By Swami Nikhilananda The first step in meditation is at the level of action. It is being mindful of what we are doing. Learn to meditate whilst performing action. This is done with a sense of service and an awareness of being an instrument in the hands of a higher power. Any action done with an attitude of offering bestows feelings of joy. It is not necessary to sit at one place or go to Rishikesh in order to meditate. With the right attitude kept in mind, even when a person fights for his country, he is in meditation. Observe great singers, dancers and artists – when they perform, free of any ego or pride, they tune themselves, becoming instruments in the hands of the Lord. Then what flow through is perfect. This is meditation in action. The next step in meditation is at the level of feeling – to experience the feeling of love for God and for all His creatures. Meera Bai and Tulsidas were in a constant state of meditation, because they loved and saw God in everything around them. Being in a state of love is to be in a state of meditation. Then, even with our eyes open, going about our daily work in the world, we are ‘in meditation’. When we express deep feelings of love and respect towards what we love and revere, in thought, word or action, we are in meditation. Seeing the whole world as an expression of God, and being in love with Nature or the inner Self is being in meditation. Once Narada Muni saw a gopi sitting alone lost in her thoughts. The gopi was yearning to be with her beloved Lord Krishna. The muni asked if she had studied the Scriptures and learnt how to reach the Lord, or whether she had gone through the different stages of meditation to attain the ultimate state of oneness with Him. The gopi innocently said that she only knew that she was in love with Krishna, and whenever and wherever she thought of her Lord, she found herself with Him. Her love was her meditation and not the study of the Scriptures. Through devotion and love alone she experienced ultimate bliss. Meditation is feeling compassion, friendship, humility, and love for that principle of Oneness pervading all beings and objects of this world. When Jesus Christ was being crucified, he cried out in prayer, “Oh Lord, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing. They are acting out of ignorance.” In that state of forgiveness, Jesus was in meditation. Meditation is not just sitting erect, controlling the breath and fighting the mind. We are in meditation by loving God, Nature and upholding higher values in our heart. We experience meditation in understanding the true nature of the Universe, through the intellect or buddhi. The philosophy of division sees differences, creates hatred, violence, misery, and agitation in the mind. This cannot give us peace and quietude. The Vedanta philosophy of Advaita views the whole cosmos and every thing in it as pervaded with Ishwara or God. Through touching, seeing, smelling, hearing and tasting we transact with God alone. See the whole Universe as one family—Vasudhaiva kutumbakam. In this understanding of Oneness, we are in a state of meditation. The highest state of meditation is at the level of being. To reach that state of meditation, we do not have to do anything, because just being is meditation. That is why we are called human beings! In this state we identify with the core or divinity in us – the Principle of Consciousness and Bliss. A person in this state of joy is in a state of meditation. All realized masters reached that state of effortless meditation, by just being aware of the present moment. Learn from the past, plan for the future but live in the present, in the ‘now’, aware of your real Self. Living in the present alone, gives the necessary alertness to effectively respond to all kinds of situations. To experience peace, happiness and fulfillment in life, practice meditation – in action, feeling, understanding and just being. To achieve the best, perform actions with complete awareness and mindfulness, combined with a sense of service. Consider yourself an instrument in the hands of a higher power. Recognize negative emotions such as greed, jealously, fear and anger. Endeavour to overcome them with feelings of love. Love is divine; love is giving, not demanding. We do not fall in love; we rise in love with God. Realize your oneness with all living beings, nature, and the cosmos. Succeed in the practice of meditation and experience the joy and bliss of being.
Please visit the following you tube site and listen to Sri TT.Rangarajan on spiritual relatives. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-3CQmT0EHk Don’t look in to what you don’t have. Look how much you can do with what we have & out of that what can be done. In a platform with Kapil Dev before sharing he expressed that he will not be able to share more than 5 minutes, but that 5 minutes what he shared was the content discussed over all. Sachin Tendulkar & Bradman never felt that they are short, instead they made the world to talk every thing bigger about them by their achievements in life. To do business if you require 2 crores & you don’t have today, think with what the Rs.2 lakhs what you have today how to make that in to 10 lakhs, then 1 crore then 2 crores eventually you will get your own ways to achieve what you want. So just need to focus with what we have & out of that how much we can achieve. Once we start focusing with what we have automatically things will unfold to reach where we have to, You will ask ok, how to know how much I have & how to find out this. Simple Count your blessings not your curses. Always ask yourself Why Me God for all these blessings & not Why me God for all the sufferings. My Blessings in my life so far, What I feel is Spouse = I got the BEST one. Today I am what ever I am because of her without her sacrifice & understanding me I could have not made. Children = Beautiful Kids, Very understanding, upcoming Legendry people. Father = In his 45 years of life he has created a name for himself in the world. Today we are recognised in the social community all because of his efforts. My r Grandma will always say it is easy to make money with money. Your dad has made money without money in hand. The way you people are doing business today even a lady sitting will earn that use to be her quote whenever we come late for the lunch or dinner or we come home late from the office. That kind of hard work my father worked & not only created wealth for us but even he created good name for him in the social so that for us it was easy to walk his path. Mother = Very Loving, If there is any difference of opinion(or arguments) with in our 3 brothers her heart will cry still we become normalcy. She will always tell I don’t want any thing other than you people or together and live a long Happy life. In todays world more than this what we want from our mother such a lovely person from the heart. Brothers = When I matured enough my 2 brothers are in the roll of my father and today I am what I am all because of their love, they never said no to me for any thing. 10 years when I was striving to get back in to the automobile industry I have applied each & every company and had spent money in lakhs only for application, Presentations all these things. But for not even a single time they have stopped me what ever I was doing. They where so co-operative & the BEST they gave me in my life. Friends, Relatives = WOW, I can say I have got the best of all as without their love & wishes we could have not been any where. Business = Today I am running SKODA dealership in bangalore but for me 10 years of striving I got in to a business where my heart was, but that 10 years of in explainable experience I got out of it now I am feeling that is required for me to work on my vision & mission today. Yes I have got the BEST business opportunity and today with this platform I am going to create a new world in near future. Teachers & Mentors = Till today I have come acrossed only with the BEST teachers, I am in the best of best in hands and be sharpened by every one. I am really proud that all my achievements in my life is their hard work on me to make my self what I am today. GURU = Yes without HIS blessings even I cannot move my fingure. He is the one who plays his role through me. I am just a instrument of HIM & I know very well HE will take me HIGHER, give me DEEPER & Lead me Beyond. Through me he will make that the surroundings of me to TAKE them HIGHER, Give them Deeper & Lead them Beyond. All this will not happen if HIS blessings are not their. After today’s 52 Thoughts program it took more than 45 minutes to come out of the impact from the program. Yes. I am sure that I know how much blessings I have in my life & with what I have and I will make the BEST of it. To conclude if I don’t express my gratitude to all of my blessings I feel I will be incomplete. Thank you so Much. Loving you so much, Thanks & Regards, Suresh Bafna.
T.T.Rangarajan, with a mission to awaken humanity founded Alma Mater in 1995, thus embarking on his journey of leading people on the path of holistic living. His singular pursuit of his life’s mission of transforming people has since been to ‘make a difference’ to every human life and enable living from a higher pedestal possible and practicable for everyone. Today, hundreds of organisations and thousands of people would vouch for the turnaround Rajan has created in their lives. A spiritual teacher, endowed with a deep connectivity to existence and enormous spiritual strength, he guides people in their quest for self-realisation. He has brought meditation to the common man, and in his presence, thousands have experienced the depths of silence. He is highly revered by all those who have heard him or known him, for he isn’t a mere preacher but one who first lives by his teaching. He, for one, believes that the messenger should be the message. His skill in harmonising the materialistic and spiritual worlds is gracefully reflected in his lifestyle. His eloquence and ability to speak impromptu on any subject pertaining to human dynamics – be it psychology, relationship, management or spirituality makes him a remarkable and awe-inspiring communicator. His ability to expound in the simplest mode the most complicated aspects of life, his exhaustive analysis of human behaviour and his profound knowledge of the circuit of human life appeals to listeners of all age groups. Being an impassioned propagator of value based living and holistic development, his vision of lifting humanity to a higher level of spiritual consciousness is carried through by his training programs, residential spiritual retreats and the growth oriented magazine ‘Frozen Thoughts’, of which he is the editor. In the larger perspective, his vision is also to bring much needed dramatic changes to the prevailing education system and to create a paradigm shift in the attitudes of the teaching faculty so as to better equip every child with an empowering personality. His ongoing effort in this direction through the ‘Subject +’ programs has touched innumerable educational institutions, a number that is increasing by the day. In order to reach out to a larger segment, Rajan through the ‘Alma Mater Mission’ conducts public discourses on various spiritual subjects on a periodical basis. It is a well-known fact that thousands of people, including opinion makers in the society, throng to listen to Rajan and it is such a common sight to see people sitting even in the aisles of huge auditoriums to listen to him. He is an insightful teacher, trainer and Guru. A firm believer of the power of human potential and endowed with spiritual wisdom, he is driven by an unwavering sense of commitment to his cause. His ability to spontaneously answer questions from any sphere of life on any forum renders him inimitable. Possessed by his own sense of destiny, he is a constant revelation unto himself as well as life. He is a path breaker and thus a path finder. He is a phenomenon and the only Guru of his kind. Please Listen to his voice on the talk on Dincharya, in you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3heEGt9NrE.
Dhyana-yoga (path of meditation) KRISHNA: “He who, unattached to the fruit of his actions, performeth such actions as should be done is both a renouncer (1) of action and a devotee (2) of right action; not he who liveth without kindling the sacrificial fire and without ceremonies. (3) Know, O son of Pandu, that what they call Sannyasa or a forsaking of action is the same as Yoga or the practice of devotion. No one without having previously renounced all intentions can be devoted. Action is said to be the means by which the wise man who is desirous of mounting to meditation may reach thereto; so cessation from action is said to be the means for him who hath reached to meditation. When he hath renounced all intentions and is devoid of attachment to action in regard to objects of sense, then he is called one who hath ascended to meditation. He should raise the self by the Self; let him not suffer the Self to be lowered; for Self is the friend of self, and, in like manner, self is its own enemy. (4) Self is the friend of the man who is self-conquered; so self like a foe hath enmity to him who is not self-conquered. The Self of the man who is self-subdued and free from desire and anger is intent on the Supreme Self in heat and cold, in pain and pleasure, in honor and ignominy. The man who hath spiritual knowledge and discernment, who standeth upon the pinnacle, and hath subdued the senses, to whom gold and stone are the same, is said to be devoted. And he is esteemed among all who, whether amongst his friends and companions, in the midst of enemies or those who stand aloof or remain neutral, with those who love and those who hate, and in the company of sinners or the righteous, is of equal mind. “He who has attained to meditation should constantly strive to stay at rest in the Supreme, remaining in solitude and seclusion, having his body and his thoughts under control, without possessions and free from hope. He should in an undefiled spot place his seat, firm, neither too high nor too low, and made of kusa grass which is covered with a skin and a cloth. (5) There, for the self’s purification he should practice meditation with his mind fixed on one point, the modifications of the thinking principle controlled and the action of the senses and organs restrained. Keeping his body, head, and neck firm and erect, with mind determined, and gaze directed to the tip of his nose without looking in any direction, with heart at peace and free from fear, the Yogi should remain, settled in the vow of a Brahmachari, his thoughts controlled, and heart fixed on me. The devotee of controlled mind who thus always bringeth his heart to rest in the Supreme reacheth that tranquillity, the supreme assimilation with me. “This divine discipline, Arjuna, is not to be attained by the man who eateth more than enough or too little, nor by him who hath a habit of sleeping much, nor by him who is given to over watching. The meditation which destroyeth pain is produced in him who is moderate in eating and in recreation, of moderate exertion in his actions, and regulated in sleeping and waking. When the man, so living, centers his heart in the true Self and is exempt from attachment to all desires, he is said to have attained to yoga. Of the sage of self-centered heart, at rest and free from attachment to desires, the simile is recorded, ‘as a lamp which is sheltered from the wind flickereth not.’ When regulated by the practice of yoga and at rest, seeing the self by the self, he is contented; when he becometh acquainted with that boundless bliss which is not connected with objects of the senses, and being where he is not moved from the reality (6); having gained which he considereth no other superior to it, and in which, being fixed, he is not moved even by the greatest grief; know that this disconnection from union with pain is distinguished as yoga, spiritual union or devotion, which is to be striven after by a man with faith and steadfastly. “When he hath abandoned every desire that ariseth from the imagination and subdued with the mind the senses and organs which impel to action in every direction, being possessed of patience, he by degrees finds rest; and, having fixed his mind at rest in the true Self, he should think of nothing else. To whatsoever object the inconstant mind goeth out he should subdue it, bring it back, and place it upon the Spirit. Supreme bliss surely cometh to the sage whose mind is thus at peace; whose passions and desires are thus subdued; who is thus in the true Self and free from sin. He who is thus devoted and free from sin obtaineth without hindrance the highest bliss — union with the Supreme Spirit. The man who is endued with this devotion and who seeth the unity of all things perceiveth the Supreme Soul in all things and all things in the Supreme Soul. He who seeth me in all things and all things in me looseneth not his hold on me and I forsake him not. And whosoever, believing in spiritual unity, worshipeth me who am in all things, dwelleth with me in whatsoever condition he may be. He, O Arjuna, who by the similitude found in himself seeth but one essence in all things, whether they be evil or good, is considered to be the most excellent devotee.” ARJUNA: “O slayer of Madhu (7), on account of the restlessness of the mind, I do not perceive any possibility of steady continuance in this yoga of equanimity which thou hast declared. For indeed, O Krishna, the mind is full of agitation, turbulent, strong, and obstinate. I believe the restraint of it to be as difficult as that of the wind.” KRISHNA: “Without doubt, O thou of mighty arms, the mind is restless and hard to restrain; but it may be restrained, O son of Kunti, by practice and absence of desire. Yet in my opinion this divine discipline called yoga is very difficult for one who hath not his soul in his own control; yet it may be acquired through proper means and by one who is assiduous and controlleth his heart.” ARJUNA: “What end, O Krishna, doth that man attain who, although having faith, hath not attained to perfection in his devotion because his unsubdued mind wandered from the discipline? Doth he, fallen from both (8), like a broken cloud without any support (9), become destroyed, O strong-armed one, being deluded in the path of the Supreme Spirit? Thou, Krishna, shouldst completely dispel this doubt for me, for there is none other to be found able to remove it.” KRISHNA: “Such a man, O son of Pritha, doth not perish here or hereafter. For never to an evil place goeth one who doeth good. The man whose devotion has been broken off by death goeth to the regions of the righteous (10), where he dwells for an immensity of years and is then born again on earth in a pure and fortunate family (11); or even in a family of those who are spiritually illuminated. But such a rebirth into this life as this last is more difficult to obtain. Being thus born again he comes in contact with the knowledge which belonged to him in his former body, and from that time he struggles more diligently towards perfection, O son of Kuru. For even unwittingly, by reason of that past practice, he is led and works on. Even if only a mere enquirer, he reaches beyond the word of the Vedas. But the devotee who, striving with all his might, obtaineth perfection because of efforts continued through many births, goeth to the supreme goal. The man of meditation as thus described is superior to the man of penance and to the man of learning and also to the man of action; wherefore, O Arjuna, resolve thou to become a man of meditation. But of all devotees he is considered by me as the most devoted who, with heart fixed on me, full of faith, worships me.” Thus in the Upanishads, called the holy Bhagavad-Gita, in the science of the Supreme Spirit, in the book of devotion, in the colloquy between the Holy Krishna and Arjuna, stands the Sixth Chapter, by name — Dhyana-yoga (path of meditation)
Rishikesh Shanti Mantras By Sri Swami Shivananda The Divine Life Society, Rishikesh Om sarveshaam swastir bhavatu Sarveshaam shantir bhavatu Sarveshaam poornam bhavatu Sarveshaam mangalam bhavatu Sarve bhavantu sukhinah Sarve santu niraamayaah Sarve bhadraani pashyantu Maakaschit duhkha bhaag bhavet Meaning: Auspiciousness (swasti) be unto all; peace (shanti) be unto all; fullness (poornam) be unto all; prosperity (mangalam) be unto all. May all be happy! (sukhinah) May all be free from disabilities! (niraamayaah) May all look (pashyantu)to the good of others! May none suffer from sorrow! (duhkha) Om asato maa satgamaya Tamaso maa jyotir gamaya Mrityor maa amritam gamaya Meaning: Lead us from the unreal to the Real From darkness to Light From death to Immortality Om poornamadah poornamidam Poornaat poornamudachyate Poornasya poornamaadaya Poornamevaavashishyate Meaning: That (pure consciousness) is full (perfect); this (the manifest universe of matter; of names and forms being maya) is full. This fullness has been projected from that fullness. When this fullness merges in that fullness, all that remains is fullness. – Peace invocation -Isa Upanishad Om sham no mitrah sham varunah sham no bhavatvaryamaa Sham na indro brihaspatih sham no vishnururukramah Namo brahmane namaste vaayo twameva pratyaksham Brahmaasi twaameva pratyaksham brahma vadishyaami Tanmaamavatu tadvaktaaramavatu Avatu maam avatu vaktaaram.Om shantih shantih shantih! Meaning: May Mitra, Varuna and Aryama be good to us! May Indra and Brihaspati and Vishnu of great strides be good to us! Prostrations unto Brahman! (Supreme Reality). Prostrations to Thee, O Vayu! Thou art the visible Brahman. I shall proclaim Thee as the visible Brahman. I shall call Thee the just and the True. May He protect the teacher and me! May he protect the teacher! Om peace, peace, peace! Om saha naavavatu sahanau bhunaktu Saha veeryam karavaavahai Tejasvi naavadheetamastu maa vidvishaavahai Om shantih shantih shantih Meaning: May He protect us both (teacher and the taught)! May He cause us both to enjoy the bliss of Mukti (liberation)! May we both exert to discover the true meaning of the sacred scriptures! May our studies be fruitful! May we never quarrel with each other! Let there be threefold peace. Namaste sate te jagat kaaranaaya Namaste chite sarva lokaashrayaaya Namo dvaita tattwaaya mukti pradaaya Namo brahmane vyaapine shaashvataaya Meaning: Salutations to that Being, the cause of the universe! Salutations to that Consciousness, the support of all the worlds! Salutations to that One Truth without a second, which gives liberation! Salutations to that pure, eternal Brahman who pervades all regions! Om yaschandasaamrishabho vishwaroopah Chhandobhyo dhyamritaat sambabhoova Sa mendro medhayaa sprinotu Amritasya devadhaarano bhooyaasam Shareeram me vicharshanam Jihwaa me madhumattamaa Karnaabhyaam bhoori vishruvam Brahmanah Koshoasi medhayaapihitah Shrutam me gopaaya Om shantih shantih shantih! Meaning: May He, the Lord of all, pre-eminent among the Vedas and superior to the nectar contained in them, bless me with wisdom! May I be adorned with the knowledge of Brahman that leads to immortality! May my body become strong and vigorous (to practise meditation)! May my tongue always utter delightful words! May I hear much with my ears! Thou art the scabbard of Brahman hidden by worldly taints (not revealed by impure, puny intellects). May I never forget all that I have learnt! Om peace, peace, peace! Om aham vrikshasya rerivaa Keertih prishtham gireriva Urdhwapavitro vaajineeva swamritamasmi Dravinam savarchasam Sumedhaa amritokshitah Iti trishankor vedaanu vachanam Om shantih, shantih, shantih! Meaning: I am the destroyer of the tree (of samsar; worldly life). My reputation is as high as the top of the hill. I am in essence as pure as the sun. I am the highest treasure. I am all-wise, immortal and indestructible. This is Trishanku’s realisation. Om peace, peace, peace! Om aapyaayantu mamaangaani vaak Praanashchakshuh shrotramatho Balamindriyaani cha sarvaani sarvam brahmopanishadam Maaham brahma niraakuryaam maa maa brahma niraakarod Niraakaranamastva niraakaranam me astu Tadaatmani nirate ya upanishatsu dharmaaste Mayi santu te mayi santu. Om shantih, shantih, shantih! Meaning: May my limbs, speech, Prana, eye, ear and power of all my senses grow vigorous! All is the pure Brahman of the Upanishads. May I never deny that Brahman! May that Brahman never desert me! Let that relationship endure. Let the virtues recited in the Upanishads be rooted in me. May they repose in me! Om peace. peace. peace! Om vaang me manasi pratishthitaa Mano me vaachi pratishthitam Aaveeraaveerma edhi vedasya ma aanisthah Shrutam me maa prahaaseer anenaadheetena Ahoraatraan samdadhaami ritam vadishyaami Satyam vadishyaami tanmaamavatu tadvaktaaramavatu Avatu maam avatu vaktaaram avatu vaktaaram Om shantih, shantih, shantih! Meaning: Let my speech be rooted in my mind. Let my mind be rooted in my speech. Let Brahman (Supreme Reality) reveal Himself to me. Let my mind and speech enable me to grasp the truths of the Vedas. Let not what I have heard forsake me. Let me spend both day and night continuously in study. I think truth, I speak the truth. May that Truth protect me! May that Truth protect the teacher! Let peace prevail against heavenly, worldly and demoniacal troubles. Om peace, peace, peace! Om bhadram no apivaataya manah. Om shantih, shantih, shantih! Meaning: Salutations! May my mind and all these (the body, senses, breath etc.) be good and well! Om peace, peace. peace! Om bhadram karnebhih shrunuyaama devaah Bhadram pashyemaakshabhiryajatraah Sthirairangaistushtuvaamsastanoobhih Vyashema devahitam yadaayuh Swasti na indro vridhashravaah Swasti nah pooshaa vishwavedaah Swasti nastaarkshyo arishtanemih Swasti no brihaspatir dadhaatu. Om shantih, shantih, shantih! Meaning: Om, O worshipful ones, may our ears hear what is good and auspicious! May we see what is auspicious! May we sing your praise, live our allotted span of life in perfect health and strength! May Indra (who is) extolled in the scriptures, Pushan, the all-knowing Trakshya, who saves from all harm, and Brihaspati who protects our spiritual lustre, vouchsafe prosperity in our study of the scriptures and the practice of the truths contained therein! Om peace, peace, peace! Om yo brahmaanam vidadhaati poorvam Yo vai vedaanshcha prahinoti tasmai Tam ha devmaatma buddhi prakaasham Mumukshurvai sharanamaham prapadye
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UNIVERSAL TEACHINGS OF SWAMI VIVEKANANDA SEE GOD IN ALL This is the gist of all worship – to be pure and to do good to others. He who sees Siva in the poor, in the weak, and in the diseased, really worships Siva, and if he sees Siva only in the image, his worship is but preliminary. He who has served and helped one poor man seeing Siva in him, without thinking of his cast, creed, or race, or anything, with him Siva is more pleased than with the man who sees Him only in temples. GOD IS WITHIN YOU It is impossible to find God outside of ourselves. Our own souls contribute all of the divinity that is outside of us. We are the greatest temple. The objectification is only a faint imitation of what we see within ourselves. PERSEVERE IN YOUR SEARCH FOR GOD To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will. “I will drink the ocean,” says the persevering soul, “at my will mountains will crumble up.” Have that sort of energy, that sort of will, work hard, and you will reach the goal. TRUST COMPLETELY IN GOD Stand up for God; let the world go. LOVE OF GOD IS ESSENTIAL Giving up all other thoughts, with the whole mind day and night worship God. Thus being worshipped day and night, He reveals himself and makes His worshippers feel His presence. SWAMI VIVEKANANDA’s QUOTES When I Asked God for Strength He Gave Me Difficult Situations to Face When I Asked God for Brain & Brown He Gave Me Puzzles in Life to Solve When I Asked God for Happiness He Showed Me Some Unhappy People When I Asked God for Wealth He Showed Me How to Work Hard When I Asked God for Favors He Showed Me Opportunities to Work Hard When I Asked God for Peace He Showed Me How to Help Others God Gave Me Nothing I Wanted He Gave Me Everything I Needed Swami Vivekananda THE 15 Laws of Life By Swami Vivekananda 1. Love is the Law of Life All love is expansion, all selfishness is contraction. Love is therefore the only law of life. He who loves lives, he who is selfish is dying. Therefore, love for love”s sake, because it is law of life, just as you breathe to live. 2. It is Your Outlook That Matters It is our own mental attitude, which makes the world what it is for us. Our thoughts make things beautiful, our thoughts make things ugly. The whole world is in our own minds. Learn to see things in the proper light. 3. Life is Beautiful First, believe in this world – that there is meaning behind everything. Everything in the world is good, is holy and beautiful. If you see something evil, think that you do not understand it in the right light. Throw the burden on yourselves! 4. It is The Way You Feel Feel like Christ and you will be a Christ; feel like Buddha and you will be a Buddha. It is feeling that is the life, the strength, the vitality, without which no amount of intellectual activity can reach God. 5. Set Yourself Free The moment I have realized God sitting in the temple of every human body, the moment I stand in reverence before every human being and see God in him – that moment I am free from bondage, everything that binds vanishes, and I am free. 6. Don”t Play the Blame Game Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way. 7. Help Others If money helps a man to do good to others, it is of some value; but if not, it is simply a mass of evil, and the sooner it is got rid of, the better. 8. Uphold Your Ideals Our duty is to encourage every one in his struggle to live up to his own highest idea, and strive at the same time to make the ideal as near as possible to the Truth. 9. Listen to Your Soul You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul. 10. Be Yourself The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves! 11. Nothing Is Impossible Never think there is anything impossible for the soul. It is the greatest heresy to think so. If there is sin, this is the only sin – to say that you are weak, or others are weak. 12. You Have The Power All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark. 13. Learn Everyday The goal of mankind is knowledge… now this knowledge is inherent in man. No knowledge comes from outside: it is all inside. What we say a man “knows”, should, in strict psychological language, be what he “discovers” or “unveils”; what man “learns” is really what he discovers by taking the cover off his own soul, which is a mine of infinite knowledge. 14. Be Truthful Everything can be sacrificed for truth, but truth cannot be sacrificed for anything. 15. Think Differently All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything. So! just go through them and live with it. May God Bless All with Good Health and Happiness & Ignite Divine Love in you.
By Swami Parmarthananda Meditation Meditation is one of the spiritual disciplines which occupies an important position in most of the spiritual traditions. Therefore, a proper understanding of its role is necessary for every spiritual seeker. Now-a-days, Meditation is recommended for physical and mental health, personality development and better performance also. Hence, a clear understanding of meditation is useful for all, whether one seeks spiritual enlightenment or not. The Upanisads vedanta point out that Self-Knowledge is the only means of liberation and that Self-enquiry guided by the Vedantic teachings is the only means of Self-Knowledge. So, Self-enquiry occupies primary position for a spiritual seeker. Meditation is prescribed neither for Self-knowledge nor for liberation. It is meant for preparing the mind to receive and assimilate the vedantic teachings. Accordingly, Meditation can be broadly classified into two types, VIZ., Preparatory meditation, which is to be practised before one exposes oneself to vedantic teaching and Assimilatory meditation which is to be practised after one exposes oneself to systematic vedantic teaching consistently for a length of time. One has to develop different mental faculties to receive the Self knowledge. Accordingly, Preparatory meditation can be subdivided into four types. This is based on the faculty to be developed. Preparatory Meditations (1) Relaxation – meditation In this, you learn to relax at all levels. In any posture consciously relax every part of the body from head to toe. When the body is totally relaxed, you feel bodiless. Then, observe the breathing. This will help in making the breathing-process smooth and even. Next, relax the mind. The following methods can be used to relax the mind: Imagine you are seated in a natural setup like beach, garden, mountain, riverbank or Asram. Consciously unload all your mental burden at the feet of the Lord(in the form of your favorite deity) (Ista-devata). Repeat to yourself: “I am confident of facing any situation in life, now that the Lord is there to share my burden. I have no worries now. I am relaxed. Use any key word like “Santih” to invoke and enjoy the relaxation, ignoring all other thoughts. (2) Concentration – Meditation While the previous meditation is for simple, deep relaxation, this meditation is to develop the faculty of focussing. The following methods can be used to develop this faculty: Perform a Puja to the Lord mentally. It can be a simple one offering a few flowers or an elaborate one involving ritualistic steps. Alternatively, you can visualise a Puja done by another person in a temple, Asram etc. Mentally chant the prayers you know in any language. Be conscious of you chanting. Mentally repeat any one name of the Lord or the words “Om Santih”. Be conscious of every letter. (3) Expansion – Mediation All the time, being obsessed with personal or family life, one develops a narrow, frog-in-the-well mind. To break this, one has to meditate on the totality which expands the mind and makes the individual and family problems insignificant. Try the following: Mentally see the sky, stars, moon, earth, oceans, mountains, etc. Appreciate the cosmic processes of sunrise, sunset, planetary movements, flow of rivers, flight of birds, etc. In short, tune yourself to the natural rhythm, the cosmic orchestra. Learn to enjoy the cosmic dance of the cosmic Lord. (4) Value – Meditation This meditation is very important. This will help in internalising the values. This will bring about a transform in transactional life. Take up any value like confidence, patience, compassion, etc. Mentally see how important they are for a life of peace and progress. Bring to your mind any person who enjoys that particular value and appreciate him/her. Take the opposite trait like diffidence, irritation, rudeness, etc. Mentally see how they spoil the peace of yourself and others around. Look at yourself as one endowed with that particular value. The above four types of meditation can be practised by anyone. One need not be a seeker of spiritual enlightenment for practising these. These meditations will bring about a deep transformation is one’s personality which will give inner peace. Peace does not depend on what one has but on what one is. (5) Assimilatory (Vedantic) Meditation The seeker of spiritual enlightenment should not stop with the practise of the above mentioned meditations. Self-enquiry with the help of a Guru and the scriptures is a must. Consistent and systematic study of scriptures for a length of time under the guidance of a traditional master will lead to Self-discovery. To assimilate and own up this wisdom, one has to practise Vedantic meditation as follows: Mentally dwell on the Truth of yourself as revealed by the scriptural teachings. Mentally dwell on the Truth of the lord as revealed in the scriptures. Mentally dwell upon the nature of the world to which your own body and mind belong. Obstacles and Remedies (1) Sleep This is the most common obstacle. One need not feel guilty about it. The solution to this will vary from individual to individual. Some general methods can be tried by all: Meditate after a bath or atleast after washing the hands, feet and face with cold water. Meditate when the stomach is neither too full nor too empty. Choose any part of the day when you are alert. Give a strong autosuggestion, “I will be alert”. Don’t meditate after tiring activity. Don’t meditate when there is a backlog of sleep. Have short sessions of 15 to 20 minutes only initially. (2) Distraction This is the second common obstacle. One need not feel guilty about it. The following methods can be adopted to avoid this. Learn more and more and more about meditation and its value. Mind enjoys doing what it values. Reduce your likes and dislikes which are the root cause of disturbance and distractions Give up all anxieties by taking Lord as your partner in life. Give a strong autosuggestion, “I-have an appointment with myself. Let me die to all my wordly roles”. (3) Dullness Sometimes the mind becomes dull. It is neither asleep nor restless. It this happens, nothing can be done. One has to hope and wait for clearance. However, one can try to avoid this situation by the following methods: Don’t have suppressed feelings (which will create a loaded unconscious). Share your feelings with someone. Write your feelings (and tear-off the paper if you don’t want to keep it). Express your feelings openly to the Lord, your Istadevata. (4) Tasting the Tranquility The withdrawal and quietitude in meditation create a sense of wellbeing. Many mistake this temporary experience of well-being as spiritual fulfillment and tend to enjoy it more and more. This is the subtlest form of obstacles. This can be solved only by applying Vedantic discrimination properly. Conclusion Everyone can practise the first four forms of meditation. It will be very useful whatever be one’s field of activity. If one is a spiritual seeker, they become all the more important. One does not require any special initiation to practise these four forms of meditation. Om Tatsat courtesy:Yogamalika You can visit the following site an listen to Swami Parmarthananda’s summary of 7th chapter of Srimad Bhagwat Gita http://ia331429.us.archive.org/2/items/BhagavadGitaCommentary_Chapter07_by_Swami_Parmarthananda/115_BG07.mp3
