The purpose of Karma Yoga

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The aim of Karma Yoga is to establish a steady foundation for the mind. During meditation, attention must stay fixed on a single object; yet without mental purification, qualities of tamasa—such as laziness, self-indulgence, and self-absorption—tend to prevail. Karma Yoga is vital for spiritual growth because passions and desires guide us. Removing desires would hinder development; they should not be suppressed but either fulfilled or recognized as empty. Restricting desire limits growth. Continue reading →

The umbrella of self-love

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The umbrella of love represents a new form of self-love. What meaning does the umbrella hold? God serves as the ultimate shield of protection for everyone. Protection grows from love.

What is self-love? Self-love involves valuing oneself through high regard for one’s wellbeing. Because it is not inclusive, we can explore a broader kind—an umbrella—by considering this quote from C. S. Lewis: Continue reading →

Worship of the Goddess in Sharad-Navratri

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In Sharad (Autumn) Navratri, Ma Durga is worshipped and the festival is devoted to the victory of the Goddess over evil (Demon Buffalo King) and therefore cleansing ourselves spiritually.

Dear ones, the Goddess Durga exists in her gross, subtle and causal forms. Our universe comprises of the five elements which are manifest in these three forms. The Goddess manifests herself in three interconnected forms: the Gross (Sthula), the Subtle (Sukshma), and the Causal (Karana). These three forms represent a spiritual ladder, guiding a practitioner from the tangible to the transcendent. Continue reading →

How to connect with our spiritual self?

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Our spiritual self is the core, our innermost part of our identity, which seeks meaning, purpose and a connection to something greater than the physical world.

What are the key dimensions of the spiritual self? Inner Essence, connectedness, and meaning—seeking comprise our key dimensions. Continue reading →

When is enough?

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According to our lifestyle, the answer is never.

Make a list.

  • I want a better phone.
  • I want a better laptop.
  • I want a better and bigger house.
  • I want another pair of shoes.
  • I want a new dress.

And the list goes on. What should we do? Continue reading →

082 – Discover the mind

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Both Swami Sivananda and Swami Satyanananda were clear that if you want peace of mind, balance and want to follow the spiritual path, you have to tame your mind. Swamiji said that if you have a quarrel with your partner or family, you may sleep in a separate room but your mind cannot be put in another room. It will sleep with you, it will play with your thoughts, give you dreams and wake you up the next morning not rested but more upset. So how does one quieten this mind. Swamiji has laid emphasis on the mind. Swami Sivananda has emphasised on developing positive qualities of the mind and eradicating the negative and restrictive qualities of the mind. Continue reading →

How can I resolve my aloneness?

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It is ironically a very big subject and many, many ideas are suggested. How does one describe aloneness? Aloneness is an inner feeling of being all alone in the universe, and feeling empty inside. Aloneness indicates that there is a lack of love inside and this love is one’s own love that is absent. Continue reading →

Mindfulness in the present

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Mindfulness is the kind of energy that allows one to recognize what is going on in the present moment. When one breathes mindfully, then one is aware of the in-breath and this is called mindfulness of breathing. When one drinks a cup of tea, one must drink one’s tea mindfully, enjoying the present moment of drinking the tea. This is called mindfulness of drinking. When one walks and is aware of each step one takes, that is mindfulness of walking. Continue reading →

Yoga and Self-actualizing

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A person is a person through other persons. None of us come into the world fully formed. We would not know how to speak, think, walk or behave as human beings unless we learnt it from other human beings—I am because other people are. – Desmond Tutu

Continue reading →