Interview with Dr Chandra Shekhar Bhatt

Synopsis

VAJRAMUKTI’S STRESS ON INNER TRANQUILITY FORMS THE BASIS OF RELIEF FROM STRESS-RELATED DISEASES OF MODERN LIFE
THE PROVERB THE PERFECT SWORDSMAN AVOIDS QUARRELING OR FIGHTING…THE BEST THING IS TO BE A VICTOR WITHOUT FIGHTING. CHINESE PROVERB
FOR A LAYMAN, MEDITATION AND MARTIAL ARTS MAY BE POLES APART, A YOGI AND A KARETAKA MAY BE TWO DIFFERENT SPECIES. BUT FOR DR CHANDRA SHEKHAR BHATT THESE ARE TWO SIDES OF SAME COIN
BHATT A LEADING EXPONENT OF YOGA AND A BLACK BELT IN KARATE HAS EVOLVED A NEW SYSTEM CALLED VAJRAMUKTI, A COMBINATION OF YOGA MEDITATION AND MARTIAL ARTS.VAJRAMUKTI MEANS FROM ACTION TO LIBERATION.
THIS SYSTEM HELPS A PRACTITIONER PHYSICALLY MENTALLY EMOTIONALLY AND SPIRITUALLY, WORKS IN PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION IN MANY DISEASES. VAJRAMUKTI CAN CURE A NUMBER OF AILMENTS LIKE VARICOSE VEINS BLOOD PRESSURE DIABETES CHRONIC CONSTIPATION EXCESSIVE FATS STRESS RELATED DISEASES ARISING FROM DAY TO DAY FUNCTIONING
THE FUNDAMENTAL IDEA OF VAJRAMUKTI IS TO MAKE HUMAN BEING EXIST IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF AWARENESS. RID OF ALL CONDITIONING. ITS CENTRAL IDEA REVOLVES AROUND LIVING FROM MOMENT TO MOMENT BECAUSE LIFE IS TO BE LIVED IN THE PRESENT. OUR MINDS GENERALLY PREOCCUPIED WITH THE PAST AND FUTURE PREVENTS US FROM LIVING IN THE PRESENT, PREVENTS US FROM APPRECIATING WHAT IS. THIS LACK OF CONSCIOUSNESS CAN CAUSE LACK OF HAPPINESS AND PEACE.
BUT ONE QUESTION WHICH ARISES IN THE MIND OF A LAYMAN IS HOW THE SEEMINGLY IRRECONCILABLE SYSTEMS LIKE MARTIAL ARTS AND YOGA CAN COMBINE TO PROVIDE A VIABLE SYSTEM
FOR A HEALTHY MIND AND HEALTHY BODY.
ACCORDING TO DR BHATT, THE AIMS OF MARTIAL ARTS AND YOGA ARE NOT VERY DIFFERENT. BOTH MOVE IN THE SAME DIRECTION. BOTH HELP IN CREATING MORE AWARENESS, BOTH ULTIMATELY STRIVE FOR INNER REALIZATION. MANY CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS BELIEVE THAT THE SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO FIGHTING BEGIN IN CHINA EARLY IN THE 6TH CENTURY AD.THEIR BELIEF IS BASED ON
THE LEGEND OF THE INDIAN MONK BODHIDHARMA WHO CAME TO SANGHSHEEN IN CHINA AND TAUGHT A MORE DIRECT APPROACH TO BUDDHISM INCLUDING LONG HOURS OF STATIC MEDITATION.
TO HELP THEM WITHSTAND LONG HOURS OF MEDITATION. HE TAUGHT THEM BREATHING TECHNIQUE
HE ALSO STIPULATED EXERCISES TO HELP THEM DEVELOP BOTH THE STRENGTH AND ABILITY TO DEFEND THEMSELVES IN REMOTE MOUNTAINOUS AREAS WHERE THEY LIVED.
MANY CHINESE AND JAPANESE MARTIAL ARTS ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE EVOLVED FROM THIS TRADITION.
ACCORDING TO SOME CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS MASTERS IT WAS BODHIDHARMA WHO INTRODUCED INTO CHINA THE NOTION OF WU TE OR MARTIAL VIRTUE, WHICH ENCOMPASSES THE QUALITY OF RESTRAINT, DISCIPLINE, HUMILITY AND RESPECT.PRIOR TO BODHIDHARMA'S ARRIVAL, CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS
WERE TRAINED PRIMARILY TO FIGHT AND WERE PRONE TO BULLY WEAKER PEOPLE.BUT WU TE PROPOUNDED THAT THE MARTIAL ARTS WERE REALLY MEANT TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT.
DR BHATT ECHOES SIMILAR IDEAS IN HIS FORTHCOMING BOOK ON VAJRAMUKTI HE SAYS THAT A MARTIAL ART IS FOR THE COORDINATION OF MIND AND BODY AND NOT FOR STREET FIGHTING. A ROADSIDE THUG CAN TEACH ANYONE THE BASICS OF STREET FIGHTING BUT IT IS ONLY A REAL MASTER WHO CAN TEACH MARTIAL ARTS. HE SAYS “WHEN WE ARE ANGRY, WE START CLINGING TO ANGER AND SOME CHEMICALS ARE RELEASED INTO THE BLOODSTREAM. WE HAVE CREATED A SITUATION WHERE WE WILL EITHER FIGHT OR ESCAPE. IF THIS ANGER IS CREATIVELY USED, WE CAN WORK MIRACLES,” HE WRITES
THE BODY FOLLOWS THE DICTATES OF THE MIND. THE MIND INTERPRETS SOMEONE AS FRIEND OR FOE. WHEN THERE IS NO FRIEND OR ENEMY, AN A HIGHER PATH IS OPENED BEFORE US.
THE AWARENESS EXPANDS. SUCH A MIND WORKS FROM A SPACE OF TOTAL AWARENESS. IT IS COMMITTED TO NONVIOLENCE AND LOVE. IT IS ONLY WHEN ONE IS CALM AND TRANQUIL THAT ONE CAN OBSERVE LIFE AS IT IS.
VAJRAMUKTI IS A SYSTEM THAT OPERATES FROM A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF AWARENESS. IT REFINES BODY AND MIND; IT ALSO ACTS AS A PREVENTIVE AND CURE FOR MANY AILMENTS. THROUGH VAJRAMUKTI ONE BECOMES AWARE OF EVEN CELLS, MUSCLES AND TENDON.
INDIAN EXPRESS NEWSPAPER MUMBAI