Light of the Vedas April 2014 Issue

VO L U M E 8 | I S S U E 1 0 |

Light of the VedasBI MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF VEDIC STUDIES

W W W. V E DA N E T. C O M

YOGA SHAKTICelebrating

Celebrating

Our March Yoga Shakti celebration in the Kumaon

Himalayas was very special, with students joining

us from India, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Romania,

Canada, USA, Austral ia , France, UK and

Swierland. We enjoyed everyone's dedication to

the higher wisdom of Tantra, Vedanta, Jyotisha and

Ayurveda. Vamadeva Shastr i and Yogini

Shambhavi taught the powerful Inner Tantric Yoga

of the Dasha Mahavidya Goddesses, which they had

not previously taught publicly. Yogi Greg Van Acker

harmonized everyone's energies with Yoga asana

and Acharya Ed Zadlo guided everyone through the

Ayurveda and Yoga.

The festival of color's Holi celebrations unfolded an

exhilarating exuberance of Shakti with the darshan

of Kalika temple, followed by a group Holi with

natural ower essences and ower petals. Our

darshan of the sacred Kumaon temples in

Jageshwara, Almora, Dunagiri and Ranikhet drew

everyone into rituals, re ceremonies, prayer and

meditation. Harmonizing the trip was the delightful

trek to the Mahavatar Babaji's Dunagiri cave

witnessing the full blossoming of the red

Rhododendron Himalayan trees. Our sadhaks had

some amazing experiences amidst the Himalayan

mysticism.

Our next Yoga Shakti retreat is in the eclectic

environs of Santa Fe in New Mexico, USA, Aug. 18-

25. We are most grateful to all our sadhaks who

honor the deeper teachings, sharing the sacred space

during our Yoga Shakti retreats. We have beautiful

seekers joining us from our November, Italy and

March, Himalayan Yoga Shakti retreats. Their

dedication to drawing in the wisdom of the Rishi

culture and Shakta traditions into their sadhana is

most gratifying.

YOGA SHAKTI

Light of the Vedast VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 9 | AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF VEDIC STUDIES | PAGE 1

Dharma DhammaLight of the Vedast VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 9 | AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF VEDIC STUDIES | PAGE 2

Second International Conference in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Vamadeva Shastri, as a patron of the conference, and Yogini

Shambhavi participated in the second International

Conference on Dharma-Dhamma - Feb.28 - March 2, 2014 in

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, organized by Centre for Study of

Religion and Society (CSRS), India Foundation New Delhi and

Sanchi University of Buddhist Indic Studies, Sanchi, Madhya

Pradesh.

The conference's focus was on the viewpoints of Nature,

Source and Relevance of Dharma Dhamma Traditions.

Dharma is not only a pivotal concept, but it has also been the

most pervasive concept within Indian cultural ethos.

According to Indian thought, the cosmic process and human

existence have built-in teleology and purposiveness. There is

an inherent order in the cosmos called 'Rtam'. The Vedic Seers

highlighted this concept and exhorted to adhere to the order

inherent in the cosmic universe.

Important guests and participants included the Hon'ble Chief

Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan,

H.R.H. Princess Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuk of Bhutan.

The esteemed patrons of the Sanchi University of

BuddhistIndic Studies and its conference, are Pujya Swami

Dayananda Saraswati Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha

Coimbatore, Ven. Samdhong Rinpoche Chancellor Sanchi

University, Ven. Lama Lobzang, Ven. Geshe Ngawang Samten

Vice Chancellor Central University of Tibetan Studies Sarnath,

Pujya Swami Atmapriyananda Vice Chancellor RK Mission

Vivekananda University West Bengal, Vamadeva Shastri

(David Frawley) Director American Institute of Vedic Studies,

Santa Fe NM USA, Dr. Lokesh Sharma, Director International

Academy of Indian Culture New Delhi, Ven. Banagala

Upatissa Nayaka Thero President Mahabodhi Society of Sri

Lanka, and Dr. Kapil Kapoor Rector (Retd) Jawaharlal Nehru

University New Delhi.

Below left - Vamadeva Shastri, Banagala Upatissa Nayaka

Thero, Prof. Lokesh Chandra, Yogini Shambhavi. Below

right - Ven. Geshe Ngawang Samten and Vamadeva Shastri.


with Sadguru Sri Sivananda Murty at Gurudham, Warangal Andhra Pradesh

Mahashivaratri celebrations

It has been most auspicious to be with

G u r u j i S i v a n a n d a M u r t y o n

Mahashivaratri, having the grace of Shiva's

blessing through all the pujas and sacred

rituals. Guruji took time out to be with us

alone during the evenings sharing the

deeper wisdom.

He is a true sadguru with the most profound

Jnana and wisdom of the Vedas, Tantra,

Jyotisha and Ayurveda. He personally

guides all his followers in the highest vedic

traditions.


Theme for our Santa Fe Yoga Shakti August 18-25, 2014

Karma As an Evolutionary Force

Looking deeper, we see that karma reects the

actuality that we create our own reality. We

fashion both our lives and our environment

according to all that we do in life. Karma,

therefore, means that we are universal creators,

not simply the helpless products of external

forces. Karma is the underlying process of the

'self-creating universe'. It indicates that the

universe creates itself according to its own inner

intentionality. Through the power of karma, we

are self-creating beings in a self-creating

existence. Even the forces of nature, like time or

gravity, which appear beyond our control, are

manifestations of an intelligent reality in which

we are active participants.

The soul can be dened as our 'karmic being' as

opposed to our merely human personality that is

i ts mask. The soul carr ies our karmic

propensities called samskaras from one body to

another.

Our karma, we could say, is the DNA of our soul.

Just as the body has its particular genetic code,

the soul has its particular 'karmic code'. The

soul's karmic code is based upon the life paerns

it has createdthe habits, tendencies, inuences

and desires it has set in motion over its many

births. These karmic tendencies or samskaras

like seeds ripen in the soil of our lives, taking root

and sprout ing according to favorable

circumstances. Our soul's energy is ltered

through our karmic potentials, which create the

very paern of our lives down to subconscious

and instinctual levels.

The sacred art of living life unfolds as a Yagya or

sacrice. Life unravels a series of soul stirrings,

sometimes stirring up a hornet's nest through

our personal experiences. Suering arises from a

refusal to accept the transformative changes of

l ife that continuously break down our

boundaries. We create our own suering when

we refuse to open ourselves up to life's new

movements, particularly those which go against

our worldly expectations and cherished beliefs.

Only when we learn to honour this power of

transformation even in death and destruction

will we move beyond the limitations that

surround our existence with suering, strife and

pain.

Desire plays an important role in shaping our

karma. The fullment of desires must arise from

the Atma through the intention of satya sankalpa

which understands the desires of the heart. The

desires of the heart are cultivated through

dharma, a conscious awareness of our desire

based nature. In the pursuit of dharma lies the

fulllment of our karma. Shakti sadhana creates

an awareness of our desire based nature,

training the mind to realize and harness its

innate tendencies. Understanding the lila or play

of desires in our karmic cycle creates awareness

based on viveka or discrimination. The Tantric

path guides us in the expansion of our deeper

desires of love, compassion and empathy. The

path of desire is what allows us to evolve into

higher consciousness.

Karma compels us to develop our awareness, not

simply internally but in the eld of action where

it really counts. Karma, therefore, is an

evolutionary force. Our own human karma is

part of the evolution of consciousness on the

planet, not simply part of our personal growth

and development. Karma prods us to a greater

sense of unity by making us responsible for all

that we do both to ourselves and to others.

It is imperative that each one of us is both aware of

our karmic path and also learn the tools to modify

it. The Vedic system provides us probably the best

tools in this regard, through its many disciplines

including Yoga, Tantra, Ayurveda, Vedic

Astrology and Vastu.

Yet if karma is an evolutionary force, then there is

a positive goal to its development. It is not merely

sharing a common suering but developing a

common joy, in which we help others become free,

independent and happy in their own natures.

Evolution is an expression of the very joy of life

from which creation naturally arises, what Yoga

calls 'Ananda' or Divine Bliss. We must follow this

deeper bliss if we want to discover true happiness

and understanding in life. That true delight is not

a personal achievement but the joy of unity, the

power of love. If we look to the wisdom of karma,

it will take us to that greater oneness in which all

our sorrows disappear, in which the very

possibility of sorrow will cease to exist.

The Vedic and Tantric approach to life is to focus

on the creative power behind what we see, rather

than the outer form, which is ultimately a power

of consciousness and love. We will show you how

to awaken that inner power of light as a descent of

grace within your mind and heart. Shakti Yoga

energizes our Higher Prana and Inner Self

awareness for total well-being and harmony with

all of nature and our greater Self that extends to

the entire universe and beyond! Join us in

celebrating the Bliss and Divine Grace of the

Mother Goddess through ancient Vedic and

Tantric teachings made relevant to our lives today!

Learn how to transform your karma into freedom

with rituals, mantras and meditations, reecting

the wisdom of Ayurvedic healing and the secrets

Vedic astrology. We will guide you through the

full scope of the greater Yoga tradition that shows

us a sacred way of living that is relevant to all and

encompasses all that we can do or imagine.

Join us in our Yoga Shakti celebrations in the

mystical environs of Santa Fe NM, USA, reecting

the power of the lofty Rocky Mountains, the

luminous high desert, ancient Native American

and Hispanic traditions, numerous artists and

spiritual groups from throughout the world who

have made this land of enchanting light their

home.

Prayer is the sacred art of divining with the higher

self.these mystic moments of prayer are the

essence of union with the divine where the

devotee is one with the divine force .Our prayer is

an oering of devotion and selessness, the

hearts yearning for discovering the secrets hidden

in the guha of Shaktis compassion and love.

There are many tools to guide us through the

yogic practices of pranayama, pujas, re rituals,

mantra, prayer, contemplation and meditation.

We must also approach these practices and

studies with an inner peace and composure.

Living with awareness in the Light of Dharma!

Jai Ma Guru!

For more info visit us @

hp://www.vedanet.com/retreats-

programs/santa-fe-retreat-2014/

Tantra, Mantra & Transforming Karma

Santa Fe NM (USA), August 18-25, 2014

For further information email -

[email protected]


May 14 19, 2014 | Moscow

International Vedic Astrology and Ayurveda

conference hp://www.vedanet.com/bleckt/

May 23 27 | St. Petersburg

Festival Vedic Astrology, Ayurveda and Shakti

Sadhana

May 29 8 June | Soya, Bulgaria

Seminar on Ayurveda and Healing

June 19 22

Council of Vedic Astrology (CVA)

20th Anniversary Conference

June 19 | Special Pre-Conference Workshop 10:00 AM 4:00 PM with

Vamadeva Shastri and Yogini Shambhavi on the Role of Shakti in Vedic Astrology

hp://www.vedicconference.com

July 4-6 | North Carolina

Ayurveda and Yoga Conference in Boone

with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

hp://www.aapna.org/conferences/11th-conference-july-2014-boone-nc

August 18-25

Yoga Shakti Retreat in Santa Fe NM

Tantra, Mantra & Transforming Karma

with Vamadeva Shastri and Yogini Shambhavi


Travel Schedule | May to August 2014

Santa Fe Yoga Shakti RetreatTantra, Mantra & Transforming Karma

Santa Fe NM (USA), August 18-25, 2014

Harmonize your Karmic Life-Play through

Vedic Ritual, Mantra and Meditation!

With Pandit Vamadeva Shastri & Yogini Shambhavi

Shakti Yoga empowers our Higher Prana and Inner Self awareness for total

well-being and harmony! Join us in celebrating the Power and Divine Grace of

the Mother Goddess energy through ancient Vedic teachings understanding

our Karmic disposition in life.

Awaken and Nurture the Shakti force within you

Explore Tapas, your inner fire through Shakti Sadhana

Enhance your Drishti Yoga, the Inner Yoga of Perception

Meditation as a Tantric Art of Awakening Shakti within us

Tantra as a Spiritual Path for Transformation of Consciousness

Tantra as weaving our Prana with the Cosmic Prana (Life-force)

Understand your Karmic unfoldment through Vedic Astrology

Harmonize your Karmic Lila or Divine Dance through Mantra

Become immersed in the deeper teachings of Vedic and Tantric wisdom, Raja

Yoga, Ayurveda and Vedanta in the mysticism of Santa Fe's powerful environs.

Enjoy the healing grace of Our lady of Guadalupe amidst the repose of

Northern New Mexico's high desert and the lofty Sangre de Cristo Mountains,

and explore the culture, arts and crafts of

Santa Fe.

Explore the 93rd Annual Santa Fe

Indian Market, the largest arts and

crafts fair of the Natve Americans,

August 23-24.

PO BOX 8357, SANTA FE NM 87504, USA

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

YOGINI SHAMBHAVIemail: [email protected]

Documents

Light of the Vedas April 2014 Issue