Last year, I attended a Hatha Yoga Teacher Training (TTC) in India, and there were various things that happened during that time. I will summarize the notes I have compiled, although I haven't written everything in detail.

2018/9/27
Winter India plan. Planning to attend a school to learn meditation for one month.
- Yoga-related meditation. Philosophy (Darshan), anatomy (Sallivigyan), yoga (Yoga), psychology (Manovigyan), chakra meditation, silent meditation, Vipassana meditation. It seems there is no particular school, but it gives the impression that it is heavily influenced by Bihar.
- Location: Rishikesh, India.
- Timing and duration: January next year (it might be cold), the school is for one month, but staying for about two months from December? Yoga and meditation in Rishikesh.
- It is a small class, so the instructor can pay attention to each student. This is both good and bad.
- Knowledge can be obtained from books, but it is more important to concentrate and actually experience it.
- It seems that you can receive a teacher's license from the school, but I don't plan to call myself a teacher (for a while). I don't think you can call yourself a teacher after studying for only one month.
- It is reasonable at USD1,000 (including tax) for one month, including a single room + three meals + all lessons.

11/2
I obtained a visa from the Indian Embassy, although it is a little early.
Planned stay from November 26th to February 8th.
First, I will move to Rishikesh and stay there for two months, doing yoga, and then take the course mentioned above in January.
I plan to travel around the area for about a week in February before returning. This may change. For now, I have booked accommodations for a third time in Agra (Taj Mahal) and a third time in Varanasi. I may go to Allahabad for a day trip from Varanasi to see the Kumbh Mela.

11/26
I am going to Rishikesh now.
Haneda (late-night flight) → Seoul → Delhi (1 night) → Rishikesh
I will stay in Rishikesh for two months, doing yoga and meditation, and then travel somewhere for about a week, and return on February 9th.

I plan to stay in the Lakshmanjhula area, south of the Lakshmanjhula Bridge, in front of the Shivanda Divine Life Society. It seems to be within a 10-minute walk of the Shivanda Ashram, but it will probably take about 15 minutes because of the slope. Basically, I will attend the classes at the school I am attending, and sometimes I will go to the Divine Life Society. The main thing is the one-month meditation workshop course in January.

This time, I am using Skyticket mileage for a long-time-no-see Korean Air. It's nice to go through Seoul sometimes. It is an expensive route if you buy it normally.

11/27
Normally, I have a free lunch with Priority Pass, but I forgot to renew it and it had expired, so I had a regular meal. It's surprisingly troublesome not to have a Priority Pass that I take for granted, and airport food is very expensive. Incheon has free showers, but showers in airport lounges are precious.

11/27
Arrived in Delhi at 7 PM.
When I breathe this lukewarm air and stagnant air, I feel like I've returned to India.
Delhi is very hot. Although I think it's cold for India, it feels hot coming from Japan. Rishikesh seems to be a little colder. Recently, I feel more resistant to cold than before, so I think I can manage.

11/27
From the airport to Delhi station, a special express train takes about 30 minutes for 60 rupees (about 94 yen). A regular subway is about half the price. Other people might think this is cheap, but considering the past prices and inflation, it's only a matter of time before the price of things in India surpasses Japan. If this Abenomics continues, the policy will be to promote a weak yen and sell Japanese products, people, and services globally. I think the price of things in India will rise to a shocking level in 10 years. Like China, some things will remain relatively cheap, but overall, prices will rise. It's not surprising if the future comes where Indians go on a buying spree overseas like Chinese people.
I feel that the manners of Indians are improving year by year, so their economic level is also rising.

11/28
After coming to Delhi station by train, I was going to walk to the hotel, but an auto-rickshaw approached me and said it would take me to the hotel on the other side of the station for 50 rupees (about 80 yen), which seemed reasonable. Then, it suddenly started driving in the opposite direction, and I thought, "Is this going to take me to a deserted place and rob me?" So I was about to get off, but it suddenly turned around. I wondered where it was going, and then it turned again and stopped only about 100 meters from where it had been. What is this? Then, I saw that it was at the entrance of a parking lot, and the gate was closed. Then, a man approached me and said, "The area you want to go to is currently experiencing riots and is closed. You can't go beyond this gate. The area where your hotel is located is very dangerous." But what is this man talking about? He keeps saying, "No, no. You can't cross this gate because it's closed." Could it be that he's trying to make a parking lot gate look like a closed passage and prevent me from going to the hotel area on the other side of the station? It clearly says "parking lot." I wonder if there are people who would be deceived by this. It's ridiculous to be involved in such a farce, so I tried to get out of the rickshaw, but he grabbed my luggage and said, "Money!" So I threw a 10 rupee (17 yen) coin and pulled my luggage, and he cursed at me, "Fuck!" I have no reason to be cursed by such a scammer. I was a little careless. Well, auto-rickshaws are slow, so I can escape if I get off during a traffic jam, so it's okay, but it was a little dangerous. I remembered a similar incident where I got out of a taxi in Agra. Are Japanese people targeted because they are easy prey?
After that, I walked to the hotel, but of course, there was no riot in this area. That's obvious.
I only exchanged 1000 yen at the airport exchange rate because it's bad, but that's not enough, so I first exchanged money and reserved a train to Haridwar, the closest station to Rishikesh. Surprisingly, there were quite a few empty seats. Maybe it's because it's winter.
When I tried to reserve a train ticket at the hotel travel counter, they said there were no seats and told me to take a taxi, but when I asked another place, there were normal seats. What a strange thing. It seems they just wanted to sell taxis.
Delhi station is said to be the most dangerous, but I may have become careless. I'm always followed by persistent Indians.

And I bought a SIM card, ate a meal, and that's the end for today.
Tomorrow, I will take an early train and go to Rishikesh via Haridwar.

11/28
I arrived in Rishikesh, but I was told that the number of participants in the course is small, so they want to introduce me to other places. They are apparently adjusting things now. I wonder what will happen.

Small and cheap places often have this kind of situation.
It's the off-season in winter.

It's a little cold, and if I get a refund, I might stay in Rishikesh for a while and then go to another city.

11/28
I was recommended Kriya Yoga Ashram. It's 1,000 rupees (1,700 yen) for a single room for one night. It probably includes meals and lessons.
Is this the place where Yoganda of "Autobiography of a Yogi" was? I thought Kolkata was the base, but it turns out there was one in Rishikesh too.
I have to move somewhere with a scooter taxi and carry my large luggage. I'm worried that the luggage might fall.
(Later, I learned that there are several branches of Kriya Yoga. The normal price is supposed to be 600 rupees.)

11/28
There are cheaper places elsewhere, but I think the price is reasonable considering it includes a single room and meals. However, the dinner here was very simple. There are places with more elaborate meals for the same price, and some places offer yoga lessons, so it's not particularly cheap. However, the meditation hall is magnificent and large, so it seems to be for people who want to meditate.
The simple meals might be an advantage in that they don't interfere with meditation.

11/29
I moved to Kriya Yoga Ashram, but this place focuses on meditation, so there are no asanas (exercises). The meditation hall is magnificent, and the rule here is basically to spend time quietly without talking much. It's winter now, and there are fewer people, so this is fine.

The breathing techniques of Kriya Yoga are mysterious, and I can hear a Ujjayi-like sound during meditation, but it's dark, so I can't tell. The sound is a bit annoying and subtle.

After talking with the manager, it turns out that the meditation course in January is uncertain, so I'll put it on hold for now. Also, all the yoga classes in December will be reset, and instead, I will join a small group of 5-6 people in a different school to take a TTC200 (Teacher Training 200 hours) in December. It's USD 1,400 directly, but it seems to be USD 1,000, the same as the meditation course.

I'm not really interested in TTC200 (Teacher Training 200 hours, about 1 month) because I'm not good at asanas (exercises) and I don't intend to become a teacher, so I haven't been planning to take it for a while. However, it's a good idea to take it while the prices are still relatively low in India, and it's quite cheap at USD 1,000, and I don't have much else to do, so I think I'll take it for study. Whether or not I will take the meditation course in January is still undecided, and if I do, it will probably be at a different place. If not, I might move somewhere else. For now, I will take the TTC200 that is confirmed to be held. I'm starting to think that if it's sparsely attended, maybe I shouldn't take it. Maybe I should move to another place. It was supposed to be a meditation course, but it turned into a TTC. I don't have any plans to call myself a teacher, even if I get a TTC.

I went to check the location of TTC200, but it's very remote, and it seems difficult to walk to the Sivananda Ashram. That's a disadvantage. The manager said, "The teacher is better here than at our place." That's quite blunt. It feels like they're admitting that their own courses are not good. The new place seems to be run by a veteran teacher alone in the mountains.

Although I'm tentatively planning to take the TTC200, I still have time, so I might end up canceling and getting a refund.

I'm starting to think that I should have just gone to the Kerala Ashram of the same series as the one I'm currently attending in Japan. I've been there before, so I wouldn't have to worry, and it's unlikely to be as unpopular and isolated as Rishikesh. I think I should go to a popular and lively place. Things happen at hotspots. Next time, I'll probably just go to Kerala. It might be crowded during this time, but it's probably better than being in a sparsely populated area.

11/29
I came to Devine Life Society. They seem to be doing something all day.




11/29
Even at the famous Parmarth Niketan Ashram, something is happening all day. This place is apparently famous for its Arati.
The double room, which includes two 1-hour asana sessions without meals, various chanting, costs 800 rupees, which is about 1300 yen. This is also one of the options, but the price doesn't change whether it's for one person or two, so it might be a bit expensive for one person.


11/29
The manager sent someone, and even though it was like a scooter taxi, we went to another school, but the building is still under construction. What is this? Can they even hold classes here? The owner says that the construction will be finished by next month and that classes will be held here, but I'm sure that won't be the case, and it will probably be a situation where classes and construction are held simultaneously. This is a common occurrence in India. The owner's "it's okay" in India is usually not okay, which is something everyone who has experienced India knows, so it's out of the question for a place under construction. It's common for an office relocation to not be completed in time, and even after the relocation, the construction continues.

I feel like I was manipulated by the manager's strategy and shown places that are definitely not good as a comparison, leading me to the first option. Anyway, after that, I went to the school that was initially introduced, Sanskar Yoga Shala, and talked to the owner, Naveen.

The next December course will be a small class of about 5 people, which seems good because the teacher's attention will be focused on each student. I was told that meditation courses are part of yoga, so I should take the TTC200 first, which makes sense. Then, a frank conversation came up that the TTC200 and the meditation course are not that different, and that the meditation course only places a little more emphasis on meditation. So, we talked about taking the TTC200 first and deciding whether or not to take the meditation course later. It seems that the meditation course has few participants, and the meditation course I initially wanted to take will not be held, and it's also unclear whether this school's meditation course will be held next month, so it's better to take the 12-month TTC200 that is already decided, so... I decided to take the TTC200. It seems that the meditation course has become the TTC200 again.

It seems that the holding of a meditation course is greatly influenced by the host's intentions. At the first place, it seemed to be a course with a lot of meditation, but the owner of this school seems to think that it is not much different from the TTC200. The TTC is based on the American Yoga Alliance, so the curriculum is generally fixed, but the meditation course seems to be up to the teacher. Well, that's how it is. Maybe it's lucky that it's flexible because it's a small class?

I was starting to think that if it didn't work out, I should hurry up and go home, and I was also half-heartedly thinking about going to Kerala, and I was tired of walking around everywhere, so my thinking ability was decreasing, and I decided to take the TTC at this school. Will this lead to a good result?

It seems a bit far from the town, but surprisingly, it's only about 500 meters to the main street, so it's within walking distance, yet relatively quiet, which might be a good thing.

I think that my life, including both failures and successes, is a perfect life, so perhaps being led here after the first school's cancellation was a perfect step. Also, I'm taking it at the price of the original school, so it's cheaper than taking a regular class. USD1,400 → USD1,000.

The owner, Naveen, seems to have secluded himself in a mountain community and trained under a Himalayan sage, so he's a bit different from the average yoga instructor.

It seems that the meditation course has few students, so it's like they're gathering students from various schools and holding a joint meditation course. Many of the small schools in this area seem to be doing this, sharing students with each other. In that sense, perhaps all small schools are the same, but here, the owner seems to have trained a lot, so it might be better than others. The manager of the first school also said that Naveen here is amazing and that he's the best in this area (which might be an exaggeration), so I hope this is the right place.

When things like this happen, people who only know the sheltered life in Japan tend to point out that things don't go according to schedule and criticize it, but for India, this is normal, and they seem to be trying to manage things while adhering to the basics of business, so I think they're quite capable. It's understandable that the class can't be held because the number of reservations is low, but for someone with experience in India, it's within the acceptable range. You can't control the number of reservations, and it's not the fault of the Indians. It might be my fault for choosing a less popular, minor place. But it's not a big problem, and thanks to this trouble, I might have been led to a better place. Well, I don't know the conclusion yet.

Some Japanese people might watch from a distance, criticize coldly, and make fun of it behind their backs, but for someone who has lived here for many years, they understand that sometimes it's better to go with the flow and move to a better place.

If the place you end up is like a scam at an Indian train station, you can just refuse it, so it's not a big problem. On the contrary, the manager who offered me an alternative plan when I was about to cancel and go back is excellent and wonderful.

11/29
In Rishikesh, of course, there are many cows.




11/29
In Japan, when people talk about Vipassana meditation, they usually mean the Goenka method. However, in Rishikesh, Vipassana meditation seems to simply mean silent meditation. I was told that they don't know about Goenka.

The manager of the school I initially booked with seems to be very knowledgeable about Vipassana meditation, as she organizes a Vipassana meditation circle here. However, even though she organizes Vipassana meditation, she doesn't know about Goenka.

Perhaps the meaning of Vipassana meditation is different in Japan. It's an interesting point.

11/30
The altar in the meditation hall of the Kriya Yoga ashram. It's simple.


The hall can apparently hold about 70 people.


This cushion is amazing; I can sit on it for about an hour without much discomfort in my legs.
It's truly an ashram in India that focuses on meditation.
Not only is the cushion excellent, but the floor underneath it is also made of a fabric with a perfect balance of firmness and softness, so it probably has a tremendous amount of expertise behind it.

This comfort has nothing to do with "asceticism" and is simply relaxing. I never thought sitting could be so easy. In Japan, my legs usually start to hurt after about 30 minutes, but here, it lasts more than twice as long, and there's almost no discomfort.

It feels like this is a different approach from the ascetic zazen and seiza practiced in Japanese Zen Buddhism. This is just my initial impression, so my opinion may change later.

11/30
The Kriya Yoga Ashram where I'm staying has a rule of silence, and the residents don't talk much to each other.

Is it common for meditation-focused ashrams to have a rule of silence? Even in the Vipassana meditation I took in Japan, the basic principle was silence and no communication.

I understand that if you communicate, you might worry about what others are saying or get caught up in minor details, which can hinder meditation. However, observing the distractions that arise from communication is also part of meditation, and I feel that communication might actually make meditation more productive. Of course, there's probably a historical background, expertise, and culture that leads to this practice.

In places other than meditation centers, some places don't allow beginners to meditate for long periods, so it depends on the policy. Here, we meditate for 1.5 to 2 hours in the morning and evening. With this length of time, beginners might get distracted and confused, so perhaps the rule of silence is to prevent beginners from getting confused. I think that if you've meditated for a certain amount of time, conversation won't make much of a difference.

Or, maybe I'm wrong, and the rule of silence is for advanced practitioners to enter a deeper state of meditation.

Perhaps it's both.

11/30
I saw a dog drooling while wandering around Rishikesh. Is this the infamous dog with rabies? I saw one in person for the first time.
It doesn't seem to be aggressive or bite people; even when I pass by it closely, it doesn't do anything. Indian people also walk past it normally.
I thought that dogs with rabies were crazy and would immediately bite anyone nearby, but is it actually like this? Or, does it start biting when it reaches the late stages of the disease?
You can be lulled into a false sense of security, and there's danger right here in India. It's dangerous when you get used to it. Even when you're used to it, it's dangerous.




11/30
The drum rhythm at the Sivananda Ashram was impressive.
It continues endlessly with "Don-don-dodondon" + "Chan-chan-chachachan".

11/30
Sivananda Ashram.


11/30
There was an old man who looked like a monk, but he was also dressed in a way that seemed partly for business.


11/30
By the way, the Kriya Yoga Ashram where I am currently staying is a magnificent building like this. It is, as expected, the yoga center of the world-renowned Yogananda. (However, it seems that the lineage is slightly different.)
There is a main road running beside it, so there is noise, but the walls of the meditation hall are thick, so the noise problem is not that severe. It is relatively quiet in the mornings and evenings.


12/1
I unexpectedly learned that I would be able to learn the meditation techniques of Kriya Yoga tomorrow.

They said they would only teach the techniques, not the initiation. The term "initiation" sounds grand, and it's a relationship between a disciple and a master, so it's not something that can be done easily. However, they offered to teach me only the techniques.

I had been interested in Kriya Yoga after reading Yogananda's autobiography, so I'm lucky to be able to learn it suddenly.

I understand that you cannot teach others unless you are a certified master, so I won't be able to share the content with others.

12/1
Breakfast at Kriya Yoga Ashram.


Kriya Yoga Ashram's lunch.


Kriya Yoga Ashram's dinner.


Even though it's this simple, it's surprisingly delicious. People who don't like vegetables might not like it.
Indian vegetarian food often has a unique flavor. If this flavor were available in Japan, I think vegetarian food would be perfectly satisfying in Japan.

Breakfast at Kriya Yoga Ashram. It's a little sweet. It tastes like milk.


Kriya Yoga Ashram's dinner. Simple.


Lunch thali I ate at an outdoor restaurant. This was a luxurious set and cost 220 rupees (approximately 400 yen).


12/1
I will meditate after performing an Arati ritual like this.

12/1
I learned the meditation method of Clear Yoga. So far, I have been taught the techniques without any initiation.

I was only taught the first step of the seven steps, but even that seems sufficient. I doubt many people can move on to the second step... The teacher said that she is currently at the third step, but she also said that I haven't fully understood the first step yet, so I will be taught the techniques in advance.

The content is supposed to be kept secret, but the direction is breathing (pranayama) and some yoga asanas, as well as techniques for developing energy channels in yoga/tantra/qigong. It seems that the basics are breathing techniques.

In the past, it was a secret technique passed down only to initiates, but now there are so many books that explain it in detail, so the techniques themselves are not particularly new. However, it is interesting that there are people who are actually practicing the techniques described in the yoga classics.

This is different from Buddhist mindfulness, and it is a technique that leans more towards yoga.

I am thinking of going to Kumbhmela, and I saw that there is a campsite there where I can stay, so I will inquire about it.

12/1
There is a woman named Yogmata. The name Yogmata came up in a conversation with the person who explained things to me, and she said something like, "Even Japanese saints know about her," which was unexpected and surprising.

I didn't know anything about her name, and I hadn't paid much attention to her, and I didn't have a very good impression of her. If I had to say what my impression was, it was that there was a booth at an exhibition, and the staff said, "To be honest, everyone else is not the real thing, only she is the real thing," which made me feel like it was a religious organization and seemed troublesome, so I had a slightly negative feeling about her. Also, when I saw a video of Yogmata, she appeared to have come out of a crack in a rock, and she looked very frail, so she didn't look like a saint at all, and I mostly ignored her. I didn't expect to hear the name Yogmata in this place.

It might be a different Yogmata than the one who is famous in Japan. (→ It was the same person.)

12/2
After that, when I showed her a picture, she said, "Yes, yes, that's her," so it is definitely her.

The teacher here told me, "You should talk to Yogmata," but what does that mean? I don't understand. It seems that the guru here and Yogmata are friends. Yogmata is surprisingly famous.
Hmm... I'm not really in the mood to talk to her. Since this place is a religious organization, it's probably better not to get involved too much, but I don't want to make too much of a judgment based on first impressions, so I'll try to be natural.
My first impression is that it's probably better not to get involved too much. At the exhibition booth, the staff was annoying. Well, that might just be a few people. (→ Later, I talked to someone at a different exhibition, and they were normal. The person from the other day might have been special.)

This teacher told me, "You should meet Yogmata." But I think it's unlikely that I'll be able to meet her easily because she's a popular person. For now, I don't have any plans to meet her, and I don't feel like I want to meet her. If I'm truly meant to meet her, I think the opportunity will come naturally without me having to do anything. If the opportunity arises, I'll consider it at that time, thinking that it must be some kind of connection.

Yogmata is 73 years old. She looks younger than her age. At this age, it's not surprising if she passes away at any time.

11/2
Conversation with the teacher during a one-on-one lesson on meditation methods at the Kriya Yoga Ashram:

Teacher: "Are you unmarried? Then you could become a monk."
What does that mean? I don't understand. Why is that topic coming up?

Me: "I was taught the meditation methods, but it will be difficult for me to practice them while I'm in India."
Teacher: "I understand. That's your problem. What I was instructed to do by my Guru Dev is to teach you the techniques."
What? What does that mean? My Guru Dev isn't even here... It sounds like my Guru Dev, who is far away, instructed me to learn these techniques. Wouldn't it be normal to just teach them? Maybe I'm overthinking it. It could simply mean that he has been given that role.

Me: "There isn't a Kriya Yoga Ashram in Japan, is there?"
Teacher: "There is no Kriya Yoga Ashram in Japan. You should create one."
What? What does that mean? Why is the conversation turning to creating one?

Teacher: "There is no Japanese translation of this textbook. You should translate it."
What? What does that mean by "you should translate it"?

(After a conversation about the Kumbh Mela, where it was mentioned that there is a camp and I can stay there)

Me: "I'm not sure if I will receive initiation at the Kumbh Mela."
Teacher: "No, you will definitely receive it. Guru Dev sees everything. You won't feel that way until you meet Guru Dev."
What? What does that mean? I don't really want to do anything that seems troublesome, like initiation... Indeed, I'm not really in the mood for initiation right now. Also, the idea of choosing only one Guru for life seems questionable. And it's in India, far away from Japan.

Well, it's something that will happen in the future, so I don't know what will happen. It's a conversation that's hard to understand...

12/2
Well, depending on how you look at it, from the perspective of developing energy channels (nadis in yoga), I think both Kriya Yoga's first stage and the Goenka-style Vipassana meditation are developing energy channels. Ultimately, what is called thought observation or observational meditation is a result or a phenomenon or experience. The important thing is to develop energy channels and increase energy. If you increase energy, negative thoughts will naturally disappear. Therefore, it may be essential that Kriya Yoga's first stage does not talk about thought observation at all, but focuses on developing energy channels.

I think everyone has experienced that negativity disappears when you become energetic. However, when that happens at a higher level, awakening or a divine experience will surely occur. It's not that you awaken simply by observing thoughts or doing observational meditation. The impression I get is that this method focuses seriously on the simple but quite profound and essential point of becoming energetic.

Even so, there are 7 steps in the first stage, and they are all difficult. I think that ordinary people will probably spend their entire lives doing just this first stage. I don't feel like I can move on to the next step at all.

The explanation that this is the source of everything, and that understanding it will allow you to understand all other schools of thought, may not be a lie.

12/2
It is said that there are observational meditation and concentration meditation, but that only represents the two aspects of meditation. If your physical power increases, both observation and concentration will improve.

From an absolute perspective, observational meditation and concentration meditation are the same and parallel. However, from a relative perspective of individuals, there is a direction depending on which one is easier to do. Therefore, relatively, there are advantages and disadvantages between observational meditation and concentration meditation. The advantages and disadvantages here are simply a matter of whether or not it suits each person, a personal perspective. There is a problem of suitability or preference, and advantages and disadvantages arise. However, absolutely, they are the same. If you say that one is better, it may give the impression that the other is bad. However, the advantages and disadvantages here simply mean individual preferences. For example, if you are not good at concentration, you may be good at observational meditation. In that case, you may think that observational meditation is good. However, it may be that because you are not good at concentration, you should do concentration meditation. The reverse is also true. Some people may spend their entire lives doing only one of them, while others may do both. However, meditation is something that happens internally, so even if you do concentration meditation, your observation will improve, and even if you do observational meditation, your concentration will improve. Therefore, there is not much difference between them. There are various techniques, so there may be advantages and disadvantages for each. However, I understand that conceptually, observational and concentration meditation are just different perspectives.

It seems that "power" refers to things like Kundalini or other concepts. In any case, the purpose is not observation or concentration, but rather observation and concentration are actions, and "how to" is a technique. The purpose seems to be to enhance power, or rather, to enhance vitality. Enhancing vitality is the goal, and observation meditation and concentration meditation are means to achieve that, but the fundamental aspect seems to be the development of energy channels (nadis). That's what I felt.

12/2
I obtained henna (black) for personal use.
One serving of 15g costs 10 rupees (approximately 18 yen). Even if I do it myself in Japan, it costs about 500 yen, so it's not bad, but henna is gentle on the body, and the price is good, so it's all good. It's cheaper than the one I bought at the supermarket before, and I haven't used it before, so I'm a little worried about its effectiveness, but well, if it doesn't work, there's nothing I can do. I wish it was the same one as before, but I haven't found it.

12/2
While I was eating popcorn and crossing the river, a monkey came to steal it. I instinctively swatted it away with my hand, and the monkey almost fell off the suspension bridge. The monkey has good reflexes, so it barely managed to grab on and was saved, but because I pushed it away, it was warning me, and we were in a staring contest. I thought about pushing it away even more strongly, but then I realized that if it fell, it would die in the river, so I immediately came to my senses and stopped. I'm scared to think about what would have happened if I had swatted it away and the monkey had fallen into the river.

I almost ended up killing a monkey. If I had killed it in retaliation for the popcorn, that would have been too much, and I would have been the one at fault. That was dangerous.

The monkey got angry, but in the first place, I was the one who was wrong, but still, that's just how monkeys are. They are following their instincts. Ah, the monkey in this photo is a different monkey.




12/2
Moved to Sanskar Yoga Shala. It looks like an ordinary building. It's a small school.


The place where the fire ceremony (arati) is performed.


Used for festivals.


Studio.


12/2
Yoga bag obtained. 200 rupees (350 yen). I don't use it very often, but sometimes it's necessary, and the one I have now is worn out after being washed.


12/3
It's compact, like this. There are three courses running in parallel, and even if you combine all three courses, there are only 6 people. I thought that people who take the TTC are all quite skilled, but at the initial stage, they seem to be at a normal level. They can't really do headstands either. However, with this number of people, the sample size is insufficient. The teacher seems to want to do more advanced exercises, so I wonder if they are thinking, "What should I do?"


Large places are impressive, beautiful, and good, and even though this place is small, it is comfortable because they have put in effort. However, larger places have advantages such as spaces for conversation, gardens, lawns, and meditation rooms, so there are also disadvantages to having smaller facilities.

12/4
At the same place, other people are taking a course called "Kundalini Yoga TTC."
The textbooks used are supposedly written by a famous Swami, so it seems quite authentic. The name "Kundalini" is impressive, but in the end, it's just an advanced form of Hatha Yoga.
Well, I'm not really interested in the course, but I might want to check out the content of the textbook to see what direction it's going in.

12/5
According to Naveen, the organizer of this place, he has experienced Kundalini several times. He has 17 years of yoga experience.
It seems that a surprisingly large number of people have experienced Kundalini. He said that there are many people with Kundalini experience in a community that practices in the forest with Himalayan saints. I see. However, he also said that there aren't that many people with experience.
If that's the case, maybe this school, although small, is a proper school?
The way people experience it varies. He said that in both India and Japan, a famous way to experience Kundalini is for it to rise from the base of the spine, but he also mentioned things like improved eyesight, hearing, and the ability to project one's voice further, which I interpreted as meaning clairvoyance or telepathy, referring to the psychic body rather than the physical body.
It seems that the word "Kundalini" refers not only to the rising of energy but also to the various changes that accompany it. The nuance of the word seems to be a little different from Japan. Or maybe it's just a misunderstanding in communication.
Well, since it's a self-report, it might just be that they think they have experienced it, but based on their expression, they seem to have gained something.
The philosophy teacher is only Naveen's father, the owner of this place, but he has been to Japan several times, participated in a 5-day meditation retreat at Mount Takao, and held seminars near Tokyo Tower, so it seems that even though it's small, it's surprisingly well-established.
Well, at least it seems more reliable than some of the so-called "fake" schools that are out there.

12/6
I subtly asked a student who is taking the mysterious "Kundalini Yoga TTC" course, and it turns out that it's essentially a condensed explanation and practice of advanced Hatha Yoga, and the content doesn't seem to be that different from regular Hatha Yoga.

When I asked the students on the first day, "Is Kundalini Yoga the same as Hatha Yoga?" one student confidently said, "No, it's different." However, another student said, "What you said is correct. It seems to be the same as Hatha Yoga." It seems they realized it early on.

I think even if the students realized that it was actually Hatha Yoga and that they should proceed diligently, it was probably a good learning experience for them.

Another student, who is also a beginner in yoga, realized the same thing and said, "It seems I should start over from the basics. This is Hatha Yoga."

Well, the fact that the students realized it suggests that the content of the class was probably serious.

12/6
I had been curious about "Why can't you alternate between Vipassana meditation and other types of meditation?" so I asked the meditation teacher here about his grandfather, who had received direct guidance from Goenka and practiced Vipassana meditation for several months.

The answer was, "The purpose of Vipassana meditation is to enter a deep state of meditation, so in order to enter a deep state, you need to continue with the same practice and not with various different ones. Goenka said so."
I see. This teacher has been meditating since he was young and has a lot of experience, and his words are convincing. Goenka was serious and didn't want other people who practiced different types of meditation to interfere. If that's the case, I understand.

This is because when I asked the manager at the meditation center in Chiba, he immediately got angry. He seems to have a low threshold for anger. There are sometimes people who have experience with Vipassana meditation but have a low threshold for anger. In contrast to the unpleasant experience in Chiba, if I can receive a simple, clear, and essential explanation from someone who understands meditation well, like this teacher, I can understand it with a "Ah, I see." Since he gets angry, I understand that the manager in Chiba still has a lot to learn about meditation. I am satisfied with an explanation that is essential, simple, and convincing, like the one from this teacher.

This teacher is quiet, has meditated for a long time, and has experience with Vipassana meditation, so it's not really comparable, but...

12/7
For Indians, it seems like a beginner-level, relaxed class, but for foreigners, it's a slightly tough, slightly strict class. After about 4 days of that, when I was instructed to do "Padmasana!", I thought, "I can't do that," but I tried it anyway, and I managed to do a kind of fake Padmasana where my clothes got a little caught, and I thought, "Maybe I can do a proper Padmasana with a little more effort?"
I used to think that Padmasana was impossible, but how has this changed in such a short time! It's amazing. The human body can change unexpectedly... Sometimes, a slightly strict class is a good thing.

12/8



Today, a guru who is common to the current school's owner and teachers gave a special 1-hour lesson. This guru is said to be the organizer of the yoga university that the owner and teachers attended, and there is one university near here and another 100km away, and there is also a school in Toronto, Canada.

This guru is a famous person, and it is said that he was once a professional wrestler and represented India. The guru has special powers (siddhis), such as being able to crush a board into powder like paper, and other things. I couldn't see it today, but the owner said so, so it must be true.

Well, when I hear stories of this kind, I remember the interesting stories in the book by Yogananda. Yogananda went to saints who could use various powers (siddhis), and for example, he went to a saint who could create the smell of flowers, and as soon as he saw that power (siddhi), he said, "What is the use of doing that?" and left.

He would probably say something like, "You can crush a board into powder like paper, but what is the use of that? (laughs)."

Well, that being said, he must have accumulated quite a bit of training. He is a middle-aged man with a protruding stomach, but surprisingly, his movements are light.

The content of the lesson was various pranayama techniques. He is also a specialist in that field, and also a specialist in Ayurveda.

The yoga university is open to the general public, but it is equivalent to a graduate school and is a multi-year course. The main things they do are understanding sacred texts in Sanskrit, and so on.

This time, I unexpectedly encountered quite a few people who possess these kinds of powers (siddhis). I didn't come to see that, though. Perhaps there are more people with these kinds of powers (siddhis) than I thought.

Well, this is similar to my own feeling, that there are probably quite a few people who can do various things. There are probably many people who don't talk about it because they are afraid of witch hunts, or because they don't want to be known and have people who want to use them or control others come to them.

There are so many people who approach others with a kind face and try to control them. It is probably the duty of people with powers not to give power to those who live by taking from others, but many people don't understand that.

Well, including these things, life is full of learning, and it is interesting, including successes and failures. However, exploiters may think they are "doing it," but from the outside, it is obvious, and it is like the naked emperor, where no one really takes them seriously. There are also times when someone is sincere at first, but then changes their mind and becomes an exploiter. People are interesting.

Well, places with that kind of power tend to attract all sorts of strange people, so it's generally safest to avoid getting involved.

12/9
We went on a school trip to Kunjapuri Temple, located on a mountain near Rishikesh, to see the sunrise. The altitude is 1600m, so the view was great, and we could see the Himalayas in the distance, which was nice. It's a popular spot, so there were a lot of foreigners. At the end, we received a simple puja and prasad before returning home.
I heard about the Kedarnath Temple, which involves a 20km walk to reach the Gangotri Glacier, and I think I'd like to try it sometime in the summer.




12/9
I visited the Ariti area of the famous Parmarth Niketan Ashram. It was cold in the evening...


12/9
I enjoyed the Ganga Aarti in Rishikesh.
They offer flames to the Ganges River (Ganga).
I protected my hands from the heat with a wet towel.


12/11
There was an Indian music concert at the school I am currently attending.
They are singing famous mantras.
It is interesting that the way of singing changes depending on the place (ashram, region, people).
These people are said to be top players.


12/14
The grandfather of the yoga philosophy teacher at the school I'm currently attending explains the famous passages of the Yoga Sutras and the Vedas by reciting them from memory, without looking at any papers. I heard a rumor that in traditional Sanskrit learning, taking notes was prohibited and memorization was absolutely required, and this grandfather is actually embodying that. I've never seen anyone like this before. Moreover, he explains things in a way that is easy to understand and is also interesting. Apparently, he is a famous person in this area as a Vedanta teacher.

Although it only took about 2 hours a day for about two weeks to go from the very basic explanations of yoga to the entrance of Vedanta, the flow of the explanation is smooth. Although I had read about it in books and generally knew it, it feels different when I actually hear it.

Today, he briefly explained Sat Chit Ananda, which is the basic and ultimate conclusion of Vedanta. From tomorrow, he will explain the preceding stages to deepen understanding. I'm curious about how far he will go in the next two weeks.

12/15
A veggie burger at a cafe overlooking the Ganges River in Rishikesh. It was very delicious, and it's enough to be vegetarian.


12/16
I am at an ashram in Kotdwara, which is 100km from Rishikesh.
It is a master school specializing in Ayurveda and yoga.
It is run by the guru who owns the school I am attending in Rishikesh, and it seems they also have an ashram in Canada.
It is located in the forest, and the environment is wonderful.
Normally, it is a course that takes several years, but I visited it on a weekend tour.
The guru here also visited the school in Rishikesh recently, and he is also a specialist in "prana clearing."


I asked the Guruji which oil is good for muscle stretching, and he said sesame oil. You can use edible sesame oil, which is 1/5 the price of massage oil. "TIL OIL" seems to be a type of sesame oil. I will try it.

Guruji is an expert in Ayurveda, so I had him assess my doshas. Apparently, I am Pitta (sounds like "Nature") and Vata. Since he is an expert, it must be true. He said that Pitta, which is "Nature," does not change throughout life, while the others can change.

12/19
I attended a Vedanta seminar in Japan, but I didn't really understand the key points of Vedanta. However, this teacher's lectures provide a good overview of the entire concept of Vedanta, and they are simple and easy to understand. He says that even though he talks about difficult things in a simple way, it seems easy to understand, but he is a very skilled teacher who can explain complex things simply.

As the class progresses and we talk a little about "What is the true Self (Atma)?", nuances that I didn't understand from just reading books become clear, and there are many discoveries. It's interesting to see that the concept of Self (Atma) is subtly present in various aspects of even the most basic concepts of yoga.

Vedanta people often use the phrase "not this," but even after listening to the lectures of Chetanaji, a famous teacher in Kyoto, for 3 days plus 3 days, a total of 6 days, or attending other seminars, I didn't quite understand the point and felt like "so what?" However, this teacher's lectures are all easy to understand and make sense. Even if I use these lecture notes to explain, I'm sure the listeners won't understand. When you listen from someone who understands, the subtle nuances are well conveyed.

In the Vedanta lectures I heard in Japan, the basic theories of yoga, such as the eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) and the four paths of yoga (Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga), were treated as completely separate from Vedanta, and I understood the lectures in that context. However, this teacher positions Vedanta on the extension of the basic paths of yoga, so it connects smoothly from the basic concepts of yoga to Vedanta, and the explanation is logical.

In Japan, the lectures often started with conceptual discussions, spent hours explaining a single word, or ended with a conclusion that was not clear, and the content was limited despite the long duration of 3 days, so the satisfaction level was low. However, this teacher provides a lot of interesting topics in just 1.5 hours each day. I finally understand that this is what a traditional Vedanta teacher is like.

I now understand why the people practicing Jnana Yoga are seeking the ultimate goal of Self (Atma), and I also heard an anecdote, with examples, about how they don't focus on the so-called superpowers that might be obtained along the way. I've heard similar stories many times, and while the content itself isn't new, hearing it from a teacher I know, with all the nuances, makes it feel quite different. There are many people with special abilities here in Rishikesh, including the teacher's friends. For example, some people can use their gaze (Trataka) to shatter a mirror placed a short distance away, or swallow glass. The owner of this school, Guruji, can close his eyes and place a metal rod on them, then push down on a heavy object. Some people can float in the air while performing Padmasana and meditating. Such special abilities are not uncommon in Rishikesh, and the teacher has seen many of them firsthand, but in most cases, people are seeking power and getting lost, he said. Kundalini Yoga is also one path, but it is not included in the four traditional paths of Yoga. Many people who practice Kundalini Yoga are seeking power, so they rarely seek the ultimate goal of Self (Atma), he lamented. However, eventually, from a question like "What is the source of this ability?" people begin to seek Jnana Yoga, and regardless of which path of Yoga one follows, ultimately, one arrives at the ultimate purpose of Jnana Yoga, which is Self (Atma), and special abilities are just a side show along the way. Therefore, it makes sense that Jnana Yoga asks students about four qualifications (prerequisites) at the beginning, and only those who are seeking the ultimate goal of Moksha (liberation = discovery of Self/Atma) are allowed to enter the path of Jnana Yoga.

This school originally focused on Asana practice, but it turns out that this Vedanta class might be the most rewarding.

12/23
There was a Bhagavad Gita performance, like a play, near the Rishikesh market, and everyone was dancing.




Unfortunately, it is in Hindi, so I don't understand it well... Well, I still enjoyed it.

12/24
I went to see the largest Ganga Arti (fire ceremony on the Ganges River) in Rishikesh. It is several times larger than the one I saw the other day. Compared to Varanasi, it feels a bit lonely, perhaps because it is the off-season. However, it is relatively empty, so I can see it up close, which is good. It seems to be frequented by locals because it is a little away from the tourist area.


12/26
I have returned to Kriya Yoga Ashram after graduating from the Hatha Yoga TTC200 (Teaches Training Course 200 hours) at Sanskar Yoga Shalla. I took it for study purposes, so I don't plan to use the TTC qualification for now, and I'll put it aside for a while. Because there were few people, I was able to practice two 60-minute classes, but normally you can't do that much practice. I'm gradually getting used to the flow, but it seems difficult to be a good teacher if I can't do difficult poses. However, it was a good learning experience, and I originally intended to study only, so it's as planned. Also, my flexibility has improved compared to before, which is good. However, I'm still quite stiff.
The meditation TTC (1 month) scheduled for next month has been officially canceled and removed from the website. There are not many meditation TTCs, and it seems that courses are being canceled one after another, perhaps because they are not popular. However, it seems much better to meditate every day at Kriya Yoga Ashram.
Since the meditation TTC was canceled, I have free time next month, so I can go to the Kumbh Mela earlier than originally planned, which was in early February. If I meditate here, I can achieve my original plan, so it's a good thing that it was canceled. Everything is perfect, including the good and the bad. The TTC200 at Sanskar Yoga Shalla costs USD 1,400, but I took it as a substitute for another course that was canceled, so it was relatively reasonable at USD 1,000. If it's just lessons, it's cheaper to go to the ashram, but this seems to be the lowest price range for a course that offers a TTC200 qualification for foreigners.
Regarding the Kumbh Mela, I haven't booked any transportation tickets yet, but it seems that the ashram might arrange a direct bus from here, so I'm waiting a little longer. The number of days I will stay is still undecided.

12/28
I decided to have Panchakarma (massage) for 1.5 hours x 7 days in Rishikesh. I requested a therapy to stretch my muscles and improve flexibility, although there are no particular problems. This time, it seems to be just massage, without any medication. First, there will be a 30-minute consultation with a doctor, and then I will receive the massage. However, it's so cold! It's colder than I imagined. I didn't notice the cold because I was wearing clothes... The massage is good, but I have to endure the cold for 1.5 hours (laugh).

3 days: Standard massage (Abhyangam) + Shirodara
4 days: Bandle massage (kneading warm oil while gently tapping with a rolled cloth) + Shirodara
On one of the days: Oil for the eyes and oil to improve nasal breathing, each once (I have a feeling I might forget about these).

The doctor performed a Dosha diagnosis, and while my basic (Nature) Dosha was Pitta, which matched the one I had previously in Georgia, the second one was different, and they said it was Kapha. It seems that the first one doesn't change, but the second one does, but can it change so quickly, or is it just a difference in judgment depending on the person doing the diagnosis?
After asking about foods that are good and bad to eat, the massage began.
This therapist was skilled. I might have gotten lucky. They also used a generous amount of oil.
It's unavoidable that it's cold.

Doctor consultation: 700 Rs (approximately 1,200 yen) for 30 minutes.
Ayurvedic massage: 1.5 hours, 1,200 Rs (discount price, approximately 2,000 yen) x 7 times.
Total: 9,100 Rs (approximately 15,000 yen).





12/30
I returned to Kriya Yoga Ashram (Rishikesh) a few days ago, but the atmosphere here is completely different from Sanskar Yoga Shalla, where I took the TTC. Sanskar has a strong, active (rajasic) feel, while here it's more calm (sattvic). Both are in India, and since this place is next to a main road, you can hear the sound of horns (outside the meditation hall) except in the early morning, which is a bit of a drawback. I'm quite used to it, so it's okay, but in terms of quietness, there might be better places. The meditation hall here is quiet, and the cushions are good, so it's easy to meditate. In Japan, I often feel uncomfortable after 30 minutes, but here I can meditate for about 2 hours relatively easily. Of course, that's the time after adjusting my legs.

I had been planning to take a meditation workshop that I was originally going to take, but it was canceled (as if by fate), so I had free time in January, and I've been thinking about new plans, which are gradually becoming clearer.

■Early January: Meditation at Kriya Yoga Ashram (Rishikesh) for about 2 hours in the morning and evening, free time during the day.
■Mid-January: Kumbh Mela (Allahabad, formerly known as Ilahabad)

Specifically:
- 1/13: Kriya Yoga Ashram → Train from Haridwar (near Rishikesh) → 1/14: Arrive in Allahabad (Kumbh Mela venue) in the early morning. Stay at Kriya Yoga Camp.
- 1/14-15: Kumbh Mela: Makar Sankranti (1st Shahi Snan), one of the main events.
- 1/16-20: Kumbh Mela: Initiation (date unknown) during the stay.
- 1/21: Kumbh Mela: Paush Purnima, one of the main events. A ceremony will be held by Kriya Yoga.
- 1/22: Kumbh Mela: Stay for at least one week.
- The rest is undecided.
- 2/9: Return to Japan. I might return to Japan earlier than planned.

■Options:
- Attend a yoga camp at Sanskar Yoga Shalla from 1/27 to 2/2, which is also held at the Kumbh Mela, and do yoga for a week at the Kumbh Mela.
- Go to Kolkata and visit the Dakshineswar Kali Temple, etc. (second time in Kolkata).
- Go to Puri and visit a Kriya Yoga ashram.
- Go all the way to Tirvannamalai, near Chennai, and climb Arunachala Mountain (it's a bit far from North India).
- Do yoga at a newly established Sivanda ashram near Chennai (it seems a bit far).
- Do yoga in Varanasi (it's a tourist destination, so yoga is surprisingly expensive).

There are various options, but I feel satisfied and full after visiting Kumbh Mela, or perhaps I might get tired of the crowds and want to return home early. If I see Kumbh Mela, that will fulfill the purpose of this trip, so if there's nothing else of particular interest, I might change my flight and return home early.

For the initiation, I feel that I won't be able to make the final decision without meeting Shankaranda Ji, who is a guru here, but I have tentatively included it in the schedule. The level of tranquility in this ashram is different, and it doesn't feel overly religious, which is a good thing. I'm starting to think that I might become a disciple here. Well, there's still time until the initiation, so I don't know yet. Even if I become a disciple, there don't seem to be any public obligations, and no money is being requested. It feels like a matter of free will, depending on whether I want to meditate here or not.

The method here is a traditional one, where the guru observes the disciple and gives the next step when they are ready, and I can relate to that.

I haven't been asked whether I have received initiation from other yoga schools or religions, so it seems that doesn't matter. Perhaps the guru can see everything, so there's no need to ask. I understand the general knowledge of the industry, but there are some details that I don't understand. Even if someone has received initiation, there are probably only a few who have truly received it, and ritualistic religious affiliations may not be very related to the essence.

It seems that I will be thrown into this ashram without really understanding, and I will go to Kumbh Mela without really understanding, and I will receive initiation without really understanding (although I ended up not receiving it). Well, my intuition says "it's okay," so I will continue as is for now.





2019/1/5
Acquired a so-called hiking backpack, 90L.
I came here with a carry bag, but all the luggage will be transferred to this backpack.


Kumbh Mela has a large area for permanent tents, and it seems that the entire area is sandy, so if you go with a carry-on bag, you will easily die.

This old, large carry-on bag has torn corners and looks like it's about to break, so I'm going to dispose of it here. This is just the right timing. I've been wanting to get rid of it because it takes up space at home. I have a separate medium-sized hard case anyway.

In Japan, it's also a hassle to dispose of carry-on bags, and buying a proper hiking backpack in Japan is very expensive. For people who are particular, it might be different, but I use it for travel often, so I prefer something light, and something cheap because it will break. It seems like it might be usable for something like a casual hike.

I bought a 60L Decathlon made in India before, and it was cheap and light, but surprisingly durable. What do you think of this one?

90L, 2,500 Rs (approximately 4,000 yen)

(In the end, even at Kumbh Mela, it was okay to use a carry-on bag if you're careful. In the past, it was sandy, so you couldn't do without a backpack, but this year, the government has worked hard to lay iron plates everywhere, so it seems like a carry-on bag might be okay. However, there are gaps, so it looks like it will be damaged quite a bit when rolling and hitting the iron plates. If it's an old carry-on bag and you don't mind it breaking, it might be okay.)

2019/1/6
The master-disciple lineage here seems to be like this:

Kriya Yoga, first Babaji Maharaji
　　　↓ disciple
Lahiri Mahasay
　　　↓ disciple
Sri Yukuteswaji
　　　↓ disciple
Swami Narayana Giri (Prabhuji) (Yogananda's brother disciple)
　　　↓ disciple
Swami Shankarananda Giri (The person in the photo. The Guruji of this Kriya Yoga Ashram in Rishikesh)

Guruji (Shankarananda) is from Puri (Odisha) and often stays at the ashram there. He is currently preparing for Kumbh Mela and is in the area, so I haven't met him yet.

I heard some stories about Guruji from the teachers here, but it's just a rumor.

■Guruji doesn't sleep. Although he needs rest now because he is old, even when he lies down, his consciousness is awake, and basically, he recovers and gets up quickly after about 10 breaths (not after several minutes). He didn't sleep at all in the past.

(Comments)→ It is often said that enlightened beings sleep for only a few hours. While it is said that consciousness remains awake and they do not sleep, it is also said that the body still needs rest. So, it may be the first time I've heard that the body doesn't sleep at all. Before I started yoga, I used to sleep 8-9 hours, but now I only need 6-7 hours, but that's a completely different level.

■Guruji understood all the knowledge of astrology in just a few hours in the evening.

(Comments)→ Perhaps astrology is something that should be intuitively understood in this way? I seem to remember hearing similar stories before.

■Guruji can ask God about the meaning of the Bhagavad Gita. Guruji's interpretations are very unique and can only be heard here.

(Comments)→ I don't know the normal interpretations, so I don't know if Guruji's interpretations are unique or not.

■Guruji's interpretations of the Yoga Sutras and yoga philosophy are also unique and specific to Kriya Yoga.

(Comments)→ I'm reading a textbook-like book, but it's full of unique interpretations. It seems like you need to study the basic yoga philosophy first, otherwise it might be confusing.

■When Guruji enters Samadhi, his breathing stops. In some stages of Kriya Yoga, meditation is done while stopping breathing.

(Comments)→ Samadhi seems to appear surprisingly early in Kriya Yoga. Even in the lower levels of Kriya Yoga, such as the first or second stage, Samadhi can appear, so many people might be discouraged by its demanding nature. There are several types of Samadhi, and even the basic Samadhi is difficult. When you enter Samadhi, your breathing stops, and it seems like you have to do something while in that state. There are several stories about this in "Autobiography of a Yogi."

■It seems that advanced Kriya Yoga cannot be taught unless one has discovered the Chitta (mind).

(Comments)→ It's mysterious. It seems understandable, yet it's not. The Swami Kriyananda who is here in Rishikesh is a specialist in advanced Kriya, and it is said that you need to discover the Chitta in order to receive his teachings. On the other hand, Guruji Shankaranda, who is here, is someone who has high consciousness and teaches beginners, which is rare.

■The teachings of advanced Kriya are given without words.

(Comments)→ That's the kind of world it is.

1/8
Recently, a Q&A seminar for beginners has been held for a few people, so I'm participating, but the person explaining also says, "I'm not a guru, I'm a beginner," which feels a bit strange, but since I don't know much about this organization, I'm participating.

That Q&A seminar felt strange, and I probably skipped it because I hadn't read Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi" and hadn't practiced yoga, and it seemed like a potentially troublesome cult. I might have checked out immediately if I had known about Kumbhmela. Because I had read the autobiography, I was able to tolerate it to some extent, but it's a little beyond the general understanding, and it's a bit strange.

Since there's nothing else related to Kumbhmela, I was thinking of staying at this camp to see Kumbhmela and postponing my judgment until I meet Guruji. Then, today, an elderly veteran approached me quietly in the dining hall.

"He's not Guruji. He's a crazy man. Be careful!"

I see... So that's what it is... I finally understand the reason for my unease. There are always people like that in places like this.

Now that I know that, I should probably reset the strange stories I heard from him recently and be in a neutral state. Well, I'll just think of it as seeing Kumbhmela and leaving. I'm also putting the position of Kriya Yoga in my mind on hold until I go to Kumbhmela. I'm also postponing the decision of whether or not to continue Kriya Yoga meditation. I'll listen to the rumors about Guruji with a grain of salt.

In the seminar, people are asking questions about the content of the textbook, but sometimes there are answers, sometimes there aren't, and sometimes the answers are unclear because they digress into other topics, which is a somehow a bit strange. However, even though it's hearsay, I can somehow listen to the stories about Guruji, so it's somewhat beneficial.

Every time, the conversation turns into "Guruji is so amazing," but the atmosphere is similar to the staff I mentioned about Yogmata the other day. When I went to the Yogmata exhibition booth, there were several annoying staff members who would approach and say things like, "Only Yogmata is the real thing, recognized by the masters of the Himalayas, and all other yoga is fake," which was annoying. The Yogmata staff were much more annoying, but the atmosphere is a bit similar. To be honest, if I were explained like that, I wouldn't want to have anything to do with Kriya Yoga, no matter how correct the content might be.

I've received explanations from the same person several times, but it's always like that, so I'm starting to think that this place is a somehow a bit strange.

Even though I am receiving explanations of the theory, from somewhere in the middle, I am being brushed off with things like "you won't understand unless you experience it." Every time, I point out, "It is true that you need experience, but this is lecture time, so I want to hear the theory. What is the answer? Yes? Or No?" But the answers are ambiguous, not answers, or if I infer and confirm, I finally get a "Yes." It's so roundabout that only time passes. The questions are not being answered; it's like a word association game.

While I was thinking that there was no answer because the word association game was continuing, suddenly I am asked, "Do you understand?" But because it is not an answer at all, I ask again, "What is the answer to the original question?" But instead of an answer, I am told, "You are theory-oriented. Your head is all you use." What is this? I am constantly told to focus on experience, but this is lecture time, not practice time, so I question the attitude of this place. Because it emphasizes atmosphere, it is quite different from the Hatha Yoga that I have understood through meditation methods and textbooks. The Vedanta teacher at the TTC the other day explained things clearly and it was easy to understand and had deep content, but this is shallow. If this is what they call Hatha Yoga, I start to doubt the essence of Hatha Yoga. It's like a typical gathering for spiritual beginners, and I'm not interested.

There are many people in the spiritual industry who talk about things that are not true, so if I take them seriously every time, it will never end. If it's not important or relevant to the immediate situation, I just ignore it.

I can understand why people say, "It's better not to talk about your own experiences carelessly." If you talk about your experiences with strange people, they will make fun of you, and they will compare you and say meaningless things like, "You are still a beginner." You can only tell the level of others by the master/guru's level, and I am wary of being told things by people who call themselves beginners. I am confused when they talk without listening to my opinion at all.

Well, I thought that Guruji would not be like this, so I am still reserving my judgment.

Hatha Yoga seems to be amazing at the higher levels, but the threshold is very high, so I think that very few people actually reach that level. Because of that high threshold, my interest in Hatha Yoga has also decreased, so I think it will be enough to watch Kumbh Mela and return to my home country, and I will remain neutral.

The theory of Kriya Yoga is unique and quite different from general yoga philosophy, so in terms of logic, Vedanta seems much superior. There are many logical aspects that are unique to Kriya Yoga, so it gives the impression of a special world. If I talk about it to other people, they might be put off, but I'm still saying it without hesitation... For now, it feels a bit subtle. I could read "Autobiography of a Yogi" relatively normally, but the things I hear here are a bit strange.

1/9
I obtained Ohm (AUM).
The listed price is 500 Rs (approximately 800 yen), but I bought it for 150 Rs (approximately 250 yen), which is a 70% discount.
It still seems expensive, but maybe that's normal for a tourist destination like Rishikesh. It might become quite clean if I remove the dirt.





1/11

Such huge photographs are displayed in various places within the ashram. At first, I thought they were photographs of deceased individuals, but these are actually photographs of the living Swami Shankaranda. They are displayed alongside photographs of deceased great figures. I don't quite understand this feeling. If disciples were to display photographs after someone's death, that would be understandable, but I wonder what the feeling is of having so many large photographs of oneself displayed in one's own ashram. Is this normal in India?
The teacher from the previous day, who is a disciple, said that Guruji is an enlightened being, so perhaps it is normal for disciples to display such photographs alongside those of other enlightened figures from the past. Well, I don't really understand it.
If it were done with absolutely no ego, then perhaps it would be acceptable. But when you look at it normally, it seems like it could be showing off one's ego.

This might be understandable in the context of the basic philosophy of Kriya Yoga, which emphasizes that "power (life force) is the essence of everything." Whether it is ego or not probably doesn't matter much in Kriya Yoga. The important thing is to increase power (life force), so the photographs may not be a problem at all, and may even be an efficient way to focus the power of consciousness on Guruji. This is just one possible interpretation.

Alternatively, as some Indians say, there are many people in India who quickly claim to be number one, and this might be a manifestation of that. There are countless IT engineers and entrepreneurs in India who boast that India is number one (even though their products are often unusable or ordinary). A certain person from Kyoto who studied Vedanta in India also boasted that Vedanta is the only philosophy in the world. The meditation cushion shop in Rishikesh boasted that their ordinary cushions were number one in India (while not knowing much about other products). The accessory shop in Khajuraho boasted that their worn-out accessories were high quality. It is common in India to boast that "Indian quality" is number one. The other day, a teacher here boasted about Guruji with a confident and smug expression, saying that he was "one of the few people who can correctly interpret the Bhagavad Gita," which was quite jarring. However, kind Japanese people tend to think, "Maybe that's true," and may accept such statements. Perhaps that is acceptable for believers.

I am keeping silent about this here because it might be dangerous to say it, and I have not yet met Guruji myself, so I am maintaining a neutral judgment. Otherwise, it would show on my face.

There might be a Kongming trap in Kumbamela. Let's see what happens.

The possibility of receiving teachings from Guruji in Kumbamela is 50%. Well, I'll decide based on my intuition when I meet Guruji.

It seems like donations are needed, and they say any amount is fine, but they might refuse if a specific price is mentioned.

Traditionally, it seems like flowers and fruits are appropriate.

For reference, I heard from someone who came here from another place that in Japan, the fee for Maharishi's TM meditation teachings was 300,000 yen 10 years ago, and now it's around 160,000 yen. In Scandinavia, the fee for Maharishi TM meditation teachings is currently around 900 USD.

I was imagining something around 2,000 Rs (2,200 yen) to 5,000 Rs (8,500 yen), which is about the amount I give as a wedding gift in India. So, the maximum I can give as a gift is USD 100.

If I were to pay the same amount, I would choose TM meditation. Well, I'm not going to pay.

When I asked the teacher, he said, "Don't worry about it. Money doesn't matter," but he also seemed to be subtly probing my financial situation, saying, "Oh, so you live in a place like that." The way he interacts with the visitors from Asia who are with me is subtly different, and it seems like he might prioritize those who seem to have money.

The teacher told a story that I found difficult to understand. He said, "Many people give 10 rupees to Ganesha and ask for big favors, but such things won't make your wishes come true. If you want a lot, you should pay a lot." To me, it sounded like he was saying that gods who grant worldly benefits are like low-level deities, and you might get something in return if you offer something to creatures like foxes or badgers. Is Ganesha such a low-level deity? Truly high-ranking deities don't need money, and they probably don't even understand worldly benefits. This teacher is not Indian, but Russian, so that might be a misunderstanding, but even so, it sounds like he's saying, "If you want to receive teachings, you should pay a lot."

Recently, he said something strange, "You might want to receive teachings from Guruji, but it's the same if you receive them from me." In fact, I can't understand how he can call himself a beginner and then give teachings. I suspect that he gets a share from the donations when he gives teachings.

Well, the cost of staying at the camp is fixed, so if they ask for a high amount for the initiation, I'll just stay there and leave without participating. I also think I'll refuse teachings from that strange teacher who says incomprehensible things.

My current understanding is that this teacher is strange, and she might be contacting wealthy people in order to profit from sharing the teachings.

It's not as elaborate as a Zhuge Liang trap, but it's probably a trap. I might end up being a summer insect that flies into the fire.

1/12
One more reason to suspect that the purpose of this Kriya Yoga teacher is money. Last month, a friend of mine from Asia who was with me at the TTC came to stay here. At first, the teacher was enthusiastically inviting this person to Kumbh Mela. She was also teaching some meditation techniques.

However, it seems that the teacher initially thought that person (my friend) was Japanese, and she said things like, "You don't have to worry about money." But after she found out that the person was not Japanese, and after she told the teacher that she would not be going to Kumbh Mela, the teacher's attitude changed. When the friend asked the teacher to teach her meditation techniques, the teacher coldly said, "It might be that I have to go to Kumbh Mela tomorrow or the day after, so it will probably be impossible for me to teach you tomorrow." But the next day, the teacher was normally attending to other people and seemed to have plenty of time. She didn't seem to be in a hurry at all. Not only the next day, but even three days later, she was normally at the ashram. Where is she busy? It's incomprehensible. My friend and I talked about it, and we concluded that the teacher probably changes her attitude depending on the other person's financial situation.

It's understandable that the Asian visitor stopped receiving guidance from the day she found out she wasn't going to Kumbh Mela. She was probably being invited to Kumbh Mela so that the teacher could find a reason to make her spend money there. It's a trap. She was probably teaching meditation in order to make a large amount of money in the end.

An elderly person who is staying here casually let slip in conversation, "Teaching meditation is probably for the purpose of making money." Perhaps she knows the reality of this place well.

I was wondering if this ashram could survive with such low accommodation fees... But maybe there's a hidden source of income, which is the donations for the teachings.

In the first place, meditation doesn't require much money, and I don't understand why she needs so much money.

By the way, when I searched on the web, the price for the Kriya Yoga initiation ceremony is about 100 euros in Europe. That's probably right. But this is India. There seem to be several Kriya Yoga organizations, so I don't know if their policies are the same.

When I first heard the explanation of the technique, I remember the teacher saying something like, "Since there are no Iyengar Yoga facilities in Japan, you should create one." I now think that he probably said that as a set phrase, perhaps because some overly enthusiastic people might be motivated to start something by being told that, leading them to mistakenly believe that they are saviors or something, and then decide to receive instruction. It seems that there are sometimes people who come to these kinds of meditation facilities who have delusions of grandeur, thinking that they are saving the world or are great teachers. I wonder if those people end up paying a lot of money (like $1,000 or $2,000?) to receive instruction, indulging in the delusion that they are saving the world. They might think that it's a cheap price to pay if it can save the world. If it were really that easy to save the world, I think the guru here would have already done it. Even if it were truly possible to save the world, I don't think people who are motivated by such hype would actually be the ones to do it. In reality, even if someone has that kind of ambition, the real ones are probably very quiet. Those who are openly hyped up are probably fake. The teacher might have been saying all those strange things not because he was unintelligent, but because he was testing what kind of topics people would latch onto. Was he testing whether people would fall for a savior-like delusion? But that might be reading too much into it. It's also possible that he was simply unintelligent, or perhaps he just doesn't speak English very well. Or maybe he's just a misunderstanding person.

It's probably a trap, isn't it? The truth will probably be revealed if you go to Kumbhmela.

1/12
Another trap. This is an Iyengar Yoga meditation ashram, but for some reason, there's a person who teaches Transcendental Meditation (TM) by Maharishi, and one day he approached me in the dining hall. He also seems to be giving TM instruction to other people. He said that he does TM in the meditation hall, but I've never actually seen him in the meditation hall, so he's a bit of a mysterious person. I've been here for two weeks, and I haven't seen him in the meditation hall even once. Not even once. The fact that what he says and what he does are different is suspicious.

After observing him, it seems that he is targeting people who are new to the ashram and don't know much about it, and I could clearly see that everyone he talked to had a puzzled expression on their face.

According to him, TM meditation leads to a state of "absolute nothingness," a state of absolute void. After chanting the mantra for a few minutes, the consciousness becomes quiet like a still surface of water, enters a state of nothingness, and is led to a transcendental state. It transcends, as the name suggests. He said that many famous people have done it, and that the Beatles Ashram in Rishikesh was created by Maharishi, and that not only the Beatles but also Elon Musk of Tesla have done it.

I was just saying "hmm," but the fee for the instruction is about 900 USD in Oslo, Norway. In Japan, it seems to be about 1.6 million yen, but I heard that it was about 3 million yen 10 years ago in Japan, so it seems that the price has been decreasing worldwide. I originally knew about it and had read a little bit of the book, and I had also listened to a talk at an exhibition booth, so I had some basic knowledge. That's why I was just saying "hmm." Indeed, it may be possible to reach that state of consciousness through TM meditation, but that state can also be reached through ordinary meditation, so from my perspective, it is not something unique to TM meditation. "Transcendence" is simply a story of how deeply meditation has progressed to an absolute state of nothingness, and I understand that TM meditation is not special, but that there are just techniques for achieving that.

If I had just listened to that story, that would have been the end of it. However, this person was working as a TM meditation instructor at this meditation-related ashram, and they were approaching new people and talking about TM instruction. I concluded that this was a targeted effort to promote TM meditation instruction to people who are likely to be interested in meditation at this ashram. Because that's probably the case. It's more efficient to go to a meditation-related ashram to promote it than to go to a regular yoga ashram, as there are more potential customers.

During the casual conversation, the person accidentally let something slip. When I asked, "What is the reason people meditate?" they held back a laugh and mumbled, "It's probably for money." I didn't miss that. That's when the real feelings come out. The reason this person meditates is probably for money.

This person has traveled to various countries and is earning money by giving seminars and providing TM meditation instruction in various cities. Since the TM meditation instruction is 900 USD per person, it was much higher in the past, so they must have made a considerable amount of money. That's why it makes sense that they can travel and stay in each city for several months.

I was wondering why I was hearing about TM meditation in a place like this, but it turns out it was a sales pitch. If you can have a conversation, give a mantra instruction, and earn 900 USD, of course, you would be friendly and try hard. Probably.

When I realized that I already knew about TM meditation and didn't intend to receive TM meditation mantra instruction, they quickly moved on and started talking enthusiastically to other people. This is very easy to understand.

By the way, the teacher of that TM meditation seemed a little off, like Elon Musk's face lately, slightly tilted. When I listened to the explanation, I intuitively thought that TM meditation uses a mantra, and that the mantra might be so effective that it sends your consciousness away, leading you to a transcendental state. Perhaps relying too much on TM meditation might cause your consciousness to become skewed? I intuitively thought that TM meditation might become strange if used incorrectly, but that's just an intuition, so I don't have any certainty yet.

Still, this time, there are a lot of traps.

1/12
The Beatles Ashram charges an entrance fee of 600 Rs (about 950 yen) for nothing (150 Rs, 250 yen for Indians), so I didn't buy a ticket and just looked at it from the outside of the grounds. That's enough. It's empty inside, and I'm not even a Beatles fan.
I will leave Rishikesh tomorrow and head to Kumbh Mela.





1/14
Almost arriving at the destination by overnight train.

1/14
Arrived at the Kumbhamela camp for Kriya Yoga. It's like a slum, which was a bit of a shock.



First, I was taken to Guruji's place, but Guruji was sleeping in bed, so I had to sit on a chair and wait quietly until he woke up... Wasn't Guruji supposed to not sleep? Wasn't he supposed to wake up after 10 breaths? It's different from what I heard.

The disciple, or rather, the attendant who came with me, was sitting next to me, waiting quietly for him to wake up. Well, that seems normal for a swami, but the fact that he has a disciple as an attendant is a bit of a culture shock.

Finally, he woke up, but his movements were sluggish. When I was given a flower, he made a joke as if he was going to eat it, but it felt like the joke was lacking in refinement. What is this? I'm desperately trying to maintain a blank expression because I'm afraid he'll notice what I'm thinking.

Eventually, Guruji started eating his meal, so I continued to wait, but I was told to go outside.

During that time, I observed Guruji's face, but he just looked like a frail old man, and he was dropping a lot of food. His movements were also clumsy. Even if he's an old man, is this what a former saint would be like? It's a somehow a bit strange (subtle). I can't imagine receiving teachings from him as a guru. This person is probably not my guru.

When I left Guruji's room, another old swami came and gave me a cracker-like Prasad (sacred offering). Soon, other European and American participants came and started consulting the swami about problems related to meals, such as "I was told there was no food, but then 10 minutes later, it was being served to others." However, the swami ignored them. What is this indifferent swami? This swami is also a somehow a bit strange (subtle). The Europeans and Americans seem confused.

I wondered if there were any other swamis who were interesting, but as far as I could tell, there wasn't anyone who caught my attention. What is this... The disciples in the other tents don't seem to be having much fun either. However, a few of them seem to be having a lot of fun.

Still, the tents are in terrible condition... What is this? It's like a slightly cleaned-up slum. There are no power outlets, which I wasn't expecting. It's a very cramped, dirty, dark, and sandy tent, and we're packed in like sardines. There's only enough space for one tatami mat plus a bag per person. There's no place to put your luggage. What is this? Is this some kind of joke? How can this be 40 euros (5,000 yen) per night in India?





The toilets and showers are in terrible condition. People have to bring their own buckets from their rooms to shower. The surrounding area is sandy and dusty...

The price of 200 euros (25,000 yen, 5,000 yen per night) for 5 days or less, and 300 euros (38,000 yen, 3,200-5,000 yen per night) for 7-12 days is extremely expensive. A friend asked by email whether "5 days" meant 4 nights or 5 nights, and what the price would be for 5 or 6 nights, but there was no clear answer, which she said was a sign of poor customer service. However, seeing the actual place, I realized that the difference of one night doesn't matter. Moreover, it seems like they are not properly managing the place.

It's probably that the money paid by the first people who stayed in the tents goes into the pockets of the tent representatives. I thought this because the tents were very crowded, and someone was saying, "This group is ours," which made me feel that there was a conflict between money and territory.

Immediately after arrival, everyone was asked to collect 100 rupees "for buying water," but I had a feeling that they might start collecting money for various other things. I had that kind of impression.

It's subtle, to say the least, and it's so bad that it feels like a joke. So, I decided to leave, and I waited for a moment when no one I knew was around, and then I escaped from the campsite! I stayed there for less than an hour. I'm quick to make decisions. If I stayed even a little longer, they might charge me the minimum price of 200 euros, so there was no other choice but to escape now.

I couldn't stay in a place like that.

Gruji doesn't seem to care about me at all, so I thought, "It's okay," and I decided to leave. Of course, there was no initiation. I thought that initiation from Gruji was impossible. I don't need it.

Well, serious people might aggressively approach Gruji and ask for teachings, but I thought, "It's okay," and decided to leave.

If it's meant to be, we'll probably bump into each other at the Kumbamela venue. When that time comes, it will be.

After that, I checked into a hotel that was relatively close to the venue.



A double room without meals. There is no serrated edge for hot water, but you can get a bucket if you ask. It costs 2,500 rupees (3,900 yen) per night. How can it be cheaper than a tent with this level of cleanliness? (laugh)

Kumbamela is unusually expensive compared to other cities. Considering the location within Kumbamela, I think it is reasonable, or rather, quite cheap.

I will stay for at least one week and explore Kumbamela.

1/16
At first, I thought the Kriya Yoga camp was a slightly cleaner slum, but when I saw the camps of other groups, they looked like real slums, and it's hard to tell the difference between a real slum and a camp. It seems to be a camp because it is properly divided into sections, close to the river, and right next to the conference hall. However, there were groups sleeping in large tents, so it seems that the Kriya Yoga camp was quite nice. A nice slum-like camp. Or perhaps it is divided into sections, but I can't tell.

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