International Symposium on YOGism, Dec.

2010

GL-16

‘ANA-PANA-SATI’ Meditation for Health & Happy Living

Shri. Kanchi Raghuram
State Coordinator, AP Pyramid Societies, Tirupati
e-mail: kanchileelaram@yahoo.co.in

Shri Kanchi Raghuram is the President of The Tirupati Spiritual Society, Tirupati. He is the State Co-ordinator of Pyramid
Spiritual Societies Movement (PSSM) in Andhra Pradesh, started by Brahmarshi Partriji in 1990 and he has spread
Meditation in every nook and corner of India. The single point agenda of PSSM is only to teach, preach and practice
Meditation for happy and healthy living. The people in general accepted the principle that ‘Meditation is good for health’.
Kanchi Raghuram basically an academician having two post graduate degrees in Political science and Sociology from
S.V.University, Tirupati and is running private educational institutions and imparting free coaching for poor students to
prepare for competitive examinations. He was awarded ‘Kamalapatra Award’ by Junior Chamber International in 1999
and ‘Karma Yogi’ by Bharati Cultural Academy, Bangalore in 2007, for his outstanding social services and PSSM awarded
‘Dhyana Ratna’ in 2003 and ‘Dhyanarshi’ in 2007 by Brahmarshi Patriji. Kanchi Raghuram has organized nine times
Kailash Manasa Sarovar yatra, since 2001 and he himself participated in all Manasa Sarovar Yatras.

I was amazed to hear the topic ‘YOGism for Healthy and Happy Living and Aging’ for the two days
International Symposium at Arogyadham. It is because the coining of the word ‘YOGism’ attracted me more.
We come across so many ‘isms’ in our day-to-day life either in political, economical or social life. We heard
‘Socialism’, ‘communism’, ‘Hinduism’, ‘Buddism’, ‘Jainism’, ‘Capitalism’ , ‘Fasism’ etc , but so far not heard
‘YOGism’. ‘Ism’ is nothing but an ideology. The person who likes an ideology, is identified by himself to that
group. If one likes the ideology of Communism, is called a ‘Communist’ and so on.
‘YOGism’ is related to pureness, calmness, holiness etc. It is possible by practicing ‘Meditation’
regularly. There are so many methods of doing Meditation like Kumbaka, Hatayoga etc. These methods are
difficult to practice by common people. There is one method of ‘Meditation’ which is very simple, sober and
easy to practice by anybody at any time and at any place. It is ‘ANA-PANA-SATI’ MEDITATION preached by
Brahmarshi Patriji, the founder of Pyramid Spiritual Societies Movement in India and abroad for healthy and
happy living.
Sri Aurobindo, has rightly said that, “An illness of the body is always the outer expression and
translation of a disorder, a disharmony in the inner being, unless this inner disorder is healed, the outer cure
cannot be total and permanent.”
What a great message from Sri Aurobindo yogi! How can one heal inner disorders, as they are
existing in human body, in the form of diseases and illness?
Every problem has a solution. The solution for a problem is within yourself. It cannot be elsewhere.
The problem is unhealthy and stressful life. The solution i.e. the answer is by doing Meditation only.
What is Meditation?
Before we try for understanding what Meditation exactly “IS”, it is better to know what Meditation
exactly is “NOT”!

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International Symposium on YOGism, Dec.2010

Meditation is NOT ‘Contemplation’:

In English language, the phrase “meditate upon” is often used, which means “contemplate deeply”
or “reflect upon the pros and cons”, or “ponder on” etc. However, in spiritual parlance, the term ‘Meditation’
does not refer to ‘contemplation’ or ‘pondering’.
Meditation is primarily NOT an intellectual or mental exertion.
Meditation is NOT ‘Chanting’:
In Hindu tradition, Meditation or Dhyana is usually misunderstood as ‘chanting’ or repeating a divine
name’ In fact, that is only “japa”. Japa is constant repetition of a name or Mantra. Japa is very commonly
resorted to still the mind. However, stilling the mind through Japa is a very, very long drawn-out process.
Meditation is NOT ‘Prayer’:
‘Prayer’ is nothing but a ‘petition’ to some unknown power, with a request to take care of one’s
difficulties.
Meditation is not “contemplation”! Meditation is not “chanting”!
Meditation is not “prayer”! Meditation is, primarily stilling all the waves of the Mind, and
secondarily, it is ‘seeing’, or ‘witnessing’ the activity of the ‘Self’ or ‘Consciousness’. Meditation is a non-
intellectual, non-mental and non-verbal phenomenon.
Meditation is silencing the ‘inner-talk’:
Meditation begins with the silencing of the normal mental activity. There is a constant ‘inner talk’
that is going on incessantly whenever a person finds himself / herself unoccupied. This continuous inner
chatter is called as ‘Chitta’. Rishi Pathanjali defined yoga as ‘Chitta Vrithi Nirodhaha’. That is Meditation is the
total cessation of the inner mind.
When to Meditate? :
Any time is right time for Meditation! However, early morning i.e., pre-dawn hours are the best, as
we would be in a proper state of freshness after a full night’s sleep. Moreover, there would be darkness still
around. Meditation should always be done in darkness. Definitely so, for a beginner. In day time, lights
should be switched off and all windows closed so as not to let in any light.
How long to Meditate?
One should sit for a minimum of 40 minutes in each Meditation Session. Shorter duration will not be
of much help. Slowly, one gets habituated to devote more time. More the duration of a session, deeper
would be the state of Meditation.
Asana or Comfortable Posture:
“Be still and know thyself”- this has ever been the constant refrain of all Seers.
Stillness of the Mind cannot be achieved without a prior physical stillness. As such, learning to sit still
absolutely quietly, and without any movement of the physical body whatsoever, is the first step in the
process of Meditation.
Pathanjali has said ‘Sthira Sukhamasanam’, i.e. any comfortable and stable posture can be adopted.
However, the best posture is the normal cross-legged sitting posture. This is called ‘Sukha-Asana’. Further,

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International Symposium on YOGism, Dec.2010

the spine, the neck and the head should be kept, as far as possible, in one straight line. Bhagavad Gita has
said ‘Samah Kaya Shirogreevam’.
The hands should be clasped together. This is so because the etheric energy that normally oozes out
of the etheric finger-tips should be conserved and kept within one’s own self.
Eyes should be closed and then we go on to the next step.
Pranayama, or Ana-Pana-Sati, or Observing the Breath:
After having taken a comfortable and stable posture, having kept the spine erect, having clasped the
hands, and having closed the eyes, one should immediately begin to observe one’s own breathing.
‘Ana-Pana’, is a Pali pharse to indicate ‘in-breath’ and ‘out-breath’. ‘Sati’ means ‘to be with’. Thus,
‘Ana-Pana-Sati’ means to be one with the in-breath and out- breath.
While Ana-Pana-Sati is being practiced, a few points have to be remembered-
1) There is no need for any deep breathing
2) No kumbhaka is to be attempted. Kumbhaka is holding or with holding of the breath inside or outside.
3) Easy and natural breathing is to be done
‘Tao’ has rightly said,
Easy is right, right is easy:
Easy is natural, natural is easy:
Natural is right, right is natural
Keep to the easy. Keep to the natural-and you will always be right !
Meditation takes you ………..
From illness to health;
From discontentment to contentment
From inefficiency to efficiency
From lethargy to dynamism
From ignorance to knowledge
From inaction to action
From a feeling of insecurity to a feeling of great security
From a complexity to simplicity;
From failure to success
From belief to experimentation
From bigotism to open-mindedness
From doubt to certainty
From humanity to divinity
From dullness to sharpness
From forgetfulness to great memory
From indifference to infinite curiosity
From nothing to everything
All this just from simple Meditation!
Only one thing is asked – Regularity – just be regular in Meditation!
Practice of Meditation makes a person perfect! Happy and Healthy.
Practice of Meditation means Practice of Observation of breath! That to without any problem.
Do Meditation for our health and happy living.

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