Celebrating The First International Day of Yoga
Yoga_Life_Winter_2015_WEB
Yoga_Life_Winter_2015_WEB
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
UNITY OF EXISTENCE<br />
Unity <strong>of</strong> Existence<br />
By Swami Sivananda<br />
In this extract from Sivananda’s Gospel <strong>of</strong> Divine Life, Swami Sivananda<br />
makes the ultimate declaration <strong>of</strong> peace – the Unity <strong>of</strong> Existence.<br />
“Learn to live as members <strong>of</strong> a single family. Champion the ideal <strong>of</strong> one humanity.<br />
Live in peace in the world. All are children <strong>of</strong> God. <strong>The</strong> whole world is a family<br />
<strong>of</strong> God. Feel this, realise this and be happy.”<br />
OWhere is a true and lasting peace to be found?<br />
ne Soul abides in all. <strong>The</strong>re is one humanity and<br />
one brotherhood. <strong>The</strong>re is one Brahman-hood.<br />
None is high, none is low, all are equal. Vain are<br />
all distinctions. <strong>The</strong> man-made barriers should<br />
be ruthlessly broken down. <strong>The</strong>n alone will there be peace.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is only one caste: the caste <strong>of</strong> humanity. <strong>The</strong>re is only<br />
one religion: the religion <strong>of</strong> love. <strong>The</strong>re is only one commandment:<br />
the commandment <strong>of</strong> truthfulness. <strong>The</strong>re is only one law: the<br />
law <strong>of</strong> cause and effect. <strong>The</strong>re is only one God: the omnipresent,<br />
omnipotent and omniscient Lord. <strong>The</strong>re is only one language:<br />
the language <strong>of</strong> the heart or the language <strong>of</strong> silence.<br />
All life is one. <strong>The</strong> world is one home. All are members<br />
<strong>of</strong> one human family. All creation is an organic whole. No man<br />
is independent <strong>of</strong> that whole. Man makes himself miserable<br />
by getting himself separated from others, and separation is<br />
death. Unity is eternal life. Cultivate cosmic love. Recognise the<br />
worth <strong>of</strong> others. Destroy all barriers – the racial, religious and<br />
natural prejudices that separate man from man. Recognise the<br />
non-dual Principle, the immortal essence within all creatures.<br />
Protect animals and let all life be sacred. <strong>The</strong>n this world will be<br />
a paradise <strong>of</strong> beauty. It will be a haven <strong>of</strong> peace and tranquillity.<br />
When one Brahman dwells in all living beings, why do you<br />
hate others? Why do you sneer and frown at others? Why do<br />
you use harsh words? Why do you try to rule and dominate<br />
over others? Why do you exploit others? Why are you intolerant?<br />
Is this not the height <strong>of</strong> folly? Is this not sheer ignorance?<br />
Learn to live as members <strong>of</strong> a single family. Champion the<br />
ideal <strong>of</strong> one humanity. Live in peace in the world. All are<br />
children <strong>of</strong> God. <strong>The</strong> whole world is a family <strong>of</strong> God. Feel this,<br />
realise this and be happy.<br />
Behold the One-in-all and the all-in-One. Feel: “I am the<br />
all”, and “I am in all”. Feel: “All bodies are mine. <strong>The</strong> whole<br />
world is my body, my sweet home. I work in all and through all<br />
hands. I eat through all mouths. I am the immortal Self in all.”<br />
Repeat Om mentally. Feel the oneness <strong>of</strong> life or unity <strong>of</strong> conscious -<br />
ness, when you play football or tennis, when you drink or eat,<br />
when you talk or sing, when you sit or walk when you bathe or<br />
dress, when you write a letter, when you do work in the <strong>of</strong>fice,<br />
when you answer the calls <strong>of</strong> nature. Spiritualise all your<br />
actions, movements, thoughts and feelings. Transmute them into<br />
<strong>Yoga</strong>. <strong>The</strong>n everything will become worship <strong>of</strong> the Lord. n<br />
6 YOGALife |Autumn/Winter 2015