Tuesday 31 March 2020

THE BREATH OFLIFE

When an 80-year-old man came to Yogi Ramsuratkumar, the Yogi told him to take Amla which saw his sight improve. Similarly, it came as a surprise when Agathiyar told my 82-year-old father-in-law to start doing Surya Namaskar. Although he complains he could not even squat or bend his knees, deep within I knew that Agathiyar would not say something unless he pretty well knew that one could do it if he tried. Similarly, Agathiyar says that he only gives that much of suffering that we could shoulder, nothin more. When we crumble under the pressure and beg for some relief, he relieves us of the burden, not wanting to hurt us further. But bear in mind that the suffering shall come back to us in the future when we are much stronger to handle it.

When I went for my very first Nadi reading in 2002, Agathiyar spoke about the present, the past including the past birth, and predicted my future. He gave a general picture of my life and the events that would take place, including mentioning that as I step into my sixties I shall face an affliction or illness in the form of breathing difficulties, but assured that it shall be countered through performing agamas and overcome by their grace.

After my nephew and I had schemed to get Tavayogi to part with us a Yogic practice that he was conducting in a local chapter of his Peedham in Malaysia in 2008, I had faithfully carried them out for years until I began to experience an extreme, excruciating and shooting pain that originated in my lower back which then went all the way down to my right foot. It happened as I was cleansing my throat forcefully while having my shower one morning. I froze for several moments not able to move even an inch. I had to drag myself to my bed. The pain continued with me, affecting my mobility initially; then I could not even stand. Later I could not even sit upright. This was followed by difficulty in getting out of bed. Finally, the pain was so great that it woke me up from my sleep. I was given a clean slate by the doctors, not finding any problem with either my kidneys, or my backbone, and they ruled out the formation of stones too. So why was I going through this pain? They put me under physiotherapy for some time, which brought some relief at that moment, but the pain came back to torture me.

That is when I decided to ask Agathiyar the reason for my pain and suffering. He surprised me with his indifference to my suffering. He brushed it aside telling me that it was superficial in nature and asked me not to be bothered by it. He then went on to explain the changes that had taken place in my (various) bodies and ask that I immediately stop doing all forms of yogic exercises. He named some Siddha herbs asking me to consume them for 48 days and later added on an additional 24 days. Meanwhile, I carried on with my physiotherapy in the government clinic and practiced certain exercises that were given to be done at home. Once when I was with my physiotherapists she asks if I was continuing the exercises for my back. I was diligently doing it at home. She asks that I do it in front of her. As I stretched myself into one of the five positions, on the hospital bed, suddenly I was relieved off the pain just as immediately as it had occurred back then in my shower. I cried out in relief. It was as if a knot had untangled and given way in my lower back. I was relieved of the pain, a pain that I endured for 2 1/2 years.

After 5 years the pain came back when I sneezed as I crossed the road. When Bala came over with the prasad and sacred ash that he received at Dhanvantri's temple and to share stories of his pilgrimage, Dhanvantri came through a devotee to apply his sacred ash and bring relief to my back. Tavayogi who was in Malaysia then for my daughter's marriage passed me a herbal pill too. After some time the pain subsided, without me realizing it.

But the pain came back in 2018 again. While Agathiyar prescribed further herbal Siddha medicines to consume and apply too, Lord Muruga decided to end it once and for all, by performing a miracle. He simultaneously came in a Nadi reading and through a devotee, explaining to us what he was doing to rid me of the pain. He treated my causal body that carries the source of the pain by stroking my back with peacock feathers. All who were gathered that day were asked to sing the Arutperunjhoti mantra and the glass of water was given to me to drink. The pain subsided in the days to come. This miracle reminds me of the time my parents had brought me to a Chinese shaman who was our neighbor to save me. I was a child purging severely then. Consulting the Gods, the medium told my parents to give me in adoption to them which my parents did. Since then the Gods have always been looking over my shoulder. When I grew up I could remember the Sinseh chant and hit himself with the blind end of the sword, his bare shoulders and back becoming red from the blows he gave himself. Finally, he would write certain Chinese characters with red ink on a strip of yellow paper and burn it. He collects the ash into a glass of water and gives it to me to drink. This was my prescription to combat all illnesses in my youth. I only stepped into the general hospital when I was bitten by a dog, fearing that I could catch rabies. 

After Agathiyar began to come through others to address us, beginning this year, providing another avenue and option besides the numerous Nadi readings we have had, surprisingly he asks me to revisit the pranayama techniques taught by Tavayogi, particularly those that help clear the breathing. He advocated us to take only lukewarm water besides drinking it with Tulasi leaves. After having me take his Agathiyar Kuhambu that helped to clear the stockpile of kazhivu or toxins inside the body, he had me consume another concoction daily to even cleanse deeper. He asks me to refrain from going out unless very necessary. I adhered to all that I was told. But since I had to send my mother for her bi-annual check-up at the hospital, I had to leave home. I caught the flu, after 4 years. After I retired I never fell sick, confirming the statement from my Architect that we worked in a sick building, built in the eighties. Even prior to moving to the HQ, I used to fall sick often at the project site. Once the doctor suggested that the presence of oil palm trees in the vicinity of the project site might be a contributing factor. It all stopped the moment I stayed at home after retirement. There was no avenue now for me to catch the virus through touching doorknobs, using phones, touching keyboards, shaking hands with others and off course from transmission through the air particles.

So when I caught the flu at a time where we are all anxious about the dreaded Coronavirus, I was worried too. Except for the flu, I have no other signs to indicate that I had caught this virus. But the flu seems to be stubborn for it has taken me 21 days to fully recover. The common cold and flu that most people brush aside and carry on with their work always knocks me down for days. If others are relieved in a couple of days, I would suffer 10 days as it would lead to sinus and blockage of the nasal passages on my face and forehead. I am relieved to know that mine was not chronic in nature that would take three months or longer to heal.
Chronic sinusitis occurs when the spaces inside your nose and head (sinuses) are swollen and inflamed for three months or longer, despite treatment. This common condition interferes with the way mucus normally drains. (Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-sinusitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351661)
I had to bear with the discomfort all my working years when finally I landed upon a miracle cure in 2014, pointed out by my neighborhood pharmacist. When I went in to get more antibiotics, as I had not gained any relief even after having completed the earlier course, she suggested that I stop taking antibiotics and recommended that I try using a Sinus Rinse Starter Kit. It was a modern version of the ancient practice of Jala Neti or nasal irrigation. The NeilMed Sinus Rinse Starter Kit, is a modern-day neti pot that comes with special salt (USP grade [purity level 99% or higher] sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate mixture to be dissolved in warm water) to help flush the sinuses. And what do you know? All the mucus just dripped out of my nostrils without any effort on my part. I got immediate relief. Amazing!

When Agathiyar told a devotee the need to keep the home clean that would assure good health, we never knew that that would stretch to include cleaning the country up too. He had asked me to stay indoors and refrain from going out unless very necessary. What was thought to be a piece of personal advice for an individual seems to be the norm these days and applies to all. Agathiyar had told my in-laws to stay with us too, telling them that they should not be left alone. But we never anticipated, nor did he tell us or warn us of the impending danger that was lurking and has spread like wildfire. Were these subtle messages that Agathiyar passed on to us? So like everybody else, fearing the threat of the Covid-19 virus, I too am under house arrest for additional reasons. Agathiyar has given me a regime to help go within. He has asked that I start doing the pranayama exercises taught by Tavayogi which were put on hold by Agathiyar since 2011, focusing on the exercise that expels the breath with force and spitting out the sputum. A similar exercise is recommended and shared by another guru to be put into practice in these times of extreme danger at https://youtu.be/kWEIJs5FFjA

Just as he appears like and as the picture or an idol to one who desires to see him in that form, when we go within he too comes within. These days are spent in his company in his space, the room that we had allocated to him as his shrine, where he has asked that I sleep in too. He has asked that we kindle the lamp to burn bright and similarly to kindle the flame within. If my parents lit the flame of devotion to the deities in me, I continued lighting it daily in my life. Supramania Swami came to ignite the flame of devotion towards the guru. Tavayogi then came along to nurture the flame, keeping it alive for some 12 years. After the demise of my gurus, Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal with the other Siddhas have begun to kindle the flame to burn brighter, working to bring salvation to us. Thank you Dear God. We know that we do not deserve to be shown such kindness and compassion. How can we repay your kindness and love, but become you? I guess that becoming a Siddha like you would please you the most. Please lead the way and we shall follow, dear guru.