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By Leonard Perlmutter
As American statesman William Jennings Bryan observed, "Destiny is
not a matter of chance. It is a matter of choice." In other words,
you are the architect of your life and you can determine your
destiny. But by what means can you experience the end of
debilitating stress and the birth of happy, healthy, creative,
loving and nurturing relationships? By learning to focus your
attention--at will.
That's not always an easy task. In fact, the tide of our culture is
constantly encouraging multi-pointed attention. We are all asked to
multitask; to become the proverbial short-order cook, frying the
eggs, toasting the bread, brewing the
coffee and serving everything simultaneously and on time--without
breaking yolks, burning toast or serving coffee that's less than
piping hot. Then it's immediately on to the next order and the next.
It's clearly an exhausting and unfulfilling assignment.
Until the mind is trained, it will continue traveling along the easy
groove of habit, and it's natural for an untrained mind to have the
habit of wandering. Attention can be trained, however, and no skill
in life is more valuable than the capacity to direct your attention
at will. By practicing one-pointed attention (known as dharana
in Yoga Science) you learn to access, harness and employ inner
intuitive wisdom from the superconscious mind. Here lies the energy,
willpower and creativity necessary to fulfill the purpose of your
life. One-pointed attention enhances emotional stability and
long-term memory. When you can direct your attention at will you
become secure, at ease and capable of sustained concentration--the
hallmarks of genius in any field of endeavor.
Each of us has our own distinct spectrum of potentialities, so the
knowledge you receive from the superconscious mind will impact your
relationships in an entirely unique and positive manner. To use the
limited analogy of the radio, each individual mind is a receiver
that can be tuned to receive a continuous program of personalized
wisdom.
The greatest artistic, creative and productive achievements in
history have been facilitated through minds exercising one-pointed
attention. Similarly, at the pinnacle of any Olympic competition,
the gold medal is won by the athlete whose mind has been made
one-pointed. The gold medalist possesses the skill to remain focused
regardless of competitive thoughts, desires or emotions that could
steal energy and focus.
Never undervalue the power of your own attention! Attention means
interest, and interest means love. To thoroughly know anything, to
discover or create anything, you must give your heart to it--which
means your ATTENTION. The greater the focus of attention, the more
profound the blessing.
One goal of meditation is to help you become response-able. If you
meditate daily, train your one-pointed attention, discipline your
senses, manage your desires, strengthen your will power and
coordinate the functions of the mind to reflect your own inner
intuitive wisdom, your every response will be appropriate to the
circumstance. These practical skills will help you unite the power
of all your assorted and unrelated desires to fulfill your one,
all-consuming passion.
The Biblical creation story is poetic and thought-provoking, but you
may understand it differently after you consider its yogic
interpretation. According to Yoga Science, the Divine Reality
continuously manifests from the undifferentiated, subtle state to
the gross, material level of existence through the mechanism of
one-pointed attention and will. In the Old Testament "God said, 'Let
there be light,' and there was light." In yogic terms God merely
wills light into existence through one-pointed attention--thus
initiating the process of creation. This mechanism for creation is
constantly operating through the consciousness of every human being.
When you give sufficient one-pointed attention to a particular
thought, it becomes more concrete--
taking the form of the words you speak. When you direct even more
attention to the thought, desire or emotion, you're likely to take
some physical action in the material world in furtherance of that
original thought. In other words, you actively participate in the
ongoing process of creation by choosing the focus of your attention.
The key to contentment lies in understanding that although we have
little or no control over the thoughts that come to us, we always
have a say over whether or not we continue to give them the
attention that will empower them to shape the events of our lives.
As the Buddha taught, "You are what you think." What you think today
determines what you experience tomorrow.
Our vision of the world depends on a complex internal process, one
element of which is desire. Most often what is pleasant,
comfortable, familiar and attractive receives our attention.
Whatever already has our attention is what we see.
Ask five people what was on television today.
A Wall Street stockbroker answers, "The market reached a record
high. It was a very good day."
A young mother recalls Oprah Winfrey's interview with a psychologist
who counseled on how to balance work and child care.
A middle aged man recounts every stirring moment of a golf
tournament.
A teenage boy tells you, "I want to be discovered on American Idol."
The military general reports, "I was disappointed by the way the
President's policy in Iraq was reported."
These people are simply telling you what they saw; their attention
went automatically to the subject of their interest.
When through the practice of meditation we have gained a measure of
control over our desires and learned to direct our attention where
our own inner intuitive wisdom suggests, the world will appear very
different to us. More and more we will become seers--seeing things
more clearly as they are, our vision unimpeded by compulsive and
restrictive attachments. Not only will we see the colors, textures,
and shapes of things with greater clarity, but we will see the
principles of harmony and order (or lamentably, in some cases, man's
violations of these principles) in the objects and situations before
us. So striking will be our personal transformation that we will be
humbled by our eyes that truly see and ears that truly hear how we
should act in the world.
Power of the Laser
Laser technology provides an apt analogy to illustrate the benefits
of concentrating available energy. The elementary unit of light
energy is a photon. Incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs are
designed to produce ambient light by scattering photons in many
directions, bouncing them off the ceiling, walls and floor. This
disorganized light energy serves to illuminate low-light
environments. By directing all the photons in one direction
simultaneously, however, scientists create a laser beam powerful
enough to cut through steel and precise enough to perform
micro-surgery.
When you learn to cultivate one-pointed attention, you apply the
principle of laser technology to the energy field of the mind and
produce similarly profound results. By learning to focus all your
mental energy toward a single thought or object you can expand your
consciousness by tapping into a library of intuitive, superconscious
wisdom. Suppose a new thought, a suggestion, appears in your
awareness. If your mind is entertaining memories from the past or is
off somewhere in the future, you will most likely respond to that
thought unconsciously. Without conscious, one-pointed attention, you
are likely to react from the conditioning of a powerful unconscious
habit. Generally, this translates into some form of dis-ease.
When a student of the Buddha asked him if he were a god, prophet or
angel, the Compassionate Buddha replied that he was none of these.
And when asked what he considered himself to be, the Buddha simply
replied, "I am awake!" That is the meaning of the word Buddha--"the
awakened one." By his answer, the Buddha referred to being present
every moment to the choices that continuously present themselves to
us. Consumed neither by memories of the past nor imaginations for
the future, the yoga scientist mindfully welcomes each thought
individually as a mere suggestion of what to give his or her
attention to. Then a decision is made to continue attending to that
suggestion or to withdraw attention. With regular practice, you too
can develop the skills necessary to "wake up" from the restless
night of ignorance into a higher state of conscious living.
Power of a Glass of Water
A brilliant young student, feeling proud of his great knowledge,
once asked his teacher, Narada, to explain to him why it is that
everyone can't see the Eternal Truth, cultivate one-pointed
attention, make discriminating choices and thereby end their sorrow.
Having both a great love for the disciple and an understanding of
his limitations, the master agreed to share this knowledge, but only
after the young man fetched a glass of water from a nearby house to
quench Narada's thirst.
Eager to please his master, the disciple approached the house and
knocked. To his amazement, when the door opened the most beautiful
woman he had ever seen stood before him. As he gazed into her eyes,
he fell deeply in love and the two soon married. In the years that
followed, he and his wife found joy in one another, were blessed
with healthy children and amassed considerable wealth and property.
But eventually his fortunes changed. Death snatched away the lives
of his wife and children, and floods destroyed his property. He was
left alone, poor and old. One night, as he sat brooding in his hut,
there came a knock at the door. When he opened it, his master,
standing before him, asked, "So? Where's my glass of water?"
The mind, ignorant of its true nature, habitually moves amidst
desire, fear and anger. When the mind operates in this manner, the
decision-making process is corrupted, and the human being short-
circuits discrimination in favor of the rapid-fire reaction of a
deep-seated, unconscious habit or compulsion.
In principle, however, the training of attention is simple: when the
mind wanders after a thought, desire or emotion that is in conflict
with your conscience, gently redirect it toward that which will lead
you for your highest and greatest good: the advice of your higher
Self. Problems arise when a distraction is not just a stray thought,
but the product of a deep, compulsive resentment, worry or desire.
The power of such thoughts is often overwhelming because there's
nothing the ego likes more than to think about itself and to
re-justify your dualistic orientation.
In Yoga Science the continuous, silent repetition of a mantra (a
word or series of words that contains the name of the Divine
Reality) is known as japa. It is the same practice that Christians
refer to as "prayer without ceasing." Silent mantra repetition
provides a healthy alternative, or default thought, for a mind that
easily becomes distracted.
Every time you listen to the mantra you automatically increase your
personal reserves of love, fearlessness and strength. Whenever a
selfish, contractive thought appears in your awareness, welcome,
witness and honor it and ask your conscience (buddhi) if the
thought warrants your attention. If not, withdraw your attention and
consciously redirect your attention toward the mantra. When the
mantra takes hold, the connection between the debilitating thought
and your attention is broken. A compulsive thought or a powerful
sense craving has no real power of its own. All its power comes from
the attention you give--and when you withdraw your attention, the
thought or desire will be powerless to compel you to act.
Take Small Steps to Train Your Mind
Certain relationships that require an action may seem insignificant
and unrelated to your Yoga practice (sadhana), yet they can
be powerful opportunities to bring you closer to fulfillment--if you
can practice one-pointed attention. For example, while you're
eating, don't watch television. By doing both at the same time,
you're training the mind to divide its attention. As a consequence,
your body will neither digest as thoroughly nor assimilate the
nutrition of the food as completely as it could if you were
mindfully eating with one-pointed attention. Furthermore, you simply
cannot fully enjoy the pleasures of the flavor, texture, scent and
colors of your food while half of your attention is devoted to the
evening news.
Remember that the body is composed of food and water. Your physical
body is a shrine that houses Divinity. The body is a church, a
temple, a mosque. When this is understood, the act of consuming food
to maintain the shrine becomes a sacrament. Choosing what, where,
when and how to eat are all important aspects of Yoga Science, and
require conscious, discriminating decisions made with one-pointed
attention.
Training attention can continue in all your activities. For
instance, when you're at work trying to complete a task and the
phone rings, you may have a great desire to continue what you're
doing while you talk on the phone. "I can do both," you tell
yourself. "This conversation is not particularly demanding." It's
probably true that you could accomplish both tasks--at less than
full efficiency--but we urge you to experiment.
As a yoga scientist, ask the buddhi (conscience) which desire
represents the passing pleasure known as preya and which is
the choice that will lead to perennial joy (shreya). If the
telephone call is the shreya, try to witness and surrender
the desire to continue working, then give one hundred percent of
your attention to your conversation. Place your pen on your desk and
direct your complete and undivided attention to the person who wants
to speak with you. No one else will ever know the mental
deliberation you've made, but by exercising this kind of detachment
and discrimination, you'll develop a sharp focus of your mind-field
for the benefit of every upcoming relationship.
As you look for opportunities to unify your everyday desires, the
power of the mantra will help you remember your true nature as the
Eternal Witness. Once centered in your Divine fullness you will come
to realize that by allowing the mind to dissipate your attention you
are actually working counter to your highest and greatest good.
Learning to make even seemingly insignificant acts an integral part
of your sadhana can become a means for experiencing great
blessings.
Consider also that although performing more than one task at a time
may seem like an efficient use of energy, the habit takes its toll
on your health. Recent scientific studies conclude that multitasking
asks the brain to function beyond its capacity. The brain simply
cannot process more than one piece of information at a time. It
might appear to your casual observation that you can drive and talk
on the cell phone simultaneously, but to accomplish both, the brain
has to run back and forth between activities. When faced with the
demands of multitasking, the brain actually becomes overloaded,
slows down and sends an S. O. S. to the adrenals to release stress
hormones into the body. Prolonged release of adrenaline eventually
leads to sleep deprivation, anxiety and depression.
So, begin today to look for new and creative ways to develop your
one-pointed attention. Don't eat and watch television at the same
time. If food is important, turn off the television. If a specific
television program is important, postpone your meal until an
appropriate time. If you're washing the dishes, don't entertain
distracting or annoying thoughts. Instead, give your attention to
the sensual pleasure of immersing your hands in warm, sudsy water.
Watch mindfully as the soft, wet sponge caresses the smooth
porcelain and the newly sparkling glassware catches the light. Every
activity, completed with full attention, will be more pleasurable
and rewarding--added benefits as you skillfully hone your
one-pointed concentration.
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I just read an alarming report about the efforts of powerful
legislative groups to weaken the Clean Air Act and make the world a
safer place for polluters. It's discouraging to see how the work of
environmental groups is constantly thwarted by well-heeled special
interests. And yet, while most of us realize we need to be vigilant
if we want to protect our atmosphere, too often we're oblivious to
the toxins continually flooding into our minds. What can we yoga
students do to minimize pollution in the chidakasha, the sky
of our minds?
Many ancient traditions were as deeply concerned about the effects
of psychic pollution as we are today about environmental
contamination. Two thousand years ago in Palestine, sects like the
Nazarenes taught that if you committed a sin, you must bathe in the
river Jordan to purify your spirit. Jesus Christ, who was himself a
Nazarene, taught that our thoughts can be just as polluting as
malevolent deeds. He warned that not only is killing wrong, hatred
is too; not only is adultery wrong, so is entertaining an adulterous
thought (Matthew 5:21-28). These statements seem awfully harsh to
us today, but Jesus was never one to mince words.
This whole issue came to a head for me a few months ago when I went
to see the latest Tom Cruise movie. From beginning to end the
feature was packed with sadism and violence. I usually avoid
violent films, with rare exceptions like the Godfather movies or
Gladiator, where a brilliant director honestly addresses the issue
of human violence, and does so with tremendous moral force.
Unfortunately, today one film after another glories in stylized
murder and massacre, sometimes with only the thinnest strip of plot
to lead from one bloody confrontation to another. I had naively
expected the Tom Cruise film to be clever and charming, but wound up
sitting in the darkened theater with my stomach churning and my eyes
squeezed shut. Finally I simply said goodbye to Tom and walked
out. I just don't need images of vicious killings being projected
directly into my subconscious.
I'm worried about sounding like an unreasoning prude. But honestly,
that's not where I'm coming from. I'm not for censorship, nor am I
against artistic freedom. But I am a yoga student, and I'm
concerned about the contents of my mind. In yoga we learn that at
the time of death, for most of us at least, the conscious mind fades
and the unconscious comes forward. What images will be playing
through our awareness as we make the transition to the next state of
being? Will they be images of great saints and spiritual mentors
who modeled compassion and tranquility? Or pictures of people dying
horribly as we've watched all our lives in thrillers and horror
movies, or on police shows on television? According to the yogis,
we create our own state of heaven or hell after death depending on
how we've conditioned our minds.
In the yoga tradition, there are two levels of mind we need to
consider. The first is manas, our own thought world with its
individual memories and impulses. The second is mahat, the
collective mind. Mahat is the psychic atmosphere, the group
think, the cultural gestalt. It can contain deep internal conflicts
just like an individual mind, but at some level every person on
earth is linked to it. Manas and mahat are by no
means completely distinct. They bleed into each other, and at
times-like when a crowd turns into a mob-the group mind actually
takes over individual minds.
All of us can remember when we "plugged in" to the collective
consciousness. I recall when Princess Diana was killed in a car
accident. I had absolutely no interest in the British royal family,
and had never bothered following their misadventures. Yet when
Diana died I was pulled into a well of shock and sorrow like
millions of other people around the globe. The reaction in the
group mind was so strong you could feel it palpably. Negative
events like 9/11 or the assassination of President Kennedy affect
everyone viscerally. So do positive events, like the Beatles' first
appearance on Ed Sullivan or the first Moon landing. For a few
moments at least, the thoughts and feelings of millions of
individuals exactly align, and we become one united people. Usually
our psychic link with each other remains largely unconscious, but
group events like these bring collective awareness to the fore.
My most powerful experience of the collective mental atmosphere in
which we all are immersed occurred in Allahabad, India in January,
2001 when I attended the Maha Kumbha Mela. There were often
as many as 30 million together at the festival, singing, meditating,
and worshiping God all at the same time, in the same place. It was
amazing-it felt like my mind was continually merging in an ocean of
exalted spiritual consciousness. It was the perfect example of an
uplifting and self-transforming psychic atmosphere.
But most of the time these days, the psychic atmosphere seems about
as unhealthy as human beings can make it. Some cultures, and
tragically even some religious groups, define themselves not by what
good they accomplish but by whom they hate. Politicians assert
control not by bringing people together but by fomenting passionate
anger. In the performing arts, where talent and wit are lacking,
profanity and sexual exploitation rush in to fill the void. In our
schools, bright children are often mocked by their peers, while
cynical attitudes and self-destructive behavior are considered
"cool." What has happened to our collective mentality? And what
can we, as yoga students, do to help clean up the psychic sewage in
the world mind, and in our own?
In the yoga tradition, the human heart is regarded as a sacred
sanctuary that should be kept clean and pure. Unfortunately when
we look inside ourselves we sometimes experience the murky turmoil
of anger, lust, and self-righteousness, or the paralyzing poison of
loneliness and emptiness. Yoga offers many techniques to help
correct these imbalances, including meditation, self-study, selfless
service, and devotion to a Higher Power.
But what can we do about the collective malaise that leaves so many
of us feeling our country, and in fact the entire world, is on the
wrong course? Here are three steps we can take to help cleanse our
psychic environment.
1. Living Right
We need to live as if our spiritual beliefs matter. In ancient
India, when yoga was first being formulated, sages helped guide
society by establishing the principles of ethical action. The basis
of human life was moral behavior, aligned with the laws of nature
and spirit. This was called rita in Sanskrit; our words
"right" and "righteousness" come from the same root. To this day,
the practice of yoga begins with the yamas (actions to be
avoided such as harming others, lying, stealing, overindulging in
sensual pleasure, and taking more than we need) and niyamas
(actions we should cultivate such as cleanliness, contentment,
self-control, spiritual studies, and devotion).
The strength of First World economies is based, in part, on
fostering desires for things we don't really need: a more luxurious
car, more clothes than we can ever wear, surgery to make us look
like models in magazines. Our collective inner world is filled with
ceaseless dissatisfaction and craving. These are pollutants in the
sky of our minds that dim our perception of higher spiritual
realities.
My meditation teacher, Swami Rama of the Himalayas, advised, "Be
content, but never be satisfied." Many of us in the West actually
live more comfortably than kings and queens did in past centuries;
it might be healthier to be grateful for what we already have and
use the resources already at our disposal rather than wasting so
much energy pursuing even more objects and experiences. At the same
time, as Swami Rama said, we should never become complacent. When
it comes to cultivating good qualities, helping others, and
progressing in our spiritual practice, there is always room for
improvement.
2. Clean Language
Abusive language and malicious gossip pollute the psychic
atmosphere. When I was a child I was taught not to swear, because
curse words poison the air around us as much as toxic gases. Foul
language is a reflection of our inner state, and reveals our haughty
contempt for others. Constructive criticism can be helpful, but
regularly filling our daily speech with slurs and curses helps breed
the mutual antagonism that fills the air these days.
Muslims have a wonderful custom; when they mention a person who is
not physically present they add, "Peace be upon him." I find that
when I'm irritated with someone, if each time I say her name I add,
"God bless her," it changes my mood from annoyance to blessing. We
need to turn around the pervasive vindictiveness in our society, and
one way to begin doing that is to offer blessings rather than
curses.
3. Mental Detoxification
If we want to make our heart an inner temple where the living
presence of a Higher Power is always welcome, we need to cultivate
serenity, contentment, compassion and forgiveness. We can begin by
mentally boycotting habitual thought patterns we may have
constructed over the years that throw us off our center, like
envious thoughts, long-standing resentments, or a preoccupation with
lust or violence.
Almost everything man-made in our environment-movies, TV shows,
billboards, ads-is designed to provoke a feeling of inadequacy and
desire for something we imagine will fill that nagging sense that
something is missing. We need to strengthen our determination to
turn inward for fulfillment, but at the same time we must avoid
passing judgment on others who have different values. Rita
means righteousness, not self-righteousness. Leading a balanced,
ethical life is a beautiful, healthy thing-unless we're
self-righteous about it. Nothing undermines morality more
insidiously than the feeling that we're morally superior to someone
else. Perhaps this is why on the spiritual path, humility is such a
valued commodity!
Each of us adds his or her thoughts and feelings to the collective
consciousness. When we detoxify our own minds and hearts, we
contribute to a healthier psychic atmosphere. And when, like the
saints, we send out our thoughts and prayers for the benefit of
others, we help counteract the psychic poison floating in the mental
matrix that surrounds us. As yoga students we can help to decrease
not only the pollution in the air we breathe, but in the way we
speak, think, and act.
Linda Johnsen, M.S., is author of eight books on the yoga
tradition including "Lost Masters: Sages of Ancient Greece," and is
a Contributing Editor of "Yoga Plus" magazine.
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Individual Counseling
Yoga Self-Therapy
Leonard Perlmutter
AMI Founder and Director
Member: International Association of Yoga Therapists
Yoga Self-Therapy is
based on the perennial psychology of yoga science. Each
individual counseling session will teach you how to free
yourself from habits and expectations that cause stress and
give rise to illness. By observing and training your internal
processes, you can become creative in all relationships while
establishing a state of personal contentment. By learning to
rely on your own Divine inner wisdom you become free to make
choices in life that continually improve your physical, mental
and emotional wellbeing.
AMI Home Center, 60 Garner Road, Averill Park
By appointment only.
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THE CHAKRAS
Balancing the Subtle Body
Level II - This course provides a detailed
understanding of the meaning, anatomy and function of the
seven major chakras. When knowledge of the subtler aspects
of the chakras is understood and incorporated into your
daily practice, consciousness is freed from the downward
inertia of fear-filled, animal nature and allowed to rise to
the higher centers of consciousness. By "balancing" the
chakras through advanced Yoga Science purification therapies
you will gain valuable insights which will positively
enhance your total well being. In addition, advanced healing
practices that work through the energy of the subtle body
will help open, balance and ground you. These profound
practices will increase your vitality while enhancing your
powers of concentration. Rediscovering your inner source of
physical health, emotional contentment and spiritual peace
is simply a matter of finding the proper knowledge and then
cultivating your will force.
Wednesday Nights:
March 21 - April 4, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Registration: $125 (3 weeks)
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Long ago in India, there lived a martial arts teacher named Drona who
taught his students to "Look at your target and nowhere else. One of
his students, Arjuna, listened and practiced diligently. On the day of
a great competition to determine the best archer, Drona placed a
wooden bird in a tree and instructed his students to aim at its eye.
The first student plucked an arrow from the quiver, placed it on the
bow, and pulled the string. "What do you see now?" Drona asked. "I see
the sun, the clouds and the trees," the student replied. The arrow
landed yards away from the tree.
The second student prepared his arrow and pulled the string. "What do
you see?" Drona asked. "I see the branches and leaves." The arrow
landed at the base of the tree.
The next student came forward, took an arrow from his quiver, placed
it in the bow, and pulled the string. "What do you see ahead of you?"
Drona asked. "I see the bird, its legs, its wings," the student
replied as he let the string go. The arrow shot forward and grazed the
wings of the bird.
Finally, Arjuna took an arrow from his quiver, placed it in the bow,
and pulled the string. "What do you see ahead of you?" Drona asked. "I
see the eye of the bird," Arjuna replied. "What else do you see,
Arjuna?" Drona asked. "Nothing. I see only the round black eye of the
bird," Arjuna replied as he released the string. Then, as the arrow
shot forward, it pierced the center of the wooden bird's eye and
Arjuna was declared the best archer.
The Blessing of a Well-Trained
Mind
The Compassionate Buddha
As an archer aims his arrow, the wise aim their restless thoughts,
hard to aim, hard to restrain.
As a fish hooked and left on the sand thrashes about in agony, the
mind being trained in meditation trembles all over, desperate to
escape the hand of Death.
Hard it is to train the mind, which goes where it likes and does
what it wants. But a trained mind brings health and happiness. The
wise can direct their thoughts, subtle and elusive, wherever they
choose: a trained mind brings health and happiness.
Those who can direct thoughts, which are unsubstantial and wander so
aimlessly, are freed from the bonds of Death.
They are not wise whose thoughts are not steady and minds not
serene, who do not know dharma, the law of life. They are wise whose
thoughts are steady and minds serene, unaffected by good and bad.
They are awake and free from fear.
Remember, this body is like a fragile clay pot. Make your mind a
fortress and conquer Death with the weapon of wisdom. Guard your
conquest always.
Remember that this body will soon lie in the earth without life,
without value, useless as a burned log.
More than those who hate you, more than all your enemies, an
untrained mind does greater harm. More than your mother, more than
your father, more than all your family, a well-trained mind does
greater good.
Dinner, Movie, Satsang
 
 
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The Heart and Science of Yoga:
A Blueprint for Peace, Happiness and Freedom from Fear
Review by Gregg St. Clair, Healing Springs Journal
We live in
glorious times don't we? We have information available to us
today that we never transferred to only an inner circle of top
students. This usually involved years of dedication proving
your desire to learn, followed by years of practice in the
more external realms of knowledge, and only then would a
master be willing to share the deepest levels of their art,
most highly guarded secrets. But today every esoteric subject
matter is available through books or just a quick click away
on the world wide web.
Everything has pluses and minuses and this is no exception.
Yes, it is all right there for us, but so is fast food. So how
do we discriminate what is valuable or not for our total well
being? Trial and error is, of course, an option, and something
most people have to go through on their path--be it with diet,
exercise or meditation. But when you find the right thing you
know it. This is how I felt when I read The Heart and
Science of Yoga: A Blueprint for Peace, Happiness and Freedom
from Fear by Leonard Perlmutter. I keep wanting to call it
the "Art" instead of the "Heart," probably from being
conditioned by other book titles, but "Heart" definitely works
better. Why? Because you can tell that that is where the book
comes from and that is where it is aimed.
The Heart and Science of Yoga is a manual showing how
ancient wisdom can help us with life today in an increasingly
chaotic world. No longer does one need to travel to India to
learn the deepest secrets of yoga for it is all contained in
this one book. Some might claim that there is too much
information (and at 538 pages they may be right), but not me.
It is written in a style so easy to read and so relevant to
spiritual development today that its information will be
beneficial, almost crucial, for everyone, not just yoga
practitioners.
Leonard Perlmutter has something rare among yoga practitioners
and meditation instructors today, not only a blessing from his
famous teacher Swami Rama, but a direct request to pass on the
knowledge he transferred to him and to become a full time
teacher. Leonard and his wife Jenness have founded and operate
the American Meditation Institute in Averill Park, New York--a
short drive from the capital city of Albany. A tranquil oasis,
the Perlmutters are dedicating their lives to creating
positive change in the world based on the teachings of yoga
with meditation as the key.
The book covers in detail the eight limbs of yoga is of course
more than different contortionist postures and includes a
blueprint for spiritual growth including, proper disciplines,
proper conduct, proper exercise, proper breathing, proper
control of the senses, proper concentration, proper meditation
and finally self realization. I particularly like how they use
quotations and references from all of the worlds religions,
including literature and even current sources (did you know
Elvis was a guru?), making the book very accessible if not
down right enjoyable to read.
With the invention of the airplane, the telephone and now the
world wide web, it has become obvious that it is one world and
we must act together if there is going to be hope for the
future. Unfortunately people become so caught up in their own
realities that they fail to see the bigger picture. But we are
spiritual beings, and as we busy ourselves with the illusions
of the world it separates us from our spirit, creating a
source of suffering that is only going to continue. I take
comfort in the fact that yoga has an 8000 year old history and
though I am a scientist, I don't need another double blind
study to know that it works. The key is, we have to practice
something to take control of our mind & lives, or they will
take control of us. If you are looking for a tried and true
system that has helped millions of people, then The Heart
and Science of Yoga is the perfect companion. I recommend
it for everybody. |
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All events are held at the AMI Home Center in Averill Park unless
otherwise indicated.
SUNDAY MEDITATION & SATSANG (FREE)
Every Sunday 9:30-11:00 AM. Love donations accepted.
MARCH 2007
MAR 9:
DINNER, MOVIE & SATSANG
"Twelve Angry Men," Friday Night, 5:30 - 10:00 PM
Mar 12 -APR 16:
EASY-GENTLE YOGA
Monday Nights, Kathleen Fisk, 6:30 - 8:00 PM, (6 weeks)
MAR 13 - APR 17:
AMI MEDITATION
Tues. Nights: "The Heart and Science of Yoga,"
6:30 - 8:30 PM with AMI founder Leonard Perlmutter (6 weeks)
MAR 21 - APR 4:
THE CHAKRAS
Wed. Nights, 6:30 - 8:00 PM, (3 weeks)
with Leonard & Jenness Perlmutter
MAR 22:
INTRODUCTORY
LECTURE
AMI Meditation: "The Heart and Science of Yoga"
Thurs. Night, 6:30 - 7:30 PM, Carl Patka & Mary Holloway
MAR 23: DINNER, MOVIE & SATSANG
"Last Temptation of Christ," Friday Night, 5:30 - 10:00 PM
APRIL 2007
APR 9 - MAY 14:
BHAGAVAD
GITA Study
Monday Nights, 6:30 - 8:30 PM, Chs. 11 & 12 (6 weeks)
APR 13: DINNER, MOVIE & SATSANG
"City of Joy," Friday Night, 5:30 - 10:00 PM
APR 19:
INTRODUCTORY LECTURE
AMI Meditation: "The Heart and Science of Yoga"
Thurs. Night, 6:30 - 7:30 PM, Carl Patka & Mary Holloway
APR 23 - JUNE 4:
EASY-GENTLE YOGA
Monday Nights, Kathleen Fisk, 6:30 - 8:00 PM, (6 weeks)
APR 24 - MAY 29:
AMI MEDITATION
Tues. Nights: "The Heart and Science of Yoga,"
6:30 - 8:30 PM with AMI founder Leonard Perlmutter (6 weeks)
APR 27:
DINNER, MOVIE & SATSANG
"Dangerous Liaisons," Friday Night, 5:30 - 10:00 PM
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Tell
a Friend about AMI
If you know someone who might benefit from our American Meditation class, let them know
about the AMI program or call us with their name and address and we'll send them a
brochure with our current class schedule.
Karma Yoga --- the practice of selfless and skillful action
If, as part of your practice, you have a few extra hours during the week
and are interested in helping grow the American Meditation Institute, we need your
dedicated, volunteer energy. As a student of yoga science, you are already familiar with
the kinds of practical services the Institute provides. Each month we write, edit and
publish this newsletter, teach an average of thirty new meditation students and present
stress-reduction seminars to various businesses and organizations. We also invite visiting
speakers of interest to our area, organize seminars on yoga science and do continuing
personal counseling.
Our immediate needs include press relations, seminar management,
clerical assistance and general delivery work. Remember, whatever time or talents you
possess will be put to meaningful, productive use.
If you have the time, please call the Institute at (518) 674-8714.
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©Copyright 2006 American Meditation Institute for Yoga Science & Philosophy. All
Rights Reserved |
