YOGA Year 9 Issue 9

September 2020
Membership postage: Rs. 100

Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, Bihar, India

 Hari Om
YOGA is compiled, composed
and pub­ lished by the sannyasin
disciples of Swami Satyananda
Saraswati for the benefit of all
people who seek health, happiness
and enlightenment. It contains in­
formation about the activities of
Bihar School of Yoga, Bihar Yoga
Bharati, Yoga Publications Trust
and Yoga Research Fellowship.
Editor: Swami Gyansiddhi Saraswati
Assistant Editor: Swami Yogatirth­ GUIDELINES FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE
ananda Saraswati
YOGA is a monthly magazine. Late Mouna
subscriptions include issues from
January to December. Observe mouna for a couple of hours
Published by Bihar School of Yoga, daily at any time that suits you. Try
Ganga Darshan, Fort, Munger, Bihar to speak little at other times. Avoid
– 811201.
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Printed at Thomson Press India harsh words and obscene language.
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© Bihar School of Yoga 2020 have perfect control over speech.
Membership is held on a yearly Control over speech means control of
basis. Please send your requests mind. The organ of speech, vak indriya,
for application and all correspond­
is a great distractor of the mind.
ence to:
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Ganga Darshan anxieties and quarrels. It develops your
Fort, Munger, 811201 willpower. It conserves energy.
Bihar, India
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—Swami Sivananda Saraswati
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Total no. of pages: 56 (including cover pages)

Front cover: Sri Swami Satyananda Sannyasa

Diwas 2020
Plates: 1–4: Satsangs with Swami
Niranjanananda Saraswati

Published and printed by Swami Gyanbhikshu Saraswati on behalf of Bihar School of Yoga,
Ganga Darshan, Fort, Munger – 811201, Bihar
Printed at Thomson Press India (Ltd), 18/35 Milestone, Delhi Mathura Rd., Faridabad, Haryana.
Owned by Bihar School of Yoga Editor: Swami Gyansiddhi Saraswati
YOGA Year 9 Issue 9 • September 2020
(58th year of publication)

Contents
4 Living Yoga with Swami 31 Meditations 41 Yoga and Universal
Niranjan 33 Two Mantras Brotherhood
5 Accept This Great Science 34 Mantra 46 Yoga Lifestyle
7 Indicators of Progress 35 Connecting to Positivity 47 Lifestyle
9 Sadhana 36 Yamas and Niyamas 51 Good News
21 Necessity of Regularity 38 Six Friends 52 Lifestyle Ecology
22 Asana and Pranayama 39 Six Friends 53 Stress: Awareness and
26 Meditation Management

The Yogi is superior to the ascetic. He is deemed superior even to those versed in sacred
lore. The Yogi is superior even to those who perform action with some motive. Therefore,
Arjuna, do you become a Yogi. (Bhagavad Gita VI:46)
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Living Yoga with Swami
Niranjan
This issue of YOGA magazine
con­tains the replies and feed­
back re­ceived to a question­
naire. The basic question was:
how did Satyananda Yoga help
you man­age the situation of
Covid-19 and the period of
lock­down?
Aspirants from around the
globe wrote of their personal
experiences and the benefits
derived from yoga. Yoga did
not only help them to remain
calm and focused but led many
to a change of perspective,
attitude and way of life.
In this unprecedented environment, yoga has been the most
useful, practical and beneficial system to maintain balance and
attain harmony.
In 1964, Sri Swami Satyananda announced: Yoga is not
an ancient myth buried in oblivion. It is the most valuable
inheritance of the present. It is the essential need of today and
the culture of tomorrow.
The last few months have shown that his tomorrow has
come.

With the inspiration of Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati, a

life­style sadhana was designed. You can find the sadhana in the
YOGA magazine of June 2020, and at www.satyamyogaprasad.
net.

YOGA 4 Sep 2020

Accept This Great Science
Swami Satyananda Saraswati

Yoga is coming back to life. The science of yoga is being revived.

Lack of insight in man was the cause of the loss, or rather,
the disappearance of this ancient yogic culture. It was put
aside, hidden and forgotten. It was replaced by materialism,
together with pleasure seeking. Man wanted more and more
possessions, wealth and status. This materialism has driven
man and society to the edge of total collapse.
At this present time, when man is poised on the edge of
this crumbling precipice, he is starting to think: ‘What have I
done?’ and it is at this moment that he begins to search within
himself and finds that his ancestors, yours and mine, had a
way of life, a culture called ‘yoga’. We are starting to relive
it again. It is nothing new. Neither brought nor implanted

YOGA 5 Sep 2020

from outside, but something that is already in the collective
consciousness of all humanity.
Yoga is a mighty world culture Yoga should be given, not
for the sake of yoga, but for the sake of the human being. Yoga
is a way to perfect bliss, anandam. What is the aim of yoga?
Samadhi. What is the effect of meditation? Shanti. What is
the effect of dharana? One-pointedness. What is the effect of
pranayama? A good brain. What is the effect of asanas; a light
and healthy body. What is the result of niyama? A system or
science of life. What is the effect of yama? Breaking down the
complications in life. Yoga is a science of therapy, a science of
self-improvement and a way of discipline. Yoga is actually a
science for mankind, for his body, mind and spiritual growth.
Besides all this, however, yoga is a culture and every nation
must have a culture.
Culture is the backbone of a nation. Races which had
absolute power have disappeared from the face of the earth,
leaving no traces behind them. Nations with military might
have been destroyed. Countries with political cultures have
failed, but a country with a culture based on yoga has eternal
existence. It can survive through the vicissitudes of life, the
accidents of history and the ravages of time.
Yoga is not a political matter; it is a science of man’s inner
personality. It is a subject which is sincere, earnest and great.
Yoga can improve relations and create international goodwill.
Yoga is beneficial for the individual and, at the same time, it is
also beneficial for the whole of humanity because it is a science
which has brought natures, cultures and boundaries together,
and has brought time and space under one canopy.
Yoga is a mighty culture in the making, and very soon,
it is going to direct the experiences, behaviour, thought and
perception of mankind. Yoga is a way of life, a culture of
tomorrow. In the coming times, yoga is going to direct the
events of the world’s history, and you have a definite role to
play in this. It is up to you to accept this great science with
love, with admiration, with hope and with sincerity.

YOGA 6 Sep 2020

Indicators of Progress
Swami Sivananda Saraswati

The experience of peace, cheerfulness, contentment, dispassion,

fearlessness and an unperturbed state of mind under all
conditions indicates that you are advancing on the spiritual
path.

YOGA 7 Sep 2020

 Spiritual progress is not measured by siddhis or psychic
powers but by the depth of your bliss in meditation. These
are sure tests of your spiritual progress:
• Is your interest in inner spiritual activity and outer sadhana
increasing day by day?
• Is spiritual life a matter of great delight to your consciousness,
a delight far transcending the happiness that the world of
material pleasures offers?
• Has your personal awareness come to possess a sense of
peace and strength which non-aspirants do not find in their
everyday lives?
• Do you feel certain that your power of discrimination and
light of thought have been steadily growing?
• Is your life being gradually led to such experiences which
re­veal to you the operation of a will and intelligence other
than your own, the will and intelligence of the Omnipotent
Presence?
• Has there come into the conscious activities of your every­
day life the active function of a new delightful angle of
vision, a new perspective, a strong sense of self-possession,
a steadily growing conviction of your dependence on and
intimate relationship with the all-pervading Divinity?
If your answer to all or any of these
ques­tions is in the affir­ma­tive, be
absol­ut­ely sure that you are pro­gres­
sing, and speedily, on the spiritual
path.
Sadhana or spiritual practice should
make you ever cheer­ful, more con­cen­
trated, balanced, peaceful, con­ten­ted,
dis­pas­sion­ate, fearless, com­pas­sion­ate,
desireless and I-less. Sadhana should
give you a rich inner life, intro­spective
inner vision and an un­ruffled state of
mind under all con­di­tions of life. These
are the signs of your spiritual growth.

YOGA 8 Sep 2020

 SADHANA

The effects of Satyananda Yoga

are also seen in a near zero urge
to move out of the house. Even
though the morning mantras
are done on the bed and surya
namaskara within the confines
of the room and the entire day is
spent in front of the laptop, there
is no urge to ‘get away’ like most
of my colleagues and friends are
facing. I am not able to ascribe a
reason to it, but this is one of the
most important observations.
Another benefit of regular
sadhana is that whatever is happening around us remains at
the level of news even though the social media is so pervasive.
It does not affect the psychological state.
—Arjun, Bangalore

Satyananda Yoga practices gave me faith and a tool with which

to fight the fear of the pandemic. The emphasis on the mind and
awareness in healing the body and improving immunity gave
freedom from the fear whipped up by the media. It also gave
me something positive to do as everything was shut down.
—Meeta Sinha, Delhi

Online classes and the Bihar Yoga app have benefited me

immensely. Practising yoga helps me to keep fit, follow a
routine and better my concentration. I find surya namaskara
particularly helpful for overall exercise. Nadi shodhana helps
me in keeping calm and relaxed. I feel happy and energetic
due to yogabhyasa.
—Sonakshi Saxena, Delhi

YOGA 9 Sep 2020

I have been doing yoga every day during the lockdown. The
practice sets the tone for the day and gives a very good start
to the day. I feel relaxed in body and mind.
All the practices have really loosened the body parts, but
more specifically the butterfly asana has made a big impact
on the tightness around the hip area; bhujangasana and
ushtrasana, the camel pose, helped with the pain and stiffness
I was beginning to have in the lower back. Tadasana loosened
my ankles and I feel much better.
The sadhana definitely has a calming and relaxing effect
on my mind, helping me to connect to my inner self better.
—Shalu Laktakkia, Delhi

The sadhana helps in calming the mind and keeps things

going as in normal times. For my body all asanas worked well,
particularly surya namaskara and all three pawanmuktasana
series. Chanting of mantra and pranayama have a calming
effect on the mind. For emotional balance mantra chanting,
pranayama, yoga nidra and additional chanting like Om help
me a lot.
—Meenal Bhargava, Delhi

The yoga and spiritual practices, which I have been undertaking

individually and with family regularly, have been the biggest
pillars of strength during this period as well as the impact of
improving the depth of awareness of yogic practices.
—Sannyasi Dharmaprem, Delhi

These days I have enough time to do personal sadhana

which is improving as there is no rush in life, I am also less
tired which makes sadhana easier to do. The practice of
manahprasad and the collective Mahamrityunjaya mantra
in the evening generated a sense of protection for the entire

YOGA 10 Sep 2020

family. Manahprasad was like a reminder to remain happy,
especially when I felt angry.
—Dinesh Chandra, Delhi

For physical health, pawanmuktasana practices and nadi

shodhana pranayam with kumbhaka and bandhas were most
effective. For mind and emotions, mantra and stotra chanting
and Review of the Day were most helpful.
All family members do Agnihotra together both times
of the day. We also sit together and chant Shree Ganapati
Athrvashirshya, Hanuman Chalisa, Guru Stotra, and then I chant
Shiva Mahimna Stotra and they all listen.
—Sannyasi Mantrasarita, Mumbai

Satyananda Yoga helps me to focus during an hour or two

only on myself. It helps me to slow down, introspect more, to
stay strong and positive. Asana practice done with body and
breath awareness and focus followed by pranayama allows
me to cope and reduce increased mental stress, anxiety and
body stiffness. Yoga practice boosts my immune system, helps
me maintain physical strength and agility. It releases physical
blockages and lets my prana flow with ease. It gives me a clear
daily structure and roots me firmly, physically, mentally as
well as emotionally in these difficult times. Yoga nidra and
frequent meditation help me to stay calm, to relax and to let
go of extra tension while creating mental distancing. Yoga
brings tranquillity and peace of mind to me, my home and
my surrounding.
—Sylvia Deschamps, Thailand/Switzerland

I practise Satyananda Yoga, every day at least for one hour and
some days for two hours. The practice has enabled me to be
calmer when faced with difficult situations, less emotional and
angry. The asanas have helped to keep my body moving and

YOGA 11 Sep 2020

fit during this time, especially as we were not able to walk as
much as during normal times. The prayanama practices have
been useful to help calm my mind, especially the alternate
nostril breathing, the breathing in through teeth and the dog
breathing. In addition, the humming bee breathing has helped
me to have deeper and longer sleep during this period.
—Sui Lin Teoh, Thailand/Malaysia

I have noticed more clearly the reactions of my body, my

emotions and my thoughts to the situations that I experience
at work and in my personal life at this moment.
I am eating better quality food, I feel healthier and stronger
physically than before. I am strengthening my ability to have
discipline to cultivate not only the practices taught by the
teachers, but also other practices in which I can monitor my
breathing more carefully, such as cleaning the house, taking
care of the plants and painting.
—Juliana Batista, Brazil

The Satyananda Yoga practices have helped me immensely to

keep my discipline. Based on the fact that I am at home for so
long, in social isolation and unemployed, I am having a harder
time doing my personal practice without direct guidance.
The Yoga Capsules have been saving me right now! It helps
me to have the courage to live each day, especially on a day
that I am most discouraged. I can keep my physical, mental
and emotional health as much as possible. My body is more
flexible and pain free every week. I can focus on my studies
and I leave no room for pessimism. I am also improving my
self-understanding and being more understanding with my
husband and my mother, who are spending this time with me.
I have been able to connect more with myself, observing each
sensation and each difficulty.
—Paola Ribeiro, Brazil

YOGA 12 Sep 2020

My sadhana has been intensified,
both because I can spend more
time at home and because I need to
take care of body and mind. Most
helpful were surya namaskara,
shashank­asana and TTK.
My chanting consists of one
mala of Gayatri Mantra (x 108)
with breath aware­ness, Maha­
mrityun­jaya mantra (x 108) and
Hanuman Chalisa daily.
—Sannyasi Gayatri, Brazil

The yoga practices have been really important through this

period. In the beginning, when we faced the opportunity to
stop the many activities that we were engaged in and gaze
with­in our­selves, the practices were a motivation to face the
‘un­known’. As time went by and as the practices got more chal­
len­ging, there was a feeling of attaining security, strength and
light­ness. To my surprise, I had a feeling of great contentment.
Especially surya namaskara, mantra chanting and prana­
yama were helpful.
I delve a little deeper in some pranayama practices. I
intensify surya namaskara and it becomes important as
a vitality practice. The self-observation process is also an
important aspect to me because it helps me to make my
understanding and self-confidence more concrete.
—Angela, Brazil

Since we started this process of social distancing, I have made

a sankalpa that every request for help that would come to me
and considered to be serious, I would contribute to. This has
helped me a lot in the purpose of expanding my awareness,
sharing my prosperity, and getting out of my comfort zone. I

YOGA 13 Sep 2020

have noticed the six friends appearing, sometimes stronger,
sometimes more relaxed, which has enabled me to learn how
to work better in these aspects. I also decided not to wait for
any request to arrive. I need to understand people’s needs and
do something as an opportunity to give.
Recognizing how deep the Satyananda Yoga tradition is
and becoming more grateful, committed and regular with our
tradition, I am still taking the first steps in this period and your
support has helped me to take firmer steps.
—Sannyasi Atmamitram, Brazil

From all my heart and soul, I want to express my gratitude for

the support we all received during these unordinary times! I
practised mostly OMline a few days a week. I was not able to
afford going to a studio. This helped me during the isolation as
I was feeling the fear of loneliness and the fear of the unknown.
—Tinka Georgieva, Bulgaria

People became very enthusiastic with the online classes and

some of them were joining every day. Some elderly people who
were stuck at home really appreciated this opportunity. It was
amazing to see how the people were changing and becoming
more confident, happy and relaxed.
People get used to practise at home and establish their
sadhana place. They feel more comfortable and safe at home.
The best thing is that most of them established a place for
their yoga practices and feel connected to it; so hopefully
they will develop regularity in their practice. It also gave the
opportunity to people who live abroad or in remote areas to
join the classes.
We are so grateful for the wonderful online resources
and guidelines given in satyamyogaprasad.net for the Yogic
Lifestyle Sadhana, the Bihar Yoga App, the FFH Apps and
the Guru Poornima digital Prasad. They helped us a lot to feel

YOGA 14 Sep 2020

our connection even from a distance, keep our faith and stay
positive and happy. Thank you Swamiji for the great support,
love and care you have been sharing with us.
—Sannyasis Mudita and Radha, Bulgaria

The whole beautiful capsule sadhana – asanas, pranayamas,

bandhas, yoga nidra, meditations, SWAN, review of the day –
every single piece of this wonderful picture is so precious, so
perfectly designed for us to grow on all levels.
—Sannyasi Priyatma, Bulgaria

I started practising antar mouna and indriya pratyahara twice –

morning and evening. Every day for one hour I listened to
satsangs and uplifting talks on videos.
All the practices I did really saved me – the most important
three were: yoga from moment to moment, japa and namaskara,
being humble in behaviour, action and thinking. Accept, adjust
and accommodate whatever life brings me, to live yoga from
moment to moment and the yamas and niyamas from the
Second Chapter have become part of my life routine.
—Sannyasi Beejamantra, Bulgaria

The Satyananda Yoga practices are definitely beneficial as they

ground me and take away any anxiety or negative thoughts.
In these times more than ever, they help me to have a soothing
and therapeutic asana practice.
—Jhilmil Breckenridge, London

Satyananda Yoga practices have supported me a great deal.

They keep me grounded and help me to connect with the
positive in life by nourishing my faith, strengthening my body
as well as by helping me to manage my mind and emotions.

YOGA 15 Sep 2020

 When there were days where I
failed to keep up the whole sadhana,
it was singing kirtan in particular
that kept my spirits up and created
space for seeing life in a positive light
and to counterbalance the field of
negativity.
Pranayama made me aware of
the life-force within myself and
helped me to re-calibrate myself to
the here and now.
—Sibylle Kratzke, Germany

The Satyananda Yoga practices and way of being is a complete

‘partner’ of my everyday life. During the lockdown my body
stayed healthy, flexible and balanced; my feelings were those of
ser­en­ity, con­fidence, compassion and joy. Thanks to the prac­
tices, I am full of energy, not only of a vital, physical energy but
also of an in­terior one, which opens my creativity, my human­ity,
my sense of self-acceptance and furthermore, my consciousness.
—Sannyasi Diti, Greece

I found the Satyananda Yoga practices (chanting, asanas,

prana­yama, yoga nidra, meditation) all together very powerful.
Before, I only did meditation and asanas. I discovered that the
chan­ting is also a very important tool and should be included
in the daily practices. I was very impressed how beneficial
these prac­tices were for me. Now I do yoga nidra more often
and chanting as well
—Woman in her 30s, Hungary

A variety of exercises help maintain my physical and mental

balance. For physical health I did exercises for spinal twisting,
stretching, dissolving energy blocks; for mental health I

YOGA 16 Sep 2020

practised full yogic breathing, nadi shodhana and bhramari,
mantras and yoga nidra. For emotional health I did the Review
of the Day and recalling my joys and happy experiences
—Pensioner, Hungary

Satyananda Yoga practices are helping me to balance emotions,

mind, body and to remember to be present in the present
moment, living from moment to moment. I have started
to begin every morning with a few minutes of thoughts of
gratitude for everything this life is giving me.
—Chaitanya, Italy

Having more time I could intensify the sadhana, adding more

prac­tices, especially pranayama, mantra and aradhana. My big­
gest lifestyle change was slowing down the rhythm of my life.
It has been definitely an apt time for deeper introspection.
Living completely alone, meeting nobody and having no
contact with the outer world. It meant also feeling the pull of
the six friends only lightly; I could develop santosha better.
All on my own I felt inner peace always increasing.
—Sannyasi Yogasamadhi, Italy

The practice of nadi shaodhana pranayama along with

mantra sadhana and pawanmuktasana helped me most. I
also practised daily the mantra sadhana indicated for this
period of the 32 Durga mantras, Mahamrityunjaya mantra
and Hanuman Chalisa.
—Jignasu Dhyanamitra, Italy

The Satyananda Yoga practices help me to maintain stability and

deal with the situation with greater balance. Especially helpful
are surya namaskara, naukasana and pashimottanasana, nadi
shodhana pranayama, ajapa japa meditation, mantra sadhana

YOGA 17 Sep 2020

and kirtan. The chanting of 108 Mahamrityunjaya mantra has
become part of my everyday life.
—Jignasu Prembindu, Italy

I really enjoyed having more time to do my sadhana and I feel

I have deepened my practice and acquired a little more know­
ledge and security in what I know. Asana was necessary for
me, and certainly pranayana and meditation. Perhaps the most
important aspect is the appearance of the witness at all times.
I feel I am developing more clarity for what is important for
my life and at the same time I wish to eliminate the superfluous
and useless. Moreover, my contact with nature has intensified.
—Sannyasi Atmabhava, Italy

These times have not at all been difficult for me, so I really
enjoyed yoga practices and lifestyle, as I had more time. I
deeply experienced the benefits of practices and lifestyle; now
I better know how and what practices I can use when I face
some difficulties in life.
—Sannyasi Bhaktimala, Italy

Satyananda Yoga practices help in an ‘invisible’ way. While

I’m doing them I do not perceive any flashing effects, but when
I pay attention in various situations during the day, I realize
how much the practices are helping me, especially on the
mental and emotional levels – they promote my mental health,
psychological stability, help me handle anger, frustration and
bad feelings. They help ‘chase the bugs from my head’.
All asanas, pranayama, kriyas and meditations do help
me stay physically healthy. Mantra japa, pranayama, all
meditations and awareness of the regularity of sadhana are
the strongest contributors to my emotional stability.
—Divyaratna, Serbia

YOGA 18 Sep 2020

Satyananda Yoga practices helped me pass through this period
without any difficulty. I don’t experience panic attacks, fears,
any disturbance at all. Yoga helped me a lot to remain calm,
composed and healthy.
—Ljiljana Stanojevic, Serbia

Satyananda Yoga practices are helping me to decrease stress

and maintain relaxation of body and mind. Surya namaskara,
nadi shodhana, ajapa japa and yoga nidra were the most
effective practices.
—Sanja Calija, Serbia

Satyananda Yoga practices helped me find a focus and new

meaning in my life. They strengthened me physically so I can
run for 20 km as a routine in my training. Emotionally, they
helped me deal with the stress caused by the pandemic and
the uncertainties it brought.
For my physical health I practised pawanmuktasana part
1 for six months, and now I focus on pawanmuktasana part 2
for the next six months. Yoga nidra is for my mental health. I
do nadi shodhana pranayama daily three times a day for my
emotional balance.
—Goran Gligorijevic, Serbia (jiu-jitsu fighter)

Satyananda Yoga practices help me maintain balance, emo­

tion­al stability and give me a feeling of inner peace. I practise
mostly bhujangasana, marjari asana, eka pada pranamasana,
anuloma viloma pranayama, yoga nidra, and for emotional
health shavasana, gomukhasana.
—Katarina Dasic, Serbia

It is difficult to maintain calm, stability and clarity in these

circumstances, and this defines the quality of daily life and of
each moment of the day. Satyananda Yoga helps me immensely
to achieve this.

YOGA 19 Sep 2020

 Upon waking up I do the three morning mantras with
sankalpas. Then I do asanas for 20 minutes, adjusted to my back
pain, and kapalbhati 15 minutes, nadi shodhana 15 minutes,
bhramari or anuloma viloma 10 minutes.
In the afternoon I do yoga nidra or yoga nap, and in the
evening meditation, and ajapa japa or antar mouna followed
by japa 25 to 45 minutes. Before sleep I do Review of the Day.
Apart from this, I also practise the lifestyle yama and
niyama pairs which I rotate every two weeks. I do SWAN
analysis once in 10 days, Mahamrityunjaya mantra 108 times
weekly, shatkarmas (neti daily, laghoo shankaprakshalana
every 3 weeks).
I believe this whole package helps my physical, mental and
emotional health a lot.
—Srecko Pantelic, Serbia

Satyananda Yoga practices are very powerful for physical,

mental and emotional health. Pawanmuktasana series 1–3,
TTK, surya namaskara, viparita karani especially benefit my
physical health and vitality. The practise of yoga nidra is
very beneficial for my emotional health and the practice of
swadhyaya (spiritual diary, SWAN, ITIES, lifestyle yamas and
niyamas) for my mental health. The practice of pranayama
supports equally physical, mental and emotional health.
—Robin Caratsch, Switzerland

YOGA 20 Sep 2020

Necessity of Regularity
How does regular asana practice keep
muscles and joints healthy?
Swami Sivananda: Thickened and im­mov­
able joints with consequent lack of free
movement give a great deal of discomfort
and uneasiness. If the joints move freely
the ligaments and surrounding tissues
will be in a healthy condition. By the
practice of asanas, free movement is
given to the all the joints, including the
spinal joints. Free movement prevents
the spine from stiffening and contracting, checking ossification
and degeneration of the bones in the spinal column. Muscles
of the cervical, dorsal and lumbar regions are also stretched
and relaxed. The body is thus kept in a fit condition.
If muscles are not properly exercised, they contract. The
blood circulation and nerve force are consequently impeded
and functional disturbances of the organs and of general nerve-
tone result. The muscles atrophy. Practice of asanas keeps the
muscles, organs and nerves in a healthy condition. In turn, sound
functioning of the organs depends upon good healthy nerves.
Yoga, therefore, is the perfect system of physical culture.
It is the king of all exercise systems. By practising these yogic
exercises, the body is made strong and healthy. There is no use
theorizing; what is wanted is regular, systematic, sustained
practice. An ounce of practice is better than tons of theory.
Many people practise these exercises by fits and starts, giving
up the practice after some months, hence the full benefits of the
system are not derived. Regularity in the practice is a necessity.
—Printed in Conversations on the Science of Yoga –
Hatha Yoga Book 7, Hatha Yoga and Health

YOGA 21 Sep 2020

ASANA AND PRANAYAMA

Satyananda Yoga practices help in many ways:

• Organizing the day
• Improving the ability to deal with uncertainty
• Negating the urge to venture out of home
• Emotional and mental stability
• Looking for opportunity in adversity
Surya namaskara helps greatly. During the practice when I try
and mentally run the awareness through the various chakras
while trying to be aware of the count and the right posture,
the ensuing 23-25 minutes are a journey of imagining the day
that lies ahead, the mental preparation of responses to events
that are not planned but do occur and reenergize the energy
ecosystem. The practice helps to focus on what’s important,
not get hassled by what’s not important and most importantly
imagine and create scenarios that eventually unfold. When the
scenarios occur, since I have encountered them in the morning,
they do not come as a surprise and I mostly respond to them
rather than react.
The effect of increasing counts of bhramari pranayama,
along with yoga nidra, has been on the subconscious mind.

YOGA 22 Sep 2020

The quality of sleep has improved, and nervous energy accrued
during the day gets washed away again in the evening.
—Arjun, Bangalore

Slow surya namaskara using a video where Swami Niranjan­

ananda Saraswati paces the asanas gave a boost of energy
and set the tone for the day at an energetic note. I also started
the lower back asanas in the FFH app which took care of my
lower back pain. This helped with my complaints of low
energy, feeling bored and body pains. It made me feel capable
internally because it re-established my routine.
—Ashwasti Tripathi, Delhi

My sadhana has changed, I was putting more focus on the

asanas, but now they became preparation for pranayama. I
try to spend more time on my breathing and I like the short
practices, that Swamiji shared with us, especially the ajapa
japa. It is wonderful to send light with your inner self.
—Jignasu Buddhi, Bulgaria

During the three months of isolation at home, I continued to

practise, not so regularly, but when I needed. When I felt that
I was accumulating tension or getting into a family conflict
situation, I applied breathing techniques (yogic breathing and
nadi shodhana breathing 11 times). I found that this reduces
the tension and calms me down. After the conscious breathing
I felt balanced, and because of this the conflicts around me
suddenly disappeared.
After three months of regular yoga practice, the blood tests
showed that the insulin levels had come to a normal level, given
that I already stopped taking the medicines in December 2019.
I believe that yoga helps me to be healthier, to love myself and

YOGA 23 Sep 2020

to live in harmony with others without judging or becoming
angry with them.
—Stanislava Nikolova, Bulgaria

At the beginning of lockdown, I had intensified my sadhana,

increased the number of rounds in asanas and pranayamas,
and I used that opportunity to do practices more deeply,
without rush. Later after a few months, I had a lot of struggle
with motivation and regularity, and finally I came back to the
normal everyday routine, with moderate number of rounds,
and everyday meditation and yoga nidra. I have realized how
asanas and pranayamas were important, and the days when I
skipped them were full of heaviness and negativity.
—Jignasu Devamitra, Serbia

When I do my sadhana I feel

a great positive impact on my
physical and mental func­tion­
ality. The strongest impression
is how my body moves better
and easier, and my mental
clar­ity and speed of thinking
increase. I manage challenging
situations which call for
additional concentration much
better. I make better decisions
be­cause I have a clearer picture
of my goals and the direction I
want to go.
—Miljan Pelevic, Serbia

YOGA 24 Sep 2020

Muscle Memory
Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati

Do muscles have memory? Do they have consciousness,

subconscious and unconscious memories like the mind? The
answer is no. Muscles don’t have conscious, subconscious,
unconscious memories. They are organic. The memory in
muscles is the conditioning. It is not a smriti, it is a conditioning.
When you walk around your home for years, you can walk
there in total darkness for you know where the steps are, where
the furniture is, where everything is. That is due to muscle
memory and your own memory.
When you do surya namaskara and it happens with
ease, without you thinking what comes next, that is muscle
memory. When the body is tuned to do certain things without
the participation of the planning conscious mind, then that is
identified as muscle memory. It is an autonomic process. It is
a conditioning that comes up. When children learn to climb
steps for the first few days or weeks they find it difficult. Once
they get used to it, they can simply climb and crawl up the
steps. They don’t use memory or the intelligence to decide, the
body is able to do it. That is muscle memory which happens
without participation of the conscious planning mind.
—17 October 2019, Progressive Yoga Vidya Training 1,
Ganga Darshan, Munger

YOGA 25 Sep 2020

Meditation
Swami Satyananda Saraswati

All forms of yoga are preparations for meditation. The practice

of hatha yoga purifies the body, the practice of bhakti yoga
purifies the emotional personality, the practice of jnana yoga
purifies the intellect. After these practices you take to the
practice of meditation.
When you close your eyes, what do you see inside? You
see consciousness inside. Beyond the body is mind and beyond
the mind is spirit. The purpose of meditation is to discover this
unseen spirit. Through meditation you are able to transcend the
world of name and form, and then you come to a world which
has no boundaries and no limitations. Therefore, remember
that meditation is like a bridge which takes you from this shore
to the other shore.

YOGA 26 Sep 2020

 MEDITATIONS

Review of the Day is now part

of my life and daily routine.
It helps me to improve my
aware­ness, control anger and
emo­tions. I used Guruji’s form­
ula – Do I really need it? Asking
myself three times worked, and
I found that my needs are very
limi­ted. This formula changed
my view of life.
—Priyanka, Delhi

The practices of ajapa japa

medi­ta­tion in the FFH app
con­nec­ted me with loved ones
des­pite social distancing. The practice of Review of the Day just
be­fore I drifted off to sleep felt like an emotional recuperation
that made sure that I woke up feeling more capable emotionally
and well rested.
—Ashwasti Tripathi, Delhi

The regular mantra chanting always makes me positive, gives

me joy and strength. Yoga nidra saves me from night tensions
and sleeplessness – I use it instead of pills. I am very thankful
and indebtеd to yoga.
—Mitra, Bulgaria

Most helpful were the medi­ta­tion practices, especially antar

mouna, the quality of ob­ser­va­tion and developing the drashta
attitude and the qualities of vairagya and viveka.
—Swami Nirvikalpa, Greece

YOGA 31 Sep 2020

The meditation in which we were send­ing love, white light,
wishes for health and wisdom, caring for all the people of the
world, especially for the ‘Frontline Heroes’ is something that
I practised for 50 days daily. It had an extremely purifying
effect on me! I continue practising it every Saturday, and
whenever my mind is in a suitable state to ‘permit’ it daily in
my everyday life.
—Sri Vidya, Greece

I practised the SWAN meditation, one week for each aspect,

this was very beneficial to reconnect with my inner SWAN. The
practice of hridayakasha dharana connected me with the heart
space, gave me faith, believe, trust and the energy to maintain
the quality of my performance as a nurse at the hospital.
—Sannyasi Jyotiratna, Switzerland

YOGA 32 Sep 2020

Two Mantras
Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati

Three morning mantras, the Mahamrityunjaya mantra, Gayatri

mantra and the 32 names of Durga, are the sankalpa mantras.
They are enforcing an idea, they are enforcing a thought, a
condition that you desire in life. They are trying to build a
situation in your life according to your sankalpa.
These sankalpa mantras are repeated when you are
mentally fresh, like early morning when you wake in that half
sleeping and half-awake condition. Let them enter into your
subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is the creative
mind, the conscious mind is the interactive, sensorial mind,
and the unconscious mind is loss of awareness, knowledge and
perception. It is the subconscious mind which is responsible
for mastery of life, mastery over mind, over habits and one’s
nature, behaviour, traits, and the sensorial activity. It is the
subconscious mind which trains you. Therefore, the sankalpas
are put in the subconscious mind when the mind is in the state
of relaxation.
Your personal mantra or guru mantra is according to your
horoscope and zodiac sign. It indicates your own natural
frequency and vibration. That mantra is practised at night
when the mind is tense and agitated, when you come back
from your involvement and interaction with society, the family
and the world, when you are mentally exhausted and tired,
then you do the guru mantra not when you are relaxed and
peaceful. The guru mantra will bring the experience of balance,
tranquillity, harmony, peace and happiness by disconnecting
you from the influence of suffering and dejection. It makes
you stable in your own nature.

YOGA 33 Sep 2020

MANTRA

Mantra sadhana both in the morning and in the evening created

a sense of calm in the mind, and a kavach or a shield around
the turbulent impact of the pandemic.
—Ashwasti Tripathi, Delhi

I incorporated the 3 new mantras in my morning sadhana - Sri

Ganesha Atharvashirsham, Hanuman Chalisa and Guru Stotram. I
can feel that I am charging myself to the point that I could fly.
—Jignasu Buddhi, Bulgaria

I have started the chanting of Hanuman Chalisa and the

Mahamrtyunjaya havan daily for about 50 days; it was
really an awesome experience for me. So, after these almost
50 days passed, I will continue the Hanuman Chalisa and
Mahamrtyunjaya chanting every Saturday.
—Sri Vidya, Greece

The time available allowed for greater continuity in my

sadhana. I have always had a special feeling with mantras, and
in this period they have always accompanied me. The morning
mantra sadhana is now the constant beginning of my day.
—Jignasu Gambhir, Italy

I have introduced new practices in my daily life: Sama Veda

Shanti Mantra at sandikal, turning towards the rising and setting
sun to harmonize with Nature, Mother Earth and the Cosmos
and to express my gratitude towards them. I chant the Sri
Ganesha Atharvashirsham, Hanuman Chalisa and Guru Stotram.
—Sannyasi Bhaktimala, Italy

YOGA 34 Sep 2020

Connecting to Positivity
Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati

With the yamas and niyamas yoga does not remain an isolated
practice, it makes other moments which you live in society yogic
moments. They form the concept of yoga dharma which you
express in your ‘unyogic’ moments to make them yogic. Yamas
and niyamas are expressions, behaviours and conditionings
to fill the mind with positivity and inspiration. People think
of yamas and niyamas as ethical and moral teachings, yet
they represent the emergence of your connection with the
positive dimension of your nature and provide an antidote
to negativity. They take you in the most positive direction
that you can aspire for. Yamas reach inside and change you
from within, while niyamas are the external actions that you
perform to experience the positive change internally. Yamas
and niyamas are the path that lead to positivity and creativity
in normal everyday situations.

YOGA 35 Sep 2020

YAMAS AND NIYAMAS

Before lockdown I used to spend too much money on clothes.

During lockdown I realized the niyama of santosha, content­
ment. Simple living really gives peace to the mind that I could
feel.
—Priyanka, Delhi

My new focus is looking attentively at santosha and aparigraha.

I feel it is becoming most important to live a simple life, not
only for our own spirituality, but for humankind. Not being
greedy and to live happy with minimum requirements is really
necessary for our environment and the future of our children.
The stillness of the lockdown and satyamyogaprasad App
reminded me of that.
—Doris Flaender, Germany

I have adopted the IDY program, I keep a SWAN diary, get

up earlier, try to use less water and plastic and use used water
for cleaning and watering plants. I practise the yamas and
niyamas, forgiving others and myself and remembering to
be human.
—Swami Kriyamurti, Germany

Besides the yoga practices, I realized it was a time to practise:

• attention – what is the situation, what is the danger
• cleanliness – in general and in regard to the virus
• acceptance – you have to stay at home
• discipline – keep distance, wear a mask, wash your hands,
touch only what is essential
• flexibility – there are new rules you have to follow
• adaptation – everyday routine changed significantly
• contentment – we could purchase what we needed, spend
this period at home in the countryside, we had beautiful
weather and the internet to keep in touch.

YOGA 36 Sep 2020

I felt stable and relaxed, because I knew and experienced that
yogic principles are showing the way to cope with these hard
times.
—Woman in her forties, Hungary

When physical movement was decreased and the time spent

online was increased, it was vital to practise danti and indriya
nigraha. The tendency of the mind was to browse through
news and see how the situation developed. There was lobha
for news. It was not easy to keep a good measure. The mind
wanted information and due to the amount of information
available, I could spend lots of time reading information,
opinions which also created negativity. The attitude of danti
and indriya nigraha helped to keep browsing and the brooding
which followed at a healthy level. I will definitely work to
further integrate them in my lifestyle.
—Sannyasi Anandaratna, Switzerland

YOGA 37 Sep 2020

Six Friends
Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati
All interactions in life are guided by one of the six friends
and not by human wisdom. Therefore, negativity rises and
develops in the personality. Why do you become more and
more tamasic? It is because you fall prey to the influence of the
six conditions of mind. The purpose of yoga is to manage the
six conditions of the mind, not just the conditions of the body.
People use yoga for health and wellbeing which is physical,
and for peace and relaxation which is psychological. Fair
enough. However, don’t limit yoga to that only. Use it to fulfil
your needs, but remember that the aspiration of yoga is to
manage the six conditions of the mind, for it is these conditions
that lead you into the well of suffering, insecurity, ignorance
and negativity.
No matter how good your health is, no matter how much
money you have, if you fall prey to these conditions, there
is never happiness, contentment or satisfaction. Therefore,
application of the vidya, the understanding, to improve the
lifestyle and bring a qualitative change in the perceptions is
necessary. That is the effort of the second chapter.

YOGA 38 Sep 2020

 SIX FRIENDS

I feel that, as my mind is not so busy with so many external

issues, I have been doing more reflection and self-analysis.
The six friends have been present in my consciousness quite
often. I still cannot handle them as I would like to, but they
are more noticeable when they appear. I have become aware
of what I have been feeling, such as patterns of behaviour and
thinking in myself. Sometimes I feel that I am in a good process
of mental and emotional cleansing, even though many things
I still do not manage well. I have seen more clearly the points
where I am stuck and I need to let go.
—Sannyasi Atmamitram, Brazil

The first few days, I felt krodha coming several times. I am

more aware of lobha – how I want to do so many things. This
contributes to the eternal lack of time. There are only 24 hours
in a day and not everything can be fitted in them, but lobha
makes us want to fit in a lot more than possible.
—Swami Vivekamurti, Bulgaria

The six friends influenced the mind according tothe conditions

and played their own role.

YOGA 39 Sep 2020

• Kama – my desires were balanced and prioritized.
• Krodha – there was less anger since I had less external
stimulations.
• Lobha – was present in regard to food and the constant desire
for more information.
• Moha – expressed itself as worry for the health of my family
and friends.
• Mada and matsarya were not really activated.
—Prem, Greece

I feel my practice of pratipaksha bhavana has been consolidated.

I have had more time for introspection and the serenity to
recognize the six friends as soon as they arose. Remembering
my time at BSY, I have often been able to cope with them in
positive, creative and useful ways, and also to transform them
into their opposites, or into good energies to do new things
in life.
—Sannyasi Bhaktimala, Italy

This period has taught me that in moments when our inner

security is shaken, the six friends are coming to the fore. I have
noticed krodha in my thoughts and reactions. I felt how one
whole situation was making me more irritable and reactive,
especially at the beginning when the situation was not yet
accepted.
I was very easily disturbed by people not respecting the
distance in a closed space, or by politicians being contradictory
all the time. I have also noticed many people being angry on
the street and less tolerant.
At the same time, some kind of spontaneous and natural
pratipaksha bhavana was happening. As much as there was
tension, I noticed that people, including myself, were becoming
more caring towards others.
—Jignasu Devamitra, Serbia

YOGA 40 Sep 2020

Yoga and Universal
Brotherhood
Swami Shivadhyanam Saraswati

The ancient spiritual and cultural traditions of India have

always believed in the idea of unity in diversity. The different
yogic traditions and schools of this land are no exception. The
ideals of universal amity, fraternity and unity have always
been upheld by the yoga shastras, whether it is the Yoga
Sutras of Sage Patanjali where the importance of goodwill
and compassion towards others has been emphasized (1:33):
Maitreekarunaamuditopekshaanaam sukhaduhkha-
punyaapunyavishayaanaam bhaavanaatashchittaprasaadanam
In relation to happiness, misery, virtue and vice, by
cultivating the attitudes of friendliness, compassion,
gladness and indifference respectively, the mind
becomes purified and peaceful. Be friendly with those
who are content. Be compassionate towards those who
are in pain. Be happy for those who are virtuous. Practise
indifference to the crooked. Cultivate these attitudes and
the mind becomes purified and peaceful.

Or the Narada Bhakti Sutras of Sage Narada where aspirants

have been exhorted to rise above petty divisions of caste and
creed, wealth and knowledge (sutra 72):
Naasti teshu jaati-vidyaa-roopa-kula-dhana-kriyaabhedah
Among them (the devotees) there is no distinction
based on caste, learning, beauty, family or birth, wealth,
observance or profession and the like.

YOGA 41 Sep 2020

Or the Bhagavad Gita where Sri Krishna extols the attitude of
seeing oneself in others (6:32):
Aatmaupamyena sarvatra samam pashyati yo’rjuna
Sukham vaa yadi vaa dukham sa yogee paramo matah.
He who, through the likeness of the Self, O Arjuna,
sees equality everywhere, be it pleasure or pain, he is
regarded as the highest yogi.

In recent times, the true intent and purpose of these values

seem to have been ignored by sadhaks and scholars alike and
relegated to the background.
It is in this context that one must see the evolution and
propagation of these ideals in the Bihar Yoga tradition. This
tradition begins with Sri Swami Sivananda Saraswati of
Rishikesh, who established the Divine Life Society in 1936
and started disseminating his yogic message from thereon.

YOGA 42 Sep 2020

In the backdrop of two devastating World Wars, it is no wonder
that the eightfold yogic path he espoused began with the three
cardinal principles of Serve, Love and Give.
Swami Sivananda earnestly believed that man should
honour, help and love his fellow men, and therein lay the path
to his own evolution and salvation. “Develop universal love,”
he declared emphatically, “This will help you to live peacefully
with all men and all creatures. Send out a steady stream of
thought and goodwill to all creation. The energizing motive
behind every thought should be service and friendliness.”
Sri Swami Satyananda Saraswati, one of the foremost
disciples of Swami Sivananda, established the Bihar School of
Yoga in 1963 to fulfil the mandate that his guru had given him:
‘to spread the message of yoga from door to door and shore to
shore’. What happened in the next twenty years was nothing
short of a yogic renaissance. The message of yoga spread
throughout India and the world. It brought people of different
nationalities, cultures, religions, races, castes and creeds under
the shade of the kalpataru, the wish-fulfilling tree, of yoga where
everyone could find succour, shelter and support.

YOGA 43 Sep 2020

 In 2014, when the United Nations General Assembly
unani­mously passed a resolution to celebrate 21st June as
the International Day of Yoga, it was a recognition of the
universal, all-embracing scope of yoga and its role in promoting
international harmony and brotherhood.
After fulfilling his guru’s mandate, Swami Satyananda
renounced all his accomplishments and retired into seclusion to
perform higher vedic sadhanas and perfect the cardinal ideals
of Serve, Love and Give that his guru had preached. Through
unswerving commitment and dedication, he reached the state
of perfect atmabhava, the pinnacle of yogic and spiritual life,
where one truly feels for others as one would feel for oneself.
Then the concept of vasudhaiva kutumbakam, the whole world
being one’s family, does not remain a mere ideal, but manifests
in a very spontaneous and natural manner in one’s life.
A few words of Swami Satyananda should suffice to high­
light the importance of this dictum of vasudhaiva kutumbakam:
“My philosophy is very simple. The entire panchayat is my
ashram. Every house here is my house. Their pains and plea­
sures are my own. Their poverty is my own poverty and their
happi­ness is my happiness.” What a poignant yet down-to-earth
des­crip­tion of the state of atmabhava, and a practical realization
of Christ’s message to ‘Love thy neighbour as thyself’.
In recent years, Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati, spiritual
successor of Swami Satyananda Saraswati, has embarked
upon the task of guiding the Bihar School of Yoga into the
next phase of its yogic journey. The goal of this second phase
is to in­spire people towards sadachar, righteous conduct and a
posi­tive, uplifting yogic lifestyle. In present times, the quality
of life­style is deteriorating across the globe. The stressors of
life are re­ducing the physical and psychological capabilities of
every individual. If this is not rectified, humanity will definitely
face a crisis. Negativity will become rampant; violence, anger,
jealousy, hatred and intolerance will become like raging
wildfires; and the ideal of universal brotherhood will remain
a distant dream.

YOGA 44 Sep 2020

 According to Swami Niranjan-­
­ananda, the yogic jour­ney to­
wards positivity is aid­ed by the
prac­tice of yama and niyama.
They are the eternal prin­ci­ples
that de­fine the up­lift­ing traits in
life, representing a cul­min­ation
of the human effort to experience
the beauty, peace, bliss, truth and
expansiveness of life. A conscious
and sincere effort to practise
these will transform the state
of one’s own mind as well as
the environment around oneself,
leading to more harmonious
interactions and relationships
with fellow human beings.
For instance, the niyama of namaskara, greeting others with
the attitude of acknowledging the divinity in them, develops
humility in oneself and a sense of respect for others. The yama
of kshama, forgiveness, allows one to set aside the emotional
baggage from previous unpleasant interactions with others
and re-develop a positive connection with them. Similarly the
niyama of maitri, goodwill, enables one to drop the self-erected
barriers of hostility and indifference, and adopt an attitude
of goodwill and friendliness towards all.
As Bihar School of Yoga embarks on the second phase of
its yogic mandate, it aims to fulfil the prophetic words of its
founder and inspirer, Sri Swami Satyananda, “Like the rays of
the moon, the light of yoga is expanding. All religions, beliefs
and sects are receiving shelter under the kalpataru of yoga.
Towards the evolution of man’s consciousness, yoga has done
unforgettable work. Yoga will become tomorrow’s culture,
and will show a new way of life for mankind.”

YOGA 45 Sep 2020

Yoga Lifestyle
Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati

The concept of ‘moment to moment yoga’ revolves around

lifestyle. Until now, for many people yoga was a practice to be
done in the classroom once, twice or thrice a week, for the sake
of feeling good physically, reducing and removing stress, and
attaining greater relaxation. Beyond this physical wellbeing,
psychological wellbeing and spiritual wellbeing, yoga had no
other meaning.
When it comes to lifestyle, it means making your whole
routine a yogic routine. Not just practising yoga for one hour
in the morning as a system or discipline, but living yoga every
hour, every minute. It means practising yoga according to the
time and the need.
This attitudinal correctness will lead to readjusting your
routine, aspirations and efforts in life. There has to be an
awareness from morning until night, moment to moment.
There has to be an awareness of being able to see ‘what I am
doing’ every moment, to check myself and correct myself every
moment. This happens when lifestyle is defined and looked
into.

YOGA 46 Sep 2020

 LIFESTYLE

Yes, we made a few lifestyle changes. We were working from

home and did karma yoga at home as no domestic help was
available. We did not go out and moved within the building.
We did not allow the situation to affect us mentally. We could
devote a lot of time to be with family and with our own self.
We are nearing retirement age and this lockdown gave us a
preview of how our retired life would look like. We regularly
prayed for universal wellbeing and also helped in kind to
needy people.
—Jignasu Bhavpadma and Sannyasi Bhaktananda, Mumbai

My positive lifestyle changes have been eating and doing my

sadhana on time. Also the chanting of the Bhagavad Gita and
Ramayana with my mother has helped us tremendously. Grati­
tude, patience, surrender, atmabhava and anitya bhava, seeing
the impermanence of things, have been the key during this time.
—Shreya Trivedi, Mumbai

The change in my lifestyle due to Satyananda Yoga practices

helped me become fully responsible for myself. I am capable of
taking care of my physical and emotional health and becoming
self-sufficient. This boosts my self-confidence and this will stay
with me even after the pandemic ends.
—Ashwasti Tripathi, Delhi

Lockdown can never be burden. If everyone feels free to be

independent, to be a real karma yogi, to enhance the living
practices, then this lockdown is the right time to lockdown all
our six friends and to introspect and change our own lifestyle
in a positive way, in a divine way.
—Mouna Vilas, Nepal

YOGA 47 Sep 2020

One of the most difficult aspects of life to deal with during
lockdown is the feeling that you cannot separate work from
home life, as there are not the usual barriers that help you
to distinguish a clear line between the two. The benefit of
practising yoga at home during lockdown was to reinstate
the sense of peace and tranquillity into the home, to make that
space a place of mindfulness once again. The ability to practise
from my living room during this time allowed me to de-stress
and restore balance to my daily routine; clearing my mind and
allowing me to reflect positively on my day.
—Shoshana Hill, Thailand/New Zealand

The Satyananda Yoga practices promote a higher state of

consciousness by positively interfering with the way I express
myself in life. I have kept the focus on the present moment, thus
working to control anxiety and stress. I respond to challenges
and adversities with more balance, which provides me with
physical, mental and emotional health. The moment we are
living proves to us how strongly we are connected with every­
thing and everyone, and yoga brings me an under­standing
of this totality through the concept of union. Therefore,
experiencing yoga encourages me to focus on the collective
good as a motivation for my actions.
—Paula Diniz, Brazil

I am eating healthier and I am realizing how much is possible

in solitude and lockdown. In addition, less access to restaurants
and junk food makes us more mindful and resourceful. I believe
I will keep these as part of my lifestyle.
—Jhilmil Breckenridge, England

My lifestyle changes are that I have slowed down the pace in

daily life. I do not rush that much and I am more aware of my

YOGA 48 Sep 2020

breath. I do not raise my voice so often, I speak less and a little
bit slower. I also reduced unnecessary socializing.
—Gauriroopananda, Greece

I added more pranayamas, more chanting in the evening and I

started working on SWAN more regularly and more in depth.
Also I have become very regular in my sadhana. Sadhana has
become part of my life and not something I should do.
—Sannyasi Vishnumitra, Greece

Practising the asanas, I have observed that they help me to

keep my body strong and healthy and my mind focused and
relaxed. I also practised nadi shodhana, kapalbhati, bhramari,
shatkarmas and yoga nidra.
Now I have understood that Satyananda Yoga is a lifestyle.
It is a way of thinking, feeling and acting. It is a way to see
the glass half full instead of half empty. You can keep moving
when everything falls apart. It gives a philosophy and an aim
in life. It is the ‘we’ instead of the ‘I’. It is a modern philosophy.
It is the culture of tomorrow as Sri Swamiji said.
—Sannyasi Devshakti, Greece

YOGA 49 Sep 2020

During lockdown and smartwork I have had more time to
dedicate to my personal sadhana. I understood that most of my
desires for material things were vain. I made donations to poor
people. I reflected much upon the opportunity that lockdown
could give to society in order to have a better environment,
sincere relationships and a different political economy. Yoga
during lockdown is a great opportunity to understand what
is essential in life and to improve relationships.
—Sannyasi Mantraroopa, Italy

Satyananda Yoga practices helped me to stay in contact with

positivity and creativity in my daily life. I felt like a member of
a great family, where all people were united by a connection, an
energy, greater than the virus. I was alone but I did not feel it.
I tried to cultivate regularity and simplicity. I tried to stay
in the present, living moment to moment with a yogic attitude
and with simplicity and creativity. My sadhana has become
more intense and regular.
—Jignasu Brahmamitra, Italy

My strongest impression is the new clarity with which I can

see my own thoughts, and the insight through which I see
those situations when I, or someone else, behave incorrectly.
I also see myself when I am reacting instead of acting with
awareness. Thanks to all this, my mind is more calm and
handles the daily stress with much more ease, in spite of the
fact that the stress is ten or one hundred times higher compared
to the same time last year.
I am more determined, yet I don’t rush forward blindly as
I used to do. I tend to act more and react a bit less than before.
People around me tell me that I have become a better business
associate, a better life companion, and more a bearable relative
and friend.
—Miljan Pelevic, Serbia

YOGA 50 Sep 2020

Good News
Swami Aghorananda and Gangadhara, Brazil

As Brazil becomes the

centre of the pandemic in
Latin America, in the midst
of so much negative news,
we would like to share a
positive fact.
We are happy to an­
nounce that we have just
edited Swami Niranjan’s
first book in Portuguese,
Yoga in Daily Life. We or­gan­
ized online study groups
with teachers trained by the
Satyananda Yoga Center to
take this valuable knowledge to their communities. We are
fifteen teachers in different parts of Brazil who meet with their
students to study the book. Here are some comments from
students:
• These studies cause us great inner impact and break with
our truths, our paradigms.
• With these studies we silence the physical body, the mind
and we start listening to others and what’s inside us.
• Reading this book has given me such a strong positivity
that I can no longer let it go! I wish that every word would
stick to me like glue so that I would never forget it.
• We see that it is possible to live a pandemic of light, drinking
from the source of knowledge of Swami Niranjan.
• We thank you for being part of this tradition and for having
the opportunity to bring this valuable knowledge at such a
difficult time into people’s lives.

YOGA 51 Sep 2020

LIFESTYLE ECOLOGY

One of the new practices I started is planting herbs and

different plants on my balcony. I still do enjoy every day my
greener balconies. It fills me with joy and great satisfaction
seeing everyday my herbs and plants growing and flowering.
Watering my plants in the morning becomes an additional
morning routine, which my kids enjoy and share with me.
—Helena Hoffmann, Thailand/Germany

I am valuing and prioritizing the practices that connect me

with nature by spending more time on the piece of forest that I
have in my backyard. I am putting into practice several vegan
and raw recipes. Eating only at home, I can eat only organic
food and have an even more conscious consumption of all the
products I use in the cuisine, not only in food. I am practising
physical exercises without having to go to the gym.
—Paola Ribeiro, Brazil

Working with my hands and earth, caring for beautiful flowers

and starting to grow vegetables really gave me a new activity
which I definitely want to keep.
—Susanne Spottke, Germany

YOGA 52 Sep 2020

Stress: Awareness and
Management
Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati

Many people fear being alone for five

minutes for then they have to look
at themselves. Sitting quietly for five
minutes is difficult. There is always
some desire, some need to move, to
act, to talk, to see. There will always
be a need to engage the mind and
even one minute of silence becomes an
impossible feat. That is a habit of mind.
It is how you have trained yourself.
You have trained yourselves in activity
and when you follow the path of
constant activity, it is natural that stress will become distress.
However, if you acquire the ability to relax and observe
yourself for ten minutes, your stress level will be better
managed. Therefore, the yogic process begins not with the
body or asana or pranayama, but by learning how to relax.
Asana and pranayama are physical practices which attract
us, but so do other forms of exercise such as aerobics, jogging or
cycling. If yoga practices such as asana or pranayama become
physical exercises, then where is the relevance of the spiritual
component in our life? Therefore, in our tradition, yoga begins
with learning how to relax.
Relaxation is a very important aspect of one’s life. Tran­quil­
lizers and sleeping pills outnumber other medicines, indicating
that people have forgotten how to relax and sleep. Imagine
their state of mind. We are losing contact with our inner self.
We are losing the ability to relax, to concentrate and become
one­-pointed.

YOGA 53 Sep 2020

 The choice is yours, whether you want to become self-
realized or to learn how to sleep. Sleep indicates that you can
con­trol and master your life, but relaxation does not mean
sleep. Relax­ation means being able to disconnect from stressful
situ­ations. When you sleep at night, you are disconnected from
the world, from worries, stresses and tensions, from society,
family and friends. Stress is becoming a silent killer. However,
rather than stress, we are concerned with the state of distress
that comes after stress, which destroys our tranquillity and
harmony.
To tune a guitar each string needs to be tightened. If the
string is loose, no sound will come and if the string is too tight,
it will break. There has to be just the right amount of tension
in the string. The same principle applies in our life too. Finely
tuned stress will give birth to creativity and motivation, but if
there is too much stress, the string will become too tight and
break. Breaking the harmonious state of stress is the cause of
distress.
Stress is not bad because it brings forth human creativity
and activity. Stress encourages human beings to participate
in their environment and society. We have to become aware
of the areas in our life where stress is experienced and learn
how to manage them.
—May 2008, Brijuni, Croatia,
printed in Yoga Sadhana Panorama, Volume Six

YOGA 54 Sep 2020

 Yoga Publications Trust

Progressive Yoga Vidya

Training
Satsangs 2016 (S3): 66 pp, ISBN: 978-81-938918-9-6
Series 4 (Prac Level 1): 196 pp, ISBN: 978-81-940805-3-4
Understanding Yoga Vidya (S5): 142 pp, ISBN: 978-81-946102-2-9

The Progressive Yoga Vidya Training held at Ganga

Darshan Vishwa Yogapeeth, Munger, is a hallmark
training of the second chapter of yoga initiated by
Swami Niranjanananda where select participants who
are serious, sincere and committed to the yogic journey
are taken through a process of learning and unlearning.
The aim being to create a state of awareness where one
is able to live yoga vidya from moment to moment and
experience a qualitative change in one’s whole life rather
than merely practise yoga. New Release

Yoga Publications Trust, Garuda Vishnu, PO Ganga Darshan, Fort, Munger, Bihar 811 201,
India, Tel: +91-06344-222430 , 9162783904
› A self-addressed, stamped envelope must be sent along with enquiries to ensure a response
to your request

Websites and Apps

®
SATYANANDA YOGA
BIHAR YOGA

www.biharyoga.net
The official website of Bihar Yoga includes information on: Satyananda Yoga, Bihar School of
Yoga, Bihar Yoga Bharati and a listing of titles published by Yoga Publications Trust.

Satyam Yoga Prasad

Available at www.satyamyogaprasad.net and as apps for Android and iOS devices presenting
the collected publications of Swami Satyananda and Swami Niranjanananda online.
Living Yoga Lifestyle Sadhana
This program is released aiming to improve and enhance health and total wellbeing. Available
from biharyoga.net and Satyam Yoga Prasad.

Bihar Yoga Wiki

www.yogawiki.org. An online encyclopaedia of the Bihar Yoga system.
YOGA & YOGAVIDYA Online
http://www.biharyoga.net/bihar-school-of-yoga/yoga-magazines/
http://www.biharyoga.net/bihar-school-of-yoga/yogavidya/
YOGA and YOGAVIDYA magazines are available as free apps for Android and iOS devices.
Other Apps (for Android and iOS devices)
• APMB, the bestselling yoga book from YPT available as an easily browsable mobile app.
• The Bihar Yoga app brings to the user ancient and revived yogic knowledge in a modern medium.
• For Frontline Heroes, designed for people who are active in the fight against Coronavirus,
presenting simple yoga practices to help alleviate tension and stress caused by the pandemic.
• Registered with the Department of Post, India issn 0972-5717
Under No. MGR–02/2017
Office of posting: Ganga Darshan TSO
Date of posting: 1st–7th of every month
• Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers, India
Under No. BIHENG/2002/6305

Blessed Self
Hari Om

This is to inform you that due to the ongoing coronavirus

pandemic and lockdowns affecting all, the Bihar School of
Yoga, Munger, has not printed or dispatched the YOGA and
YOGAVIDYA magazines after April 2020 issue.
However, all current issues of YOGA and YOGAVIDYA
magazines are available online on the Bihar Yoga, Satyam Yoga
Prasad and YOGA magazine apps and at www.biharyoga.net
and www.satyamyogaprasad.net free of cost.
The current paid subscribers to the printed YOGA and
YOGAVIDYA magazines will receive their back copies when
the situation becomes normal.
Please check out the new books, video and audio recordings
which are uploaded and available in satyamyogaprasad.net.
Use this special time to discover old and new treasures of
spiritual yogic wisdom and live yoga moment to moment.
Bihar School of Yoga apps (for iOS and android devices) now
available:
Bihar Yoga magazines: YOGA (English)
YOGAVIDYA (Hindi)
Bihar Yoga publications: Satyam Yoga Prasad
Bihar Yoga educational: Bihar Yoga
Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha
Bihar Yoga lifestyle: Yoga Lifestyle Program
For Frontline Heroes

With prayers and blessings of Sri Swami Satyanandaji for your

health, wellbeing and peace.
Om Tat Sat
The Editor