22 Facts About Aghor Yoga

1.

The word Aghor literally means "that which is not difficult or terrible"; according to its adherents, Aghor is a simple and natural state of consciousness, in which there is no experience of fear, hatred, disgust or discrimination.

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2.

The practices of Aghor Yoga today reflect reforms made in the 1960s, shifting the focus of Aghor to seeking a balanced life of selfless service and personal practice.

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3.

Baba Bhagwan Ramji encouraged the practitioners of Aghor Yoga to follow the "left hand path" by embracing socially stigmatized and neglected people, such as street children and people with leprosy and other "untouchable" diseases.

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4.

The essence of Aghor Yoga is that fundamentally humans are each an individual whole, at one with divine consciousness.

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5.

Aghor Yoga believes that by learning to identify with one's wholeness, one becomes free from a limited way of being.

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6.

Accordingly, Aghor Yoga believes that all of humanity is a part of this higher Self.

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7.

Teachings of Aghor Yoga are meant to be universal, transcending all particularities of Hinduism or Indian culture.

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8.

Aghor Yoga focuses on the idea of jivanmukta, or reaching liberation from material issues in this lifetime.

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9.

Disciple of Aghor Yoga often relies on a Guru – a capable spiritual teacher – to provide guidance when forming their practice of sadhana and seva.

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10.

One distinguishing feature of the Aghor Yoga path is that the Guru is very accessible to the students.

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11.

Students of the Aghor Yoga tradition seek to attain Aghor, a state of consciousness in which one does not experience fear, hatred, disgust, discrimination, or hunger.

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12.

Anyone from any religious, spiritual or ethnic background who has come to abide in the state of Aghor Yoga consciousness, regardless of the path that led to this state, is an Avadhut.

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13.

Term "Aghor Yoga" has ancient origins which likely precede written history.

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14.

Translation is: The very name of Aghor Yoga is a mantra that is above all other mantras.

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15.

Aghor Yoga tradition believes that Jagadguru Dattatreya propounded the tradition of Aghor Yoga later followed in the sixteenth century by the great saint Baba Kinaram.

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16.

Aghor Yoga claimed that the contents of Viveksar were revealed to him by Lord Dattatreya.

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17.

Aghor Yoga initiated many social reforms during the tumultuous times of the Moghul invasion when the Indian people were being persecuted.

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18.

The early devotees of Aghor Yoga comprised a diffuse network of wandering ascetics who passed down their beliefs and practices through oral teaching in many different lineages.

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19.

Today, Aghor Yoga focuses upon forming a balanced personal practice, placing importance on both sadhana as well as seva.

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20.

Contemporary Aghor Yoga practices focus especially on providing help and services to those who are downtrodden.

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21.

Sonoma Ashram's sister ashram, Aghor Yoga Foundation, was established in 2001 on the bank of the Ganges River in the Varanasi, India and offers a safe home for orphaned and abandoned children.

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22.

The Aghor Yoga Foundation operates other social service projects, including the Anjali School, a tuition-free school for neighborhood children living in poverty and Vision Varanasi, a free eye clinic.

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