We will experience the awakening of a divine mothering energy within us that gently takes us into a state of silence.

"Meditation is such a soothing thing, such a beautiful way of connection with the Divine, that all your problems get solved in that meditative mood." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Learn how to calm your attention, reduce your thoughts, and increase your enjoyment of inner silence.

"Like a wheel which is moving, if your attention is on the wheel, on the periphery, then your mind is all the time moving. But if you jump on the axis of the wheel, it is silent." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Our attention can move into the past, the future, or be stable, quiet, and settled in the present. In a state of balance we are able to surmount inner and outer obstacles to becoming our true selves.

"The Spirit will shine on an attention which is steady. Steady it. By balancing you bring a steadiness to it. Balance your thoughts, balance your eyes, balance your desires.." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Our attention can move into the past or the future, making it a challenge to meditate. We will learn about the three energy channels, and how to balance them so that we can be in the present, and on the path to our spiritual ascent.

"You are an instrument most beautifully made, absolutely so beautifully made that once you discover it, you will be amazed as to what you are." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

We discuss the innate qualities of the subtle energy centers (chakras) within us. We will learn how we can imbibe these qualities in our daily lives through Sahaja Yoga meditation.

"The first thing should be to watch yourself, that you are not reacting but you are experiencing and enjoying the silence, the subtleties, the beauty, the glory of your being." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

In Sahaja Yoga we use the natural elements of water, earth, fire, ether, and air to deepen our meditation. The foot soaking technique helps us clear our subtle system and increases our enjoyment of the meditation.

"Only in meditation you are in the present and you grow in your spirituality." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

We will steady our attention and learn to identify and clear out the imbalances affecting our subtle being. Gradually, we'll go deeper into our own subtlety, silence, and self-knowledge.

"Your hands start feeling the cool breeze. They start feeling the chakras of yourself and chakras of other people. With your hands you can raise the Kundalini, with your hands you can give realization. These hands become powerful things." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

We will demonstrate the cooling effect of ice to steady our attention and make us less reactive.

"All this temper becomes so cool and so beautiful. It’s very surprising. A very dynamic person becomes extremely compassionate." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

When our left channel clears out, we can feel how much we are loved by the Divine.

"Freedom must have wisdom behind it. So both the sides, the movements on both the sides, are wrong. So what is all right? In the center. Is not to get conditioned by anything and not to be ego-oriented." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

This will be an interactive workshop in smaller virtual rooms with experienced Sahaja Yoga practitioners. You'll learn techniques to clear your subtle system and go deeper into meditation. This interactive workshop is only available on the Zoom platform.

SAFETY NOTE: We will use a candle to clear our left channel of imbalances. As a safety precaution, do not do this treatment if you are wearing loose clothes or near anything that might catch fire. Take great care. You can sit on a chair or on the floor.

WHAT TO BRING: Before the start of this session, please have these items available:
- A small candle in a holder or secured to a plate
- Matches or a lighter

We become our own gurus through the daily practice of Sahaja Yoga. We stop arguing with ourselves. We accept and follow our own inner guidance. We leave behind all extreme behavior, whether it’s over-indulgence or over-strictness.

"You have to be your own guru means you have to guide yourself. You have to treat yourself as your disciple and you have to trim yourself." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

We will focus on the first energy center, the Mooladhara Chakra. In Sanskrit, "Mooladhara" means support of the root. This chakra is the base of the subtle system. Its innate qualities are purity, innocence, joy, and wisdom.

"This innocence never gets destroyed because it is eternal, but it may happen that it will get covered with some clouds by our mistakes that we commit. But once you get your Realization, your innocence is re-established, manifests, and you become innocent." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Swadhishthana, the second chakra, is the center of creativity, pure knowledge, pure desire and pure attention. The power of pure desire within us guides our spiritual journey. Opening this chakra helps us to let go of our need to control, so we can allow the divine power to work things out.

"Thinking, thinking thinking, planning, planning, planning, planning, running. Ultimately the whole joy has disappeared." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

The third chakra, the Nabhi, is where our seeking for spiritual evolution originates. When this chakra clears, we experience our own divine qualities of satisfaction, generosity and peace.

"There can be no peace in the world until there is peace within." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Let’s collectively open our Heart Chakra so we can feel our innate qualities of love, compassion, security and fearlessness.

"You become the source of joy, not that you only receive the joy but you become the source of joy, the source of bliss and the source of peace. Wherever such a person goes, it just soothes." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

We will put our attention on the Vishuddhi Chakra to strengthen our sense of self-respect and respect for others. The power of this chakra also helps us to be a detached witness of the drama of life.

"The detachment takes place because you become one with the Spirit which is not attached, which gives you that light, that detachment from where you can see the whole thing just as a drama going on." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

To open the Agnya Chakra, let’s learn to forgive. This clears the subtle pathway to be connected to the all-pervading power of the Divine.

"When you forgive a person, what do you do? You accept the situation, to begin with, and secondly you forgive what you think has been done wrong to you. But because nothing can be done wrong to your Spirit, you just forgive because you are the Spirit." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Clearing, Balancing and Meditation Workshop

This will be an interactive workshop in smaller virtual rooms with experienced Sahaja Yoga practitioners. You'll learn techniques to clear your subtle system and go deeper into meditation. This interactive workshop is only available on the Zoom platform.

At Sahasrara we can let go of all our worries, opinions, and frustrations. We can offer them to the silence above the top of the head. This is where our attention joins the universal, Divine attention.

"Sahaja Yoga is like building first the pinnacle of the building, and then the foundation. Opening your Sahasrara was the first thing that was achieved. And then in the light of Sahasrara you have to watch yourself and see for yourself." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

We enhance the experience of meditation by going deeper into the silence within us. Discover the power of a mantra, or prayer in Sanskrit, to clear our chakras and strengthen the state of meditation.

"Meditation is the only way you can enrich yourself with the beauty of reality. There's no other way. I cannot find any other way but meditation by which you rise into the realm of divinity." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

We will sustain longer periods of silence using the techniques learned so far.

"If you can achieve that point, where you watch everything without reacting, you are in reality. And then only the penetration into the subtleties of your surroundings, of your relationships, your friendships -- the whole universe -- dawns upon you." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Our focus will be on taking full advantage of our self-realization by going deeper into the meditative state. We'll explore the power of music to sustain complete inner silence.

"Now this happening of achieving thoughtless awareness is very simple and easy. But to maintain that point is difficult. We still react and we think. Anything you see, you react. To get to that point in thoughtless awareness is first to change your attention.... Try to witness everything.... You start enjoying everything that is there. Even a small blade of grass you can enjoy." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

In our last session of this series, we integrate all that we have learned. We look within ourselves and see how much we have grown in our awareness. You'll find out what comes after this course to continue further with your journey in meditation. If you have missed a few sessions, don't worry because this entire course is available on our YouTube channel.

"If you can go into meditative mood, you are in contact with this Divine Power. Then whatever is good for you, whatever is good for your society, for your country, all is done by this Divine Power.... Just if you meditate you are one with this Divine Power." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

We will meditate on our central channel, asking our Kundalini to take us into the silence of the present moment and help us to transform from within.

"Meditation is the only way you can grow." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

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We get entangled in the challenges we face when we are not able to stand back and watch them. In the state of thoughtless awareness we don’t get drowned in life’s problems.

"If you are standing in the sea and it is turbulent, you see the waves rising higher and higher — you’re frightened. But supposing you can get into a boat, then you can watch the same scene with such attention and with enjoyment because you know it cannot hurt you." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

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When our right channel clears out, we realize that we can rely on the Divine energy to take care of all our problems.

"Develop that dignity and that love and that understanding, that etiquette of a divine person, that sweetness, that gentleness of a divine person." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

When we connect with the subtle power of innocence within us, we begin to see the obstacles in our path fall away.

"An innocent person is really like a magnet and it attracts, he attracts, the people towards himself, just like a flower attracts a bee towards itself." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

The Kundalini is the pure desire within us to ascend. She nourishes, purifies, and enlightens our divine qualities.

"This power is your own. She’s actually your mother, individual mother and She has got everything recorded about you within Herself and She is your own energy. She has to just rise and get you connected with this all-pervading power, then you realize how great you are."" — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Description: When desire and attention are purified, inspiration strikes!

"Once you are in thoughtlessness, you will get all inspirations, all powers." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

When your attention is enlightened, it becomes powerful.

"This is the miracle -- that human beings have turned their attention to their spirit. Then you are amazed how things work out." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Satisfaction comes from your Spirit

"One cannot enjoy anything until he achieves contentment." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

As we clear our Void, the area of our guru principle, we become empowered to act in a moral and dignified way.

"Eyes should be steady. When you look at somebody steadily you should know that you have got Sahaja Yoga in you, with love, with respect, with dignity." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Sahaja Yoga enlightens our brain. That empowers us to escape from all the ways we avoid facing reality and avoid correcting ourselves.

"Progress comes when you put your step forward, you put your foot firmly on that point and then put the second step forward, like as you climb on a mountain." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Before realization, we live in a world of confusion. After we receive the awakening of our Kundalini, the light of the Spirit shows us the absolute truth, which we feel in our hands as a cool breeze.

"This is what is Self-realization – you become just the master. You don’t have to consult anyone. You know it. You have to just consult your Spirit through your vibratory awareness, and you know it." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

In Sahaja Yoga we awaken the divine qualities of the Heart chakra. In the Left Heart we awaken love and compassion, in the Center Heart we develop our sense of security and inner strength, and in the Right Heart the sense of responsibility.

"You can gradually experience. With the experience, try to put the experience in your heart, and have faith in that experience. What were you? What have you become now?" — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Inner peace is the foundation of world peace. Through the enlightenment of our awareness and the opening of our heart, our inner calm creates harmony with others, no matter their country or culture. True peace prevails, long standing wounds heal and we have a hope of saving the planet.

"Peace can be only achieved by establishing peace in the hearts of the people." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Guilt is a way to judge ourselves and keep repeating our mistakes. When the left Vishuddhi is clear, we are able to see ourselves with compassion and correct ourselves.

"We have to be pleasantly placed towards ourselves. We have to respect ourselves. We have to be happy about ourselves. This is the first thing – is not to feel guilty about anything. Just believe that you have done nothing wrong which cannot be dissolved by this great power of forgiveness." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

We can use our voice to dominate and hurt others, or to soothe and comfort others. In a meditative state, we don’t react with anger or criticism, but we elevate and inspire with our words and deeds.

"Diplomacy is not convincing anybody with intellect or by temper or anything but it is to melt away another person by your goodness, by your good words, by your sweet words, by your forgiving nature." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

Even though getting our self realization is effortless, we can only grow in our awareness and knowledge if we practice Sahaja Yoga every day.

"It should be your own — that you should be able to maneuver yourself, you should be able to handle it yourself, should be your own power which should express it. I just cannot say, ‘Alright, done. Now you are a member of Sahaja Yoga." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

At Sahasrara our ignorance and confusion is transformed into pure understanding and knowledge. No longer separate and isolated, our individual attention joins the collective attention — the Divine attention. We rise above all the limitations of our human awareness. The culmination of our seeking, at Sahasrara we are comforted and redeemed.

"Unless and until your Sahasrara is open, all the blessings of the Divine Power cannot come to you." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

The balloons of ego and superego, the culmination of all our attention on the future and the past, prevent the Kundalini from reaching Sahasrara. As our Agnya chakra clears, these balloons are reduced, allowing us to get above our thoughts at Sahasrara. When we are completely silent — without thought — we are in reality.

"Kundalini, when she reaches the Agnya Chakra and when She opens Agnya chakra, then you can be in thoughtless awareness. Then you don’t think – thinking just stops. You watch everything, just watch, but you do not get involved into what you are watching. You just watch and that watching itself gives you the growth within." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

A bird is “born twice.” First it is born as an egg, bound by the shell, and at the right time it breaks free. We are like the egg before Realization, and like the bird after Realization.

"Our ego and superego makes us an egg. We are like a shell. It has to be there, to have our I-ness; to have our freedom to choose between right and wrong. And then when we mature the Mother can break the shell and you become a second person, the person who is twice born. This is what is really baptism." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

We can enjoy true collectivity if we know how to balance ourselves and use compassion and wisdom in our relationships.

"After you get your realization you enter into a new awareness of collectivity. You become the collective consciousness." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga

We will clear our upper chakras and then have a session of “bija mantras.” Bīja means ‘seed’ and bīja mantras are single syllable sounds which resonate with the divine qualities of our chakras to clear them.

"Sanskrit has come out of Kundalinî’s movement when She makes a sound. All was recorded by the great saints and like that every chakra has got vowels and consonants according to the number of sub-plexuses they have — you can say petals they have — and all of them make the alphabets of Sanskrit language." — Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, founder of Sahaja Yoga