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Welcome to BinduPeriodical and programAfter a pause in publication we are again ready to take up the inspiration to make Bindu. From now on the periodical will be released four times a year. Each time with a content of articles, that shed light on various aspects of yoga, tantra and meditation.

Need for informationIn recent years meditation and yoga has on several occasions been the subject for public debate. Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School has actively taken part in this debate. We have also made ourselves available for elaborating upon information for those who have requested it, and have in general experienced an extensive need for information concerning the art of living and science that meditation, tantra and yoga is. With Bindu we wish to inform and inspire, and if possible bring clarity, where misunderstanding and false conceptions prevail.

Quality of teachingWe also wish to be the mouthpiece for maintaining the quality of teaching in yoga and meditation at as high a level as possible.

population. Yoga has a good reputation, and to live up to this and to keep a high standard, we have recommeneded the evening school leaders to employ only conscientious and qualified

yoga teachers, with a recognised education behind them.In all probability it can work to teach from personal experience, but experience can be built upon fantasy, and when we sometimes see what is passed out under the name of meditation - even under the name of yoga, we don’t recognise it. It can be completely diluted and with no bite, and the results that should arise, are not lived up to of what one must demand from real yoga and meditation, and which serious scientific research confirms.

There is a great difference between looking at something from the outside and knowing it from within. The more ability the

teacher has, the better he or she can teach and not only the advanced classes, but also where the beginner classes are concerned. The teacher needs not only the

In Denmark yoga is mainly taught in evening schools, and has on different occasions been advocated by the Danish Doctors Union, many politicians and a wide range of the

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necessary experience, imagination and desire for discovery, but must also be firmly anchored in the original tradition with its rich knowledge. This comes about in the form of a thorough education and training in a tried and tested system. In this way one ensures that it is liberation and concentration, that is achieved, and not confusion, dreams and dull actions.

Bindu goes to the sourceIn this issue we bring an inspiring article: “On the ability to experience” by Swami Janakananda, written from the tantric yoga and meditation tradition and his own comprehensive insight into meditation’s innermost nature. Swami Janakananda’s sought after book, Yoga, Tantra and Meditation in Daily Life, was released last summer in a revised and extended edition. It is both a thorough and practical hand-book, well illustrated, and a description

of the tradition and background. An indispensable book for you who practice or want to know more about yoga and meditation In future Bindus we will describe various yoga exercises in more detail. We begin this series with three articles on why and how yoga works, and give an account of headstand and nose cleansing.

Håå Course CentreYou will find a presentation of the Intemational Håå Course Centre in southern Sweden. The Course Centre is not only an important part of the yoga teacher education of Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School, but also home to our most deep going courses. There are 10-and 14-day courses during autumn, Christmas, New Year and summer. In late January, Swami Janakananda begins his 20th three-month course

ContentsOn the ability to experience 4by Swami Janakananda. “Say the troll’s name, and it disappears”, goes the old fairy tale. “The teacher’s foremost task is to awaken the student into being able to experience - perhaps the most releasing and curative ability we possess.”

Yoga, Tantra and Meditation in Daily Life 7Swami Janakananda’s book on yoga from a yogi’s point of view.

Yoga 8Not a word about sweat and effort; with yoga it is a question of well-being built on other principles.

Headstand 10When you stand on your head, you see everything in a new perspective.

Nose cleansing 12In Sweden, nose cleansing has been recommended by doctors as part of a project concerning toxic substances.

Heart of London 15A weekend course in Covent Garden

Håå Course Centre in southern Sweden 16Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation Schools course centre Håå is an internationally recognised power centre within modern yoga and meditation teaching. Course participants gather here from all corners of the globe.

The 3-month Course 17at Håå Course Centre. Including a 33-days initiation into advanced tantric Kriya Yoga with Swami Janakananda.

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with, among other things, learning of the tantric Kriya Yoga. In the later numbers of Bindu we will publicise scientific research, e.g. the research that has, for a number of years, been carried out on the 3-month courses.

The next editionBindu will be released again in January, 1994, and will contain an article by a Japanese professor on the far reaching effects of the yoga programme, Pawanmuktasana - that is otherwise known as the programme of small wind and tension releasing exercises. It is written on the basis of a knowledge of the vital energy, which in India is referred to as Prana. In China it is known as Chi, and this energy’s flow and junctions are made use of in Chinese acupuncture. In another article we will look closer at the meditation The Source of Energy.

Enjoy the new Bindu!! q

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On the Ability to Experience

The ability to experience is, according to my understanding, the most liberating and healing ability we possess. This article explains the concept, both in relation to your inner life, through its use in meditation, and through simple but powerful methods that you can use to remain in tune with the world around you. The ability to experience - to be constantly aware and present - can be learnt and trained. The way to this ability we find defined, for instance, in the tantric yoga and meditation tradition. The teacher’s foremost task is to awaken the student into being able to experience and to bring him or her out of the judgmental prison, out of all that which the student fears or craves for, and which makes the student forget him/herself and lose the perspective. The first step on the way can occur by learning the meditation Inner Silence (Antar Mauna). When in the beginning of this meditation you learn to experience the totality of the sounds around you and when, through the technique, you gain the ability to allow thoughts to flow by, then this acts upon the entire organism, not just upon your mind. The tolerance that arises in relation to your thoughts and feelings, creates an instantaneous

harmony and tranquillity and you realise that it is not necessary to identify with all that crops up in the mind. Thus you release deep seated tensions and open up to greater creativity. I know this from my own experience, but, nevertheless, I am amazed by the results my students regularly achieve. I had a young woman on a meditation course in Copenhagen, who had suffered from diabetes for some years. During only the second evening of the course, where she learned to relax in relation to her surroundings and thoughts, her insulin production went to work again, by itself. That made me ask, is there really nothing more to it, than experiencing thoughts and surroundings for a moment without becoming involved, to make the cause of sickness vanish? Possibly the worst conception one can have about meditation is that it is difficult and that it demands struggle and exertion. As a seeker one may easily become self-involved. One can get lost in personal dreams, or illusions of exaggerated ideals that one should live up to, or roles to play, or cling to fashionable attitudes and tailor-made explanations of life, to

In the surroundings - to be here and now; and internally - in your thoughts and attitudes, to see your self in your consciousnessby Swami Janakananda

Swami Janakananda has been using yoga most of his life, and a disciple of Swami Satyananda since 1968. Swami Janakananda is the founder of the Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School, with branches throughout Scandinavia and northern Germany. His book Yoga, Tantra and Meditation in Daily Life, now translated into seven languages, has confirmed his international recognition as a consequential and independent exponent of yoga and meditation. Swami Janakananda lives at Håå International Course Centre, southern Sweden. A place where people gather from all over the world, to attend advanced residential courses or to live in the ashram - the teaching is mainly in English, but also in German and the Scandinavian languages. Here Swami Janakananda, among other things, trains yoga teachers and teaches the tantric Kriya Yoga.

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Investigation of ConsciousnessAn international group of scientists, concerning themselves with investi-gation into consciousness, met in 1980 in the USA at the Human Consciousness Research Conference. Through their research, they were discovering short-cuts to the most effective methods of releasing the mind’s potential. For over ten years they had studied results from widely disparate forms of therapy, meditation etc., inquiring into how good people were at dealing with daily life and resolving their own problems before and after they had been in contact with one method or another. They unanimously came to this conclusion: Regardless of what you do or study, it is of no benefit if you do not awaken or train your awareness, so that you can be present and experience that which happens here and now - in yourself and in your surroundings. “Neurosis,” said Daniel Goldman at this conference, “is caused, one way or another, by a deficiency illness - and what is lacking is awareness.”

The word awareness is not quite suf-ficient to describe this state. Conscious-ness is probably better. For the time being I prefer to use words such as total-experience or wakefulness. An attunement where everything that occurs in your surroundings has equal significance, regardless of proportion or intensity. You become one with the situation you find yourself in, when you experience it as a totality. You are therefore also aware the moment something makes you forget the wholeness - and yourself. It does not mean, however, to be on guard,

different mythologies - but none of this strengthens the ability to experience, nor does it give a better contact with ones own reality. Through meditation, on the other hand - and also if one wishes to go further with a personal training in a supportive and intense milieu (an ashram), or on a deep going residential course - the teacher can guide the pupil to realise his true identity and essential being. When you know who you are, when you can experience yourself as a spectator in the midst of life, as consciousness, it becomes possible to remain open and let experiences manifest themselves, and thus remain independent of them. During meditation I let happen what is already happening and experience it without resisting it. I realise that I do not have to use energy to avoid outer or inner disturbances - they transform into experiences that I am done with as they happen.

This is not just of benefit to yourself, it also has an impact on your surroundings and raises your tolerance towards others. A woman, living in a large city in Norway with a responsible and demanding job describes this, comparing the periods when she attended yoga classes with periods when she did not find time for it: “The experience I get with yoga and meditation influences the whole of my normal day. Things fall into place better, misunderstandings do not happen so easily and bottlenecks do not arise at work. And, furthermore, everything at home, within the family goes much more smoothly in those periods when I do yoga and meditate.”

or to critically search for special occurrences or sensations. Neither do you attempt to set a distance from what is happening by constantly describing or analysing what you experience. When we allow ourselves to experience an existing disharmony - we do not shun it, but remain ourselves in relation to the experience - then, simply by perceiving it, we can incorporate it into the wholeness or liberate ourselves from it. In an ancient tantric text Vigyan Bhairava it is written: “At the start of sneezing, during fright, in anxiety, above a chasm, flying into battle, in extreme curiosity, at the beginning of hunger, at the end of hunger, be uninterruptedly aware.”

Wakefulness on the Inner PlaneThe ability to experience is also trained and used in the special way we meditate upon our own form, the body. This method makes us transcend the body to states closer to our essence. We also deepen our state by awareness of the breath. To experience the body and breath in their entirety - without disturbing the state of the body or process of breathing - releases not just tension, but works also curatively. When you meditate upon the breath, for example, you do not attempt to alter or control it. You just let the body breathe, while you follow the breath and experience it. It is a technique that, in one way or another, is used in all traditions on the earth where there is mention of meditation. In the same way you relate to your thoughts - you do not interfere with or attempt to understand the thoughts,

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you are just aware of them and allow yourself to experience them as objects you can observe. This will make certain thoughts unveil themselves as automatic and recurrent “this is how I am” programmes. When you have become familiar with the meditation, you realise that you are not these thought patterns, and that you can choose to follow them or not. On this foundation you can make resolutions and carry them through to realisation. Or you can free yourself of that which previously was an unconscious influence. A concealed apprehension, for instance, becomes evident and can be dropped. Medical research that was carried out for six consecutive years during the yearly 3-months course at the Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation Schools’ course centre in Håå, south Sweden, shows clearly that meditation reduces anxiety.

Meditation helps us meet and over-come the unconscious attitudes that we carry around and which time and again crop up and determine our everyday life: A lack of motivation, a reluctant or excessively reserved attitude, a low profile (when you hide yourself instead of doing what you really want), thoughts full of hate or doubt ... But we do not get anywhere if we become frustrated or suppress our thoughts - on the contrary - and if we are given to examining and analysing them and calling them good and bad, then we just cling to them and become self-involved. The open awareness is released by the meditation techniques, the brain is relaxed and remains so during the meditation. When you witness the thoughts and do not identify with them,

it makes you able to not block or close up, when expectations, apprehensions or ideas demanding that something in particular should be experienced emerge - and you don’t let yourself get carried away so easily by that which fascinates. The state of meditation will make it possible for you to remain yourself, as the one who experiences. You are present where the thoughts or emotions arise, where consciousness or awakening is needed. “Say the trolls name, and it disappears”, goes the old fairy tale. It works almost like a miracle, but to admit and realise the presence of a thought or a state is enough to neutralise it. When during meditation we train and develop the ability to remain silent and are content with experiencing the thought, the emotion or the state, then we are freed of its influence.

Wakefulness on the Outer PlaneAlso in the outer, in your environment, are you present with your conscious-ness. You can use it either to encounter intense and difficult experiences, or in general to experience the surroundings that you find yourself in right now, as a whole. In that way you get help from the experience you get in meditation and it becomes natural to be more aware in everyday life - this too is an impor-tant part of the liberating process of the tantric yoga and meditation tradition. A clear example of being present was related by a woman yoga teacher. She told me of the birth of her first child. “When I teach pregnant women they learn psychic breathing, panting breath and to experience the spontaneous breath.

But, when it came down to it, I became so fascinated by what was happening, it was so exciting, that I even forgot to use the breathing techniques. I had decided not to take painkillers. When the contractions came, and they really hurt, I chose to go into the pain and experience it. Then everything changed. The pain vanished and I was fully concentrated inside the womb feeling the forward and downward movement...”

I will conclude by suggesting an experi-ment to you, something that can change your whole attitude towards life: The next time you go into a room full of people - that can be on a bus, at work or at a party, in a supermarket or at a concert - remain standing for a brief moment at the door or in the middle of the room. Stand still and experience the whole situation and your self in the middle of it - the entire room and everybody there. Let your awareness remain open until it perceives everything and, in that wholeness, all the details that may spring forth. Compare this state that you go in to when you do it with the times you are in a similar situation and have just looked down at the floor, or have immediately limited your awareness to one thing or one person. If sometimes you feel your sur-roundings as a pressure, or if you feel introverted, imprisoned by thoughts, emotions or states, then this is a start-lingly effective method to become free of that pressure again. You will ex-perience a difference so great that you will almost not believe it yourself. q

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This book offers an alternative to the way many books deal with yoga, when they maintain the misunderstanding that one must take on a new life style to use yoga and meditation.

Swami Janakananda does not only stress the practical side of yoga and meditation in this book, but shares the Tantric wisdom and view, that gives you the freedom to practise yoga and meditation entirely on your own terms. Many attempts have been made to ex-plain yoga from a scholarly or religious viewpoint. This book instead describes yoga from within, based on the author’s own understanding - from a yogi’s point of view. Yoga has, through many thousands of years, developed into a system that deals with human develop-ment and health. We find traces of yoga from the past on earth’s various continents. Today yoga and meditation are both one of the most used alternative therapy forms in many countries, and a basis for an active and creative life for many people. As you follow the exercises in this book, you will realise that yoga is

Yoga, Tantra and Meditation in Daily Swami Janakananda’s book in a revised and extended edition

based on a profound knowledge of hu-man nature: A knowledge not limited to any age, life-style or nationality. It is the fruit of a living tradition, where knowledge is passed directly from teacher to student, from generation to generation. Step by step you are guided through the subject, and in a practical manner you can benefit from the differ-ent poses, breathing exercises, medita-tions and the Tantric sexual yoga.

A readers recommendation “I am writing this let-ter to tell you how pleased I am with the book ‘Yoga, Tantra and Medi-tation in Daily Life’. I have also recently bought the tape ‘Yoga Nidra’. I am very pleased of what I saw and heard. I have read many yoga

books and tried to follow them, but they were not filled with much infor-mation. Your book tends to go into more detail about each asana, breathing exercise and meditation. Many of my friends didn’t understand yoga until I showed them your book and they found it very fascinating. Personally, I have tried different kinds of exercises such as weight lifting which afterwards made me feel very tired and sore. I also tried Tai Chi, which is similar to yoga and meditation, but I found out that yoga gives a better overall relax-ing effect than Tai Chi. I have only

been doing yoga for about eight months, but I am inspired by yoga more and more each day. I have been doing the classi-cal poses in the ‘Yoga, Tantra and Meditation’ book now for a few months. In closing, I would like to thank you for the wonderful material and some day I would like to travel to Sweden and go to your school. Sincerely,

Clinton Blackmore, Regina, Canada”

(Rider Books, UK and Weiser, USA. Yoga, Tantra et Méditation dans la Vie Quotodienne, Editions Satyanandashram, France)

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by Gunnar Petersen and Franz Jervidalo

Yoga is about the art of living. To be able to rest in yourself and have balance in life, balance between activity and rest, between tension and relaxation, between the external and the internal. Yoga is also about being able to return to that balance, if it should momentarily disappear or, for a while,

be forgotten completely. And for this we use, among other things, the pos-tures of yoga, which are called asana. We will in this and the following issues of Bindu go into further depth with specific postures and programmes. We start by outlining an essential feature. Asana are often viewed as a form of gymnastics. But in contrast to gymnastics, where the movements are

paramount and not always carried out quite consciously, the yoga postures are performed under great tranquillity and with full awareness; and are not called exercises, but postures. They are based upon a timeless knowledge of how the body functions, in itself, and in relationship with the mind and the psychic energy. Asana means a correctly rendered, stable and comfortable pose,

Yoga - and something fundamental with the use of yoga postures, asana

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developed, tried and tested and passed on from teacher to pupil for generations. The different asanas influence the body in various ways; muscles, organs, blood circulation, nervous system, glands and the breath. (e.g. see article on headstand). Here we shall focus on one method, which is that when a muscle is held stretched its tensions decline, the longer it is retained, the more it relaxes. This is demonstrated by measuring muscle tension during a posture. Therefore one stands or sits completely still for some time in each yoga posture, and with a combination of various poses one literally touches all the muscles in the body. One does not over-strain, but goes as far into the posture as the body allows and stays there for a while. Gradually the tension falls so much that it is possible to reach further into the pose. In this manner all yoga postures, with some practise, become comfortable. The asanas give an immediate experience of well-being and, in the long term, good health; and makes the mind concentrated. But the postures have a further purpose: They are preparatory to the meditative state and deepen it. q

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Headstandby Tine Elmer and Mira

The headstand (Shirsasana) is considered the most important of all yoga poses. As long as you haven’t completely explored this pose, you will not know the full effect of physical yoga. However, this is not a pose you begin with. In yoga you progress step by step. When you learn the headstand you first prepare with easy exercises to get to know your body thoroughly. But don’t think it is a pose for a select few. Practically everybody can learn to stand on their head. Many people, young as well as old, do it every day. Our oldest yoga teacher, Laurs Djørup, now 68 years old, who took up yoga ten years ago, stands on his head every day “as soon as I have flnished my shower, to get the morning stiffness out of my body”. In the documentary film, The Young Old, by the Danish director Jørgen Roos, an octogenarian tells how he has stood on his head regularly all his life. According to him, that is why he has never had a headache. India’s first Prime Minister, Nehru, stood on his head every day for a quarter of an hour, and “that among other things inspired me to start doing yoga”, says Swami Janakananda.

Research on the headstand...As you get used to standing on your head you begin to relax in the pose. Then you will be able to stand for a longer time and get a deeper effect. Begin with half a minute to one minute

and then gradually increase the time. You may stand on the head as long as you like, up to half an hour, but around five minutes is more usual. At The Third Clinic of Krakow in Poland, research was made into the composition and quality of the blood of a man who stood on his head for thirty minutes. It turned out that the intake of air in the lungs was considerably reduced (3 liters per min. as compared to the normal 8 liters per min.) and his breathing became much slower (2 breaths per min.). The assimilation of oxygen increased by 33% and the air exhaled contained 10% less oxygen. To put it simply: When relaxing completely in the headstand, even though the body breathes slower, the blood absorbs considerably more oxygen, and consequently so does the brain and inner organs. Furthermore, the research showed that disturbing mental and emotional states, anxiety and breathing difficulties gradually disappeared. Mental balance and physical well-being was the outcome for those who used the pose regularly.

... and your own practiseThis is not a practical guide to the headstand. You should learn the exercise from a competent yoga teacher and get to know how to use it. For instance, you should not stand on your head if your blood pressure is too high; but if your body is prepared through a series of other yoga poses, the same precautions do not apply.

When you stand on your head, more blood flows to the head than in any other position. This provides nourishment and oxygen to cells and tissues. Clarity and concentration are enhanced, which is useful for studies and other mental tasks. For the yogi this pose is of particular importance as a preparation for meditation. The headstand is beneficial not only while you are doing it but also for a certain time afterwards. One of our pupils, an accountant, began to use the pose in the evening before retiring. He said that he could clearly feel the effect of the pose in the form of increased energy and clarity all through the following morning. All parts of the body are vitalised because of the stimulated blood circu-lation and the increased content of oxy-gen in the blood. The heart is relieved since it can now provide oxygen to the brain with less exertion, and the blood from the body flows back to the heart by itself. This relieves the valves of the veins which are ordinarily exerted when the blood from the body flows back into the heart. In this way varicose veins are prevented. The abdomen, the bowels, and other inner organs are re-laxed by hanging upside down.

Yoga literatureAccording to yoga literature the headstand can prevent, relieve or remedy: hernia, infertility, various diseases of the abdomen, digestive complaints such as constipation,

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insomnia, headaches and diseases of the ears, nose and throat. The pose strengthens the nervous system and is a remedy for failing energy. The glands in the upper part of the body, in the neck and head are stimulated, in particular the thyroid and the pineal glands. The headstand may remedy nervously conditioned asthma and is good for hay-fever. For hay-fever the pose is used after neti and before breathing exercises.

The experience of the headstandThe headstand is one of the classical yoga poses in which the effect may be increased by concentration on various places in the body, which are energy centres. In this pose the point of concentration is the crown of the head, sahasrara chakra. When coming out of the headstand, you stand up immediately and relax with your eyes closed. Afterwards you stretch your body upwards, standing on your toes with your arms above your head, hands folded, palms upwards; this is the palm, the counter pose to the headstand. A speedy transition from the head-stand to the palm loosens tensions and liberates energy. The energy is felt to flow upwards through the body, and immediately afterwards you will ex-perience an intense state of being NOW. If you want to avoid that or if you faint easily then make a slower transition from the headstand to the palm. As it is our principle that our pupils remain anonymous, we cannot disclose the politicians, artists, and many others who are using this pose every day, but they are many. q

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With us here in Scandinavia nose cleansing is known as an old house hold remedy against colds and infections. Old fishermen tell, that they have avoided colds throughout their lives by sniffing salt water from the hand or a small bowl and spitting it out of the mouth again. Similar descriptions of how people take advantage of the sea water’s curative and disinfecting abilities, one finds, amongst other places, in France, Germany, Finland and even Jamaica. With our senior citizen groups in Copenhagen, many of the participants still remember that in their childhood, nose cleansing was regularly used in the home against colds. At the turn of the century one could even, at many Scandinavian pharmacists, buy nose cleansing pots of glass. The following story originates from south Sweden: On a military base they had a large container full of salt-water, at the bottom of the container there was a small tap with a rubber hose. If the soldiers felt a cold coming on, they

would put the hose to their nostril and let the water run through. That was the most effective means they knew against colds.

... and todayFor a long time it seemed that this old technique would be forgotten in favour of modern medicine. When the first yoga teachers from our schools over twenty years ago came from India to Scandi-navia with neti pots they were almost unknown and many saw them as an ex-otic curiosity. But today nose cleansing has become a popular and established method - many see it as natural body hygiene, an economical and, above all, a healthier alternative to medicaments such as nasal drops and sprays. Especially in Sweden the doctors also show a great

Why cleanse the nose?To cleanse the nose with luke warm salt water is a yoga technique, which benefit is presently being discovered by still more people. This article deals with its origins, its possible applications and other things worth knowing. Nose cleansing, also called neti, is very easy to do. Everybody can learn it. The few directions given at the end of this article, though, should be followed carefully. Neti refreshes, and the nose becomes pleasantly open. The entire nose area is relaxed and cleaned from inside: Mucus, dust and dirt, even pollen and allergy provoking particles are gently rinsed out. This simple method can also help with many ailments or illnesses, e.g. cold, dry mucus membranes, allergy and asthma.

In different cultures...In the yoga tradition neti is one of the so-called Hatha Yoga methods, that in various ways clean the body. There are similar methods for the eyes, stomach and intestines. Neti exists in different variations, but the most gentle and pleasant way is probably the one where, with the help of a special pot (see picture), you pour salt water through the nose. Corresponding methods, in more or less complete forms, can be traced to the most diverse cultures.

Nose Cleansingby Joachim Rodenbeck

“As a child I often had bronchitis together with asthma and since then I have rarely been able to really breathe through the nose. The day I learned nose cleansing, I was able again for the first time to breathe completely freely through the nose.”

(40 year old course-participant from Oslo, Norway)

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interest: “We recommend nose cleansing against dry mucus membranes, to people with allergies and when working in dusty environments”, says chief physician, Dr. Claude Laurent, from the ear, nose and throat clinic in Falun in Sweden. He and his colleague, Dr. Matström from Hud-dinge Hospital in Stockholm, are two out of many doctors who recommend neti to their patients. At the Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School we teach nose cleansing on all of our yoga courses, and during the last 20 years approximately 75.000 people in Northern Europe have learnt nose cleansing with us. Now and again one hears the question: “Why on earth should we clean the nose?!” But when people have tried neti, they are surprised about how easy and pleasant it is, and above all what effect it has. Many continue to use neti daily at home, and return and tell about how it helps them.

Students reportThe spectrutm of experiences is broad: There are those who simply recount, that they feel fresher, more awake and clear in the head after having cleansed the nose. They first of all emphasise the relaxing effect that can even relieve or cure different forms of headaches, for instance migraine. With others nose cleansing has helped against physical ailments or even serious illnesses. A 19-year old student reports: “I suffered from chronic sinusitis for years, with headaches, tiredness etc. Medicine didn’t help any more, and an operation was necessary. After I had learnt nose cleansing, together with a few breathing exercises, I used it daily. The operation became unnecessary, and to-day I am completely healthy”. With sinusitis especially we receive a lot of feedback on the beneficial effects of neti. To receive the best results with this, neti should be performed in conjunction with certain breathing exercises. For this, though, it is necessary to be guided by a competent yoga teacher. People with allergies also have positive experiences. It improves their condition when they rinse their nose during the pollen season. A woman from Stockholm in Sweden related that since her childhood she has suffered terribly from hay fever - each spring with the usual symptoms: swollen eyes, that ran with tears, and a completely blocked nose. She has no problems today, even

at the height of the pollen season. She cleans her nose daily, several times if it is necessary.

What does physiology say?What actually happens as a result of the salt-water bath is described by professor Paul Stoksted from Odense, Denmark: “In the sinuses and mucus membranes microscopic hairs are found, the so called cilia, that all vibrate in the same direction. Under a microscope they resemble a cornfield swaying in the wind. The cilia are coated with a layer of mucus that catch dust, bacteria, pollen

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and white blood corpuscles. Through their motion the mucus membrane acts as a conveyer belt, transporting the mucus and caught particles through the nose, down the throat and further on to the stomach”. Therefore it is not only the mucus membranes in the nose that are stimulated by the use of neti, but also the rest of the air passage all the way down to the lungs, which is especially beneficial to smokers. Actually nose cleansing activates all the mucus membranes in the body, also in the stomach and in the eyes. Professor Paul Stoksted continues: “The movement of the cilia hairs can be paralysed by virus and allergy provoking substances, and also when it dries out, the mucus becomes tough and crusty and looses its function. Cleansing with salt water keeps the mucus moist, the cilia hairs are stimulated and encrustations, dust

as well as allergy provoking substances are removed”. If one has problems with dry mucus membranes, which is often the case with dry air in offices and other places, one may add a drop of almond oil to the water (or another plant oil). Why nose cleansing helps chronically blocked nostrils and sinusitis, explains Dr. Kenneth Uhre from Tallmogården Sanato-rium in Sweden: “The nasal cavity is con-nected to the sinuses with small orifices. When during a cold these channels are closed because of swollen mucus mem-branes, it can lead to sinusitis. By nose cleansing these channels are kept clear”. Regular use of neti can also prevent colds, as it changes the PH-value towards alkaline. Because when the mucus mem-brane is too acidic, that is to say when the PH-value is too low, the virus can survive and become attached to the mucus membrane and thus develop into an

infection. Contrarily, if the PH-value is higher, the virus dies. “Many people can even experience sinusitis-like symptoms when the orifices close for other reasons such as stress reactions or overwork”, says Dr. Uhre. With this background it is also clear why neti can consistently relieve psychosomatic ailments such as asthma since during asthma attacks the mucus membranes become swollen, and make breathing difficult when the air passage is obstructed by mucus. The effects of neti are as you see very comprehensive and can be employed for many purposes. It is up to each individual how one would use it: As a daily routine together with brushing the teeth, as “medicine” when one has use for it, as help when one wants to stop smoking, together with the breathing exercises of yoga, or simply just when one feels like being refreshed... q

How to do Nose Cleansing - Netin To clean the nose, you use a neti-pot, a small pot with a spout that fits into the nostril and seals it. You fill the pot with luke warm water and dissolve a teaspoon of ordinary salt there in.n Sea salt is unsuitable for nose cleansing. We have repeatedly experienced that people got a strong allergic reaction when they had sea salt in the pot - with ordinary salt, on the other hand, there were no problems. This might be due to the increasing pollution of the seas or a pollen content of the sea water.n The water in the pot now has the same salt concentration as the body (0.9%), and will feel comfortable when it runs through the nose.n Do neti over a sink. Hold the pot in one hand and place the spout against one nostril, so that it fits tightly. Lean forward, breathe relaxed through the mouth and turn the head to one side (see picture). Now the water will flow by itself, in through one nostril and out of the other.n When half of the water has run through one nostril,

gently blow out any remaining water and mucus. Then repeat this process in the other nostril.

n In the end the nose should be dried. You bend forward and let your head hang loosely down, so that the remaining water can run out of the nose. Close one nostril with the index finger and turn the head alternating from side to side. Blow gently (not forcefully) through one nostril at a time - until the nose is dry. This exercise to dry the nose is an important part of nose cleansing, and should be done thoroughly every time.

n After nose cleansing one can benefit from breathing exercises, first of all “The blacksmiths bellows” and “Kapalbhati”, they cleanse the lungs and the respiratory passage and supply the blood with more oxygen. As a harmonic conclusion of such a small program, you can do “The alternate nostril breathing” to gain an even better balance and clarity in the brain.We would be pleased to send you the brochure on neti, free of charge. Or order neti pots directly from us, see p. 18. q.

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14, Neals Yard,Covent GardenThe course wil1 consist of:- Physical Exercises - Asana· Breathing Exercises - Pranayama· Relaxation - Yoga Nidra· Concentration - Dharana· Meditation - DhyanaThe course will be spread over two days and will build up in stages. so as to give you a real experience of what yoga and meditation is about.

Physical ExercisesWith yoga’s physical exercises and postures, tensions and tiredness of the body are removed. Pawanmuktasana is a program of many small exercises whereby you touch all the muscles and joints in the body and establish harmony. As you progress to more classical postures, the body becomes supple and the mind more open and receptive to the meditative state.

Breathing ExercisesThe way we breathe reveals something about how we feel, therefore the breath has a direct influence on the central nervous system. In a soft and effective way, breathing exercises remove emotional stress and blocks, and communication between the two brain halves becomes balanced.

Yoga Nidra......is an ancient meditative relaxation that rests all levels of your being. When we miss the opportunity to relax after a stressed situation we become vulnerable.

With regular use of yoga nidra, this is avoided. Furthermore, we now know today that relaxation strengthens the immune system.

Concentration & Meditationare mental techniques that, in various ways, widen our awareness, which is the foundation for all experiences. By training the ability to hold concentration upon a single object, e.g.. a burning candle, clarity is heightened. In the meditation The Source of Energy a breath is used that reinforces and cleanses the body’s energy field. By the additional use of a specific sound, mantra, the state is deepened. Inner Silence (Antar Mauna) is a meditation where you train your awareness by learning to experience disturbances and thoughts in a way that you can accept them. The core of this meditation is a transformed experience of that stillness from where we experience everything else - being one with yourself.

TeachersShanti, one of the schools most experi-enced teachers, is leading the course. She is educated by Swami Janakananda and is probably a familiar face to many people who have attended courses at Håå Course Centre, where she has lived for 12 years. Currently she lives and teaches at the Copenhagen school, and travels throughout northern Europe running weekend courses. Mark Richards, from England, has travelled extensively around the world, and now lives and teaches yoga in Copenhagen, under the guidance of Swami Janakananda.

Course place:14, Neals Yard, Covent GardenCourse times:Saturday 8th Jan. 9.30 am. - 1 pm. and3.30 pm. - 6.30pm.Sunday 9th Jan. 9.30 am. - 12.30 am.and 2.30 pm. - 6 pm.Course price: £601. £10 deposit (non-refundable), payableupon confirmation of your enrolment.2. Balance (£50) to be paid before thecourse starts, either by depositing theremainder in to Lloyds bank, Bristol,Bond Street, account number: 7176395(bring receipt of payment); or by cash atthe start of the course.Enrolment:Fill in the enrolment form and send to:Scandinavian Yoga and MeditationSchool, c/o Christopher Price3, Lombard RoadLondonNWI1 lLTTel. 081 361 1956

Weekend Course in London 8th. - 9th. January

Enrolment formName__________________________

_______________________________

Address ________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________q yes, I want to participate in theweekend course in London 8th.-9th.Januaryq yes, I have payed the deposit £10to Lloyds bank, Bristol, Bond Street,account number: 7176395.

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Håå International Course Centre

The courses are also holidays, but from what? After all, this is about you, now and in the long run. Why isolate yourself from work, family and worries? Because it gives perspective. Gain - through the tranquillity and energy acquired - an overview on your life and the energy to fulfil that which

“Yoga is not an ancient myth buried in oblivion. It is the most valuable inheritance of the present. It is the essential need of today and the culture of tomorrow” (Swami Satyananda)

Do you want to go deeper?The courses at Håå International Course Centre in Småland, Sweden, are open to anyone wanting an experience of the potency inherent in Tantric yoga and meditation. As to depth and scope, they are unique within present-day therapy, self-development and yoga.

you really want to do. During the 10- or 14-days courses, which are held throughout the summer, in the autumn, at Christmas and New Year, you learn the little Kriya Yoga (Ajapa Jap) and other Tantric meditations, such as Antar Mauna (Inner Silence). Together with various

yoga techniques, they form a firm foundation from where you can reach an inner balance. We also have week-end courses each autumn. Håå International Course Centre lies in the middle of the nature of Småland, surrounded by lakes and forests. During your free time our riding horses, rowing boat, canoes and the relaxation tank, “The Pyramid”, are at your disposal. Our teaching is not based on romantic notions of “new times”, but on a basic knowledge of humanity. You return home with your own experiences of your participation in a dynamic process and a knowledge of techniques that you can use for your own benefit. q

Current CoursesChristmas 19 Dec. - 1 Jan.Swami Janakananda and Vyasa

New Year Course 2 - 12 JanuaryJørgen Hastrup and Mette Kierkgaard

3-Months Course 25 Jan. - 23 AprilSwami Janakananda and Sita

10- and 14-days Courses

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When I was younger,I was concerned about the body.Later it was thoughts and emotionsthat captured my interest.Now I dare to live on the earth and actwithout being frightened of the next accident - I have learnt to know myself (Swami Janakananda)

If you wish to spend three months of your life and gain a real deep reaching experience and training in yoga and meditation, here is the opportunity. The three month course is a continuous expedition in your own possibilities - outer as well as inner. Experience a real transformation during the course’s height: a 33 day initiation in advanced tantric Kriya Yoga with Swami Janakananda.

“Kriya Yoga converges all the energies, gross and subtle, into a point (bindu) in the middle of the mandala of one’s being. This is the gateway to meditation” (Swami Satyananda)

“I experience Kriya Yoga as a powerful meditation giving me a clearly felt increase of energy, and a state in which it becomes difficult to hold on to tensions and depressions. It cleans out my subconscious mind in a more effective way than any other method I know. The strength that I generate makes it easier to tolerate and confront the content of my mind - my dreams become clearer. I am able to look in the eye that which would normally fascinate me or make me forget who I am. In my experience, the need for sleep is considerably reduced by those who use this technique. Our creative abilities are strengthened and developed”. (Swami Janakananda)

Swami Janakananda is the first in Europe to teach the great tantric Kriya Yoga - a knowledge that he received from his teacher, Swami Satyananda. Now he has taught Kriya Yoga for more than twenty years, and has shared in enriching the lives of many people. q

The Three-Month Course25th. January - 23rd. April, at Håå International Course Centre

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The book: Yoga, Tantra and Meditation in Daily Life 175 Sw.Cr. + 55 Sw.Cr. postage.Also available in other languages. New French translation of the book! See also page 7. The CD: Experience Yoga Nidra 165 Sw.Cr. + 30 Sw.Cr. postage.The tape: Experience Yoga Nidra 120 Sw.Cr. + 30 Sw.Cr. postage.Nose cleansing pot with instruction brochure: Joghus, (short spout) blue, red, yellow, green or black. 165 Sw.Cr.+ 55 Sw.Cr. postage.Krutis, (long spout) blue, sand, white or green, 195 Sw.Cr. + 105 Sw.Cr. postage.The periodical: Bindu, no. 3-9, 25 Sw.Cr. each + 20 Sw.Cr. postage. Hopi Ear Candles: made of 100% beeswax and cotton; cleanses the ears. 35 Sw.Cr. + 30 Sw.Cr. postage.The brochure (free): about the retreats at Håå International Course Center. (See page 16).

We can only accept payment in Swedish Crowns by Eurocheque, international money order or to our postal giro account 73 86 03 - 0 in Sweden. No personal cheques please, as they are too expensive to cash.Please send money and order to: Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School, Håå Course Center, 340 13 Hamneda, Sweden.

Books, Cassettes, CD's ...

Yoga, Tantra and Meditation in Daily Lifeby Swami JanakanandaA practical hand book on tantric yoga and meditation, written by a genuine expert. Most of the exercises, that we teach on our courses, are found in this book - and much more that can inspire you in your own practice.

Yoga Nidra - Cassette / CDTwo deep relaxations created and guided by Swami Janakananda. With nature sounds and with music by Roop Verma. As a background and introduction there is a 20 page booklet inserted.

“This tape is a hit, if you can talk about hits within relaxation.” (A. Thomson, therapist and New Age bookseller in UK)

“After a number of years of having a stressed life with a job that almost ruined my ability to live in the present, I’m now again happy to face each new day, not to unnecessarily worry myself about tomorrow. I have learnt to laugh again. I think it’s fantastic.” (E. Berg, Sweden)

“The tape is one of the most inspiring I have heard for a long time. It is a multidimensional work of art of a nature that is rarely seen.” (M. Lammgård, musician and therapist, Växthuset Kaprifol, Sweden)

“Yoga Nidra (meditative deep relaxation) is much more than a deep relaxation; it is a total experience that touches and awakens all parts of your being.” (Swami Janakananda)

Nose Cleansing PotsNose cleansing (Neti) is refreshing. Prevents colds, dry mucus membranes, hay fever and asthma. See also the article on p. 12 in this issue.

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Publisher: Bindu, Håa Course Center, 340 13 Hamneda, Sweden. Circulation: 5,000 in English (Also printed in German, Swedish and Danish) Printed: Håå Course Center, by Erling Christiansen & Mark Richards. Layout: Robert Nilsson & Swami Janakananda. Pictures: Front cover: Tratak, Swami Janakananda; back cover: Energy Art in Television with Sri Yantra, Ronald Nameth; p.2 “Yantra“, Bjarke; p.4, 5 Yvonne Åsell; p.9 Robert Nilsson; p.13 Franz Jervidalo; p.7, 15, 16 Karin Reif; p.10, 11 Thomas Petersen; p.18 Jørgen Hastrup. Copyright © 1993 Bindu and Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School.

Sweden• Västmannagatan 62, 113 25 Stockholm, tel. +46 8 321218, fax. +46 8 314406, email: stockholm@scand-yoga.org

Denmark• Købmagergade 65, 1150 Copenhagen, tel. +45 3314 1140, fax. +45 3314 1434, email: kbh@scand-yoga.org• Vestergade 45, 8000 Århus, tel. +45 8619 4033, fax. +45 8619 4013, email: aarhus@scand-yoga.org• Kongensgade 12 B, 3000 Elsinore, tel. +45 4921 2068Internet • www.scand-yoga.org

SubscriptionYou are welcome to support us, so we can continue to publish Bindu. Pay 45 Sw.Cr. for one issue or 80 Sw.Cr. for 2 issues + 40 Sw.Cr. postage (payment, see below). Further contri-butions are also welcome.

Germany• Egestorffstrasse 3, 30449 Hannover, tel. +49 511 454163 fax. +49 511 447281, email: hannover@scand-yoga.orgNorway• Georgernes Verft 3, 5011 Bergen, tel. +47 5614 3310 fax. +47 5614 9738, email: bergen@scand-yoga.orgFinland• Sukula, 30100 Forssa, tel. +358 3 4350599email: forssa@scand-yoga.org• Helsinginkatu 8 B 77 • 00500 Helsinki, tel. +358 9 8703 071, +358 40 5811 382, email: helsinki@scand-yoga.org

Håå Course Center, 340 13 Hamneda, SwedenTel. +46 372 55063. Fax. +46 372 55036, email: haa@scand-yoga.org

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