Table of Contents
Foreword
Welcome to February’s Newsletter.
This month was filled with various events. Since our team was split into two countries, we had twice as many adventures! We went to Malaysia, experienced day-to-day life at the ashram, launched the fundraising campaign, had a Hindu wedding, and attended UPC’s Kalpataru festival. Enjoy the read.
How are things going in the ashram?
We have a new calf in the UPC! While cleaning the Gosala one morning, we found this beautiful baby lying close to its mother. A new cow is there! After one day, it could already walk, drink milk, and wag its tail. Nature is great indeed. And one week later, we had a stillborn baby. Its mother was already old and had a miscarriage. It was sad, but still, this is Nature’s way. (see a particular Ghosala activity in a video at the end of the Newsletter; it might surprise you!)
The vegetable garden is going well; we had some rain and foggy days during this winter. The side where we do traditional Indian style is blooming with flowers, and the one where we practice natural farming shows encouraging results from our experiments.
Om Anand Om.
Mahavatar Babaji statue in Kuala Lumpur
Our Universe-City Land is on the Way
Dear friends and family
We are buying the land for our Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Universe-City!
We got an extension for the collection of funds until 5 February 2024. We need 50 lakh INR to buy the first 5 acres and cover the first legal fees out of the 500-acre total area of our land.
The next step will be at the end of April when we need to pay ten crore for the land agreement. The total cost will be 30.8-33.6 crore.
For now, we have received more than 15 lakh (30%) in total together with our international bank account! Thank you, everyone, for supporting the project. We are so happy that we have many supporters willing to help and contribute. We thank you so much. We need to claim the last 70% in the next few days. Let’s finish strong, and we will make it. Please continue the flow of money for a good cause!
Our Universe-City’s five leading causes:
– Alleviating poverty
– Healthcare cause
– Socio-economic cause
– Education cause
– Protecting the environment cause
See the six video playlists about our VKU project.
Testimony – A blind man got his eyesight back
A blind man can see after three months of Sunyoga!
Mayur Yagnik, Sunyoga organizer, sharing about student Chhagan Mange, a blind man from Mumbai, India:
“Our camp was held in October; after that, these brothers from Mumbai practiced regularly. Those who had problems with their eyes had to walk holding hands… You all had seen this, and you all must know, by the mercy of Gurudev.
Now, he can see a little in a small space and has started searching on Google from his mobile. The man has glaucoma. At first, when he started practicing Sunyoga, he began to see a bright light, but after more practice, he could also see colors. Soon, he will be able to walk by himself! It is a matter of great joy for all of us; many thanks to this brother.
“He spent two years visiting big hospitals in Mumbai, but there was no benefit.”
Testimony – Yuming from Malaysia
Hello, everyone. I wanted to take a moment to share my recent Sunyoga experience.
(Thanks, Debbie, for encouraging me to share)
20 January 2023 marked my 5th Sunyoga experience, and I must admit that I hesitated to join this time because the TAN is real! It is a genuine concern and struggle, especially for many women.
I told Chiron Yeng my heart wants to go, but my body says — 1-time Sunyoga = 1 shade darker; he told me my spirit says — 1-time Sunyoga = 1 shade brighter. Inspired by his words, I decided to go for the Sunyoga session.
I tore the most in my 5th Sunyoga meditation today. I sensed a blockage in my heart chakra in the recent conversation with my dad; probably, his heart chakra was blocked, and that’s why I felt it, too. So I asked the Sun to heal my heart chakra.” “Heal for Me, and Heal for My Family,” I said. Then, the tears started streaming down my face.
Towards the end of Shavasana, I felt a tiny pain slightly above my heart. I kept breathing through it and asked the Sun to heal me. I told myself it was okay if it didn’t go away, but I allowed it to be there, accepting it to be there. Slowly, the pain moved towards my throat, then to my head, and out of my body. A sense of relief and peace washed over me.
Thank you, Sunyoga,
Thank you Swamiji Umasankar,
Thank you, Axel & Jonathan.
Testimony – Johnny from Malaysia
Namaste to All Sunyoga Generally, people who do Sunyoga for whatever benefits come from all sorts of backgrounds and belief systems, be it for health or spiritual reasons. As for me, I was semi-paralyzed many years ago; I decided to search for the cause of it; even if I die, it is All RIGHT. What is Life if you are helpless, weak, invalid, and always depend on others for everything?
Then, one day in 1972, I willed myself to lie down and die for it if that is what is needed. Surprisingly, my body/underwent an unusual calm, and tiny little dots of light photons flowed from my legs to the lower paths of my body towards my forehead. My paralysis was instantly cured, and the photons of light remained on my forehead for a month or so. Each time I close my eyes after looking at the Sun’s rays, the rays strike my closed eyes with shimmering blue, green, etc.
At that time, I did not know or understand the value of looking at the sun even though I had received many benefits and was cured by the light photons entering my forehead region. Later on, I came across a book called Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, as well as the story of Babaji, etc., and realized people already understood the importance of the Sun rays.
There were a chapteYogananda’snda’s writings about meditating directly in the morning and evening. My young daughter was sad because she thought I had gone mad by climbing up the water tank installation to glimpse the evening Sun rays. She was unhappy because people were laughing at my madness and stupidity and against the scientific explanation of how the Sun can blind your eyes.
If you follow the Sun Meditation every day, there is a chance that your physical disorder can be made worse. In my case, I want to face the Sun rays and die if I must. It is better to die in the presence of the Sun rays and not be born and live as an invalid, weak, and ignorant to be pitied or scorned by even your own family and friends.
I hope to create a Solarium ashram where all invalid people can live to be cured or to die and not be born again under ignorance of what the Sun values. If you have incurable diseases and are too shy to talk, please call me personally to encourage you to do Sunyoga until you are cured or die peacefully and not be born into such unlucky lives.
Not being born again in this life means being reborn in the Sun Surya Loka ecosystem. Not the moon (Chandra loka) system. I shall report on the Sun and Moon declaration in the Murke Upanishad about Sage Pipalada, which gave a discourse to his disciples thousands of years ago ..where he declared every Living being under any name and form truly depends on the Living Force (Prana).
Scientists call it Energy, while spiritual people call it God. But how many honor the Sun as, their Guru? How many look at the Sun to and pay respect to it? Only a handful. You are the lucky ones. Your diseases and death will not be a curse but an opportunity to know who your real friend or God is.
Everybody wants to torture one another and thinks of their race, family, religion, culture..selfishly. But, for those in Sunyoga circles, let us make UPC a reality.
In my case, I hope I will build a Solarium Ashram where all diseased community centers can do Sunyoga to heal themselves and help others or die nobly not to be reborn in those inhumane, selfish circumstances. Namaste.
Recent Adventures in Malaysia
by Jonathan
From 2-20 January, we stayed in Malaysia (Jonathan and Axel). We had Sunyoga practice with the local groups five times a week, especially at Taman Aman and TTDI (Taman Tun Dr Ismail) in KL (Kuala Lumpur, the capital).
We also had two days of acupressure therapy at a local school. Malaysia is close to the Equator, so the weather is ideal for Sunyoga practice and eating tons of fruits!
We also had the opportunity to experience the nature of Malaysia several times and make acquaintances with plants we are not used to. The Malaysian national flower is the hibiscus. 
Check the video we made as a small token of appreciation to our Malaysian family.
Foreword
Welcome to our March newsletter! We’re getting closer to Swamiji’s return from his retreat, and the excitement is building up. Many of you have already signed up for our upcoming events in India, which is fantastic!
In this issue, we’re introducing Shashi, our newest friend and animal of April. We’re also sharing a touching testimonial from Harit, a Sunyoga student from Gujarat, who inspires us with his journey towards better health through Sunyoga.
Don’t forget to check out our collection of enriching videos for the month, designed to feed your mind and spirit.
Thank you for your support and participation. Let’s journey together towards understanding and unity.
Warm regards,
Axel, and the Editorial Board
Animal of April
Last month, you might remember seeing Surya, our beloved cow, with a little sister by her side. Well, we’ve officially named her Shashi. Shashi is a delightful little calf who spends her days basking in the Sunlight of our Ghosal. She’s quite alert and curious about her surroundings. Despite her small size, she finds comfort in staying close to her mother. Shashi is a bit shy, often hiding behind her mother when she’s feeling insecure. But when she’s feeling brave, she’ll venture out to explore the world around her, always returning to the safety of her mother’s side. We’re thrilled to have Shashi as part of our family and can’t wait to see her grow and thrive alongside her big sister, Surya.
In India, Shashi is a traditional name used for the moon and is a beautiful gender-neutral given name. It originates from Sanskrit and means “having a hare.” The moon earned this name because its dark markings resemble a hare. Interestingly, Shashi also means “moonlight” and “moon.” Our moon is a mysterious orb that affects our tides and climate stability. Baby Shashi will surely feel proud to share a name with such a significant celestial body.
Testimonial – Harit Gujarat
After two months, my cholesterol report was nearly normal. All thanks to Gurukrupa and sunyoga sadhana 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Yes, I took tablets as prescribed and stuck to normal food, but without any sweets 😂. However, the doctor has mentioned that he’ll reduce my medicine dosage with this progress.
I want to share my experience because, for the first time in 20 years, my cholesterol and diabetes levels are improving. I’ve tried many alternatives before but without any luck. This is the first time my sugar and cholesterol levels are moving towards normal.
I forgot to mention an important detail: for the past year, I’ve been eating only millet (bajra and jowar) in my daily meals, along with other food. Cutting out wheat and rice has made a significant impact on my health.
A big thanks to Mayurji and all the other members for their continuous motivation and encouragement 🙏🏻
Engaging in Sunyoga for an hour between 11 am and 4 pm has also been beneficial.
Harit from Gujarat.
We got a happy message from a Polio patient
Sunyogi Wisdom – Is the Robber a Social Worker?
Let’s say someone robs a large amount of money from another person. The victim feels unhappy and upset because they hope to get the money back. But their hope diminishes as time passes and the money doesn’t return. Eventually, they realize the money may never come back. At this point, the pain starts to decrease because they accept the situation. Their expectation attached to the money has decreased. The money doesn’t come back, but the level of pain varies. This shows that the pain isn’t caused by the money itself, but rather by the attachment to it.
Let’s imagine the robber stole money, but the person who had the money had already used what they needed for their life. The extra money he now has should go to society, not just for themselves. We all get things from society, so we have a responsibility to give back. Money isn’t meant to be hoarded; it should be circulated to help everyone. When we hoard money, we prevent others from accessing what they need, like food. This means we’re committing a social crime by blocking the flow of resources. So, when a robber takes money that was meant for society, it’s almost like a form of justice. The person who had the money was holding onto it instead of letting it benefit others. So, in a way, the robber’s actions help redistribute wealth back to where it’s needed.
After the robbery, there’s a second step. A month or two later, the person who was robbed realizes the money isn’t coming back. They must maintain their status so that they might start a new job or business. Within six months to a year, they might earn back the lost money. But they won’t stop the new job once they have the money back. They’ll continue with both the old and new jobs, so they become richer. In a way, the robber indirectly helps them become richer by forcing them to find new opportunities. So, the robber’s actions can be seen as a form of social work because they inadvertently lead to positive outcomes for the victim.
Imagine the person who got robbed was careless at the time of the robbery. But now, after the incident, they’ll become more careful. Their character changes because of the experience they went through. So, the robber indirectly influences the person’s character transformation by making them more cautious.
Now, after the robber has taken the money, the person realizes they had resources available to them all along. However, they were misusing those resources before the robbery. Instead of using their time and money wisely, they were wasteful. But now, with the new job, they are investing in themselves and their future. This change in behavior leads to better mental and physical health because negative thoughts decrease. So, in a way, the robber indirectly contributes to their improved well-being.
Even when we experience suffering or pain, we can always earn money to pay for it. But the emotional pain caused by the robbery is something that can’t be taken away. However, as time passes and negative thoughts lessen, we find ourselves experiencing less pain and suffering. In this way, the robber indirectly helps us achieve spiritual growth and self-realization by reducing negative thoughts and allowing positive ones to emerge. So, despite initially being seen as an enemy, the robber ultimately contributes to our personal growth and development.
So, you can see how much benefit the robber brings to society, right? But does that mean a robber is a social worker? No, that’s a misunderstanding. Robbers are like great philosophers. They can read people’s eyes and even guess how much money someone has in their pocket. Some robbers are so skilled that they can even count the different notes of money. So, if a robber is a philosopher, that means their friends are philosophers too. When a robber steals money and their friends see how much they have, everyone wants to share in the wealth. They start spending recklessly, thinking the money will never run out. But within six months to a year, the money is gone. However, the friends who enjoyed the money while it lasted still have a high status because they were part of the fun.
Can he stop this cycle? No. Now, he has to sell his property, but it’s still not enough. He has to take out loans, but even that isn’t sufficient. He can’t repay the loans, and when the creditors come, they kick him out of society. Then he’s left with nothing and becomes a beggar. Until he reaches this point, he can’t change his life. So, the robber ultimately destroys his own life. This is why a robber isn’t a social worker. If they can’t even save themselves, how can they consider the lives of others? So, a robber isn’t doing the work of a social worker.
Sometimes, the philosophy of karma makes us wonder. Some robbers get caught and face severe consequences after committing the crime. Meanwhile, some people who never harm others suffer from diseases and deteriorate over the years, yet they don’t die.
So, where is God’s judgment in all of this? Some may wonder. God’s judgment is powerful and profound. Even a robber, in a way, helps society. We’re not saying robbers are social workers, but their actions inadvertently lead to social changes that benefit others.
The robber didn’t become a big criminal overnight. It all started with a small act of theft. As the robberies grew bigger, society began to despise him. Isn’t that a form of punishment? The more money he stole, the more people came to hate him. So, isn’t that also a form of punishment?
In the end, the robber faces consequences throughout his life. However, despite his crimes, he also performs some good deeds that contribute positively to society. This is his way of balancing out his karma. He receives punishment for his actions but also helps others and improves their lives. So, it’s a complex interplay of karma and consequences for the robber.
Now, some people have never caused harm but still bring suffering upon themselves. They don’t support or care for others despite benefiting from society. Isn’t this a form of wrongdoing? Because of their neglect, they suffer for years without end. This is their negative karma because they failed to contribute to society.
So, what should they do? Should they continue to suffer, or should they start correcting their behavior? Everyone has a responsibility to care for society and its members. The more we do to help others, the more positive karma we accumulate. Even our enemies can teach us valuable lessons, so we should show them respect.
FAQ – Can I practice Sunyoga during cloudy days?
The sun’s strongest rays are invisible and still penetrate the clouds even though we cannot see them with our physical eyes. So we can still do Sun Meditation even if the Sun is hidden behind the clouds. Clouds will not stop the subtlest rays from the Sun, and these we can always connect to. When there are clouds, and if the clouds disappear for just a few moments, we can receive enormous energy in just these few seconds because of the deep thirst we have created. If it is completely dark, alternative photos and eye-to-eye meditations are possible.
Courses & Events
10-12 April 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
10-12 May 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) Lodhadham, Maharashtra, India)
17-19 May 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) (Warengal, Telegana, India)
1-7 June 2024 – Advanced Course (Level 4) (Gujarat, India)
22 June 2024 – Sunyogi returns from his 3-year Sadhana on his birthday (Lachhipur, West Bengal, India)
28-30 June 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) (Lachhipur, West Bengal, India)
26-28 July – Universal Peace Conference 2024 (Online)
9-11 August 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) (Erbendorf, Germany)
15-18 August 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) (Netherlands)
24-31 August 2024 – Sunyoga Advanced Course (Level 4) (Austria, Europe)
4-7 September 2024 – Acupressure Course (France)
For all details about registrations please consult our calendar page
New Videos
Donations
If you feel from your heart that Sunyoga and our work are helping individuals and humanity, please consider supporting our mission by donating.
All information can be found on our donation page.
Om Anand Om.
We came back to Lachhipur for Prasenjit’s wedding and the Kalapataru Festival!
Prasenjit has been our office worker at the Universal Peace Centre for many years and we are very happy.
Prasenjit´s Wedding
Congratulations!!! On the 22nd of January, our very own Prasenjit got married to Sovona!
The Ashram’s accountant and treasurer, Prasenjit finally got married at the age of 30, which is a little late in Indian society. Why? you ask. Because it is a love marriage! For years, Prasenjit’s parents kept presenting him as a spouse, and he kept on refusing. Then one day he revealed that he had fallen in love with a girl and that they both wanted to marry!
The whole ashram got invited, staff and devotees, and we went about one hour from Lachhipur. The first evening was at the wife’s house. Prasenjit went there beautifully dressed, but had to dodge several pranks: a bunch of children sitting on his wedding throne asking for money to leave the seat, being served some salty sweets that he had to refuse, people tried to separate the couple while they had to cling to each other, or kids stealing Prasenjit’s shoes and selling them back for an absurd amount… In between these jokes were the very detailed Vedic rituals guided by a priest, and both bride and spouse performed very well. Then we had a sumptuous dinner of course.
The next day, the celebration was at Prasenjit’s house (5 minutes walk from the bride’s house, good thinking Prasenjit), but we had an interesting activity beforehand. There was a cricket match in the stadium nearby, the big final of the local competition. Around 5000 people gathered, and the ashramites went there as well to enjoy the atmosphere. Then at night, the bride was welcomed into her new home, and a long photoshoot session started in the reception hall, with every guest wanting a picture with the newlyweds or to offer them their presents. Then we had a delicious dinner, followed by the traditional digestive dynamic dancing in the reception hall. A great time for a very special event, congratulations Prasenjit!
Kalpataru Festival 2024
Every year
on the 28th of January, we celebrate our Kalpataru festival. This date is to commemorate Swamiji’s mother donating the land to start the ashram. We usually make a huge feast, feeding around 2000 people, students from the school, neighbors, trustee members, devotees, friends, and family. This time we had a lower budget, and about 50 people joined the event.
For this 11th edition, we had the flag hosting, then Puja in the prayer room, and in the mother’s home a few houses away from the UPC. Men and women had prepared vegetables the night before, and the morning was spent cooking different items. We ate a tasty khichuri with some vegetable curry and chutney, followed by some papad and rosagollas.
Our president Smitta Chatterjee and the ashram trustee members were all there, and they had an administrative meeting with our ashramites regarding our current projects.
All and all it was sweet reunions, good food, and a very nice atmosphere. Kalpataru festival was on a smaller scale this time, but we had as much quality time as usual.
Listen to a translated version of Sunyogi´s message for the Kalpataru Festival 2024
Listen to the original version in Bengali.
Upcoming Sunyoga Courses & Events
2-4 February 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) (Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India)
19-21 April 2024 – Universal Peace Conference 2024 (Online)
10-12 May 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) (Dehari, Maharashtra, India)
17-19 May 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) (Warengal, Telegana, India)
Jun 28-30, 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) at UPC Ashram (in English)
28-30 June 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) (Lachhipur, West Bengal, India)
9-11 August 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) (Erbendorf, Germany)
15-18 August 2024 – Sunyoga Basic Course (Level 1-3) (Netherlands)
24-31 August 2024 – Sunyoga Advanced Course (Level 4) (Austria, Europe)
4-7 September 2024 – Acupressure Course (France)
For all details about registrations please consult our calendar page
Donations
If you feel from your heart that Sunyoga and our work are helping individuals and humanity, please consider supporting our mission by donating.
All information can be found on our donation page.
Om Anand Om.
Ashram activity: Lift an old cow
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