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World over people suffer from Sinus related problems . It has caused lots of distress and suffering for people and there many medicines that are quite ineffective in the market which doesn’t sinus directly but tries to reduce its symptoms like headache .

What is jalaneti?

Well, to put it simply, jalaneti is a cleansing practice of the sinus passages with warm saline water. Yogis have practiced it for centuries for its innumerable and powerful benefits. It is also called Neti or Saline Nasal Irrigation.

In yoga, it has been used for its extremely powerful physical, psychological and spiritual benefits. However, in the modern world - fed on an attitude of immediate gains - jalaneti has gained immense popularity because of its dramatic effect on the sinuses

It solves the sinus infection and allergy problems without the use of drugs with immediate, immense and sustained results AND without side effects. You can read a sampling of the testimonials that we receive every single day by clicking here

At the immediate level, neti is a great tool for any kind of respiratory disorder – sinusitis, allergy, asthma, hay fever to name a few. People invariably notice an immediate relief, which drugs fail to achieve. Neti helps to re-program the body’s natural mechanisms against respiratory complaints including sore throats, coughs, postnasal drips etc.
Other benefits:

It can be of great benefit to problems associated with the eyes and ears such as certain types of deafness and myopia. But the great mental and spiritual effects overshadow these tremendous physical benefits

Neti has a cooling and soothing effect on the brain and is therefore beneficial for headaches, migraine, depression, mental tensions and even epilepsy, hysteria and temper tantrums.

It stimulates better powers of visualization and concentration and gives a feeling of lightness and clarity to the mind.

On a higher plane, it is very effective for meditation as it works on the subtle effects of the olfactory bulb, and the psychic center, which is known as the Ajna Chakra in yoga.

But the best part is that it is excellent for those trying to give up smoking. It reduces mouth breathing and re-sensitizes the nose to the indecency and discomfort of ingesting smoke, therefore deprogramming the brain of the physical and psychological addiction.

If it’s so good, why is neti relatively slow in gaining popularity?
Good question. Let me try and answer that…

First is our OWN inertia. Somehow, we as humans cannot imagine the thought of pouring water up our nostrils – the involuntary thought is “what will happen”. Well, nothing really – what goes in comes out – and invariably the reaction changes from one of apprehension to one of unbridled delight.

Secondly, the drug lobbies are certainly not obliging. After all they haven’t found anything as yet that treats colds and allergies well enough and that too WITHOUT side effects. Jalaneti has been projected as something “esoteric” and oriental.

Despite this, neti is gaining immense popularity because of the strong undercurrent of support and propagation by the ever-growing neti doers – including leading doctors and pediatricians.

How to do it?

For the benefit of understanding, I shall only briefly highlight the procedure. The detailed instructions are provided with the neti pot should you ever decide to try this practice.

A special “Neti Pot” is filled with warm, slightly salted water and the spout of the pot is inserted into one nostril. The position of the head and pot are adjusted to allow the water to flow out of the other nostril. This procedure is then alternated with the other nostril. That’s it. The water drains out flushing the nasal passages and the linings thoroughly. After these the nostrils are dried out through special techniques.

Despite this, neti is gaining immense popularity because of the strong undercurrent of support and propagation by the ever-growing neti doers – including leading doctors and pediatricians.

Why is neti so great?

Besides being used to treat full-blown sinus infections, neti is perhaps the BEST preventive. Almost all of us can “sense” when we are about to catch a cold or an impending throat infection. But more frustrating is the “helplessness” or the inability to do anything about it as it takes over our defenses. It is here that neti really outscores everything else. Just flushing your ENT passages through neti a couple of times a day ensures that the infection does not take root and just passes by.

So, it’s wise to consider shedding your apprehension and trying this wonderful practice. And if you can’t give up smoking through it, I’ll at least guarantee that you’ll NEVER get a full-blown cold or a sinus infection.

Read the figures and testimonials by clicking here

Now, you can’t get a better tool than that can you?

Source : healthandyoga.com

The connection between mind and body is stronger than you think.

By PsychologyToday.com

When I started medical practice as a young cardiologist more than 30 years ago, the term “mind-body medicine” was unknown. In the late 1960s, my work linking stress to physical health flew in the face of existing medical thought. It is, therefore, quite gratifying today to be advancing this now scientifically validated field at a time of unprecedented interest in the unity of mind, body and spirit.

My own work in establishing the mind-body connection started when I noticed that my patients had elevated blood pressure during regular checkups. To test my hypothesis that stress was the cause, I returned to my alma mater, Harvard Medical School, to try to establish a model for stress-induced hypertension. We trained squirrel monkeys to either raise or lower blood pressure using operant conditioning technology. We found that the monkeys that were “rewarded” for higher blood pressure went on to develop hypertension, due to their own behaviors.

While this study was under way, I was approached by young practitioners of transcendental meditation who asked me to monitor their blood pressure. They believed they had lower blood pressures as a result of their meditation practice. This type of study was unheard of, but I did consent, after much deliberation. Robert Keiter Wallace and I measured blood pressure, heart rate, brain waves, metabolism and rate of breathing—both when the subjects sat quietly for 20 minutes and when they meditated for 20 minutes. What we found was astounding.

Through the simple act of changing their thought patterns, the subjects experienced decreases in their metabolism, breathing rate and brain wave frequency. These changes appeared to be the opposite of the commonly known “flight-or-fight” response, and I called it the “relaxation response.”

The relaxation response can be elicited by a number of meditative techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing, repetitive prayer, qi gong, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, jogging—even knitting. There are two basic and necessary steps which I found to be present in practices in almost every culture: the repetition of a sound, word, phrase or prayer; and the passive setting aside of intruding thoughts and returning to the repetition. From the earliest studies to the present, our work shows that by using your mind in a certain way—to elicit the relaxation response—measurable, predictable and reproducible physiological changes occur that can be useful in countering the unhealthy flight-or-fight response.

A healing tool

Over the past 20 years, my colleagues and I have treated many thousands of people for medical problems poorly addressed by the two modes of conventional medical practice: pharmaceuticals and surgery. I view medicine as a three-legged stool, with mind-body medicine, the third leg, essential in holding up medication and surgery, the other two. Since roughly 60% to 90% of doctor visits are for conditions related to stress, it is vital not to neglect a mind-body approach.

The Mind/Body Medical Institute’s (MBMI) clinical programs treat patients with a combination of relaxation response techniques, proper nutrition and exercise and reframing of negative thinking patterns, in conjunction with the beliefs of patients. Clinical studies over the years have shown the effectiveness of interventions on a wide range of medical problems caused or made worse by stress, such as hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, pain, insomnia, allergies, repetitive stress injury and infertility, among many others. Practicing the relaxation response daily can boost the immune system and make one more resistant to the harmful effects of constant stress.

Through the deeply meditative practice of Tum-mo yoga, Tibetan monks are able to dry wet sheets placed on their bodies in near-freezing temperatures by raising their skin temperatures 17 degrees. How the human body can perform this remarkable feat is still unknown, yet it serves as a striking demonstration of the awesome mind-body powers we all possess.

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Few of the most prominent question asked questions about Yoga are
Is yoga a religion? Do I have to be able to twist up like a pretzel to do yoga? And
lastly, do I have to add aerobics and weight training to yoga to stay in shape?

This article should help you find a way to make a decision !

The Spiritual Side of Yoga
Yoga pre-dates any organized religion and is over 4000 years old. It is an oral
tradition and was codified approximately 3500 years ago by the sage Patanjali in
a text called the “Yoga Sutras”. Yoga is a science of techniques or philosophies
whose purpose is to bring the individual closer to their divine whoever that may
be. Yoga’s two main goals are to remove the root cause of pain and suffering
and to attain enlightenment. This is done through the eight limbs which are
documented in the Yoga Sutras”. Yoga means to yoke or unite and Sutras are
threads. The eight limbs (translated from Sanskrit) consist of restraints,
observances, postures, breathing, sense-withdrawal, concentration, meditation,
and enlightenment.

Benefits of Yoga
Hatha yoga ( mostly postures related to animals ) which is what most people are familiar with consists of the postures
and breathing techniques and can be practiced alone to achieve the health
benefits that come along with yoga. The following are some of the benefits of
yoga:
• Increased flexibility
• Improved memory and mental focus
• Relaxation
• Toxin release
• Improved Sleep
• Improved Digestion
• Self awareness and cultivation of compassion

You do not have to be extremely flexible or strong to practice yoga; a good
teacher will provide you with props or pose modifications to make most poses
accessible to everyone. With enough practice flexibility and strength comes along
with doing yoga. Focus on the proper alignment and keeping yourself from
getting injured are the keys to a beginning yoga practice. When looking for a
school or instructor it is important to not be forced into attempting anything
beyond your ability. If your first class involves doing headstands or
shoulderstands and no modifications are provided you may wish to seek another
school or class structured around the beginning ability level. It is even wise to
set up your first class as a private session with the instructor.
There have been studies conducted that discuss whether or not other
types or strength training or aerobics are needed, and results have varied. There
are different styles of yoga and many of them really get your heart pumping! The
advanced breathing techniques learned in yoga will also improve cardiovascular
fitness. Even beginning levels of yoga practice will begin to sculpt and tone your
body, it just takes patience and results may take longer than lifting weights. A
basic physiological premise in yoga is that muscles that are tone have the ability
to contract and relax and yoga is ultimately a non-muscular activity and one of
balance but this takes years, maybe even a lifetime to achieve. Hardened
muscles and six-pack abs mean you are in a constant state of contraction and
that is not muscle tone! Overall the practice of yoga is health for the mind, body,
and soul and the changes you notice through practice can begin to change your
entire life!

I hope you make a wise choice and take up Yoga as a way to improve yourself and people around you .

Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation is the first posture in any Yogic System . This is from the Ashtanga Yoga system . Its origins lie in a worship of Surya , the Hindu Solar Diety. This sequence of movements and poses can be practised on varying levels of awareness, ranging from that of physical exercise in various styles, to a complete sadhana which incorporates asana , pranayama , manthra and chakra meditation .

The physical base of the practice links together twelve asanas in a dynamically performed series . These asanas are ordered so that they alternately stretch the spine backwards and forwards. When performed in the usual way, each asana is moved into with alternate inhalation and exhalation (except for the sixth asana where the breath is held in external suspension). A full round of Surya namaskara is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses with a change in the second set to moving the opposite leg first through the series.

Proponents of the use of Surya namaskara as part of the modern yoga tradition prefer to perform it at sunrise, which the orthodox consider to be the most ’spiritually favourable’ time of the day.

 

SURYA NAMASKARA A/ SUN SALUTATION A

• Starts at SAMASTHITI. Place both feet together. Seal the inner leg. The spine is straight and long. Engage the Bhandas. Place the arms by your side. Gaze forward, or at the tip or your nose. Breathe deeply.
• ONE - EKUM: Inhale. Bring your both arms up. Place palms together. Look up at your thumbs.
• TWO - DWI: Exhale. Fold forward, forehead, or knee to the knees. The abdomen is completely in. Hands flat on the floor. Look at the toes.
• THREE - TRINI: Inhale. Lock half the way up. Straight your spines as if were going to do a back bending. Lean forward slightly.
• FOUR - CHETURI: Exhale. Walk or jump back. Push up position. You may stay in the push up or lay down on the floor.
• FIVE - PANCA: Inhale. Straighten the arms. Push your chest out. Look up and back. Knees straight lifted. Point your toes.
• SIX - SHAT: Exhale. Push the hips up. Downward facing Dog. Heels on the floor. Chin Towards your chest. Looking at your belly bottom. Knees straight. Lift knee caps. Abdomen in. Engage Bhandas. STAY HERE FOR 5 LONG DEEP BREATHS, AROUND 20 SECONDS
• SEVEN - SAPTA: Inhale. Jump or walk back. Straighten your knees. Half the way up. Lengthen the spine.
• EIGHT - ASTOE: Exhale. Fold forward. Forehead or chin towards your knees. Look at the toes.
• NINE - NAVA: Inhale. All the way up. Arms up. Look at your thumbs.
• TEN - DESHA: Exhale. SAMASTHITI.

Roy Eugene Davis , is a direct disciple of Yoganada . He is an ordained teacher of Kriya Yoga tradition and is currently based in Pheonix , Arizona . I have rarely come across a lucid speaker like him and in this video he talks about aspects of conscious living and meditation .

Kriya Yoga:

Philosophy and Lifestyle Practices

The Sanskrit word kriya means “action.” Yoga can mean the practices used to facilitate overall well-being and spiritual growth, or oneness-consciousness: the final result of practice. In Patanjali’s yoga-sutras, a two thousand year old treatise on superconscious meditation, kriya yoga is defined as discipline of mental and sensory impulses, self analysis, profound study of metaphysics (higher realities), meditation, and surrender of ordinary self-consciousness (egoism) in favor of God-realization.

Kriya yoga is a concentrated approach to Self-discovery and spiritual enlightenment: complete awakening to full knowledge of the Infinite and of cosmic processes. It includes the most effective processes of all systems of yoga, with emphasis on wholesome, constructive living and superconscious meditation practice. The purpose of kriya yoga practice is to restore the practitioner’s awareness to wholeness. This is accomplished by acquiring knowledge of one’s true nature as a spiritual being; cultivating rational thinking, emotional balance, and physical health; purposeful living; and meditation.

To facilitate the unfoldment of innate qualities and elicit superconscious states, specific meditation techniques are taught and practiced. Beginning meditators are usually taught how to use a simple word or sound (mantra) to focus attention. After a period of preparatory study and practice, initiation into advanced meditation processes can be requested.

Although kriya yoga has been known and practiced for centuries, it was Roy Eugene Davis’ guru, Paramahansa Yogananda, who first emphasized it in the west. Yogananda traveled from India to America in 1920 and lectured, wrote, and trained disciples for 32 years before his passing in 1952. His best known book, Autobiography of a Yogi, is now published in multiple languages around the world.

The great yogi who called himself simply “Swamiji” was named Sathyaraju by his parents. He was born on January 24th, 1935, into a family of weavers in Adivarapupeta, a small village in South India on the East Coast, near the mouth of the Godavari River. Poverty forced him to drop out of grade school to work at the family hand loom and at various odd jobs.

On August 7, 1949, when he was fourteen years old, Sathyaraju had a spiritual experience in which God in the form of Shiva suddenly appeared in the form of a handsome ascetic with long matted hair. Shiva touched Sathyaraju on the forehead and the boy immediately passed into deep samadhi (enlightenment).

In this way did the balayogi (boy yogi) begin twelve years of tapas, a spiritual austerity and purification to attain Self realization. He meditated in samadhi for twenty-three hours every day for eight years, returning to ordinary consciousness at midnight long enough to wash himself and perhaps drink a cup of milk. In those eight years he mastered meditation in all four cardinal directions: East, North, West and South. Then he meditated twelve hours every day for another four years. There were times when he remained in continuous samadhi for months.

Upon attaining Self realization (or God realization; Swamiji regarded them to be the same), his Divine Guru gave him the name Shiva Bala Yogishwara, meaning Lord of Yogis devoted to Shiva and Bala (the male and female aspects of God the Holy Spirit). Swamiji shortened the name to Shivabalayogi to avoid any suggestion that he equated himself with Ishwara, a name of God. He was instructed to use the powers he attained through tapas (tapas shakti) to comfort the grieving, heal the sick and bring enlightenment to those who seek God.

Shivabalayogi often told devotees that he had successfully performed tapas in many previous lifetimes. He had no personal need to do tapas again, but he incarnated and completed an unusually severe tapas at the instructions of the Divine Guru.

hivabalayogi is regarded as one of India’s greatest spiritual souls. His tapas was difficult because it was done for the sake of others. If we do ten percent of the work, he would often say, he will do the remaining ninety percent.

Shivabalayogi emerged from twelve years of tapas on August 7, 1961, before a crowd estimated by the press at several hundred thousand. They saw a body weak and scarred from twelve years of unusually intense meditation and extreme physical hardship. But witnesses described how he shone with a divine luster and his face glowed with the peace and divine grace inherent in his complete Self realization. His mere presence calmed the pushing and jostling multitude. Four decades later he continues to bring peace to those who come into his presence (darshan).

Shivabalayogi dropped his physical body on March 28, 1994 and it was interred in the Samadhi at Adivarapupeta on April 2, 1994. Since then, he continues to give darshan and blessings in the same ways he had over the three previous decades: through meditation, vibhuti, visions, dreams, and bhava samadhi.

Kindly visit www.shiva.org for more info

Experience Some of the Energization Exercises

“We are beings of energy…Our bodies, our health, our happiness, our very thoughts are determined by the level and direction of our energy.”

—Jyotish Novak, Ananda Course in Self-Realization, Part One

The Energization Exercises are comprised of thirty-nine exercises. Once you become familiar with the routine it takes about ten to twelve minutes to practice. To learn this technique effectively, however, requires that you see the exercises demonstrated, either by an Ananda Meditation Teacher, or through our video, book and audio resources. If you live in an area where instruction is unavailable, you can still learn the Energization Exercises through our comprehensive aids. You can order these online by visiting The Energization Exercises of Paramhansa Yogananda.

For now, let’s practice three exercises from this system. Although it’s only three you will be learning, practicing them will give you many of the benefits of the technique: increased energy; an awareness of its flow in the body; and a sense of well-being. Doing these exercises before you meditate will also help to release any stored, bodily tension and enable you to sit still longer and more comfortably.

The best way to relax the body in meditation is consciously to withdraw the energy from it. These exercises will help you bring greater will power and deeper awareness to this practice. When you meditate, it is suggested that you first do the Energization Exercises, then the preparatory meditation techniques of tensing and relaxing and regular, even-count breathing, then the Hong Sau meditation technique.

Energization Exercises

Begin with this prayer:“O Infinite Spirit, recharge this body with thy cosmic energy, this mind with thy concentration and this soul with thy ever-new joy. O eternal youth of body and mind, abide in me forever and ever.”

1. Double Breathing (with palms touching)

With your arms straight out to your sides at shoulder level, exhale with the double breath, bend your knees slightly and bring your arms to the front until your palms touch. With a double inhalation, bring your arms back out, straighten your legs - and tense the entire body upwards in a wave. Relax the body down in a wave in reverse order with a double exhalation. Repeat 3-5 times.

Double breathing is a short and long inhalation through the nose and a short and long exhalation through the nose and mouth. This double breath allows you to inhale and exhale more deeply and to oxygenate the blood. To practice a “double breath,” begin by inhaling strongly through the nose with a short, sharp inhalation followed directly by a long, strong inhalation - completely filling the lungs. Then, without pause, exhale twice through the nose and mouth with a short, then a long exhalation - making the sound: “Huh, Huhhhhhh.” Feel cosmic energy flowing into the medulla oblongata with the breath.

2. Body Recharging (first phase)

Stand upright. Inhale slowly, and gradually tense the whole body (with low, medium, and then high tension) to the point where it vibrates. Gaze upward at the point between the eyebrows, and with concentration feel the energy flowing into the body through the medulla oblongata. Hold the tension for a few moments, and consciously fill the whole body with energy. Then exhale and slowly relax (medium, low, completely), feeling the energy as it withdraws from the body parts. Always tense with will, then relax and feel. Repeat 1-3 times.

3. Double Breathing (without tension)

Relax completely. With elbows bent, draw your hands towards your upper chest and shoulder area. Exhale with a slow, relaxed double breath, and let your arms extend slowly in front of you with the breath. Enjoy the pauses between the breaths, and with a slow double inhalation draw your hands back in. Close your eyes and bring your attention to a focus at the point between the eyebrows. Feel relaxed, peaceful, and energized. Mentally affirm: “I am free, I am free!” Repeat 6-10 times.

May

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How to Energize yourself ? Swami Kriyandanda

May 3, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Energy is the main ingredient of our daily lives . We require energy to do all things be it cooking , walking or even to concentrate . Paramhansa Yogananda , the great Yogi of our times , created the Energization Exercises in 1916 as a technique for drawing cosmic energy into the body. Learn some of the exercises, and the principles behind them, in the articles below. We recommend that you read the articles in sequence in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the technique.
“The more aware you are of the flow of energy, the more you can direct that energy by will power not only to the body, but toward anything that you do - toward your work, toward creative inspiration, toward God in meditation, and in every aspect of your life. All success depends ultimately on energy. Energy is really the differentiating factor between genius and mediocrity. So these exercises are much more than just physical. They’re the cornerstone of Yogananda’s whole system of teaching, and, in fact, of all spiritual progress.” - Swamim Kriyananda - Yogananda’s disciple .

May

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Meditation… Towards a Stress Free Life

May 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Meditation: What it is !!!

An ordinary person may consider meditation as a worship or prayer. But it is not so. Meditation means awareness. Whatever you do with awareness is meditation. “Watching your breath” is meditation; listening to the birds is meditation. As long as these activities are free from any other distraction to the mind, it is effective meditation.

Meditation is not a technique but a way of life. Meditation means ‘a cessation of the thought process’ . It describes a state of consciousness, when the mind is free of scattered thoughts and various patterns . The observer (one who is doing meditation) realizes that all the activity of the mind is reduced to one.

A Tibetan Lama was being monitored on a brain scan machine by a scientist wishing to test physiological functions during deep meditation. The scientist said - “Very good Sir. The machine shows that you are able to go very deep in brain relaxation, and that validates your meditation”. “No”, said the Lama, “This (pointing to his brain) validates the machine!”.

These days it is commonly understood to mean some form of spiritual practice where one sits down with eyes closed and empties the mind to attain inner peace, relaxation or even an experience of God. Some people use the term as “my gardening is my meditation” or for jogging or art or music, hence creating confusion or misunderstanding.

The word meditation, is derived from two Latin words : meditari(to think, to dwell upon, to exercise the mind) and mederi (to heal). Its Sanskrit derivation ‘medha’ means wisdom.

Many years ago meditation was considered something just not meant for modern people, but now it has become very popular with all types of people. Published scientific and medical evidence has proved its benefits, but it still needs to be much understood.

Traditionally, the classical yoga texts, describe that to attain true states of meditation one must go through several stages. After the necessary preparation of personal and social code, physical position, breath control, and relaxation come the more advanced stages of concentration, contemplation, and then ultimately absorption. But that does not mean that one must perfect any one stage before moving onto the next. The Integral yoga approach is simultaneous application of a little of all stages together.

Commonly today, people can mean any one of these stages when they refer to the term meditation. Some schools only teach concentration techniques, some relaxation, and others teach free form contemplative activities like just sitting and awaiting absorption. Some call it meditation without giving credence to yoga for fear of being branded ‘eastern’. But yoga is not something eastern or western as it is universal in its approach and application.

With regular practice of a balanced series of techniques, the energy of the body and mind can be liberated and the quality of consciousness can be expanded. This is not a subjective claim but is now being investigated by the scientists and being shown by an empirical fact.

May

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Does Enlightenment Require a Guru ?

May 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Can You Attain Enlightenment - Without a Guru?

What do you see in the future regarding the Guru/Disciple relationship? Do we need a Guru to attain a state of enlightenment ? To me this is a very important question at the present time. I would like to emphasize the present time. It was in the mid 80’s that the spiritual relationship of guru/disciple reached its highest popularity. Since then, there have been spiritual teachers with a more Western approach such as Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer and Christiane Northrop, who have taken their educational credentials to approach the teacher/student relationship in a more down-to-earth environment. There are many more teachers without the educational credentials who are just as valuable but don’t advertise the fact and will become popular in their own communities over the next few years. We need to consider when the guru/disciple relationship started in order to see where it is presently and where it is going in the future. The best place to start is with the cycles of time called Yugas or Ages in the ancient Vedic texts. There are four ages or Yugas: Satya-yuga or the Golden Age, Treta-yuga, Dvapar-yuga and Kali-yuga. We are presently in Kali-yoga which is the dark age. In Stephen Knapp’s book “The Vedic Prophecies: A New Look Into The Future” , he writes on page 21-The Padma Purana (7.26.15-17) elaborates that “in Kali-yuga, which is the abode of sins, everyone is involved in sinful activities. They censure the Vedas, or spiritual truths, and engage in gambling and stealing. Brahmanas will act fraudulently for a livelihood. Everyone will be addicted to women, sex, and intoxicating liquors. They will be stealing others’ wealth. Heretics and atheists will become prominent. Men will possess little luster and will be wrathful, greedy, untruthful, and be filled with jealousy, pride, anger, deceit, and malice.” According to most historians Kali-yuga started after Krishna died some 5,000 years ago. This could be the reason why the relationship between Krishna and Arjuna in the Bhagavad-Gita is the most read spiritual book in the East. It sets the tone for how the guru/disciple relationship works in the dark age such as Kali-yuga. In such a dark age it is no wonder that there is such a need to have a teacher of light (guru) to guide humanity. With so many mosquitoes available and very few light bulbs, the guru becomes the central energy source of pure white light that could elevate others to a higher state of awareness that is almost absent in humanity as a whole. The average age in Kali-yuga is 100 years if you’re lucky. In Dvapara-yuga it is 1,000 years old. In Treta-yuga it is 10,000 years old. In Satya-yuga you could live to be 100,000 years old in perfect health. To write about each yuga in detail would be lengthy. I recommend Stephen Knapp’s book mentioned earlier for detailed information regarding the subject of yugas. It is obvious from my description of Kali-yuga that a teacher of enlightenment is needed and very rare in this dark age. However, I am always happy to mention the light at the end of the tunnel. According to most authors who are experts on the subject of yugas, we are entering a sub-period of Satya-yuga which will last 10,000 years. According to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who is the founder of the TM organization, we have entered this sub-period in July of 2005. Guru purnama is a yearly celebration of the guru every July on the full moon. The full moon in July of 2005 according to Maharishi is the start of the 10,000 year cycle of a sub-period of Satya-yuga in the Kali-yuga age we are presently in. In the description of Satya-yuga on page 19 of Stephen Knapp’s book it reads: In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (starting at 12.3.18) states “that in Satya-yuga there is virtue, wisdom, and religion, with no ignorance or vice. People are full of truthfulness, mercy, austerity, and charity. The people of Satya-yuga are also self-satisfied, friendly, peaceful, sober, and tolerant. Their pleasure is found within themselves, not through gratifying their senses in external activities. They know their spiritual identity and live in harmony with God, nature, and each other.” The guru/disciple relationship changes with each age. Since we have started the Satya-yuga sub-period in Kali-Yuga the relationship of teacher/student is changing. Now teachers are seeking to guide the student to glorify themselves rather than the guru. This is one of the reasons why the numbers of people attending secular traditions of Eastern philosophy are declining in numbers and the one’s that are growing are only preparing others to find their own path of devotion in themselves. There will be less of a need to glorify the guru in the future and more of a need to collaborate with others in the group dynamic to achieve the goal of peace and tranquility in the family of humanity. It is not up to a few leaders, but up to humanity as a whole to establish themselves in a state of self-sufficiency or self-fulfillment. In my visions of the future, I see a huge turning point starting by the end of this year 2006 and intensifying in the middle of 2007. I see a need to integrate the time and space knowledge of earth and the etheric or spiritual knowledge of a higher vibration which is not so dependent on time and space. Yugas are very dependent on the law of karma ruled by the planet Saturn. But are we moving into a time when the intelligence of the universe has other plans for planet earth than time and space? Are we moving into a time when knowledge from other intergalactic races will introduce a different point of view regarding our co-dependency on time and space? Is the guru/disciple relationship taking us away from our own responsibility to self in the present matrix of energy? We will always need teachers, but I see the teaching relationship changing from dependency on the guru, which was needed in Kali-yuga, to a more sharing of knowledge to help us understand how we can work together rather than be separate in our own traditions of spirituality. Yes, the paths of devotion are coming to an end. The yugas will come to an end also as the lords of Karma are found to be unnecessary when men and women are attuned to a higher frequency of mind which vibrates differently than the small mind of time and space. We will still need teachers to guide and help humanity to the next level of development, but the emphasis is on guidance and growth for both teachers and students in a mutual admiration society where everyone is ultimately the guru, not just one person.