Tag Archives: Vedas

On Multitasking, Avadhana-Kala and Multiple Samyama

Posted on March 29, 2012 by

The American President Lyndon Johnson once claimed that his political opponent Gerald Ford could not pass wind and chew gum at the same time…For the past few decades, cognitive psychologists have been tormenting volunteers in order to quantify the human capacity for multi-tasking. In ancient India, the method of “avadhana-kala” or “art of concentration” was developed to memorize the Vedas. Sri Aurobindo alluded to the power of multiple samyama (concentration) in a few essays as well as personal diary notes. This article is a broad survey of this fascinating topic. Continue reading →

Posted in auro, Psychology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Similarities between Sumerian Anki and Vedic Agni by Jean-Yves Lung

Posted on November 11, 2010 by

A previous blog post on Kundalini examined whether the notion of Kundalini may have existed in ancient Greek and other cultures. In consonance with that theme, this article by Jean-Yves Lung probes the similarities between the Vedic god Agni and the Sumerian god Enki. Jean-Yves Lung is a teacher-researcher living in Auroville since 1993. He teaches French, History and Sanskrit. This article originally appeared in June 2009 issue of Ritam, a bi-annual journal published by Sri Aurobindo International Institute for Educaitional Research (SAIIER) Continue reading →

Posted in Vedas | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Transcending the work-leisure cycle

Posted on December 17, 2009 by

The desire to relax after a hard day’s work or a difficult week is a universal phenomenon observed in people everywhere. The human body has a finite capacity of concentration and needs to relieve the pressure which builds up after a significant amount of mental or physical effort. Unfortunately the methods of relaxation we choose tend to make the situation worse for we sink into a malaise which further depletes our energy. It is here that the psychological methods of Yoga need to be applied. Continue reading →

Posted in karma-yoga | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Links between Vedas, Upanishads, Tantra and Puranas

Posted on September 26, 2009 by

Sri Aurobindo and his disciples uncovered connections between the Vedas and the later scriptures such as Upanishads, Puranas and the Tantra by tracing the evolution of concepts, use of common verses and the underlying symbolism between these scriptures. This is a synopsis of their discoveries collated from a variety of sources. Continue reading →

Posted in Upanishads, Vedas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Vedic Vak: illustration of Para Vak

Posted on August 19, 2009 by

All great spiritual masters give instruction in silence. This silence is not absence of speech but a force-field emitted the Master which bathes the disciple and dissolves his/her questions. This eternal silence which vibrates from the Master is an example of the Para Vak discussed in the previous post Vedic Vak: four levels of sound. Continue reading →

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Man the microcosm, Universe the macrocosm

Posted on August 18, 2009 by

Ancient Indian philosophy says that man is the microcosm of the Universe. The Greeks also believed in the same(see wikipedia). The major points in favour of this correspondence are: Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Vedic Vak: four levels of sound

Posted on July 9, 2009 by

This is a simplified explanation of the Vedic theory of Sound (Vak) using some examples as well as the words of the Mother of the Aurobindo Ashram. Continue reading →

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Four Powers of Intuition

Posted on March 29, 2009 by

Four powers of the Supermind are Revelation, Inspiration, Intuition and Discernment Continue reading →

Posted in meditation | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Triple Cord

Posted on February 4, 2009 by

This post describes the three knots/granthis of mental, vital and physical ignorance that tie our consciousness to the physical world and bind our soul to the superficial personality.  When these knots are broken, our consciousness widens and opens to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Upanishads, Vedas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Divine Child suckled by the Vedic Dawn and Night

Posted on February 1, 2009 by

This post is about the Vedic verse “Dawn and Night, two sisters of different forms but of one mind, suckle the same divine Child“. During the spiritual journey (Sadhana), the Yogi experiences alternating periods of progress and darkness. The Vedas … Continue reading →

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The Golden Lid or Hiranmaya Patra

Posted on January 28, 2009 by

The Vedas and the Upanishads speak of a golden lid (Hiranmaya Patra in Sanskrit) which divides the lower rational mind from the higher planes of the Mind above us. This post explains the significance of that Golden Lid in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Upanishads, Vedas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments