Rasa Sadhana : The Yoga of Emotion: March 2006

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

New Moon

Ram Ram,

The new moon decreases the effect of the water element. Hence it reduces the strength of our Rasas. It is a good time to achieve deep peace in meditation. If we are low in energy already, then the new moon will further increase the feelings related to it and Sadness or Fear in particular. Focus on peaceful and beautiful input and remember that once the new moon is passed, your energy levels will automatically increase.

On full moon our emotions will be at their peak. When we are in a loving, joyful, wonderful mood, then those Rasas will be even more strong so it can be a time for the greatest enjoyment. But when we feel depressed, angry or worried, then meditation during full moon is a must to keep these emotions under control.

Ram Ram,

Peter

Monday, March 27, 2006

Back from the land of spiritual milk & honey

Ram Ram,

What use is a website on Rasas when the very best advice I can give to learn how to live a more happy life is to visit India as much as you can ? True, there are also many things going wrong over there. But love, wisdom and peace can still be found in staggering quantities within every family and ashram - especially within a spiritual haven like Hardwar. Special thanks are due to Kathia Baba, Narvada Puri, Swami Advdeshanand and Christina Richa Devi for their spiritual guidance.

I also partook in the festival of Holi, during which it is customary to throw colors over everybody - as my picture attests. My hairs kept that pink shine for over a week...

More later,

Ram Ram,

Peter Marchand

Saturday, March 04, 2006

From Theory to Reality... and then to India

Ram Ram,

Often people express unbelief when I say that it is possible for anyone to let go of anger, fear and other unpleasant emotions. What brings anyone from theory to reality is exercise. It is exercise that allows people to perform near-magical feats, like atletes jumping over 2 meters or people that can paint with their feet. And it is exercise that allows people to heal themselves emotionally. Just try it out : promise yourself not be angry for one day and you will see how easy it is. Gradually you can increase the duration of this anger-fast until one day you will laugh at anything that would have caused you to get angry earlier.

I am off to India now, land of spiritual milk and honey, God's own country if ever there would be one, which obviously there isn't. I might also post a blog from there, though I really will have better things to do, mostly exercise that is.

I will be back in Belgium on 24th of march.

Ram Ram,

Peter

Thursday, March 02, 2006

Raindrops on Roses

Ram Ram,

Just came across this "My Favorite Things" song texts from the "Sound of Music" musical. As this is a rather old musical, some of you may never have heard the words of this great children's song for dealing with any disagreable rasa :

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things.

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad.

Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things.

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad.

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver-white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things.

Ah, childhood... And ain't we all children yet ? Even if our favorite things have changed, they still work the same way.

Ram Ram,

Peter

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