Whiled writing on Yoga and Music, Ayurveda and Music, Veda and Music some of the common issues have been already dealt with only the remaining ones, have been focused here.
Dharma-artha-kama-maksha set forth the ends of human life. They are said to be the four pillars of life with all its various activities. Any discipline has to anticipate them while formulating a system. All sciences, learnings and lores, are basically categorised under these in a general scheme of cultural praxis in India. Mantrashastra covers all these aspects of life. Every activity is accompanied by some rite, some mantra, in this or that form. Life has six phases in all – i) existence (asti), ii) birth (jayate), iii) grows (vardhate), iv) transforms or precipitates (viparinamate) v) decays (apakshiyate), vi) dies (mriyate). In man the very first stage “existence” is indicated by inception (conception) called garbhadhalla, which is accompanied by a mantra. Even the last stage, “death”, – end, on the thirteenth day of the death, is characterised by an appropriate mantra. These are coved under sanaskara, sixteen in number. Life in India thus begins, endures and ends with mantra. Mantra thus covers all the four ends of human life with its four corresponding ashrama format, Brahmacharya, (celibate), Grhastha (household), Vanaprastha (following the forest) and the sanyasa (renunciation)…
Cultural rootedness is one of main values of education that the founder considered to be important. Only that which is firmly rooted can grow, spread and be inclusive. Unless we are culturally rooted we cannot be true global citizens.
Living in harmony with Nature has been an integral part of Indian culture. Ecological values have been intimately woven into religious practices, rituals, folklore, arts and crafts and have subtlety permeated into the daily lifestyle of the people.
An ashram is a space for intense study especially for of spiritual practices involving mind body disciplines. It is also a space for effortless living. By their very nature, ashrams are meant to be secluded, austere and silent and dotted with sacred spaces & powerful Energy Centres.
It is significant that most days of spiritual import are also occasions of celebration and festivity, for joy is the source and the end of the spiritual journey. Thus yoga saw the whole of life as a celebration.
India, one of the oldest living cultures in the world is also very rich and complex. India is home to immense cultural diversity and as such any program needs to circumscribe its scope.
Whether you are seeking a place to practice, teach an art of your choice or simply need a dwelling to focus on your personal spiritual sadhana – we at the ashram would be delighted to share the wonders of this space with you.
A large part of India is ‘rural’ and unless one addresses it and engages with it, any initiative in rural India is bound to be rootless & shallow. One can only grow from where one actually is. Being located in village Telbaila, Shaktiyogashrama too cherishes its engagement with the soil and its people.
