Vandana is worship through prayer and prostration. This form of Upasana includes: humble prostration, touching the earth with the eight limbs of the body (Ashthang Namaskara), bowing down with faith and reverence before a form of God, bowing to beings as forms of the one God and getting absorbed in the divine love of the lord. Continue reading
If I have harmed anyone in any way either knowingly or unknowingly through my own confusions I ask their forgiveness.
If anyone has harmed me in any way either knowingly or unknowingly through their own confusion I forgive them.
And if there is a situation, I am not yet ready to forgive, I forgive myself for that. For all the ways that I harm myself, negate doubt, belittle myself, judge or be unkind to myself through my own connections.
I forgive myself.
Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving are the three pillars of Lent and it is a time for reflection, repentance and reconciliation.
Let us examine each of these words. Continue reading
The Rudram Chamakam is a prayer for blessings, where the devotee asks for a series of material and spiritual boons. Continue reading
Saint Augustine is one of the most important figures in Western Christianity. His philosophy was that it is all about the will and providence of God; and believers are to devote themselves to studying, discerning, praising, and submitting to the eternal design of God. He was never ashamed to admit his failures and spiritual doubts. Continue reading
I WHISPER.
O Great Spirit! Oh, my Lord!
Your voice I hear in the winds,
And Your breath gives life to all the world!
Hear me—I am small and weak,
I need Your strength
And your wisdom… always. – Swami Chinmayananda.
Rumi’s verses are easy to read but we need the blessings to apply them in our lives.
Pray in this wise and allay your difficulties. Continue reading
Failure is a strong word. Understanding the meaning and applying it to one’s life enables one to connect with one’s core and inner divinity. This is the reason why so many philosophers and Gurus have written and explained this word with gravity and in detail. Continue reading
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 function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays. – Soren Kierkegaard
Prayer is heart talk. It becomes effective when it is isolated from the mind, when it is purely a heart feeling, when the external doors are closed, then only one door opens—the internal door. When all of the mind is closed, only the door of the heart opens. When the crookedness of the mind is has been stilled, when the agitations of the mind have become peaceful, when the deviousness and dubiousness of the mind has been transformed, then the heart becomes active. Prayer is only directed to God. – Swami Niranjanananda
I bow to the Sun.
Surya atma jagasthushsch yadaditya gatam tejo jagadbhasayate akhilam.
The Sun is the soul of a whole universe; Sun is the source of life for all living beings.
We have just celebrated a three-day festival called Chhaat, praying to Surya Devata, at sunrise and sunset. The concept is beautiful as one bathes in running water at dawn and dusk. Fasting is observed for three days, and one is purified. Continue reading
In this great prayer to the God points out how each one of these is impossible or unjustified while bringing out those great qualities of God.
Adi Shankara Bhagwat Pada.
Translated by PR Ramchandar. Continue reading
Chanted at dawn and dusk.
Karcharana Krtam Va Mantra is known as the Shiva Forgiveness Mantra and Shiva Meditation Mantra. It is also a prayer.
Karacharana Kritam Vaa Kaya Jam Karmajam Vaa
Shravannayanjam Vaa Maansam Vaa Paradham
Vihitam Vihitam Vaa Sarv Metat Kshamasva
Jay Jay Karunaabdhe Shri Mahadev Shambho
Mothers are a special category of human beings. They are filled with unconditional love and they are forgiving. One does not have to be a mother to have Matri bhava (maternal love). One can have love for people and other God’s creatures, which is also considered Matri bhava. Matri Devo Bhava means one for whom Mother is God. Continue reading