Himalayan yoga of the tradition of Swami Rama - Swami Rama. Sri Swami Rama

Wise men are the sources from which humanity draws knowledge and wisdom to see the light, truth and beauty that show the path of freedom and happiness for all. They make humanity aware of the ephemeral ghosts and vain illusions of this world.

This is the opinion of Sri Swami Rama, the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages, a disciple of the even more famous Babaji in India and all over the world, a scientist, philosopher, philanthropist and spiritual leader for many people. The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji (a respectful form of address) ranges from ordinary villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

Swami Rama devotes his day to teaching and helping students, and spends most of the night in meditation. People are attracted by his open compassion for all mankind and at the same time a deep understanding of each individual person. He follows the path of the ancient Yogi tradition, handed down through the disciplic succession from teachers in the Himalayas. Representatives of this tradition firmly believe that “yoga” includes all those practices and underlying systems of philosophy that enrich the person internally and externally, which the great sages have ever followed, not only the sages of the Himalayas, but also of Judaism. , Christianity, Buddhism, Zen and Sufism. The locals still call him, as before, Bholi Baba, which means "good sage."

We are pleased to present in this short article the path of light and life - the story of a great spirit and personality that inspires millions of people around the world.

Meeting with the Teacher or unfinished mission

Childhood is the cornerstone on which all future life is built. From seeds sown in childhood, the tree of life grows. The education received during this period is superior in importance to that given in colleges and universities. In the process of growing up a person, proper guidance, along with the study of the world around him, plays an important role.

Swami Rama's parents, relatively wealthy and generous landowners, lived in a village where Brahmins lived predominantly (the intellectual layer of society in India: teachers, monks, scientists). They often came to his father - famous connoisseur Sanskrit and a highly developed spiritual person for consultations and training. One day he disappeared, and for six months no one knew where he was. The family concluded that he was either dead or had taken a vow of renunciation. As it turned out later, he decided to retire for a long period of time due to the fact that he had problems with spiritual studies. When he returned, he told his wife about the meeting with the teacher who gave him initiation. Two years later, during dinner, someone knocked on the door of their house. On the threshold stood the teacher from whom he received initiation. In deep reverence, the owner of the house said: "All that I have is at your disposal." The teacher's answer: "I need your son" - surprised the spouses: "At our age, having a son would be a miracle, but if it suddenly becomes possible, then let him be yours." Eighteen months later, in 1925, replenishment came to this family - Swami Rama was born. On that very day, his future teacher came to their house and asked the mother to put the child in her arms.

Sri (great, holy, divine)

Swami (self-controlled or senseless)

After holding the child for a few minutes, the teacher handed the child back and said, “Take care of him. I'll come back later and take it with me."

When he returned three years later and gave the first initiation to his disciple by whispering the mantra into his right ear, the little boy said that he knew and remembered the mantra. The teacher replied, “I know. I'm just reinforcing what you already remember."

Perhaps, having fulfilled their destiny, giving life to this soul, Swami Rama's parents soon died. And he went to live with his teacher.

Education in the ancient tradition and knowledge of the purpose of life

The Master set about teaching Swami Rama discipline, even if it was not easy for him. Education took place not in the form of some rigid instructions, but through the development in the student of detachment and constant awareness of his true nature and what is happening through the practice of meditation. He gave him the freedom of choice: having received a certain experience, the student can free himself from some desires and come to what has true value for him.

The divine love of a teacher is not human love, but something that can only be understood by the heart and never by the mind. In a true spiritual tradition, the transfer of knowledge from teacher to student is so strong that it overwhelms the student's life and transforms it.

Teachers and sages do not want to remember the past and do not attach any great importance to their birthday, age, place of birth. When performing the initiation ceremony, the forsaken independently performs the ritual of farewell to the past and deliberately forgets about his place of birth and those people with whom he previously lived. Such is the tradition.

All that is known about Swami Rama's teacher is that the members of the teacher's family were initiates of a sage who from time to time descended from the Himalayas and traveled in those parts. He was the only son of his parents and was orphaned early. After that, according to the stories, at the age of fourteen he was adopted by the same sage.

Here is how Swami Rama himself talks about his teacher:

“I don't know what my father and mother could give me, but my teacher gave me everything. At the same time, he never expected anything from me in return, and I could not give him anything. My love for him is immeasurable, because he gave me everything: education, practical training, and I still have not been able to give him anything.

Some people call my teacher Bengali Baba and some people just know him as Babaji. I call my Gurudeva (spiritual mentor, teacher) "teacher" for lack of a better word. My love for him is like an eternal law. I never found anything unrealistic in what he taught me, nor did I see him in any way selfish. Words cannot convey his greatness. I deeply believe that he is a yogi of eternal wisdom and one of the greatest teachers in the Himalayas. His purpose in life is the enlightenment of those who are ready, and love, protection and guidance for those who are on the path of preparation. Anyone who remembers him in a difficult moment receives help. Wherever I am, I pay tribute to him with all possible devotion and respect. If I make mistakes it's my fault, but all the good things in my life I owe to him."

Amazing Himalayas

Swami Rama's teacher not only imparted the experience himself, but also regularly sent his disciple to various parts of the Himalayas so that he could experience the sages living and traveling there. As the years pass, Swami Rama believes that the ability to love nature must be developed in the mind of a person before he begins to navigate the corridor of his life. Then his soul begins to live in harmony with the world around him, and every movement he makes and every sound he makes will certainly be appropriate in human society.

Foothills of the HimalayasRishikesh

Ama Dablam Peak - Himalayas

The upbringing of Swami Rama took place in one of the cave monasteries with inviolably preserved ancient traditions. The tradition of this monastery has its roots in the deep past, numbering four or five thousand years, and is still not forgotten. The manuscripts are stored there, in which it is reported who the first teachers were and how the tradition was born. It is not easy to get into these monasteries. It is said that one who leaves his home and starts looking for a teacher out of sheer curiosity or to solve emotional problems will not reach these distant heights. He simply lacks the determination and energy needed to reach the places hidden deep in the Himalayas where the great sages live.

But for those who are destined to take the path of transmitting the knowledge of this tradition, after reaching a certain degree of progress, the teacher asks the question: “If you spend your whole life in a cave, then how can other people learn from yogis?” Therefore, most of the students leave the cave after a few years. It is very important to make your life creative and useful, but before you start doing this, you should get in touch with your inner potential through self-discipline and gaining control over your mind, speech and actions. If you practice even for a few years the discipline taught in the cave monasteries, the flower of life will bloom forever. A person who has achieved such self-control lives in the world, but nevertheless remains free from worldly ways and problems.

As the sages say, the main thing that a person needs for development at all levels of life is the presence of a life goal, because then his whole life is immediately transformed.

The question "Why do I exist?" and all around set the direction of the search for truth. Swami Rama understands and expresses the truth in the following words:

“When love became the Master of my life, I became absolutely fearless and wandered from one cave to another, overcoming mountain rivers and passes surrounded by snow-covered peaks. Under no circumstances did I lose heart in my search for the sages hiding in secluded places, preferring to remain unknown.

Progress towards unconditional love begins when a person nurtures their ego and uses it to achieve higher goals. Success in all spheres of life is achieved by one who knows how to be selfless. Selflessness is a common trait shared by all great men and women around the world. Nothing can be achieved without selfless service. Any rituals and any knowledge of the sacred texts will be in vain if there is no selflessness in the actions of a person. The one who takes pleasure in doing something for others without expecting anything in return is given supreme view joy - joy that comes from within, not conditioned by anything external. The egoist has nothing to dream of such a state of realization, since his consciousness remains limited by the narrow limits of his own ego.

Almost all children are quite selfish by nature. They do not like to give anything to others. Swami Rama was brought up to overcome this tendency in himself. In the mountains, he usually took only one meal a day. He used to eat a piece of chapatti (Indian bread), some vegetables, and drink a cup of milk.

One day when he was getting ready for dinner, his teacher told him to give his food to a sadhu (ascetic, saint, sage) who visited them. Swami Rama reluctantly did this, he knew that until the next day he would not have more food. The sage ate the offered food, and then said: "God bless you! Now you will never feel hungry until the food is in front of you. This is my blessing for you. From that day on, he forever got rid of that motive the reason that so often incited him to childish begging.Such is the power of the blessing of the sages.

Checks

In order for a person to take responsibility for his life, his strength needs frequent checks. By testing their students, teachers teach them self-discipline and develop self-confidence. Reviews help students determine the extent of their own progress and reveal those mistakes that they may not be aware of.

Swami Rama loved to be challenged and always accepted with joy. Examination own forces served as a source of inspiration for him.

One day the teacher, when they were staying in the forest at two o'clock in the morning, sent the future swami to a shop twelve miles away to buy provisions for a three or four day journey. Many times during that long night tigers and snakes crossed the road in front of the student. He walked the twelve miles with his little lantern to the shop, and by seven o'clock in the morning he was back with provisions. When the teacher asked, "Well, how are you?", he began to tell him about everything that happened on the way. Finally, the teacher said, "Okay, that's enough. Let's cook our own food." So he brought up humility in the student and helped get rid of selfishness.

Swami Rama's faith in the teacher and determination were so strong that he threw himself into a dangerous raging river where crocodiles swam and swam across it when other students were just thinking about it. At the same time, his only message was - the teacher wants me to swim across the river, which means I can do it.

The sacred texts say that with the help of sankalpa shakti (the power of determination), anything can be achieved. "If a person does not lose the power of determination, he will inevitably reach the desired goal."

In order for the teacher to lead the student and help him fulfill his mission, the student must be ready for this. This is shown in the disciple's devotion to follow this path, whatever temptations may be offered in life.

When Swami Rama received his second initiation at the age of fifteen, he had nothing. He thought, "All these rich people bring fruit baskets, flowers, money as gifts to their teachers, and I have absolutely nothing to give." Then he asked his teacher:

"Sir, what is the best gift I could give you?"

The teacher replied:

- "Bring me a bundle of dry brushwood,"
he was at a loss, but nevertheless did as he was told.
“Now present this to me with all the sincerity of your heart, mind and soul. This is the greatest gift you can ever offer me. People want to give me gold, silver, land, a house. These values ​​mean nothing to me." When a disciple presents a bundle of dry brushwood to his guru, he understands that he is ready to follow the path of enlightenment. It means asking, "Please release me from my past and burn all my negative thoughts in the fire of knowledge." The Master said, “I will burn all this dry brushwood so that your past karmas (cause-effect, retribution) do not affect your future. Now I give you new life. Don't live in the past. Live here and now and start your journey towards the light.”

Try the world

Swami Rama's teacher wanted his student to have a normal childhood, not a hard and joyless one. The teacher's followers donated to him rather large sums of money, which he later trusted to dispose of his student, and also allowed him to buy whatever he wanted. Thanks to this, Swami Rama began to buy the best cars, changing them twice a year, and live better than any prince in India. Many of his relatives, friends, and even officials from the police department wanted to know where he got the money for such a luxurious life.

Swami Rama: “The secret was that my teacher used to give me everything I needed. He kept nothing for himself and spent nothing on himself. When I realized the value of worldly things, I calmed down and found the peace of mind that helped me meditate correctly. Hidden desires are fraught with great danger, since they manifest themselves more in meditation than in active life.

supernatural

On the path of yoga, a person sometimes reveals in himself the potential for mastering supernatural abilities - siddhis.

Being a witness to many cases of manifestation of the supernatural abilities of some sorcerers, Swami Rama more than once SPEAK offensive words to the Teacher: “There are people who have greater powers than you. So I will follow them." He replied: “Of course, go! I want you to grow up and become great. Don't follow me!"

The wisdom of the teacher allowed Swami Rama to be convinced from his own experience that most of the phenomena of this kind are tricks, and true spirituality has nothing to do with such miracles. He also learned from communication with such “yogis” that it is often the siddhis that are the stumbling block on the path to true enlightenment, and the people who possess them are often characterized by greed, selfishness and ignorance. He came to the conclusion, based on his experience, that the path of love and enlightenment is not connected with the intentional development of supernatural powers. The miracles performed by Buddha, Christ and other great sages happened spontaneously and haunted good purpose. They were not done out of selfish motives or for the sake of sensation. A yogi who has no desire for siddhis can take advantage of these opportunities, but at the same time, realizing the purpose of his life, he will never abuse such powers, and even more so the mystical will not obscure the truth from him.

The path to excellence

The Path of Direct Realization or "Learn to walk without assistance."

In his youth, Swami Rama was arrogant and ambitious, and at some point, when he himself taught many swamis, it seemed to him that he no longer needed any further studies or studies and in all India there was no swami more advanced than he. When he told Babaji about such a high assessment of himself, he looked at the student and asked: “Have you taken drugs? What are you carrying? - "No, really, I think so." A few days later, the teacher returned to this topic. “You are still a child,” he said. - You only know how to go to school. You have not mastered four things. Master them, and then you will really achieve something.

1. Desire to meet and know God,

2. But don't have a selfish desire to get some things for yourself.

3. Completely give up anger, greed and attachment.

4. Regularly practice meditation.

Only by doing these four things will you become perfect.” Then he told him to visit several sages belonging to various orders.

The lessons learned from these sages led the student to become aware of the difference between bookish and experimental knowledge. He discovered many weaknesses in himself, which he could not at all call pleasant.

When he returned to his teacher and admitted that he had only intellectual knowledge and that his conduct was not in accordance with that knowledge, the teacher said, “That is the problem with all intellectuals. The knowledge they possess fills them with pride. Now I will teach you how to put my knowledge into practice.”

True knowledge is acquired not so much by getting acquainted with it, but by way of being. Self-discipline leads to self-learning, and self-learning leads to direct inner realization. Through direct inner realization you expand your consciousness.”

Babaji never punished a student, but led him to the realization of the fact that the mind and heart of a person in some situations have changed under the influence of human weaknesses. After that, Swami Rama used to ponder every weakness and meditate on self-transformation.

Conquest of fear

Fear is the main of all opponents, the devil sitting inside a person. The sages say: "All good is outside, all evil is inside." Fear robs us of the energy to achieve our goals in life. Fearlessness is the first rung of the ladder leading to liberation from negative mind programs and gaining harmony.

Babaji helped his disciple to realize the cause of fears in moments of immersion in this fear.

In his youth, Swami Rama was usually distinguished by fearlessness. He could swim across the full-flowing Ganges, he could go deep into the forest without feeling the slightest fear of tigers, but what he was always very afraid of was snakes. Many times he met with snakes, but hid from everyone, even from his teacher, the fear of them. One day this manifested itself when he meditated for 2-3 hours and, opening his eyes, found that he was sitting face to face with a cobra.

Another episode involving snakes took place in Popy, when Swami Rama had already gone through many types of training and education. Once on the way, when he outwardly looked like a swami, but in fact he was just preparing to become one, the locals, apparently deciding to check, provided him with a hut for the night, where there was no lighting and which turned out to be a temple of snakes. In order not to lose honor, he had to sit all night in meditation on cobras. The swami's authority was saved, but the fear did not go away.

Continuing to live inside, it intensified over time and began to interfere with spiritual progress. In the end, he decided to tell the teacher about it, since he could not cope on his own. The wise teacher already knew everything. He helped his student get rid of this fear by immersing him in the situation. When the student held a cobra in a state of stupefaction in his hand, at that very time the teacher spoke that people's selfishness, attachment and hatred carry vibrations of separation from nature, fill with fear and frighten animals, and in order to protect themselves they attack him. Fearlessness is manifested when a person realizes his true nature and inseparable connection with the One Whole. Can someone kill someone? After all, the Atman (the higher "I", the eternal, unchanging spiritual essence) is eternal, although this body will sooner or later turn into dust.

Jewelry, family, fame or the path of fire?

Himself following the path of renunciation, Babaji never insisted on the renunciation of Swami Rama, he wanted the disciple to go through certain experiences and make decisions for himself.

He once said, “Go out into the world, become a high government official. If you are attached to me and being with me is your only desire, then this is wrong. I want you to live in the world. I will give you wealth." “But this is not at all what I want,” he objected. "Are you sure? If yes, then you will have to go with me to the mountains.”

What happened next is hard to believe. Babaji took the student with him to the mountains and upon arrival he asked, "You love precious stones, don't you?" This was indeed the case and the teacher was aware of this hidden desire of Swami Rama. "Look here" - in front of the student lay a whole pile of precious stones. “It's not an illusion,” the teacher said. - Come, touch them. I bet they are real. Take them. They are yours. You will become the richest man in India. Now, son, let me go. I want to retire deep into the mountains."

Tears welled up in Swami's eyes and he exclaimed:

“Are you leaving me? Are you offering me these gems in exchange for yourself? I do not need them. I want to be with you".
“If you want to be with me, look here. Do you see this high flame?
The young man looked and in amazement saw a wall of fire.

“If you walk through this flame, you can follow me. What you choose? You have to decide how strong your desire for worldly things is and how strong your desire for enlightenment is.”
“I prefer fire to temptation,” he replied. - I want to be reborn. There is no other way.” So he chose the path of renunciation for himself.
This path is like a razor blade. Few people choose the path of renunciation, this path is not for everyone. But those who enjoy the life of renunciation are truly blessed. The path of action, however, is equally beneficial, provided one knows how to act skillfully and unselfishly, to live in the world and yet remain above it. You should not compare these paths and think that one of them is better and the other is worse. It doesn't matter which path one chooses. Honesty, sincerity and faith with which he follows the path are important.

Swami Rama did not plan to start a family. But one day, for a whole year, when he was under a very strong influence one girl and her family, he decided what to do, as there was a desire to start a family and at the same time did not leave the feeling of loss of hope and dissatisfaction.

He eventually came to Babaji for advice, who reminded him of his unfinished mission but left him free to choose his own path forward.

After Swami Rama decided to renounce marriage and again follow the path of renunciation, Babaji recommended that he live for some time on the banks of the Narmada River and engage in certain ascetic practices there. Swami Rama considers these six months of intense physical and mental austerity to be a highly fruitful period in his life.

The river in those places was teeming with crocodiles, and some of them were a few meters away when he was meditating.

Soon fate taught another lesson. Somehow travelers in these places took a photo of Swami Rama meditating surrounded by crocodiles, which got into the newspapers and into the eyes of Shankaracharya (the person who heads the monastic order is considered the spiritual leader of India and occupies a position similar to the position of the Pope in the Christian world) from Karvirpitham, who at that time was looking for a successor. A meeting was held at which Swami Rama's candidacy was approved, after which he received Babaji's permission to take the post, and an eighteen-day appointment ceremony took place. He received thousands of telegrams from well-wishers from all over the world, including messages from the Pope and other spiritual leaders. Swami Rama had a strange feeling: the contrast with six months of solitude and silence was striking. By the will of fate, at the age of less than thirty years, such a huge responsibility was entrusted to him.

All the time now was spent in communication with the spiritual leaders of the world, travel and lectures, but he was deprived of the opportunity to practice and meditate, and the inner feeling of happiness left him. Two years later, following an inner voice that suggested that this was not his destiny, he simply took and fled without a penny in his pocket.

Followers and admirers of Shankaracharya did not understand the reasons for his departure from such a high and prestigious post. It seemed to them that this was a neglect of their duties. When he came to Babaji, he heard, “Now you see how worldly temptations haunt you and how the world wants to devour the spiritual person. From now on, nothing will be able to influence you, because you have gone through positions, orders and have chosen renunciation. People expect too much from their spiritual leaders. Do everything in your power for the spiritual uplift and enlightenment of the people, but never forget your path.”

Last test before the mission

Staying all alone for 11 months in a small cave - this was the last test of Swami Rama before he began to carry out his mission. There he was engaged in special meditative and yogic practices, sleeping only two or three hours a day. The basis of his diet was once a day mountain vegetables and barley, a glass of milk in the morning and evening. The rest of the time was devoted to spiritual pursuits.

Swami Rama: “Returning back to the outer world, I realized that this world is an arena where I can test my inner strength, speech, emotions, thoughts and behavior. After completing this test, I was prepared to go to the West.

Guide of ancient tradition and messages of the Himalayan sages

Swami Rama received training in the Bharati tradition. Bha means "knowledge" and rati means "loving". Thus Bharati means "one who loves knowledge". This Himalayan tradition is purely ascetic and is practiced in the Himalayan caves, and great importance is attached to the study of the Upanishads (sacred scriptures - the quintessence of the Vedas), which is accompanied by special advanced spiritual practices under the guidance of teachers. The mission for which he was trained was to convey to the world the message of the Himalayan sages. This message is timeless and has nothing to do with the primitive concepts of East and West.

"Become free from all fear" - this is the first message of the Himalayan sages. The second message is to become aware of the reality that exists within. To remain internally spontaneous and at the same time become an instrument of cognition of pure spirituality without the admixture of any religion or culture.

Sri Swami Rama on the mission: "We must build a center of life, which will be an important bridge between East and West."

He contributed invaluable contribution both in the material and spiritual aspects of the lives of millions of people around the globe.

The life of Swami Rama is a demonstration of the saying "Yoga is mastery in action", he argued that all sciences and arts are open to perfect yoga. He was a philosopher who wrote 45 books, a poet who translated an epic poem in three months, a scientist who offered himself in 1970 to experiment on the possibilities of yoga at the Menninger Institute in the USA, an expert in homeopathy and Ayurvedic medicine, martial arts, an architect, sculptor, painter, musician, dog and horse trainer, beekeeper... He is a philanthropist who built a college near the Himalayas, founded the International Himalayan Institute for the Scientific and Philosophical Study of Yoga in the USA in order to scientifically verify, document, publish and transmit the experience of Himalayan teachers. The Institute's programs are designed to help people bring creativity into their lives. In the words of the founder of the institute: "Through the realization of one's potential and capabilities, a person becomes a perfect citizen, helps the nation and serves humanity."

Being in a state of inner peace and tranquility, he shunned fame and did not pay attention to worldly opinions. Many businessmen and administrators tell how he blessed and led them to a successful life, but he himself could talk for hours with a simple peasant, while the princes waited outside his room. When he provided funds for the university library in the Garhwal Himalayas, he stipulated that his name would not be associated with it in any way. And when he prepared to leave his body in 1996, he left strict instructions not to build tombs or do anything to commemorate his name.

His memorial today is in the hearts of his students, who carry the unlimited love they received from him. He was a fully enlightened Master and a representative of an ancient lineage of Yogis who impart direct experience in the mysteries of consciousness and are the founders and guardians of Sri Vidya, the science of all paths of meditation. Most of all, those around him remembered the magnetic power of his spirit, so that when he walked, everyone felt a desire to follow this Himalayan sage.

In 1950, at Kumbh Mela (“the festival of pitchers” - a rite of mass Hindu pilgrimage to the shrines of Hinduism, which is held every 12 years), visiting yogis were asked who they considered the best of the Himalayan sages. They all mentioned the name of Swami Rama.

“Many different qualities, characteristics, acquired tendencies, inclinations and desires are inherited by our mind. If we can empty our minds of them, then we will enjoy a vast world. The mind is the storehouse of all these attributes. When the mind is completely freed from thoughts and desires, then the mind dissolves into bliss.

And then the sadhaka (spiritual seeker, the one who performs spiritual practices) can stop performing sadhana (spiritual routine, spiritual practices).

Our mind extracts a thousand times more joy from brief concentration than from sensual pleasure (food, sex, etc.).

The task of the sadhak is to completely empty the mind of all thoughts. The mind, free from thoughts, becomes a mirror that reflects the bliss of the inner self of a person. A free mind is a source of energy and a channel of intuitive knowledge.

Why does the flute produce such beautiful melodies? Because the flute is empty inside. Why shouldn't we prepare our mind for Krishna's play?"

Swami Rama

At Kumbh Mela in 1950, Swami Veda asked visiting yogis who they considered the best of the Himalayan sages. They all mentioned the name of Swami Rama.

Swami Rama was born in 1925 and brought up by his spiritual teacher in the legendary mountain caves of the Himalayas. A monk of the Shankaracharya order, he studied in his youth the Upanishads and Buddhist texts, and studied Tibetan mysticism. In 1949 he left the prestigious position of Shankaracharya Karvirpitham to serve mankind.

The life of Swami Rama is a demonstration of the saying "Yoga is mastery in action", he argued that all sciences and arts are open to the accomplished yogi. He was a philosopher who wrote 45 books, a poet who translated an epic poem in three months, a scientist who offered himself in 1970 to experiment on the possibilities of yoga at the Menninger Institute in the USA, an expert in homeopathy and Ayurvedic medicine, martial arts, an architect, sculptor, artist, musician, dog and horse trainer, beekeeper... He is a philanthropist who founded the International Himalayan Institute of Yogic Science and Philosophy and then in 4 years created a medical town, one of the best hospitals in India. There he gave skillful advice on surgery, which was often followed even by experienced specialists.

Being in a state of inner peace, he shunned fame and did not pay attention to worldly opinions. Many businessmen and administrators tell how he blessed and led them to a successful life, but he himself could talk for hours with a one-buffalo peasant, while the princes waited outside his room. When he provided funds for the university library in the Garhwal Himalayas, he stipulated that his name would not be associated with it in any way. And when he prepared to leave his body in 1996, he left strict instructions not to build tombs or do anything to commemorate his name. His memorial today is in the hearts of his students, who carry the unlimited love they received from him.

Most importantly, he was a fully enlightened Master and a representative of an ancient lineage of yogis who, in their high initiations, bestow direct experience in the mysteries of consciousness and are the founders and guardians of Sri Vidya, the science of all paths of meditation.

Swami Rama left many disciples to continue the work after him. All of them are incomparable in caliber with him. What I remember most was the magnetic power of his spirit, so that when he walked, everyone felt drawn to follow him. The full impact of his spiritual heritage can hardly be assessed before a century later.

Sri Swami Rama

LIFE AMONG THE HIMALAYAN YOGI

Spiritual experience of Swami Rama

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi. philanthropist and spiritual guide for many people.

The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he talks about various incidents from his life, seem amazing to us. According to our tradition, we firmly believe that "yoga" - in the general sense of the word, means all those paths of philosophy and which the great sages have ever followed, not only the sages of the Himalayas, but also of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zen and Sufism.

The word "yoga" includes all those practices and underlying systems of philosophy that enrich a person internally and externally.

FOREWORD

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi, philanthropist and spiritual guide to many professionals and other students. Swami Rama devotes his day to teaching and helping students, and spends most of the night in meditation. Before I chose this path, the most attractive thing about him for me was his open compassion for all mankind and at the same time a deep understanding of each individual person. Finally, I made the decision to follow the path of the sages and became his disciple. My training took place at the foot of the Himalayas, in Rishikesh, and there, on the banks of the sacred Ganges, I received initiation from him.

I also happened to travel with him to some of his favorite places in the Himalayas, where he sought a break from his busy teaching and writing schedule. One such place where I lived with Swamiji and a group of American disciples for several days is described in this book in a story entitled "Saving Hands". This is one of the most beautiful and serene places I have ever been. We lived there in a clay hut near a small temple and meditated under the fir trees during the day.

Many times I have witnessed the philanthropic activities of Swami Rama. During our travels together, I met many students who received college scholarships from a charitable foundation approved by him. In Hardwar I visited an eye clinic that he supported financially. I also visited the college he built near the Himalayas. In his youth, Swamiji wandered in this mountainous region. The locals still call him, as before, Bholi Baba, which means "good sage." Whenever we went to the mountains, we were met by crowds of people and local drummers who used to lead our processions. The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

While visiting Kanpur, I visited Dr. Sunanda Bai, a leading gynecologist and surgeon in India and a follower of Swamiji. A conversation with this wonderful woman enlightened me in many ways. She had known him for many years, and the events she related to me confirmed some of the facts described in this book. Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he recounts various incidents from his life, are so amazing that I personally did not understand them until I traveled with him in India. In Delhi, Kanpur and Rishikesh, I happened to meet several people who knew him for more than thirty years and were participants in some of the events he described.

During our travels in India, Swamiji often talked about his mission in the West. He told me that we should establish an institute in the United States in order to scientifically test, document, publish, and transmit the experience of our tradition. He said: "We must build a center of life, which will be an important bridge between East and West."

We follow a path based on the information given to us by our teachers in the Himalayas, whose presence we constantly feel. According to our tradition, we firmly believe that "yoga" - in the general sense of the word - means all those paths of philosophy and practice that the great sages have ever followed, not only the sages of the Himalayas, but also Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zen and Sufism. The word "yoga" includes all those practices and underlying systems of philosophy that enrich a person internally and externally.

Swamiji says, “We are all thirsty, but instead of just getting drunk, we are just chewing seaweed floating on the surface of the lake of life. Algae contain little water and are unable to quench our thirst. If we want to fully quench our thirst, we must dive deep, beyond all external conventions, in order to discover the lying truths of life.

Some of the stories and teachings published in this book are taken from my personal experience communication with Swamiji. Sometimes we sat up with him until four o'clock in the morning, discussing the problems of life and his meetings with the sages. Later, I wrote down the content of these conversations. Another source of these stories was Swamiji's diaries, which he faithfully kept before becoming an adult. During my stay in Rishikesh, I had the opportunity to review these diaries. The third source for the material in this book was the lectures given by Swamiji in the USA.

From these sources I was able to compile a huge manuscript. One day, when I had this manuscript with me, Swamiji asked, “What is this burden that you are carrying with you today?”

I replied: “These are stories that I have collected from your lectures, diaries and instructions addressed to me. Please help me select some of them for the book. He ignored my request and put the manuscript aside for two years. In the end, my colleagues Brandt Dayton, Dr. Burke, Dr. Arya, and Dr. O'Bryan convinced me to disassemble and edit these stories. I did this work, while trying, however, to leave my own wherever possible Swamiji's words are unchanged.

These spiritual stories are not a biographical account of Swamiji's life, but merely an attempt to outline some of the environment in which he lived, to give an idea of ​​the sages of the Himalayas and their ways of learning. The stories are not collected in chronological order, but are grouped into separate topics, within each of which I tried to adhere to the chronological order of the stories. Each story is instructive in some way and contains valuable lessons. The unique events told in the stories will help us to understand ourselves at all levels from within and without.

I am very happy to present these stories to the reader. Perhaps you, as well as me, will be inspired by the life of this wonderful person. Perhaps you will enter the path of light and life.

Swami Ajaya

I. SPIRITUAL EDUCATION IN THE HIMALAYAS

Childhood is the cornerstone on which all future life is built. From seeds sown in childhood, the tree of life grows. The education received in childhood is superior in importance to that given in colleges and universities. In the process of growing up a person, proper guidance, along with the study of the world around him, plays an important role.

sacred himalayas

The chain of Himalayan mountains stretches for almost 1500 miles. Mount Everest, at 29,000 feet, on the border of Nepal and Tibet, is the highest peak in the world. Persians, Hindus, Tibetans and Chinese - they all wrote about the beauty and grandeur of these mountains. The word "Himalayas" comes from the Sanskrit words "hima" - "snow" and "alai" - "abode", thus meaning "abode of snows". However, you should know that the Himalayas are not only the abode of snow, but also the stronghold of yogic wisdom and spirituality for millions of people, regardless of their religious beliefs. This ancient and rich tradition still exists today as these unique mountains still whisper their spiritual beauty to all who have ears to hear.

I was born and raised in the valleys of the Himalayan mountains. I wandered through them for four and a half decades and was educated by their sages. I met with the masters who lived and traveled there, studied and learned spiritual wisdom at their feet. In my travels from the Himalayas of the Punjab to the Himalayas of Kumaon and Garhwal, from Nepal to Assam and from Sikkim to Bhutan and Tibet, I reached cherished places that are actually inaccessible to tourists. Without an oxygen apparatus and modern equipment, I reached heights of 19,000 to 20,000 feet above sea level. Many times I went without food and passed out, tired and sometimes injured, but always in one way or another I received help during such incidents.

Sri Swami Rama

LIFE AMONG THE HIMALAYAN YOGI

Spiritual experience of Swami Rama

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi. philanthropist and spiritual guide for many people.

The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he talks about various incidents from his life, seem amazing to us. According to our tradition, we firmly believe that "yoga" - in the general sense of the word, means all those paths of philosophy and which the great sages have ever followed, not only the sages of the Himalayas, but also of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zen and Sufism.

The word "yoga" includes all those practices and underlying systems of philosophy that enrich a person internally and externally.

FOREWORD

Sri Swami Rama is the heir to the majestic tradition of the Himalayan sages. He is a scientist, philosopher, yogi, philanthropist and spiritual guide to many professionals and other students. Swami Rama devotes his day to teaching and helping students, and spends most of the night in meditation. Before I chose this path, the most attractive thing about him for me was his open compassion for all mankind and at the same time a deep understanding of each individual person. Finally, I made the decision to follow the path of the sages and became his disciple. My training took place at the foot of the Himalayas, in Rishikesh, and there, on the banks of the sacred Ganges, I received initiation from him.

I also happened to travel with him to some of his favorite places in the Himalayas, where he sought a break from his busy teaching and writing schedule. One such place where I lived with Swamiji and a group of American disciples for several days is described in this book in a story entitled "Saving Hands". This is one of the most beautiful and serene places I have ever been. We lived there in a clay hut near a small temple and meditated under the fir trees during the day.

Many times I have witnessed the philanthropic activities of Swami Rama. During our travels together, I met many students who received college scholarships from a charitable foundation approved by him. In Hardwar I visited an eye clinic that he supported financially. I also visited the college he built near the Himalayas. In his youth, Swamiji wandered in this mountainous region. The locals still call him, as before, Bholi Baba, which means "good sage." Whenever we went to the mountains, we were met by crowds of people and local drummers who used to lead our processions. The circle of people who deeply revere Swamiji ranges from simple villagers to those occupying leading positions in Indian society.

While visiting Kanpur, I visited Dr. Sunanda Bai, a leading gynecologist and surgeon in India and a follower of Swamiji. A conversation with this wonderful woman enlightened me in many ways. She had known him for many years, and the events she related to me confirmed some of the facts described in this book. Swamiji's spiritual stories, in which he recounts various incidents from his life, are so amazing that I personally did not understand them until I traveled with him in India. In Delhi, Kanpur and Rishikesh, I happened to meet several people who knew him for more than thirty years and were participants in some of the events he described.

During our travels in India, Swamiji often talked about his mission in the West. He told me that we should establish an institute in the United States in order to scientifically test, document, publish, and transmit the experience of our tradition. He said: "We must build a center of life, which will be an important bridge between East and West."

We follow a path based on the information given to us by our teachers in the Himalayas, whose presence we constantly feel. According to our tradition, we firmly believe that "yoga" - in the general sense of the word - means all those paths of philosophy and practice that the great sages have ever followed, not only the sages of the Himalayas, but also Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zen and Sufism. The word "yoga" includes all those practices and underlying systems of philosophy that enrich a person internally and externally.

Swamiji says, “We are all thirsty, but instead of just getting drunk, we are just chewing seaweed floating on the surface of the lake of life. Algae contain little water and are unable to quench our thirst. If we want to fully quench our thirst, we must dive deep, beyond all external conventions, in order to discover the lying truths of life.

Some of the stories and teachings published in this book are from my personal experience with Swamiji. Sometimes we sat up with him until four o'clock in the morning, discussing the problems of life and his meetings with the sages. Later, I wrote down the content of these conversations. Another source of these stories was Swamiji's diaries, which he faithfully kept before becoming an adult. During my stay in Rishikesh, I had the opportunity to review these diaries. The third source for the material in this book was the lectures given by Swamiji in the USA.

From these sources I was able to compile a huge manuscript. One day, when I had this manuscript with me, Swamiji asked, “What is this burden that you are carrying with you today?”

I replied: “These are stories that I have collected from your lectures, diaries and instructions addressed to me. Please help me select some of them for the book. He ignored my request and put the manuscript aside for two years. In the end, my colleagues Brandt Dayton, Dr. Burke, Dr. Arya, and Dr. O'Bryan convinced me to disassemble and edit these stories. I did this work, while trying, however, to leave my own wherever possible Swamiji's words are unchanged.

These spiritual stories are not a biographical account of Swamiji's life, but merely an attempt to outline some of the environment in which he lived, to give an idea of ​​the sages of the Himalayas and their ways of learning. The stories are not collected in chronological order, but are grouped into separate topics, within each of which I tried to adhere to the chronological order of the stories. Each story is instructive in some way and contains valuable lessons. The unique events told in the stories will help us to understand ourselves at all levels from within and without.

XIII DOMINATION OVER LIFE AND DEATH

You are the creator of your destiny. Life and death are just two events in life. The reason for your suffering is that you have forgotten your true nature. When you realize it, you will be free.

Birth and death are transient events

I usually obeyed my teacher, because he brought me up from childhood, but did not always believe in the truth of what he taught me. Often when I was in calm state, doubts surfaced from the depths of my mind. Following the instructions of my teacher, I often visited various swamis. At first, I felt like I was just wasting my time. "Well, what useless people? - I thought. - They left the world and now they are sitting under the trees. Why do they need this?" Gradually, I came to understand that first we need to learn to question our own doubts, to analyze them ourselves. When I was seventeen years old, my teacher sent me to a wise man who was his student but was not known to me. "If you really want to learn from a real swami, go to this man and live with him," he said. When I reached Gangotri as I was ordered, I found the cave I needed and, entering it, I saw the swami sitting there. Never before have I met such a beautifully physically developed person. At that age questions physical development and strengthening the muscles interested me greatly, and I envied those who had such a physique. He had a wide chest thin waist and impressive musculature. But what struck me most was that he was eighty-five years old. The first thing I asked, after we exchanged greetings, was the question: "What do you eat here?" At that time, I attached great importance to food and got used to Western food after my college life. Various foods were available to me daily, and I always looked forward to what I would enjoy at dinner. "Are you hungry?" asked the swami. I answered in the affirmative. "Go to that corner of the cave, there are some root vegetables. Take one of them and bury it in the fire. After a few minutes, take it out and eat it." After doing everything as he said, I found that the root vegetable is very tasty. It was like rice pudding with milk! I couldn't eat it completely. When I learned that there was some delicious food here, I was relieved that I would have to stay here for a while. After I had eaten, Swamiji said, "I will not teach you with words." I sat with him for three days, and during all this time we did not talk about anything. On the third day, I decided that staying with a person who is silent all the time and does not teach me anything is a waste of time and effort. Suddenly, in response to my thoughts, I heard his voice: "Boy, you were sent here not for intellectual knowledge, which you can find in books, but in order to gain some experience. The day after tomorrow I'm going to leave my body" . It was not clear to me how a person could come up with the idea of ​​voluntarily leaving his body. "That would be suicide," I said. "And you, as a wise man, should not do such things." - I came to similar views on this issue during my college years. "I'm not going to commit suicide at all. Because when you remove the old cover from a book and replace it with a new one, you don't destroy the books, and when you remove the pillowcase from the pillow, you don't destroy the pillow. At that age, I was full of doubts and skepticism. "You have a beautiful body," I said. “I would be happy if I had at least half as good a physique as yours. Why do you leave such a body? This is not good, this is a sin." - I thought that in this way I was instructing him on the right path. For some time he listened to me without answering. Suddenly, my friend, who was also a student of my teacher, appeared in the cave, and I exclaimed: "Where are you from come from? After all, the last time I saw you, you were far from here.” He calmly took me aside and said: “Don't disturb him. You ask stupid questions. You don't understand sages. Let him leave the body in peace." However, I did not agree with my comrade. "If he has such a beautiful body, how can you leave him? It cannot be yoga; it's just a case of suicide. Too bad the police aren't here or I'd call them in to arrest him. His behavior is illegal." Despite all the arguments and arguments of my friend, I remained full of skepticism and a sense of rejection. In the morning and evening, when we went swimming, I said: "This beautifully built, full of energy and health, a person should go and show people how to strengthen the body and keep it in a healthy condition. And he tells me that I see only his body and do not see anything more. But what more?" My friend, who was older than me, told me in response: "Calm down. You have many more things to learn. Let's keep our minds open so that we can come to an understanding. There are many mysteries in life.” Swami did not talk to me about anything, and so a day later I told my friend: “Silence will not teach me anything. I'm going to leave here." "But why don't you want to watch him leave his body?" "That's stupid. You need to die in a hospital under the supervision of a good doctor, and not in this cave. Why this folly?" My way of thinking was entirely modern and materialistic. "You don't understand. You have been asked to come here and stay here. If you can't help but argue, sit down and argue with yourself. It's your right. I can't stop it, but don't stop me either." Finally, the swamiji spoke, "Actually, I'm not doing anything. When it comes time for us to leave the body, we will know about it. We must not stand in the way of nature. Death helps nature. We do not need to be afraid of death, for nothing can destroy us. Do you understand?" "I don't want to die, so I don't want to understand." "You're taking the wrong position. Try to understand what death is. Stop being afraid of her. We are afraid of many things, but this is not The best way live your life. Death does not destroy us, it only separates us from the body." "But I do not want to exist without my body." "Death is a property inherent in the body. No one can live forever in the same body. The body is subject to decay, death and decay. You must understand this. Very few people know the technique of releasing attachment to life. This technique is called yoga. But this is not the yoga that gained popularity in modern world and the highest state of meditation. If you have comprehended correct technique meditation means you have gained mastery over the activities of your body, mind and soul. The relationship between body and mind is established through prana and breath. When breathing ceases, this connection is severed and results in what we call death. But you still exist. "But how can a person feel that he exists if he does not have a body?" "And how do you feel when you go without a shirt? It's not important." But in spite of everything said, he never managed to convince me that he was right, either from a philosophical or logical point of view, since my mind was still immature in many ways. On the eve of the day when he was to leave the body, he gave us the following instructions: "Early in the morning, at five o'clock, I will leave my body. I want you to plunge it into the Ganges. Can you two do it?" "Oh, of course! I can do it alone!" - I exclaimed and, in confirmation of my words, I went up to him and, grabbing him, tore him off the ground. The Ganges flowed nearby, a few hundred yards away. I spent most of the night without sleep, trying to understand what could induce a person to voluntarily give up such a healthy and beautiful body. In the morning we always got up at three o'clock (the time interval from three to six in the morning is considered best time for meditation, and so we went to bed between eight and ten in the evening and woke up at three). However, this morning we woke up even earlier and started talking. "Tell me," the swami said, "what do you desire? I promise to fulfill your every desire." "You are dying," I objected. "What can you do for me?" "For a true teacher, boy, there is no such thing as death. A teacher can guide his students even after death." Then, turning to my friend, he asked him: "Well, is this guy a real headache for you?" "That's true, but what can I do?" he replied. Between five and half past six we were still talking when suddenly the swami said, "Now sit down and start meditating. In five minutes I will leave my body. Its time has passed. This instrument called the body cannot give me more than what I have already attained, and therefore I am leaving it." Five minutes later, he distinctly said: "Aumm..", and then there was silence. I checked his pulse and heartbeat, thinking that maybe he had just paused them for a while and would start breathing again. Then I checked his body temperature, pupils and everything. "All right, that's enough," my comrade stopped me. "We must take his body to the river before sunrise." "Don't worry, I'll do it myself." "No, I'll help you." Together we tried to lift his body and then found that we could not even lift it. Then we brought a pine bough, put it under the thighs and, using it as a lever, tried to turn the body over. However, this attempt also ended in failure. After trying everything that could come to our mind for an hour, we could not move the body an inch. I often remember what happened next, and I will never forget what happened. A few minutes before sunrise, I heard someone say, "Now we'll carry it." There was no one around, and I thought that I must have heard it. However, my friend also began to look around, and I asked: "Did you hear it too?" He answered in the affirmative. "Maybe we're hallucinating? What's going on?" I wondered. Suddenly, the body of the swami spontaneously rose into the air and slowly floated in the direction of the Ganges. So it floated through the air for several hundred yards until it reached the river and, descending, sank into its waters. I was shocked and could not digest what I saw for a long time. When people talked about the miracles attributed to this or that swami, I used to always say: "It's all tricks." But seeing with my own eyes the sight of a levitating body quickly changed my attitude. Upon my return to my monastery, I found several swamis there engaged in a discussion, the purpose of which was to find an answer to the question of why there is so much suffering in the world if this world was created by God. One of the swamis said, "This physical universe is only one aspect of existence. We are able to recognize other aspects, but we do not make serious efforts to develop this ability in ourselves. Our mind remains focused on the physical aspect alone. Man suffers from ignorance of the whole. What I heard inspired me. I began to listen with genuine interest and found that my doubts were gradually resolved. When I compare the materialistic world with the way of life of the sages, I see that the former is concrete and emphasizes the importance of what can be seen, touched, and acquired. But the way of life of the sages and the atmosphere in which they live, although not materialistic, is more realistic as far as the purpose of life is concerned. Of course, the world of material wealth plays a certain role in life, but without the realization of the Absolute Reality, everything will be in vain. The average person perceives certain aspects of life as mysterious or mystical, but these secrets are easily revealed once the veil of ignorance is removed. The technique of dying is unknown to modern scientists, but such techniques are described in the science of yoga, and this knowledge is passed on to those who are able to put it into practice. The secret of birth and death is revealed to a few lucky ones. The part of life we ​​know is the straight line between two points, birth and death. But a huge part of human being, lying outside these two points, remains unknown and invisible. Anyone who knows this invisible part of life understands that death is like a comma in an endless sentence without a period. The ancient yogic texts indicate that there is a specific way to leave the body. Eleven gates are described through which pranas or subtle energies can exit the body. The yogi knows how to leave his body through the gate called Brahmarandha - the fontanel at the top of the head. It is argued that a person who has mastered this ability, when passing through these gates, does not lose his consciousness and knows the life of the other world just as well as this one.

Attitude towards death

body care technique

Together with two of my friends, I traveled from Gangotri to Badrinath. It was July, the season of intense cloud movement. We took an unusual route along a narrow, winding path known only to a few yogis and sages. It took us only four days to walk the 25 miles separating Gangotri from Badrinath, while the usual, longer route took much longer. In overcoming the snow-covered mountain peaks at an altitude of 12,000 feet, nature, with all its seeming severity, gave us such a beautiful spectacle of the beauty of the Himalayas, which I have never seen in my life. Nine miles from Gangotri we made an overnight stop. On the other side of the Ganges at this point stretched Bhoja Basa, an area where trees grew, whose bark was used to write sacred texts. The next morning, before we set off towards Gomukh, the source of the Ganges, in an attempt to overcome the mountain separating us from Badrinath, we met a young swami from Madras, who lived on the other side of the Ganges. His native language was Tamil, which is spoken in the southern states of India, and he could only communicate with us in broken Hindi. He spent several days studying with Swami Tapodhanamji, a highly educated ascetic from the Himalayas. Four of us, together with this young swami, continued our journey to Gomukh, located at the foot of that mountain glacier from where the Ganges originates. We had a small tent with us, some dry biscuits and corn kernels. In Gomukh we met a swami named Hansji who also joined us. Beyond Gomukh lay an area where neither swamis nor yogis lived. Hansji lived here every summer. He was once a naval officer, but one day, disgusted by his service, he went to the Himalayas in search of yogis and sages. This man of thirty-five years of age enjoyed the life of a hermit, and, being by nature gentle and calm, he gained a good reputation in these parts. The next day we said goodbye. Hansji, who, as it turned out, was not at all enthusiastic about our idea to go to Badrinath along a dangerous, unfamiliar route. We camped that day at 16,000 feet and the next day at 18,000 feet. Walking became more difficult due to the thinness of the air at these heights. These three days of our journey were like wandering on the outside of the roof of the world, from where we could see the blue sky dotted with twinkling stars. Our tent was very small, and thanks to warm clothes , as well as the warmth of our bodies, we were able, breathing shallowly, to survive in the conditions of cold, wind and snow, the last decisive night. That night a young swami who had joined us along the way made the decision to leave his body here on the Himalayan heights. This was not the result of his disappointment in life. Most likely, he learned that his time in this world had come to an end. If a person in deep snow gradually begins to take off his clothes, then there comes a moment when his body loses sensitivity, and he stops feeling pain. High in the mountains in deep snow, a person really becomes numb and insensible. This is evidenced by various sacred texts, sages and even books written by Western climbers who have visited the Himalayas. However, the yogic way of leaving the body consists in applying a special technique. Letting yourself freeze in the mountains while in samadhi is a traditional way of dying among a particular sect of Himalayan yogis. This is called hima samadhi. The word samadhi is often used in Patanjali's yoga system to denote the highest state of tranquility. But according to the Himalayan tradition, the various methods used to consciously leave the body are also called samadhi. In their circle, yogis and sages often use this word when they say "he took mahasamadhi", meaning by this "he left his body." We did not want to leave this young yogi here all alone, and we tried to convince him to come with us. But ignorance of the Tamil language did not allow me to enter into a sufficiently deep contact with him. We stayed with him until ten o'clock in the morning, but our requests and persuasion had no effect. He had already made the decision to voluntarily leave his body in the land of the devas. Therefore, leaving it, we went ahead and two days later reached Badrinath. Yudhishtira, one of the main characters of the Mahabharata, also retired to the Himalayas on the eve of his death. He told his wife that he was going to meet the gods and then move on to his final abode. My friends and I parted, and I went home to my native mountains. The method of freezing in the Himalayan snows is one of the methods of consciously leaving one's body, which many people willingly resorted to in ancient times. But there are other methods to perform this procedure. One of them, called jal samadhi, is based on immersion in the waters of a deep Himalayan river and holding the breath. Sthal samadhi is performed by consciously opening the fontanel on the head while sitting in sidhasana. The dying techniques used by yogis are elaborate, painless, and ensure the preservation of consciousness when leaving the body. It may look strange in the eyes of the Western world, but not in the Himalayas. Unlike suicide, leaving the body is a scientifically developed process that is applied when the body can no longer serve as an instrument for achieving enlightenment. Such a body is seen as a burden - an obstacle that can disrupt the journey of a dying person as he goes through the vast accumulations of his memories. Only those yogis who are ignorant of the higher techniques and unsure of their yogic strength and self-control resort to dying in the usual way, definitely inferior to yogic methods. There is another very rarely used way of leaving the body. Through meditation on solar plexus the internal fire ignites the body and completely incinerates it in a fraction of a second. This knowledge was conveyed by Yama, the king of death, to his beloved disciple Nachiketa in the Katha Upanishad. All over the world, cases of such spontaneous combustion often occur, and then people wonder what it was. But ancient texts such as the Mahakala Nidhi explain this method in detail. In the view of yogis and Himalayan sages, birth and death are extremely insignificant life events. Modern man has done everything in his power to unravel the mystery of birth; he succeeded, and now he can prepare in advance for this pleasant moment. However, the lack of a real philosophical understanding of life prevents him from understanding or learning the techniques of dying and thereby preparing himself for this event. For a yogi, death is a property inherent in the body, its change is the same as that which occurs in the process of growth. If modern man received such training, it would allow him not to be so unhappy in old age, when he feels completely alone and unnecessary to society. It amazes me why in our time people do not explore other dimensions, ways and methods of liberation from the fear that we call death. The Western world, despite the abundance of literature on this subject, is still wandering in search of a solution to this problem. It is good that this topic is becoming a subject of discussion in the general public, but none of the books outlines the techniques of dying. The literature and practices of yoga, which are neither religious nor artificially contrived, can be scientifically tested and successfully used to alleviate the suffering of people and help them die.

Life in a dead body

The head of one of the British military units located in Assam began to practice meditation under the guidance of my teacher, whom he deeply respected. He met my teacher in 1938 at a place called Rorky, about fifty miles from Rishikesh. An Indian officer spoke with great admiration about my teacher, and this commander decided to go with him to the banks of the Ganges to see the man about whom he had heard such flattering reviews. After that, he began to visit my teacher often and even considered resigning from his high post in order to stay with him. He also fell in love with me and invited me to Assam, but I preferred to stay in the mountains and not visit the cities. When I was sixteen years old, I met an old adept named Borhe* Baba who lived in the Naga hills. He was on his way to Assam and decided to see my teacher, who was then living with me in the cave of Gupta Kashi, five or six miles from the city. This adept was a very thin man. He had gray hair and a beard, white clothes. His demeanor was very unusual. It looked like a perfectly straight, unbending bamboo cane. The adept was a frequent guest of my teacher, whom he visited for the purpose of receiving consultations on higher spiritual practices. More than once the topic of his conversations with my teacher was the change of body. I was young then and didn't know much about this special practice called para-kaya pravesh. No one has yet spoken to me openly about this yogic process.

* Borge means "old".

Ten days later I was told to go to Assam with this old adept. We got to Assam by train and then paid a visit to the military commander mentioned above, who regularly practiced yoga postures, pranayama and meditation. The officers under his command did not understand their commander. It seemed to them that he was doing something strange and eccentric. One of the Indian majors who was under his command told me this about him: “First he asks me to bring a chair and sits on it. Then he asks me to remove the chair from under him, and after that he remains in the same position as if would continue to sit comfortably in a chair. He had a habit of sitting in this position, without any support under him, at the table in his office. Another major who served with him for a long time told me that this man's personality has been constantly changing since he became a yogi three years ago. "He hasn't lost his composure at all," said the Major, "but he has become very gentle and kind." In addition, this boss became a teetotaler. He knew Hindi well and studied Sanskrit. While we were with him, I heard Borge Baba inform him of his intention to change his body within the next nine days. A few days later, Borhe Baba and I left the military camp and went to the Naga hills. Few yogis live in this part of the country, due to the abundance of mosquitoes, snakes and wild animals, including tigers and elephants. The cave we stopped at was that of the late Swami Nigamananda, who wrote three books* on spiritual experiences which I found very helpful. During our life together in this cave, the adept often lectured me on various profound topics, while I was mainly occupied with the development of my muscles. "I have very strong muscles," I once said to Baba. "Very soon your strength will be tested," he said in reply. * The titles of these books are: "Yogi Guru", "Tantrik Guru" and "Vedanta Guru".

Being very inquisitive, I constantly pestered Baba with some questions. Finally he said, "That's it, no more questions. Focus on your mantra." Baba knew several languages ​​including Sanskrit, Hindi, Pali, Tibetan and Chinese. Sometimes he spoke to me in English, but this only happened when he was annoyed by my constant chatter. "Shut up!" he ordered me sharply in such cases in English. I loved silence, but wanting to know as much as possible about things that seemed mysterious to me, I could not refrain from asking questions. Despite his irritation, I continued to pester him. As the time for our departure from the cave approached, I asked him why he wanted to take on another body. “Now I am over ninety,” he replied, “and my body has become an unsuitable instrument for a long stay in samadhi. Moreover, now is an opportunity. Tomorrow a dead body will appear in good condition. The young man will die from a snakebite, and his body will be thrown into a river thirteen miles away." His answer completely baffled me. He informed me that tomorrow we would leave the cave and reach our destination before sunset. However, in the morning we did not manage to leave the cave. At night, some elephant stuck his trunk into the cave room closest to the entrance, and a scorpion lurking in the corner of the cave stung him. The elephant died from a bite right on the spot. Its front legs, trunk and head were inside the cave, while the back of the body was outside. We obviously had to work hard to get out of the cave. Baba taking a scorpion with bare hands , said: "Bad boy! What a terrible thing you've done here." "Don't do it!" I shouted. "He'll sting you." "No, he wouldn't dare." It was a huge, black scorpion about five inches long. I wanted to kill him with my wooden sandal, but Baba said, "No one has the right to take the life of another living being. These two settled accounts with each other. You will know what happened when you learn to understand the cause and effect of karma. for it was time for us to leave, and we had a long walk through the woods, and for two hours I tried with all my might to move the carcass of the elephant out of the way, and at last I managed to make a hole through which we could climb out. Thirteen miles north of the cave we went to the river where we stopped for the night. In the morning I took a dip in the river and sat down to meditate at half past four. When I opened my eyes, Baba was nowhere to be found. I waited all day for him, tried to look for him, but he was never found. Then I I decided to leave this place and go to the Himalayas.The journey with Baba, on which my teacher sent me, seemed to me very mysterious and fruitless.In addition, the return journey turned out to be very difficult, since I had to make my way through the dense jungle. When I finally arrived in Assam and met with the British chief at his military headquarters, he informed me: "Borhe Baba has done it. Now he has a new body!" I still couldn't figure out what had happened. The next morning I left for my home in the Himalayas. When I arrived, my teacher informed me that Borge Baba was here last night and asked about me. A few days later, a young sadhu came to our cave. He spoke to me as if we had known each other for a long time. After describing in detail our entire trip to Assam, he expressed his regret that I could not be present when he changed his body. I experienced strange feelings talking to a person who seemed so familiar to me and at the same time had a new body. I found that his new physical instrument had no effect on his abilities and character. It was the same old Borge Baba with all his intelligence, knowledge, memories, talents and manners. I was convinced of this by observing for a minute how he behaved and spoke. When walking, he held himself as unnaturally straight as before. Subsequently, my teacher gave him a new name, while saying that the name accompanies the body, but not the soul. Now his name is Ananda Baba and he is still wandering in the Himalayas. When I meet him, even now, I mentally see him in his former form, and it is difficult for me to adapt to the body that is in front of me. Based on all the facts I have collected, I have come to the conclusion that it is possible for a highly advanced yogi to pass into the body of a dead person if he desires it and if he has a suitable body at his disposal. This process is known only to adepts. It is inaccessible to the common man. I feel that my life has become fuller and richer thanks to what I have learned from the great sages. If my hands cannot lift the veil of the future, and my eyes cannot penetrate its depths, I can still hear musical melodies and distinguish their voices. The objects of this world do not pass through my mind, but their voices echo from the depths of my being.

My teacher leaves his body

One day (it was in July 1945) my teacher said that he wanted to leave his body. I began to protest. "The scriptures say that a teacher who leaves his foolish student in this world commits a sin and is subject to eternal torment," I said. "Well, all right," he said. "I'll wait to leave my body, since you're so stupid and unintelligent." After that, in 1954, shortly before my departure to Germany, while swimming in the Ganges, the thought occurred to me: "Probably it is not good of me to force him to remain in his body. After all, he has already done so much for me." When I went to my teacher, although I did not tell him anything about my thoughts, he said, "Ask all the other swamis to come here tonight at half past five for the last instruction I will give you." We were at 11,600 feet near a church in the Himalayas. This place is located between Basudhara and Badrinath. In our tradition, being present at the death of a yogi is considered a valuable experience, and we always try to be present at the death of our teacher. Yogi dies when he wants to. If a teacher wants to live long, he lives; if the teacher wants to leave his body, he leaves it with the same ease with which a snake sheds its skin. "Why do you want to leave your body?" I asked. "While you were swimming, you thought that you had no right to keep me here. Now you have grown up and learned something. You have finally matured and are able to stand on your own feet in this world. I feel free to continue my journey." There were five of us with him on top of that mountain. In the evening we gathered around him and he asked if anyone would like to learn something or learn something about spiritual practices. I was deeply saddened, but at the same time I did not want to betray my affection for him, believing that the body must turn to dust sooner or later anyway. So I did my best to calm myself down. He looked at me and asked, "Do you need anything from me?" "I want you to be with me always when I need you, when trouble befalls me, hope leaves me, or I am unable to cope with the situation." He promised me this and then blessed me. We all bowed to him. He sat down in sidhasana and closed his eyes. Then he said softly, "Aummm," and life left his body. We all started crying. None of us knew whether we should bury his body or plunge it into the river. There was no way we could solve it. For two hours we discussed this issue and consoled each other, but could not come to any solution. In the end, the decision was given to me. I wanted to carry his body to our cave, but since it was sixty-three miles away, it would have taken several days. Nevertheless, we decided on it, and hit the road. I and another swami carried his body. You can't move in the mountains at night, so we stopped for the night in a small cave. We were very quiet and sat in silence all night, looking at each other. I never believed that my teacher would one day leave me, but he did. The next day, after sunrise, we again carried his body and walked fifteen miles in a day. We thought about burying the body, but we could not decide where and how to do it. We feared that the grave would be dug up. So two days passed, and on the third we decided to bury his body on the top of the mountain, from which our cave was visible from afar. We dug a hole six feet deep and put the body in it. Then we had to throw stones and earth at the grave, but none of us had the strength to move. We could talk, but otherwise, all five of us were seized by some kind of numbness: we became completely lethargic, lifeless and inert. I've never experienced anything like this before. It felt as if my soul was completely separated from my body, and I was quite clearly aware of this separation. I felt as if I had jumped out of my body, and the others felt the same way. Suddenly, we all heard the voice of my teacher: "I am here. Wake up. There is no need to be sad. Do you need me again in your body, or do you want me to help you without a body?" "I need you in my body," I said. We all suddenly began to cry with one voice and began to beg him to return. Then I felt tingling all over my body. Gradually, our numbness passed, and we began to move our limbs. My teacher got up and climbed out of the hole. "It's too bad you still need me in the body," he said. “You still worship form and don’t want to look beyond it. Your attachment to my body is an obstacle. From now on, I will take care to rid you of this attachment. "- After that, he began to explain to us the relationship between the body and the formless soul. Many times when I lived with my teacher in a cave, he spent several days in complete silence and immobility "When he opened his eyes, we used to gather around him. Once he told me that there are three categories of living beings: 1. Absolute being - the Lord of the Universe. 2. Sages who have power over life and death and are half immortal beings. They are born and die at will. 3. Ordinary people who do not have power over life and death. For them, death is a constant fear lurking in the depths of their minds and hearts. Such people suffer. Sages and yogis do not care about such unimportant events as birth and death. They are free from all fear. To be freed from all fear is the first message of the Himalayan sages. Such fearlessness is one of the stages on the path to enlightenment. During the course of the conversation, my teacher told us that highly accomplished yogis and sages have no age and can live as long as they wish. An individual soul can leave the body at will or even enter the body of another person. It is known that the great yogi and sage Shankara was endowed with such power. One of the sacred texts describes the process of para-kaya pravesh. I received a visual demonstration of this process from my teacher's guru in Tibet, but I still had a strong interest in the subject of body change. My teacher told me that it is not impossible or unusual for a perfect yogi to transmigrate into another body, provided he finds a suitable replacement. He described three ways to increase life expectancy. 1. The powers acquired through a deep mastery of yoga and a disciplined life allow one to live for a long time. 2. Having moved to another body, the yogi can continue to live in it consciously with the preservation of all the experience that he received during his life in the previous body. 3. Enlightenment, being liberation in itself, makes it unnecessary for a person to cling to such a thing as the body. After reading a few rare manuscripts and learning at the feet of my teacher, my desire for knowledge of this science became even stronger. The sages managed to explore and discover deep life truths. These truths are eternal and meant for all mankind. Deep in the hearts of all intelligent people on the planet, regardless of their race or color, lies the desire to understand and bring these truths into their lives in order to achieve a higher destiny destined for humanity. Man has sought to attain immortality since the dawn of civilization. If someone could do a certain thing in the past, then the same thing can be done by someone today, and if someone can do it today, then everyone can do the same thing. Life manifests itself through the body, which acts as a conductor. Desires tend to take form for self-manifestation. Desire is the inner soul, and form is the outer. Without content there can be no form -- there can only be dead matter. Deprived of rhythmic vibration, the form remains eternally homeless. Therefore, desires are looking for their embodiment, while forms are looking for desires. Many people perceive themselves only as a body. Unable to understand their inner life, they consider the outline of a drawing to be a finished painting. They cannot go deep. Their understanding always lacks correctness, and their knowledge lacks completeness. In order to learn more about your inner life rhythms, you need to learn to go beyond desire and develop inner receptivity, one-pointedness of the mind, allowing you to receive help from the subtlest forces of rhythmic vibrations. Life is rhythm; and he who knows him may live as long as he pleases.