Konalani Yoga Ashram, Hawaii‪.‬ Konalani Yoga Ashram, Hawaii.

Beyond the Void and Union with Shiva:
Swami Muktananda's teaching distinguishes our tradition by revealing that beyond the void is Shiva.
Dharana emphasizes mindful separation from infinite manifestations, leading to union with true nature, Bhairava, synonymous with Shiva.
Surrendering the Senses: Seeing them as 'Nothing':
Mind and senses depicted as a five-fold mandala: smell, touch, taste, sight, and sound working together.
Analogy of senses as peacock's feathers, creating a dizzying experience.
Swami Lakshmanjoo's method: Concentrate on the void while seeing senses as 'nothing'.
Reflection on the yogic tradition's viewpoint of 'the void' and the difference between rejecting senses and concentrating on the void.
The Source of the Senses Mapped by the Tattvas:
Teaching aligns with Tattvas, where Shiva and Shakti's dance creates all manifestation.
Outward expansion involves the development of the power of physical senses (Jnana Indriyas), leading to sensations, subtle elements, and gross elements.
Three capacities arise simultaneously, with objects often overshadowing the deeper mechanism within us.
A Closer Look at The Moment of Sensation:
The indriyas (senses) have no meaning without the objects they are correlated with.
Importance of accessing a deeper space during sense perception, in line with the yogic concept of surrender.
Surrendering to the Source:
The void described in Dharana is devoid of object but not content.
Interacting with objects is interacting with Shiva in a limited way; turning attention within enriches the experience.
Letting go of the sense object is a gain to the heart, allowing the experience of Shiva beyond the void.
Translation and Practice of Dharana 9:
Swami Lakshmanjoo sees the senses as nothing; Paul Reps adds the approach of melting into the beauty of the senses.
Achieving the goal of the heart, the real wish behind the senses, through different approaches.
Jai Deva Singh's teaching on the Absolute void as Bhairava and Shiva being most full from the point of view of Reality.
Imagery and Practice:
Paul Reps' imagery of the peacock tail and melting its beauty within for finding the source in the heart.
Traditional approach of perceiving a point in space until it becomes nothing.
Both approaches lead to achieving the goal of the heart and fulfilling the real wish behind the senses.

As Swami Muktananda once told Sri Shambhavananda, some meditation traditions think the void is the goal, but beyond the void is Shiva. Daily life is a dynamic mandala of creation, the sights and sounds of our senses create a dizzying array of thought patterns that keep us running in circles of samsara. Dharana 9 teaches us how to melt the beauty of our external world within so that we may experience the source of the mind and senses in our heart. This source, which apparatus as a void from the perspective of individuality, is actually an overflowing abundance when experienced directly from the inside out.

Immerse yourself in the transformative spirit of Ganesha as our Ashram resonates with the joyous celebrations that extend from personal realms to the universal. Delve into the symbolic journey through the story of Mushaka, Ganesha's mouse, illustrating the release of karmic obstacles and the surrender to Shakti's play, guiding us toward union with Shiva. Join us in expanding awareness beyond the five coverings, inspired by the wisdom of Ganesha and the transformative power of surrender. Om Gam Ganapataye Namah!

The Mouse of the Mind: Embracing Ganesh through the Story of Mushaka

It is that time of year - Ganesha pervades our Ashrams and pujas, our lives and is everywhere! The celebrations spread in a widening circle to envelop ourselves and our families, then our friends & relatives, next the people in our public lives, then the arts & artistes enriching our lives and finally, encompassing all beings in all Lokas.
It feels like a wholesome practice expanding my awareness past five aspects of my karma - from the physical and personal to the subtle and Universal. These aspects are reminiscent of the five kanchukas in Kashmir Shaivism (or even the five koshas of Advaita) that limit the experience of Universal consciousness. The five heads of Ganesha seem to symbolize His help for the progress of my awareness through these five coverings.
In our practices, we surrender to the play of Shakti (i.e., Parvati) which moves our ordinary awareness into union with Shiva (Universal consciousness). Ganesha’s energy helps the surrender by removing obstacles manifested in these karmic covers. The story of Ganesha’s vehicle, the mouse, illustrates the nature of these blocks.
The story begins in Indra Loka where Krauncha was an accomplished celestial musician. His artistry however inflated his ego leading to pride and jealousy. He became miserly in praise of others, often absent when others performed or, preferred to sulk in the back or linger behind pillars in the hall.
One day, Indra called on him to perform for the assembly of sages and Devas. As he sashayed to the dais, he thought he heard rapturous applause from sage Vamadeva on the way. In reality, however, he had stepped on the sage’s feet and the furious sage had cursed him “Enough of your false pretenses! May your outer form reflect your inner nature!” Krauncha was immediately transformed to a huge mountain-sized rodent to match the size of his pride!
Why a rodent? It loves dark places and prefers corners and edges to open spaces which are seen as threatening or negative. Our pride is invisible to us and operates in the dark recesses of our mind, delighting in gossip and thriving on the failures of others. This negativity bias is a survival instinct that causes us to blame others when they reflect our limitations back to us.
Back in the story, as the mouse-mountain moved, it trampled and destroyed the dwellings and all beings in its path. A desperate Indra ejected Krauncha from the heavens to the earth. Scurrying on earth, it destroyed forests, mountains, lakes, farms and families eventually reaching the Ashram of sage Parashara. Ganesha who was visiting the Ashram decided to end the rampage and collared the mouse with his lasso. This yanked the mouse off his feet and landed him, stunned, at Ganesha’s feet. The shock of the event flashed Krauncha’s behavior past his mind’s eye. He felt remorseful and begged Ganesha for forgiveness.
Ganesha saw that Krauncha’s negative nature had dissolved. So he decided to employ Krauncha’s skills and talents and made him his vehicle. And, this is how Ganesha snagged a mouse for his ride.
And like tiny mice, all kinds of thoughts scurry about the mind and pull it away from our practice. Unless we surrender them, we function from our mind and ego, much like Krauncha, the musician. This is the nature of the blocks manifest in our karmic coverings. As Babaji had said at a recent Satsang,
”… The Shakti will take you through eve

Dharana 7.1 • Cosmic Nectar: From Sound to Soul with Matrika Shakti

Explore the harmonious blend of discipline and playful creativity in spiritual practice, drawing insights from Zen Flesh Zen Bones, the wisdom of Shiva Sutras, and the teachings of Sri Shambhavananda, as we expound the teaching and lightning-like essence of Dharana 6

This class will deepen your connection to deity Vishnu through stories and new perspectives, kirtan, and meditation.