Farewelling winter with Shivaratri, Vép, Hungary 11-13 March 2016

The last days of winter were celebrated with the closing of the Shivaratri period. His Holiness Vishwaguruji visited Vép, which has been a “second home” for Yoga in Daily Life practitioners for the last 23 years. This special place is now like a temple filled with Gurudev's radiation.

His Holiness Vishwaguruji continued the topic from last week's seminar in Strilky, Czech Republic - that Shiva was one who manifested himself and who was not born.

Shiva is the truth and beauty of the world; the all-pervading consciousness. He saved the world from the poison that arose from the churning of the milky ocean. He purified the poison in the vishuddhi chakra with ujjayi pranayam and jalandhara bandha.

So it was too with Shiva’s manifestation Sri Devpuriji, when he drank the poison given to the sadhus by the British officer in Mount Abu, as told to us by Holy Guruji in the Lila Amrit. And much loved Saint Meera Bai, from Merta city in Rajasthan, also drank poison. Vishwaguruji reminded us the story of Meera Bai, that “her father in law, the king Rana, wanted to kill her so sent her poison and told her it is Charan Amrit. She drank with full confidence and it turned into nectar. She danced and sang, full of bhakti.”

Vishwaguruji further explained what the process of our spiritual development involves, “Spiritual development is slow but sure. Mal, vikshepa and avaran are too strong in our antahkaranas. All of us, we have impurities - physical and mental impurities, and in our energy. It takes many lives to purify this. Therefore Mahakal has to come. When all is purified there remains just ash. There are lots of kinds of pollution. When you even just think something, there is a new layer over your consciousness - positive or negative. So we pray: 'Bhagwan, I am a bundle of impurities; please don't notice my mistakes. You are known as Samdrasthi, one with equal vision. With your grace you can let me cross the ocean of ignorance.' ”

On the Saturday evening satsang Vishwaguruji also quoted and explained an ancient saying:

Pehla sukh nirogi kaya - The first happiness is a healthy body. Sukha is the happiness or health; roga is illness.

Duja sukha garme ka maya - The second happiness is to have wealth at home, to have enough food or comfort. Wealth is of two kinds: material and spiritual.

Tishra sukh sulakshana naari - The third happiness is a loyal partner. Everyone is looking for the best partner, with a connection that is not only based on physical attraction.

Chhoutha sukh putra agyaakari - The fourth happiness is obedient children who never argue with their parents and learn diligently.

Yoga sadhana (practice) was led each day of seminar by Mahamandaleshwar Swami Vivekpuri from Croatia. He said that in this current Dark Age (Kali Yuga) only the community has the power for development, by the satsangs (uplifting company). He also pointed out that Yoga in Daily Life is an excellent and precise name, since we should not limit our practice to being occasional, but it is for every day.