831 – Namaste International Women’s Day

#InspireInclusion

Live in the presence of the Divine Mother. Close your eyes and visualize nature. Nature with her diamond, dazzling stars, the milky way, the flowers, the birds, clouds, mountains, sky – the countless beauties of creation – is the Divine Mother. In nature you behold the divine aspect of God, which is the mother. It is full of human kindness, beauty, gentleness and kindness. The beauty in the world bespeaks the creative motherly instinct of God, and when we look upon all good in nature, we experience a feeling of tenderness within us – we can see and feel God as Mother in nature. – Swami Yogananda

Dear ones, all of us love nature and it does not matter whether we are females, males or trans. This love that we experience is maternal love and love which is unconditional. We all have it in us and it has nothing to do with what gender we are. And that is the miracle of God. Continue reading

823 – Blessings to Yoga

Like the rays of the moon the light of Yoga is expanding
All religions, beliefs and sects
Are receiving shelter
Under the kalpataru (wish fulfilling tree) of Yoga.
Towards the evolution of consciousness
Yoga has done unforgettable work.
Yoga will become tomorrow’s culture
And will show
A new way of life for mankind.
Dear ones, ask yourself this question. –

Swami Satyananda Saraswati. 1981.

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803 – 5 stages of love in Hindu philosophy

Love is the most important emotion, and we cannot survive without it. In Hindu philosophy, we have a description of it and also different kinds of love are connected to many stories. The five stages of love are Kama (Sexual desire), Shringar (Romance), Maitri (maternal love, compassion), Bhakti (Cultivate love for God), Atma Prema (Self-love). Continue reading

792 – For the Want of a Nail

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For the want of a horse the rider was lost.
For the want of a rider the battle was lost.
For the want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail. – Anonymous

“For the want of a nail,” is an ancient proverb. The meaning is that something of great importance may depend on an apparently trivial detail. What do we consider important and what do we consider trivial? Continue reading

790 – Do we understand the meaning of forgiveness?

So, watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying: ‘I repent, you must forgive them.’ – Matthew 5:23—24

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. – Colossians 3:13

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. – Bhagavad Gita 16.3

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782 – Goodbye Narcissism. Hallo Atmabhava.

Dear ones, I have written on this subject before and it means feeling the pain and distress of others. According to my Guru, the sum and substance of spiritual life and the best teaching of Vedanta is Atmabhava.

Do we empathize with others as if it is our own pain and distress? If we did, would we be having such acts of destruction and terrorism on our planet? We would not be attacking and destroying each other. Continue reading

771 – Love, hope and joy are the true gifts for Christmas

Do we recall the gift God gave us in Jesus? What comes in our minds when we think of Christmas? We worry about our gifts exchange. We think that if our gift is not right, it will be misunderstood. Have we forgotten that we are loved, are never alone and can hope for the future? Continue reading

749 – Is my ego me?

Ahamkara—ego is our identity as an individual. Ahamkara is described as being in a state without awareness. Being without awareness means we are without consciousness. It is how many of us live. We have no interest in anyone but ourselves. It is like having tunnel vision. We do not see left or right. I have observed this in many persons. Ahamkara means my form and it is your total self. Continue reading

664 – Speak with Love

So that it remains etched in Ether.

The ancient rishis in India believed that the divine aphorisms of the Vedas once uttered remained forever in the Aakash. Ether is the medium through which we can communicate with Gods using sound vibrations caused by the chanting of mantras and sacred syllables. Continue reading

620 – Yoga is within us

Swami Sivananda’s mission and vision was to make people aware of the divine life. He said that material stuff was only one end of the spectrum. In order to experience the evolution of our consciousness, we had to live a healthy life. A healthy life was a balanced body and mind. Continue reading

608 – The Hindu Code of Conduct

Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion. It is also known as Sanatana Dharma. It is a natural religion and its practices and philosophies are considered accessible to all.

All beings from the smallest organism to man, are considered manifestations of the divine. Hinduism views the universe as a family, or in Sanskrit, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Continue reading

556 – Negative 4 traits to positive 4 qualities

What are the negative four traits? They are the characteristics which we all have. They are ignorance, greed, anger and delusion. The positive four qualities are based on stability, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual, and the conversion happens through some simple yogic practices. Continue reading

555 – Numbers, colors and bonds

Asia has customs which are special to the countries and the persons, who dwell there.

India

Ashthang Namaskara (I bow to the divinity in you) indicates a prostration in salutation or adoration, that involves touching the ground with eight principal parts of a person, which include knees, hands, feet, chest, eyes, head, words and mind. By performing it, one pays respect to the Gods, gurus and elders. It is also done to pay respect to Surya, the sun god. It is also regarded as a fundamental step towards one’s spiritual growth. Continue reading