God.
From our perception
In all 72 ways

So what is the end result?

The mind is constantly looking for happiness. There is no reason to look for it. The mind freezes when it touches inner self Joy

But since it has not touched it – we seek to talk and discuss. We want to listen to things. Read things. Show off our achievements. Look forward to things. We cannot endure Woe me is what the mind dwells on. Be happy by listing what we have. Or can get. Or be unhappy by what others have. Or wish to be a philosopher or guru and then help others. Acquire knowledge

But my friends , when you have it – there is nothing to be achieved. That very inner Joy is God. Is knowledge. It is everything. That is the true intoxication of Shiv. That was the intoxication of Omar Khayaan in his Rubiyaat. That is the intoxication of many great Saints such Mirabai or Narsinh. Immersed in it that they become incapable of any worldly activity. And spontaneously they keep singing a variety of highly charged instantly created bhajan

We have it. But we ignore it in our lust for life. We think this life is all

What more can I say ?

Happy Diwali and Happy New year

Thought itself is karma. Whether you act on it or not , it is karma

The effect of thought related karma is significant in hindering meditation

What kind of thoughts create the biggest obstacle in meditation? Not having love for everyone on Earth. Wish everyone well. No exception.

The other is anguish and hurt feelings. Don’t be offended by others. Very difficult to implement. But it is a must. Regardless of the action of others.

These steps are essential to making any spiritual progress.

Why? Do I not have the right to my feelings when simple hurts me? The answer is it is ultimately God responsibility to take care of us. Our responsibility is to make connecti to God and not worry about his responsibility. That is where we were

This seems simple enough to understand. But truth is one has to I very very deep in mediation to understand why this is needed.

There is no compromise in the need for purity. The mirror must be spotless!

From the internet but really worth whole

The Law of Wasted Effort

Do you know that lions only succeed in a quarter of their hunting attempts — which means they fail in 75% of their attempts and succeeds in only 25% of them.

Despite this small percentage shared by most predators, they don’t despair in their pursuit and hunting attempts.

The main reason for this is not because of hunger as some might think but it is the understanding of the “Law of Wasted Efforts” that have been instinctively built into animals, a law in which nature is governed.

Half of the eggs of fishes are eaten… half of the baby bears die before puberty… most of the world’s rains fall in oceans… and most of the seeds of trees are eaten by birds.

Scientists have found that animals, trees, and other forces of nature are more receptive to the law of “wasted efforts”.

Only humans think that the lack of success in a few attempts is failure… but the truth is that: we only fail when we “stop trying”.

Success is not to have a life free of pitfalls and falls… but success is to walk over your mistakes and go beyond every stage where your efforts were wasted looking forward to the next stage.

My version – God gave animals the in built realization that seeds will be lost and you won’t always have a lush meal

Sadly humans are trained poorly. We are told to fight for things and everything is your birthright!

In contrast Sita gave a perfect example of supreme tolerance!

Pick your poison. Some day I will explain this drama!

2 types of Bhakti
Described by Ramkrishna. He said kitten like is better.
I personally believe starts as monkey and evolves to kitten

In time.

Not easy

This is what Yogananda said

Preparing for your next incarnation

The Right Attitude Toward Suffering

   There are two kinds of seekers: those who are like the baby monkey and those who are like the kitten. The baby monkey clings to the mother; but when she jumps, it may fall off. The ittle kitten is carried about by the mother cat, content wherever she places it. The kitten has complete trust in its mother. I am more like that; I give all responsibility to the Divine Mother. But to maintain that attitude takes great will. Under all circumstances-health or sickness, riches or poverty, sunshine or gray clouds-your feeling must remain unruffled. Even when you are in the coal bin of suffering you don't wonder why the Mother placed you there. You have faith that She knows best. Sometimes an apparent disaster turns into a blessing for you.


~ Sri Paramahansa Yogananda,
Journey to Self-Realization

Of course not

But yet most people – when they get material happiness they feel more secure. Feel powerful. And they feel just happy.

This they equate to blessings from the fake Guru, or doing karma yoga or worship or tirth or mala

And that dream is eventually shattered and they reevaluate their situation

A person on the path of yoga – is never given material happiness or sustained happiness

If he or she gets happiness they will not be able to progress spiritually. So one thing shakti does, he favors the disciple by not giving happiness. Yes they get spiritual joy in mediation. And the material dismay leads them to more within and less Outside.

Sadly the human mind can only progress this way

This is what Yogananda said

They are dupes of delusion who are lulled into spiritual complacency by the false security imparted by material wealth. Such persons are unwilling to learn from the millions who have laboured hard in the world for the rewards of possessions and prosperity, perhaps accumulating vast fortunes, only to find that affluence has made no signiticant deposits in the coffers of inner peace and joy. How foolish it is to store up treasures for the fleeting body, which at any moment can be taken away by death; it is wise to give one’s primary effort to acquiring soul riches of lasting bliss, wisdom, and divine qualities through daily meditation and service to others, for this is an imperishable wealth from which one is never parted.

~ Sri Paramahansa Yogananda,
1084, The second coming of Christ.

Here is an interesting forward

https://www.quora.com/Who-is-Lord-Shiva/answer/अहम-जोगी-Aham-Jogi?ch=3&share=9c6864a4&srid=8hzMM

You can choose to read it
Or not read it

If you read it you can choose to believe it
Or not believe it

If you believe it you can choose to call him a Guru or say interesting

I did not read it. Just glanced at it

I laughed. The person has not even started and thinks he has reached perfection

This is the trouble with people. Every step of the way they think they have reached the highest.

Some of the experiences he described are the baby steps described by Yogendra vigyani !

Your choice

In Gita there is a shloka that says to an enlightened person gold and rock are the same and sees friends and foe alike

This is in chapter 14. Verse 24-25 ?

But even these enlightened people need food and need some money for daily sustenance. They live in society or interact with society.

As a result, even though all is God their behavior may seem not consistent with those words.

This is what Yogananda said

The ordinary man, watching the drama of good and bad humar beings playing on the space-screen of the world, is affected pleasurably and painfully. But the man who has perceived God looks upon all types of men as dream motion-picture images, made of the relativities of the light of Cosmic Consciousness and the shadows of delusion.

       The exalted yogi, however, does not treat gold and earth, saint and sinner, with impartial indifference! He wisely recognizes their dramatic differences on the mundane plane as perceived by other material beings. Even though all beings and objects in the cosmos are made of the divine light and the shadows of delusion, the yogi recognizes relative values. He endorses the activities of the virtuous who serve as harbingers of good to their fellowmen, and he denounces the activities of the evil who harm themselves and others. 


~ Sri Paramahansa Yogananda,
6 : 9, God talks with Arjuna

What it means is that God does not tell us to be foolish in our behavior. If all is God you still don’t sit down in a cage with a hungry tiger for mediation. You will go for meditation in a place with positive vibration.

So all of religion has to be applied practically.

This creates problems and makes it more difficult to recognize a yogi. His internal status is very different than that of ordinary people. Although actions may seem the same in some situations

If a Guru has a few disciples, it may seem he is playing favorite to a disciple. This of course is not true. He grants an equal opportunity. Yet, one disciple is more interested in building his business and the other is more interested in meditation, it may seem one disciple got more attention

What is the reason for writing all this? It is difficult to recognize a yogi. Babaji himself has no needs but the immediate disciple around him need food. How do they get their meal?

So some body related issues yogi are granted exceptions. But if someone verbally abuses them or praises them they remain indifferent. Just like krishna and sishupal

This blog was written just so you can ponder on some reality issues

Bottom line

1. indifference is more of tamas
2. unaffected is sign of yogi
3. knowing a pious disciple snd helping is a yogi
   4). knowing a pious disciple but not helping is tamas. instead a fake guru helps only those with money

So even though all maybe the same , the divine light is not stupid. Or foolish. Those who do wrong are given appropriate results. One should not try to hide or think God or divine will not know or forgive. A Guru is higher than God and often forgives even when God does not forgive

At the final moment, if you have no remaining desire , you are free

In our foolishness we think that without meditation you can overcome desire. But that is not possible.

Why is it foolish?

The mind inherently goes out. You see a good looking man or Woman and there is a desire. Or you see a yummy looking ice cream or pizza or South Indian food. And you want it

Your mind is not in your control. You can’t control your mind for 5 min for mediation. How can you say you will relinquish desire at the final moment?

So mediation is needed to bring the mind under your control instead of the mind leading you

This is what Paramhansa Yogananda said

Realize your Christ – immortality

Wash your hands of all desires now, yet perform your earthly duties with an increasing ambition to please God and to make others happy; then when the door of death is opened, your spirit will laugh and dance and shout: “Now through this opening I shall dash to my Home of Immortal Bliss.” Disappoint all the adversities of earth-binding attachments so that they will not bring you here on earth anymore; being unshackled, race straight to your home in God.

~ Sri Paramahansa Yogananda,
Journey to Self-Realization

The silence descends into the inner being first — as also other things from the higher consciousness. One can become aware of this inner being, calm, silent, strong, untouched by the movements of Nature, full of knowledge or light, and at the same time be aware of another lesser being, the small personality on the surface which is made up of the movements of Nature or else still subject to them or else, if not subject to them, still open to invasion by them. This is a condition that any number of sadhaks and Yogis have experienced. The inner being means the psychic, the inner mind, the inner vital, the inner physical. In this condition none of these can be even touched, so there has been an essential purification. All need not feel this division into two consciousnesses, but most do. When it is there, the will that decides the action is in the inner being, not in the outer — so the invasion of the outer by vital movements can in no way compel the action. It is on the contrary a very favourable stage in the transformation because the inner being can bring the whole force of the higher consciousness in it to change the nature wholly, observing the action of Nature without being affected by it, putting the force for change wherever needed and setting the whole being right as one does with a machine. That is if one wants a transformation. For many Vedantins don’t think it necessary — they say the inner being is mukta, the rest is simply a mechanical continuation of the impetus of Nature in the physical man and will drop away with the body so that one can depart into Nirvana.

SRI AUROBINDO. *Letters on Yoga III, CWSA volume 30, pages 213 – 214.

Aurobindo was mistaken in thinking his yoga was the only yoga looking at outer transformation
In fact all yoga demands outer perfection. However depending on the yuga or time frame – outer changes are already in place to varying degrees before yoga is given

But let’s not debate this. The salient points are

1. Don’t get upset if your mind does not come under control during daily activity. It takes time.
   2). First learn to calm mind during meditation.
2. The inner mind like Sri Aurobindo talks about – is something strong and powerful that is able to remain calm and silently observe the mind and emotions. This is the Sankhya method. This is the witness attitude.
   The hangso method given by Yogananda is the beginning of witness attitude. Here they start from physical, to mind to emotions.
   In Aurobindo the sequence is mind, emotions and physical.
   There are advantages and disadvantages to both
3. All shakti awakening gives the power of witness attitude. But in an extremely powerful way. And the awakened shakti takes over the body. I have seen in the tirthji sampradaya some of the disciples reciting complex Sanskrit hymns. ( before awakening , they did not know Sanskrit)
   These things may seem very advanced but in reality they are minor step in the whole process. Much much much more has to be done
4. Shakti by itself never sleeps. However the individual shakti called kundalini is asleep. It lies in the lower chakra. When it awakens then inner chakras Are penetrated and sadhak can reach divine levels. A Guru awakens it in varying levels – with mantra or touch or glancing The intensity varies as mild , moderate or intense. This is called kriyavati, kalavati , varnamayi. There is a fourth level I described above and elsewhere
   The witness attitude is part of initial
5. Most people talk about witness attitude and think the matter is over. I have seen many many Guru talk about witness attitude, silently observe and ignorantly preach it. But my friend that is a Beginning. Master baby steps first. This witness attitude can be done and makes progress you have a true Guru very strong and effective
   This witness attitude has been described by patanjali as Yama and niyama. Take titiksha. The endurance. It is part of Yama niyama. It says endure the emotional pain that you get in life. Without a reaction or getting upset. That is in other words witness attitude. The great steps that you hear from everyone! And yogi call it the first step

Please don’t get me wrong. This witness attitude, inner calmness is very important once that is done well , A Guru has to appear. Shakti has to help. But in kaliyuga we are are told the opposite. React and do something. And they call it karma yoga. But karma yoga is doing something with no emotional reaction. And not caring about success or failure when the results come out

True karma yoga is done after perfection. Not before. Yes I know what Gita says but people did not understand it correctly.

No one can say! She knows. Shree Lalitha.
However how and when is kept a big secret. When on the verge of I liberation your Guru can tell you. But before that, it depends on your effort and endurance. Since it is a personal choice, and God does not interfere with personal choices – there is some uncertainty

Depending on what category soul progress you have made there is some certainty

Now I have to confess this is merely an inference on my part. I do not have the vision to see the future of my self, let alone others. Having said that , based on what the great saints have said to others, a rare soul has certainly of liberation in 2-3 births. Most even after having a perfect Guru will take a longer provided they continue with full faith and work hard

This is what Yogananda said about effort and peace

Although you can accomplish great accomplishments in the world, you will never know joy equal to that arising from meditation when thoughts are silent and mind tuned to the peace of God. (…)
Meditation wide open all the closed doors of your body, mind and soul, to let God’s momentum in. Your whole body and your whole being transforms when you practice meditation regularly. Contact with God brings inner harmony to your life as you dive into His peace. But you need to meditate pertinent, consistent and continuously to fully understand the rewarding effects of this Supreme Force.

— Paramahansa Yogananda
Book: Inner Peace
(How to be calmly active and actively calm)

Sadly humans need hardship with no solution to make progress. Why? We are Very comfortable with the world and always think we can work with it and find a solution with our ability and intelligence. Such is human ego

Hence some hardships are a springboard to progress

This is what Yogananda said

Our endeavor must not only to acquire financial security and good health, but to seek out the meaning of life. What is it all about ? When we are hit with difficulties we react upon environment first, making whatever material adjustment we believe may help. But when we come to the point of saying, “Everything I have tried so far has failed, what to do next ? ” We start to think hard about solution. When we think deeply enough,we find an answer within. This is one form of answered prayer…
Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda.
Man’s Eternal Quest… Page 33