Celebrate the beauty in the practice of yoga, with the master herself. An enlightened soul, whose calm demeanor, sharp wit, and wise words, will open up your minds and hearts. We had the unique pleasure of speaking with the Yogmata one-on-one to learn more about her meditation workshops, her journey to finding enlightenment, and what keeps her motivated.
Thank you so much for chatting with me and The Knockturnal today.
The Knockturnal: Our readers would love to get to know you and your practice a bit better. Can you share a little about your unique meditation practice/ideology?
Yogmata: “I learned all types of yoga, and to heal others I have learned all sorts of healings. That includes diet
remedies, fasting, natural foods, energy workshop, psychology, or religions. At first, I had pimples on my
face that started me to have an interest in diet and health. I was working too much, and I contracted
tuberculosis at the age of 25. I was on medications and was seen at a hospital for a year.
I started teaching yoga, so I can stay with yoga. I started making calls to the Lions Club or Rotary Club and
had lectures at public halls. And I posted ads on the telephone poles to gather students. But I saw
lecture rooms at a corner of department stores, and they were giving lectures for learning, but no one
was teaching yoga back then. I convinced the department stores that yoga is not a sport, so if we get rid
of desks, I can teach yoga there.
Generally, yoga was taught at sports clubs which were equipped with shower rooms. I insisted, no one will get sweaty doing yoga. If we move the desks and chairs to the side and put carpet on the floor, yoga can be taught. I was able to change people’s attitudes toward yoga – that’s how I started. In Tokyo, there are big department stores like Bloomingdale’s, Saks, and Macy’s, and I contacted those big department stores like Takashimaya, Mitsukoshi, or Isetan department stores as well as TV stations. And TV stations were also beginning to hold seminars for public education. I also reached out to universities and convince them to hold yoga classes for the public.
I was also asked to publish books, so that is how I started writing. To teach others, I realized I had to learn everything about yoga; what yoga means, and how it heals people. People often came to me and asked me to cure their illnesses, and I had to learn how I could do that. So I incorporate diet remedies and fasting, water bath, made them run marathons, grain, and vegetarian diet, or
macrobiotics. I also studied Zen. I went to India to the ashram and visited yoga places. I also came to the US to learn about healing. I also went to China to learn about Qigong, breathing. I even started studying dance, and I took jazz dance lessons in New York City. And incorporating what I learned in jazz dance, I innovated “Yoga Dance”.
I turned yoga into a dynamic movement by incorporating the small movements that yoga has. Even in a
cobra pose, for example, I turn my head for left and right neck movements or raise a leg in the cobra
pose. I arranged yoga movements in my way. And I published about 10 books for the yoga
movement. And I have encountered Himalayan yoga. So it took me 20 years to start meditation.
And through Dika and Shaktipat, I learned to put my inner side in order.
Yoga means to develop consciousness. Until then, I was just moving my body, but I learned to reach a higher level, divine power. And I realized that power would transform people quickly. People in India started out believing in god from the start. But for me, I reached there at the end. That is why I say believe in yourself from the beginning. And believe in the invisible power. Follow a master, otherwise, your ego and mind will become stronger. You will not reach enlightenment. I always advise
people to train through a true master, come to an awareness, purify the energy, and cleanse the inside. It is important to practice good deeds and share them. If you have a good talent, then share it. Encourage others to practice meditation, so they can come to enlightenment. Just developing your talent but not sharing it with others will not help you to come to enlightenment. If you become smart or earn good techniques in your hands, you have to surrender. To unify with god, you give unconditional love to others and learn to devote yourself, you will never reach enlightenment.
Gradually taking a step through Kriya, the breathing technique, you can purify Prana, Apana, Samana,
Udana and Vyana one step at a time. To purify Kundalini, you will also have to do it gradually as well.
We are the small cosmic. And the discipline that we have received from our parents at a young age is all
recorded in us. And our body is being controlled by our thinking. We have to heal the inner child. And
we have to heal it with our enlightenment. If we do that, we can transcend our limitations and be free
people. With the psychological method, energy method, and divine power, I can lead people to enlightenment
in a comprehensive way.”
The Knockturnal: Ahead of your upcoming event with PM Modi at the UN (dated June 21st), what do you feel is the importance of the celebration of International Yoga Day?
“Yoga, which originated in India, is very profound. To start, we all begin with something that is visible,
which is to balance our bodies. Through our minds and throughout our bodies, by balancing them, we
will transform into wonderful beings. In order to not forget that, we learn to love ourselves
and have harmony. And we will reach the origin. We received our body, mind, and soul from a god.
It is important not to dishonor the body and to keep it in order. By going beyond the words and
balancing the forms and shapes, we can be more active and easier to approach that way. We can begin
very quickly and easily. And that is how yoga originated in India, and I find that to be so wonderful. And
this is what I want to spread all over the world. It is like playing soccer where it takes time to
practice and to be good for the game. Slowly and quietly, yoga has been widespread and becoming
more approachable to many people. Even though it is just an entry gateway, a beginning of a practice, I
find that it is great that many people are enjoying yoga.
People can start yoga from a visible form, and they can learn to be harmonized, healthy, and happy – we have Yoga Day to remember those things. We received our body, mind, and soul that a god created. It is time to reset this amazing system and be pure. This is the day to experience and remember that. This is the natural teaching, and it is not someone else’s values that we are being taught. This is the message to deliver to the world going beyond words. For a long time, I have been coming to the US frequently by holding campaigns and seminars.
As a Himalayan saint, Pilot Baba and I are highly respected as someone who has accomplished the ultimate yoga samadhi. Yoga reaches human nature and helps you become the god quality. And it is a teaching to lead to attaining moksha, the ultimate enlightenment. It is a teaching to make you healthy and elevate your human quality. I believe all masters of any religion are trying to aim for that. Even if they do not reach the ultimate state, through
meditation, they can earn power. At the ultimate level, there is samadhi. And only one in 100 years
reaches samadhi. And Pilot Baba and I have experienced and proved that we have reached the ultimate
level.
I have completed 18 public underground samadhi for the last 15 years in different cities in India.
And my accomplishment has earned me fame. Prime Minister Modi is aware of my achievement as a
female, and he truly appreciates that I am spreading this not only in India but to the world. It is one of the proofs that yoga is just not a workout but is much deeper than that. The fact that women
achieved success is highly appreciated. I was given the highest title “Mahamandaleshwar”(Supreme master of the universe) for the first time in the history of a woman and a foreigner by the saint society in India while there are many
men who received that title.
I believe the United Nations recognizes that I am the only woman who has achieved
that. There are a lot of yoga poses that I could teach, but instead, I start out with meditation for people
in my teaching.”
The Knockturnal: Do you have a favorite life lesson or words of motivation? Anything that helped you get through the underground
meditation or even helps with your everyday life?
“To awaken people, make a wave of world peace, and bring the awareness that we are precious living things.
[When it comes to what helps me] during the underground meditation, I think nothing; being beyond the mind.”
Learn more and follows Yogmata’s journey on Instagram and get the latest from her website.
