~ by Swami Sivananda ~
These instructions applied to our environment and circumstance will certainly help us along on our own chosen spiritual path. Applied to mothers, it can be extremely advantageous to employ some of these instructions in our daily life. However, the idea is to develop the personality and not break it down due to guilt from not doing the items prescribed in daily life.
If there is not a sadhana program in place, start slowly and implement one or two items to start. Please also consider the era these instructions were written, 1940. Yoga encourages us to use our common sense, to not blindly follow these instructions or anything else in life. Also use the intuition and discretion to work out what best suits you, your dosha, your environment and your personality.
See here for a Yoga Glossary and another, here.
1. Get up at 4 a.m. daily. This is Brahmamuhurta which is extremely favourable for meditation on God.
~ Bodhi and Amma ~
2. Asana: Sit on Padma, Siddha or Sukha Asana for Japa and meditation for half an hour, facing the east or the north. Increase the period gradually to three hours. Do Sirshasana and Sarvangasana for keeping up Brahmacharya and health. Take light physical exercises as walking, etc., regularly. Do twenty Pranayamas.
3. Japa: Repeat any Mantra as pure Om or Om Namo Narayanaya, Hail Mary, Our Father, Om Namah Sivaya, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, Om Saravanabhavaya Namah, Sita Ram, Sri Ram, Hari Om, or Gayatri, according to your taste or inclination, from 108 to 21,600 times daily. These are all names of God.
4. Dietetic discipline: Take Sattvic food, Suddha Ahara. Give up chillies, tamarind, garlic, onion, sour articles, oil, mustard, asafoetida. Observe moderation in diet (Mitahara). Do not overload the stomach. Give up those things which the mind likes best for a fortnight in a year. Eat simple food. Milk and fruits help concentration. Take food as medicine to keep the life going. Observe Ayurvedic principles.
5. Have a separate meditation-room under lock and key.
6. Charity: Do charity regularly, every month, or even daily according to your means, say 10% of your wage.
7. Svadhyaya: Study systematically the Gita, the Ramayana, the Bhagavata, Sri Vishnu-Sahasranama. Lalita-sahasranama, Aditya Hridaya, Upanishads or Yoga Vasishtha, the Bible, Zend Avesta, the Koran, the Tripitakas, the Granth Sahib, etc., from half an hour to one hour daily and have Suddha Vichara/Enquiry into the nature of the Self, Truth, Absolute.
8. Brahmacharya: Preserve the vital force (Veerya) very, very carefully. Veerya is God in motion or manifestation-Vibhuti. Veerya is all power. Veerya is all money. Veerya is the essence of life, thought and intelligence. Brahmacharya is about self-control.
9. Prayer Slokas: Get by heart some prayer-Slokas, Stotras and repeat them as soon as you sit in the Asana before starting Japa or meditation. This will elevate the Mind quickly. A sloka is a verse of two lines in praise of the God. For example,
"Let all that you do
Be done in love"
- 1 Corinthians 16:14
10. Satsanga: Have Satsanga. Give up bad company, smoking, meat and alcoholic liquors entirely. Do not develop any negative habits.
11. Fast on Ekadasi/special day: Fast on Ekadasi or live on milk and fruits only. Fast according to your belief system. Friday for Shiva. Saturday for Mary. Or choose a day that suits you - fasting has many benefits.
12. Japa Mala: Have Japa Maala (rosary) round your neck or in your pocket or underneath your pillow at night.
13. Mouna: Observe Mouna (vow of silence) for a couple of hours daily.
14. Speak the truth: Speak the truth at all cost. Speak a little. Speak sweetly.
15. Reduce your wants. If you have four shirts, reduce the number to three or two. Lead a happy, contented life. Avoid unnecessary worry. Have plain living and high thinking.
16. Never hurt anybody (Ahimsa Paramo Dharmah). Control anger by love, Kshama (forgiveness) and Daya (compassion).
17. Do not depend upon servants. Self-reliance is the highest of all virtues. Become self-sufficient - do not rely on anyone else for your happiness.
18. Self-analysis: Think of the mistakes you have committed during the course of the day, just before retiring to bed (self-analysis). Keep daily diary and self-correction register. Do not brood over past mistakes.
19. Fulfil Duties: Remember that death is awaiting you at every moment. Never fail to fulfil your duties. Have pure conduct (Sadachara).
20. Surrender to God: Think of god as soon as you wake up and just before you go to sleep. Surrender yourself completely to God (Saranagati).
Om Shanthi Shanthi Shanthi!
This is the essence of all spiritual Sadhanas. This will lead you to Moksha, enlightenment. All these Niyamas or spiritual canons must be rigidly observed. You must not give leniency to the mind.
