Satyananda

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Satyananda.

Swami Satyananda Saraswati ( Sanskrit : Satyānanda Sarasvatī; * 1923 in Almora , India , † December 5, 2009 in Rikhia , Jharkhand ), referred to by his followers with the spiritual honorary title Paramahamsa , was an Indian yoga master. He is the founder of the Bihar School of Yoga , which is engaged in the study of yoga.

Life

The exact date of birth of Satyananda Saraswati, his monk's name, is given differently. In 1943 he met the yoga master Sivananda in Rishikesh and was ordained a monk of the Dashanami order by him. In 1955 he left the ashram of Sivananda in Rishikesh as a wandering monk . One year later he called the " International Yoga Fellowship Movement " (IYFM) into being and in 1963 founded the Bihar School of Yoga (BSY) in Munger . From 1969 he traveled to Europe , the USA and Australia to make his teachings known in the West.

In 1988, Satyananda broke all organizational obligations. His successor Niranjananda has been running the Satyananda tradition ever since.

After a pilgrimage, he settled in Rikhia in the Indian state of Jharkhand, where he lived in seclusion and received his followers once a year.

to teach

The yoga system developed by Swami Satyananda is based on the yoga teachings of Swami Sivananda. It conveys an integral approach. Instead of reducing yoga to a practice or philosophy, he taught yoga as a holistic lifestyle that aims to improve the quality of life, including daily activities, interactions, thoughts and emotions.

This integral system combines the six main paths of yoga. Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga and Kriya Yoga are referred to as the Outer Yoga Paths because they focus on improving the quality of the body and mind, expressing the senses and behavior. They are aimed at releasing conditioning and fine-tuning the various aspects of personality. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga are referred to as the Inner Yoga Paths as they deal with cultivating a positive attitude towards life and with the creative expression of life. On the basis of experience, understanding and sadhana (continuous and regular practice) the practitioner can develop a positive attitude towards life and perception, through which the positive, inner qualities begin to be expressed.

In this way the Satyananda Yoga System addresses the qualities of the head, heart and hands - intellect, emotion and action - and seeks to incorporate the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions of yoga into each exercise.

Hatha yoga

The contemporary development in yoga has produced hatha yoga as the most popular yoga path. However, the real goal, as originally aimed at by yogis, is often neglected. Hatha yoga is generally reduced to practicing postures for physical fitness.

Swami Satyananda developed Hatha Yoga while maintaining the original intention of balancing the two main forces of life, Prana Shakti or vital force and Chitta Shakti or mental force. This is the meaning of the word Hatha, which is a combination of the mantra Ham, which stands for pranic energy and the mantra Tham, which stands for mental energy. The classic Hatha Yoga texts say that when these energies are balanced, a third force - Shushumna Nadi - awakens in the center of the spinal cord. And that the latter is expressed through an inner state of harmony, peace, understanding and wisdom. Eventually the Ajna Chakra, an energy center in the midbrain, awakens, leading to the experience of pure transcendental awareness.

Two classic texts on Hatha Yoga are well known: the Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Yogi Swatmarama, with a strong focus on achieving complete physical health and balance. It introduces the teachings that are appropriate for people who live in society. Also the Gheranda Samhita of the sage Gheranda, which focuses more on the mental, psychological and spiritual aspects. It forms the basis for practicing Hatha Yoga for sadhakas, yogis and sannyasins.

Based on the above-mentioned classical texts, scientific research and his immense personal experience, Swami Satyananda Hatha Yoga presented in his incomparable work Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha (APMB), Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha (APMB) . which has been translated into numerous languages ​​and is one of the most widely used textbooks on the subject. It is written in modern and easily understandable language and introduces the original, classical approach of Hatha Yoga by practicing all relevant aspects in a classical progression.

In his unique and practical approach, Swami Satyananda explains the Shatkarmas (six cleansing techniques) in an easy-to-understand way and thus gives normal yoga practitioners access to techniques such as Neti (nasal lavage), Kunjal Kriya (gastric lavage) and Shankaprakshalana (intestinal lavage) for physical cleansing and Gaining health as the basis for further steps in sadhana.

From the collection of subtle practices known as Sukshma Vyama, Swami Satyananda extracted the most essential ones and structured them into Pawanmuktasana series 1-3. These mostly gentle exercises, which are usually performed in a dynamic manner, aim to release blockages and prepare the practitioner for the classic postures. The Pawanmuktasana series are one of the most important components of Hatha Yoga and one of the special contributions to the teachings of Swami Satyananda.

He further structured the classic asanas in standing, back and forward bending as well as twisting and inversion postures and assigned them to the categories of beginners, intermediate and advanced. For each technique he not only presented the physical components, but also explained the energetic and mental aspects and the associated chakra and mantra awareness. Asanas were no longer random exercises, but could be used in a systematic and progressive sequence.

Swami Satyananda was one of the first exponents of yoga to publicly teach the science of pranayama. The precision of his presentation of the various classical techniques and their progressive levels from beginner to advanced level is unparalleled. He divided the techniques into the groups of activating, calming and balancing techniques and conveyed the systematics of this complex science to the practitioners.

Similarly, it was he who introduced mudra and bandha (gestures and internal locking techniques) as tools to gain mental and pranic stability and to redirect energy flows within, with the aim of accessing the meditative states of Pratyahara, Dharana and Dhyana to enable.

Raja Yoga

Once the body, prana and mind are prepared with Hatha Yoga and a state of lightness and health is achieved, Raja Yoga aims to focus the dispersed mental energies and still the movements of the mind. As in Hatha Yoga, there are two paths in Raja Yoga, the Samkhya system for people who live in society and the Vedic system for sadhakas and sannyasins.

The most famous Raja Yoga text today is the Yoga Sutra of the sage Patanjali, which is based on the philosophy of the Samkhya system. Patanjali's teaching, the sequential process known as Ashtangayoga (the eightfold yoga path), revolves around the development of Drashta (ability to observe). Through the continuous expansion and refinement of mindfulness, the eight stages of Raja Yoga aim to promote clarity in thinking and behavior and to develop the dormant potential of the mind in order to ultimately attain higher intelligence, wisdom and true understanding.

The eight levels are: 1. Yama (principles for regulating outer / social life) and 2. Niyama (disciplines for harmonizing inner / personal life), 3. Asana (stable posture), 4. Pranayama (breath control), 5. Pratyahara (techniques to direct the mind and senses inward), 6. Dhyana (meditative state of mind), 8. Samadhi (experience of unbroken peace and inner radiance).

The yoga system developed by Swami Satyananda regards the ability to deal with the mind positively as the main goal of Raja Yoga, therefore the emphasis is on level 5 - Pratyahara. Although many Pratyahara techniques begin with simple, gross mindfulness, the successive levels enable the systematic practitioner to eventually experience deep states of mind and withdrawal of the senses and prepare them for techniques of concentration (dharana) and finally for states of meditation (dhyana ) in front.

For the general yoga practitioner, Swami Satyananda Saraswati introduced the Pratyahara techniques below. He developed the techniques on the basis of classical writings and explained them in detail and systematically in his works, among others in "Meditations from the Tantras" and "Sure ways to Self-Realization".

Kaya Sthairyam uses the physical body as an object of concentration. By developing absolute stillness, first of the physical body, then the senses, cerebral activities, perceptions and associations, and finally the pranas (energy currents), the technique aims to develop mental concentration.

Ajapa Japa includes the awareness of the breath flow, the awareness of inner psychic passages and mantra recitation. It is a full sadhana that traditionally uses the mantra So Ham, which corresponds to the subtle sound of the breath.

Antar Mouna works with the activities of wakefulness. The practitioner learns to experience his thoughts and feelings in a neutral way and recognizes how he can gradually relieve tension in the mind, bring about calm and develop concentration.

Satyananda Yoga Nidra® is both a systematic deep relaxation technique and a tantric meditation, which should enable the practitioner to relax completely physically, mentally and emotionally. Satyananda Yoga Nidra is performed lying on your back in Shavasana (posture of the dead). The state practiced in Yoga Nidra is similar to that of half sleep. However, the awareness works on a deeper level, whereby mental and emotional blockages are released so that the inner potential of the practitioner can develop.

Kriya Yoga

One of the most outstanding features of the yoga system developed by Swami Satyananda is the series of 20 Kundalini Kriya techniques. The word "Kriya" means activity or action and refers to one of the key components of the Kriya Yoga system - the specific movements of consciousness. It is a training system for advanced students and is intended to enable access to the subtle-psychic or spiritual dimension of human existence.

On a practical level, it aims to awaken the dormant Kundalini energy. The Sadhaka (serious practitioner) thereby gains access to his entire human potential. In most of the classical yoga systems, the mind is deliberately brought under control. In Kriya Yoga, on the other hand, the practitioner is not asked to counteract the distractions of the mind. Specific, subtle internal movements enable him to systematically refine his consciousness and release energy.

There are currently two mainstreams of Kriya Yoga: that of Paramahamsa Yogananda and that of Swami Satyananda. Originally, Kriya Yoga was only passed on orally directly from the teacher to the student. None of the classical scriptures describe the techniques in detail so that the ordinary practitioner could understand how to use them.

Swami Satyananda opened up the science of Kriya Yoga and introduced it to the wider public. In the original scriptures more than 76 kriyas are mentioned vaguely, of which Swami Satyananda selected 20. In order to make this knowledge accessible to today's practitioners, he described the techniques in detail and systematized them in a clear structure so that they can be learned over a period of three years.

The Kriya Yoga techniques, as introduced by Swami Satyananda, consist of a combination of Asana (posture), Pranayama (breathing techniques), Mudra (gestures), Bandha (inner locking techniques), Mantra (subtle inner sounds), Chakra (energy centers) Awareness, perception of the psychic passage and visualization. He divided them into three groups: Pratyahara Kriyas, Dharana Kriyas and Dhyana Kriyas, whereby the practitioner is able to move sequentially through the corresponding meditative states of mind and consciousness.

Swami Satyananda also initiated a 3-year correspondence course in Kriya Yoga, which resulted in the book A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga & Kriya. In connection with the development of the Kriya Yoga system, Swami Satyananda conducted extensive research into the Kundalini energy and the chakras. This resulted in the book Kundalini Tantra. It is one of the most detailed publications available on the subject today.

Child sexual abuse allegations

In 2014, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse held public hearings with some victims and witnesses regarding sexual abuse and child abuse. Many of the abuse lawsuits are not new. As early as 1989, the elderly Swami, Swami Akhandananda Saraswati, was convicted in the Australian Satyananda Ashram in Mangrove Mountain for 35 reasons of abuse of four Ashram girls. However, the Supreme Court overturned the formalities conviction in 1991 and the swami died six years later.

The 2014 evidence before the Royal Commission included child abuse, rape, gang rape, coercion and physical abuse such as beating. This includes the accused swamis using spiritual "teachings" to get young people to have sex with each other and with adults. The testimony suggests a pattern of psychological, physical, and sexual abuse carried out by numerous swamis against numerous children and young adults. The testimony before the Royal Commission also accused Swami Satyananda Saraswati and his successors in various ways. During the hearing, a female victim stated that Swami Satyananda Saraswati forced her to engage in violent sexual acts but she did not speak about it because the Ashram understood that she was considered the criminal.

Final report on the Royal Commission investigation into Swami Satyananda

Two statements made before the Royal Commission accused Swami Satyananda Saraswati. In the final report of the investigation by the Royal Commission, which was published in April 2016, no allegations are made against Swami Satyananda.

Works (selection in German)

Individual evidence

  1. jaibihar.com ( Memento from January 3, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
  2. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Raja Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 9788193891872 , p. 17.
  3. YOGA . Bihar School of Yoga. February 2020.
  4. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: The Growth of Satyananda Yoga or Bihar Yoga . Retrieved December 9, 2009.
  5. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Hatha Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 978-81-938918-8-9 , p. 23.
  6. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Yoga Chakra 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2015, ISBN 978-93-84753-20-7 , p. 104.
  7. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Hatha Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 978-81-938918-8-9 , p. 23.
  8. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Hatha Yoga 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2017, ISBN 978-93-84753-35-1 , p. 5.
  9. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Yoga in Daily Life . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2014, ISBN 978-93-81620-23-6 , p. 23.
  10. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Yoga in Daily Life . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2014, ISBN 978-93-81620-23-6 , p. 23.
  11. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Hatha Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 978-81-938918-8-9 , p. 24.
  12. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Hatha Yoga 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2017, ISBN 978-93-84753-35-1 , p. 6.
  13. Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2010, ISBN 978-3-928831-37-6 , pp. 485-523.
  14. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Development of Satyananda Yoga . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2017, ISBN 978-3-928831-37-6 , p. 70.
  15. Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2010, ISBN 978-3-928831-37-6 , pp. 21-72.
  16. Swami Shankarananda: 50 Years of Yoga Chakra . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2020, ISBN 978-3-907287-01-9 , pp. 3,4,5,9,20.
  17. Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2010, ISBN 978-3-928831-37-6 , pp. 136-365.
  18. Swami Shankarananda: 50 Years of Yoga Chakra . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2020, ISBN 978-3-907287-01-9 , pp. 21,22.
  19. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Hatha Yoga 2 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2018, ISBN 978-93-84753-72-6 , p. 17.
  20. Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2010, ISBN 978-3-928831-37-6 , pp. 369-414.
  21. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Hatha Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 978-81-938918-8-9 , p. 24.
  22. Swami Shankarananda: 50 Years of Yoga Chakra . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2020, ISBN 978-3-907287-01-9 , pp. 21,22.
  23. Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2010, ISBN 978-3-928831-37-6 , pp. 419-482.
  24. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Raja Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 978-81-938918-7-2 , p. 25
  25. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Raja Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 978-81-938918-7-2 , p. 28.
  26. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Raja Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 978-81-938918-7-2 , p. 23.
  27. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Raja Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 978-81-938918-7-2 , p. 23.
  28. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Raja Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 978-81-938918-7-2 , p. 28
  29. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Raja Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 978-81-938918-7-2 , p. 27.
  30. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Raja Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 978-81-938918-7-2 , pp. 33-37.
  31. Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Meditations from the Tantras . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2012, ISBN 978-81-85787-11-4 .
  32. Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Sure ways to Self-Realization . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2013, ISBN 978-81-85787-41-1 .
  33. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Raja Yoga for Everyone . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2019, ISBN 978-81-938918-7-2 , p. 35.
  34. Meditation: Antar Mouna - Ajapa Japa -Trataka ..
  35. Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Meditation from the Tantras . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2007, ISBN 81-85787-11-5 , pp. 211-224.
  36. Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Yoga Nidra . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, German edition 2003, ISBN 81-86336-38-9 .
  37. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Kriya Yoga Yatra 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2017, ISBN 978-93-84753-39-9 , p. 10.
  38. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Yoga Chakra 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2015, ISBN 978-93-84753-20-7 , p. 125.
  39. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Kriya Yoga Yatra 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2017, ISBN 978-93-84753-39-9 , pp. 1–2.
  40. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Yoga Chakra 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2015, ISBN 978-93-84753-20-7 , p. 87.
  41. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Yoga Chakra 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2015, ISBN 978-93-84753-20-7 , p. 125.
  42. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Kriya Yoga Yatra 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2017, ISBN 978-93-84753-39-9 , pp. 1–2.
  43. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Yoga Chakra 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2015, ISBN 978-93-84753-20-7 , p. 121.
  44. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Yoga Chakra 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2015, ISBN 978-93-84753-20-7 , p. 122.
  45. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Kriya Yoga Yatra 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2017, ISBN 978-93-84753-39-9 , p. 3.
  46. Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati: Yoga Chakra 1 . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2015, ISBN 978-93-84753-20-7 , p. 122.
  47. Swami Satyananda Saraswati: A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga & Kriya . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2007, ISBN 81-85787-08-5 .
  48. Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Kundalini Tantra . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2007, ISBN 81-85787-15-8 , pp. 1-92.
  49. Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Kundalini Tantra . Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar 2007, ISBN 81-85787-15-8 , pp. 113-193.
  50. Extracts from case 21 .
  51. Satyananda Yoga Ashram is the subject of the royal commission hearing .
  52. Extracts from case 21 .
  53. Yoga guru was violent sexual abuser . September 7, 2018.
  54. Yoga Ashram did not see sexual abuse as a crime .
  55. ^ Culture of Silence Satyananda Yoga .
  56. Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: REPORT OF CASE STUDY NO. 21, page 26 . April 2016.
  57. Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: REPORT OF CASE STUDY NO. 21, page 31 . April 2016.

literature

Web links