The tradition of Mantra is Mantra-Chanting, what is known as Mantra Japa, and Manish explains how to use it in "listening-meditation," which can be a very powerful technique to soothe the mind, remain attentive and integrate the energy within.

Mostly, as we know, we live on the level of 'body and mind' and most of the energy goes into dealing with issues on these fields. So if Mantra is used in the right way, it has the capacity to take us beyond the physicality and the mental planes, to come in contact with the real being. Here is where the potential of 'mantra listening' comes in.

If we observe ourselves, we can see that our whole struggle in our outer life is to 'become something' and that is very, very exhausting. A meditation technique using Mantra can simply bring us into a space of "just-being" and that's the highest outcome of Mantra meditation technique, involving energy awakening, energy rising and energy settling.

Sufi music provides a space to experience closeness with divinity and love, and Sufis have always been inclined towards the musical expressions of their poetries.

A warmhearted talk, where Manish describes his latest album, Salaam E Sufi, explaining how the Sufi path has inspired the seven tracks on his new CD along many years on his musical journey as composer: "Sufi songs have this flavor of Love, Ishq Haqiqi: the love affair with the Truth."

Sufism is a path of love, devotion and surrender. And when surrender happens, one journey ends and another journey begins: a journey of total trust, peace and freedom.

Sufi mystics wrote some amazing poetries down the centuries and down the ages, where they expressed their longing for dissolving into nothingness (dissolving of the ego) and these songs in "Salaam E Sufi" reflect the ideas inspired by the Sufis in a musical interpretation. These Sufi poetries are drenched with this kind of love and longing for the Supreme, that which is eternal.

"The only lasting beauty is the beauty of the heart." Rumi

Music at the beginning and end of the podcast, from the album "Salaam E Sufi".
www.manishvyas.com/sufi

#music #poetry #sufi #kabir #bulleshah #trust #bliss #innerjourney

“The highest goal of a Yoga practitioner should be to come to a level where one is maintaining one’s balance perfectly all the time. Ups and downs are part of life, situations are never in our hands, but how to deal with them is in our hands.”

These are the words of Dr. Hansaji Yogendra, director of the Yoga Institute in Mumbai. She’s a mentor and role model to millions of lives and has conducted more than fifty thousand powerful sessions on yog, wellness and mental health.

We were fortunate enough to meet her in person whole working on the ongoing documentary project about Mantra. In this podcast, we present a talk where we discussed subjects related to Yoga and Mantra, and the aspects involved in both practices. We present here part of this short but powerful conversation, and the clear vision of a great wise referent who is highly experienced and is able to express the key aspects involved along the path of yoga, answering questions such as what should be the highest goal of a yoga practitioner.

Some quotes of Hansaji:

“Every yoga teacher should aim at having mastery over their minds.”

“What we are teaching, every human should learn, because it’s the foundation of life, on which then you build whatever you want to build; but the life formation has to be strong.”

“In the west, yoga has become very commercial, having as aim to earn money. Technology of yoga (asana, pranayama, etc.) has become very popular, but they are not yogis, because they are dealing only with their bodies.”

“For inner peace, for spirituality, the world is looking at India; people come to India due to soul-pain.”

“When the student is ready, the whole nature will help to move ahead in life.”

Short Reference: Hansa Yogendra (born 1947) is an Indian yoga guru, author, researcher and media personality. She is director of The Yoga Institute in Mumbai, founded by her father-in-law Shri Yogendra. It is a government recognized non-profit organization and the oldest organized yoga center in the world, founded in 1918. She was presenter of the television series Yoga for Better Living, aired in 1980s. She is the chair of the Yoga Certification Committee and President of the International Board of Yoga, and Vice President of the Indian Yoga Association.