Skanda Vale is a multi-faith ashram and home to a resident community of 25 monks and nuns. Every year they welcome over 90,000 pilgrims to their three temples. Their work involves worshiping the Lord in his many forms, caring for hundreds of animals, providing food aid to people in need, giving spiritual education and caring for the terminally ill at their hospice. The ashram was founded by Guru Subramaniam who was born in Sri Lanka. The ashram is set in over 100 acres of woodland and is located in South Wales, about 250 miles away from London.

One of the monks, Swami Govinda had travelled with the UK group to Kailash with Mohanji in 2014 and he had invited Mohanji and Biba to visit Skanda Vale whenever they came to the UK. A group of us travelled with Mohanji and Biba to Skanda Vale straight after the retreat. It was a long journey of nearly 5 hours but the time went in a flash as we reflected on the amazing retreat experiences. On his arrival, Mohanji was very warmly welcomed by all the Swamis who were eagerly awaiting his arrival, especially Swami Govinda.

We had arrived just in time for a special Maha-abhishekam to the main deity in the Maha Shakti temple. This puja is conducted once a month on the Saturday before every full moon. On this occasion, the temple was completely packed full of pilgrims. In the terrace outside sat about 80 pilgrims who could not get into the temple. Outside the terrace hundreds of people watched the puja on a large TV screen as they could not get into either the temple or the terrace. The Swamis had very kindly kept space in the temple for Mohanji, Biba, my wife Ranjana and I. As well as the magnificent main deity of mother Kali which is about 2 metres high, there are pictures and murtis of all the different manifestations of God from the different religious traditions. The atmosphere in the temple for the full moon puja was an intense and amazing experience. The energy in the temple was at fever pitch. The mantras were chanted by the Swamis with intense concentration. The vibrant bhajans sung with utmost devotion accompanied by the beats of the drum, the harmonium, cymbals, bells and conch, sent waves of bliss through the congregation. During the bhajans, Abhishek was performed to the Divine Mother with vibhuti (mixed with water), milk, yoghurt, honey and fruits. In between each offering she was offered frankincense and arathi. After the Abhishek she was bathed with water, oiled with fragrant perfume, offered arathi again and serenaded with more bhajans. She was offered the sacrificial offerings of coconuts, lime and kumkum. Finally she was beautifully adorned with jewellery, colourful sarees, a shining crown, garlands of limes and the most colourful fragrant flowers. At the climax of the ceremony when the 108 names of the Divine Mother were chanted, Mohanji was invited into the sanctum sanctorum to offer petals to Her together with the Swamis.

After the puja had concluded and all devotees had taken Arathi, Swami Brahmananda, the head of the ashram invited us into his private quarters to share a delicious meal that he himself had prepared. All the monks and sisters gathered together and we shared this meal in the room where Guru Subramaniam (who left his body in 2007) used to stay. We then had an insightful satsang with the monks and sisters where they got the opportunity to ask Mohanji many questions which were answered with clarity and purpose.

The following day was the biggest day of the year for Skanda Vale, the climax of the Subramanium festival. The Subramanium festival starts off with the separation of Subramanium from his wives, Valli and Devani. The 12 days in between are a period of intense pujas, prayers and sadhana. The culmination of the festival is the reunion of Lord Subramanium with Valli and Devani. The final ceremony was held in a large outside space called the yagayashala and Mohanji was invited to sit with the monks at the front of the congregation. During the ceremony the ladies went off in a procession to collect Devani and Valli from the Subramanium temple. After their arrival, the men then went to collect Lord Subramanium in a procession. Mohanji was given the honour of carrying Lord Subramanium on the final leg from the temple to the yagyashala to reunite the lord with his wives, the union of Shiva with Shakti. Mohanji had a nagging gout issue and he could hardly walk. But at no point in time anybody felt any discomfort from him. He was as normal. Obviously he could have been in expanded consciousness. He carried the idol Lord Subramaniya barefooted and also in the cold atmosphere of Skande Vale despite his swollen feet. Just a short while ago he was on a wheel chair and later on crutches. But ever since he came to Skande Vale he methodically participated in every function that the monks invited him for. This ceremony was a heavenly experience with grace and blessings flowing abundantly on all the pilgrims. The swamis told us later that this was the best festival yet. Despite the rain, this was a festival with a difference, a festival imbued with a unique and special vibration!

Swami Brahmananda gave a beautiful talk on the significance of the festival. He started the discourse by welcoming Mohanji saying:

‘Today is a particularly auspicious day… particularly special because we have a very revered guest with us. Mohanji has come to join us, to celebrate this festival. The first time I met him yesterday it was like meeting an old friend.

All of us in the community had the grace to spend many years with Guru Sri Subramanium, so we are able to discriminate what the word Guru really means. Nowadays it’s used very loosely, and misused very often. But I’m very privileged to know that Mohanji is a real Guru. And real gurus are a rare commodity. So we’re very blessed that the Lord has instructed him to come here, and he has brought a grace with him. I am very proud, and very happy that he’s able to come here and spend time with us in Skanda Vale.’

 

Mohanji attended all the pujas and services at all the temples including a very moving Christian prayer service. The Swami conducting the service commented that it was one of the most powerful services that he has ever had the experience of conducting during his stay in Skanda Vale (over 25 years).

During those blissful days the Swamis took Mohanji on a tour of Skanda Vale. We met the resident elephant Valli and fed her lots of fruit and bananas. She gave shaktipath to all of us by placing the tip of her trunk on our foreheads!

We saw birds, deer, cattle, peacocks, geese, dogs, donkeys, horses, all of who have taken shelter in Skanda Vale and are lovingly looked after by the monks and sisters.

The next day we attended the prayers in the Sri Ranganatha temple which is an open air temple of Vishnu lying on the serpent Vasuki surrounded by Lord Hanuman, Lord Brahma and Mother Lakshmi. Mohanji participated in the Poojas also at the reclining Lord Vishnu idol flanked by Lord Hanuman and Goddess Lakshmi despite the cold morning hours as well as the swollen feet. Swamiji himself held his hand and escorted him to the idol situated in the middle of a pool. Mohanji noted that Garuda (Lord Vishnu’s vehicle) should be there also and immediately made arrangements for an idol as per the approved standards of idols based on scriptures. (The idol of Garuda is getting ready and should be in Skande Vale by February 23rd, the 51st birthday of Mohanji). The temple is completely exposed to the elements and the deities are located in the middle of a small pond. The Swami’s have to walk across a plank to get to the deities for conducting the pujas. Mohanji was also invited to offer flowers at the culmination of the prayer. I was a little concerned as Mohanji was limping and had to walk on the plank. However Mohanji made it there and back with no trouble despite the pain in the leg and discomfort.

The Swamis showed Mohanji all the building work being done in Skanda Vale. A major project that Skanda Vale have embarked upon is the creation of a hospice to care for the terminally ill. The hospice is located about 20 miles away from the ashram in the small village of Saron. Mohanji was invited to visit the hospice and see the construction work going on there in Swami Brahmananda’s new pickup. The previous pickup had to be replaced due to an accident. Swami was keen that the car should be blessed by carrying Mohanji as the first passenger!

The unique open air environment, the peaceful location in woodland, the wonderful pujas and the welcome given by the swamis made the trip to Skanda Vale an unforgettable experience. We had many impromptu satsangs with the monks, sisters and visitors to Skanda Vale who all had a perfect opportunity to ask Mohanji questions on a range of spiritual topics. We spent three blissful days in Skanda Vale and left with some very special memories.

Written by Revathy

First of all, I am grateful to my Guru, who is a gift from God. We know we have so many opportunities to show gratitude to our parents as they brought us to this beautiful world. But what about our Gurus (teachers, the Guru Tattwa, the supreme consciousness)?

There are so many teachers whom we will meet in our life journey. Some of them shower their blessings upon us silently, which we realize over a period of time. As we realize these fragrances of love, we become more connected with our Guru and have that feeling of gratitude in our hearts with full warmth and happiness.

Today, I am sharing my blissful experience which happened this morning. I don’t really know how to explain it or what to say. It all happened with Mohanji’s blessings. My family and I had been longing to see Mohanji for quite some time. We were so excited to hear about Mohanji’s visit to Chennai (last week). The satsang was on 24th November, evening, however due to the flooding in Velachery we could not make it. We were upset as our craving to see him was shattered. While I was lying on my bed on the afternoon of the 24th, my mind was full of grief and there were so many questions. At that time, a call came from Preethi Gopalarathnam’s mobile, it was Mohanji. He told us to take care and that we should not risk coming out. He also said that he would visit our house every week during meditation, hence we needn’t worry about coming and meeting him on that day.

We had printed out the ID cards for the Chennai Satsang. Yesterday, Devadasji (Devettan) had asked us to send the eye cards of Mohanji to Palakkad. This morning, while I was busy in the kitchen and my husband was counting the eye cards for distribution, he suddenly called me in a very excited voice. I went over and saw that there was VibhutI (sacred ash) sprinkled on some of the cards. Among a pack of 1000 cards, Vibhuti had appeared on several of them!

How did it happen? Only Grace could be the answer to that. Thank you Mohanji!

Written by A.A.

Recently I had some negative entity attached to me and I asked Mohanji what to do. As it was something I actually, unconsciously, allowed He said that if I wished, I have the power to stop and remove any influence with His energy. He just forgot to mention how powerful His energy is. 🙂 So, I followed His advice and sat comfortably in meditation posture, listening to His mantras and gazed into His eyes, asking Him to remove any negative or low vibrant influence around me. Next thing I remember is detonation in my room, like a bomb. I guess entity is dead. 🙂

Another experience…

A year ago I was out for dinner with my friends. After dinner I went with one of my friends to the car, when I realized that my phone was missing. We started to first search for it in my handbag, her handbag, then car, then back at the restaurant and streets all the way to the restaurant. We searched everything several times. We called other friends to check if anyone knew where it was, but there was no clue of the phone anywhere. After 30-40 minutes I gave up searching and accepted that my phone is gone for good. Then I saw a black cat approaching the car. She gazed at me and I intuitively knew it was not an ordinary cat, but someone materialized, who wants to help me. I looked at the cat and kindly asked her to bring me back my phone and then I left. I was driving and my friend was sitting next to me when she suddenly saw my phone on top of my handbag that she held in her lap. We were both shocked! How was it possible to appear like that, after searching so thoroughly?! Anyway, I was grateful and I mentally thanked the person who took a form of a cat to help me. In that time I did not know Mohanji. I heard His call this year and connected to Him. Recently my friend reminded me about the situation with the phone and I immediately realized it was Him who helped me. But, as I was doubting, I told Him that He looked nice as a cat. He knew right away what I was referring to, so he smiled and told me that He had to show me that He always took care of me and that He always gets His job done.

 

Written by Rajesh Sethi

Whilst spending a long break with Mohanji in India, a profound spiritual master, I have come to the following conclusions :
1) If you want to achieve liberation you have to surrender fully and allow the master the opportunity to cleanse obstacles that are preventing your liberation. In order for this to happen the main obstacle, which is the mind, has to be stilled. The more stillness of the mind that is cultivated the more surrendered you are becoming. This provides the right environment for the master to perform cleansing.
2) Remain in his energy field either by being in his close proximity or stay connected to his consciousness wherever you are. This can be done by japa, meditation etc. Distance does not dilute the actual effect. The master resides inside of your being, so there is in actuality no distance at all. In so doing you are allowing him to shine the light and in so doing dispel the darkness from your being. With every breathe chant the name of your master and in this way you will be attracting his grace towards you day and night 😊. Your life will also become infused with peace and happiness for no apparent reason.
3) Follow and practice his teachings with sincerity and discipline needs to be cultivated. Masters are always there to help any disciple who is sincerely seeking liberation. So become sincere and realise that the path to liberation is not a part time occupation but a full time 24/7 preoccupation. You have to in a way “convince the master of your sincerity” by practicing his teachings wholeheartedly and once this has happened, miracles and mind blowing experiences start happening.
God bless you always ❤ ❤

 

Written by Vidya Rajagopalan

My trip to the Kumbh Mela in Nashik in 2015 is one I am eternally grateful for.
We left for Nashik on September 12th and had a restful stay at Hotel Express Inn in Nashik. The next day September 13th , we were to take the holy dip in the Godavari as part of the Kumbh. I had read up the significance of the Kumbh Mela and felt blessed that we were going to participate in the sacred event in the presence and with the blessings of Mohanji, lovingly called ‘Father’ or ‘ Baba’. I must add that I had heard about unmanageable crowds and difficult conditions in such gatherings. But in the blessed presence of Mohanji, events aligned themselves smoothly! We parked our vehicles just half kilometer from the ghat, while we had initially been prepared to walk a few kilometers! We reached the ghat and found it empty, as if it was meant just for our group!! Mohanji gave us instructions on how to take the dip – we were to remember, thank and pray to/for our ancestors, our Kula Devathas, Ishta Devatas, our family members, near and dear ones, and others whom we have known and who have departed from this world and of course ourselves. Someone our family knew well for many years, who was a very blessed soul- reading horoscopes for over 60 years for free, had passed away just two days back. I took a dip while remembering him also. We had taken the dips during Brahma Muhurtha ie around 3.30 – 4 am, which is the best time for spiritual endeavors. I sought Mohanji’s blessings too after the bath and I could feel cleansed from within. I was steeped in amazement at how a group event could go about so smoothly. The second dip was on the 18th and it was even more wondrous! During this dip, one of the group members poured some of the Godavari water on Mohanji, saying Om Namah Shivaya and the entire group did the same. Mohanji also poured water (and his blessings) on all of us.

Once we came out of the water, the smell of Udi/Vibhuti permeated the air and there was no doubt why!! Mohanji looked just like SaiBaba with a towel wrapped on his head and standing under an umbrella, held by a devotee (it was raining – the Gods were showering their blessings). Photos taken during the dip showed blue orbs (indicating divine presence) above Mohanji as he took dips in the river! Little wonder that we felt very complete and satisfied when we left!
On the evening of the 13th, we had meditation and satsang at the hotel’s banquet room. It was the Power of Purity meditation and was followed by Shiva Kavach chanting. The entire atmosphere was charged with divine energy, because it was in the presence of Mohanji and I felt the essence of every word uttered during the meditation. Tears of gratitude and a feeling of deep peace and satisfaction enveloped me throughout and as I chanted the affirmations, I knew I let go of unnecessary emotions and negativity. I was left with a feeling of wanting to do good and realized what I had read earlier, about feeling complete and at peace when we are in gratitude. I am extremely thankful to Mohanji for it all. During the Satsang, Mohanji answered questions that came up and they seemed relevant to all present. One of them I think deserves special mention because it was from my 6 year old niece. It was, ‘Who made God?’ Of course, Mohanji gave a beautiful and simple explanation. Here is a short description of my recollection – God may be described as a brilliant light, the equivalent of innumerable suns, as a vast amount of energy, without a beginning or end, present everywhere and from whom everything we know originated.
Another experience that I would like to share is from our visit to Bhagwan Nityananda’s Samadhi in Ganeshpuri. Mohanji did not accompany us, as he wanted to visit an old swami called Vasudevan Swamiji in Vajreshwari. This was my first visit to Kailash Bhavan and I had not even read about Bade Baba (as Bhagwan Nityananda is referred to). We washed our hands and feet at the hot springs pond and proceeded into the Bhavan. I sat down to meditate in a room and felt wonderful energy. After that I tried to peer through the glass enclosure of a room where Swami Nityananda used to sleep. I felt drawn to the door, as if I wanted to just go in and at the same time, the wonderful scent of Vibhuti was coming through the door! I enjoyed this experience for a while, and later learnt that the others in the group too felt the same draw of energy and the scent of Vibhuti through the door! The arthi that we attended next at Bade baba’s Samadhi was again very fulfilling. One can describe this state as one in which the mind does not do its chatter and we are engrossed in whatever we are doing, without any distraction – be it participating in the arthi or chanting some nama.
Then we left for Vasudevan Swamiji’s house. Mohanji was there and he casually mentioned that he was there at Kailash Bhavan! (That explains the strong vibhuti scent!) I understood that he doesn’t need to travel just in this physical plane that we all see!
Every stone in Vasudevan Swamiji’s house represented a God; Lakshmi, Kaliya Narthana Krishna, Shiva, Hanuman are a few I can recall from the long list mentioned by the Swami and these Gods I learn’t come and give darshan to Vasudevan Swamiji because of his bhakthi (pure love)! Mohanji explained that one can feel the energy of about 50 temples in just that one room! And I experienced it – when we sat down in the room and meditated for a few minutes, I could feel great peace, a quiet mind and desire to focus.

Here are a few moments of Sri Vasudevan enthusiastically showing the points where Gods and masters manifested by leaving traces i.e. changing the shape of stones in the walls:

Later we sought the blessings of Swamiji and left for Mumbai.
During the car ride back, I felt grateful and blessed and as if to strengthen it, I smelt the divine scent of Vibhuti again! This time of course I knew it was because of Mohanji, because he was also in the car! All I can say is again, I felt blessed!
As I wondered where I should begin saying the thank you(s), I realized it began at home! I am thankful that I was born into a family with strong faith in the Almighty and for my parents who nurtured and strengthened it. All of this has guided me to this path and I pray for unswerving, strong faith and purity and magnanimity of intent and action. Words cannot truly express the gratitude I feel towards Mohanji for his grace and kindness!
I would also like to thank all the organizers, who have put in many weeks of hard work in order to organize this pilgrimage. All legs of the trip were handled with great care. A nice, informative write up about the significance of the Kumbh Mela and other places we were to visit along with a detailed itinerary, was a good idea. Travel arrangements, food and accommodation were great and the company of others in the group, who also wanted this wonderful spiritual experience with our Guru Mohanji, made this trip an unforgettable one.

Written by Nikita Mittal

Before I pen down our Guru’s leela (divine play), let all of us humbly prostrate ourselves at His Lotus feet.

My only prayer to the Almighty is to always keep us away from competing with each other, so that we are focused only on serving at His Lotus feet.

Last time I met Mohanji, it was Diwali and in that meeting He kept reminding the devotees present about faith and surrender. He is so humble and full of love that He pardons all our sins and mistakes. His heart is like a wax and forever works towards welfare of His devotees.

How Mohanji showered His blessing and increased my Faith

Before I narrate the incident below, I want to give a context to it. Many months before this incident, I had written to Mohanji on some issue. In reply He had asked me to increase my faith and to keep it permanently.

Coming to the incident, one day I had gone to my daughter’s school to pay the fees. After the work was finished I walked out to my car. As I started the car, I observed that one of the car doors was not locked properly. So I stepped outside the car to close the door correctly while the car engine was still running. In haste, the driver side’s door got shut and due to the central locking mechanism, subsequently all the car doors got locked automatically. I really panicked as the car engine was running and more importantly, the duplicate car key was inside the car, locked!

I ran towards the school security guard. He advised me to go to the nearby market and look for a key maker. I saw an auto rickshaw coming towards me. I hailed it down and requested him to help me. He took me to the key maker and fortunately the key maker agreed to help us. He immediately came with us in the auto rickshaw to where my car was standing. He at once got down to the job at hand and tried his best to open the car. But all his efforts were in vain.

As I stood beside the car, not knowing my next steps, my eyes fell on the picture of Sai Baba and eyes of Mohanji, on the dash board. I immediately grinned at my own panicky behavior and reassured myself ‘why to fear when Baba is near’. My mind calmed down and I started chanting mantras. I prayed to Baba to help me in this situation as the car fuel petrol was getting wasted.

All of a sudden, the key maker guy got a rod from somewhere. Then he pulled up the rubber strip lining the window glass and inserted the rod near the door lock area. He was evidently trying to unlock the lock mechanism. It was a surreal situation – I chanted while he worked. He failed a couple of times, however finally the car door snapped open. Whoa… what a relief it was!

I thanked Baba immediately and the auto rickshaw guy and the key maker for helping me in the hour of need.

After I reached office and informed Mohanji about this incident, he just replied: “Happy? 🙂“

Lots of love to my Baba

 

Written by Padmaja Nimbalkar

I met Mohanji in December 2011 and since that time I have been connected to him. Recently I have been to Nashik Mahakumbh with Mohanji and a group of lovely people.

 

In September there was Sani Trayodasi (Saturday). I was not aware of
what Sani Trayodasi is.

I received message about it on Whatsapp from Kumbh Mela group as
mentioned below –

IMPORTANCE OF SANI TRAYODASI

To remove different types of troubles caused by Saturn who causes
consequences of fate, Shiva should be worshipped and gingely seeds
should be donated on Sani Trayodasi. Shiva is the lord of Saturn so if
Parameswara is worshipped with gingely oil then the afflictions from
Saturn are removed. An individual who worships Shiva during the great
sacred time of Sani Trayodasi during the evening Sandhya would be freed
completely from the results of all the heinous sins committed in
previous lives.

When I read this message I felt so blessed as I realized/experienced
that how your Guru takes care of you.

EXPERIENCE ON SANI TRAYODASI DAY

In Pune Mohanji team conducts weekly meditation at two/three places like
Kharadi ashram, Wanawari, Shivajinagar and Bavadhan. In October
meditation was conducted in Bavdhan (It’s mostly on Saturdays) which is
Aniss’s home. On one Saturday (Saturday previous to Sani Trayodasi
day) Aniss told me that there is one Shiva’s temple near Bombay
–Pune highway which is 4-5 km from her place. We were planning to
visit it the same day but somehow we couldn’t.

The following week as per schedule meditation was planned on 5.30pm. In the
morning I called Aniss and said that I would come to her place by 3pm,
would go to that temple and by 5pm we would come back for meditation. She
agreed.

I reached her place by 3.15pm then she said we would try a shortcut to
go to that temple, so I drove my car as per her instructions but somehow
we came across dead end… Lol

Then we tried another way. That road was also under maintenance but somehow we parked our vehicle at the nearby temple and we walked for 5-10 min. (I explained all these hurdles just to tell you that I guess it was a divine plan)

When we entered the temple, Gabhara (the small area/room where shivaling gets installed) was closed. Then we looked around, some kids were playing there. So Aniss asked one of the girls and then she brought the keys.

After that we entered inside and sat for 15 minutes enjoying/feeling energy over there. Aniss told me whenever she used to come in that temple Diya/lamp was all-time there. But maybe because of the road conditions people were not visiting much and hence no Diya and maybe regular rituals.

Then a thought crossed my mind to play Shiva Kavacham (Shiva Kavacham is a powerful gift from Mohanji. It’s a 20-minute-prayer/audio which covers all aspects of Shiva). I told my wish to Aniss and then she said yes why not. Then we played Shiva Kavacham, when it got over I opened my eyes Aniss was still in meditation. After 10 min she also opened her eyes.
Then I asked her,”How was it ?” (As Aniss heard Shiva Kavacham for the first time).

She told me It was amazing… then she asked me, “Padmaja, did you
observe the things which happened after playing Shiva Kavacham?” We both observed that when we started Shiva Kavacham within 5 min one person came inside to light a Diya then again after 2-5 min somebody rang the bell (Ghanti Bajayee) and one lady came inside to worship Shiva. But one other thing which only Aniss felt/saw that a lot of people were
coming/going  into Gabhara till Shiva Kavacham got over (Here I have to
mention that Aniss has vision, she can see lot of things which we can’t
see with our naked eyes. She has been doing spiritual practices for the last 6-7 years. She can sense energies very quickly).

So this way it was pure and pure Father’s grace that we could worship
Shiva on that specific day to burn our karmas. Rather I should say we
didn’t do anything it was a divine plan.

With Love,
Padmaja

We continue with the second part of the series on Mohanji’s techniques with Conscious WalkingTM. To outline the premise of the series, I paraphrase the closing statement of the first post – “To use the experiences to inculcate a sense of gratitude in the readers for any gifts that are received through the grace of a Master, induce them to treat the gifts with utmost respect and reverence and drive them to actively use the gifts consciously, consistently, persistently, and with complete awareness to further their spiritual growth”. With that aim in mind, let’s move on to discuss the precious gift of Conscious WalkingTM. We will briefly discuss the background of Conscious WalkingTM, understand the science behind the technique, discuss the technique itself including some do’s and don’ts followed by relating the wonderful experiences that people all over the world have had with this beautiful technique.

The Gift

Conscious WalkingTM is a dynamic walking meditation introduced by Mohanji on International Yoga Day (21st June 2015). Since then in a very short span of five months, Conscious WalkingTM has grown rapidly to 30+ cities across 10+ countries with multiple locations within each city. People and groups all around the world have been practising Conscious WalkingTM amongst nature, community parks, gardens, schools and forests and are deriving benefits from this technique as will soon be evidenced by the experiences mentioned later in this post.

The philosophy behind Conscious WalkingTM is rooted in ancient Vedic and Buddhist principles and practices. Conscious WalkingTM works on multiple levels – increase in energy through preventing its loss, increases metabolism, self control and concentration while reducing stress, anxiety, anger and fears. It roots you in the present moment. This simple yet very transformative technique is available free of cost and people can easily practice and adapt to the Conscious WalkingTM life style regardless of age or gender. As with most of Mohanji’s techiques, the simplicity of the technique belies it’s immense transformative power. The express reason for the existence of this post is to provide more information regarding Conscious WalkingTM so that people can really understand this transformative power and include the technique as a vital tool in their spiritual practices.

The Fundamentals

Let’s start by taking a look under the hood to understand the science behind Conscious WalkingTM. There is a circular energy flow going on within the human body that flows through all the 520 trillion cells that constitute the human body. This is akin to the way the flow of electricity works to light a lamp. Every cell has a flow of energy that enlivens it and makes it alive. This flow is happening continuously within the body. When the mind is away or wandering, a lot of this energy is getting dissipated. This is similar to having a pot with many holes. An oscillating mind that travels between past and future rarely stopping in the present consumes a huge amount of our energy. Energy is precious. The more energy you have, the more quality in life you can achieve.

It has been scientifically proven that the aura for all people has a minimum radius of 1 feet. This aura zone is like a sphere shaped field all around the human body. When one’s focus is outside the sphere, the energy gets dissipated which weakens the person. Correspondingly, when one’s focus is within the sphere, the energy is circulating inside one’s own field which strengthens, immunises and protects the person.

The central idea underpinning the Conscious WalkingTM is to rotate and circulate one’s energy within one’s aura field while being established in physical movement. The eyes use the maximum energy from our system. Further, when the eyes look up or look away, the mind also goes away leading to a dissipation of energy. But when the eyes are within the aura zone, the energy is not going out so it is circulated inside. To achieve this effect, we freeze the focus of the eyes within 1 foot ahead of the feet. That’s when the energy gets circulated inside naturally and spontaneously. Even if one’s mind is working in any way, it doesn’t matter. As long the eyes are focused, the energy will always be rotated and circulated inside. We become totally energised and rejuvenated. This is the secret.

The Technique

The three key criteria to practice Conscious WalkingTM are:
– The focus of the eyes should not leave 1 foot distance from your feet compulsorily
– If you want to look up or ahead, stop immediately. Look up or ahead. Get the focus of the eyes back to within the 1 foot distance in front of the feet and continue the walk.
– The spine should be erect, chest should be open and shoulders should be straight

As long as these three conditions are met, one is walking consciously. Do not worry about thoughts and mind. Just let it be, instead concentrate on keeping the eyes steady within one foot distance from the walking feet. Conscious WalkingTM is a meditation. We can call it a dynamic meditation because body is in motion while we experience stillness of spine and eyes.

The recommended time for Conscious WalkingTM is 30min per session. This should be done twice daily for maximum benefit.

Guidelines

• Familiarity of terrain and an even terrain are helpful in avoiding accidents. Public parks, walkers’ yards, etc. are also fine.
• No preparation is required prior to commencing the Conscious WalkingTM. A few neck exercises may be practical for those that have a stiff neck. If you have a routine that helps you settle in, follow it by all means but please remember that this is individualistic. What works for you may not work for others!
• It is recommended to walk slowly and with full awareness. If you are going too fast, remember that your eyes are ahead of one foot that defeats the purpose of Conscious WalkingTM.
• Walk at your own pace. Speed of walk is individualistic. Focus is the more important criterion.
• While walking, thoughts may come and go. Just concentrate on keeping your eyes firmly rooted one foot away from your feet.
• While walking, one should not look ahead or sideways. Whenever one looks ahead, the mind also tends to go ahead. 
Looking ahead means mind is travelling ahead too. Mind travelling ahead is the root cause of anxiety and many fears.
• Maintain silence. Avoid talking while walking. It will result in distraction. This walk increases concentration, self-control and beingness. So, if one must talk or express something, please stop, talk and then proceed.
• Since Conscious WalkingTM will not exceed 30 minutes, water may not be needed while walking. You can drink water before your walk or after. Consider this as meditation. During meditation, we don’t drink water. Walking Consciously is Meditating.
• Please keep it simple and do not combine any other techniques with the walk. Chanting is not recommended. At the risk of repeating this again and again, the focus should be only on awareness of the spine and on one foot in front of your feet. It is really that simple and the only thing to keep in mind.
• There is no need to practice anything after the walk. Nothing else is required. Just be in silence as much as you can. If someone is so inclined, they can sit quiet, focus inside and watch the mind objectively as a witness. Gap awareness can also be practiced after the walk. You can stabilize the energy flow by being objective and watch your breath – the inhalation, exhalation and the gaps between inhalation and exhalation and between exhalation and inhalation – objectively without participating. Again, if you have a routine that helps you after the walk, follow it by all means but please remember that this is individualistic. What works for you may not work for others!

The Benefits

“When CW is performed with full awareness, it is both a good form of exercise AND also a way to train the mind to remain in the present moment, in the NOW. Most of us live in the future, which causes negligence of the present and anxiety over the future. Conscious WalkingTM signifies being in the present and being in your own aura field. There is no energy loss. When energy circulates within your own aura field, most of the acquired blockages are dissolved as well.” – Mohanji

• Mohanji says that 30 minutes of Conscious WalkingTM can be as effective as 3 hours of meditation. Twice daily is equivalent to 6 hours of meditation. Wow!!! Furthermore, some people may find this easier and more natural than meditation. Because in normal meditation, mind takes time to settle down. When people sit for meditation, they may feel bored, tensed, or be easily distracted. The mind does not settle. Conscious WalkingTM can thus help to develop clarity and strength of mind, and a concentration that can carry over into other less active meditation postures.
• Since one is in one’s own energy field during Conscious WalkingTM, there is no wastage of energy. Since there is no wastage of energy, every cell of the body is properly energized. Since energy flow is stabilized, each and every organ is benefited.
• When you are in your own energy field, you are completely focused inside. Hence, attention, awareness and concentration are vastly improved.
• When there is sufficient energy, there is less anger. When you are weak, you are angry. When you have sufficient energy, you are stable and in equilibrium. This leads to more self control and equanimity
• The following benefits are generally experienced when there is no energy wastage due to equalization and stabilization of the energy flow within the body:
  • Better energy and integrity
  • Lesser anxiety and worries
  • Self-confidence and better self-esteem
  • Lesser emotional blockages
  • More immunity towards negativities
  • Presence of mind
  • Better clarity and purposefulness
  • Better equilibrium and balance in life

Experiences

Now we move on to theinteresting section of this blog post – the diverse experiences that people across the world have had with practising Conscious WalkingTM. The simplicity of the Conscious WalkingTM may lull people into doubting it’s efficacy. We hope that the experiences inspire them to dig deeper and renew their practices with new found vigour, consistency and discipline. So without any further ado, we present the Conscious WalkingTM experiences.

Yohan from London, UK shares his amazing experience with Conscious WalkingTM – “At the last Conscious WalkingTM, I experienced a ball of golden light 2m in circumference all around me. The energy from mother earth was deeply purifying and invigorating. When opening my eyes after Gapless breathing, everything from the grass, trees and plants was glowing with golden light.”

Neha Parekh from Toronto, Canada – “Ever since Mohanji has introduced Conscious WalkingTM in our lives, I have experienced that 30 mins of Conscious WalkingTM each day since the past few days during my lunch hour is bringing in unbelievable stillness in my train of thoughts. I am actually smelling the breeze, hearing the birds chirp, seeing small insects that might come beneath my feet….:-which I have many times been so unconscious about in the mad rush of this current lifestyle. I am more conscious of each word that is let out, each thought that happens within the mind and each action that displays an expression. My food habits have changed remarkably. Each portion taken is consciously thought for. I am getting more aware of my emotions, like my anger, fatigue that the body experiences and the frustration of not getting what we believe is correct. I see clearly The meaning of Life, why have we come here and where are we going. Unconditional Love and Service is the only means and way to serve The Divine and Liberate. This technique aids us in realizing our main purpose of Liberation. It’s an amazing tool to get back to oneself. With time, we have become more and more dispersed…spreading far and wide in all directions, with Mohanji’s Grace and teachings, we are now becoming more aware of where we belong and what is our true nature.”

Ljiljana Stojsic from Novi Sad, Serbia – “Conscious WalkingTM brings me closer to my true being. It’s bringing me closer to precious divine Love and Mercy.”

Caroline Moscato from North Queensland, Australia shares her beautiful experience with Conscious WalkingTM – “Before the Conscious WalkingTM, I connected to Mohanji’s consciousness through the eye card and listened to/mentally chanted Mohanji’s Gayatri Mantra on my phone. I find that connecting to Mohanji’s consciousness prior to the Conscious WalkingTM meditation enhances the effect of my practice. During the Conscious WalkingTM, I was watching the frenzy of thoughts arising and falling in the choppy sea of my untamed mind. Quite honestly, I was also sceptically thinking that today’s meditative walk was not really effective for me in my preoccupied state of mind. Finally, we reached the end point of our Conscious WalkingTM circuit, where we usually sit and meditate a while longer under a big, beautiful tree. I finally unlocked my eyes, and raised my head, only to find that I could hardly move. I felt quasi-paralysed by such a feeling of deep peace, that all I could do was sit and bask in profound silence and bliss for the next ten or so minutes. The inverted pyramid meditation that we practiced next provoked an incredibly strong tingling sensation in my lower body, especially while chanting on the root chakra and meditating on my connection with Mother Earth. I felt so connected, grateful, at peace, loved by and in love with Mother Earth and all of Creation. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of universal consciousness, oneness, unconditional love or the unfathomable nature of the Supreme that I’ve ever had. Thank you so much Mohanji for guiding me to this glimpse of a greater glory.”

Mirjana Andres-Rogović from Crikvenica, Croatia, “I wasn’t expecting that it will be that powerful. Just after first few minutes of conscious breathing, the walk became almost bodiless. I didn’t feel my ankles, which otherwise slip and twist on rocks. In the moments between in-breath and out-breath, all stones became slightly blurred. Then in a brief moment of total peace, they became round like eggs in a casket. As if I was looking with my Soul and not with my eyes. When I came to the end of the road, I felt i could move ahead walking further on into the sea. It was difficult to stop, as if I was blocked in flight, because when I did stop the trees continued moving as if moving away from me, and that continued for some time. Wonderful experience. Recommend it to all.”

Shreelatha Nair from Vancouver, Canada – “Dear Friends, for the first time today 10 years after my spine surgery, I jogged all the way down to the beach for 20min and came walking up without stopping or taking any support! I could never walk like this before the Conscious WalkingTM! My walking has now changed to jogging! It was beautiful feeling and i felt so blessed to be able to do it. Thanks to Mohanji for making all this possible. No doubt the results will happen with Mohanji’s grace. All we need is consistency and commitment.”

Ramya Vijayaraghavan from Chennai, India – “The Conscious WalkingTM left me feeling energised, tranquil and in equlibrium.”

Shivani from London, UK – “I have been practicing this since its launch in June. Every day (nearly?) for about 15-20 minutes, I do Conscious WalkingTM barefoot. Apart from the profound silence that engulfs me suddenly, it also helps to totally connect with Mother Earth. As I place each foot forward, it’s like kissing the ground with my feet. I have felt totally grounded and the energy from the earth leaves me refreshed for the whole day. Practicing walking consciously has greatly facilitated the development of mindfulness in ordinary daily life. Learning to establish awareness during walking when I am physically moving with my eyes open has helped me to arouse that same wakeful quality during other activities, such as practicing yoga, eating, washing dishes, or driving. It is easier to arouse mindfulness while walking to the shop, through the park, or during any other time. Meditation has begun to permeate my entire life. Sai Ram”

Seema Mahabeer from Durban, South Africa – “Have you ever thought about not thinking? Well, it is possible? I started the walk with so much going on in my mind (like we all do). I tried to calm it down but it still went on. I stopped, closed my eyes and connected to Mohanji. I immediately went into a state of silence. I continued and smiled to myself. I could now see only white light. After one lap in the sports field I could see the manmade pathway clearly. I walked and the concentration got so intense that I felt the grass on either side of the pathway disappear. I could only see white light, it looked like mist. I felt as if I was walking on air. I stopped and captured the moment. I closed my eyes and then opened it again. I must admit, I also felt dizzy. Blessed and calm now, I continue to love the world.”

Jayanthi Karthikeyan from Chennai, India – “It was a wonderful experience. The whole process happened on its own. Mind was in silence for most of the time. At the end, I felt light at the body level. There is a desire to keep repeating it to internalize the essence of the process. Thanks so much for introducing it to me.”

The team conducting Conscious WalkingTM in Durban, South Africa shared the following experience of one of the attendees – “She had been suffering with severe back /shoulder pains for years. She had been on medication and decided that she needed to do this walk. She even mentioned that her family was shocked to see her getting ready for the walk because the previous day she was feeling so sick. She was the first one ready to leave. It is all Mohanji! She had a beautiful walk and she felt the severe pains all over again as she walked. Her shoulders were aching. Amazingly, her focus changed and she felt totally different as she walked. She felt calmer and more relaxed. She was still in a little pain. After the gapless breathing, she told us that she felt a whole lot better. The pain had disappeared. She was happy and could not stop talking. She even said the family is going to be so happy. They were going to give her so much of work to do now that she is better and we all laughed.”

Grozdana from Varaždin, Croatia – “I went for a Conscious WalkingTM this morning.The chirping of birds and a light breeze followed my footsteps while a shy beam of sunlight hid behind a cloud. My footsteps became lighter, as if I wasn’t walking on the ground, but floating above ground. I was at peace with myself and a feeling of closeness with all. Even the wind subsided. I ended my meditation just as a small dog, happilly wagging his tail, came to me..I left with inner peace and hugged a tree which I came upon with a deep feeling of gratitude. Thank you for all the blessings I received.“

Jayshree from London, UK – “After 4-5 weeks of attempting to “do” Conscious WalkingTM, today I simply “became” it. I now simply ‘get it’ and can now share something that is real to me. I experienced myself floating along with my vibrant prana. It was as if my path was lubricated and I was in a bubble. My own form, energy-wise as a linga. As I continued, I felt magnicent, I felt small, I was everything, I was nothing, I was the most significant thing in that field, I was a speck of nothing in the universe, as insignificant as could be. I became meditation and entered into a very deep part of me. The core. A true test for me is where I end up with any meditation. When I finished I wanted to simply sit in Sukasana and go into a silent meditation, eyes closed, to just stay with it. There was no opportunity to do this, so my eyes were ajar, half open and I just stood still with the others and stayed in that space, using my breath as an anchor to remain within myself. I did not feel compelled to talk. I was silent within and without. I continue to feel a deep stillness and am pretty sure this will stay with me, if not deepen, during the rest of today.”

Sumathi Vasudevan from Chennai, India – “We walked for fifteen minutes. At the end of the walk, I felt very light. While I was walking, I felt as if there was no body at all after some time. On the whole, it was a very good experience.”

Sanam from Durban, South Africa – “Since practising Conscious WalkingTM, apart from a delightful sense of peace and joy within, I’ve experienced an increased level of focus and concentration with regard to my studies. I’ve also observed that my awareness for both external and internal conditions has increased. I would definitely recommend Conscious WalkingTM to all those who seek to relish the subtle sweetness of what inner joy and contentment brings, even if it is just for a few moments.”

Zoran Stefanovski from Skopje Macedonia – “Conscious WalkingTM gets under my skin. As much as I practice, the deeper I am absorbed in an infinite peace and no-mind state where I feel powerful and centered in the Bliss state.”

Izabela Jovovic from Belgrade, Serbia – “Though our thoughts raced against each other at the beginning, it was a half an hour of total bliss. We felt serenity, peace and Mohanji’s presence.”

Kishore bhai from Durban, South Africa – “Conscious WalkingTM has changed my life. I had injured my back and was on crutches for a month. After doing Conscious WalkingTM with Mohanji for a week at the South African retreat, I began to walk without crutches and could even walk for long distances.”

Kirti Khandelwal from Pune, India – “When i was Conscious WalkingTM, i was feeling that when i take one step i am feeling my muscle movement which i never felt before. It is like full awareness inside. It was beautiful Thank you, guys. See you next time 🙂”

Krishna from London, UK – “Every day becomes more beautiful than the day before!. I start to smile on my own and enjoy the walk which is taking me where I need to go. It is somewhat amazing to see that I more or less walked on the same path this morning! Never happened before! So much energy to do more. I felt very calm and my senses enjoyed all the sounds of nature including the church bell! The meaning of my life has been developing in the inner space to help me realise why we are here together and the purpose will become a reality soon. Today, people in the park started to respect the walk and gave more care in their hearts to observe silence when passing through. Mohanji’s words became a reality to enjoy momentum that is a great blessing from Guruji! Jai Mohanji! I am following your steps without knowing because you are with me! Why! I met you very late in life?”

Ana from Skopje, Macedonia, “Same as every Sunday, my experience from today’s Conscious WalkingTM was wonderful. I felt as if I am one head above myself I had a feeling that I am taller, bigger. I was merged with nature, light as air. OMNIPRESENT! But, what amazed me the most was our devotion and conviction 🙂 As young aspirants with huge faith, we gathered under the rain to walk consciously. Lazy didn’t even bring an umbrella with him 🙂 And I wonder
at that energy, what is that force? What is that which guides us and drives us to renounce it all? And what is that which makes me so devoted to Mohanji’s Path?
My devotion is getting bigger and bigger, and no bad weather can stop me from practising the technique. I even ask myself? What if the Guru tells me to jump in the river? Would I do it? I think that I would 🙂 Because I would know that it is good for me 🙂 Because that is the way one love one’s Guru With the WHOLE HEART And mine… already belongs to MOHANJI”
I close with a very apt quote on Conscious WalkingTM from an Awakening Times article on the Serbia Retreat with Mohanji – “Conscious WalkingTM teaches us how to walk the path. One step at a time. Being conscious. Being aware. Being in the present. Not thinking about the destination and worrying about it. Aligning ourselves to our central meridian – our spine.”

[Interested individuals and groups around the world who would like to learn, practise and spread Conscious WalkingTM may kindly write to consciouswalking@mohanji.org. You can also join the growing community of Conscious Walkers via the Conscious WalkingTM Facebook page and catch up on the latest Conscious WalkingTM news and events happening around the world]

|| Om Shri Shivaaya Mohanaaya Namah ||

Written by Brintha

On the morning of Friday 31^st July 2015, Guru Purnima, Mohanji visited our house with his wife Biba. He arrived around 10:30 am and after a heartfelt welcome with the Poornakumbam (a brass pot holding a coconut, mango leaves and Ganga water, an honour reserved only for the highest of masters and yogis), made his way inside, amongst the sounds of faithful chants and bhajans in praise of Lord Shiva. He had a  beautiful smile on his face, as he sat down on his chair beside the altar.

Mohanji gave his blessing for the Guru Purnima Pooja to be carried out by Pundit Gowri Shankar, a visiting priest from India. Poojas were carried out for Lord Ganesh, Sathya Sai Baba and Shirdi Sai Baba before an abhishekam was prepared to worship the divine padhukas (sacred, traditional footwear made of five different metals) of the Lord and the lotus feet of our dear Mohanji. As the eleven dravyams (oil, ghee, a mixed fruit-pulp, milk, yoghurt, honey, fruit juice, coconut water, sandalwood paste, holy ash and the Poornakumbam water) were offered to the padhukas and pancha dravyams (water, milk, items in respect to the mother cow, sandalwood paste and Ganga water) to the feet of Mohanji, Panditji started to chant the Sri Rudram, and the rest of the congregation immediately followed. Soon the house was humming with the loud chanting of deep and powerful mantras.

Doing the abhishekam for Mohanji’s feet (ritualistic washing and bathing with each item of the pancha dravyams) was an experience of pure bliss for both me and my husband. In the same way a mother lovingly allows her children to play with her hair, her bangles, Mohanji happily allowed us to perform Pooja to his feet in whatever way we wanted, in whatever way may have pleased us! For the entire duration I was doing the rituals, I felt only the peace and comfort of his aura which were present in the subtle energy of his Presence … I was not merely conducting a Pooja for the sacred feet of my Guru; in that moment, really I was washing and bathing the feet of my loving Swami. More than anything, as I sat there at Mohanji’s feet completely unaware of life beyond the present moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude and unconditional love enter and take hold inside my being. All my sins were being washed away, and in turn, all I was left with was the purity and peace inside my heart. I looked up at Mohanji only a few times during the Pooja, but each time his smiling eyes connected with mine, I felt like I was looking into the eyes of a father … I saw only love, a deep compassion which sought to take over my troubles and raise me to my brightest, glowing potential.

After the Pooja we wiped and dried Mohanji’s feet, gently and carefully, before decorating them with chandan (sandalwood) and kumkum (red turmeric powder) and performing the Aarthi to Shirdi Sai, Sathya Sai and Mohanji himself. He gave Shaktipat to a few devotees who had come, staying to have Mahaprasad (sanctified food) afterwards, in which we were fortunate to serve lunch to Him and Bibaji. Mohanji thoroughly enjoyed the South Indian meal, expressing his happiness with the Pooja before leaving to prepare for the Havan scheduled that evening at Oxhey Wood School.

The Havan took place around 5:00 pm, outside the hall, on the grass where the energy from the rituals could dissipate immediately into Mother Earth and the atmosphere. After Mohanji completed his worldwide Skype call[1] for Guru Purnima both He and Bibaji presided over the Havan, facing the setting sun. Sitting outside where we could feel the breeze of the wind and the presence of the nature surrounding us, the meaning of the mantras we chanted took on a new meaning – we were saying the prayers for the welfare of the world, and experiencing the oneness surrounding us helped us realise this. Numerous mantras were chanted with various offerings to the sacred flame, in reverence to Lord Ganesh, Dakshina Moorthi and Goddess Lakshmi, and as those present became engaged in the chanting, the power of the mantras manifested in deep and powerful vibrations that affected all the devotees present, both physically and in live-stream. The energy was very intense. Mohanji praised and gave his blessings to Panditji for carrying out the rituals with such involvement and ‘bhav’ (emotion and feeling), and as the ceremony closed with the Poornahuti (final offering), devotees were invited inside the hall to conduct the Shirdi Arathi with their families. Mohanji presided over Veda Chanting carried out by the devotees, before concluding the day with his satsang.

When we later reviewed the photos taken of the Guru Purnima ceremony on Mohanji’s Facebook page, we were able to see something special on the havan photos – in the flames rising from the Havankund, a very prominent ‘AUM’ was seen. Upon sharing the amazing news with Mohanji, he said “I have done my job properly,” and laughed. He said “At your house, and the Havan, the vibrations were very good. It is very important to perform these rituals and yagnas, and to preserve them. And when you do these rituals with ‘bhav’ and involvement, then it is useful. When there is no ‘bhav’, there is no need to chant [because if it becomes mechanical and routine, then there is little benefit.]”

Mohanji, we feel very privileged and thank you for giving us the opportunity to attend this wonderful Guru Purnima programme … for visiting our house, for blessing us with your presence, your love and your wisdom, but also for allowing us the pleasure of partaking in such amazing vibrations and reminding us of the purity and oneness that lies in our hearts. We are very grateful for being able to be part of such a powerful occasion – and for having you in our lives.