Wave and the Ocean

God or what we perceive as the supreme energy is never an object of isolation but the very core of your being. The difference between self and God is just like the wave and the ocean.

If you think you are just the body – don’t for the body has its limitations. If you think that you are the mind – don’t for the mind, too, has its limitations. It is just another layer of our existence.

Just like your body is made up of proteins, amino acids, and carbohydrates, you are made up of love. Every little atom of your body is made up of love and that is what is God and not someone sitting somewhere in heaven. God is here and now; He is love, and space. When you are meditating feel at peace, at home with everyone, you are in touch with the Divine force. In the Upanishads, it is said ‘kham kham brahma’ – space is Brahman, in which everything is and into which everything dissolves. It is universal consciousness.

God is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient; therefore wanting to see God as something or someone separate from you is also an illusion. God is not an object of senses but the feeling the presence, the sound of silence the light of life and the essence of the world and the taste of bliss.

God is to be felt in the depth of your heart; He cannot be perceived through your senses or through the mind for He is the Seer. As space He is everywhere, and everything is in space. Nothing can tough space. Nothing can destroy space. And you cannot see space as a separated object.

There are three types of space, bhuta aakash or outer space space in which the universe exists, chitta aakash or the world of impressions, thoughts and dreams that exist in your mind; chida aakash or the sky of consciousness that is all permeating every consciousness – everywhere – consciousness, the basis of all Creation, that is Divine that which knows all.

The whole of existence has a mind of its own. This mind is what you call Atma or God and that is what you are. As Generator; Operator and Destroyer; as Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. God has generated the present moment; the present moment is operating and the present moment destroyed the past. So you are in God and Divinity is in you. There is a place for everybody in the heart of the Divine.

Divinity is the very core of your being. Like an onion, if you start peeling the layers one by one, when you reach the centre there is nothingness and everything is made up of that space. Universal consciousness is present everywhere. That being, that space, that very consciousness is what people look up to because it is present everywhere at all times.

In the body there are many cells and each of them has its own life. New cells are coming up and old cells are dying but they have no knowledge of you. Yet they are affected by you and you are affected by a single cell. In the same way, know that the big life and the big mind which encompasses all our minds and all our lives, is what we call as God.

Problems as Driving Force

We often complain about problems in life. However, if problems did not exist, the challenge and charm of life will be gone. Necessity is the mother of invention; problems shows us new pathway, taking us closer to truth. The circumstantial complexities make us more curious and inquisitive and then the thirst for knowledge makes us keen to understand the truth.

Problems make us more compassionate. They help us mature, and make us more resistant and at the same time create sensitivity in us. For example if you accumulate wealth and face no problem then you could be rude and unreasonable. Problems make you realize the transient nature of your possessions and bring you closer to a person who has nothing. Death is the ultimate equalizer, had death not been there, life would have been a series of endless torture and exploitation of one by the other. If we have experienced the pinch of poverty we can easily feel the agony of a hungry soul. In the face of problems we learn to surrender ourselves to a greater reality, thus helping us empty our mind. In the Mahabharata, Kunti request Krishna to give her more problems so that she would be impelled to remember him more frequently and intensely.

If life were a bed of roses the mind would not have developed any awareness or sharpness to understand reality. If one does not get an opportunity to deal with complicated and difficult persons in life several facilities of the mind would not develop and the brain would not grow strong. As such in our entire life, we are not able to utilize more than a very small part of the brain.

What about individuals who create problems in our life? We often despise them. Instead we should be thankful to them. Indirectly they contribute to our productivity. Keeping them in view we try to be on our toes and enhance our sincerity. Once a devotee asked Ramakrishna, “Why has God created bad people who cause problems for the good ones?” Ramakrishna promptly replied, if bad would not exist what would be the importance of good then? The darker shade makes light really bright. On being asked what kind of treatment should be given to the b ad, Ramakrishna suggested to avoid them – to remain at a safe distance from them. At the same time wish them no harm. At the most one may be careful so that there is minimum or no damage. To the snake the guru advised not to bite anyone as the snake had turned into a devoted soul. But that does not mean that it should stop hissing. Else, others kill it. Similarly, in self-defense one may have to put on a hard exterior despite being a great devotee. But at heart there should not be any ill feeling against anyone.

Without problems would one be better off? No, for we will then start thinking in a negative manner, causing harm to each other. And the destructive power of the mind is much stronger than its constructive capacity. What takes decades to build can be smashed within a second. When we struggle, our efforts have a specific direction and objective. The mind concentrates and this enhances the ability of the mind to continue the journey.

Remember that from dirt emerges the beautiful lotus, from the scorching heat comes the shower of relief and from the depth of pain springs joy.

Of Strangers and Friends

Normally preoccupied with family members and a small circle of friends, most of us do not generally want to become familiar with strangers; we look upon them as ‘others’. This kind of thinking is based simply on suppositions about others and sometimes such suppositions are unfounded. Experience shows that it is perfectly possible to make friends out of strangers.

Swami Ram Tirath a man of considerable education decided in the last decade of the nineteenth century to visit the US, despite paucity of funds and not knowing anyone there who could receive him and host his stay there. After a long sea voyage, he reached the American coast, where he disembarked along with the other passengers. There were many Americans who had come to receive their friends and relatives at the port. However Swami Ram Tirath found himself walking all alone by a corner of the port. An American, seeing him there approached him and asked, ‘Do you have any friends in America?” Swami Ram Tirath said: ‘Yes, there is one friend and that friend is here.’ Saying this he embraced the American.

This kind of behavior was unexpected and the American was impressed. He said: ‘Yes, I am your friend.” And then he took him along to his home. Swami Ram Tirath remained his guest till he left America for India.

No one is a stranger to you; everyone is your potential friend. Just behave in a friendly way and accept others as your sisters and brothers. If you can sincerely adopt this kind of friendly attitude, you will find that everyone is your friend and no one is alien to you.

The fact is that all the men and women have common ancestors. This means that the whole world is a single family and everyone has that kind of attachment with others that is no noticeable in family life.

It is only distance that makes you a stranger. If you eliminate distance, nature will prevail and all can be like blood brothers and sisters to you. The formula for friendship is very simple. If you are truly a friend to others, then you can safely predict that they will also become your friends. Develop genuine love for others in your heart and then others cannot but love you in return.

A Philosopher said that man keeps radiating feelings all the time. If you are a compassionate person and you are radiating compassion then others are bound to receive those radiations of compassion from you. If you have developed love for others, then you are radiating love and others are bound to receive the radiation of love. This is the law of nature. You will therefore receive a positive response to positive radiation and a negative response to negative radiation.

The only condition in this regard is that you should be a selfless person. Positive behavior combined with selflessness always works. It is selflessness that makes your behavior ring true. On the contrary, if you are a selfish person, your behavior will be like that of a salesman. And such behavior cannot have any positive effect.

Abide by your own nature and you will be a successful person. Everyone is born like an angel but, after receiving negative impulses from his environment, he becomes otherwise. So, return to your original nature and you will be acceptable to all.

How Green is My Valley

Looking forward rather than looking backwards, we find that maturity consists in focusing on the positive aspects of our lives and then dealing with the negative aspects in an effective manner. In order to remain evergreen like the evergreen tree, we can choose the good, avoid what is evil and distance ourselves from what is not helpful. Looking back at our life experiences. We will find that our lives whenever they have remained evergreen, were so precisely because of the difficulties and trails we overcame and the spiritual strength that we gained.

For those of us who have learned to live with a positive attitude, our valleys have remained green because we have translated our experiences, built on our weaknesses and converted them into strengths, nurtured our souls and watered them with the life giving water of compassion and wisdom.

With the passage of time we learn to be less harsh and judgmental with ourselves and others. We look at ourselves not through the prism of a demanding master. But through the prism of a loving, faithful and compassionate God. As we grow older, we become more content and satisfied with what we have done so far and ready to take on other tasks and responsibilities. The wisdom and understanding that comes with age is not automatic. We have to grow intellectually, emotionally and spiritually so that we can develop a discerning mind and spirit.

Like fruit that has ripened, we mature and with the water of our imagination and enlightened soul we create for ourselves evergreen valleys. We sometimes ask ourselves. How green is my valley? We do not wait the moment of death to do that; we try to know the answers now.

Where does the inspiration come from? Prayer now becomes a life giving force. In prayer we connect with the infinite and also with the community. Meditative living not only brings us face to face with the Divine. It permeates all aspects of our lives.

When we follow nature’s course, not fighting our destiny, we are like the perennial spring that waters the earth. Then we tend to transform and transcend our diminishments, frailties and vulnerabilities. However, self condemnation is so common. The guilt trips and the regrets tend to pull you down. But for those who can ask; “How green is my valley”? There is opportunity to learn from and rectify misconceptions. We should be able to recognize several occasions, when we were kind and helpful, considerate and empathetic. And the other times when we were quite withdrawn and self centered. As we traverse the spiritual path, there will always be crags, nooks and crannies, uneven turf and barriers, but there are also live giving waters and springs, foliage and greenery that are ever present in the soul.

Every situation and circumstance in our life calls for an appropriate response. It is with our lifetime choices that we create either fecundity or bareness and aridity of spirit. Struggles and hardships will perforce come our way, but they could be transformed to become instruments of peace and success.

The end of a calendar year is a good time to look back as well as prepare to look ahead and resolve to transform past negativities to future positive opportunity that would make life more meaningful and cheerful rather than full of guilt, regrets and resentments.

A new beginning brings with it a freshness that’s hard to ignore as it brings with it fresh hope and the promise of bright day ahead.

Feeling Sad? Accept it

Q. I am so tired of people telling me that I look sad. When I feel happy they still tell me that there is sadness there too. I just don’t know what to do about it?

Osho: Do not think whenever anybody says it, accept it with deep gratitude and tell them that they are right, that you are sad. You are avoiding the fact. That’s why you are feeling just; otherwise you would not be. If somebody says that you are beautiful, you are not hurt. You feel grateful it is a compliment.

Why do you feel hurt when somebody says you look sad? Because you don’t want to be sad, and you are and you want that nobody should know that you are sad, even if you are.

Nobody is hurting you; nobody wants to hurt anybody. People are beautiful. If they say that you are sad, they are simply saying that they would like you not to be sad… They would like you to be happy because your sadness will make them sad also.

Whosoever comes near you – a friend, a neighbor, a lover… if you are sad you make him sad also. You create a sad situation. And if someone enters your arena he is bound to become sad. If he goes on laughing in spite of your sadness, it will be offensive. Even if he wants to laugh, even if he had come to laugh with you, he cannot just to be polite, as part of etiquette. And if you are really sad and the person feels for you he will feel for you. When he says you look sad, he is simply saying that it is not good that you feel like this.

You feel hurt because you were trying to avoid the fact and now he comes and brings the fact before you. Thank him! Feel grateful that he brought it to your notice. And don’t try to hide it. What can you do? If you are sad, you are sad. Don’t smile and hide behind it, don’t create any screen, camouflage, no façade

Once you accept it you will find that by and by there are moments when you forget that you have to remain sad, and you have become happy, just a moment before you had forgotten. When I told you to hang a sign around your neck, you had forgotten completely; you were not sad at that moment.

Sadness is not anybody’s nature; just a mood, a habit, a pattern. It can be broken. It is because you have chosen it. But the way is not to fight it. The way is to transcend. So accept it. Be really sad for three days. If you find yourself becoming happy, immediately become sad, because you have to follow the sigh. Otherwise people will ask what you are doing. If you catch what you are doing. If you catch yourself getting a little smile or something feel guilty!

It is just an old habit that you slip into again and again. Habit needs unconsciousness, a habit lives in unconsciousness. If you become conscious of it, it disappears. So for three days you be consciously sad, consistently sad, and persistently sad. Don’t go here and there; immediately catch hold and come back and be sad. You will fail!

Wave and the Ocean

God or what we perceive as the supreme energy is never an object of isolation but the very core of your being. The difference between self and God is just like the wave and the ocean.

If you think you are just the body – don’t for the body has its limitations. If you think that you are the mind – don’t for the mind, too, has its limitations. It is just another layer of our existence.

Just like your body is made up of proteins, amino acids, and carbohydrates, you are made up of love. Every little atom of your body is made up of love and that is what is God and not someone sitting somewhere in heaven. God is here and now; He is love, and space. When you are meditating feel at peace, at home with everyone, you are in touch with the Divine force. In the Upanishads, it is said ‘kham kham brahma’ – space is Brahman, in which everything is and into which everything dissolves. It is universal consciousness.

God is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient; therefore wanting to see God as something or someone separate from you is also an illusion. God is not an object of senses but the feeling the presence, the sound of silence the light of life and the essence of the world and the taste of bliss.

God is to be felt in the depth of your heart; He cannot be perceived through your senses or through the mind for He is the Seer. As space He is everywhere, and everything is in space. Nothing can tough space. Nothing can destroy space. And you cannot see space as a separated object.

There are three types of space, bhuta aakash or outer space space in which the universe exists, chitta aakash or the world of impressions, thoughts and dreams that exist in your mind; chida aakash or the sky of consciousness that is all permeating every consciousness – everywhere – consciousness, the basis of all Creation, that is Divine that which knows all.

The whole of existence has a mind of its own. This mind is what you call Atma or God and that is what you are. As Generator; Operator and Destroyer; as Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. God has generated the present moment; the present moment is operating and the present moment destroyed the past. So you are in God and Divinity is in you. There is a place for everybody in the heart of the Divine.

Divinity is the very core of your being. Like an onion, if you start peeling the layers one by one, when you reach the centre there is nothingness and everything is made up of that space. Universal consciousness is present everywhere. That being, that space, that very consciousness is what people look up to because it is present everywhere at all times.

In the body there are many cells and each of them has its own life. New cells are coming up and old cells are dying but they have no knowledge of you. Yet they are affected by you and you are affected by a single cell. In the same way, know that the big life and the big mind which encompasses all our minds and all our lives, is what we call as God.

Need to Uphold Dharma

Hindu Tradition is based not on acceptance of particular gods, dogmas, revelations and religious structures but on reverence for Dharma which is the rule of law and the ethics of the age. In the Hindu way of life there are no God, or prophet given laws. Dharma is not immutable but is liable to times- hence, the concept of Yuga dharma. Today’s ethics, formulated by the constitution, is secularism – that is the Yuga dharma. Violators of it cannot be considered Hindus; they can only be looked upon as enemies of the Hindu way of life.

The true Hindu way of life is in danger today but not from those who follow other religions. It is threatened by those who want to imitate others and abandon its essence, because they have misinterpreted it through the prism of dogmatic faiths. For those who assert “Brahmasmi” and “Tattvamasi”, it does not matter if the temple at the birthplace of Rama comes up a few years or a few years or a few decades later, if it comes up at all.

Why is Rama the most popular of all the nine avatars? Because he was a Maryada Purusha, who gave Ram Rajya (good governance) and defended Dharma (rule of law). Rama cannot be venerated by those who transgress Dharma by killing innocents. A way of life which highlights the birth and death cycle, allows one the freedom to worship God in any form or not to worship at all, proclaims the cosmic university with its Advaita cannot be reconciled with the killing of innocents.

The Hindu way of life will survive because it is the natural, free, inquiring way. The reverence for life, which is the essence of birth and death cycle, the worship of Ishta devatas and the ability to see God in all things living and non-living, has to be restored. The temptation to imitate others by trying to straitjacket the free Hindu way of life, into structural frameworks must be resisted. Dharma the rule of law – must be restored. Ram Rajya – good governance – should be established and nourished. The Hindu way of life is not the same as accepting an organized religion. Therefore, this way of life can be propagated, cherished and practiced without having to come into conflict with other religions. Comparing the Hindu way of life with other religions is like comparing apples and oranges. The Hindu way of life is the essence of secularism, its thought processes and philosophical reflection are meant to be observed privately; in public, Dharma, the rule of law, has to be respected.

Recently, the prime minister referred to two kinds of Hinduism – the self-styled “Hindu” extremists. The latter is in the same class as the extremist clergy of religions. There is no difference between list clergy of Semitic religions. Part of the problem is that the Hindu way of life has not been explained to our children as a secular way of life and that it is not the practicing of a religion as understood elsewhere in the world.

Family Matters

Supporting one’s father and mother, cherishing wife and children and a peaceful occupation; this is the greatest blessing

Sutta Nipata 262

Lord, give us joy in our spouse and children, and make us models for the God-fearing

Quran 25-74

May in this family discipline overcome indiscipline, peace discord, charity miserliness, devotion arrogance, the truth spoken word the false spoken word which destroys the holy order.

Avesta Yasna – 60.5

Gita and Business Ethics

The word ‘ethics’ comes from the Greek word ‘ethikos’. It refers to one’s moral character and the way in which society expects people to behave in accordance with accepted principles.

Business ethics is the code of good conduct that a business adheres to in its daily dealings both with other businesses and with customers.

Most philosophers conclude that ethical failure occurs because of lack of character. Virtuous people will live ethically. Therefore, we need to think about the desired virtues and how one can develop those virtues.

In the month of Magha (December) 5,000 years ago, on the battlefield at Kurukshetra just before the start of Mahabharata war, Krishna outlined to Arjun a system of ethics that has withstood the test of time. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna not only how to build character but lso the rood cause of ethical failure and how to avoid it.

Krishna outlines 26 qualities of a gentleman to be merciful, obedient, truthful, equitable, saintly, magnanimous, mild-mannered, clean, simple, charitable and peaceful. He should have surrendered to God and not be greedy or possessive but remain steady and determined, free of the six bad qualities not gluttonous, sober, respectful, humble, grave, compassionate, friendly, eloquent, expert and concise.

It is easy to give a list of positive qualities that we can all agree upon. Yet, even though hundreds of trainers work day and night to teach people good character, when it really matters people’s character still fails why?

Krishna answers in chapter three, verses 37 and 38, “O Arjuna, it is lust… later transformed into wrath, which is the all devouring sinful enemy of this world. As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, the living entity is similarly covered by different degrees of this lust”

To maintain good character, we must overcome kama, that is lust or selfish desire. Most people think kama means just sexual craving, but it simply refers to an overwhelming desire for anything, such as lust for power. Greed, dishonesty and corruption are all by product of lust. To be happy, successful and well situated, the Gita says one must control lust.

Gita’s solution to the ethical failure and downfall of corporations and society and family is controlling the senses with spiritual strength. Ethics is linked to spirituality. For the last century or more western business separated work and spirituality. Kurukshetra was also about mind control. Every one of us, whether s manager or employee, is fighting his own battle, his own Kurukshetra. The Gita can help us to learn to regulate our senses, control our minds and gain spiritual strength.

The Gita is as fresh in insight and as relevant today as it was 5000 years ago. If only every manager, administrator politician employee, worker and others pick a copy of the Gita and spend a few minutes daily reflecting on its message, one can experience the positive transformation. Who doesn’t wish to be disciplined, to achieve home work balance and bring peace and harmony in a secular environment?

Experience Life’s Rhythm

A Hoysala king on a hunting expedition captured a gorgeous white baby elephant that got separated from its mother. The elephants of noble breed belonged to the king of the neighboring region. The calf had imbibed the noble traits of its mother. But gradually the baby elephant was turning out to be naughty and ill mannered. The king who was concerned about its impudence with the mahout, irregular food habits and rudeness handed his minister the responsibility of tracing the cause of this sudden change in behavior. The minister hoisted himself on a tree close to the baby elephant to keep a watch on him through the night. As night approached, he saw some men of ill repute sitting near the baby elephant. They were badmouthing people, exuding anger and vengeance. This went on for several days. The minister duly reported this to the king who had the men barred from that place. He now sent a group of wise people to keep the baby elephant company. Very soon the baby returned to its natural state of goodness and virtuosity.

Can we hope to always be surrounded by good people or be in a good environment? Life is unstable and unpredictable. We are all the time being impacted by what is happening around us. How can we insulate ourselves from the bad effects?

The solution is to have a “living mind” a mind that is watchful and observant. When the mind is dominated by suspicion, anger, fear, hurt or anxiety it becomes dead and fossilized. It loses its ability to enquire into anything, be it an event or an emotion. It becomes compulsive, mechanical and repetitive. Such a mind devoid of awareness and alertness is prone to fall a victim to the vagaries of the world. It is weak and helpless. A mind that is awake and watchful nurtures goodness, virtue, joy and love within a human being in all aspects of life. A dead mind can only brag about its ideals of goodness and integrity but in reality its actions are prompted by fear, confusion and rigidity. It is fossilized thinking. Awareness is what can give you an extraordinary quantity of life.

There are different views about life. Some say it is predestined. Others say it is an accident and that it has no destiny. But there is a destiny and it is crafted by our thoughts. This is how we create our destiny.

Thoughts- emotion- moods- temperaments- actions-destiny.

When we do not throw the light of awareness onto our thoughts regarding a particular situation, it precipitates emotions like anger, hurt and fear. When these emotions are not attended to, we get used to them and they cause mood swings. Thereafter, it becomes our second nature, our temperament. Just as layer upon layer of sedimentation solidifies into rock, continuous unawareness and ignorance go to make our personality. We become defined, limited and controlled by them. Our actions would then be directed by our moods. Such unintelligent action would lead to a poor destiny, devoid of love, joy, abundance or success.

Hence, “a living mind” which is vigilant about what it thinks and feels is of utmost importance to create a great destiny. Destiny is also not created in one moment; it takes shape with each situation life throws up and with each response you give to it.

So come alive, live consciously, be aware of every movement, and be awake to every rhythm of life. In living life every moment that you see is each time a new beginning.

Unburden Yourself of Ego

When a person carries baggage more than his capacity to carry weight, his face becomes distorted in pain. Similar is the case when one’s personality carries the heavy load of ego and self interest. A constant conflict, a feeling of perpetual dissatisfaction and irritation with the self and the rest of the world are some of the obvious outcomes. This creates a huge barrier between the person who carries the baggage and all others who are around him. He becomes unpopular, unpleasant and emotionally volatile. We are aware of all this, yet we don not make efforts to reduce the weight of the baggage.

The Sankhya system of Nepalese philosophy mentions the concept of jivam mukti, that is attainment of salvation while still alive. In this state of mind, there is freedom from bondage. The mind has to be free of ego and its natural instinct to pursue self interest based activities. However, that state of thoughtlessness has to come spontaneously and through practice for which simplicity of mind is a prerequisite. The more selfish we are, higher is the losing simplicity of mind. Being materialistic the beauty of the dawn and to remain engrossed in it. If one cannot become engrossed, the state of thoughtlessness cannot prevail.

The Gita suggests the path of complete surrender in order to get rid of ego. Ramakrishna realized how difficult it is to surrender ego since our way of life makes it an indispensable part of our existence. So he says if it has to stay, let it remain as a slave. I am here to serve the Almighty in thinking this let that ‘I’ become subservient. Tagore shows the path of taking pride in the love of God. Tagore glorifies ‘self’ in such a wider and greater context that it loses its independent existence and merges with the universal.

If each one of us pursues self interest there can be possibility of conflict as two objectives can be contradictory to each other, leading to violence. Yet, two opposite beliefs can continue to appear rational in their own places and right and hence, it will be difficult to reject one of them on the ground of rationality. However, selfless action – the capacity to think beyond ‘I, ME, and MYSELF’ and to pursue action beyond those limits – can reduce substantially the possibility of such conflicting customs. Selfless action is therefore an important way of attaining salvation in life.

Altruistic individuals in a society dominated by self centered people can get exploited. But that does not mean one has to give up the altruistic attitude or the desire to pursue selfless action.

Every time the sage picks up the scorpion from the water to save its life, it stings the sage. In the process his hands shake and the scorpion again fails into the water. But the sage does not stop there. He bends down again to pick it up from the water. When asked why he was doing this repeatedly, the sage replied he was only doing his dharma just as the scorpion was doing his.

Only selfless action can deliver peace and bliss. Sharada Devi, therefore suggested if we need peace in life let us not find fault with others; we need to identify our own pitfalls first. If we cut down on our heavy baggage of ego and self interest a bit it won’t be difficult to realize the vastness within us and find joy in life.

Mind Your Manners

Vedanta says earn and acquire as much wealth by honest means as you can but also upgrade yourself as a human being that is, as the one who can see self in other. It means cultivating pleasing manners. The least you can do is not to offend and hurt others with your behavior. To become a better and responsible person with good civic sense, to embrace virtues like honesty, truthfulness, patience, consideration for fellow human beings and compassion for those who are not as privileged as you are. However, material prosperity tends to erode character, values and behavior in some and this is something that we need to guard against.

For example, some of us are so proud of our children – who are not even eligible for a driving license – when they drive cars in by lanes at high speed. We don’t mind telling lies for petty gains. Arrogance and ego grow along with growth in income. Patience in one is seen as a sign of weakness, you are called a “loser”. You are seen as an achiever, as one who gets things done if you can jump the queue as others wait patiently their turn. The more we earn and the more things we acquire, the greedier we become.

Another distinguishing feature of our prosperity is – as we acquire wealth we start looking down on the less privileged. Suddenly we feel we’re different – and so create a separation. We change our manner and demeanor according to who we address – a VIP or someone who is less known. Test of our behavior is not how we treat VIPs or those who matter to us but how we treat the people who are less fortunate than us.

One’s behavior and conduct in society is not only about how we relate to each other but also in the way we treat public places and facilities. The Delhi Metro train service is a case in point. Within five years it has grown so much in popularity that it is almost always full of commuters. However, if it were not mandatory for Metro doors to remain closed, chances are that people would think nothing of hanging out, risking their lives and others’.

Etiquette and pleasant manners need not be restricted to the home, office or among peers and friends – it needs to be evident in public places as well. Pushing and shoving each other to catch a train or bus does not behave those who otherwise project themselves as educated or evolved people. Senior citizens and others who might be physically challenged need to be given preference in seating and so on. With material progress and technological advance, we need to also take care to nurture comparable upward evolution of our own selves.

To come back to Vedanta culture and tradition, a truly evolved human being would be perceived as one who would be sensitive to the needs of others and not only his own. This is the reason perhaps why all Vedic rituals and prayers are directed not at the welfare of any one individual but are meant for the common benefit of all. Hence, the tradition promotes the concept that all life is one family – vasudhaiv kutumbakam.

Good manners and compassionate outlooks are marks of one who is on the path of onward evolution, striving to reach higher planes of consciousness. Good ethical practices and mindful living are not the preserve of the renunciation – they are equally important for those who choose to live in the world and yet perhaps strive to rise above it.

Gardens of Enlightenment

The majesty of light is endless. After having created worms, it created gazelles. And afterwards it brought about resourceful monkeys and then humans – who taught themselves to read and write. IN due time, enthralling stories are written, which are exciting the human mind and imagination to the point that words are often more important than bread and physical sustenance.

Light is majestic, generous and clear. Human words are many and some are obtuse. Obtuse words create obtuse minds. Obtuse words and minds combined create areas of darkness. Light is clear and never obtuse. Dwell in light and you will be all right.

To see the true majesty of light, you simply have to see the endless radiance of the universe, and then the continuous radiance of your inner being…. and the glory of light all over. For the universe means light in its radiance, dignity, majesty, effervescent transcendence, in every act of your understanding, generosity, and light in its continuous giving and loving. This shining Light is but one enormous all embracing Mother.

How can you become Light, while you are already it? But think; the potency is not the same thing as its actualization. Where does the seed come from? From other seeds. And the ultimate seed – where does it come from? May be there re no answers to ultimate questions.

Yet we want to understand don’t we? Yes, but what understands? It must be nothing else but the rays of light, that illumine. Illumine what? The state of your being. From what to what? From being less illumined to being more illumined. Why is it important? Because it is the way of Light from being less illumined to being more illumined. Such is the path of the evolutionary unfolding of Light, until it becomes perfectly realized. Which means what? The end of the story of Light. Does tat mean the end of the story of the universe? Yes, it means the end of the story of the universe. And then What? And then there are no “whats” we understand everything because we re everything. No questions. No answers. When the universe arrives at the ultimate point of the Self-realization of light, there will be no problems of any kind.

Human consciousness has been a marvel of creation of Light. It has shown flashes of genius and extraordinary depth. As it was the cane with the illuminati. Yet the consciousness of the whole species is another mater. This consciousness has a long way to go.

At present there is no such thing as Absolute Consciousness with which we can connect. For the time being Absolute Consciousness is but a myth. Human consciousness is evolutionary as everything else is. It will reach its apogee of enlightenment at the end of time.

In the meantime we need to cultivate our small gardens of enlightenment, for we don’t truly know what ultimate enlightenment for they are real – an anticipation of greater things to come. Above all, we should seek the Great Peace within, which is available to all human beings and which is a precondition of any form of enlightenment.

Don’t be Hurry

A man who was very found of trees wanted to see a green tree in the courtyard of his home. He thought that if he planted sapling, it would take a long time to grow into a tree. So he went to a garden and selected a fully grown tree. He then employed several laborers to dig it up and then transport it to his courtyard where he had it planted.
The man was very happy. He thought to himself; “I have traveled a long journey in a single day. Planting a sapling or a seed would have been a lengthy business and now I have found quick way of having a lush green tree”
But the next morning when he looked at the tree, he found that its leaves had begun to wither, and after a few days the whole tree dried up. He was disappointed. When one of his friends visited him, he found him in a very sad mood. When he asked the reason he said: “I am in a hurry, but God isn’t”
This story instructs us about the law of nature, which is based on gradual development and not on sudden leaps. One who follows this law of nature will be successful, while the one, who fails to follow it, will be doomed to failure.
This law of nature is applicable not only to tree; it is a universal law. In every field, one must follow this natural course; otherwise one cannot attain any worthwhile goal.
Why is it that when the tree was in the garden, it was green, but when the same tree was transferred to another place – the courtyard – it dried up? The reason is that when the tree was in the garden, it had its roots intact, but when it was transferred to the courtyard, it had very few of its roots left. And it is roots that give life to a tree.
This is a law of nature and this law of nature applies to all human activities. It is the need of every business, every profession, and every institution to have proper roots, that is, a sound basis. There is no exception to this law of nature.
For example, education is the basis for a job, reputation is the basis of a business, and infrastructure is the basis of national development. Constructing a really solid foundation requires a long period of time; you cannot have such a foundation by just taking wild leaps.
When you are in a hurry to achieve something. It means that you are denying the law of nature. You want to build a world on your own and this kind of procedure is not possible in this world. Those who engage in a gradual process will find support in nature and without such support no achievement is possible in this world.
Why did God decree this nature? He did so for the purpose of consolidation. If you try to achieve something by leaping into things, the final result will be like an uprooted tree. But when you adopt the gradual process, you consolidate your achievement.
An agriculturist once rightly pointed out that it requires only six months to grow a kakdi plant, but if you want to grow a tree like the oak, it will take 50 years to produce a fully grown tree. From this example one can understand how the law of nature functions.

The Flower and Its Fragrance

The most beautiful thing on earth is our gratitude to divinity. Children always see more beauty than grownups do; because of their tremendous inner purity they see beauty in everything. Therefore we have to appreciate and admire them because they are still in the world of the soul.

When the mind is “developed” it also goes through conditioning and so begins to find fault. We love to see ugliness and impurity even in things that are really beautiful and good. If an artist has created something, we look for anomalies. The child however regards everything as his very own, so he sees beauty in everyone and in everything. He feels that there is nothing in comparison with other thing is beautiful.

Divine love and divine beauty are inseparable. Love is the flower, beauty is the fragrance. They go together. A flower is an object, God’s creation. But the flower has to offer its quality, that is, its fragrance. Only when you come near a flower will you see and appreciate its beauty. But even when you are far away, its fragrance can permeate the air. If a flower does not have any fragrance, half its divinity is gone. Beauty comes forth from the flower which is love. Flower and fragrance are inseparably one.

When earth’s cry and heaven’s smile meet, beauty’s perfection dawns. Joy is a bird that we all want to catch. It is the same bird that we all love to see flying. What is the difference between pleasure and joy? Pleasure is followed by frustration, whereas joy is always followed by peace and more joy. There are two kinds of joy, outer joy and inner joy – there’s a subtle difference between them. We feel that the possessor of outer joy is somebody else, not ourselves. Very often we want to snatch this joy from others.

Inner joy is not like this. When we meditate or contemplate, at that time we feel that we are the soul of joy. This joy that we possess inside is like a fountain; it comes spontaneously. Inner joy has no fear. It can, if it wants transform our human nature in the twinkling of an eye.

If we can experience true inner joy even for a second we will feel that the world is totally different. Now, we feel that we will have to change our attitude towards certain aspects of the creation if we want to have joy, because the world is constantly fighting and doing all un-divine things. But if we can look at the world with our inner joy, we will see that the world has already changed?

How can we get this inner joy? If we really feel that inner joy is the breath of our life, if we feel that we cannot exist without joy and we will die at this very moment if we do not have it, then God showers his choicest blessing, which is joy, upon us.

Real joy comes from the feeling that we are constantly in the lap of the Supreme. Twenty-four hours a day we cannot meditate. But on the strength of our imagination we can feel that 24 hours a day we are in the lap of the Supreme.

Experiences

If some of us have felt the essence of love, the difficulty arises in keeping the flame of love alive. The very moment one transfers the experience of love into words and memory, the mind takes over only to end up in creating an unreal picture of love.

It is imperative to understand the fact that love can be felt only in the present. And all thoughts of love deny love and push the individual to ignorance so that one is in the unreal world of love.

The individual gets mired in the web of thoughts which is basically of attachment and dependency. The built up thoughts about love which bring false happiness, inexorably give way to pain and suffering arising out of losing it. Only an individual who is integrated, harmonious and sensitive can keep the flame of love going. It becomes indispensable for the individual to stay rooted in the present, so as to be in the pool of love. And only an individual who is in love with himself can know the art of loving others.

After knowing that love blossoms and expresses itself in the present moment, the question of whether one is rooted in the present becomes inevitable. If one is in the present and in love with himself and others, then meditation does not mean anything to him.

If you feel that you are not in peace, harmony and in exuberance, then meditation is a tool that can bring you back to love and life. Meditation creates the space in you so that you can witness your own insensitivity and habits. This very seeing of your own insensitiveness opens the doors of sensitivity in you.

This sensitivity of seeing one’s own shortcoming triggers the channel of intelligence. Seeing yourself and others without the interruption and interpretation of the mind frees the mind so as to be active and alert. The natural flow of moving along with the life source makes you supple and receptive.

False images which were products of the mind break down in front of reality. As an individual you once again regain your original innocence of being with yourself and flowing with the present. This being in the present inexorably opens the doors of love which comes along with pure intelligence to face reality without remorse.

Meditation cleanses the dust of ignorance that accumulates over time. The more you use meditation to get back to your source, your inner self, the more you become aware of your unconscious repressions which were hindering you from knowing your potential. Once the unconscious repressions are brought out and they pass through the channel of the conscious mind, you become free of bondages. Without this release, any attempt to love yourself and others becomes an exercise in futility.

Meditation bridge the conscious and unconscious, helping the individual to set himself free from his own bondage. And only the one who has freed himself from the fetters of mind can come back to his natural state – which is love itself. Only a loving person can be with reality and face it intelligently. Meditation becomes the tool which takes the individual to merge with the very ocean of love which is in one.

Ultimately the individual comes to face the truth that meditation is in love personified.

Focus on Your Breath

Concentration is the key to success. The student taking an exam but distracted by a popular song running through his head; the businessman trying to write an important contract; but worried over an argument that he had that morning with his wife; the judge distracted by the fact that a teenager to whose defense he is trying to listen bears  striking resemblance to his own son. All of these persons could tell us something of the disadvantages of poor focus.

A focused mind succeeds not only because it can solve problems with greater dispatch but also because problems have a way of somehow vanishing before its focused energies, without even requiring to be solved. A focused mind often attracts opportunities for success that to less focused (and therefore less successful) individuals appear to come by sheer luck.

Concentration awakens our powers and channels them, dissolving obstacles in our path, literally attracting opportunities insights and inspirations. In many ways, subtle as well as obvious, concentration is the single most important key to success.

This is particularly true in yoga practice. The mind in meditation especially, must be so perfectly still that not a ripple of thought enters it. God cannot be perceived except in utter silence. Much of the teaching of yoga therefore, centers on techniques designed specially for developing concentration.

Of these techniques my guru Sriram Sharma Acharya Yogananda, considered the most effective to be one which involves attentiveness to the natural process of breathing…. The simplicity of this technique causes many a beginner to ignore it; yet in its very simplicity lies much of its greatness.

Concentration implies, first an ability to release one’s mental and emotional energies from all other interests and involvements and second an ability to focus them on a single object or state of awareness. Concentration could be dynamic outpouring of energy to perfectly quiescent perceptions and in its higher stages. It becomes so deep that it is no longer just practice. The yogi becomes so completely identified with the object of his concentration that he and it, as well as the act of concentration itself, become one.

In this way he can even temporarily become one with something external to himself, gaining thereby a far deeper understanding of it than would be possible by scientific objectivity. But focusing on our own higher realities, identification with them becomes lasting. For we are the infinite light, and love and joy and wisdom of God. Consciousness of diligent practice ought to be refined into an effortless process of divine becoming.

The most effective technique of concentration will be one which both interiorizes the mind, and permits a gradual transition from technical practice to utter stillness. The technique of watching the breath fulfills both of these requirements – better perhaps than any other technique possibly could. For not only is the breath one of the most natural focal points for attention, the more deeply one concentrates on it, the more refined it becomes, until breathing is automatically and effortlessly suspended in breathlessness. Mediator, the act of concentration, and the object of concentration, become one.

Body Mind and Spirit

Human existence is trifarious, a combination of three currents, physical, mental and spiritual. Most people may not transcend the limits of their physical existence; they get enmeshed in crude worldly pleasures, tormented by desire. Subtleties of life expression and practice are perhaps beyond their reach. Their world is limited to their bodies and physical requirements.

There are others who are more concerned with their minds as they feel that it is the supremacy of mind that sets them apart. Their lives are guided by their desires for mental satisfaction. By virtue of their endeavors they create poetry, art, music and sculpture, for instance. They express the finer human feelings of mercy, sympathy, love, friendship, and pity. They believe that the mind flows for the sole purpose of attaining the infinite and hence they focus their energies on the contemplation of the Transcendental Entity. They are spiritual aspirants. Drawn by the magnetic attraction of Cosmic Consciousness they speed forward and reach the stage which marks the end of mental existence and the beginning of spirituality. At that stage one is no longer a human being, one is a veritable god.

It ought to be the mission of every person to achieve confluence of the mental and spiritual strata. It is the pinnacle of human progress. It is the beginning of divine existence. The meeting point of the highest attainment of humanity and the blossoming of divinity is the base on which the cardinal human principles re established.

Looking back, it is evident that nowhere have human values been truly honored. What is worse, nobody has looked upon humanity with sympathy. Only those were respected who, by serving their self-interests, climbed onto the higher rostrum of society. It is difficult to step down from the high position of the vainglorious to rub shoulders with the less privileged. The neglect of humanity was particularly acute towards the end of each era of the social cycle. The progeny of the noble kshatriyas, the physically strong, on gaining power, engaged themselves in the pursuit of pleasure and comforts utterly neglecting their cared duty to serve their people. They never cared to know people’s suffering.

King-hearted and philanthropic kings did exist, but very few, if any met the psychophysical needs of his people and opened the gateway to realization of the infinite. For self aggrandizement and in a bid to conquer the world they invaded countries, one after another. How could they afford to inquire into the tragic plight of the common people? The Vipra era or intellectual era illustrated the same thing; the scholarly Vipras were hardly accessible to the common people. The innocents were busy appeasing the Vipras with oblations, honorariums and floral offerings.

Service to the needy might not yield immediate results but the potential for future benefit is immense. Rabindranath says, “By standing aloof from your fellow man daily, you have hated the God enthroned in his heart”. Instead of hating anyone, the Sadvipras – physically fit, mentally strong and spiritually elevated – will encourage every one to build good careers. This will be Sadvipra’s principle duty. None should feel that they have been doomed forever.

Srirangam: Gateway to Heaven

To devotees, particularly Vaishnavites, the Ranganath aswamy temple at Srirangam near Trichy in Tamil Nadu is their sacred gateway to heaven.

Among the 108 temples in south India that are of utmost importance to Vaishnavites, Srirangam tops the list. Here, Vaishnavai saint Godha Devi is believed to have merged with the idol and attained salvation. According to legend the idol rose up from the celestial Milky Ocean. It is a large, monolithic black statue of Vishnu, reclining on Adsesha, the divine serpent. It was received by Brahma and left in his custody till Vishnu as Ram gave it to Vibheesana, the noble brother of the slain demon king Ravan.

Vibheesana wished to carry it back to Sri Lanka. Rama told him that it was not to be placed down under any circumstances. VBibeesana needed to rest and perform his ablutions. He found a little boy and asked him to hold it. When he came bach he found that the boy had placed the idol down and it was rooted to the spot. An angry Vibeesana chased the boy who was actually Vinayaka. The boy ran across the River Kaveri and sat atop a hill where he is worshipped today as Ucchipillaiyar.

The idol lay there for ages, deep in the forest, covered with vegetation, till a prince of the Chola dynasty. Dharma Varma, stumbled upon it and built a shrine to protect it. During the Muslim invasion, temple priests erected a wall and hid the idol and fled with a smaller deity. For 50 years, they moved from place to place and finally hid it in a ravine at Tirupati, another major Vaishnavite pilgrimage destination. Once the invaders left, the priest returned to Srirangam and reinstalled the idol. Since then subsequent kings of the Chola, Pandya, vijayanagar and Hoysala dynasty from the 10the century onwards, have made significant additions to the temple. Today, the Srirangam Ranganatha Swami temple is spread over 156 acres, making it the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world.

The number of festivals at Srirangam temple surpasses those celebrated in other south Indian temples. Vaikuntha Ekadasi is the most important festival here. Hindus believe that the doors of heaven remain open throughout that specific day and a visit to any shrine of Vishnu this day ensures unfettered entry into heaven. At Srirangam temple the Paramapadha Vaasal or Sorag Vaasal, the Gateway to Heaven, is thrown open on Vaikuntha Ekadasi day at 4:15a.m. for darshan. Busloads of devotees descend on Srirangam and wait for hours to get a glimpse of the Ranganatha idol. Preparations for the vaikuntha Ekadasi here commence in October itself when the first of the 47 pillers of a grand mandapam (stage) is erected in the presence of shloka-chantin priests. Festivities begin well in advance, lasting nearly a month.

Most festivals coincide with seasonal changes, thus providing a strong market for the agricultural and horticultural offerings of that season. To the residents of Srirangam, Lord Ranganatha is a live entity. They address him in the first person; they visit him as they would visit a family member. When they enter the temple, it is with a sense of ownership there! It is as though they have made the journeyr from the temporal to the spiritual, a hallowed journey that infuses them with extraordinary strength to face life’s challenges.