What great people say, every letter is important!

Reality shines forth – this is not an allegory

What has happened is that – Many of the traditional shlokas – they have been repeated Orally

What happens is that – some not very bright scholars often mis hear or mis speak and eventually minor errors occur. However the so called minor errors could be significant to a Yogi

So what do the yogi do ? For example for the Gita ?

Simple. They call krishna and ask hon you repeat the shloka with meaning.

Fools look at blog pages or ask so called saints. And the egotistic fake saints will mislead

But first be so pure that Krishna comes to you

Oh maybe this is just fantasy !

We’ll surely God is not dead. It is we who are dead

Do you want to wake up ?

In my blogs , somewhere I have written things about certain Physical manifestations that your shakti is awakened and your connection with God was not imaginary but a certitude

It has more details about different naadi the connecting link between the physical universe and pure consciousness

Imaginary progress or self congratulations will not take you to God

If your certain that God is your goal, be sure you are on the right path. It is not worth wasting time with wrong methods

So a Guru will show the way !

Actually not know that – he does a lot more.

1. He takes the burden of your sins and endures it
2. He guides you during rough tires
3. He warns you out rough times
4. The road is within. Each chakra is very complex. And people get trapped in them. They believe the slight discovery in a lower chakra is the highest. When in fact it is a minor representation of the divine love.
5. He instills faith.
6. He can give you the highest in a trice. So you know what you need to work on

The list is quite long. In fact the list is endless. There are Gurus of such high categories that even enlightened people cannot recognize. From time to time they appear to teach one or two people and they disappear

Neem karoli Baba Paid tribute to them. He said , “ my heart flows with love. Otherwise I would have been a very great yogi “. Hinting that there are higher states

Paramahansa Yogananda

“To know God, you must experience Him within your own consciousness. The best way to attain this realization is to practice the scientific methods discovered and used with proven success by the ancient rishis and yogis of India.”

Our mind is unruly. Not trained to go within. That is to be learnt. Then reaching God is matter of fraction of a second!

This is true spiritually. You may read. Hear. But you really don’t understand. You can only understand in the context of your past understanding and experience. Also you will limit your ability to soar by saying this is Mott possible

I know certain things my Guru told me – 30 years later I say to myself , oh now I understood what he meant

I t could be something as simple as – “ I got a few photographs taken “

According to Ramana maharshi

I think it is a little earlier. At the time of conception. True horoscope is at that time. But that is rarely known.

However Yogi have other secret ways of destiny and changing it. Yes besides what I wrote earlier today

It is easy and impossible. Engineers can change the course of a river. We can go to the moon

Well they follow a precise mathematical formula, work hard, overcome challenges and vola it is done

Our river of karma always goes in a followed course. What is the precise material formula to change it?

1. Surrender to an enlightened saint and your Guru. Even now, there are great saints who can help thinking of them with love instantly helps us.
2. Visiting sacred places. India abound of those sacred places. Sacred not because of public opinion. Sacred because perfected Guru and saints were there. Or they took samadhi. When they take samadhi, they are still there – able to help and guide. There is no other higher place than that. Such places are living places and fortunate are those who are invited there
3. Temples where God appeared There are 12 Jyotirling and 51 siddha Peetha where shakti is living
4. Temples established by true Guru or saints.
5. By doing mantra and austerities
6. By heeding to saintly advice
7. Certain gems can help ( more on that later)
8. Charity work to those who are worthy
9. Being Around divine personages

What do you think this picture shows?

Try again
And again

Well it is the picture is the sun

Ancient Hindu prayed to Gayatri. Some consider gayatri puja as sun Puja

A yogi consideres It different

Without the sun, life would not exist on earth. Well, that’s what they believed and it’s probably true.

Everything on earth gets energy from the sun. Plant, human ( vitamin d) , animals, etc

Should we worship the sun? If so how?

Detachment doesn’t mean you should own nothing. It means that nothing should own you.

But this is flawed. My answer was

Detachment is an illusion.
Those who are awake – never have the sense of ownership – all belongs to God and it never was yours
So they have no thought of giving up / detachment .

Like the last few words in the Arti

“ Tera tujko arpan kya lage Mera”

It something exists you can give it up. If something exists and you own it you can give it up

The validity of existence of the material world itself is in question – quantum physics

Let’s say it does exist. But do we own it? Or is it just merely something in transition from store to our hands to the garbage?

For those who believe in God they Advise is to look at all things as a gift from God , we are caretakers for a while but ultimately goes back to God

So take your stand. You can try to remain detached. But it will come with grief. Why? Because you have the sense of ownership.

Pure consciousness finds anything material a burden. It would rather be alone, majestic, in self, destroying everything and anything from being created. Once you create something you have 2 additional things to do – maintain it and then dispose them properly

So the highest God creates nothing. He is Shiv. Much higher than Brahma, Vishnu or mahesh

This is just the first step to mediation

They fall under Yama and Niyama

The next few steps are then asana, pratyahar, pranayama, dharana , dhayana, savikalpa samadhi, nirvikalpa samadhi

A long way indeed to liberation

How long does it take?

A fraction of a second to eons

Your choice!

Here is a quick picture

We are in the Orion Cygnus arm) (orange arm with a yellow star )

And this is just one Galaxy – Milky Way.

There are countless. And each has countless stars

Huge

Almost all of the perfected Yogi have described other planets and life on other planets.

They do not elaborate on it much

Some of the aliens are very strange

In my fathers house there are many mansions

Not so easy to escape from this universe. We always come back. One planet or another.

Some people in some planets are extremely hostile.

So how strong is ego?

Very strong.

Almost Everyone I have met – have such a strong ego that they cannot grasp the highest

The worst ego is in spirituality. All based on reading books and extreme meager experiences. It is so bad that if Jesus walked on earth the scholars would teach Jesus the meaning. Or the Indian saints would preach and interpret the Gita to Krishna.

So the best option is for the wise to remain silent. It is useless! The heavily defended ego will obstruct any progress. The ego would rather sacrifice lives and cause incredibly anguish rather than make progress

That is a failure

Neem karoli Baba said – “The guru must know everything about you.”Maharajji

And here in this day and age , people claim to be a guru but know nothing about themselves. How can they help the suffering of others when they don’t know the past errors?

My challenge to you – Be sufficiently and truly interested in God that a Guru is forced to come and be with you!

A true Guru hides. Why bother with swines interested in dirt?

Here dirt is indulgence of bodily pleasures. ( sex , food, wine, money, fame etc )

Don’t blame the Guru for not being there. Work harder to attract their attention. Once you have their attention – they will never leave you. NEVER.

This may offend some

Osho – talked about getting rid of desires by repeatedly indulging in your desires. If you like sex keep having it till you desire it no more
Or same with food

This is what Ramana Maharshi said

So you have your choice- pick a side and stick to it

Some people may not get their wishes fulfilled. And maybe it is Gods gift in disguise. He may not have wanted you to get ensnared in them

I follow of the philosophy of Ramana maharshi. To overcome some things- it is mediation that helps not indulgence

OSHO became very popular in many places in the world. Why not? He preaches repeated sensual satisfaction. Problem is a c few days later it comes back twice as strong – from memories

So I can’t say I have a wish.
But more like a prayer

Let God help you realize your divinity
Caught in this web oh what a struggle !
I wish that struggle ( maya or Satan ) on no one

The grief that I have
Is watching everyone struggle
Caught in the web – no way out
Once caught- the struggle is endless
The struggle is to escape
The struggle is to find someone true to help you escape
Caught in your ego – blind your are
you can’t see the true help
and you struggle more
I wish that struggle on no one

So what is the penalty when you make a liberated soul suffer
They will endure but the penalty you will bear
The penalty is endless suffering caught in the web
So if there is a curse – the worst of them all
Suffer for eons caught in the web.
Countless saints have suffered a lot
At the hands of the ignorant lot
God curses them
But the guru and saint – loves them a lot
Relieves them of the tragic loss ( loss of divinity)

Recently the world received very sad news. Tragic. Truly.
Kobe Bryant, his daughter and 11 others died in a helicopter passed away in a crash

Time magazine describes the tribute Grammy gave to him

https://www.google.com/amp/s/time.com/5772047/grammys-kobe-bryant/%3famp=true

No doubt he was very talented. Very accomplished in this life. A huge empire of business !

Now please tell me the names of the others who passed away. Since they were not as accomplished, does it mean it probably did not hurt their family? Or does it mean that if they did smaller charity work, it was totally ignored by God? Or that they could not play basketball well, God said your life was a waste?

Media and people in general are idol worshippers. Even though the Bible says not to idol worship

This is my tribute to all those who died while serving their nation ( if the nation was on a noble path), all those who sacrificed their life to help others, those Who bravely faught the struggles of life ( pain, anxiety, cancer, heart disease, stroke, infections) and everyone who were forgotten ( because they had no loved ones or were not in the news) etc

Fortunately, there is someone who is smarter than the media or general public ! He is impressed by the smallest token, could be a petal of a rose, someone who Is impressed by our incessant efforts to reach him, someone who can’t be bribed, someone who is impressed not by your bank balance but by the way you gave away your riches to help others, someone who is not impressed by the knowledge you have but the heart of love for God or others in need

That person is God. No action goes unnoticed. At some point he will be forced to answer. Once he does, he just won’t shut up ! ;)

Everything lives. Everything dies

Yes even our solar system will die. And the sun

Here is what will happen when a distant star will die

When Betelgeuse goes supernova, it will the third brightest object in the sky, after the Sun and the full Moon. Some estimates say it’ll be even brighter than the Moon.
That brightness will last months, and it’ll cast shadows on Earth even at night. Betelgeuse will light up the sky like no other supernovae, and will last for months, visible in daytime, and casting shadows at night. Then in about three years, it will fade to its current brightness.
Then in about six years after it goes supernova, Betelgeuse won’t even be visible in the night sky. Orion the Hunter will be no more.

So this brings us to a critical question. Ifthere is a God what was significance of such a cycle for stars and planets – why do they live and die?

Hinduism looked into this in great detail. They explored the life span of all aspects of the universe and …… the final number became so large , larger than Rayo number ( the largest number known to man is Rayo number much larger than Graham number or googol )….. that at that point it became infinity or God

So what did Hinduism say about this? There was a very nice conversation between Vasistha maharaj and Brahma about this. I would refer the reader to Yoga Vasistha Maharamayan about it

Yogananda said

There is an important ingredient to kriya yoga – awakening Of the shakti. This key ingredient is not talked about.

I have enclosed a page from Devatma shakti

The book is a a wonderful book and would recommend people read it. Many pages of awakening of shakti are there.
The whole process is long but quite delightful to go through

I have enclosed the link for the book

Human ego prevents a disciple from realizing that your following the mechanical process of kriya but the inner awakening – the full force of Awakening is not there It appears but slowly in 3 steps

This entire process can be fast if there is humility, genuine interest in progress and isolation from all for years

Why is isolation needed? It is crucial. The mind is weak and often gets influenced by others. Maya is quick to cast seeds of doubt and many find it difficult to uproot them

However you are only ready for total isolation if your on the right path, able to Live eating less that 1/2 meal a day, have no need for sensual pleasure, always happy without a shred of depression, drink divine nectar daily, and you repeatedly forget you have a body

One of the highest Hindu path is tantra. There are two paths in in tantra
Vamachar and samayachar ( dakshinachar )

One path is the negative path which involves going to smashan, hideous tactics and improper use of mantra. This path gave tantra a negative name

The other positive path is the swiftest way to freedom. The details of which are not know to a perfected yogi. Abhinav Gupta a master in the positive side has described this shaivism aspect in great detail. Laxman Jhoo has done a marvelous job in preserving the books and has translated them into English. Vijay Singh has also done a good job in presenting it. H N Chakravarty did a good job in translating some of his work. Another very good book is the sacred heart of Shiv translated by Muller-Ortega has been interesting. He went to many Vedic roots and translated as best as he could

However their interpretation in the books has been lacking accuracy. This is no surprise since the path is well hidden and not meant for public information. God has intentionally thwarted any attempt to bring them to a proper alignment. Only those who can go to “Kutastha” are eventually premitted to know the truth. There are maybe 2-3 people like that in this world. They remain fully hidden within the public eye

These tradition goes back More than 5000 years. Buddhism uses tantra a lot. They believe in Tara Devi and have a variety of deities. Hindus have perfected this art. During the course if time multiple such deities were created.

The following article grieves me

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tantra-exhibition-will-be-about-more-than-sex-says-british-museum-38888546.html

It grieves me for several reasons

1. The objects belong to india. They ruled over India and took the objects
2. They only gave the negative side. Fully ignorant of the positive side
3. If it is just a museum piece then no problem. In case the murti had prana pratistha, then it is not wise to leave such a murti in a museum instead of temple

There are multiple tantra. Each one is proficient and complete in itself. Many are lost. But they can be brought back by an enlightened person

Now this is a fail safe way. Guaranteed !

Become famous. Like a Hollywood Star or singer
And all of sudden many reporters news media will look for you. Or fans. They will worship you and ask many intelligent questions about world problems.
And the best thing is since your famous you suddenly know all the answers and with confidence educate the world.
Isn’t that sweet?

Ok. Sorry that was slightly sarcastic. Let me give you a second situation

Become a senator or President or something like that. And now you have all the answers. Seriously ! No kidding!

Ask any of the incumbent candidates. And our esteemed reporters ask them how are they going to solve the health care crisis or deliver a 1000 year works peace solution. Without hesitation they can give us the solution
Amazing isn’t it. Often times these people can’t manage their personal life together but they sure know how to solve world issues

So who is more stupid ? The reporters asking the question or the person pretending he has a solution.

This is the problem. Something about fame – people think they are famous because of their talent. But in reality it is nothing more than results of past karma

There are many who are far smarter. But they don’t get any credit or recognition.

Now those who are really genuine in the spiritual world keep it completely hidden. After all why would they declare themself to a world full of disingenuous people?

However it is a problem if they don’t reveal a little. Because a genuinely interested person must get guidance.

Gangadhar tirthji Maharaj – Waited Till he was 90 years old to find one worthy disciple !

They won’t compromise on the highest values required in the disciple.

So in this particular season there was an episode called “ sacred ground”

In this episode Captain Janeway is tested. She is a scientist and does not believe In anything spiritual. It’s all Mumbo jumbo. She is forced to go through spiritual indoctrination to save a crew mate.

Interesting episode. Captain Janeway went through a lot. A lot of spiritual tests. More than once. And what were the tests – whatever she had anticipated in her own mind! When she thought she would get hurt. She did. When she thought it was a test for patience that’s what she got.

Now is this what happens in our life? In our spiritual endeavors? In the final step it is. That’s when we wake up. The devil was our own mind. The challenges were situations what deep down our mind says it should Be.

Of course there are other challenges which come karma. That can’t be changed

You always were the divine soul. You just chose to identify as body. You may hear this and say you’re the divine. But we can’t get past the bodily senses of desires.

Again You is not you. Just General challenges for all.

Yogananda said

JANUARY 24 – SRF DIARY – INTROSPECTION

Many people excuse their own faults but judge

others harshly. We should reverse this attitude

by excusing others’ shortcomings and by harshly

examining our own. —Paramahansa Yogananda,

“The Law of Success”

But don’t judge your short coming in public. That brings ego. A false sense of ego of being humble and wonderful

Do it silently in the sanctuary of your mediation and firmly deny the faults. Remind yourself that you are the soul which is part of God and with his grace you will learn to be gentle humble kind and loving to all.

People read my blogs
They meditate
They use the rosary
They dance to Gods name
They clap with Gods name
They say Amen at end of prayer
They go to temple
They find a “guru” one of no with and walk out in pride

Then they self congratulate “ oh I am so pure, or I am so smart or I am so nice and wonderful “

Fools – says the wise ! How did that help you? You have much more To do. You are still slave to your senses. You still want to taste good food. You satisfy your belly and not want sex. You get sex and more want a Beautiful aroma. Always your mind engrossed in either ego or senses. WHERE IS THE PROGRESS?

Have you tasted the joy of mediation without awareness of he body? Have you walked out side the body? Have the saints and God appeared Before you?

And those are the thoughts I have and realize there was hardly any progress. So much more to go. Oh how much have I wasted lives pursuing vanity, ego and senses.

Now my heart is set. No more traps. Straight is the goal.

And that’s how a sincere disciple lives.

I have used the words you and I in a very generic sense – definitely not directed at anyone.

Be aware of the pitfalls. A certificate of progress from a million or a billion people is worthless in the eyes if God
Don’t seek that. Be content with God. What else is needed after that. Once God is at your side your mind no longer craves dirt.

There is no diversity in spirituality. In religion there are many different “Gods” and saints.
Some worship Jesus, others krishna. Some believe in Allah, and some in a supreme being or entity called God.
Even in Hinduism many different subsects exist. Some worship krishna, shiv, Vishnu, Ganesh, Hanuman, Kali , etc.
Each one will give you stories about the greatness of their version of God or saint. That individual experience, reinforces their faith.

The individual experiences are true. And not understanding the reality behind it, people are adamant about their version / vision.

So what is happening? It is the same power appearing in different ways. Alkaline battery, lithium battery, ac generator, power generated from coal, oil,gas or solar. Deep down, it is all motion of electrons. Nothing more

Great saints, those who are truly connected to God are also a manifestation of God. If called out with love, respect and not for material profit, they also respond. Sincerity Is needed. But what if someone thinks that an ordinary person is a messiah? Nothing will happen and that wasted their precious time life and money.

So now you know the purpose of my blogs. To help you weed out the fakes. The true ones are extremely extremely rare.

This is what Yogananda said

A TRUE DEVOTEE EXPRESSING DEVOTION TO GOD THROUGH any lesser or higher mode of worship will find response to his desire from the Supreme Being . He who worships representative forms of the God- head -because for him the absolute is unfathomable – will receive the grace of GOD that blesses his devotional endeavor .

Therefore , even the worshiper of lesser gods , personifications of the Supreme Deity does not go divinely unrecognized or unrewarded .

If a person of deep devotion offers homage to the form of any deity symbolically representing God .

He silently responds by materializing that form in visions before the devotee .
God is secreted in that manifestation , although the form of itself reveals only a modicum of Spirit .

GOD TALKS WITH ARJUNA CHAPTER V Il VERSE 21-22 The symbolical form of God appearing to a Hindu devotee as Kali, Durga , Vishnu, Shiva , or Krishna , for example , becomes a permanent blueprint in the ether.

If any other devotee concentrates very deeply on that deity, which has actually been seen and worshiped by a great saint , that same manifestation appears in living form to satisfy the devotee’s true heart call.

Similarly, any devotee fervently worshiping God in the form of Jesus Christ, the Holy Mother , Saint Francis, Babaji, Lahiri Mahashaya , or any saint or true guru (either mentally , or before an image or a picture ) may see that form first in vision , and then , by deeper spiritual advancement , as a materialized being , living and talking .

GOD TALKS WITH ARJUNA: CHAPTER. V I I VERSE. 21-22.
Any devotee who ardently meditates on picture or form of a true guru or any other master becomes attuned to him ,imbibing his qualities , and ultimately feels in that saint the presence of God .

As people can talk back and forth over the radio by tuning in , so a devotee may tune in with a saint and may see him televised in the crystal sphere of the spiritual eye .

The Omniscient alone , who knows the hearts of HIS children , answers their prayers in many ways.

Devotion shown to God always evokes some form of plain or mysterious response .

NO TRUE DEVOTEE IS IGNORED BY GOD.

However, shallow seekers who worship astral deities for the fulfilment of desires do not realize that it is God who will fulfil their wishes through the instrumentality of the divine beings .

The Lord is consciously present in all higher beings and in their devotees.

It is He who is CHINTAMANI , ”THE JEWEL THAT GRANTS ALL DESIRES .”
GOD TALKS WITH ARJUNA: CHAPTER V I I VERSE 21 -22

I drew this a long time ago. There are More details Maybe later

He was one of the greatest saint in India.

He wrote many poems with the highest realizations

સજીવા અે નજીવા ને ઘડીયો અને સજીવો નજીવાને કહે મનૈ કઇક દે. અખો પુછે તારી અેક
ગઇકે બે?
meaning : A living person created something non living and then he goes to the non living entity and asks for his blessings / gifts! Akho (A very famous spiritual poet) asks have you lost one eye or both eyes!

Balanced intellect.

It is not easy. Who can have a great vacation and look at it the same way as losing money And enjoy both equally?
Well once you have true wisdom this is the result or proof that you had wisdom

Yogananda says

PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA AND LORD KRISHNA
Excitement upsets the nervous balance, sending too much
energy to some parts and depriving others of their normal
share. This lack of proper distribution of nerve force is the
sole cause of nervousness. The calm man—he who avoids
excitement because he is not overly attached to his ego and is
aware that God, and not he, is running this universe—is always
able to meet any situation in life because his nerve force
is equilibrated.
Lord Krishna said: “The knower of Spirit, abiding in the Supreme Being, with unswerving discrimination, free from delusion, is thus neither jubilant at pleasant experiences nor downcast by unpleasant experiences.”(Bhagavad Gita V:20) This is the goal we must strive for and attain.-MAN’S ETERNAL QUEST -page 99

Reading the Bible or Gita will not Give you a direct perception of god. Neither reading Upanishad or Vedas
Singing hymns and praying God gives you nothing. Try as you might but the venues to have God perception – fast is limited to awakening of Shakti and kriya yoga

That is the fastest way. Super fast.
Kriya yoga – What you have read about the technique is not quite true. There are cvmissing ingredients.

A person of perception can share them. Right now doing kriya yoga perfectly is very rare. Sure there are teachers and many People who brag – the value offered by them is minimal

Why do some disciples of a true Guru progress and others don’t

Many reasons

1. Sincerely wanting progress
2. Willingness to do anything that Guru directs your to do for progress
3. Reducing ego to nothingness – willingness to be if needed a slave to your Guru

In the words of mother – Aurobindo this is what she said

Mother, on what does receptivity depend?

It depends first of all upon sincerity — on whether one really
wants to receive — and then… yes, I believe the principal factors
are sincerity and humility. There is nothing that closes you up
more than vanity. When you are self-satisfied, you have that
kind of vanity of not wanting to admit that you lack something,
that you make mistakes, that you are incomplete, that you are
imperfect, that you are… There is something in the nature, you
know, which grows stiff in this way, which does not want to
admit — it is this which prevents you from receiving. You have,
however, only to try it out and get the experience. If, by an effort
of will you manage to make even a very tiny part of the being
admit that “Ah, well, yes, I am mistaken, I should not be like
that, and I should not do that and should not feel that, yes, it
is a mistake”, if you manage to make it admit this, at first, as
I said just now, it begins by hurting you very much, but when
you hold on firmly, until this is admitted, immediately it is open
— it is open and strangely a flood of light enters, and then you
feel so glad afterwards, so happy that you ask yourself, “Why,
was I foolish enough to resist so long?”

The Mother, Questions and Answers 1954, CWM Volume 6, page 117.

Q what does a Guru do?
A awaken shakti ( plus a lot more)

What did awakened shakti do?
Depends on level of awakening

What are the levels of awakening?
3 or 5 or 9 and then a multiple of it

What do the levels mean?
How much you are aware of yourself as Devine

When is it perfection?
When this awakening state looks like an illusion

One view. True

But you can never know if the Guru is real unless he wants you to know

Those who are very advanced hide it completely. At all times. So we never know

So what is the point then? They silently await for someone who can absorb their full glory.

Often they wait patiently for a thousand years , five thousand years.

They are the immortal. They can rarely be found.

When krishna and Ram come, Jesus arrives, or Buddha or Ramana maharshi, then these great saints appear for a short time, teach them or give them tremendous powers and then disappear!

The immortal who helped Ramana , it is not well known to most, was someone ten thousand years old or more

Truth is we are nothing compared to the purity of such great people!
NOTHING

In every prayer we have , we constantly want a penny of material success or achievement. Could Be related to body, wealth or fame or respect

If we are going to squander our spiritual wealth for trivial nonsense, we are not Ready

Affirmation
O Spirit, bless me, that I may find Thee in the temple of each thought and activity. Finding Thee within, I shall find Thee without, in all people and all conditions.
Even-Minded Endurance – Rise Above Disturbances

Even-minded endurance is called titiksha in Sanskrit. I have practiced this mental neutrality. I have sat and meditated all night long in icy water in bitterly cold weather. Similarly, I have sat from morning till evening on the burning hot sands in India. I gained great mental strength by doing so. When you have practiced such self-discipline, your mind becomes impervious to all disturbing circumstances. If you think you can’t do something, your mind is a slave. Free yourself.

I don’t mean that you should be rash. Try to rise above disturbances gradually. Endurance is what you must have. Whatever may be your trouble, make a supreme effort to remedy it without worry; and until it is resolved, practice titiksha.

-Paramahansa Yogananda, The Divine Romance p 194; Affirmation, Metaphysical Meditations p 55.
http://opalstream.tumblr.com

Such titiksha is rare

Like Yogananda Vivekananda did this also

In the centuries in the past, Hindus has much emphasis on endurance. To all hardship.
If someone hurts you, endure. Don’t retaliate

Titiksha is 3 fold.

Physical – like Yogananda showed.

Mental – not even having an emotional component to the hardships of life

Spiritual – patiently waiting till spiritual growth and millions of different spiritual experiences occur. Did I say millions? My mistake. Trillions and trillions experiences

The more the titiksha the greater the happiness that follows. Immensely more. This is part of karma.

Western culture – especially in USA teaches something different. You don’t have to endure. The attorneys will get you money. This constant mentality has brought mental instability, road rage and when you can’t endure or fix situation brings depression

I am not placing judgement value. Merely consequences of our actions / attitude
Not as I saying that this is scientific proof.

There are many other social and economic factors and past life karma, interest in moksha etc that play a role

The key factor that supersedes all is grace of God and Guru

JANUARY 20 – SRF DIARY – INTROSPECTION

Our secret of progress is self-analysis. Introspection

is a mirror in which to see recesses of your mind that

otherwise would remain hidden from you. Diagnose

your failures and sort out your good and bad ten-

denies. Analyze what you are, what you wish to be-

come, and what shortcomings are impending you.

—Paramahansa Yogananda, “The law of Success”

Many steps:

Knowing your faults – we really don’t know our faults. What we know is a little here and there. But we don’t know how the faults are very interdependent. You get rid of one and the other things fight back violently

Second step is then knowing how deep or subtle the faults are. They are very subtle. The faults created the world. The faults created the soul. That’s how subtle it is

In other words the roots are so subtle that they roots made us forget our divine self and gives the illusion that we are a soul

Which is your favorite?

Affirmation
Life is a struggle for joy all along the way. May I fight to win the battle on the very spot where I now am.
Develop Mental Power – Stand Unshaken – Bravely Face Difficulties

Have more mental strength. Develop such mental power that you can stand unshaken, no matter what comes, bravely facing anything in life. If you love God you should have faith and be prepared to endure when trials come. Don’t be afraid of suffering. Keep your mind positive and strong…. It is your inner experience that is most important. Gradually strengthen the mind so that you can depend more on its power, and you will be better and better everyday. Think only positive thoughts, even in the face of contradictory circumstances. Practice even-mindedness in times of difficulties. Cater less to the demands of the body, realizing that you are not the body, but the soul. Learn to fast for one to three days at a time. The minute you think you should not eat something, desist. These are the ways to develop mind power. And above all, meditate deeply every day. Make actual contact with God…that delusion might be forever banished from your soul.
Be in the Lord. Feel His love. Fear nothing. Only in the castle of God can we find protection. There is no safer haven of joy than in His presence. When you are with Him, nothing can touch you.

-Paramahansa Yogananda, The Divine Romance, p 171; Affirmation, Metaphysical Meditations.

Trials are those that come even when you do everything with good intent to the best off your ability. Even success is a trial – why ? It takes effort not to develop ego
But if you do something wrong And have adverse results is that a trial? It is a consequence of karma. That one must endure

These things what Yogananda says – are Easy to understand. But difficult to implement.
Why is that? Because we are chopping of leaves and maybe a beach or two. What needs to be done is uproot a giant tree.

Now uprooting a tree is not an easy task. You need the right equipment. Use a chain saw, cut off the trunk, make sure tree does not trample you in the process, then dig deep within the ground find the roots and pull it out

Chain saw – discriminatory wisdom and mediation
The ground – forehead. Find the roots above agna chakra
Trampled – Weight of information without experience

It is easy for me to plant the seed of love for the Divine in those who are in tune with me. Those who obey my wishes are in reality not obeying me but the Father in me. God doesn’t talk to man direct, but uses the channel of the guru and his teachings.
Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

This is one of the methods A Guru helps a disciple progress
It is not possible to love God easily. We may love him – example Jesus or Krishna based on the stories we hear about him. But that is in part hero worshipping and a projected image of them and their abilities
True love is very different. It is rare

We only know love of the flesh. It is worthless. Those who pursue that are worthless.

Pursue the divine within. Everyday wake up. Sacrifice sleep. That will get the lords attention !

Sometimes students say to me: “Such-and-such person is making better spiritual progress than I am. Why?” I reply: “He knows how to listen.” All men would be able to transform their lives by hearing with deep attention the simple counsel given in the ethical code of all religions. It is the stony core of egotism in the hearts of most men that prevents their listening carefully to the wisdom of the ages.
Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

What happens is our mind paints and adds and subtracts from the immortal words of a guru

Hence we get stuck. Sad

THROUGH THE EYES OF LOVE- Part I

Before I went to India, I meditated, did Yoga and became a vegetarian. I had a lot invested in being a “spiritual” person. When I got to Maharajji, however all of these things that I’d been doing to “help myself” began to fall away naturally. That’s how it was being with him. In the intensity of the love, everything that was in the way- even so called spiritual practices, especially if done with heavy feeling of I’m doing this because it’s good for me- would simply fall away. That feeling was a wall that separated me from the sweet, powerful intimacy of his love. I couldn’t stand anything to be in between him and me. Especially me.

Burning with longing fire,
wanting to sleep with my head on your doorsill,
my living is composed only of this trying
to be in your presence

• Rumi

The feeling that I had while sitting with Maharajji was indescribable. I was gazing at all of the beauty in the world. Can you imagine all of the beauty in the world condensed and shining brilliantly in one person? When we fall in love with someone, that’s what we are seeing: all of love in our own being is projected onto the screen of the loved one. Maharajji merged with infinite love so when his other devotees and I looked at him, we were looking directly into the light coming from the projector, rather than what was being shown on the screen. Then there was the feeling of being at home, so totally at home. My heart was at ease with itself. I was right where I wanted to be. Incredible!

Maharajji showed me over and over that he knew exactly what I was going through and that he was right there with me all the time. He knew everything about me. He knew what I’d done in the morning, from what I ate for breakfast to what I was feeling when I walked across the bridge to the temple. He knew about my life before I even met him. He showed me in so many ways that he had always been with me and was with me every moment.

He was always running from us or sending us away. Maharajji used to say, “My mantra is ‘Jao’ (This is the Hindi term for “Go away”) We asked him why he sent us away and he replied, ” Attachment grows both ways”. One of Lord Krishna’s names is Mohan, which means, “He who causes the whole world to become attached to him”. Maharajji drew us in and allowed us to become attached to him. He knew how much we could withstand before getting unbalanced and “losing it”. Then he would send us away or run away like Krishna did, and like the Gopis of Vrindavan ( the town on the plains where Krishna spent his boyhood), we had be left desolate and longing for him. It was his way of purifying our hearts through the fire of love.
To be continued…………

Excerpts from “CHANTS OF A LIFETIME SEARCHING FOR A HEART OF GOLD” Chapter ” THROUGH THE EYES OF LOVE” written by Shri Krishna Das.

Jai Babaji ki

So this is where Krishna Das made a huge error

When Maharaj says “Jao” which means go it was a simple test of love. He failed. The feeling and right response is – Maharaj please take me within because that is the only place for me to go. Not this world. This world I find very unpalatable

Maharaj was testing the disciple, when he said Go. Where does the disciple want to go

Rumi said

Burning with longing fire,
wanting to sleep with my head on your doorsill,
my living is composed only of this trying
to be in your presence

• Rumi
  The door sill is a secret passage – where if you pass it – the concept of life changes. All that you think is living becomes a dream. And true consciousness emerges

Few know of it

MY LIFE WITH BABA (JULY 1958- JULY 1961)- Part III
In continuation………..

There were certain devotees who could attain extreme concentration called Dhyan Samadhi and this stage is mostly given to you by your Guru who knows how to pull you out of such extreme concentration and brings you back to the plane of ordinary conscious existence. There was one Dr. Sinha who was a teacher in Allahabad University. He was a Hath Yogi* and possibly proud of his sadhana. Stout and tough, he would come to see Baba and comment on Baba’s spiritual status. One day the hall was full of people and I was sitting near Dr. Sinha and his friend. I distinctly heard him commenting on Baba to his friend that Baba was a Hath Yogi* and all his siddhis were due to Hath Yoga*. He would only consider him perfect if he could grant him (Dr. Sinha) a Dhyan Samadhi*. I felt little offended and kind of regretted his statement. No sooner did Dr. Sinha utter those words than his eyes started closing slowly and he became still in Sahaj Asan which is an easy posture sitting with folded legs. Indians while taking meals sitting on the floor usually sit in this posture.

While this was happening a Doctor of Medicine, Dr Capt Jagat Narayan came in for Darshan* for the first time. He was a very successful medical practitioner. Probably one of the devotees of Baba who also happened to be his patient, had inspired him for darshan*. As soon as he sat down after prostration, Baba noticed still posture of Dr. Sinha. He asked Dr. Jagat Narayan to comment on Dr. Sinha’s health status. Dr. Narayan quickly felt his pulse and probably felt his neck vein with his finger tip and commented Dr. Sinha had fainted or may be an epileptic attack was the cause. Baba innocently asked what should be done. The Dr. suggested that sniffing ammonia would do the trick. He had his emergency bag hence Ammonia vial was broken and put under Dr. Sinha’s nose. By now he had taken out his stethoscope and B.P instrument. Dr. Sinha was made to lie down and the end diagnosis by Dr. Jagat Narayan was G.O.K (God only knows). He volunteered to send medicine from his clinic. Dr. Narayan drove in disbelief, shaking his head in wonder as to why ammonia did not help. I got the medicine and rushed back. Baba then touched Dr. Sinha on the forehead and he groggily woke up and babbled out a comment that he had fainted. In his ego, he could not admit it was Baba’s grace cast on him and he was granted a “Dhyan Samadhi”.

To describe the short future of Dr. Sinha, he developed his psychic powers through Hath Yoga* and started telling people about the coming events in their life. Eventually his progress stopped and he died due to excessive yogic exercises. Probably he was not ripe enough to absorb the destructive side of mis-directed Hath Yoga*.

During winters the devotees from outside arrived in large numbers around 10th January as series of auspicious bathing day started from 14th January onwards. Some devotees were after spiritual achievements although their bodies and nature were not ripe enough at that stage. They would come to Baba, sit down in front of him, close their eyes and attain that Dhyan Samadhi* status till Baba brought them back to consciousness. One day four devotees went into that state one by one almost simultaneously. Baba started yelling that these people were dead and they should be taken for mass cremation. Their unconscious bodies were shifted to a side room and they were placed side by side full length face up. There was an air of anxiety all around except for the people who had seen this game before. We were kind of non-chalantly enjoying the game. This play of Baba lasted for almost 5-6 hours. I would once in a while quietly sneak into the room to check on the persons.

Dada* Mukherjee went to Baba and requested him to revive the unconscious devotees since they had not taken any nutrition. Baba got up, went to the other room and closed the door. The curiosity got better of me and climbed the window opening to the outside verandah. The window pane gave me a clear vision and I saw Baba inserting his thumb and forefinger into their mouth, forcing it in and make the normal breathing process free. In Yogi* language, they call it breaking ‘Khechri Mudra’. I would confess I am really not competent to face questions on this subject but a senior yogi* told me about this mudra*. One by one, each person was woken up and they all came out groggily and stayed in that state for a long time, staggering while walking.
To be continued…………

Excerpts from “I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE; THE GRAND UNIFICATION” Chapter ” MY LIFE WITH BABA (JULY- 1958-JULY 1961)” written by Shri Rabboo Joshi.

Jai Babaji ki.

There is a lot more to it

JANUARY 12 – SRF DIARY – OBEDIENCE

The true disciple obeys his guru implicitly in everything

because the guru is a man of wisdom and purity.

Paramahansa Yogananda, “ Self-Realization Magazine”

A word of caution

You must folllw a true guru with implicitly
You cannot follow a fanatic or anyone who is not a guru – no matter how advanced he may seem – with implicitly

In this world very difficult to find a true Guru

So that brings Us to who can be considered a true Guru?

I won’t Answer that. Instead let me give you an idea of the spark of life

Some radiation therapy patients report seeing flashes of light in front of their eyes during treatment – even when their eyes are closed. Now this long-standing mystery may have been solved, thanks to this weird effect being caught on camera for the first time.
What’s happening, according to a new study, is that enough light is being produced inside the eye to cause these visual sensations. It’s what’s known as Cherenkov emissions or , the same effect that causes nuclear reactors to when they’re underwater. Cherenkov radiationglow blue
Models have shown that as the radiation beam passes through the or the clear gel of the eye, light is generated, and the researchers have provided the direct evidence. vitreous fluid
The discovery could help to improve future radiation treatments – and to put patients’ minds at ease about those flashing lights.
“Our newest data is exciting because for the first time, light emission from the eye of a patient undergoing radiotherapy was captured,” , from Dartmouth College. says biomedical engineer Irwin Tendler

“This data is also the first instance of evidence directly supporting that there is enough light produced inside the eye to cause a visual sensation and that this light resembles Cherenkov emission.”
The idea of Cherenkov emission in radiotherapy had already been by scientists, but only alongside other hypotheses. To find direct evidence, the team behind the new study used a special camera imaging system called CDose. put forward
Specifically designed to capture light emissions during radiotherapy, both in animals and humans, CDose enabled the researchers to see light coming from the eye – something that’s usually very hard to detect.

People use the word samadhi loosely. It is rare. I mean exceptionally rare.
Those who have experienced it know the different types of samadhi
I will merely list it

Sampragnat samadhi

• Savitarka sampragnat samadhi
• Suvichar sampragnat samadhi
• Sananda sampragnat samadhi
• Asmit sampragnat samadhi

Asampragnat samadhi

Savikalpa samadhi

Nirvikalpa samadhi

These are states above dharana and dhayana

Even after you reach samadhi the matter is not over till the highest samadhi is reached

One must tirelessly work hard. At some point, something suddenly jives and it becomes simple
Then you realize, why did I make it so difficult! And you laugh!

Babaji and the Train

Babaji was once wandering somewhere in Eastern U.P. At one place he passed by a railway station. The train happened to be at halt. He had a fancy to travel some distance by train. He got into a nearby coach and sat in an upper class compartment. After a while the train started and continued its journey.

Some time later, a Travelling Ticket Examiner saw this somewhat uncouth, rustic-like person occupying the upper class seat and approached him and asked for his ticket. Babaji just looked up at him once and paid no further attention to his query. He continued to remain silent in contemplation. The Ticket Examiner was annoyed. He demanded to see the ticket. It was those days when most of the railway staff was either British or at least Anglo-Indian. Babaji shook his head and spread out his empty hands.

The Ticket Examiner understood the situation and decided to take action. Soon after, the train stopped for a brief halt at a small way-side station in the country-side. Babaji was ordered to get down. He promptly obeyed, left his seat, got down out of the carriage and walking a few steps along the dusty platform went and stayed under the shade of a tree. He seemed absolutely unconcerned of whatever had happened. He paid no attention to what was going on around him.

In a couple of minutes the bell rang, the railway guard blew his whistle and waved the green flag. The engine driver sounded the whistle and started the engine. Nothing happened. The engine did not move and the train continued to stand where it was.

After a few minutes the guard got down and walked up to the engine driver to enquire what the trouble was. No trouble could be detected. Everything seemed to be all right. The engine driver checked everything and tried again. No result. More time passed. The Station Master became anxious. Another train which was due to come by was held up at some station up the line. Telegraphic messages started coming. 15 minutes, 20 minutes and then half an hour passed.

Anxiety built up.

Then a subordinate member of the staff very timidly approached the Station Master and pointing to Babaji sitting under the tree insisted that the whole situation was due to having shown disrespect to the holy man. He suggested that the only way out of the impasse was to approach him and beg his forgiveness and request him to continue his journey without any hindrance. This was conveyed to the guard and the engine driver.

At first they vehemently refused to do any such thing but as more time passed, better reason prevailed. They respectfully approached Babaji, saluted him, asked to be excused for their rudeness, requested him to bless the train and invited him to continue his journey. Babaji looked up and glanced at them for a moment and said “All right, Chalo. Hum chalenge, Hum chalenge” (“All right, Go. I shall come along, I shall come along”) and got up and re-entered the train.

Immediately the engine gave a jerk and the train started to move as though nothing had happened. A little crowd, which had gathered there, in the meanwhile, loudly acclaimed Babaji with awe in their voice. From then onwards no Railway Officer ever interfered with Babaji’s free movement in any train he fancied.

…Sri Swami Chidananda

Most people will live life aimlessly. Sure you think when your young you want a degree, good job, lots of money, travel and pleasures
By the time to turn 50 you realize it’s a tall task.
By now often times we are worried by health, retirement and our goal changes like wise. And may be we look forward to having grand kids etc

But by the time you turn 60, you wonder about life. Your more cynical.

Of course this is a very negative perspective

But my challenge to you is this – have a Goal. That is tangible. Anyone can get. They have all the means to get it. Be pure. Get rid of your anger. Emotions. Desires for the world try to reach God.
And suddenly you will find meaning in life enthusiasm. It will be a daily battle. But 10 years later you will be happy. You will feel I am a better person

And that is something Tangible you can take with you in your next life !

This is a beautiful explanation by Mother. In India, there is a short prayer that people recite daily

Sarva Sukhina santu ( May all have happiness)
Sarve santu niramaya ( May all have good health)
Sarve bhadrani pashyantu ( May all see noble / divinity be seen everywhere)
Ma kashcid dukha apnuyat ( May no one have even the slightest unhappiness)

This is what we must pray. Daily. From the deepest recesses of our being. Such total purity must be strived for. Then the world can instantly become good. If only a handful of people could do it

What mother wrote

Can one help the world with a vibration of goodwill?
With good wishes one can change many things, only it must be an extremely pure and unmixed goodwill. It is quite obvious that a thought, a perfectly pure and true prayer, if it is sent forth into the world, does its work. But where is this perfectly pure and true thought when it passes into the human brain? There are degradations. If through an effort of inner consciousness and knowledge, you can truly overcome in yourself a desire, that is to say, dissolve and abolish it, and if through inner goodwill, through consciousness, light, knowledge, you are able to dis solve the desire, you will be, first of all in yourself personally, a hundred times happier than if you had satisfied this desire, and then it will have a marvellous effect. It will have a repercussion in the world of which you have no idea. It will spread forth. For the vibrations you have created will continue to spread. These things grow larger like the snowball. The victory you win in your character, however small it be, is one which can be gained in the whole world. And it is this I meant just now: all things which are done outwardly without changing the inner nature — hospitals, schools, etc. — are done through vanity, for the feeling of being great, whilst these small unnoticed things overcome in oneself gain an infinitely greater victory, though the effects are hidden. Every movement in you which is false and opposed to the truth is a negation of the divine life. Your small efforts have considerable results which you don’t even have the satisfaction of knowing, but which are true and have precisely an impersonal and general effect.
If you really want to do something good, the best thing you can do is to win your small victories in all sincerity, one after another, and thus you will do for the world the maximum you are able to.

The Mother, Questions and Answers 1953, CWM Volume 5, pages 19 – 20.

The Secret Place of the Most High

One who finds within himself that “secret place of the most High” becomes suffused with supreme happiness and divine security.* Whether he is mixing with friends or sleeping or working, he keeps that place only for God. With his consciousness centered in the Lord, he finds maya’s concentric veils suddenly lifting; in joy the devotee sees God playing hide-and-seek with him in the blossoms, and the stars shining with a stronger Light, and the sky smiling with the Infinite. When his eyes are spiritually opened, the devotee beholds, peering at him through the eyes of everyone, the eyes of the Infinite. Behind the kind or unkind voice of everyone he hears the truthful voice of the Infinite. Behind the wise or helter-skelter will of everyone he perceives the constancy of the will of God. What a wonderful existence, when all of God’s disguises are cast off and the devotee is face to face with the Infinite, in blissful oneness of divine communion!

*”He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust….

“There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all the ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone….

“Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him:
“I will set him on high, because he hath known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him My salvation.” (Psalms 91:1-16).

-Paramahansa Yogananda, Second Coming of Christ, p 1187.

First you have to know where that secret place is
Then you have to learn how to go within
When you try to go within and fail you raise it is your mental impurities, worldly desires that created the problem
Then slowly you realize that it is not easy to get rid of desire
It’s a terrible habit from many births

But if done properly, Yukteshwar said anyone can be liberated in 12 years.

What are the 5 obstacles

Ignorance – this is merely a particle. . Not something imaginary. A particle that makes one forget oneself. Then this particle created the whole universe. And the universe gave you a body

Ego – this is the next step. Ego. You forget your divine self and imagine yourself as something. And to fulfill that something you created 3 bodies. The gross body is the only body you know but there is a subtle body and a casual body or karana body.

Desire and aversion – so the ego ways to spread out to enjoy. Why? Because it perceives something worth having and something to be avoided this is a big shackle

Abhinivesh – hard to explain what it it. Why? Because based on the level of your meditation it appears differently At the lowest level you could say it is attachment to the body. Then you realize it is more than that. It is the unwillingness to give up attachment to the body ( and its pleasure). And then it appears as unwillingness to give up anger, vengeance, pleasure desires

So you have you get rid of these 5 things before the mind can stay without thought

Once you can be without thought, liberation is instant. But make sure you don’t go to sleep

Simple. Learning how to stop thinking

So to get to liberation we spend a lot of time learning how to stop thinking.

It is not that easy. You have to learn it. Repeatedly hear about it

Those things are disciple specif in some ways

I don’t reveal things those in public. One advise does not fit all

The moment you stop your thoughts and don’t go into slumber

WHY DO WE SHOUT IN ANGER?

A Hindu saint who was visiting river Ganges to take a bath found a group of family members on the banks, shouting in anger at each other. He turned to his disciples smiled, and asked.
‘Why do people who are angry shout at each other?’
Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, ‘Because we lose our calm, we shout.’
‘But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner.’ asked the saint
Some disciples gave some answers but none satisfied the other disciples.
Finally the saint explained, .
‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other to cover that great distance.
What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is either nonexistent or very small…’
The saint continued, ‘When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.’
He looked at his disciples and said.
‘So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, Do not say words that distance each other more, Or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.’

I found this on the web. Thought I would share

The reason for talking louder is our point is not entering a closed brain. We try to force it in

The reason for talking softly – we want the other person to get closer to us to hear us

The reason for not talking – usually I am asleep.! Kidding