YOGA PSYCHOLOGY GUIDEBOOK

by
Ac. Rasatmakananda Avt.
Ac. Arghyananda Avt.
Ac. Prasiidananda Avt.

Published by Ananda Marga of Indonesia

Manila Sector South Area Committee
October 1991

"Meditation should be performed knowing fully well the location of the different
glands and sub-glands and also the different cells in the human brain...people
should know the location of these glands and sub-glands, they should also be
acquainted with their respective system of hormone secretion, otherwise their
meditation will not produce any fruit. So for this system of meditation, knowledge
of biology is essential."

Shrii,Shrii Anandamurti
R.U. Speech, June 1990

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION: - What is life?.. ...............................

PART I: "WHERE DID I COME FROM?" - Evolution of the human being..

- How did these physical changes take place?.....
- Chart of Evolution of the physical body .......
PART II: "WHO AM I?" - Evolution of mind ......................
- How did our mind evolve? ......................
- How does the mind work? .......................
- Cakras, Propensities and Glands. ..............
- Chart of age-wise glandular development........

PART III: "WHERE AM I GOING?....................................

- What does faultless mean?......................
- What is the significance of yoga? .............
"HOW DO I GET THERE"? ...............................
- How to elevate the mind? ......................

PART IV: "WHAT IS MY DUTY IN COLLECTIVE LIFE?.................

- The Ananda Marga Unit. ........................

The inner significance of the Mahabharata ......................

* NOTE:
All quotations are taken from P.R. Sarkar's book
Yoga Psychology and the page number is indicated.

INTRODUCTION - WHAT IS LIFE?

Our entire life is goaded by desires, to move towards a better life. Our desires
motivate us to maintain and strengthen our physical body and satisfy our mental
appetite as well.
Once physical needs are satiated, there arise subtler desires, ie. the desire to
know:

- WHO AM I?
- WHERE DID I COME FROM?
- WHERE AM I GOING?
- HOW DO I GET THERE?

By acquiring answers to these questions, we derive new hope and inspiration from
life. But, still our longing is not completely satisfied. We need something more
than physical health and psychic knowledge, we need true love.

This first experience of love comes from our parents. They have the same longings
as their children. They strive both to improve their own lives as well as to
educate and improve the life of their children. Parents who take so much trouble
upon themselves do so because of love. This inborn longing to give love, to be
loved and to become love is the essence of our life. It is a divine quality.

Life appears to us on the surface as confusing in all its multifarious

expressions. But in reality life is simply:

AN EXPRESSION OF INBORN LONGINGS FOR

PHYSICAL SELF-PRESERVATION,
MENTAL EXPANSION AND
AN INTENSE DESIRE FOR LIMITLESSNESS,
TO BE ONE WITH THE CREATOR.

How can human beings goad all their longings, which are moving in multilateral
directions, towards the Creator? How can human beings make all their propensities
apexed, or pinnacled, to merge them into the Supreme Being or 'Supreme
Consciousness'? To properly answer this question we must know something about
human biology and about the psychology of human beings. This seminar book
outlines this subject given by Shrii P.R. Sarkar in his book "Yoga Psychology".

Note: Propensity = natural tendency.

PART I - WHERE DID I COME FROM? - The evolution of the human being.

"Life is a movement from imperfection to perfection. When inanimate objects

become animate there is progress. There is further progress when animate
beings become multicellular metazoic organisms, more and more complicated
structures. The human being is the highest being, the being most perfect in
structure. The human being is thus a perfect animal. But this is the beginning
of progress for humanity. Humans still have to achieve further physical,
intellectual and spiritual perfection. Movement towards perfection -- God-- is a
human's true nature (dharma)...."
--(Thoughts of P.R.Sarkar,P.1)

8,000 million years ago what is now the earth was a blazing ball of fire. 2,230
million years ago it cooled down to molten lava. At this stage we can say that the
earth came into existence. There was "absolute silence". There were no living
beings or plants. Volcanoes erupted constantly. This condition continued for
hundreds of millions of years until clouds covered the planet. Millions of years
of rain and electrical storms followed. This infused the carbon atoms with vital
energy, Prana Shakti. When the flashes of lightning struck those ancient seas, the
electrical energy formed chemical bonds between the molecules. This created larger
molecules of amino acids and nucleotides, the basic components of proteins and
nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). From these building blocks of life evolved the most
primitive life. The process of life began.

600 million years ago there were many varieties of simple, jelly-like creatures
such as segmented worms, sponges, jellyfish and a multitude of soft green plants.

530 million years ago, was a time of small shellfish and sea-worms. Later came the
sea scorpions.

400 million years ago, during the Age of Fish, life existed only in the sea.

340 million years ago, moss, lichen and plants spread out of shallow seas and
lagoons onto the land. Then a great variety of animal forms like centipedes and
millipedes crawled out of the water. The amphibians, the link between the sea and
land life, slowly changed their shape and size.

200 million years ago, was the time of the giant reptiles, the Dinosaurs.

70 million years ago a division occurred in the Age of Reptiles: two new species
evolved, mammals and birds. Pushed by fear of their enemies toward the colder
conditions in the hills, some hopping reptiles evolved into the early forms of
birds. Quill-like scales became the feathers of today. In a similar way some
mammal-like reptiles evolved hair to protect themselves from the cold. These
creatures evolved into warm-blooded mammals and began to give live birth to their
young instead of laying eggs.
40 million years ago, primitive monkeys and lemuroid creatures appeared.

28 million years ago, in Egypt, there lived a hominid known as "Aegyptopithecus

zeuxis". Both its eyes faced forward making it an expert at judging distances and
leaping easily from tree to tree.
This hominid was an ancestor of the human being.

10 million years ago, the "Ramapithecus" hominid lived in the foothills of the
Himalayas in India. It may be our oldest ancestor.

3 million years ago, at the beginning of the first Ice Age, two groups of hominid
known as "Australopithecine" were walking in Africa.

1 million year ago, there was ice in the north and heavy, persistent rain in
Africa. At that time the first "human-like" beings appeared on our planet called
"Homo erectus".

500,000 years ago, fire was discovered and tamed. This discovery kept our
ancestors warm in winter and allowed them to cook their food. This meant that they
could explore vast new areas of land in the colder north.

70,000 years ago in Europe, before the climax of the last Ice Age, there lived a
hominid so like us that it is considered to be altogether human, the
"Neanderthal". For thousands of years these Neanderthals were the most developed
beings.

35,000 years ago the last Ice Age ended. As the climate warmed, a race of more
intelligent, talking and cooperating beings, Homo sapiens, came drifting up from
south. These newcomers were the first true human beings.

HOW DID THESE PHYSICAL CHANGES TAKE PLACE?

Shrii P.R. Sarkar says that this was the result of the desire of the "Collective
controlling faculty" of each particular species.

To maintain the expanding movement of mind, from unicellular organism to human

being, there are inborn self-controlling faculties.

"...it is seen that if the collective body of a particular nature of the living
beings or expressions do not like it, the collective controlling faculty creates a
sort of change and metamorphosis in the physical structure and, as a result, the
nature of the longings also changes...." (Pg.81)

For example, the pre-giraffe species was forced by changing environmental

circumstances to migrate to areas where food was available in tall trees. Due to
dissatisfactions of the members of the species,and with the approval of the
Macrocosmic connation, their collective controlling faculty began the process of
metamorphosizing a new longing in the species which affected the physical
structure of the following generations. As long as the desire to reach the food
was strong in the collective mind of the species, the neck continued to grow
longer generation after generation.

Each species collectively willed the physical structure of the individual members
to adapt to its environment. For new changes to take place different propensities
evolved. Newer glands and sub-glands also evolved so the creatures could express
their propensities.

PART II

WHO AM I - Evolution of mind.

"The darkness of evolutionary night began to fade centuries ago when the first
ape-like creature deserted his tree-branch kingdom and shambled out into the
light of the plain. He was guided by something he could not understand: something
un-apelike and impossible for his comrades. Somehow, somewhere in his seething
body chemistry, something had changed. In his brain lay the seed of humanity; in
his strangely bright eyes, the dark shadow of a hidden dream.
Time passed slowly. The new creatures developed and multiplied. The wonderful
changes in their bodies and minds continued; their brains, nerves and glandular
systems grew in complexity and specialization. New behavior patterns evolved and
after sometime, emotions and feelings unknown and denied to all previous forms of
life found their means of expressions. The Dawn of Man reached at that auspicious
hour."
-- (Thoughts of P.R. Sarkar,P.5)

These "wonderful changes", in our ancestors, were the result of an evolutionary

process of mental expansion, goaded by propensities. The number of propensities
varied from species to species. In the first expression of life, the primitive
mind of the unicellular organism, was only goaded a by few propensities of longing
for survival; more complex species had more. Each newly created propensity was a
step closer towards humanity. Each one answered as evolutionary "need" of the
expanding mind as it groped its way into the future searching for that mysterious
"hidden dream".

HOW DID OUR MIND EVOLVE?

The gigantic dinosaurs had very small brains and very simple physical structures.
Higher species developed larger brains and complex bodies that allowed then to
adapt to different and harsher environments. The psychic evolution of our "ape-
like" ancestors accelerated due to the colder temperatures of the Ice Age.
Dissatisfaction with the new and harsh environment agitated the creatures'
cakras (self-controlling faculties). This longing within them influenced the
collective faculty to initiate the process of creating structural changes. These
changes modified the instincts and increased the satisfaction of the individuals.
They then adapted new "tools" like shelter, fire, storage of food and new hunting
and gathering techniques for their survival.

HOW DOES THE MIND WORK?

"Various thoughts are constantly emerging and dissolving. Behind these psychic
phenomena are the underlying propensities, which are primarily related to the
reactive momenta of human beings... and the expression and control of these
propensities is dependent upon the various cakras.

"What is a cakra or plexus? It is a collection of glands and sub-glands... in

humans the cakras are situated at the intersecting points of the Ida, Susumna and
Pingala (subtle energy channels along the spine). (pg.109)

Why do we "sometimes feel proud and in weak moment commit an act of meanness"?

"The 50 main propensities of the human mind are expressed internally or externally
through the vibrational expression of these cakras. These vibrations cause
hormones to be secreted from the glands and the natural or unnatural expression of
the propensities depends on the degree of normal or abnormal secretion of the
hormones".(pg.109)

What are hormones?

"There are many lymphatic glands in the body which manufacture lymph. It is the
initial hormone (raw material) and other glands use lymph to manufacture their
respective hormones. Hormones are created when lymph comes in contact with an
active gland."(pg 87)

What makes lymph?

"The initial stuff in the manufacture of lymph is the energy and vitality derived
from the different quinquilemental factors such as air, light, water, etc. Lymph
is the cream of all we eat and drink, so sentient food is essential. The final
stuff is the marrow of the bones. This is the most developed stuff -- the cream of
all creams." (pg.87)

When do the propensities begin to express themselves in human beings?

"When a child is born, all the plexii (propensities) are there, but they do not
all function at the same time. In the womb of the mother the plexii of the baby do
not function, ie. the baby is nourished through the mother's system. Some plexii
begin to function at the time of birth, but other plexii of the baby start
functioning properly only after birth when the child starts respiration through
its own system. As the plexii develop, changes take place ....In the human body
these changes take place slowly in cold countries and more swiftly in hot
countries...."(pg 91)... "at the age of 5, more faculties develop due to the
secretion of hormones from the glands.... and by the age of 24 years all glands
are fully developed, whereas in cold countries.... by the age of 25."(pg 96)

How many glands and sub-glands are there in human beings?

"There are one thousand glands and sub-glands in the human structure...."(pg 96)
The 50 propensities express themselves both internally and externally through the
5 sensory and 5 motor organs. With a simple calculation, 50 x 2 x (5+5) = 1000.

CAKRAS & PROPENSITIES and GLANDS

The following is a detailed list of all cakras, propensities and their meaning
and definition as well and the controlling seed sounds of each. Some of the
related glands are also included.

MULADHARA CAKRA

Four basic propensities urge the individual forward. These are

1. Kama, physical longing (S'a) 2. Artha, psychic longing ( Sha)

2. Dharma, psycho-spiritual 4. Moksa, spiritual longing (Sa)
longing (Va)

These longings are based in a nerve center located at the lowest point (cocci) of
the spinal column, the Muladhara Cakra. "The whole body is balanced on this
cakra." (pg.23).

"In a baby the faculties of tasting, drinking mother's milk, hearing, touching,
urinating, defecating, etc. are all instincts." (pg.84)

"At the time of birth the function of the ten sensory and motor organs exist as
inborn instincts." (pg.91)

"What is the meaning of 'longing'? Longing means 'the urge that pulls forward --
it does not push'. Longing is the pulling urge. If someone says, 'You, little boy,
you are a naughty chap, but still I like you very much', a psychic idea, a psychic
body is created and the urge is pulling it, not pushing. The enjoying portion of
the mind is pushed by the urge." (pg.84)

Note: Urge = make to move faster, to press a person earnestly.

SVADHISTANA CAKRA

This cakra controls 6 propensities of the mind.

Name Meaning (Sound) Characteristic.

----------------------------------------------------------------
1. Avajina, indifference (Ba)= unconcerned, uncaring.
2. Murcha, lack of common sense (Bha)= having impractical thoughts or unhealthy
thinking. Risky behavior.
3. Pranasha, fear of annihilation (Ma)= feeling pain due to obsessive
thoughts of losing
one's existence.
4. Avishvasa, lack of confidence (Ya)= not having trust in oneself.
5. Sarvanashi, hopelessness (Ra)= the feeling that what is
wanted will not happen.
6. Krurata, crude manner (La)= immature personal style of acting.

Often the crude manner occurs at the age of two. Child psychologists refer to
this stage of life as "The Terrible Two."
MANIPURA CAKRA

This cakra controls 10 propensities of the mind.

Name Meaning (Sound) Characteristic.

----------------------------------------------------------------
1. Lajja, shyness (D'a)= shrinking from notice.
2. Pishunata, sadistic tendency (Dha)= the pleasure of inflicting or
watching cruelty.
3. Iirsa, envy (N'a)= ill-will or discontent at another's
well-being or success.
4. Susupti, staticity or inertia (Ta)= without power to move; inactive.
5. Visada, melancholy (Tha)= disheartened and often with delusions.
6. Kasaya, peevishness (Da)= fretful, irritable.
7. Trsna, yearning for acquisition (Dha)= Earnest desire to get as as one's
own.
8. Moha, blind attachment, (Na)= ignorant of one's foolish passion for
someone or something.
infatuation
9. Ghrna, hatred (Pa)= strong feeling of dislike or ill-
will.
10.Bhaya, fear (Pha)= apprehension of danger or pain.

Each propensity can expresses itself in twenty different ways (using each of the
ten sensory and motor organs both internally and externally). For example, a first
born child often express "envy" when a younger brother or sister is born. When
all the love and affection of the parents is directed to the new born, the child
may express envy in 20 different ways to get mother's attention such as excessive
crying, constant movement of hands and legs, passing stool, etc.

From the age of 0 to 5 there is no feeling of shame in a child, but due to the
development of the prostrate glands, the feeling of shyness grows. The feeling of
shyness is also imposed. For example, parents compel their children to put on
clothes. As a result of the normal secretion of the hormones of the first sub-
glands of the MANIPURA CAKRA, the propensity of shyness is activated.
If the sub-glands related to the propensities of melancholy and peevishness are
over-secreted, melancholy awakens. Under-secretion of the ninth (hatred) and tenth
(fear) sub-glands causes a person to develop a fearful nature. He or she may
experience psychic hallucinations (ghosts).
The gonads have a strong effect on the Manipura Cakra. If they are not developed
between 13 to 15 years, the person becomes very cruel and sadistic, for example
killing insects by breaking their bodies limb by limb. The prostrate glands and
the nine other sub-glands activate the psychic expressions of the Manipura Cakra.

ANAHATA CAKRA

Name Meaning Sound) Characteristic.

----------------------------------------------------------------
1. Asha, hope (Ka)= a feeling that what is wanted will
happen.
2. Cinta, deep thinking or anxiety (Kha)= uneasy, engrossed in worry.
3. Cesta, effort to arouse one's (Ga)= activating the desire to improve
oneself.
dormant potentiality
4. Mamata, love and attachment (Gha)= strong liking for someone.
5. Dambha, arrogance, vanity (Una)= undue assumption of importance; empty
pride or boasting.
6. Viveka, discrimination, conscience (Ca)= gifted with penetration and
judgment; knowledge of our own acts and feelngs as right or wrong with compulsion
to do right.
7. Vilalatah, psychic depression (Cha)= abnormal state of mental
inactivity, hopelessness.
8. Ahamkara, conceit, egoism (Ja)= preoccupation with oneself;
speaking much of oneself.
9. Lolatah, avarice, voracity (Jha)= greed for wealth; eager to devour,
constant appetite.
10.Kapatah, hypocrisy, deception (Ina)= pretending to be what one is not;
to mislead; to cheat.
11.Vitarka, overstating one's cause, (Ta)= addicted to arguing.
argumentativeness
12.Auntapa, repentance (Tha)= sorrow for mistake one has made.

ANAHATA CAKRA expresses itself already in early childhood due to the development
of the gonads, between 4 to 7 years (6 to 9 in cold countries). Feelings such as
anger, avarice, obedience and love for one's brothers, sisters and friends, arise.
But it's dominance occurs first between 13 to 17 years with independent thinking,
idealism, rationality and universal love. These propensities are activated when
there is an over-secretion in the thymus glands due to the lymphatic glands of the
gonads.

VISUDDHA CAKRA

The 16 propensities of the Visuddha Cakra are as follows:.

The first seven acoustic sounds rooted in the Visuddha Cakra are named after
animals: Sadaja (peacock), R'sabha (bull), Gandhara (goat), Madhyama (horse),
Painchama (cuckoo), Dhaevata (ass) and Nisada (elephant). Then next higher psychic
expression is Onm, the acoustic root of creation. Then comes Hum, the sound of the
Kula Kundalinii. Then the mind evolves the feeling of coming to fulfillment or
realization, Phat. Then the development of mundane knowledge, Vaosat, leads the
mind naturally to Vasatha, welfare in the subtler sphere. Svaha is pious resolve
and universal welfare. The momentum of all the psychic propensities then leads to
Namah, surrender to the Supreme. There is also Visa, repulsion or poisonous
mentality and Amrta, attraction.

At the age of 20 the voice of males becomes deeper due to the effect of the
parathyroid. The over secreted parathyroid gland activates the propensities of the
VISUDDHA CAKRA such as self-reliance and pious behavior and under secretion
activates the propensities of arrogance and selfishness at the Anahata Cakra.

If there is proper guidance and understanding of Bio-Psychology the propensities

of the Visuddha Cakra can bring the mind into a new realm of life where the true
and positive nature of life is expressed properly.

AJINA CAKRA

In the AJINA CAKRA, the mind develops control over Apara, mundane knowledge and
Para, spiritual knowledge.

CONCLUSION

"In warm countries the glands develop faster and by the age of 24 all the glands
are developed (and propensities activated), whereas in cold countries this happens
only by the age of 25. The glands grow up to the age of 39 years. After 39 the
physical body usually starts deteriorating but mental growth continues till 54.
But after 60 the thinking power also starts deteriorating and becomes
dull...."(pg.96)
"Preferably one should start psycho-spiritual practice as early as possible, from
the age of five. The best age is 13, after the gonads develop and the sense of
responsibility and dutifulness grows in the mind...."(pg.97)
A human being is just like a machine goaded by its propensities. If one gets
proper guidance and learns the techniques of channelizing the propensities towards
the Supreme Entity, he or she is sure to be successful in life. If there is proper
secretion of the hormones, and one gets the company of a great Guru, the pituitary
gland becomes active and he or she will develop into an excellent person in the
future. In the opposite happens, the person may become dangerous to society. So
everyone should learn the science of "Bio-psychology" to understand how the
practice Yoga achieves our goal of life.
PART III
WHERE AM I GOING?

"Humanity,standing as it does at the top of the evolutionary ladder, may sometimes

feel proud and in a weak moment commit an act of meanness. Yet one should always
remain vigilant against this. The evolutionary forces have not stopped. The
theater of action has shifted to the psychic level. Evolution is now expressing
its power in the daily struggling of men and women everywhere to attain dignity."
--(Thoughts of P.R. Sarkar, pg.5)

The planet earth has finally evolved its right to claim a worthy existence with
the dawn of human beings. Maintenance of this evolutionary force through
spiritual practices will ensure humanity's dignified stance.

Dignity is the self-respect which arises out of "faultless" behavior. In order to

reach this noble stance, we need to have a clear idea of our goal and a practical
method to achieve it. Therefore the study of the relationship between biology and
psychology is paramount in reaching that goal.

WHAT DOES FAULTLESS MEAN?

The spiritual goal of merging our individual consciousness into the Supreme
Consciousness is not easily understood by ordinary people. They need simple, clear
reasons to follow morality, perform spiritual practices, and regulate their diet.

Everyone wants to be successful. No one wants to fail. No one wants to be

criticized for their mistakes. To avoid failure is one of the strongest
motivations most people feel to improve themselves.

Most people develop shyness and shame only to protect themselves from the
destructive effect that failure has on the human psyche. 'We just don't want
others to know our weaknesses. We don't want others to think we have failed in
life'. Hiding our faults develops many complexes in the mind like fear, hypocrisy,
egoism, envy, hatred, melancholy, psychic depression, helplessness and lack of
confidence. The fear of these faults blinds us from realizing our true nature.

To overcome one's faults is the first practical goal of spiritual development. For
example, the practice of Yama and Niyama rectifies the unsocial behavior which
always brings harmful criticism. Moral confidence develops because of right
actions. This moral force awakens the longing for more disciplined behavior. This
newly acquired will power gives one the strength, for example, to stop smoking and
drinking. The victory of self-control awakens psycho-spiritual longings.

Correcting one's faults allows one to measure his or her progress and experience
the confidence of success. When we regulate the glands, the body becomes healthier
and the mind is less disturbed by unwanted thoughts. We witness our faults
becoming less day by day.

To become faultless is just another name for perfection. This is a meaningful way
to motivate people to begin a methodical process of developing themselves
physically, mentally and spiritually.

From the 50 vrittis, or psychic propensities, the human being expresses itself in
life. In each stage of evolution, over millions of years, different natural
propensities evolved. During the ancient past, the life of our ancestors was a
terrible struggle for existence. Psychic expressions which we now regard as
negative such as envy, hatred, pitilessness and crude manner, helped them to
survive in their harsh environment where fighting was a way of life. Feeling such
emotions is not something to be ashamed of or feared. Rather they become the
source of psychic momentum to improve oneself. They propel us to maintain our
existence and expand our mind toward more subtle levels of psycho-spiritual
achievement.
Our goal of life, therefore,is to control our propensities and instincts and to
channelize that energy into our higher capacities as a physical, psychic and
spiritual being.

If the mind and it's propensities are not controlled, the inborn and self
acquired reactions in the mind may go against it's vital forces. For example,
those who smoke cigarettes are addicted to a habit that damages their body's
health and vital force.
Uncontrolled propensities goad a person to overindulge in unhealthy behavior or
negative thinking. This hampers the body's production of lymph, causing the glands
to under-secrete. The body and mind become irritated and imbalanced. Eventually
physical or mental disease results which endangers the person's vital force.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF YOGA?

The science of Yoga has been developed over 15,000 years. Its purpose is to help
humans develop physically, mentally and spiritually. There are three definitions
of Yoga which explain this:

1. Yogascitta vrtti nirodha

TO CONTROL THE OBJECTIVATED MIND AND THE PROPENSITIES
OF THE MIND IS CALLED "YOGA".

2. Sarvacinta' parityago nischinto yoga ucyate

TO REGULATE ALL THE THOUGHTS AND ANXIETIES AND REMAIN
UNAFFECTED IS CALLED "YOGA"

3. Sam'yogo yogo ityukto jiva'tman'n parma'tmanah

UNION BETWEEN THE MICROCOSM AND THE MACROCOSM IS
CALLED "YOGA".

These different definitions will attract different types of people, according to

their mental outlook and the condition of their glands and propensities.

Those who are preoccupied with physical attachments or who suffer from physical or
mental disease should be encouraged to follow yoga by this first definition. It
means to overcome our faults and to gain self-control of our mind and our
emotions.

Those persons who are more mentally preoccupied, like teachers, lawyers, doctors
and professionals, should be inspired by the second definition. It means to gain
peace of mind and to remain free unaffected by worry and stress.

Those who already feel their 'psycho-spiritual longing' and are searching for a
clear cut-idea of their true spiritual goal, will find it in the third definition.
It awakens the urge to merge oneself with the Supreme.
The science of yoga is for everyone, practically helping each person at every
phase of their physical, mental and spiritual development.

HOW CAN I GET THERE? - Controlling the Propensities.

"For spiritual advancement spiritual practices are a must, and in spiritual

practices the role of the cakras is immense. In fact the most important aspect of
spiritual practices is the purification and control of the cakras."(pg 110)

Human beings can control the propensities attached to each cakra, by practicing
asanas regularly. "This is because asanas have a profound effect on the glands and
sub-glands. How?
"All asanas have either a pressurizing or de-pressurizing effect on the glands and
sub-glands. For example, Mayurasana has a positive effect on the Manipura Cakra.
The secretion of the glands around the Manipura Cakra and the propensities
associated with them will become more balanced if this asana is practiced
regularly. If someone has a great fear of public speaking, it means their Manipura
Cakra is weak. By practicing Mayurasana regularly, this propensity will be
controlled and fear will be eliminated. Other asanas may have a de-pressurizing
effect on the Manipura Cakra and if these asanas are practiced regularly the
glands and sub-glands in the region will become less active. Increased glandular
secretion generally makes the propensities more active and vice verse. By
practicing asanas regularly one can control the propensities and either increase
or decrease their activity.
"So spiritual aspirants should select the asanas they practice very
carefully."(pg.124)

Ananda Marga asanas balance the associated glands and sub-glands of these
propensities. "...The different types of lessons in Ananda Marga Sadhana
(Meditation) strengthen the different cakras and control the propensities. Guru
Dhyana (6th lesson) strengthens the Sahasrara Cakra. If there is control over the
Sahasrara Cakra, then the body and mind can be controlled completely ".(Pg.126)

HOW TO ELEVATE THE MIND?

"I have already said that the scope of rationality and rationalization should be
increased more and more, and for this, from the plane of physicality, unnecessary
waves should be removed. From the psychic sphere also, unnecessary waves should be
removed. This will remove many burdens from the mind. 'I must not bother about
petty things, because that will waste my time'--people should remember this. This
removal or rather withdrawal of unnecessary and undesirable thoughts emanated from
the mind, will help you in rationalizing the major portion of your mental faculty,
and so this must also be practiced. The cult of spirituality is a cult of
pinnacled order." (pg. 135)

Human beings can control the mind by developing rationality. This rationality will
keep the mind free from whimsical and haphazard thinking. P.R. Sarkar wants us to
have a proper understanding of how these hormonal secretions affect the mind.

For example, if a musician is asked why he or she likes to sing and play music,
the answer is often something simple like, "I just feel good. It makes me happy."
This is felt because of hormonal secretions. The response of the audience is
nothing more than the result of hormonal secretions stimulated by the sounds and
ideas of the music. Music can excite, or thrill, or make people sentimental or
fill them with wonder and beauty. If music stimulates negative emotions, it will
disturb the mind's rational process.

Emotional expressions are haphazard movements of the mind swept away by our whims.
They give us pleasure and pain. For our life to be harmonious, our psychic
expressions must correspond with our inner longings.

To create a pleasing link between our longings and our propensities requires that
we follow a spiritual discipline in a rational and methodical way. This effort is
called 'devotion'. Devotional sentiment is our greatest human treasure.

P.R. Sarkar composed 5,018 songs to bring rhythm and sweetness into the lives of
the listeners. These songs, collectively called Prabhat Samgiit, flood the mind
with optimism and devotion. They refresh, inspire, heal and infuse the mind with a
positive rhythm of hope of a bright future. The rhythm brings the mind from
mundane thoughts to feelings of love for the Supreme Being. Prabhat Samgiit gives
the feeling that this Supreme love is not only close but that He and I are one and
the same.

"Where the thought waves are goaded by a single idea and where the culminating
point is also a singular entity, that is, where the attraction for others, for the
crude world or the psychic world are all goaded unto the Supreme Self, this is the
Supreme status of devotion. . . ." (pg. 139)

Prabhat Samgiit withdraws mundane thoughts from the mind and gives it a feeling
of love for the Supreme. Then this spiritual feeling should be pinnacled through
a spiritual practice called 'Kiirtan'. Kiirtan means to sing and dance with the
universal mantra, "BABA NAM KEVALAM." This means, "Only the name of the most
beloved." This sound vibration stimulates the mind to focus on merging of our
love into the Supreme Being.

Kiirtan can be done collectively or individually. To sing loudly and to listen

creates a vibration within our nerve cells and brain fibers. This frees the mind
from all psychic propensities and establishes the devotee into a feeling of union.
This state of mental bliss is called 'Ananda'.

PART IV

WHAT IS MY DUTY IN COLLECTIVE LIFE?

"In each and every physical and psychic structure there remain self-controlling
faculties. And in the case of collective structure regarding these psycho-physical
longings, if it is seen that the collective body of a particular nature of living
beings or expressions don't like it, then the controlling faculty creates a sort
of change and metamorphosis in the physical structure and as a result of which the
nature of the longing also changes. That is, in the case of individual structure
it is to be goaded by the controlling faculty only up to a certain range or
certain stratum. Otherwise the structure will start disintegrating or
disassociation both within and without. And in a collective body, the collective
controlling faculty may create a sort of change in the physical structures if such
a change is supported by Macrocosmic connation, otherwise not."(pg.81).

What are these self-controlling faculties?

The self-controlling faculties are the cakras which the propensities are dependent
upon. The first five cakras control the five fundamental physical factors in the
body such as the all solid structure (bone, flesh,etc), liquid structure (blood,
digesting liquid), body temperature, breath and oxygen and the vibrational
frequencies (sound) of the whole body.

As self-controlling faculties, the cakras monitor the level of satisfaction of

the members of a species in relation to particular instincts. These self-
controlling faculties then initiate the process of creating structural changes
necessary to modify instincts and increase the satisfaction of the species'
members. As was mentioned earlier the pre-giraffes' strong desire to reach food
high in the trees caused their necks to grow longer each generation.

Because humans are more psychic than physical, their satisfactions and
dissatisfactions are likewise more psychic. During the present day the psychic
momentum of the human species is rapidly becoming more and more materialistic. Our
longings for infinite expansion have been misdirected into physical gratification.
This non-use of our higher longings for psycho-spiritual and spiritual achievement
have created a psychic disease of over-accumulation or blind attachment.

In order to change the collective psychology from material pursuits to proper

higher longings, the collective controlling faculty of the human species must be
encouraged to initiate changes for the collective well-being. In order to awaken
the collective controlling faculty, individuals will have to work unitedly to
activate their psycho-spiritual and spiritual longings through regular methodical
practice.

Following the moral principles of Yama and Niyama, gives one the mental strength
to control the propensities. The regular practice of asanas balances the glandular
secretion of hormones. This in turn controls the propensities through physical
health. Eating sentient food increases the quantity of lymph in the body. This
ensures an adequate secretion of hormones to the body. Daily meditation infuses
the mind with psycho-spiritual inspiration.
The human body and mind is a 'biological machine'. By studying how the 'machine'
works, we can understand how to maintain it and how to get the most efficient and
effective work from it. The care and concern for our own biology and psychology
helps us not only to be healthier and happier, but gives us the knowledge how to
guide others to become healthier and happier as well.

For the seekers of truth, following methodical spiritual practices become the most
essential aspect of life. Ananda Marga spiritual practices are called THE SIXTEEN
POINTS.

"In order to march ahead on the road of human welfare, we will have to build
ourselves in all arenas of our life. The whole seeds of welfare in all spheres:
physical, mental, social, moral and spiritual are embedded in the Sixteen Points.
Hence, be firm on the Sixteen Points."
SHRII SHRII ANANDAMURTI

In order to teach people this new science of Yoga and its productive use in
everyday life, it will be the fundamental duty of those attending this seminar to
form unit committees in their respective places.

Every week Dharma Cakra (group meditation) will be held in the unit. Afterwards a
meeting should be held to organize a weekly or monthly study circle. The purpose
of this study circle is to learn more about Yoga Psychology, Ananda Marga Ideology
and, most important, THE SIXTEEN POINTS.
THE ANANDA MARGA UNIT.

The unit will organize a committee with the Unit Secretary as the head.

The Dharma Pracar Secretary will arrange meetings, lectures, seminars, yoga
classes and study circles.
The Sixteen Points Secretary will maintain the monthly sixteen points charts of
all members. He or she will also organize programs to popularize the Sixteen
Points.
The Relief Secretary will organize service projects of food and clothes collection
and distribution, medical care, aid to poor students, disaster relief, etc.
The Cultural Secretary will arrange cultural programs for artists, musicians and
dramatists based on "Art for service and blessedness".
The Publication Secretary will arrange the sale of Ananda Marga books to the
public.
The Education Secretary will supervise the opening and improvement of schools.
The Finance Secretary will supervise the collection of funds and maintain accounts
of expenditure of the unit's activities.
This unit committee must have a minimum membership of 5 Margiis and should
register the unit with the Diocese office or Regional office. This registration
will entitle the unit to receive regular newsletters and information from the
Regional office.

In the Supreme Command, Baba tells us " ...It is the bounden duty of every Ananda
Margii to endeavor to bring all to the path of bliss." Let us take our duty
sincerely and continue the evolution of the human species into a real human
society: a faultless society wherein all may have the proper environment to
develop themselves physically, mentally and spiritually.

Let us begin the work of developing ourselves and creating a conducive and
proper environment so that all human beings will be encouraged to develop
themselves.

"Yours should be a glorious march towards the Supreme Goal, and you should
remember that you are not to pause for a moment during this movement. The entire
human society is anxiously waiting for you, for your service. You will have to
shoulder a great responsibility for the suffering humanity. You know, actually
humanity bleeds, and you will have to save them. You should remember that if you
don't help humanity, who else is to come and shoulder the responsibility? It is
you--you are to do everything. You are the torch-bearers of human civilization.
You are the pioneers of human march, and you are the vanguard of a new
civilization."

SHRII SHRII ANANDAMURTI

APPENDIX

THE INNER SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MAHABHARATA

LIFE IS A GOD-GIVEN DESIRE FOR SELF-PRESERVATION

WITH THE SIMULTANEOUS URGE TO EXPAND INTO PERFECTION

The mission of life is for the unit consciousness to expand itself and become one
with the Supreme Consciousness. The obstacles along this path are the body and
its self-preserving instincts as well as the mind and its propensities. Draupadi
symbolizes the conscious being whose goal is to become one with her divine love,
Krsna. In order for her to be victorious in her journey, Krsna attracts her with
His divine love, but he uses life as the means to bring her to himself. In order
to help Draupadi along this path, Krsna takes the assistance of five brothers
(represents the characteristics of the mind) who wed Draupadi and pledge to Krsna
their loyalty and dedication to her successful journey.

These five brothers collectively have the power to control all 100 sons of
Dhrtarastra (2 x 50 propensities). Krsna spends his life revealing to the Pandavas
the secrets of their inherent controlling powers. By the Divine Grace of Krsna,
the knowledge of secret seed sounds is revealed to the five brothers. They
discover their own potentials and teach these secrets to Draupadi.

Draupadi possesses the most important quality of the unit consciousness -- non-
compromising faith and devotion in Krishna, her Supreme Love.