Ajapa

Ajapa, a very ancient form of yoga, is a breathing/meditation technique that was taught thousands of years ago by the Rishis, or wise men, of India. Though it is virtually unknown in modern times, the method of Ajapa Yoga has been carefully guarded through the ages at Siddhashram, a hidden monastery in Tibet.

In the 1860s, Swami Guru Purnanandaji Paramahansa (1834-1928) made the perilous journey to Siddhashram along with Swami Sharbananda. There he learned the ancient technique of Ajapa Yoga. After five years at Siddhashram, Guru Purnanandaji was ordered by the masters to return to India, to begin the mission of teaching the technique to others.

After Guru Purnanandaji decided to give up his material body, the teaching was maintained unaltered by his disciple, Swami Bhumananda Paramahansa (1873-1958), a renowned scholar throughout India.

Swami Guru Bhumananda originally founded his ashram in the Indian north east province of Assam at Guwahati's Kamakhya hills – where his teachings are still practised. The 'Kalipur Ashram', as it is known. Four of his discipiles Swami Prakashananda Paramahans, Swami Achalananda Paramahans and Swami Leenananda Paramahans continued the Ajapa lineage in India, and Swami Janardanji Paramahansa in India and other countries.

Swami Achalananda Paramahans opened an ashram in Bhumanandapur, Gobra - near Kolkata, India.

When Guru Bhumanandaji left from this material world, Guru Janardanji Paramahansa (1888-1980) continued the work of teaching Ajapa Yoga in USA, and undertook to spread the knowledge of Ajapa around the world. In 1970 he was invited to visit the Academy of Science in Prague, Czechoslovakia. He was then invited to Germany, Canada and the United States, where he delivered lectures and taught the Ajapa technique.

In 1966, Guru Janardanji found and adopted a baby boy, Guru Prasadji, whom he prepared to carry on the teaching of Ajapa. Shortly before he decided to give up his material body, Guru Janardanji named the boy his successor. Then only fourteen years old, Swami Guru Prasadji Paramahansa took up the responsibility of maintaining the ashrams and guiding the practitioners of Ajapa Yoga. Today he maintains five ashrams and several Ajapa Centers around the world.

External links

* [http://www.ajapa.org ajapa.org]
* [http://siddhashram.blogspot.com Siddhashram Blog]
* [http://www.siddhashram.com Siddhashram Website]

Siddhashram

Hidden in a valley somewhere in the Himalayas, Gyanganj or Siddhashram is supposed to be the abode of immortal saints with supernatural powers who silently and secretly guide humanity’s destiny. Sai Kaka, a yogi who claims to have visited Gyanganj, says: “On the adhyatmic or spiritual level, it (Gyanganj) runs the universe. On the adhidevik or celestial level, the earth and water elements are absent, enabling powerful activity. At this level, Gyanganj impacts many planes (of existence) and beings. On the adhibhautic or gross level, Gyanganj siddhas guide human beings in spiritual and social fields.”