Sharanagati

Question of Yamuna: Maharaj, tonight here for the first time are some people who are practicing yoga and I would like to ask for their sake: can you please speak something about yoga? Till now they are practicing asanas.

Tirtha Maharaj: Very good. Now we are also practicing asanas, although the space here is a little small. Do we have a bottle? No, not plastic, glass! Empty, plus some water in a jar. So yoga, what is the meaning of yoga? Yoga means connection. And we can say that this is the mystic school in the classical Indian philosophical tradition. Because this is an inner path. And following this path you can elevate your consciousness. The goal of yoga is that our souls, or ourselves, should be connected to the Supreme source. We call this ultimate source Krishna, the affectionate God, and we can establish an emotional contact with this Supreme God. But as I told you that yoga is a mystic process, at the same time this is a very practical process. You can go along with your experience. It is not only faith, it is conviction.

And I am sure that all of you have heard about the chakra system. Chakras are the energy centers of the body. How many chakras are there?

Yamuna: Seven main.

Tirtha Maharaj: Seven main chakras, correct, arranged according to the spine. And the secondary chakras? Practically countless, some millions. But they identify some thirty main chakras all over the body. The seven main chakras are also part of these thirty. And if we do our practice, then we shall feel some changes. The goal is to raise our energy level on the chakra ladder. Do you want to see how it happens? All right! So, here is an empty bottle. If you hit it, it gives a sound, right? Let’s give some energy to this bottle. I give energy in the form of water. When you give a little energy to the bottle – the sound is a little different. Let’s give a little more energy to the system. Different, right! Shall we provide more energy to this system? Let’s try. Ah! A little more energy? Bigger and bigger changes. Small little energy you add and bigger changes will happen.

This is the way to tune the system. Your body is the bottle, your spiritual practice is the water and the different resonance is the elevation of your consciousness. This is yoga.