An Introduction to Raja Yoga Meditation

What is Raja yoga meditation?
The meaning of the word “yoga” should not only be defined as a physical discipline. The highest meaning of yoga is concentration of the mind in order to attain a link with GOD.
“Yoga” originates from the Sanskrit root “Yog,” signifying “link” or “union,” while “Raja” literally translates to “king or ruler”. So, Raja yoga is a divine communion between soul and Supreme soul which makes us self-sovereign. Meditation comes from the Latin word “Mederi” which means to heal. Raja yoga thus a self-healing process.
By practicing Raja yoga meditation, we start exploring a new world-a world inside, activating our dormant inner energies in the form of powers and nourishing the spiritual awareness of the self, the Supreme, time, and the world; we find the root of our problems and also the key to their solutions. We start to respond to situations rather than just reacting to them, and we begin to live in harmony. Through this easy Raja yoga meditation, we souls experience true peace, purity, love, and happiness and receive powers from the Supreme.

How to meditate?
It is an easy and natural way of meditation without rituals or mantras or postures. We practice Raja yoga meditation with ‘open eyes,’ making this method versatile, simple, and easy to practice. But when you get started you can use a simple five-step process to follow, Step 1-relaxation, Step 2- concentration, Step 3 -contemplation, Step 4 – realisation, Step 5- meditation.

Where to meditate?
In our modern world, the pace of life is growing faster, filled with activities and responsibilities, so where can we fit meditation? That’s the beauty of Raja yoga; you can practice it anywhere at any time. Meditation is the journey inward, a journey of self-discovery, or, in fact, re-discovery. You can visit our centres or connect online to learn this technique and get equipped to practise it anywhere.

When to meditate?
Most people want to meditate, but they don’t find time to do so. So how and when do busy people make time to meditate? What is a good time to meditate, and for how long?
The answer is: any time is a good time to connect with yourself, because that is what meditation is. We need not close our activities in order to start meditation.
But take a few moments of quiet reflection in silence, removing ourselves from the busyness of daily life and turning inwards to our inner world. This enables us to come back to a centred place of being.

Who can meditate?
Anyone can practice and benefit from Raja yoga meditation. This meditation is assessable to people of all backgrounds, such as any nationality, religion, gender, profession, and social strata.
Meditation is a state of being in that place just beyond everyday consciousness, which is where spiritual empowerment begins. In our modern world, the pace of life is growing faster, and we are losing touch with our true inner peace and power. When we lose our sense of grounding, we may find ourselves being pushed and pulled in various directions. At this point, we begin to feel stressed and trapped. Over time, this feeling gradually leads to illness and disease, throwing our mental, emotional, and physical health out of balance.
With Raja yoga meditation, you can transform the old patterns of your thoughts, words and actions and recreate yourself to be how you want to be. This ancient meditation practice harnesses your natural powers and trains your mind to be your friend.
We all make mistakes. We all waste resources. We waste our words, our energy, and our time until we pause and think deeply about what matters in our life. When we hold on tight to our views, the mind shrinks and smothers any power to love. In that state, the soul can’t breathe new energy to face and overcome obstacles in life.
But when we sit quietly, cancel all mindsets, and allow ourselves to know the deep peace of the soul, miraculous changes can happen for a better life. People will understand you clearly, new doors will open.
Raja yoga teaches us to step back and observe life, take a calm breath, cool our reactions, and step forward in the way we choose—independent of others urging us to think or act as they wish.
Raja yoga sets you free and releases the power to respond with love. This Spiritual awareness gives us the power to choose beneficial and positive thoughts over those that are negative and wasteful. We start to respond to situations, rather than just reacting to them. We begin to live with harmony; we create better, happier, healthier relationships and change our lives in a most positive way.
Brahma Kumaris Shailer Park provide free Raja yoga Meditation, Positive Thinking and Anger Management Courses. Please contact us on 0414685144 or [email protected] for further information.
Visit https://brahmakumaris.org.au and find out the events happening close to your location.
—Dr. Viththiya

Vedas and us

By Sandeep Kumar

The very word Veda means knowledge, derived from the root vid. Indeed, the Vedas are the fountainhead of the knowledge. Entire humanity recognizes that Rgveda is the oldest book in the library of the mankind. However, the truth is that the four Vedas (Rgveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda) were revealed to four Rsis at the dawn of the mankind on the earth. God’s Revelation of Vedas: Badaraymja, the author of Brahmasutra (also called Vedanta-Dariana) declares at the outset that God exists because Vedas exist — ilistrayonitvdt. It must be so because the most benevolent God must reveal the knowledge to the mankind once He creates the creation and His masterpiece that the man is. Pataajali, the author of Yoga Dariana declares that God is the original teacher for the mankind — sa parvesamapi guruh kalenanavacchedat. The common sense says that God’s revelation must appear at the onset of the creation so that everybody, the first generation included, benefits from the same. Any book that appears into the world after human beings have inhabited the earth for a length of time can’t claim to be God’s revelation. Also, God’s revelation of knowledge includes the knowledge of the language. So, any book that claims to be God’s revelation must appear before the knowledge of the language developed. That means that a book in Arabic can’t be God’s revelation if the Arabic language had developed before the book appeared. Similarly, a book appearing in Latin or Hebrew can not be God’s revelation if these languages had developed at the time of appearance of that book. On the same token, Gird can not be called as God’s revelation because the language of Sanskrit was very much in its developed form when Gita came into existence. Therefore, only Vedas can be God’s revelations because they only gave rise to the language that is called Sanskrit. Commensurate to the unique features of the Vedas, man’s greatest effort was focused on preserving them since his advent on the earth. He devised several methods to recite it to preserve the same without any infinitesimal change even in a letter and its pronunciation. We Indians should take extreme pride that our forefathers took utmost care to such an extent. Of course, they were guided in their zeal and effort by the belief that it is God given word which they must pass on to the future generations, come what may. There is no other book even remotely close to such a unique astounding feature that the Vedas are associated with. Both the Creation and the Vedas Show Harmony: The very next line 135.darayana wrote after the above quoted line was — tattu sanzanvayat. Vedas must be God’s revelations because all they contain tally well with the creation. For example, the earth is referred to as bhiigola, meaning the earth is round like a sphere as is indeed the case. This led the ancient people in India to know that the earth is round like a ball while, on the contrary, the people in West Asia and elsewhere I thought it to be flat like a mat. There is nothing in the Vedas that is contrary to what is seen in nature. Over and beyond what we know today, the Vedas may contain many more revelations that we might not even be aware of today. Vedas contain knowledge about both matter and spirit. The knowledge about matter is in seed form leaving ample room for man to discover further and create his own body of literature. On the other hand, knowledge pertaining to spirit is at its pinnacle that man will never be able to add anything to that body of knowledge. The Vedas will always remain relevant like the sun is. Though man has created many sources of light to dispel the darkness, He remains dependent upon the sun. The role of Vedas is like that of the sun albeit in the inner intellectual domain where man must exhibit greater perseverance to dispel the darkness of untrue knowledge, which leads to pains and agonies of much greater proportions. Let us hope that humanity will benefit from the Vedas as much as it benefits from the sun, both having been created by the most benevolent and merciful God. If man followed the path shown by the Vedas in the ancient India, the life was at its brightest zenith. When India deviated from the path of Vedas about 6000 years ago, her downfall began. Since India was the lighthouse for the entire world, it is seen that the humanity too has been in miserable condition in the last few thousand years.
Reference: Vedas and us Dr. Harish Chandra.

Our Indian Diaspora’s contribution to Australia

By Jitendra Deo
Chief Executive Officer
JD Group Australia

The Australian Indian diaspora has grown significantly over the years, becoming an essential and dynamic part of the Australian social and economic landscape. As of recent statistics, the Indian community is one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups in Australia. The contributions of this diaspora to Australia are multifaceted, encompassing areas such as the economy, culture, education, and social development. I will explore the economic impact of the Indian diaspora in Australia, emphasizing how it contributes to the country’s growth, development, and future prosperity.
One of the most notable contributions of the Indian community to the Australian economy is through entrepreneurship and business ownership. Many Indian-Australians have established businesses, ranging from small enterprises to large corporations. These businesses not only create job opportunities for Australians but also contribute significantly to local economies. For instance, the Indian-Australian community has had a marked presence in sectors like retail, hospitality, technology, and healthcare. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, businesses owned by Indian Australians generate millions of dollars in revenue annually, bolstering the economy at the local and national levels.
The Indian diaspora also plays a crucial role in Australia’s labour force. Highly skilled Indian professionals have made significant contributions across various industries such as information technology, engineering, healthcare, and finance. The Indian community’s contributions are particularly noticeable in the technology sector, with many Indian immigrants taking up positions in Australian tech companies or founding start-ups. Australia’s reputation as a knowledge economy has been strengthened by the expertise and innovation brought by the Indian diaspora. Indian professionals working in the Australian workforce help drive productivity, economic growth, and technological advancement.
Education is another sector where the Indian community makes a considerable contribution to the Australian economy. Australia is one of the top destinations for Indian students seeking higher education, particularly in fields like engineering, business, information technology, and health sciences. The influx of Indian students not only boosts the Australian education sector but also plays a pivotal role in the country’s international trade. The education export industry is one of Australia’s most valuable, with billions of dollars in revenue generated annually from international students. Indian students, specifically, make up one of the largest groups of international students in Australia. By enrolling in universities and other institutions, they contribute to the economy through tuition fees, living expenses, and other associated costs. Their presence also supports the hospitality and retail sectors, particularly in cities like Sydney and Melbourne, where the student population is substantial.
Additionally, the Indian community in Australia has become an important part of the country’s tourism sector. Indian nationals are among the top overseas visitors to Australia, with many coming for both leisure and business purposes. This influx of tourists results in significant economic benefits, including increased demand for accommodation, transportation, and hospitality services. Furthermore, many Indian-Australians maintain strong ties to their home country, facilitating cultural and business exchanges that further enhance Australia’s global economic connectivity.
The remittances sent back to India by Australian-based Indian migrants is another noteworthy economic contribution. These remittances often help improve the standard of living in India, especially in rural areas, and contribute to the strengthening of economic ties between Australia and India. As trade and diplomatic relations between the two countries continue to grow, the role of the Indian diaspora becomes even more significant in fostering bilateral economic cooperation.
The Indian community also contributes to the broader Australian economy through their support of innovation and diversity. India has a rich cultural heritage and a long tradition of scientific and technological advancements. By bringing these values to Australia, the Indian diaspora fosters a culture of creativity, inclusivity, and collaboration. Australia’s workforce benefits from the diversity and global perspective that Indian-Australians provide, leading to more innovative solutions in business and technology.
Lastly, the Australian Indian diaspora has made and continues to make substantial contributions to the Australian economy. Their presence in key sectors like business, technology, education, tourism, and labour has been a driving force behind Australia’s economic prosperity. By enhancing the nation’s global connectivity and fostering innovation, Indian-Australians will play a critical role in shaping the future trajectory of Australia’s economy. As this vibrant community continues to grow and thrive, their impact on Australia’s economy will undoubtedly remain significant, ensuring a prosperous and interconnected future for the country.