Swami Shivapadananda

Swami Shivapadananda on Pranayama (Yoga Breathing)

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

Taken from Mother Radha's notes, written at Swamiji's feet.

Day 410

From a book by Swami Yatiswarananda

Pranayama  [controlled yoga breathing] is dangerous if you do not follow a regulated life, under the constant guidance of a qualified teacher [Guru]. But there is no harm in practising regulated breathing, without holding the breath. First, practise it at definite times. Later, you can do it at other times too.

Swami Shivapadananda: Try to practise rhythmic breathing always, till it becomes a habit. Irregular breathing is a tremendous waste of time and makes the mind restless. The senses must be subdued; the mind must be made rhythmic. All of the body machine must come under your control - then you can enjoy operating the body machine, otherwise not.

There is need for constant alertness. Most of us are dream-walking, we just walk in a dream, we do not know how our life went on Earth.

Old people forget things; middle-aged people get to know things, and teenagers know everything.

Become fully conscious under all circumstances, in all situations in life, and learn to recognise your own true motive.

Criticise yourself severely. There must be constant but not destructive criticism [self-observation and evaluation], if it is to help you in your spiritual striving and evolution.

'I am a sinner.' Say this and it makes you a sinner all the more, and takes away from you all spiritual initiative. 

Swami Shivapadananda on preventing a cold

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

Taken from Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.

Day 264

Not only at initiation, but even now, the guru is giving you power and you are using it. How do you know it is his? Because you will open up; your intuition will begin to work and you’ll suddenly feel, ‘Ah yes, this is how it goes.’

Sometimes the urgency is there and sometimes it is not. Yes, sometimes when you are with the guru, it is there but when you are back in the world, it has gone. That is why we must keep going inside, why we must do japa, why we must roll the [prayer] beads. All this helps us. So be aware and seek diligently.

Lying and stealing is selfishness.

A great saint said: “I am the living stream. Come, take what you want.”

If you keep getting colds then too much prana [or Chi or Qi] is escaping from the feet and not enough is replaced. You lie in bed with the feet uncovered. A cold wind blows on them and then you get a cold. Build up the physical body, do breathing exercises and keep the feet warm.

What is prana? We do not know. Take semen for example, divide it and divide it and divide it. What is left seems like nothing, but it is the vital force itself. We do not know what it is but we see its manifestation. If someone behaves queerly [peculiarly], it is not your business. Just look behind the behaviour. What do you see? God. See It. Gurudev [Swamiji’s Guru, Swami Nischalananda] is good to me, look behind the behaviour, see God. See It.

Swami Shivapadananda on Prana [energy/life-force]

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

Taken from Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.

Day 47

An excerpt from a book by Swami Yatiswarananda

Find rest in the mantra [sacred word or sound symbol] - not in sleep. If you are tired, prostrate and say, O Lord, Thou art energy, fill me with energy; Thou art strength, fill me with strength. This calms the mind. Seek solitude within you. Real silence is silence of the mind. Real solitude makes you forget the world. Meditate and erase all thought of the world. Think of the Lord alone.

[Sw.S] Some people are afraid to display a picture of Master [Sri Ramakrishna] because people will ask questions. Master is not a rogue. He has chosen one or two, not many.

Prana is everything. If someone tells something harsh, it is like murdering somebody. If you get a hiding, the pain goes away in time – but not so with harsh words. Gurudev [Swami Nischalananda – Swamiji’s Guru] would speak sweetly.

You must have sattvic [gentle, balanced] quality in the voice.

The Murthi [sculpture, statue-representation or picture] 

When prana [universal life force] is there, more people respect it. Before worshipping the murthi we put prana into it, and then worship it. Otherwise when offering food you are making a dead body [i.e. inanimate statue] eat. You must give your own life, your breath, to the murthi. Otherwise no one will worship it.

If you tell a lie, you increase the lies in you. You must speak the truth.

When giving a speech in the shrine you’ll only speak surpassingly when you recognise the prana.

Posted by Clive Simpkins