What is our understanding of Prana

Swami Niranjananda gives the best explanation. My experience is that every time I read the writings of the Masters, I find that I learn something new or my understanding gains more clarity. My Guru, Swami Satyananda said to me, ‘Be curious, inquisitive and have an open mind.’ I have followed his wise advice and along the path have been finding more and more precious insights, which I can share with you, dear ones. Continue reading

How to handle hurts and insults?

What happens when one is hurt by a person, whom one cares for? This applies to parents, siblings, relatives and friends. It is extremely hard to dissemble and accept the rudeness or insults. It does not change and even as one grows older and older as in my case and the case of my companions, it remains. Continue reading

999 – Guru Bhakti Stotram

What is a Guru Stuti?
A prayer or Stotram which praises a teacher or Guru as a God and salutes their virtues. “Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu Guru Devo Maheshwara,” is an example.

What is a Guru Paduka Stotram?
A devotional chant which describes the Guru’s sandals as a boat which takes disciples across the ocean of worldly existence to the shores of spiritual wisdom.

What is Akhanda Mandalakaram?
A Guru Stotram which says, “I salute the preceptor who is Himself the Divine Trinity—Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara—and who is the supreme Godhead.”

What is a Guru Stotram?
A Stotram which says, “The Guru is the beginning of the Universe, yet he himself is without a beginning, the Guru is the highest deity, and there is none higher than the Guru.” Continue reading

925 – World Yoga Day

Yoga will emerge as a mighty culture and change the course of world events.

My only request for aspirants is; be constantly aware of the spiritual self beyond the body and mind.

Transform every act of yours into an act of Yoga.

Pain is a cross on which nature hangs a man whenever She wishes to make him a sublime superman.

by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. 1963 Continue reading

886 – Bhagawan and Prarthana

Bhagawan is God and prarthana is prayers.

The Lord is Bhagawan (God) and is described as one who knows the cause of creation and destruction, the reason for the birth and departure of Jiva, the period Jiva has to remain on the earth due to his Karma. Bhagawan is not a Guru and this is explained in the Sanskrit literature. Vishnu Purana defines Bhagawan as he who understands the creation and dissolution, the appearance and disappearance of beings, the wisdom and ignorance. Continue reading

858 – Guru Stotram

A true teacher is compared to God, by his students. The word guru means remover of darkness. Homage is paid to God, the Guru of Guru. Guru mantras originate from various sources.

Guru Stotram from the Vishamsara Tantram (of which only portions survive today) the Guru Gita that is part of the Skanda Purana. The Guru Stotram is also ascribed to Adi Shankaracharya. Continue reading

845 – Pursuit of wisdom

How do we perceive wisdom?

The Greek word for wisdom is Sophia and it refers to the intimate understanding of God’s word and his commandments which result in holy and upright living. Spiritual wisdom is being fully present in the moment and being aware of one’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. Wisdom is the ability or result of an ability to think and act utilizing knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. Continue reading

829 – What is the nature of spiritual initiation?

One wishes to attract the attention of an entity one can see but one does not know his name. One uses a word or a sound to attract his attention. He comes over and says that his name is so and so and was one seeking him. Similarly, God himself in the role of the Guru discloses himself to the pilgrim wandering in search of a guide. In the ultimate analysis the pilgrim is one with the name and with the Guru. How can it be otherwise? He alone can impart the gift of his name and none but he himself can sustain the knowledge of his name. As explained by Sri Anandamayi Ma. Continue reading

812 – My heart, my heart, my heart

I read a very interesting story the other day. A man came to a Guru and asked how he could connect to the Divinity. The Guru said, ‘Write a letter to the Divinity with your address.’ The man wrote his address and handed it to the Guru. It was his residential address. The Guru looked at it and said it was incorrect and he repeated address, it has to be the right one. Continue reading