Siddhavarupananda stated in Sai Speaks that he was experienced in many forms of yoga. These yoga methods were (as research on several gurus shows) throughout Hawaii so he could easily make the claim of seasoned traveller of the spiritual realms - hatha yoga, raja yoga, kriya yoga, Nidra yoga, kundalini. He mentions meeting various Swami's and zennists.
According to Sai speaks he wrote Simple meditations in '1968' and together with Tejomayananda and Ma Devashakti Haiku Meditation centre was formed. This evolved into Krishna Yoga Community and it wasn't until a year and a half later that he began teaching Bhakti yoga.
That takes us up to at least late 1969 before he taught Bhakti yoga and Sai Speaks was printed in 1970. One of Sai's followers became a disciple of ACB in July 1970 and was running the temple in Laguna along with another Sai follower, Sivanivas, in 71.
Here is a summary on a few of the impersonalist gurus of whom Siddha would have easily been aware of prior to ACB:
Satya Sai Baba became a spectacle in the western media in 1960. Although he only left India once in his lifetime his books title "Satya
Sai Speaks" (uh huh!) had left India and by 1970 he had ten volumes.
He taught the mayavadi philosophy and Yoga sutras, particularly Raja yoga of course as a means of attaining samadhi.
In 1957 swami Vishnu Devananda left India and for the next few years travelled to various countries and many places in the US (including Hawaii) until his centres spread throughtout America. Also a mayavadi philosopher who was expert in yoga asanas he went about selling his books and setting up Sivananda Ashram's and yoga teacher training schools.
Tejomayananda who was instrumental in Sai's group, according to Sai Speaks, was a member of the Hawaiian Sivananda ashram.
Paramahansa Yogananda taught Kriya yoga (mentioned in Sai Speaks) and came to the US in the 1920's and opened many yoga centres across the US dedicated to the Science of Self-realisation. He passed away when Siddha was 4 years old but the organisation still exists today internationally.
Maharishi also left for the west in 1957 setting up yoga centres (including Hawaii). His method was TM (Transcendental Meditation) which is a form of mantra meditation designed to create an altered state of consciousness called cosmic intelligence. His brand of 'Deep Relaxation' a form of Nidra yoga is used to reach a state of 'yogic sleep' (trance-like state) where one is neither asleep nor awake. This state doesn't immediately dissipate even after a person's first experience and according to TM after many years an individual will attain to a permanent altered consciousness.
Dr. B. Ramamurti (an Indian neurosurgeon) stated in regard to prolonged meditation:
"There are areas of the brain, which are responsible for the sense of "I". We know that the feeling of aham (I) and mama (mine) is in the temporal lobes of the brain. When disease occurs in the temporal lobe of the brain, the concept of the "I" in the individual changes. Suddenly the person may not know who he is. He will ask "Who am I?" "
This is a rather technical subject so I will kindly request that Cara publish an article regarding nidra yoga ( which refered to as deep relaxation or psychic sleep) in her blog.
Vernon Howard also authored books in the mid-sixties on the subject of psychic sleep and awakening your cosmic intelligence titled - The "Mystic Path to Cosmic Power", and "The Power of Your Supermind."
I'll just post these links to advertisments regarding SOI's method of "Gauranga Breathing". I have given a description of my experience of this technique in a previous post. RKd has taught this method for years and states that after half an hour you feel like you've been asleep for many hours. Just like TM. This form of yoga is either in a sitting position or lying on your back while a speaker will tell you how to relax each body part, slowly control your breathing and not control your thoughts. This way your body becomes so relaxed that you feel seperate from your body and by not pushing away your thoughts and simply observing them come and go you detach yourself from your natural thoughts. Just like TM. Finally you are in an almost hypnotised state and asked to repeat the word - Gaur - ra - ang -ga on each exhale. While this is happening mystical music is played created by Siddha and Wai which is on a continuously looped tape. At the end you are feeling extremely relaxed and it takes a long while for the effects to wear off. Yes like RKd states you feel like you've just come out of a deep sleep.
Again I will ask Cara to elaborate on this as part of her research and writing.
All of the classes below are run by followers of Siddhaswarupananda.
[
www.seekerwoman.com]
On this CD, Wai Lana talks you through two relaxation
techniques, [b:807241ce5e]Gauranga Breathing and Yoga Nidra[/b:807241ce5e], followed by a
restful meditation. These ancient techniques can relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. They will also help you overcome insomnia, enabling you to slip into deep and sound sleep.
[
www.google.com]
FREE Mantra Meditation Classes. Gauranga Breathing, Japa Yoga, Kirtan, Readings from the ancient Vedas. Taught by Sankirtan Das—disciple of Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa in the line of the Brahma Sampradhaya. For information please call: 812-322-2180.
[
www.veg.ca]
[
www.harbourfrontcentre.com]
Canadian Meditation Centres (45 min, in the Studio Theatre)
Madhavendra will teach you a deeply relaxing and restorative form of breath meditation known as Gauranga breathing, followed by group meditation and a question and answer period.
Madhavendra of The Canadian School of Meditation
[
www.theglebe.com.au]
7pm: Learn gauranga breathing and mantra meditation at Glebe Town Hall, St Johns Rd. Details: 9660 2152. Run by Australian School of Meditation in Glebe. (Glebe - Australian School of Meditation)
[
www.bloomingfoods.org]
Gauranga Meditation Center: Free Mantra Meditation classes (Gauranga Breathing, Japa yoga, Kirtan), Bhagavad-Gita classes, Sunday Vegetarian Dinner & Kirtan, video presentation of Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa.
[
www.wailana.com]
—NAPRA ReView, September/October 2002
As part of a trilogy, Rest and Relax introduces two specific relaxation techniques. "Free Your Mind" familiarizes us with gauranga breathing, which calms the mind as you chant "gau-ra-an-ga" with each inhalation and exhalation. A challenge at first, this is a powerful, visceral experience. "Relax Your Body" utilizes yoga nidra to effectively relax the body from the toes up. Track 3, "Soothe the Soul," calls upon gauranga and invites the soul into the complete state of relaxation already realized by the mind and body. Hypnotic musical strains accompany these three tracks and move the practitioner seamlessly through the sessions. Also in the trilogy: Yoga Music of the Heart and Yoga Sound™.
Gauranga Breathing works.
—Naomi DeBruyn, linearReflections, August 2002
Rest and Relax is the third disc in this boxed set, and features Wai Lana doing a guided meditation, actually talking the listener through two different relaxation techniques—Gauranga Breathing and Yoga Nidra. I found this to be the most entrancing and enjoyable disc of the set, and if you actually do the guided exercises, you will find yourself completely relaxed. The objective is a goal that is reached in this case.
[
wholeexpo.com]
Short talk on the real meaning of meditation and yoga- Gauranga Breathing, Japa Yoga, and Kirtan.. Sankirtan das... is a disciple of Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa.
[
www.csus.edu]
[
www.esatclear.ie]