Shri Swamiji’s Discourse at Tapovan, December 1990 (audio-tape)

Samyama is the combination of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.

Samyama means concentration, one-pointed concentration.

Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi.

The first four represent the preparatory stage.

Dharana means Trataka, it should be done with eyes open. Dhyana should be done with eyes closed. When you begin to look inside, you begin to see the light in the heart, automatically. You need not make any effort. That light is known as Pranalinga. If that light grows on and goes to the crown of the head and you begin to see the Supreme Light in Sahasrara – that is Bhavalinga. Now it is seen through Ishtalinga, it is the light reflected on Ishtalinga. Without the aid of these, if you close your eyes and you begin to concentrate in the heart, you begin to see the light of the size of the thumb (Angushtamatra Jyoti) – that is Pranalinga. If it goes on widening and rising upwards and if it comes to the Sahasrara and when you begin to meditate on Sahasrara, at once a flood of light you can see. That is known as Bhavalinga. You will have the knowledge of inside things, you can read the heart of others, and you can tell the future, you can see hidden things. It is natural and scientific. It is not magic, nothing of the sort.

HOW TO PRACTISE SHIVAYOGA

We begin to demonstrate the process of worshipping Ishtalinga. Yesterday I spoke about the theory of Shiva-yoga. Today I want to demonstrate its practice – how to practise, how to worship and by worshipping Ishtalinga how you can change your human nature into the Divine nature. The whole aim of Shiva-yoga is to awaken the dormant pineal gland. This pineal gland is present in everybody. It is situated in the third ventricle of the brain. When, by the process of Shiva-yoga, the dormant pineal gland begins to vibrate – it releases flood of light because it is not the relic but the symbol of the third eye. These two physical eyes were not present but when the tendency of man became downward and when his mind began to engage in sexual pleasures, it (the third eye) became dim, it began to recede. Now it is situated in the third ventricle of the brain as the symbol of the third eye.

Modern scientists say it is vestigial. No, no, no, it is embryonical – please, remember this word – it is embryonical. Since it is embryonical, it is capable of being developed. The process of Shiva-yoga will help you to galvanize into activity the dormant pineal gland. The practice of Shiva-yoga is very important. By constant practice of Shiva-yoga, it is just possible to awaken the dormant pineal gland. Automatically kundalini also awakens. In order to awaken kundalini, you have to undergo much trouble, labour. You need not go through any trouble or any struggle. By the simple process of Shiva-yoga you can awaken kundalini. It needs constant practice.

There are three processes – Nada, Bindu and Kala. The first stage is Kala – worshipping Ishtalinga. Keep the Linga on the palm of your left hand and slowly pour water on the Linga. When you pour water you, please, repeat the mantra OM NAMAH SHIVAYA, OM NAMAH SHIVAYA. Repeat it mentally, not vocally. Then rub the Ishta-Linga. Also rub the palm. The palm should be warm. The rubbing of Ishta-Linga should be gentle. Why should you do this? You might have heard of Faraday, the English scientist. He has proved that electricity is generated by three modes – by friction, by contact and by induction. Why should it be done? Why should Linga be rubbed? Because by gentle rubbing or by friction electromagnetic waves are generated. The hexagon is drawn on the palm of the left hand. Hexagon means triangle over a triangle. It forms six small triangles which represent six chakras – Adhara, Swadisthana, Manipuraka, Anahata, Vishuddhi and Agneya (Brahmarandhra). The middle means Shunya, Zero or Bindu. So, here Linga should be placed. Around it there are the six chakras. In each small triangle, Shadakshara Mantra (OM NAMAH SHIVAYA) should be written like this – NAM, MAM, SHIM, VAM, YAM, OM.

The significance of this mantra is this: there are six principles in the Universe. Prthvi, Ap, Agni, Vayu, Akash and Atman. Prthvi means the earth – NAM in Muladhara chakra represents the earth element. Ap or water element in Swadisthana chakra is represented by MAM, Agni or fire element in Manipuraka chakra is represented by SHIM, Vayu or air element in Anahata chakra is represented VAM, Akash or ether element in Vishuddhi chakra is represented by YAM and Atman – the Self, the Soul – in Agneya chakra is represented by OM. This represents the whole Universe, the power of the cosmic energy.

Draw a hexagon on left palm with bhasma and write one syllable of the shadakshara mantra in each triangle using bhasma.

Faraday discovered two kinds of electricity – electricity by induction and electricity by conduction. By conduction it is negative and by induction it is positive. This positive electricity is generated by three modes: by friction, by contact and by induction. Shivayoga is entirely based on the laws of electricity and light. You pour water on Linga, then you gently rub it. Then you keep it on the left palm and you gaze at it. By these three processes electromagnetic waves are generated. They go and dash against the dormant pineal gland and galvanize it into activity. Then the dormant pineal gland which resides in the third ventricle of the brain begins to vibrate. When it begins to vibrate it releases light because it is the relic of the Third Eye. That light you begin to see in your palm.

Pictures artifically developed to show “Divine Light” seen in Ishtalinga during Shiva-yoga practice [Photos by – Pierre Schintone, France]

Three things should be done. Electricity is generated by friction, contact and induction. First, rub Linga gently. That is friction. Then you keep it on the left palm of your hand. The contact is formed. Electricity is generated. Then you have to look at Linga with half-closed eyes. Look at the Bindu, i.e. the speck of light which is reflected in Ishtalinga. Go on looking at Bindu. That is induction. Friction, contact and induction, by these three modes electromagnetic waves are generated. They go and dash against the pineal gland which is situated in the third ventricle of the brain. When the electromagnetic waves dash against the pineal gland, it begins to vibrate. When it begins to vibrate, it releases light and sometimes your palm becomes full of light. That light comes from the pineal gland because it is the symbol of the third eye. If you go on practising Shiva-yoga, your whole body becomes full of light.

Place an oil-lamp or a candle behind and just a little above your left shoulder.

Christ also said, “If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” He experienced it. “If Thine eye be single” means when Thy third eye opens. The third eye means the pineal gland. When the pineal gland opens, i.e. when the third eye opens, what happens? Your whole body becomes full of light. And it is the experience of Christ. It is true. When the Third Eye opens, the body becomes full of light. The human body itself is a battery. These are the two poles of the battery (Swamiji is giving an example with His own two hands) – this is the right pole and this is the left pole. The right pole contains proton, the left pole contains electron. Electron is more powerful than proton, that is why we place Linga on the palm of the left hand and we begin to gaze at the speck of the light which is reflected on Ishtalinga. In the mind you repeat OM NAMAH SHIVAYA. This is necessary. This is Nada, sound. The small speck of light which you see is Bindu and pouring water over Linga is Kala. So that is very simple, scientific and there is no harm.

A boy of 8 can do it, a man of 80 years can do it! The progress depends upon the intensity of your practice. If your practice becomes more and more intense, it is easily achieved. Pineal gland is now dormant. When it begins to vibrate, it releases light because it is the Third Eye. Scientists say that it is the relic of the Third Eye. It releases light and that light you can also see on the palm of your hand. The Linga disappears. It is there but before you see the light you see different colours also. You see aura. The colour is yellow, white, blue – VIBGYOR (V-violet, I-indigo, B-blue, G-green, Y-yellow, O-orange, R-red). When all these colours become one, then you experience flood of light. When a single ray of light is reflected through the prism, it difuses into seven colours – VIBGYOR. When you begin to see the white light in your palm, that is the highest state, and your body becomes full of light.

Pictures artifically developed to show “Divine Light” seen in Ishtalinga during Shiva-yoga practice [Photos by – Pierre Schintone, France]

Question: What is the cause of a headache during the practice of Shivayoga?

Shri Swamiji: – It is due to tension. While worshipping Linga the whole body should be relaxed. If the body is tense, the mind also becomes tense. That tension falls upon the body. So, while looking at Linga, let your body be free, relax. Relax the whole body. Relax the mind also. If there are any bad ideas coming into the mind, you try to throw them. Relax the mind and relax the body. If there is no relaxation, there is tension. Headache is not a disease, it is due to tension, so relax your body, relax your mind.

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Text authorized by: H.H. Mahatapasvi Shri Kumarswamiji Tapovan, Dharwad, India. Put down from the sound recording, Croatia,1994