Amma Sri Karunamayi
Beloved by many, giver of blessings, teacher of mantra and meditation, spiritual teacher Amma Sri Karunamayi embodies the grace of the divine mother.
She has been teaching the philosophical and practical teachings of Yoga and Ayurveda to people in the cities where she stops and visits.
LA YOGA had the opportunity to ask Sri Karunamayi about her perspective on the importance of Ayurveda and the integration of Yoga and Ayurveda.
Felicia M. Tomasko: How do the teachings of Yoga and Ayurveda work together to support a spiritual practice?
Sri Karunamayi: Yoga is for the fitness of mind and the body, Ayurveda is for the healing of the mind and the body by using natural herbs in the right quantity and with the right preparation. In the same way that water and oxygen are important for existence of a person on this Earth, Yoga and Ayurveda are important for a person in spiritual practice.
FMT: How can Ayurveda benefit us in modern life in the West?
ASK: In this fast pace of life, Ayurveda and Yoga will benefit every person. If people practice Yoga and Ayurveda, their silence and peace in mind and body will be at a greater level. This in turn will help them to take maintain their health, physical fitness, appropriate diet and stress-free life to experience stronger psychological and emotional acceptance and resilience. It is very important for a person to practice every day to reap the benefits.
FMT: How do you recommend people begin implementing Ayurveda in their lives?
ASK: There are no hard and fast rules that a person needs to implement in a certain way. The person’s state of body and mind along with their lifestyle must be considered in developing a routine. A simple way to start a person’s day is by drinking warm water with honey and lime. Stir until the honey is mixed well in the warm water. This helps the person’s digestive system in the morning and is a way to start implementing Ayurveda from day one.
FMT: In what ways can a person integrate pranayama (breathing techniques) and asana (posture) into their practice?
ASK: Your breathing is nothing but your prana (life-force). Before you start Yoga asanas, pranayama needs to be performed. By performing pranayama, a person clears the lungs, the heart starts pumping blood carrying oxygen to all parts of the body, then the muscles receive this oxygen and support the asana. Pranayama and asana are two sides of the coin of the body. An asana cannot be performed without pranayama. Every asana is deeply integrated with breathing technique. Without this, the asana may not be performed to its fullest potential.
FMT: How are the chakras (energy centers) part of the teachings of Yoga and Ayurveda?
ASK: The body has seven chakras: Muladhara, Svadhisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha, Ajna and Sahasrara. Cleansing of chakras is done by breathing through the chakras (pranayama), by performing asana and by diet. If we don’t have any one of the three, cleansing of the chakras is not possible. Each of the chakras has a mantra, areas of the body where it is active and associated energetics or qualities:
Muladhara – LAM
Root support, Earth and Grounding
Svadhisthana – VAM
Center of self, Water, One’s Own Self
Manipura – RAM
Lustrous Gem, Fire, Personal Power
Anahata – YAM
Unstuck, Air, Love
Vishuddha – HAM
Purification, Air/Space, Intuition
Ajna – OM
Command Center, Space and
Inner Vision
Sahasrara – AHH
Thousand-petaled Lotus,
Crystal Light, Unity
FMT: How does the use of mantra support health and well-being?
ASK: Mantram has to be recited properly with clear distinction of voice and inner feeling. The mantram becomes effective when the recital is precise in pronunciation and one has an inner understanding of the mantram. For example, the Mrutyunjaya Mahamantram is for both healing and moksha (liberation), but when a person is reciting this mantra for healing, it is different from reciting it for moksha. From this we understand that the same mantra can be used for many different purposes and for different benefits.
FMT: How do you recommend a person choose which mantra to chant or repeat in their sadhana (spiritual practice)?
ASK: A person cannot choose a mantra by himself or herself. The person deserves a mantra due to his or her karmic bondages and actions over the many cycles of births and deaths. The mantra has to be given by the guru per the eligibility of the person.
Even if a person chooses their own mantra, it will not be effective since the person does not exactly know how to get the maximum benefit from the chosen mantra. Even a learned scholar needs a guru for direction.
FMT: Do you ever suggest using mantra and asana together?
ASK: When performing surya namaskaram, sun salutation, a mantra which everyone can repeat is prescribed. It is important to breathe and chant the mantra in the absolute right way. Many people have a mantra given by their gurus and they can chant the mantra while performing asana and pranayama. The universal mantra is “Soham.”
FMT: What is the relationship between our health and well-being and that of Nature? What are the Vedic teachings regarding this relationship?
ASK: For example, bees are the most important part of our ecology. Currently we are having a threat from extinction of bees due to electronic radiation that happening all over the world. This electronic radiation is caused by telecommunication systems, radio waves and other sources. If bees do not exists in this world, then eighty to ninety per cent of the world’s crops would vanish from our planet in three to five years.
If no trees are on our planet, then the CO2 levels will rise, which will kill all the living beings in this planet in two to three years. Currently our CO2 levels are 387 ppm (parts per million), if this reaches 390 ppm then it’s irreversible, the temperature will rise, the rains will fall, the seasons will change, winters will be colder. We are already seeing these changes. Recent winter in East Coast of USA was under heavy snow for many days. The temperature dropped drastically.
Torrential rains in India, which flooded many major cities, town and villages where demolished, the crops were ruined and left millions homeless. Draught is hitting many parts of Africa. Australia is under draught conditions for the first time since last year.
From this we need to consider that coexistence with the nature is good for our health. If the nature is damaged, our health is damaged too. The Vedic teachings say, “All living and non-living beings have the right to live in this planet. If you destroy anyone you destroy yourself!”
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
May Everyone Be Happy
Amma Sri Karunamayi visits the US every year. To see her full schedule with times and locations of programs, visit: karunamayi.org.
Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.