Svadhyaya Study Session IV

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Dear readers,

Namaste!

On the Siddha Yoga path, the month of October is dedicated to honoring Baba Muktananda on the anniversary of his mahasamadhi. This year marks the 38th anniversary of this sacred day. As you know, when a great being departs from this world, their shakti permeates each molecule of the universe. It is for this reason that we continue to honor and celebrate Baba Muktananda’s life and teachings. He isn’t gone. He is with us.

I hope you have been looking forward to receiving this communication from me about the next Svādhyāya study session, Session IV. As a teacher for the Svādhyāya Study Sessions, I am most enthused to inform you that in this next study session you will learn about the importance and benefits of focusing your gaze during the practice of svādhyāya. Many of you already engage in this potent technique for concentration through your regular recitation of sacred texts and your longtime practice of meditation.

However, I want to encourage you to participate with a beginner’s mind. The benefit for each of you, wherever you are in your sadhana, will be immense.

The study session will take place on Saturday, October 10, on the Siddha Yoga path website—first as a live video stream and then, a few hours later, as a webcast. The details are as follows:

Date: Saturday, October 10, 2020
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Eastern Daylight Time, USA (live video stream)
             7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, USA (webcast)

Preparation Required for the Study Session

To obtain the maximum benefit from the study session, prepare in the following ways:

• Read the talk from Study Session III, Refine Your Pronunciation.
  • Make note of what you’ve learned in your sadhana journal.
  • Practice the pronunciation exercises.
• Practice the posture instructions in the talk from Study Session II, Establish Your Posture.
• Create a space that is conducive to study.
  • Identify a location that will support you to participate with alertness and attentiveness.
  • Plan ahead about what you will need to participate in the session, including The Nectar of Chanting, asana, sadhana journal, and shawl.

I wanted to share with you that, to optimize your learning, it’s also best to participate in the entire study session, starting at the beginning. If you are sending reminders to one another about the study sessions, I suggest you do so thirty minutes in advance of the session so people can arrive on time.

Stay safe and stay smart, everyone!

Warm regards,

Swami Akhandananda
Managing Director for Svādhyāya Study Sessions
SYDA Foundation