Sahaj Marg

Sahaj Marg (Hindi translation, the "easy" or "natural path"), a form of Raja Yoga, [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=0YYYAAAAIAAJ&q=Sahaj+Marg&dq=Sahaj+Marg&lr=&pgis=1 "Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices,"] J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, Page 1169.] [ [http://www.sahajmarg.org/smrti/education/articles/general/art0026.html "What is Raj Yoga?"] Elizabeth Denley, "Australian Yoga Life," Issue 8 - 2004, pp.45-48, www.ayl.com.au.] [ [http://mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD006507/frame.html "Meditation therapies for attention deficit /hyperactivity disorder"] T Krisanaprakornkit, C Witoonchart, N Piyavhatkul, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008 Issue 2, Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.] is a heart-based meditation system. [ [http://www.rherald.com/News/2005/0602/People/p02.html "Local Women Travel to India For Celebration at Ashram,"] Martha Slater, "The Herald," Randolph, VT.] According to practicants, the essential features of the system are the "cleaning" of impressions (called samskaras). Meditation is on the "mere supposition of divine light" in one's heart. [ [http://www.ayl.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/articles/AYL_issue_7_FLEXIBLE_MIND.pdf "A Flexible Mind,"] Elizabeth Denley, "Australian Yoga Life," Issue 7.]

Practice

The daily practice includes:
* Morning meditation on supposition of divine light in the heart (30-60 minutes);
* Cleaning of impressions of the day (i.e., imagining the day's events evaporating out one's back and being replaced with divine light; 30 minutes); [ [http://www.ayl.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/articles/AYL_issue_7_FLEXIBLE_MIND.pdf "A Flexible Mind,"] Elizabeth Denley, "Australian Yoga Life," Issue 7.]
* A prayer-meditation at bedtime; [ [http://www.dailynews.lk/2003/08/04/fea03.html "Sahaj Marg System of Meditation,"] C. Suntharamoorthy, "Daily News," Sri Lanka, August 4, 2003.]

Weekly practices include:
* A weekly meditation group; [ [http://www.ayl.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/articles/AYL_issue_7_FLEXIBLE_MIND.pdf "A Flexible Mind,"] Elizabeth Denley, "Australian Yoga Life," Issue 7.]
* Cleaning meditations with a preceptor. [ [http://www.dailynews.lk/2003/08/04/fea03.html "Sahaj Marg System of Meditation,"] C. Suntharamoorthy, "Daily News," Sri Lanka, August 4, 2003.]

History

The organizational body, Shri Ram Chandra Mission (SRCM), was formally registered in 1945 by Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur, its founder, commonly known as "Babuji." [ [http://www.dailynews.lk/2003/08/04/fea03.html "Sahaj Marg System of Meditation,"] C. Suntharamoorthy, "Daily News," Sri Lanka, August 4, 2003.] Babuji was born on April 30, 1899 in Shahjahanpur, a large town in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India and passed away in April 1983 at the age of 83 [ [http://www.sundaytimes.lk/080803/Plus/sundaytimesplus_11.html "Sahaj Marg System of Meditation" - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka] ] . As part of the Sahaj Marg spiritual practice, Babuji adopted a technique called "pranahuti" [Pearmain, Rosalind. 2005. "Transformational Experiences in Young People: The Meaning of a Safe Haven." "International Journal of Children's Spirituality". 10(3):277-290.] or yogic transmission, whereby the "divine essence" was said to be transmitted directly into the practicants' hearts in order to speed up their spiritual evolution. [ [http://www.dailynews.lk/2003/08/04/fea03.html "Sahaj Marg System of Meditation,"] C. Suntharamoorthy, "Daily News," Sri Lanka, August 4, 2003.]

Controversies

There have been several disputes over the control, domain and trademark names of the group since the death of the founder (Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur) in 1983. [ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Sahaj_Marg/forestry_cybersquatters_article "Forestry Companies Take A Cut At Cybersquatters,"] Steven Bonisteel, "Newsbytes," September 21, 2001, Alexandria, Virginia.]

Activities

The SRCM is a non-governmental organization registered with the United Nations. [ [http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/asp/form.asp?RegID=--&CnID=all&AcID=0&kw=Ram%20Chandra%20Mission&NGOID=3717 UN Listing] ] .

See also

* Meditation
* Spirituality
* Raja Yoga

References