Meditations on OM: The Iron Safe

To look for the God without, abandoning the God within, is like going in quest of conch-shells after giving up the precious diamond on the hand. If you cannot find Him in your heart you will not find Him anywhere else. Search Him within the innermost recesses of the heart. He is subtler than the subtlest. Make the lotus of your heart as pure as possible. Withdraw the fuel of desires and extinguish the fire of Sankalpas. Realise the Truth now through your higher mind. Enjoy the perennial joy of Divine Bliss. A rich man keeps his valuable jewels in an iron safe that is kept in the innermost chamber of his bungalow. One has to pass through five compartments before he reaches the compartment in which the iron safe is placed. Five walls screen the iron safe. Even so this most valuable jewel of the Atman is placed in the innermost recesses of your heart. Five veils cover this Atman. The five veils are the Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya and the Anandamaya Kosas. You must tear these five veils if you want to approach the Atman. In other words, you will have to pass through the five compartments formed by the five Kosas if you want to get at the jewel of the Atman. An extract from Meditation on OM and Mandukya Upanishad by Swami Sivananda

Swami Sivananda Pocket Spiritual Gems: Obtain Divine Grace

The degree of grace Is in proportion to the degree of surrender. Do total self-surrender And obtain the divine grace: This is the royal, blessed way To supreme peace and eternal bliss

Yoga Course Information Nov 2008 onwards

Yoga Info for non resident Indians and non Indians only: Yoga Vacation daily donations applicable - Temporary dorm Rs 500 per day / Rs 7000 per 2 weeks; Permanent dorm Rs 600 day / Rs 8500 per 2 weeks

Nov 2008 onwards Yoga vacation program is not held during TTC, ATTC or SI

A guest who is new to Sivananda Yoga system should stay for the whole 2 weeks – others who had undergone YV, TTC, ATTC or SI , in any of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres will be allowed to stay any number of days with minimum as 3 days.

The program for 2009 / 10 in the Madurai ashram is as follows: Jan 4 – 19, 09: Sadhana Intensive (SI) – only for TTC graduates(For non resident Indians and non Indians - SI donation: US $ 740 in temporary dorm/US $ 660 in permanent dorm)

Jan 20 - Feb 2, 09: Yoga vacations ( YV ) - 2 weeks duration.( For non resident Indians and non Indians - YV donation for 2 weeks - : Rs 7000 in temporary dorm/Rs 8500 in permanent dorm)

Feb 8 - Mar 8, 09: Yoga Advanced TTC (ATTC). ( For non resident Indians and non Indians - ATTC donation: US $ 1800 in temporary dorm/US $ 2000 in permanent dorm)

Mar 15 – Apr 12, 09: Yoga Teacher Training Course (TTC). (For non resident Indians and non Indians - TTC donation: US $ 1800 in temporary dorm/US $ 2000 in permanent dorm)

Apr 16 - 29, 09: our 14 day Yoga Vacation programme resumes (For non resident Indians and non Indians - YV donation for 2 weeks - : Rs 8500 permanent dorm is only available)

May 09 onwards 1st to 14th & 16th to 29th of every month: Yoga Vacation programme (For non resident Indians and non Indians - YV donation for 2 weeks - : Rs 8500 - permanent dorm only is available )

Nov 8 – Nov 22, 2009 - TTC refresher course

Nov 29 – Dec 27, 09 - Teacher Training Course

Jan 3 – 18, 2010 - Sadhana intensive

Jan 24 – Feb 21, 2010 - Teacher Training Course for Indian residents

please email: madurai@sivananda.org or call if you have any further questions, or need any assistance from us, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Telephone:+91 452 291 2950 +91-(0)9442190661 +91-9344677965