• General
  • Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
  • Art Of Living
    • Guinness Records
  • Knowledge
  • Stories
  • About Me

Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and My Self!

Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and My Self!

Tag Archives: Anva Upaya

3 levels of spiritual practice by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

10 Thursday Jul 2014

Posted by Aravind Venkatachalam in Knowledge

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Anva Upaya, Art of Living, Meditation, Practises, Pranayama, Shakta Upaya, Spirituality, Sri Sri, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Sudarshan Kriya

I have this question time and again. Not only me but a lot of others too.

“There are so many spiritual practices. Some you have to do – pranayamas, breathing, kriya. Some you do not have to do anything – meditate, concentration. And some where the experience just comes to you. Are they all different?”

I came across this knowledge talk sheet given by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar which talks exactly about this. The different levels of spiritual practices. He clearly says how we start with one level and it takes us to the other levels. Really good read!

There are three levels of spiritual practices.

The first one is called Anva Upaya. The second is Shakta Upaya, . and the third one is Shambava Upaya. Shiva, Shakti and Anva. All practices in the world can be categorized into these three categories. So, Anva is the lowest; means the very beginning. All the japa, mantras, poojas, yogasanas, breath control, everything comes under Anva Upaya. They are called Upayas, which means remedies. Above this is Shakta. Shakta is only mental, i.e., inside. There is no outer thing, no mantras in it. It is the effect of the meditative state, that is Shakta Upaya.

When you sing, meditate,  do pranayam and Sudarshan Kriya (Kriya begins with Anva Upaya but then), it leads to Shakta Upaya, when you are just energy. Here there is no effort, there is no doing. Just a little bit effortless effort is there.

Then the Shambava or Shiv Upaya is just pure awareness. Just a state of awareness. Shambava Upaya means that there is no means (way) to do it, it is just a happening, it will just happen. Even then it is still called an Upaya.

So the purpose of Anva and Shakta Upaya is to go to Shambava Upaya wherein you become one with Shiva (the fourth state of consciousness). There is no two, there is no doer, you are Shiva, and that is Shambava Upaya.

Usually people who have experienced some degree of Shambava Upaya, they simply discard the other levels. If you read, some people have said that there is no point in doing pranayama, or, there is no point in chanting mantras, or there is no point in doing Pooja. They are all talking from the level of Shambava Upaya, but all these practices have their own place too. See, for example, if you go to the Prime Minister of a country, the Mayor doesn’t matter much. But suppose the Mayor has a say as well, then even if you go to the Prime Minister the mayor of this town can put some hurdles, isn’t it? The beaurocrats can put some hurdles.

So the ancient system is attending to everybody and giving everyone their rightful place. And that is how all this, Anva Upaya, Shakta Upaya, everything is maintained because they have some purpose.

Advertisement

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Days to WCF

World Culture FestivalMarch 11, 2016
The World Culture Festival in New Delhi, INDIA!

Categories

  • Art Of Living
  • General
  • Inspirational Quotes
  • Katha Vidya
  • Knowledge
  • Poems
  • Stories
  • Videos

Pages

  • About Me
  • Guinness Records
  • Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Art of Living Ashram Bad habits Bhagavad Gita Brain Breath Campaign Choice community Death Dushyant Ego emotions Guru Guruji Happiness health Inspiration Karma Knowledge Life Love Mahabharata Mahabharatha marriage Meditation Mind Navaratri Peace Poem Poetry Prana Pranayama Quote Quotes Relationship Satsang Society Spirituality Sri Sri Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Story Stress Stress Free Sudarshan Kriya Teacher Video games Violence Violence Free Yoga

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,308 other subscribers
Follow Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and My Self! on WordPress.com

My favorites

  • Flying High in Peace
  • Kaalakshepam...
  • rarasaur
  • Art of Living Blog
  • Intenseice

Art Of Living

  • Art of Living Foundation
  • Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Blog Stats

  • 137,879 hits

RSS Feed RSS - Posts

RSS Feed RSS - Comments

February 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728  
« May    

Prayer

Saha nav avatu, Saha nau bhunaktu, Saha viryam karavavahi: Tejasvi nav adhitam astu: ma vidvisavahai; Aum Santih, Santih, Santih - May He protect us both; may He be pleased with us both; may we work together with vigor; may our study make us illumined; may there be no dislike between us. Aum, peace, peace, peace.

Recent Posts

  • Mantras
  • Critic or Profiteering – For Anti WCF Brigade – Part 1
  • 33000 artists to perform in WCF!
  • 7 Energy chakras of India & our Earth!
  • Why you should be in New Delhi this March!

Archives

  • May 2022
  • February 2016
  • July 2015
  • May 2015
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • July 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012

Aravind Venkatachalam

is a senior software engineer living in the Bay area. He is a devotee of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and volunteers for the Art of Living Foundation. He uses this blog to share his ideas on ancient wisdom from the Puranas and from Sri Sri along with many other stories and juicy stuff!!

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Flying High in Peace

Kaalakshepam...

Stories untold and retold

rarasaur

frightfully wondrous things happen here.

Art of Living Blog

Intenseice

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and My Self!
    • Join 118 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and My Self!
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
%d bloggers like this: