ego

i am the ego, i keep talking all the time, i have strong opinions about thigs and places, i am aware of my defects, but when i am going on doing my business, i am being observed by .... ?

i am also called as personality, i am upset when things are going their own way and i cant do anything about it, i cannot accept failure and helplessness, i want to live my life my way, i am the little "i", but when i am going on doing my business, i am being observed by .... ?

i am the doer, i make plans, i observe and i comment, why am i not the "be"-er in a state of being and end up being the do-er instead?

i decide what to eat, i decide if i need to be good or bad, i anticipate the future and brood about the past, meanwhile i am being observed right "now" by .... ?

i know theoretically that i'm not the giver but just a channel for giving, yet i am affected when i give and i feel i'm being taken for granted, i know i'm yet to realize - that from the big perspective - there is no giver, gift or giving - its just the universe re-arranging itself

As long as there is a 'you' doing or not-doing, thinking or not-thinking, 'meditating' or 'not-meditating' you are no closer to home than the day you were born.

~The Tenth Man" by Wei Wu Wei...

Karma, the natural law.

This blog is in response to a question by an anonymous reader. His question is "I would like to know is there a way/ ways to decrease ones own karma ?"

This link should answer all your questions,

http://tinyurl.com/yfrwfny

Aum namah Sivaya !

New learnings

New learnings in life over the few days:

- Be like a river, completely detached from the banks (any past or future)

- Continual attending to the present in both good and bad situations

- Accept everything as one's own karma

- Being non-judgemental about oneself & most importantly others.

- Seeing instead of thinking by breath control. You are here on earth to just observe.

- Being instead of doing.

- Following ahimsa at all costs while tuning to the river of life, even at the cost of being hurt, exhibiting toleration, believe me you dont want the karma of hurting someone come back and bite you in this life or the next.

- “This is the highest wisdom that I own; freedom and life are earned by those alone who conquer them each day anew.” (Johann Wolfgang)

- Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

--Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States, 1932

- "A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence."

-- Jim Watkins

Affirm "im greater than any challenge that i meet"

Affirm "i have a good observation therefore im superconscious"

"when the subconscious mind has accepted the fact that the mind was all finished long ago in all its phases of manifestation, from the refined to the gross -- then the subconscious begins working as a pure channel, so to speak, for superconsciousness"

-- Gurudeva

The whole objective is to find out the "i am", to find out - who is it that is aware, this awareness is defined as pure intelligence and being in it at all times - being centered around it - known as "kanif" state in Shum language is the key for spiritual evolution towards merger with Siva.

Wei Wu Wei Quotes

 

Happened to come across some nice quotes by Wei Wu Wei on my iGoogle homepage

As long as there is a 'you' doing or not-doing, thinking or not-thinking, 'meditating' or 'not-meditating' you are no closer to home than the day you were born.

~"The Tenth Man" by Wei Wu Wei...

It is less what one is that should matter, than what one is not.

~ Fingers Pointing Toward the Moon by Wei Wu Wei...

The Five Precepts are: 1. Abstain from taking life, 2. Abstain from taking that which is not given, 3. Abstain from misconduct done in lust, 4. Abstain from lying, 5. Abstain from all forms of intoxication.

Busy Life

 

Life providing a hurricane of experiences, at the moment stuck between a lot of work and reading the book 2 states by chetan bhagat. it brought back lot of past memories alive of college days.

Over the last month did a lot of travelling, visited Innovative film city with wife and her family. Visited Guhantara with wife for the family day conducted by my company. Its an underground resort, with lot of games, an in-house DJ, pool etc. Food was good too. I rate it an 8 out of 10.

Not been able to delve deeper into meditation, haven't finished my master course readings yet. I realize i’m not doing execution consistently.

As gurudeva says its the most important quality to have

Consistency is the Key for the conquest of karma

I officially become a disciple of gurudeva !

 

I enroll finally to the Master course which is the first pre-requisite to be initiated to the lineage of gurudeva as a direct disciple of Sri Bodhinatha.

I receive the 3 books today, it indeed is a great blessing. The great Trilogy arrives home today through Blue-dart courier from Minimela India Website says my loving wife on the phone.

I receive the self evaluation worksheets from Sanyasin Sri Sivakatirswami from the Kauai Aadheenam, Kapaa, Hawaii to complete the training for the week and my study has now fallen in line with my Gurudeva and Siva’s will. Yes, this really is symbolic of the first light of dawn in my life. I’m already able to feel the oneness with my guru with each day progress. Thanks gurudeva for making me your shishya. I surrender my ego at your lotus feet. I will blog the learning's that I learn from you each day here.

Below is the learning for Nov 02 which falls on an auspicious Monday which is Siva’s Day. Below is the summary of what I learn from Gurudeva. Aum Namasivaya.

All is Siva, both Liberation and bondage is Siva. Anger involves a lot of prana and when you get Angry, you end up opening 2 chakras below the muladhara. Takes nearly a month for those two chakras to close. And a month of spiritual accumulated energy is lost when you get Angry. A yogi who gets angry on someone can cause more harm on than what a normal person can due to the accumulated spiritual power. The same can return as bad karma later. Anger can be conquered by Love. Mentally say "I Love you" to every person you meet. Its not the matter of 'becoming the Self' but of realizing that you were never not the Self.

Consciousness is always continuous whether we know it or not. It continues in wakefulness, sleep, dreams, birth and death. The first lapse of consciousness occurs the first time a devotee attain Self realization. This is why nobody can describe Self realization, because there is no you (or the mind) to witness that experience. The experience, experiencer and the experience all merge during this great only possible non-experience. One keeps coming back into flesh life after life to just experience this.

Need to be Mindful

 

Was listening to Dr Jon Kabat Zinn’s “Wherever you go, there you are” Audio. His words made it clear to me the importance of being mindful, of being fully in the here and now every moment, moment after moment.

• Being mindful and aware fully of the present condition presents  great opportunities for self-discovery and transformation.
• Opens up new channels of creativity
• Able to handle experiences better with innate wisdom
• Each moment becomes exciting as we learn more about ourselves and the struggles by the little-I
• Gives an opportunity to understand and perceive instead of being judgmental.
• It is the essence of the religion, to be what you really are.
• It’s a meditative state where its exactly clear where the awareness is at any point of time
• Will start living every moment being the boss of the mind instead of existing living the autonomous machine-like state of mind (donkey and the carrot).

"I will be what I will to be. I will do what I will to do." You can repeat these two powerful affirmations over time and time again and thus rearrange, restructure, the forces of your subconscious mind and create a great inner peace within yourself.

~Gurudeva

Auto steer mode

 

That’s how the instinctive mind works when awareness is completely externalized. I lost control over awareness due to some personal problems over the weekend and the instinctive-intellectual mind took over my awareness completely. Life went back into past patterns and habits of living.

Instinctive mind as gurudeva says is -  “It also means that, in the event of an emergency, the animal nature would take over completely, being jarred loose automatically from lack of what I term mind-control, or you might call it self-control.”

There is a tendency for this loss of control over awareness to repeat in 24 hour cycles, weekly cycles and sometimes 6 month or yearly cycles. I plan to perform Vasana daha tantra to get back on ‘track’ from the instinctive-intellectual states.

Aum Namah Sivaya

Understandings from Gurudeva’s Podcasts

 

Had these Beautiful learning's from Gurudeva’s Audio lectures from Kauai Aadheenam website. Just listening them changes my life and it comes stronger every time on my psyche. Jotting down the ones which i remember and must apply

Anger management: Gurudeva speaks about anger management and says that the spiritual energy accumulated over a month’s time can dissipate in 30 seconds of anger. The power just goes into air and never comes back. To even start meditation one must be well versed in conquering anger. When we get angry we end up opening two of the lower chakras. And it takes a while for them to close.

So the soul has to be very watchful and understand that the instinctive mind and intellectual mind and the emotions are present as tools. To use them as tools and not get used by them.

My Visualization of the same:

Qualities of the soul: Gurudeva says that all the souls have the same qualities. Qualities of finding happiness in making others happy, loving and seeing Siva in each and everyone. It also has indomitable Will but the will is used as a tool in serving others and society at large and not always oneself. (which is common in folks on Anava Marga)

We believe what we affirm: Gurudeva says an affirmation which is carried out for 5 or 6 days becomes a belief. It moulds the subconscious. This is why it is said by all great observers that “what we think so we shall become”. Few affirmations taught by gurudeva is

“I can, I will, I’m capable”.

“I will be what I will to be, I will do what I will to do”

• Entering the “Guha” within oneself every once in 5 or 6 days by renouncing the externalities like computer, past and future plans etc to renew oneself.
• One of the ways to Merge with Siva is to be a good householder, provide wife and family with all that they need, so that they release the Shakti power from within, to live a conflict free existence free from the lower chakras – and then finally leading to the final merger through breath control and hatha yoga. Gurudeva warns time and again about the creation of bad karmas if a householder ignores family life and does not do his dharma by becoming too detached.
• Many lessons are repeated again and again and again by souls in the University of life. Gain the perspective of the immortal soul which has come from Siva, living with Siva and undergoing experiences in His cosmic dances of creation, preservation, destruction and finally merging with Siva.
• When you make a decision to meditate – anticipate challenges from others around you, anticipate challenges that would come from within you. If you are able to anticipate that your own instinctive elements wouldn't allow it to continue, and then persist in your meditation you might probably succeed! Don't expect the lessons from life to be easy. Its not !

Nice podcasts

 

I love the following podcasts. Downloaded them to my iPod over the weekend.

The first one is from Robin Sharma (author of “The monk who sold his ferrari)

http://www.robinsharma.com/success_podcast_ic_2.htm

And the second is my favorite from my gurudeva

http://himalayanacademy.com/audio/podcasts/

Beginning to see the mind for what it is

 

Recent Changes in life are making me more inward. I’m beginning to live 2/3rd within. I’m beginning to feel the excitement of living within. I’m observing my own mind more than ever before in this lifetime and in a more focused way instead of counter-reacting when someone else reacts at me. I observe how my ego behaves at certain circumstances, on further observation, i understand that each response the ego makes is due to past conditioning.

Yes, I'm beginning to see the mind for what it is – a self created principle.

The way the mind works becomes more clear in day to day activities for example: when I go to watch a movie outside home. I see frustrated people, happy people – all having one thing in common – desire to “enjoy life to the fullest”. 

The mind observes and compares lifestyles of other people with itself, assumes and judges that - that is better, this is not, frets, worries, seeks for alternate solutions, thinks about consequences for the solutions just thought of, goes to past to see why the current condition could not be avoided, dreams about the new lifestyle had the avoiding been a success, thinks about future and worries if there is a hope, worries about things that might happen (which usually never happen), blames others for the conditions caused, ploys about how to get around it with least impact, appreciates the ones who have made it, condemns those who haven't, again attempts to seek if an alternate solution is possible, takes opinions from others, feels helpless about its own self-created state, before finally accepting things as they are. Then, it looks back and intuits the chain of thoughts – one leading to the other – which had engaged its awareness so far !

This kind of observation of mind exposes the faults of one’s own ego and usually makes the individual dislike his own ego. The more and more a person observes his own ego, there is a good chance to dislike oneself and even laugh at oneself for encouraging the kind of thought patterns that have been keeping his mind on the run in this lifetime (any many more?).

I am beginning to see that there is really no need to watch a TV or movie for entertainment. Just watching one’s own mind gives a lot of entertainment. Watch the mind play both the roles of antagonist and protagonist in any conversation or event occurring in the external world. Who is the one who observes these “movies”. Gurudeva says - Its the soul which sees and understands these experiences through its super-conscious faculties.

As amma bhagavan says – there is nothing the poor mind can do, it has the same thinking patterns created by itself, it always wants to be where it is not, always wants what it cannot have, always takes a position other than where it is, always thinks about where it should be rather than where it is. The poor mind cant really do anything :) ....... It has to give up by understanding that there is nothing it can do about it and that it is nothing but a big Zero. Only then can grace take over.

Meditation is a way of being, not a technique

 

Found this beautiful Article on the Internet

It is the non-clinging, and therefore the clear perceiving, and the willingness to act appropriately within whatever circumstances are arising that constitute this way of being that we are calling meditation.

It is not the content of your experience that is important. What is important is our ability to be aware of that content, and even more, of the factors that drive its unfolding and the ways in which those factors either liberate us or imprison us moment by moment and year in, year out.

~Jon Kabat Zinn

Read Full Article here

More quotes from Gurudeva

 

"Compassion is the outgrowth of love. Love is the outgrowth of understanding. Understanding is the outgrowth of reason. "

~Gurudeva

"Patience is having the power of acceptance, accepting people, accepting events as they are happening. One of the great spiritual powers that people can have is to accept things as they are. "

~Gurudeva

“We are all growing towards God, and experience is the path. Through experience we mature out of fear into fearlessness, out of anger into love, out of conflict into peace, out of darkness into light and union in God. Aum”

- Gurudeva

“It is easy to get what you think of
if you can get yourself to think of it.”

-Weavers Wisdom

"Yes, willpower is the key, the must, the most needed faculty for spiritual unfoldment on this path. Work hard, strive to accomplish, strengthen the will by using the will. "

~Gurudeva

"Giving a gift begrudgingly in return for another gift is, of course, mere barter. Many families barter their way through life in this way, thinking they are giving. But such gifts are cold, the fulfillment is empty, and the law of karma pays discounted returns. "

~Gurudeva

"There is no intrinsic evil. God Siva has created the principle of opposites, which are the means for the soul's maturation--beauty and deformity, light and darkness, love and hate, joy and sorrow. "

~Gurudeva

Desire

 

Its amazing to see the great power of desire and the changes it causes in the world of the mind, it is responsible for making a selfish guy who likes only himself to love another probably a new found crush at his college, it is responsible for a routine-work-stressed housewife to break free and go on a pilgrimage trip or vacation, it is responsible for making an employee switch to a different job in search of better financial and work prospects, it is responsible for another employee to quit the job and start his own business and be his own boss, it is responsible for "change" in the external world when things are routine.

When a person gets something he desires, it can trigger a reaction in others around him/her, some might end up getting a “desire” to be like him/her, thus giving a waterfall effect to the creation of desires in those individuals, some might get jealous by observing this person and comparing with their own unfulfilled life. This can in turn trigger other sorts of negative thoughts about oneself and others close to him by the person which in turn can lead to changes in his/her life. Meanwhile the person who has successfully met the object of his desire would have slowly lost the sense of achievement of the desire and would have moved on to pursue a new desire and the pursuit of happiness continues for him.

Thus desire keeps the individual in the conscious mind, every day, every year, every lifetime for many many lives. It is said by my guru that only when most of the desires have been achieved does the soul actually starts desiring for enlightenment. Thus the very power of desire (in the world of the mind) is the thrust which jolts the soul towards non-desire of the world, towards the ultimate goal of self realization.

Related Post: The donkey and the carrot.

How do you change the world?

 

Love these beautiful quotes from God to Evan in the Movie “Evan Almighty”

“God: Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?”

The movie ends with Evan and his family on a weekend hiking trip when God reappears to Evan, telling him that the way to change the world is by doing one Act of Random Kindness ("ARK") at a time; the film's central message.

Love you Gurudeva

 

Once in a while on this Earth there arises a soul who, by living his tradition rightly and wholly, perfects his path and becomes a light to the world. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami was such a being, a living example of awakening and wisdom, a leader recognized worldwide as one of Hinduism's foremost ministers.

 

 

An eye opener from gurudeva from “Living with Siva” :

 

Thus the wheel of karma continues, on and on and on, creating and recreating. The wheel of karma is simply the mechanism of the mind's action -- your mind, everyone's mind. Through the study of the wheel of karma, which is a meditative study, you realize that you have created everything that is happening or has already happened to you. Everything that is coming your way in the future you will have created. Everything you will acquire your own wants will have brought into being. You are right now a sum total of millions of thoughts, feelings, desires and actions -- all of them yours. Circumstance is not responsible for your condition, for you have made your circumstances consciously and unconsciously. There are no outside forces imposing themselves upon you. Whatever you attract to yourself of the world, though it seems to be external, is but a manifestation of your own inner nature. Yo u are the author of all of your creations; and yet in the inner recesses of your being you are already the finished product at the same time. To understand this fully, you need yoga.

Response

 

This post is in response to an anonymous friend’s comment for a previous post “Resounding words”

His comment “I havent been able to immerse myself totally in my work as I used to do during my school days.”

Here is the response which i found from gurudeva

When one is bound down by his past karmas, unhappy, confused and not performing with enthusiasm his dharma -- be it born or chosen -- making new karmas as a result, his lethargy results in despair. The camel walks slower with a heavy burden and stops if the burden is still heavier. The burdened have no sense of urgency, no expression of joy. They have stopped. They are standing on the path holding their troubles in their hands, unwilling and unable to let go.

Worship of Lord Ganesha sets the path of dharma. Go to His Feet. He alone can perform this miracle for you. He will release the mental and emotional obstructions to spiritual progress. He will remove the burdens of worldliness. To live the perfect life of the grihastha dharma, of family life, brings as its fulfillment the all-knowing bliss of Satchidananda, realizing ourself not as formless Parasiva but as the pure consciousness that sustains and pervades all forms in the universe. Yes, there is a sense of urgency on the path of enlightenment, but only when we are unburdened of karma, only when we are walking the path of dharma. Only then can true yoga be practiced and perfected.

All Hindus without exception believe in reincarnation. In each birth we must fulfill more goals leading to the one ultimate goal which after many births well lived will loom before us as the only goal worthy of striving for in this lifetime. All other desires, all other aims and ambitions pale under the brilliance of even the thought of realization of Satchidananda and Parasiva.

Courtesy: Merging with Siva – How to realize God

New Observations in Life

 

I meditate intensely and after half an hour – I see the mind for what it is – a “self created principle”  to put it in my gurudevas words. Thoughts come and go, then mind is still, yet the stillness is also a state of mind for a good observant ‘third’ eye. The thoughts are due to unresolved karmas and I observe them as they are being worked out by the soul. What is it that prevents me to realize Parasiva from this point?

Gurudeva answers

It is karma that keeps us from knowing of and reaching life's final goal, yet it is wrong to even call it a goal. It is what is known by the knower to have always existed. It is not a matter of becoming the Self, but of realizing that you never were not the Self.

Daily I observe behind every conversation with family and friends – the mind working out its karma. It is the cause for ‘pleasant’ or ‘heated’ conversations. Then I observe that a dominant karmic desire that has dominated the mind – the desire to be better / improve. It is this desire to improve which is present in every human being that takes the soul finally towards the self.

But Gurudeva says

Prior to that, it is a goal. After realization, one thing is lost, the desire for the Self.

After self realization the desire for the self is also lost because the ego which “houses” the desire is dead. This is the reason gurudeva asks people in general

Are we ready for the final journey life has to offer? Are we prepared to endure the hardships of sadhana, to suffer the death of the ego? Or would we prefer more pleasures in the world of "I" and "mine"?

My Immediate Goal : Maintain the meditation consistency in mornings. The thing to be practiced now is maintaining awareness over the object of concentration for a greater amount of time at will until effortless concentration is achieved.

A quote from ‘Matrix’

 

A lot of situations in the movie matrix is very similar to the Hindu belief that the mind is unreal and the Self is real. I interpret many of these quotes by replacing the word ‘Matrix’ with ‘Mind’ when i read them.

Some nice quotes from Matrix which i liked, Self realization is something like this Matrix Quote.

“Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.” – Morpheus

“The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it.” – Morpheus

“Morpheus: You take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. (a red pill is shown in his other hand)You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes. (Long pause; Neo begins to reach for the red pill)Remember -- all I am offering is the truth, nothing more.”

“Morpheus: The Matrix is everywhere, it is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window, or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, or when go to church or when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.”

“Spoon boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth.
Neo: What truth?
Spoon boy: There is no spoon.
Neo: There is no spoon?
Spoon boy: Then you'll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.”

“Morpheus: I'm trying to free your mind, Neo. But I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it.”

“Cypher: You know, I know this steak doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, you know what I realize?
[Takes a bite of steak]
Cypher: Ignorance is bliss.”

Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/quotes

Resounding words

 

Restarted reading Merging with Siva which had been disrupted for quite some time due to externalities.

These words from gurudeva have been resounding in my brain since last night.

“We on the spiritual path must work hard at keeping ourselves detached from friends, places, habits. Only then can we keep awareness free enough to travel uninhibitedly through the sublime, inner areas of the mind.”

‘Begin to feel that observation is one of your finest faculties, one that you most cherish. It is the first faculty of the awakening of your superconscious. Mentally say to yourself many times, "I have good observation. Therefore, I am superconscious."’

“That is superconsciousness, and that is very real. More real than a table, a chair, an automobile or a person sitting next to you is this feeling of being an intense sheath of energy right in the eternal moment, with no past, no future. This is superconsciousness.”

Being in the ‘here’ & ‘now’

 

I liked this beautiful learning from natha website

Reflect to the idea that:

a) If you really are HERE and NOW, this is truly ENOUGH to have EVERYTHING, and

b) Thus you will reach the power and capacity of discriminatory understanding to make the most harmonious thing right now. Therefore when “after that”(the future) will become NOW - if you truly assimilated this exercise - you will then be in the ideal state and you will be then (in the future) much more capable to make the most appropriate and the most harmonious actions, so that it will not be necessary to waste your time NOW to worry yourself about then (future).

5. Reflect over the fact that you can program wisely your future being a state the consciousness of HERE and NOW, because in this kind of state, “ then” becomes NOW.
Doing like this you will be fully HERE and NOW. Do these statements still appear paradoxical to you? It is normal in the beginning, but nevertheless continue to meditate upon them, because the OUNCE OF PRACTICE will reveal to you that they hide truths which could never be fully comprehended by the rational mind.

The full article is here (courtesy: natha.fi)

Karma

I am beginning to perceive an observation of the workings of karma amongst people. Karma can use oneself to be used as a channel to ‘pass-on’ or ‘return’ the karma of another individual. To give an example : Say Person X has angered someone in the past and as a result there is a pending karma. Person Y who is a good friend of X visits X over the weekend and they engage in a conversation. They discuss various topics in a random manner without thought of what to speak or what not. Person Y responds to X or says something to X which will cause X to be angry. The person X could have been you or me or anyone for that matter. In other words Karma can use anyone as a channel to affect another.

This is one of the reasons why yogis lived away from society in forests for practicing Yoga. This served two purposes

• Provided them a calm and peaceful environment for performing sadhana
• This way they ‘Avoided’ themselves of becoming a “channel for Karma” to affect another person or creature.

Hinduism Today on Scribd

 

Hinduism Today magazine is available for free reading online at Scribd. It has beautiful photographs and talks about whats happening in Hindusim around the world and what many great souls around the world are doing. Its a great read to stay connected to our beautiful religion.

Hinduism Today January/February/March, 2009

Being in the ‘here and now’

 

Nice article which explains how to bring the mind to the ‘here and now’

http://www.natha.fi/English/artikkeleita/hereandnow.htm

Video on Meditation

 

My uncle gives me this nice video on how to meditate. It has computer animated illustration of the same. Nice one. Had seen this sometime back during my visit to Ayurvedagram.

 

 

Related post: Visit to Ayurvedagram

Changes in Life

Lot of changes happening in life. Conscious Mind is getting too many experiences both favorable and unfavorable which are all being recorded in the subconscious Mind. Life seems to be running so fast with so many things happening – i get a promotion, my responsibilities at home & work skyrocket, concurrent projects, managing people, getting married, get the stuff necessary to make my partner happy, buy new clothes and vehicles, shift to a new home, setting up things there starting from a curtain to phone & Internet connections, file tax-returns, consoling mom when she is emotional, convincing dad my point of view etc etc etc – This is samsara. It can and usually does keep a person and his conscious mind busy for many life times to come. This is where a person creates and destroys new karmas swiftly. This is what distinguishes a normal person from a yogi. A Yogi lives 2/3rd within and 1/3rds outside in the conscious mind. Family Life keeps a non-yogi 2/3rds or even more in the conscious mind which is full of novelty and ramification.

At the moment my only goal is to achieve this - Living Two Thirds within

Are you really ready for it?

 

Every time I read about gurudeva’s teachings, it gives me a new insight about life. I often wonder why only few realize the Self much earlier than most of the Hindus like me who continue having the 4 goals of life – Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. Moksha is the last goal that few Hindus attain. Most of us are busy in fulfilling the first three and spend many lifetimes in order to perpetuate the pattern – often repeating the same mistakes at times and creating new karmas. Most of us are only doing whats mentioned below by gurudeva:

In fulfillment of our duties to parents, relations and the community at large, become a good householder, be a good citizen, live a rewarding physical, emotional and intellectual existence. These are the natural goals of many. Once this is accomplished in a lifetime, it is easy in future lives to perpetuate this pattern and evolve toward more refined and more difficult goals.

All Hindus without exception believe in reincarnation. In each birth we must fulfill more goals leading to the one ultimate goal (of self realization) which after many births well lived will loom before us as the only goal worthy of striving for in this lifetime. All other desires, all other aims and ambitions pale under the brilliance of even the thought of realization of Satchidananda and Parasiva.

Excerpt from Merging with Siva:

Defining the Destination

How can we know when we're ready to know the Self? How do we know when the soul is spiritually mature? When we begin a journey and clearly define our destination, then we must begin from where we are, not elsewhere. Clearly defining our destination requires knowing where we are, requires determining whether or not we want to go there at this time. We must ask whether we have the means, the willpower, to get there. Are we ready to leave the world, or must we fulfill further obligations in the world and to the world? Have we paid all of our debts? We cannot leave the world with karmas still unresolved. Perhaps we desire something more, some further human fulfillment of affection, creativity, wealth, professional accomplishment, name and fame. In other words, do we still have worldly involvements and attachments? Are we ready for the final journey life has to offer? Are we prepared to endure the hardships of sadhana, to suffer the death of the ego? Or would we prefer more pleasures in the world of "I" and "mine"? It is a matter of evolution, of what stage of life we have entered in this incarnation -- is it charya, kriya, yoga or jnana? When the soul is spiritually mature, we know when we're ready to know the Self.

Aum Namasivaya

Nice quote

 

"Performing daily sadhana, keeping good company, pilgrimaging to holy places, seeing to others' needs--these evoke the higher energies, direct the mind to useful thoughts and avoid the creation of troublesome new karmas. "

~ Gurudeva

Beautiful Learnings

Got this wonderful email which summarizes the purpose of Life as designed by God.

Related Posts: Jivanasya Prayojanam (The Purpose of Life)

The benefits of Willpower

 

Today I’m very glad and proud of my brother. I had always motivated him about the power of will (Sankalpa Sakti), made him read gurudeva’s thoughts on cultivating willpower, the need to finish what is started and improve the will by using the will by doing every job better than expected such that the inner soul is satisfied. He has really worked on this aspect in his studies – I have seen him work so hard and exhibit will that he is a true example of amazing things the human will can do. The big project that was in front of him were the II PU exam and CET (Common Entrance Test) exam. I observed the following about him

• Can work for 12 hours without breaks continuously for an year! – True example of exhibiting willpower for difficult projects.
• Very good attention to detail – rehearses the entire exam with timing.
• Attempted & solved 7 physics exams at home before writing the final exam.
• Backup planning and attempting extra questions for failsafe during exam time by saving enough time by solving problems faster upfront.

The willpower he exhibited is being reflecting in the results today.

• Result -> 99 Percent in PU Exam
• 19th Rank in CET for Karnataka State (from amongst approximately 2 lakh + candidates)

The results of hard work and willpower are sweet and he surely deserves it. May Lord Ganesha bless him for a bright future in Engineering.

Gurudeva says

In the very same way, in the external world, if you begin something, you finish it. If you are working on a project creatively, you maintain your efforts until you bring it to a conclusion. It is such people who become truly successful in meditation.

Aum Nama Sivaya

Related Posts: put more energy, Sivas Will, people with willpower, unleashing willpower

Affirmation

 

Positive Affirmation is a great tool to mould the subconscious mind. Loved some of these word clouds from TAKA website.

 

 

 

click here to view all the word clouds

Understanding People

 

Only the highly evolved souls are able to truly understand & comprehend the intricacies of Hindu Philosophy, the law of karma, re-incarnation, the power of giving, oneness and its stages, the realms of consciousness – chakras, the advantage of living in the present, the art of living in the present, the need for visiting temples, loving the God and Gods, the need to not take the conscious mind seriously, the power to accept people as they are, the need for meditation and spiritual life, the need and power of living 2/3rds within, I can go on & on.

I just realized this recently when i was having a discussion with a Pure Anava Margi who is ruled by his intellect. He has already formed a strong opinion about life that he is not open to even understand / listen other viewpoints / ideas that Hinduism has to offer. This is what happens when the intellect is not soft on people. They become hard and tightly hold on to their concepts.

The softening of the heart & intellect is the toughest thing to achieve in Spiritual Progress. Only after that happens bhakti or devotion arrives in a persons life / heart.

Then there is another class of people whom I observed who are not properly trained in Hinduism and its background. And who wonder if even simple laws like the law of karma (which is nothing but Newton's 3rd law of motion) are true or not.

It is better not to explain anything related to spiritual life with people like this because they don't understand or evolution hasn't brought them up to a stage where the soul is mature enough to understand the intricate workings of nature. They are called young souls. Their life revolves around Merriment, Enjoyment, Show-Off, Happiness & Sorrow. While talking or relating to them – one must only think from their perspective and respond to keep things at peace. In other words I should be more understanding & perceive more.

It is said that many Gurus wait and wait for many many years in order to find a disciple who has evolved spiritually enough to qualify being a disciple. Until then Life is a guru for the disciple. Once he becomes really good in conquering and learning from life’s tests – a guru appears in his life to make the tests more tougher and hasten the evolution of the disciple.

Ignorance is not bliss

 

Life has finally put me amidst people who are my own very relatives and close to my heart – but unaware of the God & Gods and see them as a product of imagination, unaware of the laws of karma, like to live life with lot of glitter and glamour, too many conscious and subconscious desires which are not yet satisfied, fear and negative emotions ruling their life on a day to day basis, anger taking them over when their wishes are not met, selfish and self centered, pessimistic with no willpower or Goals – either material or spiritual in life. In short such people are called “Anava Margis” (Those who follow the path of the ego) in classical Hindu Literature.

As my gurudeva says “The person who has the least – desires the most” – I'm finding it true in their lives. my Karmic consequences has created circumstances in my life to deal with such people on a regular basis & I'm not sure how I will deal with this. I surrender to the Holy Almighty Lord Siva and accept His Will. Sivas Will be done !

Many of my own relatives are accustomed to show-ff every small thing they do as something great. Their attempt to show others that they are superior is constant, their arrogance and pessimism has completely covered their souls in ignorance. Here is the answer from Tirumantiram for all those folks who like to show-off

The black-footed Garuda bird flies across the sky; a black-hued serpent dies in a deep well, all unseen. So, stop bragging of your greatness, O heart! Be like the river that merges into the wavy ocean.

- Tirumantiram 2513.

The Tirumantiram wisely points out that there are many things happening in the world unseen, so why are you begging for attention by bragging about your greatness? Be like the river which merges into the wavy ocean without even leaving a trace.

Siva has sent all these people in my life to teach me something and that is – How not to live life in confused lower states of consciousness.

Aum Namah Sivaya

Related Post: The World is my University

Panchamukhi Ganapathi

 

A beautiful black Panchamukhi Ganapathi in Mauritius Spiritual Park. I will visit Him one day soon :-)

Image courtesy : TAKA

I visited a nearby Ganesha temple and Sai baba temple on Monday and surprisingly that night Sathya Sai Baba came in my cousin’s dream and gave an instruction to me. Thanks Baba for everything.

Making today better than yesterday - everyday !

 

I Read a very Nice message from Gurudeva:

Use feeling to understand

Spiritual things you must understand with your heart, with your feeling. Feeling and thinking, working together, give you that deep understanding that you need to cognize the wisdom of the spirit. All you can do in living your life every day is to make today just a little bit better than yesterday was. You will then have confidence in yourself, so that tomorrow will be all right, too, and you won't fear the tomorrows. Why? Because in striving to make today the perfect day of your lifetime, you bring through your spirit. You allow the spirit, God, to permeate through all layers of your mind.

Putting the soul in Action

When you control your emotions, you are bringing through your spiritual being. It is only your spiritual being, your soul in action, bringing through the spirit, or bringing through God, that can control the mind. When you are living in an emotional state, you are only experiencing the mind temporarily out of control. And like anything that gains its own momentum, even if you do not control it, it will subside automatically after a period of time until it builds up again. This is all caused by subtle transgressions of natural laws of the mind, in this life and in previous lives.

Giving Generously – subtle laws

There are many subtle laws. For instance, if you are planning to do something for someone and then you decide for some reason that you won't, all of the spiritual power that you had previously brought through from your spiritual being will be coagulated and blocked by your hesitation. Then tomorrow will not be as good as today was. It will be worse.

Living in Spirit is Living in the ‘Now’

To keep your spirit flowing, always allow yourself to be in the line of understanding. In other words, do not allow misunderstanding to arise in your mind. Should misunderstanding arise, sit down, be quiet and do not get up until you understand the problem. You might have to sit for an hour. Instinctively your animal nature will not allow you to do that, but if you use willpower and persist, tomorrow will be a perfect day. Now, this is easy to talk about, and also easy to understand, but it takes a very discerning mind, utilizing the power of discrimination, to master these laws of the mind.

Purifying oneself

So, you must purify yourself. You purify yourself by being kind to others, being generous until it hurts, being benevolent, being ready to serve at all times until you are strained in serving. Put a smile on the faces of other people. Gain your happiness and your positive states of mind by making other people happy. Negative people are always worried about themselves. Positive people are concerned with the happiness of others. Be strong enough to understand, and do not allow yourself to sleep at night until you have understood the problems of the day. If you go to sleep with problems on your mind, you will go into a confused state of mind, and you will toss around and later say, "That is just the dream world" or "I had a nightmare." All you did was lose your consciousness in a troubled subconscious state. But if you practice yoga, and you sit and master each problem before falling asleep, even if it takes you several hours, you will gain enough rest for the next day, for you will have made this day a perfect day.

Seize every opportunity!

Seize every spiritual opportunity you have to advance your soul, because when you do, the reaction is glorious on you. But when you resent and when you fight within yourself, the reaction is disastrous unto yourself, because you lose the battle when you begin to fight your own inner Self. You win the battle when you begin to express yourself spiritually, when you begin to live with Siva.

Source: Himalayan Academy – Living with Siva - Life is meant to be lived Joyously

Quote

 

A very beautiful quote from gurudeva for people seeking fulfillment

"The worship of Siva will give you wealth. The worship of Siva will give you health. The worship of Siva will give you knowledge. The worship of Siva will fill your heart with love and compassion. "

~ Gurudeva

Mitahara (Moderate eating)

 

One of the Yamas is Mitahara (moderate appetite and food consumption). I started following this lately by skipping my lunch despite a strong criticism from my parents and colleagues. They advocated that I would get ulcers, acidity and the list went on and on. Despite the criticism I persisted in what i believed right – and to my surprise I was feeling more energetic and active. I have been following this close to a month and I feel great. In fact I feel much better than what i used to feel earlier when I was having food even when I was not hungry.

On weekends when parents invariably force me to consume food during lunch time even when I'm not hungry – i end up feeling lazy and tired.

From this lesson and observation in life I have come to a conclusion as of now that – like how hard work never killed anybody, eating less or moderately (on a need basis – when hungry) – or to put it in my gurus words – feeding the stomach rather than the mouth is the right way for food consumption.

At a village cafe two men are eating a traditional meal on banana leaves. One follows mitahara, while the other overeats. Image web page source: @Himalayan Academy

Almost all the people who advocated the fear of getting acidity were non-vegetarian folks who were used to that food since childhood. While i respect their concern for me, end of the day i know what’s good for myself better than them.

Aum Namah Sivaya

Contentment (Santosha)

 

Learnt this excellent information from my guru which is very relevant for many of us :-

The rich seeking more riches are not content. The famous seeking more fame are not content. The learned seeking more knowledge are not content. Being content with what you have does not mean you cannot discriminate and seek to progress in life. It doesn't mean you should not use your willpower and fulfill your plans.

It does mean you should not become upset while you are striving toward your goals, frustrated or unhappy if you do not get what you want. The best striving is to keep pushing along the natural unfoldment of positive trends and events in your life, your family life and your business. Contentment is working within your means with what is available to you, living within your income, being grateful for what you have, and not unhappy over what you lack.

Life is meant to be lived joyously. There is in much of the world the belief that life is a burden, a feeling of penitence, that it is good to suffer, good for the soul. In fact, spiritual life is not that way at all. The existentialist would have you believe that depression, rage, fear and anguish are the foremost qualities of the human temper and expression. The communists used to have us believe that joy and serenity as the outgrowth of religion are just an opiate of the people, a narcotic of unreality. The Semitic religions of the Near East would have us believe that suffering is good for the soul, and there is not much you can do about it. The Saivite Hindu perspective is that contentment is a reflection of centeredness, and discontentment is a reflection of externalized consciousness and ramified desire.

Related posts :

• Scared of Life
• Life in 2009

LiveJournal Tags: contentment

Life in 2009

 

I prayed Lord Ganesh a few months back to improve my willpower and in turn the Loving God answered me my giving me lots of work in life – a good chance to work hard and improve the will by using the will.

• Leading 2 tech projects
• Renovating home
• Working on my own goals and personal projects
• Amidst so much of work – life is putting me in things i don't like doing like attending ‘audits’ !

By my observation - The year started with a lot of work at office, travel to Shirdi pilgrimage, Satya Narayan Pooja, finding my better half and getting wedding dates fixed, increase of responsibilities towards my partner, increase of work and social responsibilities.

Whatever comes in front of me both good and bad is a result of my own making. With the wisdom equipped from my guru I am ready to face the snakes created by myself and make them my garland !

Aum Namah Sivaya

The Conscious mind (Jagara chittam)

 

I have been living too much in the conscious mind over the past few weeks with little or no time to reach the super conscious states (in meditation). The work in the external world, the obligations, the duties and the desire for fulfillment is what is responsible for keeping the ego in the conscious mind states.

Here is how the great Yogis of yore controlled their awareness when they find themselves living too much in the conscious mind from my gurudeva.

“ The mystic's goal is to control awareness while he is in the conscious mind -- to know where he is in consciousness. When he finds he is aware in the conscious mind, and the five senses have become his ruler, he then controls his awareness within the conscious mind itself. He does this in a number of ways. One way is through the control of breath. Breath is life, and life is breath. Breath is the controlling factor of awareness. Awareness rides on breath. Breath is also a controlling factor of our willpower. A seeker must develop a dynamic will to walk the path of enlightenment, so that he does not stumble or falter, but continues onward no matter how difficult the path seems to be for him.”

“The mystic loves the conscious mind, for he sees it like an adult sees the toys of children. An adult does not take children's toys too seriously, but the child does. Meditate on that comparison. Meditate also upon the conscious mind while you are aware in it. Write down on a piece of paper the various areas of daily experience over a period of three days to which you are most attached. Then meditate on those time periods until you are able to see the chemistry that makes the conscious mind appear to be what it is. When you live two-thirds within yourself, even physical things begin to look transparent to you.”

The below painting from Himalayan Academy beautifully summarizes the conscious mind and its ramifications, the way it leads us on and on – minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day, year after year, life after life like a donkey being led by a carrot.

The Conscious Mind (Painting courtesy: Himalayan Academy)

Related Posts: Understanding is control, Donkey and the carrot

Quotes from Gurudeva

 

Love each and every quote from my Guru,

"Yes, willpower is the key, the must, the most needed faculty for spiritual unfoldment on this path. Work hard, strive to accomplish, strengthen the will by using the will. "

"To live positively in the conscious mind each day, exercise at least a half hour. Keep the vital energies of the body high and healthy. Eat simply and follow a vegetarian diet, feeding the stomach rather than the mouth. "

"Austerity is the fire that straightens the twisted life and mind of an individual, bringing him into pure being, giving a new start in life, awakening higher consciousness and a cosmic relationship with God and the Gods, friends, relatives and casual acquaintances.”

"Even a great soul faces difficulties, but he does not take them personally. Generally people take problems too personally by identifying closely with them. "

 

"Here are the ingredients: attention, concentration, meditation, contemplation, samadhi. Willpower is the fuel. "

"Observation, when perceptively performed, is cultivated by abstinence from excessive talk. Talk dissipates the energies of the aura and of the vital body of man. "

"Life tests and retests our emotional maturity. Whether we meet those tests or fail is entirely up to us. "

"It is an error to say that the universe is mere illusion, for it is entirely real when experienced in ordinary consciousness, and its existence is required to lead us to God. "

"We're here to realize the Self, have that one dramatic experience where everything that we thought was things is turned upside down, and our whole perspective afterwards changes. That is the purpose for living on this Earth. "

"It takes as much time for a hardened heart to soften as it does for a piece of ice to melt in a refrigerator. "

"The experienced meditator seeks out the unwholesome areas within himself, endeavoring to expose and rid himself of each knot of karma. "

"In the final analysis, we are all doing exactly as we want, as we must, doing what is next on our personal path of evolution. Nothing is wrong. Nothing should be that is not. "

"The study of yoga is reserved for the few who have the courage to seek the depths of their being, for the few who can overcome their experiences and their desires in deep meditation. "

"When you have the energy of bhakti, of love, flowing through your body, meditation is easy. You don't have to go through the preliminaries. You are already functioning in the higher chakras. "

"Once a profound relationship is developed with Lord Muruga, then with the guru's permission and guidance, true yoga may commence. Otherwise, no matter how long one sits in meditation, no matter how hard one tries, it is just sitting, it is just trying. "

"Religion is the connection between the three worlds, and temple worship is how you can get your personal connection with the inner worlds. "

"Think today about the personal experiences in your lifetime and clearly view just how often you cling to the banks of life's river by attaching yourself to personalities and possessions. "

"Affectionate detachment is stronger than any attachment could possibly be, because attachment is created through unfulfilled desire, salted and peppered with fear. "

"Yes, bad things do happen. Still, the wise never blame God, for they know these to be the return of man's self-created karmas, difficult but necessary experiences for his spiritual evolution. "

"I can tell you from experience that zero tolerance for inharmonious conditions is a workable law and sadhana that can and should be adopted by all spiritual groups and individuals. "

Gurudeva

World is my University

This blog is dedicated to my beloved gurudeva Sri Sivaya Subramuniya Swami. This dedication honors those mature souls who have guided me into what to do, how to live, think and feel, and those not-so-evolved souls who have taught me by their example, words and actions how not to live for a productive, joyous life.

Yes, "All are our teachers: some teach us what to do, others teach us what not to do." The decision as to which of these two paths to follow is ours and ours alone.

Life giving me experiences off late where I am witnessing both evolved souls who are teaching me what to do and also those not-so-evolved souls who are busy with the “family-life” (samsara), Karma and Anava.

Thank you O Supreme Lord Siva for all these learning's and bless me that I maintain this perspective that the World you have created is the University of constant learning and evolution for the soul.

Aum Nama Sivaya

Task List growing long ?

Using Willpower to accomplish tasks is channelizing the rarefied energies into those thoughts pertaining to the tasks of interest - which in turn will lead to the accomplishment through action.

Make a list of Tasks that are needed to be accomplished and allow the thoughts to meditate only on those. To create and hold a thought in mind without getting distracted requires perfection in concentration.

Recently saw the English version of “Ghajini” Movie (Memento)– and saw that how even though the hero has a forgetful short-term memory – he gets the things that he wants done – by capturing the photographs of people he deals with – and allowing the thoughts to only ponder upon them without any other interfering thoughts. A picture helps to visualize a goal very clearly and will lead to the accomplishment of the same.

Its good to have a pictorial representation of the goals/tasks that we wish to accomplish. This will lead to channelization of the bodily energies towards that particular goal. Planning to implement this approach in my life from today :)

Here is my first goal:

"Be Like Him"

Aum Namasivaya

Put more energy !

Read this great advise from Gurudeva today:-

Then when we are working in our daily life, involved in external things and material affairs, the point of reference is that the energy within and the core of the energy and the Self itself are real. The key is to put more energy into each activity you are engaged in. Rather than renouncing it, really work at it. Put your whole self in it. Get enthusiastic about it. Then you are flooding more life force through the body, right from the center of life itself. Having the Self as a point of reality reference and not the material things, with the life force constantly flooding through these nerve currents, you are actually seeing what you are doing as part of the cosmic dance of Siva, as the energy of Siva flows in and through you. Through this practice you can cut through many of your deep-rooted subconscious hang-ups that were provoked in past lives without having them come to the surface, simply by creating a new habit pattern of facing and looking at yourself as a divine being performing your dharma in God Siva's perfect universe. You create the new habit patterns by doing everything as best you can, with as much forethought and as much energy as you can command. This approach will bring steady progress on the path of personal spiritual realization and transformation.

MOST PEOPLE THINK OF THEMSELVES AS REMOTE FROM GOD, BUT THE HIGHEST SOULS ARE LIVING WITH HIM EVERY DAY, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ARE DOING. THEY ARE LIVING WITH GOD, WHOM WE CALL SHIVA, WHILE WORKING, WHILE DRIVING OR performing ordinary chores. Siva is, for these remarkable devotees, closer than their breath, nearer than their hands and feet. This is the true spiritual life, which recognizes that there is nothing that is not Siva. Living with Siva is Siva consciousness. The reconciled past releases consciousness into the eternal moment in which we see Siva as the life and light within everyone's eyes. Living with Siva is living with everyone -- every reptile, fish, fowl, animal and creature, to the very smallest -- in a consciousness of the one life force within all of them that sustains this perfect universe. Truly, God Siva is everywhere. He is the energy within our mind manifesting thought. He is the thought thus made manifest. He is the light within your eyes and the feel within your fingers. God Siva is the ignorance which makes the One seem as two. He is the karma, which is the law of cause and effect, and He is the Maya, which is the substance of evolution in which we become so deeply immersed that we look upon the outside world as more real than God. God Siva is all this and more. He is the Sun, the Earth and the spaces between. He is the revealed scriptures and those who have scribed the scriptures. He is all who seek the wisdom of scripture, too.

Siva dances in every atom throughout this universe. Siva dances energetically, ceaselessly, eternally. Siva is perpetual movement. His mind is all-pervasive, and thus He sees and knows everything in all spheres simultaneously and without effort. Siva is the Self, and He is the energy we put forth to know the Self. He is the mystery which makes us see Him as separate from us. He is the energy of life, the power in the wind. He is the dissolution called death, the peace of motionless air. He is the great force of the ocean and the stillness on a calm lake. Siva is All and in all.

Our great God Siva is beyond time, beyond space, beyond form and form's creation, and yet He uses time and causes form. He is in the sky, in the clouds, in the swirling galaxies. Siva's cosmic dance of creation, preservation and dissolution is happening this very moment in every atom of the cosmos. Supreme God Siva is immanent, with a beautiful human-like form which can actually be seen and has been seen by many mystics in visions. Siva is also transcendent, beyond time, cause and space. Such are the mysteries of Siva's being.

Jai Gurudeva

Aum Namah Sivaya

 

“Anbe Sivamayam Satyame Parasivam”

May the Almighty Lord Siva bless everyone to tune oneself with the River of Life (Jivana Nadi) on this holy night of Maha Siva-Ratri.

Here is a great teaching from my great guru Sri Sivaya Subramuniya Swami from “Living with Siva” which I ponder on this holy auspicious night.

“Recognizing that all experience is but a fading dream, you are closer to the permanence within you that never changes. You can sense it. It is God. It is Siva. It has never changed. It will never change. You have all felt this permanence at one time or another, but then perhaps you find that you lose this feeling, this consciousness, and you drift out into the mind and find yourself thinking again that the mind is real. But then, maybe tomorrow, you will face it again. And as soon as you have found it, you leave it again, for the mind cannot bear the intensity of God, and you forget all about it. But then, a little later, you face that permanence within you yet again. And little by little you find that you are turning inward, opening up the inner channels more and more each day, making a greater and greater contact with God by turning within, drawing yourself ever closer to the pole at the center, the core of your Being. You will go through many different tests to prove your own realization to yourself. Face each test graciously. Welcome each test, and welcome each temptation that shows you the strength of your will over the chaotic senses. You have only to quiet all things of the mind to realize your identity with the eternity of God Siva, the spirit, the Eternal Self within you.”

Its all in the Mind

 

Loved this quote which i received from a friend on SMS

If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl, but by all means keep moving.
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Having this new experience quite frequently off late. After every conversation - pleasant or unpleasant, after every job that got done – ordered manner or otherwise, after every message sent / received from friends – favorable or unfavorable, after every peak emotional experience – be it bliss or agony – I am getting the strong intuitive feeling that I didn't really do anything – Its all just happening in the mind according to my own karmic patterns.

In other words I have come to get to know a feeling that one aspect of me never changes no matter what happens outside and with every day this aspect is becoming of second nature to me.

New Learning’s

 

An year has passed since I worked towards an important goal (MS) and failed. But the amount of learning's I got from that experience was so high that I felt liked I lived many experiences in a short span of time. Till date the learning’s have never been with the same intensity like how it was one year. It is consistent meditation that brings lot of experiences to be lived in a short amount of time. Gurudeva says that there are many Yogis who live many many experiences within each Minute of time. It all depends on how acute the observation power is.

Today I also understand the art of people management, how to recognize people who can get things done. How the power of observation can be employed in all aspects of life to learn about how to get things done in an efficient manner, and how to focus on the end result (Ideal Final Result) by coming up with Innovative ideas. By asking yourself the question – “what is it that i really want to do”

By the grace of Lord Siva I resolved a big family issue in a short amount of time. This could have been solved by my parents themselves, but due to the instinctive tendencies such as fear and anger they were causing the problem to blow up in proportions instead of allowing it to get solved. And this is where the Lord brought me into picture. The anger and egoism which caused the problem was indirectly solved by fear in their hearts. Not fear of me, but fear of the consequences which were showing up our life. Its really a waste of time trying to argue with people and trying to explain them when they are in the lower chakras of Fear (Atala) and Vitala (Anger)

The 4th learning I had was – when I try to make something at one place, make sure you don't break something at another place. Example: If you are being nice to your wife, make sure that it is not causing insecurity to your mother. Its so difficult to keep the people at home especially women at peace and security due to their extremely sensitive nature. Its a constant day to day job, not a one day target which can be forgotten once achieved.

Also realized how the Shakti power that comes from a wife to a husband due to Love can help him attain and conquer greater challenges in Life to enable him become successfull in the material world.

Thanks to my gurudeva Sri Bodhinatha for blessing me before I prepare myself to take the next phase of learning's from life.

Siva’s Will be done

 

The global recession seems to have affected my willpower too. Feeling very lazy to get up early in the morning on weekdays as well as weekends. Cold weather is also contributing to it – makes it very hard to get up early and go to temple. Past few days i have not been doing anything other than lazing at home during weekends watching TV, eating food etc.

Gurudeva has mentioned the following things about Willpower

It is only when one identifies his willpower as separate and a tool unto itself that he is able to move into the next phase, of discerning the difference between the primal life force within him and what it manifests.

Complete surrender to Sivas will is when the instinct and intellect is quieted.

Therefore, the process is one of breaking up the patterns of instinct and intellect, separating the impulses of them both, through regular and regulated periods of sadhana and meditation, so that the divine will, spiritual energy and infinite awareness can filter in and cause a new intellect to form. Beginning the sadhana, and the continued practice, is the first sign that Siva's will is being done in the aspirant's life. New energy abides within him because of the transmutation from the base to the Divine. New knowledge comes forth from within him as he builds upon it through remembering his accumulated inner experiences as if they occurred but a moment ago.

LORD SIVA TEMPLE, COIMBATORE, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

Aum Namasivaya

Gurudeva – On Overcoming Karma

 

I will be putting the above quote from Gurudeva to practice in my life from today.

Aum Namasivaya

MORE THE WILLPOWER WE USE, MORE WILLPOWER WE HAVE

Everyone has willpower. It is inherent to the makeup of the physical-astral-mental-emotional body. The center of willpower is the manipura chakra, located at the solar plexus. Unlike other energies, the more willpower we use, the more willpower we have to use. Actually, by
exerting our willpower, we store up new energy within the manipura chakra. This happens when we work a little harder than we think we can, do a little more than we think we can do. By putting forth that extra eff ort, we build up a great willpower that we will always have with us, even in our next life, the next and the next. Willpower is free for the using, actually. Therefore, the more you use your individual willpower in your religious service, in your business life, your personal life, your home life, your temple life, in fulfilling all the yamas and niyamas, the more willpower you have. It is an accumulative, ever-growing bank account.