Raja Yoga

 

Quote from the true charm and power of Vedanta

Raja Yoga

Everything that we see or imagine or drem we have to perceive in space. This is the ordinary spaces called the Mahakasha, or elemental space. When a Yogi reads the thoughts of other men or perceives supersensuous objects, he sees them in anoher sort of spaced called the chitikasha, the mental space  when perception , have become objections and the soul shines in its own nature it is called the Chidakasha, or knowledge pace. When the Kundalini is aroused , and enters the canal of the Sushuma all the perception are in the mental space. When it has reached that end of the canal which opens out into the brain the objectless perception is in the knwoelde space. Taking the analogy or electricity we find that man can send a current only along a wire, but nature requires no wires to send her tremendous currents . this proves that the wire is not really necessary but that only our inability to dispense with it compels us to use it.

Similarly all the sensation s and motions of the body are being sent into the brain and sent out of it, through these wires of nerves lyres. The columns of sensory and motor fibers in the spinal cord are the Ida and Pingala of the Yogis. They are the main channels through which the afferent and efferent currents travel . but hwy should not the mind send news without any wire, or react without any wire? We see this is done in nature . the Yogi say if you can do that you have got rid of the bondage of matter. How to do it? If you can make the current pass through the Sushumna, the canal in the middle of the spinal column you have solved the problem . the mind has made this network of the nervous system and has to break it, so that no wires will be required to work through .,then alone will all knowledge come to us –no more bondage of body , that is why it is so important that we should get control of that Sushumna. If we can sent the mental current though the hollow canal without any nerve fibers to act as wires. The Yogi says the problem is solved and he also says it can be done.

Krishn, The perfect panacea for any pandemic

By Radhanath Swami

 

Today is the auspicious occasion of Janmashtami, celebrating the advent of Bhagavan Krishn. He comes into this world to give us an opportunity to revive our spiritual bliss by re-spiritualising our lives, thereby rising over the pains and pleasures of this world.

 

From the dawn of civilisation, we have been trying our best to be happy by mitigating and searching for pleasure. We have been fighting against problem after problem – bubonic plague, polio, cholera, poverty, pollution, disasters and now Covid-19. Apart from these gross problems, there is mental trauma, stress, anxiety, depression, anger, relationship breakup, and suicide. Despite technological advancement and administrative reforms, suffering only changes in name and form but it does not seem to end. Pandemic is always there both within and without.

 

 

Happiness is hard to find, and even if we find it, it is too little. It vanishes in no time. It is always coupled with suffering. Whenever we invest, we do a lot of research so that we get the best returns. When it comes to seeking happiness, it seems we are always investing in the wrong place. Where can we invest so that we get the best returns – everlasting happiness? Krishn answers these questions in the Bhagwad Gita 9:33. He says that this world is temporary and is not a place for happiness. He advises us to perform Bhakti Yog and become happy. The nature of this happiness is described in the Gita 6:21. Happiness is unlimited. It is spiritual – beyond our external senses. It is completely fulfilling.

 

In this world, relationships make us happier than things – gadgets and wealth. Relationships also help us transcend suffering. For example, parents endure difficulties for the sake of children. It is human nature to love someone and to be loved by someone. Our existence in this world is temporary. We are finite beings – we cannot provide unlimited everlasting love. Therefore, worldly relationships are temporary and do not satisfy us.

 

Our propensity to love and seek love can be completely fulfilled only in relationship with God. God is unlimitedly attractive and is competent to love us unlimitedly and eternally. Therefore, he is all attractive – Krishn. The relationship with Krishn is spiritual, beyond the influence of birth, death and other worldly suffering. Once this divine relationship with God is revived through Bhakti Yog, we can transcend the trials and tribulations of this world and remain unaffected.

 

This fact is evident in Krishn’s pastimes in Vrindavan, narrated in the Srimad Bhagavatam. The residents of Vrindavan – gopis and gopas – were tormented by innumerable and unimaginable troubles, such as storms, monsters, cannibals, ghosts and witches. They passed through all these situations because they are completely absorbed in a relationship of ever-increasing love and sweetness with Krishn. He advents into this world on Janmashtami and enacts his sweet and colourful pastimes to attract us back to the divine relationship with him, which can alone help us transcend the pandemic within and without. This relationship can be revived by meditation, devotion and worship of Krishn as described in the Bhagwad Gita, 9:34.

 

The writer is the spiritual guru of ISKCON

 

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7th heaven moment of the week son no 7 scored a goal in epl

 

Answers and selections

 

Quote from the true charm and power of Vedanta

 

Answers and selections

Personally I take as much of the Vedas as agrees with reason. Parts of the Vedas are apparently contradictory. They are not considered as inspired in the western sense of the word, but as the sum total of the knowledge of God omniscience. This knowledge comes out of the beginning of a cycle and manifestation itself and when the cycle ends, it goes down into minute form. When the cycle is projected again that knowledge is mere sophistry. manu says in one place that , that part of the Vedas which agrees wit reasons is the Vedas and nothing else. Many of our philosophers have taken this view.

All the criticism against the advanta philosophy can be summed up in this that it does not conduce to sense-enjoyment and we are glad to admit that.

The Vedanta system begins with tremendous pessimism, and ends with real optimism. We deny the sense –optimism but asserts the real optimism of the. Super sensuous. That real happiness is not in the senses but above the senses and it is in every man. The sort of optimism which we see in the world is what will lead to ruin through the senses.

Abnegation has the greatest importance in our philosophy. Negation implies affirmation of the Real Self. The Vedanta is pessimistic so far as it negatives the world of the senses, but it is optimistic in its assertion of the real world.

Of all scriptures of the world it is the Vedas alone that declare that even the study of the Vedas is secondary. The real study is that by which we realize the Unchangeable “And that is neither reading nor believing nor reasoning but super –conscious perception or Samadhi.

 

Who decides what is bad and what is good?

By Thomas Easley

 

From the arrival of our earliest memories, we’ve been schooled on what is good behaviour and what is bad behaviour. And we derive a degree of identity from our own, and the reactions others have, to how we’ve understood and interpreted what is and is not good and bad behaviour.

 

Evaluating appropriate and inappropriate behaviour is essential to our ability to better ourselves and the world in which we live. But who decides what is bad? Who decides what is good? Who decides how bad someone can be and still be good? How good can someone be and still be bad? How many bad things have to be done to make someone bad? Who decides?

As we adapt to life’s persistent reinvention, our gods change with us, and with them what is and is not culturally and morally good, or bad. Khajuraho and the Kama Sutra speak of a time when pleasure was good, a source of spiritual nourishment. Now it’s not good. Why? What has changed? And why don’t we pray to Iris, Zeus, Shango, and his big axe, sacrifice children to volcano gods, believe evil spirits cause infections and disease?

From era to era, country to country, group to group, who defines what is good and bad, and the enforcement of the same varies depending upon which group or individual is in power in any given domain.

In our time, to evaluate good and bad, many people are holding to established institutions while others are turning to modernism and social media, making their own rules, their own gods, or believing in no rules, or no God or gods at all.

Though we learn much from past experience, where we go from here and how we better ourselves today, is the question we seek to answer, and it cannot be an answer that favours one body of people over another, not if our betterment requires balance. If what was derogatory is no longer derogatory. If what was acceptable is no longer acceptable, yet we disagree on which is which, it becomes difficult to determine what is and is not good and bad behaviour. Failing these determinations, how are we to become better people?

We must learn to self-guide our moral outlook regardless of what others believe is good or bad, and for that, enlightenment is our best hope.

Enlightenment, because its nature is unattached, even indifferent, it cannot be bound to material reality, identity, or any measure of what is good or bad within material reality decided upon by any person or group. Enlightenment is in the self-awareness of, not the attachment to, that which defines good and bad.

In the end, it’s not what we believe; it’s how we behave that constitutes good or bad behaviour. The behaviour we have more control over when the needs to defend ego’s identity attachments, based on what has been defined as good or bad, have been minimised by efforts to better ourselves through being more self-aware in the present, more enlightened.

In the world of enlightenment, there is no difference between people, only a difference in levels of awareness, of non-attachment, of seeing through ourselves into a world without us in it. A world we can better ourselves unhindered by the approval or disapproval of external interpretations of good and bad.

The point, the goal of betterment, is how to live with each other, not change each other.

 

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7th heaven moment of the week Mancities no 7 scored a goal, Chelsea no 9 scored a goal, Sunderland no 10 scored a goal

 

Perseverance is strength

 

Quote from the true charm and power of Vedanta

 

Perseverance is strength

A friend of mine, after his studies in the High School worked in an organisation to make his living. He has to work eight hours a day to eke out a livelihood for his family. But he appeared in private for the MA Examination. “Being a pirate candidate i wasn’t given a first class. Fifty –nine percent is my score, “he said. He was not a born genius. I asked him, “How did you mange to study amidst all these worries! His answer was interestingly significant. “I went up step by step, it was not a difficult ascent” He put in two hours of solid work every day, by way or preparing for the examination.

Whenever we meet people with outstanding achievement in any field, sports, music, or oratory –we often attribute it to a divine gift and we tend to think that we could never be like the victor. But we should not forget the years of regular work before their apparently stupendous success. What is the miracle in achieving something after years of hard work? It is perseverance that is at the base of our strength.

We often get upset and discouraged when we try to achieve something spectacular or miraculous, at the earliest. We should remember that even a thousand mile journey starts with a single step. All big triumphs are a culmination of several small efforts. When we accomplish small tasks by applying our mind whole heatedly we can be sure that the final big task will lead to a great achievement.,

Get transformed, make the world a better place

Speaking Tree in TOI . India, Spirituality.

By Ramesh Bijlani

Many have felt drawn to Sri Aurobindo because of the reputation of his works, particularly Savitri and The Life Divine. While the language in which he wrote is appreciated by some for its elegance and poetic quality, his teachings appeal to a wider audience.

The core of Sri Aurobindo’s teachings is to bring spirituality into daily life. It is common for people to complain, “Where is the time for spirituality?” This is because of the misconception that spirituality is the preserve of the lucky few who can afford to run away from life and relax in the Himalayas. It is assumed that for the rest of us, who are caught in the web of responsibilities and temptations, spirituality can at the most be some outer symbols, a weekly fast perhaps and often mechanically performed rituals on occasions such as birth, marriage and death. We forget that spiritual growth is the purpose of the journey of life, for the fulfilment of which life itself is the vehicle. It is the attitude with which daily work is done and the choices that we make in daily life that takes us quietly towards liberation from fleeting joys and sorrows.

Sri Aurobindo calls our life “a tranquil pilgrimage” in which all our acts help us and all events are signs that guide us towards “timeless peace”. His succinct message for a meaningful life is to acknowledge our oneness, which in turn would inspire love: “to feel love and oneness is to live,” says he in Savitri. These are teachings with a universal appeal and are meant for every one of us.

Before he took to spirituality full time, earlier, as a freedom fighter, Sri Aurobindo kindled courage and idealism in youth through his pithy and witty writings. During the brief period that he was in the thick of the Freedom Struggle, he set before the nation the goal of ‘purna swaraj’, total self-rule, and worked out a detailed blueprint of action for the same. Passive resistance was one way of achieving the goal of purna swaraj. The essence of passive resistance was that people cooperate to not cooperate with the foreign rulers. For example, boycotting foreign goods could deal a severe blow to the economics worked out by the British, making it unprofitable for them to continue to rule India.

 

It was a divine revelation Sri Aurobindo experienced during his year-long imprisonment that led him to discover that the true mission of his life was something much wider and deeper than the country’s freedom. So he stepped out of the Freedom Struggle with the message that the nation must wait for the “God-sent leader” who will mobilise people to liberate the country. About a decade later, Gandhiji emerged as a leader, and making liberal use of the blueprint prepared by Sri Aurobindo, he turned the freedom struggle into a powerful movement.

Unlike conventional spirituality that has been used to guiding a select few towards their personal salvation, Sri Aurobindo wanted everyone to progress together spiritually. His mission was to help transform human nature, and make it possible for the world to become a much better place to live in.

August 15 is Sri Aurobindo’s birth anniversary

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7th heaven moment of the week son no 7 scored a goal in epl

 

Seven lessons to be learnt from sports

 

Quote from the true charm and power of Vedanta

 

The Spiritual practice

One point we must very clearly and deeply impress upon ourselves. Spiritual life is very slow uphill work, it is a cruel drudgery, and is for eternity. Somehow most of us have the idea, however subconscious it may be that spirituality is something to be acquired in a brief space of time and then will follow a long holiday with leisured enjoyment. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Spiritual life is for all eternity, that is to say, there is no such holiday as we contemplate. The same high tone of mind has to be continually maintained, without slightest of relaxation. The same watchfulness the same caution and the same rigour. So we have to prepare ourselves as a man facing capital punishment –there can be no revocation and return. That grim calmness is a sine qua non. If we remember this fact we shall not allow our mind to be content with merely pleasurable action or emotion. We shall feel that the training of mind to regular habits is more urgent in spiritual life the indulgence in superfine emotions. Young people should carefully remember and guard themselves accordingly.

Naturally it will be found that not all who feel spiritual longing are fit or destined to renounce the world or devote themselves exclusively to religion. Most of them will have to continue the culture of spirituality along with worldly avocations. They will have to play the double game. They will have so to perform their worldly duties that these may not prove antagonistic to their spiritual life and may on the other hand prove helpful. Of course this problem and its solution will be different with different people. The problem of the married will be different form that of the unmarried. The solution also will be different in each case.

 

Seven lessons to be learnt from sports

By Dharmen Shah

The Tokyo Olympics has been a golden period for sports followers. Sports relax and entertain. They also teach us some important spiritual, life-improving lessons.

Maintain grace: In a high jump event at the Olympics, we saw Qatar’s athlete giving up an opportunity to go for a solo gold medal because his Italian opponent was injured. He shared the gold medal with the Italian and ensured that the spirit of Olympics wins. There was grace and magnanimity to be seen. Similarly in life, we too should be prepared to share the spoils. You grow in stature when you bring up others with you. You will end up being a winner.

 

 

It’s all about teamwork: In football, the striker in the front scores a goal.  Though the goal is solely marked in his name, the ball actually reaches him after several passes made by his teammates, dodging the opposing defenders. The striker’s role is to put it in the goal post from a short distance. He is credited with the goal scored. Similarly in life, a significant portion of your success can be attributed to your team and your family. Acknowledge their role.

 

Make fewer errors: It is seen that in any sport, a player or a team with fewer unforced errors will win, as compared to the one who may hit more winners. The recently concluded Wimbledon final is a fine example. The winner, Novak Djokovic, made only 21 unforced errors, and his opponent Matteo Berrettini, more than twice as many, 48. Berrettini had 57 winners, as opposed to Djokovic’s 31. Trying to hit winners also carries the risk of committing mistakes. Similarly in life, if you can avoid mistakes like taking disproportionate financial risks, you will most likely end up a winner.

Focus and concentrate: The most embarrassing situation is when a player scores an ‘own goal’. This happens mostly due to lack of focus. Similarly in life, by lowering your guard, you could become a victim of fraud. Remain focused to ensure that you don’t put yourself in harm’s way.

Enjoy at your level: It is not for everyone to become the greatest of all time, a GOAT, a legend. Every generation throws up  only a few great names that are revered for a long time. A vast majority play the game knowing that they may never be legends, but they play because of their passion for the game. Similarly in life, you may not set up a big multinational company, but you can create a niche that can make you happy and successful.

Inspire others: The captain of the team is not necessarily the best player, however, he is a motivator and has the ability to bring out the best in his team. He has the heart to take the blame for the defeat and credit the team for success. Similarly in life, you may not be the best engineer or lawyer leading a team, but if you have the qualities that inspire others to respect you, you can lead successfully.

Down but not out: Instances of turning the game around in your favour are many when all seems lost. We have seen players and teams doing the impossible through sheer grit. Similarly in life, patience, perseverance, confidence in your ability play an important role to ensure that you come out successful from a difficult situation

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7th heaven moment of the week INDIA WON 7 MEDAL on Olympic, Canada’s no 7 scored a goal , Bahamas no 7 won gold

 

Bliss through Bhakti Search for Everlasting Blissfulness

 

Quote from the True charm and power of Vedanta

Bliss through Bhakti Search for Everlasting Blissfulness

This brings us to the practice of bhakti as a means of attaining everlasting superlative Bliss. Since bhakti begins with love and has love of God as the very aim to be achieved it is blissful from beginning to end. Here God is Beloved. He is the most blissful. Even by thinking of our beloved in the world we are filled with joy . it is natural to expect that by thinking of God the embodiment of love and bliss one would be filled with much greater and deeper joy. To know that the lord is dearer then the dearest nearer then the nearest, and loves us more then any one else, fills us with great joy .o others may fail or may abandon us but the Lord will never. Mortal are weak but the Lord is free from blemishes and is immortal. to feel the presence such a Beloved is a source of great joy and bliss. Since the impure uncultured, and crude mind seeks name and forms  and sense pleasure , why not give it the sweet name of God and his blissful form to mediate upon . as the mind goes on becoming  purer and pure by thinking of God with form and taking his holy name it will be ale to drive greater and greater  bliss even without they help of name and from. Let us replace vaishyananda joy of sense enjoyment with bhajan ananda the joy of singing the glories of God ,a d this will lead us to Brhamananda the joy of union with God

Let go of all that is causing negative emotions

By Dada J P Vaswani

 

Let go, let go, let God! Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? And yet most of us know that this is not as easy as it sounds. Indeed, it is a question that each of us must ask ourselves: Why don’t we let go? The answer could lie in attachment, insecurity, fear, or simply, the desire to control everything ourselves, even if it is having disastrous consequences.

Life is a roller coaster with its highs and lows that sometimes propels us to dizzy heights and then pushes us into a precipitous fall. When the going is good, when we are on a ‘high’ as people call it, we enjoy the ride. Failure and loss, disappointment and disruption of normalcy create negative emotions which soon express themselves in a mood of depression, gloom, despair and frustration.

Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani would often say that our so-called disappointments are His appointments, and that He upsets our plans only to set up His own – which are bound to be, in the long run, much better for us.

 

An effective way of dealing with despair and frustration is to go to the root of the matter, analyse and understand our own feelings and then to ‘let go’ of whatever is causing destructive, negative emotions.

Even if circumstances appear formidable and totally out of our control, it is important to remember that we can always choose to respond and react to the most adverse conditions in a positive and constructive way. In other words, our attitude is, and always should be, within our control. When we learn to cultivate such an attitude, we will find it far easier to face the challenges that life throws at us; above all, we become ready and willing to allow Divine guidance to lead us on the right path.

Life does not come to us with a special warranty. Change, as they say, is the only constant in life. Given this kind of uncertainty, the wise ones amongst us imbibe the valuable lesson that in this transient, impermanent life, everything passes away, sooner or later. That is why our sages and saints gave us the mantra: This too shall pass.

The call to ‘let go’ is made by several faiths and their sacred scriptures, including the Bhagwad Gita: “Renouncing all rites and writ duties, come to me for single refuge,” Krishna tells Arjun. “Do not fear, for I shall save you from all bondage to suffering and sin.”

The solution to most of our problems is to let go, in the name of God. Trust His wisdom to solve your problems when you feel that you can’t handle them yourself. It is particularly important to let go of petty resentments and losses. In the larger context of life, these issues are so petty and trivial. If you wish to nurture relationships, letting go of small irritations is a must. When you let go of your bitterness and anger, you will be surprised to realise how much more valuable life is, and how necessary it is to build lasting bonds with those you love.

August 2, Dada JP Vaswani’s birthday, is celebrated as Global Forgiveness Day by observing a ‘moment of calm’ at 2 pm. For details, visit www.momentofcalm.or

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7th heaven moment of the week sl won third odi by 7 wk , in Olympic hocky sa no 7 scored a goal