The Veda’s

The Veda’s

The Veda’s come from the Sanskrit language – Veda means “knowledge from nature”. The Veda’s consist of chants and hymns.

It is believed that from 5000 years onwards when the earth was more peaceful Saints, Rishis or accomplished Yogi’s who were deep in meditation heard these particular sounds of nature. Over the next few thousand years these sounds were written down complied into texts known as the Veda’s. They consist of knowledge about yoga, health, astrology, diet, vastu (feng shui), mantras, rituals, chants and hymns praising many aspects of Divine.

“Chanting comes from nature.  In the depths of their meditation and deep concentration, the sages recorded the sounds of nature.  These are the Vedas.” Sri Sakthi Amma

The Vedas are meant for the whole world because they are from nature.

“The Vedas are very broad and wide.  They cover many subjects spiritual and practical. The main concept of the Vedas is to guide man on a path of peace and joy through spiritual life.” Sri Sakthi Amma

There are four  Vedic texts that have informed much of the practices of Vedic culture and yoga today. These recorded sounds or, often called ‘chants’ come from pure nature and so go beyond religions, countries and borders. They have informed Hindu culture but are not limited to it. We are fortunate to have these practices and guidance of the Veda’s today.

Most Yoga in the western world has a focus on the body. However, there are four broad limbs of yoga all relevant to reaching the goal of Yoga (Divine Union, Moksha, Samadhi, Liberation). These paths attract people in different ways according to their individual tendencies. It may also be beneficial to combine practices to maximize well being in all the aspects of life.

The Four Broad Limbs of Yoga

On Raja Yoga

Raja Yoga is path of focus and determination. It comprises of yoga asana, pranayama and meditation. And it has mistakenly been referred to in the West, as all that yoga is, but there are three other just as important limbs of yoga, depending on a persons tendencies.

On Bhakthi Yoga

It is said all spiritual paths are to take us to the same place, love. The essence of all that is, is love. Bhakti is a practice or way of life that starts with love. Loving all that is, as a direct path to the love that exists everywhere. The same love that permeates our soul, is Divine. So loving the Divine is truly giving love to our own soul. This type of yoga often suits a person with relational types of tendencies.

“Bhakthi is the simplest and easiest way to connect.” Sri Sakthi Narayani Amma Peedam

Practice’s of Bhakti Yoga

• Havan or Yagna – This is fire sacrifice known to purify the environment and bring healing energy to those who participate.
• Puja – This is an offering ritual, that brings tremendous blessings. It is often an offering of gratitude. Items that one appreciate such as flowers, grains and other auspicious offerings that one appreciates, the main ingredient being love.
• Kirtan – is musical expression and repetition of the Divines names. This practices suits one who likes to go beyond the rational mind. Kirtan takes one directly into the feelings of the heart and into the sublime state of being connected to source.

On Jnana or Gnana Yoga

Wisdom – determined self-inquiry into knowing whom one truly is. This is the path of intellect of questioning and finding ones truth.

It can be noted that through any of the yogic paths, there will be a tendency to acquire wisdom. For example through yoga, meditation, chanting, or offering of love, one connects to the Divine in all. The Divine characteristic being wisdom, love, peace, joy, all things good in the universe, therefore within the aspirant also.

On Karma Yoga

Selfless action – often the result of progressing spiritually is that one realizes we are all connected as one. So helping another is really helping oneself. When one experiences this connection, then there naturally will be a tendency to want to help those less fortunate. Selfless service is also be a way of purifying our karma and brings positive energy to the world.

At Divine Nature Sanctuary www.DivineNature.com.au we enjoy there diverse range of practice and invite anyone to come and enjoy our events.

Four Books of the Vedas

The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. The Vedas are apauruceya (“not of human agency”). They are supposed to have been directly revealed, and thus are called sruti (“what is heard”), distinguishing them from other spiritual texts, which are called smrti (“what is remembered”).  (Wikipedia 2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedas)

The Vedas are said to be non-personal and without beginning or end. This means that the truths embodied in the Vedas are eternal and that they are not creations of the human mind.

The Vedic texts or sruti are organized around four canonical collections of metrical material known as Samhitas of which the first three are related to the performance of yajna (sacrifice) in historical Vedic religion:

1.         The Rigveda

2.         The Yajurveda

3.         The Samaveda

4.         The Atharvaveda,

The individual verses contained in these compilations are known as mantras.

http://www.haryana-online.com/culture/yoga.htm

Inspirers

Sri Shakthi Amma

Sri Sakthi Narayani Amma, affectionately known as Amma, is an esteemed spiritual leader in India. With the aim of promoting love and wisdom throughout the world, Amma performs five to ten hours of puja’s (prayer offerings) daily for the benefit of all beings and teaches that service to others is a path to inner peace and harmony. In 1995, Amma founded the Sri Narayani Peedam, a spiritual centre in a remote village called Thirumalaikodi, located near Vellore in Southern India. Huge scale charitable activities at Peedam including free healthcare at a the Sri Narayani Hospital and Research Centre which opened in 2004, children are educated at the Sri Narayani school, the worlds biggest golden temple, thousands are fed daily, and a vast number of economic development projects are in operation.