Article from Bindu no 4
In the seventies and early eighties, Bindu was published in Danish, and towards the end of that period a few issues were also published in English and Swedish. This winter we began publishing the magazine again in 4 languages, German, English, Danish and Swedish and have received a lot of positive feedback. The articles in the previous issue have inspired many to contact us.
A former yoga student felt like learning to meditate, when he read the article On the ability to experience. The description of how to use one's awareness and extend it into the immediate surroundings and experience them and oneself more clearly inspired him. He did the experiment without really expecting anything and was therefore surprised by the instantaneous effect it had, despite its simplicity.
In this issue we print a letter from a student in Stockholm, who wrote to us after reading the articles on nose cleansing and headstand. She relates the distinct effect these exercises have had on her hearing.
You are welcome to write to the editors, if you have something to contribute. Or perhaps you have questions on the articles or wish to know something about the yoga and meditation courses and publications.
Practise is worth more than theory
Several colleges and other educational institutions have ordered Bindu for their pupils. Many school classes have paid us a visit or asked us to come and give an introductory yoga class; although it can be exiting to read about yoga and meditation, you only experience what it is about by doing the exercises yourself.
Yoga is yoga
Occasionally, during introductory classes, the question is raised as to whether yoga is particularly Indian or if it has something to do with Hinduism. We can only answer, that although yoga came to us from India, there is no reason to connect it exclusively with Hinduism, or any other religion for that matter. Yoga is something in it self, we like to call it a tool for the art of living. Throughout history yoga has been used at various times and in various cultures by people all over the world. Today the interest in yoga is greatest in Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand.
In Denmark, a few years ago, a study was carried out concerning the number of yoga students attending evening schools. It was discovered that every year between 50,000 and 70.000 students attended yoga classes around the country each season. Over a 10 year period that means at least 10% of a population of 5 million get to know some form of yoga. There is practically one yoga teacher in every small town and hundreds in the big cities.
If one maintains that people become Hindus by practising yoga, one could just as easily claim that athletes, and everyone participating and watching the Olympic games, worships the Greek gods. We know that athletics originated in ancient Greece, where it was carried out in honour of the gods. One might ask with a certain irony: Why do they carry that flame from Mount Olympus every fourth year, are they some kind of sect?!
- I haven't changed a bit since I started...
It is our experience that yoga influences body, mind and feelings. Yoga is about exploring your abilities, about gaining real creativity, energy and concentration, about becoming your own authority and developing an independent relationship to life. It is a means of experiencing life in a strong and direct way. Beliefs, hopes and expectations about this and that, remain your own affair.
We wish to express our belief, that humans are intelligent beings, capable of making their own choices in step with an increasing awareness, and that no one chooses any attitude to life unless they wish to we are sure that you find yourself capable, dear reader, and so do we.
As one of our students said, when asked how yoga had influenced him: "I haven't changed a bit since I started doing yoga, but I feel much better!"
Kriya Yoga
In this issue of Bindu, Swami Janakananda follows up on his article on meditation, in Bindu no. 3, with the first part of a longer article on the Tantric Kriya Yoga.
The article The Source of Energy, will give you a basic idea of this meditation, which we also call the little Kriya Yoga - it also serves as an introduction to the article on Kriya Yoga.
In this issue you will also be introduced to the deep and extensive range of courses available at the Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School's International Course Center at Håå in Southern Sweden, including the current course schedule and prices. The 10 and 14day courses this summer start on the 19th of May. Because of the low exchange rate for Swedish Crowns, the courses this year will be especially good value for most other nationalities.
