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Has anyone doen this program, I have heard nothing but good things about this type of meditation. If Any one is interested go to http://www.dhamma.org/en/vipassana.shtml Vipassana Meditation <HR class=www-thinrule>The Technique Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It was rediscovered by Gotama Buddha more than 2500 years ago and was taught by him as a universal remedy for universal ills, i.e., an Art Of Living. This non-sectarian technique aims for the total eradication of mental impurities and the resultant highest happiness of full liberation. Healing, not merely the curing of diseases, but the essential healing of human suffering, is its purpose. Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through self-observation. It focuses on the deep interconnection between mind and body, which can be experienced directly by disciplined attention to the physical sensations that form the life of the body, and that continuously interconnect and condition the life of the mind. It is this observation-based, self-exploratory journey to the common root of mind and body that dissolves mental impurity, resulting in a balanced mind full of love and compassion. The scientific laws that operate one's thoughts, feelings, judgements and sensations become clear. Through direct experience, the nature of how one grows or regresses, how one produces suffering or frees oneself from suffering is understood. Life becomes characterized by increased awareness, non-delusion, self-control and peace. <HR class=www-thinrule>The Tradition Since the time of Buddha, Vipassana has been handed down, to the present day, by an unbroken chain of teachers. Although Indian by descent, the current teacher in this chain, Mr. S.N. Goenka, was born and raised in Burma (Myanmar). While living there he had the good fortune to learn Vipassana from his teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin who was at the time a high Government official. After receiving training from his teacher for fourteen years, Mr. Goenka settled in India and began teaching Vipassana in 1969. Since then he has taught tens of thousands of people of all races and all religions in both the East and West. In 1982 he began to appoint assistant teachers to help him meet the growing demand for Vipassana courses. <HR class=www-thinrule>The Courses The technique is taught at ten-day residential courses during which participants follow a prescribed Code of Discipline, learn the basics of the method, and practice sufficiently to experience its beneficial results. The course requires hard, serious work. There are three steps to the training. The first step is, for the period of the course, to abstain from killing, stealing, sexual activity, speaking falsely, and intoxicants. This simple code of moral conduct serves to calm the mind, which otherwise would be too agitated to perform the task of self-observation. The next step is to develop some mastery over the mind by learning to fix one's attention on the natural reality of the ever changing flow of breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils. By the fourth day the mind is calmer and more focused, better able to undertake the practice of Vipassana itself: observing sensations throughout the body, understanding their nature, and developing equanimity by learning not to react to them. Finally, on the last full day participants learn the meditation of loving kindness or goodwill towards all, in which the purity developed during the course is shared with all beings. A short video (5.7 MB) about the observation of breath and bodily sensations in this technique can be viewed with the free QuickTime movie player. The entire practice is actually a mental training. Just as we use physical exercises to improve our bodily health, Vipassana can be used to develop a healthy mind. Because it has been found to be genuinely helpful, great emphasis is put on preserving the technique in its original, authentic form. It is not taught commercially, but instead is offered freely. No person involved in its teaching receives any material remuneration. There are no charges for the courses - not even to cover the cost of food and accommodation. All expenses are met by donations from people who, having completed a course and experienced the benefits of Vipassana, wish to give others the opportunity to benefit from it also. Of course, the results come gradually through continued practice. It is unrealistic to expect all problems to be solved in ten days. Within that time, however, the essentials of Vipassana can be learned so that it can be applied in daily life. The more the technique is practiced, the greater the freedom from misery, and the closer the approach to the ultimate goal of full liberation. Even ten days can provide results which are vivid and obviously beneficial in everyday life. All sincere people are welcome to join a Vipassana course to see for themselves how the technique works and to measure the benefits. Vipassana Courses are even being conducted in prisons, with great success and wonderful benefits for the inmates who participate. All those who try it will find Vipassana to be an invaluable tool with which to achieve and share real happiness with others. You may apply for a Vipassana meditation course by completing and submitting an application

if you have any more questions let me know I will try my best to answer them.. good luck

Sorry for taking this long to reply, I don't get to a computer as often as I would like to... To find out your body type I posted which is http://www.doshabalance.com/articles/articles_doshabalance.html Once you it will take you to a page once you are there click on "Dosha balance questionare" fill out that questionare to the best of your ability at the end it will tell you what your body type is the three types are 1.pitta 2. vata 3. kapha You are not just one body type , you are a combination of all 3..only one type is stronger in you than the other. This however is a second option to a authentic ayurvedic doctor...there are hundreds of fake ones out there.If you can get to a ayurvedic practitioner thats the best, but if you cannot go to the website I mentioned above. It worked for me.

If you want to check what your dosha is you can do so at http://www.doshabalance.com/articles/articles_doshabalance.html click on dosha balancing questioare..then wait for results.. the best is if you can go to a ayurvedic practioner, if you can't try this website.

It all depends on what your body dosha or constitution is, if your bdy type is primarily pitta/agni which is fire...people with fire body type tend to be more short tempered, aggresive, and have strong digestive system. If you are this body type and are trying to reduce body heat here is a web site you might want to look at http://www.ayur.com/dosha/pitta.html Also go to http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo0010/00100240.htm there go to Effect of seasons on the prakriti types then see what you can eat and what to avoid. Also in general anything cold and sweet reduces body heat, and plenty of water.

Most people think that ayurvedic treatment or medicine is the same for everyone. That is totally wrong. Ayurveda specifically tells you that you have to eat according to your body type, you cannot eat according to someone elses body type. For eg.According to ayurveda for my body type.. milk, yogurt and anything cold is to be avoided...eventhough a lot of gurus here will give you dietary advice ,for eg. some tell you to drink a lot of milk without enquiring what your body type is. The good news is that you can add certain spices to milk to make it more suitable for your constitution..for eg. for my constituion, the kapha-vatta type adding cinnamon, cloves and cardamom to milk makes milk more suitable for my body type...that might not be true for other body types..just for mine. So first find out what your body constitution is and eat according to that, you will see that not just your digestion but your general sense of well being will improve drastically. Remember everyone cannot eat the same thing or practice the same dietary habbits and get the same results, you HAVE to eat according to your body constitution only.

Vsist www.kitchendoctor.com find out what your dosha is..then it says what foods aggravate or alleviate your anger.. If your agni is high or your fitr is high they tell you to avoid spicy foods as that aggravates your anger...it all depends on your body type. Meditation, yoga and pranayama definately help

Go to this website www.kitchendoctor.com First see what your body type/dosha is vata, kapha, pitta. Usually people are a bit of all for eg. I am 46% kapha 36% vata , and 19% pitta. So go there fill out a questionare and it will tell you what your body type is, then read the website and find out what foods are right for you. Some body types can eat certain foods while others cannot. What works for others may or may not work for you because they might not have the same body type as you. It will tell you what foods are easily digested by you and what isn't/ what to avoid.

Yes krishna urged arjuna to slay his cousins but not for the purpose of eating them or sense enjoyment so that point is toally irrelavant. Secondly, yes a vegetarian diet is sattvic, that is one of the many advantages of eating a vegetarian diet. Yes vegetables are living things too, but they are lower developed species than animals, therefore in eating vegetables we incur less of a karmic debt than eating meat. We have to kill in order to survive, thats just the way we are created for eg. Just by breathing we are killing thousands of bacteria and germs, thats one of the reason why we are supposed to offer everything we eat( vegeterian food) to the lord as prasadam so the lord forgives us for the karmic debt we incurred upon ourselves in eating that food. But using that as an excuse to eat meat is deplorable. Also advanced yogis (which are very difficult to find in india nowadays) in the ancient times hardly ate anything. Check this website out http://www.solarhealing.com/ "If one continues to apply the proper sungazing practice for 6 months, they will be free from physical illnesses. Furthermore, after 9 months, one can eventually win a victory over hunger, which disappears by itself thereafter."

There are various yogic positions, and special vegeterian diets that hindu monks have used to control sexual energy. When Krishna handed arjuna the yogic knowledge one of the main reasons was to control our lusts. for eg. I know refraining from onions and garlic helps control your sexual urge a little bit, there are many more ways...check with an ayurvedic expert and yogic expert. Even christian priests in kerela have used yoga to copntrol their sexual urges.It works wonders if you know what you are doing.

effort to rephrase it as "Gupta dynasty was golden age of N.India and Chola dynasty was golden age of S.India". I doubt if Gupta's were even aware of some land mass existing south of Vidhyas! I have see Gupta age temples.I don't think any hindu monument in N.India can come any close to the grand Chola temples of south. Noone of these were the golden age of india, according to the bhagvad gita these fall under the kali yuga...which is far from the golden age of india...the golden age of india was many many more years ago...yes comapared to today, the gupta and the chola dynasty were golden, but nowhere the golden age of india. Let us not forget our ancient history just because the ruins or structures of the era do not exist...although some people have verified the remains of dwarka and the bridge between india and lanka.

i agree india's historical records arent the greatest.... First of all I don't agree with that statement at all, for someone who reads vedic literature thats a very very weak statement to make. And for all who do not beleive that the mahabharata is fact or that it is allegory.. please read this article by prabhupada of iskon.. prabhupada is a real spiritual kshatriya. http://india.krishna.org/Articles/2003/01/018.html

---"Nope, I don't accept such. Not everything has a soul in them. Only a certain species. Which species are those? Species which inhabit clear presence of a Mind. In Bhavagad Gita, it is stated that the Mind is a product of the brain and its sensors as it interacts with the environment around it. But all species have such interacts, so what makes the ones with Souls special? The ones with the Souls will develop what known as Duality. A Soul is "something" which comes from God, therefore, it is intuned to God. However, due to interaction of the Brain and its sensors, it develop a Duality - spliting itself from God and become an individual being with "I", "Me", "Mine", "Myself" etc attitude."" There is a reason for God allowing this to happen. This is not beyond God's Understanding either. The reason is, in order for Evolution to occur and Man (and other high level lifeforms) to come to being as today, lifeforms MUST develop individuality and take suffering and misery. "----- I shall tell you of the soul. The soul is God who is immortal and infinite, who has no beginning and will have no end, and who both exists and does not exist. Those who know the soul, are immortal. The soul dwells in every living being, and in every part of every living being; it dwells in the hand and the foot, the skull and the mouth, the eye and the ear. Although it does not itself have senses, it shines through every sense. It is completely independent, yet all beings depend on it. The soul is both near every living being, and far from every being. The soul is both inside and outside every living being. The soul is the cause of movement, but does not itself move. The soul is one, yet has innumerable forms. The soul creates, preserves, and destroys. The soul is the light of every light; and its light transcends the duality of brightness and darkness. The soul is the light of knowledge; and its light is also the goal of knowledge. In the soul the subject and object of knowledge are one. -Bhagavad Gita 13.12-17 -He is the eternal Reality, sing the scriptures, And the ground of existence. Those who perceive him in every creature Merge in him and are released from The wheel of birth and death. - Shvetashvatara Upanishad One of the reasons that hindus are forbidden from eating meat is so that they don't interfere with the karma that animals soul has in store for it hence animals have soul too. All living creatures have souls...some are trapped in creatures which can never gain consciuosness in their lifetime such as plants and animals..others(the lucky souls) are born in humans..thats why it is said that being born as a human is a boon because you get to get out of this chain of life and death if you choose to. "A souless lifeforms still can live (such as organs in cloning process) but it cannot strive and in total mercy of the Elements. " No, The only difference between a living organism and a dead one is the absence of the soul thats it. The soul in our body permeates every aspect of it, thats why our body functions, if our soul leaves our body we will die. It is just that some souls have great bodies to inhabbit others don't due to the law of karma.

Does anyone have any input especially experiences with kundalini yoga? I know this is kali yuga and all we have to do is chant, but kundalini yoga is a very powerful tool. I haven't seen anyone on this forum mention anything about it. I have heard about mystical powers that people get when they are really advanced in the practice of kundalini yoga. For eg. I read that after many many years of kundalini yoga, one cannot die from snake bites and can kill anything at will by striking it with the base of his palm. An advanced yogi could for eg. even kill a tiger by striking it with the base of his palm. Does any one know anything about this?? I understand this is kali yuga and most people will not know, practice or believe in any of this.. although I know quite a few people that practice kundalini yoga(not with the dedication and determination that poeple did in the old times ofcourse.. by retreating into forests etc.)..but still if anyone has any usefull information it would be great. I also read that by taking dikshas from a real guru one can make progress much faster than usual in his/her quest.

"Nope, not same. Hebrews do not need to believe whether Moses was a prophet, a king or a Man, the teaching he had given is what God have gave to Hebrews and as long as they hold on to it, they will reach God. There is NO statement WHATSOEVER stating that Hebrews MUST believe in Moses in order to reach God like in Christianity and Islam." Jews beleive in yahweh, thats what they call their god. Talking about where man came from different religions have different philosophies for eg. The Jewish Kabbalah tradition teaches of man's descent from the highest spiritual world through a series of planes ending with his reincarnation in a physical body. Hinduism too has its philosophy which is different from the jewish one.. ""Hinduism has several creation accounts, of which the central is found in the Rig Veda of the Cosmic Man, Purusha, who was sacrificed by the Gods to create man. The Purusha is a divine emanation of God, and can be understood in at least one sense as the individuation of consciousness, the personal aspect of God. It is this individuated consciousness that is offered and divided by the Gods to create all of the physical universe, men, animals and plants. Three-fourths of the Purusha remains "ascended high" and only "one fourth took birth again down here," as the hymn explains, meaning what we see is only one-fourth of reality, the remaining being in divine form. Further elaborations of the creation are told in the Puranas, Dharma Shastras and other Hindu scriptures. Manu Dharma Shastra I.11-119, for example, describes the creation of heaven and earth, of the soul, and of individual creatures. Manu, son of the first being, performed tapas, very difficult austerities, to create ten great sages who then created seven other Manus, who are progenitors of the human race in each age. "" Hindu scriptures often speak of the many lokas or planes of existence and dvipa or islands. They talk of beings coming from other lokas to this loka, possibly even of spaceships in which they could travel. These lokas, however, are more commonly interpreted as other dimensions of existence rather than physical planets. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON, addressed this question in his commentary of Srimad Bhagavatam: "According to Vedic understanding, the entire universe is regarded as an ocean of space. In that ocean there are innumerable planets, and each planet is called a dvipa, or island. The various planets are divided into fourteen lokas. As Priyavrata drove his chariot behind the sun, he created seven different types of oceans and planetary systems, known as Bhuloka." Srila Prabhupada also stated that according to the Vedic tradition there are 400,000 species in the universe with humanlike form, many of them advanced beyond us. Other parts of Hindu scripture refer to travel to other worlds. The Rig Veda hymns on death speak of man's soul traveling to the sun and the moon, then returning to Earth. Talking about hindusim, there is evidence that hinduism at one time was the most dominant religion in the world...from to europe to the middle east most people followed hinduism there in the ancient times(not medieval). Read "proof of vedic cultures global influence" by stephen knapp.....there is a chapter in it.. How JUDAISM, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism were all influenced by the Vedic tradition and still contain many Vedic elements within them, not the other way round. this is a vdery good website to read, it may be a bit cumbersome but interesting... http://www.atributetohinduism.com/Hindu_Culture.htm Satya yuga (golden age) 4,000,000 years Treta yuga (silver age) 3,600,000 years Dvapara yuga (copper age) 2,400,000 years Kali yuga (iron age) 1,200,000 years Pralaya (cosmic deluge ) 4000,000 years New Creation 400,000 years Duration of One Cycle 12,000,000 years