Skip to main content

John Kaldawi Reviews - The Vasistha Yoga:


John Kaldawi is inspired by Vasistha Yoga, which is an old Indian text attributed to Valmiki (an Indian Saint and the author of Ramayana).  The text was named after sage Vasistha who is mentioned in Rigveda.  It is structured as discourse to Rama and consist of stories and fables with a philosophy similar to Vedanta which holds that the whole world is the object of the mind. It also focuses on the question of Who am I? and What is this universe?

Doing more research, John learned that the traditional belief among Hindus is that reading Vasistha Yoga text leads to spiritual liberation.  It discusses consciousness, liberation, non-dual nature of existence among many other things.

John Kaldawi also learned that Vasistha Yoga is most valuable for someone that is aware of atman and non-atman, and is indifferent to the enjoyment of objects in the world, and who is virtuous and ethical, and has longing for the meaning of life and liberation. As a result, that someone becomes associated with the wise, and sees happiness in everything and becomes friendly to all.  He becomes desireless and indifferent to joy or pain arising from events, as he is always in the state of consciousness.

John Kaldawi believes that Vasistha Yoga is one of the most important text of the Vedantic philosophy.  The "self inquiry" in the Vasistha was repeated by Ramana Maharishi who was greatly influenced by this text.  This text is definitely a must read.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kundalini Shakti (Macrocosmic Energy)

John Kaldawi learned that in the Upanishads it is said, "A man may have ears, eyes, and all facilities and parts of the body, but unless he has mahaprana there is no consciousness."   Prana is both macrocosmic and microcosmic and is the substratum of all life.   Mahaprana (the great prana) is the cosmic, universal, all-encompassing energy out of which we draw substance through the breathing process.   The various pranas in the body, prana, aprana, samana, udana and vyana, are at once a part of this mahaprana and also separate from it. The cosmic manifestation of prana or mahaprana in the individual body is represented by Kundalini.   The entire cosmic experience from creation to dissolution is embedded within the folds of kundalini, hence it is known as atma shakti or universal energy.   In all living beings the divine consciousness is first converted into prana or energy and, as kundalini is reservoir for the magnanimous amount of prana, it is also known as prana
Post a Comment
Read more

Animal postures, Yogasanas and Prana

John Kaldawi learned that in ancient times and through observation, the rishis understood how animals live in harmony with their environment and with their own bodies.   They understood, through experience, the efforts of a particular posture and how the hormonal secretions could be stimulated and controlled by it.   For example, by stimulating the rabbit or hare in shashankasana they could influence the flow of adrenaline responsible for the 'fight or flight' mechanism.   Through imitating animal postures, the rishis found they could maintain health and meet challenges of nature for themselves. Furthermore, John Kaldawi learned that Prana, vital energy, which corresponds to 'ki' or 'chi' in Chinese medicine, pervades the whole body, following flow patterns, called nadis, which are responsible for maintaining all individual cellular activity.   Stiffness of the body is due to blocked prana and a subsequent accumulation of toxins.   When prana begins to
Post a Comment
Read more

Pranic currents and the breath

John Kaldawi learned that the pranic currents, ida, pingala and sushumna, operate alternately.  The current that is flowing at any particular time may be gauged by noting the flow of breath in the nostrils.  When the left nostril has a greater flow of air, then ida nadi is predominant.  When the flow is greater in the right nostril, then pingala is predominant.  If the flow is equal in both of the nostrils, then sushumna is predominant. Doing more research, John Kaldawi learned that when the right nostril (pingala) flows, there is more vital energy for physical work, digestion of food and so on.  The mind is extroverted and the body generates more heat.  When the left nostril (ida) is flowing, mental energy is dominant.  The mind is introverted and any kind of mental work may be undertaken. During sleep ida nadi flows.  If pingala flows at night, sleep will be restless and disturbed.  Likewise, if ida flows while taking food, the digestive process may be slow, causing indig
Post a Comment
Read more