Yagnopavitam Dharana Vidhi

Found an interesting article which needs to be re-read and understood hence copy pasted. 

यज्ञोपवीतं परमं पवित्रं प्रजा पतेर्यत्सहजं पुरस्तात् । 

आयुष्यमग्रयं प्रतिमुंञ्च शुभ्रं। यज्ञोपवितम् बलमस्तुतेज:।।

yajnopavitam paramam pavitram prajapateryat-sahajam purastat |

ayushyamagryam pratimuncha shubhram | yajnopavitam balamastu tejah ||

Above sloka describes the sanctity, spirituality and sacredness of yagnopavitam and its benefits. It says that, yagnopavitam is "the best among those that purify; the one that has emerged along with Brahma (Prajapati) at the time of creation; that which bestows life (longevity) and prominence; the one that is sacred clean and unsoiled; and the one which confers on to the wearer both knowledge and power."

Dwija

Dwija mean twice born. There is no difference between one child and another at the time of birth. All are born out of the mother's womb only. This is the first stage of life (Sudra). Second stage is getting upadesa of Gayathri at the time of Upanayanam when the boy becomes Dwija or twice-born. He is then purified. The third stage is Vipra when one has mastered the study of the Vedas. The fourth stage is Brahmana when he actually realizes the Brahman through the knowledge of the Self. One becomes a Brahmana not by birth but only when one realizes the Supreme Brahman. One becomes a Brahmana by action and not by birth.

Why should one wear Yagnopavit?

Wearing Yagnopavit would increase the longevity of a person who wears, gives physical and mental strength through the worship of Sun God (Savitha) using Gayathri Mantra initiated during his Upanayanam. By wearing Yagnopavit one gets purified both externally and internally. By wearing Yagnopavit one gets the eligibility to perform spiritual and sacred rituals (Sroutha/Smartha Karmas) as prescribed in Vedas for his Varna. Sacred rituals performed by wearing Yagnopavit give good results.

One should not attend to nature calls, eat food, and participate in sensual pleasures without Yagnopavit. It is a prerequisite for learning Veda. It is a passport to obtain Vedic education. Yagnopavit is a mark of formal entry into Brahminhood. It gives power and authority to pursue one’s spiritual path.

Significance of wearing Yagnopavit

The Vedic link that a child looses when the umbilical cord is cut is re established in the form of Yagnopavit. In other words, Yagnopavit serves as an umbilical cord that connects him not just to his immediate parents or the immediate three generations but to the entire tree of generations and the Rishi on whose root the whole tree flourished. The three strands remind the wearer that he has to pay off the three debts (Runas) he owes to the ancient seers, ancestors and to the God viz. Deva, Rushi, Pithru Runa.

Yagnopavit is not a mere symbol to identify a community. One who wears Yagnopavit need not necessarily be a Brahmin and the one who does not wear Yagnopavit may not be a non-Brahmin either. Yagnopavit has sanctity of its own and one has to qualify himself for wearing it not by birth alone but also by practice. He alone is a Brahmin who does his Nithya Karma, follows the path of Sanatana Dharma and remains free from ego, avarice, anger and pride.

The Parivita in the Womb

In Sanskrit, parivita refers to a piece of clothing that is wrapped around the body to protectively cover it and the upavita denotes a circular yarn, worn in such a way that it touches the vital areas - like the shoulder, the heart (the left chest), the navel and the right hand – of the human body. 

The Rigveda, in a statement about the processes involved in the biological birth of the human being, makes a mention of another upavita – “Sa maturyonaparivito antarbahuprajah…” -The fetus(-es) in the mother’s womb is/are enveloped in aparivita. It is needless to mention that it is a reference to the amniotic sac wherein the fetus is safely cocooned. And if, by divine dispensation, the fetus gets an innate parivita, should not an innate upavita exist too? The very mantra of yajnopavita (Paraskara Grihya Sutra 2.2.10) indicates that there is an innate upavita that has been sanctioned by Prajapati by himself:-

बाजसनेयी यज्ञोपवीत मंत्र

यज्ञोपवीतं परमं पवित्रं प्रजा पतेर्यत्सहजं पुरस्तात् । 

आयुष्यमग्रयं प्रतिमुंञ्च शुभ्रं। यज्ञोपवितम् बलमस्तुतेज:।।

yajnopavitam paramam pavitram prajapateryat-sahajam purastat |

ayushyamagryam pratimuncha shubhram | yajnopavitam balamastu tejah ||

छन्दोग यज्ञोपवीत मंत्र

यज्ञो पवीतमसि यज्ञस्य त्वोपवीतेनोपनह्यामि।

yajnopavitamasi yajnasya tva yajnopavitenopanahyami | – Par. Gr. Sutra 2.2.10

Now, Prajapati is the appellation for God - indicative of his creative powers. It indicates that He is the lord of genesis – of procreation. Most of the mantras recited during the VivahaSanskara (the wedding ceremony), therefore, address God by the epithet Prajapati. In the hridaya-sparsha mantra, ordained in the Vivaha Sanskara, we have – “Mama vrate te hridayam dadhami … Prajapatishtva niyunaktu mahyam”. Understandably wedding is the precondition to propagation of progeny, and hence God is Prajapati here. But theupanayana sanskara is a precursor to education, where the ruling Godhead is Brihaspati. Theupanayana mantra (Paraskara Grihya Sutra 2.2.16) goes – Brihaspatishtva niyunaktu mahyam. Why should then the epithet Prajapati, for God, be used in the above quotedmantra (Paraskara Grihya Sutra 2.2.10) and not Brihaspati (the epithet for God as a giver of knowledge)?

The mantra, therefore, needs to be well understood in order to resolve the problem at hand. In it, the cord, described as the “paramam pavitram yajnopavitam” is said to have been sanctioned by Prajapati himself, congenitally (sahajam), at the very beginning (purastat), and has been acclaimed to be the foremost sustainer of life (ayushyamagryam). Certainly this cannot be the description of the sacred thread or the shubhra yajnopavita, but the one that comes before it (agryam). About which Manu says – Maturagre’adhijanam dwitiyam maunjibandhanam i.e. the birth given by the mother comes before the second birth through the tying of the yarn. 

This innate cord, hence, has to be the ‘amrita naadi’ (of Ayurveda) on which the life of the fetus depends. Right from Charaka and Sushruta down to the modern day researchers of human anatomy have spoken about the three strands of this innate upavita, which is nothing else but the umbilical cord. The illustrations will clearly show that the cord has three vessels – two arteries and a vein - which are responsible for the exchange of oxygen (and carbon dioxide), nutrients and hormones between the mother and the child.

Imitating the Innate Upavita

Does the innate upavita (the umbilical cord) not bear a very close resemblance to theshubhram yajnopavitam, which too is a cord of attachment and exchange between theAcharya (the preceptor) and the antevasi (the intern)? The mantra now becomes meaningful. Now, it may be thus interpreted – ‘The yajnopavita is very sacrosanct. Prajapati Himself had initially sanctioned that congenital cord. I invest you with this whiteyajnopavita, which, akin to that foremost sustainer of life, may bring you strength and brilliance by bringing’. “Why then is the innate upavita called a yajnopavita?” - the cynic may ask. “And, why not,” would be the reply, “when the sustenance of the spirit of life is a yajna, as the Yajurveda says?”

So, what exchanges do the strands of the white yajnopavita stand for? The rejoinder would first take into account the three vital areas – nabhi (the navel), hridaya (the heart) and murdha (the crown of the head) – which the Rigveda (4.58.3) considers as the energy centres to which man is thrice bound (‘tridha baddho vrishabho roraviti’) and then move on to describe that just like the exchange of nutrition (compare – nabhi), oxygen (compare –hridaya) and hormones (compare – murdha) as conducted by the umbilical cord, the white upavita passing through these vital areas stand for the exchange of the intellect of the Acharya with that of the intern (murdha – the head), the exchange of affection and cordiality (hridaya – the heart) and the care for the health and continence of the intern (nabhi – the navel). In the modern educational terminology, the three ply sutra would stand for the sharpening of the cognitive, the affective and the psychomotor domains of the intern by the preceptor. It is this relation of the mind, body and soul that the Acharya pledges during the hridaya, skandha and nabhi sparsha.

Why Yagnopavit for the one who is known to the world as a Brahmin? 

It is not something that is worn for the world to know. It is for the realization of Brahman within. The one who has thrown away his Yagnopavit but has led a life of truth is nobler compared to the one who wears Yagnopavit but does nothing to justify it.

 Anthareeyam and Utthareeyam

Yagnopavit is a word consisting of two words, yagna and upavit. Vit means that which is woven, that is cloth and Upavit means the upper garment. One is born naked. Then the baby is kept wrapped in one garment. Till the thread ceremony is performed the boy can remain clad in one garment. The use of the upper garment begins after the thread ceremony. After the thread ceremony one garment refers to the loin cloth (langoti) and the second (upper) garment to the sacred thread (janave) which is in a way a condensed form of the shawl on the shoulder (uparne).

In early times, clothing was of two kinds, "Anthareeyam", a piece of covering cloth, and "Utthareeyam", a cloth or hide to cover the chest to keep the lungs warm and strong during Veda recital.  Yajnopavit got the name as it is to be specially worn during sacred rituals such as yajnam. Yajnam means Vishnu, while Upavit connotes a covering, and thus, together the word could mean a cover for the god that dwells in the heart. Since the soul is supposed to dwell in the heart, Upavit got the other name, Yajnasoothram. Yagnopavit is called "Poonool" in Tamil (Poo = Flower, Nool = Thread), meaning thread made of cotton flower. 

Nine fibres - One deity is established in each fibre as follows: 

- Omkar, 

- Agni (deity of fire), 

- Nag (serpent), 

- Som (moon), 

- Pitar (ancestors), 

- Prajapati (deity of procreation), 

- Vayu (air), 

- Yama (deity of death) and 

- Vishvadevata (deity of the universe). 

Three strands are created by twisting three of the nine fibres in each strand. 

The three Vedas

- Rigveda, 

- Yajurveda and 

- Samaveda are established on each of these strands. 

Three fibres are woven into one strand and the three strands are then knotted together. This knot is called the Brahmagatha (gatha means a knot) or the Brahmagranthi (granthi means a gland). [The knot of sacred grass (darbha) tied to a gold ring (pavitrak) is also called a Brahmagranthi.] It is the site of establishing the Atharvaveda. This knot is extremely important and one requires skill to tie it. 

The three strands of the sacred thread represent the three stages (ashrams) 

- celibate student (brahmacharya), 

- the married householder (gruhastha) and 

- retired householder (vanaprastha); 

The three Fires

- the fire worshipped in the home (garhapatya), 

- the fire placed in the south (dakshinagni) and 

- the sacred fire lit for a specific spiritual purpose (ahvaniya) as well as spiritual knowledge (dnyan), devotion (bhakti) and action (karma). 

The one who possesses all these three qualities gets the spiritual experience of Brahman. Based on 96 items listed below, the length of the sacred thread should be 96 times the breadth of a finger (angul).

तिथिर्वारं च नक्षत्रं तत्त्‍ववेदगुणान्‍वितम्‌ ।

कालत्रयं च मासाश्र्च ब्रह्‍मसूत्रं हि षण्‍णव ।।

Meaning: 

- 15 auspicious dates (tithis), 

- 7 days of the week,  

- 27 lunar asterisms,  

- 25 principles,  

- 4 Vedas, 

- 3 components (gunas),  

- 3 time periods (kals) and  

- 12 months = 96. 

Thus, the length of the sacred thread (Yagnopavit) is 96 times the breadth of the middle part of one's own right hand middle finger (angulam).

 

 

Three angulams equal a mushti. Eight angulams equal a padam and twelve angulams a thalam.

 

अजिन धारणं (Ajina dharanam)

The boy should be made to wear a deerskin after chanting a mantra. Usually deerskin is used as later one is supposed to use the hide as a seat for spiritual practice.

In the Saiva sect, the three strands of the sacred thread represent the three horizontal lines of holy ash (tripundra) on the forehead of Lord Shankar which symbolize spiritual knowledge (dnyan), purity and penance (tapashcharya). The Brahmagath indicates the origin of these three, that is divine consciousness (chaitanya).

अजिन धारण मन्त्र (Ajina dharan mantra)

मित्रस्य चक्षुर्धरणं बलीयस्तेजो यशस्वी स्थविरगं समिद्धं |

अनाहनस्यं वसनं जरिष्णु परीदं वाज्यजिनं दधेहं ||

mitrasya chakshurdharunam baleeya: tejao yashasvi sthaviragm samiddham |

anahanasyam vasanam jarishnu pareedam vajyajinam dadheham ||

How many Yagnopavitas one should wear?

The cords of the sacred thread are made up of three strands. The celibate (brahmachari) and ascetic (yati) should wear one and the married householder (gruhastha) should wear two. One cord indicates that an ascetic and a celibate are concerned only with their own spiritual progress while two cords in the married householder indicate that they are also responsible for the spiritual progress of their wives besides their own. The third cord is to be worn by all gruhasthas. People in the early days used to cover their upper body only with a cloth - uttariyam (angavastram). If the upper cloth is missing during a ceremony, the third cord of the yagnopavit takes its place. 

Posture of Yagnopavit (Savya, Praachinavita, Nivita)

Generally we come across three postures of wearing Yagnopavit. One is Upavita where the Yagnopavit is worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm. This posture is used for performing auspicious ceremonies and sacred rituals related to Gods. This is called Savya position. Under normal circumstances Yagnopavit should always be in Savya position.

The thread is worn on the left shoulder and falls on the right side below the waist. The thread is worn on the left shoulder crossing the 3 naadis (pinagala/sushumna/ida) for the centering effect.

The second one is Praachinavita where, Yagnopavit is worn above the right shoulder and under the left arm. This position is used while performing sacred rites to the Forefathers (Pitru Karya). This is called Apasavya position.

When Yagnopavit is worn around the neck and over the chest in maalakara (like a garland) and is held with both thumbs in the region of the heart and above the naval, it is Nivita. This form is used during Rishi tarpana, sexual intercourse, answering nature calls, while carrying a corpse etc.

Sacred thread over the right ear lobe during urination or defaecation.

निवीती दक्षिणे कर्णे यज्ञोपवीतं कृत्‍वा मूत्रपुरीषे विसृजेत्‌ ।

ऊर्ध्‍वं नाभर्मेध्‍यातर: पुरुष: परिकीर्तित: ।।

In short, it means that since the part of the body above the navel is considered pure and that below it impure, during urination and defaecation the sacred thread is worn as a chain (nivit) around the neck and is placed on the right ear. The scriptures often mention the importance of the right ear. Since it is the seat of various deities like Aditya, Vasu, Rudra, Vayu, Agni, Dharma, Veda, Apa, Som, Surya, Anil, etc. mere touch of the right ear bears the benefit of the ritual of sipping water from the palm (achaman). Thus by placing the sacred thread on the right ear which is pure, one is not bound by the restrictions of impurity.

The right ear assumes such scientific importance because the nerve endings and receptors situated here are closely related to the testes. During urination there is a likelihood of passage of sperms in a small quantity. It is well documented by Ayurveda that seminal loss is prevented by encircling the right ear with a thread. The frequency in case of repeated nocturnal emissions can be reduced by keeping the right ear tied during sleep. An animal is subdued as soon as its ear is held. Of the seven causes of scrotal swelling, one is urinary. Encircling the ear with a thread prevents a scrotal swelling due to a urinary cause.

When to Change the Yagnopavit?

When once a person starts wearing Yagnopavit in normal circumstances it should not be removed and should be worn always (24 hours-365 days). It is like a woman wearing a Mangala-Suthra forever. But in practice it is not possible to wear the same Yagnopavit permanently. Due to wear and tear, it may get soiled or worn out or gets broken and needs to be changed. One should not wear a broken or worn out Yagnopavit. Apart from this it should be changed under the following circumstances.

- Once in a year on the day of Upakarma,

- After performing Sraddha,

- After completion of the stipulated period of asoucha (birth/death in the family),

- Whenever one visits the Cremation Ground or touches a Corpse,

- Whenever one happen to touch a woman during menstruation,

- Whenever the threads of Yagnopavit are severed or it is soiled or worn out,

- Whenever one attends 10th day ceremony and gives Dharmodaka.

Whenever there is a need to change Yagnopavit it should not be removed recklessly. First wear the new one and then remove the worn out as per the laid down procedure.

Procedure to wear the new Yagnopavit and remove the old one

ममोपात्त दुरितक्षय द्वारा श्री परमेष्वर प्रीत्यर्धम आयुष्याभि वृद्धिअर्थम्

मम श्रौत स्मार्थ नित्य कर्मानुष्ठान योग्यता फल सिध्यर्थं नूतन यज्ञोंपवीत धारणं करिष्ये ॥

(Dip your right hand middle finger in Panchapatra)

New Yagnopavit should be purified with turmeric paste or kumkum.

यज्ञोंपवीते तस्य मंत्रस्य परमेष्टि परब्रह्मर्षि परब्रह्म देवता।

देवी गायत्री च्छंदः यज्ञोंपवीता धारणे विनियोगः ॥

Wear Yagnopavit one set of threads after another reciting the following mantra.

While wearing Yagnopavit it should be held by both hands, the knot in the Yagnopavit being held above the head by the right hand facing upwards.

यज्ञोंपवीत धारण मंत्र (Yagnopavita dharana mantra)

यज्ञोपवीतं परमं पवित्रं प्रजा पतेर्यत्सहजं पुरस्तात् । 

आयुष्यमग्रयं प्रतिमुंञ्च शुभ्रं। यज्ञोपवितम् बलमस्तुतेज:।।

yajnopavitam paramam pavitram prajapateryat-sahajam purastat |

ayushyamagryam pratimuncha shubhram | yajnopavitam balamastu tejah ||

(In case of Brahmachari only one Yagnopavit is prescribed. Grihastha should wear a second one after performing Aachamanam and reciting the Sankalpa:

मम गृहस्थाश्रम योग्यता सिध्यर्थं द्वितीय यज्ञोंपवीत धारणं करिष्ये ।

mama gruhastasrama yogyata sidhyartam dwitiya yagnopavita dharanam karishye |

The second Yagnopavit should be worn in the same manner as the first one by holding the thread above the head and reciting the यज्ञोंपवीत धारण मंत्र (Yagnopavita dharana mantra).

Further, Grihastha should wear a third one in similar manner after performing Aachamanam with the following sankalpa:

मम उत्तरीयार्धम तृतीय यज्ञोंपवीत धारणं करिष्ये ।

mama uttariyartama tritiya yagnopavita dharanam karishye |

and then recite once again the यज्ञोंपवीत धारण मंत्र (Yagnopavita dharana mantra).

Remove the old Yagnopavit 

Hold the knots of both the old and new Yagnopavit together in the right hand and recite the following mantra:

गायत्री वेद मातसी सूत्र रूपेण दिष्टसि

पूर्व सूत्र गतं तेजा नूतने स्थापयाम्यहम ।

gayatri veda matasi sutra rupena dishtasi

purva sutra gatam teja nutana stapayamyaham |

 

Do the japa of Gayatri mantra 10 times holding together the knots of both the old and new yagyonpaveetham.

यज्ञोंपवीत विसर्जन मंत्र 

उपवीतं भिन्न (छिन्न) तन्तुं जीर्णं कश्मल दूषितं

विसृजामि जले ब्रम्ह वर्चो दीर्घायु रस्तुमे ।

upavitam binna tantum jeernam kasmala dushitam

visrujami jale brahma vajo deergayu rastume |

(Old Yagnopavit should be dropped into water or on a Tree and should not be thrown into garbage)

Perform Aachamanam again.

When to Perform Upanayana

A Brahmin child's upanayana must be performed when he is eight years old from conception, that is when he is seven years and two months old from birth. A Ksatriya's is to be performed at the age of twelve. Krishna Paramatma who belonged to the clan of Yadus (Yadavas) was invested with the sacred thread at that age. The corresponding age for a Vaisya is sixteen.

According to the sastras, the lower limit of Brahmin youngsters is eight years and the upper limit is sixteen which means a grace of eight years. It is sinful not to have performed upanaya of a Brahmin boy before his passing the upper age limit.

Uttarayana is the right period to perform upanayana- from the Tamil month Thai to Ani (Mid January to mid- July) when the sun journeys northwards. While this is the right time for marriages also, the season of spring - Chittirai to Vaikasi (Mid- April to mid June) is considered particularly auspicious. For upanayana the month specially favoured is Masi (Mid- February to Mid- March). Upanayana and marriage are not favoured during Daksinayana - from the Tamil month Adi to the end of Margazhi (Mid- July to mid-January).

Nowadays, for various reasons, the upanayana and marriage ceremonies are delayed for as long as possible and celebrated in any month other than Margazhi (Mid-December to mid-January). The results are there for you to see. But one must be happy perhaps that a function called marriage is still performed somehow. So long as people perform it, let them perform it at any time. If we take this attitude, marriages may be permitted in any season as a desperate step. But upanayana is a different matter. It should never be permitted in Daksinayana. If it is for some reason celebrated during this period, I would ask for its performance again in Uttarayana. Money is the main problem in conducting an upanayana or a marriage. Parents postpone the upanayana because they want to perform it at the same time as the marriage of their daughter so as to minimise the expenses.

Kamyopanayana

The upanayana is sometimes performed when the boy is only five years old. This is called "kamyopanayana", "Kamya" meaning in persuance of desire. Such early upanayana is all right if you want the child to develop inwardly at an early age. But seven years is the proper age for the child to be invested with sacred thread because by now he would have learned enough Sanskrit to chant the mantras clearly. Nowadays, the "thread ceremony" is conducted together with the marriage, that is when the "boy" is 30 or 35 years old. So to suggest that the upanayana needs to be performed only when the child is seven years old - and not at five - would be taken as a joke. Joke or no joke, it [the delay in performing the upanayana] should make you uneasy deep within if you have some concern for the vedic dharma.

Adi Sankara's upanayana, it is believed, was performed when he was five years old. If the child is extraordinarily intelligent and can articulate words properly, his upanayana may be performed at five years.

Why not for girls?

According to some appendix of the Manusmriti, girls were allowed to study Vedas in another Kalpa (Yuga of creation), and therefore some Arya Samaj sects do perform Upanayanam for girls also. In general, Hindus do not accept the appendix of the Manusmriti, because no Hindu Canonical (meaning = according to religious law) text allows this ceremony for girls in this Kalpa and therefore do not perform it for girls.

Collated from: 

https://vedic-shlokas-mantras.blogspot.in/

http://www.salagram.net/Brahmin-threads.html

http://www.namboothiri.com/articles/poonool.htm

http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part17/chap6.htm

http://amankizuban.blogspot.in/2014/04/is-janeu-only-for-brahmins.html

http://bhargavasarma.blogspot.in/2009/06/yagnopaveetham-paramam-pavithram.html

http://ajitvadakayil.blogspot.in/2013/04/upanayanam-sacred-thread-ceremony-of.html

http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-do-the-three-strands-of-the-sacred-thread-represent.html

Reiki Initiation

The Reiki 1st Degree initiation

The following pages are what actually occur during your four initiations. Usually, the student would have their eyes closed, if they were present.

Within each initiation sequence there will be a series of Reiki symbols. You must "sign" (visually draw with one hand) the Reiki symbols or repeat the symbol name.

The sequences together form the "secret keys" that align the student with the Reiki energy at each level.

The process/sequence usually refers to you giving the initiations to someone else. But, you can give yourself the re-attunements ( stand in front of a mirror and perform the same actions to yourself, this would usually be to "Master the Initiation sequencers before Initiating others...This would apply to all Reiki andSeichim Initiation levels).

When you feel comfortable, perform the sequence(s) numbered 1 -> 15 and laid out in the following pages.

After the fourth Initiation the student has been successfully attuned into the First Degree of Reiki!

Reiki Level 1 third attunement

1. Stand behind initiate & put your hands on their shoulders & see tam-ar-a-sha

2. Sign tam-a-ra-sha three times

3. Sign cho-ku-rei once & say mentally three times

4. Sign dai-ko-mio once

9. Walk to front of initiate, gently tap on their shoulder

10. Sign cho-ku-rei once each to crown, heart, & throat, say name mentally three times to each sign

11. Take initiates hands & pump energy into theirs visualising a tam-a-ra-sha in both of their palms

5. Sign cho-ku-rei once & say mentally three times

6. Sign hon-sha ze-sho-nen once

7. Sign cho-ku-rei once & say mentally three times

8. Put your hands at base of initiates neck

& feel energy pour in.

12. Sign cho-ku-rei once each to crown, heart, & throat, say name mentally three times to each sign

13. Blow a puff of breath to crown, heart, and throat

14. Sign cho-ku-rei once each to crown, heart, & throat, say name mentally three times to each sign

15. Advise initiate that attunement is complete

Reiki Level 1 fourth attunement

Last Updated on Sun, 13 Dec 2020

1. Stand behind initiate & put your hands on their head

2. Sign tam-a-ra-sha three times

3. Sign cho-ku-rei once & say mentally three times

4. Sign dai-ko-mio once

5. Sign cho-ku-rei once & say mentally three times

6. Sign hon-sha ze-sho-nen once

7. Sign cho-ku-rei once & say mentally three times

8. Slide your left hand on back of initiates neck, & right hand on their crown.

9. Walk to front of initiate, gently tap on their shoulder

10. Sign cho-ku-rei once each to crown, heart, & throat, say name mentally three times to each sign

11. Take initiates hands & pump energy into theirs visualising a tam-a-ra-sha in both of their palms

12. Sign cho-ku-rei once each to crown, heart, & throat, say name mentally three times to each sign

13. Blow a puff of breath to crown, heart, and throat

14. Sign cho-ku-rei once each to crown, heart, & throat, say name mentally three times to each sign

15. Advise initiate that they are attuned to Reiki - First Degree

Reiki Level 1 fourth attunement

1. Stand behind initiate & put your hands on their head

2. Sign tam-a-ra-sha three times

3. Sign cho-ku-rei once & say mentally three times

4. Sign dai-ko-mio once

5. Sign cho-ku-rei once & say mentally three times

6. Sign hon-sha ze-sho-nen once

7. Sign cho-ku-rei once & say mentally three times

8. Slide your left hand on back of initiates neck, & right hand on their crown.

9. Walk to front of initiate, gently tap on their shoulder

10. Sign cho-ku-rei once each to crown, heart, & throat, say name mentally three times to each sign

11. Take initiates hands & pump energy into theirs visualising a tam-a-ra-sha in both of their palms

12. Sign cho-ku-rei once each to crown, heart, & throat, say name mentally three times to each sign

13. Blow a puff of breath to crown, heart, and throat

14. Sign cho-ku-rei once each to crown, heart, & throat, say name mentally three times to each sign

15. Advise initiate that they are attuned to Reiki - First Degree

My mails with Mr.Kiran and our discussions on spirituality

We had a very interesting discussion about spiritual matters. I wish to share these with my other readers. My understanding about spirituality for which the sole credit should go to my association with Chinmaya Mission and my guru Sir.Prasad Chaitanyaji. If there are some flaws in my understanding, they are due to my lack of comprehension about the truth revealed by my master and I stand corrected.
Please go through this series of discussion and add your comments:
Gopi Kishan
hi all
this surely is a very thought provoking mail. But the key to implement this in our otherwise busy life if i can say so lies very much within us. most of us confuse spirituality to be something which is best left for old age and with ritualism and get caught. but having read a few of books by great mahatmas and shastras dealing with our upanishads and commentaries what i could assimilate is that spirituality is in fact a change in attitude. If we take the example of BABA, we can be awestruck by the miracles he performed and would get struck with his form alone, but BABA is universal consciousness that has taken a form temporarily to serve the purpose of an avatar. the same consciousness exists in us too and that is the reason why he is ANTARYAMI i.e ominipresent. if you negate his existence in any thing whether living or non living you are commiting a spiritual crime. we need to be conscious of HIS existence in all. if we can adopt this attitude then that is true SHARANAGATHI. we will automatically respect all and love all and in the process love our BABA. Dear ones lets spread this love and rise in this love. Knowledge alone is power and it alone can help us realise our true self, i.e, BABA the inner ruler.
This is what i was inspired to write. hope the message reaches you
Kiran,
Thanks for forwarding this. I have a couple of points to add to this thread. Thanks to Mr.Gopi for starting this aspect of thread, which very much strikes the point.
If we go through the Satcharitra with a spiritual bent, u will realize umpteen number of examples where Baba drives us through spirituality and it needs some time and constant meditation on the aspects mentioned to understand the concepts. While God is both SagunSakar and NirgunNirakara, Baba with his avatar drove the wrong concepts that He isonly NirgunNirakara into a dustbin, but on the other hand, He promises us to ferry across the spiritual journey like a mother tortoise looking from the other bank. One more way to look at this concept is everyone of us have Him in us like a clean mirror, which can reflect the Godliness, but we are not able to do so, due to lots of old samskaras and anthahakaranashatrus besmearing the mirror and we wouldn’t be able to “realize” Him in us. Once we clear these, through the spiritual way of living, we can thus realize “Him” in us. Agreed that Spirituality mellow downs some of the rajas/tamas and pushes us more towards the Sattvic way of living, and the practice method that Baba taught us is very unique and to get the most from that, we need to completely submit ourselves to Him, SARVASYA SARANAGATI and realize that “Anyadha saranam naasti twameva Saranam mama”. One all our ego goes away, He comes and drives your chariot as Krishna.

Gopi Kishan,
Hi All
I appreciate the views of Kiran and feel good to know that someone in our family atleast has this bent of mind, especially among my contemperories. Most of the guys either shy away from spirituality or are too busy with their life that they have actually misses their true purpose of this human birth and the importance of it. Satcharitra is such a great biography that it appeals to its readers in several ways. Each one of us will interpret it according to our spiritual evolution. We need to accept that that we are a different levels of consciousness. I appreciate Kiran's usage of Antahkarna, according to our vedas, it is a combination of Manas(mind), Buddhi(intellect), Chitta(memory) and Ahamkaram (Ego). Consciousness(or Brahman or paramatma or God or energy etc.......) whatever the name that one would like to give gets reflected through this equipment called antahkarana. As Kiran said, only when the mirror is clean the reflection is perfect otherwise it is distorted (this is what we call individual perception in layman's language). All our so called rituals and spiritual practices are aimed at cleansing the antahkarana(equipment) so that the reflection is clear.
There are 3 stages of spiritual evolution:
Dwaita i.e me and god are seperate (madhavacharya was ardent proponent of this philosophy)
Visistha Adwaitha i.e worship of specialized god (ramanujacharya was proponent of this)
Adwaitha i.e god alone exists (adishankaracharya was proponent)

these 3 stages exist in all of us too
at first we feel the god to be seperate from us
at the second stage we choose a particular diety, declare that diety to be supreme
at the final stage we find identity with the choosen god

Now coming to spiritual practices:
What Kiran pointed was towards 3 gunas (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas)
the entire creation comprises of the three gunas and hence we too have these 3 but each one has these in different quantities. Our aim should be to increase Sattva guna. This can be done by diverting one's self towards sattvic food, reading spiritual books, being in the company of sattvic people (satsang, hope that is what we are doing now) and practice of austerities like mounam, dhyanam and tapas.
Ultimately Lord Krishna says in his Hamsa geeta that even Sattva guna should also be abandoned. This leads to final emancipation or self realisation (trigunateetha). This final process is possible only through knowledge, for example: how is fire produced in the forest? obviously when the branches of the tree rub together the fire is produced, this fire burns the trees too and entire forest and ultimately when everything is burnt it dies on itself. Similarly when we produce friction through the fire of knowledge and meditate, the sattva guna produces this fire and ultimate all the gunas, samskaras, karmas and vasanas burn and we become the pure self and realise that Atma alone exists every where and Jeeva atma (misconception that I am different from parmatma) dissolves into paramatma.
now tell me:
1) what meditation or spiritual practice that a wave needs to become one with ocean?
2) what special austerities that a pot needs to undertake to become earth (matti)?
3) Can you seperate gold from a gold bangle?

yet another thought provoking statement would be:
We use a soap to clean ourselves, after cleaninig ourselves do we still need the soap? obviously not we pour more water untill all the soap too is washed away.
Similarly only through detachment from every thing that is temporary and attaching ones' self with what is permanent is actual spirituality.
Definition of Guru in sanskrit is Dispeller of darkness.
This darkness is nothing but our ignorance that we are jeevatma and seperate from paramatma. This guru too resides in us and guides us. he is both with form as well as formless.
Let us recollect the bold declaration by Lord Krishna:
Yada yada he dharmasya, glanir bhavati bharatha
abyurdhanama dharmasya, tadatmanam sruyamyaham.

Which says that the lord takes avatars in order to alleviate the masses from delusion.
I would like to conclude by saying that He(sai or any god of one's choice) alone exists, in living as well as non-living, good and bad, as well as in all opposites because he alone is the supplier of energy for one and all and he infact is the energy for all manifested and unmanifested. the moment we live in this awareness day in and day out, automatically our attitude changes because we cannot do anything wrong as he is a witness to all our actions, we will not discreminate between anyone and love everyone as our own BABA.
lets spread this love and grow in it. let us become instruments in his hands and surrender our ego and accept anything that comes our way as his prasad and at the same time be prepared for his tests.
god bless all.
With lots of love.
Gopi

Kiran,
Hi
This was a great discourse from Gopi. Happy to find some one who is
already treading the path. I don't qualify even to the first step of the
spiritual path. I am still learning ABCs and there is a long way to
reach the goal. Couple of points that I would like to add to what Gopi
has rightly pointed out. Dwaita (Difference between Jeevatma and
Paramatma) was proposed almost at the same time by both Madhwacharya and
Vallabhacharya and they too have the same personal God as what
Ramanujacharya proposes (Srimannarayana). As rightly pointed out, these
are the stages of the spiritual evolution, where we generally start with
the conception of duality and later we realize that we are a
part/component of the great personality(leading to the visishtadvaita)
and end with non-duality(as proposed by AdiSankaracharya).

I am not aware of hamsageeta, could u point me to a good pointer about
it.
I would try sharing some of the thought provoking questions u posed

1) what meditation or spiritual practice that a wave needs to become one
with ocean?

Wave is a part and parcel of the ocean, and doesn't need any, but on the
other hand, if the question is related to the river mingling with the
ocean, it makes more relevance to us explaining the perseverance of the
hardships the river has to take and the long journey it has to travel to
identify as one with the ocean. It makes more relevance to our journey
where we start somewhere and have to travel miles and miles(Shraddha) to
reach Him and the perseverance and the Saburi we have to adopt to face
all the hardships and then finally reach Him. It needs constant
meditation and patience.

2) what special austerities that a pot needs to undertake to become
earth (matti)?

Both the ways around, it has its own significance. The other way gives
us more motivation towards the spiritual, ofcourse could be related to
material aspect too. The mud has to undergo different hardships and has
to be moulded craftily with in the hands of the potter (Guru), which
takes it a lot of patience to face the hardships and its natural time to
dry up and encompass the nectar pouring in it.
On the other hand, the path other way is simply uniting the moulded
earthen pot with earth. At the end of the life, anyways the material
body gets united one with the earth, but on the otherhand, if we got to
make our jeevatma one with paramatma, u got to do the austerities and
tapas, while the pot is still available(life is present)

3) Can you seperate gold from a gold bangle?

Though the innate material for the bangle is still gold, same as what
there is one atma in all the living beings and the outward appearances
differ, the avidya once lost will lead to the pure gold.


We use a soap to clean ourselves, after cleaninig ourselves do we still
need the soap? obviously not we pour more water untill all the soap too
is washed away.

Agreed, but on the other hand, we need to clean ourselves every day,
because there will be lots of dust and stuff depositing on us. We need
constant practice and regular cleaning of our mirror, else we are bound
to fall in the clutches of maya and become dirty again (for ex. The
story of sage vishwamitra and the story in the Upanishad where the sage
gets attached to a small deer and after ending his life takes a birth of
deer in the next birth and takes couple of rebirths to realize as one
with Him).

What Baba has shown us is a way that we need not renounce everything in
the life and run away from ur assigned karma to reach Godliness, but a
way to reach the ultimate destination, by still participating in the
daily activities and get detached from the kartha-feeling (as what
Bhagawadgita says) and also like what janaka maharaja continued his
dialy routines, though achieving Jnana.
- Thanks and Regards
M V Achutha Kiran Kumar

Gopi Kishan,
Thanks a lot Kiran, but let me take the previlege of correcting you. I too am a student in this path and I just expressed my assimilation of thoughts, discourse would be a big word to discribe, I am a long way behind to become a guru. (this ofcourse is in a lighter sense)
About hamsa geeta, there are various geethas like Bhagavat geetha, Hamsa Geetha, Kapila Geetha, Astavakra Geetha, Rama geetha, Bhikshu geetha. All these are asimilation of the knowledge of upanishads in a nutshell. All these teach about various paths to self realisation.
The problem for a seeker on the path to spirituality is unless he sets his goal on the ultimate i.e self realisation, he gets lost in the path. Even the Masters (gurus) that he encounters are according to his evolution. The Lord takes the form of gurus of different kind because of this very fact. The words that we freely use such as SHARANAGATHI, ANTARYAMI, NISHKAMA-KARMA etc. are very easy to understand intellectually. But true spirituality is not intellectual appreciation of these because BRAHMAN state of consciousness is beyond intellectual understanding, that is a state that which can only be experienced. As it is beyond senses, antahkarana, gunasa and awastha. No one can escape the KARMA unless he gets self realisation. These birth-death-rebirth process continues.
Our soul evolves successively, but tell me if we have taken say 1 lakh births by now and in each birth we have performed karma and we have a vast store house of karma as well as vasanas(unfulfilled desires) then how is it possible to exhaust all these in this birth and get liberated?
The answer lies in disowning all these through jnana. That is by getting attached to our true self i.e ATMA and removing the dirt of all the equipment of antahkarna(mind, intellect, memory, ego).
In HAMSA GEETHA this question about self realisation was posed to Braham(the creator) by his 4mind-born sons known as KUMARAS, these were very advanced beings, very pure.
Their question was when every thing is a form of BRAHMAN(please dont get confused between Brahman and Brahma) or consciousness then why is it that The supreme God doesnt get affected by dwaitha and Maya? Why is it that all other beings like humans, demi-gods(devatas) and all creatures living and non-living get affected?
When Brahma couldnt answer this question then the supreme consciousness takes the form of a swan(hamsa) and answers this question.
Lord Krishna is known to be that consciousness and he speaks about the discourse given by him in the form of hamsa to his disciples in dwapara yuga. This is hamsa geetha in a nutshell. Actual discourse if it is interesting to you I shall send you the synopsis later.

I presume we are just sharing information and the purpose of our mails is to evolve spiritually as well as to get to know one another better. I sole intention is to provide you with food for thought and get you acquainted with our scriptures. I too am an ardent devotee of baba. Infact he is the one who guided me into this path and has been there with me throughout my life.
If you find time please go through my blog on spirituality and reiki. Please read from the first post so that it makes better understanding.
Let us continue our correspondence as it is beneficial to both of us, I will get to know how much the subject could sink in me and you will have the benefit of knowing the same as well as expanding your horizon of thinking. It is a win-win situation.
Awaiting your response.
With love
Gopi

Gopi Kishan,
Hi
Here we go with the first question
1) what meditation or spiritual practice that a wave needs to become one
with ocean?
So long as the wave feels itself seperate from the ocean it cannot become one with it. But as the time progresses the wave ultimately dissolves into the ocean and becomes one with it. From spiritual point of view this hold good too, so long as we identify ourselves with the body, mind or intellect, we are different from brahman or consciousness. The moment we disidentify with there knowing these to be of temporary nature (just like a wave's seperate existence from ocean) and identify ourself with the energy or spirit or the soul or the atma or the consciousness(all these terms can be used to indicate the same), we become one with it. Self-realisation is here and now the only tools required are dispassion(towards temporary issues such body mind and intellect) and abidance in the self with knowledge(jnana). This is the real meaning of ANTARMUKHI. Now you may consider why is all this necessary as the wave ultimately merges into the ocean in no time. Time is man's creation (past,present and future) and is very relative. Consider this birth (may be we live of 75 or so years) and compare it with millions of births that your soul has already taken. In this context even this time we have too is very short(alike the wave). Ultimate reality is that eventually every soul would realize its ownself through this process of births and deaths. Yet here we have an excellent opportunity to realize our true selves and find ourselves in the state of everlasting happiness(Sat-Chit-Ananda Swaroopa) in this very birth.
Real spiritual sadhana that anyone of us can do is disidentification from unreal and abidance in the real.
We all actually go to this state unconsciously during deep sleep. We do not know what happens, infact we are not aware of our existence too, yet we continue to exist. During deep sleep even the mind to doesnt exists and that is the reason why we do not know what is happening around. A Yogi enters this state of no mind consciously during samadhi state where he merges with consciousness. The actual sadhana is to go to the state of samadhi and be there(unlike unconscious sleep).
By meditating one gains concentration, by concentrating on truth during meditation one becomes one with the truth.
At this stage one realises that he is the same consciousness that pervades the entire universe and enters into deeper state of samadhi where there is not break NIRVIKALPA SAMADHI even during his awakened state. This Yogi treats every one with equanimity as he sees every one as his own expression and hence there is only love.
This Yogi performs all his duties just like an ordinary person, he too talks, laughs, gets angry does work of society, yet his focus is always in the self i.e ANTARMUKHA. So one need not leave the society and run away into the forest.


Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi of tiruvannamalai very lucidly puts all this in a very simple sentence, the rememberence of this will drive away stress instantaneously and make us calm:
What is deemed to happen will definetely happen irrespective of any amount of effort to stop it from happening. What is not deemed to happen will never happen dispite herculean trials. Hence the best way out is to reamin Silent.
This is what a yogi does, he accepts every thing that happens to him to be Eswara's prasada and knows that it is infact Eswara who does all that he does, the energy for doing things comes from Eswara and hence Yogi remains unattached to the results of his deeds. He is inwardly silent and outwardly acts as if he is doing. Karma and karma-phala doesnt affect this yogi.
This yogi knows that if a person travelling in a train tries to reduce the burden of the train by keeping the luggage on his head, after some time his own head and body will hurt and hence it is better to keep this luggage down and travel joyfully. Similarly why should we take the burden and ownership of karmas being done by Eswara through us, we have the freedom to free ourselves and become a witness to all that is happening around. When a sadhak with Jnana practices this way of living then the benovalent Eswara gladly accepts him into his fold and makes him an instrument in working His divine plan. This sadhak over constant practice becomes a yogi, and this knowledge that he is the Atma (or consciousness and not this body,mind,intellect equipment) becomes instilled in him. At the time of departure from this body, he merges into the consciousness (just like a wave merges into the ocean). He becomes free and goes into brahma loka and attains everlasting happiness till the end of this creation. He has the freedom to come down to earth in the form of avatar anytime. But during his entire Avatarhood he has complete understanding and knowledge that he is a free soul and knows the purpose of his birth. Karma has no effect on his. That is is what our scriptures declare.

If you are interested, I shall pass a very simple meditation technique taught by my guru. The practice of which shall give you a taste of the joy and oneness. Ofcourse only through a constant practice can one become adept at it.

I dont know how clearly I could communicate this knowledge. I welcome your clarifications and suggestions. I dedicate all this at the feet of my guru. If I could be of any help it is due to him and I take the ownership of all shortcomings.
With lots of Love
Gopi

Gopi Kishan,
Hi,
How are you? Guess you were busy, I was waiting for your mail.
I am picking up the discussion from where I left.
2) what special austerities that a pot needs to undertake to become
earth (matti)?
Inorder to drive in a clear understanding about this let us take the example of space. Is it not a truth that we exist in space? Now the question is, Is there any difference between the space inside an empty pot and the space outside the pot? Again the answer has to be no, because there is only one space and the pot too exists in the same space. The moment the seperation is broken between the space inside the pot and the space outside it, it is all the same. Similarly, there is individual mind (coz. each one of us think differently) and at the same time there is total mind i.e sum of all individual minds. Both this individual mind as well as the total mind derive their existence and energy from the consciousness (Atma or Brahman). This same consciousness supports the entire universe. The real spiritual practice that one can do is drop the ego (myself being seperate entity thought) and live with the total mind.
This practice elevates you to equanimity under all circumstances as well as with all beings.
This person continues to exist without ego.
This is what Gurus such as Jiddu Krishna Murthy and Osho try to explain.
This state can be explained with yet another beautiful example:
Let us take the story of a Rose-
In a jungle a rose blossoms on a rose plant. It is joyful and is in its natural state. A person passes by and sees this rose.
If he can just look at the rose and not have any more thoughts. At this level both the rose as well as this person are at the same brahman level. (Advaitha level)
If this person on seeing the rose gets a string of thoughts that describe the beauty of the rose and stop at that. The person comes to (Visista Advaita level) yet there is no significant change, because appreciation of creation is appreciation of the creator.
If the line of thoughts take him further and he perceives this rose to be seperate from him he comes down to Dwaitha, yet this is still o.k because this too exists in the creation of God. The same god created both this person as well as the rose.
But the real problem of the world starts here, when this person on perceiving this rose to be seperate from him wants to possess this rose for his own self. He go down to Priya level where he has already developed fasination towards an object because it is beautiful and he dislikes any creation that is ugly. Continuing our story if this man tries to pluck this rose for himself and in the mean time some other person comes and takes it. There he gets an unfulfilled desire to possess the rose. He also develops hatred and jealosy towards the person who go the rose first. It results in arguement and krodha develops. He forms a perception (a coloured one) towards the other person and brands him as fortunate or bad. This is how the ego gets stronger and the down fall occurs. This ego is bolstered by every thing which seperate and imprints the mind over numerous births and deaths that we are the mind, intellect and the body equipment and each one of us is a seperate entity. We stoop to the level of being responsible for all our actions as well as inactions and get caught in the karmic web. Where each action produces a karma. All good deeds produce good karma and all bad deeds produce bad karma. All the karmas together with all the unfulfilled desires (vasanas) get stored in our astral and causal bodies (all of us have 3 bodies- physical body, that which we use during the waking state. Astral or subtle body-that which we use in the dreaming state. Causal body- comprising of ego, ignorance, unfulfilled desires- this body is in the deep sleep state. Whenever a person dies it is actually the physical ody that dies, the subtle body comprising of jnanendriyas and mind, intellect, memories and ego. This subtle body leaves the physical body and travels to other worlds and again the same subtle body is provided with a physical body by nature (prakriti). This subtle body chooses a part of karma to be worked out during the birth from a vast storehouse of karmas it had acquired over countless incarnations. It also chooses the parents and the circumstances in which it wants to be born. It retains the memories of all the births even while it is in the womb of the mother and daily prays to the god that it will work for salvation in the current birth. But the moment the child comes out of mother's womb and is born an air called vaishnava prana touches and completely erases the memories of previous births and the child is born with a clean slate (mind) without any impressions. Slowly this child creates impressions in his mind in the form of experiences as well as the influence of parents as well as the society. These impressions over a period of time take a shape and perceptions are formed. By the time the child is about 7 years old he starts judging the people around him based on his coloured perceptions and ego solidifies into a very hard shell. Yet, the beauty of all these is that every thing is happening according to his own karma because it was he that chose the parents as well as the circumstances. But he forgets his real mission i.e purpose of his birth and starts craving for a different set of things thereby creating fresh vasanas and karmas through his coloured perception. This is how the life goes on.
In this entire process his soul is intact it is his mind that enjoys all the happiness as well as sufferings.

If anyone wants to get out of this mess the only recourse is to aim at a state of no mind and reamin in that state. This state is otherwise known as a state of samadhi. When there is no individual mind automatically there are no karmas to be worked out and vasanas to be fulflled. Remaining in the total mind that person still continues to exist till the force of his karma for the present birth (prarabdha karma) is exhausted because this is what created the body in the first place. And when the physical body dies, this consciousness exists as there is no subtle and causal body. This is called final release. This is possible only when a person can have enough dispassion to disown every thing that is not real through the application of knowledge (jnana) and attaching to only thing that is real Brahman.

In this process the god too helps a sincere seeker by sending him Gurus according to his spiritual evolution. As the say "when the disciple is ready the master appears". These gurus show the path but ultimately whether the shisya travels the path or not is again upto the free will of him.
The real freedom that one has at any point of time is not his control over circumstances because they are all predecided, the freedom lies in excercise of options available under the prevalent circumstances. This excercise of option determines the future thread of circumstances. So we are always free to choose our action and hence change of our attitude is vital for any progress either at the spiritual or at the physical level.
There is law of karma.
There is free will.
There is also Eswara krupa.A wise person understanding all these can modify his destiny.
Again I would like to reiterate that every thing that has been discussed above is my assimilation of various scriptures and upadeshas from my guru. There may be flaws in my presentation (again my perception of reality), I take the ownership of these and dedicate whatever truth that is there at the lotus feet of my guru.
Om Sri Sai Ram!
With lots of love
Gopi

My initiation into 2nd level of Reiki healing

Hi welcome back to my story about initiation into Reiki 2nd level.
I was very excited about my new found ability to heal by touch and religiously followed the instructions of my Master for 21 days and did Reiki healing at various points every day. I was very fasinated that my hands became very sensitive to energy, on touching any object or person I was having different sensations on my hands. Sometimes they grew hot and at times they became very cold. At times I was having pricking sensation and some other times my hands were vibrating on touching various articles. Strangely my hands were communicating this was a wonderful experience. I still remember in my enthusiasm and excitement to let people know about this worderful system called Reiki, I used to take a glass of water and ask people around to drink and remember the taste of water. I would intend to heal water for sometime and then ask them to drink. Almost all the people would dramatically say that the taste of water changed. On recollecting these incidents I laugh at myself now, I may be excused for childish exuberance. I was 26 years old then.
I was very eager to complete the second level and went to hyderabad to learn 2nd level on 19th january 2001.
At second level one can heal beyond time and distance, we are taught about secret and sacred symbols with which we can heal people anywhere on earth or in space too. We can heal past, present as well as future.
We were taught various techniques of aura cleansing, psychic surgery and healing the past, aura measurement, Aura photography, chakra healing etc.
These were very power techniques and we were taught great tools. I wish to share 2 experiences which are still very fresh in my memory. We were paired as partners of 2 people whom we never met in our life and asked to scan the problems and heal. The most surprising part was that towards the end of the session we were asked to share our experiences, most of the participants were telling about the problems of others whom they were seeing first time in their life(without ant prior interaction between to two people about their problems).
In another remarkable session we were taught to heal the past, you would not believe I vomitted 2o times in a span of 1 hour(that is a way of releasing the blocks in our aura) the very next hour I was eating hyderabadi biryani(it is quite spicy) without any symptom of neausea.
In another session we were to perform psychic surgery, unlike physical surgery this surgery is performed at the aura level, but it is as real as the physical surgery. I would not go into details of how it is performed but would like to tell you that my partner was unable to properly stitch and heal my aura, boy, i had a tear and burning sensation in my feet where the surgery was performed. When the matter was brought to the notice of my Master (She is a clairvoyant) she said that there was a tear in the aura and instructed my partner to reperform this procedure and heal properly, only then did the pain and burning sensation leave me.
All the above experiences left on my a great impression and made me a true aspirant in this path, I continued my research on Reiki.
We had a photograph taken of our aura by Kirlian camera and our master interpreted our aura and suggested us certain remedies to improve ourselves. Thus came the end of the session.
I will continue with my experiences and my attunement into the 3rd level. Stay tuned.
With Love
Gopi Kishan

My initiation into Reiki system of healing

Om shree Ganeshaya Namah!
My prostrations at the feet of my Gurus and Reiki Master Usui, Master Shyamala Rao and Madam Sowmya.
Hi,
I am back to tell you about my initiation into Reiki System of Natural healing.
Having discussed about Reiki in my previous blog, I now proceed to throw light about how I got into this great system.
In the year 2000 I became very ill due to viral fever and was very weak even after the fever left me, the recoupment was a lengthy process. This is when I met my cousin Mr.V.Sridhar, who came to my place for the house warming ceremony of my uncle. We talked about various things and this is when he explained me that he was initiated into a unique system of healing which required no medicines and was based on transfer of energy. I got interested and asked him if he could heal me. He gladly agreed and we had a healing session immediately, he spent about 30 minutes healing at various energy points. All that I had to do was to lie down with a neutral mind, i.e neither believing nor disbelieving about Reiki. I initially felt his hands getting warmer and I had the pleasent sensation of warmth spreading my entire body, this relaxed me so much that I felt like sleeping but my curiosity let me be awake. I had a first hand experience of calmness descending on me and the feeling was wonderful. After the session was over we both thanked one another. After a day I felt like I regained my full health. This naturally led me to seek more information about this wonderful healing which involved nothing, no medicines or no exercises etc. This is when the grace of masters descended and I came to know through my another cousin Mrs.Sujata that her Reiki Master Sowmya madam was coming to Vizag. I got enrolled for 2 days workshop. First day we were told about Reiki and the benefits from it and Initiated through a secret ritual. After the initiation our Master asked about our experiences during initiation. I was baffled at that time as each of the participants were revealing wondorous experiences, when my turn came I kept quite and just asked my Master if I could be a good reiki channel as I had no such experience. She just smiled playfully and asked me to reserve my comments till the next day. I faithfully obeyed her as she was a master at Clairvoyance too. She taught us various hands positions and asked us to pair up and start healing our partners in accordance with the hand positions taught earlier. After some more techniques about protection etc, we came to the end of the day. This is when our master put her first test and asked us to heal atleast 3 people or things before coming to class the next day. She promised a great meditation session the next day with this rider of completing the home work.
The second day began with our master asking us about our homework, I was completely bowled over by her pertinent questions and how she was reading people like a book, how could she know the work that was being done by us at our houses. To this question the magical response was that "I was always with you".
Next came the most important event which altered my entire outlook about Reiki. Our master taught us a type of meditation and we were asked to keep it as simple as possible and follow her instructions with an open mind. I religiously followed these instructions without any igo hinderance and have the most eventful meditation session of my life. That was the first time I actually meditated in my life. Though I cannot reveal my actual experience, I wish to express I had my first brush with mystical world and vision of that universal energy. I am refraining myself from telling you my actual experience as I dont wish to place you in my mindset incase you wish to come to this path. But rest assured its definetely worth a try. Each person experiences according to his evolution so experiences tend to be different as were to all the other participants. After the meditation session it was the turn of participants to tell others about their experiences. When asked who would volunteer to be the first person, my hand shot up, this is when my master smilingly said she knew what happened to me and this was the reason why she asked me to stay calm the previous day. When I related my experience all the participants were wonder struck. After some more instructions and yet another group healing session we called it a day. We were instructed to heal our ownselves daily for another 21 days as all the blocks in the body gradually disappear over a span of 21 days or in multiples. We have 7 chakras or energy centers in our body, these energy centers are not present in the physical body, they are in the astral body. These chakras are like 2 way pumps, processing energy in the body. Each chakra influences different organs and glands. Incase of block in any chakra or energy center, there is imbalance in the energy flow and slowly the functioning of the chakra stops and this results in energy not flowing adequately into the organs connected to that chakra. So, what we need to understand is that a disease sets in, in the form of a block at the astral body and slowly travels to the physical body. Our conventional medicine and doctors are able to assess only the physical diseases where as the wholistic healing would be to go to the source and heal. This where Reiki is head and shoulder above the conventional medicine, Reiki being energy healing can heal the disease at the astral level without the person suffering at the physical level. It is possible to scan the aura of any person and remove the blocks at the aura level. Reiki initiation gives that energy sensitivity to our hands and our intutive faculties hitherto lying dormant come to the forth in accordance to individual spirit evolution, some people experience clairvoyance where they can see auras and intution comes in the form of images, while some people develop clairaudience where the instruction from higher masters is actually heard. Some people develop sense of touch while come can actually taste the energy. Except clairaudience I have first hand experience of all the above and can vouch for their existence.
I had the experience of astral presence of my masters and guides at the time of healing session which followed for the next 21 days. I still feel my self to be blessed as my next initiation i.e to the 2nd level of Reiki happened exactly after 21 days. My initiation at the 1st level was on 24th dec 2000, while the 2nd level was on 19th jan 2001. This 2nd level is really a very powerful tool which opens up our perceptions. I shall relate you the second level at a later time to do full justice to the great experiences I had at that level. Till then I pray my reiki masters to guide you.
Hari Om
With Love
Gopi Kishan

My Yatras to Various Spiritual Places in India: Amarnath Yatra

My Yatras to Various Spiritual Places in India: Amarnath Yatra

Reiki Healing

ॐ श्री गणपतये नमः, सरस्वतिये नमः, श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः । हरिः ॐ

My salutations to Lord Ganapathi, Goddess Saraswathi and my Gurus.

Having put forth my views on the importance of Guru in my previous blog. I continue today with my experiences with Reiki.

I was initiated into traditional system of Reiki by my master Madam Soumya on 24th Dec,2000.

Reiki is a system of healing where once initiated by a master any person can become a channel for Universal Life Force Energy. All the problems that one has in life can be classified into Karmic and psychosomatic (self created) and these arise due to energy defeciency or block in any area whether it is physical health related or mind related or financial related or relationship related.

Once these energy blocks are removed through healing energy channeled by a Reiki Healer the person suffering from those blocks gets healed and comes out of the problem.

Reiki is a natural healing process with the use of universal life force energy or the cosmic energy which is present every where.

Reiki was first discovered by a japanese Master. Mikoa Usui. Who undertook severe austerities and fasted and meditated for 21 days and finally Reiki was revealed to him. He was the person who developed the System of Initiation through which a student could be empowered by a master,to become a channel of healing.

Picture of Master Mikao Usui

Master gave the world 5 principles of Reiki :

The secret art of inviting happiness
The miraculous medicine for all diseases
1) Just for today I will be happy
2) Just for today I will not be angry
3)Just for today I will not worry and do my work with appreciation.
4) just for today i will be kind to people.
5) Just for today I will count my blessings.

Every morning and evening, join your hands in meditation and pray with your heart. State in your mind and chant with your mouth.
For improvement of mind and body.
Usui Reiki Ryoho
The founder
Mikao Usui

(Picture: Aura of the Thumb of a healer, photo taken by Kirlian photography)

(Picture: Aura of hand by Kirlian photography)

The above Kirlian photographs explain how aura works. A leaf was cut physically but the aura is still intact. healing was performed and with the help of aura, the cut part was regrown. This is exactly what happens in surgeries too at the physical level.

(Pic: Crystals are very useful in healing processes).

Reiki is taught at 3 levels.

1st Level: Healing ones own self and others by touch.

2nd Level: Distance healing and healing through symbols- Past, present and future.

3rd Level: Master Level 3 (A) Master level healer

3(B) Empowering Master to initiate others.

Lets not get bogged down to who is a powerful healer and take pride with various levels because all these bloat the ego and defeat the very purpose of initiation. Infact in Reiki one would be better off if he reminds himself that he is just a channel for the flow of energy and the person who comes for healing, draws energy through this channel and actually if he comes with a more open mind he can heal himself at a faster rate. The healer is mere a instrument in the entire process. The best way to describe Master Level i.e Level 3 is dropping your ego, which is most important for any spiritual success. There have been instances where the energy flow through the 1st level healers was far more than the higher level ones. So, just drop the EGO.

I am a witness to miraculous healings done through Reiki and I can vouch from my personal experience that surgeries performed at the psychic level are as effective. The beauty of Reiki is it has not side-effects to both healee and the healer. Reiki is an intelligent energy and works at those levels where the requirement of energy is the most. Meditations taught at the time of initiation are very useful and if practised the have a calming effect on the mind. From the 2nd level onwards the Reiki healing adds another dimension which is not present in other forms of alternate healings, namely the distance healing or healing in absentia. The person who needs healing need not be present before the healer. Any photo, address etc is enough to send this healing to any place in the world, the healer can connect himself with any person living or dead through a powerful set of symbols and he can heal beyond time and space, which in turn underlines our interconnectedness at the energy level.

Science has probed deep and through quantum physics we have gone beyound atomis and subatomic particles and talk about energy continueum. Every thing in this universe is made up of energy. Energy manifests itself from gross level to the subtle level.

With the advent of Kirlian photography the photographs of aura can be taken and we have scientific proof of people improving their aura after healing.

The best part of Reiki is that any problem can be detected at the aura level itself and removed without the problem actually getting itself manifested at the physical level. I stand testimony of some cases where the person was suffering from acute pain and despite all the X-rays, Scans, Tests the doctors were unable to identify the source and keeping the patient on pain killers. When this case came to me, on scanning the person through my dowser we located that the problem at the auric level and since it didnt manifest at the physical level all the reports could not catch it. The person in the above case requested for a healing session and after that problem was removed from aura, his pain disappeared immediately.

I shall not reveal various exciting cases those I have witnessed now, we will come back to them at a later time.

I shall come back to my story of how I was initiated and what were my experiences during the process and how Reiki actually works for me in my next blog.

Good bye and keep good health.

With Love

Gopi Kishan