Matter Doesn't Matter

Matter is Nothing More than the Extrinsic Appearance of Inner Experience
By Bernardo Kastrup

"....let us immediately acknowledge the empirically obvious: there is a world beyond and independent of our individual consciousness; a world that we all inhabit. And, alas, we clearly can’t change how this world works by a mere act of individual conscious volition. But to acknowledge this does not require the bankrupt notion of matter outside consciousness. It only requires a transpersonal consciousness within which our individual consciousnesses are immersed.

"Indeed, I maintain that the external world is itself constituted by transpersonal experiential states that simply present themselves to us in the form we call ‘matter.’ As such, ‘matter’ is merely the extrinsic appearance—the image—of inner experience; there’s nothing more to it. In the case of living beings, the ‘matter’ constituting their body is the extrinsic appearance of their individual experiential states (this being the reason why measurable patterns of brain activity correlate with inner experience). In the case of the inanimate universe, on the other hand, ‘matter’ is the extrinsic appearance of transpersonal experiential states.

"‘Matter’ is merely the extrinsic appearance—the image—of inner experience; there’s nothing more to it."


Read the full piece here.



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Self-Inquiry (Vichara)

Definition of Self-Inquiry (Vichara)
by James Swartz

"If you think inquiry is closing your eyes and looking within, you are sadly mistaken. You cannot see your face with your eyes open or closed unless you have a mirror. To see yourself you need the mirror of Vedanta, a word-mirror that reveals your self. When you look into a mirror you do not see the mirror, you see yourself. Self-inquiry is Vedanta. It is a lifelong practice of inquiry into the world, the Jiva and the self. Inquiry negates Jiva and the world, leaving only the self."

More here.

Finding Peace During the Covid-19 Outbreak

Rupert Spira on Finding Peace During the Covid-19 Outbreak

The Way We Live Now

"And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless way, the earth began to heal. And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to love and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed."

- Kitty O'Meara

sent to me by 200-hr teacher trainee Agatha DeFranco
photo snapped by me last night, courtesy of Mother Earth (Ma Shakti)

Tips for Weathering the Storm

Tips from Parvati Om

-Do not succumb to fear and doubt. If you become overwhelmed, go outside and gaze at the sky. Don’t look for something to focus on, rather let the image of the sky move towards you.

-Remember that love and peace the sustain it all. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna says, “With a single fragment of Myself, I stand supporting the whole universe.”

-Be grateful for every moment of health.

-Minimize your time on electronics and watching the news.

-Create a daily routine of self-care. Get up at the same time you normally would.

-Spend time in nature. Stand barefoot on the grass and release stress into the earth.

-Spring is here! Open the windows.

-Breathe deep and with the mouth closed!

-Start a home yoga practice. (sun salutations, headstand, shoulderstand, fish, a few backbends and forward folds, spinal twist and end with deep relaxation)

-Practice yoga nidra

-Meditate on color or the moon or mantra (like Om) or space

-Observe silence – Stop talking and listening for a little while each day.

-Eat Healthily. Sleep well. Laugh. Laugh a lot!

More tips here.


🕉

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Essential Practice

“Don’t teach too many postures; just the main ones, and hold them for a long time.”

~Sri Dharma Mittra



Home Practice – Essential Poses


Om

7 Surya Namaskar (sun salutations)
Sirsasana/Balasana (headstand/child's pose)
Sarvangasana/Matsyasana (shoudlerstand/fish)
Bhujangasana (cobra [or any backbend])
Paschimottanasana (seated forward fold)
Ardha Matsyendrasana (half Lord of the Fishes seated twist)
Savasana (corpse) - at least 7 minutes

Om shanti shanti shantih

This may be followed by pranayama and meditation.


More info on developing a home practice here.

Jai Guru!

Sri Dharma Mittra on Covid-19

The Essence of Self Knowledge: Limitless Consciousness Is the Ever-Evident "I"

The Essence of Self Knowledge: Limitless Consciousness Is the Ever-Evident "I"
By James Swartz

"If you are enlightened, there are four things you will know when you use the word 'I.'

"1. I am the consciousness that is not a part, product or property of the body.

"2. I am the independent consciousness which pervades and enlivens the body.

"3. I am not limited by the boundaries of the body and I continue to live when the body dies.

"4. I am the space-like consciousness in which all bodies appear, including the one I say is 'mine.'

"If you understand these words, you do not require more proof for your enlightenment. If you continually require proof of this statement, your knowledge is not steady and you cannot said to be enlightened."

from James Swartz's Inquiry Into Existence: The Lamp of Knowledge

Sharing the Lap

"When Bhagavan [Ramana Maharshi] was living on the hill, this incident took place. Bhagavan loved children and was charmed by their innocence. He admired their lack of hypocrisy. Vajreswari, the four-year-old daughter of Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni, had full liberty with Bhagavan and would insist on sitting on his lap whenever she came. Bhagavan would often call her near him, and show her affection by putting her on his lap and talking to her.

"Once Vajreswari came to Skandasramam and as usual sat on Bhagavan’s lap. As Bhagavan was holding her and talking to her lovingly, a young monkey came up to them. The young monkey apparently got jealous of Vajreswari, pushed her off Bhagavan’s lap and took her place.

"Vajreswari, started to cry, and she pleaded with Bhagavan, “Send this monkey out; I want to sit on your lap.” But the young monkey would not give up his privileged place and continued to sit there. This rivalry between the child and the young monkey thoroughly amused Bhagavan but at the same time he wanted to appease both of them.

"He turned to the young monkey and said, “Look, Vajreswari is your sister, is she not? Let her also sit on my lap with you. Give her some room.” Then he looked at Vajreswari who was standing near him and said, “Is he not your young brother? Come on, both of you sit on my lap!”

"Finally, both the child and the monkey sat together on Bhagavan’s lap fully satisfied and enjoyed each other’s company. Is this not a practical demonstration of Bhagavan’s great love for all beings irrespective of their forms? It is a lesson to all devotees!" 🐒🕉


-Arunachala’s Grace (7-volume set), Volume 1


More stories here.

LENT = TIME FOR TAPAS

What are you putting off that would deepen your yoga practice?

Is it to clean up your diet? To devote ten minutes a day to meditation? To stop bed-texting and devote time to reflecting upon the day’s events? To work on a certain pose on a regular basis?

Rather than putting it off indefinitely, consider committing to a new level of practice for a 40-day period, starting on Lent, which starts tomorrow.

Whether you are Catholic or not, Lent gives yogis a wonderful opportunity to recommit to their spiritual practice, knowing that others around the world are doing the same thing. This collective consciousness is a powerful aid.

For Lent, you can make a commitment to take on a new practice or give up an unhelpful habit for 40 days.

This practice is part of the yogic observance of tapas ,or purifying austerities. Tapas falls into three categories: austerity, worship, and charity. It can include practices to be taken up or habits to be given up.

What you choose to do for Lent should be something that is reasonable given your particular circumstances. It should also be somewhat challenging. Usually, we have an idea floating around the back of our minds. If that is the case, write it down and visualize how it could be put into action.

Remember, it should be appropriate for your particular stage of spiritual practice, and that yoga is, ultimately, about authentically wanting to clean up your act.

Once you figure out what your commitment will be, write it down, sign it, and put it into practice for your own spiritual unfoldment.

HELPFUL HINTS

It is best to write down the vow that you wish to keep for Lent. The more specific you are, the easier it will be to follow through. Include the steps you will take to accomplish it. Sign it and give it to someone you believe in. (If you skip this last part, you are likely to fail.) Then, keep quiet about it and do the work.

If you do not have any ideas, here are a few places to start:

. Give up a bad habit that is not serving you, such as bed-texting, having a glass of wine before bed, eating junk food, gossiping, or spending time with people who bring out the worst in you.

. Spend five minutes a day reading the Yoga Sutras or other scripture

. Keep a daily spiritual diary, and write down your practices and how well you kept (or didn’t keep) yama , yoga’s ethical foundation. For more ideas, read Swami Radha’s 1996 book, Time To Be Holy.

. Repeat a certain number of rounds of mantra each day, using a mala (a 108-bead rosary used for meditation). “A rosary is a whip to goad the mind towards God,” said Swami Sivananda in his book Japa Yoga.

. Develop a home practice. Resolve to do 20 minutes of asana, 12 rounds of pranayama , asana , and/or 10 minutes meditation each day. Or promise yourself that you’ll go to class a certain number of times each week. Learn more here.

. Give up eating meat. If this seems too drastic, consider going vegetarian once a week (for more info, visit meatfreemondays.com or vrg.org).

. If you are not yet ready to deepen your yoga practice, perhaps there is something in your life that needs to be resolved first. Consider diving into that project you’ve been avoiding, such as putting your finances or house in order, or clearing out a practice space in a bedroom or corner of the living room.

. Consider volunteering once a week or through selfless service or Karma yoga, which should be performed without attachment to results. For example, resist the urge to brag about it or put it on your r é sum é . For ideas, visit chicagocares.org or volunteermatch.org and read Ram Dass’s 1985 book, How Can I Help?

. Take a weekly smartphone fast, or practice silence once a week. Or vow to eat a meal in silence–no TV, no talking, no texting or reading–once a day or once a week.

. Give away one object you no longer use each day or week. Give the items to charity, or post them on freecycle.org.

. If you have a tendency to run behind schedule (i.e., you are always late), vow to arrive five minutes early to each of your appointments.

. Put the Yoga Sutras into practice. Read Yogi Cameron Alborzian’s book The One Plan: A Week-by-Week Guide to Restoring Your Natural Health and Happiness . And do the exercises.

Happy Maha Shivaratri!

ॐ नमः शिवाय
ॐ नमः शिवाय
ॐ नमः शिवाय
ॐ नमः शिवाय
ॐ नमः शिवाय

Heart is Another Name for Reality

-Ramana Maharshi

EVERYTHING HAS BEEN LOVINGLY PROVIDED FOR US

The Power That Knows the Way will take care of you. The one who makes the sun shine, the grass grow, the apples grow perfectly on apple trees. The food that sustains us, nourishes us, everything has been lovingly provided for us. Have faith. Trust The Power That Knows the Way. This is a first step. To have total faith, and total trust in the infinity, the one. You may call this God, if you want to. Makes no difference what you call it. It is within you. It is without you. It is everywhere. Always turn within. That is where all the answers are.

Without is a dream. Within is the Self. In reality, there is no real without, there is no within. It is a figure of explaining this. You have to turn within because you think you are living without. When you turn within, the within will eventually disappear, and the without will eventually disappear. Everything will disappear when you begin to turn within. Yet, when you awaken, everything will appear the same as it is now, except you will not be a part of it. You will see things that you do now, but you will no longer be fooled. The world will no longer fool you by telling you this is right and this is wrong, this is good and this is bad. You will be finished with all this. You introvert the mind upon itself. When the mind is introverted upon itself, it disappears, for it never existed. But, when the mind is extroverted, then you are alive and well in the world. It comes with all types of experiences. In school, they taught you to be extroverted, to have an outgoing personality. Well, what has it done for you? It made us all into a bunch of idiots. Look at the world in which we are living. See what is going on. Look at our figureheads, government officials, state officials. These are all extroverted people. We have been told that to be introverted is to be a loner, and never get anywhere. Where do you want to get? If these people only realized that the world in which they are playing is all karmic. In other words, everybody is in their right place, where they are supposed to be. There are no mistakes.

So these people do not believe they are not the body and the world does not exist. But they believe there are bodies and there is a world and a universe. They should accept the fact that karma is the ruler of the universe. And everything that appears to be is karmic in effect. This is why I always say there are no mistakes. For you are where you are supposed to be in accordance with the law of karma. But do not keep thinking about getting rid of karma, for you will have a battle on your hands. You have to grow out of this, and see that karma never existed and does not really exist. So, just wake up. Awaken.

-Robert Adams 🕉

Maya Story

Maya
from Robert Adams' Silence of the Heart

One day Buddha and his chief disciple, Narada, were walking along a country road. Buddha was discussing maya. He explained that the tree, the river, the mountains, the beauty, all of the bugs and the mosquitoes, animals all were maya. And Narada said, "But Master, how can this be? It sounds virtually impossible. I can grab the tree. I can grab your arm. I am stung by a mosquito. I feel this thing, there is a bump on my arm. How can this all be illusion? I do not understand” And Buddha said, "I am thirsty. Go get me a glass of water.”

There was a town nearby, so Narada went to the town and knocked at the door of the first house he saw. An old lady opened the door. She said, "What do you want?” Narada said, "My Master would like a glass of water.” She looked him over and saw that he was handsome, well built, healthy, and she said, "Come in.” He went into her house and there was a beautiful lady sitting on a chair. The woman said, "This is my daughter. Isn’t she beautiful?” Narada was astounded at her beauty. He said "She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.” The old lady said, "How would you like to marry her?” And Narada said, “Why not?” So he married the girl. They had a big wedding, and all of the people in the village came. The next day, he got a job. He was a potter by trade, and he made beautiful pots out of clay. He did this for a living.

After the first year, they had a child, and he was able to afford a beautiful house. He had a mortgage payment, and had to pay taxes. So he had to work harder and hire people to help him. He had employees. He had to pay them salaries, take out taxes, workers compensation, and everything else. Then, after two years passed, another child. He was completely enmeshed in family life. Some days were good. Some days were bad.

A couple more years went by, three years, four years, five years. One day there was a big hurricane, a very powerful hurricane that came into town. The place was getting flooded. Narada said, "What are we going to do?” All of his furniture was being ruined. Everything that he believed he owned was getting wet, totally ruined. He took his family up on to the roof. There was a clothes line on the roof. All hung onto the clothes line. The hurricane became stronger and stronger and stronger. His mother in law was washed away by the flood. Narada said, "I guess we did not need her anyway for she was old.” But the hurricane was still very strong, and his wife and two children were holding on. One of the children was washed away and Narada became very distraught. But he was holding on with his wife. Then the other child was washed away. He became very upset. But he said to himself, “At least I have my wife. We can have more children.” Then his wife was washed away and he said, "What happened to my family?! They are all gone! Everything I worked for is all gone!

Everything I strived for is all gone! I am going to end it all, commit suicide!” So he let go of the rope. The next moment, he found himself sitting next to Buddha, with a glass of water. He looked at Buddha and Buddha said, "It’s about time you brought me my water!” So Narada looked at him and said, "Now I understand what maya is!”

More on Robert Adams here.

Redefinition of Yoga

Redefinition of [Raja] Yoga
(Shankaracharya's Aparokshanubhuti, verses 104 to 144)

The steps in order are: control of the senses, control of the mind, renunciation, silence, space, time, posture, restraining the root (mulabandha), bodily equipoise, firmness of vision, control of the vital forces, withdrawal of the mind, concentration, self-contemplation and complete absorption in the self.

(1) Restraining the senses with the knowledge “Everything is the self” is properly called yama. It should be practiced continually.

(2) The continuous flow of the self-thought to the exclusion of all other thoughts is called niyama. When regularly practiced it causes great bliss.

(3) Renunciation is abandoning the belief in the reality of the phenomenal universe by seeing that it is the ever-conscious self. It is immediate liberation.

(4) Known only to sages, congenital silence is that from which speech and the mind rebound. Observing silence by restraining speech is recommended for those who do not know who they are.

(5). The true posture is the spontaneous and continuous meditation on the self and not the meditation on objects that destroys one’s happiness.

(6). That perfect merger of the mind into the self, the support of the universe and the origin of all beings is known as “the accomplished posture.”

(7) That limitless awareness in which all existence is rooted should be the basis of a yogin’s restraint of mind.

(8) Absorption of the limbs of the Subtle Body in limitless awareness is true equipoise, not the mere balancing of the physical limbs.

(9) The noblest vision is the conversion of the samsaric way of seeing into non-dual vision, not gazing at the tip of the nose with the physical eyes.

(10) Direct your attention to the place where the seer, sight and the seen are non-different, not to the tip of the nose.

(11) Pranayama is the restraint of modifications of the mind brought about by understanding that the mind is the self alone

(12) Rechaka, breathing out, is the negation of the phenomenal world, and the thought “I am the self” is puraka, breathing in. The steadiness of mind that comes from this practice is called kumbhaka, restraint of breath. This is the true pranayama, not the yogic torture of the nose.

(13) Seekers of liberation should practice pratyahara, the withdrawal of the mind. It is complete absorption in the self, brought about by the understanding that the self is in all objects.

(14) Dharana, concentration, is a steady mind brought about by the realization of the self in every thought.

(15) Dhyana, meditation, is the independence from objects brought about by complete confidence in the thought, “I am limitless awareness.” It produces supreme bliss.

(16) Samadhi, also known as self-knowledge, is the non-attachment to thought brought about by complete identification with the thought, “I am the self, limitless awareness.”

(17) This samadhi reveals one’s natural bliss, which arises spontaneously as one clings to the thought, “I am limitless awareness.”

(18) While practicing samadhi many unavoidable obstacles occur: lack of inquiry, idleness, desire for sense-pleasure, sleep, dullness, distraction, tasting of joy and the sense of blankness. One desiring liberation should patiently remove these obstacles.

(19) As one thinks of an object the mind tends to identify with it. When thinking of the void it becomes void, whereas by the thought of the self it becomes perfect because the self is perfect. Therefore one should always think of the self if one wants freedom.

(20) Those who abandon the purifying thought, “I am the self,” will not succeed.

(21) By continual contemplation of the clay and the pot or the ring and gold or a similar metaphor illustrating the relationship between the self and the world one should understand that when the effect is dismissed only the pure self–which is beyond speech–remains.

(22) As a result of this meditation a state of continual awareness of the self arises in the pure-minded. Eventually, this awareness of the self brings about the hard and fast understanding,“ I am the self.”

(23) The inquirer should first look for the self, the cause, by dismissing all objects as “not-self,” and then look for self by seeing it in the objects.

(24) Once the cause is seen in the effect–the self in the objects–the objects should be dismissed. You are what remains.

(25) The mind becomes what it meditates on with diligence and conviction.

(26) A wise person always understands that the visible and the invisible, including himself, is only awareness.

(27) When the objects are reduced to nothing by inquiry the universe appears as awareness. This understanding fills the mind with endless bliss.

(28) This process of inquiry is called Raja Yoga. For those whose worldly desires are only partially attenuated it is to be combined with Hatha Yoga.

(29) Those whose minds are purified by Raja Yoga will gain self-realization. Purity of mind is quickly attained by devotion to the teacher and the self.

Devotee's Experience: Robert Adams

Robert Adams tells a story about calmness that Ramana Maharshi told to him personally in 1948:

… also there is another incident that Ramana told me personally.

In 1948, I was at Arthur Osborne's home near Ramana ashram.

And Ramana used to walk in there every once in a while.

He came in one day, sat down and he started to talk about not reacting to things.

He said,

" THE ONLY SPIRITUAL LIFE YOU NEED IS NOT TO REACT. "

And he smiled and he told me this interesting story, that happened to him.

Back in the 1930s some pundits who lived in Madras decided that Ramana should not remain at Arunachala, that he should come to Madras, where many people can see him and be with him.

Twelve of them approached Ramana and said,

"Ramana, we would like you to come to Madras. We're going to take you to Madras where you can be with more people. You are left in the jungle here where hardly anybody knows where you are. Most people do not know about you. We will take you to Madras in two days time."

RAMANA DIDN'T SAY A WORD.

IN TIMES LIKE THIS HE ALWAYS KEPT SILENT, TOTALLY SILENT, HE NEVER ANSWERED.

His devotees became very worried, very upset because they knew he would never answer, he never does and yet they were going to come in two days and take him away.

These were scholarly people.

When they left they asked Ramana,

"What have you done.

By not answering you've agreed to go to Madras with these people?"

He just smiled and said,

"DON'T WORRY."

Two days passed, the devotees were biting their fingernails they wanted to lock the doors of the ashram.

Some of them wanted to take physical action against these people.

For the people from Madras said a group of twenty of us will come in a bus to take him to Madras.

They were supposed to be there at 4 o'clock but they never showed up.

Ramana called the cook and he said,

"Prepare a meal for twenty people, they will come soon."

And all the devotees said,

"What are you talking about? Are you going with them? You can't leave us."

They were crying and screaming and doing all kinds of things.

Ramana said,

"DO NOT WORRY, PREPARE FOOD."

And they did.

At about 6 o clock the group from Madras entered the hall.

They were disheveled. Some of them were bleeding.

They sat down in front of Ramana and just looked at him and didn't say a word and he didn't say a word.

What had happened when they were on the bus two miles from the ashram, the bus turned over three times.

Nobody was seriously hurt but they were in bad shape.

They sat on the ashram floor looking at Ramana.

After about an hour he said come let's go to the kitchen and eat.

He took them into the kitchen, they ate then they came back into the hall and sat down again.

After two hours of sitting they got up and went home and nobody ever heard of them again.

Ramana ended the story by telling me that:

TO BE CALM IS THE GREATEST ASSET IN THE WORLD.

IT'S THE GREATEST SIDDHI, THE GREATEST POWER YOU CAN HAVE.

IF YOU CAN ONLY LEARN TO BE CALM YOU WILL SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM.

This is something you must remember.

When you are perfectly calm, time stops.

There is no time, karma stops, samskaras stop.

Everything becomes null and void.

For, when you are calm you are one with the entire energy of the universe and everything will go well with you.

To be calm means you are in control.

You're not worried about the situation, the outcome.

What is going to happen tomorrow.

To be calm means everything is alright.

There is nothing to worry about, nothing to fret over.

This is also the meaning of the biblical saying,

"BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD."

To be calm is to be still.

If you have a problem right now, think about this problem for a moment. If there is anything wrong with your life, think about this for a moment.

As you become calm, peaceful the problem will dissolve of its own nature.

There cannot be a problem with a person who is calm.

It makes no difference how strong your problem may be if you remain calm throughout it, you will come out smiling, laughing, at peace.

To be perfectly calm is the same as self-inquiry.

When you ask the question, "Who is upset? Who feels discouraged? Who feels disillusioned?"

(Robert asks student)

Did you raise your hand Bob? I thought you felt disillusioned.

(Robert continues)

When you inquire within,

"Who feels this?"

The feelings begin to disappear, just from the inquiry, which is really interesting.

This is why self-inquiry is the best psychotherapy around.

Cheapest, because you can do it yourself.

Whatever happens in your life it makes no difference what it is, how serious it may be, merely inquire,

"To whom does this come? Who is going through this? Who is feeling this?"

IT'S THE SAME AS BEING CALM.

But once you inquire and ask this question something happens within yourself.

There is a shuffling that goes on within yourself.

The nervousness, the stress that has been annoying you most of this time starts to back off and you feel good.

So even though some of you are not using self - inquiry for liberation or realization.

You can use it in your everyday life to become calm, peaceful and happy.


-Robert Adams

The Morning Assertion

The Morning Assertion
By Robert Adams

"As soon as you open your eyes, what do you think about? You think about food, you think about your day, you think about work, you think about money, you think about friends, relationships, but you do not think about your mind being a projection of all the things that happen. Therefore, you have to think about the right things in the morning, as soon as you awaken. Don’t wait.

"As soon as you open your eyes in the morning, you have to say to yourself, "I feel and realize and understand that everything, everything (say ‘everything’ twice) is a projection of my mind.” Think about what that means. "I feel that, I understand that everything is a projection of my mind.” Then you may think about any problems, if you have any and you say to yourself, "If everything is a projection of my mind, where do these problems come from?” You then realize, “Why, they came from me. I projected them, I created them.” Then you say, “Who is this I that created them?” Now you are getting to the meaty part, to the substance. “Who is the I that created all this illusion in my life? Where did the I come from? Who gave it birth? My mind. Where did my mind came from? The I? They are both the same. The I and my mind, are the same.” It’s a revelation. You think along these lines. "Where did the mind-I come from?”and "To whom does it come?” You follow it deep, deep, within yourself, and if you do it correctly, you will realize there is no I. There is no mind, so there are no problems. It will be over, and you will start laughing. You will actually start laughing at yourself. Once you get in that consciousness, something will happen to actually physically relieve you of that problem, or what you think is a problem.

"As long as you believe in your mind that there is a problem, whether it is little or big does not matter, they are both the same, as long as you believe you have a problem, you will have a problem and it will grow and you cannot change it. It may appear that you change it, but it turns into something else of a worse nature when you try to work with the problem itself. You never try to work with the problem, but ask where the problem came from? That’s the problem. The birth is the problem. Because you believe you were born, you have the problem, and you can go on and on and on.

"That’s how you work with it. “I feel, I understand, that everything, everything, is a projection, a manifestation of my mind. Whose mind? My mind. Whose mind? My mind. Who am I? Who has this problem?” And as you ask yourself this question, you will begin to feel better and better and better. You will actually begin to feel better, and as you begin to feel better, the problem becomes less and less important, and it will vanish. This is great psychotherapy. It works. If psychiatrists gave this to patients, they would not have to give them any drugs."


from The Silence of the Heart

Keep Me Fully Glad with Nothing

Keep Me Fully Glad with Nothing
From "The Gardener" by Rabindranath Tagore


Keep me fully glad with nothing.

Only take my hand in your hand.

In the gloom of the deepening night take up my heart and play with it as you wish.

Bind me close to you with nothing.

I will spread myself out at your feet and lie still.

Under this clouded sky I will meet silence with silence.

I will become one with the night clasping the earth in my breast.

Make my life glad with nothing.

The rains sweep the sky from end to end.

Jasmines in the wet untamable wind revel in their own perfume.

The cloud-hidden stars thrill in secret.

Let me fill to the full of my heart with nothing but my own depth of joy.

Happy New Year

"You should start the day with good things. When you start, it’s always with remembering the Almighty One. We then have to clean the mouth and wash the hands. Then, with the mouth clean, you can do your prayers. In order to have the energy to start the day like this, the evening before you must be firm in your promise (intention). You can even sign a paper: I will start the day like this. We should also try and start a New Year with good things — good intentions — the best that there is that is available to you. We have to make a promise. If you believe in a saint or there is a deity in whom you believe, if you promise to him or her to do this or that act as an offering, maybe then you have the power to keep it. And then you will start the year doing good things. In reality, everything depends upon your decisions.

"Everybody has lots of plans always. A New Year is a good time to put them into practice because there are infinite numbers of people making new commitments for the New Year. By making and keeping New Years’ resolutions, we will be able to merge in that ocean of decision. So, do it not only for you, but imagine that all beings are sharing those benefits through you and through your actions. And, you have to have faith. If you don’t start the year doing good, it is a natural tendency: you are going to end the year just the way you started, and that will be a disaster! So, make your decision, sign a paper if you can and, the best offering: offer everything to the Almighty One because whatever you offer to Him, you cannot break that promise."



– Sri Dharma Mittra

Do Not Be in Conflict with Anyone or Anything

YOU CAN SIT WITH ME WHEREVER YOU ARE
(Robert Adams)

"You come to sit with me, you can always sit with me wherever you are. I am trying to tell you, do not look for reasons why you do something. When you start giving up all reasoning, all ambition, when you start surrendering all of your so-called power, your human power that you think you have, this is when the mind begins to slow down. The mind will never slow down by trying to make it slow down. I do not care what method you use. When you are using Vipassana Meditation or you’re using breathing, whatever method you are using you are using your mind. It is your mind that you are still using. That is why you can never get anywhere. You must use your mind, no matter what you do. Therefore stop doing anything. I know many of you have been practicing sadhana for twenty-five to forty years. Practicing many forms of meditation. Going to teachers, reading many books. And what becomes of you? You may get a good feeling, then it goes away and you are back where you started from. The only thing that you should do or must do, is not to be in conflict with anything.

"Do not be in conflict with anyone or anything. When you are not in conflict with anything, the mind begins to surrender itself and goes back into the heart, and you become your Self. This is the easiest thing that you ever had to do, it is simplicity itself. It is simplicity itself, because there is nothing you have to do. There is nothing you have to become. Here is no one you have to change. You are That. Do not analyze what I am saying. Do not even agree with what I am saying. Just be open. Open you heart by remaining still, silent."

-Robert Adams

Real Yoga (No BS)

In this in-depth 'Yoga is Vegan' podcast, Sri Dharma Mittra discusses his first encounter with yoga, ahimsa, yogic diet, karma yoga, reincarnation and the meaning of life, meditation and more. Click here to hear him in his own words.


(He left Brazil and came to NYC to meet and commit to his guru the year I was born). Jai Guru!

Read another recent interview, with my gurubhai Adam Frei, here.

Presence

Q&A with Ramana Maharshi

QUESTION : While sitting near you, what sort of mental state should I have so as to receive the transmission from the Self?


Ramana: Keep your mind still. That is enough. You will get spiritual help sitting in this hall if you keep yourself still. The aim of all practices is to give up all practices. When the mind becomes still, the power of the Self will be experienced. The waves of the Self are pervading everywhere. If the mind is in peace, one begins to experience them.

Question: Which is better for me, to gaze at your eyes or your face? Or should I sit with closed eyes and concentrate my mind on a particular thing?

Ramana: Gaze at your own real nature. It is immaterial whether the eyes are open or closed. Everywhere there is only the one, so it is all the same whether you keep your eyes open or closed. If you wish to meditate, do so on the "I" that is within you. It is the Self. Because it has no eyes, there is no need either to open or close the eyes. When you attain Self-knowledge, there will no longer be any ideas about the world. When you are sitting in a room, whether the windows are open or closed, you are the same person, in the same state. In the same way, if you abide in the Reality, it is all the same whether the eyes are open or closed. It matters little whether external activities go on or not.

Question: In my present state, is there sufficient faith, humility and surrender in me? If not, how to make them complete?

Ramana: You are perfect and complete, so abandon the idea of incompleteness. There is nothing to be destroyed. Ahankara, the individual "I", is not a real thing. It is the mind that makes the effort and the mind is not real. Just as it is not necessary to kill a rope that one imagines to be a snake, so also there is no need to kill the mind. Knowing the form of the mind makes the mind disappear. That which is forever non-existent is already removed.

Question: What books should I read for personal study?

Ramana: The Self is the real book. You can glance anywhere in that book; nobody can take it away from you. Whenever you are free, turn towards the Self. Thereafter you may read whatever you like.

Question: How to uproot the weariness, fear and anxiety that arise during meditation?

Ramana: Find out to whom these questions occur. By conducting this enquiry these things will disappear. These things are impermanent. Do not pay attention to them. When there is knowledge of duality, fear arises. Fear only comes when you think that there are others apart from you. If you direct your mind towards the Self, fear and anxiety will go away. In your present state, when your mind is agitated, if you remove one kind of fear, another will rise up and there will be no end of them. It is a laborious task to pluck the leaves off a tree one by one. The "I" feeling is the root of all thoughts. If you destroy the root, the leaves and branches will wither away. Instead of forming bad habits and taking medicine for them, it is better to see that such bad habits are not formed.

Question: During and after meditation, I get many thoughts about the unhappy people of the world. What will happen to the world?

Ramana: First find out whether there is an "I" in you or not. It is this ego "I" that gets these thoughts and, as a result, you feel weakness. Therefore find out how identification with the body takes place. Body consciousness is the cause of all misery. When you conduct the enquiry into the ego "I", you will find out its Source and you will be able to remove it. After that there will be no more questions of the type you are asking.

The body itself is a disease. To wish for a long stay of that disease is not the aim of the jnani [one who has realised the Self]. Anyhow, one has to give up identification with the body. Just as the "I am the body" consciousness prevents one from attaining Self-knowledge, in the same way, one who has got the conviction that he is not the body will become liberated even if he doesn't desire it.


From inner-quest.org; more here.

Rupert Spira on Self-Inquiry and Suffering

This is a paraphrase:

The only thing suffering cannot stand is being seen clearly. The reason for that is that it is an illusion. You can’t do anything to an illusion because it isn’t there, like the water in a mirage. The very best you can do is to see that it is not there. That alleviates the desire to collect it, alleviate it. You can’t do anything to a nonexistent self. There is nothing there to do anything to. Clear seeing, experiential understanding, is the best you can do. As a result or byproduct of that clear seeing, that suffering dissolves or vanishes in time. In order to remain present, suffering requires the illusion of a separate self; it revolves around this illusion. Without it, it cannot stand. There may be old habits in the mind and body, but they cannot stand when they are no longer supported by a belief in a separate self. They disappear as a by-product of this exploration -- not as its goal. Suffering vanishes in the same way a headache vanishes. You wake up in the morning with a headache. By evening it’s gone, and you don’t know when it disappeared or why or how. It’s just not there anymore. That’s how suffering disappears. Its disappearance is a byproduct, not a goal. If you make it a goal you perpetuate suffering. That’s how suffering perpetuates itself, sometimes for decades, by trying to get rid of itself.

Suffering is to the mind what pain is to the body. Pain is not a mistake, when you put your hand in the fire. It’s the intelligence of the body telling you to take the hand out of the fire. It is pain working on behalf of your well-being. Similarly, suffering is cooperating with your desire for happiness. It is telling you that you have mistaken yourself for a limited self and to have another look.

Relative vs. Absolute Knowledge

"All this book learning and capacity to repeat the scriptures by memory is absolutely no use. To know the Truth, you need not undergo all this torture of learning. Not by reading do you get the Truth. BE QUIET, that is Truth, BE STILL, that is God."

-Ramana Maharshi




More here and here.

Cooperation vs. Competition

COOPERATION PT. I: IN YOGA

“Regarding cooperation: it’s good for you to try and lose yourself a little—to move beyond the personal self and try and cooperate with others. This really helps us understand that we are all one—all part of the same great whole. The action of compassion is to see yourself in others. If I see myself in you, how can I hurt you, steal from you, or lie to you? Impossible! Learn to see yourself in others and strive always to make every offering an act of adoration to the Supreme Self or the forces behind everything. Then we are all practicing yoga.”

—Sri Dharma Mittra, March 2017 issue of Yoga Journal

'Yoga means union, or to yoke or join. To cooperate means to “work jointly towards the same end,” or to “assist someone or comply with their requests,” according to The Oxford Living English Dictionary. Cooperation has its roots in love and compassion—or, as Sri Dharma says, putting oneself in the place of others.

'To compete means “to strive to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others,” according to the same source. Competition has its roots in the feeling of separateness, which the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali cites as one of the main kleshas, or causes of pain and suffering. Competing can actually reinforce and strengthen this sense of isolation.

'But practicing cooperation can sometimes feel like swimming upstream, especially when mainstream society often appears to divide the world into “us” and “them” and reward unbridled competition.

'We can learn to cooperate in yoga class by respecting the body’s limits on a given day, rather than competing with how our body was a decade or a week ago, or comparing our practice with that of the person next to us or someone on Instagram. My first teacher, Suddha Weixler, used to remind us regularly in class that “It’s not a competition.”

'In yoga practice, when we compete, we end up either beating ourselves up mentally or forcing ourselves into a variation of a pose that causes pain—both of which are violations of yoga’s golden rule, ahimsa (non-harming). Sri Dharma equates ahimsa to the Bible’s First Commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” explaining that it doesn’t just apply to taking a life, but means, “Thou shalt not kill the comfort of others.”

'We can cooperate in class by moving together as a group rather than doing our own thing and distracting the rest of the people trying to follow along. (I’ve noticed lately that the latter has been happening a lot in the classes I teach.) One potential consequence is that new practitioners in class become confused and start following the person who’s doing his or her own thing, which can result in injury. For some reason these lone wolves tend to put their mats in the front of the room, and, as a result, everyone else ends up having a diminished experience.

'Sri Dharma often reminds us in class to “move together like a school of fish” in order to create a collective consciousness. “When you are doing things together, you are inside the collective mind, and share psychic knowledge with each other. That is how you become one.”

'When we move in and out of poses as he describes, the effect is incredibly powerful; everyone ends up benefiting more from their practice. (Sri Dharma also reminds us that the fish who goes off on her own is usually the one that is eaten by a bigger fish.)'

Read the rest of this excerpt from my Beyond the Mat book here.



COOPERATION PT. II: IN BUSINESS

"Recognizing our responsibilities as industrialists, we will devote ourselves to the progress and development of society and the well-being of people through our business activities, thereby enhancing the quality of life throughout the world."

-Konosuke Matsushita


'While I was CEO, I came across a book that gave me newfound confidence that maybe I wasn’t so broken after all,' writes Kickstarter founder Yancey Strickler in his new book, This Could Be Our Future: A Manifesto for a More Generous World. 'Called Not for Bread Alone, it was a series of essays from the long career of a Japanese businessman named Konosuke Matsushita.

'Matsushita led an extraordinary life. In 1918, he started one of the first electrical companies in Japan, which he ran for more than 40 years. That company continues to operate today under the name Panasonic. Not for Bread Alone shares philosophies and lessons from Matsushita’s long career, which is remarkable not just for its longevity but for its broader idea of prosperity.

'In 1932, he told his employees, “The mission of a manufacturer is to overcome poverty, to relieve society as a whole from the misery of poverty, and bring it wealth.” At this same time Matsushita declared the company’s 250-year goal: “the elimination of poverty from this world.”

'He meant it. In 1936, Matsushita decided to give his employees one day off a week at a time when Japanese workers got two days off a month. It wasn’t until 1947 that one day off a week was standardized by Japanese Labor Standards Law. In 1960, Matsushita went further, announcing that the company would offer Japan’s first five-day workweek. “We need a dramatic increase in productivity if we want to compete with foreign companies,” he said.

'“Having two days off every week will help us to achieve this by giving us ample time to refresh mind and body, and greater opportunities to enrich our lives.” To produce more and to produce better, Matsushita counterintuitively proposed people work less. It took until 1980 for most big Japanese firms to follow, and until 1992 for Japanese government workers to have five-day workweeks.

'Matsushita was also a proud capitalist. “Only by making a reasonable profit — neither too much nor too little — can an enterprise expand and be of greater service to more people,” he wrote. “Moreover, the enterprise contributes to society by paying a large portion of its profits in the form of taxes. In that sense, it is a businessperson’s duty, as a citizen, to make a reasonable profit.”

'The contrast between Matsushita’s way of seeing the world and the “disrupt yourself” tone of my present day couldn’t have been bigger. The words of this 89-year-old Japanese man were transformative for me. I had a leadership role model for the first time.'

Read the rest of this piece in Medium.


Read more about Konosuke Matsushita here.

Aldous Huxley on Nataraj

Dakshinamurthy Stotram

Eighth Century saint Adi Sankaracharya wrote many great stotras (prayers) but this is a unique prayer, which is not only a prayer but the summary of all the philosophy that he taught.



Learn more here.

Simultaneous Creation

Ramana Maharshi On Simultaneous Creation
from this website

When Adi Sankara wanted to explain the process of simultaneous creation, He gave the example of a city which is seen reflected, in a mirror: ˜"isvam darpana drisyamana nagariâ"(the opening words of Dakshinamurti Stotram). In his time no better example than that was available. But if he were living nowdays,he would certainly have given the very apt example of a cinema projector.

Let us therefore see how Sri Bhagavan used to explain the creation of the world
with the example of a cinema projector.

In a cinema projector there is a bright arc-lamp,in front of which passes a film, and in front of that there is a lens. The rays of the light which comes from the arc-lamp pass through the film, are enlarged by the lens and create a large picture on the distant screen. The arc-lamp in the projector is similar to Self, which shines within our body.

The film which is close to the arc-lamp is similar to the very subtle tendencies or vasanas accumulated within us.

The lenses by which these tendencies are enlarged and made gross are the five sense organs.When the tendencies, which are thoughts in their very subtle seed-form, are projected out through the five senses by the light of Self, they are made gross and are seen as the picture of this outside world consisting of so many different names and forms,which are merely the five sense-knowledges.

That is,the multitude of very subtle tendencies which exist within us is seen by us as the vast universe outside.Therefore everything which is seen outside is in truth only what was already existing inside.

Know clearly that everything which is perceived having come (out) through the mind (and the five senses), was already existing as tendencies (vasanas) in the heart, like a hidden treasure, and (therefore merely) an old story which has come out to be seen.

Source: Guru Vachaka Kovai verse 84.

If there were no arc-lamp in the cinema projector,the picture show could not appear on the screen.Similarly, if the light of self were not present, the creation, sustenance of this world could not take place. The light of Self is that which is commonly known by the name God.

If the film-reel were not in the projector, the picture-show consisting of names and forms would not appear on the screen. Instead only a bright light would be seen there.

Similarly, what shines in the outlook of the Jnani, in whom all the tendencies have been destroyed, is not this world picture consisting of names and forms; what the Jnani experiences is only Himself, the unlimited light of Selfconsciousness.

Source: The Path Of Sri Ramana Part Two By Sri Sadhu Om

Stop Wasting Time

Get up! Wake up! Seek the guidance of an
Illumined teacher and realize the Self.
Sharp like a razor's edge, the sages say,
Is the path, difficult to traverse.

-Katha Upanishad


See Kali's column on the path of the razor's edge here.


Image of Lord Yama and Nachiketa available here

Chogyam Trungpa on Concentration

"Meditation practice is not an attempt to enter into a trance-like state of mind nor is it an attempt to become preoccupied with a particular object. There has developed, both in India and Tibet, a so-called system of meditation which might be called 'concentration.' That is to say that this practice of meditation is based on focusing the mind on a particular point so as to be better able to control the mind and concentrate. in such practice the student chooses an object to look at, think about, or visualize and then focuses his entire attention upon it. In so doing, he tends to develop by force a certain kind of mental calm. I call this kind of practice 'mental gymnastics' because it does not attempt to deal with the totality of any given life-situation. It is based entirely on this or that, subject and object, rather than transcending the dualistic view of life.

"The practice of samadhi on the other hand does not involve concentration. This is very important to realize. Concentration practices are largely ego-reinforcing, although not purposely intended as such. Still, concentration is practiced with a particular aim and object in mind, so we tend to become centralized in the 'heart.' We set out to concentrate upon a flower, stone or flame, and we gaze fixedly at the object, but mentally we are going into the heart as much as possible. We are trying to intensify the solid aspect of form, the qualities of stability and stillness. In the long run such a practice could be dangerous. Depending upon the intensity of the meditator's will-power, we might become introverted in a way which is too solemn, fixed and rigid. This sort of practice is not conducive to openness and energy nor to a sense of humor. It is too heavy and could easily become dogmatic, in the sense that those who become involved in such practices think in terms of imposing discipline upon themselves. We think it necessary to be very serious and solemn. This produces a competitive attitude in our thinking -- the more we can render our minds captive, the more successful we are -- which is a rather dogmatic, authoritarian approach. This way of thinking, always focused on the future, is habitual with ego: 'I would like to see such and such results. I have an idealized theory or dream which I would like to put into effect.' We tend to live in the future, our view of life colored by the expectation of achieving an ideal goal. Because of this expectation we miss the precision and openness and intelligence of the present. We are fascinated, blinded and overwhelmed by the idealized goal"


from Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism

Ramana Maharshi on Concentration

Question: Is concentration one of the spiritual practices?

Ramana: Concentration is not thinking of one thing only. Rather, it is the putting off of all other thoughts which obstruct the vision of our true nature. All our efforts are only directed towards lifting the veil of ignorance. Now it appears difficult to quell the thoughts, but in the regenerated state, it will be found more difficult to activate them! Why should we think of these things? There is the Self alone. Thoughts can function only if there are objects – but there are no objects, so how can thoughts arise at all? Habit makes us believe that it is difficult to cease thinking. If this error were discovered, one would not be so foolish as to exert oneself unnecessarily.

When attention is directed towards objects and intellect, the mind is aware only of these things. That is our present state. But when we attend to the Self within, we become conscious of It alone. It is therefore all a matter of attention. Our mind has been attending to external things for so long, that the latter have enslaved it and drag it hither and thither. If the mind wanders, we must at once realize we are not the body and enquire, "Who am I?" and the mind must be brought back to realize the Self. Thus all evils are destroyed and happiness is realized.

The Self is like a powerful magnet hidden within us. It draws us gradually to Itself, though we imagine we are going to It of our own accord. When we are near enough, It puts an end to our other activities, makes us still, and then swallows up our own personal current, thus killing our personality. It overwhelms the intellect and floods the whole being. We think we are meditating upon It and developing towards It, whereas the truth is that we are like iron-filings and It is the Self-magnet that is pulling us towards Itself. Thus the process of finding Self is a form of divine magnetism.

Sufi Proverb

"Trust in God But Tether Your Camel"

-Sufi Proverb



This is the essence of the Bhagavad Gita.
Coincidence?

Beautiful exposition on the proverb from this site:


A Master was traveling with one of his disciples. The disciple was in charge of taking care of the camel. They came in the night, tired, to a caravanserai. It was the disciple’s duty to tether the camel; he didn’t bother about it, he left the camel outside. Instead of that he simply prayed. He said to God, “Take care of the camel,” and fell asleep.

In the morning the camel was gone — stolen or moved away, or whatsoever happened. The Master asked, “What happened to the camel? Where is the camel?”

And the disciple said, “I don’t know. You ask God, because I had told Allah to take care of the camel, and I was too tired, so I don’t know. And I am not responsible either, because I had told Him, and very clearly! There was no missing the point. Not only once in fact, I told Him thrice. And you go on teaching ‘Trust Allah’, so I trusted. Now don’t look at me with anger.”

The Master said, “Trust in Allah but tether your camel first — because Allah has no other hands than yours.”

If He wants to tether the camel He will have to use somebody’s hands; He has no other hands. And it is your camel! The best way and the easiest and the shortest, the most short, is to use your hands. Trust Allah. Don’t trust only your hands, otherwise you will become tense. Tether the camel and then trust Allah.You will ask, “Then why trust Allah if you are tethering the camel?” — because a tethered camel can also be stolen. You do whatsoever you can do: that does not make the result certain, there is no guarantee.

So you do whatsoever you can, and then whatsoever happens, accept it. This is the meaning of tether the camel: do whatever is possible for you to do, don’t shirk your responsibility, and then if nothing happens or something goes wrong, trust Allah. Then He knows best. Then maybe it is right for us to travel without the camel.

It is very easy to trust Allah and be lazy. It is very easy not to trust Allah and be a doer. The third type of man is difficult — to trust Allah and yet remain a doer. But now you are only instrumental; God is the real doer, you are just instruments in His hands.



Artwork available here.

Sri Lalitha Sahasranama

Navratri (9 Nights of the Divine Mother) is September 29 to October 8, and is celebrated locally and beautifully at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center.

More on the Sri Lalitha Sahasranama here.

Fear = Ego

Our path on this Earth has ups and downs,
Sometimes the road is barricaded by all kinds of challenges;
Sometimes, at a crossroads in our life, there are no signs.
Here comes the question, beloved travel companion:

Where to go? Which is the right direction?
We do not know! There are many hazards and the path is dark!
We don’t have intuition and courage is lacking!
But we cannot stop — Life itself rushes us!

Once, someone told us that within us is hidden
All the recorded knowing of Life on Earth;
If we knew how to access it, there would be no problems,
The wise solution would dissolve any dilemma.

Any man has access to this vast library,
For the key is within us, as well as in every human being;
There is one condition: to banish all fear,
Right now, in this moment, without delay!

Fear is an emotional state, closely connected to the “ego”.
This fiction — a bizarre construction,
Fearful by nature, in all its endeavors,
Which create its structure and its frail universe.

Fear and “ego” are one — there is no duality,
Here we are, therefore, confronted with this figment of imagination;
As “ego”, we are fear as well — this is our structure,
Each time we function in this state.

When either fear or the “ego” are encountered in a real way,
Without any motivations — only as a simple meeting,
It dissipates in a flash — in its place, an absolute “void” appears;
We spontaneously become immense, without beliefs or acts of will.

The inactivity of the mind — the personal mind,
Leads us to experience the Universal Mind;
Through it, the Wise man finds the path of Love,
These facts create our journey, through spontaneous action.

Only in peace, harmony, in the revelation of our being,
We will know, from experience, which is the right path.
Living on Earth — the right direction will spring from
The beauty of Love and Sacred Integrity.

—Ilie Cioara

Ramana Grace

"That even ‘lower’ life forms such as birds and beasts can attain the supreme state through the grace of the great ones [mahapurushas] was explicitly demonstrated by Bhagavan through the following incident. Bhagavan [Ramana Maharshi], ever shedding grace by remaining in the meditative state of Self-abidance, once externalised his attention, turned towards his devotees with a smile, and suddenly asked the following question.

"‘Do you know what state Lakshmi is in now?’

"Having never witnessed such a scene before, the devotees were puzzled by this unusual question. There was a cow standing in front of him with a motionless and fixed expression on her face.

"The ever-cheerful Bhagavan said, to the astonishment of the devotees, ‘She is in nirvikalpa samadhi,’ revealing by this brief comment the extraordinary power of his grace.

"The cow, affectionately called Lakshmi, was closely associated with the ashram. When she came, as usual, for Bhagavan’s darshan and stood in his presence, Bhagavan looked at her with great affection and started stroking her head. As a consequence of receiving this hasta diksha [initiation in which the Guru places his hands on the disciple’s head] she experienced immediately the state nirvikalpa samadhi.

"Although it is common to come across many human beings with bestial natures, it is extremely rare to see an animal with human nature.

"Bhagavan himself once pointed out the sanctity of Lakshmi by saying, ‘We don’t know what austerities she has performed in her previous births. It may be that she is in our midst only to complete her unfinished tapas!’

"After her nirvana, her body was entombed within the ashram premises in the presence of Bhagavan. It was done in the traditional manner, and a memorial was built on top. Among all those who took refuge in Bhagavan, only Lakshmi had the good fortune of having an epitaph written by Bhagavan himself confirming her liberation. This is what Bhagavan wrote on that occasion: ‘Lakshmi the cow was liberated under the star of visaka on Friday, the twelfth day of the bright half jyesta in the year sarvadhari [18th June 1948].’

"Among the fortunate animals that were the recipients of Bhagavan’s grace, there were others such as dogs, peacocks, squirrels and crows. Indeed, the life history of each one of them is wonderful. When it is seen that even animals attained mental quiescence by the extraordinary power of Bhagavan’s presence, will it not be superfluous to say that human beings attained the same? During the half century of his manifestation as grace divine at Arunachala, innumerable were the instances and infinite were the ways in which Bhagavan showered his grace on all those who approached him." 🕉


from Timeless in Time, by A.R. Natarajan

The Heart of It

'All the philosophies, world-views, ethical systems, practices, and rituals have only one intention: to wake us up from the sleep in which we dream that we are separate from what we experience.'

-Ken McLeod



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