Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Gurudev what does on experience during death? And what is the journey after that like? G: Now why do you want to know everything right away? You will one day definitely know. But the curiosity about death will also bring about curiosity about life. to understand life you need to know death and to understand death you need to know life. Death only indicates that life is eternal. It’s like changing your clothes. Moving from one room to another room. After-death experience is not an uncommon thing. You have many scientific evidences on this also. Millions of people have gone to the border, have had a near death experience and have come back. They have shared, right? But its good to have that curiosity. What’s after death? This very question gives a bigger dimension to our life. it expands our awareness, makes us think much bigger than day to day events and circumstances that we face in life. Gurudev, we talk about the soul. What is the soul. Is it wave function, tattva? Where is it? How b...

Adi Shankara described, on the basis of the ideas propounded in the Mandukya Upanishad, the three states of consciousness, namely waking (jågrata), dreaming (svapna), and deep sleep (susupti), which correspond to the three bodies: The first state is that of waking consciousness, in which we are aware of our daily world. "It is described as outward-knowing (bahish-prajnya), gross (sthula) and universal (vaishvanara)". This is the gross body. The second state is that of the dreaming mind. "It is described as inward-knowing (antah-prajnya), subtle (pravivikta), and burning (taijasa)". This is the subtle body. The third state is the state of deep sleep. In this state, the underlying ground of consciousness is undistracted. "[T]he Lord of all (sarv’-eshvara), the knower of all (sarva-jnya), the inner controller (antar-yami), the source of all (yonih sarvasya), the origin and dissolution of created things (prabhav-apyayau hi bhutanam)". This is the c...

The human intellect (understanding) is the capability of a human mind to generalize experiences, to work with terms, and to make conclusions from assumptions. The discipline based on human intellect called “knowledge management” relationship between individuals, social or cultural data, information, and knowledge. Jnana (Knowledge) has no limits as the count of the subjects is numerous.  Our sense to understood in three different contexts namely Laukika (worldly sense), Yaugika (derivative sense) and Yogarudha (etymological sense). We have to consult the Nirukta (Interpreter) which equates our Pancha Indriyas (Five Senses) to Ashwa. Nayana (Eyes) consume the Drusti (Sight); Sravana (Ears) consume Sabdha (Sound); Jihva (Tongue) consumes Ruchi (Taste); Nasika (Nose) consumes Gandha (Smell) and Tvaca (Skin) consumes Sparsha (Touch).  We can recall the analogy of the chariot in Kathopanishad where the horses are likened to our senses and the reins holding them is the mind, intelle...

The Bhagavad Gita is widely considered as a book of philosophy as well as a spiritual treatise. However, not many are aware that it can also work as an excellent guide in leading a meaningful life by developing a healthy mind. बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जित: | अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्ते तात्मैव शत्रुवत् ||  Our Vedic scriptures teach us that our biggest enemies are the thoughts in our mind, such as lust, anger, greed, envy, and illusion. By gaining control over our mind, we can unlock its true potential and make it our best friend. However, since the mind is a powerful machine within our bodies, it can work as a double-edged sword. If we don't control it, it can overpower us and control our actions, leading to negative consequences. To avoid this, we can practice spiritual techniques to control our mind and prevent negative thoughts from becoming negative actions. Bhagavad-Gita 2.47: "You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not e...

I. Integration (Samadhi-padah) Yoga is to still the patterning of consciousness. Then, pure awareness can abide in its very nature. Otherwise, awareness takes itself to be the patterns of consciousness. There are five types of patterns, including both hurtful and benign. They are right perception, misperception, conceptualization, deep sleep, and remembering. Right perception arises from direct observation, inference, or the words of others. Misperception is false knowledge, not based on what actually is. Conceptualization derives from linguistic knowledge, not contact with real things. Deep sleep is a pattern grounded in the perception that nothing exists. Remembering is the retention of experiences. Both practice and non-reaction are required to still the patterning of consciousness. Practice is the sustained effort to rest in that stillness. And this practice becomes firmly rooted when it is cultivated skillfully and continuously for a long time. As for non-reaction, one can recogni...