Three Days of Yoga Philosophy and Practice with Swami Gajanand Ji in Vienna
26–28 September 2025, Guruji Ashram, Vienna
From Friday to Sunday, 26–28 September 2025, Swami Gajanand Ji conducted three inspiring and profound programs at the Yoga in Daily Life Centre, Guruji Ashram, in Trubelgasse, Vienna. The weekend was filled with wisdom, practice and heartfelt spiritual experiences that deepened the understanding of yoga philosophy and practice for all participants.
Friday Evening Satsang – Bhajans and their Meaning
The program opened on Friday evening with a satsang dedicated to the theme Bhajans and their meaning. Swami Gajanand Ji focused on the bhajan of Sri Mahaprabhuji, Satguru Jag Me Aya Mera.
This bhajan describes the relationship between master and disciple, and illustrates the stages of yoga and the disciple’s spiritual development. It begins with the master’s acceptance of the disciple and initiation into the guru mantra: so ham – “That (Atma) am I.”
Through continued practice, the mantra becomes ajapa – a constant inner repetition. The bhajan then guides through the stages of Raja Yoga: asana, pranayama, kriya, meditation, and finally samadhi – the union of individual consciousness with the Divine, the ultimate goal of Yoga.
Saturday Workshop – The Secret of OM
On Saturday afternoon, Swami Gajanand Ji led a deeply insightful workshop, The Secret of OM.
The session began with a powerful group exercise: chanting OM together and then focusing on drishti (visualisation) and shruti (listening) of the sacred sound. Participants were reminded that in Lila Amrit, the biography of Sri Mahaprabhuji, it is described how Mahaprabhuji sang OM as a child, even before he could speak, and with OM he entered mahasamadhi.
Swami Gajanand Ji highlighted scriptural parallels, quoting the Gospel of John, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through the Word, and without the Word nothing was made that has been made.” This eternal Word is OM – the origin of all creation.
With great joy, participants sang together with Swami Gajanand the bhajan by Holy Guruji, OM Ki Racana Sari Re – expressing that everything is the creation of OM, the sound-form of the Divine (nada rupa parabrahma).
The workshop further explored the Mandukya Upanishad, which describes OM in its most comprehensive sense. OM (or AUM) encompasses time – past, present, and future – as well as the timeless fourth state of samadhi. It represents all states of consciousness – waking, dreaming and deep sleep – and the transcendental turiya, enlightenment. Thus, OM is identical with atma, and atma is identical with paramatma, expressed in the great Vedic statement (maha-vakya): ayam atma brahman – “This Atma is Brahman.”
The session concluded with a moving moment of continuous OM chanting, accompanied by recitations of Vishwaguruji’s words about OM, leaving participants in deep inner stillness.
Sunday Workshop – Yoga and Stress Management
Sunday was dedicated to a full-day workshop on Yoga and Stress Management, combining theory and practical exercises from Yoga in Daily Life – The System, as taught by Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda (Vishwaguruji).
Swami Gajanand Ji began by discussing the nature of stress: its causes; its effects on body and mind; and its common physical symptoms. Participants shared their personal experiences, which were addressed with both philosophical insights and practical tools.
The morning session introduced relaxation techniques and Ujjayi Pranayama, known for its calming effect on the nervous system and its ability to activate life energy.
The afternoon focused on guided practice with detailed explanations of each exercise:
- Yoga Nidra
- Pranayama techniques: Bhujangini Pranayama, Ujjayi Pranayama with Ashwini Mudra
- Gentle regenerating asanas: simple body stretches, Sarva Hitta Asanas
- OM chanting
- Bhramari Pranayama, listening to the inner sound
- Transition into silent meditation
Gratitude and Conclusion
The weekend concluded with a sense of deep gratitude. Participants expressed heartfelt thanks to Swami Gajanand Ji for his inspiring teachings, profound insights, and uplifting guidance. The programs significantly enriched the participants’ knowledge and practice of yoga, providing both spiritual depth and practical tools for everyday life.
In the following week, Swami Gajanand continued his programs in Linz and Salzburg, sharing his vast knowledge with the practitioners there.
