Guiding those doing physical yoga
Note: There are many sincere, innocent, kind-hearted people who have been drawn into the contemporary yoga scene, but sadly they are not given the practices or answers they deserve to progress. It is our duty to help them. So we should know the wide gap between AM and the modern “yoga” movement and develop convincing and appealing strategies to draw them onto the path of true tantra, i.e. Ananda Marga sadhana and spirituality.
Namaskar,
The Ananda Marga system of yoga is the unique method given by Taraka Brahma Himself based in tantra. AM is the path of dharma that leads to the all-round growth and development in all the spheres of life. It stands on its own, completely independent of the current ways of pseudo-culture yoga in the popular domain.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Food in today’s yoga scene
(A) In our AM, Baba has given the philosophy of sentient / sattvika food which positively affects one’s quality of mind, the secretion of hormones, as well as one’s spiritual ideation etc. This is fundamentally lacking in the contemporary yoga movement.
(B) Our AM system of eating gives specific guidelines about when and how often one should eat, as well as how many items one may take at a given meal. Moreover, Baba guides us not to eat when others are taking tamasika food etc.
(C) The idea of engaging in spiritual ideation while eating is completely new. So eating is not a mundane affair but part of our spiritual approach to life. In addition, Baba warns us not to eat food if the person cooking is of debased mind or making a show for their own prestige. For more info, please read the points in Caryacarya part two about shráddhánna, priityanna, and ápadanna.
These above points are wholly absent in the contemporary yoga / pseudo-culture yoga scene.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Contemporary yoga: wrong asanas & dogmatic pranayama
(D) In AM, our asana practice is fixed. The total number of recommended asanas is forty-two. And each practitioner performs a specific number of asanas daily according to an exact number of repetitions with a standard duration for each posture. Moreover, all of the AM asanas are based on the secretion of hormones, control of the vrttis, and the channelization of the mind, thereby making the whole human existence a fertile ground for spiritual practice. So, in all respects, our AM system is completely scientific, whereas the contemporary yoga style has hundreds of asanas that are done in a free-form manner. Each person does their asanas according to their own feeling and liking.
(E) The reality is that the current physical yoga movement is not based on a rational approach. Sadly, in an attempt to cure something, they invite more problems. For example, in order to turn their gray hair black, they do shiirs'asana (headstand). But what they fail to understand is that by doing this posture their blood pressure is adversely affected and their eyesight deteriorates.
(F) So contemporary yoga folks do not know the harmful effect of doing certain asanas like shiirs'asana (headstand). This asana is their most highly regarded posture. That's why even the first prime minister of India - Jawaharlal Nehru - used to practice this asana. The main point is that shiirs'asana is harmful in many ways, including being highly detrimental to the eyes. But, today, the contemporary fake yoga movement has fully embraced shiirs'asana as the king of asanas.
(G) In our Caryacarya, there are twenty-one specific rules regarding the practice of asanas. In contrast, there are no such rules in the pseudo-culture yoga classes for asanas.
(H) The pranayama of fake yoga is just related to physical exercise or even a fashion statement by the way they hold their nose. Their pranayama is completely devoid of ideation and mantra. In this type of crude approach, pranayama is just a worldly, breathing modality, and, in this way, they invite serious psychic diseases and physical ailments.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
(I) They even teach kumbhak pranayama -- holding of the breath -- to new practitioners. And, if not done properly, it can be very harmful to one’s physical health such that kumbhak pranayama can create a hole in the lungs, and it can also cause various types of psychic diseases. For more, kindly reference the Caryacarya section on rules for pranayama.
Fasting: AM vs pseudo-culture yoga
(J) Baba has given all the details about fasting including the number of hours and how to conduct the fast. He has also clarified that fasting does not mean starvation but upavasa -- remaining close to God. These are completely new ideas. In contrast, the "system" of fasting in today’s yoga movement is essentially non-existent. And if they do some type of fast it is done according to their own whim or convenience because, unfortunately, they just do not know what to do.
(K) In the name of fasting they eat all kinds of things – fish, partial food, milk, garlic water, prasad and sweets – on that day, or, at the very least, they drink juice. So there are no clear-cut rules for fasting as we have in AM.
(L) In our AM, Baba's revolutionary approach reveals for the first time how to break fast properly. We have our special process for breaking upavasa with lemon / salt water. A minimum of 2-3 litres is needed to clear and cleanse the entire digestive tract. So, in AM, there is a proper system.
(M) Baba says that animals also do fasting, but they don't know how to properly break their fast. In a similar manner, those few in the contemporary yoga scene who have adopted some type of fast also do not know how to break that fast.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Misc: laungota & myrobalan
(N) Still today, in India, many males do not know the proper way of using a laungota - and more commonly they may even just use western underwear. In both cases, they wrongly place the organ in a downward direction. This creates impotence - and thus causes public misunderstanding and fear. Even today, the so-called yogacaryas and fake sannyasis use this incorrect and harmful approach. While in the contemporary yoga movement outside of India, they have no idea whatsoever about the use of a laungota. For more about this, please read the addendum at the end of this letter.
(O) Regarding the use of myrobalan, Sadguru Baba has given the strict rule that in 24 hours one must not take more than ¼ quantity of myrobalan, otherwise the lymph will dry out, the functioning of the brain will be disturbed, and one will be at risk for becoming impotent. But those dogmatic sadhus of India do not have any such warnings or regulations. And outside of India, most have never heard of myrobolan, and thus have no idea of its benefits.
(P) Sixteen Points is entirely unique, newly given by Sadguru Baba. And AM is grounded in the Sixteen Points. There is not even a shadow of a hint of this in the contemporary yoga scene.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Conclusion
AM is the tantrika path given by Taraka Brahma Himself that leads to self-realization and liberation. The path of Ananda Marga is unparalleled and unprecedented — a gift of Parama Purusa, Mahasambhuti. In contrast, the contemporary yoga scene is more of a fad or activity that has numerous defects, demerits, and dogmas. It is our duty to draw those followers onto the path of tantra. Sincere seekers will appreciate the depth and rationality of Ananda Marga.
In Him,
Ramsvarupa
~ In-depth study ~
Hatha / contemporary yoga is fake
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Hat́ha Yoga is not Yoga. In Yoga one has to do Vrtti nirodha, and for Vrtti nirodha one has to withdraw oneʼs mind from the crude objects and direct it towards Paramátman, then only suspension of propensities is possible. There has to be a goal without which suspension is not possible.” (1)
Ananda Marga ideology states, “If yoga is treated as a means of realizing Parama Puruśa and not as a type of hat́há yoga, then this is the real yoga.” (2)
Such so-called yogis cannot get liberation
Ananda Marga ideology states, “This particular type of yoga where a yogii does not bear love for the Supreme Entity is called “hat́ha yoga” in Saḿskrta. It is dangerous for human elevation. “Hat́ha” comes from “ha” and “t́ha”. “Ha” represents the súrya nádii or [[piuṋgalá]] nádii” and is the acoustic root of physical force. “Tha” represents the candra nádii or [[id́á]] nádii” and is the acoustic root of the mind. So “hat́ha” implies forcible control of mind by physical force. In popular parlance whenever something happens very abruptly or all of a sudden we use the word “hat́hát” i.e., “Hat́hena kurute karma.” Obviously a practitioner of “Hat́ha Yoga” can not attain liberation.” (3)
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Regarding the definition of yoga, it is said that yogashcittavrttinirodhah – the suspension of all mental propensities is yoga. Hat́ha yoga is another name for such yoga. Suppose people suspend their mental propensities by artificial methods, by stopping the activities of their nerves. Will that help in attaining God-realization? When people fall asleep, their mental activities remain suspended – does sleep help in attaining Brahma? Hence, this is also not the correct approach. The logic that the suspension of mental propensities leads to supreme spiritual attainment is also false.” (4)
No scope for service
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Many people criticize this path of hat́ha yoga because, they say, the practices of ásanas, práńáyáma, and so on, are not very congenial for spiritual progress. In fact, the defects of this system are as follows: first, such yogis cannot render any useful service to the world, for they have to keep themselves engaged in these practices for twenty-four hours a day. Yet, human beings have to do so many things in life, not only the practices of ásanas, práńáyáma, and so on. They must learn many things and teach many things to others. If, instead of doing that, some people spend a major portion of their days practising práńáyáma, how will they find time for setting an example for others?” (5)
Misuse of the term “yoga”
Ananda Marga ideology states, “You should be careful about the frequent misuse of the word “yoga” nowadays. In this connection you should remember one thing. In the Sanskrit language, the verbs yuiṋj and yuj do not have identical meanings. Yuj means “to add”, while yuiṋj means “to unify, to become one without any difference”. [In the same way,] jiivátmá and Paramátmá become one. The jiivátmá no longer has any separate identity. It has merged itself in Paramátmá. Brahmavid brahmaeva bhavati – “One who knows Paramátmá becomes Paramátmá Himself.” He no longer has any separate existence. In the spiritual domain, yoga is used in this sense (in the sense of “unification” and not in the sense of “addition”). You should remember that maybe one has learnt a few ásanas such as shiirśásańa, sarváuṋgásana, pashcimottanásana, and so on, but does one thus become a yogi? It does not happen like this. It is not so easy to become a yogi.” (6)
Not real yoga
Ananda Marga ideology states, “If yoga is treated as a means of realizing Parama Puruśa and not as a type of hat́há yoga, then this is the real yoga. Otherwise if one practices práńáyáma for a long portion of the day, then oneʼs coming onto this earth becomes meaningless. Many people suspend their vital energy by means of hat́há yogic practices. Others wrongly think that since such people can suspend their life-force, they must be great personalities – mahápuruśas. Such a notion is wholly defective. Through regular practice, oneʼs life-force can be suspended, but that does not prove oneʼs greatness. One can survive for long without food; there are some specific techniques for that; but most people in the world do not know those methods. If those who know the methods are called mahápuruśas, this is not correct.” (7)
Devoid of Cosmic ideation
Ananda Marga philosophy states, “When práńáyáma is done without fixing the mind on a particular point of concentration, and without imbibing Cosmic ideation, it is called hat́ha yaogika práńáyáma” (8)
Part of avidya tantra
Ananda Marga philosophy says, “Depending upon the difference in the controlling points of the cakras, spiritual sádhaná can take either of two forms: (#1) Controlling the hormone secretion of the glands and strengthening the controlling points of the cakras is the system known as hatha yoga, because it is more physical in character. This science is more extroversive in character and consequently part of avidya tantra. (#2) To surrender oneʼs mind to Shrii Krśńa – This is introversive or ideational in character and is part of Vidyá Tantra. This is the real sádhaná, where the entire psycho-physical entity surrenders itself to Parama Puruśa.” (9)
Addendum: It is written in our AMPS publication on Sixteen Points: "It is proper and desirable to pull back the skin of the genital organ and to wear a laungota holding penis upright."
References
1. Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 18, Yoga and Bhakti
2. Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 12, How An Ideal Person Should Live
3. Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 2, Love – the Essential Prerequisite
4. Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 11, What Is the Way?
5. Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 12, How An Ideal Person Should Live
6. Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 13, A Yogi Must Certainly Be a Theist
7.Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 12, How an Ideal Person Should Live
8. Yoga Psychology, Questions and Answers on Meditation
9. Discourses on the Mahábhárata, Mahásambhúti Krśńa
== Section 2: Links ==
