I was going about living my life as anyone would. Then all that changed the moment Agathiyar stepped into my life. Actually, he was there all the while. It is just that I did not know. I was not receptive to his presence. I did not take notice of him. I was ignorant of the possibilities that existed beyond what we see, hear, smell, sense, and breath. I only knew what my physical senses captured and how my limited mind translated them then. I did not know of the existence of an invisible kingdom and its inhabitants that co-existed alongside our physical plane. Even when the subject about the Nadi and their documentation was made known to me as early as in the late nineties, it did not capture my attention nor my interest then. The late Dr. Krishnan was the first to talk about them. He was the first to asks me to pray too, mentioning the immense benefits one could gain from prayers. He was to be my very first upaguru.
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| The late Dr. Krishnan |
Although Dr. Krishnan who was a medical astrologer and practitioner of Siddha medicine pointed me to the Nadi in 1996, it was only in 2002 that I walked into Sivabalan's home to check if my Nadi was available with Nadi Nool Aasan Senthilkumar of Avinashi. Agathiyar had a reading for me from three cantos or chapters of the Kaanda Nadi. The reading was in poetry form that was sung rather than read. It was amusing to listen to Agathiyar turn over my leaf and reveal about me to myself. The present was read which I could vouch to. Then he spoke about my past birth in Kerala as a Namboothiri or a Malayali Brahmin in the worship of Siva, and the horrors I did in my prime years and having regretted my actions in old age turned a good leave. Hence the reason for my birth. This was the perspective from my end. When a reading was made for my younger daughter, Agathiyar spoke about another birth of mine in Papanasam in which my daughter and wife had been with me. We were fruit sellers in the vicinity of the temple and had worshipped Agathiyar then. Hence the reason for this birth for all three of us. Then when Bala read his Nadi, it was revealed that we were in Batu Caves, Malaysia and the Sringeri Siva temple in past births. All these surprised us further. But we did not ponder further or venture to investigate them. We took the message from Agathiyar and started living it.
Agathiyar had several directives for me in my first reading. Explaining the karma that I had brought onto myself from my past actions, he listed out remedies to follow. I did as told without further ado. He asked me to come to the worship of the Siddhas, besides worshipping Lord Ganapathy, Lord Siva and him. As the Siddha worship was new to me, he had the Nadi Guru conduct the ritual of Naadikku Dhaanam or paying obeisance to the instrument of revelation the Nadi and homage to its authors and caretakers the Siddhas. I did the prayers in the confines of the prayer room in Sivabalan's home. After the prayer, Sivabalan handed me a painting of Agathiyar to place at my altar and worship. I started worship to the Siddhas by reciting their names and placing flowers at the feet of Agathiyar, besides continuing with the worship of the other deities under the watchful eyes of the numerous gurus whose photos/paintings/pictures I had collected over time and that graced the walls of my prayer room.
After giving me these tasks Agathiyar crept back into the shadows leaving me to carry them out. He only asked me to come back for another reading in three years' time. Coming to the end of the stipulated period, saw me stand in the presence of Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Kallar ashram. He was in Malaysia to officiate a local chapter of his peedham. I wanted to verify if a leaflet announcing the intent of one Thaaiveedu Thangarasan MA to build a temple for Agathiyar in the Kallar hills, that was handed to me by Senthilkumar after the reading was from the visiting Swamiji. It was from him he replied. A document that was kept for three years brought me to my guru that day. I told him that Agathiyar had asked that I come to the path of the Siddhas. He told me that I had come to the right place and I shall learn from those who administered the local peedham. My wife and I were initiated with six others the same day.
When I told Tavayogi that it was time I saw the Nadi again as directed by Agathiyar, Tavayogi pointed me to Nadi Guru Ramesh who was in town. As I stood at Ramesh's premises I never imagined that my life would change in its entirety. All that was said in the Nadi reading was about to be erased mysteriously after I was directed to meet Tavayogi again and get initiated immediately. I left to meet him immediately as directed. Agathiyar changed my fate that day and charted a new destiny. My journey of spiritual realization was to be re-initiated by Tavayogi that night. I was spared the troubles and problems of going through the mill. I had direct access to Tavayogi. A beautiful relationship between the guru and disciple began to blossom.
I never imagined that I would act fast on his invitation to go over to his Kallar Ashram, as it took me eight months to plan and finalize my maiden journey to India to carry out my remedies in 2003. I was practically at his Ashram a month after his departure to India. But Agathiyar tells me that he had initiated the move to go over immediately, in an otherwise sloth like me. A whole new world opened up upon my arrival in India, entirely varied from my first trip that was more of a tourist's perspective, except for the pinnacle of that journey where I was brought to my first guru Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai.
The morning after my arrival at Kallar Ashram, Agathiyar had asked Tavayogi what he was going to gift me. This was relayed to me when I joined him for his usual morning walk to the small hamlet around the Ashram. Complying with his requests Tavayogi took me on an adventure of a lifetime, that no tourist would have had. He brought me to the sacred and hidden sites of the Siddhas, in the jungles and the caves besides visiting the abodes of the Siddhas at the more popular tourist destinations. I had a taste of Ashram life staying with him, feeding the native children, and buying them clothing and stationaries during my stay there. All these were new to me.
Returning home I ventured to carry out all that I had learned through this experience with my family. Soon Agathiyar began to send seekers and potential devotees to my home to watch and participate in our home puja. Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) came to be formed to share our activities. Soon an offshoot of it Amudha Surabhi (AS) came to be, to channel the generous contributions from well-wishes towards feeding the hungry, and the poor. In time a formal organization was registered with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia and it came to be known as Persatuan Teman Setia.
Agathiyar satisfied with the years of puja and charity has asked us to go within now. He brought me to close the groups in the Whatsapp platform. Having given them the tools to earn the rewards that come by from devotion and prayers, it is each man for himself now. "With their individual efforts, they shall come to me now", he reiterated again. He has shown us that for one to engage in Sariyai and Kriyai he can seek the company of many but when we are brought to go within, it is a solo journey, that of discipline and courage, effort and perseverance.
As we embark on this new venture, an adventure in traveling and going within as opposed to the earlier flight up the stairs, trekking through the jungles, and overnight stays in caves, we are given tips to help us settle down after the adventurous and exhaustive activities in Sariyai and Kriyai. We are asked to go into Yoga that would help soothe the nerves and energize us with more prana, calming and bringing the state of body and mind to connect with the soul and spirit within, connecting with the numerous subtle bodies, and tapping into the sub-consciousness, consciousness, and super consciousness.
Yogi Maharshi Shuddhanand Bharati writes in his "Yoga For All", that yoga means union, communion, connection, touch, contact, and the yoking of the mind to the soul, the human to the divine in us, living in tune with the pure spirit that is our divine essence. Yoga purifies, unifies, transforms, perfects and divinizes human existence and heavenizes earth life. Yoga is life expansion.
By bringing us to yoga, Agathiyar has brought us to transcend the earlier two stages Sariyai and Kriyai that is very much associated with a personal god or deity, its abode or a temple, rituals peculiar to certain sections of the society or community, often regarded as a cult or tradition or belief, that are upheld by certain followers. Yoga goes beyond all beliefs, faiths, races, and religions. "Harmony with nature is health; harmony with the divine spirit is yoga", quotes the Yogi.
We have taken for granted and lost sight of Mother Nature although she is right in front of us and all around us. We only tend to see life in the form of a person, at times in animals but rarely in the plants and organisms in the soil. Of course, if we are not aware of what is closest to us how can we be aware of the numerous stars in the night sky? When was the last time we saw the moon? Now we are forced to take notice of the tiny, tiny agent that causes the infectious disease, Coronavirus that has caused death, crippled man's movements and his earnings, and crippled nations and its economy. We are forced to go back to the basics in all our undertakings, right from adopting good basic hygiene and practice to appreciating the breath and nature.
The Yogi's observation of Nature is a very timely reminder to man to start taking notice of nature. All she is asking is some respect for her.
She fills the earth with floral beauty, fertile greens, and golden yields. She has provided her children with ether, air, fire, water, and earth. The infinite sky, countless stars, the bright sun, beaming moon, the blessed rain clouds, boundless ocean, the vital air and the subtler ether, the majestic hills, the flowing streams, the fertile crops, the fire that warms us, the water that quenches our thirst and cleans, and the earth that provides a home for us are all gifts of nature given free of charge to one and alike, crossing beyond nations, community, race, religion, and beliefs.
She has provided for our hunger and thirst. She cradles us in her bosom. She heals us. She feels, she senses and she thinks. Each cell in us is connected to her. Her intelligence is evident in all of creation right from the minutest to the most expansive.
Nature is the wonderful power that is in play in the game or lila or creation of God. All the rest are mere instruments of mine. Nature is God's manifesting energy. Everything is a manifestation of prana, a subtle imperceptible cosmic energy which pervades everything, everywhere. Electrons, protons, neutrons, magnetism, gravity, pressure, are all external forces of nature and a physical expression of prana. Mind, will, intellect, intuition, sensations, emotions are an extension of nature within us.Nature reminds us that,
Your body, life, and mind are my mechanism. I am the source of health and strength. Use my elements, live in tune with me, pure, free, simple, clean, calm, in equilibrium, peaceful and blissful.
A form is important in that it is visible to the eye. There are many souls waiting eagerly in the queue to take on a physical body. We are lucky that we have been given one. Should not we take extra care of it?
"Yoga begins with a knowledge of the physical body and goes deeper into other planes", says the Yogi. Coming to yoga one brings within him the cosmic force or energy, hence all the more reason to strengthen the body to receive and contain the pent up energy.
The one vital cosmic force, the primeval principle of existence in all beings has several aspects to it says BKS Iyengar in his book "Light on Pranayama", HarperCollins Publishers, New Delhi, 1993. "The only perceptible expression of the functioning of prana is felt in the movements of the lungs activated by inner energy, causing respiration", he adds.
Going through his book, we realize that there is yet another form of battle, a more subtle one compared to the battles we have engaged in reading the earlier post, "The Battle Goes On" at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-battle-goes-on.html The Chitta is a vehicle propelled by prana and vasana. "It moves in the direction of the more powerful force", says Iyengar. "The sadhaka is tossed about according to the movement of prana and vasana. If prana prevails then the desires are controlled, the senses held in check and the mind stilled. If the desires prevail the breathing becomes uneven and the mind gets agitated" he explains further.
Hence we understand why Agathiyar has told us to take to observing the breath and the prana as a tool to quieten and still the mind. After attempting I told him that it was not possible to get the mind to settle. He admitted that it was not a simple and easy task and did not mince his words. He told me it cannot be done. It is not possible to come out of it he firmly says.
Agathiyar equates the worldly life as a shackle that binds and bonds us to its hold. But nevertheless, he asked to put in the effort and graciously shows the way to achieve a state of calm. His advice goes as follows. He made me drink his Agathiyar Kuzhambu, a purgative and later gave me smaller doses of a drink daily for a thorough cleanse. He asked to pull the brake on the pull towards the external orientation. He asked to adopt the cleansing techniques as shown by Tavayogi before the commencement of meditation. Sticking the tongue out and breathing out will help clear the phlegm from the throat.
This is something like Huff Coughing:
MA Kandasamy in his small but valuable booklet "Vallalar Vagutta Vazhgai Neri" describes the compassion and love of Ramalinga Adigal towards fellow men. Ramalinga Adigal confronts Erai as to why he is not gifting people with all the bliss and blessings that he had attain. Erai laments that he has been showering his grace to all just as he did to Ramalinga Adigal, but the people were not on the receiving end. They were not ready to receive his grace. He says that he is in all of nature. Only those who live in accordance with nature will be a receptacle to his grace he adds. "I had given them the gift of the herb Karisaalai (Eclipta prostrata commonly known as false daisy, yerba de tago, Karisalankanni, and Bhringraj). I had revealed its medicinal value to you which you had shared with them. But people ignored it." Recently Agathiyar too lamented that people are not following the lifestyle of a Siddha or சித்தர் வாழ்க்கை நெறி முறைகள்.
யாம் இயற்கையே வடிவமாக உள்ளோம் இயற்கையை அனுசரித்து நடப்பவர்க்கே எம் அருள் பொருந்தும். உலகர் அனைவரும் நல்வாழ்வு வாழவேண்டுமென்பதற்காகவே கரிசலாங்கண்ணி எனும் தெய்வீக மூலிகையை உலகமெங்கும் விளைய வைத்தோம். அதன் மகத்துவத்தை யாம் உனக்குச் சொல்ல நீ அதை உலகுக்குப் போதித்தாய். அது குப்பையில் கிடைக்கும் மாணிக்க மென்று உணர்ந்தாரில்லை. கரிசலாங்கண்ணிக் கீரையின் இலைகளை அல்லது பொடியை உள் நாக்கை கைவிரலால் தேய்க்க வேண்டும். இதனால் தொண்டை சுவாசப்பை மூக்கு இவற்றிலுள்ள சளியும் கபநீரும் வெளியேறும். கபாலத்தில் உள்ள நீரும் வெளியேறிவிடும். ஒரு மணி நேரத்தில் மலங்கழிந்து பெருங்குடலும் சுத்தமாகி விடும். இக் கரிசலாங்கண்ணி மூலிகை மனித சமுதாயத்திற்கு இறைவனால் கொடுக்கப்பட்ட அமுத சஞ்சீவியாகும். ஆகவேதான் இம் மூலிகையைத் தினந்தோறும் எவ் வகையிலாவது ஆயுள் முழுதும் உட்கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்று வள்ளலார் திருவருட்பா வசன பாகத்தில் வற்புறுத்திக் கூறுகின்றார்.
Then Kandasamy shares a tip from Tirumular on a breathing technique and how to go into meditation exactly as what Agathiyar had told us too. One has to raise the breath to the spot between the eyebrows with gentle breathing via the throat. And exhaling through the throat for 15 rounds. The phlegm shall be expelled.
பின்பு வாசியைச் சுழிமுனைக்கு ஏற்ற வேண்டும். எப்படி எனில் தொண்டையில் சளி இருக்குமானால் அதை வெளியேற்ற எப்படி மூச்சை வேகமாக மேலே இழுப்போமோ அதைப் போல் மூச்சை மெதுவாகத் தொண்டை மூலம் இழுக்கவேண்டும். அப்படி மேலேற்றிய காற்றை தொண்டையின் மூலமாகவே கீழே இறக்க வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு மெதுவாகப் 15 தடவைகளாவது செய்ய வேண்டும். இதனால் நாசியிலும் தொண்டையிலுமுள்ள சளி வெளியேறும் என்று திருமூலர் கூறுகிறார்.
Sitting on a mat in meditation, bring your concentration to the spot between the eyebrows. Chant the mantra within. Do not interfere with the breathing but just watch it. Just observe the breath without doing pranayama or controlling the breath as in inhalation and exhalation. The breath will eventually settle.
இதைத் தொடர்ந்து அரைமணி நேரமாவது தியானம் செய்யவேண்டும். தரையில் பாயின் மீது அமர்ந்து மனத்தைப் புருவ மத்தியில் நிலை நிறுத்தியவாறு மந்திரத்தை நா அசையாமல் மனத்தில் உச்சரித்துக்கொணடே இருக்க வேண்டும். அவ்வமயம் மூச்சை இழுப்பதையும் விடுவதையும் நினைக்கவே கூடாது. சுவாசம் மெதுவாகத் தானே நடைபெறும். தியானமயமாகிவிட்டால் மூச்சு தானே அடங்கும். தியானத்தின் போது சுவாசம் மெதுவாக நடைபெறுவதால் நாம் உட்கொள்ளும் பிராண வாயுவின் அளவு குறைவு. ஆகவே ஆயுள் விருத்தி.
He writes about how Ramalinga Adigal proposes we kindle the light within us to burn with brilliance. The only way to do it is through bhakti. This was exactly what Ramalinga Adigal told us too.
இறைவன் ஜோதியாக நம்முள் இருக்கின்றார். அந்த ஒளியைப் பெருக்கிக் கொள்வதற்கு உதவியாக இருப்பது பக்தி உணர்வு மட்டுமே. ஜோதி நம் உள்ளத்தில் பெருகும் போது எவ்வகை நோய்களும் அணுகா.
திருக்கதவம் திறவாயோ திரைகளெலாம் தவிர்த்தே
திருவருளாம் பெருஞ்சோதித் திருஉருக்காட் டாயோ
உருக்கிஅமு தூற்றெடுத்தே உடம்புயிரோ டுளமும்
ஒளிமயமே ஆக்குறமெய் உணர்ச்சிஅரு ளாயோ
கருக்கருதாத் தனிவடிவோய் நின்னைஎன்னுட் கலந்தே
கங்குல்பகல் இன்றிஎன்றும் களித்திடச்செய் யாயோ
செருக்கருதா தவர்க்கருளும் சித்திபுரத் தரசே
சித்தசிகா மணியேஎன் திருநடநா யகனே.
In my earlier days prior to 2011, I had made it a practice to carry out the routine of cleansing and expelling the phlegm from the throat by taking a pinch of the Karisaalai herb in powder form and rubbing it against the uvula just as is explained above. This will cause us to automatically cough up and spit out the phlegm as a result of irritating the uvula. It was a very effective way to rid the phlegm.
But after years of doing it, one day as I coughed up, I felt a sharp pain in my lower back/right buttocks at the exact spot of the sciatic nerve, running right down to my toes of the right leg. I froze in pain. It took me a while to come out of my shower and get into bed. Consulting Dr. Krishnan he ruled out kidney problems and the presence of stones but asks me to see a doctor if it was a slipped disk. As the doctors could not find anything wrong with me, they put me on physiotherapy. It brought me temporary relief but the pain was there affecting my mobility initially and went to the extent that the pain woke me up from my sleep. I suffered for 2 1/2 years. Consulting Agathiyar in a Nadi reading he told me to drop all forms of practice including Yoga and asked me to consume certain herbs. I took them.
Once the physiotherapist asked me to show her the 5 exercises she gave me to do. As I knelt and moved into position to stretch my back and spine, I felt something snap and an instant relief was felt at the spot of the pain as if a knot had given way. I cried out in relief. The pain went away that day only to reappear in 2016 and appeared on and off over the next few years. Then in October of 2018, Lord Muruga came to heal me through a Nadi reading and simultaneously carrying out the treatment through a devotee with peacock feathers and the Arutperumjhoti mantra. It was truly amazing! The pain eventually went away without me realizing it.
In December of last year, Agathiyar asks me to hold the breath in Kumbaka for the very first time for the duration of the Diksa mantra. He asks to observe the breath. He asked to learn about the composition of the physical body or உடல் கூறு தத்துவங்கள் that Tavayogi had written about in his books first. Then in January of this year, Agathiyar told me to start back the Yoga techniques that we learned from Tavayogi, which were placed on hold by Agathiyar after the onset of my back pain.
What were mere text or the written words that we read those days have now come to be relived after putting into practice and experiencing it. No wonder Agathiyar always says that we are here to gain experiences and learn lessons.
"Yoga begins with a knowledge of the physical body and goes deeper into other planes", says the Yogi. Coming to yoga one brings within him the cosmic force or energy, hence all the more reason to strengthen the body to receive and contain the pent up energy.
The one vital cosmic force, the primeval principle of existence in all beings has several aspects to it says BKS Iyengar in his book "Light on Pranayama", HarperCollins Publishers, New Delhi, 1993. "The only perceptible expression of the functioning of prana is felt in the movements of the lungs activated by inner energy, causing respiration", he adds.
Going through his book, we realize that there is yet another form of battle, a more subtle one compared to the battles we have engaged in reading the earlier post, "The Battle Goes On" at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-battle-goes-on.html The Chitta is a vehicle propelled by prana and vasana. "It moves in the direction of the more powerful force", says Iyengar. "The sadhaka is tossed about according to the movement of prana and vasana. If prana prevails then the desires are controlled, the senses held in check and the mind stilled. If the desires prevail the breathing becomes uneven and the mind gets agitated" he explains further.
Hence we understand why Agathiyar has told us to take to observing the breath and the prana as a tool to quieten and still the mind. After attempting I told him that it was not possible to get the mind to settle. He admitted that it was not a simple and easy task and did not mince his words. He told me it cannot be done. It is not possible to come out of it he firmly says.
Agathiyar equates the worldly life as a shackle that binds and bonds us to its hold. But nevertheless, he asked to put in the effort and graciously shows the way to achieve a state of calm. His advice goes as follows. He made me drink his Agathiyar Kuzhambu, a purgative and later gave me smaller doses of a drink daily for a thorough cleanse. He asked to pull the brake on the pull towards the external orientation. He asked to adopt the cleansing techniques as shown by Tavayogi before the commencement of meditation. Sticking the tongue out and breathing out will help clear the phlegm from the throat.
This is something like Huff Coughing:
Take a deep, slow breath to fully fill the lungs. Then, tensing your stomach muscles, make three rapid exhalations with your mouth open, making a "ha" sound with each exiting breath. Continue repeating this, keeping your core firm, until you feel the mucus breaking up. You can then take a deep cough to clear your lungs.(Source: https://www.verywellhealth.com/five-techniques-to-clear-mucus-from-the-lungs-914841)Ramalinga Adigal tells us that it is this phlegm that kills us in old age. A friend's father in his eighties who was in very good health was admitted for breathing difficulties. The doctors removed phlegm that had clogged an otherwise healthy man. Ramalinga Adigal advocates taking the herb Karisalai daily helps expel the phlegm.
MA Kandasamy in his small but valuable booklet "Vallalar Vagutta Vazhgai Neri" describes the compassion and love of Ramalinga Adigal towards fellow men. Ramalinga Adigal confronts Erai as to why he is not gifting people with all the bliss and blessings that he had attain. Erai laments that he has been showering his grace to all just as he did to Ramalinga Adigal, but the people were not on the receiving end. They were not ready to receive his grace. He says that he is in all of nature. Only those who live in accordance with nature will be a receptacle to his grace he adds. "I had given them the gift of the herb Karisaalai (Eclipta prostrata commonly known as false daisy, yerba de tago, Karisalankanni, and Bhringraj). I had revealed its medicinal value to you which you had shared with them. But people ignored it." Recently Agathiyar too lamented that people are not following the lifestyle of a Siddha or சித்தர் வாழ்க்கை நெறி முறைகள்.
யாம் இயற்கையே வடிவமாக உள்ளோம் இயற்கையை அனுசரித்து நடப்பவர்க்கே எம் அருள் பொருந்தும். உலகர் அனைவரும் நல்வாழ்வு வாழவேண்டுமென்பதற்காகவே கரிசலாங்கண்ணி எனும் தெய்வீக மூலிகையை உலகமெங்கும் விளைய வைத்தோம். அதன் மகத்துவத்தை யாம் உனக்குச் சொல்ல நீ அதை உலகுக்குப் போதித்தாய். அது குப்பையில் கிடைக்கும் மாணிக்க மென்று உணர்ந்தாரில்லை. கரிசலாங்கண்ணிக் கீரையின் இலைகளை அல்லது பொடியை உள் நாக்கை கைவிரலால் தேய்க்க வேண்டும். இதனால் தொண்டை சுவாசப்பை மூக்கு இவற்றிலுள்ள சளியும் கபநீரும் வெளியேறும். கபாலத்தில் உள்ள நீரும் வெளியேறிவிடும். ஒரு மணி நேரத்தில் மலங்கழிந்து பெருங்குடலும் சுத்தமாகி விடும். இக் கரிசலாங்கண்ணி மூலிகை மனித சமுதாயத்திற்கு இறைவனால் கொடுக்கப்பட்ட அமுத சஞ்சீவியாகும். ஆகவேதான் இம் மூலிகையைத் தினந்தோறும் எவ் வகையிலாவது ஆயுள் முழுதும் உட்கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்று வள்ளலார் திருவருட்பா வசன பாகத்தில் வற்புறுத்திக் கூறுகின்றார்.
Then Kandasamy shares a tip from Tirumular on a breathing technique and how to go into meditation exactly as what Agathiyar had told us too. One has to raise the breath to the spot between the eyebrows with gentle breathing via the throat. And exhaling through the throat for 15 rounds. The phlegm shall be expelled.
பின்பு வாசியைச் சுழிமுனைக்கு ஏற்ற வேண்டும். எப்படி எனில் தொண்டையில் சளி இருக்குமானால் அதை வெளியேற்ற எப்படி மூச்சை வேகமாக மேலே இழுப்போமோ அதைப் போல் மூச்சை மெதுவாகத் தொண்டை மூலம் இழுக்கவேண்டும். அப்படி மேலேற்றிய காற்றை தொண்டையின் மூலமாகவே கீழே இறக்க வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு மெதுவாகப் 15 தடவைகளாவது செய்ய வேண்டும். இதனால் நாசியிலும் தொண்டையிலுமுள்ள சளி வெளியேறும் என்று திருமூலர் கூறுகிறார்.
Sitting on a mat in meditation, bring your concentration to the spot between the eyebrows. Chant the mantra within. Do not interfere with the breathing but just watch it. Just observe the breath without doing pranayama or controlling the breath as in inhalation and exhalation. The breath will eventually settle.
இதைத் தொடர்ந்து அரைமணி நேரமாவது தியானம் செய்யவேண்டும். தரையில் பாயின் மீது அமர்ந்து மனத்தைப் புருவ மத்தியில் நிலை நிறுத்தியவாறு மந்திரத்தை நா அசையாமல் மனத்தில் உச்சரித்துக்கொணடே இருக்க வேண்டும். அவ்வமயம் மூச்சை இழுப்பதையும் விடுவதையும் நினைக்கவே கூடாது. சுவாசம் மெதுவாகத் தானே நடைபெறும். தியானமயமாகிவிட்டால் மூச்சு தானே அடங்கும். தியானத்தின் போது சுவாசம் மெதுவாக நடைபெறுவதால் நாம் உட்கொள்ளும் பிராண வாயுவின் அளவு குறைவு. ஆகவே ஆயுள் விருத்தி.
He writes about how Ramalinga Adigal proposes we kindle the light within us to burn with brilliance. The only way to do it is through bhakti. This was exactly what Ramalinga Adigal told us too.
இறைவன் ஜோதியாக நம்முள் இருக்கின்றார். அந்த ஒளியைப் பெருக்கிக் கொள்வதற்கு உதவியாக இருப்பது பக்தி உணர்வு மட்டுமே. ஜோதி நம் உள்ளத்தில் பெருகும் போது எவ்வகை நோய்களும் அணுகா.
திருக்கதவம் திறவாயோ திரைகளெலாம் தவிர்த்தே
திருவருளாம் பெருஞ்சோதித் திருஉருக்காட் டாயோ
உருக்கிஅமு தூற்றெடுத்தே உடம்புயிரோ டுளமும்
ஒளிமயமே ஆக்குறமெய் உணர்ச்சிஅரு ளாயோ
கருக்கருதாத் தனிவடிவோய் நின்னைஎன்னுட் கலந்தே
கங்குல்பகல் இன்றிஎன்றும் களித்திடச்செய் யாயோ
செருக்கருதா தவர்க்கருளும் சித்திபுரத் தரசே
சித்தசிகா மணியேஎன் திருநடநா யகனே.
In my earlier days prior to 2011, I had made it a practice to carry out the routine of cleansing and expelling the phlegm from the throat by taking a pinch of the Karisaalai herb in powder form and rubbing it against the uvula just as is explained above. This will cause us to automatically cough up and spit out the phlegm as a result of irritating the uvula. It was a very effective way to rid the phlegm.
But after years of doing it, one day as I coughed up, I felt a sharp pain in my lower back/right buttocks at the exact spot of the sciatic nerve, running right down to my toes of the right leg. I froze in pain. It took me a while to come out of my shower and get into bed. Consulting Dr. Krishnan he ruled out kidney problems and the presence of stones but asks me to see a doctor if it was a slipped disk. As the doctors could not find anything wrong with me, they put me on physiotherapy. It brought me temporary relief but the pain was there affecting my mobility initially and went to the extent that the pain woke me up from my sleep. I suffered for 2 1/2 years. Consulting Agathiyar in a Nadi reading he told me to drop all forms of practice including Yoga and asked me to consume certain herbs. I took them.
Once the physiotherapist asked me to show her the 5 exercises she gave me to do. As I knelt and moved into position to stretch my back and spine, I felt something snap and an instant relief was felt at the spot of the pain as if a knot had given way. I cried out in relief. The pain went away that day only to reappear in 2016 and appeared on and off over the next few years. Then in October of 2018, Lord Muruga came to heal me through a Nadi reading and simultaneously carrying out the treatment through a devotee with peacock feathers and the Arutperumjhoti mantra. It was truly amazing! The pain eventually went away without me realizing it.
In December of last year, Agathiyar asks me to hold the breath in Kumbaka for the very first time for the duration of the Diksa mantra. He asks to observe the breath. He asked to learn about the composition of the physical body or உடல் கூறு தத்துவங்கள் that Tavayogi had written about in his books first. Then in January of this year, Agathiyar told me to start back the Yoga techniques that we learned from Tavayogi, which were placed on hold by Agathiyar after the onset of my back pain.
What were mere text or the written words that we read those days have now come to be relived after putting into practice and experiencing it. No wonder Agathiyar always says that we are here to gain experiences and learn lessons.