Tag Archives: Swami Vivekananda

Compassion

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Two hands from different people. Holding each other.

Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness we can be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity. – Pema Chodron (Buddhist Nun).

How can we learn compassion? We cannot. Why, because unless we suffer together, we cannot understand the meaning. Compassion is defined as the feeling that arises when one is confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering. Continue reading →

882 – Change is the law of the universe

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Whatever is happening is also for good.
Whatever will happen, shall also be good.
What have you lost that you cry for?
What did you bring that you have lost?
What did you create that was destroyed?
What you have taken, has been from here.
What you gave has been given here.
What belongs to you today,
Belonged to someone yesterday.
And will be someone else’s tomorrow. – Bhagavad Gita

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580 – Ether and the power of speech

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The Latin root of Ether is aether, which means, “the upper, pure, bright air.” Ether was described as a substance that was said to fill all space and make up all bodies. Ether is the fifth and highest element after air, fire, water and earth. It is believed to be the substance composing all heavenly bodies. Continue reading →

572 – Samskaras

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The word samskara comes from the Sanskrit sam (complete or joined together) and kara (action, cause or doing). Samskaras are embedded in the Chitta, known as the subconscious mind. There it continues to be a subliminal action and become a samskara. Samskaras are the subtle impressions of our past actions. Actions which we perform with full awareness are the ones that make the greatest impressions on our mind. Continue reading →

531 – Tigers and us

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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 →

520 – Everyone is Divine

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The more I live, the more I become convinced everyday that every human being is divine. In no man or woman however vile, does that divinity die… You must know what you are, what your real nature is. You must become conscious of that infinite nature within. Then your divine bondage will burst. – Swami Vivekananda

The main idea in Tantra is having faith in oneself, which according to Tantra is equivalent to having faith in God because neither Tantra nor Vedanta views God as something different from the person. Therefore, if we leave aside the idea of God sitting somewhere up in heaven while we are down here faith in God simply means having faith in ourselves, in what we do and express and achieve to the best of our ability—slowly and slowly developing the creative aspect of our personality. – Swami Satyananda Saraswati

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514 – Food

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Taittiriya Upanishad: All bodies are composed of food. Food is the most important of all things; therefore, it is the best medicine for all the body ailments. Those who look upon food as the lord’s gift, shall never lack life’s physical comforts. The physical sheath is made up of food, within it is contained the vital sheath, which has the same form, with prana as head, space as heart and earth as a foundation. Continue reading →

447 – Our potential and skill-set

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What is power and its role? Would we say that a new born baby is powerless? Is that true? A baby when it cries its needs are attended to immediately. It is like a tyrant. Its face becomes red and one is frantic to meet its demands. Parents are awake and can only sleep when the infant is asleep. Actually, one never thinks of an infant as being powerful but in this case, this little mite is the one who has the potential power. Continue reading →

427 – Freedom

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Behold the dark clouds melt away,
That gathered thick at night and hung
So, like a gloomy pall above the earth!
Before thy magic touch, the world
Awakes. The birds in chorus sing.
The flowers raise their star-like crowns-
Dew set and wave thee welcome fair.
The lakes are opening wide in love
Their hundred thousand lotus eyes
To welcome thee, with all their depth.
All hail to thee, thou Lord of Light!
A welcome new to thee today.
O sun! today thou sheddest
LIBERTY! Continue reading →

424 – Attainment of serenity and equilibrium

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“When serenity and equilibrium prevail,
Not only ideas but dreams come true
And sleep is converted into samadhi.
Generally, the mind is dull and dissipated,
Sometimes it goes in for higher things
But then returns to its lower field.” – Swami Satyananda Saraswati.1960.

How do we become serene? Continue reading →

421 – Freedom from Vrittis

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“We can live freely within the essence of nature
Or stay in the confines of individual consciousness.
Our mind is modified by right and wrong knowledge,
Fancy, sleep, and memory.
Neither right nor wrong knowledge brings wisdom.
Fancy is not based on reality.
Sleep fails to release awareness.
Memory clings, giving no freedom.
Some of these things are painful,
Some are not painful
But burn them all together and find peace.” Swami Satyananda Saraswati

How can we control the mind?

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