Mahavidyas, Bhairavas and steadiness in practice

Mahavidyas are 10 in number?

Guruji: they are cover 10 directions, there are 10 directions.

but why the number 8 is considered as so important and connected with Bhairav?

Guruji: well, 8 Bhairavas are described; 8 siddhis are described – number 8 is something.

again in yoga – it maybe not exactly steps, but 8 achievements are described?

Guruji: every achievement is a kind of a step; so number 8 is very important.

what do You think: first you must establish yourself in asana – only then pranayama can be achieved?

Guruji: if your physical body is not steady – how can you claim that “ my mind has become absolutely steady”? mind is a very fine and very subtle thing. First you need to be able to work with your gross existence; then slowly-slowly you will begin to understand the working of mind and all those – what we called jivatma or spirit or whatever is there. first you need to make your gross things steady; then further things may come.

could we say that like achievements yama and niyama comes after samadhi?

Guruji: it is stand to reason that whoever is sincerely interested in yoga must be a nice person. I think, for a nice person yama and niyama are very easy. But for an unpleasant person they will sound like a very difficult task. I think it also – from a child to a man the difference is there. if you cannot even go through yama and niyama… they should be there naturally. Then they will become more refined with your progress.

could we say that only if we cannot move in some form which we call “asana” for more than 3 hours…

Guruji: 3 hours and 36 minutes – this is the standard given by ancient yogis.

…so then come the real steadiness?

Guruji: yes; and the spirit or jivatma is feeling very comfortably.

but there are only 15 asanas described in Hatha Yoga Pradipika – and a little bit more in Gheranda Samhita?

Guruji: they will just prepare you – and the best asanas, which they also describe – are siddhasana and padmasana, ultimately to remain that period of time.

it is said that Shiva Ji knows how to do all of them?

Guruji: 8,4 million, yes.

what does it mean? If we take chakrasana – how it became real asana and real steadiness is achieved in that?

Guruji: for achieving samadhi siddhasana and padmasana are described. All other are there to make your physical body steady.

does it mean that Shiva Ji can be in samadhi in any of them?

Guruji: he is the first Guru, giver of yoga and he is immortal – so He has eternity to perfect all these things(smiling)

but earlier we discussed that we can establish in ahimsa only when we’re not breathing?

Guruji: that is the climax of ahimsa. That also tells me – when you’re in samadhi or in suspended animation, then only you established in ahimsa. Nothing is moving.

could we say that all yamas are coming only after samadhi?

Guruji: no, they should be there in the form of a seed, only then they will develop; otherwise if it is not there – what development can be? You cannot cultivate them; some essence should be there present – so you can make it grow.

but in the perfect condition all yamas can be only after samadhi?

Guruji: yes, the real understanding will come after.

When your physical body is absolutely steady then your spirit will be comfortable inside. When the spirit will feel comfortable – he will be ready to communicate with you.

why spirit feel himself comfortable when we don’t move?

Guruji: see, you’re sitting on the chair which is always moving and wobbling: I don’t think you will feel comfortable or confident sitting on this chair: you will want to leave it as soon as possible.

why spirit like steadiness?

Guruji: who doesn’t want steadiness? Steady relationships, steady job, steady bank account – everybody wants steadiness.

when the spirit signs the contract for the job: I think he understand that the man or woman will move all his life?

Guruji: that’s why he keeps wander: find another chair.

Sometimes to describe something they need to use the words, which later create a lot of confusion; but that is good – if there will be no confusion what you will remove?

in samadhi we achieving absolute steadiness; so it goes from gross to subtle?

Guruji: it is always from gross to subtle.

when we achieve this steadiness, what after?

Guruji: 100% brain will wake up and you will know so many things.

because we’re not steady – we cannot perceive all these things?

Guruji: also it is not ambition of many to perceive all these things. Only those seekers – they actually try to have this experience and they work for it. For a person, who have no ambition it’s a useless thing.

first it will happen in padmasana?

Guruji: first it will happen in padmasana- then you can take it in shavasana or any asana; but I’ve never seen anyone doing it in chakrasana or shirshasana.

so you’re sitting in padmasana and consciously going into suspended animation?

Guruji: yes. Padmasana is such an asana that the center of gravity is in the center and your body will remain balanced, it will not fall. That’s why they praised padmasana and siddhasana to that level.

and when the yogi will come back…?

Guruji: he will still sitting in padmasana.

it was some case when someone fall?

Guruji: no.

after Kriya yoga practice if you feel your mind so calm, what is the best activity to do – some meditation?

Guruji: to create a balance- join a gym and workout; so the body and mind will remain in balance. I’ve seen many people whose mind became steady, but they do not any physical activity – so inertia developed. And that was not the very good thing later in their life. To create a balance do some physical activity very regularly; because when your mind will be developing you need a strong body to support it. Otherwise everything will not be balanced and not very good results will come.

after achieving samadhi yogi cannot say – now I can relax?

Guruji: as many knowledgeable people said before: before realization – cutting wood and fetching water; after realization – cutting wood and fetching water. but your perspective and point of view will be different.

after the first achievement we attain the best tool for our mind?

Guruji: no doubt about it. It is the first stepping stone, major step.

meditation is a tool for keep attention on the breath?

Guruji: very simple observation: breath is the connecting element between your physical body and your spirit; so if you begin to understand your breath – one day definitely you will begin to see your spirit also. Simply becoming aware of the breath may take you very deep. Also – we’re alive, the sign is we’re breathing; breath is life force as well, connecting thing with body and spirit also; it’s a very potent thing. Very good thing to do. Whole concept is not to calm down your mind: but to calm down your mind and make it powerful – so they can understand the deep so many deep mysteries of the nature, creation and your own existence.

if you’re practicing Kriya with the closed eyes and see something – it doesn’t matter much?

Guruji: it means a lot of things: maybe your spirit is trying to communicate – they have the different language.

I asked this question in the ashram of Kriya yoga – and they answered me not to pay attention on anything what you see…

Guruji: if it is happening – it is happening because you’re practicing sincerely. That means your spirit is feeling a little bit comfortable and it is their way of communication. But it will take quite some time to understand what they are trying to communicate. The main thing of Kriya yoga ultimately is to have proper communication with your own spirit. Spirit is come from the other side, brings life, then goes back to the other side, taking life. So what your spirit can tell you on the other side – that is the most authentic thing. You can go on listening sermons and reading different books – but it is just hears it; the reality your own spirit will tell you. This is the beginning of communication, so pay attention – but don’t give any reaction to it. That is the name of the game: don’t react, just observe and remain aware; it will become more deep in time. No reaction: because the moment you react your mental state changes, so the communication will stop. We need to be in that mental state, when it started. This is the zero level Kriyaban talking to you( laughing).

that means the practice I was given there is working?

Guruji: definitely. And your sincerity is working as well. Technics are there; but take the Kriya yoga like an art: there are technics involved – but you need to practice it like an art with yourself.

why when we are react, communication stops?

Guruji: because the mental state changes immediately. When you’re having some experience: you’re not planning to have it but it happens, that means that mental state you were in triggered this experience. And the moment you will react that mental state will change and that experience will stop. Mostly I have seen – until unless you calm down; next time when you will sit – again you will be expecting that something will happen. The same mental state will not be there – it will take quite some time again for that experience to repeat itself.

when you forget how to react – like this?

Guruji: I mean everybody reacts in the beginning, then some understanding comes.

When you’re sitting with the Guru – I think the breath rate goes down from normal to maybe around 6-7 in one minute. 6-9 is the ideal thing – otherwise the medical science tells us that average person breath 17 to 23 times- but for good practitioner of Kriya yoga it will be down. I’ve noticed: simply sitting here brings breath rate down to 6,7 – that is good. And it can go much lower. Never take it lightly – it’s very serious thing.