pilgrims sadhana guide

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Sadhana GuideFor Pilgrims to Kauais Hindu Monastery


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Tble of CoTeT

CpTer oe

Te Concept o Sadhana 3

CpTer Two

Pre-rip Sadhanas 6

CpTer Tree

General Sadhanas 10

1 Ganga adhana 10

2 Vasana Daha Tanta adhana 13

3 rudaksha fst adhana 16

4 an Maga waking adhana 18

5 amada lingam hishkam adhana 19

6 i Dakshinamuti adhana 20

7 witing pays adhana 22

8 um Jaa adhana 26

9 paatin Mditatin adhana 30

Ging In 31

CpTer for

Attending Pujas,Abhishekams and Homas 34

1 paatti adhana 34

2 ttnding Kadavu ataaja hishkam puja

adhana 37

3 ayamhu lingam Dashana adhana 404 Gansha hishkam/puja adhana 42

5 Muugan hishkam/puja adhana 46

6 Guudva Chita puja adhana 48

7 Ygasami ssha puja adhana 50

8 ttnd Kadavu ma adhana 52

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Iraivan emple Sadhanas 55

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1 Th Iaivan Imag adhana 55

2 Th Iaivan panchaahma Cicumamuatin

adhana 59

3 Th panchaahma fiv emnts adhana 64

4 Iaivan ma adhana 65

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Six Helpul Exercises in Claiming Our SpiritualIdentity 68

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welve Shum Meditations 87

1 Inn light Mditatin 87

2 etna Mditatin 91

3 tat bing Mditatin 95

4 hum Imag Visuaizatin Mditatin 99

5 imshms Ka Mditatin 102

6 lnas Mditatin 105

7 kashm imshms Mditatin 108

8 hum psctiv Mditatin 111

9 m imshms Mditatin 11610 ts in MakaiMditatin 119

11 paamaa ada adi Mditatin 122

12 Inn Quit Mditatin adhana 126

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Refections On

Spiritualizing Daily Lie 130

CpTer Ie

Post-rip Sadhanas 136

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Sel-Evaluation Sheets 138


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CpTer oe

Te Concept o Sadhana

Introductory Quote from Gurudeva

What makes the San Marga Iraivan Temple, the mokshasphatikaSivalinga, our small and large shrines and publica-tion facilities so special is that they are part of a monastery oraadheenam: the home of a spiritual master, a satguru, and histirelessly devoted sadhakas, yogis, swamis and acharyas. More-over, the Aadheenam is a theological seminary for trainingmonks from all over the world to take holy orders of sannyasaand join the great team of our Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order.

Sadhana Practice

Sadhanarefers to the regular performance of religious orspiritual disciplines, such as puja, yoga, meditation,japa,fasting and austerity. The effect of consistent sadhanais thebuilding of willpower, faith and condence in oneself and inGod, Gods and guru. Sadhanaharnesses and transmutes theinstinctive-intellectual nature, allowing progressive spiritualunfoldment into the superconscious realizations and innateabilities of the soul. Sadhanaproduces personal changethrough self-effort. Ideallysadhanais performed daily, as in

this way it builds a greater inner intensity.Sadhanais a core concept in our guru lineage. Gurudevas


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guru, Siva Yogaswami, coined the phrase sadhana margato describe the path he urged serious aspirants to followfocusing on intense effort, spiritual discipline and consistentinner transformation, as opposed to theoretical and intel-lectual learning.

Quote from Gurudeva

The Nandinatha Sampradaya is a mystical lineage that placesgreat stress on direct and personal experience of God, on see-ing God everywhere and in everyone, on knowing God withinoneself. This is achieved through nonintellectual spiritualdisciplines called sadhanaa term which in its fullest senseembodies kundalini yoga, profound esoteric practices, intenseintrospective meditation, and worshipthrough purica-tory effort, mind-transforming austerities, egoless service and,most importantly, through the bountiful grace of the livingsatguru. Following such a path, called sadhana marga, Nathashave come to know God, in ancient days and modern.

Sadhanais performing the same discipline over andover and over again. Just as we methodically exercise the

physical body to build up its muscles, we perform spiritualdisciplines over and over again to strengthen our spiritual,inner bodies.

Supplementary Reading

Dancing with Siva, Shloka 4: How Can We Learn to Dancewith Siva?

Shloka: Dance is movement, and the most exquisite dance is

the most disciplined dance. Hindu spiritual disciplines leadto oneness with God through self-reection, surrender, per-


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sonal transformation and the many yogas. Aum.

Bhashya: To progress on the path, we study the Vedas, otherscriptures and our gurus teachings and make every effort toapply these philosophical truths to daily experience. We strive tounderstand the mind in its fourfold nature: chitta, consciousness;manas, instinctive mind; buddhi, intellectual mind; and ahamkara,ego or I-maker. We performjapa, meditation and yoga each day.Such spiritual discipline is known as sadhana. It is the mystical,mental, physical and devotional exercise that enables us to dancewith Siva by bringing inner advancement, changes in perceptionand improvements in character. Sadhanaallows us to live in therened and cultured soul nature, rather than in the outer, instinc-tive or intellectual spheres. For consistent progress, sadhanashould

be performed regularly, without fail, at the same time each day,preferably in the early hours before dawn. The most importantsadhanasare the challenges and practices given by ones guru. TheVedascaution, The Self cannot be attained by the weak, nor by thecareless, nor through aimless disciplines. But if one who knowsstrives by right means, his soul enters the abode of God. AumNamah Sivaya.

Additional Resources

Living with Siva, Chapter 13: Discipline for Self-Transformation


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CpTer Two

Pre-rip Sadhanas

Introductory Quote from Gurudeva

Iraivan Temple is a grand hand-carved white granite templeseated upon a black lava rock plinth, golden tower shining in arainbowed sky, God Sivas most traditional sanctuary in the West,with its stone bell and God is All and in all motto etched in amultitude of languages. It is a magnicent shrine for fellowshipmembers and devout pilgrims intent on worshiping the imma-nent and transcendent Lord. Being a moksha temple in the centerof a cloistered monastery, Iraivan is by no means a tourist attrac-tion. It is apunya tirtha, a sacred destination for devout pilgrimswho come with this one goal in mind, having received permission

early on and begun preparing themselves far in advance throughfasting, meditation and prayer in anticipation of receiving thedarshana of Iraivan and performing dailysadhanaon San Marga.They are granted temporary access cards by the Pitham for theduration of their stay.

Sadhana Practice

As is common in any traditional pilgrimage, the preparation isas important as the pilgrimage itself. Devotees pilgrimaging to

Keralas Sabarimala Lord Ayappan Temple, for example, preparefor 41 days in advance through fasting, celibacy and self-denial.


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In the days or weeks before your journey to Kauai, per-form additional daily study and spiritual disciplines to pre-pare yourself. Join with your family to intensify and renew

your spiritual life. On the appointed day, y straight to Kauaiwith only God on your mind, and God will be waiting to see

you!Some specic suggestions for preparation are: decrease

heavier foods, increase lighter foods; fast one day a week;read scripture each night immediately before bedtime; onweekends, double the amount of time you usually spend inreligious practices.

You can also choose from the manysadhanasin this book.Select the ones you plan to perform on your pilgrimage.

Then learn more about them by reading their descriptionsand the additional resource material as well.

There are copies of the Master Course Trilogy available touse during your pilgrimage to the monastery, so there is noneed to bring your own copies unless you prefer to do so.

Quote from Gurudeva

The Nandinatha Sampradaya is a mystical lineage that placesgreat stress on direct and personal experience of God, onseeing God everywhere and in everyone, on knowing Godwithin oneself. This is achieved through nonintellectualspiritual disciplines called sadhanaa term which in itsfullest sense embodies kundalini yoga, profound esotericpractices, intense introspective meditation, and worshipthrough puricatory effort, mind-transforming austerities,egoless service and, most importantly, through the bountifulgrace of the living satguru. Following such a path, calledsadhana marga, Nathas have come to know God, in ancientdays and modern.


Living with Siva, Lesson 249: The Joy of Pilgrimage

In our religious life, one of the most fullling aspects is

pilgrimage. We have a joy in looking forward to a spiritualjourney, and we experience a contentment while on our


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pilgrimage and later bask in the glowing aftermath ofthe pujas. It is like going to see a great friend, a devo-tees most loved friendthe Ishta Devata. We travelto the far-off temple where this great friend is emi-nently present. At that particular temple, this personalGod performs a certain function, offers a specictype of blessing to pilgrims who make the pilgrimageto that home. In this way, different temples becomefamous for answering certain types of prayers, suchas requests for nancial help, or prayers for the rightmate in marriage, prayers to be entrusted with theraising of high-souled children, or help in matters of

yoga, or help in inspiring bhakti and love.The Hindu does not have the feeling of having to

take a vacation to get away from it all. We dont leada life of mental confusions, religious contradictionsand the frustrations that result from modern hurried living.We lead a moderate life, a religious life. In living a moderatelife, we then look at our pilgrimage as a special moment, acherished time of setting ordinary concerns aside and givingfull stage to our religious longings. It is a time to take prob-lems and prayers to our personal God.

Unlike the proud free thinkers who deem themselves

emancipated, above the religious life, we Hindus feel thatreceiving the darshana from the Gods and the help that

comes therein invigorates our being and inspires us to beeven more diligent in our spiritual life. Unlike the rational-ists who feel condent that within themselves lie all theresources to meet all needs, and that praying to Gods forhelp is a pathetic exercise in futility, the Hindu wisely sub-mits to the Divine and thus avoids the abyss of disbelief.

All in life that one would want to get away from the

Hindu takes with him on a pilgrimage to the temple, tothe feet of his personal God, to the inner-plane being or


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Mahadeva, who needs no physical body with which to com-municate with peopleto the God who has a nerve systemso sensitive and well developed that as it hovers over thestone image, which looks similar to how the Deity wouldlook on the inner planes, this being of light can communi-cate with the pilgrims who visit the temple. This being oflight, this Mahadeva, can and does absorb all of the drossthe devotees have to offer, and gives back blessings whichbring happiness and release to them. Thus, the pilgrimage

is not travel in the ordinary sense of travel, but rather goingto see a personal friend, one who is nearest and dearest, but

does not live in a physical body.The Hindu has another great joythe certainty

of liberation. Even in difcult times, we are solacedin the knowledge of our religion which tells us thatno soul that ever existed or ever will exist in futureextrapolations of time and space will ever fail to

attain liberation. The Hindu knows that all souls willone day merge into God; and he knows that God,who created all souls, slowly guides our maturing intoHis likeness, brings us back to Himself, which is notseparate from ourselves. The Hindu, through strivingand personal development in this life on this planet,knows that liberation into God is the nal goal. Thisknowing and this belief release us from any ego, from

any superiority by which one person considers himself orherself as especially meriting Gods grace while others arelost. For the Hindu, there is an assurance that all souls willeventually enjoy liberation, and that includes ourselves andall of our friends and family. We need never fear otherwise.


Dancing with Siva, Shloka 32: Is There Good Karma and BadKarma (specically the reference to pilgrimage)


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CpTer Tree

General Sadhanas

1. Ganga Sadhana

Sadhana Practice

Sit by the Wailua River and listen to the river saying AumNamah Sivaya, Sivaya Namah Aum, as its water runs over therocks. Listen closely to the water connecting to the rocks, and

you will hear the sacred mantra of life, Aum Namah Sivaya.Relax into the sounds the river is chanting and try to be in tunewith the perfect universe. The cosmos is perfect, you know. Itslaws are divine, its timing awless, its design unique.

While you are sitting alone by the side of the river beingone with the perfect universethe earth, the air, the re,the water and the akasha, the mindwhen a thought arisesfrom your subconscious, something about your daily life, aproblem or difculty, pluck a leaf from a tree or bush, men-tally put the problem into the leaf and place it into the river.The river will carry the leaf away along with the thought youplaced into it. Then pluck a ower and humbly offer it intothe river with both hands in loving appreciation for doingthis great service for you. Perform this Ganga Sadhana each

month, and you will advance on the spiritual path.


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Quote from Gurudeva

Remember, the outer river is symbolically representing theinner river of your own nerve system, life force and conscious-ness that ows through you night and day. So, even as you siton this rock and look upon the water, in a mystical way, seeit as your own superconscious energies, taking away these

problems, worries, doubts, ill-conceived and unresolved expe-riences of the past. Flow with the river of life and merge inSivas ocean of oneness.


Merging with Siva, Lesson 27, PPerforming GangaSadhana; & Lesson 28, Sivas Perfect Universe

C

lose your eyes and visualize a river owing into the sea,and see yourself holding on to the bank of the river, and

the river owing on past you. Now let go of the bank of theriver and ow down with the river and merge into the sea oflife. Feel yourself, right at this instant, living in the here andnow. Holding on to the river bank, we hold the conscious-ness of time and space. Holding on to the banks of the riverof life is to recreate within you fear, worry, doubt, anxietyand nervousness. Detach yourself from the banks of the riverand again be free. Love the banks as you pass, with a love

born of understanding, and if you have no understanding ofthe bank, study your attachments until you do.

Learn to concentrate the mind so that you can study notfrom books, but from observation, which is the rst awaken-ing of the soul. Learn to study by practice. Learn to study byapplication. Become a student of life and live life fully, andas you merge into the sea of actinic life, you will realize that

you are not your mind, your body or your emotions. You

will realize that you are the complete master of your mind,your body and your emotions.

Slowly, slowly, by performing Ganga Sadhana you willblend your external consciousness with our most perfectuniversal consciousness. While sitting by the river, closeenough to touch the water, on a rock or tree limb, you aretruly uninvolved with everything but yourself. You are nowin tune with nature itself. Earth is there. Water is there. Fireis there. Air is there. Akasha is there. All the ve elementsare there. They are outside of you to see and feel, as well asinside of you to see and feel. The goal is to release that partof your subconscious mind that doesnt blend the withinof you with that which is outside of you. You perform thisblending by listening to the river murmur, Aum NamahSivaya, Sivaya Namah Aum, the sounds of Sivas perfectuniverse.

Now the challenge. This will not be an easy task. The

quiet of the noise of nature will release thought afterthought from your subconscious mind. So, when each new


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thought arisesa mental argument or something whichhas not been settled in your past, an appointment missedor an image of a loved onegather up the pranic energyof the thought and put its vibrations into a leaf. To do this,hold the leaf in your right hand and project your prana intoit along with the thought form that distracted you. Then

release the leaf and with it the thought patterns into theriver. Let the river take them away, while you listen to AumNamah Sivaya, Sivaya Namah Aum of the river as it does.Each time this happens, thank the river by humbly offeringa ower with the right hand into the river in appreciation ofits having absorbed the worldly thought. To show apprecia-tion is a quality of the soul, something not to be ignored,and, therefore, a vital part of this sadhana.

There is a sacred practice you should perform to keepowing beautifully with the river of life. It will be a challengeto discipline yourself to set aside the time, but it will benet

you.Sadhanais performing the same discipline over and over

and over again. Just as we methodically exercise the physicalbody to build up its muscles, we perform spiritual disci-plines over and over again to strengthen our spiritual, innerbodies. Perform Ganga Sadhana time and time again. You

will rapidly advance. Remember, the outer river is symboli-cally representing the inner river of your own nerve system,

life force and consciousness that ows through you nightand day. So, even as you sit on this rock and look upon thewater, in a mystical way, see it as your own superconsciousenergies, taking away these problems, worries, doubts, ill-conceived and unresolved experiences of the past. Flow withthe river of life and merge in Sivas ocean of oneness.


Merging with Siva, Chapter 4: The River of Life


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2. Vasana Daha Tantra Sadhana

Sadhana Practice

Dahameans to burn, a tantrais a method, and vasanasare deep-seated subconscious tendencies that shape onesattitudes and motivations. Vasanascan be either positive ornegative.

One of the best methods for resolving difculties in life,of dissolving troublesome vasanas, the vasana daha tantrais the practice of burning confessions, or even long lettersto loved ones or acquaintances, describing pains, expressingconfusions and registering complaints and long-held hurts.

Writing down problems and burning them in any ordi-nary re brings them from the subconscious into theexternal mind, releasing the suppressed emotion as the reconsumes the paper. This is a magical healing process.Writein detail, in one or more pages, your experiences and dif-culties. When nished , burn it up. Watch Agni, the Godof Fire, destroy the dross of your deep subconscious mind.Experience freedom from emotional burdens you have beencarrying. Release the past. Enter a glorious new future.

At the entrance to the monastery, there is an urn in thesix-sided pavilion where you can write and burn your pages.Please ask to determine what additional places can be used

for burning these pages.


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Quote from Gurudeva

My devotees succeed by remolding subconscious magneticforces. They purge the dross through vasana daha tantrawriting and burning past transgressions and current prob-lemsthen use positive afrmations.

Supplementary ReadingLiving with Siva, Lesson 122: The Esoterics of Penance

The inner process of relieving unwanted karmic burdensoccurs in this order: remorse and shame; confession (ofwhich apology is one form); repentance; and nally recon-ciliation, which is making the situation right, so that goodfeelings abide all around. Therefore, each individual admis-sion of a subconscious burden too heavy to carry must haveits own reconciliation to clear the inner aura of negativesamskarasand vasanasand replenish the inner bodies for thestruggle the devotee will have to endure in unwinding fromthe coils of the lower, instinctive mind which block the intel-lect and obscure spiritual values. When no longer protectedby its ignorance, the soul longs for release and cries out forsolace. Prayashchitta, penance, is then the solution to dis-solve the agony and bring shanti.

The guru has to know the devotee and his family karma

over a long period of time beforeprayashchittais given. Oth-erwise, it may have the wrong effect. Penance is for religious

people, people who practice daily, know the philosophy andhave a spiritual head of their family, people who genuinelywant to reach a state of purity and grace. It is not for non-religious people. Just as in the Catholic Church, penance, tobe most effective, is given to you by the spiritual preceptor. Itis not a do-it-yourself, New-Age kind of thing. Those who

try to do it alone may overdo it. It takes a certain amount oftalking and counseling to gain an understanding of what isinvolved. Before undertaking any of the physicalprayashchit-tas, I have devotees do the maha vasana daha tantragreatpurication of the subconscious by rewriting down andthen burning ten pages of memories, called samskaras, goodand bad, for each year of their life to the present day.

Anything can be written down that concerns you: friends,home, family, relatives, sports, TV shows, vacations, work,pastimes, indulgences, anything that is in your mind. Thismay automatically clear up events of the past. The idea is toremove the emotions from the experience and bring your-self to the eternal now. Forgetting the past, concern yourselfwith the now, move with life day to day and create a gloriousfuture for yourself and others. Also, Ive experienced thatsometimes just making the confession to the satguru is a suf-cientprayashchittaand nothing else is necessary. What the

troubled conscience thought was bad may not have been badat all, just normal happenings, but the conscience suffers


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until that fact is known.It is important to note that the vasana daha

tantramust be done by hand, with pen and paper.Various devotees have tried it on the computer andfound it not effective. Writing is uniquely effectivebecause in the process the prana from the memory

ows from your subconscious through yourhand, through the pen and is embedded in thepaper, bringing the memory out in the open to beunderstood, defused and released when the paperis burned. Some devotees have also tried sittingand pondering the past, meditating on it and evenvisualizing themselves writing down their recol-lections and burning them. This often does moreharm than good, as it only stirs up the past.


Living with Siva, Chapter 18: The Power of Penance


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3. Rudraksha Forest Sadhana

Sadhana Practice

Hug a tree and absorb its healing force. The tree takes awaypain such as from losing a loved one. The tree takes all sad-ness into its sap, carrying it up to the tops and dropping the

astral tears of God Siva.This practice has the power to balance your chakras,

purify your aura, close the doors to the darker areas of yourmind, open the doors to light, happiness, mirth and the abil-ity to make others laugh.

Hugging the rudrakshatree will imprint the realizationthat all the past is and was necessary for the present momentto exist. The blessings of Siva through the rudrakshaseeds,leaves, bark and energies, open the doors of protection ofthe future.

Quote from Gurudeva

Rudrakshaseeds, Eleocarpus ganitrus, are prized as the com-passionate tears Lord Siva shed for mankinds suffering.


Pilgrims begin their spiritual excursion in a small healing

forest of Himalayan rudrakshatrees. Many do not knowthe obscure fact that this sacred tree, known in English as


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the Blue Marble tree, is also famous for its special wood.During the First World War, when airplanes became soessential to military strategy, it was the white wood of

this tree that was chosen for making propellers, due to itsqualities of torque strength. Yes, being under the rudrakshatrees in this magical forest has hidden, sought-after healingpowers, the key to helping aching hearts, the salve to soothebroken hearts, yearning hearts, sad hearts and ailing hearts.Ayurvedic doctors and medical doctors alike agree that the

seed, when placed upon the heart, regulates its beat. Theyknow that the fruit is good to strengthen the heart and theseed when ground and mixed with certain herbs is a remedyfor heart attacks and healing in their aftermath.


Saiva Dharma Shastras, Section 91:The Healing Power of Rudraksha


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4. San Marga Walking Sadhana

Sadhana Practice

The path begins at the rudrakshaforest gate. At the Ganeshashrine, offer owers and chant a simple Ganesha chant threeor more times. At Muruga Hill, offer owers and chant

three or more times. At the start of the Third World section,ring the bell and ll a pot of water from the stream to theright of the path. At the Swayambhu Lingam, pour the water,offer a ower and chant to Siva three or more times.

Below are three simple chants that can be used. If you pre-fer another chant, it may also be used.

Om Sri Ganeshaya NamahOm Sri Skandaya NamahOm Sri Sivaya Namah

Quote from Gurudeva

San Marga is the straight, spiritual path leading to the ulti-mate goal, Self Realization, without detouring into unneces-sary psychic exploration or pointless development of siddhis.


Kauai Aadheenams most prominent place of worshipfor members, students and sadhanayatrikasis the San

Marga Sanctuary, an extraordinary meditation tirthaat the

foot of the extinct volcano, Mount Waialeale. San Marga isthe straight path to God, through rudraksha, neem and kon-raiforests, marshes, bogs and wild bird sanctuaries, wherepheasants are protected from local hunters. This realmincludes the Svayambhu Sivalinga. San Marga is enteredthrough the Rudraksha Meditation Forest at the opposite

side of the 458-acre monastery land. San Marga, the straightpath to God, and the Svayambhu Linga area is the placewhere the world comes to pray, as predicted in our SaiviteShastras.


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5. Narmada Lingam Abhishekam Sadhana

Sadhana Practice

Located on the Path of the Saiva Saints is a NarmadaLingam shrine. It is the type of shrine where the devoteesthemselves perform the abhishekam. Simply use one of the

pots to collect water from the nearby stream and then lov-ingly pour it over the Lingam.

At the same time, you are encouraged to chant out louda traditional Siva chant.

One suggestion is the following verse from Sri Rudram:

namste astu bhagavanvivevry mahdvytryambky tripurntky

trikgnikly klgnirdry nlakhymtyujyy sarvevry sadvy,rman mahdvy nam

Quote from Gurudeva

I urge all Saivites, devotees of God Siva, to worship Him asthe God of Love and, in doing so, to become beings of love.


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6. Sri Dakshinamurti Sadhana

Sadhana Practice

Standing in front of the Dakshinamurti north of IraivanTemple,offer owers and chant a simple Dakshinamurtichant three or more times.

Below is a simple chant that can be used. If you preferanother chant, it may also be used. Afterwards, sit and reectupon the meaning of teaching the nondual union ofjivawith Siva through silence.

gururbrahm gururvishu gururdevo mahevara,gurussksht para brahm tasmai r gurave nama,gurave sarva loknm bhishaje bhava rohinm,

nidhaye sarva vidynm, dakshi mrtaye nama

Quote From Gurudeva

Once freed by Gods grace from these bondswhich do notcease to exist, but no longer have the power to bindthesoul experiences nirvikalpasamadhi. This is the realiza-tion of the Self, Atattva Parabrahmantimeless, formless,spacelessa oneness beyond all change or diversity.


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Dakshinamurti literally means south-facing form.Dakshinamurti is Lord Siva depicted sitting undera banyan tree, teaching four rishis at His feet by keepingmouna, silence, and showing the chinmudrawith Hisright front hand. In chinmudra, the tips of the thumb

and forenger are joined to form a circle while the otherngers are kept open and stretched. The whole palmfaces outwards. It is the pose of imparting knowledgeand thus is also known asjnanamudra. The joiningof the two ngers symbolizes realizing thatjivaandSiva are in nondual union. The index nger representsindividual consciousness, thejivatma, while the thumbsymbolizes supreme consciousness.

Additional ResourcesLiving with Siva, Chapter 16: Harnessing Willpower


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7. Writing Prayers Sadhana

Sadhana Practice

The writing of prayers can be done in several ways. Each devo-tee can write his or her own prayer about personal questions,needs or problems. One can pray for another person, for a

group of people, or for a situation to clear up within a groupor community, even for solutions to national or world prob-lems. Every prayer received is answered in some way, howevermysterious. Not one is neglected, ever.

The Gods and devas look very carefully into the karmaof the devotee before taking any action. Because of this, itis always best to describe two or more alternatives that youwould be satised with in each prayer, rather than insistingon only one solution. This is because your rst preference

may not be possible in your karmic pattern or, withoutyour knowing, it may actually be the worst possible thingthat could happen to you. In this case, your prayer wouldbe answered with a non-answer. Therefore, it is wise to sug-gest two or more alternatives when making a request. Forexample, in seeking help in nding employment, you mightsuggest three places you would be content at, indicating rstchoice, second and third.

We are reminded not to ask for services that the devaswould normally provide, such as Please help me, or Please


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bless me, devas. These services are automatically performedby the guardian devas of each devout individual withoutasking.

There is a time delay of seventy-two hours from when thedevas in the Antarloka respond to your prayer and whenthat response manifests in the Bhuloka. Therefore, when

your prayer relates to a specic event, be sure to pray at leastthree days before the event will happen.

It is important the prayer be legible in the inner worlds.Typewritten prayers ( on one side of the page) in English orany language are acceptable to the devas, as are hand-printedprayers that are written with well-rounded, clearly formedletters. If you prefer, prayers can be hand written or typed in

the Tyaef script. Typed documentsagain on one side of thepage onlyare acceptable and easily read in the inner world,as long as the size of the type is not too small. Be sure to signthe prayer and also include the date.

Quote from Gurudeva

The Gods, their devas and your own guardian devas are everready to respond to requests for help and guidance.


Living with Siva, Lesson 316: The Boon of Prayer Writing

Shortly after the Kadavul Nataraja Deity arrived fromIndia at Kauai Aadheenam, our monastery-templecomplex on the Garden Island of Kauai, we received thewonderful boon of communicating with the inner worldsthrough written prayers. With this six-foot-tall bronze imageof the Lord of Dance came tens of thousands of devas. It wasrevealed to us that these devonic helpers, though unseen to

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the physical eyes, are skilled in the art of fullling prayers.We were delighted to know that written prayers could beoffered into their hands through the sacred re that burnsperpetually at Lord Natarajas holy feet. In those early daysof the beginning of the rst Siva temple in the United States,we felt blessed that this magical boon had come to us. Writ-

ten prayers were offered up through the sacred temple reand soon answered. The faith began to build among thedevotees. The temple yantra was now fully activated.

But there was a problem. Sometimes, in devotees emo-tional fervor, prayers were hastily scribbled out and couldnot be easily read. Seekers assumed that their requests andpleas for help or solace would be known by the Gods anddevas who know them personally, and therefore they werenot careful enough in composing their prayers, some even

forgetting to sign their name or note the date. We soonlearned that if prayers were not answered, it might be simplydue to incompleteness or illegibility. We also became awarethat sufcient explanation must be given for the inner-planehelpers to provide adequate assistance.

Here is why absolute clarity is necessary in each writtenprayer. The astral image of each prayer that arrives in theSecond World, or astral plane, is an exact duplicate of itsphysical-plane counterpart, but not quite as clearmorelike a carbon copy. So if the physical-plane original is not


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clear, its astral counterpart will be even less clear. It will beblurred, like trying to read a letter without ones eyeglasses.Even the astral counterparts of typewritten documents pre-pared in small type are difcult to read in the inner worlds,

we were told.To solve the problem of illegibility, the devas themselves

gave a new script, which came through from the inner sky inParis in the early 70s. The devas called this script Tyeif. It isdesigned to look like bamboo leaves, arranged in an intricatepattern to form 135 characters or images, the rst twenty-

six of which correspond to the English alphabet. Here is theword Tyeif written in the devas script: tyeifWriting and delivering prayers to the Devaloka through

the sacred re is an ancient Natha Sampradaya practice.Today this method of communication is still employedin Shinto and Taoist temples in Japan, China, Singapore,Malaysia and other areas of Southeast Asia. The prayersare written down and placed in the temple re. As thepaper burns, the astral double of the prayer appears in the

Devaloka. The prayer is then read by the devas, who proceedto carry out the devotees requests. These temple devas arefully dedicated to assist all who come through the templedoors with their emotional, mental and physical problems.

It was made very clear to me, however, that prayers mayonly be sent to the Devaloka in a sanctied havana kundawhere special arrangements have been made with the devas.


Living with Siva, Chapter 46: Sending Prayers to the Gods


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8. Aum Japa Sadhana

Sadhana Practice

Aum is the universal mantra which can be performed safelyby the initiated and the uninitiated alike, can be chanted bythose of all religions, without restriction, under any condi-

tion, in any circumstance, whether the body is clean or dirty.It will heighten consciousness by harmonizing the physicalwith the mental and spiritual when chanted correctly.

For Aumjapato be effective, the mantra must be pro-nounced correctly. The rst syllable is A, pronounced asthe English word awe, but prolonged: aaa. The secondsyllable is U, as in roof, pronounced oo but prolonged:

ooo. The third syllable is M, pronounced mm withthe front teeth gently touching and the sound prolonged:

mmmm.Each repetition is sounded for about seven seconds, with

two seconds on A, two seconds on U and three seconds onM, with a silence of about two seconds before the next rep-etition. The three syllables are run together: AAUUMMM(silence), AAUUMMM (silence), AAUUMMM (silence).

On the rst syllable, A, we feel the solar plexusvibrating. On the second syllable, U, the throatvibrates. The third syllable, M, vibrates the top of thehead. Thus, proper chanting of Aum also is a high


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form of yoga, moving energy from the lower chakrasof the body up to the highest chakra, or energy cen-terthe sahasrarachakra at the crown of the head.

Quote from Gurudeva

All tones together make the Aum. Listen to the ocean and

you hear the Aum. Listen to all the noises of a city blendedtogether and you hear the Aum. Listen to all the tones of thephysical body and you hear the Aum.


Merging with Siva, Lesson 262: Withdrawing Into Sushumna

When we chant the mantra Aum, and do it correctly, wepronounce the AA so that it vibrates the physical body.The OO has to vibrate through the throat area, and the MM,the head. In doing this, we are deliberately moving aware-ness out of the muladharaand svadhishthanachakras, delib-erately harmonizing all the forces of the instinct and physical

body, and of the idaand thepingalacurrents. Chantingthe AA and the OO and the MM brings the sushumnaintopower. We are transmuting and changing the ows of all theenergies through the physical and astral body and blendingthem as much as possible into the body of the soul.

The mantra Aum can be chanted at any time. It can bechanted silently and cause the same vibration through thebody. When you chant Aum, the idaand thepingalablendback into the sushumna.

You will actually see this happening. You will see the pinkidacurrent begin to blend back into the golden center of thespine. At other times it is seen winding through the body.The same happens with thepingalaforce. It, too, moves backinto the spine, until you are all spine when you are centeredin the sushumna. This is how it feels, like being all spine.This beautiful, pure energy ows out through the sushumnaand the idaand thepingalaand then on out through thebody. This energy becomes changed as it ows through therst three or four chakras. It makes what is called prana.


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This energy runs in and through the body. It is a great mind energywhich is in the world of thought. All the stratums of thought areprana. The human aura is prana.

Prana, or odic force, is transferred from one person to anotherthrough touch, as in a handshake, or through a look. It is the basicforce of the universe, and the most predominant force found within

the body. You have to really study prana to get a good understand-ing of what it is. It runs in and through the skin, through the bonestructure, through the physical body and around the body.

Breath controls prana. This practice is called pranayama. It isthe control of prana, the regulation of prana, or the withdrawal ofprana from the external world back to its primal source. That iswhy pranayama is so important to practice systematically, regularly,day after day, so we get all the prana into a rhythm. In this way weget a rhythm of the pure life force owing through ida,pingalaand

sushumnaand out through the aura. We gain a rhythm of awarenesssoaring inward, into rened states of the ajnachakra and sahasrarachakra, the perspective areas from which we are looking out at lifeas if we were the center of the universe. This is how we feel when weare in these chakras.

Diaphragmatic breathing is breathing according to nature. Whenman becomes confused, nervous, tense, fearful, he breathes out oftune with natureout of tune with himself. Then his breathing isspasmodic, labored, shallow, and he has to expand his chest to get

enough breath to keep going on. Thats right: breathing by expand-


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ing the chest is incorrect, unnatural, and conducive tonothing but ill health unless you are practicing an advancedbreathing exercise, and then the chest is only expanded afterthe area beneath the chest is lled. And unless you are doingphysically strenuous work, you will be able to bring morethan sufcient air into your lungs by the simple, natural

contraction and relaxation of the diaphragmatic muscle.The diaphragm you can feel right below your solar plexus, inthe area where the oating ribs separate. Place your ngertips on top of the diaphragm and cough. If your ngers aredirectly on top of the diaphragm, you will feel them jumpout away from you as you cough.

The quickest way to teach yourself natural breathing (theway you breathed until about the age of seven) is to lie onthe oor with your spine absolutely straight. Place a book

or some light object on top of your diaphragm. When youbreathe in, the diaphragm will extend itself downward inthe body and you will feel it push out and up away from theoor; watch the book rise. Breathing out is as important asbreathing in, for without expelling all the waste matter andcarbon dioxide from the lungs, they are not free to take inmore fresh oxygen. As you exhale, the diaphragm relaxesslowly, smoothly and completely. The book, which previ-ously was lifted away from the oor by the pressure of your

expanding diaphragm, now returns back to its starting posi-

tion. You will nd that squeezing or contracting the abdomi-nal muscles slightly will aid you in making a completeexhalation, allowing most of the air to leave the lungs. At theend of your exhaled breath, your stomach should be at, andthe diaphragm relaxed, ready for the next inhalation. You arenow on your way to perfect breath and mind control.


Merging with Siva, Chapter 23: The Yoga of Incantation


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9. Preparation for Meditation Sadhana

Sadhana Practice

The seven-step preparation for meditation is designed towithdraw your energies from external consciousnessatthe beginning of a meditation. It is to be done utilizing

the Shum-Tyeif language. The seven steps are: 1) Assume ameditation posture with a straight spine and head balancedon top of the spine. 2) Regulate the breathing through asimple pranayama.3) Feel the warmth of the body. 4) Feelthe nerve system of the body. 5) Feel the spiritual energy inthe center of your spine. 6) Withdraw energy into the spine.7) Experience awareness aware of itself.

Coming out of meditation, we perform this process inreverse beginning by feeling the power of the spine.

A fuller explanation, including the Shum-Tyeif name foreach step, is given below in the Supplementary Reading.

Quote from Gurudeva

Meditation is a long journey, a pilgrimage into the minditself. Generally we become aware that there is such a thingas meditation after the material world has lost its attractionto us and previous desires no longer bind us to patternsof fear, greed, attachment and ramication. We then seek

through philosophy and religion to answer the questions,


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Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?


Twelve Shum Meditations, Part Four: Preparation forMeditation

Going In

lshmnamb 5y qMeaning: Ideal meditation posture, in which the spineis straight and the head is balanced on top of the spine.Practice: Sit with the spine straight and the head bal-anced on top of the spine. Inwardly observe this postureand adjust the body to be poised and comfortable. Feelthe muscles, bones and the nerve system. This posture

is possible sitting in a chair, on a cushion, or on yourknees. Ideally, a competent meditator will be able to crossthe legs for meditation, either in full or half lotus. Thehands are held in the lap, the right hand resting on theleft, tips of the thumbs touching softly. In all cases, theposture should be natural and easy, and not cause dis-comfort, which is distracting during meditation. Lookinwardly at the currents of the body. Observe their flow.Breathing: Breathe from the diaphragm in

a relaxed manner without counting.

kalbasa75cvMeaning: Regulated, diaphragmatic breath-ing, known in Sanskrit as pranayama.Practice: Become aware of your breath-ing and consciously regulate it. Eyes are slightly

open, crossed and looking at the nose.Breathing: Breathe with the diaphragm, expanding theabdomen when you inhale, rather than the chest. On theinhalation, slowly count to nine, hold one count, then countto nine again as you exhale, softly contracting the abdomenas you expel the air. Breathe through the nose. The exhala-tion should be the same length as the inhalation. At first, thecount may be faster than the heartbeat, but as the medita-tion continues, the two should ideally become synchronized.Visualization:While counting the breath, mentallypronounce and simultaneously see the colors of the firsteighteen images of Shum, the first nine with the inbreathand the second nine with the outbreath. This sadhanais called slmin Shum. The colors are: , bright yel-low; , soft pink; ing, soft blue; ling, bright turquoise;l, bright violet; n, rich yellow, ka, rich turquoise; sim,bright pink; vm, rich purple; reh, bright orange; ty, richorange; , rich blue; b, bright blue; , soft ivory; na, soft

green; s, bright red; d, bright green; shm, soft lavender.


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lkaishm =5yMeaning:The kundalinis psychicheat felt as meditation begins.Practice: Feel the warmth of the body, in the head,through the torso, the hands and the legs. Begin by

locating lkaishm inside the body, then graduallybecome conscious of it emanating out through the skin.Breathing: Continue the same count. On theinhalation, slowly count to nine, hold one count,then count to nine again as you exhale, softly con-tracting the abdomen as you expel the air.

lnas 5werMeaning:The feeling of energy, your life force, flowing

through the network of nerves within your physical andsubtle bodies. These nerves are called nadisin Sanskrit.Practice: Feel your nerve system, all those thousandsof miles of nerve currents throughout the body andthe psychic nerve system within and around the body.Feel the energy flowing through this vast network.Breathing: Continue the same count. On theinhalation, slowly count to nine, hold one count,then count to nine again as you exhale, softly con-

tracting the abdomen as you expel the air.

simshmbs8yqrMeaning:Simshmbs names the area of fourteenstrong psychic nerve currents of the subsupercon-scious state of mind running along the spinal col-umn. Simshmbs is often referred to as the source

of all life energies within man. As a command used inmeditation, it refers to the yoga of feeling the actinicenergy within the spine. This is the pure life force flow-ing through the spine out into the nerve system.Practice: Become aware of the actinic energy withinthe center of your spine. If necessary, move the torsoback and forth slightly to locate the spine. Do nottry to manipulate the spinal forces, such as liftingthe kundalini, rather simply become conscious of

the already-existing power within the spine.Breathing: Breathe in a normal andrelaxed manner without counting.

nkashm67yMeaning: The yoga of withdrawing the energy into thespine through the use of pranayama, breath control.Practice: Draw the energy from the five senses inwardand upward in a systematic way. On the first inbreath, bring

awareness into the left leg, all the way to the toes, and on

h b h l l i hd h f h l i i h h i l d b l b d


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the outbreath slowly withdraw the energy from that leg intothe spine. Repeat with the right leg, left arm (all the way tothe fingertips), right arm and finally the torso (from thebase of the spine slowly upward through the entire torso).Breathing: Breathe in a normal andrelaxed manner without counting.

kaf 7nMeaning:The singling out of your pure awareness, allowingfor the prolonged experience of being aware of being aware.Practice: Be aware of just being aware. Achievingthis, you will be aware without any object, feelingor thought. Experience ka even for a brief time,and you feel renewed, clear-minded, centered.Breathing: Breathe in a normal and

relaxed manner without counting.In coming out of meditation the steps are repeated in reverseorder. The return to normal consciousness through thesesame steps is quicker than the internalizing practice.

simshmbs8yqr

nkashm67yPractice: Reverse the process so that the energy

is flowing out of the spine into the nerve sys-

tem in the physical and subtle body.

lnas 5wer

lkaishm =5y

kalbasa75cvlshmnamb 5y q

shmnuhy2

rehtymba 0dc

Meaning: The guided group meditation in

the Shum language has concluded.


Living with Siva, Chapter 14: The Meditator

CpTer for


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CpTer for

Attending Pujas,Abhishekams and Homas

1. Prapatti Sadhana

Sadhana PracticeEach time you prostrate in the temple, do so in the spirit ofprapatti, surrendering to the will of the Deity, in the spirit ofgiving up the lower energies to the higher energies.

Quote from Gurudeva

Prapattitruly is the key that unlocks the love needed as mergerincreases as the years pass by and, as Satguru Yogaswami said,

Love pours forth to melt the very stones.


Our Lexicon Denition ofPrapattiThrowing oneself down. Bhakti, total, unconditionalsubmission to God, often coupled with the attitude of per-sonal helplessness, self-effacement and resignation. A termespecially used in Vaishnavism to name a concept extremelycentral to virtually all Hindu schools. In Saiva Siddhanta,bhakti is all important in the development of the soul and

its release into spiritual maturity. The doctrine is perhaps


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best expressed in the teachings of the four Samayacharyasaints, who all shared a profound and mystical love of Sivamarked by1) deep humility and self-effacement, admis-sion of sin and weakness; 2) total surrender in God as theonly true refuge and 3) a relationship of lover and belovedknown as bridal mysticism, in which the devotee is the

bride and Siva the bridegroom. The practice of yoga, too,is an expression of love of God in Saiva Siddhanta, and

it is only with Gods grace that success is achieved. RishiTirumular states: Unless your heart melts in the sweetecstasy of lovemy Lord, my treasure-trove, you can neverpossess (Tirumantiram272). It is in this concept of the needfor self-effacement and total surrender,prapatti, that themembers of all sects merge in oneness, at the fulllment of

their individual paths. Similarly, they all meet in unity at thebeginning of the path with the worship of Lord Ganesha.

bl l f h h f d h


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From Merging with Siva, Lesson 147: Unqualied Surrender

Individual practices to advance spiritual unfoldmentinclude prostrating before God, Gods and guru, full body,face down, arms and hands outstretched, and in that act,total giving up, giving up, giving up, giving up. In Sanskritit is calledpranipata, falling down in obeisance. What are

these devoted ones giving up? By this act they are giving thelower energies to the higher energies. It is a merger, a blend-ing. When one is performing this traditional devotional act,awakening trueprapatti, it is easy to see the lower energiesfrom the base of the spine, the muladharachakra, rising,rising, rising up the spine through all six chakras aboveit and out through the top of the head. It is transmuting,changing the form of, the base energies which breed conictand resistance, mine and yours and you and me, division,

insecurity and separateness, into the spiritual energies of usand we, amalgamation, security, togetherness.Once the giving up of the lower is totalbody and face

on the ground, hands outstretched before the image ofGod, Gods or guruthose energies are surrendered intothe higher chakras within the devotee, and it is a blissfulmoment, into the consciousness of us and ours, we andoneness, and inseparable love, thus claiming their individu-ality, not as a separate thing, but as a shared oneness with

all. Thereafter, these devoted ones, having been transformed,

are able to uplift others, to harmonize forces around themthat they work with day after day after day, year after yearafter year. This total surrender,prapatti, is the meaning ofSiddhanta. This is the true meaning of Vedanta. The com-bination of both, and the pure practice ofprapattias justdescribed, brings out from within the deeper meanings of

Vedanta, the Vedic philosophy, without having to dependon the path of words, lectures and debates. Mysatguru wasonce heard saying, Its not in books, you fool.


Merging with Siva, Chapter 21: Total Surrender

2 Attending Kadavul Nataraja


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2. Attending Kadavul NatarajaAbhishekam or Puja Sadhana

Sadhana Practice

The sadhanais to focus on experiencing God Siva as a Godof love, a God of compassion for all He has created. Attend-

ing the 9am Siva puja in Kadavul Hindu temple on any dayof the year can lead to this perception. However, it is easieston the day of the month which is the nakshatraof Ardra.Ardra is the one day a month that a full abhishekam is givento the six-foot-tall bronze Nataraja in Kadavuls main shrine,while the small sphatikaLingam receives abhishekam daily.The most important Ardra nakshatraday of the year is theone that falls in the month of mid-December to mid-Jan-uary. This Nataraja festival is celebrated in all Agamic Siva

temples but most grandly at Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu.The description of Ardra nakshatraclearly relates to theidea of compassion: Teardrop star. Astronomical constel-lation: Betelgeuse. This star cluster conveys ideas pertainingto: Tenderness, abundant feelings, owing, dropping, melt-ing, to be overwhelmed with. The teardrop refers to therudraksha, or tear of Lord Siva. Ardra confers concern forthe suffering of others. It names the 6th nakshatradivision.

Q t f G d


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Quote from Gurudeva

Sivas followers all believe that Lord Siva is God, whoseimmanent nature of love, Parashakti, is the substratum,primal substance or pure consciousness owing through allform as energy, existence, knowledge and bliss.... His imma-nent love protects us, guides us, lifting our mind into the

arena of useful thoughts and keeping us from harms way.Supplementary Reading

Living with Siva, Lesson 315: Emissaries Of Lord Siva

Worship God Siva and you will be lled with love.Become a member of the united Saivites of the world,who love one another, who take care of each other in Eng-land, in South Africa, in Nepal, in North America, in SouthAmerica, in Mauritius, in Malaysia, in Java, in Fiji, in Trini-

dad and Tobago, in Guyana, in Suriname, in Sri Lanka andin India. It is this Sivasambhandam, this inner associationof Saivites the world over, that is the strength for Saiviteswherever they nd themselves. In this technological age thismust become an outer association as well.

I urge all Saivites, devotees of God Siva, to worship Himas the God of Love and, in doing so, to become beings oflove. The great saints of our religion were Siva bhaktas. Theychanged the world through their love of God. They did not

need vast institutions to spread their message. They did not

need riches or carts lled with books to spread their message able meditation and certain sadhanas are part of this wor


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need riches or carts lled with books to spread their message.They did not need radio, television or the Internet. Theirmessage spread because their minds were lled with directknowledge, direct experience of God Siva. Their messagespread far and wide, though they perhaps never left theirnative village. They just evolved within it. You, too, are emis-

saries of Lord Siva, and your love for Him is your greatestmessage. Simply love God Siva and let that love radiate outinto the world.

We cannot forget that Lord Siva is the uncreated God. Heis the closest to you. He is nearer than your breathing. He isnearer than your heartbeat. He is the very Self of you, eachand every one of you. Saivites love Siva in that very way, asthe Self of themselves. Being in all things simultaneously, atevery point in time, God Siva is in your ngers, He is in your

eyes, He is in your heart, He is in your mind. As our greatsatguru, Siva Yogaswami, said, There is one thing that LordSiva cannot do. He can do everything, but there is one thingHe cannot do. He cannot separate Himself from me. Thatis the only thing that God Siva cannot do. He cannot takeHimself out of you.

There are three things we must do: perform or attendpuja every day in the home, attend a temple once a weekand make a pilgrimage once a year. These three are the

foundation of our Saiva Siddhanta. Plus, for those who are

able, meditation and certain sadhanasare part of this wor-ship. External worship builds a vibration within us, and thatvibration is taken within, into deep meditationinternal-izing the worship in worshiping God and the Gods within

you and contacting them within the higher chakras untilyou realize that you also have always been the all-pervasive

energy that pervades the universe.Additional Resources

Living with Siva, Chapter 45: Palaces of the Gods

3. Swayambhu Lingam Darshana Sadhana


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3. S aya b u ga a s a a Sad a a

Sadhana Practice

Attend the 9am Swayambhu Lingam puja. Afterwards readGurudevas description of his vision of Siva and reect uponit, imagining God Siva sitting on the Swayambhu Lingam in

front of you and walking in the valley behind you.Quote from Gurudeva

This was the fulllment of the quest for a vision of what thefuture might hold, which led me and my followers to thelovely Garden Island of Kauai.


San Marga was established as a result of a three-fold

vision that came to me early one morning in 1975. I sawLord Siva walking in the meadow near the Wailua River.Then His face was looking into mine. Then He was seatedupon a great stone, His reddish golden hair owing downHis back. Astonished, I was seated on His left side. Uponreentering earthly consciousness, I felt certain the greatstone was somewhere on our land and set about to nd it.Guided from within by mysatguru, I hired a bulldozer andinstructed the driver to follow me as I walked to the north

edge of the property that was then a tangle of buffalo grass

and wild guava I hacked my way through the jungle south-


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and wild guava. I hacked my way through the jungle southward as the dozer cut a path behind me. After almost halfa mile, I sat down to rest near a small tree. Though therewas no wind, suddenly the trees leaves shimmered as if inthe excitement of communication. I asked the tree, Whatis your message? In reply, my attention was directed to a

spot just to the right of where I was sitting. When I pulledback the tall grass, there was a large rock, the self-createdLinga on which Lord Siva had sat. The bulldozers trail nowled exactly to the sacred stone, surrounded by ve smallerboulders. San Marga, the straight or pure path to God, hadbeen created. All this happened February15, 1975. Worshipof the sacred stone with water and owers was commencedimmediately through daily puja rites, and a master plan wasunfolded from the devonic worlds. Today, visitors to the

sanctuary walk the path of the Tamil Nayanars around pic-turesque lotus ponds and visit the six shrines of the KailasaParampara on the banks of Saravanabhava Lake in RishiValley. Across rolling meadows, pilgrims will gaze uponthe Iraivan Temple now being hand-carved in Bangalore toenshrine the worlds largest single-pointed quartz crystala700-pound, 39-inch-tall, six-sided natural gem, a sphatikaSivalinga, acquired in 1987. Iraivan, designed to stand 1,000

years as a spiritual edice for forty generations, is Americas

rst traditional, all-stone temple.

4. Ganesha Abhishekam/Puja Sadhana


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j

Sadhana Practice

Attend a Ganesha puja or abhishekam in Kadavul Temple.Afterwards, strive to experience each in turn of the ve shak-tis of Lord Ganesha. First feel, tune into, the vibration of the

shakti in the Ganesha murti. Next feel the vibration of thatshakti within you.A summary of the ve shaktis: (one) creating harmony

in the home, (two) concord among relatives, neighbors andfriends, (three) good business and public relations, (four)cultural upliftment and (ve) love of God and heartfeltcharity.

Quote from Gurudeva

To bring religion into ones life requires the worship of LordGanesha and the daily tuning into these ve great shaktis.This worship brings harmony to our home, to our relativesand friends and to business associates. It brings culture, cre-ativity and religion into our life. All this is crowned by sucha heartfelt love of God that we can then give forth. We areallowed to perform charities and, in overowing abundance,prepare the religious edices for the next generation. This iswhat our daily pujas and meditation, our pilgrimages and

other religious practices serve to manifest in our lives.



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pp t y g

Loving Ganesha, Chapter Three: Ganeshas Five Powers

Come, now let us turn our hearts and minds to the vepowers of Lord Ganesha. Devotees have asked for elu-cidation of the ve profound ways this Great God functionsin helping us from the inner worlds. For many Hindus inboth the East and the West it is this understanding of theve powerful positive powers, or shaktis, of Lord Ganeshaand their ve powerful asuric counterforces that makesreligion a working part of the devotees life and a stabilizingforce within the extended familywhich embraces kindred,friends, community elders and close business associates.This knowledge and practical experience has helped themunderstand just how intimately Lord Ganesha works witheach of us every day in even our mundane life.

There are ve great shaktis of Lord Ganesha, as He Him-self explained. Their positive vibratory rates can be feltthrough your astral and physical body and should always bewith you. What is this shakti? you may be wondering. It isbeing in the presence of Divinity. All holy men and womenemanate all of these shaktis, and you can, too, some strongerthan others. Shakti is divine radiation from the Third Worldthrough the Second World into the First. The astral body isin the Second World and lives inside the physical body. It is

through the astral body that shakti is felt. The shakti comes

from the Third World and permeates the astral body in the the beautiful feeling when it exists is the rst shakti of the Lord.


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p ySecond World. This is why the physical body sometimesseems to feel lled up with shakti from deep within, per-meating out to the inside of our skin. Deeply awakened soulsbecome so lled with the shakti of the Divine that it perme-ates as cosmic rays out through the skin to the perimeter ofthe aura, the colorful lm of light that surrounds the body. Itis felt by other people and attributed as a personal darshana.

Thus it can be said that Lord Ganesha has ve aspects toHis presence. Feeling the presence of the benevolent andbenecent Deity Ganesha everywhere is the exemplaryexample of what each soul wishes to attain. His ve pow-ers could well be called the feet of the Lord, for it is atthese feet that we sit and worship, bringing harmony to ourhome, among our relatives and friends and business associ-

ates, bringing culture, creativity and religion into our life.Crowned by a heartfelt love of God that we then give forth,we are then allowed to perform charities and, in overowingabundance, prepare the religious edices for the next gener-ation. Experiencing this personally will take daily meditation.

THE FIRST SHAKTI: The rst shakti emanates the feeling oflove and compassion that the good person naturally has forhis or her immediate family. Love and harmony within the

nuclear or joint family is most important to all Hindus, and

g"When family life possesses love and virtue, it has found both itsessence and fruition." Tirukural(45)

THE SECOND SHAKTI: The second shakti is the same feelingbut extended to relatives, neighbors and friends, all who arepart of the extended family. This is more difcult to hold, asinharmonious conditions often arise. These are called asuricforces, which come between people, causing misunderstand-ing and upsets. Through prayers and through worship, the rstshakti can be extended beyond the circumference of the imme-diate family to include acquaintances, relatives and friends.When this vibration of harmony is felt, all the power of theLord is with you, as the rst shakti and the second shakti merge,bringing in abundance the onrush of the third shakti.

THE THIRD SHAKTI: The third shakti of Lord Ganesha is thissame love extended to all persons one has dealings with in theexternal world: business associates, a casual merchant and thepublic at large. It is honest and harmonious relationships inconducting the business of trade and dealings in goods, nanceand the distribution of the wealth of the world. This is a mostimportant vibration to be felt, and constantly felt. This shakti ofthe Lord is tenuous to hold onto, for worldly and materialistic

forces, as you well know, militate against this kind of harmony.

But once these lower powers are conquered, worries cease, con- and soul is the combined merging of these ve shaktis. This


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p qcerns are alleviated and heartfelt joy comes. Such is the grace ofloving Ganesha. As the Tirukural(120) declares, Those busi-nessmen will prosper whose business protects as their own theinterests of others.

THE FOURTH SHAKTI: The fourth shakti is an outpouringfrom having held fast to the rst three. It is a combination ofthe rst two shaktis, stabilized by the third. The fourth shakti ofLord Ganesha brings through the creative-intuitive mindthelove of culture and all that it brings, religious formalities andthe respect and appreciation of discipline. Here we nd thevibration of religion, which brings as a boon creativity in music,art, drama and the dance. It is through these rening rays thatreligious life is adhered to and congested forces are braided

together in a harmonious pattern for a glorious future. It isthrough the fourth shakti that religious practices are performedconsistently and the renements of the past are carried into thefuture. It also extends to devotion toward ones ancestors and allforms of positive community participation.

THE FIFTH SHAKTI: The fth shakti of Lord Ganesha isthe combination of the rst and the third in vibration, and itextends into the wonderful feelings obtained by the outpouring

of love of this God. Loving Lord Ganesha with all your heart

g ggives the added boon of being able to be charitable; for thosewho love God perform charity, build shrines and temples andparticipate in the overowing generosity from their resources,earning abundantpunya, ne merit, accrued for this life andpassed on to the next. We can see that harmony within theimmediate family and harmony extended to all business associ-ates creates the spiritual dynamic within the individual and thegroup to burst forth into loving this benign God and receivingHis material, emotional, intellectual and spiritual abundance.


Loving Ganesha, Chapter Three: Ganeshas Five Powers

5. Murugan Abhishekam/Puja Sadhana


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Sadhana Practice

Attend a Muruga puja or abhishekam in Kadavul Temple.Afterwards, strive to experience the sixth shakti. First feel,tune into, the vibration of the shakti in the Murugan murti.It has the feeling of a dynamic spiritual energy. Next feel thevibration of that shakti within you.

Quote from Gurudeva

The sixth shakti, entrusted to Lord Murugan, is that ofrajayoga, the awakening of the kundalini, which should never beattempted until the rst ve vibratory rates of the Lord havebeen maintained and are a natural part of ones life. Thesixth shakti is only felt in yogic meditation, when the crown

of the head becomes the templethe high-pitched eeetone ringing within it like a temple bell, and the kundaliniawakened, the camphor light aglow. The yogi thus lockedin his own yoke nds himself seated on the fth shakti, sup-ported by the lotus petals of the other four. In his state of

yoga, he then merges intojnana; and answers to his deepestphilosophical questions come crystal clear as the seventhshakti penetrates the akashic ether of his mind.

Supplementary Reading devonic army, a ne, dynamic soldier of the within, a fearless


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Dancing with Siva, Shloka 24: What is the Nature of LordKarttikeya?

Shloka: Lord Arumugam, the six-faced, six-armed son ofSiva, wields many weapons, as He battles the forces of dark-ness to end wars, large and small. He rides the noble pea-cock, Mayil, which represents effulgent beauty and religionin its fullest glory.

Bhashya: Lord Karttikeya ies through the minds vastsubstance from planet to planet. He could well be called theEmancipator, ever available to the call of those in distress.Lord Karttikeya, God of will, direct cognition and the purest,child-like divine love, propels us onward on the righteous

way through religion, His Fathers law. Majestically seatedon the manipurachakra, this scarlet-hued God blesses man-kind and strengthens our will when we lift to the inner skythrough sadhanaand yoga. The yogapadabegins with theworship of Him. The yogi, locked in meditation, veneratesKarttikeya, Skanda, as his mind becomes as calm as Sara-vana, the lake of Divine Essence. The kundalini force withineveryone is held and controlled by this powerful God, rstamong renunciates, dear to all sannyasins. Revered as Muru-

gan in the South, He is commander in chief of the great

defender of righteousness. He is Divinity emulated in form.The Vedassay, To such a one who has his stains wiped away,the venerable Sanatkumara shows the further shore of dark-ness. Him they call Skanda. Aum Namah Sivaya.


Dancing with Siva, Shloka 25: What DoesLord Karttikeyas Vel Signify?

6. Gurudeva Chitra Puja Sadhana


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Sadhana Practice

Attend Gurudevas Chitra puja in Kadavul Temple. Duringthe nal arati, strive to feel Gurudevas presence in the roomblessing you. After a gurus mahasamadhi(passing), he orshe is honored each month on the nakshatraday of themahasamadhi. The nakshatrafor Gurudevas mahasamadhiis Chitra.

Quote from Gurudeva

Darshana (more popularly darshan) is a Sanskrit wordmeaning vision, seeing or perception. But in its mysticalusage, it is more than that. Darshan is also the feeling of theemotions of a holy person, the intellect, the spiritual quali-

ties that he has attained and, most importantly, the sakti,the power, that has changed him and is there constantly tochange others.


Dancing with Siva, Lexicon

Padapujais the ceremonial worship of the gurus sandalsor holy feet, often through ablution with precious sub-stances and offering of fruit and owers. After the ceremony,

the water of the bath, the fruit and other precious substances

are partaken of asprasadaby the devotees.S i d k f h d l f h h


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Sri padukarefers to the sandals of the preceptor, the tra-ditional icon of the guru, representing his venerable feet andworshiped as the source of grace.

The feet of God, a God, satguru or any holy person areoften represented by sacred sandals, called sri padukainSanskrit and tiruvadiin Tamil. The feet of a divine one areconsidered especially precious as they represent the point ofcontact of the Divine and the physical, and are thus reveredas the source of grace. The gurus sandals or his feet are theobject of worship on hisjayanti(birthday), on Guru Pur-nima and other special occasions.


Dancing with Siva, Mandala 31: Kailasa Parampara

Merging with Siva, Chapter 44: Darshan, Grace of the Guru

7. Yogaswami Aslesha Puja Sadhana


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Sadhana Practice

Attend Yogaswamis Aslesha aratiin the Guru Peedam.During the nal arati, strive to feel Yogaswamis presence inthe room blessing you. If there is no Yogaswami ceremonyscheduled for the Guru Peedam, feel Yogaswamis presenceafter the nal aratito Nataraja at the 9am Siva puja in Kada-vul Temple.

After a gurus mahasamadhi(passing), he or she is hon-ored each month on the nakshatraday of the mahasamadhi.The nakshatrafor Yogaswamis mahasamadhiis Aslesha.

Quote from Gurudeva

(In the moment of darshan), the sense of separation is tran-

scended, so there is a oneness between seer and seen. Thisis monistic theism, this is Advaita Isvaravada. Each is seeingthe other and momentarily being the other.


Dancing with Siva, Lexicon

Padapujais the ceremonial worship of the gurus sandalsor holy feet, often through ablution with precious sub-stances and offering of fruit and owers. After the ceremony,

the water of the bath, the fruit and other precious substances

are partaken of asprasadaby the devotees.Sri paduka refers to the sandals of the preceptor the tra


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Sri padukarefers to the sandals of the preceptor, the tra-ditional icon of the guru, representing his venerable feet andworshiped as the source of grace.

The feet of God, a God, satguru or any holy person areoften represented by sacred sandals, called sri padukainSanskrit and tiruvadiin Tamil. The feet of a divine one areconsidered especially precious as they represent the point ofcontact of the Divine and the physical, and are thus reveredas the source of grace. The gurus sandals or his feet are theobject of worship on hisjayanti(birthday), on Guru Pur-nima and other special occasions.


Dancing with Siva, Mandala 31: Kailasa Parampara

Merging with Siva, Chapter44

: Darshan, Grace of the Guru

8. Attend Kadavul Homa Sadhana


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Sadhana Practice

Participate in the homaworship of God Siva for at least tenminutes. Then write one or more prayers regarding anymajor decisions pending in your life such as changing jobs,moving to a new city, when to retire, etc. Remember theadvice to give a few specic options.

The Gods and devas look very carefully into the karmaof the devotee before taking any action. Because of this, itis always best to describe two or more alternatives that youwould be satised with in each prayer, rather than insistingon only one solution. This is because your rst preferencemay not be possible in your karmic pattern or, without

your knowing, it may actually be the worst possible thing

that could happen to you. In this case, your prayer wouldbe answered with a non-answer. Therefore, it is wise to sug-gest two or more alternatives when making a request. Forexample, in seeking help in nding employment, you mightsuggest three places you would be content at, indicating rstchoice, second and third.

Quote from Gurudeva

Writing and delivering prayers to the Devaloka through the

sacred re is an ancient Natha Sampradaya practice.


Living with Siva Lesson 316: The Boon of Prayer Writing


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Living with Siva, Lesson 316: The Boon of Prayer Writing

Shortly after the Kadavul Nataraja Deity arrived fromIndia at Kauai Aadheenam, our monastery-templecomplex on the Garden Island of Kauai, we received thewonderful boon of communicating with the inner worldsthrough written prayers. With this six-foot-tall bronze imageof the Lord of Dance came tens of thousands of devas. It wasrevealed to us that these devonic helpers, though unseen tothe physical eyes, are skilled in the art of fullling prayers.We were delighted to know that written prayers could beoffered into their hands through the sacred re that burnsperpetually at Lord Natarajas holy feet. In those early daysof the beginning of the rst Siva temple in the United States,we felt blessed that this magical boon had come to us. Writ-ten prayers were offered up through the sacred temple reand soon answered. The faith began to build among thedevotees. The temple yantra was now fully activated.

But there was a problem. Sometimes, in devotees emo-tional fervor, prayers were hastily scribbled out and couldnot be easily read. Seekers assumed that their requests andpleas for help or solace would be known by the Gods anddevas who know them personally, and therefore they werenot careful enough in composing their prayers, some even

forgetting to sign their name or note the date. We soon

learned that if prayers were not answered, it might be simplydue to incompleteness or illegibility. We also became aware

Malaysia and other areas of Southeast Asia. The prayersare written down and placed in the temple re. As the


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due to incompleteness or illegibility. We also became awarethat sufcient explanation must be given for the inner-planehelpers to provide adequate assistance.

Here is why absolute clarity is necessary in each writtenprayer. The astral image of each prayer that arrives in theSecond World, or astral plane, is an exact duplicate of its

physical-plane counterpart, but not quite as clearmorelike a carbon copy. So if the physical-plane original is notclear, its astral counterpart will be even less clear. It will beblurred, like trying to read a letter without ones eyeglasses.Even the astral counterparts of typewritten documents pre-pared in small type are difcult to read in the inner worlds,we were told.

To solve the problem of illegibility, the devas themselvesgave a new script, which came through from the inner sky inParis in the early70s. The devas called this script Tyeif. It isdesigned to look like bamboo leaves, arranged in an intricatepattern to form 135 characters or images, the rst twenty-six of which correspond to the English alphabet. Here is theword Tyeif written in the devas script: tyeif

Writing and delivering prayers to the Devaloka throughthe sacred re is an ancient Natha Sampradaya practice.Today this method of communication is still employed

in Shinto and Taoist temples in Japan, China, Singapore,

are written down and placed in the temple re. As thepaper burns, the astral double of the prayer appears in theDevaloka. The prayer is then read by the devas, who proceedto carry out the devotees requests. These temple devas arefully dedicated to assist all who come through the templedoors with their emotional, mental and physical problems.

It was made very clear to me, however, that prayers mayonly be sent to the Devaloka in a sanctied havana kundawhere special arrangements have been made with the devas.


Living with Siva, Chapter 46: Sending Prayers to the Gods

CpTer fIVe

Iraivan emple Sadhanas


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pNote: Availability depends on the current

stage of Iraivans construction.

1. The Iraivan New Self Image Sadhana

Sadhana Practice

After worshiping in Iraivan Temple, sit facing the sanctumand repeat the following afrmation, having in mindGurudevas statements about creating a new self-image andclear understanding of the purpose of life on planet Earth.

I am not my body, mind or emotions. They are but shellsof the innite energy that ows through them all. I am thisenergy. I am its source.

Class

The Power of AfrmationTrue Success

Quote from Gurudeva

Find your spiritual destiny for this lifetime.


Saiva Dharma Shastras, Section 95


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, 95

Strictly following ancient scriptural treatises, this 100-foot-long, 35-foot-tall, 3.5-million-pound Chola-styletemple is being built according to divine architecturalknowledge to channel and focus the spiritual power ofthe crystal Sivalinga representing the Supreme God, Siva:

Parameshvara-Parashakti-Parasiva. Sculpted stone panelstell in pictures and potent aphorisms the temples story andmystical philosophy of Saivism. Most importantly, Iraivan,with Lord Siva facing south, is a moksha temple. This meansthat being in the presence of its sanctum sanctorum bringsthe pilgrim closer to freedom from rebirth on this planet.The vibration of the temple wipes away the dross of thesubconscious vasanasand simultaneously heals the woundsof psychic surgery. It takes away encumbrances and releasesthe pristine beauty of the soul. As pilgrims leave the SanMarga Sanctuary they are escorted back the way they came,along San Marga and through the Rudraksha MeditationForest with a new self-image and clear understanding of thepurpose of life on planet Earth.

Merging with Siva, Lesson 77: All Knowing Is within YouI will be what I will to be. I will do what I will to do. You

can repeat these two powerful afrmations over time and

time again and thus rearrange, restructure, the forces ofyour subconscious mind and create a great inner peace


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y g pwithin yourself. Become acquainted with the spiritual ener-gies and bring the forces of superconsciousness through

your subconscious. This creates feeling, a feeling that youare what you say you arepositive, direct, full of life andenergy and creative power. Your intuitive mind proves this

through your conscious mind, not only through feeling,but you will nd yourself acting out the part in all kind-ness and security, exercising the positive will of I will bewhat I will to be and I will do what I will to do. Feel thespiritual force permeating the entirety of your body. Youare the security of your statement, and you accept it into

your subconscious mind. As the days go by, you will becomemore creative and more consciously aware of your spiritualdestiny. Find your spiritual destiny for this lifetime.

The greatest thing that a devotee must learn is thatall knowing is within oneself. Therefore, go to the greatsuperconscious school within you and bring forth knowl-edge. In order to do this, be condent within yourself. Inorder to be condent within yourself, have no fear. Inorder to have no fear, say to yourself, I am all right, rightnow. This will quickly bring you into the here-and-nowconsciousness. You will feel spiritual force permeating your

body, and your intuitive state of mind will be active. Go

ahead in full condence that you are the knower of all thatis known. This does not mean that you know everything


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that is to be known about the material plane, the emo-tional world of people, or what goes on within their minds.This means that you are nearing the source of all sources,that you understand the ultimate destiny of all soulstounequivocally merge with Siva.

Spiritual destiny is manifested in the lives of those whostand out from the masses and actually do something, wholive a creative life for the benet of others. This last afrma-tion afrms an age-old truth and may be said several timesbefore sleep and upon awakening: I am not my body, mindor emotions. They are but shells of the innite energy thatows through them all. I am this energy. I am its source. Iam on my way to merge with Siva.


Merging with Siva, Chapter 11: The Power of Afrmation, orthe Power o Afrmation booklet

2. The Iraivan PanchabrahmaCircumambulation Sadhana


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Sadhana Practice

Walk clockwise around the Iraivan sanctum offering asimple chant to each bronze murtiof one of the aspects ofPanchabrahma, also called Sadasiva.

Left front is Tatpurusha. Chant Aum Sri TatpurushayaNamaha three or more times while holding in mind thespecic function of that aspect of Siva. Then move to thenext bronze shrine.

Left back is Aghora. Chant Aum Sri Aghoraya Namahathree or more times while holding in mind the specic func-tion of that aspect of Siva. Then move to the next bronzeshrine.

Backside is Sadyojata. Chant Aum Sri SadyojatayaNamaha three or more times while holding in mind thespecic function of that aspect of Siva. Then move to thenext bronze shrine.

Right back is Vamadeva. Chant Aum Sri VamadevayaNamaha three or more times while holding in mind thespecic function of that aspect of Siva. Then move to thenext bronze shrine.

Right front is Ishana. Chant Aum Sri Ishanaya Namaha

three or more times while holding in mind the specic func-

tion of that aspect of Siva. Then move in front of the mainsanctum.

h ll f h


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The main sanctum represents all ve aspects of Pancha-brahma. Chant Aum Sri Sadasivaya Namaha three or moretimes while holding in mind all ve functions of Sadasiva.

Repeat the entire process at least three times.

Quote from GurudevaGod Siva is all and in all, one without a second, the SupremeBeing and only Absolute Reality. He is Pati, our Lord, imma-nent and transcendent. To create, preserve, destroy, concealand reveal are His ve powers. Aum.


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