There is no equivalent for the word "tapas" in the English language. It is translated most frequently as "penance," but that word does not accurately describe the spiritual discipline wherein a person meditates in samadhi for at least 12 hours a day for an extended period of time. A Yogi is a man or woman who has completed tapas under the guidance of a guru.
Sri Shivabalayogi had no personal desire for God-realization when he was made to sit in yuga tapas, a 12-year cycle of tapas by his divine guru, Lord Shiva. It was done solely for the benefit of the world. The tapas shakti, or spiritual power, that Sri Shivabalayogi attained enabled him to initiate and guide seekers on the yogic path of dhyan and to give bhava samadhi to increase faith and devotion, as well as heal physical and mental ailments.
When Sri Shivabalayogi completed his yuga tapas in 1961, Lord Shiva told him that he would also be made to sit in tapas from time to time when the need arose. He completed a year-long tapas at the instruction of his guru beginning on August 7, 1968, as well as periods of forty-days of tapas during the Indo-Pakistani wars of 1965 and 1971. By sitting in tapas during crucial moments, Sri Shivabalayogi was able to reduce or prevent conflicts that threatened mankind. He said that, "If there is a lot of danger in the country or the world, then Swamiji will sit in tapas."
A yogi has access to a limitless source of spiritual power. During the period in which tapas is performed, this immense energy is harnessed and distributed to the world. The powerful vibrations reduce tensions, change the minds of those in power, and further the progress of those on the spiritual path. The collective consciousness is raised and catastrophes are averted or mitigated.
Sri Shivabalayogi has also performed tapas in his present form of Sri Swamiji. When Sri Swamiji began his present cycle of teaching in 1998, he told his American devotees that an extremely difficult time lay ahead for mankind, beginning in the near future. He later announced that he wished to conduct a year of tapas in the United States. He would do so at the donated property in North Carolina, a wooded area on the outskirts of Durham. During the 2000 tour, Sri Swami and his devotees looked at modular homes. Over the next few months, a design was selected which was large enough for both the tapas and meditation programs.
When Sri Swamiji arrived from India on May 31, 2001, to start his next tour, he said that his tapas would begin on August 22, no matter what. Work on the house progressed rapidly, though delays caused by rain meant that, for the first month, Sri Swamiji meditated in an RV on a nearby property. Sri Swamiji's urgency to start tapas on time had seemed remarkable to those around him. Less than three weeks after he started came the terrible news of the September 11 attacks which began the current time of troubles that he predicted.
For the next year, Sri Swamiji meditated every day from 5:00 a.m. to about 5:00 p.m. After a month, he moved to his new house, which was the site of the Durham Ganesh Place ashram. His nourishment was virtually non-existent, with just one or two glasses of milk a day, a small amount of tea with honey, and some nutritional supplements. During the year, he was attended by devotees, spoke at most in whispers, and his weight gradually dropped to half its original amount. He completed his tapas as planned on August 22, 2002. Devotees came from all over the world for the great celebration which followed. A week later, a radiantly happy but much slimmer Sri Swamiji returned to India as his devotees exulted at the tremendous work that he had accomplished on behalf of mankind.
Sri Shivabalayogi had no personal desire for God-realization when he was made to sit in yuga tapas, a 12-year cycle of tapas by his divine guru, Lord Shiva. It was done solely for the benefit of the world. The tapas shakti, or spiritual power, that Sri Shivabalayogi attained enabled him to initiate and guide seekers on the yogic path of dhyan and to give bhava samadhi to increase faith and devotion, as well as heal physical and mental ailments.
When Sri Shivabalayogi completed his yuga tapas in 1961, Lord Shiva told him that he would also be made to sit in tapas from time to time when the need arose. He completed a year-long tapas at the instruction of his guru beginning on August 7, 1968, as well as periods of forty-days of tapas during the Indo-Pakistani wars of 1965 and 1971. By sitting in tapas during crucial moments, Sri Shivabalayogi was able to reduce or prevent conflicts that threatened mankind. He said that, "If there is a lot of danger in the country or the world, then Swamiji will sit in tapas."
A yogi has access to a limitless source of spiritual power. During the period in which tapas is performed, this immense energy is harnessed and distributed to the world. The powerful vibrations reduce tensions, change the minds of those in power, and further the progress of those on the spiritual path. The collective consciousness is raised and catastrophes are averted or mitigated.
Sri Shivabalayogi has also performed tapas in his present form of Sri Swamiji. When Sri Swamiji began his present cycle of teaching in 1998, he told his American devotees that an extremely difficult time lay ahead for mankind, beginning in the near future. He later announced that he wished to conduct a year of tapas in the United States. He would do so at the donated property in North Carolina, a wooded area on the outskirts of Durham. During the 2000 tour, Sri Swami and his devotees looked at modular homes. Over the next few months, a design was selected which was large enough for both the tapas and meditation programs.
When Sri Swamiji arrived from India on May 31, 2001, to start his next tour, he said that his tapas would begin on August 22, no matter what. Work on the house progressed rapidly, though delays caused by rain meant that, for the first month, Sri Swamiji meditated in an RV on a nearby property. Sri Swamiji's urgency to start tapas on time had seemed remarkable to those around him. Less than three weeks after he started came the terrible news of the September 11 attacks which began the current time of troubles that he predicted.
For the next year, Sri Swamiji meditated every day from 5:00 a.m. to about 5:00 p.m. After a month, he moved to his new house, which was the site of the Durham Ganesh Place ashram. His nourishment was virtually non-existent, with just one or two glasses of milk a day, a small amount of tea with honey, and some nutritional supplements. During the year, he was attended by devotees, spoke at most in whispers, and his weight gradually dropped to half its original amount. He completed his tapas as planned on August 22, 2002. Devotees came from all over the world for the great celebration which followed. A week later, a radiantly happy but much slimmer Sri Swamiji returned to India as his devotees exulted at the tremendous work that he had accomplished on behalf of mankind.