Tag: spirituality

All Yoga Is One: From Karma to Hatha to Raja – My Real Experience

For International Yoga Day — by a Seeker

Starting Point

In my youth, I was healthy and mentally curious. After a certain experience, which I later understood was a transient Savikalpa Samadhi, a shimmering image of meditation stayed in my mind. That image remained alive for years and I used it for deep inner nourishment. With that energy, I studied, experimented, and shared spiritual knowledge with others.

At that time, I now feel, I could have gone into Keval Kumbhak and from there to Nirvikalpa Samadhi, if I had focused completely. The inner image was already guiding me. But I got involved in sharing, not settling.

Later Obstacles

Now at this stage of life, GERD, gastric pressure, and mucus buildup in the throat create interruptions in breath. Even if I don’t try to stop the breath, and just sit silently, the breath starts calming down on its own — but a reflex like engulfing mucus or a throat tickle brings breath back. This keeps disturbing the entry into Keval Kumbhak and the stillness needed for Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Though Kunjal is contraindicated in GERD, regular practice from early life may help prevent GERD from developing.

Similarly, Practicing knee-based asanas like Padmasana and Siddhasana from an early age helps keep the knees strong and healthy, preventing age-related weakness and pain that hinder maintaining prolonged asana as needed for nirvikalp samadhi.

This taught me that Hatha Yoga is not optional. It is necessary.

Misreading the Scriptures

In old texts of Hatha Yoga it is written:

“Hatha Yoga is fruitless without Raja Yoga.”

But that sentence has been misunderstood.

People took this to mean that Hatha Yoga is a separate, lower yoga, and Raja Yoga is a different, higher one.

But this is not true.

I now see that:

Hatha Yoga itself becomes Raja Yoga when it matures.

The so-called Raja Yoga — Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi — arises automatically when the Hatha practices bring breath and body to perfect stillness. They are not two branches, but stages of one path.

Hatha Yoga Leads Honestly

Hatha Yoga is simple and honest.

When you do Shatkarma (cleansing), you can feel the result.
When you do asanas, you know if your spine is straight or not.
When breath slows, it is known directly.

There is no illusion.
There is no imagination.
And if Keval Kumbhak happens even briefly, there is nothing else to believe.

But in many “Raja Yoga” circles, people sit and try to meditate without preparing body and breath. Then they keep thinking they are meditating, but nothing goes on happening. Breath is disturbed. Body is stiff. Samadhi doesn’t happen.

That’s why I now feel:

Even only Hatha Yoga is better than only Raja Yoga.
Because Hatha Yoga eventually gives you real Raja Yoga anyway.

How Karma Yoga Comes First

Before Hatha, Karma Yoga helped me. But I didn’t realize it in words.

I used my own understanding of holographic reality and science based philosophy Sharirvigyan Darshan to approach life nondually.
This gave me a peaceful mind, a natural sense of surrender in action, and a body-breath rhythm that was already inward. I wasn’t reacting too much to success or failure. I stayed calm while doing duties.

Without knowing, this became Karma Yoga.

This helped my posture stay relaxed, and breath stay smooth, even in daily life. It became easier to move into stillness when I sat down for meditation or inner work.

So All These Yogas Are One Ladder

Now I see clearly:

  • Karma Yoga comes first — it calms you in action.
  • Hatha Yoga comes next — it prepares your body and breath.
  • Raja Yoga comes last — it happens on its own when stillness is perfect.

They are not three different paths.
They are one natural unfolding.

Today’s Confusion

Today, Yoga is divided:

  • Some do only asana as fitness.
  • Some do only meditation without body discipline.
  • Some talk only about philosophy.
    But all are incomplete alone.

That’s why many people don’t feel any deep transformation, even after years.

But I feel even if one does basic Karma Yoga and regular Hatha Yoga, stillness will come one day. Raja Yoga will not be needed as a separate practice — it will happen.

What I Suggest Now

For those who want real Yoga:

  • Don’t label the path.
  • Live peacefully with surrender (Karma Yoga will begin).
  • Practice weekly or daily Shatkarma, Asana, gentle Pranayama (Hatha will deepen).
  • Sit without forcing (Raja Yoga will arise).

Let the shimmering meditation image grow silently.
Let breath slow down naturally.

Let Yoga be one, not many.

Final Line

I no longer believe in separating Karma, Hatha, and Raja Yoga.
I feel now that all are steps of the same inner ladder.
I walked it, without planning, and it showed itself as one path.

If I could give one message on this International Yoga Day, it is:

Yoga is not about variety. Yoga is about unity — of body, breath, and awareness.

Everything else is support.

And lastly, don’t forget:
Yoga is the best job — it gives a salary of peace and bliss for limitless time, not like a physical job that pays only for a few decades, at most a hundred years.

Yoga is also the best family — it offers companionship of the Self for eternity, not just for a short human lifespan like a physical family.

✨ So let us all take an oath on this year’s International Yoga Day — to keep Yoga at the very top of our to-do list.
Not just for a day, but for a lifetime.

Yes, don’t forget – one yoga=one health.

Eternal Keval Kumbhak vs Eternal Nirvikalpa Samadhi: Which Is Closer to God?

Perfect. Here’s a fully text-based poetic-style blog post that captures the contrast between Eternal Keval Kumbhak and Eternal Nirvikalpa Samadhi, without using any charts — entirely suitable for WordPress:

🕉️ Eternal Keval Kumbhak vs Eternal Nirvikalpa Samadhi: Which Is Closer to God?

In the deepest folds of yoga and mysticism, seekers often ask:

Is God in eternal Keval Kumbhak — breathless, still, yet vibrantly alive?
Or is He in eternal Nirvikalpa Samadhi — formless, thoughtless, pure being beyond all dualities?

Let us explore this with inner reverence and clarity.

🌬️ Keval Kumbhak – The Breathless God

Keval Kumbhak is the spontaneous, effortless retention of breath — not forced, not practiced, but arising naturally when prana and apana merge, when duality ends in the body.

In this state:

  • Breath is utterly still.
  • Yet the being is fully alive, aware, and undisturbed.
  • No inhalation, no exhalation — just an eternal pause.
  • The body is like a flame that doesn’t flicker.
  • Consciousness watches in silence, as if holding the entire universe in its womb.

When a yogi experiences Keval Kumbhak, even for moments, it feels divine — as though the body has turned to sky, and the soul floats in a still ocean of life.

To imagine God in eternal Keval Kumbhak is to see Him as the supreme yogi — alive, breathless, still, watching all creation without moving a single atom within Himself.

🧘‍♂️ Nirvikalpa Samadhi – The Formless God

But deeper than breath, deeper than body, deeper even than witnessing silence — is Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

In this state:

  • There is no mind, no breath, no body-awareness.
  • There is no observer or observed.
  • Thought vanishes. Even the sense of “I am” dissolves.
  • No God, no world — just pure being, limitless, indivisible.

This is not a state that comes and goes. It is the true nature of existence, of Self, of God — beyond the idea of God.

To speak of God as being in eternal Nirvikalpa Samadhi is to say:

He is not “in” a state — He is the foundationless Reality,
before the first breath, before time, before space.
He does not breathe, think, move — He simply Is.

🕊️ So Which Is Closer to the Truth?

Both images are true — from different lenses.

  • Eternal Keval Kumbhak is God as the silent, breathless, cosmic yogi, holding the universe in still awareness — beautiful, relatable, alive.
  • Eternal Nirvikalpa Samadhi is God as the absolute Self, beyond all movement, even breathlessness — infinite, silent, unknowable.

If you seek relationship, devotion, or a form of living stillness, Keval Kumbhak paints a divine picture of God.

If you seek nonduality, liberation, or truth beyond all ideas, Nirvikalpa Samadhi is the ultimate doorway — and the place beyond all doorways.

✨ A Closing Reflection

God doesn’t breathe — because He is the source of breath.
God doesn’t think — because He is the witness before thought.
God doesn’t meditate — because He is the end of meditation.

You may call Him the breathless one — or the formless one.
You may find Him in stillness — or lose yourself in His silence.

Both are true.
Both are holy.
Both lead home.

Kundalini Yoga and the Weight of Black Holes: Uniting Spiritual Science, Physiology, and Astronomy

In a fascinating revelation, astronomers have discovered that many ancient galaxies have stopped producing new stars. The reason? Supermassive black holes near these galaxies are expelling gas and dust—the essential ingredients for star formation—through their immense energy and radiation. This discovery offers a profound metaphor for understanding human creativity and consciousness, particularly when viewed through the lens of spiritual science.

Black holes, often described as cosmic voids of immense gravitational pull, can be seen as a macrocosmic representation of the darkness that resides in the human mind. In spiritual terms, this darkness arises from tamoguna—the inertia and ignorance that hinders creativity and growth. Just as black holes in the universe suppress the birth of new stars, the darkness in the human psyche stifles the emergence of new, creative thoughts. Kundalini Yoga and other spiritual practices provide a pathway to address this inner black hole, reduce its weight, and unleash boundless creative potential.

The Interconnection of Astronomy, Physiology, and Spiritual Science

Traditionally, astronomy, physiology, and spiritual science have been treated as separate domains. Yet, they share a deep interconnectedness. The mysteries of one field can often be inferred or illuminated by insights from the others. For example:

Physiology studies the body and its processes, including the impact of stress and thoughts on health.

Astronomy examines the vast cosmos, exploring phenomena like black holes and star formation.

Spiritual science delves into the unseen realms of consciousness and energy.

When these fields are viewed in unison, they create a holistic framework for understanding existence. In ancient times, spiritual science often served as the foundation for exploring physiology and astronomy, as it required no physical tools or machinery—only the human mind and focused attention. Today, as technology advances, astronomy and physiology are at their peak, while spiritual science seems comparatively underexplored.

However, spiritual science remains crucial because it transcends physical boundaries and leads to self-realization and liberation. Its relevance is not diminished by modern advancements; rather, it complements them by offering insights into the unseen forces that govern both the universe and human consciousness.

The Black Hole Within: Darkness of the Mind

The human mind, like the universe, can harbor its own “black holes.” These are the heavy, dense clusters of unprocessed thoughts, unresolved emotions, and unconscious patterns that consume mental energy. This internal darkness draws parallels to supermassive black holes in space:

Gravitational Pull: Just as a black hole’s gravity pulls everything inward, the mind’s darkness draws energy away from the body, creating stress and inertia.

Suppression of Creativity: The overwhelming weight of negative or suppressed thoughts prevents new, creative ideas from forming, much like black holes inhibit star formation.

Energy Consumption: Constant mental chatter and unresolved inner conflicts drain the body’s energy, leaving little room for vitality and innovation.

This inner darkness often stems from the accumulation of tamoguna—a state characterized by ignorance, lethargy, and inertia. Left unchecked, it perpetuates stress and stifles growth, both individually and collectively.

Kundalini Yoga: Lightening the Inner Black Hole

Kundalini Yoga, along with practices like Sakshi Bhava (witness consciousness), offers a transformative solution to reduce the weight of the mind’s darkness. These practices work by addressing suppressed thoughts and emotions, allowing them to surface, be observed, and dissolve.

How Kundalini Yoga Transforms Darkness:

1. Energy Activation: Kundalini Yoga awakens dormant energy at the base of the spine, channeling it through the chakras to purify the mind and body. This process helps release the “gravitational pull” of negative thoughts.

2. Mindful Awareness: Through Sakshi Bhava, individuals cultivate a state of detached observation. By becoming a witness to their thoughts, they reduce their emotional charge and free up mental space for creativity.

3. Stress Reduction: Kundalini practices combine breathwork, meditation, and movement to reduce stress and restore balance, conserving the body’s energy for higher pursuits.

4. Igniting Creativity: As the weight of darkness lessens, the mind becomes fertile ground for new, creative ideas, akin to a galaxy resuming star formation.

The Holistic View: Connecting Micro and Macro

The interplay of spiritual science, physiology, and astronomy becomes evident when we consider this metaphor of black holes. In the macrocosm, black holes are powerful yet obstructive forces that suppress cosmic creativity. In the microcosm, the human mind can mirror this phenomenon, harboring its own “black holes” of inertia and suppression.

However, unlike galaxies, humans have the ability to consciously transform their inner state. Spiritual practices like Kundalini Yoga provide direct access to this transformation without the need for external resources or technology. They serve as tools to lighten the mind, release creative energy, and achieve self-realization.

Conclusion: Embracing the Light

As we integrate insights from astronomy, physiology, and spiritual science, a unified understanding of existence emerges. The darkness of black holes—whether cosmic or mental—no longer remains a mystery but becomes a gateway to transformation.

Kundalini Yoga, with its ability to dissolve inner darkness, offers a profound path to creativity and enlightenment. By reducing the weight of the “black holes” within, we can unleash the radiant energy of the human spirit, enabling both personal and collective growth. Just as galaxies can reignite star formation by dispersing cosmic debris, we, too, can reignite our creativity and purpose by clearing the darkness within.

In this interconnected universe, the journey inward is as vital as the exploration of the stars. Together, they reveal the infinite potential of existence.

E-book cover Designing- a fundamental tool for successful self-publishing

Friends, if the art of sharing experiences with everyone is not learned, then those experiences would not have special significance.  Those experiences remain confined to that single man, and perish with him.  In India, there used to be a wave of spirituality.  Spiritual learning was at its peak.  But over time the tendency to share those disciplines began to stop.  There were many reasons for that, which I do not want to go into depth.  Gradually, many spiritual disciplines became extinct.  In today’s times, websites and e-books are the most important means of sharing experiences.  Therefore, it is important for everyone to have basic knowledge of website creation and self-publication.  The ebook cover is the most important part of the ebook.

It should not be forgotten that the demand for eBooks has increased due to the Corona Virus Locadown, and will increase further. Publishing houses are also offering good discount offers. Blue Hills Publication is also offering discount of more than 50℅.

EBooks should be attractive

There was a time when people used to read books without cover.  Their main purpose was the textual content of the book, not the cover.  Now the time has changed.  Nowadays people forget the text of the book in the glare of the cover.  Many times, a book of excellent quality takes a very long time to succeed due to lack of cover, while the inferior book also succeeds due to dazzling cover.  The reason for this is not that people get any special benefit from the cover of books.  The real reason is that the whole world has access to e-books.  If one lakh people out of 200 million readers also fell prey to the cover, then the book became successful.  The second reason is cheapness of e-books.  The third reason is the present-day materialism and outward view of living life.

The designing website that I found best to make a book cover

You’d be surprised that it took me 3 years to learn how to make a book cover. Canva dot com made my job a lot easier.  For 3 years, my books were supported by book covers made by KDP itself.  However those covers do not look beautiful and professional.  I made a book cover on photo editor of adobe dot com. I had to do all the work myself, such as writing text on photos and editing it as desired.  The resultant cover also did not look professional.  I pasted butterflies, flowers, etc. on the cover photo of another book.  The photo was pasted on a background plane paper at canva dot com. At that time I could not understand the full working of canva dot com. I got a chance to understand canva when I made a book cover through Blue Hills Publication for one of my books by paying 6000 INR along with getting my eBook promoted.  Seeing 8 books of my remaining lot, the publisher said that my book covers did not look professional.  Anyway, you have to lose something to get something.

How to do cover designing on canva

First create your account on the website and log in.  Go to home. Here, there will be all your previous designs created by you.  There is a custom dimension button.  In this, we can create a cover of any size (pixel length by pixel width).  This is necessary because every self-publishing platform has a different demand for eBook cover.  KDP, Kindle Direct Publishing accepts a JPG image of 2500 by 1600 pixels.  If you click on another option of ebook cover, then a smaller size cover (about 800 by 200 pixels) is created.  Its size then has to be increased with different software.  I found resizeimage dot in to be the best and easiest for this.  Clicking the option of ebook cover or custom dimension, there opens a drop down menu.  On top of that is the template button.  This opens up hundreds of designs of books.  Clicking on the template of any preferred design brings it to the working window on the right.  Pressing the upload button from the left dropdown menu will show all the photos you have uploaded.  Upload the desired photo from the computer by clicking on upload an image option.  Drag that photo from there with the left button of the mouse and drop it on the selected template in the working window.  Direct drop will paste it at a small space on the background of the template, as seen on the following book cover image in this post.  That photo can be enlarged or reduced in size.  To make that photo the background of the template, move the dragged photo here and there with the mouse over the template.  The borders of the template will be green on one position and the photo will be spread over the entire template to be highlighted as its background.  Drop that photo leaving the Mouse there.  This will make this photo as the background of the template.  However all the texts like headings, subheadings etc.; lines and boxes etc. on the template will remain the same.  You can edit all these visual elements as you want and you can also remove them.  You can also add the text of your choice. You can also change the size and texture of the text.  You can also add text to a blank space on the template where there is no text already.  All these facilities are available for free.  The visual quality of the cover design is basic.  Through paid subscription, you get chance to download the cover design that you have created in high definition quality.  In the same way, by paying money one gets a lot of good templates.

All of photo designing can be done at Canva

Logos, blog banners, Facebook posts, Instagram photos, logos, posters, cards, etc. can all be created on Canva. A blog banner is a featured image of a website’s page or post. The logo is in the form of a small circular photo at the beginning of the website or Facebook page. Photo backgrounds can also be made transparent on Canva although I think with paid subscription. Canva app is also available for mobile.

My eBook cover designed on canva

Please click on this link to see all my eBook covers made on canva.