Free Friday

Hari OM

A 'free' post of random comment has not been entered here since setting up this 'chapter two' of the Roaming Soul. 

I use it now to say that, for the time being, there will be no more posts here. It seems the readership from 'chapter one' has not migrated here. I greatly appreciate the four or five who do appear to visit - and am doubly grateful to the one or two who take time to comment occasionally! Of course, the sadhana of producing these posts is my own. Whether others make it theirs to read them is another thing entirely. I do not intend to delete the blogs, for even if only one person gains a single significance from them, then they have served a purpose.

However, for my side, it is necessary to consider effort versus outcomes. It happens that the 'journal blog,' Doses of Wild YAM, is serving quite well as a sadhana release as well as for general matters in life. The Sunday and Monday posts there are specific to my spiritual self, but anything else published there arises from that self and are therefore reflections of it. 

Therefore, as things stand at the moment, the efforts made for this blog are being put over to DoWY and this one will remain unedited for the foreseeable future. Part of the ebb and flow of life.

It only remains for me to wish all who do visit all the very best for 2022. As we move into what looks to be the third year of altered circumstances brought about by an invisible force, I pray that everyone remains safe, stays well and finds the fortune in the small things to bring smiles and contentment. 

HARI OM

Textual Tuesday

Hari Om

The schema of study devised at Chinmaya Mission is the subject of this post each week. To see all texts referred to, click the label below ("SuggtdReading")

JNAANASAARA is another of those tiny texts that pack a punch.

If you have read as per the listing presented, it will be slowly dawning that the entire premise of Advaita arises from the Upanishads - commonly said to be 108 in number, but of which some ten or eleven are deeply studied when approaching the subject.

Here, Guruji draws out the very kernel of Upanishadic teaching. In eighteen shlokas you will acquire a clear picture of those mountainous texts!

Meditative Monday

Hari OM

Of course, ultimately, meditation is about being free of all thoughts. It is a state of being and nothing else.

Reaching that state, however, in which we Realise our True Self and the Unity of All, requires of us that we go through all the preliminary stages. Meditation is a process of preparation to Become. It means letting go of all the detritus that has accrued in our personality and karma bank. This is why we require to learn the skill that is swadhyaya.

Now, as we approach the start of yet another year, rather than all sorts of resolutions, how about a simple promise to yourself simply to be yourself? Once that promise is made, the efforts will come in keeping it, honouring it... honouring Your Self...

Sunday Statements

 Hari OM

Saturday Satsang

Hari OM

Today, only greetings as befits such a widely celebrated holy day...

Thursday Thoughts

Hari OM

CHRISTMAS; not surprising this is in my thoughts this week, is it? It is not incongruent that I celebrate this festival even as I profess to be an Advaitin. 

My spiritual awareness and yaatra began early with the vision of a man who called himself Yeshu. He has been my constant companion. He alone placed me in the care of Sri Rama and thus onto the path of Advaita. I grew to understand that His teachings were nothing short of Vedantic in their nature. That Yeshu clearly had this knowledge and brought it back to his own people in a form with which they could identify. 

The world has moved on. I do believe the world now can accept the teachings of Advaita without alteration. What is more, in learning this philosophy, one's original scriptures, be that the Bible, the Koran or the Torah, are opened up in the most unexpected ways.

Gurudev was once asked why he taught the sacred Sanskrit texts to those not of Hindu origin. His response?

"With this knowledge, they can become 

better Christians, Muslims, Jews..."

Whispering Wednesday

Hari Om

That which is us, but we have forgotten, just as the sparks from the fire think they burn alone... forgetting the flame that is their source.