Rajanaka Newsletter January 10 2023

January 10, 2023

Aho’Rajanaka,

I hope ~~you’re doing great~~ you’re well. I think it’s safe to say~~---wait, you know darn well that that isn’t safe to say---~~that we’re learning more how “to live with.” Living with ourselves may be the hardest yoga but it’s not the only. There are others too. Don’t you ~~always~~ just sometimes want to hit ESC and make it all go up and into the corner of your soul’s home screen? We’re not eva’ going to be post-Covid, democracy like ~~most~~ everything else isn’t safe and secure ~~and never has been~~, and there’s no conclusion in sight. Shall we add a dollop of gallows humor? ~~So rarely enjoyed in UnicornYogaWorld.~~ We do know that sooner or later the bleeding does stop. (<- Yes, I stole that from a doctor among you.)

Got meaning?

I’m teaching a University course this semester entitled The Meaning of Life and on the eve of the semester considering the educational value of dropping the entire proposed syllabus in favor of watching every Monty Python movie in its stead. Wanna come? Alas, I’m plum outta’ popcorn after watching Republicans “elect” a Speaker of the House and shall never forget that last night when the drunk redneck Congressman almost clocked Gaetz. ~~Has anyone ever deserved it more?~~ I’m ~~almost~~ never in favor of violence but a little academic insurrection is might not be beyond me. It won’t be anymore prudent to lose your sense of humor during the zombie apocalypse than it is now so best to remain ~~rage on,~~ calmly. (This might be the most fun you can have ~~using the strikeout key~~.)

Here’s the offer. This University course, Religion 270 The Meaning of Life, will be broadcast live on Zoom every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 11:05 until 12:20pm beginning January 12^th. This will go on for..are you ready? 15 weeks. College being much like Dante’s Purgatory may mean nothing, do nothing, and go nowhere but it’s better than plenty of the other alternatives. Our venture is also free ~~FREE~~ for your infotainment. The rules are simple: you are guest auditors, a kind of intellectual voyeurism, and that means you do not get to ask questions or participate live. Our undergraduates will say little ~~and come entirely unprepared~~, so it’s sort of like watching a ~~fake Monty~~ Python movie except I’m the one you ~~very unfortunately~~ have to watch. This is only for Rajanaka and Rochester Alumni. Please keep it private, so no discussion in social media or publicly. If you can’t make it live there will be a recording Archive. On the current Dropbox Archive you will find the syllabus and readings.

Drop in anytime, here’s the Zoom: https://rochester.zoom.us/j/98121476139

For the Archive that includes syllabus, readings, and recordings, look here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ab5ioprn7bk2qgsd8800i/h?dl=0&rlkey=k9g4xukvctff91fkye1wo5mdr

NEW MIDWINTER THURSDAY SESSIONS

Begin January 12^th at 7pm Eastern.

· Subject: Pancamukha Anjaneya, Hanuman of Five Faces.

· Dates: Jan 12/19/26 Feb 2/16/23

· Tuition: $200 to PayPal (svcourses@gmail.com) or Venmo (svcourses@gmail.com or douglas-brooks-8) (If you need time or help with tuition, write to me.) If you access the Archive, please pay tuition if you have not.

· Registration: You register by coming to class or accessing the recording Archive. Honor system.

· Description: Among the most important Tantric mythologies and sadhanas, Hanuman of Five Faces is unstudied in scholarship. But Rajanaka is rich in Pancamukha lore, mythology, contemplation, including mantra and mudra. This character takes us deeply into the forest of yoga where we discover how his role as duti or messenger becomes an invitation to the conversations of the unconscious. Stories you have never heard and practices that will enrich you life. Join the fun.

· Recording Archive Dropbox (cut and paste): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/d62llefrjvyidefn3uequ/h?dl=0&rlkey=p774e7zbme37d8cc49ocysog2

· ZOOM LINK FOR ALL THURSDAYS: https://rochester.zoom.us/j/98183733328

NEW SATURDAY CORE SESSIONS

Begin January 14^th at 5pm Eastern

· Subject: Rasa, the Theory and Practice of Essential Feeling

· Dates: Jan 14/21/28 Feb 11/18/25

· Registration: You register by coming to class or accessing the recording Archive. Honor system.

· Description: Rasa Theory was rigorous developed for the study of poetry and the theatre arts, including music, dance, and performance. It’s concerns with artistry and aesthetics provided a serious method for studying human nature, our collective and individual psychology, matters of taste, and theories of beauty. But for the Tantric tradition, especially Rajanaka, rasa is the principal way we learn the very core and meaning of yoga. Why are we here? What can we do with the time we have? We can learn to love our lives, explore our feelings more deeply, examine the ways in which thoughts, ideas, and values are essential to our very being. These sessions will provide a systematic study of Rasa and provide ways to make its insights a valued part of our livs. Join the fun.

· Recording Archive Dropbox (cut and paste): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/d4uwwjw17seca2livd6r2/h?dl=0&rlkey=nh4g7xj6x7skeghw4x6tcsk2c

· ZOOM LINK FOR ALL SATURDAYS: https://rochester.zoom.us/j/95057662268

MAHABHARATA SUNDAYS

Resume January 8^th at 5pm Eastern

· Subject: Book 3, the Forest, Every week another story, each session self-contained

· Dates: Jan 8/15/22/29 Feb 5/12/19 March 19/26 etc

· Tuition: $20 per session to PayPal (svcourses@gmail.com) or Venmo (svcourses@gmail.com or douglas-brooks-8) (If you need time or help with tuition, write to me.) If you decide to join us for these scheduled sessions then please pay $15 per session, okay? If you access the Archive, please pay tuition if you have not.

· Registration: You register by coming to class or accessing the recording Archive. Honor system.

· Description: We are in my favorite book of the Epic, the Book of the Forest. Every week is another story, every week stands on its own. You are never late, never behind, always always welcome Join the fun.

· Recording Archive Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bfqt15y3n0uglir/AAAB_89LiCOob0hJI1w8BK7_a?dl=0

· ZOOM LINK FOR ALL SUNDAYS: https://rochester.zoom.us/j/314987250

Our Archive has grown again now that The Gāyatrī Mantra and OM Sessions are available as recordings. Tuition is $200 for all Archive Courses: you get the whole course and materials forever, accessible at any time. A list of Sessions, Seminars, Camp Recordings, etc. are below.

SPECIAL EVENT FEBRUARY 26^th 9am-1pm

Trimurti: the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva

Register with www.openskyyoga.com

I hope I made you laugh a little. I hope you come to Sessions. Please offer some tuition if you are planning to attend or access the recordings, it’ll allow us to continue the work here and in India. Our Shakuntala Fundraiser for India will remain an open donation---and your offerings will get there.

All the rest is love ~~lunch,~~

Saprema,

Douglas

&&&Below the Line Archive Access

· OM: An Autobiography of the Eternal Sound. Where does OM originate? What is its purpose and meaning? How does the practice of OM evolve from Veda to Tantra? How does one practice with OM and how can OM be further interpreted and applied to one’s life? Tuition $200 to PayPal or Venmo (svcourses@gmail.com)

Here is the OM recorded archive: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/11jd30d14ibjjtv3wauaj/h?dl=0&rlkey=1wugbag9m7myo1c50gt6qoa6d

· Sunday Mahabharata Sessions. EACH Session stands on its own. You can come to them all or come when you can. Each Session carries forward Books 2 and 3 and each provides the summary and furtherance you need to enjoy the epic. Tuition is $20 per session but if you want a lot of them then pay $15 per session. Honor system.

Here is the Mahabharata recorded archive: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bfqt15y3n0uglir/AAAB_89LiCOob0hJI1w8BK7_a?dl=0

· The Gāyatrī Mantra, Early Winter 2022 Thursdays. Gayatri becomes a focal point for the earliest Vedic traditions and then evolves into a concept of the Goddess and of mantra practice that extends into the greater pantheon of deities. To learn Gayatri in theory and practice will enrich your understanding of every facet of the history of yoga and its evolution from Veda to Tantra. ? Tuition $200 to PayPal or Venmo (svcourses@gmail.com)

Here is the Gayatri recorded archive: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/r58rwnp3ryxgi6a6y8yme/h?dl=0&rlkey=59kbd7hjdrl8n809zv8becmdi

HERE ARE LINKS TO PREVIOUS COURSES ALL OF WHICH ARE ACCESSIBLE VIA OUR DROPBOX ARCHIVES. You register by downloading the Archive. There are no special codes, you’re on your honor. To get the full recording you must download. If you listen from Dropbox you will only hear the first hour. (I answer this question at least twice a week.)

· NYC 2022 The Origins of Kali, here’s the Archive Link:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/w17dt9vy2gybc8ki2kwql/h?dl=0&rlkey=0cm12uhygsfij9ftku8eqdn39

In NYC we had a grand time exploring some of the most ancient sources of Kali and Warrior Traditions. The Archive for NYC KALI is available for the taking. Tuition is $150 for the entire recordings. You register by dropping your rupees in the PayPal or Venmo accounts (svcourses@gmail) and downloading from Dropbox. Tuition: $125.

· The 1000 Names of Goddess Lalita, the Lalitasahasranama. We met for more than the scheduled SIX Sessions. Renowned for its richness, LSN is also a handbook of Goddness Tantra, especially in consideration of the historical commentaries (particularly the Saubhagyabhaskara of Bhaskararaya). I will provide the text. We will focus on learning the history and content of the text, its interpretations, and its practice. Our study includes close reading, some chanting and mantra, meditations, and even mudra studies. Our Thursday Courses offer useful teachings and practices that will take you to the heart of Rajanaka. PayPal or Venmo (svcourses@gmail.com). Tuition: $200.
Here is the recorded archive: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/18o5rtle7p91hz2/AADQnph8ofpPAX5mtW7mX-L4a?dl=0

· Essential Patanjali Yoga, A Saturday Core Course. This course for students and teachers is designed to provide a true foundation for yoga studies. We met for more than the scheduled FOUR Sessions. You may be well-familiar with Patanjali and the rise of Classical Yoga but this course will zero in on the most important sutras, their meaning and context, and how they relate to practice. We will consider Patanjali in the history of yoga and as an influence on contemporary practice. This would be very good opportunity for any student, beginner or advanced, and would be well-suited to students currently involved in teacher trainings or immersions. Learn the basics, dive deep. Learn how to teach this core text and tradition. PayPal or Venmo (svcourses@gmail.com). Tuition: $125.

Here is the recorded archive: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2qd7wc5qroiva3v/AAAaZPvnc9I2JQSrO88Iv1exa?dl=0

· FREE Saturdays are a story, a few good laughs and insights, whatever it takes to get the highway jammed with broken heroes on a last chance powerdrive. I’ll love you with all the madness in my soul. HERE IS THE ARCHIVE FOR 2022 SATURDAYS: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bfqt15y3n0uglir/AAAB_89LiCOob0hJI1w8BK7_a?dl=0

AND HERE is the archive for hundreds more from 2020 and 2021 all are free:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/m8dqip14rtb9677/AABuIF3G8S6WrQ99sjQIUX-ua?dl=0

There is also so much in The Rajanaka Archive. All of the Archive are now $200 or close to it so drop a dime, and download from Dropbox. Be honest. Look below here for some of the offerings and ask if you have any questions or interests. Don’t forget the Courses at rajanaka.com---there is so much available. Honestly, it’s a lifetime of learning that will take you several lifetimes. Remember that all of the past Saturday Conversations are free and there are nearly 100 Sessions. Also, tuition helps support our causes in India.

ALL PAST Gita Sessions and AsanaColab yoga classes are available HERE:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/calr250puxcgy0w/AAAfVWagH9fTU03a8IjqEtPia?dl=0

ARCHIVED COURSES:

TUITION FOR EACH COURSE IS $200 OR it is yours if you have paid the original tuition.

WEDNESDAY COURSE: EVERYDAY RAJANAKA DROPBOX ARCHIVE IS HERE:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/809o2mm27q0gx20/AABteLdMH3wzAIt6jeAaaq5Aa?dl=0

The archive link for WEDNESDAY COURSE: SRIVIDYA: LALITA is here

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/03ezf8d4hroo0yi/AABoirNRJgGz_3P5AQDHZPRpa?dl=0

The archive line for WEDNESDAY COURSE: NATARAJAR:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/eyvec7v53p8gasl/AAC0J_tvJaYir6fIXgADqD41a?dl=0

The archive link for JULY 2021 SUMMER CAMP: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/aj6k67zeyyq7f13/AACrNAQjnoVxBvxJo-5iExWfa?dl=0

The archive link for AUGUST 2021 SUMMER CAMP:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6e7py7gzta6e8zz/AAD5DEgeyTHYlA_A5kvG5hxoa?dl=0

The archive link for Wednesday 2021 Fall Hanuman, Sundarakanda: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ctqccnvf441jt1v/AAC49ygwuzJIWshh8O0mpOB5a?dl=0

The archive link for the Rajanaka Practicum on Ganapati Mulamantra:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ifx99en4710fmrz/AAD3TOpzAYiD2sqbq8ppoAG9a?dl=0

FOR SIVAKAMI ARCHIVE, it’s $200 to PayPal or Venmo and you can find it here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ifddb0hglwrm5hx/AABGyYYfSJ9B_KHhU1LgdsT3a?dl=0

If you access offer tuition using PayPal (svcourses@gmail.com or Venmo douglas-brooks-8)

Tuition for the complete Śiva-Kāmī Sessions will be $200. Individual Sessions are $25.

AND,

The AVAILABLE ON COURSES ARCHIVE.

Please use svcourses@gmail.com for Venmo or PayPal, or nallapaampu@gmail.com for PayPal. If PayPal or Venmo doesn’t work for you, write to me: douglas@rajanaka.com. Tuition for all of these courses is $200. Goes to good causes. Of course, if you paid tuition when you took the courses, they are yours for no further cost.

If you missed TK Practicum, in whole or in part, please avail yourself of the recordings and pay the tuition using Venmo (douglas-brooks-8) or PayPal (svcourses@gmail.com or nallapaampu@gmail.com.) If you’d like to send a check, that’s cool too, just drop me a line. Tuition for the complete Archive is $200. If you’ve already paid, we’re good, okay? I always want things to feel fair, accessible, because I think this learning belongs to the community. Here is the link to the recorded Tillai Kali Practicum Dropbox Archive: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/92i9dynnw78wcc7/AACHEbQ_1BMf7-qPGw7UQVpDa?dl=0

The Sivakamasundari Practicum was amazing. Tuition is the same $200 to PayPal or Venmo. The link is HERE: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ifddb0hglwrm5hx/AABGyYYfSJ9B_KHhU1LgdsT3a?dl=0

2022 Rajanaka Camp: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kam31oxsq2bce45/AADr7p6rY6Rk7x8gQ1g_xUyLa?dl=0

HERE’S A FREEBEEEEE, a college class on the Tao De Ching: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0dfkocr0kx58xvc/AACQeJVhoSk5bXugltMxANlqa?dl=0

Dancer of the Forest 2021 Sessions: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/eyvec7v53p8gasl/AAC0J_tvJaYir6fIXgADqD41a?dl=0

Hanuman in the Sundarakanda 2021:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ctqccnvf441jt1v/AAC49ygwuzJIWshh8O0mpOB5a?dl=0

Wednesdays in December 2021:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ilne88o3qemckki/AAC27yuvIb7m_m70NETAMAzCa?dl=0

Srividya Goddesses 2021:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/03ezf8d4hroo0yi/AABoirNRJgGz_3P5AQDHZPRpa?dl=0

Everyday Rajanaka 2021:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/809o2mm27q0gx20/AABteLdMH3wzAIt6jeAaaq5Aa?dl=0

NYC 2022 The Origins of Kali