Swami Sivananda and Swami Satyananda extolled the worship of the divine and perceiving the divine in all creatures. Swami Sivananda would see God in every one who was suffering, and it was his Aradhana which enabled him to help all these persons. Continue reading
It has been in my mind the subject of me. I am observing that whatever I read is always about the subject’s feelings and emotions. Mother’s day has just come and gone. Our memories about our mums are related to how wonderful and kind she was. How much she did for us. How many of us have thought of all the difficulties, our mothers and fathers went through? Continue reading
Our spiritual life starts once we experience atmabhava, the experience of oneself in all. It means that we have the same attitude towards others’ interests as we do towards our own. We cannot progress if we do not have a shred of atmabhava. Continue reading
What is the meaning of compassion? Compassion in the classical teachings of the Buddhist tradition is described as “the heart that trembles in the face of suffering”. What is atmabhava, means feeling for others like you do for yourself. Continue reading
In these harsh and disturbed times, we can contribute by self-purification. Cleansing of our thoughts will lead to removal of negativity. I have taken the liberty of combining the teachings of the Veda with the teachings from the Bible. It is only possible for us to end the conflict by practicing detachment, and empathy. Atma Bhava love for our brethren will lead to a resolution. Good Friday is for us to seek forgiveness, not only for ourselves but for saving mother earth. Continue reading
According to the Vedas, when a soul takes birth, it descends through the heavens and the atmosphere before reaching earth. It takes on heavier sheaths of material density. It can only take birth in the physical plane at a time karmically in accord with its nature and destiny. The birth chart represents the seed pattern of its life; how it develops depends upon the environment as well. Continue reading
We all have to join together and rid the universe of evil and destruction. In the Shastras it is written that the easiest way to experience God in these troubled and turbulent times is by worship. We need not go into a complicated philosophical discussion. All we have to do is to bow our heads before the deity, who is greater than any other power of the world. Aradhana (prayer) starts from this act and progresses gradually towards bliss and love. Begin with the deity, one loves and adores (it can be the elements, chakras, and yantras), and one rises progressively above the form and merges into the supreme atman. Continue reading
Swami Sivananda’s favourite quote to his disciples was “Love, serve and give.” They in turn said it to their disciples and all of us also repeat it to our students. What does it mean? Continue reading
When Lord Krishna was a baby, he loved butter. He could not stay away from the lovely white butter churned daily from the cows’ milk. Butter was made every day in the homes of the milk maids. And after finishing their tasks, they would go on to do their other chores. When they returned from the cowsheds, they found their butter pots empty. It was a shock for them as butter was used for making ghee and cooking. Continue reading
Two friends were walking on a pilgrimage. The path was full of thorns and it was very rocky. They were wearing cloth shoes. They had to tread carefully as there were roots, and wet leaves everywhere. It was slippery and the trail was very narrow. Suddenly one of the friends let out a yell of pain. A thorn had gotten into his foot through the thin sole of his slippers. The other friend said that it did not matter as it was only a thorn. The friend asked him to stop and take the thorn out. Continue reading
There are five yagnas and they all represent our gratitude towards the Gods and creatures of the cosmos. Bhuta, Manushya, Pitr, Deva and Brahma Yagna. Continue reading
I have shared my understanding about the elements and chakras and how they affect our spiritual growth. We address our five senses, auditory, tactile, visual, gustatory and olfactory through the process of pratyahara. Our senses are constantly functioning, and our thinking is influenced by them. Continue reading
Why are we criticizing the young all the time? One of the major factors is that Covid has made us judgemental and irrational. Whenever I meet people, their favorite subject is that the youth are behaving so irresponsibly and carelessly. Our main concern is that they may infect us. We forget our own youth. Continue reading
Swami Sivananda loved all creatures unconditionally. One day a very wealthy visitor came to the ashram. The devotee had spent a couple of days in the ashram, where he had been bitten black and blue by mosquitoes. There was no mosquito net, the toilet was far away. It was also hot and there were no fans. Continue reading