Q&A with Mohanji

Why do we think about the Past, Concerns about the future and forget to live in the Present ?
Thinking about the Past is not wrong since we have examples of how past information avoided world war 3. Concerns about the future is also not a sin because that may have an element of future goodness in that. But why and how we can live in the PRESENT? Every moment we live are connected by a past (GOOD OR BAD) which infact is not there, and a future which again we are not sure about. So what is PRESENT? Does it not have its own identity?

Thinking about the past is the nature of the conscious mind. It keeps oscillating between past and the future, refusing to stay in the present. This can be minimized only through awareness or witness consciousness. Being a witness to your own thought process will help in keeping the mind in the present. The usual reason for energy loss and resulting tiredness is the same thing. Mind uses much more energy than the body uses. It tires the man.

There is no absolute right or wrong. Mind constantly takes references from the past to handle the present. For example, a boy who slipped and fell in the rain, could always have that memory and related fear. Sometimes,a news paper report about an air crash could give an impact to the reader which could develop into the fear of flying. So, impressions that we store into our sub-conscious mind will cause us such realties. Taking reference from the past is being done, whether we like it or not. The only problem is carrying the garbage from the past and refusing to throw them away. Garbage need to be trashed. If not trashed, it affects the man. The guilt that we carry from the past is the problem. It is not a sin. Sins does not exist. If at all it exists, according to me, the biggest sin is not understanding your true nature could be considered as a sin; because one life time got wasted for nothing. Or one life time was spent in ignorance.

Past is dead. You cannot go back and change anything in the past. So, leave the dead. Future is still unborn. You have only the NOW, to perform. This is the Present, the gift, from relativity. When you sleep at night, there is no past, present or future. Its all one. So, past, present and future exists only during waking hours or conscious mind. Be aware of that. When you exist in the present, when your mind stays with your current activity, there is limited energy loss. It is very minimal. It helps save energy. Save Energy, Save life. It means, the lesser the energy you spend, more you have in your possession. This keeps you fresh. This is why people say, that if you love your profession and always feel inclined to go for work, without any other consideration or pressure, you will never be tired.

So, understand that nothing is a sin. Mind does oscillate between past and future. It also nurtures guilt from the past and fear.of the unknown or future, which saps away energy. It also creates tremendous anxiety. So, the remedy is in being in the present. Mind should be present with all activities. This saves energy and also saves you from guilt and fear. You need to practice this only during waking hours, because, while sleeping, anyway, the time does not exist for you. You have to wake up to be aware of the time.

God Bless All

Love and only Love

M

I am a bundle of complexes. I do not know what can I give up and how, in order to unburden me and keep my spirituality in progress. Can you please guide?

Who is not a bundle of complexes? All humans are. So, do not worry about that. Being aware of the complexes itself is a big step towards spiritual awakening. How can you give up anything? By giving up there will be a vacuum. Hence giving up, deliberately is not a good idea. Moving on to something of higher, more satwic nature is better. Then, all what you want to give up, will drop off. This also applies to addictions. Forceful de-addictions without providing alternatives are not the right method. Diverting time onto more noble activities are the best way to move higher. When the lower automatically drops, its usually for good, unless, the vasana (inherent trait) for that particular activity has not yet died down completely. So, be happy that you have acquired awareness. Be happy that you have recognized your own nature. Now, start walking the path. Never stop to ponder, Walk with faith and determination. You will certainly reach your desired destination.

Is it true that Divine bodies or higher souls from other zones take birth on earth plane and get caught up in its birth and death cycle?

It is true. The reason is usually terrestrial relationship. Even though they are born objective,they will not be able to be objective always, in their chosen physical form. They become subjective and subjectivity sucks them to the quagmire of birth and death. Yet, their linkage to the higher will usually be strong. They would be very  intuitive. They would also be linked to their original plane of existence. Even their guardian angels will be watching over them. You can see them usually self-less and often a misfit in this society. They could also be made fools of or cheated by others. They spiritually evolve faster than the usual humans. They could also be seen changing paths effortlessly. They could drop everything and embark on a new thing without regrets or looking back. This shows their detachment to terrestrial matters.

There are masters taking birth for a few years. They would be distinctly different. You can see many terrestrial masters who walked the earth and currently walking the earth. They are genuinely high and they are never caught up in the usual birth – death cycle. Usually, when such high souls come to earth, many other souls also take bodies to aid them. Just like the entire army Rama including Hanumanji and Sugreeva, have all been great souls coinciding their terrestrial entry to aid an avatar.

Thus, there are many permutation combinations. It is advisable to not to get into intellectual stuff too much. Because, its very difficult to get out of intellectual comfort zone. We develop ego and pride. “A person who is proud of his intellect is like a prisoner who is proud of his prison cell.” – Said Fr.Anthony Demello.

Who is a sadguru?

The one who is like a road sign, who never expects anything from the user. The one who is like a flowing river, who nourishes the entire land unconditionally. Gives water to everyone, irrespective of his caste, creed or color. One who is like the rain, that showers his grace on all alike. One who leads a dispassionate existence, detached from the lures of the terrestrial world. One who does not glorify himself. One who maintains equanimity in happiness and sorrow. One who gives all that he has and never hoards anything. One who does not sow or reap, karmically. One who is above all emotions, but, feels for all. One who gives what each disciple needs, exactly according to the disciple’s capacity and requirement, expecting nothing out of him.

Sadguru is a state. Baba and Babaji are one. Krishna and Rama are one. Buddha and Jesus are one. Forms are plenty. Mind is the same. They appear time after time, to impart knowledge and guidance and depart as easily as they came. They never look back. Applause and brickbats are the same for them. They do their mission objectively.

God Bless All

Love

M

Wonderful workshop on meditation by Dr.Srikanth Sola

These are the movies that I saw this week.

Stephen Hawking’s Universe

• Seeing is believing
• The Big Bang
• Cosmic Alchemy
• On the Dark Side
• Black Holes and Beyond
• An Answer to Everything

Spiritual Healing with Howard Torman

Interviews with

• Dr.Deepak Chopra
• Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madronna
• Dr.Kenneth Pelletier
• Naomi Judd

Reviews the current state of research in spirituality and healing.

Mystic Lands – Peru & Egypt

Peru – The Kingdom in the clouds. Discover the secrets of an ancient nation among the ruins of Machu Picchu, and observe Inca ceremonies that link present and past and provide insights into their beliefs and culture.

Egypt – Cycle of Life. Withink lavish tombs buried beneath the desert, discover ancient secrets of a great civilization and the pharoah’s quest for immortality.

By Mrs. Mallika Srinivasan

Mrs. Mallika Srinivasan is the CEO of TAFE [Tractors and Farm Equipment] and is one of the most successful women CEOs in India having transformed TAFE from a 80-crore company to a 2500-crore market leader. She was awarded the Business Woman of the Year Award by the BBC, UK in 1999 and the Economic Times Business Woman of the Year in 2006. Engaged in many social service activities, she is also an active participant in the Mother and Child Care programme undertaken by the Easwaramma Women’s Welfare Trust. This is the transcript of the talk she delivered to the delegates of the Sri Sathya Sai World Youth Conference during a workshop session in Prasanthi Nilayam on July 26, 2007.

Mallika Srinivasan: I offer my most loving and humble pranams at the lotus feet of our Beloved Bhagavan. Respected elders, Sai youth, brothers and sisters, Sairam to all of you.

“Watch, observe, obey, learn and apply”

Each one of us gathered here today is truly blessed, enjoying and basking as we do in Bhagavan’s Protection, Grace and Love. To my family, as to all of you, Sathya Sai Baba has been the very centre of existence – mother, father, guru and God. All of you as Sai Youth are exceptionally privileged.

For unlike people like myself, who went through a process that began with magnetic attraction, led to intellectual curiosity, and perhaps a degree of scepticism before the spark of devotion could be lit, leading to faith and finally to total surrender, you have been brought into Swami’s fold at a time when your heart is open to receive His love instantly. Youth take to Swami like fish to water.

It is the determination of Swami to sow in the minds of young people which are like rays of the rising sun, the seeds of desire for acquiring spiritual knowledge. These seeds have already been sown in the Sai Youth gathered here today. The distinguishing feature of Sai Youth is that material gains are not the sole goal of your lives. You seek to lead holistic lives, yearn to achieve a larger purpose and strive to be better human beings.

Living in the presence of Bhagavan offers us the very best opportunity to achieve this. Swami teaches us in a variety of ways through His compassion, through disciplining, through His interactions, through the formal teaching like we had this morning, and at times through direct advice: “Watch, observe, learn, obey and apply.” Then, we will begin to comprehend the essence of what is required for a successful life, i.e., the building of character. Devotion, Duty, Discipline, Determination and Discrimination are the pillars on which the robust house of character is built. These are the few things I would like to touch upon today.

The Charismatic Charioteer
Devotion to God is fundamental to leading a virtuous life. Swami, through His Divine Love and in His own inimitable way, evokes in each of our hearts, this devotion and builds our faith. I would like to share with you, one such instance, when Swami through a simple and appealing example captured the heart of a young boy in an instant, making him a devotee for life!

During an interview, Swami asked our young son to ask Him a question.

The boy said, “Swami, which is your favourite car?”

My heart sank and I thought to myself, “Is this the question to ask Swami? Time with Swami is so precious!”

Swami gave a lovely smile and answered, “Morris Minor” and went on to tell stories of how He used to drive to Madras and how He obtained a license.

“You used to drive it yourself Swami?” Exclaimed the boy, stars in His eyes!

Swami had woven a bit of magic and our son looked at Swami transfixed.

Swami went on to say, “I will give you a big car. Will you take it? You mustn’t say no!”

And the boy, a bit overawed by now, said, “OK!”

Swami then asked, “Will you give me your car?”

Prompt came the answer, “Sure Swami!”

“Shall I drive it?”

And the boy again said, “Sure, Swami.”

Swami then smilingly placed His hand on our son’s heart and said, “Your heart is the car and I am the driver.”

One of the most profound lessons in devotion had been taught by Swami in the simplest possible manner! Swami says, “Have faith in Him” and “Be free from fear, anxiety and agitation. Surrender to God; His Grace can save you. His wisdom can enlighten you. His power can overcome all obstacles. Faith and surrender are the manifestations of devotion.”

The Right Attitude
Duty without expectation of reward is the essence of the Bhagavad Gita. Let us cast a glimpse of what is actually happening around us in the world today, especially in the lives of younger people. There is, if you permit me to say, an obsession with being remunerated; with obtaining greater and greater power and authority. There is a constant measurement of work versus reward and a continuous comparison with other family members, friends, colleagues and peers. Opportunities and temptations abound in a growing economy and this is fuelling these trends.

Frequency of job change has reached new heights and as the search continues for something elusive, our inner peace is destroyed. If, on the other hand, we enjoy doing what we are doing, do our very best, excel at it, going beyond what is commonly termed “the call of duty,” do our tasks with devotion and love, without fear of failure, leaving the rewards to Swami, not only will we achieve inner peace, but we will exceed our own expectations of performance.

Surrender, the Best Strategy!
In our professional lives, we may have the illusion that we control outcomes. That it is only an illusion becomes quite clear, when we are faced with a personal crisis.

For example, let us take the illness of a loved one. My mother, a very healthy person, was recently diagnosed with having an ailment, for which the prognosis was indeed poor. Only God could save her. It is in situations like this, that faith and surrender make us witness Swami’s magic. His Grace fills us with a sense of calm. He directs and guides us to do our duty taking appropriate decisions and leaving the rest to Him.

It was raining heavily and the hospital room began to leak. And a fungus infection would be disastrous for my mother. The Hospital administration and doctors out of concern were urging me to move her immediately to another Hospital where the care would not be of the same order, but the room would not leak. We seemed to be moving her for all the wrong reasons. Couldn’t we move her to the smaller room or to the intensive care? A quiet prayer to Swami seeking His guidance and the answer was clear. “Do not move her.”

It is Bhagavan’s infinite grace that she is today completely well, truly Swami’s walking miracle. Faith enables us to carry out our duties calmly, even under extraordinarily extenuating circumstances, surrendering the problem at His feet. Our duty, however, extends beyond our jobs and serving our families to serving humanity at large.

Inspiring Examples
Speaking at the Harvard Commencement in June 2007, Bill Gates said:

“When you consider what those of us here have been given in talent, privilege and opportunity, there is almost no limit to what the world has a right to expect from us.”

We gathered here today, are even more privileged than those in Harvard. For, we have in our midst, Bhagavan, to teach and guide us as we strive to give back to society, what society has given to us! “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give,” said Winston Churchill.

While our ancient texts have laid down the way wealth should be distributed, a quarter for personal use, a quarter for charitable purposes, a quarter on other living beings, and a quarter in support of state, even in this materialistic world, there are a handful of the richest of men, who have set outstanding examples of giving back to serve the larger cause of humanity. Many of you would probably have read Warren Buffet’s recent announcement that he would donate 85% of his 44 billion dollar empire to charity to serve communities across the world and most importantly, without heed to religion, caste or community.

Inspired by such examples, Sai Youth, having imbibed Swami’s teachings of “Service to man is service to God” can play a prominent role in the establishment of a new world order. Participating actively in Swami’s Seva Organization and programs, be they providing water, food or medical care, gives Sai Youth a unique opportunity to serve with love under Divine Guidance.

How Can ‘I’ Start Service?
Opportunities to serve are everywhere; one does not have to search for them. They are in your neighbourhood and in your work place. As Swami says, you may not get a chance to participate in some gigantic scheme of service through which millions may be benefited, but you can lift a lame lamb over the side, or lead a blind child across a busy road. That too is an act of worship. If you look around you with love, service to others will come spontaneously and become an intrinsic part of our daily lives.

In the words of Bhagavan, the real value of seva and its most visible result is that it transforms and reshapes you. Devotion must be directed along the lines of duty and tested in the crucible of discipline, says Bhagavan.

Discipline – Indispensable for Success
“Why do we need discipline?” Swami’s analogy comparing life to a football game, gives us the answer. If any player can do anything with the ball, and there is neither foul nor out, neither offside nor goal, neither throw nor penalty, then it be a meaningless game incapable of giving joy. It is these rules and restrictions that give charm to the game of life. It is disciplined societies that emerge victorious.

Japan was decimated during World War II and Korea sank into poverty after the Korean War. It is discipline that has enabled the resurgence of both Japan and South Korea that has enabled both these countries and propelled them into being economic power houses. Discipline pervades every aspect of life in their society. Their daily routine, their work habits, their interaction with each other, and everything is done in a particular way at a particular time and with no deviations. In Japan, even the tea ceremony is a much disciplined affair. Quality, efficiency and excellence in everything they do are the hallmarks of these societies. It is individual discipline that translates into this kind of societal discipline and ensures success.

While discipline is a prerequisite in every endeavour, be it social, economic or material, it is even more vital for Sai youth aspiring to pursue the spiritual path. Swami expects the highest levels of discipline from his students and the youth, for it is this discipline that builds credibility, the foundation stone for leadership.

When a new employee joins a firm, both his seniors and his subordinates are watching him closely. Does he come to work on time? Does he do what he says he will? Does he deliver his assigned tasks on schedule? Is there unison in what he thinks, says and does? Is he willing to shoulder additional responsibilities? No one can succeed in his or her mission alone, and success depends upon the support we are able to garner from others and this support is garnered only through credibility established by the practice of personal discipline. People may not believe what you say. But they will surely believe what they see you do. Emerson, the American author had this to say. “What you are shouts so loudly in my ears that I cannot hear what you say.” It is character that communicates most eloquently.

Discrimination – The Most Vital Tenet
All of you gathered here are aspiring to be leaders in your own respective spheres of life. Besides demonstration by personal example, two key differentiators between leaders and others are determination and what Swami referred to this morning in His inaugural address as “The Power of Discrimination.”

Determination is widely acclaimed as the king of faculties and as the one that succeeds when everything else fails. Nothing can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with great talent. Genius will not. Nothing is more common than unrewarded genius! It is now almost like a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

A distinction however may be made, between determination and obstinacy. An obstinate man is not open to suggestions and course corrections become impossible. In sharp contrast, a determined man has a flexible approach, keeps his eye on the goal post and freely takes inputs that help to further progress towards the goal. Obstinate people are filled with ego. Determination without a trace of ego or self-interest empowers the individual with a sharper sense of discrimination.

Discrimination is the ability to distinguish between good and bad, right and wrong, and take the correct decision, given a specific set of circumstances. What is right in one situation may not be right in another and leaders are often faced with difficult choices. But in every situation, discrimination implies applying the principle of dharma, the righteousness that upholds the universe.

A couple of examples. Each one of us has different roles that we play in life. The father at home is many times the boss at work, be it a small, medium, or large business. The factors that he takes when taking a decision vis-à-vis his son in his role as a father will be distinctively different from those that he uses when taking decisions at the work place. At the work place, he cannot take decisions based only on his son’s individual interest. For, these affect the larger good of the Organization. Therefore, necessarily, it has to be above self-interest. He needs to give up on mine and thine.

Hitler was a determined man. Why was he destroyed? His determination was filled with ego and megalomaniac tendencies. The larger good was not in sight. He lost his discrimination for his decisions were not based on the principles of Dharma.

While the Dharma for each person may be different, depending upon the role he plays, the basic principles of dharma, based on which discrimination is applied remain unchanged, namely, truth, love, fortitude and non-violence. These are the cornerstones of the practice of Dharma and upholding Dharma is the insignia of a true leader.

When there is Dharma, there is victory. And the protector of Dharma, will always be protected by Bhagavan. Devotion, Duty, Discipline, Determination and Discrimination are integral parts of the whole and need to come together in perfect balance to form the character of an ideal Sai Youth.

Each of these attributes cannot be viewed in isolation and when closely intertwined, make for a successful and holistic life. All of you, young delegates are filled with idealism, dreams and aspirations. In conclusion, I would like to share with you the words of Swami, that to me have been through the years, a joyous source of inspiration.

“Life is a Game, Play It! Life is a Challenge, Meet it! Life is Love, Enjoy it! Life is a Dream, Realize it!”

Jai Sri Sai Ram!

Creating a Stress-Free Mind and a Violence-Free World – Antidote to Corruption

The big C of corruption can be countered by five more Cs!

The first is the sense of connectedness. A lack of connectedness or sense of belongingness breeds corruption in society. That is why, often you see people looking for connections in order to avoid corruption! A sense of belongingness among people can root out corruption.  That is why corruption is lowest at the village level. Corruption is much more in urban areas because there is no community sense there no belongingness.

The second C is courage. A lack of self-esteem or confidence in one’s own ability is one of the causes of corruption. It is fear, or insecurity in a person that makes him become more corrupt. He then tries to find his security only through money, which doesn’t really happen. The more money he acquires, the insecurity doesn’t disappear. In fact, he becomes more afraid and more fearful because the money is not earned in a right manner.

The third is an understanding of cosmology – looking at one’s own life in the context of extended space and time. Just take a look at our own life. How long is it? Only 80-100 years! See life in the context of the huge dimension of time. Billions of years have passed since the creation. Our creation, as scientists say, is 50 billion years old. And everything in this creation is recycled. The air we breathe is old, every cell in our body, every atom is old, the oxygen and hydrogen is old! And this will continue. Seeing life from a different perspective of space and time is what will deepen one’s vision about one’s life.

The fourth C is care and compassion. Care and compassion in society can bring dedication. It is the lack of dedication that causes corruption. The sense of care and feeling that it doesn’t matter even if I don’t have; somebody needs this more. That care and compassion can root out corruption.

The last one I would like to emphasise is a sense of commitment – commitment to contribution. When a person has a goal, a commitment to a higher cause in life, it brings a shift from gaining to giving. In society, if everyone keeps thinking, “What can I gain?” rather than “What can I contribute”, then corruption cannot be rooted out. In society, we need to have this shift in our attitude, from “What can I gain?” to “What can I contribute?”

But all this is not possible without spiritual upliftment and a sense of belongingness with the whole world. Today the globe has become a village. We have globalised everything other than wisdom. And that is one of the causes of
terrorism and unrest in the world today. We accept food from every part of the world, we accept music from every part of the world, but when it comes to wisdom, people seem to shy away. A sense of belongingness with the whole world is what we are talking about today. Even if one pocket in the world remains ignorant of these shared values, the world will not be a safe place. So we need to address these issues with a lot of patience. It is not a job that can be done overnight, but through education and creating that sense of community, through inspiration and example.

Q&A with Mohanji

Respect your constitution. This is fundamental. You are a unique being. There is nobody else like you,in exactly your vibratory level and constitution. Understand your own constitution in three levels. Physical, Emotional and Intellectual.

Physical – I am what I am. I cannot change into another’s shape and there is no need to change too. I am unique. This is the fundamental acceptance that we must create within ourselves. The height, color, shape, and all aspects of our physical constitution has been part of our agenda for this existence and in this life. We did not choose this consciously. Yet, all the variety of data that we fed into our own sub-conscious mind created this shape or physique. If you deny and are unhappy about your own physical form, you are denying your own creation. Whether you are beautiful or not-so-beautiful, whether you are tall or short, whether you are fat or slim, whether you are black or white. You are what you are. Accept what ever you are, as it is. There is nothing to compare with another. Comparisons are futile. Acceptance of your own physical constitution is the first step towards finding peace in this existence.

Emotional – Emotional constitution also is created by you. You are what you are. There are none exactly alike. There could be similar, but not alike. Accepting the emotional body as normal and accepting it as part of your constitution is essential too.If you cannot come into terms with the nature of your own emotions, peace will elude you. What ever your emotional nature is, accept it as it is. This is the way I am and I am happy with my way. The more you resist to your own inherent nature, you will suffer more.  In order to understand your emotional nature or your nature of emotions, you must observe your response patterns closely, over a period of time. The pattern in which you are responding in this world. An external observation by somebody else or external comments by someone will not help you here because they are given by another person, and hence could be biased. You must observe yourself. Recognize your own emotional patterns over time. Understand this is the way you are responding in this world.Accept that whole-heartedly, as gift of the Almighty. You will be peaceful. The observation of your own emotional pattern will also identify flaws in the pattern, such as lethargy, tendency to delay things, over reaction for the sake of protection, desire for attention and sympathy, anxieties, fears etc. Then it is easy to handle them and correct them in the future. If diagnosis is perfect, treatment is simple.

Intellectual – Right from childhood, a child is subject to comparisons on intellectual competency. The average child undergoes tremendous pressures that affects his self-esteem. Acceptance of intellectual levels, is fundamental. All are different. Variety is the core of the terrestrial existence. There are none higher or lower in any way. Flavours are different. Life patterns are different and so are lifestyles. We must accept our IQ level as it is and should never compare with another. Comparisons leads to agony and feeling of inadequacy. We always compare ourselves with someone who is relatively superior. This creates jealousy and unrest. Hence, it does not matter whether our intellectual capacity is the best. It only matters whether it is useful for your current existence. The current intellect that you possess is what you had demanded, when you came into this life, from the past life. So, after taking birth and after comparing a lot by yourself, your family members or even your teachers, if you come into a conclusion that this IQ level is inadequate, it only means that you are dissatsfied with yourself and in a way it is utter nonsense. You cannot move on that way. You have to understand that there is nothing to compare. Everyone has his inadequacies. Everyone is an individual with essentially unique constitution or pattern. You are simiiar. Just accept that. Be peaceful.

Finally, the set of impressions that created karma and that created a new life for you, are exclusively  your own. Nobody imposed anything on you. You were living a life, which had a set of relatives, a set of friends, a place of action and a physical, mental and intellectual constitution to facilitate your existence and actions. You lived that life and collected various impressions (just like you are doing now) and what ever you could not satisfactorily fulfil, you brought forward into a new life. The soul has been the same. The impressions were carried forward. The new pattern was created according to what you wanted to achieve or exhaust in this life. Accept that first before you attempt any changes. The events in your life were according to the available impressions in your sub-conscious mind, brought from your past lives. You could not see its existence, as data stored in your hard-drive stays invisible, unless brought to the screen of life. Hence you could not truly understand the pattern of events that happened in your life and why.  Every thought, word, or action had a root. They all were provoked by the inherent desires. Some are carried forward from other lives and some are acquired in this life.

All these are collectively called your personal constitution. Respect that constitution first. Observe it very closely as a witness. Understand yourself first and stop comparing with another. Once you start respecting and honoring your own constitution, there will not be any internal conflicts. Internally you will be at peace. External peace automatically happens.

Resistance to any aspects of yourself, will lead to agony and suffering. And you will not know the reason why you are suffering. Internal unrest will overflow as anger, jealousy and hatred. You will carve your own hell. You will suffer and many others will suffer. Hence, take the time and understand your own constitution. Respect it. Observe it closely and correct whet ever you want to correct, subtly and gradually.
God Bless All
Love and only Love
M

He gives me the chills! What a wonderful inspiring speech relevant to everyone on this planet not just Americans. Yes we can!!

(Q&A with Mohanji)

Does enlightenment mean giving up everything?
No. Enlightenment means giving in to everything in perfect equanimity. Nothing affects you anymore. Giving up is renunciation. That too, if you give up consciously, while the desire still exists in your sub-conscious, will not work. You have to exhaust your desires and evolve further. Then it will stay. No desire can be suppressed and moved forward. Circumstantial suppression is not elimination. The seeds are still there. The desire is still there. It will sprout when the right environment is created.

Enlightenment means complete giving in to the rhythm of the universe. A total tuning in. Individual gratifications get converted into existence in a bliss state which means self-sufficiency. Externalization of the senses and mind will shift to internalization. The man achieves self-sufficiency within himself. Then it’s not giving up, but dropping off. Automatically, all that is unwanted in his sub-conscious gets burnt away or dropped off and that space becomes filled with bliss of cosmic consciousness. You can also call it blissful emptiness or supreme awareness.

In short, we cannot give up anything, unless that space gets filled with something higher in nature. Karma cannot be deleted unless fully exhausted. It must wear off. Enlightened Masters can definitely dilute one’s karmic trash. But, usually, they let the disciple walk the path, experience and exhaust. Otherwise, as long as desires exist, the need for gratification never leaves the sub-conscious.
Desires should be replaced with higher awareness. This means, when you got a bicycle, you lost the interest in your toy. When you got a motor cycle, you lost interest in your bicycle. Therefore, something higher replaces the seeming lower. In the case of spirituality, EXPERIENCE SHOULD REPLACE KNOWLEDGE. Then evolution happens. The higher the experiences, more will the lower drop off. The need for doing anything ritualistically will drop off and existence in bliss will provide tremendous strength and equanimity. You will not be affected by any regular storms of life.You will stay afloat in all conditions and turbulence.
God Bless All
Love
M

Thanks to AttractionLaw

Lyrics in Telugu

Sathya Dharma Prema Nithyamai Yundina
Pudami Thalli Yantho Pulakarincchu
Viswa Santhinicchu
Vividha Saukhyamu Hecchu
Vinudu Bharathiya Vira Suthuda

Translation

Mother earth would be blissful if truth, righteousness and love were to be permanent.
The various avenues for the universal peace would abound.
This  would be a  harbinger for prosperity in many ways.
Listen!
O valient son of Bharat (India).

I have tried to condense the book “Nature is always right” by Dr. M. SriRamaKrishna into bullet points to serve as a reference so that I can get back and read this blog post often.

• Remember always that our lives should be of service to others.
• Krishna talks about Abhaya in the 16th chapter of Gita. We can fearlessness in life only if we live in accordance and in alignment with nature.
• Benign nature assists us in each step, only then are we able to perform actions.
• Always try to make use of opportunity that nature provides us with but never try to desire anything from her.
• Our mantra should always be “Nature is always correct”. At this moment whatever is happening is right. We cannot change it. Krishna says in Bhagavat Gita that he is Time.
• We cannot change what is happening. We can only accept and aspire to change what is to come.
• Don’t live in the burden of the past.
• we can take a correct decision only when it is clear that the present condition is right. Accept the present moment “as is”.
• After accepting the present condition, now try to change or improve upon whatever might come.
• Circumstances are not responsible for what we are. If we try to change ourselves, the circumstances around us automatically change. It might take some time though, depending on the previous samskaras and desires.
• Time can be expanded or contracted based on the intensity of our effort and willpower.
• More importance should be given in following the Guru’s teachings rather than following his physical body.
• All genuine Gurus have something unique to offer. Whenever you hear about a great living saint, listen to them and thus assimilate what every great soul has to offer.
• Lalitha Sahasranama clearly mentions that only in your last janma can you truly understand the essence of Sri Vidya.
• There are 14 essential conditions to grasp spiritual knowledge. 6 chakras + 5 Koshas + 3 Granthis.
• Until we realize that wherever nature has placed us and whatever it is offering you in the present moment is correct, we cannot step into spiritual life.
• Guru’s grace flows and makes you overcome any obstacles when we grasp that whatever happening to you is right. Let nature decide if it has to remove the obstacle.
• Don’t let fatalistic attitude creep in you though. It does not matter if you succeed at something or not but put in total intensity to the task at hand.
• Nature is like our mother. She does not intend to hurt us. Even the so called destruction we see, is for our good. She does not hurt us, it is we who feel hurt.
• We, who are in the lap of nature should perform all our actions whole heartedly. This is the basis for spiritual life.
• Spirituality which cannot be practiced in daily life is not spirituality. True spiritualist performs service to the society.
• You are not the doer, be happy that you are the instrument. It should be our mantra to work collectively for a noble cause whole-heartedly trying to change the circumstances for the better and at the same time accept whatever nature grants us as something that is best for us.

Source- Google Books, Servers of the Divine Plan

Of late, we keep hearing about the dawn of the new age of consciousness. The Mayan calendar also suggests that by the year 2012, sufficient number of beings in this world will be elevated who will lead and help mankind towards greater spiritual heights. I myself have heard this from several great spiritual Masters. If someone told me that even five years back, it would have been difficult to believe, but there is now a perceptible change throughout the world that is happening ever so subtly that humankind is being transformed slowly, naturally and permanently.

This is spoken about in great length in the book “Servers of the Divine Plan”. No one knows who the author of this book is and the author considered that the content in the book is more important than who he was.  This book seems to be written very recently and whoever wrote that must surely be in a advanced state of consciousness; for it impossible to present in such detail the Divine plan. The book seems a little heavy (if not soporofic) in parts but for a serious spiritual aspirant, this book brings great hope and tries to explain how divinity descends into various levels to elevate all beings on our planet. Some passages are awe inspiring and some just too overwhelming to know that the divine has such great unfathomable compassion towards us.

Excerpt from the book:

“A growing percentage of human population are today remembering something of the intelligent design and infallibility of the Divine plan for Earth at this time and their role to play in it. It is in such remembrance that we wish to fulfill our duty to all people in every part of the world, and we are especially devoted to helping in the recalling process for those who came specifically to aid humanity and the planet through the impending Great transition.

Our long dark night, is almost over. Very soon, all awakened souls will unite again as one to greet the new Dawn, and to finally release that Grand Song which has been composed within their hearts during the course of many incarnations of personal sacrifice. It is our prayer that all servants of the race may now step forward to faithfully and confidently pool energies and resources so that we may make haste towards the fulfillment of the prophecy by consciously assisting in the predestined emergence of the New World Consciousness upon Earth.”

Source : Super Science of Gayatri by Pt. Sri Ram Sharma Acharya

Gayatri is the mantra which imparts true wisdom. It inspires the mind, intellect inner psyche and emotions of the devotee towards the righteous path. Its Sadhana helps in progressive growth of righteous (sat) elements. When the Sadhak concentrates on the meaning of this mantra he realises that the supreme prosperity and the greatest success in life is to attain true wisdom. When he gets fully convinced about the true aim of life, he single minded  starts his self-effort to wards this goal. This aspiration creates an ever expanding vibrations in the universal realm which attracts and assimilates waves of righteous thoughts, emotions and inspirations pervading the subtle atmosphere. The magnetic power of thoughts is well-known. Thoughts attract thoughts of similar kind scattered in the mental universe with the result that powerful eternal thoughts and spiritual attainments of living and past illumined persons start accumulating spontaneously within the Sadhak as a divine boon and his accumulated capital of such thoughts goes on increasing.

This is not visible to the naked eye nor can it be understood from purely physical point of view. But those who are endowed with the occult knowledge of the working of the inner being know it well that decrease in the elements of tam and raj and increase in sat is almost similar to the steady process of elimination of disease producing toxins, viruses and germs from the body and replacing them with health-giving  rejuvenating cells.

With increase in sat element in the body there is significant change in physical activities. The constant turbulence of sense organs steadily calms down. Bad habits like greediness for delicious dishes; craving for eating articles of different tastes; desire to eat more and repeatedly, irrespective of any consideration whether what is being eaten is eatable or not; dislike for satvik foods and liking for pungent, spicy, sweet, gross, indigestible items of food are gradually reversed. The Sadhak develops liking for light, easily digestible, juicy simple foods and shuns luxurious, tamsik food. Like-wise, sexual urge is restrained and moderated on account of righteous thoughts and the mind hardly gets an opportunity to get engrossed in passion, debauchery and intense sexual desire. Faith is developed in observance of brahmachrya which helps in increasing vitality. Sex and taste  are the two main sensual urges which on being controlled can promote preservation of health and physical wellbeing. Coupled with these restraints, other daily  routines like physical work, sleep, awakening, cleanliness, simplicity etc. also get regulated with the growth of satogun. Such a pious way of life automatically leads to vibrant health and longevity.

In the mental sphere, with the development of virtues, vices like passion, anger, greed, attachment, pride, jealousy, selfishness, laziness, intoxication, lewdness, deception, falsehood, pretence, worry, fear, sorrow etc. get reduced and with their reduction virtues like self-restraint, regularity, sacrifice, equality, humility simplicity, straight-forwardness, truthfulness, fearlessness, carefulness, valour, wisdom, courage, patience, compassion, love, service, generosity, dutifulness, devoutness etc. start developing in the Sadhak. The result of this inner transformation is that the Sadhak acquires the wisdom and strength to meet with equanimity routine challenges and setbacks of daily life.

On account of faith in God, the intellect remains unperturbed and the Sadhak remains care-free about his future. Other people are also benefited by the sadhak’s virtues like service-mindedness, politeness, generosity, philanthropy, honesty, benevolence etc. and there is no apprehension of any harm being done to anybody by him. The result is that out of gratitude for  his unconditional service people become his admirers, friends and defenders. On account of this mutual goodwill, life becomes exceedingly blissful.

Man being an integral part of Divinity, all divine powers are hidden in the human soul in seed form. These powers remain dormant under the debris of mental agitation , sensual peversions, defects and vices in the form of ignorance. People think that they are poor, miserable, insignificant and infirm, but the sadhaks who are able to sweep away this debris from within themselves are able to have a glimpse of the pure light of the inner self. What is needed is simply to remove the dense and dark covering which envelops the inner light. The sun of righteous Sadhana of Gayatri removes the clouds  of ignorance and the resplendent divine light of the soul is manifested. This is instinct with all divine powers, riddhis-Siddhis.

The development of righteousness through Gayatri Sadhana gives birth to numerous kinds of spiritual and material prosperity. The purification of the body and mind makes worldly life happy and peaceful. With the growth of prudence and spiritual power several difficulties which appear to others to be daunting like a steep mountain top become as simple and light as a straw. The Sadhak finds no insurmountable  hindrance in accomplishment of any work. Either circumstances change according to his will or he adjusts and changes his desires to the circumstances. Suffering is due to conflict between desire and unfavourable circumstances. A prudent person is always resilient and avoids conflict and thus leads a happy life.

Rejuvenation of life
Gayatri mantra rejuvenates a person spiritually. As soon as a person starts Gayatri Sadhana he feels a new vibrancy surging within himself. With the increase in the element of righteousness, vices, evil thoughts, evil tendencies, malice, avarice etc. start decreasing and virtues like self-restraint, politeness, sweetness, honesty, truthfulness, generosity, love, contentment, peace, service-mindedness, warmth start increasing day by day. Everybody has to face difficult circumstances due to destiny and as an essential outcome of his own deeds. Whereas, an ignorant and unrefined person  feels suffocating pain and suffering on account of loss, bereavement, disease, violence, opposition, shock  etc., a Gayatri Sadhak endowed with spiritual discernment and faith meets these  adversities with perfect equanimity. He remains in blissful peace even in adversity.

Gayatri Sadhana is also performed for averting a particular crisis and fulfilling specific needs. The results are often astonishing. It has been observed that where utter darkness, failure, apprehension and fear prevailed, a divine light emerged, hopelessness was transformed into hopefulness and difficult  tasks became easy by the grace of Vedmata.

In the ancient times, eminent seers had undergone great penance and performed yog-Sadhana and had achieved riddhi-Siddhis like anima, mahima etc., the basis of which was Gayatri Sadhana. Ancient scriptures are full of descriptions of miraculous powers which they possessed. Such illumined souls  are present even today and they are of the view that there is no other as sure and easy a way of achieving success in yog-marg as Gayatri Sadhana. All the emperors of Suryavansh and Chandravansh were worshippers of Gayatri. By virtue of this divine power, brahmans were called Jagatgurus and kshatriyas as emperors. This is an eternal truth and is as effective now as it was in the past. No one who takes refuge in Gayatri Mata
with devotion is ever disappointed.

Thanks to nikhiltambe

A very inspiring speech (in Hindi) from the serial Chanakya.

From Light for students – Thanks to Surasa

People sleep, they forget, they take life easy — they forget, forget all the time…. But if we could remember… that we are at an exceptional hour, a unique time, that we have this immense good fortune, this invaluable privilege of being present at the birth of a new world, we could easily get rid of everything that impedes and hinders our progress.

So, the most important thing, it seems, is to remember this fact; even when one doesn’t have the tangible experience, to have the certainty of it and faith in it; to remember always, to recall it constantly, to go to sleep with this idea, to wake up with this perception; to do all that one does with this great truth as the background, as a constant support, this great truth that we are witnessing the birth of a new world. We can participate in it, we can become this new world. And truly, when one has such a marvellous opportunity, one should be ready to give up everything for its sake.

*

You are to be conscious of yourself, you must awake to your nature and movements, you must know why and how you do things or feel or think them; you must understand your motives and impulses, the forces, hidden and apparent, that move you; in fact, you must, as it were, take to pieces the entire machinery of your being. Once you are conscious, it means that you can distinguish and sift things, you can see which are the forces that pull you down and which help you on. And when you know the right from the wrong, the true from the false, the divine from the undivine, you are to act strictly up to your knowledge; that is to say, resolutely reject one and accept the other. The duality will present itself at every step and at every step you will have to make your choice.

*

“To know oneself and control oneself”, what does this mean?

This means to be conscious of one’s inner truth, conscious of the different parts of one’s being and their respective functions. You must know why you do this, why you do that; you must know your thoughts, know your feelings, all your activities, all your movements, of what you are capable, etc. And to know oneself is not enough: this knowledge must bring a conscious control. To know oneself perfectly is to control oneself perfectly. But there must be an aspiration at every moment.

It is never too early to begin, never too late to continue. That is, even when you are quite young, you can begin to study yourself and know yourself and gradually to control yourself. And even when you are what is called “old”, when you are quite aged, it is not too late to make the effort to know yourself better and better and control yourself better and better. That is the Science of Living. To perfect oneself, one must first become conscious of oneself. I am sure, for instance, that the following situation has arisen many times in your life: someone asks you suddenly, “Why have you done that?” Well, the spontaneous reply, is, “I don’t know.” If someone asks you, “What are you thinking of?” you reply, “I don’t know.” “Why are you tired?” — “I don’t know.” “Why are you happy?” — “I don’t know,” and so on. I can take indeed fifty people and ask them suddenly, without preparation, “Why have you done that?” and if they are not inwardly “awake”, they will all answer, “I don’t know” (of course I am not speaking here of those who have practised a discipline of self-knowledge and of following up their movements to their extreme limits; these people can, naturally, collect themselves, concentrate and give the right answer, but only after a little while). You will see that it is like that if you look well at your whole day. You say something and you don’t know why you say it — it is only after the words are out of your mouth that you notice that this was not quite what you wanted to say. For instance, you go to see someone, you prepare beforehand the words you are going to speak, but once you are in front of the person in question, you say nothing or it is other words which come from your mouth. Are you able to say to what extent the atmosphere of the other person has influenced you and stopped you from saying what you had prepared? How many people can say that? They do not even observe that the person was in such or such a state and that it was because of this that they could not tell him what they had prepared. Of course, there are very obvious instances when you find people in such a bad mood that you can ask nothing of them. I am not speaking of these. I am speaking of the clear perception of reciprocal influences: what acts and re-acts on your nature; it is this one does not have. For example, one becomes suddenly uneasy or happy, but how many people can say, “It is this”? And it is difficult to know, it is not at all easy. One must be quite “awake”; one must be constantly in a very attentive state of observation.

There are people who sleep twelve hours a day and say the rest of the time, “I am awake”! There are people who sleep twenty hours a day and the rest of the time are but half awake!
To be in this state of attentive observation, you must have, so to say, antennae everywhere which are in constant contact with your true centre of consciousness. You register every thing, you organise everything and, in this way, you cannot be taken unawares, you cannot be deceived, mistaken, and you cannot say anything other than what you wanted to say. But how many people normally live in this state? It is this I mean, precisely, when I speak of “becoming conscious”. If you want to benefit most from the conditions and circumstances in which you find yourself, you must be fully awake: you must not be taken by surprise, you must not do things without knowing why, you must not say things without knowing why. You must be constantly awake.
You must also understand that you are not separate individualities, that life is a constant exchange of forces, of consciousness, of vibrations, of movements of all kinds. It is as in a crowd, you see: when everyone pushes all go forward, and when all recede, everyone recedes. It is the same thing in the inner world, in your consciousness. There are all the time forces and influences acting and re-acting upon you, it is like a gas in the atmosphere, and unless you are quite awake, these things enter into you, and it is only when they have gone well in and come out as if they came from you, that you become aware of them. How many times people meet those who are nervous, angry, in a bad mood, and themselves become nervous, angry, moody, just like that, without quite knowing why. Why is it that when you play against certain people you play very well, but when you play against others you cannot play? And those very quiet people, not at all wicked, who suddenly become furious when they are in a furious crowd! And no one knows who has started it: it is something that went past and swept off the consciousness. There are people who can let out vibrations like this and others respond with out knowing why. Everything is like that, from the smallest to the biggest things.
To be individualised in a collectivity, one must be absolutely conscious of oneself. And of which self? — the self which is above all intermixture, that is, what I call the truth of your being. And as long as you are not conscious of the Truth of your being, you are moved by all kinds of things, without taking any note of it at all. Collective thought, collective suggestions are a formidable influence which act constantly on individual thought. And what is extraordinary is that one does not notice it. One believes that one thinks “like that”, but in truth it is the collectivity which thinks “like that”. The mass is always inferior to the individual. Take individuals with similar qualities, of similar categories, well, when they are alone these individuals are at least two degrees better than people of the same category in a crowd. There is a mixture of obscurities, a mixture of unconsciousness, and inevitably you slip into this unconsciousness. To escape this there is but one means: to become conscious of oneself, more and more conscious and more and more attentive.
Try this little exercise: at the beginning of the day, say: “I won’t speak without thinking of what I say.” You believe, don’t you, that you think all that you say! It is not at all true, you will see that so many times the word you do not want to say is ready to come out, and that you are compelled to make a conscious effort to stop it from coming out.
I have known people who were very scrupulous about not telling lies, but all of a sudden, when together in a group, in stead of speaking the truth they would spontaneously tell a lie; they did not have the intention of doing so, they did not think of it a minute before doing it, but it came “like that”. Why? — because they were in the company of liars; there was an atmosphere of falsehood and they had quite simply caught the malady!
It is thus that gradually, slowly, with perseverance, first of all with great care and much attention, one becomes conscious, learns to know oneself and then to become master of oneself.

*

And it is there we have the solution of the problem. You can at every minute make the gift of your will in an aspiration — and an aspiration which formulates itself very simply, not just “Lord, Thy will be done”, but “Grant that I may do as well as I can the best thing to do.”
You may not know at every moment what is the best thing to do nor how to do it, but you can place your will at the disposal of the Divine to do the best possible, the best thing possible. You will see it will have marvellous results. Do this with consciousness, sincerity and perseverance, and you will find yourself getting along with gigantic strides. It is like that, isn’t it? One must do things with all the ardour of one’s soul, with all the strength of one’s will; do at every moment the best possible, the best thing possible. What others do is not your concern — this is something I shall never be able to repeat to you often enough.
Never say, “So-and-so does not do this”, “So-and-so does something else”, “That one does what he should not do” — all this is not your concern. You have been put upon earth, in a physical body, with a definite aim, which is to make this body as conscious as possible, make it the most perfect and most conscious instrument of the Divine. He has given you a certain amount of substance and of matter in all the domains — mental, vital and physical — in proportion to what He expects from you, and all the circumstances around you are also in proportion to what He expects of you, and those who tell you, “My life is terrible, I lead the most miserable life in the world”, are donkeys! Everyone has a life appropriate to his total development, everyone has experiences which help him in his total development, and everyone has difficulties which help him in his total realisation.
If you look at yourself carefully, you will see that one always carries in oneself the opposite of the virtue one has to realise (I use “virtue” in its widest and highest sense). You have a special aim, a special mission, a special realisation which is your very own, each one individually, and you carry in yourself all the obstacles necessary to make your realisation perfect. Always you will see that within you the shadow and the light are equal: you have an ability, you have also the negation of this ability. But if you discover a very black hole, a thick shadow, be sure there is somewhere in you a great light. It is up to you to know how to use the one to realise the other.
This is a fact very little spoken about, but one of capital importance. And if you observe carefully you will see that it is always thus with everyone. This leads us to statements which are paradoxical but absolutely true; for instance, that the greatest thief can be the most honest man (this is not to encourage you to steal, of course!) and the greatest liar can be the most truthful person. So, do not despair if you find in yourself the greatest weakness, for perhaps it is the sign of the greatest divine strength. Do not say, “I am like that, I can’t be otherwise.” It is not true. You are “like that” be cause, precisely, you ought to be the opposite. And all your difficulties are there just that you may learn to transform them into the truth they are hiding.
Once you have understood this, many worries come to an end and you are very happy, very happy. If one finds one has very black holes, one says, “This shows I can rise very high”, if the abyss is very deep, “I can climb very high.”

*

There are some very wise recommendations here, for example, not to concern oneself with what others do nor with the mistakes they make, but to attend to one’s own faults and negligences and rectify them. Another wise counsel is never to utter too many eloquent words which are not effectuated in action — speak little, act well. Beautiful words, they say, that are mere words, are like flowers without fragrance.
And finally, lest you get discouraged by your own faults, the Dhammapada gives you this solacing image: the purest lily can spring out of a heap of rubbish by the wayside. That is to say, there is nothing so rotten that it cannot give birth to the purest realisation. Whatever may be the past, whatever may be the faults committed, whatever the ignorance in which one might have lived, one carries deep within oneself the supreme purity which can translate itself into a wonderful realisation.
The whole point is to think of that, to concentrate on that and not to be concerned with all the difficulties and obstacles and hindrances.
Concentrate exclusively on what you want to be, forget as entirely as possible what you do not want to be.

*

Give up all personal seeking for comfort, satisfaction, enjoyment or happiness. Be only a burning fire for progress, take whatever comes to you as an aid to your progress and immediately make whatever progress is required. Try to take pleasure in all you do, but never do anything for the sake of pleasure.
Never get excited, nervous or agitated. Remain perfectly calm in the face of all circumstances. And yet be always alert to discover what progress you still have to make and lose no time in making it.
Never take physical happenings at their face value. They are always a clumsy attempt to express something else, the true thing which escapes our superficial understanding.
Never complain of the behaviour of anyone, unless you have the power to change in his nature what makes him act In this way; and if you have the power, change him instead of complaining.
Whatever you do, never forget the goal which you have set before you.

Sivananda Daily Reading

Be prepared to suffer any amount of pain. Have a set of maxims with you always to induce vairagya (dispassion) . Treat sensual enjoyment as poison, as vomited food, as dung or urine. They cannot give you satisfaction. Preserve your virya (vital energy) carefully. Sleep always separately. Revere ladies as the Mother divine. Root out the sex idea. Prostrate before all. See God in every face, in every thing. Take to sankirtan (chanting), satsang (holy company), prayer when the mind is overpowered by lower instincts. Face obstacles coolly and boldly. Care not about criticism when you are in the right path. Yield not to flattery. Respect even rogues and scoundrels – serve them. Admit your faults plainly. Take care of your health – Do not neglect daily asana and other yoga exercises. Be active and nimble always.
Develop your heart by giving. Be extra ordinarily charitable give more than one’s expectations. Desires multiply miseries. Develop contentment. Control the senses one by one. Develop brahmakara vrtti (“I am Brahman” idea) by repeated thinking. Have a check over all your thoughts keep them pure and sublime. Do not lose your temper when anyone insults you or taunts or rebukes you. It is a mere variety of sounds; a mere play of words. Rest your mind in God. Live in the truth. Be up and doing in the path of perfection.

Have a definite aim in your life and proceed towards it cautiously.  The benefits of mauna (silence) are incalculable. Never give up this practice. There are four important means for passion to enter the
mind – sound, touch, sight and thought. Be vigilant! Have intimate connection with none but God. Mix little with others. Be moderate in all things – extremes are always dangerous. Every day have self analysis and introspection. Know the extent of your growth. Give up curiosities in the spiritual path. Conserve your energy and concentrate. Think little of the food, body, relatives. Think more of the atman. You must realise God in this very birth itself.

Poem written by Sri Amritananda

Teacher, I am tired of doing things by myself. I just want to sleep in your embrace. I find solace there only, I think.

Your deep unconditional love envelops me like a sheath of nectar sending waves of soothing lights to my tension ridden body and mind.

In your embrace, let me forget the world. Let me forget who I am.

Beloved Guru, you are a true teacher. Genuine to the core. No expectaions of returns. Just love and acceptance of who I am,as I am.

Sing to me the lullabies of stars. Teach me how to serve and dance like angels.

Teach me how to be forever immersed in divine love and light through embrace.

Teach me the real purpose of my life and how to accomplish it.

Teach me how to fly on wings of love and service.

Teach me how to silence my ego to accomplish the divine purpose assigned to me.

Beloved Guruji, move me from apathy to passion, emptiness to wisdom.

Be with me, always.

Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba says: 

God’s ways are astonishing, inscrutable and mysterious. GOD has made ample provision for all man’s needs. He has also given to man much more in the form of luxuries. in addition, He has conferred on man the power to control all these things. GOD has told man:

You are free to use as you like all the things given to you, subject to one condition. You will have face the consequences of your actions. This means that you cannot abuse the freedom given to you to misuse the things that are provided for you. When you misuse anything, you have to bear the resulting misery. When you make good use of anything, you will enjoy the benefits therefrom. You have to take note of the purpose for which for which you you use your senses or the objects given to you. ANy misuse of them will bring misery in its wake. You came with nothing into the world and leave it with nothing. What happens to your wealth or to yourself? Of what use is all other wealth unless a man realizes the bliss of oneness with the Divine.

SIVANANDA DAILY READING

TAPAS

“The men who perform severe austerities, unenjoined by the
scriptures, wedded to vanity and egoism, impelled by the force of
their desire and passion, unintelligent, tormenting the aggregated
elements forming the body and Me also, seated in the inner body, know
these to be demoniacal in their resolves”. (Gita. Chapter XVII.)

SIVANANDA DAILY READING

THE SAVING GRACE

Spiritual life needs harmony in all parts of your being. Spiritual
truth can only be realised when the whole being is perfectly at ease
and in tune with the divine. Mantra (the name of God) has the power
to release cosmic and supracosmic consciousness. It bestows
illumination, freedom, supreme peace, eternal bliss and immortality.

From “Journey to Self-Realization” by Paramahamsa Yogananda

The true signs of progress in meditation are the following:

• An increasing peacefulness during meditation
• A conscious inner experience of calmness in meditation metamorphosing into increasing bliss.
• A deepening of one’s understanding, and finding answers to one’s questions through the calm intuitive state of inner perception.
• An increasing mental and physical efficiency in one’s daily life.
• Love for meditation and the desire to hold on to the peace and joy of the meditative state in preference to attraction to anything in the world.
• An expanding consciousness of loving all with the unconditional love that one feels toward his own dearest loved ones
• Actual contact with God, and worshipping Him as ever new Bliss felt in meditation and in His omnipresent manifestations within and beyond all creation.

SIVANANDA DAILY READING

WHAT IS DEVOTION?

God is the only reality. God is the dispenser of fruits of actions.
God is the designer and architect of the universe. God is immanent
and transcendent. God is unchanging, undecaying and imperishable.
God is the supreme goal, beauty, truth.

Without Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Right conduct), Shanti (Peace) and Prema (Love), the accumulation of knowledge is a barren achievement. Without them, all Karma (actions), even acts of charity and Seva (serving others) are ineffective. Without them, positions of authority to which one is raised become positions of persecution. Without these values, no good act or meritorious achievements can yield fruit.

- Baba

SIVANANDA DAILY READING

ALL WORK IS YOGA

Is there a greater karma yogi than Lord Buddha? He still lives in
our hearts because of the spirit of service ingrained in him. He
spent his whole life serving others.