Thapoloka Centre for Yoga and Meditation

This Ashram was established in 1985 by Swami Rajakrishna. It is located at Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala, the southernmost State of India. Trivandrum is only 20 km away from Kovalam which is an international tourist spot. Thousands of aspirants, Indian and foreign, benefited from this Ashram so far. The aim is to spread peace and happiness to mankind. Swami Rajakrishna says - Most of the people of the present day world are in search of more material pleasures for peace, but finally end up in suffering. Science & Technology lead man to mere material progress. But the mind of man remains uncultured and spiritually backward, which is no better than an intelligent animal. Centuries back he killed his own kind with stones and axes, but now the same is repeated with modern weapons. It is too late that man should realize this fast approaching threat to mankind. Yoga way of life taught by Swami Rajakrishna will be bringing total peace to the aspirants. Through Yoga exercises body is made healthy preventing or removing all kinds of diseases. By these all internal organs like heart, lungs, stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys, brain, glands, circulatory and nervous systems are purified and strengthened. By meditation the mind is made to rest in peace controlling or removing all negative thoughts and emotions, on the other hand all positive qualities such as love, sympathy, courage, will power, self control, self confidence, patience, judgment etc. are developed for constructive activities and can lead a positive or divine way of life. Practitioners of yoga all over the world now prove this. Swami Rajakrishna's view is that we need a strong and healthy body to reach perfection (God realization) in this life itself. There is a saying that the man perfect is “God”. If a person is affected with any disease he cannot concentrate properly on God and his time is wasted on thinking of disease, medicine and doctor and money. Man is the microcosm and God is macrocosm. For ultimate peace of mind man has to find out who he is and why he is suffering in a body. Body is made up of five elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether. Prana, mind and soul are occupying this body and we find that body itself has got no life without these principles. Yoga and meditation help him to integrate all these Principles. Yoga exercises are most important to calm down the body making it free from all diseases and thus he can work out all his Karmas fulfilling necessary desires discarding vasanas (impressions) acquired in the past lives and in this life. Then he can do proper meditation and try for God realization. Ashtanga yoga (Yoga of eight parts) is best suited for this path. In this yoga three important paths such as Jnana (wisdom), Karma (service to others) and Bhakthi (devotion to God) are combined. So this method is supreme under an able Guru.