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Chakras are the major energy centres of our subtle body. So, there are not only 7 but many other chakras also. However 7 Chakras are considered the main. The refrences of 7 chakras and Kundalini Shakti are in Puranas and Upanishads. Lalita Sahasranama stotra from Brahmanda Purana gives the most precise description of Kundalini in just 3 verses.
मूलाधारैक ...
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There are seven chakras in a Human body as Yoga and Tantra prescribes. These are:
Sahasrara (सहस्रार्)
Agya (आज्ञा)
Vishuddi (विशुध्दि)
Anahata (अनाहत)
Manipura (मणिपुर)
Swadhisthana (स्वाधिशतान)
Muladhara (मूलाधार)
Chakras are supposed to be mystic power centres in human body along the spine. Kundalini Shakti (often called Serpent Power) is dormant in a ...
15
A complete description of senses and how to control them have been written by the great Seer Sri Swami Sivnananda. 'Control of the Indriyas by Sri Swami Sivananda'.
Senses
Senses are not different from Mind in 'Control of the Indriyas by Sri Swami Sivananda'.
Sri Swami Sivananda says about the senses:
Indriyas are objectified desires. Will to see is ...
15
One can improve Ojas Shakti by transforming Veerya (semen) to Ojas by Spiritual Sadhana. Sri Swami Sivanda wrote many articles and books on this topic.
Swami Sivananda says the following in his article on Practice of Brahmacharya.
According to Yogic science, semen (Suklam or Sukram) exists in a
subtle form throughout the whole body. It is withdrawn ...
15
First we should know our body is not just physical body, but has five sheaths (Pancha Kosha). What we see externally is Annamaya Kosha (food sheath). After death we shed Annamaya kosha and jiva with other four koshas (Sookshma Sareera or Subtle body) go to other realms, hell or heaven depending of Karma and Sukshma Sareera takes new physical body (rebirth) ...
14
What is a Mantra?
The definition of Mantra is
Mananat Trayate Iti Mantrah
The repetition of which protects or liberates one is called a Mantra (one of many possible translations)
Traditionally Mantra's are the ones commonly chanted by priests. But most saints say that the most powerful mantra is just chanting the name of your Ishta Deva.
Sri Swami ...
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From mahashivratri.org
Lord Shiva is shown sitting on or wearing a tiger skin. The tiger is
the vehicle of Shakti, the Goddess of power and force. Shiva is beyond
and above any kind of force. He is the master of Shakti. The tiger
skin that he wears symbolizes victory over every force. Tiger also
represent lust. Thus sitting on Tiger skin, Shiva ...
12
By practicing Yoga and pranayama (control of prana vayu) a Yogi can float in the air, walk in air. This is called Vayu-Siddhi or mastery over air. It can be achieved in the third stage of pranayama sadhana.
From Shiva Samhita:
In the first stage of pranayama the body of the Yogi begins to
prespire. When it prespires, he should rub it well, otherwise ...
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Hamsa Upanishad, Yoga Upanishad which belongs to Shukla Yajurveda, mentions that.
अथ हंस ऋषिः । अव्यक्ता गायत्री छन्दः । परमहंसो देवता । अहमिति बीजम् ।
स इति शक्तिः । सोऽहमिति कीलकम् । षट् सङ्ख्यया
अहोरात्रयोरेकविंशतिसहस्राणि षट् शतान्यधिकानि भवन्ति ।
English Translation by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar:
(Here the performance of Ajapā Gāyaṭrī is ...
11
Which are the nine gates being referred here? Are these ears, nose, mouth, eyes etc?
Yes the Nine gates referred here ae our bodily organs like ear , nose , mouth etc. within Pancala kingdom (5 senses ).
It's said that a jiva accepts a material body by virtue of his own desires. Accepting two hands, two legs, and so on, the living entity fully enjoys the ...
10
Yes, yoga is a core part of Hinduism just like meditation is a core part of yoga. Go through any Upanishad and you will find mention of some form of meditation there. For example, consider the following:
स्वदेहमरणिं कृत्वा प्रणवं चोत्तरारणिं ।
ध्याननिर्मथनाभ्यासाद्देवं पश्येन्निगूढवत्॥ [Sve. Up. - 1.14]
Meaning
Making own body the lower wood, ...
10
The answer to your question is: yes, it is possible to to separate the soul or jivatma from the body. Even one can enter another body through this process:
When the bonds of the mind caused by action have been loosened, one may enter the body of another by knowledge of how the nerve-currents function. [PYS - 3.37]
But from your question it seems you have ...
10
The body has three subtle important elements viz ojas, tejas, and prana. Ojas is believed to be the last essence of semen. It is related to vigor and vitality. Ayurveda gives special importance to these three factors.
Ojas is the super-fine essence of kapha dosha associated with lunar cycles; it is therefore connected to regeneration. The qualities of ojas ...
10
What do other scriptures say about total meals per day (1, 2 or more)?
For a Grihastha (Householder), Dharma Shatsras has prescribed to take food two times, in Morning and in Evening. But if one has already taken excess of food in morning, he should not eat second time (in evening).
Apastamba Dharma Sutra, PRASNA II, PATALA 1, KHANDA 1
He shall eat ...
10
Have a look at the following verse from Kathopanishad's (Kath UP) Tritiya Valli:
ShataichekA cha hridasya nAdyastAsAm murdhAnamabhinihsritaikA |
TayorddhvamAyannmritatvameti vishvanganyA utkramane bhavanti ||
Among the 101 NAdis, that emerge from the region of heart, only one
has gone up to the Brahmarandhra. During the time of death, only if
...
9
It's prescribed in Ayurveda not to sit on bare floors because of the risk of Vata. Hence, the reason for Yogis to use some kind of separation between themselves and the floor/rock etc.
Moreover, since Yogis and Sanyasis are generally away from civilization and man made fabric, it could also lead to the use of more natural and available 'fabric' of animal ...
9
This 12 steps of Surya namaskar are preferable to do when the sun is rising.
Here are the 12 steps from Art of living
1. Pranamasana (Prayer pose)
Stand at the edge of your mat, keep your feet together and balance your weight equally on both the feet.
Expand your chest and relax your shoulders.
As you breathe in, lift both arms up from the sides ...
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Since you have mentioned in another question that you are reading Autobiography of a Yogi, I do not want to play spoiler. The information is contained in the same book.
What is Kriya Yoga?
Kriya Yoga is a yogic meditation technique by which the senses, body, mind, all come under the control of the seeker.
Paramahansa Yogananda describes Kriya Yoga:
The ...
8
Good question! This is an advaitic view of Bhakti and Bhakti Yoga.
What is Bhakti
Bhakti means to always think of God. Bhakti Yoga implies constant remebrance of God.
Sri Swami Sivananda says in Bhakti Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda
The term Bhakti comes from the root 'Bhaj', which means 'to be attached to God'. Bhajan, worship, Bhakti, Anurag, Prem, ...
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Manipura is present in Solar Region. It is also known as Nabhi Chakra. Nabhi in Sanskrit means Navel. But as the location of Chakra is in backbone region of subtle body, hence Manipura Chakra is present just at back side of Navel in the region of backbone (in the subtle body).
But the entire Navel region is in the range of Manipura Chakra.
Srimad Bhagvatam ...
8
Yes it is quite well-known that he did. You can find it being mentioned in this PDF (Swami Vivekananda - A
Biography by Swami
Nikhilananda), on pp 190.
At the end of an hour his hands trembled a little and he breathed once
very deeply. There was a silence for a minute or two, and again he
breathed in the same manner. His eyes became fixed in the ...
8
What is Anahata Nada and How it's related to spiritual progress?
It is a type of sound heard at the time of Yoga. By practicing it, one can attain Raja Yoga. It is a way to realize Brahma. There are four states of Yoga described in Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Chapter 4. A yogi gradually masters to hear more accurate Nada in each states. It is one of the methods ...
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According to the Patanjali Yoga Sutras (with translation and commentary by Swami Vivekananda) a Yogi can know past and future by employing a technique called Samayana. To know what Samayana is you just need to go through the Vibhuti Pada section of that text.
In short, Dharana, Dhyanam and Samadhi, when done at the same time, is called Samayana.
Sutra 16 ...
8
The union of Atma and Paramatma is called Yoga which you have already stated. Such a definition is found in several scriptures.
From Devi Bhagavatam 7.35 for example:
Himâlayâ said :-- "O Mahes'varî! Now tell me the Yoga with all its Amgas (limbs) giving the knowledge of the Supreme Consciousness so
that, I may realise my Self, when I practise ...
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Whether it is possible with asanas and related practices?
Yes it is technically possible. Some basic and advanced yogic methods can make Kundalini awakening or activation of chakra.
It can also happen spontaneously due to something called shaktipaat which means grace. There are examples of people getting movements of energy and kundalini experience at ...
7
There are yogis who go without sleep. This is an elevated state that is learned by years of meditation. They have learned to have complete control over their minds and bodies.
Reference Patanjali's Yoga Aphorisms. Chapters I and II. Especially I 10-15. and II 55.
The three states you reference and the fourth state (Turiya) are in the Mandukya Upanishad ...
7
Kundalini raising and uniting it with Sahasrara Chakra is one of the very easiest way to get Mokshya. It mostly exists in hidden form in our texts, it is because Gods (devatas) do not want us that we achieve salvation easily as cited in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad(1.4.10) also cited in the starting of Shiva Gita in Padma Purana.
...
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You can read Sri Ramakrishna's experience given in 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna'. Here is an excerpt from 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna':
A man's spiritual consciousness is not awakened unless his Kundalini
is aroused. The Kundalini dwells in the Muladhara. When it is
aroused, it passes along the Sushumna nerve, goes through the centres
of ...
7
The term Yoga is formed from the dhatu 'Yuj'. Panini Dhatupad says following for the meaning of dhatu 'Yuj'.
Yuj samadhau: Samadhi. So, yoga means attaining Samadhi state/ fourth/ turiya state. So, any path that can lead to Turiya/ Samadhi state can be called Yoga.
Yuj yoge: Union. So, when something is united it is called Yoga. When two atoms are ...
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Manipura Chakra is exactly located at Nabhi (Navel) but in Subtle body along the Spinal cord. All Chakras are located in Straight line (in Subtle body).
Om Swami describes method to identify seven Chakras in body in his book Kundalini: An untold story.
Here is how to identify the location of chakras in your body. Use your
right hand if you are right-...
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