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By Leonard Perlmutter
During the
American Revolution of 1776, Thomas Paine observed in his "Common
Sense" pamphlet that, "If the impulses of the conscience were
irresistibly obeyed, man would need no other lawgiver." Over 5,000
years ago, Yoga Science taught that when mind, action and speech
become accurate reflections of the conscience (known as buddhi),
humanity would live free of all pain, misery and bondage.
If this wisdom has been available for so long, why are men and women
all over the world still struggling to attain freedom? What relentless
and powerful force makes life and relationships so difficult and
stressful? According to Yoga Science the answers can be found in an
objective examination of our desires; in recognizing which desires to
serve and which desires to sacrifice.
"You are your deepest driving desire," say the ancient Indian
Upanishads. "As your deepest driving desire is, so is your will.
As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your
destiny." These simple words are profound. If you can harness the
power of your desires, you can be free from all those charms,
attractions and temptations that previously brought you pain. If you
do not learn to harness the power of your desires, you will remain
enslaved to stress and dis-ease.
On the path of freedom, books and lectures can be helpful and
inspiring, but those experiences cannot bring what Yoga Science refers
to as moksha--liberation from all suffering and limitation. To
experience real freedom, you will need to study your own mind, gain
detachment from those powerful forces hiding in the dark recesses of
the unconscious and re-open the channels through which your creative
energy flows.
How can this complex task be accomplished? The answer is surprisingly
simple: meditation. With the aid of a daily meditation practice you
can boldly and safely explore the vast sea of your mental desires.
With meditation, you can learn to identify and plug energy leaks at
their source, redirect the wandering flow of your attention, access a
superconscious wisdom, reconnect the frayed wiring of memory,
rejuvenate the body's immune system, transform the power of your
unproductive and debilitating habits and unleash a torrent of creative
ideas. In other words, meditation can teach you how to take the reins
of your destiny in your own hands.
The ancient Mundaka Upanishad tells a story that illustrates
the divergent paths to freedom and bondage available to all human
beings. Two golden birds who are constant companions are perched in
the same tree. One bird is the separate, individual self, believing
that objects and relationships bring happiness. This bird, burdened by
ignorance and self-willed desires, remains enslaved to what Albert
Einstein expressed as "a kind of optical delusion." The second bird is
the immortal soul--ever full, ever free. The former tastes the sweet
and bitter fruits of the tree, seeking only the pleasant but
experiencing the pain as well. The latter, calmly discriminating
between passing pleasure and perennial joy, eternally enjoys its own
perfect fullness as well as the abundance of the world. Being
detached, the second bird enjoys the world--without being enslaved to
its charms.
The limited self, having forgotten its own true identity, experiences
various forms of dis-ease until it recognizes that the same divine
wisdom within his companion is also within him. It is through this
Self-realization that the separate self begins to base its outer
actions on its inner wisdom--thereby becoming free of all suffering.
The image of the two birds illustrates the ultimate truth about man's
real and apparent natures. Our suffering, the story explains, is the
result of being ignorant of our Essential Nature. It is the price paid
for serving unhealthy desires rather than relying on our own intuitive
wisdom. But suffering need not be the norm. As we practice meditation
and experience the truth of Yoga Science, we begin to transform the
old personality by recognizing the innate power and wisdom hidden
within all of our desires.
Do you remember a line from Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing?"
"There was never yet a philosopher who could endure a toothache
patiently." When your tooth is aching and you meditate on your tooth,
it will hurt more. It is the attention we give to the cause of our
pain that adds to it. It is possible to reduce the pain, distress and
suffering in our lives simply by removing our attention from those
desires that conflict with inner wisdom.
When the Compassionate Buddha uses the word nirvana, a compound of the
words nir "out" and vana "to blow," he is teaching us that our
"optical delusion" of ignorance, bondage and suffering can vanish when
we base our thoughts, words and deeds on our own intuitive inner
wisdom (buddhi). The Bhagavad Gita similarly instructs that all
actions must be taken in freedom in order to fulfill the purpose of
life. Eating should be done in freedom; recreation should be done in
freedom; even work should be done in freedom. Then the Gita promises
that when when we meditate daily and all our actions become skillful
expressions of our spiritual practice (sadhana), all
sorrows--of the body, mind and spirit--will come to an end.
Throughout our sadhana, it's essential to remember that desires
are neither good nor bad. Desires are merely the fuel for actions, and
those actions bring about consequences. The cumulative consequences
ensure our freedom or our bondage. The primary challenge in
experiencing real freedom is learning how to liberate ourselves from
the tyranny of those unhelpful desires residing in the unconscious
mind that eventually bring us stress and dis-ease.
Samskaras and the Unconscious
While the mind is vast, only a small portion of the mind is conscious.
For most of our lives, the greater portion of the mind remains
unconscious. This vast unconscious mind (chitta), serves as the
storehouse for attachments. It's a veritable catalogue of all pleasant
and unpleasant memories, imaginations for the future and the
experiences and information we deem vital to self-preservation. It
also serves as the repository for fear, anger and unfulfilled desires.
Yoga science describes the character of the chitta as being
analogous to that of wet sand. When you were a child playing at the
beach and you pressed an object, like a pail or shovel, into wet sand,
an impression was created. Similarly, when you repeatedly give your
attention to any thought or desire, the impression of that subtle
object is stored in the chitta--thereby forming an indentation
in the topography of your unconscious mind. As you give continued
attention to any thought, desire or emotion, the channel that is
formed becomes deeper.
These deep channels are called samskaras, and consciousness
(Chit), always flows through the sluice of least resistance. This
means that the deepest, widest, most unobstructed channels in the
unconscious mind become the software of the mind, the pathways through
which consciousness travels. These include both our creative, healthy
habits and destructive, unhealthy habits, compulsions and addictions.
Because we have created these samskaras through our previous
attention, we tend to think virtually the same thoughts, speak the
same words and take similar actions every day. We are responsible for
having created the software of our own mind through repeated attention
to certain thoughts--both helpful and harmful ones. These deep
samskaras determine the development of the personality.
But samskaras are not permanent constructions. As Mahatma
Gandhi wrote, "Humankind's greatness lies not so much in being able to
remake the world, but in remaking ourselves." Samskaras are
always works in progress. They can be altered. Many of them are very
beneficial, but unless we consciously acknowledge and monitor their
growth, debilitating samskaras can grow strong. Over a
lifetime, these tendencies can increase our bondage to pain and
misery.
Remember, for every action, there is an equal reaction. When we
consciously defer to our own inner intuitive wisdom in choosing which
desires deserve our attention and which do not, we can prevent many
painful consequences. The process is similar to tending a garden. If
we want to grow highly prized varieties of flowers or vegetables, we
must be diligent about pulling the common, vigorous weeds. If left to
grow unattended, they will begin to crowd the more delicate plants and
will eventually choke off the nutrient supply.
Changing Our Mental Software
Daily meditation provides a reliable, systematic method for safely
rewriting the problematic software of the mind. When we sit regularly
for meditation and learn how to direct our attention with
discrimination, we create new, healthy samskaras that inevitably lead
us from our self-created House of Bondage to the Divine Land of Milk
and Honey.
Meditation is an engineering science. It re-engineers the topography
of the unconscious mind. Meditation transforms the contractive and
debilitating tyranny of harmful self-willed desires into an expansive
and liberating force that becomes available in every relationship.
The laws of physical science state the same truth as Yoga Science:
energy cannot be created nor destroyed, but it can be transformed.
Viewing Yoga as a sister science, ancient meditators experimented with
controlling, conserving and transforming the energy of their desires.
Through trial and error they realized that when they renounced a
single desire the energy of that desire manifested in a different
form.
Recognizing that desire is the fuel for human action, the ancient
sages conceived a scientific formula that might well be called the
spiritual equivalent of Albert Einstein's E=MC2.
The formula they discerned was D = E + W + C.
Every desire is composed of three basic components: energy, will power
and creativity (consciousness). When we learn to willingly and
consciously surrender our attachment to the merely pleasant,
comfortable, familiar and attractive self-willed desires that conflict
with our inner wisdom, the power of those harmful desires is
automatically transformed into internal reserves of energy and will
power and creativity.
Conversely, when we continue to act against the advice of inner
wisdom, our internal strategic reserves of energy, will power and
creativity are diminished.
As in banking, our personal balance sheet always reflects whether
deposits or withdrawals have been made. The choice of solvency or
bankruptcy; freedom or slavery, is up to each individual every moment
of every day.
As we deepen our meditation practice and master the art of
transforming unhelpful desires, we become truly free. For instance, at
a birthday celebration, we're perfectly free to have and to enjoy a
piece of cake--without the craving for a second. We can enjoy family
get-togethers without any compulsion to overeat. The Bhagavad Gita
puts it this way. "Individuals who learn to be detached in all their
actions through the practice of meditation become freed from all
affliction. When the perfectly disciplined and discriminating mind
gains freedom from all desires, that Yoga becomes the eliminator of
all sorrows."
This is the supreme purpose of meditation and the supreme goal of
life: to be free of all pain, misery and bondage. Through the
consistent practice of Yoga Science our individual self-will is slowly
and safely harmonized with the Divine-will that is the driving force
behind the evolution of the cosmos. In the midst of that union--of
human and Divine--we step into a new Golden Age of Freedom and a world
of endless possibilities.
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A distraught father is sitting by his son's sickbed, unsure whether
the feverish young man will live or die. It's an especially
riveting scene from the 1999 film version of Jane Austen's popular
novel, Mansfield Park. Tom, the delirious patient, has made a mess
of his life. He finally collapsed, drunk, in the freezing rain,
contracting the fever that now is killing him.
Overcome with guilt, his father is grimly reflecting on how he could
have been a better parent. "He used to play Tom the Knight. 'Give
me a mission, Father,' he'd say. I'd send him with a message to
Mother about the tea, or to get Baddeley to get the carriage ready.
'No, father, give me a noble mission.' That's all he ever wanted."
Young Tom had been searching for purpose in life, for meaning in his
daily activities. Instead he had been introduced to a dissolute
upper class lifestyle of alcoholism, gambling and irresponsible sex
that poisoned his soul. The resulting aimlessness and cynicism had
led Tom here, to the very brink of death.
I was really moved by this scene because it reminded me of a number
of boys in my own neighborhood. They're almost men now, but they
still haven't found a purpose to their lives, so they distract
themselves with violent video games and a veritable pharmacy of
illegal drugs. They're failing in school, complaining that their
classes are pointless anyway, and some of them barely know their
fathers.
I wonder how we came to this. Americans have never been wealthier,
but there doesn't seem to be a point anymore, other than making more
money so you can buy more gadgets. We're learning from bitter
personal experience that it's not enough to simply have a mission:
to afford a larger house, buy a fancier TV, or sleep with a better
looking lover. It needs to be a noble mission or our soul simply
isn't satisfied.
Something inside us calls out for more than the world can give.
What we're really searching for is what we can give the world. If
we can't find an outlet for the part of us that wants to serve, to
share, even to sacrifice, we collapse like Tom in Mansfield Park.
We try to medicate our spiritual fever with alcohol and drugs, or
with overwork or overindulgence, but an intense sense of inner
frustration persists. We must have fresh and meaningful ways for
our spirit to grow, a noble mission to activate and engage our soul,
to fulfill its deepest yearnings. But what could that be?
There's a beautiful early Christian text that describes the soul's
true mission. The manuscript is called "The Song of the Apostle
Thomas in India." It speaks of a Prince of the East whose father
is "the King of Kings." He asks the boy to travel all the way to
Egypt and bring back a priceless pearl protected by a serpent. The
Prince takes off his beautiful royal attire, which is too heavy to
wear on such a long trip, and starts out, passing through Persia,
the Middle East, and finally enters the land of the Nile. Exhausted
from his long trip, he pauses at an inn. There he discovers a
fun-loving troop of other travelers who are throwing a party. He is
offered meat and wine, which he rather enjoys, and begins to party
too.
Soon the Prince has forgotten all about his purpose in Egypt. He's
even forgotten his royal identity. Instead he slaves for the king
of Egypt in exchange for more of wine, women and drugs.
The King of Kings and the Mistress of the East know what's happened
to their son and send him a message. "Darling, wake up! Remember
you are the child of royalty, not a slave. Remember you went to
Egypt for a purpose. Remember your true home and your real family
and your royal robes. Complete your mission and find your way
home!"
This message shocks the Prince out of his stupor. He immediately
seeks out the serpent, charms it by reciting the names of his father
and mother, and takes the pearl. When he arrives home his friends
come running with his glorious robes. When he puts them on he feels
like himself again, majestic and whole. He is then escorted into
the presence of his loving parents, who welcome him home as a hero.
It's amazing how powerful this little story is. A lot of us suspect
that our sojourn in Egypt-or in California or New York or Chicago or
wherever Egypt happens to be for us-has a special purpose, if we
could only remember what it is!
This Christian allegory speaks of a priceless pearl every wanderer
in this world must find. In Matthew 13:45-46 Jesus also speaks of a
"pearl of great value." He says that if you can find it, you should
"sell all that you have to buy it."
The yogis call that pearl the bindu or inner point of light
which is guarded by the serpent kundalini. In meditation
practice we learn to lift our awareness to our highest brain center
where we repeat our mantras, the sacred names of our Divine Father
or Divine Mother. When we claim that inner light we experience our
higher nature, the robes of glory our prince puts on, and step
through the light into the living presence of divine being.
When I was in South India I heard a yogini from Kerala tell
an amazingly similar story. (Perhaps it's no coincidence that the
Christian text suggests the story originated in India.) She spoke
of a young boy who saw something glistening at the bottom of a
well. The boy was determined to have it, so his father lowered him
down the well in a bucket. Once he stepped out of the bucket
however, the boy became so disoriented in the darkness he started
floundering in the mud. Only the voice of his father reassuring him
from above kept him from giving way to complete panic. Finally the
boy found the priceless gem he'd been looking for and got back in
the bucket. Though it was still dark and frightening, he was
relaxed now because he knew his father would lovingly pull him back
up into the light.
The yogini explained we've all come here searching for the
gleaming gem of inner truth. We should never be afraid no matter
how frightened and alone we feel, but trust that a higher force is
watching out for us and will draw us back to a higher world when we
complete this noble mission.
In the European tradition this same mission is described as the
search for the Holy Grail. Western scholars believe this myth
originated in the early medieval period, but they're mistaken. The
entire ninth canto of the Rig Veda, a text composed 5000 years ago
in India, is devoted to the Grail. (The North Indians are
culturally and linguistically related to the Celts of Europe, so
this coincidence isn't as unlikely as it initially appears.)
In the Veda it was not the Grail itself the sages aspired to,
but the nectar of immortality the Grail contained. This nectar was
called soma, which also means the Moon. The Moon wanes away into
complete darkness every month, yet eternally renews itself, making
it an apt metaphor for everlasting life. Western scholars have
tried to identify soma with psychoactive agents like harmaline,
ephedra or amanita muscaria, but the Indian yogis I've talked to
laughed at these theories. One swami told me you can only find the
real soma in the subtle body at the soma chakra near the top
of the head, where it shines with an intense, cool light like the
full Moon, or like a gleaming pearl.
This is the inner experience the seers of the Rig Veda direct us
toward when they pray, "Take me to the deathless world where the
heavenly light appears, where light shines eternally.... Make me
immortal in the innermost world which is ever full of light." The
knights of the Round Table sought for the Grail everywhere but in
themselves, like our modern ethnobiologists who try to identify it
as one drug after another.
In the Rig Veda soma is sometimes called pavamana, which can
be translated "pure purpose" or "purified thought." What is our
pure purpose, our noble intent? For some of us it is serving our
family or community, for others it is creating art or developing new
technology. It can be driving the bus that takes people to work,
selling healthy organic foods, or caring for the ill in hospitals or
hospices. Whatever work we do selflessly, or with pure joy, is an
expression of our higher nature and part of our purpose on Earth. In
Mansfield Park, Tom survives his fever, but both he and his father
are so shaken by his close encounter with death that they reform
themselves and vow to live more nobly. A life focused on serving
others instead of serving only ourselves can be deeply fulfilling,
an antidote to cynicism, greed and depression.
We yoga students have another mission too, one that directs our
awareness inward in search of our own "pearl of great value." Saints
and sages of all traditions have reported inner states of
enlightened self-knowledge, even of cosmic consciousness. It is to
this Holy Grail we aspire. The assurance that these states really
exist, and the glimpses of them we experience in our meditation
practice, makes life an amazing spiritual adventure.
All around ourselves we see people struggling with the chronic
frustration that comes from never being able to satisfy that intense
inner craving for something more, something different, something
else. But the pearl for which we should sell everything we own is
not somewhere else. It is at the center of our own being, shining
with a cool, Moon-like glow.
Linda Johnsen is a renowned Vedic scholar and author of Lost
Masters: The Sages of Ancient Greece. She will be
visiting the American Meditation Institute to present a special
series of lectures during the July 20-22 retreat.
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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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Human birth is not an accidental phenomenon; it has a purpose. A
human being is born to accomplish a goal.
In life everything does not happen the way you want it to happen;
therefore, patience and determination are two virtues that, if
properly nurtured and cultivated, can lead one to attain the goal.
The goal is to meet God face to face, and then live in the world and
yet remain above, unaffected.
Every human being is born with all the means and resources necessary
to attain the goal. Human beings should know how to use their
resources efficiently and skillfully. The power of thought is the
highest tool by which one can decide what ought to be done and what
ought to be avoided. Through the power of thought, one tries to know
the purpose of life and the means to achieve it. He wonders about
who he is, from where he has come, and ultimately, where he will go.
The power of thought does not allow him to rest until he has
unveiled all the mysteries of life.
The highest mystery that a human being wants to unveil is to know
the nature of thinking itself, the source from which the thinking
process originates, and ultimately, the true nature of one's own
Self.
The stream of life may change its course. It may shift from one
state to another, it may become manifest or unmanifest, but it never
stops. It keeps flowing until it merges and becomes one with the
ocean, the pure Supreme Consciousness.
Floating in the eternal stream of life, a human being has gone
through innumerable life states. The stream of life is filled with
experiences of, and reactions to, one's countless births and deaths.
Death and birth seem to be an unending cycle.
The only way to get out of that cycle is to accept the superiority
of discrimination, will power, and divine inspiration over sensory
perceptions and cognition. One must change one's world view and
start looking at life from a higher perspective.
One should break this cycle systematically, step by step. First, one
should realize the nature of the transitory objects of the world,
and the amount of satisfaction derived from them. The objects of the
senses are a source of joy as long as they are not in hand. Once
they are attained, the senses and the mind soon become dissatisfied
and search for other objects.
The knowledge about worldly objects and the tendency of the senses
and mind helps the seeker to change his perception. A feeling of
dispassion arises in the heart. Knowledge born of dispassion
inspires one to change the course of one's life and begin exploring
the possibility of finding eternal peace and happiness.
Spiritual desire consumes all trivial desires and attachments. The
power of discrimination becomes active. One performs one's actions
with full discrimination. He purifies his thoughts, speech, and
actions, and as a result of that purity, one day he receives divine
illumination from above.
From "Sadhana: The Essence of Spiritual Life,"
© 1996 Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust.
Freedom means giving up those desires that bind us. Everyone knows
this intuitively, of course, but most people are unable or unwilling
to sacrifice the comfortable, familiar and attractive passing
pleasures that leave pain in their wake.
This inner conflict inevitably manifests as some stressful or
painful physical, mental or emotional relationship in our lives. If
the debilitating desire is not addressed skillfully, the decibel
level of the pain simply gets louder. When the pain becomes
excruciating, the desire for freedom from pain resurfaces and brings
us back to the primary issue on the path of freedom: do we have the
necessary will force to sacrifice the debilitating desires that
bring us pain?
The message of the sages of every spiritual tradition is the same:
we can be free if we truly desire to be free. But
in order to be free, to experience real liberty, we must be willing
to face the truth head on and to bend to its loving guidance. If
you'd like to be free, but presently lack the will force to take up
the practice of Yoga Science, perhaps you will be inspired by the
impassioned plea of Patrick Henry as he spoke of his quest for
freedom in March, 1775.
"The question is nothing less than a question of freedom or
slavery. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at the
truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and
our country. It is natural for man to indulge in the illusions of
hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and
listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts.
Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous
struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the numbers of those
who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not? For my part,
whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the
whole truth, to know the worst, and to provide for it. Shall we
gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the
means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and
hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have
bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use
of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power.
There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Is life so dear,
or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and
slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may
take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
The concept of sankalpa in Yoga Science means resolve, will,
and the power of determination. A pledge of sankalpa is
always invoked at the beginning of every practice. After you've
decided to sacrifice an unnecessary and unhelpful desire, repeat
this essential pledge of attention to yourself. "I want to do it. I
can do it. I have to do it. I am going to do it--no matter what! No
matter what charm, attraction or temptation appears in my awareness,
I am going to serve my Inner Wisdom and sacrifice the desire that
conflicts with my Inner Wisdom."
When you do this practice regularly you'll notice an increase in
energy, will power, creativity and freedom. But the only way to know
for sure is to experiment--like a Yoga scientist.
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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.
Every Sunday Meditation & Satsang is FREE
Every Sunday 9:30-11:00 AM. Love donations accepted.
MAY 2007
MAY 17:
INTRODUCTORY
LECTURE
AMI Meditation: "The Heart and Science of Yoga"
Thurs. Night, 6:30 - 7:30 PM, Carl Patka & Mary Holloway
MAY 18-20:
WEEKEND RETREAT
AMI Meditation: "The Heart and Science of Yoga"
Thurs. Night, 6:30 - 7:30 PM, Carl Patka & Mary Holloway
MAY 30:
TEACHINGS OF
THE BUDDHA
Wed. Night, 6:30 - 8:30PM, (1 week)
with AMI founder Leonard Perlmutter
JUNE 2007
JUN 4 - JUL 9:
BHAGAVAD
GITA Study
Monday Nights, 6:30 - 8:30 PM, Chs. 13 & 14 (6 weeks)
JUN 5 - JUL 10:
AMI MEDITATION
Tues. Nights: "The Heart and Science of Yoga,"
6:30 - 8:30 PM with AMI founder Leonard Perlmutter (6 weeks)
JUN 11 - JUL 16:
EASY-GENTLE YOGA
Monday Nights, Kathleen Fisk, 6:30 - 8:00 PM, (6 weeks)
JUN 21:
INTRODUCTORY LECTURE
AMI Meditation: "The Heart and Science of Yoga"
Thurs. Night, 6:30 - 7:30 PM, Carl Patka & Mary Holloway
JULY 2007
JUL 12:
INTRODUCTORY LECTURE
AMI Meditation: "The Heart and Science of Yoga"
Thurs. Night, 6:30 - 7:30 PM, Carl Patka & Mary Holloway
JUL 17 - AUG 21:
AMI MEDITATION
Tues. Nights: "The Heart and Science of Yoga,"
6:30 - 8:30 PM with AMI founder Leonard Perlmutter (6 weeks)
JUL 23 - AUG 27:
BHAGAVAD
GITA Study
Monday Nights, 6:30 - 8:30 PM, Chs. 15 & 16 (6 weeks)
JUL 23 - AUG 27:
EASY-GENTLE YOGA
Monday Nights, Kathleen Fisk, 6:30 - 8:00 PM, (6 weeks)
JUL 29: GURU PURNIMA (Full Moon
Fire Ceremony)
Sunday Night, 7:30 - 10:00 PM (Free)
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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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