teaching Teacher Training Course. He engages in performing Tantric poojas,
havans ( fire rituals ), and teaching hatha yoga classes. This trip to Singapore, ...
APRIL 2013 NEWSLETTER
SIVANANDA YOGA Vedanta Centre Singapore
1st-12th Mon & Fri Intermediate Course
19th-22nd April Yoga Intensive Program by Swami Govindananda
26th April Friday Weekdays Beginner Course Starts
28th April Sunday Devi puja - worship of the devine motherliness in all unconditional love in each and every one. This energy in each and every one is nurtured through the very ancient technique of Tantric ritualistic practice. This ritual uses mantras, yantras, devotion, meditation all in one.
Weekend Beginner Course Starts
1st May Wednesday Yoga Centre Close
Y
oga In te ns i ve P r o g r am 1 9 -2 2 ap r il w it h Swa mi Go vi nd a n a n d a & Swa m i Niv e d a na na nda 19 April Friday:(A)
4.00-5.00pm Lalita Sahasranama Chanting 5.00-5.15pm Tea 5.30-7.00pm Yoga Asanas 7.15-8.15pm Meditation 20 April Saturday:(B)
8.00-9.00am Satsang 9.00-9.30am Tea 9.30-11.00am Yoga Asanas 11.00am-12.30pm Lunch break (not provided) 12.30-1.30pm Anatomy in asana & pranic level 1.30-2.30pm Meditation 3.00-4.30pm Yoga Asanas
21 April Sunday:(C) 8.30-10.00am Devi Pooja 10.00-11.30am Yoga Asanas 11.30am-1.00pm Lunch break (not provided) 1.00-2.00pm Pranayama, Mind & Body 2.00-2.30pm Tea 2.30--3.30pm Vedanta Talk 3.30--5.00pm Yoga Asanas 22 April Monday:(D) 4.00-5.00pm Lalita Sahasranama Chanting 5.00-5.15pm Tea 5.30-6.30pm 5 points of Yoga and Relaxation 6.30-8.00pm Yoga Asanas 8.00pm Q & A
Swami Govindananda’s last year program at our yoga centre was very well received. This year, he is coming with one of his teaching team members, Swami Nivedanananda, together will present more aspects of yoga: asanas, meditation, chanting, pooja and philosophy. Swami Govindananda, with more than 24 years experience teaching yoga and vedanta philosophy, graduating a few thousands of fledgling yoga teachers, Swami Govindananda is a rare jewel of integrity and truth, with hundreds of disciples throughout the world. He is an inspiring yogi and a great mentor for teachers here. After his visit last year to Singapore, there were five students from this yoga centre have taken Teacher Training Course under his guidance. Swami Nivedanananda is one of the team members of Sivananda Yoga Vidya Peetham teaching Teacher Training Course. He engages in performing Tantric poojas, havans ( fire rituals ), and teaching hatha yoga classes. This trip to Singapore, he will perform Devi Pooja at yoga centre and chanting of Sri Lalita Sahasranama (thousand names of Devine Mother) Devi pooja - worship of the Devine Mother is a tantric ritualistic worship of motherliness in all unconditional love in each and every one. Mother is LOVE only. Great Philosopher saint Adi Sankaracharya says " There can be many bad children, but never a bad mother". Mother has equal vision, forgiveness, protective instinct. This energy in each and every one is nurtured through the very ancient technique of Tantric ritualistic practice. This ritual uses mantras, yantras, devotion, meditation all in one. Sri Lalita Sahasranama - Singing is divine practice, every culture has singing part of it, especially part of the spiritual practices. When the singing is devotional hymns it is much more effective as it draws the singer to the inner consciousness. If it is devotional singing of Sanskrit hymns it is much more powerful, as the pure sound syllables directly work on the psychic centres and the meridians - naadis. Sri Lalita Sahasranama Stotram is a devotional hymn praising the Devine Mother - Kundalini Sakti in each and every one. This is considered to be the most powerful hymn among the thousand names of different deities or aspects of one GOD. The chanting of this hymn takes one to his/her deeper inner realms where one finds the inner peace / silence of the true nature. Yoga Intensive Program Fees: A: $50 B: $120 C: $120 D: $50 Combo A+B+C+D= $300 Limited space available, please register early. Pre-registration and payment is required.
Roles of Value The fact that you are born with a faculty of choice makes you a unique living being. As a human being, you can use, abuse, or disuse this faculty. In using this freedom of choice, you have choice whatsoever. Every individual is given a set of norms on the basis of which he or she can exercise his or her choice. Knowledge of the universal matrix of values and value-based duties is inborn and understood with the help of common sense. Further, common sense must be common to all. For instance, we know that we do not want to get hurt. Common sense allows us to appreciate that others also do not want to get hurt. No living organism wants to get hurt. Thus, not hurting, is one universal value. Similarly, as we do not want to be lied to, others do not want to be deceived by us. We do not want to be the object of anybody's hatred, anger, or jealousy; we want everyone to be sharing, loving and friendly. This means that we are absolutely certain about the ethical values we want to instill in people. We also know that others expect the same from us. Even though you have this knowledge, you have conflicts regarding right and wrong and find yourself compromising the universal norms. the ʻsomethingʼ that makes you cut corners is the lack of assimilation of the knowledge of the universal matrix of values that can take place only by your own initiative. If right and wrong action is not assimilated properly, then you will always have conflicts. The word, ʻspontaneousʼ can be used as an attribute to an action only when that action is in conformity with what is right. What is to be done is duty. Maturity implies the assimilation of the knowledge that you cannot do otherwise. If you become incapable of going against duty, then you are mature, grown up. Human interaction becomes very simple for such an individual.
Assimilation of Rules Conflict will remain as long as your assimilation of values is incomplete. It is natural to have a conflict in the beginning. If you act upon your desires and the actions are not consistent with the knowledge of right and wrong, dharma-adharma, there will be conflict before, during and after the actions. Moreover, every conflict, every compromise, will add up in oneʼs psyche so that by the time one is thirty or forty, one is a personality. One has to assimilate the values. As a human being, you have to fall back upon the knowledge of values and hen see that your actions are in conformity with this. Your life should be such that it helps you assimilate these values. Your own free will must initiate the thinking process. The Lord can only give you the common sense knowledge that is adequate to start your life, but to make your life free from conflicts, to grow further, you have to use your own reason and will. And there is no dharma other than God. God is more than dharma, but dharma is not other than God. When there is no discordance between the dharma, God, and you there is joy; there is beauty. You need not do anything else to enjoy; bringing beauty to your life. The value of a value is to be understood in order not to cause conflict. A conflict in terms of value is due to overriding priorities of likes and dislikes. If they do not conform to dharma and adharma, you cannot avoid conflict. Therefore, until you assimilate the value of value, you have to conform to dharma, exercising your will. In doing so, there is conflict initially, but not later. Once you have assimilated the value of a value, the value is you. Education lies not in preaching values, but in teaching the value of values. The growth of a person or the degree of assimilation of a value is in terms of the enormity of loss one perceives when there is a compromise of a value.
This is with reference to universal values, samanya-dharma. Since, in the vision of the Veda (sacred scriptures), human destiny is nothing but self-discovery, as a human being one has to grow. This inner growth has to be effected by our own initiative. To help us, the Vedas have evolved a system of duty, which is understood as visesa-dharma. Visesa-dharma
is based upon a social requirement. Every human being is born, not merely as an observer of the world, but with the faculties to be an active participant in the creation. Since we are living a symbolic, interrelated life, our contribution may help is live, and may help others live. We are, thus, interconnected and the same person does not and cannot do all the jobs.
Therefore, the Vedas outlines a beautiful system called varna-dharma. The translation of varna is not ʻcasteʼ. The word does not lent itself to English translation. If you truly ready for this journey of inquiry, you will find this varna to be something beautiful to understand, as long as your vision is clear. Varnyate anena iti varnah- that by which something is described is varna. A color is varna because it is helpful to refer an object. So too, certain duties and attributes are called varnas. An order based on these is varnadharma. How can the word ʻcasteʼ convey all this? by Swami Dayananda Saraswati VEDANTA 24 x 7
Beginner Course Receive a step-by-step introduction to yogic postures and breathing exercises in addition to yogic theory studies. Discover how the five points of yoga - proper exercise, proper breathing, proper relaxation, balanced diet, and meditation and positive thinking, will support your yoga practices and a healthy lifestyle. Through this course, you will build a solid foundation for a stable and joyous yoga practice that will last you a lifetime.
Class duration: 90 minutes. Fee: $250 for 8 classes + 2 ongoing classes + YOGA Your Home Practice Companion Book. Weekdays Course meeting dates: every monday & friday 8.00-9.30pm April: 26, 29. May: 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20. Weekend Course meeting dates: every sunday 11.30am-1.00pm April: 28. May: 5, 12, 19, 26. June: 2, 9, 16. Pre-registration and payment is required.
Man has certain important duties and responsibilities in life. He has to evolve morally and spiritually by performing these duties in the right manner. He has to act and live according to the law of universe. He has to find out the rules of conduct and the measure of his responsibilities. He must have a thorough knowledge of right and wrong and must act accordingly. Then only can he be rightly called a man.
Swami Sivananda Saraswati
Satsang: 25 mins meditation, followed by devotional chanting and an informal talk on the practical philosophy of Yoga and Vedanta. Kirtan (chanting) books are provided. The program is free and open to all. Meditation: 25 mins meditation sitting. Open to all students and free of charge. Beginner: Class includes Pranayama (breathing), Sun Salutation, a regular series of asanas, and relaxations. This class provides an ideal introduction for students who are new to yoga and who need to learn a better foundation. Students will learn coordination between breathing and postures, gaining more flexibility. Int / Advanced: This class is open for intermediate and advanced students. The class includes Pranayama (breathing), Sun Salutation, 12 basics postures (and their variations), and relaxations. Students will practice and be assisted in their individual level of competency. Not suitable for beginner. Course / WS Please check the courses and workshops availability on the web.
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre Singapore 21B Bukit Pasoh Road Singapore 089835 Website: www.sivananda.com.sg Email:
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