NAME
DATE
ASSIGNMENT
TTP
MENTOR
DIAN DANIEL SINGH
28 th July 30, 2012
21
LEVEL 1
ALAKSHYA CHAITANYA
Report Summarizing journal entries on (A) “who am I”, (B) “ your philosophy of life”, (C) and Raja yoga.
(A)Who am I ? Am I just the body ? Am I just the breath? Am I just the mind? Or
Am I something other than this?
To answer this question in deep sincerity, it has been put across and explained in a concentrated manner by my mentor who spent four hours with me on this age old topic.
I AM A SPARK OF GOD, I CAME FROM HIM , I AM NO DIFFERENT FROM HIM. I
WILL AGAIN RETURN TO HIM.
To truly express” who am I”, or for any other human being to do so means one has to listen attentively and contemplate on the six verses given by Adi
Shankaracharya of the eight century summarizing the entirety of Advaita
Vedanta known as “atma Shatakam or “Nirvana Shatakam.””Nirvana” is complete equanimity, peace, tranquility ,freedom and joy. “Atma “ is the true self.
1) I am not mind, nor intellect, nor ego, nor the reflections of inner self. I am not the five senses. I am beyond that. I am not the ether, nor the earth, nor the fire, nor the wind (i.e. the five elements). I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness.
2) Neither can I be termed as energy (Praana), nor five types of breath (Vaayu), nor the seven material essences (dhaatu), nor the five coverings (panca-kosha). Neither am I the five instruments of elimination, procreation, motion, grasping, or speaking. I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness.
3) I have no hatred or dislike, nor affiliation or liking, nor greed, nor delusion, nor pride or haughtiness, nor feelings of envy or jealousy. I have no duty (dharma), nor any money, nor

any desire (refer: kama), nor even liberation (refer: moksha). I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness.
4) I have neither virtue (punya), nor vice (paapa). I do not commit sins or good deeds, nor have happiness or sorrow, pain or pleasure. I do not need mantras , holy places, scriptures, rituals or sacrifices (yajna). I am none of the triad of the observer or one who experiences, the process of observing or experiencing, or any object being observed or experienced. I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness.
5) I do not have fear of death, as I do not have death. I have no separation from my true self, no doubt about my existence, nor have I discrimination on the basis of birth. I have no father or mother, nor did I have a birth. I am not the relative, nor the friend, nor the guru, nor the disciple.
I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness.
6) I am all pervasive. I am without any attributes, and without any form. I have neither attachment to the world, nor to liberation. I have no wishes for anything because I am everything, everywhere, every time, always in equilibrium. I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss,
Shiva, love and pure consciousness.
(B) What is your philosophy of life?
According to Swami Veda, “we are all born with a personal philosophy of life, we only need to recognize, perceive, expand and enhance on that which we are born with.”
My philosophy of life is congruent to Swami Veda’s teachings as he explained in the book God chapter 2. He goes on to explain that the tradition teaches a person to observe five daily sacrifices. When one’s daily philosophy is knowing that he has done his duties creating peace and harmony and non harming others and he lives in a particular joy of that knowledge this together with the five following daily sacrifices constitute my philosophy.
SACRIFICE TO Brahman, the formless spirit that is God. A portion of Daily meditation without asking for anything in return is my interpretation of ensuring this daily sacrifice.
Deva-Yajna sacrifice to God in the universe, all deities, all forms of nature, do something for the fire and the water. IN my temple I offer daily water, flowers, incense insence and vibhuti to the form of God in the Dieties.

Sacrifice to your elders, serving, listening, honouring and learning from them.
This is the source of greatest blessings in one’s life. I serve my parents by cooking for them and doing necessary duties to make their lives more pleasant and comfortable.the joy derived from making them happy is immeasurable.
Atithi-Yagna a guest who visits your home without making a date. Offering monthly contributions in particular to needy cases is how I take care of this fourth sacrifice.
Bali- Yagna, placing a daily offering of food to creatures such as birds or ants.
Feeding the birds bread, rice banana and deliberately leaving paw-paw on the tree so that the birds may feed as they desire, also feeding and pampering our dog ensure that this sacrifice is made.

(C ) List the Sanskrit and English names and brief descriptions for the eight limbs of Raja Yoga including the five Yamas and Niyamas.
The teachings of Raja Yoga goes back thousands of years, of which little is know of its beginnings . However they are considered to be of revealed teachings of divine origin. The Sage Patanjali codified and systematized these teachings around
200 B.C., into 196 aphorisms. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali consists of 4 padas or chapters.
The first chapter deals with Samadhi, the second deals with the practical means to achieving Samadhi of which is raja yoga, the question we are about to answer is concerned with. The third involves the power that manifest itself in one who treads the path of yoga, whilst the last chapter deals with Kaivalya , or liberation.
While most religion teaches one what to do Raja yoga teaches one how to be, through it man can realize his full potential for creative thought and action and transcend all human limitations and realize his true nature
Raja yoga is also called the Eight fold path, or Ashtanga Yoga, it is made up of eight limbs, they are :
1.
Yama : Ahimsa ( non violence), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non stealing), Brahmacharya ( sublimation of sexual energies), Aparigraha
(Non- Possessiveness).
These are five restraints which regulate one’s relationship with other beings.
2.
Niyamas: Shaucha (purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (practices that lead to perfection of body , mind and senses), Swadhyaya ( study that leads to knowledge of the self), Ishwara-Pranidhana ( surrender to ultimate reality).
These are observances one should follow.
3.
Asanas : postures of which there are 2 types; (1)meditative postures, they are Padmasana ( lotus posture), Siddhasana( accomplished

posture), Swastikasana (auspicious posture), Sukhasana ( easy posture) and ; (2) postures that ensure physical well being.
The emphasis is on placing the head , neck and trunk erect and in line, cultivating a steady and comfortable posture.
4.
Pranayama: Prana is energy, or life force, Yama is the control of that energy. One can control the mind only if one can control one’s breathing.
5.
Pratyahara: withdrawal and control of the senses and is necessary if one is to achieve tranquility of the mind.
6.
Dharana: attention and concentration, it helps to bring the diffused mind to a point of focus more powerful and penetrative.
7.
Dhyana: meditation, characterized by one –pointedness of the mind, for long periods. Meditation is the uninterrupted flow of the mind towards one object or concept.
8.
Samadhi State of self realization, here the mind is transcended, and one becomes aware of the self and is united with it.