The wise men of the Orient, the Rishis, teach that Union with the Divine already potentially exists within us. However due to insufficient spiritual development, we are generally not conscious of this state of fusion with God, the Macrocosm. We see duality and multiplicity everywhere especially because of this ignorance regarding connection with the Macrocosm. Thus ordinary people in this situation focus on both within themselves and outside themselves, and on the perception of differences rather than similarities.

The essential purpose in yoga is to return man to the perfect conscious state of non-duality; of perfection. Yoga gradually reveals the existence of many levels of consciousness within us. YAMA and NIYAMA from Kriya YOGA are important steps in spiritual practice, and must be systematically and conscientiously respected. One aspect of Yoga is CONSCIOUS accelerated evolution. In general the evolution of life is coordinated by Cosmic Divine Intelligence, exterior to common awareness. Our spiritual evolution can be accelerated through awakening and utilising latent aspects of our inner universe, which can be gradually and consciously known. At the beginning we can be only partially conscious, sensing only vague feelings. This will manifest later in the form of global experiences, which will allow us to understand the mysteries of life and the Universe.

The first stage emphasizes ignorance or total lack of knowledge and even of information concerning the nature of the spirit and of reality. This is, generally speaking, the case for the majority of people in the present time, who restrict themselves to believe blindly only what they can perceive with their five senses or only in science and mechanical technology. 

The second stage emphasizes the more or less accentuated sensitiveness compared to other state of consciousness which can be produced accidentally or in an organized, traditional manner (for example, yoga practice); sometimes the awakening of the interest for spiritual aspects can be produced due to the releasing of some ineffable inner processes of resonance while learning a valuable spiritual text, the evidence of a great master, other times through a mystical experience or even during the paroxysm of a painful existential crisis; in other cases, the repeated frequentation of a group of spiritual people or even making an unconventional but efficient therapy can awaken gradually in the human being the respective beneficial subtle forces not suspected earlier.

Neem Karoli Baba – the Wiseman who feeds

Neem Karoli Baba or Shri Neeb Karori Baba, also known as Maharajji was a great Indian yogi. Known as “Miracle Baba” thorough northern India, Neem Karoli Baba manifested numerous paranormal powers, among which bilocation (he could be in the same time in two different places). He also had the ability to induce states of Samadhi to the spiritual aspirants with a mere touch of a finger. He established ASHRAMS and temples, fed millions of people, performed astonishing miracles, helped many human beings to go back to God, advised governments and corporate leaders. Even though he manifested all these qualities, still he knew how to maintain an aura of mystery, how to stay out of the public eye.

Neem Karoli Baba lived in India between 1900 - 1973 and became well known to the western world through the books of Ram Dass. “I met Neem Karoli Baba in 1967, a meeting which changed the course of my life. Through his compassion, wisdom, humour, power and love I found in my Spiritual Guide human qualities that I never before imagined... an extraordinary integration of spirit and form. I was with him only briefly, for he left his body in 1973, still he entered my heart as living truth, and his presence continues to enrich and guide my life.” says Ram Dass in his book Miracle of Love: Stories about Neem Karoli Baba.

by yoga teacher Gregorian Bivolaru

Is it true or not that the great thinkers had been talkative? Is the spiritually evolved man recognized according to the multitude of words meant to drown anyone who comes close? Do crossword puzzles truly help us to develop our intelligence, or do they represent one of the most dangerous “vampires” of mental energy? Do we know how our mental energy can be best used?

Once, long ago, a disciple named Bhaskali approached his Guru, Bhava, and asked him: “Where is The Eternal and what does The Supreme Absolute mean, who is Brahman (God, The Father) that the Upanishads talk about? However, his master didn’t reply, but he remained silent. The disciple insisted and asked him again and again, but in spite of all these, the master didn’t answer at all, abiding in his quietness. Only much later he said: “I’ve already told you, over and over, but you aren’t able to understand me. What can I do to you? Brahman (God, The Father), The Absolute or The Eternal, cannot be explained in words! Only in a profound silence, full of Aspiration and love, can one know Him. There’s no other place where He can be found, except in the profound silence of the Supreme Self ( Atman)! This Atman is, above all, the everlasting Silence (Aham Atma Santah).”

 by yoga teacher Gregorian Bivolaru

In yoga, ASANA is considered a simultaneous work of vibrating in unison with the infinitude, of the body, soul and mind. An ASANA is a quiescent posture with a specific concentration. It is more than just a physical exercise; it is a modality of psychosomatic integration. This gentle and full of admiration closeness to the being’s mysteries is based on postural re-education and aims towards the spiritual awakening with the help of the body.

He who practices it discovers inner peace and harmony, noticing at the same time that his energy and vital level grows considerably. So, an asana is a static posture that eases the subconscious mental and physical schemes’ relaxation. Such schemes trouble and even block the person’s free movement and creativity. Unconscious and restrictive, they often develop as answers to accidents, diseases, shocks, emotional traumas due to daily life stress, worries, responsibilities, unsatisfaction and sadness. They manifest as tension, holding back, rigidity or stiffness, pain or function limitation.

In a static posture, suggesting the body tissues, by an adequate concentration, a new way of being and feeling, easier and freer, the mind transmits messages to the reception system that responds by relaxation, energy and well-being. Thus, we feel mind and emotions loosen together with the body.

The word merit derives from the Latin term meritum, which in English means to get something as part or price which has also the meaning “to be worthy”. The word merit denotes everything that makes a human being worthy of esteem, admiration, consideration. Merit is a central value in the general apprehension of society and power. The merit indicates a spiritual, paranormal or moral value which is recognized in a certain human being who due to his/her accomplishments reached a certain level of inner realization or a certain moral right to gratification, appreciation or praise. Merit is considered to be proportional to the difficulty encountered while accomplishing that transformation and the effort implied by that accomplishment. The merit seems to have a value close to the efforts done by a human being to pass over some difficulties or to surpass the obstacles. At the end of these efforts there is a merit which make that person worthy of esteem, admiration, appreciation.

The existence of a merit or of many occult spiritual merits in a human being can be perceived in some conditions by other human beings who are competent to feel the existence of those merits.

For example, the awakening of one or many paranormal powers (SIDDHIS) in a human being who practised YOGA makes her/him worthy of appreciation due to the special qualities which are worthy of valuation, of praise, or of esteem for the other people. For example, in the case where a YOGI has awakened certain paranormal powers (SIDDHIS) we can say about him that he/she has some spiritual merits.

In the case that a person has awakened and activated certain fundamental virtues we can say about him/her that he/she has certain merits. We can say the same about a human being who is brilliant or has reached the state of wisdom. Certain spiritual merits can be felt only by a human being who awakened the same merits in a certain measure. For example, a genius will easily recognize another brilliant human being who has the seed of the state of genius. Concerning a wise man, only another human being who  has awakened the state of wisdom will be able to recognize this merit (wisdom) appreciating it. In Jesus’ teachings the concept merit comes through when Jesus says: “MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW CHOSEN”. When he speaks about those “chosen” Jesus invokes indirectly the idea of merit and his words let us understand that doubtlessly the chosen ones would be those who will awaken certain spiritual merits which will allow them to be among the chosen ones. In other words by awakening certain spiritual merits, some human beings will stand out and will appear before the others as being chosen ulterior.

The word hope comes from the Latin term SPERARE, correlated with the verb „spirare”, to blow, to breathe and to aspirate. Analogically speaking, hope is the breath of the soul. Not accidentally, the Latins had the dictum: „Dum spiro, spero” (When I breathe, I hope) Generally speaking the hope is characterized by a strong feeling of trust in the good and in the success the future will provide. When our hopes focus on something positive that is clearly determinate, the hope that is manifesting as a global state which exists in the universe of the human being is a strong, vivid and general feeling. By metonymy this is the thing or thehuman being that it’s the certain object of this feeling.

Here are some examples: “Yoga is my hope”, “ My hope is the firm engagement full of Aspiration on the Spiritual path”. “My lover is my hope”, “The supreme state of liberation is my hope”, “ My hope is the attaining of the state of Shakti”, “My hope is the attaining of the state of Vira”. Hope is one of the three virtues which are often mentioned in the Christian theology. In Christianity hope is an important virtue by which the Christian expects, with an indestructible and without reservation trust, to receive from God His Grace in this world and the eternal Glory into the other world. Two sins that the human being should beware of are opposing to hope.