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Sahaja Yoga: The "Backwards" Yoga?

Most practices teach us that self realization and inner peace are the long-term goals and end result of several years spent following set beliefs and exercises. Even those that follow those practices are not guaranteed to reach that end goal, either. Sahaja yoga differs from these practices in a most unusual fashion. You start out attaining this self realization and proceed to nurture it through attention and meditation.

Sahaja yoga, which essentially translates to "spontaneous union with one's self", advocates becoming your own guru by achieving this self realization, or self awareness rather than depending on a teacher to guide you through every stage of your awakening throughout the course of your lifetime. By becoming your own spiritual guide and continuing to practice Sahaja yoga meditation you can then continue to live your normal life amongst your friends and family while continuing to grow much faster spiritually and without the penances usually prescribed by traditional religions.

What Sahaja Yoga Stands for

Sahaja yoga translates to mean "spontaneous union with one's self". Sahaja mean spontaneous, while the word yoga comprises the rest of the translation. This term, spontaneous, gives one the impression that little to no effort is required on the part of the practitioner of Sahaja yoga to accomplish this form of self awareness, and as the followers of the practice would have you believe it, this is essentially true.

Little is said to be required to achieve self realization through Sahaja yoga other than the simple, honest desire to attain inner peace. Want it, meditate on it, achieve it, and then keep it for years to come with little more than your own desire to be self aware. Doesn't that sound great? Bear in mind that while self realization is the first step in Sahaja yoga, it is not the only step. As with any practice, you can easily step off the path and lose everything you worked for along the way.

Kundalini

In Sahaja yoga, self realization is the awakening of a compassionate spiritual energy within us that lays dormant in the sacrum bone at the base of our spine. This energy is called Kundalini, and it is said to be able to cure and improve you, as well as remove you from the tedious worries of life. Kundalini manifests itself after self realization, traveling up through the central channel (your spine and central nervous system) to pierce through each of the six chakras and emerge at the top of the head. Those seeking some sort of confirmation as to whether they have succeeded in awakening Kundalini are encouraged to feel just above the top of their head for a soft, cool breeze that is said to be present after self realization is attained.

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi devised Sahaja yoga to allow an individual to become their own spiritual guide, believing that in order to know truth you must know your spirit. While the belief that spontaneous self realization might seem a little outlandish, what better way to know your spirit than to be your own guide along your spiritual path?