Yogic Limiting Adjuncts – Upadhis

In yoga, a limiting adjunct is something that limits the mind. In sanskrit it is called an Upadhi.
In Swami Sivananda’s Yoga Vedanta Dictionary he defines it as:
A superimposed thing or attribute that veils and gives a coloured view of the substance beneath it; limiting adjunct; instrument; vehicle; body; a technical term used in Vedanta philosophy [...]

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How To Tell If You Are Advancing Spiritually

In this entry from “May I Answer That?” Swami Sivananda answers the questions -  What are the marks of spiritual progress? How can I know whether he is advanced in the spiritual path or not?
Peace, cheerfulness, contentment, dispassion, fearlessness and an unperturbed state of mind under all conditions indicate that you are advancing in the [...]

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Why Do Sadhana?

From the book “May I Answer That,” Swami Sivananda answers the questions:   The Lord’s grace will do everything for me. Why should I do any Sadhana (spiritual practice)?
This is wrong philosophy. God helps those who help themselves. God’s grace will descend only on those persons who exert. The Lord’s grace will descend in proportion to [...]

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End Negative Thinking

From the book “May I Answer That,” Swami Sivananda answers the following question: “How can a person, who has been thinking in a negative way for a long time, change to positive thinking?”
Let him start with some positive suggestive formulas: “I am hale and hearty. I am healthy. There is nothing wrong with me. I [...]

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On Time

I have been reading lately and reflecting about how time is so regimented in most people’s lives. In reality, human invented time is totally arbitrary. One day seems long, another short. The same day varies quite a bit from person to person and from moment to moment. It all depends on whether you are interested, [...]

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Overcoming Obstacles

Do not worry about obstacles.  They will pass away.  Take refuge in the Lord and His name. ~ Swami Sivananda

Photo by Shakti.

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Conquest of Happiness

Do not jeer at anyone. Do not frown at anybody. Restrain all your senses. Be cheerful always. Do not look back: make steady progress on the path of goodness. Divest yourself of all desire and wrath. Cast off pride. Turn your gaze inwards. Contemplate. You will enjoy true happiness. ~ Swami Sivananda

Photo by Shakti.

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Attain Illumination

Keep up the love for a life of righteousness and attain God-realisation in this very birth. Adopt the triple motto “Ahimsa, Satyam, Brahmacharya” and stick to them at any cost for your quick evolution.
Soak your life with His remembrance. Dedicate your all to the Lord. Be earnest, be vigilant, be spiritually hungry.
May you all attain [...]

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Swami Sivananda Photo

I have been trying to catch up on some reading lately – mainly a few things of Swami Atma’s that I will soon be sending to him and I wanted to finish. Typical of human nature I’ve had the books here for almost 5 years and I am waiting until the last minute to read [...]

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On Not Getting Discouraged

In yoga they teach us that whatever situation we find ourselves in is a product of our own karmas. Only by exhausting our karmas can we grow as a person and move on to better (or other) things.
Here is Swami Sivananda with a quote about that:
In whatever situation God places you, it is only for [...]

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