What is Yoga?

[Guest dasguruka]

Gurmat condemns this type of Yoga because it may awaken the kundalini, it doesn't make one in control of his/her 5 vikaars. Those only get under control by naam simran. Yogis may awaken their kundalini and reach dasam dwar but once their breath comes down they're just like any other normal human beings. Gurmat is the best!

[N30S1NGH]

As far as I know any raw yoga/breathing to acquire to get to dasam dwara is also discouraged in sikhi as avastha is not permanent..However if one incorporates shabad with yog sadhana its not condemned as gurbani talks about sas gras/swas simran (simran with breathing) its a one of initial stages...and later in advance stage- shabad will further transcendent the individual surti upwards in dasam dwara.

Gurmat supports existence of chakras and using them for shabad surat marg which utilize kant, nabhi, trikurti and dasam dvaur chakar. However, gurmat discourages yogi way of meditating on chakras using raw pranas.

Yogis use pranas on chakras to open them.

Gurmat use "Shabad Surat"/infused shabad in parnas travelling through chakras to open them and listen to anhad shabad.

Yogis have to sit in smadhi in order for pran(Vital force) to enter through via chakras and get anand. If he is not in smadhi, his surti goes down to normal level and he is affected by panj chor just like everyone else.

However, in gurmat does not have sit in smadhi after some time because with surti he/she can listen to dhuni (resosance) all the time. He can stay in "sehaj samadhi".

Actually since we are talking about it, main aim for sikh is to one with vahiguroo/ bhramgyan -gyan of atma-paratma. All the things like dasam dvar, listening to anhad shabad using shabad surat stays much below than bhramgyan. In fact, this is consider by some as - shukhsam maya as person can easily get stuck in- listening to anhad shabad at dasam dvaur, seein future/past, having all ridhya sidhya...they think at dasam dvar its ultimate reality that they don't move further towards their main aim. At that point, its only through kirpa of guru maharaj can get them out from the shuksham maya trap.

Shabad Surat Marg is parvan in Gurmat, is in fact encouraged but with keeping in mind that dasam dvar or listen to anhad shabad its not the final destination for sikh..real moksh is - bhramgyan- gyan of bhram/atma-paratma.

[Guest dasguruka]

So Neo Ji are you saying that all we can reach upto is dasam dwar with our own effort and after that we have no power and only through Guru's Kirpa the after stages are revealed? How is that process like? Because if one is trapped the maya trap and stays trapped there for a while then its very easy to just give up and let go? What are the after stages?

[N30S1NGH]

Well guru's kirpa is already there, we just don't realize its existence-

isn't that guru's kirpa we have human body?

isn't that guru's kirpa we are talking about gurmat?

isn't that guru's kirpa we have sang of gurmukhs/mahapursh?

isn't that guru's kirpa we can do vichar with bibek buddhi?

isn't that guru's kirpa we have sub itcha (genuine desire for merging back in vahiguroo) ?

Everything in your life - guru's kirpa, guru has already step fwd to embrace you- you have to make an effort take your step as well..!!

In other words, gurmat is not about sitting idle waiting for kirpa- kirpa from sky while kirpa is already there, all around you ..kirpa/karni-actual effort goes hand in hand.

Kirpa is there, but if you haven't made a bowl to sustain that kirpa it could be lost in shuksham maya or could be lost upon ones ego flirting with anand of acquiring ridhiya sidhiya and anand at dasam dwara ..you need tibar bairaag and tibar prem in order to make a bowl so kirpa could be sustained..!!!!

[luckysingh99]

I think there's some confusion here about raising or awakening your kundalini !

As far as I know, this can be awakened by anyone if they try !

With some it requires more effort and there are also some who have it awakened without any effort !

The yoga is just one method to awaken it.

There are many people out there including non-sikhs that have a raised kundalini through various methods and consequences.

A sikh can raise it by meditating wth the Guru's Shabad, and this is what we should do.

It's just like the 3rd eye and dasam duar,- these gates can be opened by people that don't even follow a true faith !

They can come just by meditating solely without using any divine name or mantra !

However, I am aware that awakening of any of these chakras can be dangerous, especially if no dhian is given to a Guru Shabad !

[simran345]

Ok so we do breathing exercises in yoga class. And the yoga positions for our health flexibility etc. What i have read above is too deepfor my understanding, is it ok to yoga for health without trying to incorporate with simran?

[Only five]

Ok so we do breathing exercises in yoga class. And the yoga positions for our health flexibility etc. What i have read above is too deepfor my understanding, is it ok to yoga for health without trying to incorporate with simran?

Ask yourself what is the goal of Sikhi? Many people are very confused from all religions/spirituality on this question and don't understand what is the goal of religion/spirituality. Some say it is to escape cycle of birth and death, some say it's to control the mind, some say it is to control the 5 vices, some say it is to escape hell, some say its to attain heaven, some say its to reach nirvanna and some say its to control your breath and some say its to open the kundilini. Throughout Gurbani these are mentioned, but Satguru says one thing is the goal of Sikhi. That is to follow Gurmat (Simran (read, comtemplate, understand Gurbani), Seva (have no attachment to deeds), Dharm di kirat karni (provide for those who can't provide for themselves)). Once following Gurmat and a person steps up to the door of being a Gurmukh, then Satguru takes a person out of the cycle of birth and death, Satguru with his kirpa turns the 5 vices in a person into virtues, the person starts to realize sukh and dukh are the same, unity with Akal Purakh is what das wants, Satguru controls everything (breath, 5 vices, mind, and Kundilini). Satguru is the total package and you don't need search else where for anything. For example say your Kundilini does not open up? Now does that mean you will not be a Gurmukh? Perfect sakhi that fits this example is Bhagat Dhanna Jatt Ji Maharaj. Bhagat ji was coloured with shardha and child like love for Maharaj. In that moment when Bhagat ji was filled with soo much shardha and love, Maharaj came to him and embraced him. Bhagat ji didn't do no physical or breathing exercise to open his Kundilini, he didn't control his 5 vices, he did not care for cycle of birth and death, he did not care to control the mind or any other thing that is not prescribed by Satguru. Bhagat ji did what is prescribed by Satguru. He began his journey to Akal Purakh with complete shardha, no waivering whatsoever. Then he was drenched in love for Maharaj. Once Maharaj saw Bhagat ji is not going to waiver and is not showing any sign of ego (i can eat as you have not come yet), Maharaj came to him.

Take Bhai Lehna Ji and ask yourself what Bhai Lehna Ji did to become the second Guru? Throughout Sikh history there are thousands of examples of Sikhs understanding what Satguru requires from us and they followed it. The Shabad i post is saying if you want to "open your Kundilini" then go to satsangat. Meaning in the satsangat you will get a understanding that you don't need to take these twist and turn.....like open your Kundilini and it automatically opens when we follow the last line of the shabad. The last tuk of the shabad tells that Satguru is the highest and do Satguru's seva by following Gurmat (in word, deed, and thought). There is a reason why Gurbani says in the last tuk that Satguru is the highest. Its to tell you that don't take these other paths like kundilini yoga or any other yoga. The second half of the line tells us what we need to do. Not one place in Gurbani does Maharaj tell us that the practice of Hatha/Raaj Yoga or Kundilini Yoga, or trantic Yoga will help you on the goal of Sikhi.

Satguru says do execrises to stay healthy, eat healthy foods, and only eat as much as you need. Gurbani says while doing worldly task, recite Gurbani or do simran. Some people say the 3HO do simran while doing yoga. Every Sikh should be saying so what? Should we start making videos of us eating and doing simran and then put them online or open up classes where we charge people for eating while simran classes? However one thing is clear, 3HO do yoga because they want to open their kundilini, which means they have not understood and are misleading others away from Satguru.

[luckysingh99]

Thanks Only Five

That's a fantastic and yet simple explanation!

[N30S1NGH]

I personally think the video explains their stance pretty well- i urge everyone to watch the video:

[luckysingh99]

Kundalini is like a knot or coil between the Mind and Maya. When awakened, this knot is like being undone and the person can transcend both maya and egoism.

It's quite an informative video and makes you realise that it is just another tool that we can use. We shouldn't assume that it is a no no in sikhi, but the hiding away in caves away from society is what Guru ji said is unnecessary.