Dear ones, be thankful for what we are, what we have and what we can give. I came home after my surgery on Sunday, which was the beginning of Navratri. It is a joyous time as before that we had been observing Pitrapaksh. Seeking forgiveness for our ancestors. Before leaving the hospital, I was able to play my chants in my room. Continue reading
There are five sacrifices which we must offer daily and these are spoken about by all Gurus. There are five Gods also associated with the sacrifices.
Each one of these has an outer and external meaning. Continue reading
When an unbaked pot is broken, the potter can use the mud to make a new pot; but when a baked pot is broken, he cannot do the same any longer. So, when a person dies in a state of ignorance, he is born again; but when he becomes well baked in the fire of true knowledge and dies a perfect man, he is not born again. Continue reading
Transform yourself
Brahmari Sadhana is the practice of Brahmari pranayama, with the mantra Soham. In Sanskrit Brahmari is bee, and the pranayama is akin to a bee humming. It comes from the humming sound made while exhaling. Brahmari pranayama is the life-force that vibrates the whole brain by control of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is the master of all glands at the bottom of the brain that controls the entire nervous system. Continue reading
During the 9 days of worship of the Mother Goddess, the triumph of the divine feminine trinity of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi occurs. In the course of this festival of Mother worship, respect is shown to young girls, married women, young learned boys, elephants and cows. Navratri represents the internal conquest of negativity. Continue reading
Ratri Sukta, ‘Hymn to the Night’ is a poem in praise for the Goddess of the night, in Devimahatmyam. It is a Hindu text, consisting of 700 verses and describes the vanquishment of the Mother Goddess over the evil forces, which exist within us. Continue reading
Chaitra Navratri is a popular festival. It falls in the month of March or April. The first day of the Hindu Lunar calendar is known as Chaitra and therefore this time is known as Chaitra Navratri.
The Goddess Durga and her different incarnations are adored during this festival for eight days. The birthday of Rama falls on the ninth day and this day is known as Ram Navami. It celebrates Rama’s birth, the avatar of Vishnu. Rama was born to King Dasharatha and his wife, Queen Kaushalya. This festival is a part of Chaitra Navratri. Continue reading
A true story. A farmer saw a tiger in the forest. He watched the tiger and then went and pulled his tail. The tiger turned around and struck the man, who was mortally wounded. The victim was taken to the hospital where he died. It really happened in India. Now why would he pull the tiger’s tail. It is a case of where fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Continue reading
Osho spoke,
The third eye is where one puts the tilak, the vermilion mark on the forehead. It was devised as a symbol of that unknown world. This point is not in the same place for everyone. It is said that if someone has meditated for a long time in his/her past lives and has had a small experience of samadhi his/her third eye will be lower down. If no meditation has been done, the place on the forehead is higher up. It can be determined by the position of this point, what the state of one’s meditation was in one’s past life; it will indicate whether the state of samadhi ever happened to one in one’s past life. If it happened often then, this point will have come down lower, it will be at the same level as one’s eyes—it cannot go lower than that. If this point has come in line with one’s eyes, then one can enter samadhi. The happening is so small that it is insignificant.
Our prayers are gender neutral and yet we have so much conflict between couples. I have listed four prayers and they are recited as invocations and supplication. There is no discrimination in them.
Our prayer to the Cosmic Mother, Durga is a prayer which can be said by all. Durga is known as Devi or Shakti. Devi means woman, and Shakti means power. Durga in Sanskrit means a fort. Ma Durga protects us all. Continue reading
Today I saw a two-thousand-year-old tree. It was one of the most beautiful sights and stood like a Guardian, gentle and protective of all who came to admire and respect it. It was in Mexico, in the town of El Tule. This tree is called El Arbor del Tule. It is considered the fattest tree in the world; its trunk is fourteen meters in diameter. It is a Montezuma Cypress and has the world’s widest trunk. People come and pay homage to it. Its threat is local urban growth and excessive irrigation. Continue reading
What is worship? Puja begins with external things. One gathers flowers, makes sandal paste, prepares prasad (offering of food to the Goddess) and collects the necessary items for the external puja. However while one is performing this activity, one is conscious that one is attempting to please the mother. All these external activities take one’s mind inwards and focus on the deity. Continue reading
What is real worship? Reverence and adoration for a deity.
According to the Bible, worship is the giving of our entire self, our thoughts and our emotions to God’s use. All of life is an act of submission, an act of worship. Continue reading
Devi Stuti
Ya Devi sarva bhuteshu shanti rupena sangsthita
Ya Devi sarva bhuteshu, Shakti rupena sangsthita,
Ya Devi sarva bhuteshu, matri rupena sangsthita,
Ya Devi sarva bhuteshu, buddhi rupena sangsthita,
Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasyai namo namaha. Continue reading
Tripura Sundari is also known as Sodasi, Lalita, Sri Vidya and Rajarajeshwari. Her worship centers on the worship, meditation, mantra and Sri Yantra. Tripura Sundari is identified with three channels of Kundalini Yoga. She is the cosmic queen. Continue reading