Satsangam

To, All  Members, The normal human life is characterized by action motivated primarily by the vital drives of desire and fear, attraction and repulsion. There is very little, if any, room in that life for turning the being toward the Divine and focusing on the effort needed to overcome the force of desire and the limitations of the ego-consciousness. It takes a conscious turning of the focus toward the Divine by the individual to start the path of developing a yogic life. This may come about through a variety of causes, including disappointment of desire, a recognition of the emptiness and transitory nature of the fruits of action in the world, an ambition to gain some kind of religious or occult power, or a philosophical understanding that ripens over time. There is even an instance where it happened that a thief, in attempting to hide from the authorities, took on the robes and actions of the spiritual seeker as a Sannyasin, and over time, began to have experien...

To, All  Members, As soon as you have disinclination for the unreal, you are associated with the real. The unreal evils such as attachment, malice and jealousy etc., are obstacles to good company. If a man wishes, he may renounce them. But he finds it difficult so long as he does not have a firm determination. As soon as he has a firm determination, he is successful in leaving them. Many don't know this fact and those who know don't pay special attention to it. They are unable to leave them because they get pleasure from them. Therefore if we get good company, by leaving the unreal, we attain the supreme bliss because this affinity with the unreal is the main obstacle. As the Kalpa tree fulfils all desires, similarly good company enables us to attain riches ( Artha ), duty ( Dharma ), desire ( Kama ) and Salvation ( Moksha )of human life.

To, All Members, Rama and Lakshmana were wandering in the forest in search of Sita. Rama was grief-stricken. Just then Siva and Parvati happened to pass close by. Siva saluted Rama and passed on. Parvati was surprised and asked Siva to explain why He, the Lord of the Universe, being worshipped by all, should stop to salute Rama, an ordinary human who having missed his consort was grief-stricken and moving in anguish in the wilderness and looking helpless. Siva then said: “Rama is simply acting as a human being would under the circumstances. He is nevertheless the incarnation of Vishnu, and deserves to be saluted. You may test him if you choose.” Parvati considered the matter, took the shape of Sita and appeared in front of Rama, as he was crying out the name of Sita in great anguish. He looked at Parvati appearing as Sita, smiled and asked, “Why, Parvati, are you here? Where is Sambhu? Why have you taken the shape of Sita?” Parvati felt abashed and explained how she we...

Devotees would often visit Sri Ramakrishna to discuss about spiritual life. Sri Ramakrishna would take enormous pains to guide them and explain to them the intricacies of spiritual life. But he would always advise them that the ultimate knowledge comes from within. He used to illustrate this idea using a beautiful incident from daily life. There was a man who was very fond of smoking. One day he went to his neighbour's house late at night to light his charcoal. He knocked at the door for quite some time, after which the neighbour came and opened the door. He enquired as to what the matter was and what brought the visitor to his house at the dead of night. The former answered that the neighbour must be aware of his love for smoking. He did not have any fire at his house and that is how he came to his neighbour's house to light his charcoal. Laughing aloud his neighbour said that he had taken so much trouble to come and had awakened his neighbour as well, yet in the hand...

To, All  Members, To counter-balance the exclusive concentration on individual realisation of the silent, supreme Brahman, there is a theme in human development that focuses on the perfection of the social order. Whether the goal is termed “utopia” or “paradise on earth” or the “kingdom of heaven on earth” or the “city of God”, there is a persistent need within humanity to attempt the achievement of a perfected order of life. Many of these attempts have been based on moral philosophy, or political or economic theory; others have been based on specific religious doctrines that attempt to unify everyone in the society under one uniform banner. Sri Aurobindo makes it clear that this aspiration speaks to an inner reality and is part of the larger realisation that is sought by the integral yoga. The perfection and harmonious integration of this perfection into the social order cannot be achieved through politics, economics or uniformity of doctrine. It can only be ach...

To, All  Members, The nose has a left and a right side; we use both to inhale and exhale. Actually they are different; you would be able to feel the difference. The right side represents the sun, left side represents the moon. During a headache, try to close your right nose and use your left nose to breathe. In about 5 mins, your headache will go? If you feel tired, just reverse, close your left nose and breathe through your right nose.  After a while, you will feel your mind is refreshed.  Right side belongs to ‘hot’, so it gets heated up easily, left side belongs to ‘cold’.  Most females breathe with their left noses, so they get “cooled off” faster. Most of the guys breathe with their right noses, they get worked up. Do you notice the moment we wake up, which side breathes faster? Left or right? ? If left is faster, you will feel tired.  So, close your left nose and use your right nose for breathing, you will get refreshed quickly. This ...

To, All  Members, Maharishi .: The birth of the ‘I-thought’ is one’s own birth, its death is the person’s death. After the ‘I-thought’ has arisen the wrong identity with the body arises. Thinking yourself the body, you give false values to others and identify them with bodies. Just as your body has been born, grows and will perish, so also you think the other was born, grew up and died. Did you think of your son before his birth? The thought came after his birth and persists even after his death. Inasmuch as you are thinking of him he is your son. Where has he gone? He has gone to the source from which he sprang. He is one with you. So long as you are, he is there too. If you cease to identify yourself with the body, but see the real Self, this confusion will vanish. You are eternal. The others also will similarly be found to be eternal. Until this truth is realised there will always be this grief due to false values arising from wrong knowle...

To, All Members, Swami Muktimayananda : Teachings of Swami Brahmanandaji Mj Real tapasya lies in three things: 1. You must be truthful. Truth is the pillar to which you must always hold. Every inch of you must be truthful. 2. You must get rid of lust. 3. You must gain control over vasanas (latent impressions). These are the main things to be observed. Real tapasya lies in the practice of these three. People lose themselves in anger the moment their self-interest is hurt. This is what is called world, so full of selfishness. Whenever doubts disturb the mind, hold fast to God and pray. If you can do so again and again, your conviction will become firm and invincible. You must have a clear conception of your life's ideal. Decide now what life you want to lead. Should it be this fleeting life of transient pleasures or the everlasting life of eternal bliss? If you give word to anybody, you must keep it, come what may. If you are doubtful whether you would b...

To, All Members, Meditation gives relaxation and rejuvenation to your mind and body. First imagine the form of the Lord from top to bottom. Slowly focus your mind on the form of the Lord. Then find out your self “Who gives existence to the mind?” There you have to understand and experience divinity. (Such a person can accept every thing and negate whatever negative experience influences him. He can turn adversities into advantages). Steps for Meditation:     Ensure physical cleanliness.     Choose a clean place; ideally have a permanent room for doing Sadhana.     Sit on a “natural fibre” mat. Do not use a plastic material.     Light up a lamp.     Sit in a comfortable posture.     Keeping your hands in “CHIN MUDRA” (thumb touching the tip of forefinger), sit in an erected posture without bending.     Do Pranayam keeping your mind and body alert.     Visualize the form of the Lo...

To, All  Members, Meditation is the mental enrichment with positive energy. As the body needs the food, mind needs positive energy. A positive mind alone can become a strong mind. Today we are disturbed because of ill health, stress and strain, competition and criticism from others, al because of our weak mind. A weak minded person always justifies himself by blaming others and situations. A strong minded person thinks creatively, acts positively and accepts boldly. Through meditation we can develop a positive mind which accepts every thing rejects nothing. It learns even from enemies and turn al adversities into advantages. A positive minded person is always active and Time provides him with lot of opportunities. Such a person can never fail in life. For a beginner, the meditation technique can be as follows: step 1. Sit in a comfortable erect position (Sukhasan, Padmasan, Artha Padmasan or Vajrasan etc) on a mat. Take a deep breath in, then hold breath, re...

To, All  Members, Vedantham  teaches us about the nature of the universe and how everything in the universe is a merely a reflection of the same unchanging, omnipotent, omnipresent, and conscious Truth. Vedanta teaches us how to live in, interact with, and find happiness in the world. This universal Truth is visible everywhere. We can even see it in the periodic table of the elements. How can the periodic table of the elements teach us about spirituality? How can it teach us about the “Oneness” that Vedanta indicates? Matter: we can see it all around us. But someone long ago wanted to know what actually constitutes this matter. People eventually found out that the organic matter we can see is in fact made up of small living cells, tiny components of every living thing. It was then discovered that all matter, organic and inorganic, is made up of small things called atoms. Eventually we discovered something even subtler than that: particles called protons, ...

To, All  Members, Questioner: “Can a Jnani help not only those who follow his path but also others who follow other paths?” Bhagavan: “Undoubtedly. He can help people whatever path they choose to follow. It is something like this. Suppose there is a hill. There will be very many paths to climb it. If he were to ask people to climb by the way he came, some may like it and some may not. If people who do not like it are asked to climb by that path, and by that path only, they will not be able to come up. Hence a Jnani helps people following any particular path whatever it may be. People who are midway may not know about the merits and demerits of other paths, but one who has climbed the summit and sits there observing others coming up is able to see all the paths. He will therefore be able to tell people who are coming up to move a little to this side or that or to avoid a pitfall. The goal is the same for all, you see.” Sri Ramana Maharishi ...

To, All  Members, Different schools of philosophy have expressed different views about God and creation. While the schools owning allegiance to dwaita philosophy clearly perceive God and creation as separate and distinct entities, the schools of advaita treat the world as illusory and accept only brahman or Unitary Consciousness as the reality. Philosophically, both schools strive their best to establish their point of view. However, one has to reconcile with the existential world which is clearly perceived and felt by all beings. Sri Ramakrishna had a wonderful way of reconciling both these philosophies. He used to establish his idea of harmony using a beautiful example from daily life. He would say that the bilva fruit when taken apart is seen to contain flesh, seeds and the shell. Although ultimately the flesh alone is consumed, which is the essential or the most important part, yet one cannot get the proper and full weight of the fruit if one discards the seeds...

To, All  Members, The central conception of the Yogic paths based in Vedanta is that there is a silent consciousness that is separate from the active energy of the creation, and that consciousness can be realised and thereby provide Knowledge and Liberation from the bondage of action in the world. The active energy, in the form of Nature or Prakriti, is considered to be something of an illusion that binds us into an unreal set of relationships and holds us in ignorance of our true self and ultimate reality. The central conception of the Tantric paths holds that the executive energy that creates the entire world of manifestation is real, and that through the identification with and worship of that Energy, or Shakti, ultimate knowledge and realisation can be achieved. Sri Aurobindo’s integral viewpoint finds that each of them has seized upon one major aspect of the Truth, but that the complete realisation and liberation must harmonize the two poles into one. “But i...

To, All  Members, We all live with the mind, governed by the countless thoughts that race through the mind. The mind can provide you with a healthy or unhealthy life. Memories of the miseries one might have encountered in the past and worries about the future, both can destroy the healthy state of mind. Only a healthy mind can produce all the required secretions, chemicals, enzymes etc. in the body, thus harmonizing health. A disturbed mind not only disturbs the quality of your life, but also has negative effects at the physical level producing toxins that make you physically unhealthy. Living continuously with a disturbed mind would ultimately result in a totally depressed, suppressed state of life. How can one develop mental health? Japam is the medicine for developing a healthy mind. Whenever we hear the word Japam, we take it to mean the repetition of the Mantras of Gods or Goddesses. But if we understand the concept of Japam scientifically, it is the real means...

To, All Members, If there is no God, are we not wasting our time trying to be good?—asks the man in the cartoon. And if there is a God he must be far too goodnatured to want to punish us if we act wrongly. So either way it hardly matters how we act. We might as well have our cake and eat it too! This is the argument projected in seeking complete freedom in morality. But the busy man of the world has perhaps forgotten that it is not because there is a God above who is too mean to allow us to get away with all our bad deeds but perhaps he is too good not to give us what we demanded, and that we get “rewarded” or “punished”, or get conducive or in conducive results by the very fact of our choosing to act in a particular way. It is within a certain freedom that we carve out our own future. SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA here explains very clearly the Law of Karma which is so much misunderstood by some. “Each moment of our life, we are not only living the fruits of the past actions...

To, All Members, Many devotees would come to Sri Ramakrishna and openly confess to him that they are unable to progress in spiritual life because of their impure minds, etc. Sri Ramakrishna would advise them to be patient and hold on steadfastly to the methods of sadhana or spiritual striving advised by their preceptors or gurus. He would say that one has to wait for the right time. In this connection, he would narrate a beautiful example from an occurrence of daily life. There was a youngster in a town who had developed a boil on his forearm. It was quite painful and he would visit the doctor almost every day. The doctor would examine the boil thoroughly and advise the youngster to wait. As days passed by, the patient became more and more impatient and he would plead with the doctor to operate the boil and relieve him of his suffering since it was very painful and he was unable to bear it any longer. Yet, the doctor went on postponing it and finally one day when the b...

To, All Members, The Tantra has been widely misunderstood as a path of spiritual development. Sri Aurobindo points out that “Nevertheless, in its origin Tantra was a great and puissant system founded upon ideas which were at least partially true.” The concept behind the Tantra was that all energies and powers of life were divine and therefore, the courageous embracing of all aspects of life could lead to a divine realisation. There were unfortunately some who interpreted this as a license for all manner of practices, as Sri Aurobindo describes it “…a method of self-indulgence, a method of unrestrained social immorality.” This is what caused the widespread controversy about Tantra itself. In its essence, the Tantric path is not limited to what has become known as the “left-handed path” (Vamamarga). There is also a “right-handed path” (Dakshinamarga), and of course, the popular idea of the left-handed path does not represent it in its actual underlying sense. “In the ...

To, All  Members, What ever you focus on grows Bigger! Your focus is your choice. Releasing the negative energy of unmet expectations onto which you hold when you "resist what is" gives you the opportunity to shift that energy into creative solutions and empowerment. When you address negative thinking by trying to replace it with positive thinking, you set yourself up for resisting what is really happening. Allow yourself to feel what you feel, and then seek the grace to move through that which you are feeling. Remember your worth and capability, and they will be your guide back to inner peace. Swami Udit Chaithanya

To, All  Members, ON NOT THINKING /D.: /But it is not easy to remain without thinking. /M.: /You need not cease thinking. Only think of the root of the thoughts; seek it and find it. The Self shines by itself. When that is found the thoughts cease of their own accord. That is freedom from bondage. /D.: /Yes. I understand it now. I have learnt it now. Is a Guru necessary? /M.: /So long as you consider yourself as an individual, a Guru is  necessary to show to you that you are not bound by limitations and that your nature is to be free from limitations. Sri Ramana Maharishi source: Talk 524 M refers to Sri Ramana Maharshi D refers to Devotee

To, All Members, There are different planes of consciousness: the gross, the subtle, the causal, and the Great Cause. Entering the Mahakarana, the Great Cause, one becomes silent; one cannot utter a word. But an Isvarakoti, after attaining the Great Cause, can come down again to the lower planes. Incarnations of God, and others like them, belong to the class of the Isvarakotis. They climb up, and they can also come down. They climb to the roof, and they can come down again by the stairs and move about on a lower floor. It is a case of negation and affirmation. There is, for instance, the seven-storey palace of a king. Strangers have access only to the lower apartments; but the prince, who knows the palace to be his own, can move up and down from floor to floor. There is a kind of rocket that throws out sparks in one pattern and then seems to go out. After a moment it makes another pattern, and then still another. There is no end to the patterns...

To, All  Members. Time moves on. That which was the future becomes the present, and itself rolls away to join the endless ocean of the past. Time never stops, under no conditions, for no person! It is ever on the march! Man, gather¬ing memories from his own ‘past’ barricades his ‘present’, sets them ablaze with his excitements in his day to day life, and the rising fumes of his bosom blurs his vision to make his fife rugged with his anxieties for the future F As we thus waste ourselves with our endless maneuvers, in the irresistible stride of time, all our hopes and plans get defeated and routed. The young courageous heart of the spiritual child Nachiketa realizes this ridiculous tamasha, when he consoles his old father Vachasravas, by reminding him that “things born must die and perish away only to be born again”—nothing is permanent. Later the same spiritual hero talking face to face with his teacher; Lord Death, at Death’s own portico, with utter disdain re...

To, All Members, The nature of the brute is to remain where he is, of a human being to seek good and to avoid evil, and of God to neither seek nor avoid but just to be eternally blissful. Let us be Gods, let us make our hearts like an ocean, to go beyond all the trifles of the world and see it only as a picture. We can then enjoy it without being in any way affected by it. When your mind is simple and your heart one-pointed, then you see only light. This is not only a spiritual fact it is also a practical fact. A man who scatters his thought over many things, he is always weak and his mind is confused. Man must find out how to maintain connection with his Source. The calculating mind never finds it, the selfish mind never finds it. That mind which is pure, cleansed and shining - that mind alone finds it. What one needs is the inner light. Fulfillment of life does not come when a man carries a heavy weight of materialism. You cannot buy happine...

To, All  Members, Devotee: “It is said that when a man dies he goes to the world of Yama with a Yatana* body after crossing the horrid river Vaitharani, and that the messengers of Death create untold miseries to the body. Is it a fact that there is a world of Yama?” Bhagavan: (smilingly): “Aha! If there is a heaven there is also a hell. All these exist only if you exist; otherwise not. First tell me, are you in existence or not? We shall then consider the question of the existence of hell.” Devotee: “There it is. Bhagavan is using his Brahmastram (invincible weapon). What can I say now?” Bhagavan: “All right. I won’t use it. You may ask whatever you like.” (From 'Letters from Sri Ramanasramam' 222) * Yatana Sarira: the subtle body tormented by pleasure and pain in the dream world and also after death (in fact the mind itself). Sri Ramana Maharishi