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SIVANANDA YOGA FAQ ~~~ Frequently Asked Questions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q 1: Why should we refrain from eating meat?
A: On medical, psychological, moral and spiritual grounds. The mind is made up
of the essence of the food that a man takes. Tamasic food results in a Tamasic
mind. Meat is Tamasic and hence should be avoided. When an animal is killed or
butchered, a contraction of its nervous system takes place on account of fear.
(And you might have felt certain disturbances in your own stomach when you have
experienced fear.) This leads to the secretion of certain poisons in the liver,
etc., of the animal. These poisons are cumulative in their nature and are never
removed or lost during the process of boiling or cooking meat. Hence, meat-eating
is poisonous and dangerous in the long run. There is no difference between you
and an animal when both are considered as souls inhabiting the bodies. From
whichever source you derive the right to live and enjoy in this material body,
from that very same source, the souls of these animals have derived equal rights
to live and enjoy in their material bodies. Hence, you do not possess the moral
right to kill a single living being, however small it may be. Last. but not the
least, there is One Consciousness which has expressed itself in the form of the
various beings, animate and inanimate. And this makes you one with all beings.
When you have known this, will you consciously hurt any being? Can you willingly
and joyously cut your own fingers and cook them and eat them? Knowing this
oneness alone is the purpose of your coming again and again into the mundane
plane. You can know, feel and experience this oneness only when you stop
injuring and hurting others and begin to love all as your own Self. Verily, the
animals are thy own Self. Thou alone art residing in these animals as the
individual souls and thou alone art manifest in the form of the material bodies
in which these souls reside. Hence, wake up; stop meat-eating and butchering the
animals. Develop love for them and promote oneness.
Q 2: Swamiji! I find a few places like Nagore, Shirdi, Tiruvannamalai and
Rishikesh ever full of Shanti and a kind of spiritual bliss. May it be, Swamiji,
that these places which have had the impress of the saint's personality, his
Tapasya and Siddhi, on the very atmosphere, retain that sanctity for a long
time?
A: Yes, yes. And not only that. The saint himself may live in those places. The
liberated sage has the option to merge in Brahman or to live in a subtle form
and carry on the work of Lokasangraha, guiding aspirants, awakening in people a
religious fervour and so on. This motive is manifested in some Jivanmuktas in
accordance with God's supreme will. Therefore, the place in which the saint
practiced Tapas and attained Siddhi, which might again be chosen by the
invisible spirit of the saint as its permanent abode, becomes the abode of the
saint's divine qualities -- peace, bliss and wisdom.
Q 3: How did Maya arise in Brahman?
A: This is an Ati-prasna or transcendental question. You will find this question
coming up to your mind in various forms: When did Karma begin? When and why was
the World created? Why is there evil in the world? Why did the Unmanifest
manifest itself? And so on. The same question is asked by Rama in Yoga
Vasishtha. Vasishtha says: "You are putting the cart before the horse. You will
not be benefited by an enquiry into this question at all. Meditate and realize
Brahman. You Will then know the answer to this question. The problem itself will
have dissolved by then". No one can answer this question. When Knowledge dawns,
the question itself vanishes. Therefore there is no answer to the question at
all. The Brahma Sutra says: Lokavat Tu Lila Kaivalyam. It is only to pacify your
doubt. It is really not an answer, for there can be no answer. Yet, the question
will arise in the case of every seeker after Truth. You cannot help it. You will
have to use your discrimination, pacify the doubt, and then through intense
Sadhana and meditation, realize God. Then the doubt will vanish. A great Yogi
and Jnani was worried with this doubt for twelve years. Then he told me: "The
worry is over now. It troubled me for twelve years. I could not find an answer.
So I have given up that pursuit and have taken to meditation, Japa and Kirtan.
Now I find peace and progress". Faith in the Guru, in the Grant Sahib, Kirtan,
Japa, meditation and practice of righteousness-- these will enable you to
progress in the spiritual path and will take you to That where there is no
questioning possible
Previous FAQs at http://www.sivananda.org/teachings/faq/faq.html
Bhava or mental attitude is more important and not the object on which you
meditate.
- Sri Swami Sivananda
-SIVANANDA YOGA FAQ ~~~ Frequently Asked Questions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q 1: Why should we refrain from eating meat?
A: On medical, psychological, moral and spiritual grounds. The mind is made up
of the essence of the food that a man takes. Tamasic food results in a Tamasic
mind. Meat is Tamasic and hence should be avoided. When an animal is killed or
butchered, a contraction of its nervous system takes place on account of fear.
(And you might have felt certain disturbances in your own stomach when you have
experienced fear.) This leads to the secretion of certain poisons in the liver,
etc., of the animal. These poisons are cumulative in their nature and are never
removed or lost during the process of boiling or cooking meat. Hence, meat-eating
is poisonous and dangerous in the long run. There is no difference between you
and an animal when both are considered as souls inhabiting the bodies. From
whichever source you derive the right to live and enjoy in this material body,
from that very same source, the souls of these animals have derived equal rights
to live and enjoy in their material bodies. Hence, you do not possess the moral
right to kill a single living being, however small it may be. Last. but not the
least, there is One Consciousness which has expressed itself in the form of the
various beings, animate and inanimate. And this makes you one with all beings.
When you have known this, will you consciously hurt any being? Can you willingly
and joyously cut your own fingers and cook them and eat them? Knowing this
oneness alone is the purpose of your coming again and again into the mundane
plane. You can know, feel and experience this oneness only when you stop
injuring and hurting others and begin to love all as your own Self. Verily, the
animals are thy own Self. Thou alone art residing in these animals as the
individual souls and thou alone art manifest in the form of the material bodies
in which these souls reside. Hence, wake up; stop meat-eating and butchering the
animals. Develop love for them and promote oneness.
Q 2: Swamiji! I find a few places like Nagore, Shirdi, Tiruvannamalai and
Rishikesh ever full of Shanti and a kind of spiritual bliss. May it be, Swamiji,
that these places which have had the impress of the saint's personality, his
Tapasya and Siddhi, on the very atmosphere, retain that sanctity for a long
time?
A: Yes, yes. And not only that. The saint himself may live in those places. The
liberated sage has the option to merge in Brahman or to live in a subtle form
and carry on the work of Lokasangraha, guiding aspirants, awakening in people a
religious fervour and so on. This motive is manifested in some Jivanmuktas in
accordance with God's supreme will. Therefore, the place in which the saint
practiced Tapas and attained Siddhi, which might again be chosen by the
invisible spirit of the saint as its permanent abode, becomes the abode of the
saint's divine qualities -- peace, bliss and wisdom.
Q 3: How did Maya arise in Brahman?
A: This is an Ati-prasna or transcendental question. You will find this question
coming up to your mind in various forms: When did Karma begin? When and why was
the World created? Why is there evil in the world? Why did the Unmanifest
manifest itself? And so on. The same question is asked by Rama in Yoga
Vasishtha. Vasishtha says: "You are putting the cart before the horse. You will
not be benefited by an enquiry into this question at all. Meditate and realize
Brahman. You Will then know the answer to this question. The problem itself will
have dissolved by then". No one can answer this question. When Knowledge dawns,
the question itself vanishes. Therefore there is no answer to the question at
all. The Brahma Sutra says: Lokavat Tu Lila Kaivalyam. It is only to pacify your
doubt. It is really not an answer, for there can be no answer. Yet, the question
will arise in the case of every seeker after Truth. You cannot help it. You will
have to use your discrimination, pacify the doubt, and then through intense
Sadhana and meditation, realize God. Then the doubt will vanish. A great Yogi
and Jnani was worried with this doubt for twelve years. Then he told me: "The
worry is over now. It troubled me for twelve years. I could not find an answer.
So I have given up that pursuit and have taken to meditation, Japa and Kirtan.
Now I find peace and progress". Faith in the Guru, in the Grant Sahib, Kirtan,
Japa, meditation and practice of righteousness-- these will enable you to
progress in the spiritual path and will take you to That where there is no
questioning possible
Previous FAQs at http://www.sivananda.org/teachings/faq/faq.html
Bhava or mental attitude is more important and not the object on which you
meditate.
- Sri Swami Sivananda
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