‘Calm, only calm!’ – Carlson exclaimed when things started to go wrong and turned any problem into an excuse to play and have fun. According to Shri Prakash Ji, President of the Centre for Indian Culture, this is how one should react to troubles – calmly and positively. And this easy attitude to life can be learnt.
We often hear in response to our violent reactions, ‘Relax!’ But does this advice help?
Yes, we hear the word ‘relax’ all the time. I’d rather say: ‘Relax, everything will be fine.’ If we talk about physical relaxation, then asanas will help: they are performed in a certain rhythm, with breath control, with smooth alternating poses, and as a result you feel much better. But to achieve inner peace, you need meditation and prayer addressed to God, the Creator, the Supreme Intelligence.
How can you change your way of thinking and stop giving problems a lot of importance?
Firstly, try to force yourself to think about good things every time you have negative thoughts. It is better, of course, to think about something high – about the Universe, about the Universe, because in the scale of the Universe our problems are insignificant. Secondly, try to devote at least 10-20 minutes in the morning and evening to meditation. It gives a positive mood, energy for further actions, suggests a way out of the situation. Thirdly, you need to stop putting your problems above everything and everyone, learn not to dwell on yourself.
Yogis and mystics give up a number of things and habits in order not to be attached to the temporary and to achieve harmony with themselves. Can an ascetic help those who want to find peace of mind?
True yogis are really not attached to anyone or anything. They come to the Earth out of great mercy and compassion for people, to help them, to show them the way to God. If we speak about people who want to change themselves, asceticism is not a way to find tranquility. It can be internal and external, real and ostentatious. Internal asceticism is when a person is not bound by anything inside, today he drives an expensive car, and tomorrow he walks on foot, and it does not bother him.
To reach this state, one has to be engaged in spiritual practices for many years
Sometimes people, in order to show their spirituality, demonstrate external asceticism – they dress differently, eat differently than others. But in their souls they are far from being ascetics, their thoughts are often occupied with discussions and judgements. This will not lead to any peace of mind. Inner peace comes to those whose minds are calm, whose actions are right and whose words do not hurt anyone. This is the perfect formula!
It is said that often our aggression or anxiety in response to an event is a spontaneous, unconscious reaction. Can yoga and other practices help us to recognise the nature of our problems?
Of course: yoga as a philosophy of life can provide answers to many questions. Do you know why Indians always smile, even though many of them are poor? Why they don’t complain about their hard fate?
They know from childhood: everything that happens to them is their life, their destiny, their karma
And you can change it only by changing the course of your thoughts. Any thought – both negative and positive – goes into the subtle world and becomes a part of the drawing of the future destiny. It is the same with words and actions. Interestingly, negative thinking gives a different pattern than negative actions. Actions and words give a greater result than thoughts. But that doesn’t mean one should think negative thoughts. One should try to think positive thoughts.
I have had many people come to me over the past 25 years. Most of them complained about their hard fate, about how unfair the world is to them. They would say, ‘How could God punish me like this?!’ Here lies the main secret: it is not the world that is unfair to you, it is not God who punishes or encourages you – it is your karma. And only through spiritual practices, meditation, prayers you can improve it and change your destiny.
Yoga is popular all over the world: asanas are believed to help you achieve peace of mind and improve your health.
Yes, it does. Yoga helps to keep the body in great shape till the age of old age. Asanas are aimed at getting all the energy centres of our body to work, which is why they are used to cure almost all diseases. If traditional medicine is supplemented with asanas, it contributes to a speedy recovery. Asana complexes such as ‘Surya-namaskar’ (‘Salutation to the Sun’) and ‘Chandra-namaskar’ (‘Salutation to the Moon’) are popular in rehabilitation centres. In the morning, these asanas allow you to cheer up, and in the evening, they relieve fatigue and help you drift off to sleep.
And what asanas are suitable for relaxation?
Shavasana, for example. It can be practised several days a week for a few minutes at a time. Other asanas should be done on an empty stomach. Many people think that 3-4 hours should pass after eating, but I am sure that the best time for them is in the morning, right after waking up, when the stomach is empty. This is not necessary for Shavasana. It can be done at any time, when you have an opportunity.
You should lie on your back on a flat surface. Extend your arms along the torso, slowly take several even inhalations and exhalations. It is necessary to concentrate on breathing and for each inhalation and exhalation mentally repeat a mantra, if you have one – slowly, long.
It is important to try to switch off your attention from the body and concentrate on your breathing completely
If you do this asana in the evening, your sleep will be good and deep, and if you repeat it regularly during the day, you will learn to switch off from negative thoughts and quickly replenish energy.
What are some simple ways to relax after a hard day’s work?
It is useful to spend some time in meditation, and also to reflect on the past day, analyse it, analyse your actions, honestly admit your mistakes and try not to repeat them. In Hindi this is called ‘chintan’, pure reflection.
What are the benefits of meditation? And how do you learn to meditate?
Meditation teaches you to concentrate. Of course, it is not always possible: at first you are overcome by endless thoughts and memories. The main task is to stop the flow of thoughts, not to think about anything.
During meditation there should be only two people left – you and God (or Light – whatever is closer to you)
It is better to meditate in the East, in the morning and evening, at a certain time. It is necessary to concentrate on the heart chakra or on the chakra of the ‘third eye’, imagining the image of God or Light. Light is better to represent a golden shade, the colour of the full moon. Duration of meditation depends on you, you can start with 10-20 minutes. Over time, you can devote 1.5-2 hours to this practice, then you will be able to truly appreciate its effectiveness.
Morning meditation sets you up for the day ahead, and evening meditation helps you to be more tolerant of the mistakes made during the day. If you meditate regularly, you will notice that you react differently to what is happening – wiser and calmer.