The man dwelling on sense objects develops attachment for them; from attachment springs up desire, and from desire (unfulfilled) ensues anger… From anger arises delusion; from delusion, confusion of memory; from confusion of memory loss of reason; and from loss of reason, one goes to complete ruin. – Gita 2.62 –63
We must connect with our hearts.
Why do people fight among themselves? The heart must change. Greed and selfishness must perish. Then alone will there be peace in the world. The innermost Atman concealed in the chambers of your heart is an embodiment of peace. It is a quality of the soul. It fills the pure heart. It runs away from egotistical people. Attain the peace through meditation on the ever-peaceful Atman. – Swami Sivananda
Bhogi, Yogi, Sannyasi, Jnani.
Have you heard this, dear ones? The six-legged bee is an individual who develops the six virtues which enable one to attain liberation. The six-legged bee is mentioned in the meditation verse before one study the Gita. It is referred to a noble seeker, who is equipped with six spiritual values. Continue reading
How do I stay in my home? How can I be at peace in my home? Do I define my home as being materially comfortable or is my home my internal spiritual abode? Where is my home? Continue reading
The Gita describes love as being the essence of one’s being. When one attains liberation, one realizes one’s true nature as love itself.
But if each day,
Each hour you feel
That you are destined for me
With implacable sweetness
If each day a
Flower climbs up to
Your lips to seek me.
The message of the Gita is acceptance. Whatever happens, is happening for the good and this encourages acceptance and trust in life’s flow. The Gita also emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment. It says the past is behind, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepare for it. Continue reading
The Gita’s understanding of war includes a call to action for virtuous warriors, but also a prescription for the conduct that warriors should exhibit in battle. Call to action is to urge virtuous warriors to fight against vicious opponents.
Conduct in battle as prescribed by the Gita: A balance disposition towards pleasure and pain, gain and loss and victory and defeat. Warriors should be free of passion and hatred and instead exhibit restraint. Continue reading
The birth of Krishna occurred to restore cosmic order in the universe. Janmashtami means celebrating the birth (janma) of Krishna on the eight (Ashtami) day of the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada (August – September) Janmashtami represents the triumph of good over evil and the restoration of Dharma. The evil king Kansa and his allies were defeated. Krishna is seen as symbol of love, righteousness and divinity. Continue reading
Does this thought come to you often? It does to me. When I am hurt or upset by someone or something, I respond and not try to react.
Dear ones, Epictetus wrote,
If anyone tells you that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make excuses about what is said of you but answer, ‘He was ignorant of my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these alone.’
The Gita explains that when we laugh, we must laugh with others and not at others. Best to uplift others, while laughing with them. We are all souls who can find lasting love and joy at the spiritual level of reality. Seeing everyone as sentient beings, they understand that everyone shares the same essential joys and sorrows. Continue reading
Love and Friendship
Love is like the wild rose briar,
Friendship like the holly–tree
The holly tree is dark, when the rose–briar blooms
But which will bloom most constantly?
The wild–rose briar is sweet in spring,
Its summer blossoms scent the air;
Yet wait till the winter comes again
And who will call the wild–briar fair?
Then scorn the silly rose–wreath now
And deck thee with holly’s sheen,
That when December
Blights thy brow
He may still leave the garland green.
By Emily Bronte. Continue reading
Hope is the thing with feathers
By Emily Dickenson (1861)
Hope is the thing with feathers–
That perches in the soul–
And sings the tune without the words–
And never stops-at-all–
And sweetest –in the Gale—is heard–
And sore must be the storm–
That could abash the little Bird.
That kept so many warm–
I’ve heard it in the chilliest land–
And on the strangest Sea–
Yet—never—in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of me.
According to the Bhagavad Gita.
Karma and Yoga are brothers. When they unite, they form a very powerful relationship. Through this relationship it is possible to lead a spiritual life for an ordinary individual. None of us can avoid the actions of our karma. It is not the objective of Yoga to send us on a road, where one neglects one’s karma in the form of our daily responsibilities and duties. Continue reading