Saturday Satsang

Hari OM

It is unavoidable that we must make a practical programme for our spiritual development. This does not mean a mechanical routine or a dry sadhana of japa, study, prayers or meditation. These are, of course, to be diligently pursued, but the progress depends not upon the quantity of sadhana practised, but upon the quality of the bosom which we offer for the sadhana.

Unless our motives and intentions, our urges and impulses are pure, sattvika and clean, there can be no progress at all. This is the tragedy of the many. We must not fall prey to this sad calamity in our spiritual life.

The highest goal of us, as seekers, must be to unfurl in us the entire beauty, strength, grace and glory of the Spirit. In the total symmetry of personality alone, the spiritual glow can come to kindle the flame of joy within us.

Therefore we must put all our efforts to live physically a well-controlled life of love and service, emotionally a quiet life, intellectually a life of higher ideals and nobler purposes.

As we grow, we shall get initiated, by itself, into the ampler fields of greater power and glories.

Thursday Thoughts

Hari OM

Mentioned on Tuesday was Gurudev's goal of spreading ancient and previously protected knowledge as far and wide as he could. Having gained approval from those whom he respected (his own Gurus) he set out from the Himalayas to set up discourses in public spaces in the cities. 

He is quoted as saying that he wished to bring Hindus back to Hinduism. Not the ritualistic, superstitious and fractious form that had come to dominate, but the philosophical and intelligent living form that so many Indians themselves did not know existed. For a long time, the pundits and less generous swamis wished to keep their flocks in ignorance. This is the case with many religious institutions and not just Hinduism. "Don't tell them they can actually walk their own path!" As so often, this came down to power and wealth - as well as the unfortunate twisting and misuse of caste. 

Gurudev had been a fighter for independence, and once he'd overcome his atheistic period, a proud Hindu. However, his was the Hinduism that was inclusive, not exclusive. He believed that all peoples of the world had a right to the understanding of AV and when he was questioned as to why he would teach women, foreigners, Muslims, Christians or Sikhs, he was clear. All who are ready for the knowledge must receive that knowledge. Those who come to Vedanta are spiritually aware and ready for the unification that it provides. He also said, "Anyone learning Advaita gains the deepest insights to their own faith structure - they become better Muslims, Christians and Sikhs...and human beings."

He, along with another great Mahatma but also a statesman few could ever equal, one M K Gandhi, must be somewhat despairing of how India is currently shaping - how Hinduism is once again being twisted out of shape... and that is all I will say here on this subject.

Whispering Wednesday

Hari OM

Yesterday you were introduced to a book titled Kindle Life. I was struck by the word kindle. To light, to inflame, to excite... we associate it mostly with fire but it can certainly be applied to rousing interest or emotion. This may be why a certain e-reader carries this as its name... to ignite the imagination, to inspire knowledge through the words it contains.

Personally, I find it difficult to think of this word without the associated descriptor of kindling - the small twigs or other combustible material that is required before any fire can be started. Is this the part the words play when we are learning from a text? Or what about the part we play in it - is our interest, our desire to absorb new knowledge also part of the kindling? Are our mind and the words the twigs and leaves and cast-off wool or paper that easily catch a flame and bring it into full burn? Then, with a fire, once it is alight, sparks arise and glow brightly - are we those sparks, emblazoned from the heat of our new understanding and burning with the desire to learn even more, thus returning to the fire to be 'burned' further?

Ah... see how this imagination has been kindled?!!

Photo by Hans Isaacson on Unsplash

Textual Tuesday

Hari OM

Advaita Vedanta is a philosophy - that too, a rather advanced one. However, as with all complex subjects, there are ways into it and different levels so that all who brush up against it can leave with at least a little gain to their understanding and knowledge. If nothing else, it will prompt them to question and begin deeper searches for themselves.

The traditional method of gurukula - master and disciple - is likely to be unavailable to most in the early stages. Or, indeed, is foreign to many. Gurudev knew this but also felt that all who could, should have available to them the means to begin their studies of this subject.

Thus was devised a schema of study. Just as you might receive from your school or college a list of the required texts, plus some 'desirable reading' items, so is the case with building your library for AV. Indeed, so powerful and worthy is the schema that was devised, it has been emulated by many other Vedantic institutions. All the texts referenced (other than those authored entirely by Chinmaya, or Maharishi, or Sivananda, or Sadguru...) have been in existence for a long time and can be approached in all different ways. However, the supremely logical and functional system from CM does mean that anyone can read and gain much, albeit without the aid of classes or a master to lean upon for guidance. 

Over the next few weeks, I shall introduce the titles and an intro to the texts. Many of the prakaranas (starter texts) have already been discussed in Chapter One of AV-bloggy and you can find there the links to CM centres where you can purchase the books.

Kindle Life. This is actually authored by Gurudev himself and was written as a response to those in Indian society who questioned his bringing what was considered protected knowledge to 'the masses.' That too in the English language! The thing was that, as an inevitable legacy of pre-independent India, this was the most widely spoken language. Gurudev wished to reach as many people as possible. 

Thus we find set out in this deceptively simple book the arguments for why one might study AV, why one ought to make the study, what its benefits are and how it might be approached. Then it lays out some of the basic tenets of the philosophy and indicates how to apply them to daily living.

To be fair, it is very much a book of its time, but still an important one and certainly recommended if at all you are wondering 'why bother with philosophy?'

Meditative Monday

Hari Om

The entire purpose of meditation is to "return 'ome" to the fullness of our being, The One True Self. The source of all consciousness. This is represented in the letter-symbol A-U-M.

If you cannot visualise the OM in your inner, centre brow, then it can be useful to have an image or an ornament with the OM on a shelf or small table (or dedicated altar) that you can gaze upon and study and impress it into your thoughts. It can be useful, indeed, to create your own on paper with pen and ink or brush and paint. Make of the creation itself a meditation. Allow the fluid to flow from the instrument to the page with nothing but Love in your thoughts. 

Remember to keep a note in your journal as to how this felt - and whether and for how long OM resonates with you after.

Sunday Statements

Hari OM

Saturday Satsang

Hari OM

Meet life as it reaches us. With or without the things our minds demand, our life can be a glorious joy, a brilliant success. But for this, we must discover something else to depend upon. That something else is everything, the glorious Rādhe Śyāma. Seek this Lord in the smiles of your friends, in the glow of angry eyes, in the storms of passion. He is everywhere, in everything.

Stretch out your hand. Let Him hold it all along. Drown yourself in Him. Become
one with Him. Dive into Him. Dissolve into Him. The joy that creeps into you – may it
grow to engulf you into It. Melt therein to end yourself. The end of our self is the discovery of our own Self. This process is called the mystic death – the death that gives life reality. Live in and through this great death, the glorious.

Sigh, weep, laugh, smile, sing, worship, meditate. You are never away from Him. You are in Him; with Him; at Him; you are Him alone. Why not meditate? Why look out and complain? Look within.

Joy-tears or grief-tears, they blur the vision. Be equanimous. Be simple. Refuse to be happy or sorrowful. Give up your body to exhaust its prārabdha (destiny).

Hold on to Him alone.