CHINMAYA MISSION® WEST BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER March 2006, No. 111 In This Issue SPIRITUAL TRAILS Things My Mother Never Told Me Centering THE SCIENCE OF ASTROLOGY IN HIS PRESENCE Journey to the Source In the Land of the Lords NEWS Chinmaya Vibhu¯ti Inaugurated Going OM Medical Camp at Bhadrachalam G¯it¯a the Beautiful B¯ala Sev¯a FEATURE S¯adhana-S¯adhya Viveka SPIRITUAL CAMPS CM Columbus Family Camp Dharma Sevak Course 2006 Bh¯arat Darshan 2006 CM Flint Mah¯asam¯adhi Camp CM Houston Family Camp MISSION STATEMENT To provide to individuals, from any background, the wisdom of Vedanta and the practical means for spiritual growth and happiness, enabling them to become positive contributors to society. www.chinmayamission.org CONTACTS in NORTH AMERICA United States Gurudev’s Message Arizona Phoenix 480-283-8447; [email protected] California Bakersfield 661-872-7784; [email protected] Los Angeles 714-991-5274; [email protected] San Diego 858-549-2908; [email protected] San Jose 408-998-2793; [email protected] Tustin 714-832-7669 [email protected] District of Columbia/Maryland/Virginia Washington 301-384-5009; [email protected] Florida Miami 305-279-8456; [email protected] Orlando 407-699-7331; [email protected] St. Augustine 904-692-4121; [email protected] Tampa 813-909-4142; [email protected] he Infinite is one. It can only be one. Its Georgia Tmanifestation is the world of plurality with its Atlanta 478-922-9710; [email protected] endless varieties of names and forms. Illinois Chicago 630-654-3370; [email protected] The finite alone can be comprehended—by Libertyville 847-680-4735; [email protected] man’s sense organs, mind, and intellect— Indiana in his present ‘state’ of Consciousness. The Merrillville 219-322-7268; [email protected] spiritual student’s attempt is to transcend Massachusetts his present instruments of perception and Boston 978-470-2661; [email protected] awaken to the Higher in Him, from where he Michigan Ann Arbor 734-663-8912; [email protected] can experience the One, objectless Awareness. Flint 810-230-2430; [email protected] The great rishis experienced this great Reality Minnesota behind the universe, but were helpless in directly Minneapolis 612-924-9172; [email protected] defining, explaining, or demonstrating it to New Jersey/New York/Pennsylvania (Tri-State) their students. Buffalo, NY 716-633-1633; [email protected] Cranbury, NJ 609-655-1787; [email protected] All indications that point out the Infinite— Langhorne, PA 215-396-0787; [email protected] through the world of manifested finite New York, NY 718-671-2663; [email protected] objects—are His glory alone. Each of these Pittsburgh, PA 412-366-3022; [email protected] [1,000 names] is a glory of the Lord. North Carolina The thousand names of Vishnu provide us Raleigh-Durham 919-484-9768; [email protected] with a thousand clear arrow-marks, rising Ohio from the known, indicating the unknown. Columbus 614-471-4782; [email protected] Contemplation upon these can deepen our Oregon faith in, broaden our devotion to, and Portland 503-299-4091; [email protected] steel our understanding of the all-pervading Texas Austin 512-255-6786; [email protected] Reality (Vishnu). Beaumont 409-898-2565; [email protected] Dallas-Fort Worth 972-250-2470; [email protected] Houston 281-568-9520; [email protected] Washington Seattle 425-373-4660; [email protected] Source: Vishnu Sahasranama: Canada Thousand Ways to the Transcendental Calgary 403-251-2244; [email protected] Halton 905-637-7448; [email protected] Chinmaya Mission® is a registered trademark of Chinmaya Mission West. Niagara Falls 905-374-7644; [email protected] Editor: Brahmacharini Aparna Chaitanya Ottawa 613-738-7466; [email protected] Printing & Distribution: PigMint Press, Redway, CA Toronto 905-417-2377; [email protected] Vancouver Layout: Waters Design, Redway, CA 604-433-3441; [email protected] To submit original material for publication, Main Office in India e-mail [email protected] or mail to: Sandeepany, Mumbai (91-22) 2857-2367; fax 2857-3065; CMW News, 12011 S.W. 97 Terrace, Miami, FL 33186. [email protected] ‘Krishnalaya,’ CMW Headquarters and Retreat Center: (707) 237-5321 fax (707) 247-3422; [email protected] Chinmaya Publications CMW Executive Secretary: Brahmacharini Aparna Chaitanya 1-888-CMW-READ; [email protected] 305-279-8456; fax 305-477-5362; [email protected] 215-396-0390; fax 215-396-9710 CONTACTS in NORTH AMERICA United States Arizona Phoenix 480-283-8447; [email protected] Spiritual Trails California Bakersfield 661-872-7784; [email protected] Things My Mother Never Told Me Los Angeles 714-991-5274; [email protected] San Diego 858-549-2908; [email protected] Q&A with Brahmachari Uddhav Chaitanya San Jose 408-998-2793; [email protected] Continued from CMW News, January 2006 Tustin 714-832-7669 [email protected] District of Columbia/Maryland/Virginia Washington 301-384-5009; [email protected] Various scriptures and masters refer to a both is to make the mind single-pointed. Focusing Florida ‘spiritual heart.’ Is this what we use when dealing on the tip of the nose actually refers to focusing on Miami 305-279-8456; [email protected] with the world? What is this spiritual heart and your breath. [See CMW News, March 2005.] Orlando 407-699-7331; [email protected] where is it? St. Augustine 904-692-4121; [email protected] The third eye is also known as the ¯ajn˜a chakra, Tampa 813-909-4142; [email protected] The spiritual heart is called ‘hrdaya-guh¯a’ and and it is a powerful energy point. Our body has a Georgia ‘hrday¯ak¯asha,’ and it is located just to the right total of seven chakras, all of them energy points: Atlanta 478-922-9710; [email protected] of the physical heart, where the rib cage parts. mu¯l¯adh¯ara, at the base of the spine; sv¯adhisht.h¯ana, Illinois In Yoga Shastra, it is also known as the an¯ahata in the navel; man. ipura, in the solar plexus; an¯ahata, Chicago 630-654-3370; [email protected] chakra. In Kathopanishad, there is a reference to in the heart; vishuddha, in the throat; ¯ajn˜a, in the Libertyville 847-680-4735; [email protected] the spiritual heart that says, “It is in this lotus of center between the eyebrows; and sahasr¯ara, at the Indiana the heart that you meditate on the Supreme, with Merrillville 219-322-7268; [email protected] crown of the skull. Meditating on these chakras is a or without form.” So this spiritual heart is a point powerful means to increase pr¯an. ik energy. Massachusetts of meditation. It is the core of your being, so it is Boston 978-470-2661; [email protected] easier to meditate there; anyone can do it. Start by mastering your posture in the chin-mudr¯a, Michigan then steady the breath by focusing on the tip of your Ann Arbor 734-663-8912; [email protected] Meditation on the Supreme is of two types: nose, and then lift your attention to the stillness Flint 810-230-2430; [email protected] meditating on the formless aspect of God or behind your third eye. It’s not that you are totally off Minnesota meditating on any one form of God (even just Minneapolis 612-924-9172; [email protected] if you are not using these techniques. But it is true looking at a form of God). Beginners are always that using these three techniques, in this order, leads New Jersey/New York/Pennsylvania (Tri-State) advised to start with a form. The purpose of such Buffalo, NY 716-633-1633; [email protected] to effective and substantial growth in meditation. Cranbury, NJ 609-655-1787; [email protected] meditation is yad bh¯avam tad bhavati, or “as you These techniques are also mentioned in Upadesha Langhorne, PA 215-396-0787; [email protected] think, so you become.” S¯ara, Art of Contemplation, and Meditation & Life New York, NY 718-671-2663; [email protected] [go to www.chinmayapublications.org]. Pittsburgh, PA 412-366-3022; [email protected] When it comes to meditation focal points in the North Carolina body, we hear about the third eye, the tip of the What about hat.ha yoga and pra¯n.a¯ya¯ma? Raleigh-Durham 919-484-9768; [email protected] nose, the chin-mudra¯, etc. Why are these points Ohio given? What is their significance? Don’t do it unless you have true m aster teaching Columbus 614-471-4782; [email protected] and guiding you. Don’t mess with pr¯an.¯ay¯ama. The whole human body is a magnetic force (spiritual Oregon You can mess with God, but not with pr¯an.¯ay¯ama. force), and when you sit poised with the chin-mudr¯a Portland 503-299-4091; [email protected] God is all-forgiving, but not pr¯an. ik shakti. [hand symbol where the tip of the thumb touches Texas Pr¯an.¯ay¯ama is a highly advanced science and it Austin 512-255-6786; [email protected] the tip of the index finger, forming a circle], the requires a highly authoritative teacher to bless you Beaumont 409-898-2565; [email protected] circuit is complete. This closed circuit is just like any with the know-how. Dallas-Fort Worth 972-250-2470; [email protected] other electrical wiring, where energy is conserved Houston 281-568-9520; [email protected] ¯ within and not dissipated anywhere outside. This The same warning is given for kun.d.alini shakti. Washington posture makes it easier to contemplate on the What exactly is kundalini¯? What part does it play Seattle 425-373-4660; [email protected] .