed with this knowledge, we have to correct our own chakras and nadis and thereby bring about balance in our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies, synthesising them into a complete whole.
Greta More