The Complete Yoga Community

Did you know… ?

Om or Aum is a visual Sanskrit symbol, and is also a sacred sound. Ancient Indian texts, such
as Mandukya Upanishad describe the symbol Om: “This eternal word is all; what was, what is and what shall be”.

The long lower curve of the symbol is said to represent the dream state; the upper curve the waking state, and the curve coming in from the centre – deep dreamless sleep. The crescent signifies ‘maya’ or illusion and the dot above it – transcendence. When one passes through the veil of illusion to the dot or circle and its asoociated wholeness one is liberated from the three states and their qualities.

The mantra Om is also said to emanate from abstract sound and from this, in turn, come the seven notes of music.

SWAMI
The title “Swami” is the word most often used to designate or describe a sannyasim (renunciate) who is also a member of one of the ten-branched monastic orders founded by Sri Shankara, the celebrated acarya (teacher of Avaita Vedanta). These men dressed in orange robes are neither “samies” (sandwhiches) – as South African’s would love to pronounce – or Oros men (as kids love to refer) but rather men or women who have accessed one of the four maths (monastic orders or institutions) in India as founded by Shankara: Joshi (Badri) in the north; Shringeri in the south; Dvaraka in the west and Puri in the east. Each taught knowledge of the scriptures, gave counselling and initiated people according to their order.

The swami wears gerua (orange cloth) to represent the embers of a cremation fire. Their blessings and prayers are regarded as especially effective because they are presumed to express God’s will. The swami’s name often ends with the suffix “ananda” (bliss off) as an appellation of deity, or some spiritual quality, state, experience or practice.

Psychoneuroimmunology
That Psychoneuroimmunology (P.N.I.) is the only branch of conventional medicine that is really involved in understanding how the mind works in keeping us healthy or ill. This grand name was developed after recognising how the role of the mind (psycho) and the immune system (immunology) plays in relation to the nervous system (neuro).

NAMASTE
In India when people meet and part they say “Namaste” which means: I honour the place in you where the entire universe resides. I honour the place in you of love, of truth, of peace.