How does one become aware? It is a word used by all of us, constantly. But are we aware? How does one practice awareness? Here one concentrates on a symbol. What happens now is that one’s mind after a while starts becoming distracted and inattentive. One feels uncomfortable sitting. There is a mosquito buzzing near one’s ears. The mind behaves like a prancing monkey. Continue reading
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
Pain is very necessary.
School yourself in sorrow.
Develop yourself in agony.
Be on the anvil all the time
And let the iron blows
Forge your personality. – Swami Satyananda Saraswati
What is spiritual knowledge? Who seeks it? We seek it. Animals are not interested in it and that is why they are animals. There would be no difference between man and animals if one lived only to eat and procreate. We must rise from this level and the pursuit of Yoga is the way. We enter the earth as humans after 84 million births. Continue reading
Annapurna and Shiva
Annapurna Stut
O Girija—the daughter of the Himalaya Mountains, who is sitting on a semi-circular altar bedecked with pearls amidst Mandara (red hibiscus), Parijat (night jasmine) flowers, sandalwood and Kalpa—the wish fulfilling trees. Her eyes are half open. Her forehead is like a holy moon. I am hungry, please give me alms (wisdom, knowledge, and blessings).
O Girija—the daughter of the Himalaya Mountains, who is wearing a bracelet on her arms, necklace on her neck, waistband on her waist, ear-studs on her ears, whose upper cloth is furnished with bands of tiny jingle bells and ornaments. She has a golden ladle with rice-payasam in the hand. I am hungry, give me alms (blessings).
O Girija—the daughter of the Himalaya Mountains, you are one in whom the sound—representing the three worlds (Bhu, Bhuvah, Suvah) is present, she is the one who is having a crescent as an ornament on her tender body, she is the one who is ever-living in the extensive, spacious abode of Lord Shambhu. She is the only one who can remove the afflictions of sorrow, fear, and poverty. Crushed am I, please give me alms (of knowledge).
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
Amalaka berry is opaque when it is unripe and then turns translucent when it is ripe. It is one of the three key ingredients in Ayurvedic medicine. The meaning of Hastamalaka is goose berry in my hand. Amalaka means an amla-berry (sour fruit) and hasta is hand. Continue reading
Simple life is a veritable blessing, because it makes one free from cravings and desires, which cause suffering and pain.
Bhakti is a force that will influence our civilization, culture and relationships.
Empty yourself. Tune your radio. Unite your mind. The rest will take place when the proper time is due.
How do we look at the sun? When one wakes up in the morning, folding one’s hands with the eyes closed, facing the Sun is a powerful prayer. Next with eyes closed, rubbing the palms of the hands together and placing the warm palms on the eyes. It is a powerful practice. Everyone loves the sun and it is only in Hindu dharma, that the sun is described as the soul of the whole universe; sun is the source of for all living things. Continue reading
Mother Earth, hear your child. Be a bond between the Worlds of Earth and Spirit.
Let the winds echo the Knowledge of Grandfathers.
Who await, unseen, yet visible if I only turn my eyes to their World.
My dear ones, we are in a time frame which is heralding good tidings. Let us look back and see how our past year was spent. How would we like to change it? Have we been conscientious in our quest? What can we do? There are so many things which can be accomplished. We have to seek and the only then will we know the truth. The truth can be cruel but what is worse is when we become indifferent to each other. Our Antennae are out there, but they are only there for our friends. Continue reading
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
Excerpts from The Devi Gita.
The Goddess is addressed so by Himalaya.
O Goddess of the Gods, great ruler, ocean of compassion, Mother.
Her response: Continue reading
What are the three things that most people do not know? And they wish to know them? Tevijja and Trayi Vidya describe these three virtues. Tevijja comes from Buddhism and Trayi Vidya is from Hinduism.
Tevijja describes these qualities: Continue reading
Spinal passage rotation with kundalini visualization and Soham.
Be relaxed mentally and physically. Practice deep rhythmic breathing. Become aware of the spinal passage and take the ingoing breath from ajna chakra at the top of the spinal passage down to mooladhara chakra at the base. As the breath moves down the spinal passage, try to feel it piercing each chakra in turn, but do not try to name them or stop at any one. Continue reading