| Jinendra Swami: A messenger
of Sustainable Happiness by Vicki Gustafson & Elisabeth Phillips It's just like any other day, but I am anxious and excited. It was going to be my first meeting with Jinendra Swami from Pune, India. He was visiting Madison to conduct some programs on how to bring health, healing and harmony in our lives. As he walks out of the arrival gate, I recognized him in spite of his attire: white knit polo shirt, slacks, sandals, baseball cap and a backpack slung over one shoulder. I could feel his radiance, his aura, as he walked towards me with a big knowing smile on his bearded face. As he greeted me with a "Namasté," I felt a tingling in my spine and a blissful feeling enveloped me. Was it his persona? Was it his radiance? Was it his aura? I don't know! Jinendra is a globe trotter, sharing himself by example and practice, a man finding and sustaining individual free space. He tells us, "To discover 'SELF' one must transcend the 3 S's: Security; Self-Esteem and Survival. Meditation keeps breaking these illusions, to reveal the SELF-State of Egoless Life Force." So, Who is Jinendra? He is a swami at the Shakti Yogashram. Jinendra is an accomplished writer, poet and teacher. His past reveals his many dimensions as an engineer, entrepreneur, businessman, artist, photographer, designer, architect, filmmaker, counselor and therapist. But today his versatile knowledge and wisdom is embodied in his role as "Jinendra Swami." Most importantly, he is a man who lives his own life guided in his own principles and teachings he tries to outline and share with others. Although far too simplistic, Jinendra Swami lives a life of who he IS. Spiritually, he is personifying truth, wisdom, life and happiness. He nudges others to probe deeper within themselves, and in so doing he personifies the "ParamShanti" -- the Supreme Bliss. He helps us learn to let go and protect ourselves from any "viruses" preventing us from experiencing sustainable happiness. He helps break the bonds that bind inhibitors to lasting health and continuous happiness. Jinendra, a friend, guide and teacher to many, visits the U.S. every year traveling from New York to Alaska; and then globally in Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Egypt and East Africa. As he travels, Jinendra conducts classes, retreats, workshops of his "JIN Yoga Meditation"; he uses the tools that go beyond simple yoga asanas, Pranayama, breath awareness, meditation, contemplation and awareness to help individuals understand how through "waking meditation" one can transcend Security, Survival and Self-Esteem, which we all face in our daily lives. In Swami's words, "Every thought, every emotion, every action is being shared by the rest of the consciousness. Spread Love and compassion by reflecting it in your own consciousness. Bring Divine into your heart." He explains that nature's intelligence works with effortless ease. "When centering is in 'Self,' you have boundless energy to create." He continues. There are three principles needed to harness this energy of love. The first principle to harness the energy of love is Acceptance. "Accept people, situations, circumstances and events as they occur." The second principle is Responsibility. "Responsibility means not blaming anything or anyone for our situation, including ourselves." The Third principle is Vulnerability. "Relinquishing our need to convince or persuade others of 'my point of view.' By acceptance, you let God's presence be felt." This morning we are at the Quarry Arts Wellness Center in Madison for his JIN Yoga Meditation: (Alternative Therapy Practitioner's eight sessions) Training Module. Jinendra is a high-tech swami, well-versed in the use of modern technology. Once at the venue, he is never too busy to greet each person and inquires with a smile about their personal life, family and is ever ready with solutions on any issues, personal or class related. His movements are precise, and instructions clear and specific; he seemed so organized and so focused -- maybe a clear benefit of meditation. He leads us on a journey into our own breath: "Be aware of your Breath, natural breath, for Breath is your bridge to the unknown." While in the class, he seems to seamlessly connect with each participant individually, and he has a gift for understanding and perceiving another's strengths and needs. He differentiates his teaching methods for each person and watches each person carefully to help with specific issues. It's like custom-built modules for each participant. As his soft voice filters into our ears, "Awareness IS All there IS," you realize the shift from gross awareness of breath to subtle awareness, and the power in our hands to move subtle prana in precise location of our body, and one cannot stop wondering at his knowledge of energy, prana, the Life force and subtle ways in which this Life force moves. As the days go by and we progress from one session to another, I hear participants say, "Yes, Jinendra has a gift for understanding and perceiving my strengths and need." Or, "He's very available, sincere in his wish to help people make a shift in their lives that is meaningful to them." And, "Every aspect of his teaching is impeccable!" to "Very high quality teaching...tuning into appropriate level of instruction to convey information, pace and repetition." The personal experiences of his teachings was reflected in their expressions: "I felt energy shift and removal of blocks, there were subtle energetic changes affecting various parts of the body" to "I learned how to use my awareness to enhance quality of my Life." And, "During my first meditation with Jinendra swami, I experienced a rapid series of impressions of divine happenings from my recent past that confirmed the goodness of life...that small miracles happen every day. I have had more experiences as I take his teachings out into my day that are profoundly different and can only attribute it to Jinendra's influence." He does not preach any philosophy but makes it amply clear that our ego has the subtlest ways of pretending to be reformed: "You cannot teach ego to be anything but egoistic." He jolts you out of your isolated sensation of limited self. His approach cuts through all your prejudices, ideas, beliefs and concepts. He simply urges you SEE AS IS, and be open to "THAT" which is beyond All Wisdom. His simple acts and thoughts bring out the immense Love locked inside you. He questions you, "Can 'thought' liberate you from 'thought'? and then reminds you, " We can prove anything by reason, logic and statistics, but not Truth." He shows us at every turn what to do. With a crazy solicitude, he tells us how to end our self-estrangement. Be happy. Love yourself. Don't judge others. Forgive. Always be simple. Don't make distinctions. Give up the habit of choice. Let the mind dissolve. Give up preferring and desiring. Desire only your own Awareness. Give up identifying with body and senses. Give up attachment. Give up giving up! Reflect nothing. Accept nothing. Be still. But above all Be Happy. In the end, you will find yourself just by knowing how things are." As he parts with a knowing smile he reminds you: Understanding is always NOW, not in time Be aware and perceive rightly Then the words come alive and meaningful If not, they are like writings on water Soon to disappear into meaninglessness! Next month: The beginning of a three-part series by Jinendra Swami. Vicki Gustafson and Elisabeth Phillips can be contacted at the ParamShanti Yogashram, 713 Glenway St., Madison, WI 53711-1721, or call (608) 236-9714. Copyright © 2004 Vicki Gustafson & Elisabeth Phillips |
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Jan 2004 |
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