“Dhyana Moolam Guror Murti, Pooja Moolam Guror Padam, Mantra Moolam Guror Vakyam, Moksha Moolam Guror Kripa”

Hershji translated this beautiful mantra for us: I want to meditate on the form of my Guru, pray to the feet my Guru, every word of my Guru is sacred, and moksha comes only from the grace of my Guru “guru kripa”. Simple words but hard to comprehend, Hershji explained that we want to identify with the Godliness of our Guru. This is the real “puja” of the day, not just the rituals.

Finally, Acharyaji spent some time discussing the relationship between the Guru and disciple. It is important to do seva (selfless-service), not because the Guru needs it but it makes us humble, heightens our intellect, and helps us see God in everyone. Seva prepares one to absorb the knowledge from a Guru, but one must actually be in the presence of their Guru to do this. Just like the dialogue between Krishna and Arjun happened in person, we must make the effort to engage in a conversation of questions and answers to progress on the Yogic path.

To find your Guru, look for someone who has knowledge of the scriptures, an ability to explain them to you, nobility of character, and actually experienced what they are teaching.

Beginning October 11th, we began studying Yoga Vasisth. While the original work is 32,000 verses of dialogue between Sage Vasisth and Lord Rama, overtime it has been condensed considerably. Anyone is welcome to attend the classes if they’re interested in learning about Yoga from one of the original sources.

Below are some pictures of our last day studying Vivek Chudamani, where we each offered flowers to the scripture.

On March 23, 2007 I set out to discover yoga as it is practiced in the country where it was originated. A group of 14 from eclectic backgrounds, from a poet to a school principle to a dentist, all affiliated with Yog Sadhan in Chicago Ashram in one way or other, had arrived a day earlier than I did. After a 15 hour flight and a 10-hour car ride I stepped inside a true Indian ashram where no Westerner had ever visited.

Soon after my arrival, someone escorted me into a small room where aarti was taking place. The members of my group were already settled in what would be their new home for the next three weeks, chanting along with the locals. Hersh’s father, Satgurudev Shri Chaman Lal Kapur, called “Guruji” by his students was in deep meditation with his eyes closed.

Click to read the full article.

I never knew that my visit to Yog Sadhan Ashram in West Chicago two years ago would lead me to the main ashram in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India, in March 2007.

It is unbelievable to me that a yogic sanctuary of this kind existed less than an hour away from downtown Chicago. On the crisp Sunday morning of my first visit, I saw aspiring yogis practicing asanas, studying scriptures and learning internal cleansing techniques. Nested in the outskirts of the town of West Chicago, the vast property houses several buildings and many acres of green land and tall trees.

Click to read the full article

This blog will be used to provide articles, videos, podcasts and pictures related to yoga in its entirety. This includes shat karmas (yogic cleansings), pranayama, asanas, dhyana (meditation) and the teachings from Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras, etc.

We hope you find it useful and enjoyable!