Dear Ioana...
It's very interesting... I do agree with all your
sentiments entirely... we should be very sure that what we promote and practice
is absolutely correct and that we teach and pass on that which is a verifiably
true account of all Shri Mataji's Teachings... and nothing other than that -
i.e. no imagined or well thought out interpretations, no variations which 'we'
(the collective we) have developed over the years... to aid in our explanations
or to assist in memorising... or to entrench in the newcomers memory...
etc etc etc.
Also... there was absolutely no intention, when my reply to
John's e-mail was written, of commenting on the web site which was the origin
of this debate. It was simply a response to a long needed desire to resolve
this, shall we say unsatisfactory situation, which many of us seem to be aware
of... of the existence of so many erroneous accounts and versions, and
variations of what Shri Mataji really has said and taught.
In view of your response, I thought I'd better go and look
at the site in question... so that I could see what all this fuss is about for
myself. I have to say that the site is very well intentioned, and exceptionally
well produced, and presented... a very great asset to the global movement of
Sahaja Yoga... but...
As I see it and with the benefit of many many
years of being in Sahaja Yoga (27 years)... and with a quite close personal
experience of being almost daily with Shri Mataji, from the very early years in
London... attending the various Pujas, Meetings at Caxton Hall... working daily
in Her successive Residences... for a period acting as Her chauffeur... all from
1980-81 onwards... and also studying many, many of Her Talks... writing down in
detail... extracts of everything that Shri Mataji spoke about (a practically
continuous period of about 10 years of virtually 24/7 activity to produce the
SahajVidya website)... after all this... and much more... and also the many
miraculous experiences that She has very kindly allowed and bestowed upon me...
I have to say... and to stand up and say with utter conviction... that which
has to be said... and say it clearly...
Whenever any of us first came to Sahaja Yoga, there were
already many others there before us... and we were each taught whatever was the
current and locally accepted understanding of those same Sahaja Yogis. So much
that we accepted as gospel at the start may very well have been influenced even
at that very early stage by the 'variations' that we are now aware of and now
wish to correct. It seems to me quite obvious that there is only one sure way
of ascertaining the correct and absolute version of what Shri Mataji has
instructed over the years. We cannot... nor should we, bother Shri Mataji with
yet more interviews... requesting Her yet again to repeat what She has already
said over the last 35 years... and which is quite clearly recorded for
posterity. The answer is clear... we have to apply ourselves... and take up the
responsibility... and study Mother's many talks... and sort it out... and come
to a conclusion... unadulterated by personal preferences or whatever...
Now if I may... I'd like to answer your specific
questions...
Firstly you are right... that the paragraph that you
indicate is contributed as my own thoughts... but based on the
knowledge gleaned from the study of Shri Mataji's Teachings... all of
which are to be found within the SahajVidya website. Personally I strongly
resist any information that comes from anyone at all... if it is not in
agreement with what I have found from Mother's Talks... or if it is not
supported by a reference to some one or other particular talk of Shri Mataji.
The parts of said paragraph...
There’s nothing in here about raising the Kundalini up the left
or right channels, but rather bringing down the left and right
(sympathetics)… see: The left hand is the hand of desire… the right hand is the hand
of action… please try… raise your Kundalini… give it a twist… give it a knot… and
bring it down (the two hands coming down on the right and left sides)… now
again… now second time… take it on top of your head… give it a knot… and now
put it down (again the hands come down as before)… third time… you have to do
it three knots… now bring it down (821008; 821007) -
821007
Truth is to be achieved, Bedford
821008
Interview, Wellingborough
the Kundalini rises up the central channel only... see:
The
Kundalini itself rises through the Sushumna Nadi… she is the Principle, she
is the Tattwa of Shiva… and she rises through the channel that is made by
Vishnu, out of the evolutionary process. So how can you do away with one of
them… one is the road… another is the destination. So I hope you understand how
important it is that your centres should be corrected… your road should be
alright… that your Sushumna should be cleared… because we are Madyamargis… we
have to go by the centre… by the central path… til you reach your Talubhag…
where sits Sadashiva. So keep your road, the Madyamarga clean… and let the
Kundalini pass through it. When the Kundalini will pass through it… you will be
amazed that… the same Kundalini is going through the Vishnu path and reaching
at the Lotus Feet… of Shiva (000206)
Our
Kundalini has risen without effort, and without thinking, and has changed us so
much - try to support her and keep the central path clean (871016); The
central path of our ascent… along which the Kundalini ascends (840622)
840622 Southbank Polytechnic, Elephant & Castle, London
871016 Mahakali Puja, Munchen, Germany
000206 Shri Shivaratri Puja, Pune, India
Also we do not bring the Kundalini down… ever...
Everything is about raising the Kundalini... Shri Mataji never says
to bring down the Kundalini - if She does not say a thing... it is not going to
be found on any tape!
Again we put bandhan ideally 7 times… not because there are 7
chakras, one bandhan to each chakra… but we do 7 bandhans to the whole system
including all the chakras together, at the same time... see:
Let us put ourselves into bandhan… after raising
our Kundalini… raise it… attention on your Sahastrara… don’t close your
eyes… push back your head… one!… again!… sit straight… take it up on your head…
two!… three!… (Shri Mataji raises the Kundalini three times, and ties three
times at the last raising - Ed). Now put the bandhan… (Shri Mataji starts with the
right hand level with, and outside the left hip, and moves this hand upwards,
outside the outline of the body, over the top of the head and down the right
side, to the level of, and outside the right hip, describing a horseshoe shape,
and then returns along the same path to the starting point - Ed)… one!… two… do
it properly… systematically… three… all of us should do it properly… four…
five… try to wait… as I am doing it (Shri Mataji does it steadily and slowly -
Ed)… six… seven. Still we have not done it properly… we all should do it in one
rhythm… let's do it again… one… slowly… two…with attention on Sahastrara…
three… how do I do it… four… five… good… six… attention on Sahastrara…
seven… rising? Let's have the last binding (Shri Mataji raises the Kundalini
one last time - Ed)… ha… now see… clear… tremendous (850504)
850504 You have to be in Nirvikalpa, Vienna
Just watching the video shows that the bandhan is
over the whole system... the same each time... no mention here or anywhere else
of one chakra at a time!! (I am certain that this is purely invention of Sahaja
Yogis unknown...) On contrary... attention throughout is on Sahastrara...
balancing is done by raising the left or right channel with the
right hand straight up, as appropriate, and over the top to bring down the
opposite side... see:
You can find out in a second whether
you are on a conditioning side or not… if the left side is catching, then you
are conditioned, and may suffer from pains etc. If the right side is catching,
then you are on an ego trip, and may have health problems. Or you may be wobbly
(800517.1); If you use any one of these powers, superego and ego, too much…
then the other one gets frozen (811006)
If we are feeling sleepy, or lazy… then put Right to Left 7
times, with the Right hand, whilst watching Mother, or it can be done also with
the Photo (821101); Those who have left hand problems… means who have
left side problems… should raise their right… all of you (800721); If
the right hand is burning but not the left hand… that is when a person is right
sided, being an intellectual or futuristic person (830512), the left side
subtle system is raised and taken over to the right side by movement… of the
right hand, to bring the system into balance (830121); If we have ego,
we should raise the left side, and put it to the right side… there's no
other way out… you have to work it out with your hands (830121)
All these 'Extract Details' were in the original
e-mail.
Now to the website in question:
Having now seen the site... I have already said I
was impressed by the design and presentation and also the graphics... but it is
simply because it is so impressive... that it is even more important that what
it portrays is correct... because anyone who visits this site will be equally
impressed... and will therefore accept whatever it says without any question as
to whether it is right or wrong.
If you look at the graphics, it shows several
things that are incorrect... concerning mainly the channel of the Kundalini
ascent... and also the bandhan applying to the whole system, not to each chakra
in turn. Another is that we start to raise the Kundalini from the level of the
Sacrum bone... not from the middle of the body. The front Agnya is missed in
the awakening exercise... and 'Responsibility' is one of the main qualities of
the Vishuddhi... not the heart.
Also one other important factor that I noticed was
the apparent 'passing mention' of Mother's Photo... the Recognition which
is so essential to a seekers progress' is not possible if there is practically
no mention of Shri Mataji, or Her significance in the whole process of getting
one's Realisation... or did I miss something? Finally... if anyone can produce
tape references to support any of these controversial interpretations... I
shall be only too happy to incorporate them into the body of SahajVidya
knowledge... and acknowledge them as such.
Apologies for the long reply... but this Nick also
feels that accuracy is important. If we are diverging at this early stage from
the central path of Shri Mataji's Teachings to this extent, then what does this
bode for the future... it can only move further and further away from what is
the true path as laid out by our Much Beloved Mother. We have a duty to
understand and present and promote Sahaja Yoga in a way that reflects our
understanding of Who is Our Mother. Do not mistake what is said here...
this particular site is a very very valuable tool, and should be welcomed. The
author is to be congratulated for all his/her work... and for such artistic
fair. It is not his/her fault that this confusion that exists the world over
has reached this far... and has compromised what is essentially an extremely
valuable contribution to the work of our Much Beloved Mother, Shri Mataji
Nirmala Devi. Let us all work toward the same goal... and in full loving
cooperation... to please our Divine Mother. Shri Mataji Prasanna.
With much love
Jai Shri Mataji
Nick
-----Original Message-----
From: Ioana Popa [mailto:gpopa1@cogeco.ca]
Sent: 26 August 2007 14:34
To: nick@sahajvidya.org
Subject: Again Bandhan - Make it Right
Dear Nick,
The
information that you have provided is extremely important. Normally, we should
make sure that we establish once and for all what Shri Mataji said in Her talks
on this subject + what She taught/explained to sahaja yogis in details
about this... after that we really should correct the Information everywhere:
internet/websites as well flyers, documentation about the Bandhan,etc..
That
website in flash that "ignited" all this discussion is simply
amazing and a very good tool for spreading Sahaja Yoga. The only thing that
it's needed is to correct the content of that page, that's all.. it's absurd to
blame the website .. ha! ha! We can't see the forest because of the trees so
very easily... What we do need ASAP is to have correct information from SHri
Mataji about these basic & fundamental pieces of sahaj vidya and put them
"there"=everywhere that an be seen by the Sys, seekers, beginners...
That's all.
This isn't
something that should be left hanging "loose"..
Most
ptobably many of us in N-America we're already using Shri Mataji's tape
(Nirvikalpa..) at our beginners' programs so they do the Bandhna with Shri
Mataji. This is what we're doing here for more than 1 year.
BUT this
phrase that I assume is yours: "
"There’s nothing in here about raising
the Kundalini up the left or right channels, but rather bringing down
the left and right (sympathetics)… the Kundalini rises up the central channel
only. Also we do not bring the Kundalini down… ever! Again we put bandhan
ideally 7 times… not because there are 7 chakras, one bandhan to each chakra…
but we do 7 bandhans to the whole system including all the chakras together, at
the same time. Again, balancing is done by raising the left or right channel
with the right hand straight up, as appropriate, and over the top to bring down
the opposite side – see the topics on the website."
... for this very important information you didn't
provide any excerpt from Shri Mataji's talk and this is essential. We were told
(my generation of SYs) almost 17 years back that each "rainbow" of
the bandhan is to protect one chakra.. one by one ..
Do you know where Shri Mataji is explaining this.
It's rather extremely important because at least myself I want to follow Shri
Mataji and nobody else's variant ..plus to give the correct/sahaj
information from The Source to others .. and not some
"variants" or "personal interpretations/assumptions".
Thank you very much.
Yours,
Ioana